Ukrainian filmmaker Roman Bondarchuk is winding down post-production on his latest feature film, “The Editorial Office,” a dramedy set on the eve of the Russian invasion. It’s among the works in progress being presented this week at CineLink Industry Days, the industry arm of the Sarajevo Film Festival.
“The Editorial Office” follows Yura, a junior researcher at a provincial nature museum who witnesses an act of arson committed in the forest. When he brings evidence of the crime to the editor of a local newspaper, he unexpectedly gets hired as a journalist, a career change that suddenly pulls him into a treacherous world where the line between fact and fiction is blurred. “It’s about a young man who’s trying to discover his own truth, sometimes at a very high price,” said Bondarchuk.
The director, previously known for documentaries such as 2015 IDFA premiere “Ukrainian Sheriffs,” made the transition...
“The Editorial Office” follows Yura, a junior researcher at a provincial nature museum who witnesses an act of arson committed in the forest. When he brings evidence of the crime to the editor of a local newspaper, he unexpectedly gets hired as a journalist, a career change that suddenly pulls him into a treacherous world where the line between fact and fiction is blurred. “It’s about a young man who’s trying to discover his own truth, sometimes at a very high price,” said Bondarchuk.
The director, previously known for documentaries such as 2015 IDFA premiere “Ukrainian Sheriffs,” made the transition...
- 8/18/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Palestinian filmmaker Firas Khoury’s fiery feature debut “Alam” (The Flag), which won the top prize this week at the Cairo Intl. Film Festival, sent a charge through the audience at its Middle East premiere, with moviegoers bursting into applause several times during the screening.
Khoury, however, was unable to witness the reception firsthand. The director, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, applied for an Egyptian visa with his Palestinian passport ahead of the festival. Egyptian authorities, he said, never replied. He’ll try his luck again with Saudi Arabian authorities ahead of “Alam’s” next screening at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, which runs Dec. 1 – 10.
Speaking to Variety from his home in Tunis, Khoury said he was saddened to miss his film’s first screening for Arab audiences, although upon hearing reports of the rousing ovation in Cairo he simply said, “Amazing. Amazing.”
“Alam” follows a Palestinian-Israeli teen,...
Khoury, however, was unable to witness the reception firsthand. The director, who is a Palestinian citizen of Israel, applied for an Egyptian visa with his Palestinian passport ahead of the festival. Egyptian authorities, he said, never replied. He’ll try his luck again with Saudi Arabian authorities ahead of “Alam’s” next screening at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, which runs Dec. 1 – 10.
Speaking to Variety from his home in Tunis, Khoury said he was saddened to miss his film’s first screening for Arab audiences, although upon hearing reports of the rousing ovation in Cairo he simply said, “Amazing. Amazing.”
“Alam” follows a Palestinian-Israeli teen,...
- 11/23/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
By Alissa Simon
Actress, producer and musician Trace Lysette, known for her recurring role as Shea on all five seasons of Amazon’s “Transparent,” and for her appearance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu in “Hustlers,” takes her career to a new level with a heart-rending turn in the title role of Venice competition title “Monica.”
• What drew you to this project? What stuck out to me most are the universal themes. A lot of people can relate to a loved one nearing the end of this physical life. Also, just the fact that families in general go through a lot together. There are strains on relationships, drama, humor, sadness… all of these things. This movie just happens to place a trans woman at the center of it all and we get to see it through her eyes. Which unfortunately is very rare and maybe even unheard of in film.
Actress, producer and musician Trace Lysette, known for her recurring role as Shea on all five seasons of Amazon’s “Transparent,” and for her appearance alongside Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu in “Hustlers,” takes her career to a new level with a heart-rending turn in the title role of Venice competition title “Monica.”
• What drew you to this project? What stuck out to me most are the universal themes. A lot of people can relate to a loved one nearing the end of this physical life. Also, just the fact that families in general go through a lot together. There are strains on relationships, drama, humor, sadness… all of these things. This movie just happens to place a trans woman at the center of it all and we get to see it through her eyes. Which unfortunately is very rare and maybe even unheard of in film.
- 9/3/2022
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
This fall, Arab filmmakers will be out in force at such prestigious international fests as Venice and Toronto. Venice alone boasts six features from first- and second-time Arab directors in its official sections, plus an additional six works-in-progress at its Final Cut Production Bridge. Meanwhile, Toronto opens with “The Swimmers,” a drama from U.K. helmer Sally El Hosaini based on the journey of Syrian sisters and Olympic hopefuls Yusra and Sara Mardini, who fled the war in their home country for Germany. Yusra competed in the 2016 and 2021 Summer Olympics. An additional six Arab films will screen at the Canadian fest.
Dek: Arab filmmakers embrace genres and issues as festivals and distributors take notice
By Alissa Simon
This fall, Arab filmmakers will be out in force at such prestigious international fests as Venice and Toronto. Venice alone boasts six features from first- and second-time Arab directors in its official sections,...
Dek: Arab filmmakers embrace genres and issues as festivals and distributors take notice
By Alissa Simon
This fall, Arab filmmakers will be out in force at such prestigious international fests as Venice and Toronto. Venice alone boasts six features from first- and second-time Arab directors in its official sections,...
- 9/3/2022
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
The festival runs July 21-31.
Alexandru Belc’s Metronom has picked up the award for best international film at the 39th edition of the Jerusalem Film Festival (Jff) this week.
The Romanian film was selected from 11 international titles, which included Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave and Mia Hansen-Løve’s One Fine Morning. It centres around a teenage couple spending their last few days together in 1972. Belc also won the best director award when the film played in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selection earlier this year.
Berlinale managing director Mariette Rissenbeek, Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes and Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson comprised the jury.
Alexandru Belc’s Metronom has picked up the award for best international film at the 39th edition of the Jerusalem Film Festival (Jff) this week.
The Romanian film was selected from 11 international titles, which included Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave and Mia Hansen-Løve’s One Fine Morning. It centres around a teenage couple spending their last few days together in 1972. Belc also won the best director award when the film played in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selection earlier this year.
Berlinale managing director Mariette Rissenbeek, Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes and Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson comprised the jury.
- 7/29/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Didier Brunner – producer of “The Triplets of Belleville,” “The Secret of Kells” and “Ernest and Celestine” – is readying his next production, ’Prends Garde à toi!,’ an adaptation of the ‘Carmen’ story led by one of France’s freest creative spirits: Sébastien Laudenbach.
Laudenbach’s feature debut, “The Girl Without Hands,” an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, was acquired by Gkids for North American distribution. It also took Annecy’s 2016 Jury Prize. He is now directing his second animated feature, “Chicken for Linda!”
“Prends Garde à toi!” is inspired by both Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella and Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera, the title (literally “Beware!”) being a famous repeated warning from Carmen’s entrance aria in the opera.
Laudenbach’s third feature, the 2D animated feature is set up at Paris-based Folivari, the production company founded by Didier and son Damien Brunner in 2014, which has seen rapid success with 26-part...
Laudenbach’s feature debut, “The Girl Without Hands,” an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, was acquired by Gkids for North American distribution. It also took Annecy’s 2016 Jury Prize. He is now directing his second animated feature, “Chicken for Linda!”
“Prends Garde à toi!” is inspired by both Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella and Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera, the title (literally “Beware!”) being a famous repeated warning from Carmen’s entrance aria in the opera.
Laudenbach’s third feature, the 2D animated feature is set up at Paris-based Folivari, the production company founded by Didier and son Damien Brunner in 2014, which has seen rapid success with 26-part...
- 6/15/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Distributor also unveils Kino! Germany Now!
Kino Lorber, scouring the Berlinale for potential acquisitions, has announced a North American deal on Burhan Qurbani’s 2020 Berlinale hit Berlin Alexanderplatz.
The film stars Welket Bungué as an undocumented African immigrant who struggles to make a new life for himself in Berlin.
Without papers, a work permit, and limited options to make money, the man gets an offer from a psychopathic gangster as his life begins to spiral out of control.
Berlin Alexanderplatz won best film and best actor at 2020 Stockholm International Film Festival, among others, and is a fresh retelling of Alfred Döblin...
Kino Lorber, scouring the Berlinale for potential acquisitions, has announced a North American deal on Burhan Qurbani’s 2020 Berlinale hit Berlin Alexanderplatz.
The film stars Welket Bungué as an undocumented African immigrant who struggles to make a new life for himself in Berlin.
Without papers, a work permit, and limited options to make money, the man gets an offer from a psychopathic gangster as his life begins to spiral out of control.
Berlin Alexanderplatz won best film and best actor at 2020 Stockholm International Film Festival, among others, and is a fresh retelling of Alfred Döblin...
- 3/3/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
European Shooting Stars 2021
This year’s ten European Shooting Star actors are Seidi Haarla (Finland), Nicolas Maury (France), Albrecht Schuch (Germany), Natasa Stork (Hungary), Fionn O’Shea (Ireland), Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė (Lithuania), Martijn Lakemeier (The Netherlands), Sara Klimoska (North Macedonia), Alba Baptista (Portugal) and Gustav Lindh (Sweden). The selection jury included U.S. casting director Cassandra Han, Kosovan director Antoneta Kastrati and Danish producer René Ezra. European Film Promotion’s 24th edition of the program will take place digitally, from 23 to 25 February 2021. Previous Shooting Stars have included Carey Mulligan, Alba Rohrwacher, Alicia Vikander, Maisie Williams and Riz Ahmed.
Nent Group Chair
Nent Group Chair David Chance has decided not to stand for re-election this year. The Nent Group Nomination Committee has proposes the election of Pernille Erenbjerg as the new Chair of the Board. Erenbjerg has served as member of the Nent Group Board since May 2020, and was previously President and CEO of Tdc,...
This year’s ten European Shooting Star actors are Seidi Haarla (Finland), Nicolas Maury (France), Albrecht Schuch (Germany), Natasa Stork (Hungary), Fionn O’Shea (Ireland), Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė (Lithuania), Martijn Lakemeier (The Netherlands), Sara Klimoska (North Macedonia), Alba Baptista (Portugal) and Gustav Lindh (Sweden). The selection jury included U.S. casting director Cassandra Han, Kosovan director Antoneta Kastrati and Danish producer René Ezra. European Film Promotion’s 24th edition of the program will take place digitally, from 23 to 25 February 2021. Previous Shooting Stars have included Carey Mulligan, Alba Rohrwacher, Alicia Vikander, Maisie Williams and Riz Ahmed.
Nent Group Chair
Nent Group Chair David Chance has decided not to stand for re-election this year. The Nent Group Nomination Committee has proposes the election of Pernille Erenbjerg as the new Chair of the Board. Erenbjerg has served as member of the Nent Group Board since May 2020, and was previously President and CEO of Tdc,...
- 1/12/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman, Tom Grater and Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Early January is rarely a time for exciting new releases, although this year is slightly different, as the Oscar window has shifted and streaming services offer up their awards contenders. This week, “Herself” and “Pieces of a Woman” make their way from limited theatrical runs to Amazon and Netflix, respectively. And over at Film Movement, Latvian foreign language submission “Blizzard of Souls” kicks off a weekly series of movies competing for the international feature Oscar.
Otherwise, the release calendar reflects the usual January doldrums, made all the more tepid by the lack of schlock horror movies and YA romantic weepies. It won’t surprise many to learn that theatrical releases are slim, although those willing to risk it can watch “CSI” veteran Gary Dourdan play an American war hero tasked with rescuing his pregnant wife from terrorists. By all reports, you don’t need to see this one to guess how it goes.
Otherwise, the release calendar reflects the usual January doldrums, made all the more tepid by the lack of schlock horror movies and YA romantic weepies. It won’t surprise many to learn that theatrical releases are slim, although those willing to risk it can watch “CSI” veteran Gary Dourdan play an American war hero tasked with rescuing his pregnant wife from terrorists. By all reports, you don’t need to see this one to guess how it goes.
- 1/8/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Stuck inside on Black Friday, stuffed with turkey, what are Americans supposed to do to distract themselves? All year, it’s been a battle of the streamers to fill the void left by cinemas, and this week finds nearly all the big brands are stepping up with big titles to serve the stay-at-home set.
Netflix debuts Oscar contender “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in theaters this week — featuring a terrific final performance from Chadwick Boseman. The film won’t be available to subscribers until mid-December, though Netflix will serve up Kurt-and-Goldie holiday special “The Christmas Chronicles 2” — as well as “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.” Plus, “Hillbilly Elegy” hits the service this week, too, following a limited theatrical run.
For family audiences, Disney Plus launches a “Black Beauty” remake. (Those feeling courageous enough to visit theaters can give rival DreamWorks Animation a shot with a sequel to caveman cartoon “The Croods.
Netflix debuts Oscar contender “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in theaters this week — featuring a terrific final performance from Chadwick Boseman. The film won’t be available to subscribers until mid-December, though Netflix will serve up Kurt-and-Goldie holiday special “The Christmas Chronicles 2” — as well as “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.” Plus, “Hillbilly Elegy” hits the service this week, too, following a limited theatrical run.
For family audiences, Disney Plus launches a “Black Beauty” remake. (Those feeling courageous enough to visit theaters can give rival DreamWorks Animation a shot with a sequel to caveman cartoon “The Croods.
- 11/28/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Hungary’s Oscar© Entry for Best International Feature ‘Those Who Remained’ Directed by Barnabás TóthBarna, as Barnabás Tóth is called, has the rare occurrence of having two films in two consecutive years shortlisted for the Academy Award Nomination. Last year his short film, ‘Cuchotage’ and this year his international feature ‘Those Who Remained’ have been shortlisted.
The road Barna and his producer traveled to get this film made was long and arduous. I spoke with him on the phone from Budapest and again in the Q&a for the Academy members screening held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills before he and his lead actress, Abigél Szõke, left for Palm Springs Film Festival where the film will show again.
Those Who Remained reveals the healing process of Shoah survivors through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary. It is a lyrical story of the...
The road Barna and his producer traveled to get this film made was long and arduous. I spoke with him on the phone from Budapest and again in the Q&a for the Academy members screening held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills before he and his lead actress, Abigél Szõke, left for Palm Springs Film Festival where the film will show again.
Those Who Remained reveals the healing process of Shoah survivors through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary. It is a lyrical story of the...
- 1/5/2020
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
It will be the third feature from director Jonas Karasek.
Slovakian project The File (Spis) has won Screen International’s Best Pitch Award at the Baltic Event Co-Production Market at the Tallin Black Nights International Film Festival.
Producer Wanda Adamik Hrycova of Bratislava-based Wandal production, director Jonas Karasek and the film’s Finnish co-producer Oskari Huttu of Lucy Loves accepted the award, which offers editorial coverage throughout the film’s life-cycle.
The €1.8m political thriller, based on real events surrounding one of the biggest corruption scandals in Eastern European history, will be the third feature directed by Karasek.
It continues...
Slovakian project The File (Spis) has won Screen International’s Best Pitch Award at the Baltic Event Co-Production Market at the Tallin Black Nights International Film Festival.
Producer Wanda Adamik Hrycova of Bratislava-based Wandal production, director Jonas Karasek and the film’s Finnish co-producer Oskari Huttu of Lucy Loves accepted the award, which offers editorial coverage throughout the film’s life-cycle.
The €1.8m political thriller, based on real events surrounding one of the biggest corruption scandals in Eastern European history, will be the third feature directed by Karasek.
It continues...
- 11/29/2019
- by 158¦Martin Blaney¦40¦
- ScreenDaily
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event have revealed their respective works in progress, while Just Film is set to present upcoming children’s and youth film projects for the first time. Eighteen films in production will be presented at the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event Work in Progress sessions on 26 and 27 November. The works in both Baltic Event, showcasing Baltic and Finnish projects, and International Works in Progress will be competing for the same awards this year – the Post Production Award from Post Control, a Helsinki-based high-end post-production house, to the tune of €10,000, and the Baltic Event Works in Progress Award, which is worth €3,000.The jury comprises cinematographer and festival curator Dhanushka Gunathilake (Sri Lanka), distributor Debra Liang, and journalist and festival programme Alissa Simon. The Baltic Event Works in Progress programme will present a selection of ten promising projects...
Hungary has chosen Barnabás Tóth’s “Those Who Remained,” which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, as its official entry in the Oscars’ International Feature Film category. Variety’s reviewer described the drama as “achingly tender” and “an exquisite, poignantly performed tale.” Menemsha Films will release the film in North America.
Set in Budapest after the end of World War II, the film centers on the relationship between two Hungarians struggling to cope with the aftermath of the Holocaust. Aladár (Károly Hajduk) is a “gentle but haunted” middle-aged doctor, whose wife and sons died in the concentration camps; Klára (Abigél Szőke) – in furious denial over the loss of her parents – is a 16-year-old “force of nature,” who “storms her way into his life,” Variety film critic Alissa Simon writes in her review.
“[The film] taps into a deep well of honestly earned emotion as it tells the story of two traumatized survivors...
Set in Budapest after the end of World War II, the film centers on the relationship between two Hungarians struggling to cope with the aftermath of the Holocaust. Aladár (Károly Hajduk) is a “gentle but haunted” middle-aged doctor, whose wife and sons died in the concentration camps; Klára (Abigél Szőke) – in furious denial over the loss of her parents – is a 16-year-old “force of nature,” who “storms her way into his life,” Variety film critic Alissa Simon writes in her review.
“[The film] taps into a deep well of honestly earned emotion as it tells the story of two traumatized survivors...
- 9/3/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Film Fest Košice loves Asian Movies. They have a whole section dedicated to them, called Eastern Promises, and curated by Kristina Aschenbrennerova (also a contributor of Asian Movie Pulse).
But beside Eastern Promises they also have always a good selection of Asian Titles within the general Programme. Let’s have a look at those titles.
Asian Films in The Programme
International Competition Of Feature Films (Peter Nágel)
(1st-3rd feature films of the director produced after 1 January 2018)
Still Human by Oliver Chan, 2018, Hk
The Day After I`m Gone, by Nimrod Eldar, 2019, Il
A Tale of Three Sisters, by Emin Alper, 2019, Tr-de-nl-gr
A Tale of Three Sisters
International Competition Of Short Films
(Short films (up to 30 minutes) produced after 1 January 201)
Brotherhood by Meryam Joobeur, 2018, CA-tn-qa-se
The Fox by Sadegh Javadi Nikjeh, 2018, Ir
Tungrus by Rishi Chandna, 2018, In
Tungrus
Around The World (Peter Nágel)
Bag of Rice by Kiseye Berendj, 1996, Ir-jp...
But beside Eastern Promises they also have always a good selection of Asian Titles within the general Programme. Let’s have a look at those titles.
Asian Films in The Programme
International Competition Of Feature Films (Peter Nágel)
(1st-3rd feature films of the director produced after 1 January 2018)
Still Human by Oliver Chan, 2018, Hk
The Day After I`m Gone, by Nimrod Eldar, 2019, Il
A Tale of Three Sisters, by Emin Alper, 2019, Tr-de-nl-gr
A Tale of Three Sisters
International Competition Of Short Films
(Short films (up to 30 minutes) produced after 1 January 201)
Brotherhood by Meryam Joobeur, 2018, CA-tn-qa-se
The Fox by Sadegh Javadi Nikjeh, 2018, Ir
Tungrus by Rishi Chandna, 2018, In
Tungrus
Around The World (Peter Nágel)
Bag of Rice by Kiseye Berendj, 1996, Ir-jp...
- 6/5/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
How many feature debutantes can boast slots in two of the world’s top film festivals with the same film? New York-born writer-director Bianco’s “Share” will world premiere in Sundance’s U.S. dramatic competition en route to domestic release through A24.
The edgy drama, about a teenager who must deal with the fallout from a viral video shot during a night she can’t remember, was expanded from a short of the same name. That short nabbed first prize in Cannes’ Cinéfondation competition in 2015, which means the feature-length “Share” will also screen in official selection of the upcoming Cannes.
Bianco attended Yale to study fine arts, particularly painting and photography, but, she says, “It didn’t take long for me to feel like those were lonely art forms, and I wanted to work more collaboratively.”
While still in college, she explored film production with Pa work on several indie features.
The edgy drama, about a teenager who must deal with the fallout from a viral video shot during a night she can’t remember, was expanded from a short of the same name. That short nabbed first prize in Cannes’ Cinéfondation competition in 2015, which means the feature-length “Share” will also screen in official selection of the upcoming Cannes.
Bianco attended Yale to study fine arts, particularly painting and photography, but, she says, “It didn’t take long for me to feel like those were lonely art forms, and I wanted to work more collaboratively.”
While still in college, she explored film production with Pa work on several indie features.
- 1/4/2019
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Palm Springs International Film Festival: Michael Lerman, Artistic Director InterviewedI caught up with a very, very busy Michael Lerman today, Christmas Eve. Asked what at the moment was occupying his mind he said he was making sure the juries were in place and that the Q&A schedule was on track.
The ten-day Festival will screen 223 films from 78 countries, including 48 premieres from January 3–14, 2019.
The line-up includes a focus on cinema from France, India and Mexico, Premieres, Talking Pictures, Book to Screen, Special Presentations, Flos: Foreign Language Oscar Submissions, Gay!L.A., Local Spotlight, Modern Masters, True Stories, World Cinema Now, a 30-film retrospective of selections from past festivals (free screenings sponsored by Desert Care Network and National Endowment for the Arts), and more.
Sydney Levine: The Palm Springs Film Festival is often dubbed as “gays and grays”, is that your audience?
Michael Lerman: I have never heard that phrase before…...
The ten-day Festival will screen 223 films from 78 countries, including 48 premieres from January 3–14, 2019.
The line-up includes a focus on cinema from France, India and Mexico, Premieres, Talking Pictures, Book to Screen, Special Presentations, Flos: Foreign Language Oscar Submissions, Gay!L.A., Local Spotlight, Modern Masters, True Stories, World Cinema Now, a 30-film retrospective of selections from past festivals (free screenings sponsored by Desert Care Network and National Endowment for the Arts), and more.
Sydney Levine: The Palm Springs Film Festival is often dubbed as “gays and grays”, is that your audience?
Michael Lerman: I have never heard that phrase before…...
- 12/28/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Ali Abbasi’s genre-bending Nordic puzzler “Border” won the top prize in the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard competition. It emerged victorious in a varied international field of 18 titles from newcomers and established festival favorites alike, with Sergei Loznitsa’s “Donbass,” Meryem Benm’Barek’s “Sofia,” João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora’s “The Dead and the Others” and Lukas Dhont’s “Girl” completing the list of prizewinners.
The second feature by Iranian-born, Danish-based Abbasi, the classification-defying film — based on a short story by “Let the Right One In” author John Ajvide Lindqvist — centres on a Swedish customs officer with an uncanny sense of smell, thrown into a moral and personal quandary over a suspicious traveler that upends the world as she knows it. Screening early in the festival, it swiftly became one of the buzziest titles in the section with critics and audiences alike. Variety critic Alissa Simon was among the yay-sayers,...
The second feature by Iranian-born, Danish-based Abbasi, the classification-defying film — based on a short story by “Let the Right One In” author John Ajvide Lindqvist — centres on a Swedish customs officer with an uncanny sense of smell, thrown into a moral and personal quandary over a suspicious traveler that upends the world as she knows it. Screening early in the festival, it swiftly became one of the buzziest titles in the section with critics and audiences alike. Variety critic Alissa Simon was among the yay-sayers,...
- 5/18/2018
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Ali Abbasi’s Swedish troll love story “Border,” a highlight of this year’s Un Certain Regard at Cannes, has been sold in all major territories by Films Boutique.
“Border” follows a border guard (Eva Melander) who has the ability to smell human emotions and catch smugglers. When she comes across a mysterious man with a smell that confounds her detection, she is forced to confront disturbing insights about herself and humankind. The movie was penned by Abassi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvist, a Swedish novelist who is best known for his book “Let the Right One In” which was adapted into a hit movie.
“Border” was acquired by solid distributors across the world, including in France/Switzerland (Metropolitan), Scandinavia (Triart), Japan (Kino Films), China (Lemontree), Russia (Cis Volga), Taiwan (Filmware), Benelux (Filmfreak), Latam (Impacto Cine), Germany/Austria (Wild Bunch Germany), Spain (Karma) and Portgual (Alambique). All remaining territories are currently in negotiations.
“Border” follows a border guard (Eva Melander) who has the ability to smell human emotions and catch smugglers. When she comes across a mysterious man with a smell that confounds her detection, she is forced to confront disturbing insights about herself and humankind. The movie was penned by Abassi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvist, a Swedish novelist who is best known for his book “Let the Right One In” which was adapted into a hit movie.
“Border” was acquired by solid distributors across the world, including in France/Switzerland (Metropolitan), Scandinavia (Triart), Japan (Kino Films), China (Lemontree), Russia (Cis Volga), Taiwan (Filmware), Benelux (Filmfreak), Latam (Impacto Cine), Germany/Austria (Wild Bunch Germany), Spain (Karma) and Portgual (Alambique). All remaining territories are currently in negotiations.
- 5/16/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
My Top Ten Oscar® Submissions for Best Foreign Language Film includes Darkest Horse: from Slovakia, ‘The Line’You know how, when you finally see a movie you really love, all things seem possible? How a great movie transports you to a new reality? Without that experience, normal life seems drab and dreary unless you use other means of transcendance, like hope, art, music, dancing, religion or drugs.
Have I yet raved about any of the 25 foreign language submissions?
Yes, but it was a long time ago when it won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, that I was so enamoured Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi’s Of Body and Soul (as I was with her previous film, the 1989 Cannes Film Festival Camera d’or winner, My Twentieth Century, which was seen by about a .02% of the population). But that was way back in February.
I would put my body...
Have I yet raved about any of the 25 foreign language submissions?
Yes, but it was a long time ago when it won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, that I was so enamoured Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi’s Of Body and Soul (as I was with her previous film, the 1989 Cannes Film Festival Camera d’or winner, My Twentieth Century, which was seen by about a .02% of the population). But that was way back in February.
I would put my body...
- 12/10/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The trailer for The Girl Without Hands (La jeune fille sans mains) caught my eye because of its strikingly different animation style. In her review for Variety, Alissa Simon notes: "Each shimmering frame is composed of multiple layers of diverse drawing and painting techniques and washes of color combined with 2D computer." The film, based on a tale by the Brothers Grimm, represents the feature debut of French animator Sébastien Laudenbach. From the official synopsis: In hard times, a miller sells his daughter to the Devil. Protected by her purity, she escapes from the Devil who, in revenge, deprives her of her hands. So begins her long journey towards the light... but in spite of her resilience and the new protection of a handsome prince's...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/18/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Coureur won the events best project pitch, while Cloduboy triumphed in the Works In Progress strand.
Organisers of the inaugural NeXT event in Ghent, hosted by Flanders Image, intend to re-stage the event in 2017 following positive feedback from industry at this year’s programme.
NeXT welcomed international industry guests – including festival programmers, distributors and sales executives – to meet with Belgian producers and distributors, view finished Flemish films, and listen to pitches of projects in development or presentations of works in progress.
There were eight projects in development pitched, with an international jury selecting Coureur as best pitch. In the Works In Progress, the jury picked Cloudboy as the winner of the 13 films in post-production.
Finished films screening included Fien Troch’s Home, Peter Monsaert’s Le Ciel Flamand, Bavo Defurne’s Souvenir, Christophe Van Rompaey’s Vincent And The End of the World, and Nic Balthazar’s Everybody Happy.
Peter Bouckaert [pictured] of leading Belgian producer Eyeworks pitched...
Organisers of the inaugural NeXT event in Ghent, hosted by Flanders Image, intend to re-stage the event in 2017 following positive feedback from industry at this year’s programme.
NeXT welcomed international industry guests – including festival programmers, distributors and sales executives – to meet with Belgian producers and distributors, view finished Flemish films, and listen to pitches of projects in development or presentations of works in progress.
There were eight projects in development pitched, with an international jury selecting Coureur as best pitch. In the Works In Progress, the jury picked Cloudboy as the winner of the 13 films in post-production.
Finished films screening included Fien Troch’s Home, Peter Monsaert’s Le Ciel Flamand, Bavo Defurne’s Souvenir, Christophe Van Rompaey’s Vincent And The End of the World, and Nic Balthazar’s Everybody Happy.
Peter Bouckaert [pictured] of leading Belgian producer Eyeworks pitched...
- 10/14/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Coureur won the events best project pitch, while Cloduboy triumphed in the Works In Progress strand.
The inaugural NeXT event in Ghent, hosted by Flanders Image, has revealed its best pitch and works in progress winners.
NeXT welcomed international industry guests – including festival programmers, distributors and sales executives – to meet with Belgian producers and distributors, view finished Flemish films, and listen to pitches of projects in development or presentations of works in progress.
There were eight projects in development pitched, with an international jury selecting Coureur as best pitch. In the Works In Progress, the jury picked Cloudboy as the winner of the 13 films in post-production.
Finished films screening included Fien Troch’s Home, Peter Monsaert’s Le Ciel Flamand, Bavo Defurne’s Souvenir, Christophe Van Rompaey’s Vincent And The End of the World, and Nic Balthazar’s Everybody Happy.
Peter Bouckaert [pictured] of leading Belgian producer Eyeworks pitched Stijn Coninx’s Don’t Shoot and presented...
The inaugural NeXT event in Ghent, hosted by Flanders Image, has revealed its best pitch and works in progress winners.
NeXT welcomed international industry guests – including festival programmers, distributors and sales executives – to meet with Belgian producers and distributors, view finished Flemish films, and listen to pitches of projects in development or presentations of works in progress.
There were eight projects in development pitched, with an international jury selecting Coureur as best pitch. In the Works In Progress, the jury picked Cloudboy as the winner of the 13 films in post-production.
Finished films screening included Fien Troch’s Home, Peter Monsaert’s Le Ciel Flamand, Bavo Defurne’s Souvenir, Christophe Van Rompaey’s Vincent And The End of the World, and Nic Balthazar’s Everybody Happy.
Peter Bouckaert [pictured] of leading Belgian producer Eyeworks pitched Stijn Coninx’s Don’t Shoot and presented...
- 10/14/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
A big congrats to Lenny Abrahamson's "Room" for winning the Grolsch's People's Choice Awards at the recently concluded 40th Toronto International Film Festival! It's safe to say that "Room" will see a future at the Academy Awards. Previous winners that went on to grab the Best Picture Oscar were "Slumdog Millionaire," "The King's Speech," and "12 Years A Slave."
Here's the complete winners and press release from Tiff:
The Toronto International Film Festival® today announced award winners from the 40th Festival, which wraps up this evening. See a free screening of Room, the winner of the Grolsch People's Choice Award, Sunday, September 20 at 8pm.
The short film awards below were selected by a jury comprised of the head of the shorts program and creations unit at Canal+ France, Pascale Faure, film writer John Anderson (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times), and actor Rizwan Manji (Outsourced, The Wolf of Wall Street...
Here's the complete winners and press release from Tiff:
The Toronto International Film Festival® today announced award winners from the 40th Festival, which wraps up this evening. See a free screening of Room, the winner of the Grolsch People's Choice Award, Sunday, September 20 at 8pm.
The short film awards below were selected by a jury comprised of the head of the shorts program and creations unit at Canal+ France, Pascale Faure, film writer John Anderson (The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times), and actor Rizwan Manji (Outsourced, The Wolf of Wall Street...
- 9/21/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
This is a golden era for Australian feature documentaries as typified by the five critically-acclaimed titles in contention for the best feature doc prize at the fifth Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
Maya Newell.s Gayby Baby, Michael Ware and Bill Guttentag.s Only the Dead, Jen Peedom.s Sherpa, Damon Gameau.s That Sugar Film and Gillian Armstrong.s Women He.s Undressed are the nominees.
The Aacta Awards will be presented in Sydney in December, with the Seven Network telecasting the major awards on December 9.
Also revealed today were the nominees for best short animation and best short fiction film. In the running for the former are Adam Elliot.s Ernie Biscuit, Joe Brumm.s The Meek, Mikey Hill.s The Orchestra and Janette Goodey and John Lewis. The Story of Percival Pilts.
The nominees for best short fiction are Matt Holcomb.s Flat Daddy,...
Maya Newell.s Gayby Baby, Michael Ware and Bill Guttentag.s Only the Dead, Jen Peedom.s Sherpa, Damon Gameau.s That Sugar Film and Gillian Armstrong.s Women He.s Undressed are the nominees.
The Aacta Awards will be presented in Sydney in December, with the Seven Network telecasting the major awards on December 9.
Also revealed today were the nominees for best short animation and best short fiction film. In the running for the former are Adam Elliot.s Ernie Biscuit, Joe Brumm.s The Meek, Mikey Hill.s The Orchestra and Janette Goodey and John Lewis. The Story of Percival Pilts.
The nominees for best short fiction are Matt Holcomb.s Flat Daddy,...
- 7/14/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Paramount's "Selma" from director Ava Duvernay is picking up steam this awards season. The Martin Luther King drama has been announced to be the opening night movie of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. The festival will close on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of "Boychoir" from director Francois Girard. David Oyelowo, who plays the beloved King in "Selma," is also being honored at the fest with Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor.
Here's the complete press release which includes the list of Easter European movies in a program titled Eastern Promises:
Palm Springs, CA (December 16, 2014) . The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will launch on Friday, January 2 with the opening night screening of the GoldenGlobe nominated Selma directed by Ava Duvernay. The Festival will wrap on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of Boychoir directed by François Girard. New this year, the festival will focus on...
Here's the complete press release which includes the list of Easter European movies in a program titled Eastern Promises:
Palm Springs, CA (December 16, 2014) . The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will launch on Friday, January 2 with the opening night screening of the GoldenGlobe nominated Selma directed by Ava Duvernay. The Festival will wrap on Sunday, January 11 with the Us premiere of Boychoir directed by François Girard. New this year, the festival will focus on...
- 12/17/2014
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Selma and Boychoir will bookend the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff), set to run from January 2-12.
For the first time, the festival will focus on 20 films from Eastern Europe in the strand called Eastern Promises.
The 20 films in Eastern Promises are:
Afterlife (Virág Zomborácz, Hungary);
Corn Island (George Ovashvili, Georgia);
Cowboys (Tomislav Mršić, Croatia);
Fair Play (Andrea Sedláčková, Czech Republic-Slovakia-Germany)
Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland);
In The Crosswind (Martti Helde, Estonia);
The Guide (Oles Sanin, Ukraine);
The Japanese Dog (Tudor Christian Jurgiu, Romania);
Kebab & Horoscope (Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov Grzegorz Jaroszuk, Poland);
The Lesson (Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov Bulgaria-Greece);
Mirage (Szabolcs Hajdu, Hungary-Slovakia);
No One’s Child (Vuk Ršumović, Serbia-Croatia);
The Reaper (Zvonimir Juric, Croatia-Slovenia);
Rocks In My Pockets (Signe Baumane, Latvia);
See You In Montevideo (Dragan Bjelogrlic, Serbia);
Tangerines (Zaza Urushadze, Estonia);
These Are The Rules (Ognjen Svilicic, Croatia-France-Serbia);
Three Windows And A Hanging (Isa Qosja, Kosovo);
The...
For the first time, the festival will focus on 20 films from Eastern Europe in the strand called Eastern Promises.
The 20 films in Eastern Promises are:
Afterlife (Virág Zomborácz, Hungary);
Corn Island (George Ovashvili, Georgia);
Cowboys (Tomislav Mršić, Croatia);
Fair Play (Andrea Sedláčková, Czech Republic-Slovakia-Germany)
Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland);
In The Crosswind (Martti Helde, Estonia);
The Guide (Oles Sanin, Ukraine);
The Japanese Dog (Tudor Christian Jurgiu, Romania);
Kebab & Horoscope (Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov Grzegorz Jaroszuk, Poland);
The Lesson (Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov Bulgaria-Greece);
Mirage (Szabolcs Hajdu, Hungary-Slovakia);
No One’s Child (Vuk Ršumović, Serbia-Croatia);
The Reaper (Zvonimir Juric, Croatia-Slovenia);
Rocks In My Pockets (Signe Baumane, Latvia);
See You In Montevideo (Dragan Bjelogrlic, Serbia);
Tangerines (Zaza Urushadze, Estonia);
These Are The Rules (Ognjen Svilicic, Croatia-France-Serbia);
Three Windows And A Hanging (Isa Qosja, Kosovo);
The...
- 12/16/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan receives his Fipresci award for Winter Sleep. As Cannes awaits the deliberations tomorrow (May 24) of Jane Campion and her Competition jury, Fipresci have announced this evening the winners of the International Critics Prize during a ceremony held at the Plage des Palmes.
Often seen as an indicator of what might be in store the jury (comprised of Esin Kücüktepepinar, Turkey, president, Jean-Michel Frodon, France, Pierre Pageau, Canada, Paola Casella, Italy, Tereza Brdeckova, Czech Republic, Olivier Pélisson, France, Alissa Simon, USA, Richard Mowe, UK, Frédéric Jaeger, Germany and co-ordinated by Pamela Biénzobas, Chile/France) singled out from the official competition Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep.
Richard Mowe, left, from Eye For Film, presents first time director Thomas Cailley with his award for Les Combattants, presented in the Directors' Fortnight From Un Certain Regard, the prize-winner was Jauja by Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso.
The sub-jury covering...
Often seen as an indicator of what might be in store the jury (comprised of Esin Kücüktepepinar, Turkey, president, Jean-Michel Frodon, France, Pierre Pageau, Canada, Paola Casella, Italy, Tereza Brdeckova, Czech Republic, Olivier Pélisson, France, Alissa Simon, USA, Richard Mowe, UK, Frédéric Jaeger, Germany and co-ordinated by Pamela Biénzobas, Chile/France) singled out from the official competition Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep.
Richard Mowe, left, from Eye For Film, presents first time director Thomas Cailley with his award for Les Combattants, presented in the Directors' Fortnight From Un Certain Regard, the prize-winner was Jauja by Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso.
The sub-jury covering...
- 5/23/2014
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Other winners include Jauja and Love at First Fight.
The International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) has named Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep as the best film in Competition at the 67th Cannes Film Festival.
The director of the three-hour, Turkish film “managed to surprise and delight” the jury with “his in-depth soul-searching, put to us in great cinematic terms”.
Giving thanks to the critics for the prize, Ceylan said: “It was a challenging year, and, I want to say, without you and the audience, art films, but especially long art films, would be very lonesome.”
The Fipresci jury selected Argentine Lisandro Alonso’s Jauja as best film in Un Certain Regard.
After picking up awards in the Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week sections, Love at First Fight from French director Thomas Cailley was honoured again by the Fipresci jury, which only considered debut features for this prize.
Abderrahmane Sissako’s Competition title Timbuktu won the...
The International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) has named Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Winter Sleep as the best film in Competition at the 67th Cannes Film Festival.
The director of the three-hour, Turkish film “managed to surprise and delight” the jury with “his in-depth soul-searching, put to us in great cinematic terms”.
Giving thanks to the critics for the prize, Ceylan said: “It was a challenging year, and, I want to say, without you and the audience, art films, but especially long art films, would be very lonesome.”
The Fipresci jury selected Argentine Lisandro Alonso’s Jauja as best film in Un Certain Regard.
After picking up awards in the Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week sections, Love at First Fight from French director Thomas Cailley was honoured again by the Fipresci jury, which only considered debut features for this prize.
Abderrahmane Sissako’s Competition title Timbuktu won the...
- 5/23/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) have announced their winning selections from this year's Cannes Film Festival. The jury presented three prizes to the following films: Official Competition: "Winter Sleep" ("Kis Uykusu") by Nuri Bilge Ceylan Un Certain Regard: "Jauja" by Lisandro Alonso Parallel Sections: "Love at First Fight" ("Les Combattants") by Thomas Cailley (shown in the Directors' Fortnight) This year's international jury members included: Esin Kücüktepepinar, Turkey, president Jean-Michel Frodon, France Pierre Pageau, Canada Paola Casella, Italy Tereza Brdeckova (Czech Republic) Olivier Pélisson, France Alissa Simon, USA Richard Mowe, UK Frédéric Jaeger, Germany Coordination: Pamela Biénzobas, Chile/France...
- 5/23/2014
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
Today I am writing from Cartagena, Colombia where I attended Ficci, the Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias.
This former colonial jewel in the crown of Spain offers a huge array of delights, film-wise, art-wise, food-wise and people-wise. Gorgeous arts and gorgeous people, sweet, polite and proud. As much as I love Havana, Cartagena is how Havana should look.
And as much as I loved Careyes where I was last week, the art and artisanal scope here is so wide; from the Colombian painter and sculptor, Botero to indigenous palm weaving – décor for homes (not cheap!), bags, designer clothing, linen and rubies.
Aside from films, my big discoveries of the day are Ruby Rumie, a Colombian artist who spends much of her time here in her studio in the Getsemaní section of town and in Chile. Coincidentally (again) Gary Meyer (Telluride Film Festival) and his wife Cathy who are here with Gary on the Documentary Competition Jury (I just left them in Careyas!) also just discovered her as well. The other artist, Olga Amaral, works in indigenous styles of weaving and textile production and now is favoring gold leaf displays of woven wall tapestries. Stunning. Both are available at the Nh Gallery, a place I just happened to wander into as I was walking from the theater to my equally stunning hotel Casa Pestagua.
The courteous and helpful people here are a proud mix of white, brown and black. They say the blacks will never follow the orders of a white. They say the blood of slaves is embedded in the wall fortifications of the city. The Inquisition here was very powerful, and they say the Jews (Conversos) coming in the conquistadors’ ships went to settle Medellín and the Catholics to Bogotá. Cartagena was the last city to be free of the Spanish crown and as such, it was extremely conservative.
It would take days to visit all the museums throughout the city. The Art Biennale is now in many of them (free entry) including the Museum of the Inquisition with its torture machines. The Museum of Gold with pre-Colombian gold artworks is astounding. All the gold of Latin America (and emeralds, diamonds and silver) went from here in the Spanish galleons back to Spain until the city declared its independence in 1811. We in the North know this history but from a different perspective. Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America and Gonzalo Arijon’s documentary Eyes Wide Open, an update of Galeano’s ideas are good starting points for understanding this part of the world. Eye opening indeed!
The beauty of the city and its people is matched by the food. There is great food here here and some very haute cuisine restaurants. Ceviches of many kinds, new sweet fruits like the pitaya and the drink mixing limeade and coconut milk delight the palate. The festival invites enough but not too many industry folks so it can host lunches and dinners in wonderful venues along with cocktail hours where we can all meet and talk. Talk among us is of food and film, film and food…even of food film festivals that are cropping up from Berlin, San Sebastian, here and in Northern California…stay tuned.
The Colombian government is aware of the need for the public to rediscover their own stories and to this end all the festival screenings are free, and all are packed Sro. The government also supports filmmakers with a deliberate, well-planned and well executed strategy to increase production and create an infrastructure.
Colombian films’ biggest challenge is to increase their share of their rapidly growing domestic market, worth $182.3 million in box office in 2012. One way forward is international co-production, where Bam (Bogotá Audiovisual Market) July 14-18, 2014 plays a large role. There is a mini version of this here (Encuentros Cartagena), centering on French and Colombian co-production, but not limited to that, with guests like George Goldenstern from Cinefondation (Cannes), producer/ international sales agent Marie-Pierre Masia and and the ever present Thierry Lenouvel of Cine-Sud whose film Tierra en la lengua aka Dust on the Tongue won the Best Picture Award in Competition. Vincenzo Bugno of World Cinema Fund of the Berlinale is always here too as is Jose Maria Riba on the Jury of the Competition and programmer for San Sebastian and Directors Fortnight. Also on the jury are Wendy Mitchel and Pawel Pawlikowski whose film Ida (Isa: Portobello Film Sales) is playing (outside of the Competition). A look at the winning competition films shows the strength of co-productions today.
Best Picture: Dust on the Tongue of Ruben Mendoza (Colombia) Colombia Film of $15,000. Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) which premiered in Competition at the Berlinale, by Celina Murga (Argentina, Netherlands, Germany) (Isa: The Match Factory) Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To kill a man (Matar a un hombre) which premiered in Sundance (Chile, France). Film Factory is selling international rights and Film Movement has U.S. It also won the Fipresci or International Critics’ Award. Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio by El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France), Urban Distribution International is the sales agent.
Cinema in Colombia continues its steep ascent in the international production world. The reasons, according to Bugno, lie in “new political decisions, funding structures, and the developing of a new producing environment that also has to do with new emerging young talent.”
A visit to the festival headquarters proves the point of the extensive government support of film not only for its own sake, but for the sake of all the people, dispossessed, abused, Lgbt, children and women. It is a beautiful sight to see such support, and the people seem to reciprocate; I hear more praise than complaints about the government and everyone seems cautiously optimistic, aware of its current position vis à vis what has thankfully become recent history with the guerillas who had been waging war with the government for the past 40 years and the current elections and competing points of view between the former President Uribe and the current President Juan Manuel Santos.
Aecid , Association Espagnola de Cooperacon Internacional para el Desarrollo (The Spanish Association for International Cooperation for Development), a festival sponsor supports social cohesion, equality of genders, construction of peace, respect for cultural diversity and the reduction of poverty.
Currently in Colombia, national cinema holds a 10% share of the Colombian market and 8% of the box office. In 2012, 213 films were produced in Colombia, a huge increase since 2009 when 19 were produced according to Ocal, the Observotario del Cine f nCl [sic]. In 2012, 23 of the 213 domestic films were released theatrically, a tremendous increase from the 6 Colombian films released in the year 2000. [1],[2] This number surpasses every record in Colombia’s film history
This 10 day spectacular film festival gives free entry to all at 8 theaters and, proving the point that people love the movies, every single screening is packed solid, Sro. More than 135 films come from 27 countries. 48 daily screenings include 14 open air screenings in great locations. There are 40 world premieres and 26 Latin American premieres.
150 invited guests included Abbas Kiarostami, Clive Owen, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Pavel Pawlikowsky with his film Ida, John Sayles with whom I had an interesting talk about U.S. current distribution and of Return of Seacaucus Seven and Sunshine State. The screening of his film Go For Sisters has received an enthusiastic response from the audiences.
Since 2013, coproductions between the U.S. and Colombia with variations on the theme are on the rise. With its 40% cash rebate, Colombia is proving to be a great place to make movies.
Colombians such as Simon Brand are making English language genre films such as this year’s festival debuting Default (Isa: Wild Bunch). For budgets under Us$1 million, action, thrillers and horror genres can cross borders, and can recoup costs and even profit.
The reverse is also notable. Four films screening here are Colombian films made by Americans. The winner to three prizes here for Best Director, Best Documentary and the Audience Prize, Marmato by Marc Grieco was workshopped twice at Sundance where it premiered this January 2014. It is represented internationally by Ro*co and its U.S. representative is Ben Weiss at Paradigm. The other three remarkable debut films are Mambo Cool by Chris Gude,Manos Sucias by Josef Wladyka (a Japanese-Polish American) and Parador Hungaro by Patrick Alexander and Aseneth Suarez Ruiz. Look for upcoming interviews with these four directors who came to Colombia and, because of their experiences here, decided to make these exceptional movies. My next blog will be interviews with each of these films’ directors.
Secundaria , the first film I saw here was not shot here although it too was directed by an American who made 21 trips to Cuba to make it. Documenting the high school ballet training and competitions held by Cuba’s world famous National Ballet School -- Watch the trailer here -- it was not only beautiful but it magically captured the ever-present economic issues of Cuba. I can’t wait to see Primaria about the grade school of the Nbs.
Director and coproducer Mary Jane Doherty has been an Associate Professor of Film at Boston University since 1990. Proud of her lineage as a student of iconic documentarian Ricky Leacock, she developed B.U.’s Narrative Documentary Program: a novel approach to non-fiction storytelling using the building blocks of fiction film. Lyda Kuth , the coproducer, is founding board member and executive director of the Lef Foundation, which supports independent filmmakers through the Lef Moving Image Fund. In 2005, she established Nadita Productions and was producer/director on her first feature documentary, Love and Other Anxieties.
A cocktail party is given daily at the festival where we can all meet up. It was there I met Gail Gendler VP of Acquisitions for AMC/ Sundance Channel Global (international not domestic) and Gus
Dinner one night was with the jury for Nuevos Creadores (New Creators). Cynthia Garcia Calvo, Editor in Chief of LatamCinema.com, a Latino equivalent to Indiewire.com out of Chile and Argentina and I spoke of possible ways to cooperate. The third member of the jury, Javier Mejia, director of Colombia’s best film of 2008 Apocalypsur also has a documentary here, Duni, about a Chilean filmmaker who left Chile during the dictatorship and came to Colombia where he made political films in Medellin but never discussed his reasons for coming or even his Chilean roots. How happy I was that I had seen and enjoyed the films of the third jury member, Daniel Vega, who with his brother Diego made The Mute aka El Mudo (Isa: Urban Media) which played in Toronto and San Sebastian and his earlier film October, both dark comedies or perhaps dramadies dealing with subjective realities in unique environs of Peru we have never seen. He promised to help me with the Peru chapter of my upcoming book. Peru is in the lower middle of countries which support filmmaking. Their film fund is a rather laid back affair administered by the Ministry of Culture who receives money from the Ministry of Finance when they “get around to it”.
Jury for New Creators: Javier Mejía, Cynthia García Calvo and Diego Vega,displaying the winner for the Best Short Film: Alen Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle) who won a Sony video camera, 2,000, 000 pesos of in kind services from Shock Magazin, and a scholarship for graduate Project Management and Film Production at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga
Second prize went to The murmur of the earth Alejandro Daza (National University) - Win a Sony camera, and a Fellowship for Graduate Record Audio and Sound Design of the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga.
Other winners are:
Official Colombian Film Competition
Jurors: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Documentary Competition
Jurors: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Short Film Competition
JurorsOswaldo Osorio -Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Jurors: Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
[1] http://www.cinelatinoamericano.org/ocal/cifras.aspx
[2] http://www.mincultura.gov.co/areas/cinematografia/estadisticas-del-sector/Documents/Anuario%202012.p...
This former colonial jewel in the crown of Spain offers a huge array of delights, film-wise, art-wise, food-wise and people-wise. Gorgeous arts and gorgeous people, sweet, polite and proud. As much as I love Havana, Cartagena is how Havana should look.
And as much as I loved Careyes where I was last week, the art and artisanal scope here is so wide; from the Colombian painter and sculptor, Botero to indigenous palm weaving – décor for homes (not cheap!), bags, designer clothing, linen and rubies.
Aside from films, my big discoveries of the day are Ruby Rumie, a Colombian artist who spends much of her time here in her studio in the Getsemaní section of town and in Chile. Coincidentally (again) Gary Meyer (Telluride Film Festival) and his wife Cathy who are here with Gary on the Documentary Competition Jury (I just left them in Careyas!) also just discovered her as well. The other artist, Olga Amaral, works in indigenous styles of weaving and textile production and now is favoring gold leaf displays of woven wall tapestries. Stunning. Both are available at the Nh Gallery, a place I just happened to wander into as I was walking from the theater to my equally stunning hotel Casa Pestagua.
The courteous and helpful people here are a proud mix of white, brown and black. They say the blacks will never follow the orders of a white. They say the blood of slaves is embedded in the wall fortifications of the city. The Inquisition here was very powerful, and they say the Jews (Conversos) coming in the conquistadors’ ships went to settle Medellín and the Catholics to Bogotá. Cartagena was the last city to be free of the Spanish crown and as such, it was extremely conservative.
It would take days to visit all the museums throughout the city. The Art Biennale is now in many of them (free entry) including the Museum of the Inquisition with its torture machines. The Museum of Gold with pre-Colombian gold artworks is astounding. All the gold of Latin America (and emeralds, diamonds and silver) went from here in the Spanish galleons back to Spain until the city declared its independence in 1811. We in the North know this history but from a different perspective. Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America and Gonzalo Arijon’s documentary Eyes Wide Open, an update of Galeano’s ideas are good starting points for understanding this part of the world. Eye opening indeed!
The beauty of the city and its people is matched by the food. There is great food here here and some very haute cuisine restaurants. Ceviches of many kinds, new sweet fruits like the pitaya and the drink mixing limeade and coconut milk delight the palate. The festival invites enough but not too many industry folks so it can host lunches and dinners in wonderful venues along with cocktail hours where we can all meet and talk. Talk among us is of food and film, film and food…even of food film festivals that are cropping up from Berlin, San Sebastian, here and in Northern California…stay tuned.
The Colombian government is aware of the need for the public to rediscover their own stories and to this end all the festival screenings are free, and all are packed Sro. The government also supports filmmakers with a deliberate, well-planned and well executed strategy to increase production and create an infrastructure.
Colombian films’ biggest challenge is to increase their share of their rapidly growing domestic market, worth $182.3 million in box office in 2012. One way forward is international co-production, where Bam (Bogotá Audiovisual Market) July 14-18, 2014 plays a large role. There is a mini version of this here (Encuentros Cartagena), centering on French and Colombian co-production, but not limited to that, with guests like George Goldenstern from Cinefondation (Cannes), producer/ international sales agent Marie-Pierre Masia and and the ever present Thierry Lenouvel of Cine-Sud whose film Tierra en la lengua aka Dust on the Tongue won the Best Picture Award in Competition. Vincenzo Bugno of World Cinema Fund of the Berlinale is always here too as is Jose Maria Riba on the Jury of the Competition and programmer for San Sebastian and Directors Fortnight. Also on the jury are Wendy Mitchel and Pawel Pawlikowski whose film Ida (Isa: Portobello Film Sales) is playing (outside of the Competition). A look at the winning competition films shows the strength of co-productions today.
Best Picture: Dust on the Tongue of Ruben Mendoza (Colombia) Colombia Film of $15,000. Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) which premiered in Competition at the Berlinale, by Celina Murga (Argentina, Netherlands, Germany) (Isa: The Match Factory) Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To kill a man (Matar a un hombre) which premiered in Sundance (Chile, France). Film Factory is selling international rights and Film Movement has U.S. It also won the Fipresci or International Critics’ Award. Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio by El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France), Urban Distribution International is the sales agent.
Cinema in Colombia continues its steep ascent in the international production world. The reasons, according to Bugno, lie in “new political decisions, funding structures, and the developing of a new producing environment that also has to do with new emerging young talent.”
A visit to the festival headquarters proves the point of the extensive government support of film not only for its own sake, but for the sake of all the people, dispossessed, abused, Lgbt, children and women. It is a beautiful sight to see such support, and the people seem to reciprocate; I hear more praise than complaints about the government and everyone seems cautiously optimistic, aware of its current position vis à vis what has thankfully become recent history with the guerillas who had been waging war with the government for the past 40 years and the current elections and competing points of view between the former President Uribe and the current President Juan Manuel Santos.
Aecid , Association Espagnola de Cooperacon Internacional para el Desarrollo (The Spanish Association for International Cooperation for Development), a festival sponsor supports social cohesion, equality of genders, construction of peace, respect for cultural diversity and the reduction of poverty.
Currently in Colombia, national cinema holds a 10% share of the Colombian market and 8% of the box office. In 2012, 213 films were produced in Colombia, a huge increase since 2009 when 19 were produced according to Ocal, the Observotario del Cine f nCl [sic]. In 2012, 23 of the 213 domestic films were released theatrically, a tremendous increase from the 6 Colombian films released in the year 2000. [1],[2] This number surpasses every record in Colombia’s film history
This 10 day spectacular film festival gives free entry to all at 8 theaters and, proving the point that people love the movies, every single screening is packed solid, Sro. More than 135 films come from 27 countries. 48 daily screenings include 14 open air screenings in great locations. There are 40 world premieres and 26 Latin American premieres.
150 invited guests included Abbas Kiarostami, Clive Owen, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Pavel Pawlikowsky with his film Ida, John Sayles with whom I had an interesting talk about U.S. current distribution and of Return of Seacaucus Seven and Sunshine State. The screening of his film Go For Sisters has received an enthusiastic response from the audiences.
Since 2013, coproductions between the U.S. and Colombia with variations on the theme are on the rise. With its 40% cash rebate, Colombia is proving to be a great place to make movies.
Colombians such as Simon Brand are making English language genre films such as this year’s festival debuting Default (Isa: Wild Bunch). For budgets under Us$1 million, action, thrillers and horror genres can cross borders, and can recoup costs and even profit.
The reverse is also notable. Four films screening here are Colombian films made by Americans. The winner to three prizes here for Best Director, Best Documentary and the Audience Prize, Marmato by Marc Grieco was workshopped twice at Sundance where it premiered this January 2014. It is represented internationally by Ro*co and its U.S. representative is Ben Weiss at Paradigm. The other three remarkable debut films are Mambo Cool by Chris Gude,Manos Sucias by Josef Wladyka (a Japanese-Polish American) and Parador Hungaro by Patrick Alexander and Aseneth Suarez Ruiz. Look for upcoming interviews with these four directors who came to Colombia and, because of their experiences here, decided to make these exceptional movies. My next blog will be interviews with each of these films’ directors.
Secundaria , the first film I saw here was not shot here although it too was directed by an American who made 21 trips to Cuba to make it. Documenting the high school ballet training and competitions held by Cuba’s world famous National Ballet School -- Watch the trailer here -- it was not only beautiful but it magically captured the ever-present economic issues of Cuba. I can’t wait to see Primaria about the grade school of the Nbs.
Director and coproducer Mary Jane Doherty has been an Associate Professor of Film at Boston University since 1990. Proud of her lineage as a student of iconic documentarian Ricky Leacock, she developed B.U.’s Narrative Documentary Program: a novel approach to non-fiction storytelling using the building blocks of fiction film. Lyda Kuth , the coproducer, is founding board member and executive director of the Lef Foundation, which supports independent filmmakers through the Lef Moving Image Fund. In 2005, she established Nadita Productions and was producer/director on her first feature documentary, Love and Other Anxieties.
A cocktail party is given daily at the festival where we can all meet up. It was there I met Gail Gendler VP of Acquisitions for AMC/ Sundance Channel Global (international not domestic) and Gus
Dinner one night was with the jury for Nuevos Creadores (New Creators). Cynthia Garcia Calvo, Editor in Chief of LatamCinema.com, a Latino equivalent to Indiewire.com out of Chile and Argentina and I spoke of possible ways to cooperate. The third member of the jury, Javier Mejia, director of Colombia’s best film of 2008 Apocalypsur also has a documentary here, Duni, about a Chilean filmmaker who left Chile during the dictatorship and came to Colombia where he made political films in Medellin but never discussed his reasons for coming or even his Chilean roots. How happy I was that I had seen and enjoyed the films of the third jury member, Daniel Vega, who with his brother Diego made The Mute aka El Mudo (Isa: Urban Media) which played in Toronto and San Sebastian and his earlier film October, both dark comedies or perhaps dramadies dealing with subjective realities in unique environs of Peru we have never seen. He promised to help me with the Peru chapter of my upcoming book. Peru is in the lower middle of countries which support filmmaking. Their film fund is a rather laid back affair administered by the Ministry of Culture who receives money from the Ministry of Finance when they “get around to it”.
Jury for New Creators: Javier Mejía, Cynthia García Calvo and Diego Vega,displaying the winner for the Best Short Film: Alen Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle) who won a Sony video camera, 2,000, 000 pesos of in kind services from Shock Magazin, and a scholarship for graduate Project Management and Film Production at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga
Second prize went to The murmur of the earth Alejandro Daza (National University) - Win a Sony camera, and a Fellowship for Graduate Record Audio and Sound Design of the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga.
Other winners are:
Official Colombian Film Competition
Jurors: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Documentary Competition
Jurors: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Short Film Competition
JurorsOswaldo Osorio -Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Jurors: Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
[1] http://www.cinelatinoamericano.org/ocal/cifras.aspx
[2] http://www.mincultura.gov.co/areas/cinematografia/estadisticas-del-sector/Documents/Anuario%202012.p...
- 3/26/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The 54th Edition of the Cartagena Film Festival has come to an end and the winners have been announced. The indisputable protagonists this year were Marmato by Mark Grieco, winning three awards, Rubén Mendoza's Dust on the Tongue, and the Chilean film To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, with two awards each. Surely these three films and several other winners will become important works at other upcoming festivals since many of them have already done well at Sundance, Rotterdam, and Berlin.
Official Competition: Narrative Feature
Members of the Jury: Wendy Mitchell - Jose Maria Riba - Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Film: Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la Lengua) by Rubén Mendoza (Colombia- Winner of $15K
Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La Tercera Orilla) by Celina Murga (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany)
Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) (Chile, France)
Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio for El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France)
Fipresci
Members of the Jury: Carlos Heredero - Hiroaki Saitô - Michal Oleszczyk
Best Film: To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile, France)
Other Awards
Oclacc Award (Catholic Organization of Communications for Latin America and the Caribbean)
Special Mention: Mateo by María Gamboa (Colombia
Official Competition: Colombian Cinema
Members of the Jury: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Competition: Documentary
Members of the Jury: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Competition: Short Film
Members of the Jury: Oswaldo Osorio - Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Members of the Jury:Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
New Creators
Members of the Jury: Javier Mejía- Diego Vega - Cynthia García Calvo
Best Short Film: Alén by Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle).
Runner-up: The Earth's Whisper (El murmullo de la tierra) by Alejandro Daza (Universidad Nacional)...
Official Competition: Narrative Feature
Members of the Jury: Wendy Mitchell - Jose Maria Riba - Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Film: Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la Lengua) by Rubén Mendoza (Colombia- Winner of $15K
Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La Tercera Orilla) by Celina Murga (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany)
Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) (Chile, France)
Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio for El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France)
Fipresci
Members of the Jury: Carlos Heredero - Hiroaki Saitô - Michal Oleszczyk
Best Film: To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile, France)
Other Awards
Oclacc Award (Catholic Organization of Communications for Latin America and the Caribbean)
Special Mention: Mateo by María Gamboa (Colombia
Official Competition: Colombian Cinema
Members of the Jury: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Competition: Documentary
Members of the Jury: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Competition: Short Film
Members of the Jury: Oswaldo Osorio - Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Members of the Jury:Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
New Creators
Members of the Jury: Javier Mejía- Diego Vega - Cynthia García Calvo
Best Short Film: Alén by Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle).
Runner-up: The Earth's Whisper (El murmullo de la tierra) by Alejandro Daza (Universidad Nacional)...
- 3/22/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Exclusive: Call for directors, producers and sales agents to give their films for free to festivals in troubled Ukraine.
Cannes’ Thierry Fremaux, the Berlinale’s Christoph Terhechte and Venice chief Alberto Barbera are among 92 people working at 60 festivals in 38 countries to have answered a call to show solidarity with their Ukrainian festival colleagues.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily, the initiative’s coordinator, Warsaw Film Festival director Stefan Laudyn, explained: “When we heard the news from Ukraine, after a quick email and SMS exchange with Sara [Norberg of Helsinki Iff ¨Love & Anarchy¨], Tiina [Lokk of Black Nights F], Tudor [Giurgiu of Tiff/Cluj] and the Stefans [Uhrik and Kitanov of Febiofest and Sofia Iff], we decided to prepare a letter of support and sent it to our friends at film festivals worldwide.”
In the letter, the six festival chiefs called on directors, producers and sales agents to give their films “willingly and for free to all film festivals in Ukraine” and also not to charge any screening fees from Ukrainian festivals this year.
In addition, they asked national...
Cannes’ Thierry Fremaux, the Berlinale’s Christoph Terhechte and Venice chief Alberto Barbera are among 92 people working at 60 festivals in 38 countries to have answered a call to show solidarity with their Ukrainian festival colleagues.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily, the initiative’s coordinator, Warsaw Film Festival director Stefan Laudyn, explained: “When we heard the news from Ukraine, after a quick email and SMS exchange with Sara [Norberg of Helsinki Iff ¨Love & Anarchy¨], Tiina [Lokk of Black Nights F], Tudor [Giurgiu of Tiff/Cluj] and the Stefans [Uhrik and Kitanov of Febiofest and Sofia Iff], we decided to prepare a letter of support and sent it to our friends at film festivals worldwide.”
In the letter, the six festival chiefs called on directors, producers and sales agents to give their films “willingly and for free to all film festivals in Ukraine” and also not to charge any screening fees from Ukrainian festivals this year.
In addition, they asked national...
- 3/14/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
The breakfast buffet at the Beachcomber restaurant just past the more impressive of the two impressive swimming pools of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel is overwhelming. My judgment collapses in the face of its multiple offerings -- Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, western. Somehow I find myself consuming excellent chicken curry, roti bread with sambal, dim sum, smoked salmon with garnishes, assorted French cheeses, fresh fruit with yogurt, a couple of tiny pastries – and I still only sampled a fraction of its possibilities. I’m greeted by Dana Archer of the PR firm Dennis Davidson Associates, and join Variety’s Alissa Simon, who I just saw in Morelia. She’s a five-year veteran of the Dubai festival. She mentions that there is indeed a press screening of an Arab film this afternoon at 3. The only other scheduled event is the opening night film, Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi,” which I will attend...
- 12/11/2012
- by Meredith Brody
- Thompson on Hollywood
After the Miss Lovely premiere in Cannes, Jonathan Romney of leading UK film magazine Sight & Sound stated, "A brief word for Miss Lovely in Un Certain Regard. This started off as a shock to the system - an Indian film like I'd never seen." On the director, Ashim Ahluwalia, Romney says, "He's a very impressive talent, and given the oppressive conventions of the Indian film industry, he's clearly an independent spirit and then some."
Early reviewers expecting a thriller were taken off-guard by the film's strong art-house style and unusual storytelling technique. They may have been too quick to write it off, however, as major international critics have since weighed in.
Alissa Simon of Variety says, "Ashim Ahluwalia makes an impressive transition to features with Miss Lovely, an atmospheric tragedy set in the sordid world of Bombay's exploitation-film industry during the late 1980s. Those who go with the flow will...
Early reviewers expecting a thriller were taken off-guard by the film's strong art-house style and unusual storytelling technique. They may have been too quick to write it off, however, as major international critics have since weighed in.
Alissa Simon of Variety says, "Ashim Ahluwalia makes an impressive transition to features with Miss Lovely, an atmospheric tragedy set in the sordid world of Bombay's exploitation-film industry during the late 1980s. Those who go with the flow will...
- 5/30/2012
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Nadav Lapid's thriller "Policeman," which ranked high on Indiewire's Best Undistributed Film Poll last year, has been acquired for U.S. release by Corinth Films. It played at the Locarno, New York and San Francisco Film Festivals. Check out our review from its Locarno premiere. Full press release reprinted below: Corinth Films Acquires North American Rights for Nadav Lapid's Policeman Written and Directed by Nadav Lapid; Camera - Shari Goldman; Editor - Era Lapid Starring Yiftach Klein, Yaara Pelzig, Michael Mushonov, Menashe Noi, Michael Aloni, Gal Hoyberger, Meital Berdah, Shaul Mizrahi, Rona-Lee Shimon, Ben Adam Israel; 2011; Runtime - 107 Mins; In Hebrew with English Subtitles Variety: “…reps a strong debut from tyro helmer-writer Nadav Lapid, and will leave audiences debating the current social and philosophical issues it reflects..”- Alissa Simon The Hollywood...
- 5/17/2012
- by Austin Dale
- Indiewire
Since the film debuted at Venice, I've been trying to avoid reviews of Alps, the new film by Dogtooth director Yorgos Lanthimos. I've seen headlines and brief quotes that are generally positive; those, a couple trailers and the basic synopsis [1] are all I'm willing to see before going into the film. (The synopsis is easy: a small group of people, led by a man who calls himself Mont Blanc, form a service to help people grieve by standing in for their departed loved ones.) Now we know that there will definitely be chances to see Alps on Us screens, as Kino Lorber has picked up the film for distribution. It won't be around until next spring, which is quite a while to wait, but better that than no distribution at all. If you're also eager to see the next effort from the Dogtooth director, check out a new trailer below.
- 10/18/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Mention October to some and revolution and Eisenstein will spring to mind. To others, it'll be the journal of art criticism and theory (whose latest issue, as it happens, concentrates on film and video). But for many more, it'll be "the arrival of coolth and crispidy after months oppressive heat and intrusive sunshine… the downward spiral of maple leaves from the tree tops, the wind in the willows, the shadow over Innsmouth, the silence of the lambs, the howling in the woods, I love every damned thing about this glorious but all-too-short season!" exclaims Richard Harland Smith at Movie Morlocks. And of course, what he especially loves are "all the shades of Halloween, from the ticky-tack gee-gaws on the shelves at Cvs and Rite Aid to the widespread enjoyment of classical music (Camille Saint-Saëns's Danse Macabre, Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue), literature (Henry James's The Turn of the Screw,...
- 10/1/2011
- MUBI
The Michael Teaser Trailer has premiered. Markus Schleinzer‘s Michael (2011) teaser trailer stars Michael Fuith, David Rauchenberger, Gisella Salcher, Ursula Strauss, and Victor Tremmel. Michael‘s plot synopsis: “the story of an insurance company employee who shares his life, forcibly, with a 10 year old boy [locked in his basement].”
Sexual predators are students of the world in which they inhabit. That sound proofing and the locks are very telling. When I see this “cold, remote and straightforward approach”, I think of One Hour Photo. I am looking forward to seeing where the kidnapper abducted Michael from and what mind set you have to possess to keep someone prisoner like that. In The Disappearance of Alice Creed it was for money, here its just sexual.
More about the film (some spoilers):
“Illustrating the banality of evil in an impressively controlled and sometimes darkly humorous fashion, Michael takes a coolly nonjudgmental, non-psychological approach to a disturbing topic,...
Sexual predators are students of the world in which they inhabit. That sound proofing and the locks are very telling. When I see this “cold, remote and straightforward approach”, I think of One Hour Photo. I am looking forward to seeing where the kidnapper abducted Michael from and what mind set you have to possess to keep someone prisoner like that. In The Disappearance of Alice Creed it was for money, here its just sexual.
More about the film (some spoilers):
“Illustrating the banality of evil in an impressively controlled and sometimes darkly humorous fashion, Michael takes a coolly nonjudgmental, non-psychological approach to a disturbing topic,...
- 7/15/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
"Romanian-born filmmaker Radu Mihaileanu offers up another certifiably crowd-pleasing slice of world cinema in The Source (La Source des Femmes), a modern-day fable exploring female empowerment in the Arab world," writes Jordan Mintzer in the Hollywood Reporter. "Never one for subtlety, the writer-director tosses everything he can into this two-hour-plus humanist couscous, stirring in a mix of songs, sentiments and socio-religious questions set beneath breathtaking North African landscapes, and carried by a strong central performance from actress Leila Bekhti."
I don't usually like to include the trades' potential sales assessments, but this one's too nice to let slip: "Like his previous films, The Source boasts an Arthouse for Beginners appeal that could reach broad audiences beyond Europe."
"In a scenic hamlet where the long-suffering women labor like beasts of burden and produce children like breeding machines, their hot-tempered men folk claim their patriarchal right to lounge around drinking tea and...
I don't usually like to include the trades' potential sales assessments, but this one's too nice to let slip: "Like his previous films, The Source boasts an Arthouse for Beginners appeal that could reach broad audiences beyond Europe."
"In a scenic hamlet where the long-suffering women labor like beasts of burden and produce children like breeding machines, their hot-tempered men folk claim their patriarchal right to lounge around drinking tea and...
- 5/22/2011
- MUBI
Updated through 5/21 — with awards announcements.
As noted last week, with support from the 4+1 Film Festival, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Critics' Week with a free retrospective of some of the greatest films screened over the past 50 editions. What follows is a roundup of what the critics are saying about the films screening this year.
"Jonathan Caouette's film Tarnation — created for $300 (£185) on his iMac out of old Super 8 videos and family photos — created a stir at Cannes in 2004 for its original visual language," begins Charlotte Higgins in the Guardian. "In his latest he returns to Tarnation's material: his rich but intensely difficult family life. At the heart of Walk Away Renée is a road trip he takes with his mother, Renée, from Houston to New York State, as he helps her transfer from one assisted-living facility to another. Renée, who received electric shock therapy from the age...
As noted last week, with support from the 4+1 Film Festival, we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Critics' Week with a free retrospective of some of the greatest films screened over the past 50 editions. What follows is a roundup of what the critics are saying about the films screening this year.
"Jonathan Caouette's film Tarnation — created for $300 (£185) on his iMac out of old Super 8 videos and family photos — created a stir at Cannes in 2004 for its original visual language," begins Charlotte Higgins in the Guardian. "In his latest he returns to Tarnation's material: his rich but intensely difficult family life. At the heart of Walk Away Renée is a road trip he takes with his mother, Renée, from Houston to New York State, as he helps her transfer from one assisted-living facility to another. Renée, who received electric shock therapy from the age...
- 5/21/2011
- MUBI
Updated through 5/17.
"Illustrating the banality of evil in an impressively controlled and sometimes darkly humorous fashion, Michael takes a coolly nonjudgmental, non-psychological approach to a disturbing topic, spending five months in the life of a 30-ish pedophile who keeps a 10-year-old boy locked in his basement," begins Alissa Simon in Variety. "Although it begins in medias res, Austrian writer-director Markus Schleinzer's feature debut slowly reels viewers in with Michael Fuith's strong lead performance, a creepy accumulation of ordinary detail and suspenseful twists."
"Although Schleinzer is a first-time director, he was the casting director for films including Michael Haneke's The Piano Teacher, Time of the Wolf, and The White Ribbon, for which he also coached the children," notes Barbara Scharres in the Chicago Sun-Times. Michael "often treats his victim as if he were a stern foster parent, making him help with chores, monitoring his TV time, and even...
"Illustrating the banality of evil in an impressively controlled and sometimes darkly humorous fashion, Michael takes a coolly nonjudgmental, non-psychological approach to a disturbing topic, spending five months in the life of a 30-ish pedophile who keeps a 10-year-old boy locked in his basement," begins Alissa Simon in Variety. "Although it begins in medias res, Austrian writer-director Markus Schleinzer's feature debut slowly reels viewers in with Michael Fuith's strong lead performance, a creepy accumulation of ordinary detail and suspenseful twists."
"Although Schleinzer is a first-time director, he was the casting director for films including Michael Haneke's The Piano Teacher, Time of the Wolf, and The White Ribbon, for which he also coached the children," notes Barbara Scharres in the Chicago Sun-Times. Michael "often treats his victim as if he were a stern foster parent, making him help with chores, monitoring his TV time, and even...
- 5/17/2011
- MUBI
Ivan Sen’s new feature film, Toomelah screened over the weekend at Cannes in official selection for the Un Certain Regard category which recognises young and emerging artists, producing daring and innovative works.
Toomelah follows the story of a ten year old Aboriginal boy, Daniel (Daniel Connors), and his fledgling career as a drug runner for local dealer and gangster, Linden (Christopher Edwards), in an outback town.
When Linden and his gang are sent to jail as a rival gang, led by Bruce (Dean Daley Jones) fresh from jail moves violently in to Toomelah, Daniel is left with few options, but an opportunity to clean up his act.
Variety‘s Alissa Simon gave the film mixed reviews. “Earnest acting by the cast of amateurs creates a certain monotone that isn’t helped by the editing — or lack of it… However, more expressive than any performance are the faces of the locals,...
Toomelah follows the story of a ten year old Aboriginal boy, Daniel (Daniel Connors), and his fledgling career as a drug runner for local dealer and gangster, Linden (Christopher Edwards), in an outback town.
When Linden and his gang are sent to jail as a rival gang, led by Bruce (Dean Daley Jones) fresh from jail moves violently in to Toomelah, Daniel is left with few options, but an opportunity to clean up his act.
Variety‘s Alissa Simon gave the film mixed reviews. “Earnest acting by the cast of amateurs creates a certain monotone that isn’t helped by the editing — or lack of it… However, more expressive than any performance are the faces of the locals,...
- 5/17/2011
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
With Carmel Winter's feature debut, 'Snap' screening at the Karlovy Vary film festival Iftn spoke with Alissa Simon, programmer for the festival's Variety Critics' Choice to see what it was about the film that made it a worthy choice. The Variety Critics Choice (Vcc) section of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival is presented in association with European Film Promotion and its 32 member organisations which represent the European countries whose films are being screened.
- 7/8/2010
- IFTN
Seoul - First Asia, then the world. This is the message emerging from the 14th annual Pusan International Film Festival (Piff), which opened Thursday and runs until October 16 in the South Korean port city of Pusan. 'Among film programmers I know, Piff is considered the film festival to attend,' said Alissa Simon, an American programmer who serves on one of the festival's juries. 'I have watched Piff develop and grow since it was first started and have been impressed by the way they quickly combined all aspects of what a festival should be - discovery, retrospective, market, support for new directors, and so on - to make them the leading festival in Asia.' One...
- 10/9/2009
- Monsters and Critics
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