Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 30, 2008 under Sundance Film Festival | 
Sundance Institute announced today the addition of THE WINNING SEASON to the films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in the out-of-competition Premieres section. THE WINNING SEASON will have its world premiere on Monday, January 19 at 8:30 p.m. at the Library Center Theatre in Park City. The 25th Sundance Film Festival runs January 15-25, 2009 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah.
Directed by Jim Strouse (Lonesome Jim, Grace is Gone), The Winning Season stars Sam Rockwell (pictured) as an adult misfit brought on to coach his local girl’s high school basketball team. Cast: Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, Shareeka Epps and Emily Rios.
“We are thrilled to welcome back to the Festival Jim Strouse who once again displays his talent for storytelling in this superbly witty film,” said Geoffrey Gilmore, Director, Sundance Film Festival. “The Winning Season is a completely gratifying cinematic drama marked by sharp dialogue and perfectly toned performances.”
For the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, 118 feature-length films were selected including 91 world premieres, 16 North American premieres and 5 U.S. premieres representing 21 countries with 42 first-time filmmakers, including 28 in the non-competition categories. These films were selected from 3,661 feature film submissions composed of 1,905 U.S. and 1,756 international feature-length films. [via]
Tags: Emily Rios, Emma Roberts, Grace is Gone, Jim Strouse, Lonesome Jim, Rob Corddry, Sam Rockwell, Shareeka Epps, Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute, THE WINNING SEASON
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 27, 2008 under Metro Manila Film Festival |
“Baler” was the big winner, taking home ten awards at the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) awards earlier today.
The film which depicts a love story set amid the Siege of Baler in 1898, won Best Festival Picture, Best Director for Mark Meily, Best Actress for Anne Curtis, Best Supporting Actor for Philip Salvador, Best Screenplay, and the Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award. It also won Best Screenplay for Roy Iglesias, Best Cinematography for Lee Meily, Best Production Design for Aped Santos, and Best Editing for Danny Anonuevo.
The animated film “Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia,” won four awards: Best Visual Effects for Robert Quilao, Best Busical Score for Jessie Lasaten, Best Theme Song for “Lipad” (by Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr., performed by Lea Salonga), and Best Sound for Albert Idioma and Wally Dellosa.
The Best Supporting Actress plum went to Manilyn Reynes of the sexy comedy “One Night Only”, while Christopher de Leon of the drama “Magkaibigan” won Best Actor.
Top grossers “Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat,” which stars commedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas, was declared the 2nd Best Festival Picture, while the film revival of the hit comedy “Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After,” which stars the comedy trio of Tito, Vic and Joey, was declared the 3rd Best Festival Picture.
Meanwhile, Jose Javier Reyes won Best Original Story for “One Night Only”; Robert Villar won Best Child Performer (”Shake, Rattle, and Roll X”); and Noli Villalobos for Best Make-Up (”Desperadas 2″). [via]
Best Director
Mark Meily (Baler)
Best Screenplay
Baler
Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award
Antonio Villegas (Baler)
Best Supporting Actress
Manilyn Reynes (One Night Only)
Best Supporting Actor
Philip Salvador (Baler)
Best Actor
Christopher De Leon (Magkaibigan)
Best Actress
Anne Curtis (Baler)
3rd Best Festival Picture
Iskul Bukol 20 Years After
2nd Best Festival Picture
Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat
Best Picture
Baler
Best Cinematography
Lee Meily (Baler)
Best Production Design
Aped Santos (Baler)
Best Editing
Danny Anonuevo (Baler)
Best Visual Effects
Robert Quilao (Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia)
Best Busical Score
Jessie Lasaten (Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia)
Best Theme Song
“Lipad” by Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr., performed by Lea Salonga (Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia)
Best Sound
Albert Idioma and Wally Dellosa (Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia)
Best Original Story
Jose Javier Reyes (One Night Only)
Best Child Performer
Robert Villar (Shake, Rattle, and Roll X)
Best Make-Up
Noli Villalobos (Desperadas 2)
Tags: Ai-Ai delas Alas, Albert Idioma, and Roll X, Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat, Baler, Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia, Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After, Lipad, Magkaibigan, Manilyn Reynes, Metro Manila Film Festival, One Night Only, Philipines, Rattle, Shake, Tito, Vic and Joey, Wally Dellosa
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 26, 2008 under Tri-continental Film Festival |
Breakthrough, an international Human Rights organization brings to India for the fifth year, the one and only film festival on Human Rights, ‘Tri Continental film festival’. The festival will run from 23rd to 25th January 2009 at the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai and then travel to Goa, Bangalore and Kolkata over the next three weeks.
The 2009 Official lineup:
1. Ironeaters - India Premiere
Germany / 2007 / 85 min / English/Bengali
Shaheen Dill-Riaz
2. Morality TV and The Loving Jihad - A Thrilling Tale
India / 2007 / 31 min / Hindi
Paromita Vohra
3. There was a Queen
India / 2007 / 105 min / Kashmiri/Hindustani
Kavita Pai, Hansa Thapliyal
4. War Made Easy
USA / 2007 / 73 min / English
Loretta Alper, Jeremy Earp
5. Still Human Still Here: Destitution of the Refused Asylum Seekers - Asia Premiere
UK / 2007 / 12 min / English
Marc Hoeferlin, Barney Broomfield
6. On That Day - Asia Premiere
UK / 2008 / 53 min / English/Arabic
Marc Hoeferlin, Barney Broomfield
7. Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame
Iran / 2007 / 81 min / Persian
Hana Makhmalbaf
8. Up The Yangtze
Canada / 2007 / 93 min / English
Yung Chang
9. Flying Inside My Body
India / 2008 / 35 min / English
Sumit Sharma, Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh, Ajeeta Chowhan
10. Tapologo - Asia Premiere
Spain / South Africa / 2008 / 88 min / Tsuana/English
Gabriela Gutierrez Dewar, Sally Gutierrez Dewar
11. Pray The Devil Back To Hell - Asia Premiere (pictured)
USA / 2007 / 72 min / English
Gini Reticker
12. The Infinite Border - India Premiere
Mexico/2007/90 min/Spanish
Juan Manuel Sepulveda
13. Rightful Place - Asia Premiere
Kenya/U.S.A / 2007 / 16 / Endorois
Produced by WITNESS, Comissao Pastoral da Terra (CPT) and Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
14. Bound By Promises: Contemporary Slavery in Rural Brazilb- India Premiere
Brazil/ U.S.A / 2006 / 17 / Portuguese
Produced by WITNESS, Comissao Pastoral da Terra (CPT) and Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
15. Total Denial
Bulgaria/Italy / 2006 / 65 min / Karen/Burmese
Milena Kaneva
16. Tambogrande-Mangos, Murder, Mining - India Premiere
Peru / 2007 / 85 min / English/Spanish
Ernesto Cabellos, Stephanie Boyd
17. Paradise - Three Journeys in This World - Asia Premiere
Finland / 2007 / 51 min / Spanish/French/Bambara/Soninke/English
Elina Hirvonen
18. Forbidden Sun Dance - Asia Premiere
Canada / Iran / 2008 / 34 min / Persian
Lila Ghobady
19. White Light Black Rain - India Premiere
US/Japan / 2007 / 86 min / English / Japanese/Korean
Steven Okazaki
20. Undercover in Tibet
U.K / 2008 / 48 min / English
Jezza Neumann
21. The Sari Soldiers - Asia Premiere
Nepal / USA / 2008 / 92 min / Nepali
Julie Bridgham
22. Is it Just a Game? 2 - Asia Premiere
India /2007 / 3min
Shakuntala Kulkarni
23. Is it Just a Game? 3 - World Premiere
India / 2007 / 3 min
Shakuntala Kulkarni
24. Under Construction - India Premiere
France / 2007 / 10 min / Chinese
Zhenchen Liu
25. The American - Asia Premiere
USA / Bolivia / Mexico / 2008 / 65 min / Spanish
Nicholas Bruckman, John Mattiuzzi
26. Brides of Allah - - India Premiere
Israel / 2008 / 75 min / Arabic
Natalie Assouline
27. Behind Forgotten Eyes - India Premiere
USA / South Korea / Japan / 2007 / 76 min / English/Korean/Japanese
Anthony Gilmore
28. The Choir - Asia Premiere
Australia / 2007 / 90 min/ English
Michael Davie
Tags: Behind Forgotten Eyes, Bound By Promises: Contemporary Slavery in Rural Brazil, Breakthrough, Brides of Allah, Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame, Flying Inside My Body, Forbidden Sun Dance, Ironeaters, Is it Just a Game? 2, Is it Just a Game? 3, Mining, Morality TV and The Loving Jihad - A Thrilling Tale, mumbai, Murder, On That Day, Paradise - Three Journeys in This World, Pray The Devil Back To Hell, Rightful Place, Still Human Still Here: Destitution of the Refused Asyl, Tambogrande-Mangos, Tapologo, The American, The Choir, The Infinite Border, The Sari Soldiers, There was a Queen, Total Denial, Tri-continental Film Festival, Under Construction, Undercover in Tibet, Up The Yangtze, War Made Easy, White Light Black Rain
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Ft. Yachtie-Da International Film Festival |
Winners of the first annual Ft. Yachtie-Da International Film Festival in November, sponsored by Crew Unlimited and held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at Cinema Paradiso, home of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.
The films were no more than five minutes in length and ranged from animation to narrative.
The winner of the Best Overall film, was a look at how “captains can demand more from their crew” on a humorous take-off of the “60 Minutes” television news program
The films can be viewed online at Crew Unlimited, who along with CU Yacht Charters plan to hold the event next year after the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show.
The winners:
Best Overall award
60 Minutes at Sea by James Woods
Drama/Talent awards
1st: Float On by Gareth Shephard
2nd: Wairua by Alexandra Theron
3rd: XIII vs SeaBowld by Mervyn Duffield
Extreme awards
1st: Rush! by Brendon Held
2nd: BaseJumper by Bolten Perry
3rd: That’s Sport by Sara Beugniot
Comedy awards
1st: The Sun is Setting by Nick McInnis
2nd: Shark Wrangler by Zachariah James Rath
3rd: Radar Calibration by Gareth Shephard
[via]
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) |
The 20th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Academy Award® winner Dustin Hoffman with the Chairman’s Award, Academy Award® nominee Gus Van Sant with the Sonny Bono Visionary Award and Academy Award® nominee Alexandre Desplat with the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing.
Dustin Hoffman will receive the Chairman’s Award. The past recipient of the award is Nicole Kidman. Hoffman currently stars in “Last Chance Harvey” (pictured), which will open the Festival on January 8, 2009. The film is a love story set in London, written and directed by Joel Hopkins, and co-starring Emma Thompson.
Gus Van Sant will receive the Sonny Bono Visionary Award, named after the founder of the Festival. Past recipients include David Cronenberg, Todd Field, Baz Lurhmann, M. Night Shyamalan and Kevin Spacey. Van Sant’s acclaimed current film, “Milk,” tells the story of Harvey Milk, who in 1977 was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America. His victory was not just a victory for gay rights; he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all Americans. The Focus Features film stars Academy Award winner Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and James Franco.
Alexandre Desplat will receive the Frederick Loewe Award for Film Composing. Previous participants of the award include James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman, Phillip Glass, Howard Shore and Randy Newman. Desplat provides the score for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, adapted by Eric Roth, from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. [via]
Sean Penn will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award for acting. Penn will receive the award at the film festival gala on Jan. 6 for his performance in “Milk,” as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to serve as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk was assassinated in 1978. [via]
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 24, 2008 under Festival of Iranian Films (DC) |
Washington DC’s Smithsonian Institute Freer Gallery of Art will hold the Thirteenth Annual Festival of Iranian Films at its Meyer Auditorium, starting on January 9. The festival will feature a number of award-winning Iranian films, including Ali Atshani’s Banana Skin, Mohammad Rasoulof’s Head Wind, Manijeh Hekmat’s Three Women, Abdolreza Kahani’s Over There, and Mehrshad Karkhani’s Lose Rope.
Due to high demand for tickets, assigned seating is in effect for this series. Free tickets are required for films in the 300 seat Meyer Auditorium, located in the Freer Gallery. Up to two tickets per person are distributed at the auditorium one hour before show time.
Banana Skin
Friday, January 9, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, January 11, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
This engaging comedy by Ali Atshani takes a light approach to death and the afterlife. Hamid, a workaholic, has everything his modern lifestyle requires but no time to enjoy it-until a freak accident delivers him at death’s door. Welcomed by the ghosts of his just-deceased uncle and another accident victim, Hamid discovers that being a prankish spirit in the city isn’t such a bad deal after all. The plot thickens when a pretty lady-ghost comes on the scene, and his uncle ponders matchmaking protocol in the great beyond. Description provided by the Gene Siskel Film Center. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2008 / 89 min. / video
Three Women
Friday, January 16, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, January 18, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
A dispute over an ancient carpet propels a grandmother, mother, and daughter into realms of mystery and mysticism in Manijeh Hekmat’s film. Minoo, a museum textiles curator, makes off with the carpet, a national treasure, in an effort to save it from an unscrupulous dealer. She loses the precious antique, and her mother as well, to a mission that beckons the elderly lady from the past. The call of the unknown puts Minoo’s daughter on the road to self-discovery, causing Minoo to question who or what she herself needs to find. Description provided by the Gene Siskel Film Center. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2008 / 94 min. / video
Head Wind
Friday, January 23, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, January 25, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
This film by Mohammad Rasoulof is a candid, searing look inside the Islamic Republic and its losing battle for control over the flow of information that enters the country from the outside world. In what at first seems like an investigation into the government’s effort to deny people access to Hollywood films, the documentary unfolds to reveal that at the heart of this struggle beats the desire of the Iranian people for self-determination and open access to information. This remarkable film touches on one of the major post-revolution issues by examining Iran’s underground satellite, Internet, and DVD culture. Description adapted from the Tribeca Film Festival. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2008 / 65 min. / video.
Loose Rope
Friday, February 6, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, February 8, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Two young rural men who work at the animals market in Tehran have only twenty-four hours to take a large cow from downtown to the northern part of the city-or else their jobs and futures are at stake. The spectators follow their obligatory journey with the rope, which is tied around the cow. Mehrshad Karkhani cinematically describes the contrast that exists between the south and the north of Tehran. Description provided by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2008 / 82 min.
Over There
Friday, February 13, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, February 15, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
A beautiful black-and-white film that explores the inner workings of a marriage, Abdolreza Kahani’s Over There follows ten days in the lives of Payman and Leila, a young couple in the middle of a marital meltdown. Payman has only ten days left to return to the United States to renew his green card, but he cannot exit the country until he legally leaves his wife with five hundred gold coins. Description provided by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2008 / 75 min. / b&w
Santouri: The Music Man
Friday, February 20, 2009, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, February 22, 2009, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Following a fine series of films about women, Dariush Mehrjui’s latest work focuses on Ali, a popular young singer and musician. Despite his talent, Ali struggles with heroin addiction. The film flows from Ali’s happier past to his troubles with the law and the emotional and physical price of his addiction. Description provided by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In Persian with English subtitles. Iran / 2007 / 106 min. / video.
Tags: Abdolreza Kahani, Ali Atshani, Banana Skin, Festival of Iranian Films, free, Head Wind, Lose Rope, Manijeh Hekmat, Mehrshad Karkhani, Meyer Auditorium, Mohammad Rasoulof, Over There, Santouri: The Music Man, Smithsonian Institute Freer Gallery of Art, Three Women
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under International Film Festival Rotterdam |
The 38th International Film Festival Rotterdam opens on Wednesday evening 21 January 2009 with the world première of the American feature film ‘The Hungry Ghosts.’ This is the film directing debut of scriptwriter, theatre director and actor Michael Imperioli (pictured), who came to fame in his role as Christopher Montisanti in the TV series The Sopranos. The Hungry Ghosts has also been selected in the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition. In The Hungry Ghosts, which takes place in a period of 36 hours in New York, Imperioli’s characters float like ghosts through life, looking for happiness, hoping to fulfill a desire.
The festival will unveil a new and simplified format with three main sections.
BRIGHT FUTURE
Bright Future is the platform for filmmakers of the future. Here, the festival presents the most important, idiosyncratic and adventurous new work by novice makers from all over the world. The section mainly consists of first or second films. The competitive part of the festival, the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition for first and second features and the Tiger Awards Competition for short films, is part of this section.
SPECTRUM
Spectrum comprises work by experienced film makers and artists who provide, in the opinion of the IFFR, an essential contribution to international film culture. Spectrum brings together highlights of the film year, new work by prominent auteurs and topical, strong and innovative films by accomplished filmmakers. Closely linked to Bright Future, Spectrum sets a high quality standard in substance and style.
SIGNALS
Signals is made up of a series of thematic film programmes, exhibitions or performances. Here the festival focuses on specific themes and oeuvres of striking filmmakers or visual artists. The programmes within Signals offer insight in topical as well as timeless ideas within cinema. During IFFR 2009, Signals includes the theme sections:
Jerzy Skolimowski retrospective
The career of filmmaker, playwright, scriptwriter, painter and actor Jerzy Skolimowski (Poland, 1938) is as versatile as it is international. Starting his directorial and scriptwriting career in 1960, he also contributes on the scripts of Roman Polanski’s KNIFE IN THE WATER and of Andrzej Wajda’s INNOCENT SORCERERS. After leaving Poland, Skolimowski directs several films in the US and France. His acting career includes roles in his own films and, more recently, in Julian Schnabel’s BEFORE NIGHT FALLS and David Cronenberg’s EASTERN PROMISES. Skolimowski’s latest film, CZERY NOCI Z ANNA (FOUR NIGHTS WITH ANNA), marks a triumphant return after seventeen years.
Paolo Benvenuti retrospective
Paolo Benvenuti (1946) is one of the least known, but finest contemporary Italian filmmakers. In Rotterdam his films will for the first time be presented in an international retrospective programme.
Benvenuti’s challenging work, from his first feature IL BACIO DI GIUDA (1988) to his latest, sixth, film PUCCINI E LA FANCIULLA (2008), is based on very careful and precise historical researches. Additionally, Benvenuti has also made short films and documentaries. He made his directorial début with the short film FUORI GIOCO (1969) and assisted Straub & Huillet on some of their films shot in Italy. His latest film PUCCINI E LA FANCIULLA (PUCCINI AND THE YOUNG GIRL), co-directed with his partner Paola Baroni, screened out of Competition in Venice and will be part of the Rotterdam tribute along with six features and seven short films by Benvenuti.
Peter Liechti retrospective
Swiss filmmaker, scriptwriter and camera man Peter Liechti (1951) started his filmmaking career with SOMMERHÜGEL in 1984; he has since build on an idiosyncratic body of work consisting of both documentary and fictional experimental films, most of them short and shot on 16 mm. Signature characteristics of his works are an essayistic use of fictional texts, music, voice over and narration. His latest film THE SOUND OF INSECTS - RECORD OF A MUMMY, which will have its international premiere in Rotterdam 2009, is an adaptation of the novella ‘Miira ni narumade’ (‘Until I am a Mummy’) by Shimada Masahiko, which itself is based on an actual diary of a man who committed suicide by self starvation. For the upcoming festival, Peter Liechti will make a special ‘carte blanche’ programme of a number of films, with which he has certain affiliations, among which PICTURE OF LIGHT (1994), by Canadian filmmaker Peter Mettler (GAMBLING, GODS AND LSD), who collaborated on Liechti’s THE SOUND OF INSECTS as narrator in voice over.
Size Matters
The thematic programme ‘Size Matters’ focuses on both the ubiquitous presence and the content of audiovisual screens in this post-cinema age. The electronic screen is making a major breakthrough in both the private and public spaces. Within ‘Size Matters’, the IFFR realizes the group exhibition ‘Aspect Ratio’, brought together by festival programmer Edwin Carels and a project for the public space, entitled ‘Urban Screens’, curated by festival director Rutger Wolfson.
By projecting three commissioned films on high-rise office buildings in Rotterdam, ‘Urban Screens’, poses the question of what the language and tradition of cinema may contribute to the function and software of these screens. More information about ‘Urban Screens’ will be announced shortly.
‘Aspect Ratio’ confronts media art and art installations with a focus on the human factor in a progressively expanding technological universe. The exhibition will include works by Ken Jacobs, Simon Starling, Roy Arden, Louise Decordier, Carlo Zanni, Morgan Fisher, Joachim Koester and JODI. The referential work will be Ray and Charles Eams’ short documentary film POWERS OF TEN (1977).
Hungry Ghosts
‘Hungry Ghosts’ is a film programme with features from East Asian countries about ghosts and supernatural apparitions. The specific quality of East Asian horror movies is that the people who make them and the people who watch them actually believe in ghosts. Compiled by Rotterdam festival programmer Gertjan Zuilhof, ‘Hungry Ghosts’ presents the striking and innovative recent work of, among others, Ronin Team (ART OF THE DEVIL 3), Riri Riza (TAKUT: FACES OF FEAR), Ekachai Uekrongtham (THE COFFIN) and Tsukamoto Shinya (NIGHTMARE DETECTIVE 2).
Houses are, as seen in these ‘ghost movies’, often the favorite dwelling place of ghosts. A real Haunted House group exhibition will be part of ‘Hungry Ghosts’. Southeast Asian filmmakers Amir Muhammad (Malaysia), Wisit Sasanatieng (Thailand), Nguyen Vinh Son (Vietnam), Lav Diaz (Philippines), Garin Nugroho (Indonesia) and Riri Riza (Indonesia) will each convert a room in the monumental exhibition building into their vision of the house of the spirits.
First Things First
‘First Things First’ comprises a series of first and very early works by filmmakers who have since carved out important, acknowledged bodies of films - and who are still producing important films. ‘First Things First’ raises the questions of where auteur-ship begins and how one finds his or her own voice. Can a major, original director be detected in his first works, or only in hindsight?
Brought together by Rotterdam festival programmer Gerwin Tamsma, ‘First Things First’ presents early, often rarely seen works sometimes screened in combination with a new feature film that will be screened in the festival, sometimes in a compilation of short films.
The programme includes Manoel De Oliveira’s DOURO FAINA FLUVIAL (1931), Jonas Mekas’ WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN (2003, footage from 1950), Otar Iosseliani’s SONG ABOUT A FLOWER (1959), Alexander Kluge’s BRUTALITÄT IN STEIN (1960), Jean-Marie Straub’s MACHORKA-MUFF (1963), Hou Hsiao-hsien’s CUTE GIRL (1980), Ulrich Seidl’s EINSVIERZIG (1980) and BALL (1982), Bong Joon-ho’s INCOHERENCE (1993), Carlos Reygadas ADULTE (1997) and Alberto Serra’s CRESPIA (THE FILM NOT THE VILLAGE) (2003).
Young Turkish Cinema
‘Young Turkish Cinema’ explores the remarkable rise and recent development of independent filmmaking in Turkey. Filmmakers like Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Semih Kaplanoglu and Yesim Ustaoglu, whose early works have been supported by the IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund, are successful both in Turkey and abroad. A younger generation follows in their footsteps. ‘Young Turkish Cinema’, compiled by festival programmer Ludmila Cvikova, brings together recent works by both generations of Turkish filmmakers and collaborates with Istanbul-based film magazine Altyazi to publish an investigative special issue about the thriving Turkish film scene.
Among the film selected for ‘Young Turkish Cinema’ are: THE SMALL TOWN (1998), feature début by Nuri Bilge Ceylan; THE STORM (2008) by Kazim Öz, a film supported by Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and, in world premiere, BLACK DOGS BARKING (2008) by Mehmet Bahadir Er & Maryna Gorbach.
Regained
Continuing the strand of earlier Rotterdam editions, ‘Signals’ presents the eclectic thematic programme Regained with recently re-discovered or restored films, or films about film and filmmakers. Already confirmed for Regained are Igor Mayboroda’s documentary RERBERG AND TARKOVSKY. THE REVERSE SIDE OF “STALKER” and Mark Peranson’s WAITING FOR SANCHO, a making-of film about Albert Serra’s EL CANT DELS OCELLS (BIRDSONG) which also screens in IFFR 2009. Further titles will be announced later. [via]
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under ReFramePeterborough International Film Festival |
The former Traveling World Community Film Festival: Peterborough has officially become ReFramePeterborough International Film Festival and returns January 23 to Central Ontario, Canada. More than 65 films, short and long, are packed into the three-day festival with an emphasis on special family-friendly films.
The films include
| … What Makes Me Happy |
| Released: 2007 UK/Nepal Occupied Palestinian Territories |
| Film Length: 10 minutes |
| Directors: Annie Gibbs & Tsering Rhitar Sherpa (Nepal), Munia Dweik (Occupied Palestinian Territories) |
 Mahmoud (Occupied Palestinian Territories) is desperate for some time to himself. But people keep calling out his name and asking him to run another errand. After every errand he climbs a little further up the stairs outside his house. But each time he hears his name again, and is sent off to do something else. What’s at the top of the stairs? And why does Mahmoud want to get there?
Ranjita (Nepal) First thing every morning Ranjita has a few minutes to herself before she has to wake her brothers and sisters. Every day she has to help with the housework. With so many important jobs to do, you’d think that Ranjita and her brothers and sisters would never have time to laugh and have fun. But they do. |
| Aboriginality |
| Released: 2007 Canada |
| Film Length: 14 minutes |
| Directors: Dominique Keller, Tom Jackson |
 Aboriginality follows an urban youth as he heads down the mystical Red Road, where the sweet grass grows, to re-connect and be inspired by both new and traditional elements of First Nations culture. We meet world champion hoop dancer and hip-hop artist Dallas Arcand, Aboriginality re-imagines the strength and spirit of First Nations culture through new narrative mediums that connect urban First Nations youth to their rural ancestral histories |
|
Sponsor: Peterborough New Dance |
| Addicted to Cheap Shopping |
| Released: 2007, Great Britain |
| Film Length: 60 minutes |
| Directors: BBC |
 We are living in strange times. The laws of inflation dictate prices should go up. Instead the cost of things is actually going down. In the last 10 years the price of clothes has fallen by 36%, electronics by 56% and computers by 90%. This is the Age of Cheap. And we love it. But while there’s much to celebrate, there are some intriguing questions that need to be asked: why are things so cheap. What are the hidden costs? And is it all going to come to an end soon? The film looks into the world economic effects of the Wal Mart way of doing business; at Ikea philosophy and the emerging power of the economy of China. |
| Addicted to Plastic: the Rise and Demise of a Modern Miracle |
| Released: 2008 Canada |
| Film Length: 85 minutes |
| Directors: Ian Connacher |
 Addicted to Plastic is a feature-length documentary about solutions to plastic pollution. The point-of-view style documentary encompasses three years of filming in 12 countries on 5 continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where plastic debris accumulates. The film details plastic’s path over the last 100 years and provides a wealth of expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions - which include plastic made from plants - will provide viewers with a hopeful perspective about our future with plastic. |
|
Sponsor: Peterborough Green-Up Waste Reduction |
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Metro Manila Film Festival |
Not even rainshowers could dampen the spirit as star-struck fans mob the float bearing the actors and actresses of “Baler,” one of the eight entries in the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival, during the Parade of Stars in Manila. Read more …..
The 8 films competing are
Iskul Bukol: 20 years after/Escaleras and Ungasis (Tito, Vic & Joey)
Desperadas 2 (Joel Lamangan)
Shake, Rattle & Roll X (Mike Tuviera, Topel Lee)
Ang Tanging Ina Niyong Lahat (Wenn V. Deramas)
Baler (Mark Meily)
One Night Only (Jose Reyes)
Magkaibigan (Jinggoy Estrada)
Dayo (Robert Quilao)
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Atlanta Jewish Film Festival |
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) unveiled its film selections and schedule for the ninth annual celebration of Jewish life and culture through film. The festival, running from January 14-25, 2009 features 48 visually-stunning and evocative Jewish films that would otherwise not be available on the big screen in Atlanta. The films represent 20 nations and deliver the broad human relations mission of the American Jewish Committee, presenter of the AJFF.
From Argentina to Spain, from Israel to Switzerland, the selected films in the 2009 festival lineup represent a diverse array of cultures, yet tackle issues familiar to us all. This year’s featured films include Hello Goodbye, a French romantic comedy co-starring Fanny Ardant and Gérard Depardieu about a married Jewish couple living in Paris who flee to Israel during a midlife crisis, screening on Opening Night, and Strangers (pictured), the Young Professionals Night film selection, a narrative feature that traces the unlikely romance between an Israeli kibbutznik and a Palestinian woman who meet serendipitously on their way to the World Cup finals in Berlin.
“This year’s lineup touches on a wide array of subject matter, from thought-provoking to heart-wrenching to just plain funny,” said Executive Director Kenny Blank. “The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival features something for every kind of movie-lover, Jewish or non-Jewish.”
Tickets and a full film schedule for the 2009 festival are available on www.ajff.org. Films in the 2009 festival will be screened at Lefont Sandy Springs, Regal Cinemas Atlantic Station Stadium 16 and at the Regal Medlock Crossing Stadium 18, the festival’s North Metro venue in Duluth.
Tags: Atlanta, Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF), Fanny Ardant, Gérard Depardieu, Hello Goodbye, Israeli, Jewish, lineup, ms represent 20 nations and deliver the broad human rel, Palestinian, Strangers
