News

Maltese is taking over the reins on the documentary feature that Pol Cruchten was preparing to shoot before his death in July 2019. Directorial duties on the documentary feature Visage(s) d’Afrique (lit. “Face(s) of Africa”), which Pol Cruchten was getting ready to shoot before his death in July 2019, have been taken over by Fabrizio Maltese. Initially, Maltese was meant to serve as DoP on what was billed as a coming-of-age tale shot in Africa. Luxembourgish production outfit Red Lion, with renewed support from the FilmFund Luxembourg, decided to hand the reins of the project over to him, after they had begun preparing the movie together with Cruchten. Visage(s) d’Afrique will be an insightful window to a land that has, up until now, rarely been shown in cinema: Mauritania, the birth place of filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu), who is also involved in the project. This is the fourth documentary feature.

3B Productions, the French production outfit behind Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Venice opener “The Truth,” is developing the next films of Atiq Rahimi (“The Patience Stone”) and Karim Dridi (“Chouf”).

Rahimi, whose latest film “Notre-dame du Nil” will be world premiering at Toronto, is developing with Jean Brehat at 3B Productions and Ron Senkowski (“The Prophet”) the adaptation of “Les echelles du levan” (“Port of Calls”), a novel by French-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf.

“I’ve always loved Amin Maalouf’s novels and I wanted to adapt one, so when Ron Senkowski proposed producing with him the adaptation of ‘Les echelles du levan,’ I didn’t hesitate,” said Brehat, adding that he thought of Rahimi to direct the film because he admires his books and the quality of the two films he’s helmed.

“Les échelles du levan” will reunite Rahimi with Golshifteh Farahani, who had starred in his 2012 film “The Patience Stone.

Munich-based sales company Morefilms is moving into production with Nazi war criminal thriller “Life Through a Dead Man’s Eyes.”

The film, which is set to begin production this fall, has pre-sold to Dubai-based Gulf Film for the Middle East and was also acquired by Der Filmverleih in Stuttgart for Germany.

Morefilms has now also boarded the project as a co-producer, along with René Asch’s Berlin-based Films in Motion and Zodiak Belgium’s Serge Bierset.

Directed by Jo Baier, “Life Through a Dead Man’s Eyes” follows an elderly former SS concentration camp guard desperately trying to avoid capture by U.S. authorities.

Morefilms also sold Christian Frosch’s “Murer: Anatomy of a Trial,” about the 1963 trial of former SS leader Franz Murer, to Seventh Art Releasing in the U.S., Der Filmverleih in Germany, Adso Films in Spain and Wing Sight Culture & Media Co. in China. The pic...

European Film Promotion highlights 28 European films for the 90th Academy AwardsPutting a spotlight on a record number of 28 European Oscar® entries, Efp (European Film Promotion) offers additional screenings of the films in L.A. for Academy members, journalists, U.S. distributors and international buyers. With the special support of the Efp member organizations, the event helps the productions to stand out among a record number of 92 submissions for the 90th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.

Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...

Eighty-five countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 89th Academy Awards. Yemen is a first-time entrant.

The 2016 submissions are:

Albania, “Chromium,” Bujar Alimani, director;

Algeria, “The Well,” Lotfi Bouchouchi, director;

Argentina, “The Distinguished Citizen,” Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat, directors;

Australia, “Tanna,” Bentley Dean, Martin Butler, directors;

Austria, “Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe,” Maria Schrader, director;

Bangladesh, “link=tt5510934 auto]The Unnamed[/link],” Tauquir Ahmed, director;

Belgium, “The Ardennes,” Robin Pront, director;

Bolivia, “Sealed Cargo,” Julia Vargas Weise, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Death in Sarajevo,” Danis Tanovic, director;

Brazil, “Little Secret,” David Schurmann, director;

Bulgaria, “Losers,” Ivaylo Hristov, director;

Cambodia, “Before the Fall,” Ian White, director;

Canada, “It’s Only the End of the World,” Xavier Dolan, director;

Chile, “Neruda,” Pablo Larraín, director;

China, “Xuan Zang,” Huo Jianqi, director;

Colombia, “Alias Maria,” José Luis Rugeles, director;

Costa Rica, “About Us,” Hernán Jiménez, director;

Croatia, “On the Other Side,...

Eighty-five countries have submitted a film for consideration in the 60th anniversary year of the foreign language film category.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science said on Tuesday that this season also marks the first time Yemen has submitted a film, Khadija Al-Salami’s I Am Nojoom, Age 10 And Divorced.

The 89th Oscars will take place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. László Nemes’ Hungarian entry Son Of Saul won the award last February.

Foreign-language Academy Award Submissions

(Country, Title, director)

Albania, Chromium, dir Bujar Alimani;

Algeria, The Well, Lotfi Bouchouchi;

Argentina, The Distinguished Citizen, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat;

Australia, Tanna, Bentley Dean, Martin Butler;

Austria, Stefan Zweig: Farewell To Europe, Maria Schrader;

Bangladesh, The Unnamed, Tauquir Ahmed;

Belgium, The Ardennes, Robin Pront;

Bolivia, Sealed Cargo, Julia Vargas Weise;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Death In Sarajevo, Danis Tanovic;

Brazil, Little Secret, David Schurmann.

Bulgaria, Losers, [link...

St Petersburg’s Efp showcase will features eight titles this year.

The Swiss gay docu-drama The Circle is among eight European films being shown as part of European Film Promotion’s (Efp) third edition of its Westwind showcase in St Petersburg, October 21-25.

The line-up includes: the Spanish comedy Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed, which will be accompanied in person by its director David Trueba; Tom Collins’ Irish drama The Gift, attended by actors Dara Devaney and Paul Griffin; Montenegrin writer-director Nikola Vukčević’s revenge thriller/melodrama The Kids From Marx and Engels Street; Finnish filmmaker Pirjo Honkasalo’s dreamlike odyssey Concrete Night; and German feature debutant Sebastian Ko’s We Monsters which had its North American premiere in the Discovery sidebar in Toronto this month.

The other films programmed to screen in the Hotel Angleterre cinema are Pol Cruchten’s drama Never Die Young and Daniel Dencik’s historical drama Gold Coast as well as...

The Palm Springs International Film Festival has increasingly become an important stop on the awards calendar for foreign language films. While the desert fest hands out an international critics prize, it’s more about the filmmakers getting a chance to rub shoulders with Academy members just before nominations ballots are due. The upcoming 26th annual fest is running January 2-12 and has announced the movies that will compete for the Fipresci prize in its Awards Buzz section. Fifty of the 83 official submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar are on the list with the titles chosen believed by festival programmers to be the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards race. A special jury of international film critics will screen the films and hand out a Fipresci for an individual title as well as Best Actor and Best Actress. While the fest doesn’t always match the eventual Oscar winner,...

The organisers of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will screen 50 of the 83 foreign-language Oscar submissions.

A jury of international film critics will be convened to bestow the Fipresci Award for best foreign language film of the year, as well as best actor and best actress in this category.

Further film programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. Psiff is set to run from January 2-12.

The Awards Buzz selections in alphabetical order of country are:

A Few Cubic Meters Of Love (Afghanistan), Jamshid Mahmoudi:

Wild Tales (Argentina), Damián Szifrón;

Charlie’s Country (Australia), Rolf de Heer;

The Dark Valley (Austria), Andreas Prochaska;

Nabat (Azerbaijan), Elchin Musaoglu;

Two Days, One Night (Belgium-France-Italy), Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne;

The Way He Looks (Brazil), Daniel Ribeiro;

Mommy (Canada), Xavier Dolan;

To Kill A Man (Chile), Alejandro Fernández Almendras;

The Nightingale (China), Philippe Muyl;

Mateo (Colombia), Maria Gamboa;

Cowboys (Croatia), Tomislav Mršić;

Behavior (Cuba), Director [link=nm...

Every year Hollywood gets a curated batch of films from dozens of countries seeking an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. One film per nation is chosen to represent the best of its cinematic production during the previous year. Certainly the chosen film is not always the ideal candidate, but the reasoning behind the selection usually follows two patterns: there are countries that go with the best film even if this is not the most appealing choice and there are countries that go with the most ambitious, industry-friendly, and financially successful work. This year the astonishing number of submissions – a total of 83 – makes for an incredible list of films that range from those that sport festival pedigree of the highest caliber, unknown gems looking for an audience, expensive visual achievements, and obscure art house hopefuls.

This year more than most, there are a great number of films with serious possibilities. There is no unshakable front-runner, but there are numerous favorites. Yet, looking at last year’s 9 shortlisted films and eventual 5 nominees, nothing is written in stone. Critics and audience favorites like “ The Past” (Iran), “Gloria” (Chile), “Heli” (Mexico), and “Wadjda” (Saudi Arabia) were left out to include surprises like “The Missing Picture“ (Cambodia), “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or “The Notebook” (Hungary).

With Awards Season now in full swing and knowing that this is one of the most difficult races to follow, here is a comprehensive list that includes information for each of the 83 submissions. Below each poster you will find the title of the film linked to its page on IMDb Pro followed by the title in the original language; the director’s name also linked to his/her IMDb Page; the language the film is primarily in; the name of the U.S. distributor if there is one; the name of the film’s International Sales Agent (Isa) or Production Company (PC) linked to the film’s page on Cinando; and a link to the film’s trailer (most of them have English subtitles, others are only in the original language, and a few are videos related to the film because a trailer wasn't available). In addition, reviews and interviews with many of these filmmakers will be added regularly.

Before getting into the list, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and patterns among these 83 foreign language features.

Period Dramas/Biopics

Several countries selected films based on the lives of prominent local figures or great period pieces, both showcase the level of films being produced across the globe in terms of production value and scope. Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Venezuela’s “The Liberator,” Kyrgyzstan “Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains,” Bolivia’s “Forgotten,” Indonesia’s “Soekarno,” Greece’s “Little England,” Macedonia’s “To the Hilt,” Hong Kong’s “The Golden Era,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Serbia’s “ See You in Montevideo,” Slovakia’s “A Step Into the Dark” and New Zealand’s “The Dead Lands” are some of the most expensive films ever made in their respective territories. All of them are epic productions that highlight an important historical period using impressive cinematography, a great number of extras, intricate costumes, lavish locations, detailed production design, as well as great battle sequences in several of them. Other more traditional biopics/period pieces on the list include France’s “Saint Laurent,” The Netherlands “ Accused,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” and the Czech Republic’s “Fair Play”

Masters and Festival Winners

Not surprisingly many of the films on the list come into this race after winning important awards at international festivals. Furthermore, a handful of them are from master filmmakers, masters in the making, or unique new voices. These films include Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, Nyff, AFI Fest) by the Dardenne Brothers, Canada’s “Mommy” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by prodigy Xavier Dolan, Chile’s “To Kill a Man” (Sundance, Rotterdam, Cartagena) by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Hungary's "White God" (Cannes) by Kornél Mundruczó, Norway’s “1001 Grams” (Tiff) by Bent Hamer, Poland’s “Ida”(Tiff, Sundance) by Pawel Pawlikowski, Russia’s “Leviathan” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sweden’s “Force Majeure” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Ruben Östlund, and Turkey’s “ Winter Sleep” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. All of these films have played at renowned international festivals and most have earned important recognition there.

Out of the Box

Whether they are aware of their actual possibilities at a nomination or not, each year a few countries take the risk of sending a film that defies convention despite having more safe choices. But that is not say they are entirely out of the race, films like “The Missing Picture” and “Dogtooth” prove that sometimes there is room for daring and unique filmmaking. With “Rocks in My Pockets” Latvia is the only country to submit an animated film this year. The film is an inventive and colorful look at depression. Then there is the almost-silent and highly poetic Ecuadorian entry “Silence in Dreamland” and Singapore’s musically driven drama “Sayang Disayang.” However, the boldest selection has to be the Philippines’ “Norte, the End of History” by acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz, which runs over four hours and is inspired by Dostoyevsky Crime and Punishment.

Documentaries

Only two countries chose to go with non-fiction entries. One of them is Panama’s “Invasion,” which deals with the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in that country in 1989. This is the Central American nation’s first ever Oscar submission. The other documentary contending is Portugal’s “ What Now? Remind Me,“ a self-portrait by filmmaker Joaquim Pinto exploring his struggles living with HIV. One should note that Portugal is one of the few countries in Western Europe to have never obtained a nomination in the category despite entering films consecutively for several decades.

Lgbt

Films with stories that highlight sexual diversity occasionally make their way into this list. Last year the only Lgbt title submitted was “ Soongava: Dance of the Orchids,” which surprisingly came from Nepal and dealt with the relationship between two young women in the traditional Asian society. This time around two countries selected films with similar themes. Brazil’s festival darling “ The Way He Looks” – a sweet coming-of-age tale- was an audacious choice among the many other films the South American country produces every year. Then there is Switzerland’s “The Circle” about a pioneering gay publication during the 1940s/1950s in Zurich and the real life relationship between two of its prominent members.

Surprising Choices

As it usually happens, some countries go against what the industry expects and decide to send films that weren’t on most people’s radars. Bulgaria for example selected “Bulgarian Rhapsody” by veteran director Ivan Nitchev over Sundance’s “Viktoria” by young female director Maya Vitkova. Similarly, Ukraine overlooked Cannes favorite “The Tribe”- a powerful drama entirely in sign language - and decided to go with “The Guide” by Oles Sanin. Nevertheless, the most shocking decision came from China. Instead of selecting a Chinese-directed film like Berlin’s Golden Bear winner “Black Coal, Thin Ice” or Zhang Yimou’s “Coming Home,” the Chinese selection committee chose “The Nightingale” by French director Philippe Muyl. Despite having a European helmer the film is authentically Chinese in terms of language and story, but it was still an unexpected move from the traditionally patriotic country.

First Timers

The unprecedented number of entries is in part due to the addition of countries submitting for the first time. Besides aforementioned Panama, there are three other debutant nations in the mix. Kosovo- a tiny Balkan state often associated with the rampart war that afflicted the region a few decades ago - is finally showcasing its film production. Their entry titled “Three Windows and a Hanging” is said to be a high quality, affecting drama. Malta - a European island nation near Italy - is often used as astonishing location for big budget studio films. This year, however, “ Simshar,” a great immigration drama will represent the country. Lastly, Mauritania – a prominently Muslim nation in Sub-Saharan Africa – selected Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,”which played in competition at Cannes,as their inaugural submission. Although Sissako has had several successful films at international festivals, this is the first time his country decides to participate.

Female Directors

Out of the 83 films, 14 were directed by women. That’s 17% of all entries. What’s more interesting is the fact that some of these films come from countries that are often seen as traditionally patriarchal societies. 3 Latin American entries were created by female directors: Colombia’s “Mateo,” Costa Rica’s “Red Princesses” and the Dominican Republic’s “Cristo Rey.” 4 from Asia: Hong Kong’s “ The Golden Era,” India’s “Liar’s Dice,” Japan’s “The Light Shines Only There,” and Pakistan’s “Dukhtar.” 2 from the Middle East: Israel’s “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Co-directed) and Palestine’s “Eyes of a Thief.” Lastly, 5 films from Europe: The Czech Republic’s “Fair Play,” Finland’s “Concrete Night,” Latvia’s “ Rocks in My Pockets,” Malta’s “Simshar” and the Netherlands’ “Accused.”

U.S. Distribution

Another interesting fact is the number of these films that already have U.S. distribution. Several of them have actually already opened theatrically here, and others are set to open early next year. Out 83 films, 24 already have U.S. distribution. That’s 29% of all films. Hopefully that number increases by the end of the season. The films are: Argentina’s “Wild Tales,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night,” Brazil’s “The Way He Looks,” Canada’s “Mommy,” Chile’s “To Kill a Man,” France’s “Saint Laurent,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Hungary’s “White God,” Israel’s “ Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,” Italy’s “Human Capital,” Latvia’s “Rocks in My Pockets,” Mauritania’s “Timbuktu,” Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Norway’s “1001 Grams,” The Philippines “Norte, the End of History,” Poland’s “Ida,” Portugal's "What Now? Remind Me," Russia’s “Leviathan,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed,” Sweden’s “Force Majeure,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Turkey’s “Winter Sleep,” and Venezuela’s “ The Liberator.”

To see which distribution company has each of these films please refer to the list below.

Afghanistan

"A Few Cubic Meters of Love" (چند متر مکعب عشق)

Dir: Jamshid Mahmoudi

Language: Persian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Dreamlab Films

Trailer

Argentina

"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)

Dir: Damián Szifrón

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics

Isa: Film Factory Entertainment

Trailer

Austria

"The Dark Valley" (Das finstere Tal)

Dir: Andreas Prochaska

Language: German

U.S Distribution: Film Movement

Isa: Films Distribution

Trailer

Australia

"Charlie's Country"

Dir: Rolf de Heer

Language: Yolŋu Matha/English

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Visit Films

Trailer

Azerbaijan

"Nabat"

Dir: Elcin Musaoglu

Language: Azerbaijani

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Dreamlab Films

Trailer

Bangladesh

"Glow of the Firefly" (Jonakir Alo)

Dir: Khalid Mahmood Mithu

Language: Bengali

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Impress Telefilm

Trailer

Belgium

"Two Days, One Night" (Deux jours, une nuit)

Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne

Language: French/Arabic

U.S Distribution: Sundance Selects

Isa: Wild Bunch

Trailer

Bolivia

"Forgotten" (Olvidados)

Dir: Carlos Bolado

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Flor de Loto Pictures

Trailer

Bosnia & Herzegovina

"With Mom" (Sa mamom)

Dir: Faruk Loncarevic

Language: Bosnian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Scca/pro.ba

TraileR

Brazil

"The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)

Dir: Daniel Ribeiro

Language: Portuguese

U.S Distribution: Strand Releasing

Isa: Films Boutique Trailer

Bulgaria

"Bulgarian Rhapsody" (българска рапсодия)

Dir: Ivan Nitchev

Language: Bulgarian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Cinepaz Eood

Trailer

Canada

"Mommy"

Dir: Xavier Dolan

Language: French/English

U.S Distribution: Roadside Attractions

Isa: Seville International

Trailer

Chile

"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)

Dir: Alejandro Fernández Almendras

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: Film Movement

Isa: Film Factory Entertainment

Trailer

China

"The Nightingale" (夜莺/Le promeneur d'oiseau)

Dir: Philippe Muyl

Language: Mandarin

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Kinology

Trailer

Colombia

"Mateo"

Dir: Maria Gamboa ♀

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Alpha Violet

Trailer

Costa Rica

"Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)

Dir: Laura Astorga ♀

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Latido Films Trailer

Croatia

"Cowboys" (Kauboji)

Dir: Tomislav Mrsic

Language: Croatian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Wide

Trailer

Cuba

"Behavior" (Conducta)

Dir: Ernesto Daranas

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Latido Films

Trailer

Czech Republic

"Fair Play"

Dir: Andrea Sedlácková Andrea Sedlácková

Language: Czech

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: IntraMovies

Trailer

Denmark

"Sorrow and Joy" (Sorg og glæde)

Dir: Nils Malmros

Language: Danish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Nordisk Film Production

Trailer

Dominican Republic

"Cristo Rey"

Dir: Leticia Tonos ♀

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: The Little Film Company

Trailer

Ecuador

"Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)

Dir: Tito Molina

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: La Facultad

Trailer

Egypt

"Factory Girl" (فتاة المصنع )

Dir: Mohamed Khan

Language: Arabic

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: DayDream Art Production

Trailer

Estonia

"Tangerines" (Mandariinid)

Dir: Zaza Urushadze

Language: Estonian/Russian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Cinemavault

Trailer

Ethiopia

"Difret"

Dir: Zeresenay Mehari

Language: Amharic

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Films Boutique Trailer

Finland

"Concrete Night" (Betoniyö)

Dir: Pirjo Honkasalo ♀

Language: Finnish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Film Republic Trailer

France

"Saint Laurent"

Dir: Bertrand Bonello

Language: French

U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics

Isa: Europacorp

Trailer

Georgia

"Corn Island" (სიმინდის კუნძული)

Dir: George Ovashvili

Language: Georgian/Abkhazian/Russian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Arizona Productions

Trailer

Germany

"Beloved Sisters" (Die geliebten Schwestern)

Dir: Dominik Graf

Language: German /French

U.S Distribution: Music Box Films

Isa: Global Screen

Trailer

Greece

"Little England" (Μικρά Αγγλία)

Dir: Pantelis Voulgaris

Language: Greek

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Black Orange

Trailer

Hong Kong

"The Golden Era" (黄金时代)

Dir: Ann Hui ♀

Language: Mandarin

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Edko Films

Trailer

Hungary

"White God" (Fehér isten)

Dir: Kornél Mundruczó

Language: Hungarian/English

U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures

Isa: The Match Factory

Trailer

Iceland

"Life in a Fishbowl" (Vonarstræti)

Dir: Baldvin Zophoníasson

Language: None Yet

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Films Boutique Trailer

India

"Liar's Dice" (लायर्स डाइस)

Dir: Geethu Mohandas ♀

Language: Hindi

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Jar Pictures Trailer

Indonesia

"Soekarno"

Dir: Hanung Bramantyo

Language: Indonesian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Mvp Pictures

Trailer

Iran

"Today" (امروز )

Dir: Reza Mirkarimi

Language: Persian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Dreamlab Films

Trailer

Iraq

"Mardan"

Dir: Batin Ghobadi

Language: Kurdish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Versatile Trailer

Ireland

"The Gift" (An Bronntanas)

Dir: Tom Collins

Language: Irish/English

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Rosg/De Facto Films

Trailer

Israel

"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (Gett: Le Procès de Viviane Amsalem)

Dir: Ronit Elkabetz ♀ & Shlomi Elkabetz

Language: Hebrew/French/Arabic

U.S Distribution: Music Box Films

Isa: Films Distribution

Trailer

Italy

"Human Capital" (Il Capitale Umano)

Dir: Paolo Virzì

Language: Italian

U.S Distribution: Film Movement

PC: Indiana Production Company

Trailer

Japan

"The Light Shines Only There" (そこのみにて光輝く)

Dir: Mipo Oh ♀

Language: Japanese

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Open Sesame

Trailer

Kosovo

"Three Windows and a Hanging" (Tri Dritare dhe një Varje)

Dir: Isa Qosja

Language: Albanian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: CMb Productions

Trailer

Kyrgyzstan

"Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains" (Курманжан Датка)

Dir: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz

Language: Kirghiz

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Aitysh Film

Trailer

Latvia

"Rocks in My Pockets" (Akmeņi manās kabatās)

Dir: Signe Baumane ♀

Language: Latvian

U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films

Isa: New Europe Film Sales

Trailer

Lebanon

"Ghadi" (غدي)

Dir: Amin Dora

Language: Arabic

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Fortissimo Films

Trailer

Lithuania

"The Gambler" (Lošėjas)

Dir: Ignas Jonynas

Language: Lithuanian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Wide

Trailer

Luxembourg

"Never Die Young"

Dir: Pol Cruchten

Language: French

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: EastWest Distribution

Trailer

MacEdonia

"To the Hilt" (До балчак)

Dir: Stole Popov

Language: Macedonian/French/English/ Turkish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Triangle Film- Skopje

Trailer

Malta

"Simshar"

Dir: Rebecca Cremona ♀

Language: Maltese

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Kukumajsa Productions

Trailer

Mauritania

"Timbuktu"

Dir: Abderrahmane Sissako

Language: French/Arabic/Bambara/English/Songhay/Tamasheq

U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group

Isa: Le Pacte

Trailer

Mexico

"Cantinflas"

Dir: Sebastian del Amo

Language: Spanish/English

U.S Distribution: Pantelion Films

Isa: 6 Sales

Trailer

Moldova

"The Unsaved" (La Limita de Jos a Cerului)

Dir: Igor Cobileanski

Language: Romanian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Insomnia World Sales Trailer

Montenegro

"The Boys from Marx and Engels Street" (Djecaci iz ulice Marksa i Engelsa)

Dir: Nikola Vukcevic

Language: Serbian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Artikulacija Production

Trailer

Morocco

"The Red Moon" (القمر الأحمر)

Dir: Hassan Benjelloun

Language: Arabic

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Bentaqerla

Trailer

Nepal

"Jhola" (झोला)

Dir: Yadav Kumar Bhattarai

Language: Nepali

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Media for Culture

Trailer

The Netherlands

"Accused" (Lucia de B.)

Dir: Paula van der Oest ♀

Language: Dutch

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Fortissimo Films

Trailer

New Zealand

"The Dead Lands"

Dir: Toa Fraser

Language: Maori

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Xyz Films

Trailer

Norway

"1001 Grams" (1001 Gram)

Dir: Bent Hamer

Language: Norwegian/French/ English

U.S Distribution: Kino Lorber

Isa: Les Films du Losange

Trailer

Pakistan

"Dukhtar" (دختر، بیٹی)

Dir: Afia Nathaniel ♀

Language: Urdu

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Zambeel Films

Trailer

Palestine

"Eyes of a Thief" (عيون الحراميه)

Dir: Najwa Najjar ♀

Language: Arabic

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Ustura Films Trailer

Panama

"Invasion" (Invasión)

Dir: Abner Benaim

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Apertura Films Trailer

Peru

"The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)

Dir: Eduardo Mendoza de Echave

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: La Soga Producciones

Trailer

The Philippines

"Norte, the End of History" (Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan)

Dir: Lav Diaz

Language: Tagalog/English

U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild

Isa: M-Appeal World Sales

Trailer

Poland

"Ida"

Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski

Language: Polish

U.S Distribution: Music Box Films

Isa: Portobello Film Sales

Trailer

Portugal

"What Now? Remind Me" (E Agora? Lembra-me)

Dir: Joaquim Pinto

Language: Portuguese

U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild

PC: C.R.I.M Productions

Trailer

Romania

"The Japanese Dog" (Câinele Japonez)

Dir: Tudor Cristian Jurgiu

Language: Romanian/Japanese

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: M-Appeal World Sales

Trailer

Russia

"Leviathan" (Левиафан)

Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev

Language: Russian

U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics

Isa: Pyramide International

Trailer

Serbia

"See You in Montevideo" (Montevideo, vidimo se!)

Dir: Dragan Bjelogrlic

Language: Serbian/Spanish/ English

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Intermedia Network

Trailer

Singapore

"Sayang Disayang"

Dir: Sanif Olek

Language: Malay/Indonesian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: ReelJuice

Trailer

Slovakia

"A Step Into the Dark" (Krok do tmy)

Dir: Miloslav Luther

Language: Slovak

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Trigon Production Trailer

Slovenia

"Seduce Me" (Zapelji me)

Dir: Marko Santic

Language: Slovenian

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Radio-Television Slovenia

Trailer

South Africa

"Elelwani"

Dir: Ntshaveni Wa Luruli

Language: Venda

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: EastWest FilmDistribution

Trailer

South Korea

"Haemoo" (해무)

Dir: Sung Bo Shim

Language: Korean

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Finecut

Trailer

Spain

"Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)

Dir: David Trueba

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: Outsider Pictures

Isa: 6 Sales

Trailer

Sweden

"Force Majeure" (Turist)

Dir: Ruben Östlund

Language: Swedish/English

U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures

Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)

Trailer

Switzerland

"The Circle" (Der Kreis)

Dir: Stefan Haupt

Language: Swiss German/ German/ French

U.S Distribution: Wolfe Video

Isa: Wide House

Trailer

Taiwan

"Ice Poison" (冰毒)

Dir: Midi Z.

Language: Burmese/Chinese

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Flash Forward Enterteinment

Trailer

Thailand

"The Teacher's Diary" (คิดถึงวิทยา)

Dir: Nithiwat Tharathorn

Language: Thai

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Gth

Trailer

Turkey

"Winter Sleep" (Kis uykusu)

Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Language: Turkish/English

U.S Distribution: Adopt Films

Isa: Memento Films International

Trailer

Ukraine

"The Guide" (Поводир)

Dir: Oles Sanin

Language: Ukrainian/Russia/English

U.S Distribution: None Yet

PC: Pronto Film

Trailer

United Kingdom

"Little Happiness" (Uzun Yol)

Dir: Nihat Seven

Language: Turkish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: 7&7 Producers' Sales Services

Trailer

Uruguay

"Mr. Kaplan"

Dir: Álvaro Brechner

Language: Spanish

U.S Distribution: None Yet

Isa: Memento Films International

Trailer

Venezuela

"The Liberator" (Libertador)

Dir: Alberto Arvelo

Language: Spanish/English/ French

U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group

Isa: Mundial

Trailer...

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A record 83 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Academy Awards. Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants.

The 2014 submissions are:

Afghanistan, “A Few Cubic Meters of Love,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;

Argentina, “Wild Tales,” Damián Szifrón, director;

Australia, “Charlie’s Country,” Rolf de Heer, director;

Austria, “The Dark Valley,” Andreas Prochaska, director;

Azerbaijan, “Nabat,” Elchin Musaoglu, director;

Bangladesh, “Glow of the Firefly,” Khalid Mahmood Mithu, director;

Belgium, “Two Days, One Night,” Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, directors;

Bolivia, “Forgotten,” Carlos Bolado, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, “With Mom,” Faruk Lončarevič, director;

Brazil, “The Way He Looks,” Daniel Ribeiro, director;

Bulgaria, “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Ivan Nitchev, director;

Canada, “Mommy,” Xavier Dolan, director;

Chile, “To Kill a Man,” Alejandro Fernández Almendras, director;

China, “The Nightingale,” Philippe Muyl, director;

Colombia, “Mateo,” María Gamboa, director;

Costa Rica, “Red Princesses,” Laura Astorga Carrera, director;

Croatia, “Cowboys,” Tomislav Mršić,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday the final submissions for the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th annual Academy Awards. A record 83 countries have entered a film for consideration, including Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania, and Panama for the first time. Notable selections include Xavier Dolan's Canadian drama Mommy, a favorite at this year's Cannes, Sweden's Force Majeure, and the Russian retelling of the Book of Job, Leviathan, winner of the Best Screenplay award at Cannes. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 15, ahead of the live telecast on ABC Sunday, Feb. 22, from Hollywood. Last...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the list of submissions for the 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. According to the Academy's press release, a record 83 countries have submitted films for consideration, including first-timers Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania, and Panama. Now, if only all those movies were made available for online viewing — or at least on DVD (outside of their respective countries). The 2015 Oscar nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, at 5:30 a.m. Pt in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The 2015 Oscar ceremony will be held on Sunday, February 22, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. In the United States, the Oscarcast will be televised live by ABC; additionally, the Oscars will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. See below the full list of 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submissions. Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters of Love,...

The Academy has announced the complete list of 2015 Foreign Language Oscar contenders for the 2015 Oscar awards and again its a new record, topping last year's record 76 submissions, this year the list reaches 83 total submissions. Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants. I've seen a few more on the list than I did last year and I actually have to assume with the buzz from those I've seen they may end up being major players. I'm particularly happy to see Xavier Dolan's Mommy in the field from Canada and it's great seeing the hilarious Wild Tales submitted by Argentina. The Russian submission of Leviathan (Leviafan) came, I think, as a bit of a surprise to everyone considering its subject matter, which could be looked at as critical of its native country. The Dardennes' Two Days, One Night has received a lot of acclaim everywhere it has played and we...

The Academy has received a record 83 submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar.

Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.

The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.

The 2014 submissions are (in alphabetical order of country):

Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters Of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi

Argentina, Wild Tales, Damián Szifrón

Australia, Charlie’s Country, Rolf de Heer

Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska

Azerbaijan, Nabat, Elchin Musaoglu

Bangladesh, Glow Of The Firefly, Khalid Mahmood Mithu

Belgium, Two Days, One Night, Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne

Bolivia, Forgotten, Carlos Bolado

Bosnia and Herzegovina, With Mom, Faruk Lončarevič

Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro

Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev

Canada, Mommy, Xavier Dolan

Chile, To Kill A...

Keeping track of the Foreign Language submissions for the Oscars each year is something I constantly forget to keep on top of, but I have just done a full update as we are now up to 56 total submissions, only 20 shy of last year's record-breaking 76 submissions with only eight days to go before the October 1 submission deadline. Notable new entries on the list include Belguim's submission of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's festival favorite Two Days, One Night as well as Canada submitting Xavier Dolan's Mommy, which knocked the socks of Cannes audiences and did the same to me in Toronto this year (read my review here). It should also be noted France has submitted Bertrand Bonello's Saint Laurent instead of last year's buzzy title Blue is the Warmest Color, which missed the release date cut off date last year, making it eligible for this year's Oscars, but the...

Entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the Academy Awards 2015.

Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.

Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

This year’s nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.

Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.

The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.

Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi

Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska

Bolivia, Olvidados, Carlos Bolado

Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro

Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev

Chile, To Kill a Man, Alejandro Fernández Almendras

Colombia, Mateo, Maria Gamboa

Croatia, Cowboys, Tomislav Mršić

Czech Republic, Fair Play, Andrea...

Never Die Young submitted by Luxembourg for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

Pol Cruchten’s documentary Never Die Young is to represent Luxembourg as the official submission for the 87th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

The decision was made by a panel of seven people representing all audiovisual sectors in the country.

The film, produced by Red Lion, won the best documentary category at the 2014 Luxembourg Film Prize.

It charts the misadventures of a 12-year-old schoolboy during the 1960s after he is packed off to boarding school. Upon his return to Luxembourg, the youngster becomes addicted to heroin. Based on the true story of Guido Peters, the film records his struggle against drug addiction.

It will be released in Luxembourg cinemas on Sept 24.

On Jan 15 2015, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will announce which five films have been nominated from all of the international entries to go forward...

Never Die Young submitted by Luxembourg for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

Pol Cruchten’s documentary Never Die Young is to represent Luxembourg as the official submission for the 87th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

The decision was made by a panel of seven people representing all audiovisual sectors in the country.

The film, produced by Red Lion, won the best documentary category at the 2014 Luxembourg Film Prize.

It charts the misadventures of a 12-year-old schoolboy during the 1960s after he is packed off to boarding school. Upon his return to Luxembourg, the youngster becomes addicted to heroin. Based on the true story of Guido Peters, the film records his struggle against drug addiction.

It will be released in Luxembourg cinemas on Sept 24.

On Jan 15 2015, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will announce which five films have been nominated from all of the international entries to go forward...

Maximilian Schell dead at 83: Best Actor Oscar winner for ‘Judgment at Nuremberg’ (photo: Maximilian Schell ca. 1960) Actor and filmmaker Maximilian Schell, best known for his Oscar-winning performance as the defense attorney in Stanley Kramer’s 1961 political drama Judgment at Nuremberg died at a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria, on February 1, 2014. According to his agent, Patricia Baumbauer, Schell died overnight following a "sudden and serious illness." Maximilian Schell was 83. Born on December 8, 1930, in Vienna, Maximilian Schell was the younger brother of future actor Carl Schell and Maria Schell, who would become an international film star in the 1950s (The Last Bridge, Gervaise, The Hanging Tree). Immy Schell, who would be featured in several television and film productions from the mid-’50s to the early ’90s, was born in 1935. Following Nazi Germany’s annexation of Austria in 1938, Schell’s parents, Swiss playwright Hermann Ferdinand Schell and Austrian stage actress Margarete Schell Noé,...

Exclusive: EastWest sells raft of films; launches English-language Never Die Young.

EastWest Film Distribution has revealed a slew of sales at Busan’s Asian Film Market, led by Gustav Deutsch’s Shirley, Visions of Reality, which has been sold to JinJin Pictures for South Korea and Sky Digi for Taiwan.

The film, which weaves together stories from the life of a fictional actress with Edward Hopper paintings, screened at several festivals including the Berlinale and Karlovy Vary.

The Vienna and London-based sales company has also sold The Closed Circuit, Miss Kicki, Cycle and Yarik to China (Jy Entertainment); Rammbock to Japan (Ayapro); and Miss Kicki to Hong Kong (Edko Films).

Expanding its operations in the Asia-Pacific, EastWest is participating in the Asian Film Market for the first time. Their titles include Never Die Young, a Luxembourg-set “poetic feature” directed by Pol Cruchten with a soundtrack featuring Bob Dylan who watched the film before giving permission to use...

World-renowned singer Cesária Évora died from cardiorespiratory insufficiency and hypertension today at the Baptista de Sousa Hospital in Mindelo, on the Cape Verde island of São Vicente. She was 70.

The heavy-smoking, heavy-drinking Évora had suffered from numerous health issues in recent years, including a series of strokes in 2008 and undergoing open-heart surgery in May 2010. Last September, she had to cancel several planned concerts after announcing that she was retiring due to ill health.

A former seamstress who grew up in poverty, Évora (born Aug. 27, 1941, in São Vicente) began her career singing "morna" [Portuguese for "lukewarm"] songs in São Vicente's local bars. "Morna" music, which sounds like a mixture of Portugal's soulful fado and Brazil's lively tropical jazz, is the national rhythm of the former Portuguese colony of Cape Verde, a series of volcanic islands off the northwestern coast of Africa.

Évora's international career was launched following the success of the 1988 French-produced album "La...

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Red Lion Films

PALM SPRINGS -- That Art House staple known as the period coming-of-age film demonstrates its enduring resilience in the form of Small Secrets.

Luxembourg's official foreign-language Oscar submission, the nicely acted, spirited portrait of a 12-year-old boy with a vivid imagination effectively captures the country at a very specific place in time.

It's 1962, and Norbi (Ben Hoscheit) isn't exactly having a wondrous childhood. He's still wetting his bed and he constantly finds himself on the receiving end of the wrath of school bullies and thrashings from his strict disciplinarian father (Andre Jung).

Then one day, while snooping around the family typewriter store, Norbi notices cryptic notations in his Dad's ledger book, which sets his mind racing.

Given that his town is very much still harboring wartime suspicions, he gradually becomes convinced that his father was a Nazi collaborator.

While there's ultimately nothing of tremendous consequence involved, director Pol Cruchten, along with screenwriters Viviane Thill and Francois Dupeyron and his resourceful cinematographer Jerzy Palacz, do an evocative job of re-creating a transitional time in European history when the era's forward-thinking, mod sensibility was struggling to come out from under those lingering murky shadows of the past.

• With Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit out of the foreign Oscar picture, Ioncinema.com predicts a four-way race between audience faves Persepolis,  The Counterfeiters, 4 months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Caramel. Spain's The Orphanage has the best chance at completing the 5 pack. That said everything else is just a formality. The final five picks will be announced on Jan. 22. The Oscar ceremony takes place Feb. 24.        2008 Foreign Oscar Long ListArgentina: Xxy (Lucia Puenzo)Australia: The Home Song Stories (Tony Ayres) Austria: The Counterfeiters (Stefan Ruzowitzky)Azerbaijan: Caucasia (Farid Gumbatov)Bangladesh: On The Wings Of Dreams (Golam Rabbany Biblob)Belgium: Ben X  (Nic Balthazar) Bosnia and Herzegovina: It's Hard To Be Nice (Srdjan Vuletic)Brazil: The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (Cao Hamburger)Bulgaria: Warden of the Dead (Ilian Simeonov)Canada: The Days of Darkness (Denys Arcand)Chile: Padre nuestro (Our Father) - (Rodrigo Sepulveda)China: The Knot (Yun shui

...

LONDON -- Three of Europe's capitals have been picked by European Film Promotion to host Picture Europe!, a campaign to put local boxoffice hits into theaters across the continent.

Handpicked theater locations in London, Berlin and Madrid will play host to three weeklong programs that will kick off in April in Madrid with German filmmaker Sebastian Schipper's "A Friend of Mine", EFP said Wednesday.

Other films lined up by the promotional organization include Feliks Falk's "The Collector" (Poland), Pol Cruchten's "Little Secrets" (Luxembourg) and Tudor Giurgiu's "Love Sick" (Romania).

The program then moves to Berlin in mid-April and winds up in London on June 8, opening with the 2006 Spanish hit "Alatriste" by Agustin Diaz Yanes.

The Berlin program will include Barbara Albert's "Fallen" (Austria), Fausto Brizzi's "The Night Before the Finals" (Italy) and Kiran Kolarov's "L's Revolt" (Bulgaria), organizers said.