Princ Films has taken international rights to Slávek Horák’s “Havel,” a biopic about the Czech playwright, dissident and his country’s president Vaclav Havel, and will launch sales at the European Film Market.
The film recently received 14 nominations for the Czech Lion Awards, the leading Czech film awards, across all major categories including film, director, screenplay, and all acting categories. It also received two nominations for the Czech Film Critics’ Awards, best actor and actress.
“Havel” premiered at the Visegrad Cinema Days, run by the Kyiv Film Festival in the Ukraine, and went onto play a slew of festivals including Heartland (Indiana), where it was a finalist for best narrative feature, Montreal Independent, where Horák won best director, Rome Independent, where it won best feature, Warsaw, Tallinn Black Nights, São Paulo, Cottbus and Zagreb.
“Havel” stars Viktor Dvorák (“Three Brothers”) as Havel and follows the accomplished playwright and Czechoslovakia’s last President,...
The film recently received 14 nominations for the Czech Lion Awards, the leading Czech film awards, across all major categories including film, director, screenplay, and all acting categories. It also received two nominations for the Czech Film Critics’ Awards, best actor and actress.
“Havel” premiered at the Visegrad Cinema Days, run by the Kyiv Film Festival in the Ukraine, and went onto play a slew of festivals including Heartland (Indiana), where it was a finalist for best narrative feature, Montreal Independent, where Horák won best director, Rome Independent, where it won best feature, Warsaw, Tallinn Black Nights, São Paulo, Cottbus and Zagreb.
“Havel” stars Viktor Dvorák (“Three Brothers”) as Havel and follows the accomplished playwright and Czechoslovakia’s last President,...
- 2/11/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been more than 30 years since the Berlin Wall fell and hundreds of millions of people threw off the yoke of Russian Soviet communism, but the issues of freedom and democracy have lost none of their relevance, while phrases such as “Russian influence,” “the resistance” and “the wall” are fraught with new meanings and fresh urgency.
Slávek Horák’s “Havel,” from the Czech Republic, doesn’t simply remind us of the vision and heroic role the former Czech president Vaclav Havel played in those historic changes, but its incisive and often troubling portrait of the playwright-turned-statesman also churns up thorny issues about populist revolts and the personal roles and responsibilities of both leaders and followers. The film received 14 nominations at the Czech Lion awards, the Czech Republic’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Writer-director Horák clearly wasn’t content to make a hagiographic portrait of Havel, and his creative choices...
Slávek Horák’s “Havel,” from the Czech Republic, doesn’t simply remind us of the vision and heroic role the former Czech president Vaclav Havel played in those historic changes, but its incisive and often troubling portrait of the playwright-turned-statesman also churns up thorny issues about populist revolts and the personal roles and responsibilities of both leaders and followers. The film received 14 nominations at the Czech Lion awards, the Czech Republic’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Writer-director Horák clearly wasn’t content to make a hagiographic portrait of Havel, and his creative choices...
- 1/20/2021
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Running today until 4 December, the 9th edition of the festival will unspool in a virtual cinema with Havel opening the focus on Czech cinema. As of today and running until 4 December, the 9th edition of the Riff - Rome Independent Film Festival is unspooling via MYmovies’ virtual cinema, where the 13 competitive sections are scheduled to screen. It all kicks off with the first of the international documentaries competing in the festival, Opeka by Cam Cowan (US), which will be followed by Women According to Men by Saeed Nouri (Iran). Meanwhile, at 8.20pm, Slávek Horák’s Havel will open the focus session dedicated to Czech film and organised in association with the Czech school Famu, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Rome and the Czech Film Center, paying tribute to the life of Václav Havel, an eminent playwright, dissident and, eventually, the President of the Czech Republic. This...
- 11/27/2020
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
Wreathed in cigarette smoke and with an eye for the personal, this Czech TV biopic of playwright-turned-president Vaclav Havel is aiming for broad strokes and a broad audience and, by and large, succeeds on its own terms. After a brief prologue, it enters the life of Havel (Viktor Dvorák) in the Warsaw Pact invasion era of 1968, before concentrating on the Seventies, finally taking us to 1989 and the Velvet Revolution that led to him becoming the first post-Communist leader of the Czech Republic. Writer/director Slávek Horák and his co-writer Rudolf Suchánek aren't simply interested in burnishing Havel's legacy, but in getting under the skin of the man who, though he might have had a strong moral sense of duty in some areas, also had plenty of personal flaws, especially when it came to relationships.
If Havel's increasing involvement in the artistic community's resistance against Communism drives the film, there is still considerable weight given.
If Havel's increasing involvement in the artistic community's resistance against Communism drives the film, there is still considerable weight given.
- 10/29/2020
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Polarizing Play: Horák’s Questionable Take on the Hero of the Velvet Revolution
Covering the personal timeline of any major politician would be a daunting task for any filmmaker. Havel, a loosely inspired historical biopic on the last president of Czechoslovakia/first president of the Czech Republic isn’t the most convincing of portraitures. For his sophomore feture, by Slávek Horák focuses on the so-called Normalization era, from 1968 to 1989, the key time in Václav Havel’s metamorphosis from a timid playwright to a full-fledged head of state — this initially begins in the 1980s and shows the real-life Havel commenting on a fundamental insight into his behavior – he actually does brave things out of cowardice.…...
Covering the personal timeline of any major politician would be a daunting task for any filmmaker. Havel, a loosely inspired historical biopic on the last president of Czechoslovakia/first president of the Czech Republic isn’t the most convincing of portraitures. For his sophomore feture, by Slávek Horák focuses on the so-called Normalization era, from 1968 to 1989, the key time in Václav Havel’s metamorphosis from a timid playwright to a full-fledged head of state — this initially begins in the 1980s and shows the real-life Havel commenting on a fundamental insight into his behavior – he actually does brave things out of cowardice.…...
- 10/14/2020
- by Mladen Pechevski
- IONCINEMA.com
The Swedish comedy Call Mom! by Lisa Aschan has come out on top in the Comedy Competition. The postponed Febiofest Prague 2020 (see the news) has announced the winners of its 27th edition. The Main Competition jury, comprising Czech filmmakers Beata Parkanová and Slávek Horák, and Czech actress Anna Polívková, stated: “Each of the films made an impact on us, affecting different parts of our personalities. That’s why we also decided to hand out a Special Mention. And it was precisely that award that represented the toughest choice, as it was hard to decide between these well-matched films. In the end, it went to Maria Sødahl’s Hope, which won us over with its sensitive telling of a story, with excellent acting performances.” The top prize went to the Slovak-Czech-Romanian-Irish drama Servants by Slovakian director-producer Ivan Ostrochovský, which premiered at this year’s Berlinale. “An extremely powerful story told by purely cinematic.
Ideally timed to draw domestic audiences back into Czech cinemas, loosely historical local-hero biopic “Havel” doesn’t let pesky facts get in the way of a good story. Multihyphenate Slávek Horák takes creative license with certain facts to stress the irony and absurdity of Václav Havel’s metamorphosis from celebrated playwright to banned and jailed human rights activist to eventual President of Czechoslovakia.
Concentrating more on Havel’s personal evolution (here prodded by the women in his life) and various emotional truths, who ultimately steps out of his comfort zone to become politically engaged. While some viewers may take issue with the simplifications, elisions and composites of Horák’s approach, others will be inspired once again by Havel’s courageous battle against oppression and the sacrifices he made.
A brief opening prologue set in the late 1980s lays out one of the central paradoxes of the protagonist’s life: that...
Concentrating more on Havel’s personal evolution (here prodded by the women in his life) and various emotional truths, who ultimately steps out of his comfort zone to become politically engaged. While some viewers may take issue with the simplifications, elisions and composites of Horák’s approach, others will be inspired once again by Havel’s courageous battle against oppression and the sacrifices he made.
A brief opening prologue set in the late 1980s lays out one of the central paradoxes of the protagonist’s life: that...
- 7/22/2020
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
The biopic, a dramedy about the celebrated Czech playwright and statesman Václav Havel, is nearing the finishing line. Award-winning Czech advert director Slávek Horák made the transition to a career in fiction filmmaking with his first feature-length offering, Home Care, which he co-wrote and produced. This outing, which was the Czech hopeful for the 2016 Academy Awards, brought him into the spotlight as a talent to watch. Now, his sophomore feature, about former president Václav Havel and simply entitled Havel, is also generating lofty expectations. As Horák told Cineuropa, there are several documentaries about the former Czech president, yet his life has not yet been tackled as a fiction film. While the main structure is based on the official biography and memories of Havel’s peers, Horák wanted to explore his rise to the position of leader of the Velvet Revolution from a lesser-known perspective, thus plugging the gaps in the.
Les Arcs Work In Progress Line-Up; Eurimages Co-Pro Award; Apc Buys Movistar+ Series – Global Briefs
The Les Arcs Film Festival has unveiled its selection of work in progress projects for 2019. The event, held at a French ski resort, is a film fest with an industry wing that has become well regarded in its 11 years’ of existence. A total of 18 features will take part this year, seven of which are directed by women (39%) – there were 34% female applicants. None of the selected films have sales agents attached. They are: Anna Nemes’ Beauty Of The Beast (Hungary); Eva Küpper’s Dark Rider; Ekaterina Selenkina’s Figures In The Urban Landscape (Russia), Slávek Horák’s Havel (Czech Republic), Khadar Ahmed’s The Gravedigger; Luàna Bajrami’s The Hill Where Lionesses Roar; Alex Camilleri’s Luzzu (Malta); Alessandro De Toni’s Myjing (Italy); Nabil Ben Yadir’s Praey; Fredrik Louis Hviid and Anders Ølholm’s Shorta (Denmark); Roman Vasyanov’s...
- 11/26/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
The 18 projects are looking for sales agents and distributors.
Upcoming films by Belgian filmmakers Eva Küpper and Nabil Ben Yadir, and Hungary’s Anna Nemes are among the 18 feature projects from 34 territories to be presented at the Work in Progress event of Les Arcs Film Festival from December 14 to 21.
Nemes will show extracts from her documentary Beauty Of The Beast about female body builders. She is also working on fictional spin-off work Gentle Monster, with compatriot Laszlo Csuja, which won the top prize at the Sam Spiegel Film Lab in Jerusalem over the summer.
Ben Yadir’s upcoming film Præy...
Upcoming films by Belgian filmmakers Eva Küpper and Nabil Ben Yadir, and Hungary’s Anna Nemes are among the 18 feature projects from 34 territories to be presented at the Work in Progress event of Les Arcs Film Festival from December 14 to 21.
Nemes will show extracts from her documentary Beauty Of The Beast about female body builders. She is also working on fictional spin-off work Gentle Monster, with compatriot Laszlo Csuja, which won the top prize at the Sam Spiegel Film Lab in Jerusalem over the summer.
Ben Yadir’s upcoming film Præy...
- 11/26/2019
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The 18 projects are looking for sales agents and distributors.
Upcoming films by Belgian filmmakers Eva Küpper and Nabil Ben Yadir, and Hungary’s Anna Nemes are among the 18 feature projects from 34 territories to be presented at the Work in Progress event of Les Arcs Film Festival from ecember 14 to 21.
Nemes will show extracts from her documentary Beauty Of The Beast about female body builders. She is also working on fictional spin-off work Gentle Monster, with compatriot Laszlo Csuja, which won the top prize at the Sam Spiegel Film Lab in Jerusalem over the summer.
Ben Yadir’s upcoming film Præy...
Upcoming films by Belgian filmmakers Eva Küpper and Nabil Ben Yadir, and Hungary’s Anna Nemes are among the 18 feature projects from 34 territories to be presented at the Work in Progress event of Les Arcs Film Festival from ecember 14 to 21.
Nemes will show extracts from her documentary Beauty Of The Beast about female body builders. She is also working on fictional spin-off work Gentle Monster, with compatriot Laszlo Csuja, which won the top prize at the Sam Spiegel Film Lab in Jerusalem over the summer.
Ben Yadir’s upcoming film Præy...
- 11/26/2019
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Variety has been given the first-look image for the film “Havel,” which has wrapped 30 years to the day after the start of the Velvet Revolution – a series of protests that led to the end of Communist control of Czechoslovakia and the rebirth of democracy in the country.
Viktor Dvorak stars in the biopic of Václav Havel, the Czech playwright, dissident and national leader. Anna Geislerova, who starred in Oscar nominated “Zelary,” plays his wife, Olga Havlova.
The pic follows Havel’s life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s president. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also focus on his relationship with Olga.
The shoot wrapped Sunday in Prague’s Wenceslas Square, where Havel made his first public appearance as presidential candidate in 1989, and where the film ends.
The pic covers...
Viktor Dvorak stars in the biopic of Václav Havel, the Czech playwright, dissident and national leader. Anna Geislerova, who starred in Oscar nominated “Zelary,” plays his wife, Olga Havlova.
The pic follows Havel’s life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s president. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also focus on his relationship with Olga.
The shoot wrapped Sunday in Prague’s Wenceslas Square, where Havel made his first public appearance as presidential candidate in 1989, and where the film ends.
The pic covers...
- 11/18/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Viktor Dvorak has been cast in “Havel,” a biopic of Václav Havel, as the Czech playwright, dissident and national leader. Anna Geislerova, who starred in Oscar nominated “Zelary,” plays his wife, Olga Havlova.
Jiri Bartoska, the president of Karlovy Vary Film Festival, will appear in the film as “Professor,” inspired by Czech philosopher Jan Patocka.
The pic will follow Havel’s life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s president. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also focus on his relationship with Olga.
The film is helmed by Czech filmmaker Slávek Horák, who was chosen as one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2015. It is Horák’s second feature film following his 2015 feature debut, “Home Care,” which won lead actress prizes for Alena Mihulová at Karlovy Vary, and the Czech Lions.
Jiri Bartoska, the president of Karlovy Vary Film Festival, will appear in the film as “Professor,” inspired by Czech philosopher Jan Patocka.
The pic will follow Havel’s life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s president. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also focus on his relationship with Olga.
The film is helmed by Czech filmmaker Slávek Horák, who was chosen as one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2015. It is Horák’s second feature film following his 2015 feature debut, “Home Care,” which won lead actress prizes for Alena Mihulová at Karlovy Vary, and the Czech Lions.
- 6/25/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Czech director-writer-producer Slávek Horák, who was chosen as one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch three years ago, has received 14.5 million Czech Koruna from the Czech Film Fund for his second feature film, a biopic of Václav Havel, the Czech playwright and dissident, who became President of Czechoslovakia, and later President of the Czech Republic.
“Havel,” produced by Horák’s company Tvorba Films, will follow his life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s President. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also deal with his relationship with his wife Olga. The film will shoot next September and October, and will premiere in spring 2020.
At the start of his career, Horak served as second assistant director on Jan Sverak’s 1996 Oscar winner, “Kolya,” and later forged a successful career in advertising.
His 2015 feature debut,...
“Havel,” produced by Horák’s company Tvorba Films, will follow his life from the Prague Spring in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Havel became Czechoslovakia’s President. As well as covering Havel’s experiences as a dissident and his time in prison, it will also deal with his relationship with his wife Olga. The film will shoot next September and October, and will premiere in spring 2020.
At the start of his career, Horak served as second assistant director on Jan Sverak’s 1996 Oscar winner, “Kolya,” and later forged a successful career in advertising.
His 2015 feature debut,...
- 12/14/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Home Care— the Czech Republic’s submission to last year’s Academy Awards — examines the finality of human existence through a tender portrayal of Viasta, a dedicated home-care nurse who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Trudging through the countryside, Vlasta faithfully attends her capricious patients and devotes loving attention to her husband and daughter. But one night, as she treks home in the rain, an accident leads to a discovery that will permanently alter her family’s quiet routine. Drama and gentle humor intertwine as Vlasta realizes, for the first time in her life, that she might need some care, too. “Home Care,” the feature debut of writer-director Slávek Horák, engagingly confronts the most important questions of life, examining the disconnect that grows among loved ones over the years and the desperation we all face when confronted with the realization that our time is limited. Variety writes: “Wryly humorous and bittersweet,...
- 11/7/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Michalina Olszanska in I, Olga Hepnarová, which will open the Made In Prague Film Festival The line-up for the 20th edition of the Made In Prague Film Festival, which will run from November 5 to December 2, has been announced.
The festival, organised by the Czech Centre in London, will open with the UK premiere of I, Olga Hepnarová, which charts the life of the last Czech woman to be hanged. Female protagonists and family affairs are key themes in this year's festival, with other films featuring strong women, including Fipresci award winner Eva Nová, Marko Skop's drama about an ageing actress and recovering alcoholic who is fighting for a second chance, and Helena Trestikova's Doomed Beauty, a portrait of the meteoric rise and fall of interwar movie star Lida Baarova.
A young widow stands at the heart of Jiří Sádek's psychodrama The Noonday Witch, while a nurse takes centre stage...
The festival, organised by the Czech Centre in London, will open with the UK premiere of I, Olga Hepnarová, which charts the life of the last Czech woman to be hanged. Female protagonists and family affairs are key themes in this year's festival, with other films featuring strong women, including Fipresci award winner Eva Nová, Marko Skop's drama about an ageing actress and recovering alcoholic who is fighting for a second chance, and Helena Trestikova's Doomed Beauty, a portrait of the meteoric rise and fall of interwar movie star Lida Baarova.
A young widow stands at the heart of Jiří Sádek's psychodrama The Noonday Witch, while a nurse takes centre stage...
- 10/7/2016
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The 2016 Illuminate Film Festival, which will take place June 1 – 5, 2016 in Sedona, Arizona has announced the official line up of films for the 3rd annual event. The only film festival of its kind, the Illuminate Film Festival offers a collection of over 20 feature length and short films from around the world, exploring the year’s best in conscious cinema, as well as eye opening and thought provoking panels and conversations that will expand minds and inspire dialogue.
“We are proud to be the world’s premier film festival for conscious cinema” said the festival’s Executive Director Danette Wolpert, “and continue to attract movie-lovers, spiritual seekers and conscious lifestyle enthusiasts from over 25 states and 8 countries. In our third year, we will offer audiences the opportunity to enjoy the world’s best life-affirming, mind-body-spirit focused films, experience radical transformation together and meet trailblazers in the emerging genre of conscious cinema.”
Illuminate will begin on June 1st, 2016 with a pre-Festival Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening of work-in-progress "Be More," a stirring documentary film narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, about seven activists who make it their mission to create a more compassionate world. Their goal: To transform the lives of seventeen teenagers in seven days. Filmmaker Justin Haulbrook will be in attendance.
Opening Film on June 2nd, 2016 will be "Maya Angelou and Still I Rise," which portrays the vibrant spirit of an American Legend - author, poet, Grammy-winner, civil rights activist and shining example of what it is to be empowered moment by moment in one’s life. Directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, the film features interviews with Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Alice Walker and Hillary Clinton. Filmmaker Rita Coburn Whack will be in attendance.
The Festival’s Spotlight will be the emotional tour de force "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," directed by Academy Award® nominated Joe Berlinger. This film pulls back the curtain on the internationally renowned life and business strategist and his mammoth annual seminar, capturing the life changing transformations of the participants in real time. The Closing Film event will be a Sneak Peek of "Mantra: Sounds Into Silence," a film about the revolution underway in world Kirtan, yoga's call-and-response form of devotional music. Sneak peek clips of the film will be followed by a Q&A and live concert with world-renowned Kirtan sensation Jai Uttal. Filmmaker Georgia Wyss will be in attendance.
The Illuminate Film Festival will introduce the inaugural Conscious Visionary Award, an award honoring a pioneer in the world of conscious cinema, spirituality, and life achievement as a teacher and facilitator of human transformation. The award will be presented to the Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith for his unparalleled record of bringing hope, love and encouragement to millions of spiritual seekers, creating the Agape worldwide community of faithful parishioners, students, healers and teachers who carry his message forward, and his complete dedication to uplifting and inspiring humanity through his church, books, audio recordings and numerous film appearances.
Chaz Ebert has signed on as the keynote speaker for the Conscious Film Convergence and will speak on the role of transformational entertainment and its potential impact on humanity. Chaz, wife of the late Roger Ebert, is the CEO of several Ebert enterprises, including President of Ebert Productions and Chairman of the Board of The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and Co-Founder and Producer of Ebertfest, the film festival now in its 18th year.
Other films in the lineup include:
"A New High" (2015), directed by Samuel Miron and Stephen Scott Scarpulla - Everyone defines their mountain. For the residents of a Seattle homeless shelter, it’s homelessness, addiction, abuse.... and the 14,400-foot Mt Rainier.
"The Connected Universe" (2016), directed by Malcom Carter – Returning after its sold out Sneak Peek at Illuminate 2015, this documentary featuring Nassim Haramein discovers the science behind the interconnection of all things in a magnificent, groundbreaking union of science and spirituality. (Private screening)
"From This Day Forward" (2015), directed by Sharon Shattuck – Filmmaker Sharon Shattuck examines the mystery at the heart of her upbringing – How her transgender father Trisha and her straight-identified mother Marcia stayed together against all odds – depicting a love that survived the most intimate of transformations.
More information Here
"Home Care" (2015), directed by Slávek Horák – The official 2016 Oscar entry for the Czech Republic, this appealing humanist tale follows Vlasta, a dedicated home nurse whose entire life is devoted to saving others, as she reluctantly ventures into spirituality and alternative medicine to find salvation for herself.
More information Here
"Icaros: A Visions" (2016), directed by Leonor Caraballo and Matteo Norzi - A film shaped like a shamanic journey utilizing the unique qualities of plant medicine, steeped in a psychoactive brew exploring fear and destiny in the jungle of the mind and the Amazon. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"Love, Sweat & Tears" (2016), directed by Scott Jacobs – Dr. Pamela Dee Gaudry is on a mission to “Save The Menopausal Vaginas of America!” In this documentary, Gaudry marries medical facts with profound insights from some of today’s influential spiritual leaders such as Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Beckwith and Rev June Gatlin, as well as riotous comedians Joan Rivers and Jenny McCarthy. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Teal" The Making of a Spiritual Teacher" (2016), directed by Paola Marino – Referred to as “The Spiritual Catalyst” and dubbed the next Wayne Dyer, Teal Swan’s extrasensory gifts and connection to the spiritual realm are a light in the perpetual darkness of the modern age. (Work-In-Progress World Premiere)
More information Here
"Orange Sunshine" (2016), directed by William A. Kirkley – During the early 1960’s, a group of family, friends, and surfers formed a church centered around psychedelics. For The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, the mission was to enlighten the world, and the law was but a mere interference. (Arizona Premiere)
More information Here
"Planting Seeds of Mindfulness" (2016), directed by Gregory Kennedy-Salemi and Stuary Jolley –Based on the teachings of world renowned Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, and featuring riveting music by Tina Turner, this live action-animated film about a teenager’s mindful journey is a powerful tool to help children, parents, teachers and communities develop the skills to promote peace within themselves and in the world around them. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Pursuing Happiness" (2015), directed by Adam Shell – The desire to be happy is so intense that we spend an immeasurable amount of time and money in an effort to obtain it. This enchanting, revelatory documentary explores the happiest people in America and uncovers the secrets to their happiness.
More information Here
"Thank You For Your Service" (2016), directed by Tom Donahue – This gripping documentary about four Iraq War veterans struggling with Ptsd explores the healing aspects of meditation, native ceremony and equine therapy. Impactful interviews include former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, General David Petraeus and Mayor Rudy Guiliani. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The C Word" (2016), directed by Meghan O’Hara – Cancer is no laughing matter – but the archaic way we are battling it is. Executive produced and narrated by Morgan Freeman, this film explores hidden science, the absurdity of the status quo, and introduces a vibrant cast of characters changing the cancer game. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The Highest Past" (2011), directed by Jon Fitzgerald – Seven motorcycle riders share the journey of a lifetime along some of the most dangerous roads in the world, guided by a modern yogi and guru. (Cinema Revisited)
More information Here
"Tree Story" (2015), directed by Ward Serrill – A series of short documentary films that explore the relationship between humans and trees from every conceivable angle: the scientific, the mythical, the practical, the cultural, and the spiritual. (Festival World Premiere)
"Vegan" Everyday Stories" (2016), directed by Glenn Scott Lacey – Explore the lives of four remarkably different people who share a common thread – they’re all vegan. Follow an ultramarthon runner, a cattle rancher’s wife and an 8 year-old girl through their profound transformations. Featuring interviews with Moby, Russell Simmons and Ed Begley Jr. (World Premiere)
More information Here
Short Films:
"The Avadhut" directed by Jonathan Dubsky, Fenulla Jiwan, Zottomer Kenatarac (World Premiere)
"Catching Fire" directed by Ward Serrill (World Premiere)
"Forgotten Ritual" directed by Mirjam Hlastan (Us Premiere)
"Holistic Life Foundation" directed by Chris Farina (Southwest Premiere)
"Sister Jaguar's Journey" directed by Sande Zeig
"Today I Acknowledge" directed by Jessica Hahner (Arizona Premiere)
Conscious Film Convergence Panels and Workshops:
Spotlight Conversation: Norman Seeff On Creativity: The Power of A Dream
As a photographer for the most prolific artists of our time - Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Jim Henson, Steve Jobs, Martin Scorsese and Will.I.Am, to name a few, Norman Seeff knows something about the creative process. Through his innovative methodology, he has developed a body of content exploring the roots of creativity, innovation and optimal performance and has identified schematics describing the archetypes of the creative process that function across all creative disciplines.
Behind The ‘Seen’ – Investing In Transformational Entertainment
Through this intimate dialogue on film finance moderated by Simon Kilmurry (Executive Director, International Documentary Association), hear from three savvy individuals who are committed to bringing transformational entertainment to mainstream audiences about the art and science of financing conscious and cause-based cinema. Guests include Geralyn Dreyfous of Impact Partners/Gamechangers, and producers Jane Charles of Greater Good Entertainment ("Sold") and Ilan Arboleda of CreativeChaos (Thank You For Your Service).
Conscious Media & The Mainstream: Finding Your Audience
Media, industry outlets and tastemakers play an essential role in building buzz and excitement around new cinema titles as they seek to find their audiences, often defining their position in the marketplace. Join Corrine Bourdeau, President of 360 Degree Communications, Bill Goodykoontz, Film Critic Az Republic & Gannett News Service, Maya Zuckerman, Huffington Post writer, and Mark DeNicola of Collective Evolution as they reveal how to best leverage the media and how conscious cinema can be branded, marketed and presented to engage audiences and maximize box office.
Act of Transformation - A Screenwriter's Workshop
Emmy Award winning screenwriter Dev Ross conducts a workshop focused on the act of transforming a conscious concept into an engaging screenplay. First, Dev will discuss how a screenplay that sets out to raise consciousness can face inherent story problems, using Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a reference on how to avoid this mistake. Then, by using the model discussed in the first half, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a three-act story outline based on audience-contributed ideas.
Distribution Therapy
Disabuse yourself from assumptions about what it’s like to tie the knot with a distributor! Get a rare chance to observe a series of conversations between filmmakers and their distributors. Join facilitator Shaeri Richards as she helps distributor-filmmaker pairs share their feelings in an entertaining format that will provide abundant wisdom on setting expectations, keeping the flame alive and when to call it quits with your distributor. Panelists: Nancy Gerstman, Co-founder/Co-president of Zeitgeist Films & filmmaker Jeremy Frindel ("One Track Heart"); Richard Lorber, CEO of Kino Lorber & producer Peter Rader ("Awake: The Life of Yogananda"); Richard Cohn, President of Beyond Words & filmmaker Patrick Solomon ("Finding Joe").
**New workshop announced!
Tools of Immersive Cinema – Virtual Reality Workshop with Sandy Smolan
Virtual Reality workshop by filmmaker Sandy Smolan entitled "Going Deep: Diving into Virtual Reality Content Creation." It will be an overview and demonstration of the technology used to create The Click Effect (Sundance 2016), a live-action, immersive Vr experience that follows two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales.
The Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening will take place at The Collective in the Village of Oak Creek. Festival screenings will take place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Festival parties will be hosted by Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, the Lodge at Sedona and Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen.
Illuminate Film Festival Major Sponsors
Principal: Science of Mind Magazine, ChocolaTree Organic Oasis & Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Producing: The Collective, The Lodge at Sedona, Sedona Real Inn & Suites, International Documentary Association, Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen & Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
Supporting: Sedona Elite Properties, Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery,
Alive Mind Cinema, and Centers for Spiritual Living
Media Sponsors: Spirituality & Health Magazine, Om Times, Conscious Life News,
Collective Evolution and Sedona Now TV.
VIP All-Access passes offer unlimited access to all events, including opening and closing night gala presentations, spotlight screenings, Reel Healing “View & Do” screenings, VIP parties and receptions, and Conscious Film Convergence panels and conversations, and provide priority ticketing access into theaters. Early Bird passes on sale now! Cost until April 20 is $349 and $444 after. Conscious Film Convergence passes are $249.
To purchase passes, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com. Starting May 6, individual tickets can be purchased on a space-available basis. The full schedule of films exhibiting at the 2016 Illuminate Film Festival will be posted April 19. For more information, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com...
“We are proud to be the world’s premier film festival for conscious cinema” said the festival’s Executive Director Danette Wolpert, “and continue to attract movie-lovers, spiritual seekers and conscious lifestyle enthusiasts from over 25 states and 8 countries. In our third year, we will offer audiences the opportunity to enjoy the world’s best life-affirming, mind-body-spirit focused films, experience radical transformation together and meet trailblazers in the emerging genre of conscious cinema.”
Illuminate will begin on June 1st, 2016 with a pre-Festival Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening of work-in-progress "Be More," a stirring documentary film narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, about seven activists who make it their mission to create a more compassionate world. Their goal: To transform the lives of seventeen teenagers in seven days. Filmmaker Justin Haulbrook will be in attendance.
Opening Film on June 2nd, 2016 will be "Maya Angelou and Still I Rise," which portrays the vibrant spirit of an American Legend - author, poet, Grammy-winner, civil rights activist and shining example of what it is to be empowered moment by moment in one’s life. Directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, the film features interviews with Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Alice Walker and Hillary Clinton. Filmmaker Rita Coburn Whack will be in attendance.
The Festival’s Spotlight will be the emotional tour de force "Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru," directed by Academy Award® nominated Joe Berlinger. This film pulls back the curtain on the internationally renowned life and business strategist and his mammoth annual seminar, capturing the life changing transformations of the participants in real time. The Closing Film event will be a Sneak Peek of "Mantra: Sounds Into Silence," a film about the revolution underway in world Kirtan, yoga's call-and-response form of devotional music. Sneak peek clips of the film will be followed by a Q&A and live concert with world-renowned Kirtan sensation Jai Uttal. Filmmaker Georgia Wyss will be in attendance.
The Illuminate Film Festival will introduce the inaugural Conscious Visionary Award, an award honoring a pioneer in the world of conscious cinema, spirituality, and life achievement as a teacher and facilitator of human transformation. The award will be presented to the Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith for his unparalleled record of bringing hope, love and encouragement to millions of spiritual seekers, creating the Agape worldwide community of faithful parishioners, students, healers and teachers who carry his message forward, and his complete dedication to uplifting and inspiring humanity through his church, books, audio recordings and numerous film appearances.
Chaz Ebert has signed on as the keynote speaker for the Conscious Film Convergence and will speak on the role of transformational entertainment and its potential impact on humanity. Chaz, wife of the late Roger Ebert, is the CEO of several Ebert enterprises, including President of Ebert Productions and Chairman of the Board of The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and Co-Founder and Producer of Ebertfest, the film festival now in its 18th year.
Other films in the lineup include:
"A New High" (2015), directed by Samuel Miron and Stephen Scott Scarpulla - Everyone defines their mountain. For the residents of a Seattle homeless shelter, it’s homelessness, addiction, abuse.... and the 14,400-foot Mt Rainier.
"The Connected Universe" (2016), directed by Malcom Carter – Returning after its sold out Sneak Peek at Illuminate 2015, this documentary featuring Nassim Haramein discovers the science behind the interconnection of all things in a magnificent, groundbreaking union of science and spirituality. (Private screening)
"From This Day Forward" (2015), directed by Sharon Shattuck – Filmmaker Sharon Shattuck examines the mystery at the heart of her upbringing – How her transgender father Trisha and her straight-identified mother Marcia stayed together against all odds – depicting a love that survived the most intimate of transformations.
More information Here
"Home Care" (2015), directed by Slávek Horák – The official 2016 Oscar entry for the Czech Republic, this appealing humanist tale follows Vlasta, a dedicated home nurse whose entire life is devoted to saving others, as she reluctantly ventures into spirituality and alternative medicine to find salvation for herself.
More information Here
"Icaros: A Visions" (2016), directed by Leonor Caraballo and Matteo Norzi - A film shaped like a shamanic journey utilizing the unique qualities of plant medicine, steeped in a psychoactive brew exploring fear and destiny in the jungle of the mind and the Amazon. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"Love, Sweat & Tears" (2016), directed by Scott Jacobs – Dr. Pamela Dee Gaudry is on a mission to “Save The Menopausal Vaginas of America!” In this documentary, Gaudry marries medical facts with profound insights from some of today’s influential spiritual leaders such as Hon. Dr. Rev. Michael Beckwith and Rev June Gatlin, as well as riotous comedians Joan Rivers and Jenny McCarthy. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Teal" The Making of a Spiritual Teacher" (2016), directed by Paola Marino – Referred to as “The Spiritual Catalyst” and dubbed the next Wayne Dyer, Teal Swan’s extrasensory gifts and connection to the spiritual realm are a light in the perpetual darkness of the modern age. (Work-In-Progress World Premiere)
More information Here
"Orange Sunshine" (2016), directed by William A. Kirkley – During the early 1960’s, a group of family, friends, and surfers formed a church centered around psychedelics. For The Brotherhood of Eternal Love, the mission was to enlighten the world, and the law was but a mere interference. (Arizona Premiere)
More information Here
"Planting Seeds of Mindfulness" (2016), directed by Gregory Kennedy-Salemi and Stuary Jolley –Based on the teachings of world renowned Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh, and featuring riveting music by Tina Turner, this live action-animated film about a teenager’s mindful journey is a powerful tool to help children, parents, teachers and communities develop the skills to promote peace within themselves and in the world around them. (World Premiere)
More information Here
"Pursuing Happiness" (2015), directed by Adam Shell – The desire to be happy is so intense that we spend an immeasurable amount of time and money in an effort to obtain it. This enchanting, revelatory documentary explores the happiest people in America and uncovers the secrets to their happiness.
More information Here
"Thank You For Your Service" (2016), directed by Tom Donahue – This gripping documentary about four Iraq War veterans struggling with Ptsd explores the healing aspects of meditation, native ceremony and equine therapy. Impactful interviews include former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, General David Petraeus and Mayor Rudy Guiliani. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The C Word" (2016), directed by Meghan O’Hara – Cancer is no laughing matter – but the archaic way we are battling it is. Executive produced and narrated by Morgan Freeman, this film explores hidden science, the absurdity of the status quo, and introduces a vibrant cast of characters changing the cancer game. (Southwest Premiere)
More information Here
"The Highest Past" (2011), directed by Jon Fitzgerald – Seven motorcycle riders share the journey of a lifetime along some of the most dangerous roads in the world, guided by a modern yogi and guru. (Cinema Revisited)
More information Here
"Tree Story" (2015), directed by Ward Serrill – A series of short documentary films that explore the relationship between humans and trees from every conceivable angle: the scientific, the mythical, the practical, the cultural, and the spiritual. (Festival World Premiere)
"Vegan" Everyday Stories" (2016), directed by Glenn Scott Lacey – Explore the lives of four remarkably different people who share a common thread – they’re all vegan. Follow an ultramarthon runner, a cattle rancher’s wife and an 8 year-old girl through their profound transformations. Featuring interviews with Moby, Russell Simmons and Ed Begley Jr. (World Premiere)
More information Here
Short Films:
"The Avadhut" directed by Jonathan Dubsky, Fenulla Jiwan, Zottomer Kenatarac (World Premiere)
"Catching Fire" directed by Ward Serrill (World Premiere)
"Forgotten Ritual" directed by Mirjam Hlastan (Us Premiere)
"Holistic Life Foundation" directed by Chris Farina (Southwest Premiere)
"Sister Jaguar's Journey" directed by Sande Zeig
"Today I Acknowledge" directed by Jessica Hahner (Arizona Premiere)
Conscious Film Convergence Panels and Workshops:
Spotlight Conversation: Norman Seeff On Creativity: The Power of A Dream
As a photographer for the most prolific artists of our time - Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Jim Henson, Steve Jobs, Martin Scorsese and Will.I.Am, to name a few, Norman Seeff knows something about the creative process. Through his innovative methodology, he has developed a body of content exploring the roots of creativity, innovation and optimal performance and has identified schematics describing the archetypes of the creative process that function across all creative disciplines.
Behind The ‘Seen’ – Investing In Transformational Entertainment
Through this intimate dialogue on film finance moderated by Simon Kilmurry (Executive Director, International Documentary Association), hear from three savvy individuals who are committed to bringing transformational entertainment to mainstream audiences about the art and science of financing conscious and cause-based cinema. Guests include Geralyn Dreyfous of Impact Partners/Gamechangers, and producers Jane Charles of Greater Good Entertainment ("Sold") and Ilan Arboleda of CreativeChaos (Thank You For Your Service).
Conscious Media & The Mainstream: Finding Your Audience
Media, industry outlets and tastemakers play an essential role in building buzz and excitement around new cinema titles as they seek to find their audiences, often defining their position in the marketplace. Join Corrine Bourdeau, President of 360 Degree Communications, Bill Goodykoontz, Film Critic Az Republic & Gannett News Service, Maya Zuckerman, Huffington Post writer, and Mark DeNicola of Collective Evolution as they reveal how to best leverage the media and how conscious cinema can be branded, marketed and presented to engage audiences and maximize box office.
Act of Transformation - A Screenwriter's Workshop
Emmy Award winning screenwriter Dev Ross conducts a workshop focused on the act of transforming a conscious concept into an engaging screenplay. First, Dev will discuss how a screenplay that sets out to raise consciousness can face inherent story problems, using Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a reference on how to avoid this mistake. Then, by using the model discussed in the first half, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a three-act story outline based on audience-contributed ideas.
Distribution Therapy
Disabuse yourself from assumptions about what it’s like to tie the knot with a distributor! Get a rare chance to observe a series of conversations between filmmakers and their distributors. Join facilitator Shaeri Richards as she helps distributor-filmmaker pairs share their feelings in an entertaining format that will provide abundant wisdom on setting expectations, keeping the flame alive and when to call it quits with your distributor. Panelists: Nancy Gerstman, Co-founder/Co-president of Zeitgeist Films & filmmaker Jeremy Frindel ("One Track Heart"); Richard Lorber, CEO of Kino Lorber & producer Peter Rader ("Awake: The Life of Yogananda"); Richard Cohn, President of Beyond Words & filmmaker Patrick Solomon ("Finding Joe").
**New workshop announced!
Tools of Immersive Cinema – Virtual Reality Workshop with Sandy Smolan
Virtual Reality workshop by filmmaker Sandy Smolan entitled "Going Deep: Diving into Virtual Reality Content Creation." It will be an overview and demonstration of the technology used to create The Click Effect (Sundance 2016), a live-action, immersive Vr experience that follows two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales.
The Launch Party and Free Outdoor Screening will take place at The Collective in the Village of Oak Creek. Festival screenings will take place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Festival parties will be hosted by Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, the Lodge at Sedona and Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen.
Illuminate Film Festival Major Sponsors
Principal: Science of Mind Magazine, ChocolaTree Organic Oasis & Sedona Chamber of Commerce
Producing: The Collective, The Lodge at Sedona, Sedona Real Inn & Suites, International Documentary Association, Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen & Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village
Supporting: Sedona Elite Properties, Javelina Leap Vineyard & Winery,
Alive Mind Cinema, and Centers for Spiritual Living
Media Sponsors: Spirituality & Health Magazine, Om Times, Conscious Life News,
Collective Evolution and Sedona Now TV.
VIP All-Access passes offer unlimited access to all events, including opening and closing night gala presentations, spotlight screenings, Reel Healing “View & Do” screenings, VIP parties and receptions, and Conscious Film Convergence panels and conversations, and provide priority ticketing access into theaters. Early Bird passes on sale now! Cost until April 20 is $349 and $444 after. Conscious Film Convergence passes are $249.
To purchase passes, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com. Starting May 6, individual tickets can be purchased on a space-available basis. The full schedule of films exhibiting at the 2016 Illuminate Film Festival will be posted April 19. For more information, visit www.illuminatefilmfestival.com...
- 4/18/2016
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Jan 10 Update: Giulio Ricciarelli’s German foreign-language Oscar submission Labyrinth Of Lies won on Sunday the Palm Springs Film Festival’s Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for best narrative feature and Jacob Bernstein and Nick Hooker’s Everything Is Copy from the Us earned the documentary award.
On Saturday Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign-language Oscar submission The Assassin won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th annual festival.
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The...
On Saturday Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign-language Oscar submission The Assassin won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th annual festival.
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The...
- 1/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign language Oscar submission has won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff).
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The John Schlesinger Award for a first-time documentary filmmaker was awarded to The Birth Of Saké (Japan) by Erik Shirai, while the Hp Bridging The Borders Award went to Umrika (India) by Prashant Nair
The audience award winners will be announced on January...
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The John Schlesinger Award for a first-time documentary filmmaker was awarded to The Birth Of Saké (Japan) by Erik Shirai, while the Hp Bridging The Borders Award went to Umrika (India) by Prashant Nair
The audience award winners will be announced on January...
- 1/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Palm Springs International Film Fest Announces Premieres, New Voices/New Visions, and Modern Masters
The 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) has announced its line-up of Premieres, New Voices/New Visions competition and Modern Masters. Films from 60 countries, including 54 premieres (7 World, 17 North American and 30 U.S.), will unspool at the Festival, running from January 1-11, 2016 in Palm Springs, California.
“The line-up this year, while full of unexpected surprises, vividly reflects what is going on in the world around us,” said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald. “There’s a particular focus on stories about displaced people – immigrants, emigrants, refugees, those seeking asylum or shelter. There’s a concurrent trend toward stories revolving around new beginnings and escaping the shackles of the past, whether sexual, cultural, societal or self-imposed. Balancing all of these is a focus on family and romance, along with films involving a healthy dose of magic realism or absurdist comedy, and a plethora of exceptional films dealing with the usual obsessions – music, food, sex and art. All in all, it’s about as well-rounded, as thoughtfully chosen, and as provocative as it’s possible for a smartly curated lineup of new international cinema to be.”
“I am thrilled at the breadth and depth of this year’s program,” said Festival Artistic Director Helen du Toit. “While Modern Masters showcases such widely acclaimed filmmakers as as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Barbara Kopple and Terence Davies, our New Voices/New Visions program is evidence that new masters are emerging around the world. The range of approaches is extraordinary. Highlights include Raam Reddy's 'Thithi' (India), which skillfully juggles myriad characters in a delightful low key comedy; Yorgos Zois’ 'Interruption' (Greece), which challenges the audience with a complex and highly compelling narrative; and Maris Curran's 'Five Nights in Maine' (USA), featuring David Oyelowo's nuanced and heartbreaking performance as a widower reconnecting with his estranged mother-in-law.”
Showcasing the diversity of international cinema, Festival premieres will include:
World premieres: "50 Days in the Desert" (Luxembourg) directed by Fabrizio Maltese, "Agnes" (Germany/Belgium), the documentary "Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age" (Us) featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Channing, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, "The Carer" (Hungary/UK), "Going Going Gone" (UK), "Searchdog" (Us) and "Set the Thames on Fire" (UK).
North American premieres: "Banat" (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), "Death By Death" (Belgium/France), "A Decent Man" (Switzerland),"Departure" (France/UK),"Fly Away Solo" (India/France), "Interruption" (Greece/Croatia), "A Korean in Paris" (South Korea/France), "The Memory of Water" (Chile/Spain/Argentina/Germany), "Moor" (Pakistan), "On My Mother’s Side" (Canada), "Paradise Trips" (Belgium/Croatia), "Rosita" (Denmark), "Spy Time" (Spain), "Tanna" (Australia/Vanuatu), "Thithi" (India/Us/Canada), "Utopians" (Hong Kong) and "When a Tree Falls" (Spain).
U.S. premieres: "1944" (Estonia/Finland), "3000 Nights" (Palestine/France/Jordan/Lebanon), "Atomic Falafel" (Israel/Germany/New Zealand), "Belgian Rhapsody" (Belgium), "Beyond My Grandfather Allende" (Chile/Mexico), "Born to Dance" (New Zealand), "Closet Monster" (Canada), "Enclave" (Serbia/Germany), "The Endless River" (South Africa/France), "Endorphine" (Canada),Exotica, "Erotica, Etc." (France), "Fire Song" (Canada), "Five Nights in Maine" (Us), "A Heavy Heart" (Germany), "Home Care" (Czech Republic/Slovakia), "Let Them Come" (Algeria/France), "My Big Night" (Spain), "My Internship in Canada" (Canada), "The Other Side" (Italy/France), "Our Everyday Life" (Bosnia, Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), "The Paradise Suite" (Netherlands/Sweden/Bulgaria), "Parched" (India/Us/UK), "Parisienne" (France), "Sabali" (Canada), "Sleeping Giant" (Canada), "Summer Solstice" (Poland/Germany), "Trap" (Philippines), "The Violin Teacher" (Brazil), "Wedding Doll" (Israel) and " Zubaan" (India).
The New Voices/New Visions competition showcases 12 Us premieres from top emerging international directors marking their feature film debut at the Festival, with the additional criteria that the films selected are currently without U.S. distribution. The winner is selected by a jury of U.S. distributors which include Gary Rubin of Cohen Media, Dan Berger of Oscilloscope and Ryan Kampe of Visit Films/Monument Releasing. The winner will receive use of a $60,000 Panavision camera package and a glass sculpture designed for the Festival by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Films selected for this year include:
"Banat" (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), Director Adriano Valerio "Death By Death" (Belgium/France), Director Xavier Seron "Departure" (UK/France), Director Andrew Steggall "Five Nights in Maine" (Us), Director Maris Curran and starring David Oyelowo "A Heavy Heart" (Germany), Director Thomas Stuber "Home Care" (Czech Republic/Slovakia), Director Slávek Horák "Interruption" (Greece/Croatia), Director Yorgos Zois "Let Them Come" (Algeria/France), Director Salem Brahimi "Our Everyday Life" (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), Director Ines Tanović "Paradise Trips" (Belgium/Croatia), Director Raf Reyntjens "Sleeping Giant" (Canada), Director Andrew Cividino "Thithi" (India/Us/Canada), Director Raam Reddy
The Modern Masters section features 10 films from international directors who set the standards for contemporary cinema. Films selected for this year include:
"Cemetery Of Splendour" (Thailand/UK), Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul "Dheepan" (France), Director Jacques Audiard "Miss Sharon Jones!" (Us), Director Barbara Kopple "Mountains May Depart" (China/France/Japan), Director Jia Zhangke "My Golden Days" (France), Director Arnaud Desplechin "My Mother" (Italy/France), Director Nanni Moretti "Our Little Sister" (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda "Sunset Song" (UK/Luxembourg), Director Terence Davies "Sweet Bean" (Japan), Director Naomi Kawase "Women He’s Undressed" (Australia), Director Gillian Armstrong
Other Festival films with notable talent and directors include: "45 Years" (UK) directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, "Anomalisa" (Us) directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman with the voices of David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Chronic" (Mexico/France) starring Tim Roth, "Closet Monster" (Canada) with Connor Jessup and Isabella Rossellini, "Eisenstein in Guanajuato" (Netherlands/Mexico/Finland/Belgium/France) directed by Peter Greenaway, "February" (Us/Canada) starring Kiernan Shipka and Emma Roberts, "Hello, My Name is Doris" (Us) starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs and Stephen Root, "Hitchcock/Truffaut" (France/Us) directed by Kent Jones and featuring Peter Bogdanovich, David Fincher and Richard Linklater, "The Invitation" (Us) starring Logan Marshall-Green and Michiel Huisman, "The Lady in the Van" (UK) directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent and James Corden, "Louder Than Bombs" (USA) starring Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne and Isabelle Huppert, "Men & Chicken" (Denmark) starring Mads Mikkelsen, "Papa (Cuba)" directed by Bob Yari and starring Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson and Minka Kelly, "A Perfect Day" (Spain) starring Benicio del Toro, Tim Robbins and Olga Kurylenko, "The Seventh Fire" (Us) executive produced by Terrence Malick, Natalie Portman and Chris Eyre, and "Where to Invade Next" (Us) directed by Michael Moore.
The complete line-up will be available on December 18 at www.psfilmfest.org.
“The line-up this year, while full of unexpected surprises, vividly reflects what is going on in the world around us,” said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald. “There’s a particular focus on stories about displaced people – immigrants, emigrants, refugees, those seeking asylum or shelter. There’s a concurrent trend toward stories revolving around new beginnings and escaping the shackles of the past, whether sexual, cultural, societal or self-imposed. Balancing all of these is a focus on family and romance, along with films involving a healthy dose of magic realism or absurdist comedy, and a plethora of exceptional films dealing with the usual obsessions – music, food, sex and art. All in all, it’s about as well-rounded, as thoughtfully chosen, and as provocative as it’s possible for a smartly curated lineup of new international cinema to be.”
“I am thrilled at the breadth and depth of this year’s program,” said Festival Artistic Director Helen du Toit. “While Modern Masters showcases such widely acclaimed filmmakers as as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Barbara Kopple and Terence Davies, our New Voices/New Visions program is evidence that new masters are emerging around the world. The range of approaches is extraordinary. Highlights include Raam Reddy's 'Thithi' (India), which skillfully juggles myriad characters in a delightful low key comedy; Yorgos Zois’ 'Interruption' (Greece), which challenges the audience with a complex and highly compelling narrative; and Maris Curran's 'Five Nights in Maine' (USA), featuring David Oyelowo's nuanced and heartbreaking performance as a widower reconnecting with his estranged mother-in-law.”
Showcasing the diversity of international cinema, Festival premieres will include:
World premieres: "50 Days in the Desert" (Luxembourg) directed by Fabrizio Maltese, "Agnes" (Germany/Belgium), the documentary "Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age" (Us) featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Channing, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, "The Carer" (Hungary/UK), "Going Going Gone" (UK), "Searchdog" (Us) and "Set the Thames on Fire" (UK).
North American premieres: "Banat" (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), "Death By Death" (Belgium/France), "A Decent Man" (Switzerland),"Departure" (France/UK),"Fly Away Solo" (India/France), "Interruption" (Greece/Croatia), "A Korean in Paris" (South Korea/France), "The Memory of Water" (Chile/Spain/Argentina/Germany), "Moor" (Pakistan), "On My Mother’s Side" (Canada), "Paradise Trips" (Belgium/Croatia), "Rosita" (Denmark), "Spy Time" (Spain), "Tanna" (Australia/Vanuatu), "Thithi" (India/Us/Canada), "Utopians" (Hong Kong) and "When a Tree Falls" (Spain).
U.S. premieres: "1944" (Estonia/Finland), "3000 Nights" (Palestine/France/Jordan/Lebanon), "Atomic Falafel" (Israel/Germany/New Zealand), "Belgian Rhapsody" (Belgium), "Beyond My Grandfather Allende" (Chile/Mexico), "Born to Dance" (New Zealand), "Closet Monster" (Canada), "Enclave" (Serbia/Germany), "The Endless River" (South Africa/France), "Endorphine" (Canada),Exotica, "Erotica, Etc." (France), "Fire Song" (Canada), "Five Nights in Maine" (Us), "A Heavy Heart" (Germany), "Home Care" (Czech Republic/Slovakia), "Let Them Come" (Algeria/France), "My Big Night" (Spain), "My Internship in Canada" (Canada), "The Other Side" (Italy/France), "Our Everyday Life" (Bosnia, Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), "The Paradise Suite" (Netherlands/Sweden/Bulgaria), "Parched" (India/Us/UK), "Parisienne" (France), "Sabali" (Canada), "Sleeping Giant" (Canada), "Summer Solstice" (Poland/Germany), "Trap" (Philippines), "The Violin Teacher" (Brazil), "Wedding Doll" (Israel) and " Zubaan" (India).
The New Voices/New Visions competition showcases 12 Us premieres from top emerging international directors marking their feature film debut at the Festival, with the additional criteria that the films selected are currently without U.S. distribution. The winner is selected by a jury of U.S. distributors which include Gary Rubin of Cohen Media, Dan Berger of Oscilloscope and Ryan Kampe of Visit Films/Monument Releasing. The winner will receive use of a $60,000 Panavision camera package and a glass sculpture designed for the Festival by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Films selected for this year include:
"Banat" (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), Director Adriano Valerio "Death By Death" (Belgium/France), Director Xavier Seron "Departure" (UK/France), Director Andrew Steggall "Five Nights in Maine" (Us), Director Maris Curran and starring David Oyelowo "A Heavy Heart" (Germany), Director Thomas Stuber "Home Care" (Czech Republic/Slovakia), Director Slávek Horák "Interruption" (Greece/Croatia), Director Yorgos Zois "Let Them Come" (Algeria/France), Director Salem Brahimi "Our Everyday Life" (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), Director Ines Tanović "Paradise Trips" (Belgium/Croatia), Director Raf Reyntjens "Sleeping Giant" (Canada), Director Andrew Cividino "Thithi" (India/Us/Canada), Director Raam Reddy
The Modern Masters section features 10 films from international directors who set the standards for contemporary cinema. Films selected for this year include:
"Cemetery Of Splendour" (Thailand/UK), Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul "Dheepan" (France), Director Jacques Audiard "Miss Sharon Jones!" (Us), Director Barbara Kopple "Mountains May Depart" (China/France/Japan), Director Jia Zhangke "My Golden Days" (France), Director Arnaud Desplechin "My Mother" (Italy/France), Director Nanni Moretti "Our Little Sister" (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda "Sunset Song" (UK/Luxembourg), Director Terence Davies "Sweet Bean" (Japan), Director Naomi Kawase "Women He’s Undressed" (Australia), Director Gillian Armstrong
Other Festival films with notable talent and directors include: "45 Years" (UK) directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, "Anomalisa" (Us) directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman with the voices of David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh, "Chronic" (Mexico/France) starring Tim Roth, "Closet Monster" (Canada) with Connor Jessup and Isabella Rossellini, "Eisenstein in Guanajuato" (Netherlands/Mexico/Finland/Belgium/France) directed by Peter Greenaway, "February" (Us/Canada) starring Kiernan Shipka and Emma Roberts, "Hello, My Name is Doris" (Us) starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs and Stephen Root, "Hitchcock/Truffaut" (France/Us) directed by Kent Jones and featuring Peter Bogdanovich, David Fincher and Richard Linklater, "The Invitation" (Us) starring Logan Marshall-Green and Michiel Huisman, "The Lady in the Van" (UK) directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent and James Corden, "Louder Than Bombs" (USA) starring Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne and Isabelle Huppert, "Men & Chicken" (Denmark) starring Mads Mikkelsen, "Papa (Cuba)" directed by Bob Yari and starring Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson and Minka Kelly, "A Perfect Day" (Spain) starring Benicio del Toro, Tim Robbins and Olga Kurylenko, "The Seventh Fire" (Us) executive produced by Terrence Malick, Natalie Portman and Chris Eyre, and "Where to Invade Next" (Us) directed by Michael Moore.
The complete line-up will be available on December 18 at www.psfilmfest.org.
- 12/15/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Fascinating is the best way to describe the process by which the final five nominated for the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film are selected. Each year dozens of countries send their Oscar hopeful to Hollywood for AMPAS to consider. This work should, at least in theory, be the best representation of the national cinematic achievements of that year. This usually makes for a crowded field of storytelling marvels.
Since each country, via its national film academy or a special cultural committee, can only submit one candidate, there are always “snubs” even at the selections stage. These often happens because a film doesn’t meet the requirements or simply because the selecting body didn’t regard them as highly. While there are numerous detractors regarding AMPAS rule of only one entry per country, in a sense this helps level the playfield given that smaller territories might have very choices in comparison to European powerhouses. The other perspective argues that because of this process sometimes the real standouts don’t get a chance to compete.
Once a film becomes the official entry the next, and most arduous step, is to get into the 9-film shortlist. Six of them are chosen by popular within the AMPAS’ Foreign Language Film committee and the other three by an executed committee. These nine finalists are then watched by 30 randomly selected members from different Academy branches over one weekend. This is where the five nominees are chosen. This year 80 accepted submissions (noting that Afghanistan’s entry was disqualified) are vying for the trophy, and that means that 75 of the world’s best films will have to cherish the exposure given by process.
Nevertheless, making the shortlist is more than a commendable feat itself. This list will be revealed next week, and though there are always unexpected surprises, there are of course a few favorites and films that have garnered lots of positive attention throughout the season. After watching over three quarters out of the colossal list of entries in contention I’d like to share my observations on the 25 films that seem like the strongest bets to make the coveted shortlist and eventually become Academy Award nominees. Granted, other films could easily sneak in if they manage to impress the right people, but I feel confident that most of those that will advance will come from the least below.
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Fox International
Trapero’s sordid crime drama based on the real life story of the Puccio family, which became national news when authorities discovered they were behind a series of kidnapping and murders, is a compelling work that uses Argentina’s historical context as backdrop. . Almodovar’s El Deseo, the company behind the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales”, produced the film.
Read More: 'The Clan Wins' Audience Award At Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival’s Gems
Austria
"Goodnight Mommy" (Ich seh, ich seh)
Dirs. Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Radius-twc
One of the most daring selections is also one the most acclaimed horror films of the year. This art house chiller confronts a pair of mischievous twin boys with their convalescent mother who recently underwent a facial surgery. The thematic and aesthetic elegance that co-directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz employed elevates “Goodnight Mommy” beyond the usual gruesome fare.
Belgium
"The Brand New Testament" (Le tout nouveau testament)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Isa: Le Pacte
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This fantastical take on religion is yet another unique vision from director Jaco Van Dormael, the filmmaker behind such films as “Mr. Nobody.” With a humorous tone, “The Brand New Testament” explores what would happen if God himself lived in a regular apartment in Brussels pretending to be a mortal and finding pleasure in the little things that annoy human life - all of which are orchestrated by him.
Brazil
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?)
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
A clandestine romance and the yoke of religion are at the center of Maxime Giroux’s delicate debut feature. Meira (Hadas Yaron is a Hasidic woman who feels trapped by the expectations and limitations imposed her, but when she meets Felix (Martin Dubreuil), a secular man who is equally lost, her vision of the world widens.
Rea More: 'Felix and Meira' Director Maxime Giroux on Understanding Hasidim and Quebecois Isolation
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Larrain's latest work follows a group of priests and nuns who live in an isolated beachside town after committing a score of heinous crimes. Though they have the church's protection, there are people out there who are not willing to let impunity prevail. Magnificently written and acted, this dark and piercing drama ranks up there with the director’s best work
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Strikingly beautiful and laced with poetic mysticism, Ciro Guerra’s most accomplished work to date follows the journey of two European explores at particular times in history as they are guided through the Amazon by Karamakate, an imposing local shaman man who is wary of their intentions.
Czech Republic
"Home Care" (Domácí péce)
Dir. Slávek Horák
Isa: M-Appeal
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This very low-key dramedy from first-time director Slávek Horák about a a middle-aged home care nurse, who not only has to look after her patients but also her own family, hasn’t had as much exposure as other films on this list; however, the quality of the performances and the nuanced screenplay have resonated with those who have seen it.
Denmark
"A War" (Krigen)
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Isa: Studiocanal
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Director Tobias Lindholm follow up to “A Hijacking,” blends gritty action with a courtroom drama in a searing study on guilt and the collateral damage of armed conflicts from the point of view of conflicted family man and company commander Claus M. Pedersen (Pilou Asbæk). Subtle observations and intricate moral complexity are once again Lindholm's greatest strengths.
Estonia
"1944"
Dir. Elmo Nüganen
Isa: Eyewell Ab
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
After earning its first-ever Academy Award nomination earlier this year, the Eastern European country returns to the race with an impressive historical epic about Estonian soldiers fighting on different sides against their own. The film was directed, who starred in the Oscar-nominated “Tangerines.”
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish filmmaker Klaus Härö takes on an Estonian story about a professional fencer who becomes a physical education teacher in his homeland after leaving Russia to escape the Kgb. This classically executed and elegant period drama offers uplifting moments, romance, and exquisite cinematography.
France
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Through traditional gender roles and expectations in Turkish society, adults attempt to tame the blossoming womanhood in Deniz Gamze Ergüven's five teenage protagonists. Delicately shot and cast to perfection, this peculiar coming-of-ager is an empowering breath of fresh air that honors freedom and femininity in equal measures.
Read More: 'Mustang' Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven on Femininity in Cinema and French Multiculturalism
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
In the aftermath of WWII German authorities and the majority of the population refused to acknowledge the magnitude of their involvement in the Holocaust until a driven young prosecutor begins uncovering the truth. Ricciarelli film is a compelling historical drama with a fantastic lead performance by Alexander Fehling at its core.
Read More: Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli and Star Alexander Fehling on the Historical Relevance of 'Labyrinth of Lies' and Germany's Open Wound
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Bustamante’s Silver Bear-winning ethereal masterpiece in indigenous language is an intimate look at the lives of the country’s Mayan population. Told through the eyes of a teenage girl destined to an arranged marriage, this marvelously photographed film speaks of tradition, modernity, mysticism, male chauvinism, and cultural isolation.
Read More: 'Ixcanul' Director Jayro Bustamante on the Strength of Mayan Women and Guatemala's Indigenous Majority
Hungary
"Son of Saul" (Saul fia)
Dir. László Nemes
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
By far the most incredible debut of the year and one of the best films about the Holocaust ever made, this year’s Grand Prix winner takes the viewer inside the Nazi killing machine from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of Jewish men chosen to carry out all horrific manual labor within the gas chambers. Immersive and devastating, Nemes' stunner is a powerful cinematic statement.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
A humorous look at brotherhood and pastoral life, this Un Certain Regard-winning dark comedy pays homage to the importance of sheep in the Icelandic cultural identity. When a disease wipes out the entire town’s flock, two estrange siblings, who haven’t spoken to each other in decades, are forced to collaborate in order to save their livelihood.
Ireland
"Viva"
Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Isa: Mongrel International
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Jesus, a young gay man in Havana, only finds relief from his daily struggles when he transforms into a drag performer in front of an eager audience, but when his macho father returns after decades away his dreams are jeopardized. This Irish production set in Cuba is a delightful work that thrives on authenticity and emotionally layered performances.
Read More:'Viva' Director Paddy Breathnach on Making an Irish Film in Cuba and Visceral Transformation
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Adapting the sensibilities of classic Westerns into a uniquely Middle Eastern setting, this period piece touches on the complicated relationship between the region and the colonial powers via the experiences of a young Bedouin boy who embarks on a mission across the desert. Top-notch filmmaking that twists conventions to depict a singular worldview.
Mexico
"600 Miles" (600 Millas)
Dir. Gabriel Ripstein
Isa: Ndm
U.S. Distribution: Pantelion Films
By focusing on two characters from opposite sides of the border, Gabriel Ripstein’s debut Starring Tim Roth delves into the U.S/Mexico conflictive, yet unavoidable codependency and share responsibility in the fight against organized crime. Guns are at the center of this realist tale in which everyone’s morality is tinged with shades of grey.
The Netherlands
"The Paradise Suite"
Dir. Joost van Ginkel
Isa: Media Luna New Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
In this profound multi-narrative film the tumultuous stories of characters from diverse latitudes collide in Amsterdam in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. An Eastern European girl dragged into prostitution, an African man desperate to stay afloat, a war criminal in disguise, a woman seeking revenge, and famous musician and his son struggling to connect, all, in their own way, looking fro redemption.
Norway
"The Wave" (Bølgen)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Isa: TrustNordisk
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Besides its spectacular, Hollywood-worthy visual effects, what sets this Scandinavian disaster movie apart from less sophisticated American efforts is its interesting character development. While the chaos and destruction on screen is an exhilarating feast, the human aspect is never forgotten and it’s crucial to the Norwegian specificity of the plot.
Romania
"Aferim!"
Dir. Radu Jude
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Big World Pictures
Thematically fascinating and visually impeccable, this black-and-white historical adventure set in the early 19th century solidifies Romanian cinema as one of the most exciting and innovative currents in Europe. Radu Jude’s film centers on the mostly unknown history of Gypsy slavery and how this shaped Romanian society by using a tragicomic tone and timeless aesthetics.
Spain
"Flowers" (Loreak)
Dirs. Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
The country’s firs Basque-language entry is a soft-spoken drama that juxtaposes the grieving processes of three women after the tragic death of man that touched their lives directly and indirectly. Unpretentious in its concept, yet unexpectedly philosophical, the power of the narrative lies on the actresses that flourish and decay in varying degrees throughout the film.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
As brilliant as anything Andersson has ever created, the final chapter in his trilogy about the absurdity of what it means to be human is one of the most unconventional cinematic experiences in recent memory. Without the constraints of la traditional plot, this nonlinear treasure uses clever vignettes to talk about death, humor, and the mundane things that define our existence.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Armed with breathtaking cinematography, lavish costumes and production design, and an ancient legend about betrayal and retribution, master Hsiao-hsien Hou obliterates our expectations and delivers a one-of-a-kind martial arts epic that’s more concerned with sensory transcendence than narrative clarity, but is no less of an enthralling experience because of it.
Since each country, via its national film academy or a special cultural committee, can only submit one candidate, there are always “snubs” even at the selections stage. These often happens because a film doesn’t meet the requirements or simply because the selecting body didn’t regard them as highly. While there are numerous detractors regarding AMPAS rule of only one entry per country, in a sense this helps level the playfield given that smaller territories might have very choices in comparison to European powerhouses. The other perspective argues that because of this process sometimes the real standouts don’t get a chance to compete.
Once a film becomes the official entry the next, and most arduous step, is to get into the 9-film shortlist. Six of them are chosen by popular within the AMPAS’ Foreign Language Film committee and the other three by an executed committee. These nine finalists are then watched by 30 randomly selected members from different Academy branches over one weekend. This is where the five nominees are chosen. This year 80 accepted submissions (noting that Afghanistan’s entry was disqualified) are vying for the trophy, and that means that 75 of the world’s best films will have to cherish the exposure given by process.
Nevertheless, making the shortlist is more than a commendable feat itself. This list will be revealed next week, and though there are always unexpected surprises, there are of course a few favorites and films that have garnered lots of positive attention throughout the season. After watching over three quarters out of the colossal list of entries in contention I’d like to share my observations on the 25 films that seem like the strongest bets to make the coveted shortlist and eventually become Academy Award nominees. Granted, other films could easily sneak in if they manage to impress the right people, but I feel confident that most of those that will advance will come from the least below.
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Fox International
Trapero’s sordid crime drama based on the real life story of the Puccio family, which became national news when authorities discovered they were behind a series of kidnapping and murders, is a compelling work that uses Argentina’s historical context as backdrop. . Almodovar’s El Deseo, the company behind the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales”, produced the film.
Read More: 'The Clan Wins' Audience Award At Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival’s Gems
Austria
"Goodnight Mommy" (Ich seh, ich seh)
Dirs. Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Radius-twc
One of the most daring selections is also one the most acclaimed horror films of the year. This art house chiller confronts a pair of mischievous twin boys with their convalescent mother who recently underwent a facial surgery. The thematic and aesthetic elegance that co-directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz employed elevates “Goodnight Mommy” beyond the usual gruesome fare.
Belgium
"The Brand New Testament" (Le tout nouveau testament)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Isa: Le Pacte
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This fantastical take on religion is yet another unique vision from director Jaco Van Dormael, the filmmaker behind such films as “Mr. Nobody.” With a humorous tone, “The Brand New Testament” explores what would happen if God himself lived in a regular apartment in Brussels pretending to be a mortal and finding pleasure in the little things that annoy human life - all of which are orchestrated by him.
Brazil
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?)
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
A clandestine romance and the yoke of religion are at the center of Maxime Giroux’s delicate debut feature. Meira (Hadas Yaron is a Hasidic woman who feels trapped by the expectations and limitations imposed her, but when she meets Felix (Martin Dubreuil), a secular man who is equally lost, her vision of the world widens.
Rea More: 'Felix and Meira' Director Maxime Giroux on Understanding Hasidim and Quebecois Isolation
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Larrain's latest work follows a group of priests and nuns who live in an isolated beachside town after committing a score of heinous crimes. Though they have the church's protection, there are people out there who are not willing to let impunity prevail. Magnificently written and acted, this dark and piercing drama ranks up there with the director’s best work
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Strikingly beautiful and laced with poetic mysticism, Ciro Guerra’s most accomplished work to date follows the journey of two European explores at particular times in history as they are guided through the Amazon by Karamakate, an imposing local shaman man who is wary of their intentions.
Czech Republic
"Home Care" (Domácí péce)
Dir. Slávek Horák
Isa: M-Appeal
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This very low-key dramedy from first-time director Slávek Horák about a a middle-aged home care nurse, who not only has to look after her patients but also her own family, hasn’t had as much exposure as other films on this list; however, the quality of the performances and the nuanced screenplay have resonated with those who have seen it.
Denmark
"A War" (Krigen)
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Isa: Studiocanal
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Director Tobias Lindholm follow up to “A Hijacking,” blends gritty action with a courtroom drama in a searing study on guilt and the collateral damage of armed conflicts from the point of view of conflicted family man and company commander Claus M. Pedersen (Pilou Asbæk). Subtle observations and intricate moral complexity are once again Lindholm's greatest strengths.
Estonia
"1944"
Dir. Elmo Nüganen
Isa: Eyewell Ab
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
After earning its first-ever Academy Award nomination earlier this year, the Eastern European country returns to the race with an impressive historical epic about Estonian soldiers fighting on different sides against their own. The film was directed, who starred in the Oscar-nominated “Tangerines.”
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish filmmaker Klaus Härö takes on an Estonian story about a professional fencer who becomes a physical education teacher in his homeland after leaving Russia to escape the Kgb. This classically executed and elegant period drama offers uplifting moments, romance, and exquisite cinematography.
France
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Through traditional gender roles and expectations in Turkish society, adults attempt to tame the blossoming womanhood in Deniz Gamze Ergüven's five teenage protagonists. Delicately shot and cast to perfection, this peculiar coming-of-ager is an empowering breath of fresh air that honors freedom and femininity in equal measures.
Read More: 'Mustang' Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven on Femininity in Cinema and French Multiculturalism
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
In the aftermath of WWII German authorities and the majority of the population refused to acknowledge the magnitude of their involvement in the Holocaust until a driven young prosecutor begins uncovering the truth. Ricciarelli film is a compelling historical drama with a fantastic lead performance by Alexander Fehling at its core.
Read More: Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli and Star Alexander Fehling on the Historical Relevance of 'Labyrinth of Lies' and Germany's Open Wound
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Bustamante’s Silver Bear-winning ethereal masterpiece in indigenous language is an intimate look at the lives of the country’s Mayan population. Told through the eyes of a teenage girl destined to an arranged marriage, this marvelously photographed film speaks of tradition, modernity, mysticism, male chauvinism, and cultural isolation.
Read More: 'Ixcanul' Director Jayro Bustamante on the Strength of Mayan Women and Guatemala's Indigenous Majority
Hungary
"Son of Saul" (Saul fia)
Dir. László Nemes
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
By far the most incredible debut of the year and one of the best films about the Holocaust ever made, this year’s Grand Prix winner takes the viewer inside the Nazi killing machine from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of Jewish men chosen to carry out all horrific manual labor within the gas chambers. Immersive and devastating, Nemes' stunner is a powerful cinematic statement.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
A humorous look at brotherhood and pastoral life, this Un Certain Regard-winning dark comedy pays homage to the importance of sheep in the Icelandic cultural identity. When a disease wipes out the entire town’s flock, two estrange siblings, who haven’t spoken to each other in decades, are forced to collaborate in order to save their livelihood.
Ireland
"Viva"
Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Isa: Mongrel International
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Jesus, a young gay man in Havana, only finds relief from his daily struggles when he transforms into a drag performer in front of an eager audience, but when his macho father returns after decades away his dreams are jeopardized. This Irish production set in Cuba is a delightful work that thrives on authenticity and emotionally layered performances.
Read More:'Viva' Director Paddy Breathnach on Making an Irish Film in Cuba and Visceral Transformation
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Adapting the sensibilities of classic Westerns into a uniquely Middle Eastern setting, this period piece touches on the complicated relationship between the region and the colonial powers via the experiences of a young Bedouin boy who embarks on a mission across the desert. Top-notch filmmaking that twists conventions to depict a singular worldview.
Mexico
"600 Miles" (600 Millas)
Dir. Gabriel Ripstein
Isa: Ndm
U.S. Distribution: Pantelion Films
By focusing on two characters from opposite sides of the border, Gabriel Ripstein’s debut Starring Tim Roth delves into the U.S/Mexico conflictive, yet unavoidable codependency and share responsibility in the fight against organized crime. Guns are at the center of this realist tale in which everyone’s morality is tinged with shades of grey.
The Netherlands
"The Paradise Suite"
Dir. Joost van Ginkel
Isa: Media Luna New Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
In this profound multi-narrative film the tumultuous stories of characters from diverse latitudes collide in Amsterdam in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. An Eastern European girl dragged into prostitution, an African man desperate to stay afloat, a war criminal in disguise, a woman seeking revenge, and famous musician and his son struggling to connect, all, in their own way, looking fro redemption.
Norway
"The Wave" (Bølgen)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Isa: TrustNordisk
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Besides its spectacular, Hollywood-worthy visual effects, what sets this Scandinavian disaster movie apart from less sophisticated American efforts is its interesting character development. While the chaos and destruction on screen is an exhilarating feast, the human aspect is never forgotten and it’s crucial to the Norwegian specificity of the plot.
Romania
"Aferim!"
Dir. Radu Jude
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Big World Pictures
Thematically fascinating and visually impeccable, this black-and-white historical adventure set in the early 19th century solidifies Romanian cinema as one of the most exciting and innovative currents in Europe. Radu Jude’s film centers on the mostly unknown history of Gypsy slavery and how this shaped Romanian society by using a tragicomic tone and timeless aesthetics.
Spain
"Flowers" (Loreak)
Dirs. Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
The country’s firs Basque-language entry is a soft-spoken drama that juxtaposes the grieving processes of three women after the tragic death of man that touched their lives directly and indirectly. Unpretentious in its concept, yet unexpectedly philosophical, the power of the narrative lies on the actresses that flourish and decay in varying degrees throughout the film.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
As brilliant as anything Andersson has ever created, the final chapter in his trilogy about the absurdity of what it means to be human is one of the most unconventional cinematic experiences in recent memory. Without the constraints of la traditional plot, this nonlinear treasure uses clever vignettes to talk about death, humor, and the mundane things that define our existence.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Armed with breathtaking cinematography, lavish costumes and production design, and an ancient legend about betrayal and retribution, master Hsiao-hsien Hou obliterates our expectations and delivers a one-of-a-kind martial arts epic that’s more concerned with sensory transcendence than narrative clarity, but is no less of an enthralling experience because of it.
- 12/14/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Top brass at the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) on Monday announced the Premieres, New Voices/New Visions competition and Modern Masters programmes.
Films from 60 countries, including 54 premieres (seven world, 17 North American and 30 Us), will screen during the festival, which runs from January 1-11, 2016.
World premieres include: 50 Days In The Desert (Luxembourg) by Fabrizio Maltese; Agnes (Germany-Belgium); documentary Broadway: Beyond The Golden Age (Us) featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Channing, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford; The Carer (Hungary-uk); Going Going Gone (UK); Searchdog (Us); and Set The Thames On Fire (UK).
New Voices/New Visions
Twelve Us premieres from emerging international directors marking their feature film without Us distribution. The winner is selected by a jury of Us distributors comprising Gary Rubin of Cohen Media, Dan Berger of Oscilloscope and Ryan Kampe of Visit Films/Monument Releasing. The winner will receive use of a $60,000 Panavision camera package and a glass sculpture designed...
Films from 60 countries, including 54 premieres (seven world, 17 North American and 30 Us), will screen during the festival, which runs from January 1-11, 2016.
World premieres include: 50 Days In The Desert (Luxembourg) by Fabrizio Maltese; Agnes (Germany-Belgium); documentary Broadway: Beyond The Golden Age (Us) featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Channing, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford; The Carer (Hungary-uk); Going Going Gone (UK); Searchdog (Us); and Set The Thames On Fire (UK).
New Voices/New Visions
Twelve Us premieres from emerging international directors marking their feature film without Us distribution. The winner is selected by a jury of Us distributors comprising Gary Rubin of Cohen Media, Dan Berger of Oscilloscope and Ryan Kampe of Visit Films/Monument Releasing. The winner will receive use of a $60,000 Panavision camera package and a glass sculpture designed...
- 12/14/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
“I wanted to do an anti-Czech movie,” exclaimed director Slávek Horák of his Oscar foreign language submission “Home Care” at TheWrap’s Screening Series on Tuesday. Not that there’s anything cruel directed at Czechs in his debut film, a tragicomedy that celebrates the quirky slivovitz sippers of his South Moravian hometown, which he called “redneck-ish in a good way.” Speaking with moderator and TheWrap awards editor Steve Pond at Los Angeles’ Landmark Theater, the first-time Czech filmmaker sees “Home Care” as a point scored for the humane values of the 1960s Czech New Wave (Miloš Forman, Jiří Menzel, Ivan Passer...
- 11/4/2015
- by Tim Appelo
- The Wrap
Entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
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 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016.
Afghanistan: Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania: Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Austria: Goodnight Mommy, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Bangladesh: Jalal’s Story, Abu Shahed Emon
Belgium: The Brand New Testament, Jaco Van Dormael
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Our Everyday Life, Ines Tanović
Brazil: The Second Mother, Anna Muylaert
Bulgaria: The Judgement, Stephan Komandarev
Cambodia:...
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
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 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016.
Afghanistan: Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania: Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Austria: Goodnight Mommy, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Bangladesh: Jalal’s Story, Abu Shahed Emon
Belgium: The Brand New Testament, Jaco Van Dormael
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Our Everyday Life, Ines Tanović
Brazil: The Second Mother, Anna Muylaert
Bulgaria: The Judgement, Stephan Komandarev
Cambodia:...
- 9/25/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The Czech Film and Television Academy (ČFTA) has announced that "Home Care" (Domácí péce) by Slávek Horák as the country's official Oscar submission in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The film was selected from 39 features including documentaries and animated works.
Read More: Mexico Picks '600 Miles' Starring Tim Roth as Oscar Entry
"Home Care" is Horák's debut feature. The filmmaker's only other major credit is as 2nd Ad in Jan Sverák's "Kolya," which coincidentally is the country's only film to ever win the Academy Award after the split of Czechoslovakia. "Home Care" screened at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it won the Best Actress award for Alena Mihulová.
Centered on a devoted home care nurse whose existence revolves around those that rely on her, the film points out that even the strongest of people need to be cared for. This drama, which is said to have comedic undertones, beat other strong contenders such as Jan Prusinovský's "The Snake Brothers," the film that took home the Best Actor award at Karlovy Vary.
Read More: Latvia Selects Gambling Tale 'Modris' as Oscar Entry
International sales are being handled by production company Tvorba Films. U.S. rights are still available.
The last time the Czech Republic was nominated for the award was back in 2004 with Ondrej Trojan's "Zelary."...
Read More: Mexico Picks '600 Miles' Starring Tim Roth as Oscar Entry
"Home Care" is Horák's debut feature. The filmmaker's only other major credit is as 2nd Ad in Jan Sverák's "Kolya," which coincidentally is the country's only film to ever win the Academy Award after the split of Czechoslovakia. "Home Care" screened at this year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival where it won the Best Actress award for Alena Mihulová.
Centered on a devoted home care nurse whose existence revolves around those that rely on her, the film points out that even the strongest of people need to be cared for. This drama, which is said to have comedic undertones, beat other strong contenders such as Jan Prusinovský's "The Snake Brothers," the film that took home the Best Actor award at Karlovy Vary.
Read More: Latvia Selects Gambling Tale 'Modris' as Oscar Entry
International sales are being handled by production company Tvorba Films. U.S. rights are still available.
The last time the Czech Republic was nominated for the award was back in 2004 with Ondrej Trojan's "Zelary."...
- 9/18/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
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