One of the Nordic region’s biggest providers of premium series, Copenhagen-based REinvent International Sales, will make a splash at this week’s Canneseries festival and MipTV market.
For the second consecutive year, the sales, financing and packaging banner has two titles in competition: the Danish drama thriller “Dark Horse”, due to world premiere in the main competition, and the short form Swedish dramedy entry “Painkiller”, which initially bowed at the Göteborg Film Festival.
“Last year we had the Norwegian political drama “Power Play” which won best series, and the Swedish romantic dramedy “Out of Touch” in the short form section. Canneseries is a great platform to get the hype going on your series,” commented Helene Aurø, REinvent sales and marketing director.
Turning on this year’s competition candidates, Aurø points out that both “Dark Horse” and “Painkiller” deal with mother/daughter relationships.
The Danish drama thriller “Dark Horse,” ordered by TV2,...
For the second consecutive year, the sales, financing and packaging banner has two titles in competition: the Danish drama thriller “Dark Horse”, due to world premiere in the main competition, and the short form Swedish dramedy entry “Painkiller”, which initially bowed at the Göteborg Film Festival.
“Last year we had the Norwegian political drama “Power Play” which won best series, and the Swedish romantic dramedy “Out of Touch” in the short form section. Canneseries is a great platform to get the hype going on your series,” commented Helene Aurø, REinvent sales and marketing director.
Turning on this year’s competition candidates, Aurø points out that both “Dark Horse” and “Painkiller” deal with mother/daughter relationships.
The Danish drama thriller “Dark Horse,” ordered by TV2,...
- 4/6/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Chosen by Variety as one of 10 Euro Directors to Watch at 2013’s Karlovy Vary’ with her debut “Eat Sleep Die,” a Venice Critics Week winner, Sweden’s Gabriela Pichler confirmed her unique voice with her sophomore pic “Amateurs”, voted best Nordic film at the 2018 Göteborg Film Festival. At this year’s 47th festival, she makes her comeback with “Painkiller,” her first foray into long-form scripted format, co-written with her life partner Johan Lundborg, who also serves as Dp and editor.
The six-part series is a feisty socially-anchored comedy, which delves into complex mother-daughter dynamics and gentrification in Göteborg, driving class divides.
As explained by the writing duo, the starting point for the story was Pichler’s personal experience of juggling between her work as a celebrated rising Swedish filmmaker, and the reality of her own mother’s struggle with chronic pain.
In “Painkiller,” the adult daughter Andrea is a celebrated avant-garde artist,...
The six-part series is a feisty socially-anchored comedy, which delves into complex mother-daughter dynamics and gentrification in Göteborg, driving class divides.
As explained by the writing duo, the starting point for the story was Pichler’s personal experience of juggling between her work as a celebrated rising Swedish filmmaker, and the reality of her own mother’s struggle with chronic pain.
In “Painkiller,” the adult daughter Andrea is a celebrated avant-garde artist,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Big-budget disaster series “Estonia,” Canneseries winner “Power Play” and “Painkiller,” the TV drama debut of Göteborg victor Gabriela Pilcher (“Amateur”) feature among the five contenders for next year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize which serves to underscore the robust breadth of current Nordic scripted series.
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.
Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”
The Nordic drama series...
- 12/15/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Göteborg Film Festival, running from Jan. 27-Feb. 5, will welcome back some familiar faces during its 46th edition. But it keeps on looking out for skillful newcomers, says Josef Kullengård, head of industry at the festival and the Nordic Film Market. “We want to be the place where you discover new Nordic talent,” he tells Variety.
“It’s a strong year for projects in development, while the workin-progress section combines established directors such as Erik Poppe [presenting ‘Quisling’] with first-timers or people like Ulaa Salim, following ‘Sons of Denmark’ with ‘Eternal.’ It definitely mirrors what the current Nordic film landscape looks like.”
Oscar-winning actor Alicia Vikander will also introduce a new wave of directors, unveiling films produced by the students of educational film program Alicia Vikander Film Lab 2022.
“When she was appointed honorary fellow by the Sten A. Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture, her response was: ‘Let’s do something with this money,...
“It’s a strong year for projects in development, while the workin-progress section combines established directors such as Erik Poppe [presenting ‘Quisling’] with first-timers or people like Ulaa Salim, following ‘Sons of Denmark’ with ‘Eternal.’ It definitely mirrors what the current Nordic film landscape looks like.”
Oscar-winning actor Alicia Vikander will also introduce a new wave of directors, unveiling films produced by the students of educational film program Alicia Vikander Film Lab 2022.
“When she was appointed honorary fellow by the Sten A. Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture, her response was: ‘Let’s do something with this money,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
LevelK has acquired international sales rights to Lisa Aschan’s new film “Call Mom!”, a sequel to her well-received feature debut, “She Monkeys.”
Produced by Anna-Maria Kantarius (“Amateurs”) at Garagefilm Intl., “Call Mom!” follows Niki, a 35-year-old who lives like she’s 25 and is forced to come to grips with all of her relationships and past choices in life.
Aschan said “Call Mom!” could be thought of as a “standalone sequel” to “She Monkeys” (pictured), a coming-of-age film which won the best film award at Tribeca, received an Honorable Mention at Berlin and took home the Guldbagge award for best film.
“The choice of genre was obvious to me: A movie about familial relationships has to be a comedy. I’m drawn to humor because I think it’s very much connected to pain,” Aschan said. “I’m drawn to people who use humor as a survival mechanism.”
Aschan said...
Produced by Anna-Maria Kantarius (“Amateurs”) at Garagefilm Intl., “Call Mom!” follows Niki, a 35-year-old who lives like she’s 25 and is forced to come to grips with all of her relationships and past choices in life.
Aschan said “Call Mom!” could be thought of as a “standalone sequel” to “She Monkeys” (pictured), a coming-of-age film which won the best film award at Tribeca, received an Honorable Mention at Berlin and took home the Guldbagge award for best film.
“The choice of genre was obvious to me: A movie about familial relationships has to be a comedy. I’m drawn to humor because I think it’s very much connected to pain,” Aschan said. “I’m drawn to people who use humor as a survival mechanism.”
Aschan said...
- 11/18/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Euro exhibition group Europa Cinemas, sales agent network Europa International and U.S. indie theater circuit Art House Convergence have set the films and speakers for the second Tales of Europe Exhibitor Exchange Program.
The program aims to strengthen the relationship between North American and European exhibitors and give European films without U.S. distribution a chance to shine.
The first seminar of this year’s event, the Audience Development & Innovation Lab at Cinetecca di Bologna, will take place during the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, June 22-26, 2019. It’s the first time U.S. exhibitors will be in Europe as part of the program.
Attending U.S. exhibitors will be Dylan Skolnick, Lawren Desai, Landee Bryant, Rochelle Walters and Barak Epstein.
The program funds the trip as well as the travel and accommodation for U.S. exhibitors attending the bi-annual Network Conference, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, November 21-24, 2019 and the Audience Development & Innovation Lab in Sofia, Bulgaria in March 2020.
The program selected 12 European films without U.S. distribution as part of this year’s showcase with many based on the themes of immigration and identity. The films debuted over the last year at international festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Sundance and Toronto.
2019 Movie Program:
A Polar Year, dir. Samuel Collardey, Greenland
Amateurs, dir. Gabriela Pichler, Sweden
Cops, dir. Stefan A Lukacs, Austria
I Still Hide to Smoke, dir. Rayhana, Algeria
Killing God, dir. Albert Pintó, Caye Casas, Spain
L’Animale, dir. Katharina Mückstein, Austria
Mug, dir. Malgorzata Szumowska, Poland
Murer: Anatomy of a Trial, dir. Christian Frosch, Austria
Pororoca, dir. Constantin Popescu, Romania
Taranta on the Road, dir. Salvatore Allocca, Italy
The Final Adventure of Kaktus Kid, dir. Djordje Markovic, Serbia
The Venerable W, dir. Barbet Schroeder, Myanmar...
The program aims to strengthen the relationship between North American and European exhibitors and give European films without U.S. distribution a chance to shine.
The first seminar of this year’s event, the Audience Development & Innovation Lab at Cinetecca di Bologna, will take place during the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival in Bologna, June 22-26, 2019. It’s the first time U.S. exhibitors will be in Europe as part of the program.
Attending U.S. exhibitors will be Dylan Skolnick, Lawren Desai, Landee Bryant, Rochelle Walters and Barak Epstein.
The program funds the trip as well as the travel and accommodation for U.S. exhibitors attending the bi-annual Network Conference, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, November 21-24, 2019 and the Audience Development & Innovation Lab in Sofia, Bulgaria in March 2020.
The program selected 12 European films without U.S. distribution as part of this year’s showcase with many based on the themes of immigration and identity. The films debuted over the last year at international festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Sundance and Toronto.
2019 Movie Program:
A Polar Year, dir. Samuel Collardey, Greenland
Amateurs, dir. Gabriela Pichler, Sweden
Cops, dir. Stefan A Lukacs, Austria
I Still Hide to Smoke, dir. Rayhana, Algeria
Killing God, dir. Albert Pintó, Caye Casas, Spain
L’Animale, dir. Katharina Mückstein, Austria
Mug, dir. Malgorzata Szumowska, Poland
Murer: Anatomy of a Trial, dir. Christian Frosch, Austria
Pororoca, dir. Constantin Popescu, Romania
Taranta on the Road, dir. Salvatore Allocca, Italy
The Final Adventure of Kaktus Kid, dir. Djordje Markovic, Serbia
The Venerable W, dir. Barbet Schroeder, Myanmar...
- 6/19/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Other winners include Transnistra, Lucky One, Season
May el-Toukhy’s Danish drama Queen Of Hearts has won Goteborg’s Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film.
The cash award of $110,000 (1m Sek) makes it the world’s most lucrative film prize. The prize is financed by Presenting partner Volvo Car Group alongsie Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.
The jury included directors Adina Pintilie, Jyoti Mistry and Dominga Sotomayor, author Hanne-Vibeke Holst and Nick James, editor of Sight & Sound.
They said Queen Of Hearts “is a many-layered film that challenges our preconceptions about the moral ad sexual forces...
May el-Toukhy’s Danish drama Queen Of Hearts has won Goteborg’s Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film.
The cash award of $110,000 (1m Sek) makes it the world’s most lucrative film prize. The prize is financed by Presenting partner Volvo Car Group alongsie Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.
The jury included directors Adina Pintilie, Jyoti Mistry and Dominga Sotomayor, author Hanne-Vibeke Holst and Nick James, editor of Sight & Sound.
They said Queen Of Hearts “is a many-layered film that challenges our preconceptions about the moral ad sexual forces...
- 2/3/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Kicking off with Mila Tervo’s light-hearted romantic comedy “Aurora,” the opening ceremony of the Goteborg Film Festival nevertheless boasted a political edge, underscoring Sweden’s reputation as being one of Europe’s most progressive countries.
The festival’s artistic director, Jonas Holmberg, spoke about this year’s focus on environment-themed films and documentaries with the section Apocalypse.
“The world may go under. Everything we love may be destroyed. Our cities, our bridges, our languages, our gestures, our music, our films (…) if we don’t do something very soon,” said Holmberg on the stage of the Draken auditorium which was jam-packed with Scandinavia’s creme de la creme.
The artistic director said the Apocalypse focus aimed at drawing people’s attention on the ongoing climate crisis. “Films have the unique power to “open up new horizons and perspectives … spark the imagination of people, inspire feelings and ideas at the same time,...
The festival’s artistic director, Jonas Holmberg, spoke about this year’s focus on environment-themed films and documentaries with the section Apocalypse.
“The world may go under. Everything we love may be destroyed. Our cities, our bridges, our languages, our gestures, our music, our films (…) if we don’t do something very soon,” said Holmberg on the stage of the Draken auditorium which was jam-packed with Scandinavia’s creme de la creme.
The artistic director said the Apocalypse focus aimed at drawing people’s attention on the ongoing climate crisis. “Films have the unique power to “open up new horizons and perspectives … spark the imagination of people, inspire feelings and ideas at the same time,...
- 1/25/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
AFI Fest isn’t thought of as an acquisition festival, as most of its offerings are either world premieres about to enter awards season or high-profile selections from Cannes and Venice. Explore the program a bit, however, and you’ll discover any number of under-the-radar titles that have yet to find a home. That’s unsurprising, given how crowded the fall festival season has been, but dealmakers should seek out these worthy titles before it’s too late.
“Amateurs”
Gabriela Pichler’s debut as writer-director, the youth-in-revolt dramedy “Eat Sleep Die,” never got a theatrical release. That was a shame, and it’d be just as much of a disappointment if her follow-up met the same fate. Working from an appropriately zany premise — a small Swedish town attempts to woo a German superstore company into opening a new location via a promotional video — Pichler delivers clever scenarios and a surprising...
“Amateurs”
Gabriela Pichler’s debut as writer-director, the youth-in-revolt dramedy “Eat Sleep Die,” never got a theatrical release. That was a shame, and it’d be just as much of a disappointment if her follow-up met the same fate. Working from an appropriately zany premise — a small Swedish town attempts to woo a German superstore company into opening a new location via a promotional video — Pichler delivers clever scenarios and a surprising...
- 11/19/2018
- by Michael Nordine, Eric Kohn and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
In June, a mere five months before the American Film Institute’s 32nd annual film festival, Michael Lumpkin took over the reins from fest director Jacqueline Lyanga, who exited after eight years at the helm.
Despite the short turnaround time, Lumpkin, already head of the AFI Docs festival in Washington, D.C., was determined to make this year’s Los Angeles-based fest a diverse mix of cinema with a focus on new auteurs, international filmmakers, the best work from 2018’s earlier festivals and, of course, potential Oscar players. He didn’t disappoint.
From 4,000-plus submissions, the fest will screen 83 features, four episodic shows and 47 shorts for a grand total of 134 titles from 45 countries. Selected films are dispersed into eight categories that include galas, world cinema and cinema legacy.
The festival — which kicks off Nov. 8 at Tcl Chinese Theatre — boasts five world premieres: Susanne Bier’s “Bird Box,” Mimi Leder’s...
Despite the short turnaround time, Lumpkin, already head of the AFI Docs festival in Washington, D.C., was determined to make this year’s Los Angeles-based fest a diverse mix of cinema with a focus on new auteurs, international filmmakers, the best work from 2018’s earlier festivals and, of course, potential Oscar players. He didn’t disappoint.
From 4,000-plus submissions, the fest will screen 83 features, four episodic shows and 47 shorts for a grand total of 134 titles from 45 countries. Selected films are dispersed into eight categories that include galas, world cinema and cinema legacy.
The festival — which kicks off Nov. 8 at Tcl Chinese Theatre — boasts five world premieres: Susanne Bier’s “Bird Box,” Mimi Leder’s...
- 11/8/2018
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Now that the Los Angeles Film Festival is no more, AFI Fest is more important than ever. It was the premier event of its kind even before its crosstown rival announced its permanent closure late last month, but now that it’s the only game in town, it’s unmissable. This year’s edition of the last major festival of the calendar year comes with a handful world premieres — “On the Basis of Sex,” “Mary Queen of Scots,” and “Bird Box” — and a robust slate of offerings from the likes of Berlin, Cannes, and Venice.
AFI Fest’s strength has always been the way it eschews world premieres in favor of high-quality films that premiered elsewhere on the festival circuit; Jacqueline Lyanga, whose eight-year tenure as Festival Director came to an end this summer, likened it to an “almanac of the year in cinema.” With that in mind, seek out...
AFI Fest’s strength has always been the way it eschews world premieres in favor of high-quality films that premiered elsewhere on the festival circuit; Jacqueline Lyanga, whose eight-year tenure as Festival Director came to an end this summer, likened it to an “almanac of the year in cinema.” With that in mind, seek out...
- 11/8/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The last festival on the fall calendar, AFI Fest, always offers a few late-breaking possible Oscar contenders — including opener “On the Basis of Sex” and closer “Mary, Queen of Scots” — as well as a strong World Cinema line-up packed with foreign-language Oscar submissions.
This year is no exception: Seven possible Best Foreign Language Film Oscar contenders are in the lineup of 28 titles from 27 countries, including Cannes prize-winners “Capernaum”, “Shoplifters” (Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, Magnolia), and “Dogman” (Italy’s Matteo Garrone, Magnolia), along with Cannes entry “The Wild Pear Tree”, Karlovy Vary Festival winner “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History as Barbarians” (Romania’s Radu Jude), and two Tiff titles from Spc, “Never Look Away” (Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) and “Sunset” (Hungary’s “Son of Saul” Oscar-winner László Nemes).
Also in the lineup are several strong festival titles not submitted by their countries for the Oscars,...
This year is no exception: Seven possible Best Foreign Language Film Oscar contenders are in the lineup of 28 titles from 27 countries, including Cannes prize-winners “Capernaum”, “Shoplifters” (Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, Magnolia), and “Dogman” (Italy’s Matteo Garrone, Magnolia), along with Cannes entry “The Wild Pear Tree”, Karlovy Vary Festival winner “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History as Barbarians” (Romania’s Radu Jude), and two Tiff titles from Spc, “Never Look Away” (Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) and “Sunset” (Hungary’s “Son of Saul” Oscar-winner László Nemes).
Also in the lineup are several strong festival titles not submitted by their countries for the Oscars,...
- 10/16/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The last festival on the fall calendar, AFI Fest, always offers a few late-breaking possible Oscar contenders — including opener “On the Basis of Sex” and closer “Mary, Queen of Scots” — as well as a strong World Cinema line-up packed with foreign-language Oscar submissions.
This year is no exception: Seven possible Best Foreign Language Film Oscar contenders are in the lineup of 28 titles from 27 countries, including Cannes prize-winners “Capernaum”, “Shoplifters” (Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, Magnolia), and “Dogman” (Italy’s Matteo Garrone, Magnolia), along with Cannes entry “The Wild Pear Tree”, Karlovy Vary Festival winner “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History as Barbarians” (Romania’s Radu Jude), and two Tiff titles from Spc, “Never Look Away” (Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) and “Sunset” (Hungary’s “Son of Saul” Oscar-winner László Nemes).
Also in the lineup are several strong festival titles not submitted by their countries for the Oscars,...
This year is no exception: Seven possible Best Foreign Language Film Oscar contenders are in the lineup of 28 titles from 27 countries, including Cannes prize-winners “Capernaum”, “Shoplifters” (Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda, Magnolia), and “Dogman” (Italy’s Matteo Garrone, Magnolia), along with Cannes entry “The Wild Pear Tree”, Karlovy Vary Festival winner “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History as Barbarians” (Romania’s Radu Jude), and two Tiff titles from Spc, “Never Look Away” (Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) and “Sunset” (Hungary’s “Son of Saul” Oscar-winner László Nemes).
Also in the lineup are several strong festival titles not submitted by their countries for the Oscars,...
- 10/16/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
AFI Fest’s World Cinema section unveiled Tuesday includes seven films that have been officially submitted for the Foreign Language Film Oscar, from Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum and Matteo Garrone’s Dogman to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Never Look Away and the Cannes Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters by Hirokazu Kore-eda. Directors in the slate include Jafar Panahi, Jia Zhang-ke, Hong Sang-soo, Olivier Assayas, Carlos Reygadas, László Nemes and Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
The lineup includes 28 titles from 27 countries. The fest runs November 8-15 and opens with the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex and closes with Josie Rourke’s Mary Queen of Scots. In the mix too are a host of gala presentations featuring Bird Box, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Widows, Green Book and Destroyer. The latter pic will be screened as part of a tribute to its star Nicole Kidman.
Here’s the full World...
The lineup includes 28 titles from 27 countries. The fest runs November 8-15 and opens with the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex and closes with Josie Rourke’s Mary Queen of Scots. In the mix too are a host of gala presentations featuring Bird Box, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Widows, Green Book and Destroyer. The latter pic will be screened as part of a tribute to its star Nicole Kidman.
Here’s the full World...
- 10/16/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The programme will screen 17 titles from around the world.
Sarajevo Film Festival (August 10-18) has revealed the 17 titles that will play in its Kinoscope programme, with China, Brazil and the Us all represented.
The Kinoscope section is open to films from around the world, excluding the Southeastern European territories which comprise the festival’s competition strand.
On the list is a special screening of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May this year. Screen’s review described it as ‘a masterful ensemble piece about a ‘family’ living on its wits’.
Also appearing after...
Sarajevo Film Festival (August 10-18) has revealed the 17 titles that will play in its Kinoscope programme, with China, Brazil and the Us all represented.
The Kinoscope section is open to films from around the world, excluding the Southeastern European territories which comprise the festival’s competition strand.
On the list is a special screening of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Shoplifters, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May this year. Screen’s review described it as ‘a masterful ensemble piece about a ‘family’ living on its wits’.
Also appearing after...
- 7/25/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Traverse City Film Festival is celebrating its 14th year in 2018 by bringing together some of the year’s best indies and documentaries, plus classics from Jonathan Demme, Hal Ashby, and more. The Michigan-set festival, backed by Michael Moore, is being run in 2018 by directors Susan Fisher and Meg Weichman, who have worked on the festival for nearly a decade and have been at the helm since December.
Tickets for this year’s edition will go on sale to the public on Saturday, July 21 (click here for the official festival website). Friends of the Film Festival will be able to get early access to tickets with advance sales starting Sunday, July 15.
The full lineup for the 2018 Traverse City Film Festival is below.
Opening Night: “Rbg”
Centerpiece: “Hearts Beat Loud”
Closing Night: “Burden”
Open Space
“Stop Making Sense,” Jonathan Demme
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” Jake Kasdan
“Coco,” Lee Unkrich
“Black Panther,...
Tickets for this year’s edition will go on sale to the public on Saturday, July 21 (click here for the official festival website). Friends of the Film Festival will be able to get early access to tickets with advance sales starting Sunday, July 15.
The full lineup for the 2018 Traverse City Film Festival is below.
Opening Night: “Rbg”
Centerpiece: “Hearts Beat Loud”
Closing Night: “Burden”
Open Space
“Stop Making Sense,” Jonathan Demme
“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” Jake Kasdan
“Coco,” Lee Unkrich
“Black Panther,...
- 6/29/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Jennifer Fox’s Sundance hit The Tale stars Laura Dern and Elizabeth Debicki.
The second edition of Oslo Pix closed on June 10 with Jennifer Fox’s Sundance hit The Tale taking the Grand Pix International Award as well as winning the audience award. The film stars Laura Dern, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabelle Nélisse and Jason Ritter in the story of Fox’s own childhood sexual abuse.
The jury said of The Tale: “It’s a shocking and boldly told story about processing repressed trauma and the hesitation with identifying oneself as a victim…The style of storytelling is spirited and unique,...
The second edition of Oslo Pix closed on June 10 with Jennifer Fox’s Sundance hit The Tale taking the Grand Pix International Award as well as winning the audience award. The film stars Laura Dern, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabelle Nélisse and Jason Ritter in the story of Fox’s own childhood sexual abuse.
The jury said of The Tale: “It’s a shocking and boldly told story about processing repressed trauma and the hesitation with identifying oneself as a victim…The style of storytelling is spirited and unique,...
- 6/11/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The 44th Seattle International Film Festival announced its winners at the festival’s concluding ceremony Sunday, with Bo Burnham’s “Eighth Grade” taking home prizes for best film and best actress for star Elsie Fisher. Mister Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” which has drawn attention since the release of its nostalgic trailer, won the best documentary prize for director Morgan Neville.
See the full list of winners below.
Best Film
“Eighth Grade,” directed by Bo Burnham (USA 2018)
Best Documentary
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” directed by Morgan Neville (USA 2018)
Best Director
Gustav Möller, “The Guilty” (Denmark 2018)
Best Actor
Miguel Ángel Solá, “The Last Suit” (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017)
Best Actress
Elsie Fisher, “Eighth Grade” (USA 2018)
Best Short Film
“Emergency,” directed by Carey Williams (USA 2017)
Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision
Presented by Women in Film – Seattle
Dana Nachman, “Pick of the Litter” (USA 2017)
Siff...
See the full list of winners below.
Best Film
“Eighth Grade,” directed by Bo Burnham (USA 2018)
Best Documentary
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” directed by Morgan Neville (USA 2018)
Best Director
Gustav Möller, “The Guilty” (Denmark 2018)
Best Actor
Miguel Ángel Solá, “The Last Suit” (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017)
Best Actress
Elsie Fisher, “Eighth Grade” (USA 2018)
Best Short Film
“Emergency,” directed by Carey Williams (USA 2017)
Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision
Presented by Women in Film – Seattle
Dana Nachman, “Pick of the Litter” (USA 2017)
Siff...
- 6/10/2018
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Peppered with items that recently dropped at Rotterdam and Berlin, with a handful of world premieres to bout, the International Narrative Comp features Gabriela Pichler‘s sophomore comedy Amateurs, Tales from the Golden Age‘s Ioana Uricaru feature debut (which filmed in Montreal last summer) in Lemonade, and irreverent to the docu-form The Ambassador‘s Mads Brugger makes his fiction debut with The Saint Bernard Syndicate.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 3/7/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Other Nordic works-in-progress presentations include Anne Sewitsky’s Sonja Henie biopic and Anna Magnusson’s new Bergman documentary.
Source: TriArt
‘Untitled Anna Odell project’
Provocative Swedish artist and filmmaker Anna Odell (The Reunion) unveiled footage from her forthcoming as-yet-untitled feature as part of the works in progress presentations at Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market.
The idea for the project has been mostly under wraps, except that it was to star the director with Mikael Persbrandt. Frida Bargo and Matthias Nohrborg of Sweden’s B-Reel produce and New Europe has come on board to handle international sales. The feature is editing now could be ready for summer/autumn. TriArt will release in Sweden.
Read more: Gabriela Pichler’s ‘Amateurs’ wins Goteborg’s Dragon Award
“I worked with a mix of reality and fiction and what people believe about Mikael Persbrandt, who is Sweden’s most famous male actor, and what people think about me as an artist known for doing...
Source: TriArt
‘Untitled Anna Odell project’
Provocative Swedish artist and filmmaker Anna Odell (The Reunion) unveiled footage from her forthcoming as-yet-untitled feature as part of the works in progress presentations at Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market.
The idea for the project has been mostly under wraps, except that it was to star the director with Mikael Persbrandt. Frida Bargo and Matthias Nohrborg of Sweden’s B-Reel produce and New Europe has come on board to handle international sales. The feature is editing now could be ready for summer/autumn. TriArt will release in Sweden.
Read more: Gabriela Pichler’s ‘Amateurs’ wins Goteborg’s Dragon Award
“I worked with a mix of reality and fiction and what people believe about Mikael Persbrandt, who is Sweden’s most famous male actor, and what people think about me as an artist known for doing...
- 2/5/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Amateurs, the second feature film from Swedish director Gabriela Pichler (Eat Sleep Die), has won the Dragon Award for best Nordic film at this year's Goteborg Film Festival.
The prize comes with a cash bursary of 1 million Swedish krona, around $125,000, making the Dragon Award one of the world's most lucrative film honors.
Amateurs is the story of a small Swedish community that, in an effort to attract a big German discount supermarket to bring in jobs, asks local youths to produce films praising their community. But the films do not turn out as planned. The Goteborg jury praised...
The prize comes with a cash bursary of 1 million Swedish krona, around $125,000, making the Dragon Award one of the world's most lucrative film honors.
Amateurs is the story of a small Swedish community that, in an effort to attract a big German discount supermarket to bring in jobs, asks local youths to produce films praising their community. But the films do not turn out as planned. The Goteborg jury praised...
- 2/5/2018
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Other winners at the Swedish festival include The Distant Barking of Dogs, Menina, Men Don’t Cry.
Source: Camilla Lindberg, courtesy of Goteborg Film Festival
Gabriela Pichler’s ‘Amateurs’ wins Goteborg award
Gabriela Pichler’s Amateurs won the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film in Goteborg on Saturday night. The prize, one of the festival world’s most lucrative at $126,000 (1m Sek), is financed by Volvo Car Group, Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.
Amateurs, which had its world premiere as the opening film of Goteborg and has also screened in Rotterdam, was praised by the jury for “its vibrant, nuanced and intelligent portrait of a small town in contemporary Sweden, which embraces different generations, backgrounds and mediums.”
The story is about the small town of Lafors, which wants to improve its fortunes by luring in a German discount supermarket. Local politicians ask teenagers to make short films to promote their hometown, with unexpected results...
Source: Camilla Lindberg, courtesy of Goteborg Film Festival
Gabriela Pichler’s ‘Amateurs’ wins Goteborg award
Gabriela Pichler’s Amateurs won the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film in Goteborg on Saturday night. The prize, one of the festival world’s most lucrative at $126,000 (1m Sek), is financed by Volvo Car Group, Region Västra Götaland and the City Council of Gothenburg.
Amateurs, which had its world premiere as the opening film of Goteborg and has also screened in Rotterdam, was praised by the jury for “its vibrant, nuanced and intelligent portrait of a small town in contemporary Sweden, which embraces different generations, backgrounds and mediums.”
The story is about the small town of Lafors, which wants to improve its fortunes by luring in a German discount supermarket. Local politicians ask teenagers to make short films to promote their hometown, with unexpected results...
- 2/5/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
A trio of lively lead performances can't quite compensate for more fundamental shortcomings in Gabriela Pichler's blandly titled Amateurs (Amatorer), the Swedish writer-director's slightly belated follow-up to her widely screened debut Eat Sleep Die (2012). A good-natured satire on small-town provincialism set in the country's rural west, it opened the Gothenburg Film Festival and went on to win the lucrative prize for best Nordic film, worth a cool $126,000. In between, it bowed internationally at Rotterdam, where reactions were generally more measured. Further festival play is likely, but theatrical exposure looks to be decidedly limited beyond Scandinavian territories.
...
...
- 2/4/2018
- by Neil Young
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bero Beyer speech kicks off 47th edition.
Source: Iffr
Iffr director Bero Beyer
The International Film Festival Rotterdam kicked off its 47th edition last night (Jan 24) with an impassioned speech from festival director Bero Beyer.
Beyer addressed what he described as the “pattern of widespread abuse and often quite criminal sexual misconduct, committed almost exclusively by white middle-aged heterosexual men of power or status in the film industry.”
“It’s hard to say what’s more disturbing: The fact that anyone ever considered this behaviour to be acceptable, that so many were willing to look the other way and pretend it wasn’t going on,” Bero commented of the recent spate of industry scandals.
“It matters who tells the story and it matters who we see on our many screens. Too often history is written by the so-called winners, but mostly by bullies and mostly by men. So, if Iffr is part of the film industry: Who should...
Source: Iffr
Iffr director Bero Beyer
The International Film Festival Rotterdam kicked off its 47th edition last night (Jan 24) with an impassioned speech from festival director Bero Beyer.
Beyer addressed what he described as the “pattern of widespread abuse and often quite criminal sexual misconduct, committed almost exclusively by white middle-aged heterosexual men of power or status in the film industry.”
“It’s hard to say what’s more disturbing: The fact that anyone ever considered this behaviour to be acceptable, that so many were willing to look the other way and pretend it wasn’t going on,” Bero commented of the recent spate of industry scandals.
“It matters who tells the story and it matters who we see on our many screens. Too often history is written by the so-called winners, but mostly by bullies and mostly by men. So, if Iffr is part of the film industry: Who should...
- 1/25/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
InsectThe upcoming 47th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (January 24 – February 4) is going to be the third with Dutch independent producer Bero Beyer as festival director. “To be honest, it is exhilarating,” said Beyer to the Notebookwhen asked how it feels to lead the festival for the third time. He began his tenure with an enthusiasm that he still harbors and he is determined to usher Iffr into a new era. Beyer had a clear vision he wanted to pursue and steer the industry and programming to. “There were three main goals,” Beyer said regarding his vision, “one was to be more coherent in our professional approach. To really be a partner to a film project than to be just a short-term platform.” The festival integrates funding, development, production and distribution into more a tightknit operation, revising the film market CineMart and moving it with the Hubert Bals Fund “under one roof,...
- 1/24/2018
- MUBI
Selections include Venice titles Pin Cushion and Nico,1988.
The 2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan 24 - Feb 4) has picked six titles for its innovative Iffr Live programme.
Source: Iffr
Pin Cushion
The selected titles will be simulcast to cinemas in more than 40 countries at the same time as their festival screenings in Rotterdam, with special guests in attendance for live Q&As.
For the first time this year, Iffr Live will reach the continent of Africa, with a screening planned at a venue in Zimbabwe capital Harare.
The screenings will take place across three evenings, from Friday 26 January to Sunday 28 January.
All six of the participating films this year are directed by women.
The selection includes UK director Deborah Haywood’s Pin Cushion, which opened Venice Film Festival’s Critic’s Week strand last year; Susanna Nicchiarelli’s Nico, 1988, starring Danish actor Trine Dyrholm as the titular German singer, which opened Venice Horizons section last year; and [link=nm...
The 2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan 24 - Feb 4) has picked six titles for its innovative Iffr Live programme.
Source: Iffr
Pin Cushion
The selected titles will be simulcast to cinemas in more than 40 countries at the same time as their festival screenings in Rotterdam, with special guests in attendance for live Q&As.
For the first time this year, Iffr Live will reach the continent of Africa, with a screening planned at a venue in Zimbabwe capital Harare.
The screenings will take place across three evenings, from Friday 26 January to Sunday 28 January.
All six of the participating films this year are directed by women.
The selection includes UK director Deborah Haywood’s Pin Cushion, which opened Venice Film Festival’s Critic’s Week strand last year; Susanna Nicchiarelli’s Nico, 1988, starring Danish actor Trine Dyrholm as the titular German singer, which opened Venice Horizons section last year; and [link=nm...
- 1/16/2018
- by Jasper Hart
- ScreenDaily
Film will open Goteborg and also screen in Rotterdam.
Denmark-based LevelK has boarded sales on Gabriela Pichler’s Amateurs ahead of its world premiere as opening night at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Source: LevelK
Amateurs
In Goteborg, the film is in the festival’s Nordic Competition, and it will also screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as one of the Iffr Live selections.
LevelK will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market, where it will host a closed screening for buyers.
Pichler previously directed 2012 festival hit Eat Sleep Die.
Amateurs is set in the Swedish provincial town of Lafors, where the economy is on the decline. When the local council tries to attract a big German supermarket to give the town a fresh start, young people are asked to make promotional videos about Lafors, with unexpected results.
Pichler explains, ”If just one video clip would define your whole town, which clip would it...
Denmark-based LevelK has boarded sales on Gabriela Pichler’s Amateurs ahead of its world premiere as opening night at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Source: LevelK
Amateurs
In Goteborg, the film is in the festival’s Nordic Competition, and it will also screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as one of the Iffr Live selections.
LevelK will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market, where it will host a closed screening for buyers.
Pichler previously directed 2012 festival hit Eat Sleep Die.
Amateurs is set in the Swedish provincial town of Lafors, where the economy is on the decline. When the local council tries to attract a big German supermarket to give the town a fresh start, young people are asked to make promotional videos about Lafors, with unexpected results.
Pichler explains, ”If just one video clip would define your whole town, which clip would it...
- 1/15/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Film will open Goteborg and also screen in Rotterdam.
Denmark-based LevelK has boarded sales on Gabriela Pichler’s The Amateurs ahead of its world premiere as opening night at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Source: LevelK
The Amateurs
In Goteborg, the film is in the festival’s Nordic Competition, and it will also screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as one of the Iffr Live selections.
LevelK will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market, where it will host a closed screening for buyers.
Pichler previously directed 2012 festival hit Eat Sleep Die.
The Amateurs is set in the Swedish provincial town of Lafors, where the economy is on the decline. When the local council tries to attract a big German supermarket to give the town a fresh start, young people are asked to make promotional videos about Lafors, with unexpected results.
Pichler explains, ”If just one video clip would define your whole town, which...
Denmark-based LevelK has boarded sales on Gabriela Pichler’s The Amateurs ahead of its world premiere as opening night at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Source: LevelK
The Amateurs
In Goteborg, the film is in the festival’s Nordic Competition, and it will also screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam as one of the Iffr Live selections.
LevelK will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market, where it will host a closed screening for buyers.
Pichler previously directed 2012 festival hit Eat Sleep Die.
The Amateurs is set in the Swedish provincial town of Lafors, where the economy is on the decline. When the local council tries to attract a big German supermarket to give the town a fresh start, young people are asked to make promotional videos about Lafors, with unexpected results.
Pichler explains, ”If just one video clip would define your whole town, which...
- 1/15/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Festival launches international competition to be judged by audiences.
The Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 26-Feb 5) has unveiled its 2018 of 399 films from 78 countries.
Source: Goteborg Film Festival
Amateurs
Gabriela Pilcher’s Amateurs will open the festival and also compete for the lucrative Dragon Award for best Nordic film (full list of competition titles below).
Pilcher, who previously directed festival hit Eat Sleep Die, presents the world premiere of her second feature, which is about a small town in Sweden that hopes to revive its economic activity by bringing in a German discount supermarket. The supermarket brand asks local teenagers to make films about their hometown, but the films don’t turn out as expected.
The festival’s new prize, the Dragon Award for best international film, will be fought over by 20 international films that will be voted on by the festival audience for a $6,000 (Sek 50,000) prize.
Films competing are: Disobedience by Sebastián Lelio The Death of Stalin by [link=nm...
The Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 26-Feb 5) has unveiled its 2018 of 399 films from 78 countries.
Source: Goteborg Film Festival
Amateurs
Gabriela Pilcher’s Amateurs will open the festival and also compete for the lucrative Dragon Award for best Nordic film (full list of competition titles below).
Pilcher, who previously directed festival hit Eat Sleep Die, presents the world premiere of her second feature, which is about a small town in Sweden that hopes to revive its economic activity by bringing in a German discount supermarket. The supermarket brand asks local teenagers to make films about their hometown, but the films don’t turn out as expected.
The festival’s new prize, the Dragon Award for best international film, will be fought over by 20 international films that will be voted on by the festival audience for a $6,000 (Sek 50,000) prize.
Films competing are: Disobedience by Sebastián Lelio The Death of Stalin by [link=nm...
- 1/9/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
It’s become a great breaking in the new year traditional here at Ioncinema.com. We begin our countdown to the our most anticipated foreign films (anything outside the U.S.) with our own Nicholas Bell curating the best bets for 2016. Here are the titles and filmmakers that didn’t make our final Top 100 cut, but are nonetheless “radar” worthy.
101. El Rey del Once – Daniel Burman
102. The Dancer – Stephanie Di Giusto
103. Le Cancre – Paul Vecchiali
104. While the Women are Sleeping – Wayne Wang
105. Tomorrow – Martha Pinson
106. Spring Again – Gael Morel
107. Crowhurst – Simon Rumley
108. Le Garcon – Philippe Lioret *
109. Marie and the Misfits – Sebastien Betbeder
110. Le Caravage – Alain Chevalier
111. Night Song – Raphael Nadjari
112. Réparer les vivants – Katell Quillevere *
113. Project Lazarus – Mateo Gil
114. Afterimages – Andrzej Wajda
115. Don’t Knock Twice – Caradog James
116. Detour – Christopher Smith
117. The Bride of Rip Van Winkle – Shunji Iwai
118. Three on the Road – Johnnie To
119. Le Vin et le Vent...
101. El Rey del Once – Daniel Burman
102. The Dancer – Stephanie Di Giusto
103. Le Cancre – Paul Vecchiali
104. While the Women are Sleeping – Wayne Wang
105. Tomorrow – Martha Pinson
106. Spring Again – Gael Morel
107. Crowhurst – Simon Rumley
108. Le Garcon – Philippe Lioret *
109. Marie and the Misfits – Sebastien Betbeder
110. Le Caravage – Alain Chevalier
111. Night Song – Raphael Nadjari
112. Réparer les vivants – Katell Quillevere *
113. Project Lazarus – Mateo Gil
114. Afterimages – Andrzej Wajda
115. Don’t Knock Twice – Caradog James
116. Detour – Christopher Smith
117. The Bride of Rip Van Winkle – Shunji Iwai
118. Three on the Road – Johnnie To
119. Le Vin et le Vent...
- 1/4/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
David Bordwell's next book, The Rhapsodes: How 1940s Critics Changed American Film Culture, will be out in April 2016. Also in today's roundup: Richard Brody on filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith who learned the trade in video stores, a new biography of Peter O’Toole, Guillermo del Toro's book recommendations, Jonathan Rosenbaum on Nicholas Ray and Todd Haynes, interviews with Nathan Silver, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Nicole Kidman and Walter Murch, Jerry Lewis in New York, and news of forthcoming films by Martin Scorsese, Bong Joon-ho, J.C. Chandor, Gabriela Pichler, Yann Demange and more. » - David Hudson...
- 10/5/2015
- Keyframe
David Bordwell's next book, The Rhapsodes: How 1940s Critics Changed American Film Culture, will be out in April 2016. Also in today's roundup: Richard Brody on filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith who learned the trade in video stores, a new biography of Peter O’Toole, Guillermo del Toro's book recommendations, Jonathan Rosenbaum on Nicholas Ray and Todd Haynes, interviews with Nathan Silver, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Nicole Kidman and Walter Murch, Jerry Lewis in New York, and news of forthcoming films by Martin Scorsese, Bong Joon-ho, J.C. Chandor, Gabriela Pichler, Yann Demange and more. » - David Hudson...
- 10/5/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
The 3rd Dharamshala International Film Festival (Diff) will open on October 30 with Rajat Kapoor’s critically acclaimed film, Ankhon Dekhi. The four-day festival will showcase feature films, documentaries, short films and animation films. Besides, Diff will also host Masterclasses, panel discussions and Harun Farocki Retrospective.
Feature films to be screened at the festival include Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Hansal Mehta’s Citylights, Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Avinash Arun’s Killa, Khyentse Norbu’s Vara: A Blessing, Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi’s Zinda Bhaag, Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar, Gabriela Pichler’s Eat Sleep Die, Byamba Sakhya’s Remote Control, Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze’s Papusza and Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive.
The animation section will screen films by Shilpa Ranade, Gitanjali Rao and Nina Sabnani, among others.
Q’s Nabarun, a documentary about famous Bengali writer Nabarun Bhattacharya who passed away in July, will have its...
Feature films to be screened at the festival include Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Hansal Mehta’s Citylights, Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, Avinash Arun’s Killa, Khyentse Norbu’s Vara: A Blessing, Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi’s Zinda Bhaag, Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar, Gabriela Pichler’s Eat Sleep Die, Byamba Sakhya’s Remote Control, Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze’s Papusza and Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive.
The animation section will screen films by Shilpa Ranade, Gitanjali Rao and Nina Sabnani, among others.
Q’s Nabarun, a documentary about famous Bengali writer Nabarun Bhattacharya who passed away in July, will have its...
- 10/7/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Anna Odell’s drama wins best film at the Guldbagge Awards; Per Fly’sWaltz for Monica (Monica Z) wins four.
Anna Odell’s feature debut The Reunion (Återträffen) received two top prizes at the 50th Guldbagge Awards in Sweden last night. The depiction of a class reunion after 20 years won Best Film and Best Screenplay.
Odell, who wrote the screenplay, said on stage: “I usually say things how they are, but I’m really bewildered. Long live art, life and liberty! And culture and everything.”
It marks the third consecutive year that a debut female filmmaker collected the Best Film statuette after Lisa Aschan’s She Monkeys (Apflickorna) and Gabriela Pichler’s East Sleep Die (Äta sova dö).
Produced by Mathilde Dedye, for French Quarter Film, The Reunion previously picked up the Fipresci prize for Best First Feature in Venice last August and is set to screen at the Rotterdam Film Festival (Jan 22 - Feb 2).
The night’s...
Anna Odell’s feature debut The Reunion (Återträffen) received two top prizes at the 50th Guldbagge Awards in Sweden last night. The depiction of a class reunion after 20 years won Best Film and Best Screenplay.
Odell, who wrote the screenplay, said on stage: “I usually say things how they are, but I’m really bewildered. Long live art, life and liberty! And culture and everything.”
It marks the third consecutive year that a debut female filmmaker collected the Best Film statuette after Lisa Aschan’s She Monkeys (Apflickorna) and Gabriela Pichler’s East Sleep Die (Äta sova dö).
Produced by Mathilde Dedye, for French Quarter Film, The Reunion previously picked up the Fipresci prize for Best First Feature in Venice last August and is set to screen at the Rotterdam Film Festival (Jan 22 - Feb 2).
The night’s...
- 1/21/2014
- by jornrossing@aol.com (Jorn Rossing Jensen)
- ScreenDaily
Best Foreign Language Film Oscar 2014 submissions (photo: Ziyi Zhang in ‘The Grandmaster’) (See previous post: Best Foreign Language Film Oscar: ‘The Past,’ ‘Wadjda,’ Andrzej Wajda Among Omissions) In case you missed it, here’s the full list of submissions (in alphabetical order, per country) for the 2014 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. The list of contenders was originally announced on October 7, 2013. Of note: Saudi Arabia and Moldova were first-timers; Montenegro was a first-timer as an independent country. Afghanistan, Wajma — An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram, director; Albania, Agon, Robert Budina, director; Argentina, The German Doctor, Lucía Puenzo, director; Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt, director; Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler, director; Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev, director; Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director; Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen, director; Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanovic, director; Brazil, Neighboring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho,...
- 12/25/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Eat Sleep Die, Sweden's Submission for the Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. U.S. :None Yet. International Sales Agent: The Yellow Affair
Forgotten once the promising hopefulness of youth fades away, an individual’s aspirations can mutate into broken dreams if not pursued. Regrettably, as years go by the chances of achieving those goals decreases, but the need to feel productive remains because we fear to be deemed obsolete. Caught up in the monotonous rhythm of working just to afford the imperative necessities, life runs the risk of becoming a passionless task. Thus, a meaningful purpose might be the only key to a fulfilling existence. Nevertheless, this convoluted preoccupation is perhaps more daunting today considering the current state of the world. With humor and in a modest fashion Gabriela Pichler’s debut Eat Sleep Die aims to demystify the meaning of life, and reveal it a something more profound that the sequence of the eponymous physical processes.
Tomboyish and impulsive Raša (Nermina Lukac) is a young woman living in a small town in Sweden with her ill father (played by Milan Dragisic). Originally from Montenegro, they moved to Scandinavia when she was just a baby. But despite being fully acculturated and not knowing any other home but this tight-knit community, occasionally she still feels like a foreigner. She is hardworking and a bit rough around the edges, yet utterly friendly. Employed at a vegetable packaging company, she works alongside many other immigrants from around the globe and a few locals. Raša adores these people. They have become her extended family and she always feels welcomed wherever she goes. Being so comfortable and accepted here, she can’t see beyond her manual labor job. She finds no reason to think about the future until her situation is not as certain.
Unexpectedly, her perfectly arranged microcosm is disrupted when the company announces there will be layoffs. At home, her father, whose aching back doesn’t allow him to work, is tired of being supported by his daughter. Disregarding his frail condition he decides to travel to Norway to work for a few months. Ultimately, and despite her efforts, Raša loses her job.
Feeling unproductive, and with her father gone, she roams the town unsuccessfully looking for work. The rest of her time is spent alongside her recently unemployed friends at a center where they get advice on how to reenter the workforce. Unskilled and with no education, Raša will need to consider if there is something else out there for her in the city or if she wants to live the rest of her days going aimlessly from one dead-end job to another.
Having no concrete goals and content with her routine, Raša believes this town is the only place where she can be somebody. She is afraid of finding out whether or not she can be something greater. She is afraid of discovering if life can be more than a succession of ordinary days. Such fear comes partially from her insecurity of being considered an outsider. She wants to fit in and makes it clear that regardless of her Muslim background, she belongs there. Furthermore, she doesn’t have a role model that can inspire her to defy conventions. Her father, although he loves her, is similarly adrift barely managing to get by. Therefore, unemployment turns out to be a blessing in disguise for the young lady. It drags her out of her comfort zone, and gives her a chance to grow and discover herself. Played with unpretentious charisma, Nermina Lukac's performance as Raša carries the film with relatable naturalism.
Like the best realist works Pichler’s film is never preachy not does it try to find a simple answer to its character’s dilemma. Infusing this small town story with greater global concerns, her film explores the struggle between necessity and satisfaction. Although the romanticized idea of happiness can never be fully attained, she believes everyone, including her characters, deserves a chance to exploit their potential. Still, under the yoke of responsibility their existence is reduced to a repetitive pattern of mundane activities, which ensure survival but ignore fulfillment. Unable to perceive themselves as something other than laborers, they can’t seem to accept doing anything out of sheer pleasure. Their concept of what life should be does not factor in the possibility for improvement.
Certainly a movie of its time, this is a phenomenal character study elevated by its personable protagonist. Incorporating insightful social commentary the filmmaker examines what modern society values and considers rewarding. Eat Sleep Die is a humble, but astoundingly introspective work, which in a wonderfully smart manner urges the audience to start really living before dying.
Read more about all the 76 Best Foreign Language Film Submission for the 2014 Academy Awards...
Forgotten once the promising hopefulness of youth fades away, an individual’s aspirations can mutate into broken dreams if not pursued. Regrettably, as years go by the chances of achieving those goals decreases, but the need to feel productive remains because we fear to be deemed obsolete. Caught up in the monotonous rhythm of working just to afford the imperative necessities, life runs the risk of becoming a passionless task. Thus, a meaningful purpose might be the only key to a fulfilling existence. Nevertheless, this convoluted preoccupation is perhaps more daunting today considering the current state of the world. With humor and in a modest fashion Gabriela Pichler’s debut Eat Sleep Die aims to demystify the meaning of life, and reveal it a something more profound that the sequence of the eponymous physical processes.
Tomboyish and impulsive Raša (Nermina Lukac) is a young woman living in a small town in Sweden with her ill father (played by Milan Dragisic). Originally from Montenegro, they moved to Scandinavia when she was just a baby. But despite being fully acculturated and not knowing any other home but this tight-knit community, occasionally she still feels like a foreigner. She is hardworking and a bit rough around the edges, yet utterly friendly. Employed at a vegetable packaging company, she works alongside many other immigrants from around the globe and a few locals. Raša adores these people. They have become her extended family and she always feels welcomed wherever she goes. Being so comfortable and accepted here, she can’t see beyond her manual labor job. She finds no reason to think about the future until her situation is not as certain.
Unexpectedly, her perfectly arranged microcosm is disrupted when the company announces there will be layoffs. At home, her father, whose aching back doesn’t allow him to work, is tired of being supported by his daughter. Disregarding his frail condition he decides to travel to Norway to work for a few months. Ultimately, and despite her efforts, Raša loses her job.
Feeling unproductive, and with her father gone, she roams the town unsuccessfully looking for work. The rest of her time is spent alongside her recently unemployed friends at a center where they get advice on how to reenter the workforce. Unskilled and with no education, Raša will need to consider if there is something else out there for her in the city or if she wants to live the rest of her days going aimlessly from one dead-end job to another.
Having no concrete goals and content with her routine, Raša believes this town is the only place where she can be somebody. She is afraid of finding out whether or not she can be something greater. She is afraid of discovering if life can be more than a succession of ordinary days. Such fear comes partially from her insecurity of being considered an outsider. She wants to fit in and makes it clear that regardless of her Muslim background, she belongs there. Furthermore, she doesn’t have a role model that can inspire her to defy conventions. Her father, although he loves her, is similarly adrift barely managing to get by. Therefore, unemployment turns out to be a blessing in disguise for the young lady. It drags her out of her comfort zone, and gives her a chance to grow and discover herself. Played with unpretentious charisma, Nermina Lukac's performance as Raša carries the film with relatable naturalism.
Like the best realist works Pichler’s film is never preachy not does it try to find a simple answer to its character’s dilemma. Infusing this small town story with greater global concerns, her film explores the struggle between necessity and satisfaction. Although the romanticized idea of happiness can never be fully attained, she believes everyone, including her characters, deserves a chance to exploit their potential. Still, under the yoke of responsibility their existence is reduced to a repetitive pattern of mundane activities, which ensure survival but ignore fulfillment. Unable to perceive themselves as something other than laborers, they can’t seem to accept doing anything out of sheer pleasure. Their concept of what life should be does not factor in the possibility for improvement.
Certainly a movie of its time, this is a phenomenal character study elevated by its personable protagonist. Incorporating insightful social commentary the filmmaker examines what modern society values and considers rewarding. Eat Sleep Die is a humble, but astoundingly introspective work, which in a wonderfully smart manner urges the audience to start really living before dying.
Read more about all the 76 Best Foreign Language Film Submission for the 2014 Academy Awards...
- 12/19/2013
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Dok Leipzig’s Golden Dove for Best International Documentary went to the Us, while Norway scored a hat-trick at the Nordic Film Days in Lübeck.
The top award in Leipzig’s International Documentary Competition went to Italian-born, Us-based film-maker Roberto Minervini’s Stop The Pounding Heart whose portrayal of a strict religious family was described by the jury as ¨refreshing and unsettling at the same time.¨
The Us-Belgian-Italian co-production is handled internationally by Doc & Film.
The Golden Dove in the German Documentary Competition was awarded to Carlo Zoratti for his feature-length debut The Special Need, while the newly-created Golden Dove for the animation-documentary hybrid form was presented to French director Daniela De Felice’s Casa.
A total of 18 prizes with cash awards totalling almost €70,000 ($95,000) included the Fipresci Prize for Gang Zhao’s A Folk Troupe; the Mdr Film Prize for Vitaly Mansky’s Pipeline; and the Youth Jury Prize to Joanna by Aneta Kopacz, a graduate...
The top award in Leipzig’s International Documentary Competition went to Italian-born, Us-based film-maker Roberto Minervini’s Stop The Pounding Heart whose portrayal of a strict religious family was described by the jury as ¨refreshing and unsettling at the same time.¨
The Us-Belgian-Italian co-production is handled internationally by Doc & Film.
The Golden Dove in the German Documentary Competition was awarded to Carlo Zoratti for his feature-length debut The Special Need, while the newly-created Golden Dove for the animation-documentary hybrid form was presented to French director Daniela De Felice’s Casa.
A total of 18 prizes with cash awards totalling almost €70,000 ($95,000) included the Fipresci Prize for Gang Zhao’s A Folk Troupe; the Mdr Film Prize for Vitaly Mansky’s Pipeline; and the Youth Jury Prize to Joanna by Aneta Kopacz, a graduate...
- 11/4/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Thomas Vinterberg is the first filmmaker to win the prize twice.
Morten Kaufmann, Tobias Lindholm, Sisse Graum Jorgensen
Danish director Thomas Vinterberg has become the first filmmaker to win the Nordic Council’s Film Prize twice after The Hunt (Jagten) collected the $64,000 (Dkk 350,000) award at a gala ceremony in Oslo’s Opera House.
Vinterberg, who also took the prize for Submarino in 2010, will share it with scriptwriter Tobias Lindholm and producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Morten Kaufmann of Zentropa Entertainments.
The jury commented: “Through the allegory of The Hunt, Vinterberg’s film explores how the individual can be persecuted even in a well-meaning and well-functioning society, when it suddenly turns on one of its own.
“This remarkable story is carried by Mads Mikkelsen’s powerful performance, the striking score and haunting and beautiful imagery.”
Competition included Finnish director Simo Halinen’s Open Up to Me (Kerron sinulle kaiken), Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakúr’s The Deep (Djúpid), Norwegian...
Morten Kaufmann, Tobias Lindholm, Sisse Graum Jorgensen
Danish director Thomas Vinterberg has become the first filmmaker to win the Nordic Council’s Film Prize twice after The Hunt (Jagten) collected the $64,000 (Dkk 350,000) award at a gala ceremony in Oslo’s Opera House.
Vinterberg, who also took the prize for Submarino in 2010, will share it with scriptwriter Tobias Lindholm and producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen and Morten Kaufmann of Zentropa Entertainments.
The jury commented: “Through the allegory of The Hunt, Vinterberg’s film explores how the individual can be persecuted even in a well-meaning and well-functioning society, when it suddenly turns on one of its own.
“This remarkable story is carried by Mads Mikkelsen’s powerful performance, the striking score and haunting and beautiful imagery.”
Competition included Finnish director Simo Halinen’s Open Up to Me (Kerron sinulle kaiken), Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakúr’s The Deep (Djúpid), Norwegian...
- 10/31/2013
- by jornrossing@aol.com (Jorn Rossing Jensen)
- ScreenDaily
European Film Promotion (Efp) to spotlight 14 European films submitted for the Oscars in La.
This year will again see Efp attempt to generate the greatest attention possible for several European films during the forthcoming awards season.
From Nov 6-14, Efp will screen 14 European films submitted for consideration as Best Foreign Language Film at the 2014 Academy Awards.
The line-up includes Drasko Durovic’s Ace of Spades - Bad Destiny from Montenegro, which is submitting a film for the first time as an independent country.
Efp’s film programme will be targeting Academy members, selected press, international buyers attending the American Film Market, and industry based in La.
Financial support comes from the Media Programme of the European Union, Efp member organisations, and some of the participating production companies.
The countries and films listed below will be participating in the La screenings:
Belgium: The Broken Circle Breakdown by Felix van GroeningenBulgaria: Color of the Chameleon by Emil HristowCroatia: Halima...
This year will again see Efp attempt to generate the greatest attention possible for several European films during the forthcoming awards season.
From Nov 6-14, Efp will screen 14 European films submitted for consideration as Best Foreign Language Film at the 2014 Academy Awards.
The line-up includes Drasko Durovic’s Ace of Spades - Bad Destiny from Montenegro, which is submitting a film for the first time as an independent country.
Efp’s film programme will be targeting Academy members, selected press, international buyers attending the American Film Market, and industry based in La.
Financial support comes from the Media Programme of the European Union, Efp member organisations, and some of the participating production companies.
The countries and films listed below will be participating in the La screenings:
Belgium: The Broken Circle Breakdown by Felix van GroeningenBulgaria: Color of the Chameleon by Emil HristowCroatia: Halima...
- 10/22/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The European Film Academy has announced the five nominees for the European Discovery 2013 - Prix Fipresci.
The award recognises an up and coming director for their debut feature film.
The nominees are:
Eat Sleep Die (Ata Sova Do)
Sweden, 104 min
Written & Directed By: Gabriela Pichler
Produced By: China Åhlander
Call Girl
Sweden/Norway/Ireland/Finland, 133 min
Directed By: Mikael Marcimain
Written By: Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
Produced By: Mimmi Spång
Miele
Italy/France, 90 min
Directed By: Valeria Golino
Written By: Francesca Marciano, Valia Santella & Valeria Golino
Produced By: Riccardo Scamarcio, Viola Prestieri, Anne-Dominique Toussaint & Raphaël Berdugo
Oh Boy
Germany, 83 min
Written & Directed By: Jan Ole Gerster
Produced By: Marcos Kantis & Alexander Wadouh
The Plague (La Plaga)
Spain, 85 min
Written & Directed By: Neus Ballús
Produced By: Pau Subirós
This year’s nominations committee was comprised of Efa Board Members Helena Danielsson (Sweden) and László Kantor (Hungary), Efa Members Pierre-Henri Deleau (France) and Jacob Neiiendam (Denmark), as well...
The award recognises an up and coming director for their debut feature film.
The nominees are:
Eat Sleep Die (Ata Sova Do)
Sweden, 104 min
Written & Directed By: Gabriela Pichler
Produced By: China Åhlander
Call Girl
Sweden/Norway/Ireland/Finland, 133 min
Directed By: Mikael Marcimain
Written By: Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
Produced By: Mimmi Spång
Miele
Italy/France, 90 min
Directed By: Valeria Golino
Written By: Francesca Marciano, Valia Santella & Valeria Golino
Produced By: Riccardo Scamarcio, Viola Prestieri, Anne-Dominique Toussaint & Raphaël Berdugo
Oh Boy
Germany, 83 min
Written & Directed By: Jan Ole Gerster
Produced By: Marcos Kantis & Alexander Wadouh
The Plague (La Plaga)
Spain, 85 min
Written & Directed By: Neus Ballús
Produced By: Pau Subirós
This year’s nominations committee was comprised of Efa Board Members Helena Danielsson (Sweden) and László Kantor (Hungary), Efa Members Pierre-Henri Deleau (France) and Jacob Neiiendam (Denmark), as well...
- 10/14/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The European Film Academy has announced the five nominees for the European Discovery 2013 - Prix Fipresci.
The award recognises an up and coming director for their debut feature film.
The nominees are:
Eat Sleep Die (Ata Sova Do)
Sweden, 104 min
Written & Directed By: Gabriela Pichler
Produced By: China Åhlander
Call Girl
Sweden/Norway/Ireland/Finland, 133 min
Directed By: Mikael Marcimain
Written By: Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
Produced By: Mimmi Spång
Miele
Italy/France, 90 min
Directed By: Valeria Golino
Written By: Francesca Marciano, Valia Santella & Valeria Golino
Produced By: Riccardo Scamarcio, Viola Prestieri, Anne-Dominique Toussaint & Raphaël Berdugo
Oh Boy
Germany, 83 min
Written & Directed By: Jan Ole Gerster
Produced By: Marcos Kantis & Alexander Wadouh
The Plague (La Plaga)
Spain, 85 min
Written & Directed By: Neus Ballús
Produced By: Pau Subirós
This year’s nominations committee was comprised of Efa Board Members Helena Danielsson
(Sweden) and László Kantor (Hungary), Efa Members Pierre-Henri Deleau (France) and Jacob Neiiendam
(Denmark), as well...
The award recognises an up and coming director for their debut feature film.
The nominees are:
Eat Sleep Die (Ata Sova Do)
Sweden, 104 min
Written & Directed By: Gabriela Pichler
Produced By: China Åhlander
Call Girl
Sweden/Norway/Ireland/Finland, 133 min
Directed By: Mikael Marcimain
Written By: Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
Produced By: Mimmi Spång
Miele
Italy/France, 90 min
Directed By: Valeria Golino
Written By: Francesca Marciano, Valia Santella & Valeria Golino
Produced By: Riccardo Scamarcio, Viola Prestieri, Anne-Dominique Toussaint & Raphaël Berdugo
Oh Boy
Germany, 83 min
Written & Directed By: Jan Ole Gerster
Produced By: Marcos Kantis & Alexander Wadouh
The Plague (La Plaga)
Spain, 85 min
Written & Directed By: Neus Ballús
Produced By: Pau Subirós
This year’s nominations committee was comprised of Efa Board Members Helena Danielsson
(Sweden) and László Kantor (Hungary), Efa Members Pierre-Henri Deleau (France) and Jacob Neiiendam
(Denmark), as well...
- 10/14/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Cologne, Germany – A lackadaisical black-and-white dramedy from Berlin, two Swedish dramas -- one about prostitutes in the 1970s, the other about modern-day immigrants -- a Spanish story about life on outskirts of Barcelona, and an Italian tale about a real-life guardian angel. These are this year's nominees for the European Discovery Award, the European Film Awards' honor for best first feature. The nominees are Oh Boy from German director Jan Ole Gerster; Swedish period drama Call Girl from director Mikael Marcimain; Eat Sleep Die, directed by Sweden's Gabriela Pichler; The Plague from Spanish director Neus Ballus; and
read more...
read more...
- 10/14/2013
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its shortlist for the 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar — totaling a not-so-short 76 submitted films.
The number, up from 71 films last year, sets a new record for the category and includes frontrunners such as Asghar Farhadi’s The Past from Iran, Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt from Denmark, and Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster from Hong Kong. Abdellatif Kechiche’s festival favorite lesbian drama Blue Is the Warmest Color from France, however, failed to make the cut-off date for eligibility, while India controversially submitted Gyan Correa’s The Good Road over Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox.
The number, up from 71 films last year, sets a new record for the category and includes frontrunners such as Asghar Farhadi’s The Past from Iran, Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt from Denmark, and Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster from Hong Kong. Abdellatif Kechiche’s festival favorite lesbian drama Blue Is the Warmest Color from France, however, failed to make the cut-off date for eligibility, while India controversially submitted Gyan Correa’s The Good Road over Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox.
- 10/8/2013
- by Shirley Li
- EW - Inside Movies
The Academy officially announced today that a record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 2014 Oscars. Among those submitting, Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants and this is the first time Montenegro has submitted a film as an independent country. Based solely on name recognition alone I'd say Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt (Denmark) and Asghar Farhadi's The Past (Iran) will be looked at as front-runners. However, I haven't only seen a few of the titles on this list, another of which is Mexico's entry, Heli from Amat Escalante. I have heard good things about Borgman (Netherlands) and it will be interesting to see how Haifaa al-Mansour's Wadjda is treated as it is a story unto itself, not to mention it seems to be receiving high marks from those that have seen it. I'm personally hoping to catch it soon...
- 10/7/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
A record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the foreign language film category for the 86th Academy Awards.
Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants while Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.
Earlier this year the Academy changed its rule allowing all voting members to vote on the shortlist.
The nominations will be announced on January 16 2014 and the Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 2 2014 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The 2013 submissions are:
Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram
Albania, Agon, Robert Budina
Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Cambodia...
Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants while Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.
Earlier this year the Academy changed its rule allowing all voting members to vote on the shortlist.
The nominations will be announced on January 16 2014 and the Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 2 2014 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The 2013 submissions are:
Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram
Albania, Agon, Robert Budina
Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Cambodia...
- 10/7/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the list of the 76 countries and their submissions officially competing for the 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Amongst the high profile entries this year are Australia's "The Rocket," Denmark's "The Hunt," France's "Renoir," Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster," Iran's "The Past," and Saudi Arabia's "Wadjda".
The nominations will be announced on January 16th 2014 ahead of the ceremony on March 2nd. Here is the complete list:
Afghanistan, "Wajma – An Afghan Love Story," Barmak Akram
Albania, "Agon," Robert Budina
Argentina, "The German Doctor," Lucía Puenzo
Australia, "The Rocket," Kim Mordaunt
Austria, "The Wall," Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, "Steppe Man," Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, "Television," Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, "The Broken Circle Breakdown," Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker," Danis Tanovic
Brazil, "Neighboring Sounds," Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, "The Color of the Chameleon," Emil Hristov
Cambodia, "The Missing Picture,...
Amongst the high profile entries this year are Australia's "The Rocket," Denmark's "The Hunt," France's "Renoir," Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster," Iran's "The Past," and Saudi Arabia's "Wadjda".
The nominations will be announced on January 16th 2014 ahead of the ceremony on March 2nd. Here is the complete list:
Afghanistan, "Wajma – An Afghan Love Story," Barmak Akram
Albania, "Agon," Robert Budina
Argentina, "The German Doctor," Lucía Puenzo
Australia, "The Rocket," Kim Mordaunt
Austria, "The Wall," Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, "Steppe Man," Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, "Television," Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, "The Broken Circle Breakdown," Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker," Danis Tanovic
Brazil, "Neighboring Sounds," Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, "The Color of the Chameleon," Emil Hristov
Cambodia, "The Missing Picture,...
- 10/7/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
A record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 86th Academy Awards®.
Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants; Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.
The 2013 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Wajma – An Afghan Love Story,” Barmak Akram, director;
Albania, “Agon,” Robert Budina, director;
Argentina, “The German Doctor,” Lucía Puenzo, director;
Australia, “The Rocket,” Kim Mordaunt, director;
Austria, “The Wall,” Julian Pölsler, director;
Azerbaijan, “Steppe Man,” Shamil Aliyev, director;
Bangladesh, “Television,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;
Belgium, “The Broken Circle Breakdown,” Felix van Groeningen, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker,” Danis Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Neighboring Sounds,” Kleber Mendonça Filho, director;
Bulgaria, “The Color of the Chameleon,” Emil Hristov, director;
Cambodia, “The Missing Picture,” Rithy Panh, director;
Canada, “Gabrielle,” Louise Archambault, director;
Chad, “GriGris,” Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, director;
Chile, “Gloria,” Sebastián Lelio, director;
China, “Back to 1942,” Feng Xiaogang,...
Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants; Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.
The 2013 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Wajma – An Afghan Love Story,” Barmak Akram, director;
Albania, “Agon,” Robert Budina, director;
Argentina, “The German Doctor,” Lucía Puenzo, director;
Australia, “The Rocket,” Kim Mordaunt, director;
Austria, “The Wall,” Julian Pölsler, director;
Azerbaijan, “Steppe Man,” Shamil Aliyev, director;
Bangladesh, “Television,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;
Belgium, “The Broken Circle Breakdown,” Felix van Groeningen, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker,” Danis Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Neighboring Sounds,” Kleber Mendonça Filho, director;
Bulgaria, “The Color of the Chameleon,” Emil Hristov, director;
Cambodia, “The Missing Picture,” Rithy Panh, director;
Canada, “Gabrielle,” Louise Archambault, director;
Chad, “GriGris,” Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, director;
Chile, “Gloria,” Sebastián Lelio, director;
China, “Back to 1942,” Feng Xiaogang,...
- 10/7/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
All entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the Academy Awards 2014.
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.
Submissions
Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram
Albania, Agon, Robert Budina
Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Cambodia...
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.
Submissions
Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram
Albania, Agon, Robert Budina
Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Cambodia...
- 10/7/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
In line with SydneysBuzz’s focus on the international film business we have put together the most complete list on the 67 national submissions to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This list showcases films that have been the centerpieces of the most renowned festivals and that represent the best in the cinematic landscape from across the globe. Last year, at this point in the race the clear favorite was Palm d'Or winner Amour, which went on to win the award with no significant competition and scoring 4 other nominations including Best Picture, an outstanding feat for a foreign film about love at the end of life, by Michael Haneke.
This time around the story could have repeated almost identically with the most recent winner of Cannes’ biggest prize Blue is the Warmest Color. However, the film became one more victim of the Academy's rules, which rendered it unqualified to compete because of the late release date in France. With Blue out of the race the award is fair game for virtually anyone on the list, although there are certainly some favorites.
Saudi Arabia's first ever submission, the charming Wadjda might turn into beginners luck and score the Kingdom, in which movie theaters are banned, a nomination or even a win. Iran's audacious decision to submit the French-language The Past caused uproar among conservatives, but might certainly score the nation another nomination after their win in 2012 with the masterful A Separation. Other strong contenders are Denmark's The Hunt starring Mads Mikkelsen, and which would continue the countries streak of 3 consecutive nominations winning in 2011 with In A Better World, as well as Canada's Gabrielle about the romantic relationship of a handicapped couple, and Hong Kong’s The Grandmaster by famous director Wong Kar-wai.
Italy’s The Great Beauty, Australia’s The Rocket, Romania’s Child’s Pose, and Chile’s Gloria are among other titles that might score a nomination given their success and prominence during their festivals rounds. Some countries decided to take a chance and send audacious choices as their representation to the Academy, so is the case Mexico, a country that chose the more violent and artistically daring Cannes winner Heli, over the hit comedy Instructions Not Included, or Greece’s Boy Eating The Bird’s Food, which includes grotesque imagery that might not sit well with academy members.
The African continent is minimally represented with only 3 entries, South Africa’s Four Corners, and the Arabic-language works God’s Horses from Morocco, and Winter of Discontent from Egypt. Algeria, which has submitted regularly and even scored several nominations, is absent in this occasion. Another big omission is China who did not submit an entry but whose language is represented by Taiwan and the above-mentioned Hong Kong; equally strange is France’s decision to enter Renoir over tons of other films that could have substituted Abdellatif Kechiche.
Less surprising is Russia’s decision to submit a blockbuster-style production with a very nationalistic message in lieu of a more intimate film. On the other hand, Cambodia, Lithuania, and Switzerland decided to go with a documentary, a choice that has never been very fruitful in this category. Lastly, Israel and Palestine both entered strong candidate with Bethlehem and Omar respectively, adding with that to the great year the region has seen in the cinematic realm.
The rest of the films are a mixture of obscure titles with not much exposure outside their homelands, and a others with great premise but equally unknown quality. Thankfully for SydneysBuzz readers, the list below compiles all 67 Foreign Submissions and includes links to more information and a link to the trailer of every single one of them. For the most part the clips are subtitled; the ones that are not will at least give the reader a sense of what the film is about. As the Awards Season develops, we will have updates on predicted nominees and other developments in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film.
Argentina
The German Doctor (Wakolda)
Dir: Lucia Puenzo
Language: Spanish, German, Hebrew
U.S Release: Acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard
Trailer
Australia
The Rocket
Dir: Kim Mordaunt
Language: Lao
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin 2013: Best First Feature Film ,Tribeca 2013: World Narrative Competition
Trailer
Austria
The Wall
Dir: Julian Polsler
Language: German
U.S Release: Released by Music Box Films on May 31st, 2013
Festivals: Sitges Ff 2012 Oficial Fantastic, Mumbai Ff 2012 Int'l Competition
Trailer
Bangladesh
Television
Dir: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Language: Bengali
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Dubai Diff 2012 (Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature Special Mention)
Trailer
Belgium
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Dir: Felix van Groeningen
Language: Flemish
U.S Release: Tribeca Film Will Release the Film on November 1st, 2013
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Panorama
Trailer
Bosnia And Herzegovina
An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker
Dir: Danis Tanović
Language: Bosnian, Romani
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 Competition, Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Brazil
Neighboring Sounds
Dir: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Language: Portuguese, Mandarin
U.S Release: Released by Cinema Guild, Now Available on Netflix streaming
Festivals:Mar Del Plata Ff 2012 Competencia Int'l, Bafici (Buenos Aires) 2013 Panorama
Trailer
Bulgaria
The Color of the Chameleon
Dir: Emil Hristov
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery, Thessaloniki Iff 2012 Int'l Competition
Trailer
Cambodia
The Missing Picture
Dir: Rithy Panh
Language: French
U.S Release: Acquired by Strand Releasing for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 - Un Certain Regard Prix, San Sebastian 2013 Pearls
Trailer
Canada
Gabrielle
Dir: Louise Archambault
Language: French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto- Tiff 2013, Locarno International Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Chile
Gloria
Dir: Sebastian Lelio
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Acquired by Roadside Attractions for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Colombia
La Playa DC
Dir: Juan Andrés Arango
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Released by Artmattan Productions on July 19th, 2013
Festivals:Official Selection Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard, Chicago Iff 2012 New Directors Competition
Trailer
Croatia
Halima's Path
Dir: Arsen Anton Ostojić
Language: Bosnian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Tallinn Black Nights Iff 2012 - EurAsia (Special Jury Prize)
Trailer
Czech Republic
Burning Bush
Dir: Agnieszka Holland
Language: Czech
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Denmark
The Hunt
Dir: Thomas Vinterberg
Language: Danish
U.S Release: Released by Magnolia Pictures on July 12th
Festivals: Cannes 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012, AFI Fest
Trailer
Dominican Republic
Who's the Boss?
Dir: Ronni Castillo
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Egypt
Winter of Discontent
Dir: Ibrahim el-Batout
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013
Trailer
Estonia
Free Range
Dir: Veiko Õunpuu
Language: Estonian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2012
Trailer
Finland
The Disciple
Dir: Ulrika Bengts
Language: Finnish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals:Helsinki International Film Festival, Montréal World Film Festival
Trailer
France
Renoir
Dir: Gilles Bourdos
Language: French
U.S Release: Released by Samuel Goldwyn Films on March 29th, 2013
Festivals: Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard
Trailer
Georgia
In Bloom
Dir: Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß
Language: Georgian
U.S Release: Acquired by Big World Pictures for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Cicae award Berlinale Forum 2013
Trailer
Germany
Two Lives
Dir: Georg Maas
Language: German
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Greece
Boy Eating The Bird's Food
Dir: Ektoras Lygizos
Language: Greek
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery
Trailer
Hong Kong
The Grandmaster
Dir: Wong Kar-wai
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
U.S Release: Released by The Weinstein Company on August 23rd, 2013
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Hungary
The Notebook
Dir: Janosz Szasz
Language: Hungarian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Iceland
Of Horses and Men
Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson
Language: Icelandic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Sundance 2013
Trailer
India
The Good Road
Dir: Gyan Correa
Language: Gujarati
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: London Indian Film Festival in 2013
Trailer
Iran
The Past
Dir: Asghar Farhadi
Language: French, Persian
U.S Release: Sony Pictures Classics will release the film on December 20th, 2013
Festivals:Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Actress, Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Israel
Bethlehem
Dir: Yuval Adler
Language: Hebrew
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery, Cannes 2013 , Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Italy
The Great Beauty
Dir: Paolo Sorrentino
Language: Italian
U.S Release: Acquired by Janus Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Berlin Efm 2013,
Trailer
Japan
The Great Passage
Dir: Yuya Ishii
Language: Japanese
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Fantasia Ff 2013 Official Selection, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Kazakhstan
The Old Man
Dir: Ermek Tursunov
Language: Russian, Kazakh
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Latvia
Mother, I Love You
Dir: Janis Nords
Language: Latvian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Los Angeles Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Lebanon
Ghadi
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Lithuania
Conversations on Serious Topics
Dir: Giedrė Beinoriūtė
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Luxembourg
Blind Spot
Dir: Christophe Wagner
Language: Luxembourgish, French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012
Trailer
Mexico
Heli
Dir: Amat Escalante
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Director, San Sebastian 2013 Horizontes Latinos,
Trailer
Montenegro
Bad Destiny
Dir: Draško Đurović
Language: Serbo-Croatian
U.S Release: Acquired by Princ Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Toronto- Tiff 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Morocco
God's Horses
Dir: Nabil Ayouch
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Bif London Film Festival 2012
Trailer
Nepal
Soongava: Dance of the Orchids
Dir: Subarna Thapa
Language: Nepalese
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
The Netherlands
Borgman
Dir: Alex van Warmerdam
Language: Dutch
U.S Release: Acquired by Drafthouse Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Busan 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
New Zealand
White Lies
Dir: Dana Rotberg
Language: Maori
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Norway
I Am Yours
Dir: Iram Haq
Language: Norwegian, Urdu
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Pakistan
Zinda Bhaag
Dir: Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi
Language: Udu, Punjabi
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Palestine
Omar
Dir: Hany Abu-Assad
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Peru
The Cleaner
Dir: Adrian Saba
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Palm Springs Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival
Trailer
Philippines
Transit
Dir: Hannah Espia
Language: Filipino, Tagalog, Hebrew
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cinemalaya Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Poland
Walesa
Dir: Andrzej Wajda
Language: Polish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013, Venice- Biennale 2013
Trailer
Portugal
Lines of Wellington
Dir: Valeria Sarmiento
Language: Portuguese, English, French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Venice - Biennale 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012
Trailer
Romania
Child's Pose
Dir: Calin Peter Netzer
Language: Romanian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Competition (Golden Bear for the Best Film), Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Russia
Stalingrad
Dir: Fedor Bondarchuk
Language: Russian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Saudi Arabia
Wadjda
Dir: Haifaa al-Mansour
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Released by Sony Pictures Classics on September 13th, 2013
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Venice International Film Festival 2012, Los Angeles Film Festival, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Serbia
Circles
Dir: Srdan Golubovic
Language: Serbian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlinale - Efm 2013 Forum, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Singapore
Ilo Ilo
Dir: Anthony Chen
Language: Mandarin, Hokkien, English, Tagalog
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Directors Fortnight, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery
Trailer
Slovakia
My Dog Killer
Dir: Mira Fornay
Language: Slovak
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Slovenia
Class Enemy
Dir: Rok Biček
Language: Slovene
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Spain
15 Years and One Day
Dir: Gracia Querejeta
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: San Sebastian 2013 Made in Spain, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
South Africa
Four Corners
Dir: Ian Gabriel
Language: Afrikaans, Tsotsitaal
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals:N/A
Trailer
South Korea
Juvenile Offender
Dir: Kang Yi-kwan
Language: Korean
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Contemporary World Cinema,
Trailer
Sweden
Eat Sleep Die
Dir: Gabriela Pichler
Language: Swedish, Croatian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Venice International Film Festival 2012, Toronto - Tiff 2012
Trailer
Switzerland
More Than Honey
Dir: Markus Imhoof
Language: German, Mandarin
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Tiff Docs, Cannes 2013, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Taiwan
Soul
Dir: Mong-Hong Chung
Language: Mandarin
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Vanguard
Trailer
Thailand
Countdown
Dir: Nattawut Poonpiriya
Language: Thai
U.S Release: Acquired by Birch Tree Entertainment for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Far East Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Turkey
The Butterfly's Dream
Dir: Yılmaz Erdoğan
Language: Turkish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Istanbul Film Festival, Los Angeles Turkish Film Festival
Trailer
Ukraine
Paradjanov
Dir: Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova
Language: Russian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto 2013
Trailer
United Kingdom
Metro Manila
Dir: Sean Elllis
Language: Filipino, Tagalog
U.S Release: Acquired by Paladin/108 Media for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlin Efm 2012, Cannes 2012, Afm 2012, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Venezuela
Breach in the Silence
Dir: Luis and Andrés Rodríguez
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Ventana Sur 2012, Festival de Mar del Plata "Panorama Latinomaericano"
Trailer...
This time around the story could have repeated almost identically with the most recent winner of Cannes’ biggest prize Blue is the Warmest Color. However, the film became one more victim of the Academy's rules, which rendered it unqualified to compete because of the late release date in France. With Blue out of the race the award is fair game for virtually anyone on the list, although there are certainly some favorites.
Saudi Arabia's first ever submission, the charming Wadjda might turn into beginners luck and score the Kingdom, in which movie theaters are banned, a nomination or even a win. Iran's audacious decision to submit the French-language The Past caused uproar among conservatives, but might certainly score the nation another nomination after their win in 2012 with the masterful A Separation. Other strong contenders are Denmark's The Hunt starring Mads Mikkelsen, and which would continue the countries streak of 3 consecutive nominations winning in 2011 with In A Better World, as well as Canada's Gabrielle about the romantic relationship of a handicapped couple, and Hong Kong’s The Grandmaster by famous director Wong Kar-wai.
Italy’s The Great Beauty, Australia’s The Rocket, Romania’s Child’s Pose, and Chile’s Gloria are among other titles that might score a nomination given their success and prominence during their festivals rounds. Some countries decided to take a chance and send audacious choices as their representation to the Academy, so is the case Mexico, a country that chose the more violent and artistically daring Cannes winner Heli, over the hit comedy Instructions Not Included, or Greece’s Boy Eating The Bird’s Food, which includes grotesque imagery that might not sit well with academy members.
The African continent is minimally represented with only 3 entries, South Africa’s Four Corners, and the Arabic-language works God’s Horses from Morocco, and Winter of Discontent from Egypt. Algeria, which has submitted regularly and even scored several nominations, is absent in this occasion. Another big omission is China who did not submit an entry but whose language is represented by Taiwan and the above-mentioned Hong Kong; equally strange is France’s decision to enter Renoir over tons of other films that could have substituted Abdellatif Kechiche.
Less surprising is Russia’s decision to submit a blockbuster-style production with a very nationalistic message in lieu of a more intimate film. On the other hand, Cambodia, Lithuania, and Switzerland decided to go with a documentary, a choice that has never been very fruitful in this category. Lastly, Israel and Palestine both entered strong candidate with Bethlehem and Omar respectively, adding with that to the great year the region has seen in the cinematic realm.
The rest of the films are a mixture of obscure titles with not much exposure outside their homelands, and a others with great premise but equally unknown quality. Thankfully for SydneysBuzz readers, the list below compiles all 67 Foreign Submissions and includes links to more information and a link to the trailer of every single one of them. For the most part the clips are subtitled; the ones that are not will at least give the reader a sense of what the film is about. As the Awards Season develops, we will have updates on predicted nominees and other developments in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film.
Argentina
The German Doctor (Wakolda)
Dir: Lucia Puenzo
Language: Spanish, German, Hebrew
U.S Release: Acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard
Trailer
Australia
The Rocket
Dir: Kim Mordaunt
Language: Lao
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin 2013: Best First Feature Film ,Tribeca 2013: World Narrative Competition
Trailer
Austria
The Wall
Dir: Julian Polsler
Language: German
U.S Release: Released by Music Box Films on May 31st, 2013
Festivals: Sitges Ff 2012 Oficial Fantastic, Mumbai Ff 2012 Int'l Competition
Trailer
Bangladesh
Television
Dir: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Language: Bengali
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Dubai Diff 2012 (Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature Special Mention)
Trailer
Belgium
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Dir: Felix van Groeningen
Language: Flemish
U.S Release: Tribeca Film Will Release the Film on November 1st, 2013
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Panorama
Trailer
Bosnia And Herzegovina
An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker
Dir: Danis Tanović
Language: Bosnian, Romani
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 Competition, Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Brazil
Neighboring Sounds
Dir: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Language: Portuguese, Mandarin
U.S Release: Released by Cinema Guild, Now Available on Netflix streaming
Festivals:Mar Del Plata Ff 2012 Competencia Int'l, Bafici (Buenos Aires) 2013 Panorama
Trailer
Bulgaria
The Color of the Chameleon
Dir: Emil Hristov
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery, Thessaloniki Iff 2012 Int'l Competition
Trailer
Cambodia
The Missing Picture
Dir: Rithy Panh
Language: French
U.S Release: Acquired by Strand Releasing for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 - Un Certain Regard Prix, San Sebastian 2013 Pearls
Trailer
Canada
Gabrielle
Dir: Louise Archambault
Language: French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto- Tiff 2013, Locarno International Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Chile
Gloria
Dir: Sebastian Lelio
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Acquired by Roadside Attractions for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Colombia
La Playa DC
Dir: Juan Andrés Arango
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Released by Artmattan Productions on July 19th, 2013
Festivals:Official Selection Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard, Chicago Iff 2012 New Directors Competition
Trailer
Croatia
Halima's Path
Dir: Arsen Anton Ostojić
Language: Bosnian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Tallinn Black Nights Iff 2012 - EurAsia (Special Jury Prize)
Trailer
Czech Republic
Burning Bush
Dir: Agnieszka Holland
Language: Czech
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Denmark
The Hunt
Dir: Thomas Vinterberg
Language: Danish
U.S Release: Released by Magnolia Pictures on July 12th
Festivals: Cannes 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012, AFI Fest
Trailer
Dominican Republic
Who's the Boss?
Dir: Ronni Castillo
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Egypt
Winter of Discontent
Dir: Ibrahim el-Batout
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013
Trailer
Estonia
Free Range
Dir: Veiko Õunpuu
Language: Estonian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2012
Trailer
Finland
The Disciple
Dir: Ulrika Bengts
Language: Finnish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals:Helsinki International Film Festival, Montréal World Film Festival
Trailer
France
Renoir
Dir: Gilles Bourdos
Language: French
U.S Release: Released by Samuel Goldwyn Films on March 29th, 2013
Festivals: Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard
Trailer
Georgia
In Bloom
Dir: Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß
Language: Georgian
U.S Release: Acquired by Big World Pictures for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Cicae award Berlinale Forum 2013
Trailer
Germany
Two Lives
Dir: Georg Maas
Language: German
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Greece
Boy Eating The Bird's Food
Dir: Ektoras Lygizos
Language: Greek
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery
Trailer
Hong Kong
The Grandmaster
Dir: Wong Kar-wai
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
U.S Release: Released by The Weinstein Company on August 23rd, 2013
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Hungary
The Notebook
Dir: Janosz Szasz
Language: Hungarian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Iceland
Of Horses and Men
Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson
Language: Icelandic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Sundance 2013
Trailer
India
The Good Road
Dir: Gyan Correa
Language: Gujarati
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: London Indian Film Festival in 2013
Trailer
Iran
The Past
Dir: Asghar Farhadi
Language: French, Persian
U.S Release: Sony Pictures Classics will release the film on December 20th, 2013
Festivals:Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Actress, Toronto - Tiff 2013
Trailer
Israel
Bethlehem
Dir: Yuval Adler
Language: Hebrew
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery, Cannes 2013 , Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Italy
The Great Beauty
Dir: Paolo Sorrentino
Language: Italian
U.S Release: Acquired by Janus Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Berlin Efm 2013,
Trailer
Japan
The Great Passage
Dir: Yuya Ishii
Language: Japanese
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Fantasia Ff 2013 Official Selection, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Kazakhstan
The Old Man
Dir: Ermek Tursunov
Language: Russian, Kazakh
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Latvia
Mother, I Love You
Dir: Janis Nords
Language: Latvian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Los Angeles Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Lebanon
Ghadi
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Lithuania
Conversations on Serious Topics
Dir: Giedrė Beinoriūtė
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Luxembourg
Blind Spot
Dir: Christophe Wagner
Language: Luxembourgish, French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012
Trailer
Mexico
Heli
Dir: Amat Escalante
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Director, San Sebastian 2013 Horizontes Latinos,
Trailer
Montenegro
Bad Destiny
Dir: Draško Đurović
Language: Serbo-Croatian
U.S Release: Acquired by Princ Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Toronto- Tiff 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Morocco
God's Horses
Dir: Nabil Ayouch
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Bif London Film Festival 2012
Trailer
Nepal
Soongava: Dance of the Orchids
Dir: Subarna Thapa
Language: Nepalese
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
The Netherlands
Borgman
Dir: Alex van Warmerdam
Language: Dutch
U.S Release: Acquired by Drafthouse Films for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Busan 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
New Zealand
White Lies
Dir: Dana Rotberg
Language: Maori
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Norway
I Am Yours
Dir: Iram Haq
Language: Norwegian, Urdu
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Pakistan
Zinda Bhaag
Dir: Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi
Language: Udu, Punjabi
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Palestine
Omar
Dir: Hany Abu-Assad
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Peru
The Cleaner
Dir: Adrian Saba
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Palm Springs Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival
Trailer
Philippines
Transit
Dir: Hannah Espia
Language: Filipino, Tagalog, Hebrew
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cinemalaya Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Poland
Walesa
Dir: Andrzej Wajda
Language: Polish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013, Venice- Biennale 2013
Trailer
Portugal
Lines of Wellington
Dir: Valeria Sarmiento
Language: Portuguese, English, French
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Venice - Biennale 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012
Trailer
Romania
Child's Pose
Dir: Calin Peter Netzer
Language: Romanian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Competition (Golden Bear for the Best Film), Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema
Trailer
Russia
Stalingrad
Dir: Fedor Bondarchuk
Language: Russian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: N/A
Trailer
Saudi Arabia
Wadjda
Dir: Haifaa al-Mansour
Language: Arabic
U.S Release: Released by Sony Pictures Classics on September 13th, 2013
Festivals: Cannes 2012, Venice International Film Festival 2012, Los Angeles Film Festival, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Serbia
Circles
Dir: Srdan Golubovic
Language: Serbian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlinale - Efm 2013 Forum, Cannes 2013
Trailer
Singapore
Ilo Ilo
Dir: Anthony Chen
Language: Mandarin, Hokkien, English, Tagalog
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013 Directors Fortnight, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery
Trailer
Slovakia
My Dog Killer
Dir: Mira Fornay
Language: Slovak
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Busan 2013
Trailer
Slovenia
Class Enemy
Dir: Rok Biček
Language: Slovene
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013
Trailer
Spain
15 Years and One Day
Dir: Gracia Querejeta
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: San Sebastian 2013 Made in Spain, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
South Africa
Four Corners
Dir: Ian Gabriel
Language: Afrikaans, Tsotsitaal
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals:N/A
Trailer
South Korea
Juvenile Offender
Dir: Kang Yi-kwan
Language: Korean
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Contemporary World Cinema,
Trailer
Sweden
Eat Sleep Die
Dir: Gabriela Pichler
Language: Swedish, Croatian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Venice International Film Festival 2012, Toronto - Tiff 2012
Trailer
Switzerland
More Than Honey
Dir: Markus Imhoof
Language: German, Mandarin
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Tiff Docs, Cannes 2013, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Taiwan
Soul
Dir: Mong-Hong Chung
Language: Mandarin
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Vanguard
Trailer
Thailand
Countdown
Dir: Nattawut Poonpiriya
Language: Thai
U.S Release: Acquired by Birch Tree Entertainment for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Cannes 2013, Far East Film Festival 2013
Trailer
Turkey
The Butterfly's Dream
Dir: Yılmaz Erdoğan
Language: Turkish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Istanbul Film Festival, Los Angeles Turkish Film Festival
Trailer
Ukraine
Paradjanov
Dir: Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova
Language: Russian
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Toronto 2013
Trailer
United Kingdom
Metro Manila
Dir: Sean Elllis
Language: Filipino, Tagalog
U.S Release: Acquired by Paladin/108 Media for U.S Distribution
Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlin Efm 2012, Cannes 2012, Afm 2012, Berlin Efm 2013
Trailer
Venezuela
Breach in the Silence
Dir: Luis and Andrés Rodríguez
Language: Spanish
U.S Release: Tba
Festivals: Ventana Sur 2012, Festival de Mar del Plata "Panorama Latinomaericano"
Trailer...
- 10/3/2013
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
New entries from Argentina, Denmark, Lebanon, Lithuania and Peru.
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.
Submissions
* = new additions
* Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Canada, Gabrielle, Louise Archambault
Chile, Gloria, Sebastián Lelio
Colombia, La Playa DC, Juan Andrés Arango
Croatia, Halima’s Path...
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.
Submissions
* = new additions
* Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo
Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt
Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler
Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen
Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović
Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov
Canada, Gabrielle, Louise Archambault
Chile, Gloria, Sebastián Lelio
Colombia, La Playa DC, Juan Andrés Arango
Croatia, Halima’s Path...
- 9/27/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.