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Full line-up of the Stockholm film festival includes feature and documentary competition line-ups.Scroll down for full line-up

The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 11-22) has unveiled the line-up for its 26th edition, comprising more than 190 films from over 70 countries.

The Stockholm Xxvi Competition includes Marielle Heller’s Us title The Diary of a Teenage Girl and László Nemes’ Holocaust drama Son Of Saul.

It marks the first time Stockholm has a greater number of women than men competing for the Bronze Horse – the festival’s top prize.

The documentary competition includes Amy Berg’s An Open Secret, an investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry; and Cosima Spender’s Palio, centred on the annual horse race in Siena, Italy.

Announcing the programme, festival director Git Scheynius also revealed that Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will visit Stockholm for the first time as chairman of the jury for the first Stockholm Impact Award, which...

The beauty of foreign-language films like filmmaker Merzak Allouache’s Madame Courage is being ‘safely’ transported to another location and lifestyle often alien to our own. This is the case here, part-set in Algiers’ beach shanty towns. It’s not the best film, but its social significance and insight in local class structure overrides some of its

The post Lff 2015: Madame Courage Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Stars: Adlane Djemil, Lamia Bezouaoui, Leila Tilmatine | Written and Directed by Merzak Allouache

A pill-popping purse-snatcher by day and habitual terror to his mother by night, Omar (Adlane Djemil) is a young man we can all relate to. Living in an Algerian shanty town and making ends meet fencing stolen goods only to buy himself Artane tablets (also known as Madame Courage) and, occasionally, food for his maltreated sex worker sister and put-upon mother, he doesn’t have a lot going for him. Which is perhaps why, when he steals – and later returns – teenager Selma’s (Lamia Bezouaoui) necklace, he develops an infatuation for her that he finds impossible to articulate. So – like we all do – he resorts to following her home and sitting underneath her balcony night after night.

It’s hard to know whether or not a film is depicting a nation or subculture accurately when you’ve no first-hand experience of either,...

The 59Th BFI London Film Festival Announces Full 2015 Programme

You can peruse the programme at your leisure here.

The programme for the 59th BFI London Film Festival in partnership launched today, with Festival Director Clare Stewart presenting this year’s rich and diverse selection of films and events. BFI London Film Festival is Britain’s leading film event and one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It introduces the finest new British and international films to an expanding London and UK-wide audience. The Festival provides an essential platform for films seeking global success; and promotes the careers of British and international filmmakers through its industry and awards programmes. With this year’s industry programme stronger than ever, offering international filmmakers and leaders a programme of insightful events covering every area of the film industry‎ Lff positions London as the world’s leading creative city.

The Festival will screen a...

Smack dab in the middle of the fall film fest season, the Venice Film Festival via Sala Web screening room (September 3rd to 16th) will be serving up fifteen offerings (12 feature films in the Orizzonti Competition and 3 feature films from the Biennale College) for the streaming VOD platform set up by the Festival Scope folks. Among the titles that lovers of world cinema will have the unique opportunity to see the likes of Italian Gangsters from helmer Renato De Maria (Tiff preemed La prima linea) and Jake Mahaffy’s long-awaited sophomore film, Free in Deed (see pic above). The films will be made available for five days after the films have premiere screenings at the festival. You can view all the films listed below and grab your tickets at the official Festival Scope channel.

Orizzonti Films

Neon Bull (Boi Neon), by Gabriel Mascaro – From September 3rd

Brazil, Uruguay, Netherlands; 101’ Portuguese

Iremar works at the Vaquejadas,...

Venice’s “virtual festival” will feature 15 world premieres this year.Scroll Down For Full List

The fourth edition of Sala Web, the “virtual festival” at the Venice Film Festival (September 2-12), has revealed it’s line-up for 2015.

This year’s selection of films includes 15 world premieres: 12 from the Orizzonti Competition and three features from the Biennale College, Venice’s laboratory that supports micro-budget films.

Directors having their films featured include Merzak Allouache (The Rooftops), Jake Mahaffy (Wellness) and Gabriel Mascaro (August Winds), as well as numerous first-time filmmakers.

The selected films will again be streaming on VOD platform Festival Scope and will be available for five days after the films have premiere screenings at the festival.

Full list:

Synopses provided by Venice Film Festival

Orizzonti Films

Neon Bull (Boi Neon) dir. Gabriel Mascaro

Brazil, Uruguay, Netherlands; 101’ Portuguese

(Available from September 3)

Iremar works at the Vaquejadas, a rodeo in the Northeast of Brazil, where two men...

Back to back mid-summer Xmas mornings with the rollout of major premiere titles at Tiff and now the full line-up for Venice means we’re now carefully dissecting the numerous films announced with our first focus going down the list at the treasure trove of items in the Horizons Section, otherwise known as Orizzonti. Names that pop out of the group of eighteen include Danish helmer Tobias Lindholm‘s heavily anticipated third feature film, A War. Re-teaming with actor Pilou Asbæk in just as many outings, R (2010) and A Hijacking (2012) are part of his already stacked early filmography, this is about a solider stationed in Afghanistan and finds himself caught in a catch-22 type of situation.

Another highly anticipated film (our Nicholas Bell slotted it at #33) which posits a person in a life or death type of situation is Nicolas Saada‘s sophomore film. Based on true horrific events, set...

On the heels of yesterday's Toronto Film Festival announcement, this morning we get the lineup for the 2015 Venice Film Festival and, as always, there's a little crossover with some films set to premiere on the Lido ahead of their Toronto (and/or Telluride premieres). Some of the titles not screening at Toronto (at least not yet) that will premiere at Venice include Baltasar Kormakur's Everest, which is serving as the opening night film, Drake Doremus' Equals starring Kristen Stewart, A Bigger Splash from Luca Guadagnino, Go With Me directed by Daniel Alfredson, Dito Montiel's Man Down, Amy Berg's Janis as well as a new, 16-minute short film from Martin Scorsese titled The Audition and a Brian De Palma documentary directed by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow. There's also buzz building for The Childhood of a Leader directed by Brady Corbet and starring Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo.

The Venice Film Festival has become one of the longest-running events on the festival circuit, its veteran status giving it a level of prestige that has only been heightened by the films that have screened at the event. Having first started in 1932, a number of movies that have gone on to be classics have won prizes at the festival, including Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, Satyajit Ray’s Aparajito, and Alain Resnais’ Last Year at Marienbad. Interest in the festival’s lineup announcement has thus grown over the years, with many film fans curious to see what the organisers select to play at the event, due to its stature. The full lineup for the 2015 incarnation of the festival, the 72nd one in the festival’s history, has now been announced. The festival itself will run from September 2nd to the 12th, with a jury that includes Alfonso Cuarón, Nuri Bilge Ceylan,...

I had the good fortune of spending some time speaking with the CEO of the Doha Film Institute, Fatma Al Remahi, whom I had met previously at the Toronto Film Festival. She is a woman of rare talents and I intend to devote a "Women to Watch" feature on her when I return to Los Angeles. With her this day in Cannes were Khalil Benkirane, Head of Grants and Elia Suleiman, the Palestinian filmmaker known for his wry comedies/ commentaries of the current state of affairs around the Mideast, like "Divine Intervention", "The Time That Remains", "Chronicle of a Disappearance", winner of five major awards, and a segment in the 2012 omnibus, "7 Days in Havana".

They are here to celebrate being in Cannes with five films that they have invested in and which have won slots in the festival, thus proving how well their grants have worked. Even this past fall in Venice two of their films won prizes, one, "Sivas" from Turkey and Germany won the Special Jury Prize and Best Actor Award, and "Theeb" from Jordan UAE, Qatar and UK.

Before going into the films the Doha Film Institute is granting not only money to, but greater support from the filmmaking community in the Mideast and the larger world, I asked Suleiman how he envisaged his role. His answer was that, "with age, as strong passions wind down a bit, one has time and the wish to give back to the young, fresh filmmakers. In the process, you learn from their experience, and your own passion is rekindled by theirs. We all felt the same way at the same time, and the new grants program started very quickly with a wholeness to it.

It offers a way to stay connected and alert. Personally, it gives us a community, helping others and in doing this, we help ourselves. That is why we are here."

CEO Fatma Al Ramahi added that after five years of curating projects, granting financial aid and co-financing projects, they had come full circle and Dfi was now offering filmmakers more in what resembles an ecosystem.

I pointedly asked about the place of women in this "ecosystem" to which Khalil Benkirane replied, it depends upon the submissions. They preselect some and others are chosen; the decisions are based upon the combination of merit, narrative story, content, relevance and a direction toward a cinema for tomorrow, bringing in a new voice. The last three sessions before this one included more projects by women than men. This last session had less than 50% by women, more like 30%. But they have no quota which they must fill. They are conscious, but the chose by merit. Women may be in greater numbers because they offer fresh, new voices. In five years we will see more features by women.

I asked about the presence of USA projects their selection, having noticed a little known incident dramatized in "Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar) which occurred in March, 1961 when Yugoslavia sold its secret space program to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.

They pointed out the USA coproduction, "Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar), a feature doc about some talented orphaned children in Swaziland who create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.

In their first year, 30 projects from the Us were submitted by Sundance and none made the cut. Last year saw some strong Us docs. This year they saw some real USA indies which were submitted by individuals who heard the call. These were indies not influenced by Us commercial concerns, wanting to fill TV slots or other such systemic strictures.

I agree with them that Us filmmakers need to look abroad for more originality and cannot remain Us-centric if they want to break the constraints of TV and Hollywood imposed styles.

Since those early years, Sundance itself has changed its direction and expanded its international slate, and Us itself has become more multi cultural.

Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!

By and large however, topical themes of exile, the aftermath of war, coming of age and the importance of family feature figure prominently in the Institute’s Spring 2015 session of its grants program whose recipients were announced today at the Cannes Film Festival.

Twenty-five projects – comprising 14 narrative feature films, 5 feature documentaries, 1 feature experimental film and 5 short films – will receive funding for development, production or post-production.

This round’s selection also highlights the strength of submissions from first- and second-time feature filmmakers from the Mena region along with a strong group of short films receiving grants, reflecting the Doha Film Institute’s dedication to supporting emerging new talent.

After expanding the grants criteria to include established filmmakers from the Mena region for the category of post-production, this cycle also sees Mai Masri (Palestine) and Merzak Allouache (Algeria) awarded funding for their respective new projects – Masri’s ‘"3000 Nights," a narrative feature about a newlywed Palestinian schoolteacher who gives birth to her son in an Israeli prison and Allouache’s "Madame Courage," a narrative feature about an unstable and lonely teenager, living in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem, Algeria.

Former grantees Leila Hotait Salas ("Crayons of Askalan") and Nejib Belkadhi (‘Bastardo’) are also returning with new projects. Hotait Salas’ narrative feature "Stolen Skies," is set against the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011 about a women who remembers her Lebanese lover from 30 years ago and Belkadhi’s narrative feature ‘Retina’, is about a Tunisian immigrant forced to return to his country to take care of his autistic son.

Gulf representation in the short films includes Fahad Al Kuwari’s "One of Them’ from Qatar" and Amal Al-Agroobi’s "Under The Hat" from the UAE. Qatari feature film, "Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi marks the first Qatari feature awarded for a production grant and is a project which recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of the Institute’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.

In the feature documentary category, stories from or about Syria and its ongoing civil war and set against a backdrop of political, social and emotional turmoil form the subject matter of several projects selected for grants including Boutheyna Bouslama’s "Seeking The Man With the Camera" (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar), Ziad Kalthoum’s "Beirut Rooster" (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar) and Noura Kevorkian’s "Batata" (Lebanon, Qatar).

In the feature narrative category, regional projects from Algeria, Lebanon and Palestine span a variety of genres and cover a range of subject matter such as modern-day life in the Middle East, lost love and immigration; projects include Muhannad Lamin’s "Tin Hinan," Lidia Terki’s "Paris The White," Firas Khoury’s "Alam, The Flag" and Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya’s innovative genre film "Film Kteer Kbeer."

Five projects from outside the Mena region have received funding, including grants for filmmakers from Singapore (‘Apprentice’ by Junfeng Boo) and Slovenia (‘Houston, We Have a Problem’ by Ziga Virc) for the first time.

The new-wave of filmmaking coming out of Argentina, a story of familial secrets between sisters and a moving documentary about orphan children in Swaziland form an eclectic selection of projects chosen from the rest of the world by filmmakers Francisco Varone ("Road To La Paz"), Manu Gerosa ("Between Sisters") and Aaron and Amanda Kopp ("Liyana").

Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said: “Our Spring grantees demonstrate the strength of new work coming from emerging filmmakers with 23 projects awarded to first- and second-time directors and a strong selection of short films by new talents to watch.”

“These grants give support to projects with diverse regional perspectives and genres, underlining the Doha Film Institute’s commitment to the development of innovative new voices in cinema which is also echoed in our recently launched development platform, Qumra.”

What is Qumra? I asked and they showed me the recent Screen International Cannes supplement about it. Those of you in Cannes can get it off the trade stands or in the Screen offices. It is no red carpet event, nor is it a series of matter lasses. It is a regional conference aimed at deepening the conversations of experienced experts and emerging filmmakers. No masterclass or labs replace the personal conversations though there are workshops and grants involved. The grants are not merely monetary; they are grants of support, mentorships and approval which open the way for the filmmakers to optimize their chances to move ahead with their projects toward their intended goals.

It is a question of control often for filmmakers who may be forced to fit an organization's requirements when they receive funding. In Qumra, they have their own space without an authoritarian producer, although the producer is also invited and is treated well. Because the projects and producers themselves are curated, the producers are committed to committing themselves as it were to the projects. They are not forced to take on projects if they don't find the one that fits, but they are only invited if they intend to consider the projects seriously for their own portfolio. That filmmakers and producers both come out of Qumra contented is crucial.

“We have funded more than 220 projects through the grants programme since it was established and I am pleased to welcome back some of our grantee alumni who are returning this session with their new films. I am also pleased to introduce in this funding round a new avenue of support for established Mena directors, which reflects an integral part of our mission to support voices from the Arab world.”

Films supported in previous sessions of the grants programme are strongly represented in the Festival de Cannes this year with five grantees making their world premiere in various sections. They are: "Waves ’98" by Elie Dagher (Lebanon, Qatar) competing in the Official Short Film Competition; "Dégradé" by Tarzan and Arab Abunasser (Palestine, France, Qatar) and "Mediterranea" by Jonas Carpignano (Italy, France, Germany, Qatar) in the Critics’ Week sidebar which is dedicated to showcasing innovative works by new filmmakers; ‘"Lamb" by Yared Zeleke (Ethiopia, France, Qatar) in the main world cinema showcase, Un Certain Regard; and "Mustang" by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar) selected for the Directors’ Fortnight.

Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!

The fund is primarily for first and second-time filmmakers with the exception of the category of Post-Production which is available to established filmmakers from the Mena region.

For more information about eligibility and submission process visit:

http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/grants/guidelines

A full directory of past grant recipients is available to view online at:

http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/projects/grants

Doha Film Institute grantees for the Spring 2015 session are:

Development

Feature Narrative

"Seeking the Man with the Camera" by Boutheyna Bouslama (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar)

An investigative documentary that follows the narrator as she seeks out Seymo, a childhood friend with whom she used to play in the streets of Homs.

"Stolen Skies" by Laila Hotait Salas (Lebanon, Qatar)

Against the backdrop of the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011, a woman wants to remember the Lebanese lover she had 30 years ago – but first she will need to forgive herself.

"Tin Hinan" by Muhannad Lamin (Libya, Qatar)

A mythical coming-of-age tale in which a young girl is forced to travel into the Sahara to find a new home, ‘Tin Hinan’ depicts the struggle for identity in the midst of a revolution.

Production

Feature Narrative

"1982" by Oualid Mouaness (Lebanon, Qatar)

When 11-year-old Wissam decides to tell a classmate that he loves her, his will is challenged, his courage falters and an impending war threatens to separate them permanently.

"Alam, The Flag" by Firas Khoury (Palestine, France, Qatar)

Tamer, a young Palestinian high-school student, takes part in the mysterious Operation Flag mission on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day celebrations – a day of mourning for Palestinians.

"Paris the White" by Lidia Terki (Algeria, France, Qatar)

Aicha, a woman of 70, leaves her village in Algeria for the first time to go to Paris in search of her husband, who has not contacted her in years.

"Retina" by Nejib Belkadhi (Tunisia, Qatar)

Lotfi, a Tunisian immigrant who lives in France, is forced to return to his homeland to take care of his autistic child.

"Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi (Qatar)

When Nasser and his friends are lost in the desert, struggling to retrieve their falcon, their search turns out to be a deadly journey.

Short Narrative

"Aya" by Moufida Fedhila (Tunisia, France, Qatar)

‘Aya’ is a story about faith in God and in humanity, and of making changes and sacrifices in order to save one’s soul.

"The Boss" by Rzgar Huseein Ahmed (Iraq, Qatar)

A group of boys decides to select a boss from among themselves. Then the boss becomes the group’s dictator.

"One of Them" by Fahad Al Kuwari (Qatar)

Khalid finds himself in an enigmatic situation when he suddenly develops immunity to religious advocacy.

"Under the Hat" by Amal Al-Agroobi (United Arab Emirates, Qatar)

A mosque’s mu’athen loses his voice and looks for a replacement in his neighbor – the young vocalist in a heavy metal band.

Feature Documentary

"Batata" by Noura Kevorkian (Lebanon, Qatar)

While war rages back home, a family of Syrian potato farmers works the fields in neighboring Lebanon.

"Ghosts Hunting" by Raed Andoni (Palestine, France, Qatar)

Director Raed Andoni assembles an eclectic group of Palestinian ex-prisoners to rebuild the Israeli investigation centre in which they were imprisoned – a place they never in fact saw, because they were always blindfolded.

Short Experimental or Essay

"The Most Pretty Dudes" by Mohammad Dibo (Syria, Qatar)

In Homs, a city destroyed by war, two embattled groups negotiate to ensure their safe escape from the building they are both trapped in.

Post-production

Feature Narrative

"3000 Nights" by Mai Masri (Palestine, France, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE, Qatar)

A recently wed Palestinian schoolteacher gives birth in an Israeli prison, where she fights to protect her son, survive and maintain hope.

"Apprentice" by Junfeng Boo (Singapore, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Qatar)

Aiman, a corrections officer, is transferred to a high-security prison. There, he befriends Rahim, who, it turns out, is chief executioner. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and become Rahim's apprentice?

"Film Kteer Kbeer" by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya (Lebanon, Qatar)

Intending to smuggle the amphetamine Captagon to Iraq in film canisters, a small-time Lebanese drug-dealer transforms himself into a film producer and, with the help of an underrated filmmaker, slyly manipulates public opinion.

"Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar)

In March, 1961, Yugoslavia sold its secret space programme to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.

"Madame Courage" by Merzak Allouache (Algeria, France, Qatar)

Omar, an unstable and lonely teenager, lives in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem.

"Road to La Paz" by Francisco Varone (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany, Qatar)

Sebastián is hired to take Jahlil, a Muslim retiree, on the most important mission of his life. What begins as an inconvenient trip turns out to be a life-changing adventure.

Feature Documentary

"Beirut Rooster" by Ziad Kalthoum (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar)

While Syrian workers rebuild Lebanon, a country ruined by a lengthy civil war, their hometowns in Syria are destroyed during the brutal conflict there. Who will rebuild their houses?

"Between Sisters" by Manu Gerosa (Italy, Qatar)

Before life runs out, Ornella decides to confront her aging sister Teresa with a painful untold story – one that might change their close bond forever.

"Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar)

In Swaziland, some talented orphaned children create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.

Feature Experimental or Essay

"In My Head, A Roundabout" by Lahcene Ferhani (Algeria, France, Qatar)

In the Ruisseau District of Algiers, workers and animals come together for a last dance of death: the city’s main slaughterhouse is about to close forever.

The Doha Film Institute (Dfi) has unveiled the projects to receive grants in its Spring 2015 funding cycle, including the first Qatari feature awarded a production grant.

Sahaabfrom Qatar’s Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of Dfi’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.

“Our filmmakers are learning a lot through Qumra and attending other festivals where they can interact with filmmakers and producers from around the world,” said Dfi CEO Fatma Al Remaihi. “Its encouraging to see them progressing from shorts to feature films.”

In total, 25 projects – including features, documentaries and shorts – were selected to receive grants, with 23 from first and second-time filmmakers.

Five projects from outside the Mena region received funding, including three features: Apprentice from Singapore’s Boo Junfeng; Slovenian filmmaker Ziga Virc’s Houston, We Have a Problem; and Road To La Paz from Argentina’s Francisco Varone.

Dfi has also...

Gazing into the crystal ball, Screen rounds up its Cannes predictions.

With the unveiling of Cannes Film Festival’s Official Selection now exactly three weeks away buzz over the titles that Thierry Fremaux and his team will select for the 68th edition is hitting fever pitch.

Official teaser announcements have started to roll this week, led by the confirmation on Wednesday that George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road would premiere in an Out of Competition screening on May 14.

Earlier the week, Cannes unveiled its poster featuring Ingrid Bergman to mark the centenary of the late big screen’s birth and it was announced that Stig Bjorkman’s documentary Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words would show in Cannes Classics as part of the commemorations.

For the rest of the Official Selection, except perhaps the opening film which is traditionally revealed in advance, Cannes watchers will have to wait for the announcement press conference in Paris on April...