Highly active Copenhagen-based sales outfit REinvent has acquired rights to the Danish pic “Rome,” officially selected as the Göteborg Film Festival’s closing movie.
The life-affirming romantic drama marks the sophomore feature from established Danish choreographer Niclas Bendixen, behind Mads Mikkelsen’s famous dance scene in the Oscar-winning “Another Round.” Toplining the cast are Rolf Lassgård (“A Man Called Ove”), Bodil Jørgensen (“The Kingdom”), and Kristian Halken (“A Perfectly Normal Family”), who shares the writing credits with Bendixen and Christian Torpe (“Silent Heart”).
“‘Rome’ stands out as a heart-warming film which makes you think about life, love and values. We are proud to represent and showcase ‘Rome’ to an international audience in Göteborg. I am confident that the film will find a home in the hearts of distributors in countries worldwide,” said Helene Aurø, REinvent’s sales and marketing director.
Based on Halken’s idea, the pic turns on Gerda...
The life-affirming romantic drama marks the sophomore feature from established Danish choreographer Niclas Bendixen, behind Mads Mikkelsen’s famous dance scene in the Oscar-winning “Another Round.” Toplining the cast are Rolf Lassgård (“A Man Called Ove”), Bodil Jørgensen (“The Kingdom”), and Kristian Halken (“A Perfectly Normal Family”), who shares the writing credits with Bendixen and Christian Torpe (“Silent Heart”).
“‘Rome’ stands out as a heart-warming film which makes you think about life, love and values. We are proud to represent and showcase ‘Rome’ to an international audience in Göteborg. I am confident that the film will find a home in the hearts of distributors in countries worldwide,” said Helene Aurø, REinvent’s sales and marketing director.
Based on Halken’s idea, the pic turns on Gerda...
- 1/19/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Danish star Trine Dyrholm takes on the “bad mom” trope in “Birthday Girl,” which has its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival, where a girl’s 18th birthday party goes horribly wrong.
Directed by Michael Noer, it sees her character, Nanna, trying to impress estranged daughter (“As in Heaven” breakout Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl) with a cruise to the Caribbean. But when the girl is assaulted, and no one believes her, Nanna needs to step it all the way up.
“Birthday Girl” was produced by Matilda Appelin and Rene Ezra for Nordisk Film Production, with TrustNordisk handling sales.
“I saw her as a mother who wants to be her daughter’s girlfriend. They are on the biggest party boat she could find, because they haven’t seen each other that much and she wants to make up for all that. She is fighting for this closeness and then they share this terrible experience,...
Directed by Michael Noer, it sees her character, Nanna, trying to impress estranged daughter (“As in Heaven” breakout Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl) with a cruise to the Caribbean. But when the girl is assaulted, and no one believes her, Nanna needs to step it all the way up.
“Birthday Girl” was produced by Matilda Appelin and Rene Ezra for Nordisk Film Production, with TrustNordisk handling sales.
“I saw her as a mother who wants to be her daughter’s girlfriend. They are on the biggest party boat she could find, because they haven’t seen each other that much and she wants to make up for all that. She is fighting for this closeness and then they share this terrible experience,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Nordic streaming service Viaplay has launched in the United States with content known as Nordic Noir, including both crime thrillers and dark comedies. This month, the streamer is offering “Cell 8,” a complicated six-episode thriller about a man, presumed dead, who is later arrested on a ferry in Finland. The story, coming April 13, zigzags between Scandinavia and the U.S. as dangerous events unfold.
Check out the “Cell 8” trailer:
Also coming to Viaplay in April will be the rom-com “R.S.V.P.” The ensemble film features close 30something friends looking for happiness and love — which always seems to elude them. The movie will be available to stream beginning on April 25.
Watch the trailer for “R.S.V.P.”: 7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com Coming in April: April 3 Detective Maria Kallio (Maria Kallio) - Season 1 April 10 Natascha Kampusch - A Lifetime in Prison – Documenary, Season 1 April 12 As in Heaven (Du som er i himlen) April...
Check out the “Cell 8” trailer:
Also coming to Viaplay in April will be the rom-com “R.S.V.P.” The ensemble film features close 30something friends looking for happiness and love — which always seems to elude them. The movie will be available to stream beginning on April 25.
Watch the trailer for “R.S.V.P.”: 7-Day Free Trial $5.99 / month viaplay.com Coming in April: April 3 Detective Maria Kallio (Maria Kallio) - Season 1 April 10 Natascha Kampusch - A Lifetime in Prison – Documenary, Season 1 April 12 As in Heaven (Du som er i himlen) April...
- 3/28/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
The award comes with 38,000, making it one of the world’s largest film prizes.
Goteborg’s lucrative Dragon Award for best Nordic film has gone to Danish director Malou Reymann’s second feature Unruly.
The drama premiered at Toronto and had its Swedish premiere at Goteborg. TrustNordisk handles sales and the Danish cinema release is planned for spring 2023.
Reymann previously directed Rotterdam Big Screen winner A Perfectly Normal Family.
Unruly is about the Sprogø Women’s Institution in the 1930s, when “morally feeble” girls and women were sent to the island to become more compliant. The story focuses on Maren,...
Goteborg’s lucrative Dragon Award for best Nordic film has gone to Danish director Malou Reymann’s second feature Unruly.
The drama premiered at Toronto and had its Swedish premiere at Goteborg. TrustNordisk handles sales and the Danish cinema release is planned for spring 2023.
Reymann previously directed Rotterdam Big Screen winner A Perfectly Normal Family.
Unruly is about the Sprogø Women’s Institution in the 1930s, when “morally feeble” girls and women were sent to the island to become more compliant. The story focuses on Maren,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Glenn Close, who was due to serve as the jury president at the San Sebastian Film Festival, has canceled her trip due to a family emergency.
“I deeply regret that I will not be able to take part in the festival as there has been a family emergency for which I must stay home,” Close said in a statement. “I apologize to the festival, the jury, the filmmakers, the Donostia honorees and the festival audience, that I will not be there to celebrate with you all.”
Just last week, the star of “Fatal Attraction” and “Dangerous Liaisons” posted a video on her social media in which she expressed her enthusiasm about chairing the festival jury, describing it as “a new adventure I’ve never done before.” “I love San Sebastian, people are fantastic, I’m really looking forward to seeing some wonderful films and I’m very excited about meeting my fellow jury members,...
“I deeply regret that I will not be able to take part in the festival as there has been a family emergency for which I must stay home,” Close said in a statement. “I apologize to the festival, the jury, the filmmakers, the Donostia honorees and the festival audience, that I will not be there to celebrate with you all.”
Just last week, the star of “Fatal Attraction” and “Dangerous Liaisons” posted a video on her social media in which she expressed her enthusiasm about chairing the festival jury, describing it as “a new adventure I’ve never done before.” “I love San Sebastian, people are fantastic, I’m really looking forward to seeing some wonderful films and I’m very excited about meeting my fellow jury members,...
- 9/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Nordish planning local release for March 2023.
TrustNordisk has boarded international sales for Birthday Girl (working title), a cruise ship-set suspense drama from Danish director Michael Noer starring Trine Dyrholm.
The cast also includes Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl (As in Heaven) and Herman Tømmeraas (Shame).
René Ezra (Queen Of Hearts) and Matilda Appelin (A Perfectly Normal Family) produce for Nordisk Film Production. The film wrapped shooting on April 22 and is being readied for a March 2023 launch through Nordisk.
Birthday Girl is about a mother, her teenage daughter and her daughter’s friend celebrating a birthday on a cruise ship to the Caribbean.
TrustNordisk has boarded international sales for Birthday Girl (working title), a cruise ship-set suspense drama from Danish director Michael Noer starring Trine Dyrholm.
The cast also includes Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl (As in Heaven) and Herman Tømmeraas (Shame).
René Ezra (Queen Of Hearts) and Matilda Appelin (A Perfectly Normal Family) produce for Nordisk Film Production. The film wrapped shooting on April 22 and is being readied for a March 2023 launch through Nordisk.
Birthday Girl is about a mother, her teenage daughter and her daughter’s friend celebrating a birthday on a cruise ship to the Caribbean.
- 5/2/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
TrustNordisk has boarded suspense drama Birthday Girl, directed by Michael Noer and led by Danish star Trine Dyrholm. The company will handle international sales rights on the feature about a mother’s persevering quest for justice.
Noer, who co-wrote Birthday Girl (working title) with Jesper Fin, is known for such films as 2018’s Before The Frost, which won the Tokyo Special Jury Prize, and his 2010 debut feature R, a Dragon Award winner for Best Nordic Film in Goteborg. His English-language debut was with the 2017 remake of the classic adventure epic Papillon starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek.
One of Denmark’s best-known and most lauded actresses, Dyrholm won the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for Thomas Vinterberg’s 2016 The Commune and boasts such credits as Queen Of Hearts, Love Is All You Need and In A Better World. Recently, she’s been seen in crime series Face To Face (Forhøret...
Noer, who co-wrote Birthday Girl (working title) with Jesper Fin, is known for such films as 2018’s Before The Frost, which won the Tokyo Special Jury Prize, and his 2010 debut feature R, a Dragon Award winner for Best Nordic Film in Goteborg. His English-language debut was with the 2017 remake of the classic adventure epic Papillon starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek.
One of Denmark’s best-known and most lauded actresses, Dyrholm won the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for Thomas Vinterberg’s 2016 The Commune and boasts such credits as Queen Of Hearts, Love Is All You Need and In A Better World. Recently, she’s been seen in crime series Face To Face (Forhøret...
- 5/2/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Nejc Gazvoda, whose previous films include “A Trip” and “Dual,” has started shooting “Father Figure” in his home town, Novo Mesto, Slovenia. The film will be shot in 25 days and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023, online news service Film New Europe reports.
“Father Figure” is an absurdist tale, written by Gazvoda, which follows a mother and her son who move from Ljubljana to a small town after the mother’s divorce. Jan is in his final year of elementary school, and Maja is a psychologist at the same school. The film begins with the reopening of schools after the end of the pandemic, but things do not seem to be the way they were before.
“ ‘Father Figure’ is a film about a particular period (the middle of 2021), set in an elementary school, and all the issues it deals with are concrete: peer violence, loneliness, dignity. At the same time,...
“Father Figure” is an absurdist tale, written by Gazvoda, which follows a mother and her son who move from Ljubljana to a small town after the mother’s divorce. Jan is in his final year of elementary school, and Maja is a psychologist at the same school. The film begins with the reopening of schools after the end of the pandemic, but things do not seem to be the way they were before.
“ ‘Father Figure’ is a film about a particular period (the middle of 2021), set in an elementary school, and all the issues it deals with are concrete: peer violence, loneliness, dignity. At the same time,...
- 4/21/2022
- by Damijan Vinter
- Variety Film + TV
One of Scandinavia’s leading film distributors, Scanbox Entertainment is changing ownership with a new board including CEO Thor Sigurjonsson.
The company was bought back from Scanbox Chairman Joni Sighvatsson. New owners include COO Kim William Beich, commercial director Torben Thorup Jorgensen, and producer Chris Briggs. They will be expending the business into film and TV production, kicking off with a Norwegian adaptation of the Italian blockbuster “Perfect Strangers “ which is co-produced by Storm Films and will premiere in theaters on Feb. 25.
“We see significant growth potential in the content creation side of the business. and with this Mbo, we have taken the first step towards that goal,” said Sigurjonsson.
The company will continue to license and distribute international and local films in the Nordic region as its core business. Scanbox’s slate also includes the Icelandic version of “Perfect Strangers” with Zik Zak Filmworks, which will premiering in the fall.
The company was bought back from Scanbox Chairman Joni Sighvatsson. New owners include COO Kim William Beich, commercial director Torben Thorup Jorgensen, and producer Chris Briggs. They will be expending the business into film and TV production, kicking off with a Norwegian adaptation of the Italian blockbuster “Perfect Strangers “ which is co-produced by Storm Films and will premiere in theaters on Feb. 25.
“We see significant growth potential in the content creation side of the business. and with this Mbo, we have taken the first step towards that goal,” said Sigurjonsson.
The company will continue to license and distribute international and local films in the Nordic region as its core business. Scanbox’s slate also includes the Icelandic version of “Perfect Strangers” with Zik Zak Filmworks, which will premiering in the fall.
- 2/10/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
With a top prize of $44,000 it is one of the world’s most lucrative film awards.
Denmark won big with the two Dragon awards handed out in Goteborg on February 5, with Tea Lindeburg’s As In Heaven winning the prize for best Nordic film. With a prize of $44,000, it is one of the world’s most lucrative film awards.
The film, which previously won best director and best actress at San Sebastian, is about a girl in the 19thcentury who hopes to leave her family’s farm to be the first in her family to study. Her future prospects change...
Denmark won big with the two Dragon awards handed out in Goteborg on February 5, with Tea Lindeburg’s As In Heaven winning the prize for best Nordic film. With a prize of $44,000, it is one of the world’s most lucrative film awards.
The film, which previously won best director and best actress at San Sebastian, is about a girl in the 19thcentury who hopes to leave her family’s farm to be the first in her family to study. Her future prospects change...
- 2/7/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
2021 was another annus horribilis for cinemagoing in the Nordics, due to on-going and strict Covid restrictions that halved admissions compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Released late September/early October when cinemas for once ran at full capacity, “No Time to Die” literally saved the film year, and even ranked No. 1 among all James Bond movies ever released in Denmark.
Aside from Sweden, strong homegrown offers such as “Checkered Ninja 2” in Denmark, “Class Reunion 3” in Finland, “Cop Secret” in Iceland, “Three Wishes for Cinderella” in Norway enabled the Nordic nations to secure bullish market shares.
Denmark
In 2021, “No Time to Die” smashed all B.O. records for a James Bond movie in Denmark. That, however, didn’t prevent overall ticket sales from plummeting 45% from 2019, due to the pandemic.
The Danish film year opened and ended with closed cinemas, and faced a record 138 days of full cinema lockdown, according to the cinema association Danske biografer.
Released late September/early October when cinemas for once ran at full capacity, “No Time to Die” literally saved the film year, and even ranked No. 1 among all James Bond movies ever released in Denmark.
Aside from Sweden, strong homegrown offers such as “Checkered Ninja 2” in Denmark, “Class Reunion 3” in Finland, “Cop Secret” in Iceland, “Three Wishes for Cinderella” in Norway enabled the Nordic nations to secure bullish market shares.
Denmark
In 2021, “No Time to Die” smashed all B.O. records for a James Bond movie in Denmark. That, however, didn’t prevent overall ticket sales from plummeting 45% from 2019, due to the pandemic.
The Danish film year opened and ended with closed cinemas, and faced a record 138 days of full cinema lockdown, according to the cinema association Danske biografer.
- 2/6/2022
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Danish debut feature helmer-writer Tea Lindeburg’s period drama “As In Heaven,” that portrays a fateful summer day and night in 19th century farming society, came away the biggest winner at the 44th Göteborg Film Festival, scoring on Saturday the best Nordic film kudo, this year worth approx. $44,000.
Meanwhile, Seidi Haarla of Finland’s Oscar-shortlisted drama, “Compartment No. 6” took the best acting prize. The film, helmed by Juho Kuosmanen, also nabbed the Fipresci critics nod.
Norway-born Dp Sturla Brandth Grøvlen claimed the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award for his work on the Norwegian film “The Innocents,” directed by Eskil Vogt. The perfectly executed thriller about rival playmates with paranormal abilities also took the audience award for best Nordic film.
Danish helmer Simon Lereng Wilmont captured the best Nordic documentary title and a purse of approx. $27,000 for “A House Made Of Splinters,” a masterful portrayal of the children and daily life at an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Seidi Haarla of Finland’s Oscar-shortlisted drama, “Compartment No. 6” took the best acting prize. The film, helmed by Juho Kuosmanen, also nabbed the Fipresci critics nod.
Norway-born Dp Sturla Brandth Grøvlen claimed the Sven Nykvist Cinematography Award for his work on the Norwegian film “The Innocents,” directed by Eskil Vogt. The perfectly executed thriller about rival playmates with paranormal abilities also took the audience award for best Nordic film.
Danish helmer Simon Lereng Wilmont captured the best Nordic documentary title and a purse of approx. $27,000 for “A House Made Of Splinters,” a masterful portrayal of the children and daily life at an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine.
- 2/5/2022
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based company had a high-profile 2021 with titles including ’Compartment No. 6’ and ‘My Sunny Maad’.
Paris-based Totem Films will launch a quartet of first features with 2022 festival hopes at the EFM next week (February 10-17), including directorial debuts by The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Mäki co-writer Mikko Myllylahti and Italian actress Jasmine Trinca.
The company’s 2021 slate enjoyed a buzzy festival run, led by Cannes Grand Prix winner Compartment No. 6 as well as Berlinale best documentary winner We, Berlin Competition title Ballad Of A White Cow and My SunnyMaad, which took the jury award at Annecy.
Finnish...
Paris-based Totem Films will launch a quartet of first features with 2022 festival hopes at the EFM next week (February 10-17), including directorial debuts by The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Mäki co-writer Mikko Myllylahti and Italian actress Jasmine Trinca.
The company’s 2021 slate enjoyed a buzzy festival run, led by Cannes Grand Prix winner Compartment No. 6 as well as Berlinale best documentary winner We, Berlin Competition title Ballad Of A White Cow and My SunnyMaad, which took the jury award at Annecy.
Finnish...
- 2/1/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Deals also for France, Germany, Spain.
Danish drama As In Heaven, which was a prizewinner at San Sebastian 2021 and screens at Rotterdam and Goteborg this week, has added deals in a slew of territories including theatrical buys in France (UFO Distribution) and North America (Juno Films).
LevelK has also sold the film to a number of high-profile platforms, for UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Viaplay); Spain and Portugal (Filmin); and Eastern Europe (HBO).
The film won San Sebastian’s best director and best leading performance awards. It also played at Toronto, BFI London Film Festival, Busan and Hamburg; with current...
Danish drama As In Heaven, which was a prizewinner at San Sebastian 2021 and screens at Rotterdam and Goteborg this week, has added deals in a slew of territories including theatrical buys in France (UFO Distribution) and North America (Juno Films).
LevelK has also sold the film to a number of high-profile platforms, for UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Viaplay); Spain and Portugal (Filmin); and Eastern Europe (HBO).
The film won San Sebastian’s best director and best leading performance awards. It also played at Toronto, BFI London Film Festival, Busan and Hamburg; with current...
- 2/1/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Deals also for France, Germany, Spain.
Danish drama As In Heaven, which was a prizewinner at San Sebastian 2021 and screens at Rotterdam and Goteborg this week, has added deals in a slew of territories including theatrical buys in France (UFO Distribution) and North America (Juno Films).
LevelK has also sold the film to a number of high-profile platforms, for UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Viaplay); Spain and Portugal (Filmin); and Eastern Europe (HBO).
The film won San Sebastian’s best director and best leading performance awards. It also played at Toronto, BFI London Film Festival, Busan and Hamburg; with current...
Danish drama As In Heaven, which was a prizewinner at San Sebastian 2021 and screens at Rotterdam and Goteborg this week, has added deals in a slew of territories including theatrical buys in France (UFO Distribution) and North America (Juno Films).
LevelK has also sold the film to a number of high-profile platforms, for UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Viaplay); Spain and Portugal (Filmin); and Eastern Europe (HBO).
The film won San Sebastian’s best director and best leading performance awards. It also played at Toronto, BFI London Film Festival, Busan and Hamburg; with current...
- 2/1/2022
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Energized by the second strong year in a row for Scandinavian cinema, a hybrid 45th Göteborg Film Festival will open with Christoffer Sandler’s “So Damn Easy Going” in main Nordic Competition, alongside Juho Kuosmanen’s “Compartment No. 6” and Eskil Vogt’s “The Innocents.”
Despite new theater capacity controls announced by Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson on Monday, Göteborg, which had anticipated the tighter restrictions, is pressing ahead with its plans for an on-site festival with select online screenings of some 50 films for Sweden, festival artistic director Jonas Holmberg told Variety.
Luca Guadagnino will receive an Honorary Dragon Award, attending the festival and participating in an on-stage conversation after the screening of “Call Me By Your Name” on Feb. 3.
Playing Lady Jessica Atreides in “Dune,” Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) will pick up a Nordic Honorary Dragon Award.
Produced by Sweden’s Cinenic Film, the company behind Sundance...
Despite new theater capacity controls announced by Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson on Monday, Göteborg, which had anticipated the tighter restrictions, is pressing ahead with its plans for an on-site festival with select online screenings of some 50 films for Sweden, festival artistic director Jonas Holmberg told Variety.
Luca Guadagnino will receive an Honorary Dragon Award, attending the festival and participating in an on-stage conversation after the screening of “Call Me By Your Name” on Feb. 3.
Playing Lady Jessica Atreides in “Dune,” Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) will pick up a Nordic Honorary Dragon Award.
Produced by Sweden’s Cinenic Film, the company behind Sundance...
- 1/11/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
After highlighting the most overlooked films of 2021, today we put our spotlight on those that need a home in the first place: movies we loved on the festival circuit—from Berlinale, SXSW, Sundance, TIFF, NYFF, Rotterdam, and beyond—still seeking U.S. distribution.
For acting also as a 2021 retrospective, we hope that highlighting these titles spurs some distributor interests and a release in the next twelve months. Make sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest distribution updates. As we move into 2022, one can also track our upcoming festival coverage here.
We should note that The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet, Taming the Garden, and Liborio nearly made the cut, but they’ll get a digital premiere on Mubi this month.
Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard)
It’s so rare to find a romance between two middle-aged characters in which the main conflict is just baggage of past relationships and past hurt.
For acting also as a 2021 retrospective, we hope that highlighting these titles spurs some distributor interests and a release in the next twelve months. Make sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest distribution updates. As we move into 2022, one can also track our upcoming festival coverage here.
We should note that The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet, Taming the Garden, and Liborio nearly made the cut, but they’ll get a digital premiere on Mubi this month.
Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard)
It’s so rare to find a romance between two middle-aged characters in which the main conflict is just baggage of past relationships and past hurt.
- 1/3/2022
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Grants
The International Documentary Association (IDA) will award grants totalling $105,000 to five films through its Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund on the theme, “Challenging White Supremacy.”
The films are “Aanikoobijigan”; “Brigidy Bram: The Life and Mind of Kendal Hanna”; “Home Is Somewhere Else”; “The Quiet Part” (working title); and “Yintah”.
In addition, filmmakers Ilse Fernandez (“Exodus Stories”) and Sundance winner Rintu Thomas (“Writing with Fire”), will receive IDA’s Logan Elevate Grants of $25,000 each.
Highlighting IDA’s support for diversity, among the Pare Lorentz grants, one project is directed and/or produced by a non-binary filmmaker and four are directed and/or produced by a woman. Four have a Bipoc director and/or producer and four directors and/or producers identify as LGBTQ+.
Since 2011, IDA has provided over $5.9 million in grants through its documentary funds.
Festival
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan. 26 – Feb. 6) has revealed the first confirmed titles for its 51st edition,...
The International Documentary Association (IDA) will award grants totalling $105,000 to five films through its Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund on the theme, “Challenging White Supremacy.”
The films are “Aanikoobijigan”; “Brigidy Bram: The Life and Mind of Kendal Hanna”; “Home Is Somewhere Else”; “The Quiet Part” (working title); and “Yintah”.
In addition, filmmakers Ilse Fernandez (“Exodus Stories”) and Sundance winner Rintu Thomas (“Writing with Fire”), will receive IDA’s Logan Elevate Grants of $25,000 each.
Highlighting IDA’s support for diversity, among the Pare Lorentz grants, one project is directed and/or produced by a non-binary filmmaker and four are directed and/or produced by a woman. Four have a Bipoc director and/or producer and four directors and/or producers identify as LGBTQ+.
Since 2011, IDA has provided over $5.9 million in grants through its documentary funds.
Festival
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan. 26 – Feb. 6) has revealed the first confirmed titles for its 51st edition,...
- 11/3/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
LevelK has boarded international sales rights to “The Passenger” (“La pasajera”), a high-concept Spanish horror film directed by Fernando Gonzalez (“Downunder”) and Raul Cerezo which will world premiere at Sitges in the Panorama Fantastic section.
Produced by Jose Luis Rancaño (“The Night My Mother Killed My Father”), “The Passenger” follows a group of strangers on a road trip who get abruptly interrupted when their van accidentally hits a female hiker in the middle of the night. They decide to take her to the hospital but soon understand that they only have to comply with a clear rule: not to sit next to her.
The film was penned by Luis Sánchez-Polack, based on an original idea by Cerezo. “The Passenger” is headlined by established Spanish actors, including Ramiro Blas (“Blackwod”), Cecilia Suarez (“The House of Flowers”), Paula Gallego (“Paquita Salas”) and Christina Alcazar (“Cachorro”).
Gonzalez and Cerezo said the “film’s...
Produced by Jose Luis Rancaño (“The Night My Mother Killed My Father”), “The Passenger” follows a group of strangers on a road trip who get abruptly interrupted when their van accidentally hits a female hiker in the middle of the night. They decide to take her to the hospital but soon understand that they only have to comply with a clear rule: not to sit next to her.
The film was penned by Luis Sánchez-Polack, based on an original idea by Cerezo. “The Passenger” is headlined by established Spanish actors, including Ramiro Blas (“Blackwod”), Cecilia Suarez (“The House of Flowers”), Paula Gallego (“Paquita Salas”) and Christina Alcazar (“Cachorro”).
Gonzalez and Cerezo said the “film’s...
- 10/4/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Blue Moon (Crai Nou) by Romanian director Alina Grigore won the Golden Shell at the 69th San Sebastian Film Festival whose top awards were swept by female filmmakers and actors.
For the first time, the film festival a gender neutral acting award. The Best Leading Performance prize was shared. Jessica Chastain was honored for her portrayal of televangelist Tammy Faye Messner in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The other winner was 16 -year-old Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl, star of the Danish film As in Heaven (Du som er i himlen). The film’s Tea Lindeburg was named Best Director.
Other major female winners included Tatiana Huezo, whose Prayers for the Stolen (Noche de fuego) took the prize for Best Latin American film, Claire Mathon, Best Cinematography winner for Undercover (Enquête sur un scandale d’état) and Lucile Hadzihalilovic whose film Earwig was recognized with the festival’s special prize.
The sole...
For the first time, the film festival a gender neutral acting award. The Best Leading Performance prize was shared. Jessica Chastain was honored for her portrayal of televangelist Tammy Faye Messner in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The other winner was 16 -year-old Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl, star of the Danish film As in Heaven (Du som er i himlen). The film’s Tea Lindeburg was named Best Director.
Other major female winners included Tatiana Huezo, whose Prayers for the Stolen (Noche de fuego) took the prize for Best Latin American film, Claire Mathon, Best Cinematography winner for Undercover (Enquête sur un scandale d’état) and Lucile Hadzihalilovic whose film Earwig was recognized with the festival’s special prize.
The sole...
- 9/26/2021
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Other winners included Earwig, Jessica Chastain, Tea Lindeburg and Terence Davies.
A debut feature by Romanian director Alina Grigore, Blue Moon has won the Golden Shell award for best film at the 69th edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival (Ssiff).
The victory adds another woman director as winner of a festival’s main prize following the Palme d’Or win at Cannes for Julia Ducournau’s Titane and the Venice Golden Lion triumph for Audrey Diwan’s Happening.
Other awards in Ssiff’s main competition included a special jury prize for Earwig, by Lucile Hadzilhalilovic; the Silver Shell...
A debut feature by Romanian director Alina Grigore, Blue Moon has won the Golden Shell award for best film at the 69th edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival (Ssiff).
The victory adds another woman director as winner of a festival’s main prize following the Palme d’Or win at Cannes for Julia Ducournau’s Titane and the Venice Golden Lion triumph for Audrey Diwan’s Happening.
Other awards in Ssiff’s main competition included a special jury prize for Earwig, by Lucile Hadzilhalilovic; the Silver Shell...
- 9/25/2021
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
Female directors and actors reigned supreme at tonight’s San Sebastian Film Festival awards ceremony, with the Romanian actor-turned-director Alina Grigore taking the Golden Shell for Best Film for her intimate debut feature “Blue Moon.” The film, a raw realist study of a young woman attempting to free herself from an abusive rural household, was an unexpected winner, besting a number of higher-profile auteur films in the festival’s main competition. Yet a full spectrum was covered: At the opposite end of the celebrity scale, Jessica Chastain was one of two Best Leading Performance winners for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”
This was the second year in a row that a first-time female filmmaker took the festival’s top prize. Last year, Georgian writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili swept the board for her debut “Beginning,” which won the Golden Shell in addition to Best Director, Actress and Screenplay. Kulumbegashvili returned to the...
This was the second year in a row that a first-time female filmmaker took the festival’s top prize. Last year, Georgian writer-director Dea Kulumbegashvili swept the board for her debut “Beginning,” which won the Golden Shell in addition to Best Director, Actress and Screenplay. Kulumbegashvili returned to the...
- 9/25/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Blessed by largely clement weather, San Sebastian fairly hummed, as hundreds of industry execs sat down to talk face to face – some, especially from Latin America, for the first time since February 2020. As at Venice, Latin American producers could talk on-site and with some degree of confidence about putting movies long in development into production. So the 69th San Sebastián Festival proved a joyous and energy-sluiced affair. Following, some of its highlights:
San Sebastian Rebounds
Through Thursday, total San Sebastian delegates numbers came in at 3,848, 46.5% up on 2020 and just 11% down on a pre-pandemic 2019. Industry reps drove much of that rebound, San Sebastian welcoming 1,686 this year, compared to 1,185 in 2020 and 1,749 in 2019. “Everyone’s very active, enthusiastic, appreciating seeing one another again. We really wanted to be here,” said Ventana Sur co-director Bernardo Bergeret. He added that late November’s Ventana Sur had received a record number of applications for accreditations. Expect...
San Sebastian Rebounds
Through Thursday, total San Sebastian delegates numbers came in at 3,848, 46.5% up on 2020 and just 11% down on a pre-pandemic 2019. Industry reps drove much of that rebound, San Sebastian welcoming 1,686 this year, compared to 1,185 in 2020 and 1,749 in 2019. “Everyone’s very active, enthusiastic, appreciating seeing one another again. We really wanted to be here,” said Ventana Sur co-director Bernardo Bergeret. He added that late November’s Ventana Sur had received a record number of applications for accreditations. Expect...
- 9/24/2021
- by John Hopewell and Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Only 140 out of 1,686 industry attendees took part online.
After last year’s festival relied on an online industry offering, with many international attendees unable to attend in person, the screen sector was champing at the bit to return to San Sebastian, a festival cherished by many for its beach location and exquisite culinary offerings, which wraps tomorrow (Sept 25).
Industry professionals who did manage to attend in 2020 remember the city being something of a ghost town, with restaurants often closed and evenings spent holed up in hotel rooms. But for the 69th edition, which continued to offer a mix of in-person and online industry events,...
After last year’s festival relied on an online industry offering, with many international attendees unable to attend in person, the screen sector was champing at the bit to return to San Sebastian, a festival cherished by many for its beach location and exquisite culinary offerings, which wraps tomorrow (Sept 25).
Industry professionals who did manage to attend in 2020 remember the city being something of a ghost town, with restaurants often closed and evenings spent holed up in hotel rooms. But for the 69th edition, which continued to offer a mix of in-person and online industry events,...
- 9/24/2021
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
The director talks taking inspiration from ‘Carrie’, Islam and motherhood.
Danish director Tea Lindeburg’s feature debut As In Heaven – which receives its European premiere in the main competition at San Sebastian Film Festival today (September 19) – provides an unflinching look at the brutality of motherhood, as told through the eyes of a young teenage girl named Lise (Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl), living in Denmark’s countryside in the late 1800s.
Across the space of a single day, we see Lise’s life change forever when the girl, who is the eldest of a large brood of children, sees her mother...
Danish director Tea Lindeburg’s feature debut As In Heaven – which receives its European premiere in the main competition at San Sebastian Film Festival today (September 19) – provides an unflinching look at the brutality of motherhood, as told through the eyes of a young teenage girl named Lise (Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl), living in Denmark’s countryside in the late 1800s.
Across the space of a single day, we see Lise’s life change forever when the girl, who is the eldest of a large brood of children, sees her mother...
- 9/19/2021
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Last year, September’s San Sebastian worked a minor miracle, staging a safe on-site festival as second-wave Covid-19 built up in Spain. This year, on-site attendance will be up, though travel problems, caution and costs in Latin America, the U.S and Asia will prevent a full attendance.
That said, this year’s festival, running Sept. 17-25, will be firing on all cylinders — as a Spanish-language movie emporium, a new talent hub and launchpad for the local Basque industry. Following, seven takes on the most important film event in the Spanish-speaking world:
Star Power: Cruz, Banderas, Bardem, Depp, Cotillard, and Chastain?
Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas are expected for the Spanish premiere of “Official Competition” and Javier Bardem the world premiere of “The Good Boss.” Despite some opposition Johnny Depp will receive a career-achievement Donostia Award as, less controversially, will Marion Cotillard. Jessica Chastain, fest organizers hope, will attend for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,...
That said, this year’s festival, running Sept. 17-25, will be firing on all cylinders — as a Spanish-language movie emporium, a new talent hub and launchpad for the local Basque industry. Following, seven takes on the most important film event in the Spanish-speaking world:
Star Power: Cruz, Banderas, Bardem, Depp, Cotillard, and Chastain?
Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas are expected for the Spanish premiere of “Official Competition” and Javier Bardem the world premiere of “The Good Boss.” Despite some opposition Johnny Depp will receive a career-achievement Donostia Award as, less controversially, will Marion Cotillard. Jessica Chastain, fest organizers hope, will attend for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,...
- 9/13/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Lise, 14, walks in a cornfield on a sunny day, her pañm brushing its spikes. Suddenly, the sky darkens and a sinister red cloud builds in the distance, moving ominously towards her, then raining blood on her face.
The next day, Lise, the eldest of eight siblings, will become the first in her family to go away to school. But then a dramatic turn of events puts her future in doubt.
Set on a farmstead in late nineteenth century West Jutland in Denmark, “As in Heaven” marks the feature debut of Tea Lindeburg. Sold by Denmark LevelK, it is based on a literary classic, “En Dødsnat” (“A Night of Death”), the 1912 novel by Marie Bregendahl. Its blood cloud opening sequence turns out to be a premonitory dream, as Lise awakes in her bed on the morning of a day that may change her life altogether.
Which in a way seems to...
The next day, Lise, the eldest of eight siblings, will become the first in her family to go away to school. But then a dramatic turn of events puts her future in doubt.
Set on a farmstead in late nineteenth century West Jutland in Denmark, “As in Heaven” marks the feature debut of Tea Lindeburg. Sold by Denmark LevelK, it is based on a literary classic, “En Dødsnat” (“A Night of Death”), the 1912 novel by Marie Bregendahl. Its blood cloud opening sequence turns out to be a premonitory dream, as Lise awakes in her bed on the morning of a day that may change her life altogether.
Which in a way seems to...
- 9/10/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
BenedictionThe lineup has been unveiled for the 2021 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, which will take place over 10 days (September 9-18) both in-person and physically in Toronto, and digitally across Canada. Wavelengths - FEATURESFutura (Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher)The Girl and the Spider (Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher)Neptune Frost (Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman)A Night of Knowing Nothing (Payal Kapadia)Ste. Anne (Rhayne Vermette)The Tsugua Diaries (Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes)Wavelengths - SHORTSThe Capacity for Adequate Anger (Vika Kirchenbauer)Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) (Nicolás Pereda)earthearthearth (Daïchi Saïto)Inner Outer Space (Laida Lertxundi)Polycephaly in D (Michael Robinson)“The red filter is withdrawn.” (Minjung Kim)Train Again (Peter Tscherkassky)Midnight Madness After Blue (Dirty Paradise) (Bertrand Mandico)Dashcam (Rob Savage)Saloum (Jean Luc Herbulot)Titane (Julia Ducournau)You Are Not My Mother (Kate Dolan)Zalava (Arsalan Amiri)TIFF DOCSAttica (Stanley Nelson)Beba (Rebeca Huntt)Becoming Cousteau...
- 8/4/2021
- MUBI
Title is Danish filmmaker Tea Lindeburg’s debut feature.
LevelK has boarded international sales rights to Danish filmmaker Tea Lindeburg’s debut feature, As in Heaven, which has been confirmed for Toronto’s Discovery section and will also screen in the main competition at San Sebastian.
Writer/director Lindeburg has previously worked in television and is the creator and writer of the Danish Netflix production Equinox.
As in Heaven follows 14-year-old Lise, the eldest of her siblings, who experiences the harsh reality of farm life in the 19th century. She is poised to become the first in her family to go away to school,...
LevelK has boarded international sales rights to Danish filmmaker Tea Lindeburg’s debut feature, As in Heaven, which has been confirmed for Toronto’s Discovery section and will also screen in the main competition at San Sebastian.
Writer/director Lindeburg has previously worked in television and is the creator and writer of the Danish Netflix production Equinox.
As in Heaven follows 14-year-old Lise, the eldest of her siblings, who experiences the harsh reality of farm life in the 19th century. She is poised to become the first in her family to go away to school,...
- 7/28/2021
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday unveiled its lineups for the Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery programs as it ramps up toward the kickoff of its 46th edition September 9-18. The festival also solidified additional Gala and Special Presentation titles and took the wraps off TIFF Rewind, a new block that highlights memorable films from previous TIFF editions along with conversations and Q&As with directors and casts.
This comes after the festival last week announced that Dear Evan Hansen will be the opening-night film, while Zhang Yimou’s One Second will close it. It also revealed a portion of the Gala and Special presentation titles that featured films from directors Edgar Wright, Melanie Laurent, Barry Levinson, Antoine Fuqua, Jacques Audiard and Ted Melfi.
Today, TIFF added world premieres for Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky’s The Good House and Camille Griffin’s Silent Night to its Gala lineup, and...
This comes after the festival last week announced that Dear Evan Hansen will be the opening-night film, while Zhang Yimou’s One Second will close it. It also revealed a portion of the Gala and Special presentation titles that featured films from directors Edgar Wright, Melanie Laurent, Barry Levinson, Antoine Fuqua, Jacques Audiard and Ted Melfi.
Today, TIFF added world premieres for Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky’s The Good House and Camille Griffin’s Silent Night to its Gala lineup, and...
- 7/28/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The Toronto International Film Festival has revealed the slate of titles that will round out its contemporary world cinema and discovery programs.
Among the films playing in the contemporary world cinema lineup include director Wen Shipei’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” Lorenzo Vigas’ “The Box,” Manuel Martín Cuenca’s “The Daughter” and Bouli Lanners’ “Nobody Has to Know.” The discovery program will host Tea Lindeburg’s “As In Heaven,” filmmaker Hong Sung-eun’s “Aloners” and Anatolian Leopard from director Emre Kayış.
“TIFF Programmers continue discovering compelling and diverse stories from around the globe,” said Diana Sanchez, TIFF’s senior director of film. “With these two programmes, Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery, audiences can look forward to this stellar lineup to immerse themselves in. TIFF is dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black and Indigenous filmmakers and filmmakers of colour, emerging Canadian talent, and powerful storytellers who identify as women, and...
Among the films playing in the contemporary world cinema lineup include director Wen Shipei’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” Lorenzo Vigas’ “The Box,” Manuel Martín Cuenca’s “The Daughter” and Bouli Lanners’ “Nobody Has to Know.” The discovery program will host Tea Lindeburg’s “As In Heaven,” filmmaker Hong Sung-eun’s “Aloners” and Anatolian Leopard from director Emre Kayış.
“TIFF Programmers continue discovering compelling and diverse stories from around the globe,” said Diana Sanchez, TIFF’s senior director of film. “With these two programmes, Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery, audiences can look forward to this stellar lineup to immerse themselves in. TIFF is dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black and Indigenous filmmakers and filmmakers of colour, emerging Canadian talent, and powerful storytellers who identify as women, and...
- 7/28/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
September’s 69th San Sebastian Festival has announced its first nine Competition contenders led by Palme d’Or winner Laurent Cantet (“The Class”) and English auteur Terence Davies (“Sunset Song”) but packed out by six female directors.
Two at least are already sparking anticipation: Lucile Hadzihalilovic, a French genre auteur backed like Palme d’Or winner “Titane” by Wild Bunch; and “As in Heaven,” the debut feature of Denmark’s Tea Lindeburg’s, which is generating good word-of-mouth.
The Competition features two other first features, a sign, like last week’s Cannes, of a new generation of filmmakers breaking through to rapid best fest attention.
San Sebastian’s national Competition titles, traditionally featuring some of the strongest Spanish titles of the year, are announced at the end of July.
More details to come.
First 2021 San Sebastian Film Festival Competition Titles
“Arthur Rambo.”
“Benediction,”
“Camila Comes out Tonight,”
“Blue Moon,”
“Fever Dream,...
Two at least are already sparking anticipation: Lucile Hadzihalilovic, a French genre auteur backed like Palme d’Or winner “Titane” by Wild Bunch; and “As in Heaven,” the debut feature of Denmark’s Tea Lindeburg’s, which is generating good word-of-mouth.
The Competition features two other first features, a sign, like last week’s Cannes, of a new generation of filmmakers breaking through to rapid best fest attention.
San Sebastian’s national Competition titles, traditionally featuring some of the strongest Spanish titles of the year, are announced at the end of July.
More details to come.
First 2021 San Sebastian Film Festival Competition Titles
“Arthur Rambo.”
“Benediction,”
“Camila Comes out Tonight,”
“Blue Moon,”
“Fever Dream,...
- 7/19/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
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