The 25th anniversary edition of Sheffield Doc/Fest taking place from June 7 to 12, 2018, will open with the World Premiere of A Northern Soul by Yorkshire-born director Sean McAllister – winner of the 2015 Grand Jury Prize with A Syrian Love Story.
In the film, McAllister returns to his Yorkshire hometown of Hull as creative director of the opening ceremony of the City of Culture celebrations: living back with his 90 year-old parents, McAllister reflects on the changes to a city hit by cuts in public spending and divided by Brexit and where more than 1 in 3 children are living in poverty. Drawn to the fringes of town, McAllister met and started filming with Steve Arnott, a struggling warehouse worker by day and hip-hop performer by night, who harbours his own creative dream. Says Sean McAllister, “Back home in Hull, where I began, I have been filming Steve and wondering whether he can, against the odds, unlock the opportunities to build a better life? Is social mobility possible in cities like Hull? What role does culture have to play in this? How long can he hold onto his dreams for?”
Luke W Moody, Director of Film Programming, Sheffield Doc/Fest says, “The World Premiere of A Northern Soul is the perfect opening scene to Doc/Fest’s 25th festival edition. Sean’s internationally recognised cinema of rapport questions the present from a local point of view, but touches us all. A Northern Soul is a potent story about belonging, the value of culture for every person and offers a sense of hope and solidarity in turbulent times.”
Continues Sean McAllister, “I am delighted that Sheffield Doc/Fest is opening its 25th edition with a film from Yorkshire, and I cannot think of a more fitting occasion for A Northern Soul to receive its World Premiere. As a Northern filmmaker – and as someone who has attended every Doc/Fest since its inception and screened all my films here – it particularly resonates with me that the festival supports and celebrates regional voices and brave filmmaking – whether that’s in Syria or Hull – and it’s great to see the festival making these bold choices.
“Steve represents a forgotten generation whose dreams haven’t been met. He is also a deeply community driven optimist, who has been trying to find a way to bring creativity and culture to the disadvantaged kids of the city, whose opportunities to build a better life are restricted by the world around them. I left school at 16 and went straight into dead end factory work and eventually made a film in a pea factory that got me into film school and since then I’ve enjoyed filming around the world but it felt like an important time to be filming back in the North “.
Director Sean McAllister is known for his candid, frank films, depicting with extraordinary intimacy the lives of ordinary people who are struggling to survive but are survivors, caught up in political and personal conflict, struggling to make sense of the world we live in. From his early films Working For The Enemy (1997) and The Minders (1998), Sundance Jury Prize-winning The Liberace Of Baghdad (2004) and Japan: A Story Of Love And Hate (2008) to his more recent successes, The Reluctant Revolutionary and Sheffield Grand Jury Prize winning, BAFTA nominated A Syrian Love Story (2015), Sean’s work continues to inspire, to surprise and to fascinate audiences.
A Northern Soul is produced by Elhum Shakerifar (Even When I Fall 2017, Almost Heaven 2017, A Syrian Love Story 2015,) and Sean McAllister for BBC Two, with support from the BFI awarding funds from the National Lottery, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Sharp House.Jacquelyn N.
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World Premiere of Sean McAllister’s ‘A NORTHERN SOUL’ to Open 25th Sheffield Doc/Fest
The 25th anniversary edition of Sheffield Doc/Fest taking place from June 7 to 12, 2018, will open with the World Premiere of A Northern Soul by Yorkshire-born director Sean McAllister – winner of the 2015 Grand Jury Prize with A Syrian Love Story.
In the film, McAllister returns to his Yorkshire hometown of Hull as creative director of the opening ceremony of the City of Culture celebrations: living back with his 90 year-old parents, McAllister reflects on the changes to a city hit by cuts in public spending and divided by Brexit and where more than 1 in 3 children are living in poverty. Drawn to the fringes of town, McAllister met and started filming with Steve Arnott, a struggling warehouse worker by day and hip-hop performer by night, who harbours his own creative dream. Says Sean McAllister, “Back home in Hull, where I began, I have been filming Steve and wondering whether he can, against the odds, unlock the opportunities to build a better life? Is social mobility possible in cities like Hull? What role does culture have to play in this? How long can he hold onto his dreams for?”
Luke W Moody, Director of Film Programming, Sheffield Doc/Fest says, “The World Premiere of A Northern Soul is the perfect opening scene to Doc/Fest’s 25th festival edition. Sean’s internationally recognised cinema of rapport questions the present from a local point of view, but touches us all. A Northern Soul is a potent story about belonging, the value of culture for every person and offers a sense of hope and solidarity in turbulent times.”
Continues Sean McAllister, “I am delighted that Sheffield Doc/Fest is opening its 25th edition with a film from Yorkshire, and I cannot think of a more fitting occasion for A Northern Soul to receive its World Premiere. As a Northern filmmaker – and as someone who has attended every Doc/Fest since its inception and screened all my films here – it particularly resonates with me that the festival supports and celebrates regional voices and brave filmmaking – whether that’s in Syria or Hull – and it’s great to see the festival making these bold choices.
“Steve represents a forgotten generation whose dreams haven’t been met. He is also a deeply community driven optimist, who has been trying to find a way to bring creativity and culture to the disadvantaged kids of the city, whose opportunities to build a better life are restricted by the world around them. I left school at 16 and went straight into dead end factory work and eventually made a film in a pea factory that got me into film school and since then I’ve enjoyed filming around the world but it felt like an important time to be filming back in the North “.
Director Sean McAllister is known for his candid, frank films, depicting with extraordinary intimacy the lives of ordinary people who are struggling to survive but are survivors, caught up in political and personal conflict, struggling to make sense of the world we live in. From his early films Working For The Enemy (1997) and The Minders (1998), Sundance Jury Prize-winning The Liberace Of Baghdad (2004) and Japan: A Story Of Love And Hate (2008) to his more recent successes, The Reluctant Revolutionary and Sheffield Grand Jury Prize winning, BAFTA nominated A Syrian Love Story (2015), Sean’s work continues to inspire, to surprise and to fascinate audiences.
A Northern Soul is produced by Elhum Shakerifar (Even When I Fall 2017, Almost Heaven 2017, A Syrian Love Story 2015,) and Sean McAllister for BBC Two, with support from the BFI awarding funds from the National Lottery, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Sharp House.
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Comedy Film ‘The Breaker Upperers’ by Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami to Open 2018 Sydney Film Festival [Trailer]
The Breaker Upperers, by New Zealand directors Jackie van Beek, Madeleine Sami will open the 2018 Sydney Film Festival on June 6. In this side-splittingly funny film, Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami star as best friends who run an unconventional business breaking up couples for cash.
Directors Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami star as Jen and Mel, who 15 years ago discovered that they were being two-timed by the same man. From heartbreak, a friendship blossomed, alongside a hearty cynicism about love and relationships. And so The Breaker Upperers was born, a business helping people who lack the courage to end their relationships. Faking deaths, impersonating cops and strippers, and feigning pregnancies are all part of their extensive repertoire. But when consciences resurface and the prospect of romance rears up, the unbreakable friendship between the two starts to show its first cracks. The Breaker Upperers is refreshingly candid about modern sexuality and beautifully captures a multicultural community. Executive produced by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, SFF 2014), The Breaker Upperers is a joyous, hilarious film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkhYyW1pd18
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“High & Outside : a baseball noir” is Closing Night Film of Julien Dubuque International Film Festival [Trailer]
“High & Outside : a baseball noir” is about a minor league baseball player, Phil Harding, who takes desperate measures to fight off the almost certain end to his dream in the big leagues, which threatens to wreck his already fragile family life. The film is the Closing film at the Julien International Film Festival in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, April 29, 2018, where “Field Of Dreams” was filmed. Moviemaker magazine named it “One of the 25 coolest film festivals in the World.”
High & Outside : a baseball noir has been nominated for Best Screenplay & Film at the prestigious Raindance Film Festival in London & Austin Film Festival and recently at Cinequest Film Festival. The opening to the film was shot at Lewis and Clark Park, home of the real life “Sioux City Explorers” of the American Association Independent Baseball league in Iowa.
It features Golden Globe nominee Geoffrey Lewis in his last starring role as Phil’s domineering father, baseball legend Len Harding. Phil Donlon plays his son, Phil Harding. Joining them is Ernie Hudson (Grace & Frankie) as Phil’s manager, Lindsey Haun (True Blood) as Phil’s wife, Jason Richter (Free Willy) as Phil’s best friend, David Yow (The Jesus Lizard) as Lewis’ caregiver, Eddie Jemison (Chicago Med) as Sal, and David Proval (Everyone Loves Raymond) as Don.
“High & Outside” is Director Evald Johnson’s second feature. Johnson comes from non-scripted TV, along with Producers John Cook and Ellen Philips. Johnson grew up the son of his once beloved and then befallen MLB father Tim Johnson, which inspired “High & Outside : a baseball noir.” Dan O’Dair wrote the screenplay. Music score by Alexander Hacke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Dkcj52MzY
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Viola Davis’s Documentary Series THE LAST DEFENSE to World Premiere at Tribeca + Debut June 12, on ABC
The powerful, new seven-episode documentary series, “The Last Defense,” from Executive producers Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, explores and exposes flaws in the American justice system through emotional, in-depth examinations of the death row cases of Darlie Routier and Julius Jones. The series will seek to trace the path that led both Routier and Jones to their places on death row, while taking a deep look into their personal stories.
In 1997, Darlie Routier, wife and mother, was sentenced to death for the brutal stabbing murder of her two young sons, a crime she insists she did not commit. Now 20 years on death row in Texas, the contentious debate over the fairness of her trial is more polarized than ever.
In 2001, Julius Jones, a 21-year-old African-American college student with an academic scholarship, was sentenced to death for the carjacking murder of a white father of two, in Edmond, Oklahoma. Twenty years later and having exhausted his appeals, Jones maintains his innocence.
The world premiere of “The Last Defense” will screen at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, on Friday, April 27, with the first hour of the Julius Jones case followed by a panel discussion with executive producers Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Christine Connor and attorney Dale Baich; and premier Tuesday, June12 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network.
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Cannes Film Festival Unveils 2018 Cannes Classis Lineup Featuring ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Turning 50
2001: A Space Odyssey 2001: A Space Odyssey turning 50 as seen by Christopher Nolan, an essay by Mark Cousins about Orson Welles, Margarethe von Trotta’s tribute to Bergman, Fernando Solanas and The Hour of the Furnaces, Five and the Skin by Pierre Rissient are among the lineup for the Cannes Classics 2018
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More Films incl. Return of Lars von Trier with ‘The House That Jack Built’ Added to 71st Cannes Film Festival [Video]
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The House That Jack Built by Lars von Trier[/caption]
The Cannes Film Festival has added more films to the Official Selection 2018, and will welcome back the Danish director Lars von Trier, winner of the 2000 Palme d’or, to the Official Selection. His new film The House That Jack Built by Lars von Trier starring Matt Dillon and Uma Thurman will be screened Out of Competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAaLDuEPglI
Mr. von Trier, who won the Palme d’Or in 2000 for “Dancer in the Dark,” has been absent from the Cannes festival for seven years, after comments he made during the news conference for his 2011 competition title “Melancholia.”
Mr. von Trier began by referring to his discovery, as an adult, that he had a German family. “What can I say? I understand Hitler,” he said. “I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely, but I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end.”
As the actress Kirsten Dunst squirmed and shook her head in the seat beside him, Mr. von Trier added, “He’s not what you would call a good guy, but yeah, I understand much about him and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on! I’m not for the Second World War, and I’m not against Jews.”
The festival board voted to declare Mr. von Trier persona non grata. He was barred from that year’s prize ceremony or from entering the festival headquarters, although “Melancholia” stayed in the competition. via NY Times
Competition
Added films are: UN COUTEAU DANS LE CCEUR (KNIFE + HEART) by the French Yann Gonzalez starring Vanessa Paradis. AYKA by the Russian Sergey Dvortsevoy, director of Tulpan, wiiner of the Prize Un Certain Regard 2008. Thes two films by Yann Gonzalez and Sergey Dvortsevoy are both directors’ second feature. It will be their first time in Competition. AHLAT AGACI (THE WILD PEAR TREE) by the Turkish Nuri Bilge Ceylan, winner of the Palme d’or 2014 for Winter Sleep. The Competition 2018 will be composed of 21 films.Out of Competition
Festival President Pierre Lescure and his board of directors will welcome back the Danish director Lars von Trier, winner of the 2000 Palme d’or, to the Official Selection. His new film will be screened Out of Competition. THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT by Lars von Trier starring Matt Dillon and Uma ThurmanUn Certain Regard
MUERE, MONSTRUO, MUERE (MEURS, MONSTRE, MEURS) by the Argentinean Alejandro Fadel. CHUVA E CANTORIA NA ALDEIA DOS MORTOS (THE DEAD AND THE OTHERS) by the Portugese João Salaviza and the Brasilian Renée Nader Messora. And : DONBASS by the Ukranian Sergey Loznitsa which will open Un Certain Regard 2018 on Wednesday May 9.Special Screening
The animated film: ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE by Damian Nenow and Raul De La Fuente.Midnight Screenings
WHITNEY, a documentary by the Scottish Kevin Macdonald, about the life of the singer Whitney Houston. FAHRENHEIT 451 by the American Ramin Bahrani with Sofia Boutella, Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon. It’s the second adaptation of the novel by Ray Bradbury, after the one made by François Truffaut.Closing film
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE by the British Terry Gilliam, with Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce and Olga Kurylenko The screening will take place on Saturday May 19 after the Closing ceremony and the film will be released in France on the same day.
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Shakeup at Dubai International Film Festival, 2018 Festival Canceled
The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) announced this week that they will cancel the 2018 edition of the festival, and will be adopting a new strategy to support the growth and evolution of the film and content industries in the region. The Festival will now occur every two years with the 15th edition, which will reflect DIFF’s changed strategy, confirmed to be hosted in Dubai in 2019.
The strategic shift aims to embrace the significant changes taking place in the region’s creative and entertainment landscape. The new strategy also seeks to leverage the emergence of exciting new talent and innovative new technologies that are rapidly transforming the content landscape in the region.
Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman Dubai Film and TV Commission commented: “DIFF has established Dubai as a world-class destination in the film and content industry. It serves as a platform to promote cultural understanding between the region and the world, as well as the development of the local and regional film industry, giving the opportunity to many ambitious film makers to shine.
“With the vast changes taking place both in the regional and global movie-making and content industry, we are seeking to redefine the Dubai International Film Festival’s approach towards nurturing growth, creativity and talent. Innovative new approaches and technologies are transforming the distribution of content and the craft of movie-making. As a forward-thinking player in the global film industry, DIFF seeks to embrace the future of the industry through this strategic shift.
“The Festival will continue its significant contribution to the development of the industry, as we look forward to celebrating with the public, film lovers and industry professionals in 2019. We will announce the final dates, details and the new program as soon as confirmed.”
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‘American Animals’ to Open 19th Newport Beach Film Festival on April 26 [Trailer]
The 2018 Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) will kickoff with American Animals as its Opening Night film on Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 7:30pm at Edwards Big Newport (300 Newport Center Drive) followed by a gala reception at Fashion Island (401 Newport Center Drive). The 19th annual NBFF will run from April 26 to May 3, 2018.
American Animals is an extraordinary and thrilling true story of four friends living an ordinary existence who brazenly attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in US history. But not everything is as it seems, and as the daring theft unfolds through each of their perspectives, each of them start to question whether their attempts to inject excitement and purpose into their lives is simply a misguided attempt at achieving the American Dream.
The Newport Beach Film Festival will showcase more than 350 films from 50 countries and host nightly special events, red carpet galas, compelling conversations with filmmakers, international spotlight events and seminars. The Festival offers filmgoers unique opportunities to mingle with celebrities, filmmakers from around the globe and film industry professionals in a beautiful seaside locale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKvPVvy2Kn8
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Funk Queen Betty Davis Documentary BETTY – THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT to Premiere at Red Bull Music Festival New York [Trailer]
After a premiere in Europe at the 2017 Amsterdam IDFA film festival and pre-release screenings in Pittsburgh, Betty – They Say I’m Different will have its US premiere at the Billie Holiday Theatre in New York on Wednesday 23rd May as part of the Red Bull Music Festival New York. The film will run in selected independent cinemas across North America from June 2018.
Funk Queen Betty Davis changed the landscape for female artists in America. She “was the first…” as former husband Miles Davis said. “Madonna before Madonna, Prince before Prince”. An aspiring songwriter from a small steel town, Betty arrived on the 70’s scene to break boundaries for women with her daring personality, iconic fashion and outrageous funk music. She befriended Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, wrote songs for the Chambers Brothers and the Commodores, and married Miles – startlingly turning him from jazz to funk on the album she named “Bitches Brew”. She then, despite being banned and boycotted, went on to become the first black woman to perform, write and manage herself. Betty was a feminist pioneer, inspiring and intimidating in a manner like no woman before. Then suddenly – she vanished. Creatively blending documentary and animation this movie traces the path of Betty’s life, how she grew from humble upbringings to become a fully self-realized black female pioneer the world failed to understand or appreciate. After years of trying, the elusive Betty, forever the free-spirited Black Power Goddess, finally allowed the filmmakers to creatively tell her story based on their conversations.
Directed and written by British filmmaker Phil Cox (The Bengali Detective / Love Hotel), the documentary films for the first time with the infamously reclusive Funk Queen. Composed around Betty’s song lyrics, interviews, animations and a creative narrative, Betty finally shares her extraordinary story – including her short marriage to Miles Davis, befriending Jimi Hendrix and her 35-year disappearance. The documentary also includes stunning never before seen film archive of Betty Davis performing and a host of new and exclusive photos.
“It was an incredible experience to collaborate with Betty across four years. Her cultural and musical importance as a free thinking female pioneer, who paved the way for so many artists to follow, must now be recognized. Her fearless stand as an independent artist, years before anyone else was ‘doing it’ led to great hardship, but her blistering funk albums still stand strong alongside those of her contemporaries Sly Stone, Funkadelic and others. Betty is still unique – it was an honor to make this very personal film with her,” said director / writer Phil Cox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYCHRXpCz8c
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Richmond International Film Festival to Honor Governor Terry McAuliffe + “Thank You For Your Service” for Military Spotlight
Each year Richmond International Film Festival honors state and national leaders who are paving a future path in leadership and evoking inspiring change in our communities. This year the festival’s Pioneer Award for Excellence in Public Service & Leadership will be awarded to Governor Terry McAuliffe for his extraordinary work in public service, national leadership, and in successfully ending veteran’s homelessness in Virginia as he promised and helping get them into programs that create new purpose upon transitioning to civilian life. The Pioneer Award will be presented to Governor Terry McAuliffe by Governor Ralph Northam during RIFF”s Sunday, April 29 Military Spotlight at 2:30pm.
The Military Spotlight will feature a screening of Thank You For Your Service, a groundbreaking feature documentary that investigates the failed mental health policies within the US military and the deadly consequences to the troops. The film will screen Sunday, April 29 at 2:30pm at the Byrd Theatre, and will be followed by the Pioneer Award presentation and an extensive Q&A with filmmaker, Tom Donahue & leading experts Carrie Ann Alford (Director of Policy and Planning, Virginia Department of Veterans Services, William Rodriguez MSW (Founder at Torii Coaching and Consulting), and Brian Meyer (Clinical Psychologist and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/Substance Use Disorders Specialist at the H.H. McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50LQGcb5knE
RIFF will bring another special guest to the festival, Rene Balcer, a top influencer in television and film who will present his feature documentary, Above the Drowning Sea with co-executive Producer, Carolyn & Hsu Balcer. The film is a documentary about WWII and Austrian immigrants who fled to Shanghai to escape Hitler and the Nazis and narrated by Julianna Margulies, Tony Goldwyn, and Nick Mancuso. It will screen Thursday, April 26th at 8pm at the Byrd Theatre with an extensive Q&A to follow. Rene Balcer is a co-Creator, writer, and executive producer of Law & Order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkbUwHimFGg
Image: Terry McAuliffe, Virginia governor, meets with Soldiers during a visit to Fort Eustis, Va., Dec. 2, 2014. During his visit, McAuliffe asked the Soldiers questions about their military experiences, and thanked them for their service. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kimberly Nagle/Released)
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Seattle International Film Festival to Feature 10 Films from Mainland China in 2018 China Stars Showcase
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People’s Republic of Desire[/caption]
The Seattle International Film Festival continues to feature the diverse artistic visions and cultural richness in Chinese cinema by showcasing 10 feature films from Mainland China in the third China Stars showcase. The 44th Seattle International Film Festival will feature films from five female directors and five first-time directors, with many of the filmmakers scheduled to attend.
The China Star Showcase features a range of films, like SXSW Grand Jury Award Documentary Feature Winner, People’s Republic of Desire, that looks into the universe of online idols that has people replacing their human connections for virtual ones, and director Cathy Yang’s debut feature, Dead Pigs, a comedic picture with quirky characters making their way in Shanghai.
The China Stars Celebration and Awards will be held on Friday, June 8 at the Pan Pacific Hotel, to raise greater awareness of the excellent filmmaking in contemporary Chinese cinema and to promote cross-cultural exchange with all Festival filmmakers.
China Stars films include:
People’s Republic of Desire
Director: Hao Wu | China 2018 | 95 min
Take a fascinating journey inside China’s digital idol-making universe, where individuals morph into improbable online celebrities, captivating millions of viewers and earning hundreds of thousands of dollars by soliciting donations in exchange for virtual connection. Winner of the documentary Grand Jury Prize at the SXSW Film Festival.
Angels Wear White
Director: Vivian Qu | China/France 2017 | 107 min
Writer-director Vivian Qu depicts how China’s corrupt system is stacked against women in this #MeToo potboiler that follows a young woman who witnesses a local official’s assault against two schoolgirls, leading to a complex aftermath of cover-ups and gas-lighting.
Girls Always Happy (North American Premiere)
Director: Mingming Yang | China 2018 | 117 min
In her bitingly funny feature debut, filmmaker Yang Mingming plays a young college graduate stuck living at home with her mother, where parent and child exchange increasingly sarcastic barbs about everything from marriage to money to table manners, without realizing that they are much more alike than they care to admit.
Dead Pigs
Director: Cathy Yan | China/USA 2018 | 130 min
Five Shanghai residents—a haggard pig farmer, a stubborn salon owner, a deceptive busboy, a foreign architect, and a brittle rich girl—find their lives converging amidst the backdrop of a mysterious river of dead swine (a real-life event) in Chinese-American director Cathy Yan’s effervescent cinematic mosaic.
The Taste of Betel Nut (North American Premiere)
Director: Jia Hu | Mainland China/Hong Kong 2017 | 84 min
A polyamorous male couple live a thrillingly free life among the surfers on the tropical coast of Hainan Island until they decide to test the limitations of a restrictive society, and their own sexuality, by becoming romantically entangled with a beautiful young girl.
Wrath of Silence (North American Premiere)
Director: Yukun Xin | China 2017 | 119 min
In this Western-inspired crime thriller set in the Chinese countryside, a laboring family man whose brutal past led to biting his own tongue off in a fight, sets out on a mission of stunningly choreographed violence after his son is kidnapped by a crossbow-wielding, meat-obsessed gangster (Jiang Wu, A Touch of Sin).
Susu (US Premiere)
Director: Yixi Sun | China/United Kingdom 2017 | 106 min
Two Chinese students find themselves in the midst of a chilling gothic tale after they take a weekend job transcribing the archives of a famous Chinese opera star, which sends them to a secluded 16th-century mansion in the British countryside whose strange occupants are hiding gruesome family secrets.
Love Education (North American Premiere)
Director: Sylvia Chang | Mainland China/Taiwan 2017 | 122 min
Taiwanese actress and director Sylvia Chang (Murmur of the Hearts) explores a multi-generational story of love and womanhood in a profound and bittersweet journey that begins when a woman makes a plan to relocate her father’s grave, revealing the romances and betrayals of the past and present.
The Widowed Witch (North American Premiere)
Director: Chengjie Cai | China 2018 | 118 min
A third-time widow who falls on especially hard times is declared cursed, but turns superstition to her advantage by travelling the wintry landscape of rural China and offering supernatural advice, in this modern tale of mysticism told with mordant humor and starkly beautiful cinematography.
The Silk and the Flame (US Premiere)
Director: Jordan Schiele | China/USA 2018 | 100 min
As a teenager, Yao moved from his small village in central China to Beijing, where he embraced life as a gay man. Now approaching middle age, he returns to visit his traditionalist family in this intimate and bittersweet true story told in evocative black and white.
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2018 Fantasia International Film Festival Reveals First 2 Films [Trailers] + Official Poster
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Caleb Emery, Cory Grüter-Andrew, Judah Lewis and Graham Verchere appear in Summer of ’84 by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann Whissell[/caption]
The Fantasia International Film Festival returns July 12 to August 1, 2018, to celebrate its 22nd edition; and confirmed the first two features from Quebec filmmakers. Talented Montreal illustrator Donald Caron, who has crafted emblematic imagery for the event since 2011, has designed the whimsical poster for the festival’s 2018 edition.
First up, Fantasia will showcase the Canadian Premiere of RKSS’s acclaimed Sundance smash SUMMER OF ’84 as a gala Opening Weekend event. The sophomore film from the adored Quebec filmmaking trio of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissel, follows up their celebrated 2015 feature debut TURBO KID (itself born out of Frontieres, Fantasia’s International Co-Production Market). , A tense, gripping thriller set in mid-80s suburbia, SUMMER OF ’84 stars Mad Men’s Rich Sommer and stylistically displays an entirely different approach from what RKSS have done to date.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B46J7fY4PY
“François, Anouk, and Yoann are absolute family to us here,” said Fantasia Co-Director Mitch Davis. “In many ways, they’re a spearhead of a generation for Quebec fantastic filmmakers who grew up at Fantasia and are now stunning the world. We’ve been showing their work since 2008 and we’re thrilled to be presenting SUMMER OF ’84’s Canadian Premiere. We adore everything that it represents, while showing RKSS’ striking versatility as storytellers and marking their first time directing a third party screenplay. They’ve knocked it hard out of the park. There’s nothing they can’t do.”
[caption id="attachment_28155" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
MONTREAL DEAD END[/caption]
Fantasia 2018 will also showcase the North American premiere of the omnibus feature MONTREAL DEAD END, hot off a roaring World Premiere in Belgium this past weekend at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. Directed by no fewer than 18 emerging filmmakers, including Rémi Fréchette, Eve Dufaud, Jimmy Pettigrew, and Priscillia Piccoli, MONTREAL DEAD END is more than a film – it is the manifesto of a rising generation of filmmakers who loudly and proudly shout their love and their desire to make cutting-edge genre cinema in Quebec.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTCyFl0Xlyc