Here is the new trailer for The Transfiguration written and directed by Michael O’Shea, and starring Eric Ruffin and Chloe Levine, that will screen at the upcoming 2017 SXSW Film Festival. The film will open in New York on Friday, April 7th at the Angelika Film Center, and in Los Angeles on Friday, April 21st at The Nuart Theatre.
An official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, writer/director Michael O’Shea’s debut feature The Transfiguration follows troubled teen Milo who hides behind his fascination with vampire lore. When he meets the equally alienated Sophie, the two form a bond that begins to challenge Milo’s dark obsession, blurring his fantasy into reality. A chilling portrait of violence, The Transfiguration is an atmospheric thriller set against the grit of New York City.
Terry P.
VIMOOZ is for lovers of independent films + foreign film + documentary + film festivals. We love championing the little films.
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Watch Trailer for Michael O’Shea’s Indie Vampire Thriller THE TRANSFIGURATION
Here is the new trailer for The Transfiguration written and directed by Michael O’Shea, and starring Eric Ruffin and Chloe Levine, that will screen at the upcoming 2017 SXSW Film Festival. The film will open in New York on Friday, April 7th at the Angelika Film Center, and in Los Angeles on Friday, April 21st at The Nuart Theatre.
An official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, writer/director Michael O’Shea’s debut feature The Transfiguration follows troubled teen Milo who hides behind his fascination with vampire lore. When he meets the equally alienated Sophie, the two form a bond that begins to challenge Milo’s dark obsession, blurring his fantasy into reality. A chilling portrait of violence, The Transfiguration is an atmospheric thriller set against the grit of New York City.
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Poster + Trailer for I, OLGA HEPNAROVA Based on Crimes of Olga Hepnarova, a Lonely 23 Year Old Czech Lesbian
Here is the new poster and trailer for the award-winning Czech film I, Olga Hepnarova, based on the crimes of Olga Hepnarova, a young, lonely lesbian who on July 10, 1973, drove a rented truck into a group of people waiting for a tram in Prague, Czechoslovakia, killing 8 of them.
I, Olga Hepnarova will open theatrically in NYC on Friday, March 24 with a national release to follow.
Olga Hepnarová (b. June 30, 1951) was a young, lonely lesbian outsider from a coldhearted family who couldn’t play the part society desired of her. Her paranoid self-examination and inability to connect with other people eventually drove her over the edge of humanity when she was only twenty-two years old.
On July 10, 1973, Olga drove a rented truck into a group of about 25 people waiting for a tram in Prague, Czechoslovakia, all aged between 60 to 79, killing 8 of them. Before the murder, she sent a letter to two newspapers explaining her action as revenge for all the hatred against her by her family and the world. She was found to be sane and sentenced to death. The execution took place on March 12, 1975 in the Pankrác Prison in Prague. She was the last woman executed in Czechoslovakia.
The film shows the human being behind the mass murderer without glorifying or downplaying the terrible crime she committed. Guided by her letters we delve into Olga’s psyche and witness the worsening of her loneliness and alienation as we reconstruct the events that led up to her disastrous actions.
Although the story is set in the seventies, young people worldwide today still face problems of not belonging, being different, and being bullied because of race, gender or sexual orientation.
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Robert McGinley’s DANGER DIVA Starring Molly Sides of THUNDERPUSSY to World Premiere on April 13 | Trailer
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DANGER DIVA[/caption]
DANGER DIVA, a new cyberpunk musical thriller, written, directed and produced by Robert McGinley (award-winning filmmaker of JIMMY ZIP and SHREDDER ORPHEUS), will have it’s World Premiere at the SIFF Egyptian Theater in Seattle, Washington on Thursday, April 13.
Danger Diva was filmed entirely in Seattle with a local cast and crew. The film stars Molly Sides, lead singer of the all-girl rock/pop band, THUNDERPUSSY. Also starring in Danger Diva are Seattle theater/film standouts Tim Gouran, Ray Tagavilla, Amy Thone and Conner Neddersen. After the screening, THUNDERPUSSY will mount the stage and unleash a set of their fiery brand of rock.
In Danger Diva, audiences are taken on a journey into the near future with hard rock singer Devi Danger as she is coerced into becoming an electronically enhanced new-music diva. Her singing voice is used to control and energize the brains of indoctrinated employees (also known as “Brain Cattle”) that are being used as external processors for the advancement of corporate high tech clients. Operating in a digital sweatshop, these “Brain Cattle” process binary algorithms that serve as a chorus for Devi Danger. McGinley’s influences for the film came mainly from cyberpunk literature and films; in particular, William Gibson’s “NEUROMANCER” and the science-fiction classic, BLADE RUNNER. Further inspired by the Ella Fitzgerald “Is it live, or is it Memorex” commercial, DANGER DIVA explores the conflict between high tech vs. high touch, and what it means to be human in a digitally enhanced bio-tech future. Music anchors these themes with an eclectic rocking score with songs by Seattle-based rock band THUNDERPUSSY and composer Regan Remy. McGinley explains, “In the midst of this rock ‘n roll saga, the audience will have an opportunity to ponder future technology nightmares like the use of enslaved human brains as external hard drive processors, or employing human offspring as vehicles for life extension.”
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Boston Underground Film Festival Unveils Final Wave of Films – A LIFE IN WAVES, SHE’S ALLERGIC TO CATS and More
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A LIFE IN WAVES[/caption]
The Boston Underground Film Festival completed the 2017 lineup with the the final wave of more intriguing films from around the world, including over 80 short films and music videos.
BUFF will host the East Coast Premiere of the documentary A Life in Waves, an intimate portrait of one of the most influential electronic composers of the last 40 years, Suzanne Ciani. Documentarian duo (and BUFF alum) Brett Whitcomb and Bradford Thomason will be in attendance, along with the diva of the diode herself for a post-screening Q&A at the Harvard Film Archive. On the other end of the documentary spectrum is the New England Premiere of Dean Fleischer-Camp’s Fraud, an impossible to categorize hybrid-doc and bold experiment in filmmaking that explores the essence of “truth” in a post-truth era.
Lovers of all things dark and disturbing are advised to pencil in this quadruplet of narrative nightmares: A grieving mother and a bullying occultist (Steve Oram) face their demons in black magic thriller A Dark Song, from Irish, first-time director Liam Gavin. First time director, writer and star, Ana Asensio examines an undocumented immigrant’s day from hell in her gripping Most Beautiful Island, fresh from its World Premiere at SXSW. Valentin Hitz’s gorgeous and unnerving Hidden Reserves gives us a peek at the future-that-could-be (ponder this: death insurance) with his Austrian dystopian sci-fi masterpiece. And speaking of hidden, BUFF presents for the first time ever a Secret Screening.
Lightening things up substantially is a triple threat of comedic treats: A group of awful idiots fail at throwing a party over and over in Slamdance smash Neighborhood Food Drive, with BUFF alum & director Jerzy Rose and writer Halle Butler in the house. Emerson College alum Michael Reich brings his surreal and sensational She’s Allergic to Cats to the Brattle; you’ll laugh, cry, and ponder duck boobs. Rounding things out is the anniversary screening of oft underappreciated Southland Tales, Richard Kelly’s gonzo anarchic vision of the near future (which may be closer to the near present), which we lift up and celebrate ten years later.
2017 BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL FINAL WAVE
A DARK SONG – East Coast Premiere Liam Gavin | Ireland | 2016 A determined young woman and a damaged occultist risk their lives and souls to perform a dangerous ritual that will grant them what they want. A LIFE IN WAVES – East Coast Premiere Brett Whitcomb | USA | 2017 his incredible documentary explores the even more incredible life and innovations of composer and electronic music pioneer, Suzanne Ciani. Join us for a Q&A with Suzanne & the filmmakers following the screening! FRAUD – New England Premiere Dean Fleischer-Camp | USA | 2016 A struggling family commits fraud in this contentious docu-ficto hybrid. HIDDEN RESERVES – East Coast Premiere Valentin Hitz | Austria/Germany/Switzerland | 2016 Where death with dignity comes at a premium, an insurance salesman turned narc must reevaluate his ideology when he falls for the rebel he’s assigned to entrap. MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND – East Coast Premiere Ana Asensio | USA | 2017 A chilling portrait of an undocumented young woman’s struggle for survival as she finds redemption from a tortured past in a dangerous game. NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD DRIVE – East Coast Premiere Jerzy Rose | USA | 2017 A group of awful idiots fail at throwing a party over and over. SECRET SCREENING – Secret Premiere Secret Director | Secret Country | Secret Year One of the best genre films coming out this year. SHE’S ALLERGIC TO CATS – New England Premiere Michael Reich | USA | 2016 A dog groomer in Hollywood aspires to be more than a dog groomer in Hollywood. SOUTHLAND TALES – Anniversary Screening Richard Kelly | USA | 2006 During a three day heat wave just before a huge 4th of July celebration, an action star stricken with amnesia meets up with a porn star who is developing her own reality TV project, and a policeman who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.
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20 Feature Films to Compete for Golden Gate Awards at 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival
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A film still from In Loco Parentis by Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane[/caption]
10 narrative feature films and 10 documentary feature films will compete for the Golden Gate Awards (GGAs), and nearly $40,000 in total prizes at this year’s 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival taking place April 5 to 19.
“The SF Film Society has been a champion of emerging and international filmmakers since its first edition 60 years ago,“ said Rachel Rosen, SF Film Society Director of Programming. “We continue to believe that festivals are in a unique position to advocate for films from a variety of cultures and viewpoints, often in languages other than our own. The Golden Gate Awards provide an opportunity to bring additional exposure and awareness to these artists and their work.”
The GGA New Directors Prize winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000, the GGA McBaine Documentary Feature winner will receive $10,000 and the GGA McBaine Bay Area Documentary Feature winner will receive $5,000.
2017 GGA NEW DIRECTORS (NARRATIVE FEATURE) COMPETITION
Duet, Navid Danesh, Iran (North American Premiere) After a Tehran musician instigates an encounter with his college girlfriend in an attempt to address the poor end their relationship suffered, their lives and the equilibrium of their spouses are thrown into existential crisis. Navid Danesh’s resonant and moving depiction of the impact the past has on the present lives of its protagonists is both culturally specific and universal in its reach. Everything Else, Natalia Almada, Mexico/USA/France Academy Award-nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel) gives a masterfully controlled performance as Doña Flor, a solitary bureaucrat whose lifelong service in a government office has left her markedly unsympathetic towards her clients. Shot with an attentive and deeply empathetic lens, documentarian Natalia Almada’s narrative debut is a starkly intimate portrait of a woman at odds with her life who may still have a chance to escape her isolation. God’s Own Country, Francis Lee, UK Filmed on the Yorkshire hillside where he grew up, Francis Lee’s debut feature tells the rich and sexy story of John Saxby, a hard-drinking lad who keeps his emotions in check until an irrepressible Romanian immigrant comes to help out on the family farm and upends the young man’s life. Full of gloriously captured details about the care and breeding of animals, God’s Own Country is one of the year’s most moving romantic dramas. Godless, Ralitza Petrova, Bulgaria/Denmark/France In post-Communist era Bulgaria, where the shadow of oppression drives selfish behavior and hidden economies, outwardly impassive Gana works as a home care nurse—a job which provides ample opportunity to supplement her income with stolen ID cards to maintain the morphine habit she shares with her boyfriend. When Gana’s actions threaten the one glimmer of hope in her fatalistic world, will she break the cycle of corruption or spiral deeper? Godless is a bold first feature from Ralitza Petrova. Heaven Sent, Wissam Charaf, France/Lebanon Absurdly funny sequences punctuate this stylized comedy drama from Lebanon. Omar is a heavyset bodyguard who gets the assignment of his dreams, protecting a gorgeous TV personality, though matters are complicated when his brother Omar, a former militiaman presumed dead, magically reappears. Charaf’s surprising and inventive debut reflects on a country rife with absurdities and still reeling from its fraught history. The House of Tomorrow, Peter Livolsi, USA (World Premiere) When a sheltered teen named Sebastian meets an aspiring punk rocker and falls for the boy’s older sister, the stage is set for a cheerful and energetic comedy that tackles matters of friendship, young love, and musical dreams with equal aplomb. Ellen Burstyn is once again wondrous as Sebastian’s grandmother who is devoted to the life and scientific work of Buckminster Fuller. The Human Surge, Eduardo Williams, Argentina/Brazil/Portugal Eduardo Williams has steadily made a name for himself with a series of indelible shorts featuring young protagonists adrift in strange environments. In his debut feature, a prizewinner at Locarno, he takes the premise further, crafting a dreamlike three-part drama where youths from Argentina, Mozambique, and the Philippines are connected by invisible, electronic, or even subterranean means. Consistently inventive, The Human Surge burrows into three continents and finds surprising associations. Life After Life, Zhang Hanyi, China As the inexorable progress of industrialization in China makes its way into the lives of village residents Mingchun and his son Leilei, a surprise haunting by Leilei’s dead mother, who has an impassioned plea for her husband, points to a time when more attention was paid to the earth and its bounty. Produced by Jia Zhang Ke, this evocative and poetic debut depicts a rapidly disappearing way of life with a gorgeous visual sensibility and a subtly wry humor. Park, Sofia Exarchou, Greece/Poland The formerly grand stadiums and swimming pools of the 2004 Athens Olympics have become modern-day Greek ruins, a place for disaffected kids who’ve come of age since the Games to run wild. First-time director Exarchou, working mostly with non-professional actors, develops a compellingly anarchic style where the threat of violence and socio-economic troubles are omnipresent and the young characters act out their frustrations through boisterous, sometimes dangerous, horseplay. The Wedding Ring, Rahmatou Keïta, Niger/Burkina Faso/France (US Premiere) The Wedding Ring is a rare achievement, a wondrously complex dramatic feature directed by an African woman that explores female desires and empowerment in a traditional Muslim society. Rahmatou Keïta tells the story of Tiyaa who returns to Niger with lingering romantic feelings for the handsome man she left behind in France while grappling with family members who wish to arrange her marriage.2017 GOLDEN GATE AWARDS MCBAINE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
Brimstone & Glory, Viktor Jakovleski, USA Burning Man has nothing on Tultepec’s charging toritos and exploding castillos. Mexico’s weeklong National Pyrotechnic Festival is sheer unbridled madness. Scars that tourists take away from fireworks-exploding bulls and towering infernos are earned with pleasure, apparently, as this dynamic documentary keeps explanation to a minimum while maximizing the experiential through GoPro camera POVs and gorgeous abstractions. Filmmaker Viktor Jakovleski has created a visually rapturous, immersive, sensory experience of this extraordinary event, capturing the danger and mayhem in all its glory. The Cage Fighter, Jeff Unay, USA (World Premiere) With the emotional force and power of a Bruce Springsteen song, Jeff Unay’s cinema vérité portrait of Joe Carman packs an emotional wallop. A family man who has promised not to return to competitive mixed martial arts fighting, the dangerous sport that gives him the most complete sense of purpose he’s been able to find, Joe risks everything for one more chance in the ring. The Challenge, Yuri Ancarani, France/Italy Italian artist Yuri Ancarani melds his luminous cinematic vision with the ancient sport of Arab falconry in The Challenge, an evocative and visually dazzling portrait of a celebrated hunting competition set in the coastal deserts of Qatar. Modern technology, such as GPS, augments a practice dating to antiquity as participants track their prized raptors across the austere plains, reconnecting with desert custom in the shadow of a falcon’s wing. The Cinema Travellers, Shirley Abraham, Amit Madheshiya, India A moving homage to the bygone era of celluloid, The Cinema Travellers exquisitely captures the splendor of the moving image through India’s traveling movie caravans. Shot over five years, this intimate documentary takes the viewer on a cinematic journey joining the undaunted technicians, the projectionists who create movie magic, and the boisterous, overflowing crowd that await at each stop. Donkeyote, Chico Pereira, Spain/Germany/UK A Spanish man’s quest to defy barriers and borders in search of the American West by planning a journey on the Trail of Tears with his donkey by his side is its own quixotic trail of laughter and tears. The understanding between man and animal has rarely been so intimately conveyed as it is in Chico Pereira’s winning tale, a stunningly photographed film that hovers between documentary and fiction, one inspired and performed by a real-life character with outsized dreams. The Force, Peter Nicks, USA For the powerful second film in his trilogy concerning the relationship between public institutions and the communities they serve, Peter Nicks (The Waiting Room) takes a powerful, immersive look at the Oakland Police Department. Filming from 2014-2016 with astonishing access, Nicks captures a particularly turbulent time in Bay Area law enforcement history. Intended as a catalyst for conversation and change, Nicks’ empathetic and observational style avoids easy generalizations and upends expectations, resulting in a rich, thought provoking real-time conversation about social justice and the mutual responsibilities of police officers and those they serve and protect. Half-Life in Fukushima, Mark Olexa, Francesca Scalisi, Switzerland/France Five years after the devastating 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, elderly farmer Naoto Matsumura struggles to restore his life in the radioactive red zone, wandering through an empty dystopian nightmare of concrete ruins; abandoned, weed-filled facilities; contamination cleanup crews; and the haunting fragments of a city swept away by tsunami. With minimal commentary and a graceful and sympathetic eye, Half-Life in Fukushima underlines the danger inherent in nuclear power in its depiction of Fukushima’s sinister remnants and Matsumura’s lonely last stand. In Loco Parentis, Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane, Ireland/Spain Irish filmmaker Neasa Nî Chianáin and David Rane present a charming and deeply intimate portrait of a year at Headfort boarding school in picturesque Kells, Ireland. Following devoted and wryly funny educators John and Amanda Leyden as they battle through another season of Latin, Shakespeare, and kids playing “Wild Thing,” In Loco Parentis shows how the level of attention and concern the teachers have for their students lead to remarkable transformations in everyone’s lives. Muhi – Generally Temporary, Rina Castelnuovo-Hollander, Tamir Elterman, Israel/Germany (World Premiere) Muhi, a cherubic Palestinian toddler with a life-threatening immune disorder, was transported to an Israeli hospital as a baby for emergency treatment. He and his devoted grandfather have lived there ever since, stuck in a bizarre no man’s land, with their extended family living on the other side of a fiercely guarded checkpoint. Their unique and moving story takes place within the crucible of the relentless Israeli-Palestinian conflict that impacts everyone in its orbit. Serenade for Haiti, Owlsley Brown, USA “Music is our refuge,” says a student at the Sainte Trinité Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Shot over a seven-year period both before and after Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake, this vibrant tribute to the students and teachers of Sainte Trinité testifies to the role that art can play in creating community and sustaining hope under the most difficult of circumstances.
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GRAMMY Award Winning René Pérez Joglar’s Documentary RESIDENTE to Premiere at SXSW | Trailer
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Residente[/caption]
Residente, the eponymous documentary by director & 25-time GRAMMY Award winning artist René Pérez Joglar (also known as Residente), has been selected to premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, in Austin, Texas. Residente will be screened in the 24 Beats Per Second section of the festival, which showcases films that highlight sounds, culture and the influence of music and musicians.
Residente is centered on the global journey Pérez Joglar embarked on – after taking a DNA test – to trace his ancestry, explore his creative process and expose local stories, all the while creating music with local communities along the way. The documentary explores the human condition as well as how music and art cut across cultural, social, economic, racial and political divides, while taking audiences on a tour across four continents, seven countries and numerous regions: Siberia (Kyzyl), Moscow, The Caucasus (North Ossetia, South Ossetia, Georgia and Armenia), China, Barcelona, London, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Puerto Rico.
Pérez Joglar expressed: “We are all microscopically invisible in relation to the history of time, yet we are all part of the same map, part of a great moment, and within our greatest moments we are all equally small.”
Through concerted self-exploration Pérez Joglar was confronted with a new world view, that he refined as he wrote and composed his new album. While the film focuses on Residente’s music – the visual, environmental, sociocultural and political landscapes of each region also provided inspiration for his creativity and curiosity. Pérez Joglar added: “I didn’t write my own lyrics, my journey wrote them for me. Our common genetic map, that unites us all, composed my sheet music.”
The film is based on a concept by Pérez Joglar and Marc de Beaufort, and is the first feature-length film directed by the artist himself. It was completed by a talented team, including Rebecca Adorno (editor), Alexandra Posada (director of photography) and Marc de Beaufort (field production) – and features cameo appearances from an equally impressive array of musicians, artists and influencers, from Lin Manuel Miranda to Bombino.
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Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Announces 2017 Lineup, Opens with LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA
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Lipstick Under My Burkha[/caption]
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) will take place April 5 to 9, 2017 at Regal L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center in Los Angeles, California.
The Festival will open with LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA, directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and starring an impressive ensemble cast of Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumraand Plabita Borthakur in a dramatic, but irreverent and vibrant film about women and faith. The film premiered at the Tokyo Film Festival 2016 and has been lighting up the festival circuit, including just winning the Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival.
Festival will close with the Los Angeles premiere of HOTEL SALVATION, the debut feature of Shubhashish Bhutiani, whose 2013 short film KUSH was shortlisted for the Live Action Short Film Oscar and won IFFLA’s 2014 Audience Award. HOTEL SALVATION premiered in the College Cinema section of the 2016 Venice Film Festival.
This year the festival will feature two World premieres, five North American premieres, five U.S. premieres, and eleven LA premieres.
More films from first-time directors will be presented this year than ever before, including the directorial debut of beloved actress Konkona Sen Sharma with her film A DEATH IN THE GUNJ featuring an all-star cast of Gulshan Devaiah, Kalki Koechlin, Om Puri and Vikrant Massey in this dramatic thriller. Additionally first-time filmmaker Ananya Kasaravalli brings THE CHRONICLES OF HARI, a beautiful film about a renowned theater actor’s struggle with gender identity which she co-wrote with writer Gopalakrisna Pai and her father, acclaimed Kannada language director Girish Kasaravalli. Also first-time filmmaker Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy with BILLION COLOUR STORY, which was included in Best of Fest in Palm Springs and recently played Busan and BFI London.
Also attending the festival this year to present their films will be a host of celebrated filmmakers, including Adoor Gopalakrishnan making the U.S. premiere of his twisted thriller ONCE AGAIN in Malayalam, and Suman Mukhopadhyay with the North American premiere of his gorgeous Bengali film INCOMPLETE.
IFFLA’s program features an impressive slate of award-winning and topical documentary films including MACHINES winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Cinematography at Sundance, and THE CINEMA TRAVELERS directed by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya which wonL’Œil d’or Special Mention: Le Prix du documentaire at the Cannes Film Festival.
The U.S. Premiere of the highly anticipated documentary AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN, directed by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, will also take place at IFFLA. The film centers on the polarizing political figure Arvind Kejriwal (sometimes referred to as the Bernie Sanders of India) and gives a stirring behind-the-scenes look at his creation of the progressive Aam Aadmi Party and their historic campaign in the 2013 Delhi state elections.
IFFLA alum Rajshri Deshpande stars in the controversial SEXY DURGA directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, which recently won the coveted Hivor Tiger Award, the top prize at this year’s Rotterdam Film Festival.
Competing in the shorts program are 10 films, representing 9 different languages. Shorts program highlights include: the world premieres of CITY OF LOVE, a Bengali film directed by Indranil Roychowdhury; and DEVI directed by Karishma Dube and starring a remarkable cast including Priyanka Bose (most recently seen in the Oscar-nominated LION) and Tanvi Azmi.
Making its U.S. premiere is the short film INFILTRATOR, directed by Gurvinder Singh whose first feature THE FOURTH DIRECTION premiered in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, and Sonejuhi Sinha’s newest film MILES OF SAND, starring Tannishta Chatterjee.
Other highlights of the short film program include the U.S. premieres of DISCO OBU, by Anand Kishore, which recently won a Special Jury Mention at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and GUDH (NEST) by Saurav Rai, which had its world premiere at Cannes’ Cinefondation.
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TIFF Kids International Film Festival Unveils 2017 Lineup, Opens with SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE
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Smurfs: The Lost Village[/caption]
From April 7 through 23, TIFF Bell Lightbox welcomes the next generation of film lovers for the 20th anniversary of TIFF Kids, the premier festival for children ages 3 to 13.
The TIFF Kids International Film Festival kicks off on Opening Night with the premiere of Kelly Asbury’s animated film Smurfs: The Lost Village. In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. The festival’s Closing Night screening is the Canadian premiere of the first four episodes of Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, directed by Goro Miyazaki of the acclaimed Studio Ghibli and featuring a lead voiceover performance by Gillian Anderson.
Other highlights include the 15th anniversary screening of the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award winner Whale Rider. This year’s shorts consist of 18 diverse programs showcasing over 125 Canadian and international live-action and animated films that address important issues faced by kids such as making new friends, exploring new cultures, and embracing diversity — in both families and circumstances. The films deal with a range of themes including resilience, empathy, exploration, home, and self-discovery.
FEATURES
Opening Night! Smurfs: The Lost Village dir. Kelly Asbury | USA | English Recommended for ages 6 and up. Recommended for ages 6 and upRabbit School (Die Häschenschule – Jagd nach dem goldenen Ei) dir. Ute Von Münchow-Pohl | Germany | English | North American Premiere Richard the Stork dirs. Toby Genkel, Reza Memari | Germany/Belgium/Luxembourg/
Norway | English | North American Premiere Recommended for ages 7 and up Ballerina dirs. Eric Warin, Eric Summer | Canada/France | English Mr. Frog (Meester Kikker) dir. Anna van der Heide | Netherlands | Dutch | Canadian Premiere Rock Dog dir. Ash Brannon | USA/China | English | Toronto Premiere Recommended for ages 8 and up Born in China dir. Lu Chuan | USA | English | Canadian Premiere Revolting Rhymes dirs. Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer | United Kingdom | English | Canadian Premiere Recommended for ages 9 and up Cloudboy dir. Meikeminne Clinckspoor | Belgium/Sweden/Netherlands | Dutch, Swedish, Sami | International Premiere Ivan Tsarevitch and the Changing Princess (Ivan Tsarévitch et la Princesse Changeante) dir. Michel Ocelot | France | French | International Premiere Mr. Twister at the Pitch (Mees Kees langs de lijn) dir. Aniëlle Webster | Netherlands | Dutch | International Premiere Red Dog: True Blue dir. Kriv Stenders | Australia | English | Canadian Premiere Swallows and Amazons dir. Philippa Lowthorpe | United Kingdom | English The Day My Father Became a Bush (Toen mijn vader een struik werd) dir. Nicole van Kilsdonk | Netherlands/Belgium/Croatia | Dutch | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival Recommended for ages 10 and up Into the Rainbow dir. Norman Stone | China/New Zealand | English | International Premiere Not Without Us! (Nicht ohne uns!) dir. Sigrid Klausmann | Germany | German, Arabic, English, French, Hindi, Icelandic, Japanese, Laos, Nepali, Xhosa, Spanish | Canadian Premiere TRIO – The Hunt for the Holy Shrine (TRIO – Jakten på Olavsskrinet) dir. Eva F. Dahr | Norway | Norwegian, English | International Premiere Recommended for ages 11 and up At Eye Level (Auf Augenhöhe) dirs. Joachim Dollhopf, Evi Goldbrunner | Germany | German | Toronto Premiere Fanny’s Journey (Le voyage de Fanny) dir. Lola Doillon | France/Belgium | French
Heartstrings (Le Coeur en braille) dir. Michel Boujenah | France | French | Toronto Premiere
Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship (Amelie rennt) dir. Tobias Wiemann | Germany/Italy | German | International Premiere
On Wheels (Sobre Rodas) dir. Mauro D’Addio | Brazil | Portuguese | North American Premiere
Room 213 (Rum 213) dir. Emelie Lindblom | Sweden | Swedish | North American Premiere Recommended for ages 12 and up Jeffrey dir. Yanillys Perez | Dominican Republic/France | Spanish | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
Little Wing (Tyttö nimeltä Varpu) dir. Selma Vilhunen | Finland/Denmark | Finnish | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
My Life As A Courgette (Ma Vie de Courgette), dir. Claude Barras | Switzerland/France | French | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
Plastic China (Su Liao Wang Guo) dir. Jiu-liang Wang | Hong Kong/China | Mandarin | Canadian Premiere SHORTS Reel Rascals: Animated Tales Reel Rascals: Animated Tales features a lively assortment of animated short stories from all around the world, carefully selected for young audiences. Join us for thrills, spills, and animal antics; whether that’s riding through the snow with a squirrel on a sled, stomping along with the elephants to the music of They Might Be Giants, or helping a little bird fend off a hungry caterpillar who’s trying to eat its favourite leaf. Recommended for ages 3 and up. A Rhino Named Paul: Everybody Sleeps, dirs. Dave Schlafman, Mike Annear | USA | English Elephants dirs. Jeremy Galante, David Cowles | USA | English Goats (Kozly) dir. Yekaterina Filippova | Russia | No dialogue | North American Premiere Hare’s Big Day (Zaku liela diena) dir. Dace Riduze | Latvia | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Hey Duggee: The Making Music Badge dir. Grant Orchard | United Kingdom | English | North American Premiere Judith dir. Henning M. Lederer | Germany/United Kingdom/Canada | No dialogue Kiwi & Strit: Wash day dir. Esben Toft Jacobsen | Denmark | No dialogue Konigiri-Kun Shopping (Konigiri-Kun Okaimono) dir. Mari Miyazawa | Japan | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Leaf (Feuille) dirs. Dante Zaballa, Vaiana Gauthier | Germany | No dialogue | North American Premiere Little Flower dir. Brigette Heffernan | Ireland | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Moonlight Storytime: Wooly Dragon dirs. Kirsten Lepore, Villamor Cruz, Jr. | USA | English | Toronto Premiere Seven Siblings dir. Julia Ocker | Germany | English | Toronto Premiere The Klumz dir. Neshama Ryman | USA | English | World Premiere The Little Bird and the Caterpillar (Der kleine Vogel und die Raupe) dir. Lena von Döhren | Switzerland | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere The Sled (Belchonok i sanki) dir. Olesya Shchukina | Russia | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Tiger dir. Kariem Saleh | Germany | No dialogue Reel Rascals Senior: Pack Your Bags! Bring your passport and travel the world in this series of international animated shorts that are certain to charm and entertain. Recommended for ages 5 and up. A hole (El agujero) dir. Maribel Suarez | Mexico | English | Canadian Premiere DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaver dir. Kjell Boersma | Canada | No dialogue In a Cage (La Cage) dir. Loic Bruyere | France | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Joining Dots dir. Fiona Ryan | Ireland | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Kiwi & Strit: Football (Kiwi & Strit: Fodbold) dir. Esben Toft Jacobsen | Denmark | No dialogue Klump dirs. Johannes Weiland, Paul Cichon, Michael Bohnenstingl | Germany/United Kingdom | English | International Premiere Melia and Jo: Marshmallow Castle dirs. Jennifer Oxley, Billy Aronson, Brett Hall, Robert Powers | USA | English Silence! For Pete’s Sake! (Ruhe. ZumDonnerwetternocheinmal!) dir. Kai Pannen | Germany | German | Canadian Premiere Simon’s Cat: Bed Sheets dir. Simon Tofield | United Kingdom | No dialogue The Pocket Man (Le Petit Bonhomme de poche) dir. Ana Chubinidze | France/Switzerland/Georgia | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Unsung Hero dir. Lynton Levengood | South Africa | English | Canadian Premiere New York International Children’s Film Festival: Birthday Shorts Also celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, our neighbours to the south present a selection of new and classic shorts from their two-decade history, filled with stories of growth, change, transformation… and the occasional party hat! Recommended for ages 6 and up. Me Up Front Sometimes it takes a friend to solve a problem or realize ones’ potential. It’s only when we’re encouraged by those around us that we realize the true value of being ourselves. Recommended for ages 6 and up. DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaver dir. Kjell Boersma | Canada | No dialogue Groomed dir. Samantha Armiger | USA | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Alike dirs. Daniel Martínez Lara, Rafa Cano Méndez | Spain | No dialogue Lost in Spring dir. Fred Leao Prado Wall | United Kingdom | English | Canadian Premiere Picke, dir. Kelsey Snelling | USA | English | Canadian Premiere Sammy Paramaribo: Bittersweet (Sammy Paramaribo: Bitterzoet) dir. Barbara Bredero | Netherlands, Dutch | Canadian Premiere The day I beat the sky (Le jour où j’ai battu le ciel) dir. Hughes Valin | France | French | Canadian Premiere Travel Companions dir. Alex Anderson-Kenney | USA | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Uka dir. Valle Comba Canales | Spain | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Through the Woods: A Snow Morning dir. J. Meeka Stuart | USA | English | Canadian Premiere Loot Bag Junior: Animation On Adventure! Embark on action-packed international adventures in several of the year’s best animated shorts! Whether soaring through the night skies in search of a moon gone missing, brewing magical potions in search of the mythical unicorn, or learning the most outrageously intricate secret handshake ever conceived, these shorts know no limits. Recommended for ages 7 and up. Animation (According to Children) dir. Daniela Monzon Leotaud | Canada | English, French | Toronto Premiere The Big Adventure of A Little Line (La grande histoire d’un petit trait) dir. Antoine Robert | France | French, English | North American Premiere The Lost Letter dir. Kealan O’Rourke | Ireland | English | Canadian Premiere Desert Critters dir. Li Wen Toh | USA | No dialogue Ampersand dir. Erin Shea | USA | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Peppercorn Babycorn Unicorn dir. Makoto Koji | Australia | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Moroshka dir. Polina Minchenok | Russia | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Moon of a Sleepless Night (Nemurenai Yoru no Tsuki) dir. Takeshi Yashiro | Japan | Japanese Once Upon a Blue Moon dir. Steve Boot | United Kingdom | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere The Secret Handshake dirs. Susie Webb, Jackson Read, | USA | No dialogue Closing Night! Ronja: The Robber’s Daughter Directed by Goro Miyazaki — and winner of the 2016 International Emmy Kids Award for Animation — Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter follows the adventures of a young girl raised in a mountain fort by her parents and a loving band of robbers. Based on Astrid Lindgren’s book of the same name, this all-new series beautifully blends the classic storytelling of the original with the magical visual style of Studio Ghibli. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Episode 1 – Born in the Storm dir. Goro Miyazaki | Japan | English | Canadian Premiere Episode 2 – First Trip to the Forest dir. Goro Miyazaki | Japan | English | Canadian Premiere Episode 3 – Fear in the Forest dir. Goro Miyazaki | Japan | English | Canadian Premiere Episode 4 – Hearing the Whistle dir. Goro Miyazaki | Japan | English | Canadian Premiere On the Inside Whether coming from within, or driven by a family member, these young protagonists find the confidence within to overcome self-doubt and thrive in challenging situations. Recommended for ages 8 and up. A Well Spent Afternoon (Dobro unovceno popoldne) dir. Martin Turk | Slovenia | Slovene | Canadian Premiere Amelia’s Closet dir. Halima Lucas | USA | English | International Premiere Broken Pines dir. Annie Pace | USA | English | International Premiere Catch (Agkistri) dir. Giorgos Evangelou | Cyprus | Greek | World Premiere Mr. & Mrs. Kim dir. Jaehuen Chung | USA | English, Korean | Canadian Premiere The Crab (Kakkutta) dir. Ishani Jayamaha | Sri Lanka/USA | Sinhalese | Canadian Premiere Soy Yo dir. Torben Kjelstrup | Denmark | Spanish The Reel Deal Offering a window into the real lives of young people from around the world, this collection of short documentaries tracks their progress on the precipice of changes that will affect their futures. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Chickens for Kimaru (Kippen voor Kimaru) dirs. Eriss Khajira, Anne van Campenhout | Netherlands | Dutch, Swahili, Kikuyu, English | International Premiere Emil and the Bridge Divers (Emil und die Brückenspringer von Mostar) dir. Friedemann Hottenbacher | Germany | Bosnian | North American Premiere KOJO: A Short Documentary dir. Michael Fequiere | USA | English | Canadian Premiere Safia’s Summer (Safia’s Zomer) dir. Els Van Driel | Netherlands | Dutch, Arabic | International Premiere Creativity Within The protagonists in this collection of short films use creativity to approach life’s challenges. Their quick thinking and creative problem solving inspire self confidence and acceptance. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Get Up Kinshasa! (Debout Kinshasa !) dir. Sébastien Maitre | France/Ivory Coast | French | North American Premiere Litterbugs dir. Peter Stanley-Ward | United Kingdom | English | Toronto Premiere Sleepover (La Invitación) dir. Susana Casares | Spain | Spanish | Toronto Premiere The Debt dir. Helen Flanagan | Ireland | English | Canadian Premiere Waterbaby dir. Pia Shah | India | English, Konkani | Toronto Premiere Loot Bag Senior: Inspiration x Imagination This international collection of films explores exciting worlds, including a mysterious cloudy mountain, the first magical twilight snowfall in a wintry forest, a wild chase in the streets of London, and a supernova explosion in the depths of infinite space. Jam-packed with laughs, adventures, and thrills, the films in Loot Bag Sr. invite you to experience creative inspiration and imagination. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Nimbus, The Cloud Catcher (Nimbus, o caçador de nuvens) dir. Marco Nick | Brazil | No dialogue | International Premiere Dust Buddies dirs. Beth Tomashek, Sam Wade | USA | No dialogue First Snow (První sníh) dir. Lenka Ivancikova | Czech Republic | English | Toronto Premiere Eagle Blue dir. Will Rose | United Kingdom | No dialogue Novae dir. Thomas Vanz | France | No dialogue
Spring Jam dir. Ned Wenlock | New Zealand | No dialogue | Toronto Premiere Nanuuq dir. Jim Lachasse | France | No dialogue | North American Premiere Jubile dirs. Coralie Soudet, Charlotte Piogé, Marion Duvert, Marie El Kadiri, Agathe Marmion | France | No dialogue | North American Premiere The Gossamer (Pautinka) dir. Natalia Chernysheva | Russia | Russian | North American Premiere Order from Chaos dir. Maxime Causeret | France | No dialogue Sausage (Wurst) dir. Josefine Häßler | Germany | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere The Cat and its Artist dir. Maike Mahira Koller | Germany | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere A Small Escape (Den lilla flykten) dir. David Sandell | Sweden | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere Selfie Cat dirs. Geoffrey Assie, Emeline Bernard, Elsa Divet | France | No dialogue | Canadian Premiere The Heart of Matters Families come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is universal: each member plays an important role in supporting the others. They try to solve problems for one another and support each other in difficult times. Each protagonist in this programme demonstrates this important quality. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Chalk (Tiza, Craie) dir. Jocelyne Flores | Mexico | Spanish | World Premiere Good Luck, Orlo! (Srečno, Orlo!) dir. Sara Kern | Slovenia/Croatia/Austria | Slovenian | North American Premiere Lost & Found dir. Liam O’Neill | Ireland | English | Canadian Premiere Mdudu Boy dir. Ella Smith | United Kingdom | Swahili | Canadian Premiere Prickly Pear (Bajtra tax-Xewk) dir. Alex Camilleri | Malta/USA | Maltese | English | World Premiere Shahzad dir. Haya Waseem | Canada | English, Urdu | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival A Place Here In a time where questions of nationality, citizenship, and belonging are at the height of debate on political stages, social media, and the news, film has the power to inform and share stories across the globe. This collection of short films explores how prejudice at home can lead to national conflict, as experienced by young people. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Baka dir. Arvid Klapper | Germany/France | Serbian, German | International Premiere DISPLACED dir. Christian Ghazal | Australia | English | International Premiere Halim dir. Werner Fiedler | Austria | Arabic, German | World Premiere THE SLED (LA SLITTA, LA LUGE) dir. Emanuela Ponzano | Italy | Italian | Canadian Premiere True to Me Pressure from classmates, family, and friends can make us feel isolated and rejected. These short films reveal the courage it takes to explore who you really are, regardless of what others may think or feel. Recommended for ages 11 and up. Crush dir. Rosie Westhoff | United Kingdom/Australia | English Invitation dir. Bo-seung Kang | South Korea | Korean | Canadian Premiere The Threshold (Daaravtha) dir. Nishant Roy Bombarde | India | Marathi, Hindi TRiGGA dir. Meloni Poole | United Kingdom | English | International Premiere Reflections Growing up is complicated. The characters and subjects in this programme are striving to assert their independence and explore their self-identity, but extenuating circumstances and self-doubt often get in the way. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Battalion To My Beat dir. Eimi Imanishi | Algeria/USA/Western Sahara | Arabic | Official Selection, 2016 Toronto International Film Festival Chenelva & Sheneeva dir. Léon Bellaart | Netherlands | Dutch | Canadian Premiere Frances Tiafoe dir. Kirk Fraser | USA | English | International Premiere Proxy dir. Eric Schuman | USA | English | International Premiere The Girl of 672K (Het meisje van 672k) dir. Mirjam Marks | Netherlands | Dutch, English | Canadian Premiere First Step Forward The protagonists in these films are all struggling with events in their pasts while attempting to move forward. The challenging circumstances will shape them — and give them the strength they need to regain a sense of control and take that first step forward. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Cast Off (Larguer les amarres) dir. Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers | Canada | French | Toronto Premiere Flying Rats (Vliegende Ratten) dir. Emiel Sandtke | Belgium | Dutch | North American Premiere Jellyfish dir. Danielle Bayliss | Canada | English | Canadian Premiere The Loudest Silence (El más fuerte de los silencios) dir. Eduardo Bertaina | Argentina | Spanish | Toronto Premiere When Grey Is a Colour (Grijs Is Ook Een Kleur) dir. Marit Weerheijm | Netherlands | Dutch | North American Premiere CANADA ON SCREEN In celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial, TIFF continues its free year-long programme Canada on Screen – A co-production between TIFF and three core project partners — Library and Archives Canada, the Cinémathèque québécoise, and The Cinematheque in Vancouver. Highlights at TIFF Kids include the following FREE programming: a special screening of the Canadian classic coming-of-age mini-series Anne of Green Gables with an introduction by director Kevin Sullivan, a screening of The Dog Who Stopped the War and Canada on Screen: Short and Animated programme that showcases some of the best Canadian animated shorts such as The Sweater, Cameras Take Five, and Log Drivers Waltz. All of these titles appear on Canada on Screen’s TIFF’s Essential 150 list. In addition, TIFF Kids will host screenings of classic Canadian films on REEL CANADA’s National Canadian Film Day 150 on April 19th and construct Northern Lights, a collaborative arts project that will take over the third floor of TIFF Bell Lightbox. SELECT SCREENINGS FROM CANADA ON SCREEN’S ESSENTIAL 150 LIST Anne of Green Gables dir. Kevin Sullivan | Canada | English TIFF Kids welcomes director Kevin Sullivan to give an extended introduction onstage prior to a free screening of his Canadian classic coming-of-age mini-series Anne of Green Gables. Recommended for ages 7 and up. The Dog Who Stopped The War dir. André Mélançon | Canada | French, English Dubbed The Dog Who Stopped the War is the story of two rivalry groups from a rural Canadian town who find themselves in a week-long snowball war. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Canada on Screen: Short and Animated The Canada on Screen: Short and Animated programme showcases some of the best award-winning short films from Canada’s rich animated history. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Begone Dull Care, dirs. Norman McLaren, Evelyn Lambart | Canada | No dialogue Black Soul (Âme noire), dir. Martine Chartrand | Canada | French Cameras Take Five, dir. Steven Woloshen | Canada | No dialogue Canada Vignettes: Log Driver’s Waltz, dir. John Weldon | Canada | English The Sand Castle (La Château de sable), dir. Co Hoedeman | Canada | French The Sweater, dir. Sheldon Cohen | Canada | English When The Day Breaks, dirs. Amanda Forbis | Wendy Tilby | Canada | No dialogue MORE CANADA ON SCREEN HIGHLIGHTS AT TIFF KIDS Collaborative Art Project: Northern Lights by Molly Grundy Molly Grundy is a Toronto-based artist and designer who works in everything from stop-motion animation and illustration to costume design and installation. Molly is delighted to be teaming up with TIFF Kids in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday! This Canada on Screen collaborative art project will transform the third floor of the TIFF Bell Lightbox using 16mm animation filmstrips made by TIFF Kids participants. National Canadian Film Day 150 In celebration of National Canadian Film Day 150 (NCFD 150) on April 19th, TIFF will offer free screenings of Canadian features and shorts for elementary school students, including Sheldon Cohen’s beloved animated short The Sweater (1980). NCFD 150, a one-day, coast-to-coast celebration of Canadian cinema in honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial, is presented by REEL CANADA. For more information on other ways to participate in NCFD 150, visit CanFilmDay.ca. Watermark dirs. Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky | Canada | English, Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, Mandarin Following their acclaimed collaboration Manufactured Landscapes, photographer Edward Burtynsky and filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal reunite to explore the ways in which humanity has shaped, manipulated and depleted one of its most vital and compromised resources: water. Recommended for Grades 6 to 8. The Legend of Sarila dir. Nancy Florence Savard | Canada | English Three young Inuit go in search of Sarila, a promised land, hoping to save their clan from famine. It is also the story of a fight to the death between two shamans, the young Markussi who finds Sarila and the aged Croolik who feels that his power is threatened. Recommended for Grades 3 to 5. Ballerina dirs. Eric Warin, Eric Summer | Canada/France | English, French Two best friends — one an aspiring ballet dancer, the other a fledgling inventor — pursue their dreams in 1880s Paris, in this charming animated adventure from Quebec. Recommended for ages 7 and up. The Good Ol’ Hockey Game 2017 marks both Canada’s 150th birthday and the centennial of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it’s a natural opportunity to celebrate Canada’s Game on film. Hockey holds a special place in the hearts of many young Canadians – enthusiastic fans and aspiring players alike. It also teaches us valuable lessons in teamwork, cooperation, and perseverance. Recommended for ages 9 and up. Faith’s Goal, dir. Elizabeth Lee | Canada | English HA’Aki, dir. Iriz Paabo | Canada | No dialogue P.K. SUBBAN SKATE PAST THE NOISE SPECIAL EDITION (P.K. SUBBAN PATINER DROIT DEVANT ÉDITION SPÉCIALE), dirs. Alexandra Toulch, Jack Hackel | Canada | English The Rink, dir. Thelon Deming | Canada | English The Sweater, dir. Sheldon Cohen | Canada | English CANADA À L’ÉCRAN
Toute l’année, le TIFF poursuit son programme gratuit Canada à l’écran, organisé à l’occasion du 150e anniversaire du Canada. Cette initiative est coproduite par le TIFF et trois partenaires de présentation : Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, la Cinémathèque québécoise et The Cinematheque (Vancouver). Parmi les présentations GRATUITES dans le cadre de TIFF Kids : une projection spéciale d’Anne… la maison aux pignons verts, minisérie canadienne classique sur le passage vers l’âge adulte, avec une introduction par son réalisateur Kevin Sullivan; une projection de La guerre des tuques; et un programme de courts métrages d’animation (Canada on Screen : Short and Animated) qui met en vedette certains des meilleurs films brefs canadiens, tels que Le chandail, Cameras Take Five et La valse du maître-draveur. Tous ces titres font partie de la liste des 150 œuvres essentielles Canada à l’écran du TIFF. De plus, TIFF Kids organisera des projections de classiques du cinéma canadien lors de la Journée du cinéma canadien 150 de REEL Canada. Il montera également le projet d’art collaboratif Northern Lights au troisième étage du TIFF Bell Lightbox.
PROJECTIONS SÉLECTIONNÉES : SELON LA LISTE DES 150 ŒUVRES ESSENTIELLES CANADA À L’ÉCRAN
Anne… la maison aux pignons verts réal. Kevin Sullivan, Canada, anglais Le festival TIFF Kids accueille Kevin Sullivan, qui montera sur scène pour introduire la projection gratuite d’Anne… la maison aux pignons verts, sa minisérie classique sur le passage vers l’âge adulte. Âge recommandé : 7 ans et +.
La guerre des tuques réal. André Mélançon, Canada, français doublé en anglais La guerre des tuques est l’histoire de deux groupes rivaux dans un village rural du Canada. Pendant toute une semaine, ceux-ci se livrent une bataille de boules de neige. Âge recommandé : 9 ans et +.
Canada on Screen : Short and Animated Le programme Canada on Screen : Short and Animated présente certains des meilleurs courts métrages primés de l’histoire du cinéma d’animation canadien. Âge recommandé : 9 ans et +.
Begone Dull Care (Caprice en couleurs) réal. Norman McLaren, Evelyn Lambart | Canada | sans dialogue
Black Soul (Âme noire) réal. Martine Chartrand | Canada | français
Cameras Take Five réal. Steven Woloshen | Canada | sans dialogue
Canada Vignettes : Log Driver’s Waltz (Canada vignettes : La valse du maître-draveur) réal. John Weldon | Canada | anglais
The Sand Castle (Le château de sable) réal. Co Hoedeman | Canada | français
The Sweater (Le chandail) réal. Sheldon Cohen | Canada | anglais
When The Day Breaks réal. Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby | Canada | sans dialogue
AUTRES ACTIVITÉS CANADA À L’ÉCRAN AU FESTIVAL TIFF KIDS
Projet d’art collaboratif : Northern Lights, par Molly Grundy Molly Grundy est une artiste et designer torontoise qui œuvre dans une foule de domaines, dont l’animation image par image, l’illustration, la conception de costumes et les installations artistiques. Molly est ravie de faire équipe avec TIFF Kids pour célébrer le 150e anniversaire du Canada! Ce projet d’art collaboratif de Canada à l’écran transformera le troisième étage du TIFF Bell Lightbox à l’aide de bandes de films d’animation en 16 mm créées par les participants de TIFF Kids.
Journée du cinéma canadien 150 Afin de célébrer la Journée du cinéma canadien 150, le TIFF présentera le 19 avril des projections gratuites mettant en vedette des longs et des courts métrages du Canada destinées aux élèves du primaire, dont le populaire court métrage d’animation Le chandail (1980) de Sheldon Cohen. La Journée du cinéma canadien 150 est présentée par REEL CANADA.
Watermark (Trajectoires) réal. Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky | Canada | anglais, espagnol, hindi, bengali, mandarin Après leur collaboration triomphale sur Manufactured Landscapes, le photographe Edward Burtynsky et la documentariste Jennifer Baichwal refont équipe afin d’explorer comment l’humanité a façonné, manipulé et appauvri l’une de nos ressources les plus essentielles et fragiles : l’eau. Niveaux recommandés : 6e à 8e année.
The Legend of Sarila (La légende de Sarila) réal. Nancy Florence Savard | Canada | anglais Trois jeunes Inuits partent à la recherche de Sarila, une terre promise, dans l’espoir de sauver leur peuple de la famine. Ce film raconte aussi un redoutable combat entre deux chamans : le jeune Markussi qui trouve Sarila, et Croolik, un homme plus âgé qui sent que son pouvoir est menacé. Niveaux recommandés : 3e à 5e année.
Ballerina réal. Eric Warin, Eric Summer | Canada/France | anglais, français À Paris, dans les années 1880, deux meilleurs amis – une future ballerine et un aspirant inventeur – décident de réaliser leur plus grand rêve dans cette charmante aventure animée réalisée au Québec. Âge recommandé : 7 ans et +. Ce bon vieux hockey En plus de marquer le 150e anniversaire du Canada, 2017 correspond aussi au 100e anniversaire de la Ligue nationale de hockey et des Maple Leafs de Toronto. Il était donc naturel de célébrer le sport préféré des Canadiens au cinéma. Le hockey occupe une place inconditionnelle dans le cœur de plusieurs jeunes Canadiens, qu’ils soient des admirateurs ou des hockeyeurs eux-mêmes. C’est aussi un sport qui enseigne le travail d’équipe, la collaboration et la persévérance. Âge recommandé : 9 ans et +. Faith’s Goal, réal. Elizabeth Lee | Canada | anglais HA’Aki, réal. Iriz Paabo | Canada | sans dialogue P.K. SUBBAN SKATE PAST THE NOISE SPECIAL EDITION (P.K. SUBBAN PATINER DROIT DEVANT ÉDITION SPÉCIALE), réal. Alexandra Toulch, Jack Hackel | Canada | anglais The Rink, réal. Thelon Deming | Canada | anglais The Sweater (Le chandail), réal. Sheldon Cohen | Canada | anglais
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SXSW 2017: Watch Trailer for DISGRACED Chronicling the 2003 Murder of Baylor University Men’s Basketball Star Patrick Dennehy
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DISGRACED[/caption]
The official trailer was released yesterday for the upcoming documentary film Disgraced, that chronicles the 2003 murder of Baylor University men’s basketball star Patrick Dennehy. Disgraced will world premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival on Sunday, March 12, and on Showtime on Friday, March 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
The revealing documentary chronicles the 2003 murder of Baylor University men’s basketball star Patrick Dennehy, to which fellow teammate and friend Carlton Dotson pled guilty in the only known instance in the history of the NCAA where one student-athlete was convicted of murdering another. Through first-hand accounts from students, investigators, family and friends,Disgraced calls into question the plea and conviction of Dotson.
The film also includes exclusive and revealing interviews with former head coach Dave Bliss, who directly addresses the attempted cover-up and secretly recorded statements he made in 2003 that implicated him in NCAA rule violations. The violations, revealed in part by whistle blower and then assistant coach Abar Rouse, ultimately led to Bliss’ resignation and a partial ban on NCAA play for the Baylor Bears basketball team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5s_wI5RehI
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Watch at your own risk!! Justine Experiences Side Effects of Eating Raw Meat in New Clip from RAW | Video
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RAW (Julia Ducournau)[/caption]
Watch at your own risk. Focus World has released a brand new clip from Raw in which Justine (Garance Miller) begins to experience the side effects of a hazing ritual in which she was forced to eat raw meat. What started out as harmless fun begins to affect her in ways she couldn’t have possibly imagined, both mentally and…physically.
Raw, from first-time director Julia Ducournau – named one of Variety’s ‘10 Directors to Watch for 2017’ – and starring newcomers Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, and Rabah Nait Oufella, hits select theaters March 10, 2017 and expands worldwide this Spring.
Everyone in Justine’s family is a vet. And a vegetarian. At sixteen she’s a brilliant student starting out at veterinary school where she experiences a decadent, merciless and dangerously seductive world. Desperate to fit in, she strays from her family principles and eats RAW meat for the first time. Justine will soon face the terrible and unexpected consequences as her true self begins to emerge…
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6 Latin American Films Selected for San Sebastian Film Festival’s Films in Progress 31
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Half Brother[/caption]
6 films, 5 of them début films, have been selected for Films in Progress 31, the professional platform that supports the production of Latin American feature-length films, organized by the San Sebastian and Cinelatino, Rencontres de Toulouse festivals. Films in Progress fosters the meeting, dialogue and interaction among Latin American and European film professionals, promoting the diversity and talent of independent film makers. The Toulouse edition will be held on March 23 and 24, 2017.
JASMINES IN LÍDICE (JAZMINES EN LÍDICE)
RUBÉN SIERRA SALLES (VENEZUELA – MEXICO)
Meche has not got over the absence of his son Raúl; His room remains intact, his clothes are still in the closet. Challenged by an imminent danger, her daughters Dayana and Anabel try to convince her to leave Lídice, the neighborhood where she has lived her entire life. With Dayana’s birthday for excuse, the family gathers, even Raúl’s wife comes over. The meeting becomes painful, bursting with complaints and open wounds, before the feeble gaze of whom who feels responsible for the misery of those who stayed behind. Debut feature.
MARILYN
MARTÍN RODRÍGUEZ REDONDO (ARGENTINA – CHILE)
Marcos, a seventeen years farm worker, discovers his sexuality in a hostile environment. Nicknamed Marilyn by other teenagers in town, he becomes the target both of human desire and discrimination. Marcos feels himself pushed into a corner more and more. Debut feature.
HALF BROTHER (MEIO IRMÃO)
ELIANE COSTER (BRAZIL)
Sandra (16) is looking for her mother who’s been missing for days. As time goes by, difficulties pile up and she has to seek her half brother Jorge, with whom she has little contact. Jorge lives and works with his father, they install surveillance systems. At the point Sandra finds him, he’s being threatened not to leak a video he made on his phone of a homophobic attack on a male friend to whom he’s secretly attracted to. Debut feature.
THE DESERT BRIDE (LA NOVIA DEL DESIERTO)
CECILIA ATÁN, VALERIA PIVATO (ARGENTINA – CHILE)
Teresa (54) has worked for decades as a live-in maid in Buenos Aires. When the family sells the house, she is forced to take a job in a distant town. Although feeling uncomfortable, she embarks on a journey through the desert. During her first stop, in the land of the miraculous “Saint Correa”, she loses her bag with all her belongings. This incident leads her to cross paths with a traveling salesman, the only one who can help her. What seemed like the end of her world will prove her salvation. Debut feature.
LOS PERROS
MARCELA SAID (CHILE – FRANCE – ARGENTINA – PORTUGAL – GERMANY)
Mariana (42), is a slightly off-the-wall woman, who stands out from the Chilean upper class to which she belongs. Her father, Francisco, has raised her with love and kindness, but also with a strong grip. Pedro, her husband, is a workaholic architect who doesn’t seem to make her happy. She finds solace in the company of Juan (60), a riding teacher and a former colonel with a shady past.
HUNTING SEASON (TEMPORADA DE CAZA)
NATALIA GARAGIOLA (ARGENTINA – FRANCE – USA)
Nahuel has almost finished high school in Buenos Aires when his mother suddenly dies. He is legally obliged to spend the last three months before turning 18 with his father Ernesto, a respected hunter who lives in a small village near the mountains. They haven’t seen each other for more than a decade. As the journey begins and wilderness becomes his new environment, Nahuel is confronted with his ability to love and kill. Debut feature.
