Birds Without Feathers[/caption]
The Whistler Film Festival will present an unprecedented number of female focused films, talent, events, and awards throughout its 2018 programs. The Festival will screen 21 feature films and 18 short films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary individuals, which makes up 46% of this year’s film programming, the highest percentage for the festival to date. WFF will also have 41 Canadian females out of 80 (51%) participating in 11 different talent programs, including 16 directors, 5 producers, 3 screenwriters, 8 filmmakers, 1 actor, and 7 musicians in bands in the Music Showcase.
“The Whistler Film Festival’s female focused initiatives are aligned with several industry wide mandates, and we are committed to promoting the shared goal of breaking the celluloid ceiling, increasing the number of women in the director’s chair, addressing the imbalance of industry diversity behind the camera, and supporting the collaborative efforts to bring more female written and directed narratives to screen, and more females on screen to reflect society,” says Shauna Hardy Mishaw, WFF Executive Director. “With strong representation both in front of and behind the camera in our films, and talent programs this year, Whistler is maintaining a timely leadership role for women in the industry, when the need is not only apparent, the collective is calling for it.“
Film Festivals
-
2018 Whistler Film Festival to Feature Record Number of Films Directed by Women
[caption id="attachment_29003" align="aligncenter" width="1214"] Birds Without Feathers[/caption]
The Whistler Film Festival will present an unprecedented number of female focused films, talent, events, and awards throughout its 2018 programs. The Festival will screen 21 feature films and 18 short films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary individuals, which makes up 46% of this year’s film programming, the highest percentage for the festival to date. WFF will also have 41 Canadian females out of 80 (51%) participating in 11 different talent programs, including 16 directors, 5 producers, 3 screenwriters, 8 filmmakers, 1 actor, and 7 musicians in bands in the Music Showcase.
“The Whistler Film Festival’s female focused initiatives are aligned with several industry wide mandates, and we are committed to promoting the shared goal of breaking the celluloid ceiling, increasing the number of women in the director’s chair, addressing the imbalance of industry diversity behind the camera, and supporting the collaborative efforts to bring more female written and directed narratives to screen, and more females on screen to reflect society,” says Shauna Hardy Mishaw, WFF Executive Director. “With strong representation both in front of and behind the camera in our films, and talent programs this year, Whistler is maintaining a timely leadership role for women in the industry, when the need is not only apparent, the collective is calling for it.“
-
SHOPLIFTERS and MOANANUIĀKEA Win Audience Awards at Hawaii International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_30641" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Shoplifters[/caption]
The ballots have been tabulated and the festival attendees of the 38th edition of the Hawaii International Film Festival voted SHOPLIFTERS directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda winner of Narrative Feature Audience Award, and MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN, ONE PEOPLE, ONE CANOE directed by Naalehu Anthony was voted winner of DocumentaryFeature Audience Award. The Audience Award for Short Film went to HAE HAWAI’I directed by Ty Sanga.
2018 Hawaii International Film Festival Audience Award Winners
NARRATIVE FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
SHOPLIFTERS directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda After one of their shoplifting sessions, a poor family come across a little girl freezing in the cold, and although initially reluctant, welcome her into their home. Though happy together, an unforeseen incident begins to unravel hidden secrets and test the bonds that unite them. From Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda, SHOPLIFTERS tells a breathtaking story of family and love told across four seasons on the streets of contemporary Tokyo. SHOPLIFTERS had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or, the grand prize. It is also Japan’s official entry to the foreign language Academy Awards category.DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN, ONE PEOPLE, ONE CANOE directed by Naalehu Anthony In 1976, a voyaging canoe sparked a cultural revival that quickly spread throughout Polynesia, breathing life into ancient myths and legends. More than four decades later, Hōkūleʻa continues to inspire a new generation of navigators and voyagers to gather their courage and sail beyond the horizon of the Pacific. MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. celebrates the historic Worldwide Voyage that connected countless communities from around the globe. A voyage that also represented the fulfillment of the vision of Nainoa Thompson and his contemporaries, the passing of the mantle to the next generation of kānaka maoli who will retain the skills of their ancestors and perpetuate this tradition for generations to come. MOANANUIĀKEA had its world premiere at HIFF as the Closing Night Film.SHORT FILM AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
HAE HAWAI’I directed by Ty Sanga In 1893, a group of businessmen and sugar planters illegally overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. The kingdom slowly dissolves as loyalists to the crown try to preserve what is left. A young Hawaiian thief is selected to safeguard the unifying symbol of the kingdom, the Hawaiian flag.
-
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE Wins Top Prize at 38th Hawaii International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_32837" align="aligncenter" width="1050"]
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable[/caption]
The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) presented their 2018 Jury awards with The Best Made In Hawaii Feature Award going to BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE directed by Aaron Lieber. The jurors also awarded a second place award to MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN, ONE CANOE, ONE PEOPLE, directed by Na’alehu Anthony.
The Made In Hawaii competition film awards category was launched in 2017 to spotlight the flourishing local independent film scene on the Hawaiian Islands. The Jurors shared their thoughts on the winning films: “This year’s Made in Hawaii nominees showcase a beautifully diverse range of stories, that all share a common theme: the transformative impact of community and family. BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE quickly showed us that what we thought we knew, was just the beginning of the story. Emotional and inspiring, this film did what all great docs do – it captured defining moments you can’t believe were captured on film with twists and turns that defied expectations. This amazing story of a deeply relatable underdog was also complemented with epic cinematography and a final shot that has to be seen to be believed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dworl7UXMRU
“This year’s second place awardee, MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN, ONE CANOE, ONE PEOPLE. honors a movie that captures a movement decades, and arguably centuries, in the making. Hokule’a isn’t just a canoe. It’s a compass that reconnects us to our past and points the way to a better future. Over the past 40 years it has not only sparked a Hawaiian renaissance, it has now, incredibly, connected cultures and communities from every point around the globe, a symbolic lei that encircles the world.”
The Best Made In Hawaii Short Film Award winner is MAUKA TO MAKAI, directed by Jonah Okono and Alika Maikau, with the Second Prize in the Made in Hawaii Shorts program going to Erin Lau’s THE MOON AND THE NIGHT.
All films in Shorts programs #1 – 4, plus PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS and MADE IN HAWAII shorts programs are eligible for the overall HIFF BEST SHORT FILM award which was won by MAY 14th, directed by Boo Eunjoo. The jury also announced a Special Jury Mention, for Andre Hoermann and Anna Samo’s OBON; recognizing its striking animated retelling of one survivor’s account of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb attack.
[caption id="attachment_28168" align="aligncenter" width="1180"]
People’s Republic of Desire[/caption]
HIFF also debuted the inaugural Ka’ū Ka Hōkū Filmmaker Award, presented to an emerging filmmaker who has completed their first or second feature film which went to PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE, directed by Hao Wu.
The 2018 Halekulani Career Achievement Award was presented to actress Moon So-ri. Dubbed the “Meryl Streep” of South Korea, Moon is one of the most acclaimed Asian actresses of her generation. Moon recently directed the feature-length omnibus THE RUNNING ACTRESS.
The Halekulani Maverick Award was given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema and the filmed arts in an innovative way. This year, HIFF presented the award to American actress, writer, and rapper Awkwafina. Awkwafina, whose given name is Nora Lum, brings an impressive range of talent peppered with her signature flair, and has become a major breakout talent this year with her co-starring roles in Ocean’s 8 and Crazy Rich Asians.
HIFF also presented the Halekulani Maverick Award to actor-turned-director Takumi Saito. As an actor, Saito is known for his breakout role in the wildly popular Japanese TV drama “Hirugao”. His feature film directorial debut, Blank 13, quietly evokes the enigma of discovering the private life of a loved one, whether dead or alive; and the elasticity of familial bonds.
The Hawaii International Film Festival’s PIC Trailblazer Award was presented to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award winning work in independent and global cinema, becoming a trendsetter in their field and a cultural ambassador that shines a spotlight on Pacific islander culture in mainstream media.
The 2018 HIFF Pacific Islanders in Communications Trailblazer Award was given to Heperi “Hepi” Mita. Mita’s career began in 2007, working in online journalism for the pulitzer prize winning Las Vegas Sun newspaper. He returned to his home country of Aotearoa / New Zealand in 2011, following the death of his mother — indigenous filmmaking pioneer Merata Mita (UTU). His directorial debut, Merata: How Mum Decolonised The Screen, world premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival this past summer. HIFF will present the Hawaii premiere of this film at Spring Showcase 2019.
The NETPAC Award is presented annually at international film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii. HIFF is the only film festival in North America given permission to present the NETPAC award. This year’s NETPAC Award winner is STILL HUMAN by Oliver Siu Kuen Chan.
From the Jury: “The award for best narrative feature for an emerging filmmaker from the Asia Pacific region goes to STILL HUMAN by Oliver Siu Kuen Chan for its humane way of exploring racial and social class, the treatment of the disabled and the aged, and portraying the intersection of hopelessness and dreams.”
2018 Hawaii International Film Festival Award Winners
Made In Hawaii Best Feature: BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE directed by Aaron Lieber (1st Place); MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. Directed by Naalehu Anthony (2nd Place) Made In Hawaii Best Short: MAUKA TO MAKAI directed by Alika Maikau & Jonah Okano (1st Place); THE MOON AND THE NIGHT directed by Erin Lau (2nd Place) HIFF Best Overall Short Film: MAY 14th directed by Eunjoo Boo; OBON directed by Hoermann Andre & Anna Samo NETPAC Winner: STILL HUMAN directed by Oliver Siu Kuen Chan
-
GREEN BOOK to Receive Vanguard Award at Palm Springs International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_32616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
“Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly[/caption]
The cast and director of the film Green Book will be presented with the Vanguard Award at the annual Film Awards Gala at the upcoming 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF). The Vanguard Award is a group honor distinguishing a film’s cast and director in recognition of their collective work on an exceptional film project. Actors Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali as well as director Peter Farrelly are expected to attend. Green Book joins previously announced honorees Glenn Close, Rami Malek and Melissa McCarthy. The Festival runs January 3-14.
Past recipients of the Vanguard Award include The Shape of Water and La La Land.
When Frank Anthony Vallelonga, aka Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a New York City bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive and protect Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a world-class black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on The Green Book — a travel guide to safe lodging, dining and business options for African Americans during the era of segregation and Jim Crow laws — to steer them to places where Shirley will not be refused service, humiliated, or threatened with violence. Set against the backdrop of a country grappling with the valor and volatility of the Civil Rights Movement, two men will be confronted with racism and danger and be comforted by generosity, kindness and their own unique senses of humor. Together, they will challenge long-held assumptions, push past their seemingly insurmountable differences, and embrace their shared humanity. The film, from Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures, is directed by Peter Farrelly.
“Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are an on-camera dream team in the crowd-pleasing film Green Book, inspired by a true friendship, about a New York City bouncer hired to drive and protect pianist Dr. Don Shirley on a concert tour in the Deep South,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “Director Peter Farrelly, who also co-wrote the script, delivers a heartfelt movie-going experience that is guaranteed to receive awards attention for the actors, its director and the film itself. It is our honor to present the Vanguard Award to Green Book.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZxoko_HC0
-
African Diaspora International Film Festival 2018 in NY to Showcase Caribbean Films
[caption id="attachment_32789" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Timeless: A Virgin Island Love Story[/caption]
The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) 2018 will celebrate the Caribbean with films from the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Panama, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados, and T&T. The Caribbean is a rich reservoir of stories. Films from the region come in many languages. The characters have many origins and skin tones, and all the countries harbor a particular identity.
Opening Night film Timeless: A Virgin Island Love Story travels in time from 19th Century Ghana to the modern day Caribbean. It is the story of Ajuwa, a Ghanaian warrior, who loses her soulmate to the slave trade; their souls reunite in contemporary US Virgin Islands.
Angelica by Marisol Gómez-Mouakad is set in New York and Puerto Rico. Angelica has spent her whole life escaping from her mixed racial identity, but a family crisis forces her to return to Puerto Rico and rethink her life. Cimarronaje in Panama-Panama by Toshi Sakai explores how, two centuries before George Washington or Simon Bolivar dreamed of liberation from European tyranny, enslaved Africans in Panama fought for and gained their independence.
The festival will feature two revealing documentaries: Barrow, Freedom Fighter by Marcia Weekes from Barbados and Every Cook Can Govern: Documenting the Life, Impact & Works of C.L.R. James by Ceri Dingle from T&T. Barrow is a passionate docu-drama about the courage of one man who relentlessly preached a gospel of economic self-reliance and self-respect to the people of his native country Barbados and beyond. The CLR James documentary, in a historical tour-de-force, interweaves never-before-seen footage of C.L.R. James with personal contributions from those who knew him.
THE WINDRUSH AND THE BUMIDON
The Black presence in Europe is not new, but with time, the ambitions of colonial powers and the increasing extreme right wing waves, being Black in Europe implied different connotations.
Post-war UK experienced a massive arrival of people from the Caribbean, known as the Windrush. In the 1980’s arrived from Africa wealthy Nigerians and Ghanaians alongside rural migrants and refugees from Somalia and Zimbabwe. This massive presence of black people gave the UK a new flavor. ADIFF’s Windursh program illustrates Black life in the UK with the presentation of recent and classic films.
In France, the Bumidon system, a structure implemented by the French government to bring folks from their overseas territories mostly Martinique and Guadeloupe to work in France, contributed to making France a multiracial society.
ADIFF-NY 2018 will showcase a selection of films about the human experience of many men and women who left their native lands looking for a better life in the colonial metropolis.
The Story of Lovers Rock and Time and Judgement, by internationally acclaimed Barbados/UK filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, explore the history of the Black UK life experience through the arts – music, spoken word – with performances, archival footage and testimonies. Playing Away by Horace Ove from T&T is one of the ten best Afro-British films of all times. Love story The Naked Poet by Jason Barrett – whose family is from Jamaica – is representative of the work and interests of a new generation of Black British filmmakers.
The BUMIDOM system and its impact are described in They had a dream / Le Rêve Français which tells a story based on reality. It is both a social and a fictional saga, exploring the interconnected lives of two Guadeloupian families to reveal hidden and obscure aspects of French society.
The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) celebrates its 26th anniversary from Nov. 23 to Dec. 9 with screenings to be held in five venues in Manhattan: Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village, Riverside Church, The Dwyer Cultural Center and MIST Harlem.Screenings will be held in five venues in Manhattan: Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village, Riverside Church, The Dwyer Cultural Center and MIST Harlem.
-
“This is Spinal Tap” and “Reality Bites” to get Anniversary Tributes at 2019 Tribeca Film Fest
[caption id="attachment_32783" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
This Is Spinal Tap[/caption]
This Is Spinal Tap will return to the big screen for the iconic mockumentary’s 35th anniversary at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival which runs April 24 to May. Generation X will also have a comeback for the 25th anniversary of Reality Bites. The storytellers behind the cult classics will be on hand for cast and creator reunions.
This Is Spinal Tap stars and creators Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Rob Reiner, who also directed, will turn it up to eleven again with a one-night-only anniversary celebration 35 years in the making. Released in 1984, the mockumentary follows the fictional heavy metal rock band Spinal Tap on tour. After the screening, the four will pay tribute to the band with a special musical performance and a conversation to follow.
[caption id="attachment_32784" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Reality Bites[/caption]
Tribeca will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Reality Bites, a film that captured the zeitgeist of the 90s. Starring Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, and Ben Stiller, who also directed, the film was released in 1994. A conversation will follow the screening to take a look back at the making of the film and the characters who have come to embody the spirit of Generation X.
Rob Reiner and Ben Stiller brought these two cult classics to life both in front of the camera and from behind – This Is Spinal Tap and Reality Bites were their directorial debuts.
“Spinal Tap proves there is definitely a fine line between stupid and clever,” said director, co-writer, and star Rob Reiner.
“Reality Bites was a formative experience in my life. To have a 25 year anniversary screening is very exciting. Looking forward to seeing the whole cast, and possibly changing the ending so Michael gets Lelaina,” said director and star Ben Stiller.
“From the heavy metal bands of the ‘80s to Generation X in the early ‘90s, This Is Spinal Tap and Reality Bites didn’t just capture the spirit of their respective times – they helped define them,” said Paula Weinstein, EVP of Tribeca Enterprises. “We’re excited to bring these two films back to the big screen for existing fans and also to introduce them to new audiences.”
Tribeca has hosted reunions and anniversary events for some of the most iconic films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, Scarface, Schindler’s List, Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and more.
-
Melissa McCarthy to Receive Spotlight Award at Palm Springs International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_31589" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Melissa McCarthy in the film CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? Photo by Mary Cybulski. © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved[/caption]
Melissa McCarthy will receive the Spotlight Award at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) annual Film Awards Gala for Can You Ever Forgive Me? The award will be presented by her co-star in the film Richard E. Grant. The Festival runs January 3-14.
McCarthy joins previously announced honoree Glenn Close and Rami Malek. Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston, Andrew Garfield, Helen Hunt, Allison Janney, Rooney Mara, Julia Roberts and J.K. Simmons. All recipients received Academy Award® nominations in the year they were honored, with Simmons winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Janney receiving an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
In Fox Searchlight’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? Melissa McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, the best-selling celebrity biographer, and cat lover, who made her living in the 70s and 80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee found herself unable to get published because she had fallen out of step with the marketplace, she turned her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant). The Fox Searchlight film is directed by Marielle Heller and also stars Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Ben Falcone, Anna Deavere Smith and Stephen Spinella.
Melissa McCarthy received an Academy Award, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice and SAG Award nominations for her role in Bridesmaids. Her other film credits include Life of the Party, The Boss, St. Vincent, Tammy, The Heat, Identity Thief, This is 40, The Hangover Part III, Ghostbusters, The Back-Up Plan, Life As We Know It, Pretty Ugly People, Just Add Water, The Nines, White Oleander, Pumpkin, Go and The Life of David Gale. Her TV credits include Mike & Molly, Gilmore Girls, Samantha Who? and Nobodies. Her upcoming films include The Kitchen and Superintelligence.
“Melissa McCarthy delivers a heartbreaking performance as author Lee Israel, perfectly portraying Israel’s loneliness as she struggles with her own relevance in society,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “McCarthy’s dramatic turn is truly captivating and deserving of awards recognition. It is our honor to present this year’s Spotlight Award to Melissa McCarthy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvJIaNsf_bY
-
AT ETERNITY’S GATE to Open 2018 Marrakech International Film Festival, Fest Unveils Official Selection
[caption id="attachment_31186" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
At Eternity’s Gate[/caption]
From November 30 to December 8, 2018, festival-goers and cinema-lovers alike will discover no fewer than 80 films coming from 29 different countries at the 17th Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM). The Festival with open with At Eternity’s Gate directed by Julian Schnabel, the remarkable biopic that depicts the most celebrated period of the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh will open the Festival.
The line-up is divided into several sections, the main ones including the Official Competition; Gala Screenings; Special Screenings; The 11th Continent; Moroccan Panorama; Jamaa El-Fna Square Screenings; Audio-described Cinema; and a Tribute section. International Film Festival.
Fourteen (14) films, six directed by women, are in the running to win the Marrakech Etoile d’Or (or, the Gold Star), in the Official Competition. Tributes will be made to four great names in cinema, namely: Robert De Niro, Jillali Ferhati, Agnès Varda, and Robin Wright.
2018 Marrakech International Film Festival Official Selections
COMPETITION
THE GOOD GIRLS (Las niñas bien) / Mexico By Alejandra Márquez Abella Cast: Ilse Salas, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Paulina Gaitán, Johanna Murillo, Flavio Medina JOY / Austria By Sudabeh Mortezai Cast: Joy Anwulika Alphonsus, Precious Mariam Sanusi, Angela Ekeleme Pius, Gift Igweh, Sandra John, Chika Kipo, Ella Osagie, Christian Ludwig, Mary Kreutzer DIANE / USA By Kent Jones Cast: Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Andrea Martin, Estelle Parsons, Deirdre O’Connell, Joyce Van Patten, Phyllis Gallagher, Glynnis O’Connor et Paul McIsaac THE LOAD (Teret) / Serbia, France, Croatia, Iran, Qatar By Ognjen Glavonić Cast: Leon Lučev, Pavle Čemerikić THE CHAMBERMAID (La camarista) / Mexico By Lila Avilés Cast: Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez RED SNOW (Akai yuki) / Japan By Sayaka Kai Cast: Masotoshi Nagase, Nahana, Arata Lura, Yui Nastukawa, Koichi Sato LOOK AT ME (Fi ‘ainaya / Regarde-moi) / Tunisia By Nejib Belkhadhi Cast: Nidhal Saadi, Idryss Kharroubi, Sawssen Maalej, Aziz Jebali, Mouna Nourredine IRINA / Bulgaria By Nadejda Koseva Cast: Martina Apostolova, Hristo Ushev, Irini Jambonas, Kasiel Noah Asher, Krassimir Dokov, Alexander Kossev VANISHING DAYS (Màn yóu) / China By Zhu Xin Cast: Jlang Li, Huang Jing as, Qiu Xiaqiu, Chen Yan, Li Xiaoxing, Lu Jiahe URGENT (Tafaha al-kail / Une urgence ordinaire) / Morocco, Switzerland By Mohcine Besri Cast: Rachid Mustapha, Fatima Zahra Benacer, Youssef Alaoui, Saïd Bey, Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Ayoub Layoussifi, Younes Bouab. ROJO / Argentina, Brazil, France, the Netherlands, Germany By Benjamín Naishtat Cast: Dario Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio, Alfredo Castro, Diego Cremonesi AKASHA / Sudan, South Africa, Germany, Qatar By hajooj kuka Cast: Ekram Marcus, Kamal Ramadan, Ganja Mohamed Chakado, Abdallah Alnur Najla Kamal THE GIRAFFE (La ahdun hunak) / Egypt By Ahmed Magdy Cast: Amr Hosny, Shaza Moharam, Haidy Koussa, Salma Hassan, Rasha Magdy ALL GOOD (Alles ist gut) / Germany By Eva Trobisch Cast: Aenne Schwarz, Andreas Döhler, Hans Löw, Tilo Nest, Lisa Hagmeister, Lina WendelGala Screenings
AT ETERNITY’S GATE / USA, France By Julian Schnabel Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner EUFORIA / Italy By Valeria Golino Cast: Riccardo Scamarcio, Valerio Mastandrea, Isabella Ferrari, Valentina Cervi, Jasmine Trinca ROMA / Mexico, USA By Alfonso Cuarón Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira GREEN BOOK / USA By Peter Farrelly Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini YOMEDDINE / Egypt, USA, Austria By A.B.Shawky Cast: Rady Gamal, Ahmed Abdelhafiz, Shahira Fahmy CAPERNAUM (Capharnaüm) / Lebanon, USA By Nadine Labaki Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shifera, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Youssef, Nadine Labaki.SPECIAL SCREENINGS
THE ACCUSED (Acusada) / Argentina By Gonzalo Tobal Cast: Lali Espósito, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Inés Estévez, Daniel Fanego, Ferardo Romano, Gael García Bernal WILDLIFE /USA By Paul Dano Cast: Ed Oxenbould, Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal EXT. NIGHT (Leil kharigi) / Egypt By AhmadAbdalla Cast: Karim Kassem, Mona Hala, Sherief El Desouky, Ahmad Magdy, Aly Kassem HER SMELL / USA By Alex Ross Perry Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Amber Heard, Agyness Deyn THE TOWER / Norway By Mats Grorud Film d’animation LIONHEART / Nigeria By Genevieve Nnaji Cast: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu REAL LOVE (C’est ça l’amour) / France, Belgium By Claire Burger Cast: Bouli Lanners, Justine Lacroix, Sarah Henochsberg RAFIKI / Kenya By Wanuri Kahiu Cast: Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Muskoya POISONOUS ROSES (Ward masmum) / Egypt By Fawzi Saleh Cast: Koky, Mahmoud Hemida, Ibrahim El Nagary BIRDS OF PASSAGE (Pájaros de verano) / Colombia, Denmark, Mexico By Cristina Gallego et Ciro Guerra Cast: Carmiña Martínez, Jose Acosta, Natalia Reyes, Jhon Narváez, Greider Meza, José Vicente Cote DIVINE WIND (Rih Rabbani) / Algeria By Merzak Allouache Cast: Sarah Layssac, Mohamed Oughlis, Messaouda Boukhira, Hacene Benzerari, Abdelatif Benahmed, Brahim DerrisTHE 11th CONTINENT
VIEWS FROM MOROCCO AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Presented by Jay Weissberg BURNING / South Korea By Lee Chang-dong Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo ANGELO / Austria, Luxembourg By Markus Schleinzer Cast: Makita Samba, Alba Rohrwacher, Larisa Faber, Kenny Nzogang, Lukas Miko NERVOUS TRANSLATION / The Philippines By Shireen Seno Cast: Jana Agoncillo, Angge Santos, Sid Lucero, Cocoy Lumbao HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING / USA By RaMell Ross Documentary THE DEAD AND THE OTHERS (Chuva é cantoria na aldeia dos mortos) / Brazil By João Salaviza, Renée Nader Messora Cast: Henrique Ihjãc Krahô, Raene Kôtô Krahô SRBENKA / Croatia By Nebojša Slijepčević Documentaire ERASED,ASCENTOFTHE INVISIBLE (Tirss, rihlat al sou’oud ila al mar’i) / Lebanon By Ghassan Halwani Documentary ENDLESS TAIL (Beskrajni Rep) / Croatia By Željka Suková Cast: Julie Suková, Kašpar Suk, Prolaznici Tokijom, Željka Suková, Aleš Suk MANTA RAY(Kraben rahu) / Thailand, France, China By Phuttiphong Aroonpheng Cast: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, Rasmee Wayrana THE SOUND OF MASKS / South Africa, Portugal By Sara CF de Gouveia Documentary YESTERDAY (Tegnap) / Hungary, France, the Netherlands, Morocco, Sweden, Germany By Kenyeres Bálint Cast: Vlad Ivanov, Djemel Barek, Jacques Weber, Gamil Ratib, Johanna Ter Steege STILL RECORDING (Lisah’am tsajil) / Syria, Lebanon, Qatar, Germany By Saeed Al Batal, Ghiath Ayoub RENAULT 12 / France By Mohamed El Khatib Docu-fictionMOROCCAN PANORAMA
VOLUBILIS (Walili) By Faouzi Bensaïdi Cast: Mouhcine Malzi, Nadia Kounda, Abdelhadi Taleb, Nezha Rahil, Faouzi Bensaidi, Mouna Fettou WE COULD BE HEROES By Hind Bensari Documentary THE HEALER (Mbarkaa) By Mohamed Zineddaine Cast: Ahmed Moustafid, Fatima Atif, Mehdi Laarroubi, Hanane Elkabani, Nosrine Adam SOFIA By Meryem Benm’Barek Cast: Maha Alemi, Lubna Azabal, Faouzi Bensaidi, Sarah Perles, Hamza Khafif, Raouia STATELESS (Bila mawtin) By Narjiss Nejjar Cast: El Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Avishay Benazra, Aziz Fadili, Nadia Niazi, Mohamed Nadif, Julie Gayet CATHARSYS, OR THE AFINA TALES OF THE LOST WORLD By Yassine Marco Marroccu Cast: Mohamed Zouaoui, Aziz Dadas, Sonia Okacha, Ljubisa Ristic JAHILIYA By Hicham Lasri Cast: Mostapha Houari, Salma Eddlimi, Hassan Ben Badida, Rami FijjajCINEMA FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
THE TOWER (Al borj) / Norway By Mats Grorud Animated film IQBAL, A TALE OF A FEARLESS CHILD / Italy, France By Michael Fuzellier, Babak Payami Animated film THE PRINCESS BRIDE / USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage THE BIG BAD FOX AND OTHER TALES (Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes) / France, Belgium By Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert Cast: Guillaume Darnault, Jules Bienvenu, Augustin Jahn Sani, Violette Samama, Céline Ronté Film d’animation THE BREADWINNER / Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg By Nora Twomey Animated filmLE CINÉMA EN AUDIODESCRIPTION POUR LES MALVOYANTS
FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda et JR Documentary THE EAVESDROPPER (La Mécanique de l’ombre) / Belgium, France By Thomas Kruithof Cast: François Cluzet, Denis Polalydès, Sami Bouajila, Siman Akbarian, Alba Rohrwacher LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani Sannak BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, LADY BIRD / USA By Greta Gerwig Cast: Robin Wright, Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée ChalametJEMAA EL FNA
KORSA / Morocco By Abdellah Toukouna Cast: Abdellah Ferkous, Bouchera Ahraich, Khouloud Batioui, Fadilla Ben Moussa, Omar Azzouzi AS LONG AS I LIVE (Jab tak hai jaan) / India By Yash Chopra Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast : Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery KUNDUN / USA By Martin Scorsese ALEXANDRIA AGAIN AND FOREVER (Iskandariyya Kaman wa Kaman) / Egypt, France By Youssef Chahine Cast: Youssra, Youssef Chahine, Hussein Fahmy, Hesham Selim, Taheya Cariocca FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BROOKS, MEADOWS AND LOVELY FACES (Al-ma’ wal-khodra wal-wajh al-hassan) / Egypt By Yousry Nasrallah Cast: Laila Elwi, Bassem Samra, Menna Shalabi, Zeina Mansour, Sabreen HUSBAND MATERIAL (Manmarziyaan) / India By Anurag Kashyap Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Abhishek Bachchan ANT-MAN AND THE WASP / USA By Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas ASTERIX & OBELIX: MISSION CLEOPATRA (Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléôpatre) / France, Italy By Alain Chabat Cast: Gérard Dépardieu, Christian Clavier, Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Alain Chabat, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani SannakTributes
ROBERT DE NIRO
GOODFELLAS / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast: Robert De Niro,Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery RAGING BULL / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Frank Vincent, Nicholas ColasantoAGNÈS VARDA
CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (Cléo de 5 à 7) / France De Agnès Varda Interprétation: Georges de Beauregard, Carlo Ponti, Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda, JR Documentaire VAGABOND (Sans toit ni loi) / France By Agnès Varda Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Macha Méril, Stephane Freiss, Yolande Moreau, Patrick Lepczynski, Yahiaoui AssounaROBIN WRIGHT
THE PRINCESS BRIDE/ USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage SHE’S SO LOVELY / USA By Nick Cassavetes Cast: Sean Penn, Robin Wright, Harry Dean Stanton, James Gandolfini, John Travolta FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks
-
FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, BORDER, BLACK SHEEP Win at 63rd Cork Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_31993" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Float Like a Butterfly[/caption]
Float Like a Butterfly, written and directed by Carmel Winters, which had its European Premiere as the Opening Night Gala film at the 63rd Cork Film Festival, went on to win the The Audience Award at the festival. On winning the award, Carmel Winters said: “Winning the audience prize at the oldest and largest festival in Ireland is the greatest gift I could wish for. So many of us bared heart and soul to make this film. Thank you, thank you, thank you Cork for championing the right of all of us to be our truest and best selves.”
The Gradam Spiorad Na Féile / Spirit of The Festival Award went to Ali Abbasi’s Border (Gräns). Based on a short story by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the author of Let the Right One In, Ali Abbasi’s second feature is one of the year’s great discoveries – an extraordinary, highly original work that melds modern Nordic noir with the region’s folklore.
Irish short Stigma, directed by Helen Warner, won the prestigious award of Grand Prix Irish Short Award, and now join the longlist for the Academy Awards® in 2020 in the Live Action Short Film category.
The Festival’s second Academy Awards® qualifying award, for the Grand Prix International Short Award, was Maria Eriksson’s Schoolyard Blues (Skolstartssorg) a Swedish short film which the judges recognised as being “both uplifting and heart-breaking and prompts us to consider continuity and change, the struggle for survival on the margins and the enduring and potentially restorative power of love”.
The Cork Film Festival Short Film Candidate for the 2019 European Film Awards is Black Sheep, directed by Ed Perkins, and produced by Academy Awards® winners Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn. This short documentary is about a young man who finds himself the target of extreme racial abuse, and follows his decision to become more like the people who hated him.
The award for Documentary Short went to Black Line, directed by Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi (Switzerland), and the Best Cork Short Award, proudly presented by Media Partner RedFM, was won by Megan K Fox for her film, The Shift, set in the final disco of the Gaeltacht, and one 15-year-old who is determined to get the shift against all odds.
The new award for Best Director: Irish Short, supported by Screen Directors’ Guild Ireland, went to Oonagh Kearney, for her short Five Letters for the Stanger Who Will Dissect My Brain. The film provides an insight into the soul-searching journey of first-year medical student Viv, whose first encounter with a cadaver in the anatomy room sends her on a quest into the nature of what it means to be alive.
Other prize winners announced at the Awards ceremony included Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by RaMell Ross, which won the Gradam Na Féile Do Scannáin Faisnéise / Award for Cinematic Documentary. The film presents an intimate and heart-breaking depiction of the Southern African American experience and was the recipient of the Special Documentary Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year too.
The Cork Film Festival Youth Jury Award went to Crystal Swan (Khrustal), directed by Darya Zhuk, who attended the Festival to present her debut film, a fascinating study of post-communist youth.
Speaking on the 63rd edition of the Cork Film Festival, Cork Film Festival Producer and CEO Fiona Clark stated: “It has been an inspiring 10 days of exceptional cinema in Cork. From the high calibre of award winners, to the strength of the Opening and Closing Gala films, and with over 250 Irish and international features and shorts in between, this year’s Festival has been an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. We welcomed over 170 filmmakers and special guests to Cork this year and 18,000 people joined them for many sold-out screenings.
“We look forward to building on this success for 2019 and beyond, and would like to thank all our funders, sponsors, partners, friends, jurors, filmmakers and audience who together make Cork Film Festival possible.”
63rd Cork Film Festival Award Winners
Stigma, directed by Helen Warner — Grand Prix Irish Short Award Schoolyard Blues (Skolstartssorg), directed by Maria Eriksson — Grand Prix International Short Award Float Like a Butterfly, written and directed by Carmel Winters — Audience Award Border (Gräns) , directed by Ali Abbasi — Gradam Spiorad na Féile (Spirit of the Festival Award) Black Sheep, directed by Ed Perkins — Cork Film Festival Candidate for the European Film Awards 2019 Black Line, directed by Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi — Documentary Short Award The Shift, directed by Megan K Fox — Best Cork Short Award Oonagh Kearney (Five Letters for the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain) — Best Director: Irish Short Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by RaMell Ross — Gradam na Féile do Scannáin Faisnéise (Award for Cinematic Documentary) Crystal Swan (Khrustal), directed by Darya Zhuk — Cork Film Festival Youth Jury Award
-
FILM REVIEW: THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES – intimate conversation from the past
[caption id="attachment_32736" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Eyes of Orson Welles[/caption]
How do you write a letter to someone who has been dead for over 30 years? Mark Cousins’ answer is to look at their sketches that date back from their teenage years all the way their last and create profile through their eyes. The Eyes of Orson Welles has all the potential to be another self aggrandizing portrait of the filmmaker. Diving into the “genius” of the prolific man who has made his name in film, theatre, radio, as well visual art. His legacy could stand alone on having wrote/starred/directed Citizen Kane (1941), noted by many to be the greatest film ever made. However, Mark Cousins, having made a 900-minute comprehensive visual survey of all of cinema up to 2011, has made a film that is not really a film at all.
Orson Welles is dead, he has been since October 10, 1985. But hearing Cousins’ rich cadence describe the Moroccan travels Welles took as a teenager does more than conciliate a certain intimacy in the viewer. There is never a moment that Cousins’ narration addresses anybody that isn’t Welles, the film is literally a letter. This letter structure does more to give a materiality not just in seeing papers that are worn and yellowing but also to make Welles a present kind of living person within the film.
The next question to ask about this film is who is going to see it. Obviously those who are fans of Welles’ or Cousins’ work will get to a screening whenever possible. As Cousins’ opens the box he says “this never before seen” sketches have been dormant for however many years. Perhaps this film can be seen as an unearthing of a past history in a political/social life of filmmaker. Outside of the curiosity to see something new, there is not much for a person outside of niche of film culture. A film for film lovers. That is what I’ll say because The Eyes of Orson Welles says a lot more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh7PqV-259k
-
26th African Diaspora International Film Festival To Showcase Films Featuring Miriam Makeba, Sandra Bland, Kofi Annan, Toni Morrison
[caption id="attachment_32729" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Kofi Annan’s Suspended Dream[/caption]
The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) celebrates its 26th anniversary in New York City, with a total of 61 films from 40 countries including 27 World, US and NY Premieres. Screenings will be held in five venues in Manhattan: Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village, Riverside Church, The Dwyer Cultural Center and MIST Harlem.
Some titles come directly from important national and international film festivals such as Sundance, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Pan African Film Festival, FESPACO, Cannes, Slamdance and Berlinale. Some of the films celebrate the contribution of men and women who have resisted and succeeded in affecting major changes in society. Films featuring Miriam Makeba, Sandra Bland, C.L.R. James, Errol Barrow, and Nobel Prize winners Dr. Denis Mukwege, Kofi Annan and Toni Morrison are part of the ADIFF 2018 line-up.
Opening Night film Timeless: A Virgin Island Love Story travels in time from 19th Century Ghana to the modern day Caribbean. It is the story of Ajuwa, a Ghanaian warrior, who loses her soulmate to the slave trade; their souls reunite in contemporary US Virgin Islands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG1CJuoKqxU
Closing Night film Muslimah’s Guide to Marriage is a comedy of manners about Muslimah Muhammad, a twenty-something African-American orthodox Muslim woman who lives in Inglewood, CA and has seven days and fourteen hours left in her Iddah (Muslim separation) before she will officially be divorced from her cheating husband.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FABbhzviyXU
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE PREMIERE SCREENINGS:
*Harlem Legacy by Shushana Dubreil and Genesis Tuyuc (World Premiere, USA, 2018, 26mins).
A film that follows two middle schoolers from P.S 161 Pedro Albizu Campos Middle School, who defy both academic barriers and racial stereotypes through the “rigorous academic sport of debate”.
*Freedom for the Wolf by Rupert Russell (NY Premiere, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kuwait, Tunisia, Usa, 2017, 89mins). Democracy is in crisis. A new generation of elected leaders are dismantling freedom and democracy as we know it. Filmed over three years in five countries, Freedom for the Wolf is an epic investigation into this new regime of illiberal democracy.
*Kinshasa Makambo by Dieudo Hamadi (Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Germany, Norway, Qatar, Switzerland, 2018, 75 mins). Follows young activists who fight for change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
*Kofi Annan’s Suspended Dream by Vasselin Pascal (France, Ghana, USA, 2018, 52mins). Two times UN Secretary-General, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan talks about himself in an exclusive interview.
*Minga and the Broken Spoon by Clay Edou (Cameroun, 2017, 80mins). A charming animation for the entire family, this African fable tells the story of Minga, an orphaned girl living with her stepmother Mami Kaba and her stepsister Abena.
*Black Mexicans / La Negrada by Jorge Perez Solano (Mexico, 2017, 100mins). Black Mexicans / La Negrada is the first Mexican feature film about the Afro-Mexican community, filmed entirely with people from different towns around the Costa Chica in Oaxaca.
*El Jaida by Selma Baccar (Tunisia, 2017, 104mins). Eight months before the Independence of Tunisia, four women meet at a prison for women called Dar Joued.
*No Shade by Clare Anyiam-Osigwe (UK, 2018, 104mins). Told through the prism of love, relationships, dating and marriage, No Shade provides a raw perspective on the issue of colorism.
*Shaihu Umar by Adamu Halilu (Nigeria, 1976, 142mins). Newly restored copy. Set in northern Nigeria towards the end of the 19th century, Shaihu Umar starts with a discussion between Islamic students and their renowned teacher, the wise man Shaihu Umar.
*A Day for Women (Youm Lel Setat) by Kamla Abu Zeki (Egypt, 2016, 110mins). A new swimming pool opens in a poor Cairo district, with the announcement that Sundays are reserved for women.
*They Had a Dream (Le Rêve Français) by Christian Faure (France, 2017, 2x90mins). They had a dream tells a story based on reality. It is both a social and a fictional saga, exploring the interconnected lives of two Guadeloupian families to reveal hidden and obscure aspects of French society.
*Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story by Selma Baccar (Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, 2018, 123mins). Based on true events, Ellen tells of the troubled relationship between a mother and her drug-addicted son – a relationship that will eventually drive her to the edge and lead to his murder.
*Last Life AKA Rise Again by Michael Phillip Edwards (USA, 2018, 82mins). The story of three American spirits as they inhabit 16 different characters moving through America’s racial history from the birth of the nation to the present.
*Singleville by Mary McCallum (USA, 2018, 73mins). Singledom sucks for three feisty ladies with stories to tell and male egos to skewer in this raucously funny mockumentary that boasts an all-female cast.
-
FILM REVIEW: NORTH POLE, NY: A Fantasy Powered By Belief
[caption id="attachment_32505" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
North Pole, NY[/caption]
By the halfway point of North Pole, NY — an hour-long exposé on the history and hardships of the theme park known as ‘Santa’s Workshop’ in upstate New York — one thing is undeniably clear: director Ali Cotterill, who also served as co-writer, editor, and camera operator, has an unyielding affection for her subject matter. And why shouldn’t she? After all, the citizens of Wilmington, New York—a sleepy tourist town snug in the Adirondacks—couldn’t be more endearing in their devotion to Santa’s Workshop, the holiday theme park upon which their idyllic community has grown and, ultimately, come to rely.
It’s not all tinsel, though. The park, founded in the late 1940s by businessman Julian Reiss and later bequeathed to his son Bob, has been on a downward trajectory since the Eisenhower years, when theme parks and car trips were supplanted by the arrival of jet travel which took public interest elsewhere. These days Santa’s Workshop—which receives hundreds of letters to Kris Kringle each year—operates less as a commercial attraction and more as a gauzy piece of post-war nostalgia. See, in one particularly sobering sequence, as long-time park performer and historian Julie “Jingles” Robards drives her ’54 Dodge around Wilmington, pointing out what were once neighboring theme parks like “The Land of Make-Believe” but today resemble the sort of overgrown and decrepit structures you’d forbid your children from playing on.
Cotterill knows better than to wallow. After all, there is plenty of good to focus on here: the jobs for local teenagers, the decades of tradition kept alive by returning visitors, and the overall feeling that yes, magic still exists in the world, even if it doesn’t pay well. Never do the scales tip to full-blown despair. There is a villain, businessman Greg Cunningham, whose brief ownership of the park in the late 1990s turned sour after tales of his past criminal misconduct came to light, but even his story (which takes up less than four minutes of screen time) plays like a curious detour in a bigger tale of indomitable community spirit.
It’s the balance between the magical and melancholy that makes North Pole, NY such a compelling documentary. It operates on a two-fold illusion: the precious and short-lived one kids know as Santa Claus, and the existence of his workshop as a place of perpetual wonder in the face of bankruptcy, disinterest, and gentrification. Watching these awestruck children—whose interviews make up some of the funniest (and weirdest) parts of the film—react to a ‘talking’ tannenbaum or stand giddily in line for their moment with St. Nick, I found myself both moved by their innocence and depressed for the day when they’ll grow up and see behind the curtain.
Ultimately that’s what rounds out North Pole, NY and gives it such an engaging air: the people. Some of them, like Jingles Robards, seem at times almost too sincere to really exist in 2018. Others, like park manager Matt Stanley, are palpable in their believability. As he makes the morning rounds repairing broken games and reading customer complaints his cell phone erupts into a rock rendition of “Carol of the Bells.” It’s a moment that in a fictional film might feel cheap or obvious, but here rings true. Despite the daily grind, this guy really, truly loves Christmas. That’s how, after seven decades, Santa’s Workshop continues to survive: on the selflessness of people who believe in it. The park, just like this splendid little film, is a labor of love.
North Pole, NY premiered in New York on November 9th at IFC Center as part of DOC NYC.