Pity by Babis Makridis[/caption]
Eight films have been selected for the Big Screen Competition at the 2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR): three world premieres, one international premiere and four European premieres.
The three world premiere nominees are: Nina, Polish filmmaker Olga Chajdas’s feature film debut in which a couple’s love is tested as they struggle to find a surrogate mother for their child; Father to Son, the third feature by Taiwanese filmmaker Hsiao Ya-chuan (Mirror Image), a story of reconciliation in which a 60-year-old man goes to Japan to look for his father who abandoned him when he was 10, and An Impossibly Small Object by Dutch filmmaker David Verbeek, which confronts the relationship between maker and subject. In this meditative film, Verbeek himself plays a Dutch photographer transfixed by a picture he took of a girl in a Taiwanese parking lot. IFFR has screened many of Verbeek’s films in the past. His Shanghai Trance and Dead & Beautiful were both selected for CineMart.
The Big Screen Competition also includes the international premiere of Night Comes On, Jordana Spiro’s debut feature about an 18-year-old woman who takes her 10-year-old sister on a journey that could destroy their futures.
Lastly, the four European premieres. British filmmaker Jim Hosking’s comedy An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn stars Aubrey Plaza as a woman whose unsatisfactory marriage is shaken when she sees a performance piece by a mysterious man from her past. Danish filmmaker Gustav Möller’s intense feature debut The Guilty revolves around one emergency phone call – an initially disinterested police officer quickly jumps into action when he hears a woman being kidnapped. Pity by Greek filmmaker Babis Makridis (selected for CineMart in 2014) is about a man with such need for pity he’s willing to do absolutely anything to get it from others. IFFR previously screened Makridis’ film L, in 2012 in the Tiger Awards Competition. Sebastián Hofmann’s second feature Tiempo compartido was also selected for CineMart in 2014, and also received a grant from the Hubert Bals Fund. This satire follows the struggle of two paranoid men against the ever-smiling staff of an all-inclusive resort. Hofmann made his debut at IFFR 2013 with Halley, which also competed in the Tiger Awards Competition.
In 2013, the VPRO Big Screen Award was inaugurated to promote the presence of quality films on the big screen and public television in the Netherlands. Of the €30,000 in prize money, €15,000 is spent towards the winning film’s theatrical release and €15,000 towards the production of the filmmaker’s next project. In 2017 the award was won by Kirsten Tan’s Pop Aye. Earlier winners were Les ogres by Léa Fehner in 2016, Second Coming by Debbie Tucker Green in 2015, Another Year by Oxana Bychkova in 2014 and Bellas mariposas by Salvatore Mereu in 2013.
A jury of five experienced festival-goers picks the winner of the VPRO Big Screen Award, worth €30,000. The winning film will be released in Dutch cinemas and will be purchased by the Dutch public broadcasting network NPO to screen on national television.
Full selection Big Screen Competition:
An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, Jim Hosking, UK/USA, 2018, European premiere
Father to Son, Hsiao Ya-chuan, Taiwan, 2018, world premiere
The Guilty, Gustav Möller, Denmark, 2018, European premiere
An Impossibly Small Object, David Verbeek, Taiwan/Netherlands/Croatia, 2018, world premiere
Night Comes On, Jordana Spiro, USA, 2018, international premiere
Nina, Olga Chajdas, Poland, 2018, world premiere
Pity, Babis Makridis, Greece/Poland, 2018, European premiere
Tiempo compartido, Sebastián Hofmann, Mexico/Netherlands, 2018, European premiere
Impermanence[/caption]
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has selected 48 feature film titles for its Bright Future Main Program dedicated to young, emerging film talent. Within this line-up, all feature-length film debuts that are a world or international premiere in Rotterdam are eligible for the Bright Future Award, worth €10,000.
Many of them are world premieres. In Impermanence by young Chinese filmmaker Zeng Zeng, three fascinating lost souls – a monk, an innkeeper and a father who has lost his son – are brought together by fate. The German film Ella und Nell by Aline Chukwuedo follows two Berlin women on a hike in the woods. August at Akiko’s is Christopher Makoto Yogi’s dreamy debut about a musician who returns to Hawaii trying to find his ‘ha’`– the spirit that links him to his birthplace.
Other nominated world premieres include the harrowing Counting Tiles by Lebanese filmmaker Cynthia Choucair, following a group of clowns who set off for the island of Lesbos to deliver laughter to refugees; The Heart by Swedish filmmaker Fanni Metelius about an invisible conflict stirring between the sheets of two lovers (“If you love me then fuck me!”); and the Egyptian film Poisonous Roses by Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, in which a young man dreams of a life beyond his tannery job in the slums. Also in competition: Argentinian filmmaker Gustavo Biazzi’s charming and melancholy coming-of-ager Los vagos.
Other world premieres in the Bright Future Main Program include YEAH by Japanese filmmaker Suzuki Yohei; Jonaki by celebrated Indian filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta, whose Labour of Love screened at IFFR 2015; Permanent Green Light by Dennis Cooper and Zac Farley, about a teenager obsessed with the idea of blowing himself up in public; and La estrella errante by Spanish filmmaker Alberto Gracia about the wandering front man of a Galician underground punk band. Gracia won the FIPRESCI Award with his feature debut The Fifth Gospel of Kaspar Hauser at IFFR 2013.
The 17th Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival (LVJFF), running January 13 to 28, 2018, will kick off with the Las Vegas premiere of “
Diogo Costa Amarante, Jyoti Mistry and Mark Toscano[/caption]
Portuguese filmmaker and winner of the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlinale 2017, Diogo Costa Amarante; US filmmaker and curator Mark Toscano; and South African filmmaker and academic Jyoti Mistry will make up the International Short Film Jury of 2018 
Actress Cate Blanchett will be the President of the Jury of the 71st edition of the 
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriThree Billboards Outside Ebbing,[/caption]
Get Out won the top prize for best picture at the Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival. Indie favorite 
Jimmie[/caption]
The world premiere of Jimmie by Swedish filmmaker Jesper Ganslandt, a road movie with a truly original twist about a father and son on the run, will open the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam (
The Death of Stalin[/caption]
The closing film of IFFR 2018, The Death of Stalin, is also part of the festival’s theme program A History of Shadows, which investigates cinema’s powers to reevaluate and revisit the past. In his new film, Armando Iannucci – best known for his television series The Thick of It and Veep – employs his knack for lampooning the self-serving attitudes of authority figures to zoom in on the Kremlin power struggles that ensued following the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. The result is a stylish, salient black comedy starring among others Michael Palin and Steve Buscemi.
Trevor Jamieson[/caption]
Actor Trevor Jamieson, soon to be seen in the upcoming remake of the classic Australian film Storm Boy playing the iconic character Fingerbone Bill, has been appointed the permanent ambassador of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
As ambassador to the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Trevor will become one Revelation’s most prominent supporters, lending his profile and his passion to promote the festival regarded by media, industry and audiences alike as the most individual and innovative screen culture events in the country.
Revelation Film Festival director Richard Sowada says it’s a terrific collaboration.
“Trevor is proudly West Australian with an international outlook, just like Rev,” said Richard.
“We can’t think of a better person to help spread the word about what we do and what we are all about.
“As an actor he’s of course deeply involved in the screen business, but he also brings a message of the place of the arts in our broader culture.”
Trevor Jamieson says he’s humbled at the opportunity.
“As someone who grew up in the arts industry and spent most of my life in Western Australia, I’ve gained witness to skills of strength and weakness within our state that have always given me experiences to share of stories and places, nationwide and internationally,” Trevor said.
“I’m excited to celebrate the most simple viewpoints that can reveal great strengths within the awareness of our mindset for independent works and allowing for amazing collaboratives between national and international themes to understand the human common aspects of social justice.
“Plus I’m looking forward to being back home again and becoming involved with a lot of well known and emerging artists.
[caption id="attachment_26159" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Revelation Perth International Film Festival – City of Vincent Film Project[/caption]
Revelation Perth International Film Festival partnered with the City of Vincent for a film project which offered an opportunity for filmmakers to tell stories in and about the City of Vincent, with $15,000 being allocated to fund three short documentaries.
Revelation Film Festival Director Richard Sowada said the grass-roots project has been enormously rewarding.
“It’s about having a real creative impact at a community level and brings many of these emerging filmmakers into the international fold,” said Richard.
The winning films are:
The Beeman
The buzz around local Beeman, Carl Maxwell, isn’t for nothing – he’s the best in the business – and that’s because he can communicate with the local honeybee population. The Beeman follows one man’s crusade to save the honeybees, one hive at a time.
Producer Cody Greenwood, Directors Samantha Marlowe and Frances Elliott
Neon
Neon signs are everywhere in cities around the world. They liven the sky and streets with colour and atmosphere. In Perth, neon bending is a dying art. But one young man is taking on an apprenticeship that could change that.
Producer Rachael Karotkin, Director Matt Sav
Ghosts Of Vincent
An expository-participatory documentary that looks at historical people and venues within the area of the City of Vincent. The film investigates the legend of ‘Kanga’ the ghost who haunts the newly renovated Leederville hotel, but also focuses on other venues and locations of interest in the Vincent area.
Producer Paul Van Lieshout, Director Kimberly McGivern and Ellen Broadhurst
Project Coordinator Ashleigh Nicolau said that the films were as eclectic as the City of Vincent itself.
“A mixed bag of environmental, artistic and supernatural stories, I can’t wait to see these short documentaries take off!,” Ashleigh said.
“The City is also keen to work closely with the filmmakers to create events surrounding the film subjects such as art exhibitions and ghost tours.”
The record number of submissions received were considered by a panel of industry professionals, and representatives of the City of Vincent and the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
Successful applicants will commence production in January, and the three completed films will screen as part of the 2018 Revelation Perth International Film Festival in July.
Sun Dogs[/caption]
The inaugural Mammoth Film Festival unveiled the first Round 1 of their star-studded Official Selections lineup for the upcoming festival taking place February 8 to 11, 2018. Officially Selected feature films include: Jennifer Morrison’s Directorial feature film debut 
Question: what would you do if your doctor told you your leg would be amputated in half an hour? For Kim Chambers the answer was this: swim 30 miles through shark infested waters. With exquisite timing, on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2018 – the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival opens its 15th anniversary year with Kim Swims – the stirring documentary based on Chamber’s epic journey.
A special preview of the film will be shown on Saturday, February 10 during the Festival’s “Off the Reef” gala fundraiser at The Pearl (601 9th Street, San Francisco). The evening will feature food, fine wine and a silent auction: 5:30pm – 7pm cocktail reception; 7pm-9pm dinner and program; 9pm ’til 10:30pm music by DJ Bryce and remarks by this year’s “Ocean Champion” honoree, Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos. Individual tickets are $ 250 and can be purchased 
The Berlin International Film Festival has selected the first six films in the 2018 Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. The program will open with the new feature film by Philipp Eichholtz Rückenwind von vorn (Away You Go) (production: Von Oma gefördert). Staying true to himself, director Eichholtz lovingly and energetically tells the story of self-discovery against the wind. Headwind is uncomfortable and slows down forward motion unless you dress warmly, overcome the obstacles and occasionally change direction or take a detour. The young Berlin schoolteacher Charlie (Victoria Schulz) no longer wants to continue as usual on her chosen path and asks herself what she really wants and needs.
“When confronted with powerful winds from ahead, one must push harder to achieve one’s goals. That’s the challenge we accept, and one that transforms the headwind into a mobilizing tailwind from ahead,” comments section head Linda Söffker on her selection.
In Feierabendbier (After-work Beer), the directorial debut by Ben Brummer, and a production of the new Munich production company GAZE Film, barkeeper Magnus (Tilman Strauß) experiences an identity crisis when his precious classic car is stolen. Sporting a cool’n’casual attitude at all times, Magnus and especially his friend Dimi (Johann Jürgens) perfectly personify the hipster cliché: self-realisation through visible symbols of understatement. With the help of props, dress and music, director Brummer sketches a setting that creates a highly entertaining larger-than-life, comic-esque world for adults.
Three mid-length fiction works delve into love and farewells, each approaching the themes with a different aesthetic: Kineski zid (Great Wall of China) by dffb student Aleksandra Odić is a poetic narrative on the Bosnian mentality and spirited warmth of a family as experienced through the eyes of eight-year-old Maja. They all meet one summer day and Maja is the only family member who understands that her favourite aunt Ljilja is secretly emigrating to Germany later that day.
In Storkow Kalifornia by directing student Kolja Malik (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), 30-year-old outlaw Sunny (Daniel Roth) of Storkow is torn between his mother and his new love (Lana Cooper), and between staying and going. A film like a road trip: Goodbye Storkow, hello Berlin!
Rå by Filmuniversität Babelsberg student Sophia Bösch is the story of an initiation. 16-year-old Linn (Sofia Aspholm) wants to be accepted into her father’s hunting group at all costs and realises, little by little, that she will never truly belong. A film on growing up and discovering how difficult it is for a woman to find her place in a community of men with antiquated hierarchies.
The documentary film draußen (outside), produced by Titus Kreyenberg (unafilm) and directed by Johanna Sunder-Plassmann and Tama Tobias-Macht, paints a portrait of the homeless individuals Matze, Elvis, Filzlaus and Sergio with the help of personal objects laden with memories and emotions that act as witnesses to their lives. The film takes the viewer out onto the streets and opens our minds to ideas on alternative lifestyles.
The complete Perspektive Deutsches Kino program will be available in January 2018.
draußen (outside)
By Johanna Sunder-Plassmann, Tama Tobias-Macht
Documentary
World premiere
Feierabendbier (After-work Beer)
By Ben Brummer
With Tilman Strauß, Julia Dietze, Johann Jürgens, Christian Tramitz
Feature film
World premiere
Kineski zid (Great Wall of China)
By Aleksandra Odić
With Elena Matić, Tina Keserović, Faketa Salihbegović-Avdagić, Anja Stanić, Mugdim Avdagić
Medium-long feature film
German premiere
Rå
By Sophia Bösch
With Sofia Aspholm, Lennart Jähkel, Lars T. Johansson, Ingmar Virta, Ivan Mathias Petersson
Medium-long feature film
World premiere
Rückenwind von vorn (Away You Go)
By Philipp Eichholtz
With Victoria Schulz, Aleksandar Radenković, Daniel Zillmann, Angelika Waller
Feature film
World premiere
Storkow Kalifornia
By Kolja Malik
With Daniel Roth, Lana Cooper, Franziska Ponitz
Medium-long feature film
World premiere