The Last Miracle (L’ultimo miracolo) by Enrico Pau[/caption]
Nine short films by Italian directors, who have not yet directed a feature film, will have their world premiere at the 2nd SIC@SIC (Short Italian Cinema @ Settimana Internazionale della Critica).
The short films program is part of the 32nd Venice International Film Critics’ Week, an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics’ (SNCCI) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival (August 30 – September 9, 2017).
After premiering in Venice, the short films presented at SIC@SIC will be promoted at an international level by the Department for International Promotion of Contemporary Cinema of the Istituto Luce-Cinecittà through a series of initiatives and festivals, such as, the Mostra de Cinema Italià de Barcelona (Short Films Competition section) programmed in Spain in December 2017. Furthermore, the short films will be made available for industry professionals through the online platforms Festival Scope Pro and Italian Short Film Video Library – a tool for the promotion of Italian short films realized by the Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio (Italian Short Film Center) in collaboration with Istituto Luce-Cinecittà. Last but not least, at the end of November 2017 they will attend the TSFM – Torino Short Film Market, organized by the Italian Short Film Center.
After screening at the first edition of SIC@SIC, the seven short films selected in 2016 have been traveling the world. In less than nine months, they have already attended almost fifty festivals and cinematic events, including, Film Festival Rotterdam, DocLisboa, BFI Flare, London LGBT Film Festival, Lima Independeiente – Festival Internacional de Cine, Lovers Film Festival – Torino LGBTQI Visions and Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema di Pesaro. Some of the directors of the “class” of 2016 are now working on their first feature film.
Film Festivals
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9 Short Films by Italian Directors in Venice Intl. Film Critics’ Week SIC@SIC Short Films Program
[caption id="attachment_23224" align="aligncenter" width="1199"] The Last Miracle (L’ultimo miracolo) by Enrico Pau[/caption]
Nine short films by Italian directors, who have not yet directed a feature film, will have their world premiere at the 2nd SIC@SIC (Short Italian Cinema @ Settimana Internazionale della Critica).
The short films program is part of the 32nd Venice International Film Critics’ Week, an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics’ (SNCCI) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival (August 30 – September 9, 2017).
After premiering in Venice, the short films presented at SIC@SIC will be promoted at an international level by the Department for International Promotion of Contemporary Cinema of the Istituto Luce-Cinecittà through a series of initiatives and festivals, such as, the Mostra de Cinema Italià de Barcelona (Short Films Competition section) programmed in Spain in December 2017. Furthermore, the short films will be made available for industry professionals through the online platforms Festival Scope Pro and Italian Short Film Video Library – a tool for the promotion of Italian short films realized by the Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio (Italian Short Film Center) in collaboration with Istituto Luce-Cinecittà. Last but not least, at the end of November 2017 they will attend the TSFM – Torino Short Film Market, organized by the Italian Short Film Center.
After screening at the first edition of SIC@SIC, the seven short films selected in 2016 have been traveling the world. In less than nine months, they have already attended almost fifty festivals and cinematic events, including, Film Festival Rotterdam, DocLisboa, BFI Flare, London LGBT Film Festival, Lima Independeiente – Festival Internacional de Cine, Lovers Film Festival – Torino LGBTQI Visions and Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema di Pesaro. Some of the directors of the “class” of 2016 are now working on their first feature film.
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“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” Among Films on Venice Film Fest’s Venezia Classici Lineup
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Close Encounters of the Third Kind[/caption]
Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind are among the numerous restored masterpieces in the Venezia Classici section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival.
Italian director Giuseppe Piccioni (Not of This World, Light of My Eyes, These Days) will chair the Jury of Cinema History Students which – for the fifth time – will award the Venezia Classici Award for the Best Restored Film and the Best Documentary on Cinema.
The film in the Venezia Classici section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival include:1900 by Bernardo Bertolucci (1976); Red Desert by Michelangelo Antonioni (1964), awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival; A Story from Chikamatsu (1954) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, by Kenji Mizoguchi; Wanderers of the Desert by Nacer Khemir (1984); The Revolt of Mamie Stover by Raoul Walsh (1956); The Third Lover by Claude Chabrol (1962); Black Peter by Miloš Forman (1963); Close Encounters of the Third Kind by Steven Spielberg (1977); Batch ’81 by Mike De Leon (1982), and Into the Night by John Landis (1985).
The 74th Venice International Film Festival will be held at the Lido from August 30 to September 9, 2017.
The list of the films selected for the Venezia Classici section of the 74th Festival:
Les baliseurs du désert / El-haimoune (Wanderers of the Desert) by Nacer Khemir (Tunisie, France, 1984, 95’, COL.)
Restoration: Cinémathèque royale de Belgique
Batch ‘81 by Mike De Leon (Philippines, 1982, 108’, COL.)
Restoration: Asian Film Archive
Cerný Petr (Black Peter)by Miloš Forman (Czechoslovakia, 1963, 89’, B/W)
Restoration: Národní filmový archiv
Chikamatsu monogatari (A Story from Chikamatsu) by Kenji Mizoguchi (Japan, 1954, 102’, B/W)
Restoration: Kadokawa Corporation, The Film Foundation with the cooperation of The Japan Foundation
Close Encounters of the Third Kind by Steven Spielberg (USA, 1977, 137’, COL.)
Restoration: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Daïnah la métisse by Jean Grémillon (France, 1932, 48’, B/W)
followed by Zéro de conduite – rushes by Jean Vigo (France, 1933, 20’, B/W)
Restoration: Gaumont with the support of Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée
Il deserto rosso (Red Desert) by Michelangelo Antonioni (Italy, 1964, 120’, COL.)
Restoration: CSC-Cineteca Nazionale with the cooperation of RTI-Mediaset
Deux ou trois choses que je sais d’elle (Two or Three Things I Know About Her) by Jean-Luc Godard (France, 1967, 87’, COL.)
Restoration: Argos Films with the support of Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée
La donna scimmia (The Ape Woman) by Marco Ferreri (Italy, France, 1964, 93’, B/W)
Restoration: Cineteca di Bologna and TF1 Studio with the cooperation of Surf Film
Idi i smotri (Come and See) by Elem Klimov (USSR, 1985, 143’, COL.)
Restoration: Mosfilm (producer of the restoration, Karen Shakhnazarov)
Into the Night by John Landis (USA, 1985, 115’, COL.)
Restoration: Universal Pictures
Non c’è pace tra gli ulivi (Under the Olive Tree) by Giuseppe De Santis (Italy, 1950, 107’, B/W)
Restoration: CSC-Cineteca Nazionale with the cooperation of CristaldiFilm by Zeudi Araya and Massimo Cristaldi
Novecento (1900) by Bernardo Bertolucci (Italy, 1976, 317’, COL.)
Restoration: 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Istituto Luce – Cinecittà and Cineteca di Bologna, with the cooperation of Alberto Grimaldi and the support of Massimo Sordella
Ochazuke no Aji (Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice) by Yasujiro Ozu (Japan, 1952, 115’, B/W)
Restoration: Shochiku Co., Ltd.
L’oeil du malin(The Third Lover) by Claude Chabrol (France, 1962, 91’, B/W)
Restoration: Studiocanal with the support of Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée
The Old Dark House by James Whale (USA, 1933, 72’, B/W)
Restoration: Cohen Film Collection / Cohen Media Group
The Revolt of Mamie Stover by Raoul Walsh (USA, 1956, 93’, COL.)
Restoration: 20th Century Fox
Sansho dayu (Sansho the Bailiff) by Kenji Mizoguchi (Japan, 1954, 126’, B/W)
Restoration: Kadokawa Corporation, The Film Foundation with the cooperation of The Japan Foundation
The Venezia Classici section will also feature the presentation of a selection of documentaries about cinema and its filmmakers. The complete list of the section will be announced during the press conference presenting the program of the Venice Film Festival, on Thursday, July 27th at 11 am in Rome (Cinema Moderno).
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IFP Announces 2017 IFP Week Series Lineup of Over 35 Projects
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) today announced over 35 television, digital, web and app-based series to be presented at the 39th annual IFP Week, taking place September 17 to 21, 2017 in Brooklyn.
The slate for IFP’s Project Forum includes both scripted and non-fiction series (limited, mini and full-season series) in all formats and genres. Presented projects include series from veteran and new creators, with 70% of works at the scripted/early development stage and 30% with independently shot pilots. Of the series featured, 51% are made by women and overall, 74% of the series are made by diverse creative teams. IFP’s Project Forum is the United States’ only international co-production market featuring stories for all platforms.
“Our serialized content slate this year is both provocative and political,” says IFP Executive Director Joana Vicente. “In this changing technological and artistic landscape, it is imperative to become more platform agnostic as an organization. While we’ve always helped those with bold, controversial and risk-taking stories to tell, we are particularly focused this year on giving voice to those artists no matter what medium the message takes.”
The 2017 IFP Week Serialized Content slate is as follows:
SCRIPTED LONG-FORM SERIES
America 1979 written and produced by Lila Yomtoob. Each season, this anthology series follows a different household or community through a different year, re-telling contemporary American history through the eyes of its people. (Historical Fiction) Angry Black Women written, produced and executive produced by HaJ Chenzira-Pinnock and Dahéli Hall. The journey of two Angry Black Women tired of being labeled as ‘Angry Black Women’ living in a world that makes them angry. (Comedy) Barker Street Boys written by Perry Janes. Three boys in Detroit, Michigan, find a body–and a mystery–in a locally foreclosed house. (Drama) Birds of Paradise written and directed by Lauren Fritz. In the near future, a rental agency specializes in the unusual task of providing professional “stand ins” to assume the identities of loved ones in their client’s life. (Dark Comedy) Camp Abercorn written by Jeffrey Simon and Meg Grgurich, produced by Jeffrey Simon, Meg Grgurich and Matthew Andrews, directed and executive produced by Jeffrey Simon. When a national discrimination case rains down on the Compass Guides of America, the staff of Camp Abercorn find themselves divided. Will the bonds of brotherhood be enough to keep this motley family from falling apart? (Coming of Age) The Commons written, directed and executive produced by Laura E. Davis. In a world without disease, an agent for the Sustainability Program—which enforces compulsory suicide at age 65—wrestles with her role after the system begins to show cracks. (Drama/Sci-Fi) Country of the Blind written by Keir Politz. The violent death of a listener thrusts a talk radio personality deep into a dangerous conspiracy that threatens his family, and leads him to confront a force of evil that far exceeds his wildest fantasies. (Thriller) Demons written by Juliet Lashinsky-Revene. Demons chronicles the true story of the couple that set off the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s, one of the biggest witch hunts in world history. (Based on a True Story) Fortune Bay written and executive produced by Robin Hayes and Tiphanie Yanique. In the Virgin Islands, the social position of Captain Owen Arthur Bradshaw and his multiracial family are impacted by intrigue and events in American history. (Drama) The Gentrifiers written by Philip Aceto, Du’Bois A’Keen and Jared Goodman, produced, executive produced and directed by Jared Goodman. The Gentrifiers follows the ups and downs of five intersecting characters living and working in a rapidly changing urban neighborhood. (Dark Comedy) Giving Up written, directed and produced by Kris Lefcoe, executive produced by Kris Lefcoe and David Wain. A sad comedy about a New York couple facing their own deadline to either ‘make it’ or give up their dreams. (Dark Comedy) The Mission written by Benedict Moran and Marie-Marguerite Sabongui, produced by Chris Agoston and Marie-Marguerite Sabongui. An idealistic Canadian diplomat tries to make a difference but must first navigate the eccentric characters and impossible clusterfuck that make up international diplomacy. (Comedy) The Nation written, directed and produced by Jon Kauffman. The real story behind the first Native American casino and the unlikely tribe that carved this billion-dollar kingdom out of a swamp. (Drama) Rollers written and produced by Isaiah Smallman. Rollers follows the hilarious and painful journey of Rufus and Brian Paisley, the co-owners of a well-loved, but struggling roller skating rink slash concert venue. (Comedy) Same Sex written, directed and executive produced by Sophie Webb, produced by Amelia Roper and Sophie Webb. A down on her luck and lonely heterosexual woman tries to become a lesbian in a desperate attempt to find a place for herself in the world. (Dark Comedy) Winterovers written by Nilanjana Bose-Ciupinska and Jakub Ciupinski, produced by Jakub Ciupinski. In the dark polar night of an Antarctic winter, a group of scientists inhabiting a remote research station discover a perplexing anomaly in a nearby lake, setting in motion series of events that upend their lives and notion of reality. (Sci-Fi)SCRIPTED SHORT FORM SERIES
Aeris directed by Lukas Huffman, produced by Amy Zhang. Teenage female snowboarders fight for a spot on the Olympic team and struggle to define themselves within a male dominated sport. (Drama) Anamnesis written, directed and produced by Alex Calleros and Michael Tucker. A group of strangers realize they’re able to share each other’s dreams. To understand why, they’ll have to find each other in the real world. (Sci-Fi) Brazen written by Emilie Valentin, directed by Sarah Saidan, produced by Priscilla Bertin, Arnaud Colinart and Judith Nora. Whoever they were and wherever they came from, those Brazen ladies were out to tear down prejudice. (Animation) Campfire Poetry directed by Guilherme Araujo, Jon Boutin, Neely Goniodsky, Alicja Jasina and Tess Martin, produced and executive produced by Max Rothman. A collection of animated short films, dance videos, photographs, paintings, and immersive virtual reality experiences based on poems from the early 20th century and prior. (Animation) Caught in the Web written and directed by Stian Hafstad. Set inside the Internet, Caught in the Web is a behind-the-screens comedy that explores the inner workings of the world wide web. (Comedy) Cleaner Daze written by Daniel Gambelin and Tess Sweet, produced by Daniel Gambelin and Cheryl Isaacson, directed and executive produced by Tess Sweet. A newbie drug rehab counselor struggles to wrangle a misfit crew of teenage drug addicts while secretly battling her own addiction. (Dark Comedy) NowQuest written and directed by New Media Ltd, executive produced by Davey Spens. Two teenagers traveling the universe for 10,000 years must sober up and negotiate humanity’s fate. (Sci-Fi) Trip written and directed by Nick Borenstein, produced by Brady Leifer. When a family road trip goes awry, the Greenblatt’s start to unravel, as seen through each of their differing perspectives. (Dark Comedy) Utilities Not Included written, produced and executive produced by Jessica Mazza, Robert Moxley and Brian Petersen, directed by Jessica Mazza. Two jaded Brooklyn hipsters lease their spare room at double the rate to a clingy Midwestern girl whose personality creates havoc to the household dynamic. (Comedy)NON-FICTION LONG FORM SERIES
Cumari: Rainforest to Table directed and produced by Patricia FInneran. Latin America’s chefs pair traditional Amazonian food with urban haute cuisine; culinary fusion meets cultural healing in a truly unique gastronomic adventure. Finding the Werewolf directed by Georgina Gonzalez and Rodrigo Iturralde and produced by Alejandro Duran. A real-life werewolf faces the challenges of being different and empowers others, including his fellow millions of immigrants in the U.S. during the Trump era. Frameworks directed by Charlie Hoxie and executive produced by Aziz Isham and BRIC TV. A city is a sum of its stories. Happy Jail directed by Michele Josue, produced by Carlo Velayo, and executive produced by Arleen McGlade, Linda Karn, and Liam McNiff. Amidst a brutal drug war, ex-convict Marco Toral struggles to keep the Philippines’ most famous jail from falling apart. Mother America directed by Erik Shirai and produced by Masako Tsumura. A documentary series that explores the social fabric of America through the lens of five mothers as they navigate the varied and extreme circumstances that life has thrown at them. Selfies directed and written by Gregory Scott Williams, Jr.; produced by Gregory Scott Williams, Jr. and Seith Mann; and executive produced by Seith Mann, Gregory Scott Williams, Jr., and Germaine Williams, PhD. Using their social media content as a foundation, Selfies constructs portraits of disparate teens from different countries in search of common experiences, challenges and triumphs.NON-FICTION SHORT FORM SERIES
Exposed directed by Dara Kell, produced by Dara Kell and Julie Trébault, and executive produced by Julie Trébault. Exposed tells the stories of artists forced into exile because of their work. Life in America brings adventure and alienation, disappointment and new directions. Fanwei directed by Jessica Kingdon and produced by Kira Simon-Kennedy. An observational trilogy about the global effects of production, consumerism, and waste in China. I Lived: Brooklyn directed by Jonathan Nelson, written by Danielle Andersen, produced by Jonathan Nelson and Danielle Andersen, and executive produced by Jonathan Nelson. In short-form, character-driven episodes, long-time Brooklyn residents offer personal insights and uncommon access into their rapidly changing neighborhoods. Manimal directed and written by Maral Satari and produced by Cecilia Delgado. Similar in style to animal documentaries, Manimal studies how modern man behaves in his natural habitat: the city. Tea Time with Alex directed by Alex Hopkins and Brent Edwards, produced by Alex Hopkins, and executive produced by Alysse Campbell. Tea Time with Alex is our response to HB2, meant to educate on transgender topics with a dash of sass. Though based in NC, it was in Seattle that Alex was first harassed in a bathroom. Trans discrimination is worldwide. Let’s solve it over tea! Waking Dream directed by Theo Rigby and produced by Rebekah Fergusson. Young. Undocumented. Future Unknown. With immigration enforcement on the rise, five young undocumented people with a tenuous protection from deportation strive for their dreams. image via Facebook
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World Premiere of NICO, 1988 Starring Trine Dyrholm to Open Orizzonti Section of Venice International Film Festival
The world premiere of Nico, 1988 directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli, and starring Trine Dyrholm (Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival in 2016) will be the opening film of the Orizzonti section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival.
Set between Paris, Prague, Nuremberg, Manchester, the Polish countryside and the Roman seaside, Nico, 1988 is a road-movie dedicated to the last years of Christa Päffgen, known by her stage name “Nico”. One of Warhol’s muses, the singer of the Velvet Underground and a woman of legendary beauty, Nico lived a second life after the story known to all, when she began her career as a solo artist. Her music is among the most original of the Seventies and Eighties, and has influenced much of the musical production that followed. The “priestess of darkness”, as she was called, found her true calling after age forty, when she shook off the weight of her beauty and rebuilt her relationship with her only forgotten son. Nico, 1988 is the story of Nico’s last tour with the band that accompanied her around Europe in the Eighties. It is the story of a rebirth, an artist, a mother, the woman beyond the icon.
The director Susanna Nicchiarelli explains: “This is the story of Nico after Nico. People usually talk about her only in relation to the men she was with when she was young: Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Bob Dylan, Alain Delon, Iggy Pop. I once read in an interview that “at age 34 Nico was finished”. That’s not true. After her experience with the Velvet Underground, Nico became a great musician. I wanted to tell the story of her journey from a different point of view and focusing on the loss of consensus and the change in her image that both gave her back her freedom”.
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CHAVELA, THE WOUND, SIGNATURE MOVE Among Winners of Outfest LA LGBT Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_23198" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Chavela[/caption]
The 2017 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival, which ran from July 6th to July 16th, announced the award winners. Chavela won both the Documentary Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award; and Best US Narrative Feature Film prize went to Jennifer Reeder for Signature Move. The 2017 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival closed with Trudie Styler’s comedic Freak Show, starring Bette Midler, Alex Lawther, AnnaSophia Robb, Abigail Breslin, Ian Nelson, Larry Pine and featuring a cameo from Laverne Cox.
Outfest Los Angeles 2017 Award Winners
Audience Awards
Best Documentary Short Audience Award Little Potato, Directed by Wes Hurley and Nate Miller Best Documentary Feature Audience Award Chavela, Directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi Best Narrative Short Audience Award The Real Thing, Directed by Brandon Kelley Best Narrative Audience Award The Chances, Created by Shoshanna Stern and Josh Feldman, Directed by Anna Kerrigan Best Experimental Short Audience Award Pussy, Directed by Renata Gasiorowska Audience Award for Best First U.S. Narrative Feature A Million Happy Nows, Directed by Albert AlarrGrand Jury Awards
Documentary Grand Jury Prize “We award Best Documentary Feature to Chavela, for its artistic style that elegantly and poetically brings together raw archival footage, animation, editing, and sound design.” Documentary Special Mention “For Excellence in Filmmaking we award a Special Jury mention to Girl Unbound: The War to Be Her, for its brave, humorous, and inspired depiction of Maria, a world class SQUASH player and her rock star family who live on their own terms and challenge misconceptions of feminism and Islam in the Muslim and Western worlds. This film illustrates Maria’s nonbinary journey, her quest for athletic excellence and her desire to show all girls everywhere that, “Fear is taught. That you are born free and you are born brave.”” U.S. Narrative Jury Prize Best Actor For his quiet intensity in a fresh and non-traditional coming of age role and his on-screen transformation both physically and emotionally, the US Narrative Jury honors Luka Kain for his outstanding performance in Saturday Church. U.S. Narrative Jury Prize Best Actress In a cast of strong female performances, she not only supported the ensemble cast but stood out with her comic timing and effortlessly hilarious presence. The US Jury Prize for Best Actress goes to Ever Mainard in The Feels. Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Feature For its naturalistic yet spare and unforced dialogue, even in the most harrowing of situations the award for Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Narrative goes to Eliza Hittman for Beach Rats. U.S. Grand Jury Prize For a delightful, well-acted and incisive romp into Chicago’s multi-cultural neighborhoods and a moving exploration of the unique bonds between mothers and daughters. Its inspiring message of love and acceptance explodes with humor and heart. We award the Best US Narrative Feature Film prize to Jennifer Reeder for Signature Move. U.S. Narrative Special Mention The US Narrative Jury would like to present a Special Mention for amplifying unheard voices with authenticity, highlighting the contemporary life of queer black woman with flair, vibrancy and substance to 195 Lewis. International Grand Jury Prize This film breaks new ground through skillful storytelling and stunning cinematography and an unflinching focus on masculinities – toxic or otherwise. The Jury Award for Best International Narrative Feature goes to the South African film The Wound, directed by John Trengove. International Special Mention For authentic, grounded storytelling that successfully captures a universal tale of youth, the International Narrative Feature Special Mention for Directing goes to Marcelo Caetano for his work on Body Electric. Best Documentary Short For its elegant storytelling, its economical sweep of history, and its sensitivity to lovers together in the struggle, whose intimate point of view enlightens and moves us to see the intricacies of the personal & political victories we can achieve together. The Best Documentary short prize goes to: Bayard & Me by Matt Wolf. Creatively employing the few surviving archival interviews to illuminate a forthright, outspoken, dynamic and sexy old school butch who was unstoppable in her quest for equality & fairness for lesbians, women and the queer community. The Best Documentary short prize goes to Jeanne Cordova: Butches, Lies & Feminism by Gregorio Davila. Documentary Short Special Mention The Special Mention goes to Al Otro Lado (The Other Side), directed by Rodrigo Alvarez Flores and Pedazos, directed by Alejandro Pena. Best Narrative Short Demonstrating restraint in both dialogue and narrative while also presenting a rich visual tapestry in a claustrophobic household, the film portrays an intense, simmering passion between two women yearning to break free from the norms of sexuality and caste (class) in a matriarchal Indian household. The Best Narrative Short Film Award goes to Goddess (Devi), directed by Karishma Dube.Special Programming Awards
Emerging Talent This assured debut feature film combines dreamy cinematography, honest and energetic performances, and snappy, contemporary dialogue, heralding the arrival of a fresh new voice in queer Asian cinema, the 2017 Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Samantha Lee for Maybe Tomorrow. Freedom This long overdue BIOGRAPHY of a civil rights icon merges empathetic documentary filmmaking with the tenacity of investigative journalism to highlight the injustices that trans people still face today, the 2017 Programming Award for Freedom goes to David France and Victoria Cruz for The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. Artistic Vision For a chilling tale that blends Hitchcockian suspense filtered through the eerie Icelandic countryside with a rumination on the lingering effects of past trauma, the 2017 Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Erlingur Thoroddsen for Rift. Fox Inclusion Feature Film Award Boys For Sale, Directed by Itako Fox Inclusion Short Film Award Ma, Directed by Vera Miao
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2018 Sundance Film Festival Unveils New Graphics, Programming, Award
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival is exactly six months away, and perfect time to start drumming up excitement. The festival today introduced the official graphics, along with a standalone Episodic section, the return of ‘The New Climate’ strand of environmental work and a new award. The 2018 Festival takes place January 18 to 28 in Park City, Salt Lake City and Sundance, Utah.
‘Indie Episodic’ section: After several years of programming episodic content in the ‘Special Events’ section — where selections included O.J.: Made in America, Transparent, Top of the Lake, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, Animals, Gente-fied, The Chances and Strangers — the 2018 Festival will have an ‘Indie Episodic’ section specifically for stories told in multiple installments, with an emphasis on independent perspectives. In addition to episodic work, the Festival showcases feature films, documentaries, short films and New Frontier storytelling. Episodic creators can submit their work to the Festival now.
‘The New Climate’ continues: In 2017 the Festival hosted The New Climate strand of feature films, documentaries, Virtual Reality experiences and high-profile panels exploring the environment and climate change, and it will extend this strand through 2018. Creators of new work on these topics can submit to the Festival now.
‘Festival Favorite’ award: New for 2018, all feature films will be eligible for a ‘Festival Favorite’ Award to be determined by audience ballots across all Festival screenings. Similar to the Festival’s longstanding Audience Awards for each Competition section, the award will designate the feature film from any of the Festival’s sections that best connects with audiences.
2018 Graphics Designed with Students at ArtCenter College of Design: The 2018 Festival graphics were developed in collaboration with ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. The concept was led by a group of students including Andy Gutierrez, Michelle Lee and Charles Lin and came out of a three-day brainstorm and creation session last Spring with 15 students and three faculty members. Their concept reflects the idea that the Festival is a “disruptive celebration of imperfection,” using bold color and language to highlight the very human emotions we experience through storytelling. The entirely text-based campaign opens up interactivity with audiences, and the colors signify the heat the Festival brings to Winter.
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13 Film Projects to Receive Funding from Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund
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Félicité[/caption]
13 film projects including Berlin Film Festival award winning Felicité by Alain Gomis, have been recommended for funding at the 26th jury session of the Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund (WCF).
Five film projects from Bangladesh, Palestine, Brazil, Afghanistan and Uruguay were nominated for production funding. In the additional WCF Europe funding program, four projects from Tunisia, Brazil, Argentina and Egypt were nominated for production funding. In the special program WCF Africa, two projects from South Africa and Sudan / South Africa were nominated for funding.
Two films were nominated for distribution funding in Germany, including Felicité by Alain Gomis, which was awarded the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prix at the Berlinale 2017.
The latest funding recommendations also include projects by Berlinale Talents alumni, as well as projects that were once in search of co-producers and so participated in the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
Production Funding WCF
The Reports on Sarah and Saleem, director: Muayad Alayan (Palestine), Production: PalCine Productions (Palestine) and Manderley Films GmbH (Germany). Feature film. Funding: 50.000 euros. Director Muayad Alayan is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (2016). Iron Stream, director: Kamar Ahmad Simon (Bangladesh), Production: Beginning Film (Bangladesh) and Weydemann Bros. (Germany). Feature Film. Funding: 40.000 euros. Director Kamar Ahmad Simon is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (2012). The Fever, director: Maya da Rin (Brazil). Production: Enquadramento Produçoes (Brazil), Still Moving (France) and Komplizen Film (Germany). Feature film. Funding: 40.000 euros. Thus Spoke the Money Changer, director: Federico Veiroj (Uruguay). Production: Oriental Features (Uruguay) Pandora Filmproduktion GmbH (Germany). Feature film. Funding: 48.500 euros. The Orphanage, director: Shahrbanoo Sadat (Afghanistan). Production: Wolf Pictures (Afghanistan) and Adomeit Films (Germany / Denmark). Feature Film. Funding: 60.000 euros.WCF Europe
Weldi, director: Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia), Production: Nomadis Images (Tunisia) and Les Films du Fleuve (Belgium). Feature film. Funding: 40.000 euros. Director Mohamed Ben Attia received the GWFF Best First Feature Award for his feature debut Inhebbek Hedi which was shown in competition at the Berlinale 2016. Overgod, director: Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil). Production: Desvia (Brazil) and Snowglobe (Denmark). Feature film. Funding: 60.000 euros. The project was chosen for Berlinale Co-Production Market (2015). Muere, Monstruo, Muere!, director: Alejandro Fadel (Argentina). Production: La Unión de los Ríos (Argentina) and Rouge International (France). Feature film. Funding: 40.000 euros. The project was chosen for Berlinale Co-Production Market (2017). Amal, director: Mohamed Siam (Egypt), Production: Artkhana (Egypt) and Andolfi Films (France). Documentary. Funding: 30.000 €. Director Mohamed Siam is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (2012).WCF Africa
A Kasha, director: Hajooj Kuka (Sudan) Production: Big World Cinema (South Africa). Feature film. Funding: 40.000 €. Director Hajooj Kuka is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (2016). Sew the Winter to my Skin, director: Jahmil X.T (South Africa). Production: Spier Moving (South Africa). Feature film. Funding: 60.000 €.WCF Distribution Funding in Germany
Felicité Director: Alain Gomis (Senegal / France). Distribution: Grandfilm (Germany). Feature film. Funding: 10.000 €. Silver Bear Grand Jury Prix at Berlinale 2017 German release: August 31, 2017 Frenzy (original title: Abluka) Director: Emin Alper (Turkey). Distribution: Grandfilm (Germany). Feature film. Funding: 5.500 €. German release: October 18, 2017
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7 African Films Win Durban FilmMart Awards 2017
The Durban FilmMart (DFM), the industry development program of the Durban Film Office and Durban International Film Festival ended on a high note with the awards ceremony at the Tsogo Maharani Hotel in Durban, South Africa on Monday, July 17.
“The DFM is one of the most important film finance platforms and industry events on the African continent, and this year’s eighth edition has certainly been our biggest.” said Toni Monty, Head of the Durban Film Office. “We hosted over 600 delegates with over 30 countries participating in this year’s market; 17 of which were from Africa. We are thrilled that we have had a record number of 70 projects presenting at this year’s finance forum.”
Central to the Durban FilmMart have been the networking sessions and meetings held over four days between delegates comprising filmmakers, producers, distributors, agents, broadcasters and film funders and government agencies.
This year 22 official DFM film projects in development were presented at the Finance Forum through the partnership with Cinemart and IDFA, Netherlands.
The 2017 Durban FilmMartAwards/Grants:
The International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) awarded the most promising documentary project at the DFM, Lobola: A Bride’s True Price (South Africa, Producer: Sarah Basyouny, Director: Sihle Hlophe) with an opportunity to attend the IDFA Forum, one of the top gatherings for documentary filmmakers, producers, commissioning editors, funds, private financiers and other documentary filmmakers in Europe, in November. The broadcast stream, Afridocs, that flights African and other international documentaries across 49 countries of sub-Saharan Africa on a weekly basis, gave a €3000 grant to Uasi (Kenya), Producers: Matrid Nyagah, Linda Ogeda, Director: Sam Soko. The CineMart Award, sponsored by the co-production market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, went to the fiction project, Miles from Nowhere (South Africa), Producer: Bongiwe Selane, Director: Samantha Nell. The project is given an opportunity to attend the Rotterdam Lab, is a five-day training and networking event for producers from all over the world. Produire au Sud of Festival des 3 Continents (Nantes), awarded the fiction film Miles from Nowhere (South Africa), Producer: Bongiwe Selane, Director: Samantha Nell an opportunity to attend its developmental workshop program, PAS, where they will be given tools, expertise, and opportunities to develop European networks. Videovision Entertainment awarded the “Best South African Film Project” to the Dabulaphu (The Short Cut), Producers Zikethiwe Ngcobo, David Max Brown, Director Norman Maake. They receive a prize valued at R75 000, which guarantees its release once it is completed. The prize also includes marketing and distribution support from Videovision Entertainment. Versfeld & Associates, publicity consultants will develop publicity material and advise on publicity profiling through the development two projects: Womxn: Working (South Africa), Producer Tiny Mungwe and Director Shanelle Jewnarain, and Richard Was Here (South Africa), Producer: Akona Matyila and Director: Jack Chiang. Sørfond awarded the project Uasi (Kenya), Producers: Matrid Nyagah, Linda Ogeda, Director: Soko Sam with an opportunity to pitch at the Sørfond Pitching Forum in Oslo later this year. CineFAM-Africa Incubator Accelerator Programme award to pitch at the Caribbean Tales Film Festival in Toronto, went to Mary Ann Mandishona for Mamba Kazi – African Warrior Queens.
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Filmaker Todd Haynes to Receive Pardo d’onore Manor Award at Locarno Festival
Director, screenwriter and producer Todd Haynes will receive the Pardo d’onore Manor award at the upcoming Locarno Festival. His latest film Wonderstruck will be screened in company with Poison, one of the featured titles in Locarno70, the sidebar dedicated to celebrating the Festival’s 70th anniversary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qztxwL4Wl3I
At the 1991 Locarno Festival Todd Haynes’ debut feature Poison was one of 19 movies contending for the top award of the Pardo d’oro. Made after a series of eye-catching shorts, the film, based on the novels of Jean Genet, set the keynotes of the director’s style. In subsequent years Haynes has directed Julianne Moore in Safe (1995), Far from Heaven (nominated for 4 Academy Awards in 2002) and Wonderstruck (2017), and Cate Blanchett in the episodic Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There (2007) and Carol (nominated for 6 Academy Awards in 2015).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htL6liegNVk
Haynes’ film Poison will be part of the sidebar Locarno70, the exclusive program of films with which Locarno will commemorate its 70th anniversary through a selection of 11 first features presented at the Festival. Over its seventy years, Locarno has had the merit and the good fortune to launch many important careers: from Éric Rohmer with Le signe du lion (1962), to Tres Tristes Tigres (1968) by Raoul Ruiz, via the ferocious irony of Marco Ferreri in El Pisito (1959) and the destabilizing family portrait in Der siebente Kontinent (1989) by Michael Haneke. The Festival has always been fertile terrain for breaking with the past or upsetting convention, as witnessed by two other milestones included in the program, Al-momia (1969) by the Egyptian Chadi Abdel Salam, in a newly restored print, and Hallelujah the Hills (1963) by Adolfas Mekas. Todd Haynes will be joined in Locarno by Aleksandr Sokurov, Catherine Breillat, Sabiha Sumar, Villi Hermann and Alina Marazzi.
Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director of the Locarno Festival: “In his seven feature films to date Todd Haynes has shaped out an original universe in which his familiarity with U.S. and European cinema, his passion for the films of Sirk and Fassbinder, go hand in glove with a modern sensibility. His characters – often with extraordinary performances by the female leads – bring back the magic of great cinema, of art that achieves the sublimation of reality without lapsing into disenchantment. His latest, splendid film Wonderstruck is another fine example, a journey into a cabinet of curiosities where fear and desire merge in the accuracy of a twofold historical reconstruction.”
The 70th Locarno Festival will be held from August 2 to 12, 2017.
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Photos: Julianne Moore Honored at Giffoni Film Festival
Julianne Moore attended the Giffoni Film Festival where she received the Truffaut Award. Before receiving the Truffaut Award – the Giffoni Film Festival most prestigious prize – and say goodbye to the youth audience, Julianne Moore left them a valuable message “Don’t ever let anybody say that you can’t do something. Find what you are really fond of and keep doing it: soon you’ll understand where it will take you. My juvenile love for reading made me want to convey emotions through the staging of a well written text”.
A Pakistani boy told her about his grandfather suffering from Alzheimer’s, the same disease covered in “Still Alice”, which earned her and Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. “First of all – she commenced in a broken voice – I’m very sorry that a relative of yours has been suffering from such disease. I decided to explore this subject with deep attention, as a sign of respect for all the people who have to face such a sorrow. I phoned some people affected by the disease and met some others, because I wanted to portray their personal experiences in the most accurate and realistic way possible. Those who think that the audience don’t notice if you’ve been portraying something you don’t know really know are wrong”.
A South Korean juror who’s been studying film direction in Los Angeles asked her for some professional advice. In this field – replied Moore – mentors are essential and I let myself be guided by Robert Altman: I got to know his work when I was about your age and he made me realize that I would want to tell stories, that is acting, for a living”.
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BAD GENIUS Wins Best Film, Transgender Drama CLOSE-KNIT Wins Audience Award at New York Asian Film Festival
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Bad Genius[/caption]
Thailand’s Bad Genius won the Best Feature award in the Main Competition of the 16th New York Asian Film Festival. The international premiere of the high-school thriller opened the 17-day festival on June 30. Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 15. The festival concluded July 16 with the U.S. Premiere of The Villainess.
Bad Genius was among seven feature films nominated in the festival’s newly launched Main Competition, which was restricted to films by first- and second-time directors; all seven films received their North American Premiere at the festival. The competition’s Special Mention award went to Yoshiyuki Kishi’s A Double Life from Japan, and an Honorable Mention for Most Promising Director went to Le Binh Giang for Vietnam’s Kfc.
The four other films competing in the seven-film competition were Mikhail Red’s Birdshot from the Philippines, Chen Mei-juin’s The Gangster’s Daughter from Taiwan, Cho Hyun-hoon’s Jane from South Korea, and Andrew Wong Kwok-kuen’s With Prisoners from Hong Kong. Red and Chen were among more than 30 directors, actors, producers and screenwriters who attended the festival.
Samuel Jamier, the festival’s executive director said, “The seven films represent the breadth of our lineup. Each title explores pressing ethical issues with protagonists who push back against a staid or corrupt status quo. We hope that the films’ ambition, confidence and bravura can inspire other filmmakers and festival programmers.”
Naoko Ogigami’s transgender drama Close-Knit (Japan) won the audience award. Second- and third placed in the audience vote are Shinobu Yaguchi’s post apocalyptic comedy Survival Family (Japan) and Thai thriller Bad Genius.
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Jane Fonda and Robert Redford to Receive Venice International Film Fest Lifetime Achievement Awards
Actors Jane Fonda and Robert Redford will be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 74th Venice International Film Festival taking place August 30 to September 9, 2017.
The ceremony to award the Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement will take place on Friday September 1st in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema (Lido di Venezia) before the Out of Competition screening of the Netflix original film, Our Souls at Night by Ritesh Batra, starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford and produced by Mr. Redford and his company Wildwood Enterprises, Inc.
Commenting on these acknowledgments, Director Alberto Barbera stated: “Few Hollywood legends have demonstrated such determination and courage over the course of their professional career as Jane Fonda. Her life has been marked by intense passion in her pursuit of freedom from every type of conformism, with a touching and vulnerable generosity. At times a political and social activist, a sex symbol, a writer, a feminist icon, a producer, and a prophet of physical fitness, but above all an extraordinarily successful and talented actress, Jane Fonda is one of the great protagonists of contemporary International cinema. This Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement is a due tribute to the personal commitment and brilliant qualities of an actress who has brought unforgettable, controversial, and heterogeneous characters to life, demonstrating an unceasing ability to reinvent herself, all the while remaining true to herself, to her values, and to her indisputable artistic talent.”
Says Festival Director Alberto Barbera: “Actor, director, producer, environmentalist, founder and soul of that brilliant experiment in film called Sundance – whether in front or behind the camera, advocating for the cause of independent cinema or the cause of our planet, Robert Redford has led us through almost five decades of compelling filmmaking and advocacy with a combination of rigor, intelligence and grace that is virtually unsurpassed. A slightly reluctant star, since very early in his career Redford has used his onscreen talent and success to make films about issues he cared about and to pave the way for other independent filmmakers like him. A thoughtful, instinctive actor with a keen sense of detail, as an Academy Award-winning director and producer, Redford has proven himself a masterful storyteller. His commitment to characters and story match his commitment and passion for the complex beauty and values of our ever evolving world.”
Based on the novel written by Kent Haruf and adapted for the screen by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (The Fault in Our Stars), the Netflix original film, Our Souls at Night is set in Colorado and begins when Addie Moore (Jane Fonda) pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, Louis Waters (Robert Redford). Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they’d been neighbors for decades, but had little contact. The film will launch globally on Netflix later this year.