Film Festivals
The Berlin International Film Festival in a recent press release sharply condemned the harsh sentences handed down to the renowned Iranian director Jafar Panahi and his directing colleague Mohammed Rasulof. According to Tehran Times, “Last week, Panahi was sentenced by a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran to six years in prison, which is redeemable by paying a fine, and a 20-year ban on filmmaking activities. He has been accused of holding gatherings, […]
The 22nd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced its Galas, Premieres and Special Presentation programs. The Festival launches on Thursday, January 6 with the French farce Potiche and wraps on Sunday, January 16 with The First Grader. 193 films from 68 countries, including 59 premieres (9 world, 17 North American and 33 U.S.), will unspool at the Festival, running from January 6-17 in Palm Springs, California. Commenting on the selection of films Festival […]
The Edinburgh International Film Festival in its 65th year has hired James Mullighan to produce the ambitious transformation of next year’s Festival, the blueprint of which has been shaped by Mark Cousins, Tilda Swinton and a wider artistic team to be announced. Moving away from the traditional concept of Film Festivals, the blueprint that Cousins has developed is the theme of “All That Heaven Allows.” It may cease to have a competition section or prizes, […]
The 2010 Dubai International Film Festival draw to a close over the weekend and handed out its annual Muhr Awards. This year the festival featured a line-up of 157 films from 57 countries, including 41 world premieres, 13 international premieres, 58 Middle East premieres and 32 Gulf premieres. Nayla Al Khaja’s “Bored,” about a young Emirati couple, on their honeymoon, took the top prize. “Their approach to the relationship and commitment to the marriage is […]
The Anchorage International Film Festival just wrapped its 10th edition and awarded its 2010 Golden Oosikar Awards to the top films, with “The Wild Hunt,” by Alexandre Franchi taking the top prize for Best Film. A modern medieval saga, The Wild Hunt tells the story of Erik Magnusson, a young man who decides to follow his estranged girlfriend Evelyn into a medieval re-enactment game when he discovers that she has been seduced by one of […]
The 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival announced today a new program highlighting African Cinema as well as films selected to compete for the FIPRESCI Award, New Voices/New Visions Award and John Schlesinger Awards. The Festival will screen 40 of the 65 official submissions to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Best Foreign Language Film. The Festival will announce its complete line-up of films next week. “Our African films showcase reflects our […]
Duncan Jones’ new film “Source Code” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan will open 2011 South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival (SXSW). This is the second feature from Jones, the son of David Bowie, whose first feature film, “Moon”also screened at SXSW in 2009. The synopsis: Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes with a jolt to find himself on a commuter train heading into Chicago. Although the other passengers all seem to […]
German actor and artist Armin Mueller-Stahl will be awarded an Honorary Golden Bear at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. “Today Armin Mueller-Stahl is celebrating his 80th birthday. We wish him the very best and are delighted we’ll be awarding this extraordinary artist the Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement in February,” says Festival Director Dieter Kosslick. Armin Mueller-Stahl is one of Germany’s biggest stars of international renown. Winner of numerous awards, he has played […]
Some 60 feature and short films will celebrate their premieres at the House of World Cultures, Generation’s new main venue at the upcoming 61st Berlin International Film Festival scheduled for February 10 – 20, 2011. Twelve feature-length films have already been confirmed. “With each film our excitement about the House of World Cultures is mounting. We want to invite Berlinale visitors to a change of location, in a spectacular cinema, and to the greatly diverse […]
The first eight titles for the Competition programme of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival have been confirmed. In addition to the opening film True Grit by Joel and Ethan Coen another seven productions and co-productions have been selected. They include films from Turkey, the Netherlands, Israel, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the USA. So far the following films have been selected: Bizim Büyük Çaresizligimiz (Our Grand Despair)Turkey / Germany / Netherlandsby Seyfi Teoman […]
The Derby City Film Festival today announced the selected films for the 2011 edition. In total 67 films will screen during the three day festival which will be held February 18th – 20th, 2011 at the Clifton Center. Of those screening, 41 of the films have been selected for competition. The festival will open with a short film screening group from The Bob Rogers Group (BRG), a production company based in Louisville. The BRG film […]
Toronto International Film Festival has compiled its list of the top 10 Canadian feature films and short films in 2010. “It’s a pretty diverse list, everything from micro-budget movies to international co-productions,” Steve Gravestock, TIFF’s associate director of Canadian programming said. In alphabetical order: Les Amours imaginaires: Xavier Dolan’s second film, following his acclaimed debut, J’ai tué ma mère, features a ménage a trois involving two friends, a young man and a young woman, competing […]