Ronny Sen’s Cat Sticks, captured in amazing black and white visuals, about junkies in Kolkata, released the official poster and trailer. The film which is set to world premiere at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival, stars Tanmay Dhanania, Sumeet Thakur, Joyraj Bhattacharjee, Rahul Dutta, Saurabh Saraswat, Sreejita Mitra, Raja Chakravorty, and Kalpan Mitra
Claire Simon’s The Competition (Le Concours), the thrilling observational portrait of French film school La Fémis, will be the first theatrical release by Metrograph Pictures and the U.S. theatrical debut of the veteran filmmaker. The film opens Friday, February 22nd in New York at Metrograph, with a nationwide expansion to follow.
Amazon dropped a new trailer for Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War, now playing in theaters. Cold War which is dedicated to Pawel Pawlikowski’s parents, whose names – Wiktor and Zula – the protagonists share, continues to receive strong critical praise and awards buzz.
As he has done each year since 2015, former President Barack Obama released his favorite movies, songs, and books of the year on Facebook and Instagram. Obama’s taste in movies ranges from the popular Black Panther to some very impressive indie films including Eighth Grade, If Beale Street Could Talk, documentary films – Minding the Gap, Won’t You Be My Neighbor; and foreign films – Roma, Shoplifters.
The beautifully filmed mystery thriller and noir feature Naples in Veils (Napoli velata) from writer/director Ferzan Ozpetek (Steam: The Turkish Bath, His Secret Life) has been acquired by Breaking Glass Pictures for a theatrical release in the first half of 2019, followed by a DVD/VOD release.
National Award-winning filmmaker Rima Das’ third Assamese feature, Bulbul Can Sing will have its European Premiere at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival 2019 in competition in Generation 14 Plus category.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center will spotlight the films of director Alfonso Cuarón with an eight-film retrospective titled Complete Cuarón from January 4 to 8.
The Polish period drama Cold War ( Zimna wojna) directed by Paweł Pawlikowskiis dominated the 2018 European Film Awards winning five awards including the top prize Best European Film along with Best Director for Paweł Pawlikowski.
The Best European Comedy prize went to The Death of Stalin by Armando Iannucci, and the Best European Documentary went to Bergman – A Year in a Life by Jane Magnusson.
2018 European Film Awards Winners
Sunset by Laszlo Nemes[/caption]
The US trailer debuted for Academy Award winner Laszlo Nemes’ Sunset, Hungary’s entry for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. The film starring Julie Jakab, Vlad Ivanov, Evelin Dobos, and Marcin Czarnik won the FIPRESCI prize when it screened at the 2018 Venice Film Festival, and had its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film in 2019.
1913, Budapest, in the heart of Europe as World War I approaches. The young Irisz Leiter arrives in the Hungarian capital with high hopes to work as a milliner at Leiter, the legendary hat store that once belonged to her late parents; but she is quickly sent away by the new owner, Oszkár Brill. While preparations are under way at the store to host important wealthy, royal guests, a man abruptly comes to Irisz looking for Kálmán Leiter, who he says is her brother. Refusing to leave the city, the young woman follows Kálmán’s tracks, her only link to a lost past. Her quest brings her through the dark, dusty streets of Budapest, where only the Leiter hat store shines, into the turmoil of a civilization on the eve of its downfall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV-LRlyI2dQ
Sobibor[/caption]
Russian Film Week in New York – the showcase of independent and commercial films that represents the dynamic landscape of Russian filmmaking today returns to New York City December 8 to 14, 2018 at the SVA Theatre (333 W 23rd St, Manhattan). The events will include film screenings, discussions and Q&As with renowned Russian film directors, actors, and producers, as well as panels with journalists, and VIP receptions.
This year, the festival’s diverse program of 14 films includes Russia’s submission for the 2019 Academy Awards®, SOBIBOR, directed by, and starring, Konstantin Khabensky; ANNA KARENINA: VRONSKY’S STORY, directed by Karen Shakhnazarov; dramatic biopic THE STORY OF ONE APPOINTMENT, directed by Avdotya Smirnova; documentary film INTO_NATION OF BIG ODESSA, directed by Susanna Alperina, and many other new works that represent the broad spectrum of contemporary Russian cinema. Visiting filmmakers and actors include filmmaker Alexey Uchitel, founder of Rock Studio Films; directors Karen Shakhnazarov, Olya Zueva, Susanna Alperina, and many others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNRtC7ERmcQ
