• THE BAR, SUMMER 1993 Among Films in Made in Spain Showcase at San Sebastian International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_24368" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]THE BAR (EL BAR) THE BAR (EL BAR)[/caption] Made in Spain, a showcase of Spanish films at the 2017 San Sebastian International Film Festival will feature eleven films, including the latest works from acclaimed directors such as Álex de la Iglesia, Agustí Villaronga and Paco Plaza. Among the debuts are Pieles, by Eduardo Casanova, which had its premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival; Estiu 1993 / Summer 1993, by Carla Simón, winner of Best First Film at the Berlinale and Gold Biznaga at the Malaga Festival, the first awards in a long list of accolades; Júlia ist, Silver Biznaga for Best Film and Best Directing at the Malaga Festival, the first film by Elena Martín, star of Las amigas de Ágata; No sé decir adios (Can’t Say Goodbye), by Lino Escalera, winner of four awards at the Malaga Festival, including Special Jury Prize; and La mano invisible (The Invisible Hand), first feature film by David Macián. The film, inspired in the novel of the same name by Isaac Rosa, premiered in Seville and was selected for the San Sebastian Human Rights Festival, among others. Gabriel Velázquez participated in Zabaltegi in 2007 with Amateurs, with a screenplay penned by Blanca Torres. The two now present Análisis de sangre azul (Analysis of Blue Blood), selected for the Seville, Nantes, Barcelona and Toulouse festivals. Demonios tus ojos (Sister of Mine), premiered at the Rotterdam Festival, is the third work from Pedro Aguilera. Both his debut, La influencia (The Influence), premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, and his second film, Naufragio (Wreckage), screened at San Sebastian. Víctor García León, who competed in the Official Selection with Vete de mí (Silver Shell for Best Actor), will present Selfie, recipient of a Special Jury Mention and the Critics’ Award at Malaga. Incerta glòria / Uncertain Glory is the latest film by Agustí Villaronga, who made his debut in San Sebastian with Tras el cristal (In a Glass Cage, Zabaltegi-New Directors, 1986) and has harvested two Best Actress Silver Shells at the Festival (with Pa negre /Black Bread and El rey de la Havana / The King of Havana). El bar (The Bar), which premiered in Berlin, is the latest proposal from the filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia, who has participated in San Sebastian Festival’s Official Selection with several of his films, such as La comunidad (Common Wealth, Silver Shell for Carmen Maura), Las brujas de Zugarramurdi (Witching & Bitching) and Mi gran noche (My Big Night). Paco Plaza, co-creator of the film REC with Jaume Balagueró, will present his latest genre movie, Verónica.

    Made in Spain

    ANÁLISIS DE SANGRE AZUL (ANALYSIS OF BLUE BLOOD) BLANCA TORRES, GABRIEL VELÁZQUEZ (SPAIN) Cast: Anders Lindstrom Análisis de sangre azul narrates the adventures of a British aristocrat who suffered a fall in the Pyrenees only to come round in a mental asylum early last century. The doctor in psychiatry Pedro Martínez records with his 16mm camera the progress of this man suffering from disorientation and memory loss. However, the doctor’s hidden intentions will drive him to take advantage of this “rare specimen’s” arrival to test his theories of evolution. DEMONIOS TUS OJOS (SISTER OF MINE) PEDRO AGUILERA (SPAIN – COLOMBIA) Cast: Julio Perillán, Ivana Baquero, Lucía Guerrero, Nicolás Coronado, Elisabet Gelabert, Juan Pablo Shuk One night, Oliver, a young film director living in Los Angeles, discovers on an erotic website that one of the stars of the explicit videos is his younger sister, Aurora. Surprised and bewildered, he decides to go to Madrid; it’s been years since he saw his family. Thus begins an obsessive search for answers, an intimate journey towards confusion and the truth of the image, a tale of domination and manipulation, of moral limits and the loss of vital and audiovisual innocence. EL BAR (THE BAR) ÁLEX DE LA IGLESIA (SPAIN – ARGENTINA) Cast: Blanca Suárez, Mario Casas, Carmen Machi, Secun de la Rosa, Jaime Ordóñez, Terele Pávez, Joaquín Climent, Alejandro Awada Nine in the morning. A motley crew are having breakfast in a bar in the centre of Madrid. One of them is in a hurry; on his way out the door he’s shot in the head. No-one dares to help him. They’re trapped. ESTIU 1993 / SUMMER 1993 CARLA SIMÓN (SPAIN) Cast: Laia Artigas, Paula Robles, Bruna Cusí, David Verdaguer In summer 1993 and following the death of her parents, 6 year-old Frida is taken from Barcelona to the Catalonian countryside. She lives with her aunt and uncle, her new legal guardians. Life in the country is a challenge for her – time passes differently in her new home and the surrounding nature is mysterious and distant. Now she has a younger sister to look after. She also has to deal with new feelings, like jealousy. The family works hard to achieve a fragile balance and bring normality to their lives. Occasionally they listen to jazz in the garden, go on family outings to a fiesta or to the swimming pool. These are happy times. Slowly, Frida starts realising she’s there to stay and must adapt to her new environment. Before summer ends, Frida will have to face up to herself. INCERTA GLÒRIA / UNCERTAIN GLORY AGUSTÍ VILLARONGA (SPAIN) Cast: Oriol Pla, Terele Pávez, Luisa Gavasa, Juan Diego, Marcel Borras, Núria Prims, Bruna Cusi The Aragon Front, 1937. Lluís, a young Republican officer sent to a temporarily inactive post, meets and falls for Carlana, an enigmatic widow. The girl convinces him to forge a document giving her the title of Lady of the region. Lluís’s best friend, Solèras, a demoted officer, discovers the fraud and, in exchange for keeping quiet about it, demands that he moves away from the Barcelona bombardments Trini, Lluís’s wife, with whom he is secretly in love, and her son. When Trini comes to the village, it won’t be long before she discovers Lluís’s betrayals as a ‘state of war’ settles in between the two, shaking all of their moral foundations. JÚLIA IST ELENA MARTÍN GIMENO (SPAIN) Cast: Elena Martín, Oriol Puig, Jakob D’Aprile, Laura Weissmahr, Carla Linares Júlia decides to go on Erasmus to Berlin. She will leave home for the first time, giving it little thought, launching herself into adventure. The city, cold and grey, will give her a frostier welcome than expected and she will face her expectations with reality: her existence will seem far removed from the new life she had dreamt of in the lecture rooms of Barcelona School of Architecture. LA MANO INVISIBLE (THE INVISIBLE HAND) DAVID MACIÁN (SPAIN) Cast: Josean Bengoetxea, Bárbara Santa-Cruz, Marta Larralde, Luis Callejo, José Luis Torrijo, Marina Salas, Daniel Pérez Prada, Edu Ferrés, Esther Ortega, Elisabet Gelabert, Bruto Pomeroy In an industrial building, eleven people are hired to go about their work in front of an audience: a bricklayer, a butcher, a seamstress, a telephone operator, a waiter, a message boy, a mechanic, a computer specialist and a cleaner. Artwork, reality show, macabre experiment: they don’t know what’s in store for them, or who is behind the hand that moves the strings of this perverse little puppet theatre. NO SÉ DECIR ADIÓS (CAN´T SAY GOODBYE) LINO ESCALERA (SPAIN) Cast: Nathalie Poza, Juan Diego, Lola Dueñas Carla gets a call from her sister: her father, with whom she fell out some time ago, is ill. That same day, Carla takes a flight to Almeria, to the home of her childhood. There, the doctors say that her father has only months to live. She refuses to accept the diagnosis and, against everyone’s opinion, decides to take him to Barcelona for treatment. The two embark on a journey to escape from a reality that neither dares to confront. And it will be in this flight that they will finally find one another and have the opportunity to say their goodbyes. PIELES (SKINS) EDUARDO CASANOVA (SPAIN) Cast: Macarena Gómez, Jon Kortajarena, Candela Peña, Carmen Machi, Ana Polvorosa, Secun de la Rosa, Joaquín Climent Physical appearance conditions us in regard to society, whether or not it is our choice. Pieles is the tale of physically diverse people whose differences have forced them to hide, shut themselves away or group together. Samantha, a woman with an inverted digestive system, Laura, a girl with no eyes, or Ana, a woman with a deformed face. Lonely people who struggle to find their place in a society that only understands one kind of physical appearance, and which excludes and mistreats those who don’t fit in. SELFIE VÍCTOR GARCÍA LEÓN (SPAIN) Cast: Santiago Alverú, Macarena Sanz, Javier Carramiñana, Pepe Ocio, Alicia Rubio, Clara Alvarado A government minister has just been arrested by the police, accused of corruption, embezzlement of public funds, money laundering and another eighteen money-related crimes. This is the tale of his son. The adventures of Bosco from the moment he is thrown out of his luxurious chalet in Moraleja until he approaches the Podemos HQ to ask for a job; his sentimental torment after his girlfriend of perfect teeth and lazy lip leaves him, until he is accepted by a blind social worker, educator in a school for the disabled; his miseries from the moment he is expelled from his exclusive Master in Directing until his fearful wanderings around the streets of the Lavapiés district. If this was a romantic comedy, Bosco would learn a lesson; life would teach him something… and finally there would be a ray of light, the hope of change. He would find the love of his life. Or perhaps renew his faith in humans. Or simply a new path… or some kind of love for animals. Something. Unfortunately, this is not a romantic comedy. VERÓNICA PACO PLAZA (SPAIN) Cast: Sandra Escacena, Bruna González, Claudia Placer, Iván Chavero, Consuelo Trujillo, Ana Torrent Madrid, the 90s. In the middle of the night, the police receive a call. Amid screams of terror, they hear children shouting out about the presence of strange phenomena in their flat, deep in a working-class district. Two days earlier, Verónica, their older sister, had used the Ouija board at school. Without realising it, she has just opened the door to something supernatural, inexplicable, which will move into her house over the next hours, becoming increasingly more incontrollable and, above all, very, very dangerous.

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  • TOM OF FINLAND is Finland’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER

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    Tom of Finland

    The biopic Tom of Finland directed by Dome Karukoski has been selected as Finland’s submission for best foreign film at the 2018 Oscars.

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  • Busan International Film Festival Creates ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ to Honor Late Founding Member

    Kim Ji-seok The 22nd Busan International Film Festival has established the ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ to honor the late Kim Ji-seok who passed away this year after devoting his whole life to discovering young Asian directors and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. A founding member of the Busan International Film Festival, Kim Ji-seok  suffered a fatal heart attack while attending the 2017 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. Many Asian filmmakers call the late Kim Ji-seok, the Program Director of Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), as the heart of Asian Cinema, and of BIFF. He was always sharing his life with BIFF as a founding member. He also contributed over 20 years to supporting young filmmakers in Asia, and took an essential role to establish BIFF as one of the world’s best film festivals. To follow his spirit and remember the festival identity as the hub of Asian cinema, BIFF launches the ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ The aim of the award is to discover and encourage Asian films, the ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ will be selected among films screening in A Window on Asian Cinema, a section that introduces films from the year’s most talented Asian filmmakers. Approximately 10 World Premieres in A Window on Asian Cinema will be selected as nominees and the jury members will select the final two films as the first ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ recipients. Each film will be awarded a cash prize of 10,000,000 Korean won (about 10,000 US dollars). Jury members of ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ are Tony Rayns and Darcy Paquet, film critics who have a keen interest and contribute in the globalization of Asian cinema. Garin Nugroho, an acknowledged Indonesian director who has been invited to numerous renowned film festivals, will join the ‘Kim Jiseok Award’ jury as well. Three jurors will award outstanding films with distinct Asian characteristic. The 22nd Busan International Film Festival will be held from October 12, 2017 to October 21, 2017.

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  • 2017 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Reveals 2nd Wave of Films, Closes with THE BOOK OF BIRDIE

    [caption id="attachment_24277" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Book of Birdie The Book of Birdie[/caption] The 2017 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will close with the North American premiere of the mesmerizing, all-female casted The Book of Birdie. First-time director Elizabeth E. Schuch impressively blends psychological horror, whimsical fantasy, and feminist ideals in one-of-a-kind The Book of Birdie. Shy and fragile teenager Birdie’s unusual hallucinations, dark obsessions and fascination with blood are triggered as she’s forced into a remote convent and faced with what her fate will be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GRWQCoMj-A Mayhem directed by Joe Lynch will make its New York premiere as the Centerpiece screening of the festival. Mayhem follows office scapegoat Derek Cho (played by The Walking Dead’sSteven Yeun) as he’s fired f rom his cozy legal job just as the dreaded rage-inducing “ID7 virus” quarantines the building. The twist? Thanks to Cho, all acts of violence committed while infected are instantly acquitted, making it the perfect battleground for revenge. In addition, the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival dropped its second wave two of films including, locals only showcase, shorts and more.

    The Films

    [caption id="attachment_24279" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Mayhem directed by Joe Lynch Mayhem directed by Joe Lynch[/caption] MAYHEM USA | 2017 | 86 min | Dir. Joe Lynch NEW YORK PREMIERE Making its New York Premiere, MAYHEM follows office scapegoat Derek Cho (played by THE WALKING DEAD’s Steven Yeun) as he’s fired from his cozy legal job just as the dreaded rage-inducing “ID7 virus” quarantines the building. The twist? Thanks to Cho, all acts of violence committed while infected are instantly acquitted, making it the perfect battleground for revenge. Director Joe Lynch (WRONG TURN 2, EVERLY) delivers a fast-paced blend of corporate satire, corporeal brutality and heavy metal in this powerful new feature. COLD HELL (DIE HÖLLE) Germany | 2017 | 92 min | Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky EAST COAST PREMIERE After witnessing a brutal murder from the window of her apartment, Turkish-born and taking-no-shit Ozge finds herself the next target of a calculated serial killer. Unfortunately for the killer, she has her own brand of viciousness on tap and is anything but a victim. An intelligent and live-wire cross between Italian Giallo and Jason Bourne, Oscar-winning director Stefan Ruzowitzky’s (THE COUNTERFEITERS) COLD HELL is a first-rate, action-packed genre-bender. THE CRESCENT Canada | 2017 | 99 min | Dir. Seth A. Smith EAST COAST PREMIERE Plagued by painful memories, a young, recently-widowed mother relocates to a remote town and does her best to overcome emotional trauma. But the town locals have their own plans for her and before long their strange, dark and ancient traditions turn her life into a waking nightmare. Visually ambitious and tonally hypnotic, Canadian filmmaker Seth A. Smith’s haunting THE CRESCENT casts a sneakily powerful spell. INHERITANCE USA | 2017 | 93 min | Dir. Tyler Savage EAST COAST PREMIERE A man learns of the death of his absentee biological father and inherits his 2.5 million dollar home in the aptly named INHERITANCE. While staying there with his pregnant fiancé, he begins to uncover horrible truths about his father that could destroy his life. Fantastic lead performances and a patient, sinister narrative make this one hell of an impressive debut for director Tyler Savage who will be in attendance. RIFT (RÖKKUR) Iceland | 2017 | 111 min | Dir. Erlingur Thoroddson NEW YORK PREMIERE Intrigued by an unexpected call, Gunnar heads to a remote outpost to reconnect with his ex-boyfriend Einar. Despite the happy reunion the two men can’t shake the feeling that someone, or something, is there—and has sinister plans. Elegant and assured, the subtly creepy RIFT is the audacious follow-up feature from Icelandic filmmaker Erlingur Thoroddsen, whose debut feature, CHILD EATER, world-premiered at BHFF 2016 as our closing night screening. Director Erlingur Thoroddson will be in attendance. FASHIONISTA USA | 2016 | 106 min | Dir. Simon Rumley NEW YORK PREMIERE British cinema provocateur Simon Rumley completes his unofficial Texas trilogy (after RED WHITE & BLUE and JOHNNY FRANK GARRETT’S LAST WORD) with a film that proves you can’t spell “distress” without “dress.” RED WHITE & BLUE’s Amanda Fuller is fascinating as April, a clothing-obsessed woman whose suspicions about her husband’s infidelity send her down a rabbit hole of dangerous, self-destructive behavior. SALVATION (SALVACIÓN) Spain | 2016 | 80 min | Dir. Denise Castro NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Stuck in a hospital waiting to undergo open heart surgery, Cris finds a reason to stay in another patient named Victor who claims to be a vampire. Surrounded by death, Cris must decide between immortality and leaving her future up to fate. Filled with moments of sadness and paralyzing dread, Salvation is a terrifying new entry in the vampire canon. GAME OF DEATH Canada / France | 2017 | 73 min | Dir. Baz Morais & Sebastien Landry NEW YORK PREMIERE For a group of party-crazy teens, it’s all about smoking, drinking and sex. But that goes to hell when they play a board game that requires human blood and whose uncontrollable countdowns lead to head explosions. Survival requires killing someone else. Bodies will drop and craniums will burst in this insanely gory and fun-as-hell, splatter feature by Canadian co-directors Sebastien Landry and Laurence Baz Morais. TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY USA | 2017 | 108 min | Dir. Derek Dennis Herbert EAST COAST PREMIERE The man behind two of horror’s greatest slashers, Jason Voorhees and the HATCHET franchise’s Victor Crowley, Kane Hodder has proven himself unbeatable when it comes to offing on-screen victims. But as it turns out he’s even more unbeatable in real life, having persevered through a painful childhood and a nearly fatal accident. Derek Dennis Herbert’s heartfelt documentary TO HELL AND BACK candidly reveals the heart and soul of a horror icon. I REMEMBER YOU (ÉG MAN BIG) Iceland | 2017 | 105 min | Dir. Oskar Thór Axelsson US PREMIERE While investigating the mysterious suicide of an old woman inside a local church, a psychiatrist learns that she was obsessed his young son’s disappearance. Meanwhile, across the bay, three friends discover that the house they’re restoring is haunted. How these two stories intersect is the ultimate gut punch of Icelandic filmmaker Óskar Thór Axelsson’s I REMEMBER YOU, a haunting and cerebral marriage of the procedural with the supernatural.

    INCORPOREAL: A POPUP ART SHOW & VR SHOWCASE

    The annual pre-fest art show will feature new artwork from Brooklyn-based artist Andrew Abbott, who’s this year’s poster designer. The critically acclaimed horror VR studio Dark Corner will be presenting two works from director Guy Shelmerdine; the clown-filled and nightmarish journey that is NIGHT NIGHT, and MULE, which sucks you into the last moments of a man’s life and the hellish fate that comes next.

    ​THE BK PARANORMAL SOCIETY PRESENTS: MIDNIGHT GHOST HUNT

    Join the celebrated BK Paranormal Society as they lead festival goers on a candle-lit ghost hunt through the streets of Brooklyn and provide the tools and know-how needed to keep you safe from spirits and creatures of the night. ​The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies presents THE TIME HAS COME TO TELL THE TALE: PETER STRAUB IN CONVERSATION with DOUGLAS E. WINTER Join us for this rare on-stage conversation between one of the world’s foremost horror authors, Peter Straub – who gave us JULIA, GHOST STORY, MR. X, KOKO and more, as well as collaborating with Stephen King on THE TALISMAN and BLACK HOUSE – as he talks about his writing career and the films that sprung from it with famed horror biographer and critic Douglas E. Winter. The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies is a non-profit community-based curriculum through which established horror writers, directors, scholars and programmers/curators celebrate horror history and culture with a unique blend of enthusiasm and critical perspective.

    LOCALS ONLY SHOWCASE

    This year’s spotlight on NYC-made horror headlined by a World Premiere screening of unadulterated grindhouse flick GET MY GUN! GET MY GUN USA | 2017 | 90 min | Dir. Brian Darwas WORLD PREMIERE BHFF is thrilled to present the World Premiere of Brian Darwas’ homegrown feature GET MY GUN. In line with such films as MS. 45 and INSIDE, GET MY GUN’s Amanda is left pregnant after being raped at work. When a crazed stalker becomes obsessed with her unborn child she is forced to evolve from prey to predator. Director Bryan Darwas and Writer/Producer Jennifer Carchietta in attendance.

    LOCALS ONLY SHORTS 2017

    A NIGHTMARE WAKES Dir. Nora Unkel This proof of concept originally shown at Fantasia’s Frontières Market shares a haunting vision focused on Mary Shelley after a tragic miscarriage. RAZOR Dir. James​ ​Clay​ ​Jenkins Dark desires and devout religion collide for two sisters and a young priest in early 19th century New England. ARE YOU WILD LIKE ME Dir. Billy Nawrocki A string of missing person cases plagues a small New England town. Could they be related to the infant girl who disappeared in the woods nine years prior? FLUFFERNUTTER Dirs. Adam R. Brown, Kyle I. Kelley Twins Stephen and Clyde are forced to grow up fast “for their own good” in this bloody satirical yarn. IN HERE Dir. James Barton An unknown entity communicates to a girl through refrigerator magnets. SCORCH Dir. Robbie Lemieux Two young lovers think it’s a good idea to mess around with an occult object they’ve recently discovered. It’s a horrible idea. SLAPFACE Dir. Jeremiah Kipp Monsters come in many forms for a boy after the difficult loss of his mother. A TASTE FOR IT Dir. Oliver David An old woman has a strange experience in a parking garage. True WTF material. BEWARE, THE BEAST I WORSHIP Dir. Adam Chitayat A dog with ill intent leads a man through the color-soaked nighttime streets of New York City. RUBY Music Video / Dir. Richard Bates A young woman’s dreamy stroll through the woods is impeded when a sorcerer is allured by her moon necklace. The sorcerer summons an evil spirit from the land to follow the young woman and claim her soul bounded by the necklace.

    HEAD TRIP 2017: ALTERNATIVE SHORTS

    A MOTHER OF MONSTERS Brazil / Dir. Julia Zanin de Paula Welcome to the Freak Show. Twisted and visually hypnotic, this Guy de Maupassant adaptation features a circus troupe with wicked intentions. COVER UP USA / Dir. Satya Bhabha She loves make-up to death. He loves her so. Alison Pill and Jason Ritter star. GREAT CHOICE USA / Dir. Robin Comisar A woman finds herself trapped within a Red Lobster commercial that just…won’t…stop. Carrie Coon stars. TASTE USA / Dir. Adrian Selkowitz All Claire wants to do is throw a fancy dinner party for her husband’s Hollywood power couple friends, hoping it’ll lead to her own cooking show. She just never expected that naked woman lying in her driveway, or what this woman’s past means for Claire’s big night. OTHERS LIKE YOU (ALTRE) Italy / Dir. Eugenio Villani Determined to become pregnant, Ester, having previously been ruled sterile, finally has success after sleeping around with random men. The news displeases Ester’s family doctor, Greta, who has a ghoulishly sinister plan in mind. THE SERVANT Iran / Dir. Farnoosh Abedi A silent and gorgeously animated tale of a bug servant who grows weary of his servitude. INK Canada / Dir. Ashlea Wessel Traumatized by a scarring pregnancy, an emotionally fragile woman seeks solace in covering her body with tattoos. After an alcohol-fueled bender, her worst fears come to pass. DON’T OPEN YOUR EYES (ÖPPNA INTE ÖGONEN) Sweden / Dir. Adrián García Bogliano & Andrea Quiroz Sisters reunite after a year apart. One is suddenly doing incredibly well for herself and it’s all because of a mysterious hypnotic vinyl record with extraordinary powers.

    NIGHTMARE FUEL 2017: SCARY HORROR SHORTS

    AMY USA / Dir. L. Gustavo Cooper During an overwhelming heat wave, a nurse at a home for sick patients warns young resident Amy to stay inside her room. Unfortunately for her, Amy doesn’t listen. FEEDING TIME USA / Dir. Matt Mercer Filling in for her friend on a babysitting gig, Sasha is weirded out after a strange encounter with the child’s parents. Strange doesn’t even begin to describe the night she’s about to have. EARWORM USA / Dir. Tara Price Piercingly loud music continually disrupts a man’s sleep. He’ll wish he didn’t figure out the source of the music. FREDERIK REMEMBERS USA / Dirs. Ben Sottak & Steven Russel Old and senile, Frederik passes the time in solitude. A box of Nazi paraphernalia found inside his apartment is about to disrupt that. BESTIA Canada / Dirs. Gigi Saul Guerrero A man awakes to find himself alone by the frigid woods. Whatever ravaged his people is now stalking him. THE BABY’S CRYING UK / Dir. Bob Pipe It’s every parent’s burden: Answering the cries of a baby late at night. For this mommy and daddy pair, however, it’s more of a nightmare. FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL… USA / Dir. Izzy Lee Unbeknownst to the woman involved, a man uploads a homemade sex tape. Upon making a pit stop inside a grungy public bathroom, he’ll receive his comeuppance. BIRTHDAY Italy / Dir. Alberto Viavattene Using her job to hawk prescription drugs and steal from patients, a young nurse goes about her delinquent ways inside an old folks’ home. In Room 12 however, three elderly sisters have a surprise waiting for her. iMEDIUM Spain / Dir. Alfonso García This frenetic techno-terror murder mystery imagines the day we have an app for speaking to the dead.

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  • Director Stephen Frears Receives Glory to the Filmmaker Award at Venice International Film Festival

    English Director Stephen Frears poses with The Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory To The Filmmaker Award during the 74th Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 3, 2017 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Sebastiano Pessina) Yesterday, in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema at the 74th Venice International Film Festival, director Stephen Frears received the Glory to the Filmmaker award for his significant contribution to innovation in contemporary cinema. English Director Stephen Frears receives The Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory To The Filmmaker Award and Reverso engraved watched from Chief Marketing Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre Nicolas Siriez (L) and festival director Alberto Barbera (R) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 3, 2017 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Sebastiano Pessina) Director Stephen Frears received The Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory To The Filmmaker Award and Reverso engraved watched from Chief Marketing Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre Nicolas Siriez (L) and festival director Alberto Barbera (R). (Photo by Sebastiano Pessina) Following the award ceremony, the Festival presented the Out of Competition screening of Frears’ new film Victoria & Abdul, receiving its world premiere screening in Venice.

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  • BORG/McENROE Starring Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason to Open Zurich Film Festival

    Borg/McEnroe Danish director Janus Metz Pedersen’s tennis drama Borg/McEnroe starring Shia LaBeouf and Sverrir Gudnason will open the 13th Zurich Film Festival on September 28, 2017. Director Janus Metz Pedersen and Björn Borg-actor Sverrir Gudnason will attend as the Zurich Film Festival’s honorary guests. Wimbledon, July 5, 1980: tennis pros Björn Borg and John McEnroe square up at the Wimbledon final for one of sporting history’s most legendary duels. The 24-year-old Swede and world’s number one ranked tennis player (Sverrir Gudnason) is feeling exhausted and burned out. The 20-year-old New Yorker (Shia LaBeouf) is determined to beat him. The two opponents go on to deliver a nerve-racking and grinding battle in one of the most suspense-packed matches in tennis history. Said ZFF Co-Directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri: „We are extremely proud to be opening the ZFF for the first time with a Swedish production. Borg/McEnroe is one of the year’s most hotly anticipated movies and is sure to delight cinemagoers around the globe.” They continued: “Borg/McEnroe is most definitely not a film just for tennis fans, but a thrilling cinema experience for everybody.” Legends of the tennis world The Swede Björn Borg and US American John McEnroe are two of the tennis world’s greatest legends – and their on-court rivalry is just as legendary. Borg/McEnroe depicts the two tennis icons as they prepare for the Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon. Borg is desperate to leave his mark as the winner of five titles in a row. His opponent is the ambitious young McEnroe, who is only driven by the thought of finally knocking Borg off his throne. While Borg prepares for the duel aided by his trainer Lennart Bergelin (Stellan Skarsgård), McEnroe continues to hit newspaper headlines. But despite the difference in their personalities, the two men come to realise that they have more in common than they could possibly have imagined. Björn Borg and John McEnroe played each other a total of 14 times between 1978 and 1981. Their on-court rivalry was famous the world over and compounded by the competitors’ conflicting personalities: while Borg remained cool and placid, McEnroe was famous for his fits of temper. Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf undertook two months of intensive tennis training in order to lend their characters more authenticity. The movie was shot in Borg’s hometown of Södertälje near Stockholm in Sweden, and further in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Prague, London and Monaco. Borg/McEnroe hits cinemas in Switzerland on October 12, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgfFdEOGUqE

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  • A TAXI DRIVER is South Korea’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER

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    A TAXI DRIVER A Taxi Driver directed by Jang Hun, has been selected as South Korea’s official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2018 Oscars. The film, starring Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hai-jin, and Ryu Jun-yeol, is based on the true story of German reporter Jürgen Hinzpeter and Korean taxi driver Kim Sa-Bok.Jürgen Hinzpeter covering the Gwangju Uprising, which took place from May 18-27, 1980 in Gwangju, South Korea. A Taxi Driver had its international premiere as the closing night film of the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival, where Song Kang-ho won the award for Best Actor. May, 1980, Seoul. Demonstrations denouncing the martial law proclaimed by the dictator Chun Doo-hwan disrupt the routine of Man-seob, a cranky taxi driver who curses the protesters who prevent him from working. Raising his daughter alone after the death of his wife, Man-seob is crushed by debt. Every fare counts. When he hears a colleague boast that he’s about to receive a colossal sum for taking a Westerner to Gwangju, Man-seob rushes to the rendezvous point to rob him of his client, a German journalist calling himself Peter. The latter intends to investigate clandestinely rumours that Gwangju is under siege by the army and that the government has cut off all communication between the city and the rest of the country. Man-seob, however, lies about his understanding of English and the reasons for their journey. He has no idea what he has embarked on. Their fate will be closely bound to that of the inhabitants of Gwangju. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbUwOP9HZQk

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  • Indie Legal Thriller CREATED EQUAL Wins at Action On Film Festival and BronzeLens Film Festival

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    Thada Catalon, Bill Duke, Edy Ganem - Created Equal at Action on Film Festival.
    Thada Catalon, Bill Duke, Edy Ganem

    The indie legal thriller Created Equal continues its award winning sweep, winning prizes at the Action On Film Festival in Las Vegas and the BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta.

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  • QUIT STARING AT MY PLATE is Croatia’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER

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    Quit Staring at My Plate (Ne gledaj mi u pijat) Quit Staring at My Plate (Ne gledaj mi u pijat), the debut feature film from director Hana Jušić’, has been selected by Croatia as its official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars. The film starring Mia Petričević, Nikša Butijer, Arijana Čulina, Zlatko Buric had its World Premiere at the 2016 Venice Days where the film won the FEDEORA Award for Best European Film. In the film Marijana’s life revolves around her family, whether she likes it or not. They live on top of one another in a tiny apartment, driving one another crazy. Then her controlling father has a stroke and is left completely bedridden, and Marijana takes his place as head of the clan. Soon, she is working two jobs to keep everything afloat, while her mother and disabled brother do their best to scupper the ship. Driven to the edge, Marijana finds comfort in seedy sex with random strangers; and this taste of freedom leaves her wanting more. But now that she has finally found freedom, what’s she meant to do with it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjE6IE9QgNk

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  • Piers Handling Stepping Down as Head of Toronto International Film Festival

    Piers Handling After almost 25 years, Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF, announced today that 2018 will be his final year leading the Toronto International Film Festival.  “Because of Piers’ leadership, TIFF is the leading cultural organization it is today, with a global reach and impact,” said Jennifer Tory, Chair of the Board of Directors of TIFF. “We are all indebted to him for his years of vision, innovation and dedication to the art of film.” Handling’s tenure at TIFF has been both ground-breaking and prolific, with career highlights including:
    • Growing TIFF from a 10-day event into a thriving year-round arts organization with global impact;
    • Leading the Festival into the top tier of internationally recognized film events;
    • Leading and mentoring a strong and seasoned team of executives and management and a passionate and dedicated staff;
    • Supporting the careers of many Canadian and international filmmakers, including David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, Deepa Mehta, Guy Maddin, Denys Arcand, Denis Villeneuve, Jean-Marc Vallee, François Girard, Xavier Dolan, Michael Haneke, Danny Boyle, Kathryn Bigelow, Nanni Moretti, Agnieszka Holland, Abbas Kiarostami, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Glazer, Antoine Fuqua, Pedro Almodóvar, Aki Kaurismäki, Patricia Rozema, Jennifer Baichwal, Guillermo Del Toro, Steven Soderbergh; and many others.
    • Leading the campaign to design, fund and build TIFF Bell Lightbox, a permanent home for TIFF and film, now a cornerstone of engaging and innovative programming for audiences and professionals, here and around the world.
    “I joined the festival in 1982 and have been CEO for the past 23 years. I am incredibly proud of the legacy we have achieved during that time. I am completely confident in the future of TIFF. It is now one of the most important film organizations in the world,” said Handling. “We have an exciting and bold new strategic plan — Audience First. While I am excited about what the future holds in store for me, my immediate focus remains leading this wonderful organization through to the end of 2018, and ensuring that TIFF continues to inspire audiences and celebrate the riches of cinema from all over the globe.” In recognition of his many contributions, Handling has achieved some of the highest honours afforded to cultural leaders, including Officer of the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, France’s highest cultural insignia “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres”, CEO of the Year by the Canadian Public Relations Society, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award, the Human Rights Watch Award, and in November he will be recognized by Business for the Arts with the Peter Herrndorf Arts Leadership Award. He also holds five Honorary Doctorates from the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, Ryerson University, York University and OCAD University. Over the coming months, TIFF’s Board of Directors will begin the process of identifying and selecting a new Chief Executive Officer.

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  • VIDEO: Watch Trailers for 2 Netflix Documentary Shorts Premiering at 2017 Telluride Film Festival

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    Heroin(e) and The Long Shot Here are the trailers for two Netflix original documentary shorts – Heroin(e) and Long Shot premiering this weekend at the 2017 Telluride Film Festival. Heroin(e), making its world premiere, focuses on the once bustling industrial town, Huntington, West Virginia that has become the epicenter of America’s modern opioid epidemic. With an overdose rate 10 times the national average, the crisis threatens to tear this community apart. West Virginia native Sheldon highlights three women working to change the town’s narrative and break the devastating cycle of drug abuse one person at a time. Heroin(e) shows how the chain of compassion holds one town together. The Netflix original documentary short, by Peabody award-winning filmmaker, Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Hollow), will launch on September 12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khSO7qEKbvo Also making its’ world premiere, Long Shot, an improbable story where justice prevails with a series of events that could only happen in Hollywood. An innocent man is accused of murder, leading his dedicated attorney on a wild chase to confirm his alibi among thousands of people in a baseball stadium. To tell the whole story, the search would lead him from the LA Dodgers, to a cellphone tower, to the office of the entertainer Larry David. On the night in question, television cameras happened to be positioned throughout the stadium, and captured a story of remarkable circumstance. Directed by Jacob LaMendola (Anosmia), Long Shot launches September 29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDxISykYRc4

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  • SCARY MOTHER is Georgia’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER

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    Scary Mother (Sashishi deda) Ana Urushadze’s award-winning debut feature film, Scary Mother (Sashishi deda), has been selected by Georgia as its official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars. The film starring Nata Murvanidze, Ramaz Ioseliani, Dimitri Tatishvili, and Avtandil Makharadze, World Premiered at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival where the film won the Swatch First Feature Award (Prize for Best First Feature). After the Locarno Film Festival, the film competed at the 2017 Sarajevo Film Festival where it won the the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film; and the Cineuropa Prize. Scary Mother follows the story of a  50-year-old housewife, Manana (Nato Murvanidze), struggling with a dilemma: she has to choose between her family life and a love for writing she has repressed for years. When she finally decides to follow her passion, she is ready to sacrifice everything for it, mentally and physically.

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