The Writers Guild of America last night announced the winners of the 2017 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement, honoring Moonlight with award for Original Screenplay and Command and Control with the award for Documentary Screenplay.
The WGAW presented several honorary awards during its ceremony: Oscar-nominated actor James Woods (Salvador, Nixon) presented the WGAW’s Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement to Academy Award and WGA-winning screenwriter-director Oliver Stone (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK); Emmy-winning The Newsroom star Jeff Daniels presented the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement to Oscar and WGA-winning The Social Network screenwriter and The West Wing / The Newsroom Creator Aaron Sorkin; Emmy-nominated actress Kerry Washington (Confirmation, Scandal) presented the Paul Selvin Award to screenwriter Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) for her script for the HBO telefilm, Confirmation, which embodies “the spirit of constitutional rights and civil liberties which are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere;” actor Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day: Resurgence, Jurassic Park) presented the Valentine Davies Award to acclaimed screenwriter-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary) for his humanitarian service and charitable efforts around the globe; Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse) presented the Jean Renoir Award for International Screenwriting Achievement to late Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (Taste of Cherry, The Wind Will Carry Us, Certified Copy), whose son Ahmad Kiarostami accepted on his behalf; and writer Howard Michael Gould (Instant Mom) presented the Morgan Cox Award to Emmy-nominated M*A*S*H writer and past WGAW Board of Directors member Dan Wilcox for his Guild service.
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MOONLIGHT and COMMAND AND CONTROL Win 2017 Writers Guild Awards
The Writers Guild of America last night announced the winners of the 2017 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement, honoring Moonlight with award for Original Screenplay and Command and Control with the award for Documentary Screenplay.
The WGAW presented several honorary awards during its ceremony: Oscar-nominated actor James Woods (Salvador, Nixon) presented the WGAW’s Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement to Academy Award and WGA-winning screenwriter-director Oliver Stone (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, JFK); Emmy-winning The Newsroom star Jeff Daniels presented the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement to Oscar and WGA-winning The Social Network screenwriter and The West Wing / The Newsroom Creator Aaron Sorkin; Emmy-nominated actress Kerry Washington (Confirmation, Scandal) presented the Paul Selvin Award to screenwriter Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) for her script for the HBO telefilm, Confirmation, which embodies “the spirit of constitutional rights and civil liberties which are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere;” actor Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day: Resurgence, Jurassic Park) presented the Valentine Davies Award to acclaimed screenwriter-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary) for his humanitarian service and charitable efforts around the globe; Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse) presented the Jean Renoir Award for International Screenwriting Achievement to late Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (Taste of Cherry, The Wind Will Carry Us, Certified Copy), whose son Ahmad Kiarostami accepted on his behalf; and writer Howard Michael Gould (Instant Mom) presented the Morgan Cox Award to Emmy-nominated M*A*S*H writer and past WGAW Board of Directors member Dan Wilcox for his Guild service.
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I CALLED HIM MORGAN Documentary on Jazz Legend Lee Morgan Sets March Release Date
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I CALLED HIM MORGAN[/caption]
I CALLED HIM MORGAN, Kasper Collin’s (My Name Is Albert Ayler) documentary portrait of legendary jazz musician Lee Morgan and the woman who tragically took his life will open in New York on March 24 and Los Angeles on March 31. Featuring cinematography by Oscar-nominated DP Bradford Young (Arrival, Selma), I CALLED HIM MORGAN swept a prestigious group of fall film festivals—Venice, Telluride, Toronto, New York, and London.
The film will open theatrically on Friday, March 24 at New York’s Film Society of Lincoln Center, and followed on Friday, March 31 by openings at Manhattan’s Metrograph Theater and Los Angeles’ Laemmle Monica with a national expansion to follow.
On a snowy night in February 1972, 33-year-old jazz trumpet star Lee Morgan was shot dead by his common-law wife, Helen, during a gig at a club in New York City. The murder sent shockwaves through the jazz community, where Morgan played with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and John Coltrane. Helen served time for the crime and, following her release, retreated into obscurity. Over 20 years later, a chance encounter led her to give a remarkable interview. Helen’s revealing audio “testimony” acts as a refrain throughout the film, which draws together a wealth of archival photographs and footage, interviews with friends and bandmates and incredible jazz music to tell the ill-fated pair’s story. Part true-crime tale, part love story, and an all-out musical treat, I CALLED HIM MORGAN is a captivating chronicle of the dramatic destinies of two unique personalities and the music that brought them together.
Featuring Wayne Shorter, Paul West, Charli Persip, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Larry Ridley, Jymie Merritt, Bennie Maupin, Billy Harper, Larry Reni Thomas, and more.
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THE PREACHER’S SON to Open, EVERYTHING BUT A MAN to Close 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival
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EVERYTHING BUT A MAN[/caption]
The 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) will open on Wednesday February 22 with the feature film “The Preacher’s Son” and close on Saturday February 25 with “Everything But A Man.”
The HBFF will feature an exciting line up of 100 films, along with panels, panelists and festivities over a four-day period. HBFF happens February 22 to 26, 2017 and will be hosted at Hotel MdR, 13480 Maxella Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. Known as one of the leading Black film festivals in the world, the Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF) is now in its fourteenth year, the upcoming edition of Hollywood Black Film Festival’s theme is “Festival at the Beach”.
OPENING NIGHT
THE PREACHER’S SON
Director: Trey Haley
Writer: Carl Weber
Stars: Christian Keyes, Clifton Powell, Valarie Pettiford, Vanessa Bell Calloway and MORE…
Based on the characters from New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber’s novel The Preacher’s Son. Bishop T.K. Wilson, his wife & two children are a well-respected family in their community — yet the Wilson kids are fighting temptations, and the bishop’s son, Dante, has plans that don’t include taking over his father’s church. Tri-Destined Studios
CLOSING NIGHT
EVERYTHING BUT A MAN
Writer/director: Nnegest Likke
Stars: Monica Calhoun, Jimmy Jean-Louis and Camille Winbush and MORE…
She’s sexy, smart, successful… and still single. “Everything But A Man” explores the paradox modern career women face, having to think and act like a man in the work world, but still be expected to behave like “a lady” in order to keep a man. The story follows a high achieving but secretly lonely lawyer who despite all her material success is a failure when it comes to love. Things heat up for her when she meets a handsome, mysterious man from another culture. But his radical lifestyle differences threaten to shake up her world and challenge her beliefs on love, relationships and what it means to be a “strong” woman. Race, class, gender and culture all clash in this unconventional romantic comedy-drama. N’Vision Pictures, Jet Media Productions, Bek Films & Sneak Preview Entertainment
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Berlinale 2017: Karam Ghossein’s STREET OF DEATH Wins Audi Short Film Award
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The Audi Short Film Award goes to Lebanese director Karam Ghossein – here with Jason Lusty, Head of Marketing Germany at AUDI AG[/caption]
Lebanese director Karam Ghossein has won the Audi Short Film Award, along with its €20,000 cash prize at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival for his short film Street of Death.
Director and cameraman Karam Ghossein creates a stream of images from the present combined with stories from the past, occurring like a kaleidoscope along the highway to the Beirut International Airport. In the 22-minute-long firm, struggles for power and respect remain as persistent points throughout the ages. The international short film jury for 2017 includes Christian Jankowski, an artist and Professor at the State Academy of Art and Design in Stuttgart; Kimberly Drew, Curator and Social Media Manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York; and Carlos Núñez, Artistic Director of the SANFIC Santiago International Film Festival.
A total of 23 films from 19 countries competed in the Berlinale Shorts section. Under the title “Reframing the Image,” curator Maike Mia Höhne assembled a series of films focused on recalibrating one’s own perception, offering the filmgoer a unique new perspective. “The short film is the hotbed of creativity for the film industry. This is where directors execute their visions and provide food for thought, sometimes experimentally, sometimes essayistically. This gives rise to new trends – and that’s what we want to support with the Audi Short Film Award,” says Jason Lusty, Head of Marketing Germany at AUDI AG, explaining Audi’s involvement. The Audi Short Film Award is presented in the Berlinale Shorts section alongside the Golden and Silver Bears, and is among the world’s most lucrative short film awards.
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Berlinale 2017: Complete List of Awards – ON BODY AND SOUL Wins Golden Bear
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On Body and Soul (Testről és lélekről) by Ildikó Enyedi[/caption]
A slaughterhouse in Budapest is the setting of a strangely beautiful love story, the Hungarian film On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi, crowned winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival. The film also is the winner of the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award.
THE AWARDS OF THE 67th BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL JURY
GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST FILM (awarded to the film’s producer) Testről és lélekről On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi SILVER BEAR GRAND JURY PRIZE Félicité by Alain Gomis SILVER BEAR ALFRED BAUER PRIZE for a feature film that opens new perspectives Pokot Spoor by Agnieszka Holland SILVER BEAR FOR BEST DIRECTOR Aki Kaurismäki for Toivon tuolla puolen (The Other Side of Hope/Die andere Seite der Hoffnung) SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTRESS Kim Minhee in Bamui haebyun-eoseo honja (On the Beach at Night Alone) by Hong Sangsoo SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTOR Georg Friedrich in Helle Nächte (Bright Nights) by Thomas Arslan SILVER BEAR FOR BEST SCREENPLAY Sebastián Lelio and Gonzalo Maza for Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio SILVER BEAR FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION in the categories camera, editing, music score, costume or set design Dana Bunescu for the editing in Ana, mon amour by Călin Peter NetzerGWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE AWARD
GWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE AWARD Estiu 1993 Summer 1993 Sommer 1993 by Carla SimónGLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD
GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD Istiyad Ashbah Ghost Hunting by Raed AndoniPRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM JURY
GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST SHORT FILM Cidade Pequena Small Town Kleine Stadt by Diogo Costa Amarante SILVER BEAR JURY PRIZE (SHORT FILM) Ensueño en la Pradera Reverie in the Meadow Träumerei in der Prärie by Esteban Arrangoiz Julien AUDI SHORT FILM AWARD Street of Death by Karam Ghossein SPECIAL MENTION Centauro Centaur Zentaur by Nicolás Suárez BERLIN SHORT FILM NOMINEE FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS Os Humores Artificiais The Artificial Humors Die Künstlichen Humore by Gabriel AbrantesPRIZES OF THE JURIES GENERATION
Children’s Jury Generation Kplus CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Film Piata loď Little Harbour Das fünfte Schiff by Iveta Grófová SPECIAL MENTION Amelie rennt Mountain Miracle — An Unexpected Friendship by Tobias Wiemann CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Short Film Promise Versprechen by Xie Tian SPECIAL MENTION Hedgehog’s Home Das Haus des Igels by Eva CvijanovicInternational Jury Generation Kplus
THE GRAND PRIX OF THE GENERATION KPLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best feature-length film Becoming Who I Was Werden wer ich war by Chang-Yong Moon and Jin Jeon tie Estiu 1993 Summer 1993 Sommer 1993 by Carla Simón THE SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE GENERATION KPLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best short film Aaba Grandfather Großvater by Amar Kaushik SPECIAL MENTION Sabaku by Marlies van der WelYouth Jury Generation 14plus
CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Film Butterfly Kisses by Rafael Kapelinski SPECIAL MENTION Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves by Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Short Film Wolfe by Claire Randall SPECIAL MENTION SNIP by Terril CalderInternational Jury Generation 14plus
THE GRAND PRIX OF THE GENERATION 14PLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best feature-length film, Shkola nomer 3 School Number 3 by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux SPECIAL MENTION Ben Niao The Foolish Bird by Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka THE SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE GENERATION 14PLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best short film, The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do by Juanita Onzaga SPECIAL MENTION U Plavetnilo Into the Blue by Antoneta Alamat KusijanovićPRIZES OF INDEPENDENT JURIES
PRIZES OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY Competition Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi Special Mention: Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio Panorama Tahqiq fel djenna (Investigating Paradise) by Merzak Allouache Special Mention: I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck Forum Maman Colonelle (Mama Colonel) by Dieudo Hamadi Special Mention: El mar la mar by Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki PRIZES OF THE FIPRESCI JURY Competition: Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi Panorama: Pendular by Julia Murat Forum: Shu’our akbar min el hob (A Feeling Greater Than Love) by Mary Jirmanus Saba GUILD FILM PRIZE The Party by Sally Potter CICAE ART CINEMA AWARD Panorama: Centaur by Aktan Arym Kubat Forum: Newton by Amit V Masurkar LABEL EUROPA CINEMAS Insyriated by Philippe Van Leeuw TEDDY AWARD Best Feature Film: Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio Best Documentary/Essay Film: Ri Chang Dui Hua (Small Talk) by Hui-chen Huang Best Short Film: Min Homosyster (My Gay Sister/Meine Homoschwester) by Lia Hietala Special Jury Award: Karera ga Honki de Amu toki wa (Close-Knit) by Naoko Ogigami Special Teddy Award: Monika Treut CALIGARI FILM PRIZE El mar la mar by Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki PEACE FILM PRIZE El Pacto de Adriana (Adriana’s Pact) by Lissette Orozco AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FILM PRIZE La libertad del diablo (Devil’s Freedom) by Everardo González (Berlinale Special) HEINER CAROW PRIZE Fünf Sterne (Five Stars) by Annekatrin HendelREADERS’ JURIES AND AUDIENCE AWARD
PANORAMA AUDIENCE AWARD Fiction Film Insyriated by Philippe Van Leeuw PANORAMA AUDIENCE AWARD Documentary Film I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck BERLINER MORGENPOST READERS’ JURY AWARD Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi TAGESSPIEGEL READERS’ JURY AWARD Maman Colonelle (Mama Colonel) by Dieudo Hamadi HARVEY – MÄNNER READERS’ JURY AWARD God’s Own Country by Francis LeeDEVELOPMENT AWARDS
COMPASS-PERSPEKTIVE-AWARD Die beste aller Welten (The Best Of All Worlds) by Adrian Goiginger Special Jury Prize: Final Stage by Nicolaas Schmidt KOMPAGNON-FELLOWSHIP System Crasher (Systemsprenger) by Nora Fingscheidt (Berlinale Talents 2017) Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser (Perspektive Deutsches Kino 2016) ARTE INTERNATIONAL PRIZE Lost Country by Vladimir Perišić (Serbia), produced by KinoElektron (France), MPM Film (France) and Trilema Films (Serbia) EURIMAGES CO-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD Razor Film Produktion (Germany) for The Wife of the Pilot (Director: Anne Zohra Berrached) VFF TALENT HIGHLIGHT AWARD Producer Nefes Polat (Turkey) for The Bus to Amerika (Director: Derya Durmaz)
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Berlinale 2017: Fest Announces Winners of Generation Kplus Awards
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Little Harbour (Piata loď )[/caption]
The members of the Children’s Jury awarded Little Harbour (Piata loď ) by Iveta Grófová the winner of the Crystal Bear for the Best Film in Generation Kplus program at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival. The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film award is a tie – the prize went to Becoming Who I Was by Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, of Republic Korea, and Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) by Carla Simón of Spain.
Children’s Jury in Generation Kplus awards:
Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Little Harbour (Piata loď ) By Iveta Grófová, Slovak Republic / Czech Republic 2017 We selected a film that is creative and authentic. It’s about two children who create a little world of their own, rules. We found the story very moving and the actors are very believable too. Special Mention: Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship (Amelie rennt) By Tobias Wiemann, Germany / Italy 2017 With great wit and fast-paced dialogue, this film describes the development of an unlikely friendship between two fascinating characters. Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Promise By Xie Tian, USA 2016 Set in a breath-taking landscape, this film tells the moving story of a Chinese boy. The convincing performances and masterful cinematography lend the film great authenticity. Special Mention Short Film: Hedgehog’s Home By Eva Cvijanovic, Canada / Croatia 2016 The message of this tale, that a home of one’s own is very important, is beautifully conveyed by the creative use of felt animation. We were also impressed by the unusual verse form of the narrative in this stop-motion film.International Jury Generation Kplus Awards:
The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with € 7,500 by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (The Children’s Charity of Germany): tie Becoming Who I Was By Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, Republic Korea 2017 In this beautifully shot tale we learn in a wonderful bittersweet way how much a parent and a child can learn from each other. The filmmaker achieved the most difficult: making the audience laugh and cry many times. The film gave the jury confidence in humanity and if the values of the young hero of this story would be only reflected a little bit by its audience the world will become a better place. Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) By Carla Simón, Spain 2017 In this remarkable film we learn through the eyes of a little girl how to cope with loss. The lesson that this incredible heroine learns and that moved us to tears is that no matter how much it hurts, it is the unconditional love of the people around you that will ease your pain. Besides the outstanding performance of the young main actress the jury was also very impressed by the beautiful cinematography and sensual mise-en-scène! The Special Prize of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with € 2,500 by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (The Children’s Charity of Germany): Grandfather (Aaba) By Amar Kaushik, India 2016 It tells a story of the circle of life in an elegiac and slow pace with a beautiful cinematography. Special Mention: Sabaku By Marlies van der Wel, The Netherlands 2016 This very short film tells with simple but very efficient use of extremely skilled artistic animation technique the story of a bird that goes around the world to find a new friend. The jury was blown away by its pace and incredible joy of the filmmaker to entertain her audience.
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Berlinale 2017: INSYRIATED and I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO Win Audience Awards
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Insyriated[/caption]
The audience at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival has cast its votes, and the Panorama Audience Awards go to Insyriated by Philipp Van Leeuw for best fiction film and I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck for best documentary.
Insyriated is a tautly-constructed chamber drama about trying to live a normal life in a war zone. It is the second film starring Hiam Abbass that has won the Panorama Audience Award (she also played the lead in Eran Riklis’s Lemon Tree in 2008).
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I Am Not Your Negro[/caption]
Raoul Peck’s filmic essay I Am Not Your Negro about James Baldwin and his three assassinated friends – civil rights activists Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X – has also been nominated for an Academy Award as Best Documentary Feature.
The Panorama Audience Award has been given since 1999. Since 2011, not only the best fiction film but also the best documentary film have received awards. During the festival, moviegoers are asked to rate the films shown in Panorama on voting cards after the screenings. In 2017 a total of 29,000 votes were cast and counted.
This year Panorama presented 50 feature-length films from 43 countries, of which 21 screened in the Panorama Dokumente series.
Panorama Audience Award Winner Fiction Film 2017
Insyriated
Belgium / France / Lebanon 2017
By Philippe Van Leeuw
2nd place Panorama Audience Award Fiction Film 2017
Close-Knit (Karera ga Honki de Amu toki wa)
Japan 2017
By Naoko Ogigami
3rd place Panorama Audience Award Fiction Film 2017
1945
Hungary 2017
By Ferenc Török
Panorama Audience Award Winner Panorama Dokumente 2017
I Am Not Your Negro
France / USA / Belgium / Switzerland 2016
By Raoul Peck
2nd place Panorama Audience Award Panorama Dokumente 2017
Chavela
USA 2017
By Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi
3rd place Panorama Audience Award Panorama Dokumente 2017
Ghost Hunting (Istiyad Ashbah)
France / Palestine / Switzerland / Qatar 2017
By Raed Andoni
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Berlinale 2017: Kompagnon Fellowships Go to Nora Fingscheidt, Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser
The Kompagnon Fellowships and stipends of EUR 5,000 were awarded for the first time at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival to System Crasher (Systemsprenger) by Nora Fingscheidt, and Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser.
With the Kompagnon Fellowships, Berlinale Talents and Perspektive Deutsches Kino have joined forces to support talented directors and screenwriters residing in Germany. The initiative does not, however, merely intend to further concrete film projects. In addition to strengthening the artists’ signatures, the mentoring program will provide the winners with professional coaching and a chance to network with the industry.
The jury commented on Systemsprenger (System Crasher) by Nora Fingscheidt, “Nora Fingscheidt’s Systemsprenger (System Crasher) outlines the story of nine-year-old Benni, a problem child whose mother, unable to cope, hands her over to the authorities. But Benni proves resistant to all corrective measures – that is, until social worker Micha decides to risk establishing a personal relationship with the child and in doing so crosses a line.
A disquieting, sensitive, and very well researched portrayal of our educational system and a poignant humanistic plea for those labelled difficult, non-conformist, or dysfunctional.
Nora Fingscheidt refrains from providing answers, but instead lets the questions she has raised resound in space. Systemsprenger touched our hearts and lastingly affected our thinking.”
In its statement on Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser, the jury commented, “Der grüne Wellensittich plays in Belarus and recounts the story of 34-year-old Mischa. At night he works as an autopsy assistant, during the day he paints corpses in oils. Mischa gets to know 17-year-old Anna, whose suicide attempt made it possible for them to meet in the first place. For both of them, loneliness has led to an obsession with death – yet out of this situation, authors Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser unleash the most beautiful forms of feeling alive: creativity and love.
This fiction film treatment has realistic protagonists, in particular Mischa, who is supposed to play himself. Interweaving documentary principles and staged components, this experimental hybrid exploration promises to produce an extraordinary film in both form and content. This is all the more so because the authors never seem to judge or interpret – neither the people, nor the world in which they are trying to define themselves. Instead they observe and let spaces emerge that are driven by compelling images and characters, and not by authorial narrative intentions.
When a radical trust in one’s material is stronger than all fears of rejection, then it becomes possible for unforgettable films with a heartbeat to evolve. Der grüne Wellensittich has this potential.”
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Berlinale 2017: Adrian Goiginger’s THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS Wins Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film
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The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption]
Awarded for the first time this year and endowed with EUR 5,000, The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger is the winner of the 2017 Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The jury members watched the 14 films in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino section, and after debating passionately, they picked their favorite – The Best of All Worlds. The jury commented, “The film is the story of seven-year-old Adrian, who lives in 1990s Salzburg with a heroin-addicted, but loving mother and her friends. His life is like an adventure playground – until both child services and the brutal reality of drug addiction threaten to destroy his world.”
Director Adrian Goiginger’s film is based on his own childhood and is a disturbingly realistic portrayal of the seemingly hopeless battle between maternal love and addiction. Goiginger leaves open to interpretation whether it is the drug itself, or society’s way of dealing with it, that presents a greater threat to the child protagonist.
With his sensitive direction of a brilliant ensemble cast, the film is touching without becoming kitschy; the unpretentious cinematography gets under your skin without being voyeuristic.
The jury also spontaneously awarded a “special jury prize” to Final Stage directed by Nicolaas Schmidt. The jury commented, “Final Stage by Nicolaas Schmidt is an experiment in essayistic montage set in an urban consumer space. It comprises three sequences – separation, pain and reunion. The film turns cinema into an interactive space, in which the audience’s associations become the narrative. With this prize, we want to encourage young filmmakers to take structural-technical risks.”
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Berlinale 2017: BUTTERFLY KISSES and SCHOOL NUMBER 3 Win Top Generation 14plus Awards
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Butterfly Kisses[/caption]
Butterfly Kisses by Rafael Kapelinski, of the United Kingdom is the winner of the Crystal Bear for the Best Film by the Youth Jury Generation 14plus at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival. The Generation 14plus International Jury awarded the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus for the Best Film to School Number 3 (Shkola nomer 3) by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux.
Crystal Bears and the Awards by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education) in Generation 14plus
Youth Jury Generation 14plus Awards:
Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Butterfly Kisses By Rafael Kapelinski, 2017, United Kingdom Propelled by the rhythm of its powerful soundtrack and imagery, this film awakens a terrifying suspicion in the viewer. Without resorting to simple accusations of guilt, it confronts us with an explosive issue which our society has so far been unable to resolve. The finely differentiated characterizations inspire profound empathy for the protagonists in the situations they face. From the kaleidoscopic opening sequence onwards, we are captivated by the haunting intensity of this electrifying feature film debut. Special Mention: Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves (Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau) By Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie, 2016, Canada With epic aspirations, this film is an accurate portrayal of destructive group dynamics. With brutal honesty, it gradually unleashes its hypnotic potential as the narrative unfolds. Contemporary footage, fictional life stories and performances fuse together to create a disturbing yet rousing cinematic work. Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Wolfe By Claire Randall, 2016, Australia By means of its authentic narrative and tactful approach to a sensitive subject, this documentary manages to demystify a taboo without sentimentality or judgment. With impressive honesty and intimacy, the protagonist discloses his experiences of psychological illness, accompanied by lovingly animated memory sequences. We thank the filmmaker for this factually informative and deeply moving work. Special Mention Short Film: SNIP By Terril Calder, 2016, Canada This film takes the viewer on a journey into a painful chapter of a country’s history. The synthesis of diverse animation styles provides for a compelling and emotionally direct exploration of this often neglected subject. We would like to thank the director for this unconventional approach to opening our generation’s eyes to the past as we head towards the future.Generation 14plus International Jury Awards:
The Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with € 7,500 by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education): School Number 3 (Shkola nomer 3)
By Yelizaveta Smith, Georg Genoux, 2016, Ukraine / Germany
We give the Grand Prix to a film that unpacked itself slowly involving the audience through details and personal account from the perspective of its protagonists, delivering with a range of tenderness, trauma, and even banality and humor. It has a sensitive approach and is direct in form without discourse or presumption. We admire the collaboration between director, cinematographer and protagonists and how they built a space of trust. This film doesn’t let the narrative of war take over the emotional world of its young characters, who allowed us to connect with the most precious and intimate details of their lives.
Special Mention: Ben The Foolish Bird (Niao)
By Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka, 2017, People’s Republic of China
Our special mention goes to a film that haunted us with its mystery and how it speaks about human relationships that pave their way through detached modern tools of communications. What sets this film apart are the well planned ellipses and the remarkable performance of the young actress, Yao Honggui from China.
Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with € 2,500 by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education): The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do
By Juanita Onzaga , 2016, Belgium / Colombia
We give the special price for best short to a film that has a hybrid approach to the autobiographical. A film that hovers between the past and the present and yet has an intuitive way of showing us a character who couldn’t be closer to the filmmaker herself.
Special Mention: U Plavetnilo (Into the Blue)
By Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, 2017, Croatia / Slovenia / Sweden
Special mention goes to a film which reveals the complexities of adolescence, when its four characters must confront their expectations and desires against a dramatic seaside landscape.
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Documentary INVISIBLE WOMEN: BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN CORPORATE AMERICA to Screen at Hollywood Black Film Festival | TRAILER
The documentary Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America directed by Melody Shere’a will screen at the 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF). The film which is executive produced by her talented sibling Monica Simmons, is the result of a year-long research study interviewing professional black women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City.
Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affects black women in the corporate workplace. In the film, several women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and compete against women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder.
The film will screen at the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Thursday, February 23rd at 2:15 p.m., hosted at the AMC Theater Marketplace 6 in Marina del Rey, CA.
“For the production of Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job,” said Shere’a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. “In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYztEMOuQ4Y
According to Simmons, “Black women continue to experience racism on the job. We must be open to talking about this distressing issue to move toward a resolution. Obstacles that my sister and I have faced working in Corporate America were the inspiration behind Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. Our film is meant to drive a movement for change in the workplace, especially the technology industry. ”
“No longer should we be silenced. We need to speak up and call it what it is,” commented Shere’a. Unlike “Hidden Figures,” we are no longer in the 1950’s-60’s era. This racial discrimination against smart, educated, and powerful black women is unacceptable. We deserve a seat at the table, and we are demanding our place to exist, no longer will we continue to remain Invisible Women.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUthH1rGhc&t=9s
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Jamie Patterson’s Alien Home Invasion Thriller, CAUGHT, to World Premiere at Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival
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Caught[/caption]
Jamie Patterson’s (Fractured, City of Dreamers) alien home invasion thriller, Caught, will world premiere as an official selection in the Fantasy Films program at the Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival.
Caught stars Mickey Sumner (Frances Ha, End of the Tour, The Mend), April Pearson (Skins. Tormented, Age of Kill) Cian Barry (Dr. Foster, Nina Forever), Ruben Crow (Doctors, Austenland), David Mounfield (This is Jinsy), and newcomers Aaron Davis and baby Regan Brown.
While on an afternoon walk with their children, two small town reporters notice the military camped on a hilltop. Debating the possible significance of this activity, they answer their door when two unusual strangers come knocking and find themselves held hostage in their own home.
“Very excited to have our world premiere of Caught at Fantasporto. This is a different kind of horror film. Inspired by films of the 70’s, I wanted a gritty, raw feel to the story because there’s nothing glossy about horror. This is my idea of alien art house,” said Director Jamie Patterson.