A Syrian Love Story[/caption]
Toronto’s 14th annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival, presented by TIFF and Human Rights Watch, will feature an eight-film lineup that galvanizes an impassioned call for social change through extraordinary stories of struggle, survival and hope. Showcasing brave cinematic works at the forefront of the human rights movement, the festival presents documentary feature films from Afghanistan, Canada, China, Egypt, France, the United States, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Syria, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Running from March 29 to April 6 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the festival kicks off with an opening night fundraising reception followed by a screening of A Syrian Love Story — a documentary that dives into the refugee experience through the telling of a love story between a Palestinian freedom fighter and a Syrian revolutionary who met as political prisoners — and closes with Nick de Pencier’s Black Code, which follows cyber stewards who travel the world to expose unprecedented levels of global digital espionage. Additional highlights include the Toronto premiere of Tickling Giants, which follows a popular television show host who has been dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” and Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice, an epic documentary chronicle of a legal battle waged against the injustices inflicted on Indigenous children in Canada.
Complete film lineup
Opening Night Film.
A Syrian Love Story
dir. Sean McAllister | UK/France/Lebanon/Syria 2015 | 76 min. | 14A
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2015
Comrades and lovers Amer and Raghda met in a Syrian prison cell 15 years ago. When director Sean McAllister first meets their family in 2009, Raghda is back in prison, leaving Amer to look after their four boys alone; but as the Arab Spring sweeps the region, the family’s fate shifts irrevocably. Filmed over five years, the film charts their incredible odyssey to political freedom. For Raghda and Amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair: for the revolution, their homeland and each other.
Wednesday, March 29 at 8 p.m.
Complicit
dirs. Heather White and Lynn Zhang
China/Hong Kong/USA/Netherlands 2017 | 88 min. | PG | North American Premiere
A courageous factory worker struggling with leukemia helps a group of young Chinese workers who have also been poisoned while making our favourite cell phones and electronic gadgets. Filmed over four years, this lushly photographed film takes the audience on an 8,000-mile journey to the world’s electronics factory floors and the neighbourhoods and hospitals surrounding the world’s largest electronics supplier, Foxconn. Complicit reveals the human costs of global outsourcing while highlighting the choices made by a group of inspired activists seeking change. Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Nowhere to Hide
dir. Zaradasht Ahmed | Norway/Sweden 2016 | 86 min. | 14A | Canadian Premiere
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016
Nowhere to Hide follows male nurse Nori Sharif through five years of dramatic change, providing unique access into one of the world’s most dangerous and inaccessible areas: the “triangle of death” in central Iraq. Initially filming stories of survivors as American and Coalition troops retreat from Iraq in 2011, conflicts continue with Iraqi militias, and the population flees accompanied by most of the hospital staff; Nori is one of the few who remains. When ISIS advances on Jalawla in 2014 and takes over the city, he too must flee with his family at a moment’s notice, and turns the camera on himself.
PRECEDED BY:
Fantassút / Rain on the Borders
dir. Federica Foglia | Canada 2016 | 16 min. | 14A
Over 11,000 refugees from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries lived for months in dismal conditions hoping for the borders to open, and to continue their journey through the Balkan route. Friday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Tickling Giants
dir. Sara Tacksler | Egypt 2016 | 111 min. | 14A | Toronto Premiere
In the midst of the Egyptian Arab Spring, Bassem Youssef makes a decision that’s every mother’s worst nightmare: he leaves his job as a heart surgeon to become a full-time comedian. Dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” Bassem creates the most-viewed television program in the Middle East: he has 30 million viewers per episode, compared to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s 2 million. In a country where free speech is not settled law, Bassem comes up with creative ways to non-violently challenge abuses of power. He endures physical threats, protests and legal action, all because of jokes. No unicorns or falafel were harmed in the making of this film. Saturday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Sara Tacksler.
We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice
dir. Alanis Obomsawin | Canada 2016 | 163 min. | PG
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
In 2007, the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations filed a landmark discrimination complaint against Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada. They argued that child and family welfare services provided to First Nations children on reserves and in Yukon were underfunded and inferior to services offered to other Canadian children. Veteran director Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice documents this epic court challenge, giving voice to the tenacious childcare workers at its epicenter. Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.
Girl Unbound: The War to be Her
dir. Erin Heidenreich | Afghanistan 2016 | 80 min. | PG
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
In Waziristan, “one of the most dangerous places on earth,” Maria Toorpakai defies the Taliban by disguising herself as a boy so she can play sports freely. But when she becomes a rising star, her true identity is revealed, bringing death threats on her and her family. Undeterred, they continue to fight for their freedom. Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m.
No Dress Code Required
dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez | Mexico 2016 | 92 min. | PG | Canadian Premiere
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016
Victor and Fernando are stylists in Mexicali, Mexico who are the go-to professionals for the city’s socialites. To their customers, they were a lovely couple — until they decided to legally marry. Losing the support of customers and friends and confronting a backlash of criticism, through their fight they woke up members of Mexicali’s society to fight homophobia and inequality. Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.
Introduction by Kyle Knight, Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program, Human Rights Watch.
Closing Night Film.
Black Code
dir. Nick de Pencier | Canada 2015 | 90 min.
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
Based on the book by Prof. Ron Deibert, Black Code is the story of how the internet is being controlled and manipulated by governments in order to censor and monitor their citizens. As they battle for control of cyberspace, ideas of citizenship, privacy and democracy are challenged to the core. Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Nicholas De Pencier, with guest speaker Prof. Ron Deibert.A Syrian Love Story
-
Toronto’s 14th Human Rights Watch Film Festival Unveils Lineup, Opening with A SYRIAN LOVE STORY
[caption id="attachment_21041" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] A Syrian Love Story[/caption]
Toronto’s 14th annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival, presented by TIFF and Human Rights Watch, will feature an eight-film lineup that galvanizes an impassioned call for social change through extraordinary stories of struggle, survival and hope. Showcasing brave cinematic works at the forefront of the human rights movement, the festival presents documentary feature films from Afghanistan, Canada, China, Egypt, France, the United States, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Syria, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Running from March 29 to April 6 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the festival kicks off with an opening night fundraising reception followed by a screening of A Syrian Love Story — a documentary that dives into the refugee experience through the telling of a love story between a Palestinian freedom fighter and a Syrian revolutionary who met as political prisoners — and closes with Nick de Pencier’s Black Code, which follows cyber stewards who travel the world to expose unprecedented levels of global digital espionage. Additional highlights include the Toronto premiere of Tickling Giants, which follows a popular television show host who has been dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” and Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice, an epic documentary chronicle of a legal battle waged against the injustices inflicted on Indigenous children in Canada.
Complete film lineup
Opening Night Film.
A Syrian Love Story
dir. Sean McAllister | UK/France/Lebanon/Syria 2015 | 76 min. | 14A
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2015
Comrades and lovers Amer and Raghda met in a Syrian prison cell 15 years ago. When director Sean McAllister first meets their family in 2009, Raghda is back in prison, leaving Amer to look after their four boys alone; but as the Arab Spring sweeps the region, the family’s fate shifts irrevocably. Filmed over five years, the film charts their incredible odyssey to political freedom. For Raghda and Amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair: for the revolution, their homeland and each other.
Wednesday, March 29 at 8 p.m.
Complicit
dirs. Heather White and Lynn Zhang
China/Hong Kong/USA/Netherlands 2017 | 88 min. | PG | North American Premiere
A courageous factory worker struggling with leukemia helps a group of young Chinese workers who have also been poisoned while making our favourite cell phones and electronic gadgets. Filmed over four years, this lushly photographed film takes the audience on an 8,000-mile journey to the world’s electronics factory floors and the neighbourhoods and hospitals surrounding the world’s largest electronics supplier, Foxconn. Complicit reveals the human costs of global outsourcing while highlighting the choices made by a group of inspired activists seeking change. Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Nowhere to Hide
dir. Zaradasht Ahmed | Norway/Sweden 2016 | 86 min. | 14A | Canadian Premiere
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016
Nowhere to Hide follows male nurse Nori Sharif through five years of dramatic change, providing unique access into one of the world’s most dangerous and inaccessible areas: the “triangle of death” in central Iraq. Initially filming stories of survivors as American and Coalition troops retreat from Iraq in 2011, conflicts continue with Iraqi militias, and the population flees accompanied by most of the hospital staff; Nori is one of the few who remains. When ISIS advances on Jalawla in 2014 and takes over the city, he too must flee with his family at a moment’s notice, and turns the camera on himself.
PRECEDED BY:
Fantassút / Rain on the Borders
dir. Federica Foglia | Canada 2016 | 16 min. | 14A
Over 11,000 refugees from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries lived for months in dismal conditions hoping for the borders to open, and to continue their journey through the Balkan route. Friday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Tickling Giants
dir. Sara Tacksler | Egypt 2016 | 111 min. | 14A | Toronto Premiere
In the midst of the Egyptian Arab Spring, Bassem Youssef makes a decision that’s every mother’s worst nightmare: he leaves his job as a heart surgeon to become a full-time comedian. Dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” Bassem creates the most-viewed television program in the Middle East: he has 30 million viewers per episode, compared to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s 2 million. In a country where free speech is not settled law, Bassem comes up with creative ways to non-violently challenge abuses of power. He endures physical threats, protests and legal action, all because of jokes. No unicorns or falafel were harmed in the making of this film. Saturday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Sara Tacksler.
We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice
dir. Alanis Obomsawin | Canada 2016 | 163 min. | PG
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
In 2007, the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations filed a landmark discrimination complaint against Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada. They argued that child and family welfare services provided to First Nations children on reserves and in Yukon were underfunded and inferior to services offered to other Canadian children. Veteran director Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice documents this epic court challenge, giving voice to the tenacious childcare workers at its epicenter. Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.
Girl Unbound: The War to be Her
dir. Erin Heidenreich | Afghanistan 2016 | 80 min. | PG
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
In Waziristan, “one of the most dangerous places on earth,” Maria Toorpakai defies the Taliban by disguising herself as a boy so she can play sports freely. But when she becomes a rising star, her true identity is revealed, bringing death threats on her and her family. Undeterred, they continue to fight for their freedom. Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m.
No Dress Code Required
dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez | Mexico 2016 | 92 min. | PG | Canadian Premiere
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016
Victor and Fernando are stylists in Mexicali, Mexico who are the go-to professionals for the city’s socialites. To their customers, they were a lovely couple — until they decided to legally marry. Losing the support of customers and friends and confronting a backlash of criticism, through their fight they woke up members of Mexicali’s society to fight homophobia and inequality. Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.
Introduction by Kyle Knight, Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program, Human Rights Watch.
Closing Night Film.
Black Code
dir. Nick de Pencier | Canada 2015 | 90 min.
Toronto International Film Festival 2016
Based on the book by Prof. Ron Deibert, Black Code is the story of how the internet is being controlled and manipulated by governments in order to censor and monitor their citizens. As they battle for control of cyberspace, ideas of citizenship, privacy and democracy are challenged to the core. Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.
Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Nicholas De Pencier, with guest speaker Prof. Ron Deibert.
-
‘Carol’ Leads Nominations for BAFTA Awards
Carol along with Bridge of Spies lead the nominations for the 2016 BAFTA Awards with nine nominations. Carol is nominated for Best Film, Director for Todd Haynes, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair. Cate Blanchett is nominated for Leading Actress and Rooney Mara is nominated for Supporting Actress.
Other indie films with multiple nods include Brooklyn was nominated six times, and The Danish Girl and Ex Machina receive five nominations.
Brooklyn is nominated for Outstanding British Film, Adapted Screenplay, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair, with two further nominations for Saoirse Ronan in Leading Actress and Julie Walters in Supporting Actress.
The Danish Girl is nominated for Outstanding British Film, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair, with Leading Actor and Leading Actress nominations for Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander respectively.
Ex Machina is nominated for Outstanding British Film and Special Visual Effects, with nominations for Alex Garland in Original Screenplay and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. Alicia Vikander receives a further nomination for Supporting Actress.
Amy receives nominations for Outstanding British Film and Documentary, along with Cartel Land, He Named Me Malala, Listen to Me Marlon and Sherpa.
Theeb is nominated for Film Not in the English Language and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for Naji Abu Nowar (Writer/Director) and Rupert Lloyd (Producer). Also nominated for Film Not in the English Language are The Assassin, Force Majeure, Timbuktu and Wild Tales.
The British Short Animation nominees are Edmond, Manoman and Prologue. The five nominations for British Short Film are Elephant, Mining Poems or Odes, Operator, Over and Samuel-613.
The nominees for the EE Rising Star Award are Bel Powley, Brie Larson, Dakota Johnson, John Boyega and Taron Egerton.
The EE British Academy Film Awards take place on Sunday 14 February at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. The ceremony will be hosted by Stephen Fry.
The complete list of nominations for 2016 BAFTA Awards
Film | Outstanding British Film in 2016
The Danish Girl; Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anne Harrison, Gail Mutrux, Lucinda Coxon
Brooklyn; John Crowley, Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Nick Hornby
Ex Machina; Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
Amy; Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees
45 Years; Andrew Haigh, Tristan Goligher
The Lobster; Yorgos Lanthimos, Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthimis Filippou
Film | Documentary in 2016
Amy; Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees
Listen to Me Marlon; Stevan Riley, John Battsek, George Chignell, R.J. Cutler
He Named Me Malala; Davis Guggenheim, Walter Parkes, Laurie Macdonald
Sherpa; Jennifer Peedom, Bridget Ikin, John Smithson
Cartel Land; Matthew Heineman, Tom Yellin
Film | Film Not in the English Language in 2016
The Assassin; Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Theeb; Naji Abu Nowar, Rupert Lloyd
Force Majeure; Ruben Östlund
Timbuktu; Abderrahmane Sissako
Wild Tales; Damián Szifron
Film | British Short Film in 2016
Elephant; Nick Helm, Alex Moody, Esther Smith
Mining Poems or Odes; Callum Rice, Jack Cocker
Samuel-613; Billy Lumby, Cheyenne Conway
Operator; Caroline Bartleet, Rebecca Morgan
Over; Jörn Threlfall, Jeremy Bannister
Film | Animated Film in 2016
Shaun the Sheep Movie; Mark Burton, Richard Starzak
Minions; Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
Inside Out; Pete Docter
Film | British Short Animation in 2016
Manoman; Simon Cartwright, Kamilla Kristiane Hodol
Prologue; Richard Williams, Imogen Sutton
Edmond; Nina Gantz, Emilie Jouffroy
Film | Director in 2016
Alejandro G. Iñárritu; The Revenant
Adam McKay; The Big Short
Steven Spielberg; Bridge of Spies
Ridley Scott; The Martian
Todd Haynes; Carol
Film | Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer in 2016
Sean Mcallister, Elhum Shakerifar; A Syrian Love Story
Naji Abu Nowar, Rupert Lloyd; Theeb
Debbie Tucker Green; Second Coming
Stephen Fingleton; The Survivalist
Alex Garland; Ex Machina
Film | Adapted Screenplay in 2016
The Big Short; Adam McKay, Charles Randolph
Steve Jobs; Aaron Sorkin
Brooklyn; Nick Hornby
Carol; Phyllis Nagy
Room; Emma Donoghue
Film | Original Screenplay in 2016
Inside Out; Josh Cooley, Pete Docter, Meg Lefauve
The Hateful Eight; Quentin Tarantino
Ex Machina; Alex Garland
Bridge of Spies; Matthew Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Spotlight; Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer
Film | Leading Actor in 2016
Leonardo DiCaprio; The Revenant
Eddie Redmayne; The Danish Girl
Michael Fassbender; Steve Jobs
Matt Damon; The Martian
Bryan Cranston; Trumbo
Film | Leading Actress in 2016
Maggie Smith; The Lady in the Van
Alicia Vikander; The Danish Girl
Cate Blanchett; Carol
Brie Larson; Room
Saoirse Ronan; Brooklyn
Film | Supporting Actor in 2016
Idris Elba; Beasts of No Nation
Christian Bale; The Big Short
Mark Rylance; Bridge of Spies
Benicio del Toro; Sicario
Mark Ruffalo; Spotlight
Film | Supporting Actress in 2016
Jennifer Jason Leigh; The Hateful Eight
Alicia Vikander; Ex Machina
Julie Walters; Brooklyn
Kate Winslet; Steve Jobs
Rooney Mara; Carol
Film | EE Rising Star in 2016
Taron Egerton
John Boyega
Dakota Johnson
Brie Larson
Bel Powley
Film | Make-Up And Hair in 2016
Brooklyn; Morna Ferguson, Lorraine Glynn
Carol; Jerry Decarlo, Patricia Regan
The Revenant; Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Robert Pandini
Mad Max: Fury Road; Lesley Vanderwalt, Damian Martin
The Danish Girl; Jan Sewell
Film | Original Music in 2016
The Hateful Eight; Ennio Morricone
Bridge of Spies; Thomas Newman
The Revenant; Ryuichi Sakamoto, Carsten Nicolai
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; John Williams
Sicario; Jóhann Jóhannsson
Film | Cinematography in 2016
Mad Max: Fury Road; John Seale
The Revenant; Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario; Roger Deakins
Carol; Ed Lachman
Bridge of Spies; Janusz Kaminski
Film | Production Design in 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Rick Carter, Darren Gilford, Lee Sandales
Bridge of Spies; Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo
Mad Max: Fury Road; Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson
The Martian; Arthur Max, Celia Bobak
Carol; Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Film | Editing in 2016
The Big Short; Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road; Margaret Sixel
Bridge of Spies; Michael Kahn
The Revenant; Stephen Mirrione
The Martian; Pietro Scalia
Film | Sound in 2016
The Revenant; Lon Bender, Chris Duesterdiek, Martin Hernandez, Frank A. Montaño, Jon Taylor, Randy Thom
Mad Max: Fury Road; Scott Hecker, Chris Jenkins, Mark Mangini, Ben Osmo, Gregg Rudloff, David White
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Matthew Wood, Stuart Wilson
Bridge of Spies; Drew Kunin, Richard Hymns, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom
The Martian; Paul Massey, Mac Ruth, Oliver Tarney, Mark Taylor
Film | Special Visual Effects in 2016
Ant-Man; Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, Alex Wuttke
Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan
Mad Max: Fury Road; Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Tom Wood, Andy Williams
The Martian; Chris Lawrence, Tim Ledbury, Richard Stammers, Steven Warner
Ex Machina; Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst
-
‘Carol’ ’45 Years’ Lead Nominations for London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
Todd Haynes’ romantic drama Carol lead the 36th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards with seven nominations including Film of the Year and both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara competing for Actress of the Year. Close behind in the race for the awards, which are voted on by 140 members of The Critics‘ Circle Film Section, is Andrew Haigh’s marital study 45 Years, with six nominations.
Unusually, two films received three nominations each: Asif Kapadia’s Amy is nominated for Film, Documentary and British Film, while Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Look of Silence is up for Film, Documentary and Foreign-Language Film.
The full list of nominees for the 36th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards:
FILM OF THE YEAR
45 Years
Amy
Carol
Inside Out
The Look of Silence
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR
45 Years
Amy
Brooklyn
The Lobster
London Road
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Eden
Hard to Be a God
The Look of Silence
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The Tribe
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Amy
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
The Look of Silence
Palio
A Syrian Love Story
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Tom Courtenay – 45 Years
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Tom Hardy – Legend
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Rooney Mara – Carol
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Benicio Del Toro – Sicario
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina
Michael Keaton – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman – The Lobster
Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria
Tilda Swinton – Trainwreck
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Andrew Haigh – 45 Years
Todd Haynes – Carol
Alejandro G Iñárritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott – The Martian
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Emma Donoghue – Room
Nick Hornby – Brooklyn
Phyllis Nagy – Carol
Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs
BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Michael Caine – Kingsman: The Secret Service, Youth
Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation, Second Coming
Colin Farrell – The Lobster, Miss Julie
Michael Fassbender – Macbeth Slow West, Steve Jobs,
Tom Hardy – Legend, London Roa, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenantd
BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Emily Blunt – Sicario
Carey Mulligan – Far From the Madding Crowd, Suffragette
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years, The Forbidden Room
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn, Lost River
Kate Winslet – The Dressmaker, A Little Chaos, Steve Jobs
YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER
Asa Butterfield – X + Y
Milo Parker – Mr Holmes, Robot Overlords
Florence Pugh – The Falling
Liam Walpole – The Goob
Maisie Williams – The Falling
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER
Tom Browne – Radiator
Mark Burton & Richard Starzak – Shaun the Sheep Movie
Emma Donoghue – Room
Alex Garland – Ex Machina
John Maclean – Slow West
BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM
Directed by Tweedie – dir Duncan Cowles
Leidi – dir Simon Mesa Soto
Over – dir Jorn Threlfall
Rate Me – dir Fyzal Boulifa
Stutterer – dir Benjamin Cleary
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Carter Burwell, music – Carol
Wade Eastwood, stunts – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Colin Gibson, production design – Mad Max: Fury Road
Elliott Graham, editing – Steve Jobs
Edward Lachman, cinematography – Carol
Tom Ozanich, sound design – Sicario
Sandy Powell, costumes – Cinderella
John Seale, cinematography – Mad Max: Fury Road
Alistair Sirkett and Markus Stemler, sound design – Macbeth
Andrew Whitehurst, visual effects – Ex Machina
-
YOUTH, THE LOBSTER Leads Nominations for 28th European Film Awards
Youth directed by Paolo Sorrentino, lead the nominations for the 28th European Film Awards with 6 nominations, including Best European Film 2015, European Director for Paolo Sorrentino , European Actress for Rachel Weisz, European Actor for Michael Caine, European Screenwriter for Paolo Sorrentino.
Starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine as Fred and Academy Award nominee Harvey Keitel as Mick, Paolo Sorrentino’s YOUTH explores the lifelong bond between two friends vacationing in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of his loving daughter Lena (Academy Award Winner Rachel Weisz), Mick is intent on finishing the screenplay for what may be his last important film for his muse Brenda (Academy Award winner Jane Fonda). And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy (Paul Dano), an actor grasping to make sense of his next performance? Set against a sprawling landscape of unforgettable sights and intoxicating music, YOUTH asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time – even late — in life. Fox Searchlight will release the film on December 4, 2015.
Other films with multiple nominations, include The Lobster directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, with 4 nods, including Best European Film 2015, European Director for Yorgos Lanthimos, European Actor for Colin Farrell and European Screenwriter for Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou.
In the very near future, society demands that we live as couples. Single people are rounded up and sent to a seaside compound—part resort and part minimum-security prison—where they are given a finite number of days to find a match. If they don’t succeed, they will be “altered” and turned into an animal. The recently divorced David (Colin Farrell) arrives at The Hotel with his brother, now a dog; in the event of failure, David has chosen to become a lobster… because they live so long. When David falls in love, he’s up against a new set of rules established by another, rebellious order: for romantics, there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Welcome to the latest dark, dark comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth), creator of absurdist societies not so very different from our own. With Léa Seydoux as the leader of the Loners, Rachel Weisz as David’s true love, John C. Reilly, and Ben Whishaw. An Alchemy release.
EUROPEAN FILM 2015
A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE
EN DUVA SATT PÅ EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PÅ TILLVARON
Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, 96 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Roy Andersson
PRODUCED BY: Pernilla Sandström
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pna4laaAk
MUSTANG
France, Germany, Turkey, 100 min.
DIRECTED BY: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
WRITTEN BY: Deniz Gamze Ergüven & Alice Winocour
PRODUCED BY: Charles Gillibert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU9JAN8LtIk
RAMS
HRÚTAR
Iceland, Denmark, 93 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Grímur Hákonarson
PRODUCED BY: Grímar Jónsson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOFWaltGRw
THE LOBSTER
UK, Ireland, Greece, France, Netherlands, 118 min.
DIRECTED BY: Yorgos Lanthimos
WRITTEN BY: Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou
PRODUCED BY: Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Ceci Dempsey & Yorgos Lanthimos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z069ldsumxA
VICTORIA
Germany, 138 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Sebastian Schipper
PRODUCED BY: Jan Dressler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp8wcV3GjW0
YOUTH
YOUTH – LA GIOVINEZZA
Italy, France, UK, Switzerland, 118 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Paolo Sorrentino
PRODUCED BY: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima & Carlotta Calori
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNxQ8Wzr2I
EUROPEAN COMEDY 2015
A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE
EN DUVA SATT PÅ EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PÅ TILLVARON
Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, 96 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Roy Andersson
PRODUCED BY: Pernilla Sandström
THE BÉLIER FAMILY
LA FAMILLE BELIER
France, 106 min.
DIRECTED BY: Eric Lartigau
WRITTEN BY: Eric Lartigau, Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carre de Malberg & Thomas Bidegain
PRODUCED BY: Eric Jehelmann, Philippe Rousselet & Stéphane Celerier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9p0qnj4OC4
THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT
LE TOUT NOUVEAU TESTAMENT
Belgium, France, Luxembourg, 114 min.
DIRECTED BY: Jaco Van Dormael
WRITTEN BY: Jaco Van Dormael & Thomas Gunzig
PRODUCED BY: Jaco Van Dormael, Olivier Rausin & Daniel Marquet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jEA8uzHwQ
EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY 2015
A SYRIAN LOVE STORY
UK, 76 min.
DIRECTED BY: Sean McAllister
PRODUCED BY: Elhum Shakerifar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30JqnWtLvlU
AMY
UK, 127 min.
DIRECTED BY: Asif Kapadia
PRODUCED BY: James Gay-Rees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE
DANCING WITH MARIA
Italy, Argentina, Slovenia, 75 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Ivan Gergolet
PRODUCED BY: Igor Princic, David Rubio & Miha Cernec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHW5kOLRVP4
THE LOOK OF SILENCE
Denmark, Norway, Indonesia, 99 min.
DIRECTED BY: Joshua Oppenheimer
PRODUCED BY: Signe Byrge Sørensen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp1xT302VcY
TOTO AND HIS SISTERS
TOTO SI SURORILE LUI
Romania, Hungary, 93 min.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Alexander Nanau
PRODUCED BY: Valeriu Nicolae, Hanka Kastelicova, Alexander Nanau, Catalin Mitulescu & Marcian Lazar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXtjJbB1Oh4
EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2015
Roy Andersson for A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE
Yorgos Lanthimos for THE LOBSTER
Nanni Moretti for MY MOTHER
Sebastian Schipper for VICTORIA
Paolo Sorrentino for YOUTH
Małgorzata Szumowska for BODY
EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2015
Margherita Buy in MY MOTHER
Laia Costa in VICTORIA
Charlotte Rampling in 45 YEARS
Alicia Vikander in EX MACHINA
Rachel Weisz in YOUTH
EUROPEAN ACTOR 2015
Michael Caine in YOUTH
Tom Courtenay in 45 YEARS
Colin Farrell in THE LOBSTER
Christian Friedel in 13 MINUTES
Vincent Lindon in THE MEASURE OF A MAN
EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2015
Roy Andersson for A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE
Alex Garland for EX MACHINA
Andrew Haigh for 45 YEARS
Radu Jude & Florin Lazarescu for AFERIM!
Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou for THE LOBSTER
Paolo Sorrentino for YOUTH
-
THE LOBSTER Leads Nominations for 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards
The Lobster topped the list of nominations for the 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards with 7 nominations, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay andProducer of the Year. Colin Farrell is nominated for Best Actor and Olivia Colmanand Ben Whishaw for their supporting roles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_NcqD-Gfs
45 Years and Macbeth received six nominations each, including Best British Independent Film and Best Director. 45 Years also has nominations for its screenplay, for Producer of the Year, and for its stars Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillardare nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress and Macduff, Sean Harris, for Best Supporting Actor. The film’s Cinematography also gets a nod.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqHhKuCQmoY
Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, has five nominations, for Director, Documentary, Producer of the Year, for its Editing and for Best British Independent Film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE
Completing the Best British Independent Film line up is Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, which is nominated for Director and Screenplay. The film’s Production Design and Visual Effects are also recognised.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bggUmgeMCdc
Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne-Marie Duff are all nominated for their performances in Suffragette. Alicia Vikander is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in The Danish Girl. Tom Hardy is nominated (just once) for Best Actor for his performance as both Kray twins in Legend.
Father and son Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson are both nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette and Brooklyn, respectively. Brooklyn’s other nominations come for Nick Hornby’s Screenplay and for Best Actress Saoirse Ronanand Best Supporting Actress Julie Walters. The film’s Casting is also nominated, in the Outstanding Achievement in Craft category.
Amy Jump’s Screenplay for High-Rise, adapted from the novel by JG Ballard, is nominated. The film’s cast are recognised too: Tom Hiddleston is nominated forBest Actor, Sienna Miller for Supporting Actress and Luke Evans for Supporting Actor.
There are five first-time performance nominees this year (Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Tom Hiddleston, Marion Cotillard and Luke Evans) and nine past winners: Tom Hardy, Brendan Gleeson Anne-Marie Duff, Olivia Colman, Michael Fassbender, Helena Bonham Carter, Julie Walters and Ben Whishaw, who was BIFA’s Most Promising Newcomer in 2001.
This year’s Most Promising Newcomers are Agyness Deyn for Sunset Song, Mia Goth for The Survivalist, Abigail Hardingham for Nina Forever, Milo Parker for Mr Holmes and Bel Powley for A Royal Night Out. Nina Forever and The Survivalist are both nominated for The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director for directors The Blaine Brothers and Stephen Fingleton. The other first-time directors nominated are John Maclean for Slow West, Corin Hardy for The Hallow and Paul Katis for Kajaki: The True Story, which is also nominated for Producer of the Year.The Violators is also nominated for Producer of the Year.
Nominated for Best Documentary along with Amy, are Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance, How to Change the World, Palio and A Syrian Love Story.
The nominations for the new Discovery Award, which recognises innovation and vision in lower-budget films, are Aaaaaaaah!, Burn Burn Burn, Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, The Return and Winter.
The Variety Award, which recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK, will be presented to Kate Winslet.
The winners will be announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 6 December at Old Billingsgate.
2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Best British Independent Film sponsored by Moët & Chandon
45 YEARS Tristan Goligher, Andrew Haigh
AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia
EX MACHINA Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Alex Garland
THE LOBSTER Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos
MACBETH Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Laura Hastings-Smith, Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie, Justin Kurzel
Best Director
45 YEARS Andrew Haigh
AMY Asif Kapadia
EX MACHINA Alex Garland
THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos
MACBETH Justin Kurzel
Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh BROOKLYN Nick Hornby EX MACHINA Alex Garland HIGH-RISE Amy Jump THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou
Best Actress sponsored by MAC
MARION COTILLARD Macbeth
CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years
SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn
ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl
Best Actor sponsored by Movado
TOM COURTENAY 45 Years
COLIN FARRELL The Lobster
MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth
TOM HARDY Legend
TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise
Best Supporting Actress
HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette
OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster
ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette
SIENNA MILLER High-Rise
JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor
LUKE EVANS High-Rise
BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette
DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn
SEAN HARRIS Macbeth
BEN WHISHAW The Lobster
Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London Edition
AGYNESS DEYN Sunset Song
MIA GOTH The Survivalist
ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM Nina Forever
MILO PARKER Mr Holmes
BEL POWLEY A Royal Night Out
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) sponsored by 3 Mills Studios
THE HALLOW Corin Hardy
KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY Paul Katis
NINA FOREVER Chris & Ben Blaine
SLOW WEST John Maclean
THE SURVIVALIST Stephen Fingleton
The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance
AAAAAAAAH! Andrew Starke, Steve Oram
BURN BURN BURN Daniel-Konrad Cooper, Tim Phillips, Charlie Covell, Chanya Button
ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING Jeanie Finlay
THE RETURN Oliver Nias
WINTER Tilly Wood, Paula Crickard, Heidi Greensmith
Best Documentary
AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia
DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE Judith Dawson, Louise Osmond
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD Bous De Jong, Al Morrow, Jerry Rothwell
PALIO James Gay-Rees, John Hunt, Cosima Spender
A SYRIAN LOVE STORY Elhum Shakerifar, Sean McAllister
Producer of the Year
TRISTAN GOLIGHER 45 Years
JAMES GAY-REES Amy
PAUL KATIS, ANDREW DE LOTBINIERE Kajaki: The True Story
CECI DEMPSEY, ED GUINEY, YORGOS LANTHIMOS, LEE MAGIDAY The Lobster
DAVID A HUGHES, DAVID MOORES The Violators
Outstanding Achievement in Craft
ADAM ARKAPAW Cinematography – Macbeth
MARK DIGBY Production Design – Ex Machina
CHRIS KING Editing – Amy
FIONA WEIR Casting – Brooklyn
ANDREW WHITEHURST Visual Effects, Ex Machina
Best British Short Film
BALCONY Tom Kimberly, Ali Mansuri, Toby Fell-Holden
CRACK Joseph Taussig, Peter King
EDMOND Emilie Jouffroy, Nina Gantz
LOVE IS BLIND Lizzie Brown, Dan Hodgson
MANoMAN Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, Simon Cartwright
Best International Independent Film
CAROL Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, Christine Vachon, Phyllis Nagy, Todd Haynes
FORCE MAJEURE Erik Hemmendorff, Marie Kjellson, Philippe Bober, Ruben Östlund
GIRLHOOD Bénédicte Couvreur, Céline Sciamma
ROOM Ed Guiney, David Gross, Emma Donoghue, Lenny Abrahamson
SON OF SAUL Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna, Cara Royer, László Nemes
-
Benjamin Barber to Present Film Program at 2015 IDFA Reflecting on Jihad vs. McWorld
The 1995 book Jihad vs. McWorld by American political theorist Benjamin Barber forms the starting point for the special program Benjamin Barber: Jihad vs. McWorld 2015 at the upcoming 2015 IDFA International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. This year a new 20th anniversary edition of the book will be published with the subtitle ‘ISIS on the Internet’.
At IDFA, Benjamin Barber, an internationally renowned political theorist and the author of eighteen books, will present his own selection of documentaries from the IDFA program that engage with many contemporary themes, including global capitalism, terrorism, the politics of fear, refugees, populism and economic inequality.
3 ½ Minutes, Ten Bullets (USA) by Marc Silver
A Syrian Love Story (UK) by Sean McAllister
Among the Believers (Pakistan/USA/India) by Mohammed Ali Naqvi & Hemal Trivedi
At Home in the World (Denmark) by Andreas Koefoed
Cartel Land (USA/Mexico) by Matthew Heineman
Checks and Balances (France/Algeria) by Malek Bensmaïl
The Chinese Mayor (China) by Hao Zhou
The Dybbuk: A Tale of Wandering Souls (Poland/Ukraine/Sweden) by Krzysztof Kopczynski
For Kibera! (Finland) by Kati Juurus
Land Grabbing (Austria) by Kurt Langbein
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (USA) by Alex Gibney
This Is Exile: Diaries of Child Refugees (England) by Mani Y. Benchelah (pictured above)
Ukrainian Sheriffs (Ukraine/Latvia/Germany) by Roman Bondarchuk
We Are Not Alone (Spain) by Pere Joan Ventura
Welcome to Leith (USA) by Christopher K. Walker & Michael Nichols