The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption]
The 2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival (RIFF) wrapped on Sunday and handed out lots of awards to the wining writers, filmmakers, and musicians. The Richmond International Film Festival featured seven days of 150 cutting edge award-winning films from 35 countries – from France to Brazil, Australia to Cuba – plus up to 50 bands, panels, and daily events at various venues across Richmond.
Ayla: The Daughter of War (2017)
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Richmond International Film & Music Festival Announces 2018 Award Winners
[caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption]
The 2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival (RIFF) wrapped on Sunday and handed out lots of awards to the wining writers, filmmakers, and musicians. The Richmond International Film Festival featured seven days of 150 cutting edge award-winning films from 35 countries – from France to Brazil, Australia to Cuba – plus up to 50 bands, panels, and daily events at various venues across Richmond.
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2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival Unveils Lineup of Over 150 Films + Music + Panels
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ABOVE THE DROWNING SEA,[/caption]
The 2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival brings a seven-day fest of more than 150 cutting edge award-winning films, plus up to 50 bands, panels, and daily events at various venues across Richmond, Virginia.
The seventh edition of the festival kicks off Monday, April 23rd with the Opening Night film, NONA. and concludes Sunday, April 29th with the annual Red Carpet Awards where prizes selected by the Grand Jury and audience will be awarded in various categories for all film, music, and writing categories.
NONA is a compelling narrative feature film written and directed by Michael Polish, which stars Kate Bosworth (also the Producer/Executive Producer), Sulem Calderon, and Jesy McKinney. NONA follows the harrowing path of a young Honduran girl from her home in San Pedro Sula, across four countries, into a living hell of servitude in a world of modern day sex slavery. Kate Bosworth and Michael Polish will be in attendance, and Bosworth will receive this year’s esteemed Founder’s Award for her work as a producer on the film. The Founder’s Award is given to the film and filmmaker that captures the heart and spirit of the festival – stories that reveal truths that are often untold or overlooked, and to those artists on the frontlines of creating necessary yet artful dialogue in their work.
Also in the spotlight are BUCKOUT ROAD, a horror thriller directed by Matthew Currie Holmes starring Danny Glover, Henry Czerny, Evan Ross, and Dominque Provost-Chalkey. The feature is a story of how a college class project on the creation and destruction of modern myth turns terrifying when a trio of young people come to realize the many evil urban legends surrounding New York State’s famed Buckout Road may, in fact be real.
ABOVE THE DROWNING SEA, a documentary feature about the dramatic escape of tens of thousands of Jewish refugees’ escape to Shanghai featuring Julianna Margulies, Tony Goldwyn, and Nick Mancuso. The film is directed by Rene Balcer who is also writer, executive producer, and co-creator of Law & Order. Balcer will present the film alongside co-executive producer Carolyn Balcer with an extensive Q&A discussion to follow.
DOUBLE TAKE directed by Jay Gard and a short crime mystery in the vein of HEAT, MEMENTO, and TRUE DETECTIVE. With a swiss-clock style plot, DOUBLE TAKE threads together two diamond heists with multiple twists and an intense interrogation between old enemies. The film stars Adrian Pasdar and David James Elliott.
THE BLACK GHIANDOLA, a narrative short starring J.K. Simmons, Johnny Depp, David Lynch, and Laura Dern. The film is produced by Tamika Lamison and the Make a Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants children suffering with cancer their final wish to make a film. The film and foundation will receive a special honor at the 2018 festival.
DADDY, a documentary short that tells the story of youth basketball coach and drug trafficker, Curtis Malone. In 1993 Curtis founded the DC Assault, an AAU basketball team whose mission was to keep inner city boys off the streets by helping them earn college scholarships, and it included a hundred Division I student athletes and several NBA players. But on August 9th 2013, Curtis’ double life caught up with him. In addition to Curtis, the film includes interviews with the NBA players he raised, the DEA agents who investigated him, and the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted him.
DIMINUENDO, a sci-fi romance starring James Deen, Richard Hatch, Chloe Dykstra, Leah Cairns, Walter Koenig, Bryn Pryor, and more. When asked to direct the biopic of Cello Shea about his actress girlfriend who killed herself a decade ago, the has-been filmmaker Haskell Edwards becomes obsessed with the lifelike robot created to mimic her.
Also in the lineup is PERFECT BID: THE CONTESTANT WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, a feature documentary starring Ted Slauson, Bob Barker, Kevin Pollak, Drew Carey, and Holly Hallstrom. The film details Ted Slauson, a math teacher from Texas who spent the majority of his life memorizing the prize amounts on The Price Is Right. The documentary explores how Ted went from bidding to banned, and was involved in a Perfect Bid scandal that was covered in Esquire, Time Magazine & others. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Ted’s most famous appearance on the show.
AYLA THE DAUGHTER OF WAR, this Turkish feature film set in 1950, is a story about the ravages of the Korean War as Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a a half-frozen little girl, with no parents and no help in sight. Frantic, scared and on the verge of death, this little girl captures the heart of Süleyman, who risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his Army base and out of harms way. Ayla, almost effortlessly, brings an uncanny joy to the Turkish brigade in the grip of war.
THE RIBBON ON THE KITE, a narrative short by filmmaker Gianlorenzo Albertini that features a compelling look at PTSD through the eyes of Daerik, an army veteran who returns to his hometown after being discharged from the military. Now homeless and suffering from severe PTSD, he tries to drown out the painful memories of a mission in Afghanistan where his men were killed. In the meantime, Rebecca, a very young girl, attempts to find her brother who suddenly disappears after the war later finding that the homeless man living on the river bank nearby is her lost brother.
Music Performances
Bands to receive early acceptances to perform at the 2018 festival range from every major music genre and include: Marcaux (Brooklyn, NY), Sparky Quano (Japan), Giant Squids (Washington, D.C.), Zaxai (Brooklyn, NY), Ezra Vancil (Dallas, TX), Mariana Bell (Charlottesville, VA), The Fury MCs (Woodbridge, VA), Gabriel Mayers (Brooklyn, NY), The Jacks (Newport Beach, CA), Friendly Mosquito (Tbilisi), Justin Gambino (Angleton, TX), Tahj Ace (Brooklyn, NY), Lucille Fris (Chicago, IL), Kendra Black (New York, NY). More acts and the full programming schedule to be announced mid-March. Music showcases take place nightly at various venues across Richmond.Additional Festival Honors
In 2018, RIFF celebrates the theme, “RISE.” In conjunction with the theme, the festival will honor some of the film and music industry’s rising female and African American talent through special spotlights and tributes during festival week.
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A TAXI DRIVER Wins Best Picture + Top Awards at Asian World Film Festival
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A Taxi Driver[/caption]
The 3rd Asian World Film Festival came to a close with George Takei’s Allegiance: The Broadway Musical on the Big Screen. A Taxi Driver was the top film of the 2017 Festival, winning the award for Best Picture, along with a Special Mention to actress Kang-ho Song for her performance in the film. The film was also awarded Dr. Kim’s ‘He Can Do She Can Do’ Award.
The AWFF Jury Awards
Snow Leopard Best Picture: A Taxi Driver (Dir: Jang Joon, Republic of Korea) Snow Leopard Best Actor: Actor and director, Aktan Arym Kubat in Centaur, (Kyrgyzstan) Snow Leopard Best Actress: Anoma Janadari in Burning Birds (Dir: Sanjeewa Pushpaumara, Sri Lanka). A Special Mention was given to Kang-ho Song in A Taxi Driver. Snow Leopard Special Jury Award: Mad World (Dir: Wong Chun, Hong Kong). Snow Leopard Audience Award was given to Ayla: The Daughter of War (Dir: Can Ulkay, Turkey). Snow Leopard Best New Director Award was awarded to two winners: Scary Mother Dir: Ana Urushadze (Georgia); and How Victor “The Garlic” Took Alexey “The Stud” To The Nursing Home Dir: Alexander Hant (Russia).Other awards
Dr. Kim’s ‘He Can Do She Can Do’ Award, and cash prize of $10,000 was awarded to A Taxi Driver (Dir: Jang Hoon,Republic of Korea). The Snow Leopard Rising Star Award was presented to Sreymoch Sareum for her role in First They Killed My Father. The film’s director, producer and co-screenwriter Angelina Jolie and co-screenwriter and executive producer, Loung Ong, accepted the award on Sreymoch’s behalf at a special screening of the film . The Spirit Award for Dedication and Passion was given to Vietnamese actress Ha Phuong; and the Murray Weissman Poster Art Award was given to Little Gandhi (Dir: Sam Kadi, Syria; designer: Brian A. Metcalf). Little Gandhi is Syria’s 2017 Foreign Language Film Oscar contender. George Takei was honored with the Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award for his activism work within the LBGTQ community.
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MY FATHER’s WINGS Wins Grand Prix Award at Cape Town International Film Festival
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My Father’s Wings by Kivanç Sezer[/caption]
The 2017 Cape Town International Film Market & Festival announced its winners – with My Father’s Wings by Kivanç Sezer winning the Grand Prix Award, and Catching Feelings by Kagiso Lediga winning the award for Best South African Feature Film.
Over the ten days of the festival, energy of local young filmmakers combined with the enthusiasm from the many local and international experts, professionals and guest speakers, has proven that Cape Town’s film industry is thriving.
Pitching Competition
The winner of this year’s prize worth $20 000 is Nathan Theys, for Ronald. The runner-up prize worth $10,000 awarded to Brett Michael Innes for Callus.South African Short Film –Honorable Mentions
Jaap by Ian Morgan Meticulously crafted, Jaap may start off with stereotypes, but the characters turn out well-rounded in the end. Director Ian Morgan has created a quirky, funny, poignant and endearing road trip movie. Post by Jesse Brown Post is an immersive sensory experience. A short, hand-held camera documentary it paints a portrait of filmmaker Jesse Brown’s grandfather, showing off an intimacy between the two that is both playful and real, yet sublime.Best Short Film
Intergalactic Samurai by Hagar Ben-Asher Well-rounded, polished, emotionally visceral and with an ending to make your hair stand on end, this story of two young Ethiopian girls in Israel will subtly teach you something you didn’t know. The story about identity is universal but will be of relevance to South Africans. The superb performance Hagar Ben-Asher gets out of her two characters immediately grabbed us and left us gasping is Intergalactic Samurai.Best Actor
Pankaj Tripathi as Salim in Mango DreamsBest Actress
Antoinette Louw as Molly Fischer in An Act of DefianceBest Script
Jean van der Velde for An Act of DefianceBest Editing
Mustafa Presheva for Ayla: The Daughter of WarBest Cinematography
Massimo Moschin for The Last ProseccoBest Documentary Film
Hana by Giuseppe Carrieri Giuseppe Carrieri ‘s Hana was selected for its real documented incidents in 4 different countries concerning a human issue, connecting through the pain and the high Film language a well-made story telling documentaryBest LGBT Film
Special Mention Award KA Bodyscapes by Jayan K. Cherian In India homosexuality is criminalized in law, with high levels of persecution and harassment. In this context, KA Bodyscapes is a courageous film. It is a film about working class LGBT people struggling against both homophobia and sexism. Set in Kerala, the film weaves together several narratives that highlight the vulnerabilities of economic marginalization, violence, state harassment, and powerful queer resistance, in the daily realties of women and LGBT people. Best LGBT Film Heartstone by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson This is an extraordinarily crafted film, dealing with the crisis in contemporary masculinity and how a heteronormative structure damages all genders and sexualities. It is a coming of age story of young people that mirrors the harsh and isolated, yet breathtaking, Icelandic fishing village in which it is set. Heartstone is a stunning debut feature with raw, visceral performances, sensitive directing, truthful screenwriting and poetic cinematography.Best South African Feature Film
Catching Feelings by Kagiso Lediga The film is a refreshing film that not only showcases the talent of its writer and director but also introduces the audience to characters and conversations that they will recognize instantly from their own lives. Well executed and vibrant, it is a love letter to Johannesburg and a deserving addition to the canon of South African cinema.Best New Director
Manouj Kadaamh for HorizonBest Director
Visa Koiso-Kantilla- Star BoysGrand Prix Award
Kivanç Sezer for My Father’s Wings
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10 Best Foreign Language Submissions for 2018 Oscars to Compete at Heartland Film Festival
The 26th Heartland Film Festival will debut the inaugural “Foreign Language Best Picture Contender” sidebar featuring 10 films submitted as the respective country’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Academy Awards®. Each selection will play once during Heartland’s 11-day celebration of international independent film.
“Each year, Heartland Film Festival proudly showcases a healthy percentage of foreign language films which are much admired, roundly discussed and debated by our audiences,” said International Film Programmer Hannah Fisher. “We present this year – for the first time – a section of films submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration in the category known as ‘Best Foreign Language Film.‘
“We anticipate this program will grow and evolve in stature, in much the same way that that Heartland Film Festival continues to gain international recognition and prominence. Heartland is thrilled to be among the first North American film festivals to showcase these foreign language contenders,” concluded Fisher.
Set to award more than $100,000 in cash prizes across various categories, the 2017 Heartland Film Festival will bestow a $5,000 cash prize to one of these 10 films, as selected by the Festival’s foreign language contender jury.
Heartland Film Festival “Foreign Language Best Picture Contender” Lineup
“One Thousand Ropes” (2016) Country: New Zealand, Director: Tusi Tamales, Distributor: Transmission Films Synopsis: When a father reconnects with his estranged teenage daughter, he is given a rare chance to reshape the future of his family in unexpected ways. “Ayla: The Daughter of War” (2017) Country: Turkey, Director: Can Ulkay Synopsis: The true story or a little orphaned girl and the soldier who fell in love with her. “Saawan” (2017) Country: Pakistan, Director: Farhan Alam, Distributor: Kalaker Films Synopsis: A handicapped nine-year old boy who lives in a valley in the mountains of Balochistan is rejected by his father, intimidated by society, harassed by friends and left alone due to his disability. Strengthened by memories and dreams of the love of his mother, he begins a perilous journey back to his family in the main city. “White Sun” (2016) Country: Nepal, Director: Deepak Rauniyar, Distributor: Kimstim Films Synopsis: A former Maoist rebel struggles to reintegrate with his unwelcoming community and move beyond a painful past. “Newton” (2017) Country: India, Director: Amit Masurkar Synopsis: A government clerk on election duty in the conflict ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels. “BPM (Beats Per Minute)” (2017) Country: France, Director: Robin Campillo, Distributor: The Orchard Synopsis: In Paris in the early 1990s, a passionate group of activists goes to battle for those stricken with HIV/AIDS, taking on sluggish government agencies and major pharmaceutical companies. “Divine Order” (2017) Country: Switzerland, Director: Petra Volpe, Distributor: Kino Lorber Synopsis: A bucolic alpine village becomes a battleground for social change in 1970 Switzerland. “Reşeba: The Dark Wind” (2016) Country: Iraq, Director: Hussein Hassan Synopsis: Radical Islamist militants attack a village in Iraq where two young Yazidi prepare for marriage. From that moment onwards their lives are turned into a nightmare. “Pomegranate Orchard” (2017) Country: Azerbaijan, Director: Ilgar Najaf, Distributor: Buta Film Synopsis: Gabil returns home to the humble family farmstead, surrounded by an orchard of venerable pomegranate trees; since his sudden departure twelve years ago he was never once in contact. However, the deep emotional scars he left behind cannot be erased from one day to the next. “Thelma” (2017) Country: Norway, Director: Joachim Trier, Distributor: The Orchard Synopsis: A timid young woman leaves her rural home to study in Oslo. She does not understand her unique ability to manipulate her environment.
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92 countries in Competition for Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 90th Academy Awards
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Pop Aye – Kirsten Tan[/caption]
A record 92 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 90th Academy Awards. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants.
The 2017 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “A Letter to the President,” Roya Sadat, director;
Albania, “Daybreak,” Gentian Koçi, director;
Algeria, “Road to Istanbul,” Rachid Bouchareb, director;
Argentina, “Zama,” Lucrecia Martel, director;
Armenia, “Yeva,” Anahit Abad, director;
Australia, “The Space Between,” Ruth Borgobello, director;
Austria, “Happy End,” Michael Haneke, director;
Azerbaijan, “Pomegranate Orchard,” Ilgar Najaf, director;
Bangladesh, “The Cage,” Akram Khan, director;
Belgium, “Racer and the Jailbird,” Michaël R. Roskam, director;
Bolivia, “Dark Skull,” Kiro Russo, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Men Don’t Cry,” Alen Drljević, director;
Brazil, “Bingo – The King of the Mornings,” Daniel Rezende, director;
Bulgaria, “Glory,” Petar Valchanov, Kristina Grozeva, directors;
Cambodia, “First They Killed My Father,” Angelina Jolie, director;
Canada, “Hochelaga, Land of Souls,” François Girard, director;
Chile, “A Fantastic Woman,” Sebastián Lelio, director;
China, “Wolf Warrior 2,” Wu Jing, director;
Colombia, “Guilty Men,” Iván D. Gaona, director;
Costa Rica, “The Sound of Things,” Ariel Escalante, director;
Croatia, “Quit Staring at My Plate,” Hana Jušić, director;
Czech Republic, “Ice Mother,” Bohdan Sláma, director;
Denmark, “You Disappear,” Peter Schønau Fog, director;
Dominican Republic, “Woodpeckers,” Jose Maria Cabral, director;
Ecuador, “Alba,” Ana Cristina Barragán, director;
Egypt, “Sheikh Jackson,” Amr Salama, director;
Estonia, “November,” Rainer Sarnet, director;
Finland, “Tom of Finland,” Dome Karukoski, director;
France, “BPM (Beats Per Minute),” Robin Campillo, director;
Georgia, “Scary Mother,” Ana Urushadze, director;
Germany, “In the Fade,” Fatih Akin, director;
Greece, “Amerika Square,” Yannis Sakaridis, director;
Haiti, “Ayiti Mon Amour,” Guetty Felin, director;
Honduras, “Morazán,” Hispano Durón, director;
Hong Kong, “Mad World,” Wong Chun, director;
Hungary, “On Body and Soul,” Ildikó Enyedi, director;
Iceland, “Under the Tree,” Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson, director;
India, “Newton,” Amit V Masurkar, director;
Indonesia, “Turah,” Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo, director;
Iran, “Breath,” Narges Abyar, director;
Iraq, “Reseba – The Dark Wind,” Hussein Hassan, director;
Ireland, “Song of Granite,” Pat Collins, director;
Israel, “Foxtrot,” Samuel Maoz, director;
Italy, “A Ciambra,” Jonas Carpignano, director;
Japan, “Her Love Boils Bathwater,” Ryota Nakano, director;
Kazakhstan, “The Road to Mother,” Akhan Satayev, director;
Kenya, “Kati Kati,” Mbithi Masya, director;
Kosovo, “Unwanted,” Edon Rizvanolli, director;
Kyrgyzstan, “Centaur,” Aktan Arym Kubat, director;
Lao People’s Democratic Republic, “Dearest Sister,” Mattie Do, director;
Latvia, “The Chronicles of Melanie,” Viestur Kairish, director;
Lebanon, “The Insult,” Ziad Doueiri, director;
Lithuania, “Frost,” Sharunas Bartas, director;
Luxembourg, “Barrage,” Laura Schroeder, director;
Mexico, “Tempestad,” Tatiana Huezo, director;
Mongolia, “The Children of Genghis,” Zolbayar Dorj, director;
Morocco, “Razzia,” Nabil Ayouch, director;
Mozambique, “The Train of Salt and Sugar,” Licinio Azevedo, director;
Nepal, “White Sun,” Deepak Rauniyar, director;
Netherlands, “Layla M.,” Mijke de Jong, director;
New Zealand, “One Thousand Ropes,” Tusi Tamasese, director;
Norway, “Thelma,” Joachim Trier, director;
Pakistan, “Saawan,” Farhan Alam, director;
Palestine, “Wajib,” Annemarie Jacir, director;
Panama, “Beyond Brotherhood,” Arianne Benedetti, director;
Paraguay, “Los Buscadores,” Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schembori, directors;
Peru, “Rosa Chumbe,” Jonatan Relayze, director;
Philippines, “Birdshot,” Mikhail Red, director;
Poland, “Spoor,” Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik, directors;
Portugal, “Saint George,” Marco Martins, director;
Romania, “Fixeur,” Adrian Sitaru, director;
Russia, “Loveless,” Andrey Zvyagintsev, director;
Senegal, “Félicité,” Alain Gomis, director;
Serbia, “Requiem for Mrs. J.,” Bojan Vuletic, director;
Singapore, “Pop Aye,” Kirsten Tan, director;
Slovakia, “The Line,” Peter Bebjak, director;
Slovenia, “The Miner,” Hanna A. W. Slak, director;
South Africa, “The Wound,” John Trengove, director;
South Korea, “A Taxi Driver,” Jang Hoon, director;
Spain, “Summer 1993,” Carla Simón, director;
Sweden, “The Square,” Ruben Östlund, director;
Switzerland, “The Divine Order,” Petra Volpe, director;
Syria, “Little Gandhi,” Sam Kadi, director;
Taiwan, “Small Talk,” Hui-Chen Huang, director;
Thailand, “By the Time It Gets Dark,” Anocha Suwichakornpong, director;
Tunisia, “The Last of Us,” Ala Eddine Slim, director;
Turkey, “Ayla: The Daughter of War,” Can Ulkay, director;
Ukraine, “Black Level,” Valentyn Vasyanovych, director;
United Kingdom, “My Pure Land,” Sarmad Masud, director;
Uruguay, “Another Story of the World,” Guillermo Casanova, director;
Venezuela, “El Inca,” Ignacio Castillo Cottin, director;
Vietnam, “Father and Son,” Luong Dinh Dung, director.
Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
The 90th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
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Can Ulkay’s AYLA is Turkey’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER
Can Ulkay’s debut feature Ayla: The Daughter of War has been selected as Turkey’s official candidate for the best foreign-language film at the 2018 Oscar.
The film tells the story of a soldier (played by Ismail Hacioglu as the young soldier, and Cetin Tekindor as an older man) who risks his own life to save a young girl Ayla ( played by Kim Seol as a young girl and Lee Kyung-Jin as an older woman) he finds half-frozen and on the verge of death, smuggling her into his army base. Despite being unable to communicate with each other, the two form a strong bond. When the war ends and the soldier must return home, he cannot bear to abandon the girl but is forced to hand her over to an orphanage, hoping one day to be reunited with her. The pair were finally reunited 60 years later.
The film is based on the true story of Korean War veteran Süleyman Astsubay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PELOIYaEiw