EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO

  • Palm Springs International Film Festival Announces Complete Line-up of Premieres, New Voices/New Visions Competition and Modern Masters

    Nicholas Hytner’s THE LADY IN THE VAN The 27th Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) running from January 1-11, 2016 in Palm Springs, California, announced its line-up of Premieres, New Voices/New Visions competition and Modern Masters. “I am thrilled at the breadth and depth of this year’s program,” said Festival Artistic Director Helen du Toit. “While Modern Masters showcases such widely acclaimed filmmakers as as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Barbara Kopple and Terence Davies, our New Voices/New Visions program is evidence that new masters are emerging around the world. The range of approaches is extraordinary. Highlights include Raam Reddy’s Thithi (India), which skillfully juggles myriad characters in a delightful low key comedy; Yorgos Zois’ Interruption (Greece), which challenges the audience with a complex and highly compelling narrative; and Maris Curran’s Five Nights in Maine (USA), featuring David Oyelowo’s nuanced and heartbreaking performance as a widower reconnecting with his estranged mother-in-law.” Showcasing the diversity of international cinema, Festival premieres will include: World premieres: 50 Days in the Desert (Luxembourg) directed by Fabrizio Maltese, Agnes (Germany/Belgium), the documentary Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (US) featuring Alec Baldwin, Carol Channing, Dick Van Dyke, Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, The Carer (Hungary/UK), Going Going Gone (UK), Searchdog (US) and Set the Thames on Fire (UK). North American premieres: Banat (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), Death By Death (Belgium/France), A Decent Man (Switzerland), Departure (France/UK), Fly Away Solo (India/France), Interruption (Greece/Croatia), A Korean in Paris (South Korea/France), The Memory of Water (Chile/Spain/Argentina/Germany), Moor (Pakistan), On My Mother’s Side (Canada), Paradise Trips (Belgium/Croatia), Rosita (Denmark), Spy Time (Spain), Tanna (Australia/Vanuatu), Thithi (India/US/Canada), Utopians (Hong Kong) and When a Tree Falls (Spain). U.S. premieres: 1944 (Estonia/Finland), 3000 Nights (Palestine/France/Jordan/Lebanon), Atomic Falafel (Israel/Germany/New Zealand), Belgian Rhapsody (Belgium), Beyond My Grandfather Allende (Chile/Mexico), Born to Dance (New Zealand), Closet Monster (Canada), Enclave (Serbia/Germany), The Endless River (South Africa/France), Endorphine (Canada), Exotica, Erotica, Etc. (France), Fire Song (Canada), Five Nights in Maine (US), A Heavy Heart (Germany), Home Care (Czech Republic/Slovakia), Let Them Come (Algeria/France), My Big Night (Spain), My Internship in Canada (Canada), The Other Side (Italy/France), Our Everyday Life (Bosnia, Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), The Paradise Suite (Netherlands/Sweden/Bulgaria), Parched (India/US/UK), Parisienne (France), Sabali (Canada), Sleeping Giant (Canada), Summer Solstice (Poland/Germany), Trap (Philippines), The Violin Teacher (Brazil), Wedding Doll (Israel) and Zubaan (India). The New Voices/New Visions competition showcases 12 US premieres from top emerging international directors marking their feature film debut at the Festival, with the additional criteria that the films selected are currently without U.S. distribution. Films selected for this year include: Banat (Italy/Romania/Bulgaria/Macedonia), Director Adriano Valerio Death By Death (Belgium/France), Director Xavier Seron Departure (UK/France), Director Andrew Steggall Five Nights in Maine (US), Director Maris Curran and starring David Oyelowo A Heavy Heart (Germany), Director Thomas Stuber Home Care (Czech Republic/Slovakia), Director Slávek Horák Interruption (Greece/Croatia), Director Yorgos Zois Let Them Come (Algeria/France), Director Salem Brahimi Our Everyday Life (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Slovenia/Croatia), Director Ines Tanovic Paradise Trips (Belgium/Croatia), Director Raf Reyntjens Sleeping Giant (Canada), Director Andrew Cividino Thithi (India/US), Director Raam Reddy The Modern Masters section features 10 films from international directors who set the standards for contemporary cinema. Films selected for this year include: Cemetery Of Splendour (Thailand/UK), Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul Dheepan (France), Director Jacques Audiard Miss Sharon Jones! (US), Director Barbara Kopple Mountains May Depart (China/France/Japan), Director Jia Zhangke My Golden Days (France), Director Arnaud Desplechin My Mother (Italy/France), Director Nanni Moretti Our Little Sister (Japan), Director Hirokazu Kore-eda Sunset Song (UK/Luxembourg), Director Terence Davies Sweet Bean (Japan), Director Naomi Kawase Women He’s Undressed (Australia), Director Gillian Armstrong Other Festival films with notable talent and directors include: 45 Years (UK) directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, Anomalisa (US) directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman with the voices of David Thewlis and Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chronic (Mexico/France) starring Tim Roth, Closet Monster (Canada) with Connor Jessup and Isabella Rossellini, Eisenstein in Guanajuato (Netherlands/Mexico/Finland/Belgium/France) directed by Peter Greenaway, February (US/Canada) starring Kiernan Shipka and Emma Roberts, Hello, My Name is Doris (US) starring Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs and Stephen Root, Hitchcock/Truffaut (France/US) directed by Kent Jones and featuring Peter Bogdanovich, David Fincher and Richard Linklater, The Invitation (US) starring Logan Marshall-Green and Michiel Huisman, The Lady in the Van (UK) directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Maggie Smith, Jim Broadbent and James Corden, (pictured above) Louder Than Bombs (USA) starring Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne and Isabelle Huppert, Men & Chicken (Denmark) starring Mads Mikkelsen, Papa (Cuba) directed by Bob Yari and starring Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson and Minka Kelly, A Perfect Day (Spain) starring Benicio del Toro, Tim Robbins and Olga Kurylenko, The Seventh Fire (US) executive produced by Terrence Malick, Natalie Portman and Chris Eyre, and Where to Invade Next (US) directed by Michael Moore.

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  • CAROL, I AM MICHAEL, SWORN VIRGIN Among Films on 2015 Chicago International Film Festival LGBTQ+ Lineup

    CAROL Starring Cate Blanchett

    The 51st Chicago International Film Festival (Oct. 15-29) announced the lineup for OUT-Look, its competitive LGBTQ+ program that showcases new artistic perspectives on sexuality and identity. The international OUT-Look program is inclusive of a variety of LGBTQ+ experiences, ranging from Carol (pictured above), the story of a love affair between a wealthy housewife (Cate Blanchett) and a young shop clerk (Rooney Mara, winner of the Best Actress award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival) to I Am Michael, based on the controversial true story of Michael Glatze, a one-time gay-rights activist turned straight, conservative pastor. I Am Michael features outstanding performances by James Franco and Zachary Quinto.

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  • 2015 Virginia Film Festival Unveils Lineup, to Open with Hank Williams Film I SAW THE LIGHT

    I Saw the Light, Tom Hiddleston

    The Virginia Film Festival returns to Charlottesville for its 28th year from November 5 to 8, 2015.  Opening the 2015 Virginia Film Festival will be I Saw the Light, the Hank Williams film from director Marc Abraham that chronicles the country music legend’s meteoric rise to fame and its tragic consequences on a life cut short at the age of only 29.

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  • 27th NewFest Unveils Lineup, Opens with EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO

    EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO The 27th NewFest will run October 22 to 27 at the newly renovated Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas, and today announced the lineup of nearly 100 LGBT films around the world. Opening night is the New York premiere of legendary filmmaker Peter Greenaway’s EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO (pictured above), a visually stunning, sexually explicit celebration of pioneering Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein’s gay coming of age during a trip to Mexico in the 1930s. The cinematic masterpiece, which had its world premiere to wide acclaim at the Berlinale this year, has been hailed as one of the finest films of Greenaway’s long, illustrious career. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb364B6u1XE Closing out the NewFest festival on the 27th is Alexandra-Therese Keining’s GIRLS LOST, a thrilling story about three bullied girls who are drawn into a wild and chaotic journey when they find a magical plant whose nectar temporarily transforms them into boys. Fresh off its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim, Kreining’s bold and stylish coming-of-age tale is a fascinating exploration of sexuality, identity and desire across the LGBT spectrum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-eU4B-fnc4 This year also features Centerpiece film CAROL, Todd Haynes’ highly-anticipated and award-winning lesbian romance starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara which won the 2015 Cannes Best Actress award for Blanchett, as well as the Queer Palm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk Other narrative highlights this year include the New York premiere of Matt Sobel’s chilling and suspenseful thriller TAKE ME TO THE RIVER, starring Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Richard Schiff and Josh Hamilton; the New York premiere of Mika Kaurismäki’s sumptuous period piece THE GIRL KING, about the rise and fall of Sweden’s lesbian Queen Christina; the 2015 Sundance World-Cinema Directing Award-winner THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE; and FOURTH MAN OUT, a hilarious and heartwarming twist on the coming-out genre starring Evan Todd, Chord Overstreet (GLEE) and Kate Flannery (THE OFFICE) that won the Audience Award for Dramatic Feature Film at this year’s Outfest Los Angeles. Another major highlight of this year’s event is the world premiere of Executive Producer Eve Ensler and Katherine Fishers’ upcoming HER STORY, a web series written by transgender activist Jen Richards (I AM CAIT) and writer/actor Laura Zak (#HASHTAG) and directed by Sydney Freeland (DRUNKTOWN’S FINEST), focusing on the dating lives of Trans women in Los Angeles, followed by a panel about the series. Also featured is a SAG-AFTRA panel discussion on the evolution of transgender representation in film and television, to be moderated by trans activist Tiq Milan. While the mainstream media seemingly embraced trans identities and lives this year, NewFest has set out to dig deeper, looking for fresh stories and unique characters. Highlights include LA VISITA (THE GUEST), a beautiful Chilean drama featuring a breakout lead performance by trans actress Daniela Vega; the documentary PEACE OF MIND about well-known transmale artist and activist Flo McGarrell’s untimely death during the 2010 Haiti Earthquake; and a TRANS SHORTS program featuring the acclaimed shorts A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE and Cheryl Dunye’s BLACK IS BLUE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d4RmIL1uMs Two additional trans documentary programs, TREASURE: FROM TRAGEDY TO TRANS JUSTICE, MAPPING A DETROIT STORY, and the 25th anniversary screening of the rarely-seen documentaries THE SALT MINES and THE TRANSFORMATION offer a chance for audiences to reflect on how much work still needs to be done to protect and empower trans people of color. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYdx6SH-mSc Other special events include a can’t-miss Master Class with acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs (LOVE IS STRANGE, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON) who will sit for an illuminating discussion about the joys and challenges of being a queer filmmaker, as well as a panel on “The Renaissance of Women In Entertainment,” moderated by New York Women In Film & Television’s Executive Director Terry Lawler. And because NewFest lands one week before Halloween this year, the festival will present its first ever Queer Horror Night aimed at LGBT horror fanatics, featuring three terrifying tales: Jorge Torres-Torres’ SISTERS OF THE PLAGUE, Jim Hansen’s YOU’RE KILLING ME, and Marçal Forés’ EVERLASTING LOVE, which won the Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature at Outfest LA this year. Olympic champion Greg Louganis will be on hand for a special screening and discussion of HBO’s BACK ON BOARD: GREG LOUGANIS, while other notable faces and names in this year’s festival films include: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler, Bette Davis, Mae West, Chord Overstreet, Kate Flannery, John Waters, Rose Troche, Stacie Passon, Harmony Santana, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Clea Duvall, Josephine Decker, Drew Droege, Jack Plotnick, Chi Chi La Rue, Jeff Stryker, Amanda Lepore, Michael Musto, Zachary Quinto, Mike McCreedy, Carrie Brownstein, Patty Schemel, Macklemore, Shirley Manson, Janet Mock, Irm Hermann, Harry Baer, Lea DeLaria, Felicia “Snoop” Pearson, Casey Legler, Jen Richards and many more!

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  • 2015 Chicago International Film Festival Reveals First 24 Films + Events incl. Cannes Winner DHEEPAN

    Dheepan

    The Chicago International Film Festival, revealed its first 24 films and several events to be featured at the 51st edition of the Festival taking place this October 15 to 29 2015.  This initial lineup announcement includes the top prizewinner from the Cannes Film Festival, a look at what it takes to build one of the world’s greatest restaurants, a once-lost Sherlock Holmes film, a Guillermo del Toro-produced buddy movie, and breakout performances from Michael Caine, Cate Blanchett, and Sarah Silverman.

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  • A WALK IN THE WOODS + Films by Notable Filmmakers on World Greats Program of 2015 Montreal World Film Festival

    A Walk in the Woods starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson Twenty-four feature films from a score of countries are being shown in the World Greats (out of competition) section of the 2015 Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF).  Notable among the filmmakers included are Majid Majidi whose Muhammad will be getting its world premiere, Jean-Jacques Annaud, who will be showing the North-American premiere of his latest film, Wolf Totem, Cristina Commencini (Latin Lover), Ventura Pons (The Virus of Fear), Ermanno Olmi (Greenery Will Bloom Again), Vincent Bal (Belgian Rhapsody), Ken Kwapis (A Walk in the Woods, with Robert Redford) and Sergio Castellitto (You Can`t Save Yourself Alone), among others. MWFF will take place from August 27th to September 7th. A WALK IN THE WOODS by Ken Kwapis. 2015 / Color / 98 min USA (pictured above) After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the US, where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends. AN ITALIAN NAME (IL NOME DEL FIGLIO) by Francesca Archibugi. 2015 / Color / 94 min, Italy Paolo and Simona are expecting. At a dinner with guests one question will lead to an argument that will disturb the entire evening: the name of Paolo and Simonaís son. BEFORE SPRING (ABL AL RABIE) by Ahmed Atef. 2015 / Color / 92 min, Egypt A young blogger who lost both eyes during the Egyptian Revolution recounts in flashback the events of the Spring that eventually came to his country. BELGIAN RHAPSODY (LA BRABANÇONNE) by Vincent Bal. 2014 / Color / 100 min, Belgium – Luxembourg Two Belgian brass bands, the Flemish ‘St. Cecilia’ and Walloon ‘En Avant’, have both been selected for the great European final. It is a competition with no holds barred. BLOOD BEAD (AKAI TAMA) by Banmei Takahashi. 2015 / Color / 108 min, Japan Tokita would rather be making movies than teaching about them in film school. But it pays the bills and thereís always Yui, the pretty school secretary. Then Ritsuko enters his life… CHRIEG by Simon Jacquemet. 2014 / Color / 106 min, Switzerland Matteo, a rebellious 15-year old is sent to a remote farm for rehabilitation. But the farm is run by the inmates. Matteo must quickly learn to run with the pack. CORPSE COLLECTOR (SUBIRACH NA TRUPOVE) by Dimitar Dimitrov. 2015 / Color / 116 min, Bulgaria Itzo, who drives a morgue wagon, is loved by young, innocent Mimmy, but prefers tough, experienced Katya who mistreats him. Itzo’s assistant, Buddy, tells him he’s got things all wrong. EISENSTEIN IN GUANAJUATO by Peter Greenaway. 2015 / Color / 105 min, Netherlands – Mexico – Finland – Belgium In 1931, at the height of his artistic powers, Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein travels to Mexico to shoot a new film to be titled Que Viva Mexico! GITEL by Robert Mullan. 2014 / Color / 115 min, United Kingdom – Lithuania September, 5 1969, and Gitel Bargman is about to attend a party to celebrate her 33rd birthday. Racked by guilt simply for being alive, for her it is hardly cause for celebration. GREENERY WILL BLOOM AGAIN (TORNERANNO I PRATI) by Ermanno Olmi. 2014 / Color / 95 min, ItalyDedicated to his father who told him stories of the Great War, Ermanno Olmiís film is a touching slice of life in the First World War trenches on the Italian front. IT’S REALLY KIND OF YOU by So Jae-ick. 2015 / Color / 92 min, South Korea It is late night and raining hard when a strange woman clad only in underwear rushes up to a man who is fishing at the lake, asking for help. Help to do what ? LATIN LOVER by Cristina Comencini. 2014 / Color / 104 min, Italy On the 10th anniversary of the death of Saverio Crispo, Italy’s most famous actor, his 5 daughters, born from different mothers and in different countries, are brought together and get to know each other. MUHAMMAD (Opening Film) by Majid Majidi. 2015 / Color / 171 min, Iran The film does not depict Muhammad himself but his world, the pagan age with all its tyranny and oppression as seen through the eyes of young Muhammad from birth to the age of 13. MY SISTER, THE PIG LADY (DWAEJI GATEUN YEOJA) by Jan Moon-il. 2015 / Color / 104 min, South Korea In a small seaside village where all the young men left for the city, three young women scheme to catch the eye of the only bachelor left in town. NECKAN by Gonzalo Tapia. 2015 / Color / 92 min, Spain In 1956, a young Spaniard arrives in Morocco, soon to be independent, to find out what happened years ago to his family. If he discovers the truth, will it be worth the effort ? SILVER SKIES by Rosemary Rodriguez. 2015 / Color / 96 min, USA A group of eccentric retirees’ lives are turned upside down when their beloved apartment complex is suddenly sold out from under them. But you can never be too old for new beginnings. SIMON by Éric Martin, Emmanuel Causse. 2015 / Color / 96 min, France Simon, a seventeen-year-old boy is diagnosed with cancer — Ewing’s sarcoma. But he’s not about to bow out without leaving his mark on the world. SISKA DELUXE by Ian Cvitkovic. 2015 / Color / 108 min, Slovenia – Czech Republic – Macedonia Longtime friends and losers, Mile, Fedr and Zekir need to rescue their calamitous professional and personal lives. An innovative pizzeria comes to the rescue. THE NEXT GENERATION PATLABOR – TOKYO WAR Mamoru Oshii. 2015 / Color / 93 min Japan / Japan In a world where giant robots are built and used for labour, a special police force of robots is created to handle crimes relating to these machines. THE SECRET OF ITALIA (IL SEGRETO DI ITALIA) by Antonello Belluco. 2014 / Color / 98 min, Italy Italy, May 1945. The war is over. But for a 15-year-old girl called Italia in a small town in the region of Venice, the tragedy has just begun. VIRUS OF FEAR (EL VIRUS DE LA POR) by Ventura Pons. 2015 / Color / 76 min, Spain A small boy is being taught to swim at a Barcelona municipal pool. He he terrified of the water and the swimming instructor tries to calm him with a kiss. He is immediately accused of abuse. WINTER by Heidi Greensmith. 2015 / Color / 95 min, United Kingdom Devastated by the death of his beloved wife, Woods, a successful artist can no longer connect with his two sons. Motherless, will they have to take of him as well ? WOLF TOTEM by Jean-Jacques Annaud. 2015 / Color / 98 min, France – China The story of young Beijing intellectual’s fascination with the wolves he encounters when he’s sent to teach Mandarin to minority nomadic herders in the majestic, scenic grasslands of Inner Mongolia. YOU CAN’T SAVE YOURSELF ALONE (NESSUNO SI SALVA DA SOLO) Sergio Castellitto. 2015 / Color / 103 min, Italy When a separated couple meet to discuss the terms of their children’s holidays, the meal immediately becomes a wide reflection on their past ten years.

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