Lionheart (2019)

  • 93 Countries to Compete for International Feature Film Oscar at 92nd Academy Awards

    Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory (Dolor y gloria)
    Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory (Dolor y gloria)

    Ninety-three countries have submitted films for consideration in the International Feature Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards®. An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants.

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  • AT ETERNITY’S GATE to Open 2018 Marrakech International Film Festival, Fest Unveils Official Selection

    [caption id="attachment_31186" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]At Eternity’s Gate At Eternity’s Gate[/caption] From November 30 to December 8, 2018, festival-goers and cinema-lovers alike will discover no fewer than 80 films coming from 29 different countries at the 17th Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM).  The Festival with open with At Eternity’s Gate directed by Julian Schnabel, the remarkable biopic that depicts the most celebrated period of the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh will open the Festival. The line-up is divided into several sections, the main ones including the Official Competition; Gala Screenings; Special Screenings; The 11th Continent; Moroccan Panorama; Jamaa El-Fna Square Screenings; Audio-described Cinema; and a Tribute section. International Film Festival. Fourteen (14) films, six directed by women, are in the running to win the Marrakech Etoile d’Or (or, the Gold Star), in the Official Competition.  Tributes will be made to four great names in cinema, namely: Robert De Niro, Jillali Ferhati, Agnès Varda, and Robin Wright.

    2018 Marrakech International Film Festival Official Selections

    COMPETITION

    THE GOOD GIRLS (Las niñas bien) / Mexico By Alejandra Márquez Abella Cast: Ilse Salas, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Paulina Gaitán, Johanna Murillo, Flavio Medina JOY / Austria By Sudabeh Mortezai Cast: Joy Anwulika Alphonsus, Precious Mariam Sanusi, Angela Ekeleme Pius, Gift Igweh, Sandra John, Chika Kipo, Ella Osagie, Christian Ludwig, Mary Kreutzer DIANE / USA By Kent Jones Cast: Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Andrea Martin, Estelle Parsons, Deirdre O’Connell, Joyce Van Patten, Phyllis Gallagher, Glynnis O’Connor et Paul McIsaac THE LOAD (Teret) / Serbia, France, Croatia, Iran, Qatar By Ognjen Glavonić Cast: Leon Lučev, Pavle Čemerikić THE CHAMBERMAID (La camarista) / Mexico By Lila Avilés Cast: Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez RED SNOW (Akai yuki) / Japan By Sayaka Kai Cast: Masotoshi Nagase, Nahana, Arata Lura, Yui Nastukawa, Koichi Sato LOOK AT ME (Fi ‘ainaya / Regarde-moi) / Tunisia By Nejib Belkhadhi Cast: Nidhal Saadi, Idryss Kharroubi, Sawssen Maalej, Aziz Jebali, Mouna Nourredine IRINA / Bulgaria By Nadejda Koseva Cast: Martina Apostolova, Hristo Ushev, Irini Jambonas, Kasiel Noah Asher, Krassimir Dokov, Alexander Kossev VANISHING DAYS (Màn yóu) / China By Zhu Xin Cast: Jlang Li, Huang Jing as, Qiu Xiaqiu, Chen Yan, Li Xiaoxing, Lu Jiahe URGENT (Tafaha al-kail / Une urgence ordinaire) / Morocco, Switzerland By Mohcine Besri Cast: Rachid Mustapha, Fatima Zahra Benacer, Youssef Alaoui, Saïd Bey, Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Ayoub Layoussifi, Younes Bouab. ROJO / Argentina, Brazil, France, the Netherlands, Germany By Benjamín Naishtat Cast: Dario Grandinetti, Andrea Frigerio, Alfredo Castro, Diego Cremonesi AKASHA / Sudan, South Africa, Germany, Qatar By hajooj kuka Cast: Ekram Marcus, Kamal Ramadan, Ganja Mohamed Chakado, Abdallah Alnur Najla Kamal THE GIRAFFE (La ahdun hunak) / Egypt By Ahmed Magdy Cast: Amr Hosny, Shaza Moharam, Haidy Koussa, Salma Hassan, Rasha Magdy ALL GOOD (Alles ist gut) / Germany By Eva Trobisch Cast: Aenne Schwarz, Andreas Döhler, Hans Löw, Tilo Nest, Lisa Hagmeister, Lina Wendel

    Gala Screenings

    AT ETERNITY’S GATE / USA, France By Julian Schnabel Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner EUFORIA / Italy By Valeria Golino Cast: Riccardo Scamarcio, Valerio Mastandrea, Isabella Ferrari, Valentina Cervi, Jasmine Trinca ROMA / Mexico, USA By Alfonso Cuarón Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira GREEN BOOK / USA By Peter Farrelly Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini YOMEDDINE / Egypt, USA, Austria By A.B.Shawky Cast: Rady Gamal, Ahmed Abdelhafiz, Shahira Fahmy CAPERNAUM (Capharnaüm) / Lebanon, USA By Nadine Labaki Cast: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shifera, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Youssef, Nadine Labaki.

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS

    THE ACCUSED (Acusada) / Argentina By Gonzalo Tobal Cast: Lali Espósito, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Inés Estévez, Daniel Fanego, Ferardo Romano, Gael García Bernal WILDLIFE /USA By Paul Dano Cast: Ed Oxenbould, Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal EXT. NIGHT (Leil kharigi) / Egypt By AhmadAbdalla Cast: Karim Kassem, Mona Hala, Sherief El Desouky, Ahmad Magdy, Aly Kassem HER SMELL / USA By Alex Ross Perry Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Amber Heard, Agyness Deyn THE TOWER / Norway By Mats Grorud Film d’animation LIONHEART / Nigeria By Genevieve Nnaji Cast: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu REAL LOVE (C’est ça l’amour) / France, Belgium By Claire Burger Cast: Bouli Lanners, Justine Lacroix, Sarah Henochsberg RAFIKI / Kenya By Wanuri Kahiu Cast: Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Muskoya POISONOUS ROSES (Ward masmum) / Egypt By Fawzi Saleh Cast: Koky, Mahmoud Hemida, Ibrahim El Nagary BIRDS OF PASSAGE (Pájaros de verano) / Colombia, Denmark, Mexico By Cristina Gallego et Ciro Guerra Cast: Carmiña Martínez, Jose Acosta, Natalia Reyes, Jhon Narváez, Greider Meza, José Vicente Cote DIVINE WIND (Rih Rabbani) / Algeria By Merzak Allouache Cast: Sarah Layssac, Mohamed Oughlis, Messaouda Boukhira, Hacene Benzerari, Abdelatif Benahmed, Brahim Derris

    THE 11th CONTINENT

    VIEWS FROM MOROCCO AND THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE Presented by Jay Weissberg BURNING / South Korea By Lee Chang-dong Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-seo ANGELO / Austria, Luxembourg By Markus Schleinzer Cast: Makita Samba, Alba Rohrwacher, Larisa Faber, Kenny Nzogang, Lukas Miko NERVOUS TRANSLATION / The Philippines By Shireen Seno Cast: Jana Agoncillo, Angge Santos, Sid Lucero, Cocoy Lumbao HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING / USA By RaMell Ross Documentary THE DEAD AND THE OTHERS (Chuva é cantoria na aldeia dos mortos) / Brazil By João Salaviza, Renée Nader Messora Cast: Henrique Ihjãc Krahô, Raene Kôtô Krahô SRBENKA / Croatia By Nebojša Slijepčević Documentaire ERASED,ASCENTOFTHE INVISIBLE (Tirss, rihlat al sou’oud ila al mar’i) / Lebanon By Ghassan Halwani Documentary ENDLESS TAIL (Beskrajni Rep) / Croatia By Željka Suková Cast: Julie Suková, Kašpar Suk, Prolaznici Tokijom, Željka Suková, Aleš Suk MANTA RAY(Kraben rahu) / Thailand, France, China By Phuttiphong Aroonpheng Cast: Wanlop Rungkumjad, Aphisit Hama, Rasmee Wayrana THE SOUND OF MASKS / South Africa, Portugal By Sara CF de Gouveia Documentary YESTERDAY (Tegnap) / Hungary, France, the Netherlands, Morocco, Sweden, Germany By Kenyeres Bálint Cast: Vlad Ivanov, Djemel Barek, Jacques Weber, Gamil Ratib, Johanna Ter Steege STILL RECORDING (Lisah’am tsajil) / Syria, Lebanon, Qatar, Germany By Saeed Al Batal, Ghiath Ayoub RENAULT 12 / France By Mohamed El Khatib Docu-fiction

    MOROCCAN PANORAMA

    VOLUBILIS (Walili) By Faouzi Bensaïdi Cast: Mouhcine Malzi, Nadia Kounda, Abdelhadi Taleb, Nezha Rahil, Faouzi Bensaidi, Mouna Fettou WE COULD BE HEROES By Hind Bensari Documentary THE HEALER (Mbarkaa) By Mohamed Zineddaine Cast: Ahmed Moustafid, Fatima Atif, Mehdi Laarroubi, Hanane Elkabani, Nosrine Adam SOFIA By Meryem Benm’Barek Cast: Maha Alemi, Lubna Azabal, Faouzi Bensaidi, Sarah Perles, Hamza Khafif, Raouia STATELESS (Bila mawtin) By Narjiss Nejjar Cast: El Ghalia Ben Zaouia, Avishay Benazra, Aziz Fadili, Nadia Niazi, Mohamed Nadif, Julie Gayet CATHARSYS, OR THE AFINA TALES OF THE LOST WORLD By Yassine Marco Marroccu Cast: Mohamed Zouaoui, Aziz Dadas, Sonia Okacha, Ljubisa Ristic JAHILIYA By Hicham Lasri Cast: Mostapha Houari, Salma Eddlimi, Hassan Ben Badida, Rami Fijjaj

    CINEMA FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

    THE TOWER (Al borj) / Norway By Mats Grorud Animated film IQBAL, A TALE OF A FEARLESS CHILD / Italy, France By Michael Fuzellier, Babak Payami Animated film THE PRINCESS BRIDE / USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage THE BIG BAD FOX AND OTHER TALES (Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes) / France, Belgium By Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert Cast: Guillaume Darnault, Jules Bienvenu, Augustin Jahn Sani, Violette Samama, Céline Ronté Film d’animation THE BREADWINNER / Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg By Nora Twomey Animated film

    LE CINÉMA EN AUDIODESCRIPTION POUR LES MALVOYANTS

    FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda et JR Documentary THE EAVESDROPPER (La Mécanique de l’ombre) / Belgium, France By Thomas Kruithof Cast: François Cluzet, Denis Polalydès, Sami Bouajila, Siman Akbarian, Alba Rohrwacher LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani Sannak BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, LADY BIRD / USA By Greta Gerwig Cast: Robin Wright, Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet

    JEMAA EL FNA

    KORSA / Morocco By Abdellah Toukouna Cast: Abdellah Ferkous, Bouchera Ahraich, Khouloud Batioui, Fadilla Ben Moussa, Omar Azzouzi AS LONG AS I LIVE (Jab tak hai jaan) / India By Yash Chopra Cast : Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast : Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery KUNDUN / USA By Martin Scorsese ALEXANDRIA AGAIN AND FOREVER (Iskandariyya Kaman wa Kaman) / Egypt, France By Youssef Chahine Cast: Youssra, Youssef Chahine, Hussein Fahmy, Hesham Selim, Taheya Cariocca FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BROOKS, MEADOWS AND LOVELY FACES (Al-ma’ wal-khodra wal-wajh al-hassan) / Egypt By Yousry Nasrallah Cast: Laila Elwi, Bassem Samra, Menna Shalabi, Zeina Mansour, Sabreen HUSBAND MATERIAL (Manmarziyaan) / India By Anurag Kashyap Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Abhishek Bachchan ANT-MAN AND THE WASP / USA By Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas ASTERIX & OBELIX: MISSION CLEOPATRA (Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléôpatre) / France, Italy By Alain Chabat Cast: Gérard Dépardieu, Christian Clavier, Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Alain Chabat, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon LAHNECH / Morocco By Driss Mrini Cast: Aziz Dades, Majdouline Idrissi, Fadila Benmoussa, Mouhcine Malzi, Abdelghani Sannak

    Tributes

    ROBERT DE NIRO

    GOODFELLAS / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino THE UNTOUCHABLES / USA By Brian De Palma Cast: Robert De Niro,Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Sean Connery RAGING BULL / USA By Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto

    AGNÈS VARDA

    CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (Cléo de 5 à 7) / France De Agnès Varda Interprétation: Georges de Beauregard, Carlo Ponti, Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray FACES PLACES (Visages villages) / France By Agnès Varda, JR Documentaire VAGABOND (Sans toit ni loi) / France By Agnès Varda Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Macha Méril, Stephane Freiss, Yolande Moreau, Patrick Lepczynski, Yahiaoui Assouna

    ROBIN WRIGHT

    THE PRINCESS BRIDE/ USA By Rob Reiner Cast: Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage SHE’S SO LOVELY / USA By Nick Cassavetes Cast: Sean Penn, Robin Wright, Harry Dean Stanton, James Gandolfini, John Travolta FORREST GUMP / USA By Robert Zemeckis Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field BLADE RUNNER 2049 / USA, United Kingdom, Hungary, Canada By Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks

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  • 46 Breakout Films Selected for 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Discovery Program

    [caption id="attachment_31512" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Screwdriver Screwdriver[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival revealed the 46 breakout films from 50 international storytellers that will screen in its 2018 Discovery lineup,  marking a record year for the program. Hailing from 37 different countries, these promising new filmmakers present works that explore identity, complex portraits of women, and youth as they struggle to navigate a fragile world. Twenty-nine of the films will make their World Premieres at the Festival. The lineup stands out for the impressive number of Asian and Eastern European films — accounting for 26% of the Discovery program — and the number of films directed by women. Opening this year’s Discovery program will be Bai Xue’s The Crossing, a captivating Chinese film following the journey of an ordinary teenage girl who becomes entangled in illicit activities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVd56lm-8Cs The program’s highlights include: Adina Pintilie’s innovative Touch Me Not, winner of the Golden Bear and Best First Feature in Berlin; Syrian director Soudade Kaadan’s The Day I Lost My Shadow, a bewitching film on the Syrian conflict; Nino Zhvania’s Parade, the only Georgian feature in the selection; Lithuanian director Marija Kavtaradze’s touching Summer Survivors; Han Ka-ram’s charming Our Body; and renowned Nigerian actor Genevieve Nnaji’s exciting directorial debut, Lionheart. This year’s lineup also stands out for the strong portrayals of sensitive and witty women within it. Among them are Arturo Infante’s sci-fi comedy The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García , starring popular actor María Isabel Díaz; Mexican director Lila Avilés’ The Chambermaid; Arash Lahooti’s Orange Days; Nikos Labôt’s Her Job; and Woman at War by Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson, which has already earned critical praise. Putting the struggles of young characters front and centre, the Discovery program includes UK actor-director Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Farming, which tells the story of a Nigerian immigrant facing a racist skinhead gang in 1980s England; Carmel Winters’ beautiful Float Like a Butterfly; Lukas Dhont’s Girl; Daniel Sawka’s Icebox; Rosanne Pel’s Light as Feathers; Darko Štante’s Consequences; Ash Mayfair’s The Third Wife; Imogen Thomas’ poetic Emu Runner; Ethiopian–Israeli filmmaker Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian’s Fig Tree; and Joël Karekezi’s The Mercy of the Jungle, showcasing the breakthrough performance of TIFF International Rising Star Stéphane Bak. Risk-takers and daring artists also stand out in this year’s slate, as in Wanuri Kahiu’s Rafiki, an electric female LGBTQ+ love story set in Kenya, where homosexuality is illegal; Sameh Zoabi’s border-crossing dark comedy Tel Aviv on Fire; Ognjen Glavonić’s The Load; and Irish brothers Andy and Ryan Tohill’s suspenseful thriller The Dig. Bold Australian filmmaker Benjamin Gilmour will present the groundbreaking Jirga . To close this bright selection, Palestinian director Bassam Jarbawi will introduce North American audiences to his exceptional first feature film, Screwdriver, a gripping drama that examines the psychological impact of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018

    2018 Toronto International Film Festival Discovery Program

    aKasha hajooj kuka | Sudan/South Africa/Qatar/Germany North American Premiere ANIARA Pella Kågerman, Hugo Lilja | Sweden World Premiere Blind Spot (Blindsone) Tuva Novotny | Norway International Premiere The Chambermaid (La Camarista) Lila Avilés | Mexico World Premiere Complicity (Kazenoki Wa Koto No Youni) Kei Chikaura | Japan/China World Premiere Consequences (Posledice) Darko Štante | Slovenia/Austria World Premiere Discovery Opening Film The Crossing (Guo Chun Tian) Bai Xue | China World Premiere The Day I Lost My Shadow (Yom Adaatou Zouli) Soudade Kaadan | Syria/France/Qatar/Lebanon North American Premiere The Dig Andy Tohill, Ryan Tohill | United Kingdom North American Premiere An Elephant Sitting Still (Da Xiang Xi Di Er Zuo) Hu Bo | China Canadian Premiere Emu Runner Imogen Thomas | Australia World Premiere ENDZEIT – EVER AFTER (ENDZEIT) Carolina Hellsgård | Germany World Premiere The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García (El Viaje Extraordinario de Celeste García) Arturo Infante | Cuba/Germany World Premiere Farming Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje | United Kingdom World Premiere Fig Tree Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian | Israel/Germany/France/Ethiopia World Premiere Float Like a Butterfly Carmel Winters | Ireland World Premiere Girl Lukas Dhont | Belgium Canadian Premiere Gwen William McGregor | United Kingdom World Premiere Helmet Heads (Cascos Indomables) Neto Villalobos | Costa Rica/Chile World Premiere Her Job Nikos Labôt | Greece/France/Serbia World Premiere Icebox Daniel Sawka | USA World Premiere Jirga Benjamin Gilmour | Australia North American Premiere Light as Feathers Rosanne Pel | Netherlands World Premiere Lionheart Genevieve Nnaji | Nigeria World Premiere The Load (Teret) Ognjen Glavonic | Serbia/France/Croatia/Iran/Qatar North American Premiere Manta Ray (Kraben Rahu) Phuttiphong Aroonpheng | Thailand/France/China North American Premiere The Mercy of the Jungle Joël Karekezi | Belgium/France/Germany North American Premiere Orange Days (Rooz-haye Narenji) Arash Lahooti | Iran World Premiere Our Body (A-wol Ba-di) Han Ka-ram | South Korea World Premiere Parade (Aglumi) Nino Zhvania | Georgia/Russia World Premiere Phoenix (Føniks) Camilla Strøm Henriksen | Norway/Sweden World Premiere Rafiki Wanuri Kahiu | Kenya/South Africa/France/Lebanon/Norway/Netherlands/Germany/USA North American Premiere Saf Ali Vatansever | Turkey/Germany/Romania World Premiere Discovery Closing Film Screwdriver (Mafak) Bassam Jarbawi | Palestine/USA/Qatar North American Premiere Summer Survivors Marija Kavtaradze | Lithuania World Premiere Tel Aviv on Fire Sameh Zoabi | Luxembourg/France/Israel/Belgium North American Premiere The Third Wife Ash Mayfair | Vietnam World Premiere Tito and the Birds (Tito e os Pássaros) Gustavo Steinberg, Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto | Brazil North American Premiere Too Late to Die Young (Tarde para morir joven) Dominga Sotomayor | Chile/Brazil/Argentina/Netherlands/Qatar North American Premiere Touch Me Not Adina Pintilie | Romania/Germany/Czech Republic/Bulgaria/France North American Premiere Twin Flower (Fiore Gemello) Laura Luchetti | Italy World Premiere Woman at War (Kona fer í stríð) Benedikt Erlingsson | Iceland/France/Ukraine North American Premiere Previously announced Canadian titles in the Discovery programme include Akash Sherman’s Clara , Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s Edge of the Knife, Jasmin Mozaffari’s Firecrackers, and Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein’s Freaks.

    TIFF DOCS

    Reason (Vivek) Anand Patwardhan | India World Premiere

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