THE MISANDRISTS[/caption]
Damn These Heels, the longest running LGBTQ Film Festival in the Mountain West, returns for the 15th edition from July 20 to 22, 2018 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. The festival explores LGBTQ issues, ideas, and art through independent, documentary, and foreign films from around the world.
New this year, filmmakers of all experience levels are invited to participate in the 48 Hour Film OUT project. On July 13-15, participating film teams are tasked with creating an LGBTQ themed short film in just 48 hours. All films that meet the requirements will be screened during the Festival on Saturday, July 21. The winning film will be screened at Filmapalooza in Paris in 2019 for a chance at the grand prize of screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2019 Short Film Corner.
Patrick Hubley, Director of Programming for Utah Film Center, said, “Damn These Heels is a festival that uses the powerful art of film to celebrate inclusivity, community and individual expression. This year’s line up is full of personality and complexity, we are honored to commemorate the Festival’s 15th year with such a strong range of stories that will provoke thought, spark crucial dialogue and shift our perspective.”
The films selected to screen in the 2018 Damn These Heels Festival are:
1985
Directed by Yen Tan
85 min | 2018 | USA
A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family.
Official Selection: 2018 SXSW Film Festival
Cast: Cory Michael Smith, Aidan Langford, Jamie Chung, Virginia Madsen, and Michael Chiklis
ALASKA IS A DRAG
Directed by Shaz Bennett
89 min | 2018 | USA
Fabulous Leo, an aspiring drag superstar who can throw a punch, is stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Official Selection: 2018 Frameline Film Festival, 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2018
Cast: Martin L. Washington Jr., Maya Washington, Matt Dallas, Christopher O’Shea, Jason Scott Lee, and Margaret Cho
ANCHOR AND HOPE (Tierra Firme)
Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet
113 min | 2017 | Spain
Two women and their best friend living on a canal boat ask: Can we balance love, family, and life and stay united?
Winner: Best Film-2017 Seville European Film Festival; Official Selection: 2018 Guadalajara International Film Festival
Cast: Oona Chaplin, Natalia Tena, and Geraldine Chaplin
CLOSE KNIT (Karera ga honki de amu toki wa)
Directed by Naoko Ogigami
127 | 2017 | Japan
A neglected daughter, a gentle uncle, and his transgender lover knitted together into an unconventional family.
Winner: Teddy Award-2017 Berlin Film Festival, Chromie Audience Award-2017 Filmfest Homochrom
Cast: Toma Ikuta, Kenta Kiritani, Rinka Kakihara
FREELANCERS ANONYMOUS
Directed by Sonia Sebastián
81 min | 2018 | USA
Billie quits her job right before getting married, launching her into a rag-tag world of unemployed women and tech startups.
Official Selection: 2018 FilmOut San Diego, 2018 Frameline Film Festival
Cast: Jennifer Bartels, Megan Cavanagh, Alexandra Billings, and Grace Rex
THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA
Directed by Donal Mosher & Michael Palmieri
75 min | 2018 | USA
Love, faith, and civil rights collide in the south as evangelical Christians and drag queens explore the meaning of belief.
Official Selection: 2018 SXSW Film Festival, 2018 Sheffield International Documentary Festival
Preceded by the short film FAITHFUL directed by Dane Christensen
IDEAL HOME
Directed by Andrew Fleming
91 | 2018 | USA
A bickering gay couple must now deal with the unexpected task of raising a ten-year-old boy.
Cast: Paul Rudd, Steve Coogan, Kate Walsh, Alison Pill, Jake McDorman, and Jack Gore
JUST CHARLIE
Directed by Rebekah Fortune
97 min | 2017 | UK
Trapped in the body of a boy, soccer star Charlie is torn between placating her father and shedding this ill-fitting skin.
Winner: Best Feature Film for Youth-2017 Zlin Film Festival; Official Selection: 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival, 2017 Frameline Film Festival
Cast: Patricia Potter, Scot Williams, HARRY Gilby, and Karen Bryson
LEITIS IN WAITING
Directed by Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson
72 min | 2018 | USA/Tonga
The story of the Tonga Leitis, a group of transgender women fighting intolerance in the South Pacific Kingdom.
Official Selection: 2017 Frameline Film Festival, 2018 Festival International Du Film Documentaire Oceanien, 2017 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
MAN MADE
Directed by T Cooper
93 min | 2018 | USA
A trans men bodybuilding competition reveals unexpected truths about gender, masculinity, humanity and love.
Official Selection: 2018 Outfest Los Angeles, 2018 Frameline Film Festival
THE MISANDRISTS
Directed by Bruce LaBruce
91 min | 2017 | USA
Salacious hell breaks loose within the FLA — a feminist terrorist group — when an injured man appears in their midst.
Official Selection: 2017 Berlin International Film Festival
Cast: Susanne Sachße, Viva Ruiz, Kembra Pfahler
MY BIG GAY ITALIAN WEDDING (Matrimonio italiano)
Directed by Alessandro Genovesi
90 min | 2018 | Italy
In this merry movie of matrimony, Antonio brings his fiancé Paulo to meet his headstrong parents and reveal his sexuality.
Official Selection: 2018 Seattle International Film Festival
Cast: Diego Abatantuono, Monica Guerritore, Salvatore Esposito, Cristiano Caccamo, Dino Abbrescia, and Diana Del Bufalo
MY LIFE WITH JAMES DEAN (Ma vie avec James Dean)
Directed by Dominique Choisy
108 min l 2017 I France
Young director Géraud Champreux goes on a wild and woeful film tour that changes his life.
Official Selection: 2018 Brussels Pink Screens, 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival
Cast: Johnny Rasse, Mickaël Pelissier, and Nathalie Richard
QUIET HEROES
Opening Night Film
Directed by Jenny Mackenzie, Amanda Stoddard, & Jared Ruga
68 min | 2017 | USA
One doctor’s fight against stigma, shame, and ignorance at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis against a conservative religious monoculture.
Official Selection: 2018 Sundance Film Festival, 2018 QDoc
SHAKEDOWN
Directed by Leilah Weinraub
72 min | 2018 | USA | Not Rated
The chronicle of Los Angeles’ black lesbian strip club scene, an underground, illegal, and legendary moment. Mature audiences only.
Official Selection: 2018 Berlin Film Festival, 2017 The Whitney Museum Biennial
SHORT FILM PROGRAM: Reverent
89 min | Various
A short film program featuring serious, heartfelt, and touching LGBTQ+ films from around the globe. Films include Top 10 Places to Visit in Sao Paulo, Beauty, A Kitchen Can Take You Back, Sunset, Spark, Crook – “Lavender,” and Something About Alex.
SHORT FILM PROGRAM: Irreverent
78 min | Various
A short film program featuring hilarious, goofy, crass, but still hard-hitting films from around the globe. Films include Magic H8 Ball, Dropping Penny, I Live Here, Scary Lucy, and Femme.
SISTERHOOD
Directed by Tracy Choi
97 min | 2017 | Macau/Hong Kong/Taiwan
Upon seeing a missing person ad for a friend from her past, Sei decides to revisit Macau and makes a startling discovery.
Nominated: Best Supporting Actress Nomination Fish Liew & Best New Performer Nomination Jennifer Yu-36th Hong Kong Film Award
Cast: Gigi Leung, Fish Liew, and Jennifer Yu
TRANNY FAG (Bixa Travesty)
Directed by Kiko Goifman & Claudia Priscilla
75 min | 2018 | Brazil
Mc Linn Da Quebrada’s electrifying performances (with plenty of nudity) brazenly take on Brazil’s hetero-normative machismo.
Official Selection: 2018 Berlin Film Festival, 2018 Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival
Preceded the short film MY PRICE directed by Fabricio Santiago
TRANSMILITARY
Directed by Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson
93 min | 2018 | USA
Four transgender individuals put their careers on the line by coming out in hopes of attaining the equal right to serve.
Winner: Documentary Competition Audience Award-2018 SXSW; Official Selection: 2018 Frameline Film Festival
WE THE ANIMALS
Directed by Jeremiah Zagar
94 min | 2018 | USA
Manny, Joel, and Jonah tear their way through childhood and push against the volatile love of their parents.
Winner: Next Innovator Award-2018 Sundance Film Festival, Future/Now Award-2018 Montclair Film Festival
Cast: Raúl Castillo, Josiah Gabriel, Isaiah Kristian, Evan Rosado, and Sheila Vand
THE WILD BOYS (Les garçons sauvages)
Directed by Bertrand Mandico
110 min | 2018 | France
Surrealist, adolescent gender-bending sex fueled fantasy nightmare. A maritime adventure.
Winner: Best Director-2018 Vilnius International Film Festival
Cast: Pauline Lorillard, Vimala Pons, and Diane RouxeThe Wild Boys (Les garçons sauvages) (2017)
-
Damn These Heels, Utah’s LGBTQ Film Festival Unveils Lineup – 1985, THE MISANDRISTS, TRANNY FAG and More
[caption id="attachment_30361" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
THE MISANDRISTS[/caption]
Damn These Heels, the longest running LGBTQ Film Festival in the Mountain West, returns for the 15th edition from July 20 to 22, 2018 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. The festival explores LGBTQ issues, ideas, and art through independent, documentary, and foreign films from around the world.
New this year, filmmakers of all experience levels are invited to participate in the 48 Hour Film OUT project. On July 13-15, participating film teams are tasked with creating an LGBTQ themed short film in just 48 hours. All films that meet the requirements will be screened during the Festival on Saturday, July 21. The winning film will be screened at Filmapalooza in Paris in 2019 for a chance at the grand prize of screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2019 Short Film Corner.
Patrick Hubley, Director of Programming for Utah Film Center, said, “Damn These Heels is a festival that uses the powerful art of film to celebrate inclusivity, community and individual expression. This year’s line up is full of personality and complexity, we are honored to commemorate the Festival’s 15th year with such a strong range of stories that will provoke thought, spark crucial dialogue and shift our perspective.”
The films selected to screen in the 2018 Damn These Heels Festival are:
1985
Directed by Yen Tan
85 min | 2018 | USA
A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family.
Official Selection: 2018 SXSW Film Festival
Cast: Cory Michael Smith, Aidan Langford, Jamie Chung, Virginia Madsen, and Michael Chiklis
ALASKA IS A DRAG
Directed by Shaz Bennett
89 min | 2018 | USA
Fabulous Leo, an aspiring drag superstar who can throw a punch, is stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska.
Official Selection: 2018 Frameline Film Festival, 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival, 2018
Cast: Martin L. Washington Jr., Maya Washington, Matt Dallas, Christopher O’Shea, Jason Scott Lee, and Margaret Cho
ANCHOR AND HOPE (Tierra Firme)
Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet
113 min | 2017 | Spain
Two women and their best friend living on a canal boat ask: Can we balance love, family, and life and stay united?
Winner: Best Film-2017 Seville European Film Festival; Official Selection: 2018 Guadalajara International Film Festival
Cast: Oona Chaplin, Natalia Tena, and Geraldine Chaplin
CLOSE KNIT (Karera ga honki de amu toki wa)
Directed by Naoko Ogigami
127 | 2017 | Japan
A neglected daughter, a gentle uncle, and his transgender lover knitted together into an unconventional family.
Winner: Teddy Award-2017 Berlin Film Festival, Chromie Audience Award-2017 Filmfest Homochrom
Cast: Toma Ikuta, Kenta Kiritani, Rinka Kakihara
FREELANCERS ANONYMOUS
Directed by Sonia Sebastián
81 min | 2018 | USA
Billie quits her job right before getting married, launching her into a rag-tag world of unemployed women and tech startups.
Official Selection: 2018 FilmOut San Diego, 2018 Frameline Film Festival
Cast: Jennifer Bartels, Megan Cavanagh, Alexandra Billings, and Grace Rex
THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA
Directed by Donal Mosher & Michael Palmieri
75 min | 2018 | USA
Love, faith, and civil rights collide in the south as evangelical Christians and drag queens explore the meaning of belief.
Official Selection: 2018 SXSW Film Festival, 2018 Sheffield International Documentary Festival
Preceded by the short film FAITHFUL directed by Dane Christensen
IDEAL HOME
Directed by Andrew Fleming
91 | 2018 | USA
A bickering gay couple must now deal with the unexpected task of raising a ten-year-old boy.
Cast: Paul Rudd, Steve Coogan, Kate Walsh, Alison Pill, Jake McDorman, and Jack Gore
JUST CHARLIE
Directed by Rebekah Fortune
97 min | 2017 | UK
Trapped in the body of a boy, soccer star Charlie is torn between placating her father and shedding this ill-fitting skin.
Winner: Best Feature Film for Youth-2017 Zlin Film Festival; Official Selection: 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival, 2017 Frameline Film Festival
Cast: Patricia Potter, Scot Williams, HARRY Gilby, and Karen Bryson
LEITIS IN WAITING
Directed by Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson
72 min | 2018 | USA/Tonga
The story of the Tonga Leitis, a group of transgender women fighting intolerance in the South Pacific Kingdom.
Official Selection: 2017 Frameline Film Festival, 2018 Festival International Du Film Documentaire Oceanien, 2017 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
MAN MADE
Directed by T Cooper
93 min | 2018 | USA
A trans men bodybuilding competition reveals unexpected truths about gender, masculinity, humanity and love.
Official Selection: 2018 Outfest Los Angeles, 2018 Frameline Film Festival
THE MISANDRISTS
Directed by Bruce LaBruce
91 min | 2017 | USA
Salacious hell breaks loose within the FLA — a feminist terrorist group — when an injured man appears in their midst.
Official Selection: 2017 Berlin International Film Festival
Cast: Susanne Sachße, Viva Ruiz, Kembra Pfahler
MY BIG GAY ITALIAN WEDDING (Matrimonio italiano)
Directed by Alessandro Genovesi
90 min | 2018 | Italy
In this merry movie of matrimony, Antonio brings his fiancé Paulo to meet his headstrong parents and reveal his sexuality.
Official Selection: 2018 Seattle International Film Festival
Cast: Diego Abatantuono, Monica Guerritore, Salvatore Esposito, Cristiano Caccamo, Dino Abbrescia, and Diana Del Bufalo
MY LIFE WITH JAMES DEAN (Ma vie avec James Dean)
Directed by Dominique Choisy
108 min l 2017 I France
Young director Géraud Champreux goes on a wild and woeful film tour that changes his life.
Official Selection: 2018 Brussels Pink Screens, 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival
Cast: Johnny Rasse, Mickaël Pelissier, and Nathalie Richard
QUIET HEROES
Opening Night Film
Directed by Jenny Mackenzie, Amanda Stoddard, & Jared Ruga
68 min | 2017 | USA
One doctor’s fight against stigma, shame, and ignorance at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis against a conservative religious monoculture.
Official Selection: 2018 Sundance Film Festival, 2018 QDoc
SHAKEDOWN
Directed by Leilah Weinraub
72 min | 2018 | USA | Not Rated
The chronicle of Los Angeles’ black lesbian strip club scene, an underground, illegal, and legendary moment. Mature audiences only.
Official Selection: 2018 Berlin Film Festival, 2017 The Whitney Museum Biennial
SHORT FILM PROGRAM: Reverent
89 min | Various
A short film program featuring serious, heartfelt, and touching LGBTQ+ films from around the globe. Films include Top 10 Places to Visit in Sao Paulo, Beauty, A Kitchen Can Take You Back, Sunset, Spark, Crook – “Lavender,” and Something About Alex.
SHORT FILM PROGRAM: Irreverent
78 min | Various
A short film program featuring hilarious, goofy, crass, but still hard-hitting films from around the globe. Films include Magic H8 Ball, Dropping Penny, I Live Here, Scary Lucy, and Femme.
SISTERHOOD
Directed by Tracy Choi
97 min | 2017 | Macau/Hong Kong/Taiwan
Upon seeing a missing person ad for a friend from her past, Sei decides to revisit Macau and makes a startling discovery.
Nominated: Best Supporting Actress Nomination Fish Liew & Best New Performer Nomination Jennifer Yu-36th Hong Kong Film Award
Cast: Gigi Leung, Fish Liew, and Jennifer Yu
TRANNY FAG (Bixa Travesty)
Directed by Kiko Goifman & Claudia Priscilla
75 min | 2018 | Brazil
Mc Linn Da Quebrada’s electrifying performances (with plenty of nudity) brazenly take on Brazil’s hetero-normative machismo.
Official Selection: 2018 Berlin Film Festival, 2018 Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival
Preceded the short film MY PRICE directed by Fabricio Santiago
TRANSMILITARY
Directed by Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson
93 min | 2018 | USA
Four transgender individuals put their careers on the line by coming out in hopes of attaining the equal right to serve.
Winner: Documentary Competition Audience Award-2018 SXSW; Official Selection: 2018 Frameline Film Festival
WE THE ANIMALS
Directed by Jeremiah Zagar
94 min | 2018 | USA
Manny, Joel, and Jonah tear their way through childhood and push against the volatile love of their parents.
Winner: Next Innovator Award-2018 Sundance Film Festival, Future/Now Award-2018 Montclair Film Festival
Cast: Raúl Castillo, Josiah Gabriel, Isaiah Kristian, Evan Rosado, and Sheila Vand
THE WILD BOYS (Les garçons sauvages)
Directed by Bertrand Mandico
110 min | 2018 | France
Surrealist, adolescent gender-bending sex fueled fantasy nightmare. A maritime adventure.
Winner: Best Director-2018 Vilnius International Film Festival
Cast: Pauline Lorillard, Vimala Pons, and Diane Rouxe
-
Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival Announces Complete 2018 Lineup
[caption id="attachment_26747" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Chloë Grace Moretz appear in The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Desiree Akhavan.[/caption]
The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, taking place July 12-22, 2018, announce the complete programming lineup, with two thirds of this year’s content directed by women, people of color and trans filmmakers.
As previously announced, the 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival opens at the Orpheum Theatre with Kino Lorber’s “Studio 54,” Matt Tyrnauer’s vibrantly nostalgic documentary; and closes with FilmRise’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner starring Chloë Grace Moretz.
The festival features five world premieres including the deeply felt film from Taiwan, “Bao Bao”; “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns” directed by Michael Urie with a hilarious performance from Drew Droege; Laura Madalinski’s “Two in the Bush: A Love Story” a polyamorous love story; Jamie Patterson’s new feature film “Tucked” about two drag performers connecting across generations; and “Room to Grow” a documentary looking at the lives of queer teenagers today. As well as North American and US Premieres, “Eva & Candela,” “Sodom,” “Canary,” “Cola De Mono,” and “Daddy Issues.”
Outfest Los Angeles’ documentary section shines a light on UNSUNG communities, including Alina Skrzesewska’s “Game Girls” which follows a couple as they struggle to navigate life in Los Angeles’ Skid Row, to the much anticipated SXSW Audience Award winner “Transmilitary” about those fighting for an equal chance to service their country. The proactive experimental film section, Platinum, continues to highlight boundary-pushing work with Myyki Blanco and SSION teaming up to create a new short film “No Leash” and a feature documentary by performance artist, Narcissister, in “Narcissister Organ Player.” The infamous Alchemy Party returns, this year at Navel, with 13 performers including Dorian Electra, Saturn Rising, and Slather Factory’s Bebe Huxley, and The Uhuruverse who will stretch your musical imagination.
The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival will also return to The Ford Theatres. These screenings will kick off on July 18 with a screening of “Bad Reputation,” a documentary about Joan Jett; then Documentary Centerpiece, “When the Beat Drops,” followed by “Postcards from London” and concluding with “Wild Nights with Emily” featuring Molly Shannon. The Closing Night Gala “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” will screen at The Theatre at Ace Hotel.
Special events include the 2nd Annual Trans Summit with Oscar nominated and Emmy Award-winning director and producer Yance Ford as the keynote speaker; the Focus On Taiwan event showcasing a collection of Taiwanese films including “Bao Bao” and “Alifu, The Prince/ss”; free screenings of films “Believer,” a documentary from Imagine Dragons frontman, Dan Reynolds, “They,” a family drama from director Anahita Ghazvinizadeh and Showtime’s “Beyond The Opposite Sex”, the long-awaited sequel to groundbreaking film, “The Opposite Sex.”
Lastly, OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project from Los Angeles LGBT Center and Outfest, will be premiering five new shorts on Sunday, July 22nd. Now in its sixth year, the OutSet program empowers youth ages 16-24 to share their stories though film.
2018 OUTFEST LOS ANGELES LGBT FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP
GALA FILMS:
STUDIO 54 – Opening Night Gala Dir: Matt Tyrnauer, USA, 2018, 98 min OUR FUTURE ENDS – Platinum Centerpiece, Co-Presented by Some Serious Business Dir: Clement Hil Goldberg, USA, 2018, 50 min WE THE ANIMALS – U.S. Centerpiece Dir: Jeremiah Zagar, USA, 2018, 93 min REINVENTING MARVIN – International Centerpiece Dir: Anne Fontaine, France, 2017, 115 min WHEN THE BEAT DROPS – Documentary Centerpiece Dir: Jamal Sims, USA, 2018, 87 min THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST – Closing Night Gala Dir: Desiree Akhavan, USA, 2018, 90 minDRAMATIC FEATURES
1985 Dir: Yen Tan, USA, 2018, 85 min ANCHOR AND HOPE Dir: Carlos Marques-Marcet, Spain, 2017, 113 min BITTER MELON Dir: H.P. Mendoza, USA, 2018, 100 min BRIGHT COLORS AND BOLD PATTERNS – World Premiere Dir: Michael Urie (For the Stage) & David Horn (For the Screen), USA, 2018, 89 min CANARY (KANARIE) – North American Premiere Dir: Christiaan Olwagen, South Africa, 2018, 120 min COLA DE MONO – US Premiere Dir: Alberto Fuguet, Chile, 2017, 102 min CUERNAVACA Dir: Alejandro Andrade Pease, Mexico, 2017, 89 min DADDY ISSUES – US Premiere Dir: Amara Cash, USA, 2018, 88 min EVA & CANDELA (¿CÓMO TE LLAMAS?) – North American Premiere Dir: Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2018, 90 min EVENING SHADOWS Dir: Sridhar Rangayan, India, 2018, 102 min HARD PAINT (TINTA BRUTA) Dir: Filipe Matzembacher & Marcio Reolon, Brazil, 2018, 118 min I MISS YOU WHEN I SEE YOU Dir: Simon Chung, Hong Kong, 2018, 93 min MALILA: THE FAREWELL FLOWER Dir: Anucha Boonyawatana, Thailand, 2017, 96 min MAPPLETHORPE Dir: Ondi Timoner, USA, 2018, 102 min MONTANA Dir: Limor Shmila, Israel, 2017, 79 min PORCUPINE LAKE Dir: Ingrid Veninger, Canada, 2017, 84 min POSTCARDS FROM LONDON Dir: Steve McLean, United Kingdom, 2018, 87 min RIOT Dir: Jeffrey Walker, Australia, 2017, 106 min SKATE KITCHEN Dir: Crystal Moselle, USA, 2018, 105 min SODOM – North American Premiere Dir: Mark Wilshin, United Kingdom, 2017, 94 min THAT NIGHT OF NOVEMBER (NOVE DE NOVEMBRO) Dir: Lázaro Louzao, Spain, 2018, 84 min TUCKED – World Premiere Dir: Jamie Patterson, United Kingdom, 2017, 80 min TWO IN THE BUSH: A LOVE STORY – World Premiere Dir: Laura Madalinski, USA, 2017, 97 min WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY Dir: Madeleine Olnek, USA, 2018, 84 minDOCUMENTARY FEATURES
BAD REPUTATION Dir: Kevin Kerslake, USA, 2018, 98 min CALL HER GANDA Dir: PJ Raval, Philippines/USA, 2018, 93 min CONVERSATIONS WITH GAY ELDERS: KERBY LAUDERDALE Dir: David Weissman, USA, 2017, 69 min DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION! Dir: Caroline Berler, USA, 2018, 58 min EVERY ACT OF LIFE Dir: Jeff Kaufman, USA, 2017, 92 min GAME GIRLS Dir: Alina Skrzeszewska, France/Germany, 2018, 90 min GOSPEL OF EUREKA Dir: Michael Palmieri & Donal Mosher, USA, 2018, 75 min THE ICE KING Dir: James Erskine, United Kingdom, 2018, 89 min LEITIS IN WAITING Dir: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson & Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Tonga/USA, 2018, 72 min LOOKING FOR? Dir: Tung-Yen Chou, Taiwan, 2017, 60 min MAN MADE Dir: T Cooper, USA, 2018, 97 min MR. GAY SYRIA Dir: Ay?e Toprak, Turkey/France/Germany, 2017, 87 min ROOM TO GROW (World Premiere) Dir: Matt Alber & Jon Garcia, USA, 2018, 89 min SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD Dir: Matt Tyrnauer, USA, 2017, 98 min SHAKEDOWN Dir: Leilah Weinraub, USA, 2018, 82 min TRANSMILITARY Dir: Gabriel Silverman & Fiona Dawson, USA, 2018, 93 minEPISODIC PROGRAMS
BONDING Created by: Rightor Doyle, USA, 2018, 108 min Two high school BFFS reunite and find they’re different as adults: he’s a newly-out gay man and she’s a dominatrix who’s going to tie him into her UNDERGROUND world of BDSM. VIDA Created by: Tanya Saracho, USA, 2018, 30 min “Vida” is a new Starz Original series about two Mexican-American sisters from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn’t be more different or distanced from each other. Circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood, where they are confronted by the past and surprising truth about their mother’s identity. STRANGERS & FÉMININ/FÉMININ Created by: Mia Lidofsky (Strangers), USA, 2017, 52 min Created by: Chloé Robichaud & Florence Gagnon (Féminin/Féminin), Canada, 2017, 43 min Queer women are finding love and themselves in the second seasons of two of our favorite series from either side of the US/Canada border.EPISODIC SHOWCASE
From the gay mafia to polyamory to queer and trans realities, this sampler of seven new independent series contemplates where our LGBTQ identities intersect, and how we can move forward together as a movement. RILEY PARRA Created by: Christin Baker, USA, 2018, 48 min Lesbian detective Riley discovers the city’s mean streets are actually a centuries-old battleground between angels and demons. THE FINDING HOME SERIES: LGBT IMMIGRANTS & ASYLUM SEEKERS Dir. Abraham Troen, USA, 2017, 63 min Explore the journeys of three queer immigrants in L.A. who have escaped persecution and violence in their native countries.PLATINUM SECTION: EXPERIMENTAL FILMS & LIVE EVENTS
THE WILD BOYS (LES GARÇONS SAUVAGES) Dir: Bertrand Mandico, France, 2017, 110 min NARCISSISTER ORGAN PLAYER Dir: Narcissister, USA, 2017, 91 min BIXA TRAVESTY Dir: Claudia Priscilla & Kiko Goifman, Brazil, 2018, 75 minSHORTS SHOWCASE
Dir: Multiple, UK, USA, Mexico, Canada, 2018, 100 min ALCHEMY PARTY Bae Bae, Bebe Huxley, Dorian Electra, London Jade, Lulo, Luna Lovebad, Mood Killer, Weston Allen, The Uhuruverse, Narcissister, Nebulae Cult, Saturn RisingSPECIAL EVENTS
THEY Dir. Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, USA, 2017, 81 min After two years of taking hormone blockers to postpone puberty, a non-binary 14-year-old considers whether to transition and where to find their place in the world. BEYOND THE OPPOSITE SEX sponsored by Showtime Networks Dir. Emily Abt & Bruce Hensel, USA, 2018, 89 min In this sequel to Showtime’s The Opposite Sex, Rene and Jamie find that LIFE AFTER gender confirmation surgery comes with its own set of challenges. THE CARMILLA MOVIE sponsored by Shaftesbury Dir. Spencer Maybee, Canada, 2018, 94 min Laura and Carmilla’s domestic bliss is threatened by an unknown evil forcing the “Scooby gang” to team up once more to save their humanity. PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN sponsored by Annapurna Pictures Dir: Angela Robinson, USA, 2017, 108 min Angela Robinson introduces her latest feature about what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. Marston (Luke Evans) to create the iconic Wonder Woman character. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: THE DARE PROJECT & CLAY FARMERS Dir: Adam Salky, USA, 2005 & 2018, 33 min Revisit two Outfest classics, including the story of a gay theatre kid and a curious jock reconnecting as adults, and the 30-year anniversary of a moving rural drama reminiscent of Brokeback Mountain. THE ADVOCATE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS: A LONG ROAD TO FREEDOM sponsored by here TV & The Advocate Dir: William Clift, USA, 2018, 105 min Over the course of five decades, The Advocate has reported the breaking news and ongoing challenges of the LGBTQ community. BELIEVER sponsored by HBO Dir. Don Argott, USA, 2018, 101 min Imagine Dragons’ frontman Dan Reynolds makes it his mission to foster acceptance toward LGBTQ members of the Mormon Church by crafting an unforgettable rock festival. ALONE IN THE GAME sponsored by AT&T Entertainment Group Dir. Natalie Metzger & Michael Rohrbaugh, USA, 2018, 95 min This documentary chronicles the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ athletes in sports today, featuring Robbie Rogers, Gus Kenworthy, Layana White and Megan Rapinoe. BAO BAO – World Premiere – sponsored by Taiwan Academy & Taiwan Ministry of Culture Dir. Guang-cheng Shie, Taiwan, 2018, 97 min A married lesbian couple’s relationship is challenged after one of the women promises their unborn child to another couple. ALIFU, THE PRINCE/SS sponsored by Taiwan Academy & Taiwan Ministry of Culture Dir. Wang Yu-Lin, Taiwan, 2017, 91 min The intersection of several individuals in present-day Taiwan creates a colorful tapestry of LGBTQ lives, including Alifu, a young hairdresser who longs for a sex-change operation. QUEEROES Jill Soloway, Lena Waithe and Tanya Saracho introduce an innovative new mentorship model to elevate queer, trans and POC storytelling. ONE MINUTE MOVIE CONTEST A selection of the work submitted to this year’s Outfest Fusion One Minute Movie Contest, on the topic of Keeping Silent / Speaking Truth. AIDS DIVA: THE LEGEND OF CONNIE NORMAN (Sneak Preview) Dir. Dante Alencastre, USA, 2018, 45 min Seizing her power as she confronts her mortality, trailblazing trans activist Connie Norman evolves as an irrepressible, challenging and soulful voice for the AIDS and queer communities of early 90’s Los Angeles.Panels & Workshops:
MAKE THEM HEAR YOU: THE TRUTH ABOUT CONTENT BY & FOR LGBTQ+ WOMEN Sponsored by AT&T Hello Lab LGBTQ+ women have been at the forefront of many movements throughout history. However, in Hollywood, queer women remain the least represented community in front of and behind the camera. This discussion will explore the past, present, and future LGBTQ+ women in entertainment, bringing together trailblazers who are leading the charge for a more inclusive and multi-dimensional landscape. TRANS SUMMIT Whether you’re an actor, artist, activist or academic, you’re welcomed here. The afternoon will begin with our Academy Award-nominated keynote speaker Yance Ford (Strong Island), followed by three compelling case studies focused on specific areas of need in media representation. THE ROOM will then come together for an unedited, organic, and dynamic conversation about issues relating to the trans and non-binary experience, moderated by the LA Times’ award-winning reporter Tre’vell Anderson. BI IN THE BIZ sponsored by SAG-AFTRA and SAGIndie While the L, G and T communities have made great strides toward visibility in the culture, the B’s still remain relatively hidden, even in the entertainment industry. This panel will feature out bisexual actors and entertainment industry professionals discussing the specific challenges and opportunities for film, TV and online performers who identify as such. Break out of the bi closet as we explore the politics and the pragmatism of actors living out in the open. THE NEW AIDS NARRATIVE PANEL Nearly 30 years since the first films about the HIV/AIDS epidemic hit the big screen, a new wave of scripted dramas is emerging. Join Outfest and GLAAD for a discussion of the history of HIV/AIDS representation in cinema, and what the arrival of films like BPM (Beats Per Minute), 1985 and Bohemian Rhapsodymeans with regards to telling HIV/AIDS stories to a new generation.OUTFEST FORWARD
SCREENWRITING LAB: LIVE READING Outfest’s annual live reading of scenes from the five scripts chosen for the 2018 Outfest Screenwriting Lab.OUTSET SHORTS SCREENING
VICTORY BOULEVARD Dir/Scr: Jonny Alvarez, Producer: Ash Lavacca, Production Designers: Tristin Brown & Juliet Delgado, Mentor: Henry Alberto BLESS THE USA Dir/Scr: Sebastian Vergara, Co-Dir/Producer: Anthony Rizo, Production Design Mentor: Haharhel Valencia, Mentor: Marcos Davalos SIGNOURNEY WEAVER Dir/Scr: Andrea Ngeleka, Producer: Tiffany Patterson, Production Designer: Hesed Kim, Mentors: Doendray Gossfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield THE CURSE Dir/Scr: Dave Berenato, Producer: Moira McFadden, Production Designer: Juliet Delgado, Mentors: Coley Sohn & Leanna Creel FLAMERS:BOTTOMS IN A BRUSHFIRE Dir/Scr: Capucine Berney, Producer: Alfredo Hernandez, Production Designer: Tristin Brown, Mentor: Assaad Yacoub.OUTFEST UCLA LEGACY PROJECT
BUDDIES Dir: Arthur J. Bressan Jr., USA, 1985, 81 min DUCK SEASON (TEMPORADA DE PATOS) Dir: Fernando Eimbcke, Mexico, 2004, 90 min SHOPPING FOR FANGS Dir: Quentin Lee & Justin Lin, USA, 1997, 90 min SHOW ME LOVE (FUCKING ÅMÅL) Dir. Lukas Moodysson, Sweden, 1998, 89 min
-
Film Comment Selects Reveals 2018 Lineup, Opens with “Life and Nothing More”
[caption id="attachment_26540" align="aligncenter" width="1296"]
Life and Nothing More[/caption]
The Film Comment magazine’s annual cinematic showcase series, Film Comment Selects, returns for the 18th edition, February 23 to 27, 2018, featuring films curated by the magazine’s editors.
The festival opens with the New York premiere of Antonio Mendez Esparza’s Life and Nothing More, an intimate chronicle of an African American family living on the margins in Florida, starring an astonishing non-professional cast. Other new works in the lineup are Ildikó Enyedi’s Berlinale Golden Bear-winner On Body and Soul; Mrs. Fang, Wang Bing’s unflinching document of an elderly woman in her final days, which won the Golden Leopard at Locarno; the North American premiere of Katharina Wyss’s powerful debut feature Sarah Plays a Werewolf, about a woman who channels her fears into theater; Govinda Van Maele’s fiction feature debut Gutland, featuring Phantom Thread’s Vicky Krieps; the U.S. premiere of Slovenian director Rok Biček‘s The Family, a compassionate portrait of a young man’s life over the course of 10 years; and experimental artist Bertrand Mandico’s exhilarating, gender-bending Wild Boys.
In addition to these anticipated new works, the 2018 slate features a retrospective of radical filmmaker Nico Papatakis, who had a “body of work that blends anarchic fury with visceral and transcendent poetry” (Yonca Talu, Film Comment). All five features directed by Papatakis, who subversively and provocatively explored themes of race, class, gender, and politics and produced films by Cassavetes and Genet, will be screened, including the meta terrorist drama Gloria Mundi, Cannes selection Les Abysses, and Walking a Tightrope, which stars Michel Piccoli as writer Jean Genet (a personal friend of the filmmaker). Film Comment Selects will also present a 25th anniversary screening of Tom Joslin & Peter Friedman’s extraordinarily powerful documentary Silverlake Life: The View from Here, which follows Joslin and his partner Mark Massi as they struggle to live with AIDS.
“It’s a rare chance to see the lively mix of films that our critics have raved about but that haven’t hit New York theaters yet,” said Nicolas Rapold, Editor-in-Chief of Film Comment. “This year’s edition is made especially exciting by a rare retrospective of the inimitable Nico Papatakis, whose work will be exciting for many to discover.”
FILMS & DESCRIPTIONS
Opening Night Life and Nothing More Antonio Mendez Esparza, U.S./Spain, 2017, 114m “The African American single mom and teenage son at the center of this drama are lifelong residents of northern Florida but remain, at best, provisional citizens of their own country. Rendering characters they developed in tandem with their director, these non-professional but astoundingly gifted performers convey so much of what matters in so many working-class black lives.” —Nick Davis, Toronto Film Festival 2017 online coverage New York premiere The Family Rok Biček, Slovenia/Austria, 2017, 106m “Slovenian director Rok Biček started The Family as a film-school student and proceeded to film a life in full: a boy, Matej, seen growing up, watching his father die and becoming a father himself, breaking up with his girlfriend, and battling her for child custody. A twist on observational cinema, Biček’s portrait of the anti-heroic young man defies stereotypes of working-class and dysfunctional families, refrains from passing moral judgments, and retains an open fondness of his subject.” —Tina Poglajen, Nov/Dec 2017 issue U.S. premiere Gutland Govinda Van Maele, Luxembourg/Belgium/Germany/France, 2017, 107m “A stranger wends through twilit wheat fields in the exquisite opening moments of Govinda Van Maele’s fiction feature debut [starring Phantom Thread’s Vicky Krieps] … By the following morning he’s courted by an elder who finds him a gig and lodging—and then Gutland quietly maunders from folktale to pastoral noir to Polanski-esque uncanny and, finally, back to folk tale. Call it a ‘village film,’ with an eerie ambiance of secrets, insularity, and sinister solidarity.” —José Teodoro, Nov/Dec 2017 issue New York premiere Mrs. Fang Wang Bing, China, 2017, 86m “Wang Bing’s latest documentary trains its camera very tightly on the face of a bedridden elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s in a small rural Chinese village. For a while, it seems as though Mrs. Fang is content to use the camera as a tool to unflinchingly record a human being close to her final breath. Yet Wang Bing is after something completely different, as the filmmaker goes into other territory, somehow more and less tangible than a portrait of dying.” —Michael Koresky, Toronto Film Festival 2017 online coverage New York premiere On Body and Soul Ildikó Enyedi, 2017, Hungary, 116m Winner of the Golden Bear at Berlin, Ildikó Enyedi’s visually imaginative film tracks the highs and lows of an unforeseen romance conducted partly through dreams. Film Comment celebrated Enyedi’s “ludic, freewheeling storytelling” with last year’s home-video release of her 1989 favorite My Twentieth Century, and her newest marks a triumphant return for this Hungarian filmmaker. A Netflix release. New York premiere Sarah Plays a Werewolf Katharina Wyss, Switzerland/Germany, 2017, 86m “Katharina Wyss’s heady debut feature centers on Sarah, a young woman channeling her powerful depth of feeling into the artistic and psychological outlet of theater. As the 17-year-old protagonist in a staid Swiss town, Loane Balthasar is unnervingly transparent, giving herself over to her character—and, like Sarah, 20 times more present than anyone around her. The film’s title captures a life fraught with energy.” —Nicolas Rapold, Jan/Feb 2018 issue North American premiere Wild Boys Bertrand Mandico, France, 2017, 110m “Some might be quick to suggest Mandico’s similarities with Guy Maddin due to his new film’s whacked-out narrative, alienating use of studio sets, and brusquely outré acting. Exiled teenagers are sentenced to hard labor on a mysterious island, left to their own devices and then transformed… All the teens are played by actresses, with ever-fearless, weather-beaten Elina Löwensohn leading the way. Little else in 2017 was quite as exhilarating, eye-popping, intoxicating, seductive, carefree, funky, sexy, and fun.” —Olaf Möller, Jan/Feb 2018 issue New York premiere 25th Anniversary Screening Silverlake Life: The View from Here Tom Joslin & Peter Friedman, U.S., 1993, 99m Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, this is one of the cornerstone documentaries abot the AIDS crisis. “Silverlake Life is about a couple, and one of the guys is filming his boyfriend, who is ill and dying. I didn’t want to represent the disease too much [in BPM (Beats Per Minute)], because I thought it was so real in Silverlake Life. I didn’t want to make the same thing because you can’t do more than this film, because it was real and it’s a very, very moving film. I love it so much.”—Robin Campillo, director of BPM (Beats Per Minute), interviewed in July/Aug 2017 issue Special Section: Five Films by Nico Papatakis “It’s become a cliché to call a filmmaker ‘rebellious,’ but from Gance to Eisenstein to Pasolini to Buñuel, the 20th century saw true rebels who fiercely defied both the cinematic and political establishments of their time. Nikos Papatakis (1918-2010)—nicknamed Nico in France—holds a profound and unique place in this lineage through a body of work that blends anarchic fury with visceral and transcendent poetry. Born in Addis Ababa to an Ethiopian mother and a Greek father, Papatakis was an outcast by nature, mocked and ostracized as a child for being biracial. Deeply rooted in personal experience, Papatakis’s films are politically, morally, and formally subversive explorations of race, gender, and class that use the medium as a vehicle of opposition and dissent.” —Yonca Talu, Sept/Oct 2017 issue Les Abysses Nico Papatakis, France, 1963, 90m This allegorical portrait of the Algerian resistance was inspired by the real-life story of the Papin sisters, two maids who brutally murdered their employers in 1930s France—also the basis for Jean Genet’s influential 1947 play The Maids and Claude Chabrol’s 1995 psychological thriller La Cérémonie. The Shepherds of Disorder Nico Papatakis, Greece, 1967, 117m The Shepherds of Disorder (aka Thanos and Despina) juxtaposes an anthropological and materialist study of a rigid rural community with the mythologically imbued, forbidden romance between a rebellious shepherd and the angelic and compliant daughter (Olga Karlatos) of a rich conservative family, engaged in an erotically charged power game. Gloria Mundi Nico Papatakis, France, 1976, 115m Papatakis’s most psychedelic film, Gloria Mundi centers on an actress (Olga Karlatos) playing an Arab terrorist who takes her role to another level. Papatakis’s virulent denunciation of consumer capitalism and a hypocritical left-wing intelligentsia that deems itself political but does not take any action, begins with a scream and ends with an explosion. The Photograph Nico Papatakis, Greece/France, 1986, 102m Papatakis’s most accessible, gripping, and poignant work is a meticulously crafted, intimate meditation on immigration and exile centering on a 26-year-old Greek man fresh out of prison (where he was tortured for being a communist’s son) who leaves for France in hopes of a better life and strikes up a complicated friendship with a distant relative. Walking a Tightrope / Les Équilibristes Nico Papatakis, France, 1992, 120m The director’s final film—starring Michel Piccoli as a fictional version of Papatakis’s friend Jean Genet—is a compendium of the themes and motifs that pervade his distinctive filmography, including the torturous nature of love, the suffering induced by exile, and suicide as an act of rebellion.
-
International Film Festival Rotterdam Reveals First Films in 2018 Bright Future Main Program
[caption id="attachment_25989" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Milla[/caption]
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) revealed the first series of titles in its 2018 Bright Future Main Program, the festival’s home for up-and-coming filmmakers with a unique style and vision. The 2018 selection boasts new films by striking talents who have emerged this year. IFFR also announces the first titles eligible for the Bright Future Award, for world and international premieres by first-time filmmakers.
Among these are the world premieres of The Return by Malene Choi Jensen, a story of two Danish-Korean adoptees who visit their country of birth, partly based on the filmmaker’s own experiences; Windspiel by German filmmaker Peyman Ghalambor, about a 13-year-old kid who makes his escape from a children’s home in Brandenburg; and My Friend the Polish Girl by Ewa Banaszkiewicz and Mateusz Dymek, a cinematic culture clash between an American filmmaker starting out in London and a Polish actress.
From Belgium, IFFR has selected two completely different, but very promising first features: as previously announced Ruben Desiere’s La fleurière/The Flower Shop, as well as the international premiere of Christina Vandekerckhove’s documentary Rabot, the story of a social housing block on the brink of demolition, and winner of the audience award at Film Fest Gent.
The winner of the Bright Future Award is chosen by a jury consisting of three film professionals and receives €10,000 to be spent on the development of a new film project.
Bright Future Main Programme also contains exciting sophomore feature-length films, marking a first venture into fiction. This is the case for the astute Ordinary Time by Susana Nobre, for example, which scrutinises the calm rhythm of daily life of young parents by zooming in on many moments that are, well, completely ordinary. The world premiere of Azougue Nazaré/Azougue Nazareth by Tiago Melo dives deep into the mysterious and colourful sugarcane universe of rural Brazil.
Selections also include celebrated films such as The Nothing Factory by Pedro Pinho, Soldiers. Story from Ferentari by Ivana Mladenovic, Drift by Helena Wittmann and Cocote by Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias.
Bright Future Competition
La fleurière/The Flower Shop Ruben Desiere, Belgium, Slovakia, international premiere In the back room of a flower shop, three men are digging a tunnel to break into a bank safe. Heavy rainfall interrupts their work. Guarda in alto/Look Up Fulvio Risuleo, Italy, France, international premiere During a break, a young baker notices the fall of a strange bird. He decides to take a closer look and an unbelievable journey across the rooftops of Rome ensues. My Friend the Polish Girl Ewa Banaszkiewicz, Mateusz Dymek, United Kingdom, Poland, world premiere An American documentarian sets out to make a film about immigrants in post-Brexit-vote London, but ends up intruding on the life of a struggling Polish actress. A raw, sexual, and visually brash cine-essay. Rabot Christina Vandekerckhove, Belgium, international premiere In a notorious social-housing block in Ghent, both the building and the residents must go. Winner Audience Award 2017 at Film Fest Gent. Respeto Alberto Monteras II, Philippines, international premiere Amidst the violence and poverty of Manila, Hendrix dreams of becoming a rapper. He will need Doc’s help to find the right words. The Return Malene Choi Jensen, Denmark, world premiere A story of two Danish-Korean adoptees visiting their motherland for the first time and confronting their own identity struggles. Windspiel Peyman Ghalambor, Germany, world premiere When making his escape, a thirteen-year-old boy struggling to fit in at a children’s home in the Brandenburg forest meets an old man.Bright Future Premieres
All You Can Eat Buddha Ian Lagarde, Canada, European premiere A man’s mysterious appetite and supernatural powers gradually lead to apocalypse in an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. Azougue Nazaré/Azougue Nazareth Tiago Melo, Brazil, world premiere In the sugar-cane country of Northeast Brazil, where Evangelicism is on the rise, people begin to disappear and other strange things start to happen as Maracatu carnival season begins. Inferninho/My Own Private Hell Guto Parente, Pedro Diógenes, Brazil, world premiere In a bar called Inferninho, the staff dreams of escape. A handsome sailor with a dream of finding home arrives. Mama Jin Xingzheng, China, international premiere This documentary follows 88-year-old Mama, who has sustained the household and selflessly cared for her disabled son for decades. The time has come for her to pass on her mother’s love and wisdom to those next in line. Ordinary Time Susana Nobre, Portugal, France, world premiere Following two young parents after the birth of their baby, the film scrutinises the calm rhythm of daily life by zooming in on many moments that may not be as ordinary as they appear.Confirmed for Bright Future
3/4/Three Quarters Ilian Metev, Bulgaria, Germany As a young pianist prepares for an audition abroad, her eccentric younger brother attempts to distract her and her father tries to keep it all together. Winner Cinema of the Present, Locarno. Cocote Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Germany, Qatar – HBF supported in 2012 To mourn his deceased father, an evangelical gardener is forced to participate in celebrations that are contrary to his will and beliefs. DRIFT Helena Wittmann, Germany Two women spend a weekend together at the North Sea before life takes them off in different directions. Les garçons sauvages/The Wild Boys Bertrand Mandico, France On Réunion Island, five young men enamoured with the occult commit a savage crime. Gutland Govinda Van Maele, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany In this rural thriller, a stranger finds refuge and community in a small village and it quickly becomes clear that he’s not the only one with secrets. El hombre que cuida/The Watchman Alejandro Andújar, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Brazil A broken-hearted man occupies himself with his job as a caretaker for a beachfront house, until a group of special guests arrives. Life and Nothing More Antonio Méndez Esparza, USA, Spain A young African-American man facing the mounting pressure of family responsibility goes in search of his father and ends up at a dangerous crossroads. Meteors Gürcan Keltek, Turkey, Netherlands Blending documentary filmmaking and political commentary, and connecting the earthly to the cosmos, Meteors is a film about memory and disappearance – of people, places and things. Milla Valérie Massadian, France With nothing to lose, Milla and Leo set up a new life for themselves in an abandoned house in a seaside town in Normandy. The Nothing Factory Pedro Pinho, Portugal Under the shadow of the bankruptcy of their lift factory, workers look for ways to regain control of their lives. Resurrection Kristof Hoornaert, Belgium An old hermit (Johan Leysen) takes in a young man after finding him half-naked in the forest. Despite the young man’s refusal to talk, a connection grows between them. Soldiers. Story from Ferentari Ivana Mladenovic, Romania, Serbia, Belgium A contemporary love story between an ex-convict and a shy anthropologist unfolds in the Roma outskirts of Bucharest. Sweating the Small Stuff Ninomiya Ryutaro, Japan As his surrogate mother lies gravely ill, quietly explosive Ryutaro hits an emotional edge. Tesnota/Closeness Kantemir Balagov, Russia After their engagement celebrations, a young couple is kidnapped in the north of the Russian Caucasus in the late 1990s. Their families must find the money to secure their freedom.
-
First 15 Films Revealed for 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam
[caption id="attachment_24746" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Florida Project[/caption]
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) revealed the first 15 films selected for its 47th edition, among which are Sean Baker’s The Florida Project and Guillermo del Toro’sThe Shape of Water. Other selections include work by Wang Bing, Constantin Popescu and Alexey Fedorchenko. The festival will take place from January 24 to February 4, 2018.
IFFR celebrates film art from all over the world and continues to present its programme in four sections, each with its own distinct character: Bright Future (including the Hivos Tiger Competition and the Tiger Competition for Short Films); Voices; Deep Focus and Perspectives. Short films are strongly represented throughout the festival.
Also among the first titles are the international premieres of La fleurière by Ruben Desière (Belgium/Slovakia) and The Bottomless Bag by Rustam Khamdamov (Russia). Other festival highlights include Wang Bings Golden Leopard winning Mrs. Fang; Les garçons sauvages by French filmmaker Bertrand Mandico; Zhang Miaoyan’s Silent Mist (China/France); and the world premiere of the short film project with history in a room filled with people with funny names 4 by Korakrit Arunanondchai (USA/Thailand/South Africa/UK).
The first 15 films confirmed for the 47th IFFR:
BRIGHT FUTURE
The Flower Shop (La fleurière), Ruben Desière, Belgium/Slovakia, international premiere The Wild Boys (Les garçons sauvages), Bertrand Mandico, France All You Can Eat Buddha, Ian Lagarde, Canada, European premiereVOICES
Anna’s War, Alexey Fedorchenko, Russia, European premiere Pororoca, Constantin Popescu, Romania/France Silent Mist, Zhang Miaoyan, China/France, European premiereVOICES/Limelight
The Florida Project, Sean Baker, USA The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USADEEP FOCUS
The Bottomless Bag, Rustam Khamdamov, Russia, international premiere Mrs. Fang, Wang Bing, Hong Kong/France/Germany Marquis of Wavrin, from the manor to the jungle (Marquis de Wavrin, du manoir à la jungle), Grace Winter, Luc Plantier, BelgiumSHORT FILM
Glimpse, Artur Zmijewski, Poland/Germany I Have Nothing to Say, Ying Liang, Taiwan/Hong Kong with history in a room filled with people with funny names 4, Korakrit Arunanondchai, USA/Thailand/South Africa/UK, world premiereMID-LENGTH
The Worldly Cave, Zhou Tao, China, European premiere
-
HUNTING SEASON, TEAM HURRICANE Win Top Awards at Venice International Film Critics’ Week
Hunting Season (Temporada de Caza) directed by Natalia Garagiola won the SIAE Audience Award, the top prize at the 32nd Venice International Film Critics’ Week.The film tells the story of a respected hunting guide in Patagonia faced with the education of his biological son recently expelled from school.
Team Hurricane by Annika Berg about eight teenage girls and their summer at a youth club, was awarded the Verona Film Club Award, and The Wild Boys (Les Garçons Sauvages) by Bertrand Mandico won the Award for the Best Technical Contribution.
The Venice International Film Critics’ Week (SIC) is the independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival which ran August 30th to September 9th, 2017.
SIAE Audience Award
HUNTING SEASON (TEMPORADA DE CAZA) by Natalia Garagiola (Argentina, USA, Germany, France, Qatar)
Award realized thanks to the support of SIAE – Italian Society of Authors and Publishers and consisting of a € 5,000 prize.
Verona Film Club Award
TEAM HURRICANE by Annika Berg (Denmark)
Bestowed by a jury composed of the members of the Verona Film Club and awarded to the most innovative film in the section.
Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for the Best Technical Contribution
THE WILD BOYS (LES GARÇONS SAUVAGES) by Bertrand Mandico (France)
The General Delegate Giona A. Nazzaro commented: “An edition marked by women. An edition that celebrated the many diverse forms of talent and of new cinema. An edition embraced with great esteem and affection by the audience. An edition that revealed seven new filmmakers that will be talked about for years to come. This is the work and the mission of the Venice International Film Critics’ Week”.
-
7 Feature Films to Compete at 2017 Venice International Film Critics’ Week
[caption id="attachment_23259" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Pin Cushion[/caption]
The 2017 Venice International Film Critics’ Week will screen a selection of seven debut films in competition and two special events out of competition, all presented in world premiere screenings. The Venice International Film Critics’ Week is an independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 74th Venice International Film Festival running August 30th to September 9th, 2017. The selection is curated by the General Delegate of the Venice Critics’ Week Giona A. Nazzaro together with the members of the selection committee Luigi Abiusi, Alberto Anile, Beatrice Fiorentino and Massimo Tria.
The DC Comics and Marvel Comics illustrator Carmine Di Giandomenico designed the futuristic cinematic muse for the 32nd edition of the independent sidebar dedicated to debut feature films.
The 2017 Venice International Film Critics’ Week official selection includes:
COMPETITION
IL CRATERE | CRATER by Luca Bellino, Silvia Luzi (Italy) DRIFT by Helena Wittmann (Germany) LES GARÇONS SAUVAGES| THE WILD BOYS by Bertrand Mandico (France) KÖRFEZ | THE GULF by Emre Yeksan (Turkey, Germany, Greece) SARAH JOUE UN LOUP GAROU | SARAH PLAYS A WEREWOLF by Katharina Wyss (Switzerland, Germany) TEAM HURRICANE by Annika Berg (Denmark) TEMPORADA DE CAZA | HUNTING SEASON by Natalia Garagiola (Argentina, USA, Germany, France, Qatar)SPECIAL EVENTS – OUT OF COMPETITION
Opening Film PIN CUSHION by Deborah Haywood (United Kingdom) Closing Film VELENO | POISON – THE LAND OF FIRES by Diego Olivares (Italy)
