Ulrich Seidl’s “Sparta” has been pulled from the Toronto International Film Festival amid allegations of impropriety and child exploitation against the director, but its premiere at next week’s San Sebastian Film Festival will continue as planned, Variety can reveal.
A spokesperson for the Spanish festival tells Variety on behalf of festival management that “Sparta” will remain in competition.
Providing a three-point list explaining their reasoning, San Sebastian said “the festival team assesses the films after their viewing according to their interest and quality” and that the event “does not have the ability to judge how a film has been shot and whether a crime has been committed in the course of the filming. If anyone has any evidence of a crime, they should report it to a judge.”
The statement concludes: “Only a court order would lead us to suspend a scheduled screening.”
This means that “Sparta” is...
A spokesperson for the Spanish festival tells Variety on behalf of festival management that “Sparta” will remain in competition.
Providing a three-point list explaining their reasoning, San Sebastian said “the festival team assesses the films after their viewing according to their interest and quality” and that the event “does not have the ability to judge how a film has been shot and whether a crime has been committed in the course of the filming. If anyone has any evidence of a crime, they should report it to a judge.”
The statement concludes: “Only a court order would lead us to suspend a scheduled screening.”
This means that “Sparta” is...
- 9/10/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The Toronto International Film Festival abruptly withdrew the German-language drama “Sparta” from its lineup ahead of its planned Friday world premiere after the film’s Austrian director, Ulrich Seidl, was accused of child exploitation in connection to the film.
The festival apologized “for any inconvenience” and said ticket holders would receive an email with more information.
Last week, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported allegations children on the set of his film were exposed to violence and nudity — and were not notified in advance of the film’s pedophilia-themed storyline. “Sparta,” which has yet to screen publicly, follows the story of a pedophile who teaches judo to young boys in an abandoned school building.
TIFF said the article “raised concerns that official guidelines established to protect children and keep their guardians informed when making films were not followed.”
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The festival apologized “for any inconvenience” and said ticket holders would receive an email with more information.
Last week, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported allegations children on the set of his film were exposed to violence and nudity — and were not notified in advance of the film’s pedophilia-themed storyline. “Sparta,” which has yet to screen publicly, follows the story of a pedophile who teaches judo to young boys in an abandoned school building.
TIFF said the article “raised concerns that official guidelines established to protect children and keep their guardians informed when making films were not followed.”
Also Read:
Why Making ‘Dalíland’ Was a Dream Come True for ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty...
- 9/9/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The Toronto International Film Festival has withdrawn the film “Sparta” following allegations of on-set impropriety and child exploitation against Austrian director Ulrich Seidl.
“Sparta” was due to have its world premiere in Toronto on Friday afternoon. However, there had been speculation as to whether the film would remain in the festival after allegations against Seidl and the production were published on Sept. 2 in German news magazine Der Spiegel.
The investigation alleges that Seidl did not communicate the film’s theme of paedophilia to its young actors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 and not from professional backgrounds. It’s also alleged that the actors were confronted with alcoholism, nudity and violence during the production without adequate preparation or support.
Der Spiegel says its journalists spent more than six months investigating the production of “Sparta” in Germany, Austria and Romania, and spoke to dozens of crew members, including some actors.
“Sparta” was due to have its world premiere in Toronto on Friday afternoon. However, there had been speculation as to whether the film would remain in the festival after allegations against Seidl and the production were published on Sept. 2 in German news magazine Der Spiegel.
The investigation alleges that Seidl did not communicate the film’s theme of paedophilia to its young actors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 and not from professional backgrounds. It’s also alleged that the actors were confronted with alcoholism, nudity and violence during the production without adequate preparation or support.
Der Spiegel says its journalists spent more than six months investigating the production of “Sparta” in Germany, Austria and Romania, and spoke to dozens of crew members, including some actors.
- 9/9/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Austrian director Ulrich Seidl, whose latest feature “Rimini” plays in the main competition at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, is winding down production on his next film, Variety can reveal.
“Sparta” is a companion piece to Seidl’s competition entry and revolves around the brother of that film’s protagonist, the washed-up singer Richie Bravo. “[‘Rimini’] actually originated as a much larger story,” the director told Variety. “This original story that I started writing was about the two brothers and their father.” Though Seidl wouldn’t share further details about the plot of “Sparta,” he noted that “both protagonists are caught up by their past.”
Marking the director’s return to the Berlinale’s main competition since 2013’s “Paradise: Hope,” “Rimini” is the story of a faded middle-aged crooner trying to make ends meet in the titular Italian resort town during a bleak, blustery off-season. His precarious world is...
“Sparta” is a companion piece to Seidl’s competition entry and revolves around the brother of that film’s protagonist, the washed-up singer Richie Bravo. “[‘Rimini’] actually originated as a much larger story,” the director told Variety. “This original story that I started writing was about the two brothers and their father.” Though Seidl wouldn’t share further details about the plot of “Sparta,” he noted that “both protagonists are caught up by their past.”
Marking the director’s return to the Berlinale’s main competition since 2013’s “Paradise: Hope,” “Rimini” is the story of a faded middle-aged crooner trying to make ends meet in the titular Italian resort town during a bleak, blustery off-season. His precarious world is...
- 2/10/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
COLOGNE, Germany -- Cristian Mungiu's Palme d'Or-winning abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Paul Verhoeven's WWII thriller Black Book and Sam Garbarski's dark comedy Irina Palm are among the titles the European Film Academy has selected in its initial list of nominees for this year's European Film Prize.
The 1,800 members of the EFA will use the list of 42 films to select the official nominees in seven main categories. The nominations will be announced Nov. 3 at the Sevilla Film Festival.
The 2007 EFA long list is a typical catch-all of the critically acclaimed and/or financially successful European productions of the past year.
Opulent big-budget productions including Olivier Dahan's Edith Piaf biography La Vie en Rose and Tom Tykwer's literary adaptation Perfume: The Story of a Murderer butt up against art house fare exemplified by Austrian director Ulrich Seidl's Import/Export or The Banishment from Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev.
Unlike in previous years, there is no consensus frontrunner, despite the presence of Oscar winners The Queen and The Last King of Scotland in the nominations list.
And in another departure, no one European country dominates the nominations. No nation, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. -- which produce the bulk of films in Europe -- has more than three films in the nominations list.
Another interesting development is the rise of Central and Eastern Europe. Some of the most talked-about films come from the EU's newest members, including Mungiu's 4 Months, Serbian thriller The Trap by director Srdan Golubovic and Jiri Menzel's Czech-language drama I Served the King of England.
The winners of the 20th annual European Film Awards will be announced Dec. 1 in Berlin.
The 1,800 members of the EFA will use the list of 42 films to select the official nominees in seven main categories. The nominations will be announced Nov. 3 at the Sevilla Film Festival.
The 2007 EFA long list is a typical catch-all of the critically acclaimed and/or financially successful European productions of the past year.
Opulent big-budget productions including Olivier Dahan's Edith Piaf biography La Vie en Rose and Tom Tykwer's literary adaptation Perfume: The Story of a Murderer butt up against art house fare exemplified by Austrian director Ulrich Seidl's Import/Export or The Banishment from Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev.
Unlike in previous years, there is no consensus frontrunner, despite the presence of Oscar winners The Queen and The Last King of Scotland in the nominations list.
And in another departure, no one European country dominates the nominations. No nation, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. -- which produce the bulk of films in Europe -- has more than three films in the nominations list.
Another interesting development is the rise of Central and Eastern Europe. Some of the most talked-about films come from the EU's newest members, including Mungiu's 4 Months, Serbian thriller The Trap by director Srdan Golubovic and Jiri Menzel's Czech-language drama I Served the King of England.
The winners of the 20th annual European Film Awards will be announced Dec. 1 in Berlin.
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