U.S.-based Rasa Film Group is launching a film collective at the Sundance Film Festival.
The collective is actively exploring projects featuring strong female protagonists, narratives centered around social justice and stories that portray Muslim characters in positive and empowering roles. Rasa is in talks for future projects involving Muslim or Pakistani women talent such as Aizzah Fatima (“Americanish”), Mehreen Jabbar (“Farar”), Afia Nathaniel (“Dukhtar”), Mahnoor Euceph (“Eid Mubarak”) and Rehana Lew Mirza (“Wishtree”).
Rasa is the brainchild of four partners of South Asian origin. Asad Butt is the founder and CEO of Rifelion Media, a film and podcast studio elevating diverse voices. He is the executive producer of the forthcoming “Ramadan America” film anthology and the “King of the World” podcast series. Butt is also a startup advisor and investor, primarily working with pet care and education founders and accelerator programs.
Sujit Chawla was a producer on the groundbreaking independent film “American Desi,...
The collective is actively exploring projects featuring strong female protagonists, narratives centered around social justice and stories that portray Muslim characters in positive and empowering roles. Rasa is in talks for future projects involving Muslim or Pakistani women talent such as Aizzah Fatima (“Americanish”), Mehreen Jabbar (“Farar”), Afia Nathaniel (“Dukhtar”), Mahnoor Euceph (“Eid Mubarak”) and Rehana Lew Mirza (“Wishtree”).
Rasa is the brainchild of four partners of South Asian origin. Asad Butt is the founder and CEO of Rifelion Media, a film and podcast studio elevating diverse voices. He is the executive producer of the forthcoming “Ramadan America” film anthology and the “King of the World” podcast series. Butt is also a startup advisor and investor, primarily working with pet care and education founders and accelerator programs.
Sujit Chawla was a producer on the groundbreaking independent film “American Desi,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Shrihari Sathe of New York-based production company Dialectic is enjoying the best time of his life, with no less than three of his projects, each completely different in style, genre and tone, being selected at A-list festivals.
The latest career high for Sathe began with Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s continent-hopping, multilingual identity tale “No Land’s Man” being selected at Busan in October 2021, followed by Francisca Alegria’s Spanish-language magical realist drama “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future” premiering at this year’s Sundance. Now, “Stay Awake,” an expansion of Jamie Sisley’s 2015 short film of the same name that premiered at the Berlinale and won the Jury Prize at Slamdance, makes its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Generation 14plus strand on Feb. 12.
The “Stay Awake” cast includes Wyatt Oleff, Fin Argus and Chrissy Metz. “Prescription drug and opioid addiction is a global problem.
The latest career high for Sathe began with Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s continent-hopping, multilingual identity tale “No Land’s Man” being selected at Busan in October 2021, followed by Francisca Alegria’s Spanish-language magical realist drama “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future” premiering at this year’s Sundance. Now, “Stay Awake,” an expansion of Jamie Sisley’s 2015 short film of the same name that premiered at the Berlinale and won the Jury Prize at Slamdance, makes its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Generation 14plus strand on Feb. 12.
The “Stay Awake” cast includes Wyatt Oleff, Fin Argus and Chrissy Metz. “Prescription drug and opioid addiction is a global problem.
- 2/12/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
NBCUniversal has selected the directed the 2020-2021 classes for the Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program. The scripted directing initiatives aim to increase representation of female and ethnically diverse male and non-binary directors, respectively, by creating a pipeline into scripted television. The announcement was made by Janine Jones-Clark as Executive Vice President, Inclusion – Talent & Content, NBCUniversal Film, Television and Streaming.
Both initiatives remain unique within the industry in that they are the only network programs to guarantee that participating directors will helm an episode of primetime television by the conclusion of the program. Program directors shadow on up to two episodes of their assigned NBC scripted series before receiving an in-season assignment to helm an episode of the same series.
Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program will become building blocks for a cross-functional directors initiative under the Global Talent Development & Inclusion team that will service the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group,...
Both initiatives remain unique within the industry in that they are the only network programs to guarantee that participating directors will helm an episode of primetime television by the conclusion of the program. Program directors shadow on up to two episodes of their assigned NBC scripted series before receiving an in-season assignment to helm an episode of the same series.
Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program will become building blocks for a cross-functional directors initiative under the Global Talent Development & Inclusion team that will service the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group,...
- 10/22/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The producers of Oscar winners Moonlight and Icarus, Oscar nominee Carol and Showtime series Billions, are among those bringing new projects to the Ifp Project Forum, which runs during the 40th Ifp Week in New York.
This year’s particularly buzzy Project Forum slate will comprise 150 U.S. and international films, series, digital and audio projects (for the first time) in different stages of development.
The co-production market will feature new narrative films and series from producers and Ep’s including Lamb On The Throne from Adele Romanski (Moonlight) and Sara Murphy (Land Ho!), Breezin’ from Amy Lo (Nancy), The Gymnast from Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Billions), The Fugitive Game from Ryan Cunningham (Broad City), Sleepwalkfrom Ryan Zacarias (A Ciambra), Bitterroot from Giulia Caruso & Ki Jin Kim (Columbus) and Nine Days from Jason Michael Berman (Amateur), Mette-Marie Kongsved (I Don’t Feel At Home In This World...
This year’s particularly buzzy Project Forum slate will comprise 150 U.S. and international films, series, digital and audio projects (for the first time) in different stages of development.
The co-production market will feature new narrative films and series from producers and Ep’s including Lamb On The Throne from Adele Romanski (Moonlight) and Sara Murphy (Land Ho!), Breezin’ from Amy Lo (Nancy), The Gymnast from Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Billions), The Fugitive Game from Ryan Cunningham (Broad City), Sleepwalkfrom Ryan Zacarias (A Ciambra), Bitterroot from Giulia Caruso & Ki Jin Kim (Columbus) and Nine Days from Jason Michael Berman (Amateur), Mette-Marie Kongsved (I Don’t Feel At Home In This World...
- 7/26/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Keep up with the always-hopping film festival world with our weekly Film Festival Roundup column. Check out last week’s Roundup right here.
Lineup Announcements
– The Film Society of Lincoln Center and UniFrance announce the complete lineup for the 22nd edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, the celebrated annual series showcasing the variety and vitality of contemporary French filmmaking, March 1 – 12.
The lineup features 23 diverse films, comprised of highlights from international festivals and works by both established favorites and talented newcomers, including François Ozon’s Lubitsch adaptation “Frantz,” set after World War I; Bertrand Bonello’s “Nocturama,” a provocative exploration of a Paris terrorist attack carried out by young activists; Bruno Dumont’s oddball slapstick detective story “Slack Bay,” starring Juliette Binoche; Rebecca Zlotowski’s visually arresting “Planetarium,” with Natalie Portman as a touring psychic who catches the eye of a movie producer in 1930s Paris; and Jean-Stéphane Bron’s “The Paris Opera,...
Lineup Announcements
– The Film Society of Lincoln Center and UniFrance announce the complete lineup for the 22nd edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, the celebrated annual series showcasing the variety and vitality of contemporary French filmmaking, March 1 – 12.
The lineup features 23 diverse films, comprised of highlights from international festivals and works by both established favorites and talented newcomers, including François Ozon’s Lubitsch adaptation “Frantz,” set after World War I; Bertrand Bonello’s “Nocturama,” a provocative exploration of a Paris terrorist attack carried out by young activists; Bruno Dumont’s oddball slapstick detective story “Slack Bay,” starring Juliette Binoche; Rebecca Zlotowski’s visually arresting “Planetarium,” with Natalie Portman as a touring psychic who catches the eye of a movie producer in 1930s Paris; and Jean-Stéphane Bron’s “The Paris Opera,...
- 2/2/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Afia Nathaniel's drama Dukhtar was Pakistan's official entry to the Academy Awards back in 2015. While the film didn't receive the nomination, it was clear that this is a feature that resonated with audiences far beyond Pakistan's traditional film audiences. The film, co-produced by no less than half a dozen companies, is a watershed in the depiction of the Pakistani tribal crisis that affects thousands of residents of the country's remote nothern regions. The tribal areas act very much as minor fiefdoms in which women are frequently traded as political collateral. In Dukhtar, one mother has finally had enough and she makes a decision that will change everything. I reviewed the film as a part of the South Asian International Film Festival in November of...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/19/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Exclusive: Label is designed to drive Asian cinema into Us.
Kino Lorber is launching a theatrical distribution label, Silk Road Cinema, dedicated to award-winning arthouse films from India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia.
The Us distributor is partnering with New York and Mumbai-based independent director-producer Shrihari Sathe to curate the collection and collaborate on distribution strategy.
Silk Road Cinema will release around six titles a year throughout North America, in theatres and across all other platforms including DVD and VOD, starting with five titles acquired by Sathe and Alan McAlex’s 3 Monkeys.
The five titles include Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar and Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, which were Pakistan and India’s submissions respectively to the 87th Academy Awards; 1000 Rupee Note [pictured], directed and produced by Sathe; Avinash Arun’s Killa, which won a Crystal Bear at Berlin in 2014; and award-winning drama Harud, directed by Aamir Bashir.
Sathe, who met Richard Lorber when he was a juror...
Kino Lorber is launching a theatrical distribution label, Silk Road Cinema, dedicated to award-winning arthouse films from India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia.
The Us distributor is partnering with New York and Mumbai-based independent director-producer Shrihari Sathe to curate the collection and collaborate on distribution strategy.
Silk Road Cinema will release around six titles a year throughout North America, in theatres and across all other platforms including DVD and VOD, starting with five titles acquired by Sathe and Alan McAlex’s 3 Monkeys.
The five titles include Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar and Geetu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice, which were Pakistan and India’s submissions respectively to the 87th Academy Awards; 1000 Rupee Note [pictured], directed and produced by Sathe; Avinash Arun’s Killa, which won a Crystal Bear at Berlin in 2014; and award-winning drama Harud, directed by Aamir Bashir.
Sathe, who met Richard Lorber when he was a juror...
- 5/12/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Film follows a young Tibetan woman living in exile in Delhi.
Shrihari Sathe’s Infinitum Productions has boarded Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam’s second narrative feature The Sweet Requiem.
Scripted by Sonam, the film follows a young Tibetan woman living in exile in Delhi, whose life is unexpectedly shattered when she runs into a man from her past. Sarin and Sonam will co-direct, while Sathe will produce alongside Sarin.
Sarin and Sonam’s first narrative feature, Dreaming Lhasa (2005), was executive produced by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Gere and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Their credits also include award-winning documentaries such as The Sun Behind The Clouds (2010) and When Hari Got Married (2012).
The Sweet Requiem was selected for the Drishyam-Sundance Institute Screenwriters’ Lab in 2015, as well as Busan’s Asian Project market and Film Bazaar in Goa. Cast and locations have been finalised and the film will shoot on location in India later this year...
Shrihari Sathe’s Infinitum Productions has boarded Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam’s second narrative feature The Sweet Requiem.
Scripted by Sonam, the film follows a young Tibetan woman living in exile in Delhi, whose life is unexpectedly shattered when she runs into a man from her past. Sarin and Sonam will co-direct, while Sathe will produce alongside Sarin.
Sarin and Sonam’s first narrative feature, Dreaming Lhasa (2005), was executive produced by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Gere and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Their credits also include award-winning documentaries such as The Sun Behind The Clouds (2010) and When Hari Got Married (2012).
The Sweet Requiem was selected for the Drishyam-Sundance Institute Screenwriters’ Lab in 2015, as well as Busan’s Asian Project market and Film Bazaar in Goa. Cast and locations have been finalised and the film will shoot on location in India later this year...
- 2/15/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
A gripping story from a place where women are less than second-class citizens that insists that they are, in fact, people who deserve to live as they please. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Dukhtar (“Daughter”) is an extraordinary film in lots of usual ways: it tells a fresh story that we haven’t seen before, performed by an enchanting and talented cast; it’s a gorgeously shot road movie that travels through some of the most remote and most starkly beautiful terrain on the planet and ends up in a vivacious city, both places we also haven’t seen much of onscreen before; it’s a challenging tale told in a suspenseful, riveting way by a first-time filmmaker.
But Dukhtar — Pakistan’s official entry for Best Foreign Language...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Dukhtar (“Daughter”) is an extraordinary film in lots of usual ways: it tells a fresh story that we haven’t seen before, performed by an enchanting and talented cast; it’s a gorgeously shot road movie that travels through some of the most remote and most starkly beautiful terrain on the planet and ends up in a vivacious city, both places we also haven’t seen much of onscreen before; it’s a challenging tale told in a suspenseful, riveting way by a first-time filmmaker.
But Dukhtar — Pakistan’s official entry for Best Foreign Language...
- 10/9/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Released in Pakistan and set to open in New York and L.A. later this fall, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter who flee from their home in the mountains of Pakistan. Below, first-time feature filmmaker, writer, co-producer and co-editor Afia Nathaniel speaks with me after the German premiere in Munich. Filmmaker: Did you always want to be a filmmaker? Nathaniel: I’m originally from a big city in Pakistan called Lahore, where I grew up and was educated. We didn’t have any film schools or film industry, but I always loved writing and storytelling. I never […]...
- 7/27/2015
- by Taylor Hess
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Released in Pakistan and set to open in New York and L.A. later this fall, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter who flee from their home in the mountains of Pakistan. Below, first-time feature filmmaker, writer, co-producer and co-editor Afia Nathaniel speaks with me after the German premiere in Munich. Filmmaker: Did you always want to be a filmmaker? Nathaniel: I’m originally from a big city in Pakistan called Lahore, where I grew up and was educated. We didn’t have any film schools or film industry, but I always loved writing and storytelling. I never […]...
- 7/27/2015
- by Taylor Hess
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Kerem Sanga’s The Young Kieslowski earned Best American Independent Feature award as the 18th Sonoma International Film Festival came to a close.
Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar (pictured) was named Best World Feature and Galen Knowles’ Far From Home won best documentary.
Best Narrative Short went to God Has His Head In The Clouds by Gianluca Sodaro, Cindy Allen’s Fish Out of Water won Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short was presented to Jack Anderson for Wirecutters.
The Stolman Audience Award of $1,000 for Best American Independent Feature went to The Week by John W Mann and Jon Gunn, while Jeffrey Brown’s Sold claimed the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for world cinema prize and Cowspiracy by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn took the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for best documentary.
“We are already looking forward to our 19th,” said festival executive director Kevin W McNeely. “Our 18th reached a new high of films from around the world...
Afia Nathaniel’s Dukhtar (pictured) was named Best World Feature and Galen Knowles’ Far From Home won best documentary.
Best Narrative Short went to God Has His Head In The Clouds by Gianluca Sodaro, Cindy Allen’s Fish Out of Water won Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short was presented to Jack Anderson for Wirecutters.
The Stolman Audience Award of $1,000 for Best American Independent Feature went to The Week by John W Mann and Jon Gunn, while Jeffrey Brown’s Sold claimed the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for world cinema prize and Cowspiracy by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn took the $1,000 A³ Audience Award for best documentary.
“We are already looking forward to our 19th,” said festival executive director Kevin W McNeely. “Our 18th reached a new high of films from around the world...
- 4/1/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Dukhtar, Margarita With A Straw and Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain among outstanding schedule of independent South Asian films to be screened as part of 17th annual Laff.
Organizers have announced the full roster of films and special events for this year’s London Asian Film Festival (Laff) – Europe’s oldest showcase for South Asian cinema.
The Festival takes place across London from 19 March to 28 March and features a string of exciting and acclaimed independent feature films, master classes, special screenings, debates and the Festival’s celebrated short films competition.
This year’s Festival highlights include critically acclaimed films such as Margarita With A Straw, Bhopal – A Prayer for Rain, Dukhtar, Rang Rasiya, The World Before Her and Haider.
The 17th edition London Asian Film Festival is once again organized by Tongues on Fire, which has built an unparalleled reputation for promoting independent cinema as well as providing a showcase for female filmmakers.
Organizers have announced the full roster of films and special events for this year’s London Asian Film Festival (Laff) – Europe’s oldest showcase for South Asian cinema.
The Festival takes place across London from 19 March to 28 March and features a string of exciting and acclaimed independent feature films, master classes, special screenings, debates and the Festival’s celebrated short films competition.
This year’s Festival highlights include critically acclaimed films such as Margarita With A Straw, Bhopal – A Prayer for Rain, Dukhtar, Rang Rasiya, The World Before Her and Haider.
The 17th edition London Asian Film Festival is once again organized by Tongues on Fire, which has built an unparalleled reputation for promoting independent cinema as well as providing a showcase for female filmmakers.
- 3/18/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
The Athena Film Festival has pulled back the curtain on its 2015 lineup, revealing an array of notable narrative films, docs and shorts from 2014 as well as the new year. Running February 5 through February 8 on New York's Barnard College campus, the festival highlights women's leadership in cinema and in the film industry. The fest opens with the New York premiere of Kim Longinotto's "Dreamcatcher," a documentary about a former Chicago prostitute who battles to break the cycle of sex abuse and exploitation among young inner-city women. On Saturday, the little-seen backstage melodrama "Beyond the Lights" will screen along with a Q&A with writer/director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Among the highly touted films in this year's lineup are: Gillian Robespierre's subversive abortion rom-com "Obvious Child" starring comedienne Jenny Slate, Lukas Moodysson's warm and wonderful punk band comedy "We Are the Best!", Afia Nathaniel's Pakistani...
- 1/9/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Dominated by the commercial trends of the region, which mostly align with India’s outlandish Bollywood, the Pakistani film industry rarely offers productions that tackle its society’s specific challenges from a progressive perspective. Under this system, creating a film that questions the ancient patriarchal structures and the way they hinder women’s ability to flourish as individuals was even a more unlikely reality. To highlight the torment that is brought upon women forced into a life of servitude and silence, director Afia Nathaniel, a Pakistani women herself who knows this world and its negative repercussions, focused her efforts on a singular quest to end the cycle. Her defiant debut feature “Dukhtar” or “Daughter” follows a mother and her young daughter traveling through rural landscapes to escape the predetermined future chosen by the men that claim to own them.
Accustomed to the only life she’s ever known, Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz), a young mother and wife living in a small mountain village, tries to channel all her unfilled hopes into her playful ten-year-old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref). Still unaware of how her voice will be terribly silenced once she becomes someone’s property against her will, cheeky Zainab enjoys spending time with her mother and teaching her English. Her distant father Daulat Khan (Asif Khan) is much more concerned with finding a solution for an ongoing tribal dispute. Taking advantage of Daulat Khan’s desperation, Tor Gul (Abdullah Jan), the rival leader, demands Zainab’s hand in marriage in order to end the bloodshed. The girl’s father agrees. Jeopardizing her own life, Allah Rakhi runs off with her daughter without a plan. Her only objective is to safeguard her innocence and to offer her the one gift she was never given: a choice.
As expected, both Tor Gul’s and Daulat Khan’s henchmen are sent to find them at any cost. Their mission is to bring Zainab back alive regardless of what happens to her mother. Along the way Allah Rakhi befriends Sohail (Mohib Mirza), a kindhearted man who decides helping her get her daughter to safety is the right thing to do. Through such nerve-racking journey Allah Rakhi discovers what it means to be treated as whole and meaningful person and not just a silent spectator at the mercy of another’s wishes. Assertively, Nathaniel decides not to take the romantic path and reduce her protagonist into a woman falling into another man’s arms. Instead, she concentrates her efforts in exploring he broken bond between mothers and daughters due to an ideology in which their contributions are not appreciated and alienation is the deadliest weapon.
Allah Rakhi has not been allowed to see her mother ever since she got married, and the same was to be expected for Zainab’s life. Cut off from their own worlds women are reduced to be perpetual strangers in the homes of the men that don’t known beyond their role as a commodity. As Allah Rakhi, Samiya Mumtaz gives a topnotch performance that shines for its restraint. She is a woman driven by her love for her daughter, which allows her to confront the inherent fear implanted in her. Her work is a standout and crucial piece in “Dukhtar.” It’s evident that the film centers on the lack of freedom that women experience not only in Pakistan but in numerous traditional societies, yet, Afia Nathaniel manages to showcase her homeland’s beauty and makes it clear that this is not a story about gender confrontation, but about an securing and equal opportunity to find fulfillment.
With its evocative musical score and by cinematographer Armughan Hassan's gorgeous vistas that adorned the chaotic road, “Dukhtar” is a small gem forged out the director’s desire to craft a story which, tough small in scope, could connect with Pakistani people on a more profound level than the shiny musical tales in mainstream local cinema ever could. This is in its own right a groundbreaking film unlike anything done by a director from this particular part of the world. It's art and social change united in harmony via soulful storytelling. Nathaniel’s vision captures the heart of this broken bond that must be rebuilt, for mothers, for daughters, for all.
Accustomed to the only life she’s ever known, Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz), a young mother and wife living in a small mountain village, tries to channel all her unfilled hopes into her playful ten-year-old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref). Still unaware of how her voice will be terribly silenced once she becomes someone’s property against her will, cheeky Zainab enjoys spending time with her mother and teaching her English. Her distant father Daulat Khan (Asif Khan) is much more concerned with finding a solution for an ongoing tribal dispute. Taking advantage of Daulat Khan’s desperation, Tor Gul (Abdullah Jan), the rival leader, demands Zainab’s hand in marriage in order to end the bloodshed. The girl’s father agrees. Jeopardizing her own life, Allah Rakhi runs off with her daughter without a plan. Her only objective is to safeguard her innocence and to offer her the one gift she was never given: a choice.
As expected, both Tor Gul’s and Daulat Khan’s henchmen are sent to find them at any cost. Their mission is to bring Zainab back alive regardless of what happens to her mother. Along the way Allah Rakhi befriends Sohail (Mohib Mirza), a kindhearted man who decides helping her get her daughter to safety is the right thing to do. Through such nerve-racking journey Allah Rakhi discovers what it means to be treated as whole and meaningful person and not just a silent spectator at the mercy of another’s wishes. Assertively, Nathaniel decides not to take the romantic path and reduce her protagonist into a woman falling into another man’s arms. Instead, she concentrates her efforts in exploring he broken bond between mothers and daughters due to an ideology in which their contributions are not appreciated and alienation is the deadliest weapon.
Allah Rakhi has not been allowed to see her mother ever since she got married, and the same was to be expected for Zainab’s life. Cut off from their own worlds women are reduced to be perpetual strangers in the homes of the men that don’t known beyond their role as a commodity. As Allah Rakhi, Samiya Mumtaz gives a topnotch performance that shines for its restraint. She is a woman driven by her love for her daughter, which allows her to confront the inherent fear implanted in her. Her work is a standout and crucial piece in “Dukhtar.” It’s evident that the film centers on the lack of freedom that women experience not only in Pakistan but in numerous traditional societies, yet, Afia Nathaniel manages to showcase her homeland’s beauty and makes it clear that this is not a story about gender confrontation, but about an securing and equal opportunity to find fulfillment.
With its evocative musical score and by cinematographer Armughan Hassan's gorgeous vistas that adorned the chaotic road, “Dukhtar” is a small gem forged out the director’s desire to craft a story which, tough small in scope, could connect with Pakistani people on a more profound level than the shiny musical tales in mainstream local cinema ever could. This is in its own right a groundbreaking film unlike anything done by a director from this particular part of the world. It's art and social change united in harmony via soulful storytelling. Nathaniel’s vision captures the heart of this broken bond that must be rebuilt, for mothers, for daughters, for all.
- 12/4/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The Palm Springs International Film Festival has increasingly become an important stop on the awards calendar for foreign language films. While the desert fest hands out an international critics prize, it’s more about the filmmakers getting a chance to rub shoulders with Academy members just before nominations ballots are due. The upcoming 26th annual fest is running January 2-12 and has announced the movies that will compete for the Fipresci prize in its Awards Buzz section. Fifty of the 83 official submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar are on the list with the titles chosen believed by festival programmers to be the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards race. A special jury of international film critics will screen the films and hand out a Fipresci for an individual title as well as Best Actor and Best Actress. While the fest doesn’t always match the eventual Oscar winner,...
- 12/2/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
The organisers of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will screen 50 of the 83 foreign-language Oscar submissions.
A jury of international film critics will be convened to bestow the Fipresci Award for best foreign language film of the year, as well as best actor and best actress in this category.
Further film programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. Psiff is set to run from January 2-12.
The Awards Buzz selections in alphabetical order of country are:
A Few Cubic Meters Of Love (Afghanistan), Jamshid Mahmoudi:
Wild Tales (Argentina), Damián Szifrón;
Charlie’s Country (Australia), Rolf de Heer;
The Dark Valley (Austria), Andreas Prochaska;
Nabat (Azerbaijan), Elchin Musaoglu;
Two Days, One Night (Belgium-France-Italy), Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne;
The Way He Looks (Brazil), Daniel Ribeiro;
Mommy (Canada), Xavier Dolan;
To Kill A Man (Chile), Alejandro Fernández Almendras;
The Nightingale (China), Philippe Muyl;
Mateo (Colombia), Maria Gamboa;
Cowboys (Croatia), Tomislav Mršić;
Behavior (Cuba), Director [link=nm...
A jury of international film critics will be convened to bestow the Fipresci Award for best foreign language film of the year, as well as best actor and best actress in this category.
Further film programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. Psiff is set to run from January 2-12.
The Awards Buzz selections in alphabetical order of country are:
A Few Cubic Meters Of Love (Afghanistan), Jamshid Mahmoudi:
Wild Tales (Argentina), Damián Szifrón;
Charlie’s Country (Australia), Rolf de Heer;
The Dark Valley (Austria), Andreas Prochaska;
Nabat (Azerbaijan), Elchin Musaoglu;
Two Days, One Night (Belgium-France-Italy), Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne;
The Way He Looks (Brazil), Daniel Ribeiro;
Mommy (Canada), Xavier Dolan;
To Kill A Man (Chile), Alejandro Fernández Almendras;
The Nightingale (China), Philippe Muyl;
Mateo (Colombia), Maria Gamboa;
Cowboys (Croatia), Tomislav Mršić;
Behavior (Cuba), Director [link=nm...
- 12/2/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The UK’s Mara Pictures has acquired Pakistani drama Dukhtar (Daughter), which it plans to release theatrically in the UK in April 2015.
The debut feature of Pakistani director Afia Nathaniel, who also wrote and produced, the film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, screened at the London Film Festival, and won best director and the audience award at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.
The film was also selected as Pakistan’s entry to the Best Foreign-Language Film category of the Academy Awards.
Shot in the mountains of northern Pakistan, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.
“Dukhtar is a beautifully shot, captivating film and a stunning debut by Afia Nathaniel. It fits well into our profile of unique cinematic explorations from South Asia. We are excited...
The debut feature of Pakistani director Afia Nathaniel, who also wrote and produced, the film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, screened at the London Film Festival, and won best director and the audience award at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.
The film was also selected as Pakistan’s entry to the Best Foreign-Language Film category of the Academy Awards.
Shot in the mountains of northern Pakistan, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.
“Dukhtar is a beautifully shot, captivating film and a stunning debut by Afia Nathaniel. It fits well into our profile of unique cinematic explorations from South Asia. We are excited...
- 12/2/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The UK’s Mara Pictures has acquired Pakistani drama Dukhtar (Daughter), which it plans to release theatrically in the UK in April 2015.
The debut feature of Pakistani director Afia Nathaniel, who also wrote and produced, the film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, screened at the London Film Festival, and won best director and the audience award at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.
The film was also selected as Pakistan’s entry to the best foreign-language film category of the Academy Awards.
Shot in the mountains of northern Pakistan, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.
“Dukhtar is a beautifully shot, captivating film and a stunning debut by Afia Nathaniel. It fits well into our profile of unique cinematic explorations from South Asia. We are excited...
The debut feature of Pakistani director Afia Nathaniel, who also wrote and produced, the film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, screened at the London Film Festival, and won best director and the audience award at the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.
The film was also selected as Pakistan’s entry to the best foreign-language film category of the Academy Awards.
Shot in the mountains of northern Pakistan, Dukhtar tells the story of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter, who leave their home to save the girl from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader.
“Dukhtar is a beautifully shot, captivating film and a stunning debut by Afia Nathaniel. It fits well into our profile of unique cinematic explorations from South Asia. We are excited...
- 12/2/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
A still from Titli
Kanu Behl’s Titli took home South Asian International Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature. Avinash Arun’s Killa was adjudged the second best film.
The Best Director Award was presented to first-time writer-director Afia Nathaniel for her film Dukhtar. The tense drama, Pakistan’s official entry to the 2014 Academy Awards, was also presented with the festival’s Audience Award.
The jury awarded their Short Grand Jury Prize to Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story, a stunning animated short about a 17-year-old orphan who uses his love of Bollywood cinema to help him woo the girl of his dreams.
The Audience Award for Short Film was awarded to Veil by director Sreemoyee Bhattacharya.
The award ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Carlton Hotel on November 23rd, celebrating Saiff’s eleventh anniversary.
The Eleventh Annual South Asian International Film Festival ran from Tuesday, November 18th,...
Kanu Behl’s Titli took home South Asian International Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature. Avinash Arun’s Killa was adjudged the second best film.
The Best Director Award was presented to first-time writer-director Afia Nathaniel for her film Dukhtar. The tense drama, Pakistan’s official entry to the 2014 Academy Awards, was also presented with the festival’s Audience Award.
The jury awarded their Short Grand Jury Prize to Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story, a stunning animated short about a 17-year-old orphan who uses his love of Bollywood cinema to help him woo the girl of his dreams.
The Audience Award for Short Film was awarded to Veil by director Sreemoyee Bhattacharya.
The award ceremony took place at Manhattan’s Carlton Hotel on November 23rd, celebrating Saiff’s eleventh anniversary.
The Eleventh Annual South Asian International Film Festival ran from Tuesday, November 18th,...
- 11/24/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Jigarthanda at Saiff 2014
X, by eleven directors, will kickstart HBO’s South Asian International Film Festival (Saiff) on Tuesday. The festival will be held from November 18-23 in Manhattan.
Shrihari Sathe’s Ek Hazarachi Note, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda, Kanu Behl’s Titli, Avinash Arun’s Killa and Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar are the feature films to be screened at the festival.
The short films at the festival include Gaurav Bakshi’s Enough, Rajesh Jala’s 23 Winters, Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story (animation), Atanu Mukherjee’s The Gatekeeper and Sreemoyee Bhattacharya’s Veil.
Raj and Dk’s Happy Ending, starring Saif Ali Khan, Ileana D’Cruz, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey and Govinda, will be screened as the Centerpiece Film of the festival.
The festival will close with the screening of Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Maloom Afraad.
X, by eleven directors, will kickstart HBO’s South Asian International Film Festival (Saiff) on Tuesday. The festival will be held from November 18-23 in Manhattan.
Shrihari Sathe’s Ek Hazarachi Note, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda, Kanu Behl’s Titli, Avinash Arun’s Killa and Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar are the feature films to be screened at the festival.
The short films at the festival include Gaurav Bakshi’s Enough, Rajesh Jala’s 23 Winters, Gitanjali Rao’s True Love Story (animation), Atanu Mukherjee’s The Gatekeeper and Sreemoyee Bhattacharya’s Veil.
Raj and Dk’s Happy Ending, starring Saif Ali Khan, Ileana D’Cruz, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey and Govinda, will be screened as the Centerpiece Film of the festival.
The festival will close with the screening of Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Maloom Afraad.
- 11/18/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The 11th South Asian International Film Festival presented by HBO set to run from November 18-23 will open with the world premiere of Indian anthology X.
The festival – now under the guidance of new executive director Joya Dass – will close with the North American Premiere of Pakistani hit Na Maloom Afraad!
The roster includes Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda and Killa, directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware.
The Centerpiece World Premiere is Raj Nidimoru and Krishna Dk’s Happy Ending (pictured).
For further details click here.
The festival – now under the guidance of new executive director Joya Dass – will close with the North American Premiere of Pakistani hit Na Maloom Afraad!
The roster includes Afia Serena Nathaniel’s Dukhtar, Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda and Killa, directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware.
The Centerpiece World Premiere is Raj Nidimoru and Krishna Dk’s Happy Ending (pictured).
For further details click here.
- 11/12/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Every year Hollywood gets a curated batch of films from dozens of countries seeking an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. One film per nation is chosen to represent the best of its cinematic production during the previous year. Certainly the chosen film is not always the ideal candidate, but the reasoning behind the selection usually follows two patterns: there are countries that go with the best film even if this is not the most appealing choice and there are countries that go with the most ambitious, industry-friendly, and financially successful work. This year the astonishing number of submissions – a total of 83 – makes for an incredible list of films that range from those that sport festival pedigree of the highest caliber, unknown gems looking for an audience, expensive visual achievements, and obscure art house hopefuls.
This year more than most, there are a great number of films with serious possibilities. There is no unshakable front-runner, but there are numerous favorites. Yet, looking at last year’s 9 shortlisted films and eventual 5 nominees, nothing is written in stone. Critics and audience favorites like “ The Past” (Iran), “Gloria” (Chile), “Heli” (Mexico), and “Wadjda” (Saudi Arabia) were left out to include surprises like “The Missing Picture“ (Cambodia), “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or “The Notebook” (Hungary).
With Awards Season now in full swing and knowing that this is one of the most difficult races to follow, here is a comprehensive list that includes information for each of the 83 submissions. Below each poster you will find the title of the film linked to its page on IMDb Pro followed by the title in the original language; the director’s name also linked to his/her IMDb Page; the language the film is primarily in; the name of the U.S. distributor if there is one; the name of the film’s International Sales Agent (Isa) or Production Company (PC) linked to the film’s page on Cinando; and a link to the film’s trailer (most of them have English subtitles, others are only in the original language, and a few are videos related to the film because a trailer wasn't available). In addition, reviews and interviews with many of these filmmakers will be added regularly.
Before getting into the list, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and patterns among these 83 foreign language features.
Period Dramas/Biopics
Several countries selected films based on the lives of prominent local figures or great period pieces, both showcase the level of films being produced across the globe in terms of production value and scope. Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Venezuela’s “The Liberator,” Kyrgyzstan “Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains,” Bolivia’s “Forgotten,” Indonesia’s “Soekarno,” Greece’s “Little England,” Macedonia’s “To the Hilt,” Hong Kong’s “The Golden Era,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Serbia’s “ See You in Montevideo,” Slovakia’s “A Step Into the Dark” and New Zealand’s “The Dead Lands” are some of the most expensive films ever made in their respective territories. All of them are epic productions that highlight an important historical period using impressive cinematography, a great number of extras, intricate costumes, lavish locations, detailed production design, as well as great battle sequences in several of them. Other more traditional biopics/period pieces on the list include France’s “Saint Laurent,” The Netherlands “ Accused,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” and the Czech Republic’s “Fair Play”
Masters and Festival Winners
Not surprisingly many of the films on the list come into this race after winning important awards at international festivals. Furthermore, a handful of them are from master filmmakers, masters in the making, or unique new voices. These films include Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, Nyff, AFI Fest) by the Dardenne Brothers, Canada’s “Mommy” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by prodigy Xavier Dolan, Chile’s “To Kill a Man” (Sundance, Rotterdam, Cartagena) by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Hungary's "White God" (Cannes) by Kornél Mundruczó, Norway’s “1001 Grams” (Tiff) by Bent Hamer, Poland’s “Ida”(Tiff, Sundance) by Pawel Pawlikowski, Russia’s “Leviathan” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sweden’s “Force Majeure” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Ruben Östlund, and Turkey’s “ Winter Sleep” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. All of these films have played at renowned international festivals and most have earned important recognition there.
Out of the Box
Whether they are aware of their actual possibilities at a nomination or not, each year a few countries take the risk of sending a film that defies convention despite having more safe choices. But that is not say they are entirely out of the race, films like “The Missing Picture” and “Dogtooth” prove that sometimes there is room for daring and unique filmmaking. With “Rocks in My Pockets” Latvia is the only country to submit an animated film this year. The film is an inventive and colorful look at depression. Then there is the almost-silent and highly poetic Ecuadorian entry “Silence in Dreamland” and Singapore’s musically driven drama “Sayang Disayang.” However, the boldest selection has to be the Philippines’ “Norte, the End of History” by acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz, which runs over four hours and is inspired by Dostoyevsky Crime and Punishment.
Documentaries
Only two countries chose to go with non-fiction entries. One of them is Panama’s “Invasion,” which deals with the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in that country in 1989. This is the Central American nation’s first ever Oscar submission. The other documentary contending is Portugal’s “ What Now? Remind Me,“ a self-portrait by filmmaker Joaquim Pinto exploring his struggles living with HIV. One should note that Portugal is one of the few countries in Western Europe to have never obtained a nomination in the category despite entering films consecutively for several decades.
Lgbt
Films with stories that highlight sexual diversity occasionally make their way into this list. Last year the only Lgbt title submitted was “ Soongava: Dance of the Orchids,” which surprisingly came from Nepal and dealt with the relationship between two young women in the traditional Asian society. This time around two countries selected films with similar themes. Brazil’s festival darling “ The Way He Looks” – a sweet coming-of-age tale- was an audacious choice among the many other films the South American country produces every year. Then there is Switzerland’s “The Circle” about a pioneering gay publication during the 1940s/1950s in Zurich and the real life relationship between two of its prominent members.
Surprising Choices
As it usually happens, some countries go against what the industry expects and decide to send films that weren’t on most people’s radars. Bulgaria for example selected “Bulgarian Rhapsody” by veteran director Ivan Nitchev over Sundance’s “Viktoria” by young female director Maya Vitkova. Similarly, Ukraine overlooked Cannes favorite “The Tribe”- a powerful drama entirely in sign language - and decided to go with “The Guide” by Oles Sanin. Nevertheless, the most shocking decision came from China. Instead of selecting a Chinese-directed film like Berlin’s Golden Bear winner “Black Coal, Thin Ice” or Zhang Yimou’s “Coming Home,” the Chinese selection committee chose “The Nightingale” by French director Philippe Muyl. Despite having a European helmer the film is authentically Chinese in terms of language and story, but it was still an unexpected move from the traditionally patriotic country.
First Timers
The unprecedented number of entries is in part due to the addition of countries submitting for the first time. Besides aforementioned Panama, there are three other debutant nations in the mix. Kosovo- a tiny Balkan state often associated with the rampart war that afflicted the region a few decades ago - is finally showcasing its film production. Their entry titled “Three Windows and a Hanging” is said to be a high quality, affecting drama. Malta - a European island nation near Italy - is often used as astonishing location for big budget studio films. This year, however, “ Simshar,” a great immigration drama will represent the country. Lastly, Mauritania – a prominently Muslim nation in Sub-Saharan Africa – selected Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,”which played in competition at Cannes,as their inaugural submission. Although Sissako has had several successful films at international festivals, this is the first time his country decides to participate.
Female Directors
Out of the 83 films, 14 were directed by women. That’s 17% of all entries. What’s more interesting is the fact that some of these films come from countries that are often seen as traditionally patriarchal societies. 3 Latin American entries were created by female directors: Colombia’s “Mateo,” Costa Rica’s “Red Princesses” and the Dominican Republic’s “Cristo Rey.” 4 from Asia: Hong Kong’s “ The Golden Era,” India’s “Liar’s Dice,” Japan’s “The Light Shines Only There,” and Pakistan’s “Dukhtar.” 2 from the Middle East: Israel’s “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Co-directed) and Palestine’s “Eyes of a Thief.” Lastly, 5 films from Europe: The Czech Republic’s “Fair Play,” Finland’s “Concrete Night,” Latvia’s “ Rocks in My Pockets,” Malta’s “Simshar” and the Netherlands’ “Accused.”
U.S. Distribution
Another interesting fact is the number of these films that already have U.S. distribution. Several of them have actually already opened theatrically here, and others are set to open early next year. Out 83 films, 24 already have U.S. distribution. That’s 29% of all films. Hopefully that number increases by the end of the season. The films are: Argentina’s “Wild Tales,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night,” Brazil’s “The Way He Looks,” Canada’s “Mommy,” Chile’s “To Kill a Man,” France’s “Saint Laurent,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Hungary’s “White God,” Israel’s “ Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,” Italy’s “Human Capital,” Latvia’s “Rocks in My Pockets,” Mauritania’s “Timbuktu,” Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Norway’s “1001 Grams,” The Philippines “Norte, the End of History,” Poland’s “Ida,” Portugal's "What Now? Remind Me," Russia’s “Leviathan,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed,” Sweden’s “Force Majeure,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Turkey’s “Winter Sleep,” and Venezuela’s “ The Liberator.”
To see which distribution company has each of these films please refer to the list below.
Afghanistan
"A Few Cubic Meters of Love" (چند متر مکعب عشق)
Dir: Jamshid Mahmoudi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Argentina
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Dir: Damián Szifrón
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
Austria
"The Dark Valley" (Das finstere Tal)
Dir: Andreas Prochaska
Language: German
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Australia
"Charlie's Country"
Dir: Rolf de Heer
Language: Yolŋu Matha/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Visit Films
Trailer
Azerbaijan
"Nabat"
Dir: Elcin Musaoglu
Language: Azerbaijani
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Bangladesh
"Glow of the Firefly" (Jonakir Alo)
Dir: Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Language: Bengali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Impress Telefilm
Trailer
Belgium
"Two Days, One Night" (Deux jours, une nuit)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Language: French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Sundance Selects
Isa: Wild Bunch
Trailer
Bolivia
"Forgotten" (Olvidados)
Dir: Carlos Bolado
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Flor de Loto Pictures
Trailer
Bosnia & Herzegovina
"With Mom" (Sa mamom)
Dir: Faruk Loncarevic
Language: Bosnian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Scca/pro.ba
TraileR
Brazil
"The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: Strand Releasing
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Bulgaria
"Bulgarian Rhapsody" (българска рапсодия)
Dir: Ivan Nitchev
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Cinepaz Eood
Trailer
Canada
"Mommy"
Dir: Xavier Dolan
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Roadside Attractions
Isa: Seville International
Trailer
Chile
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Dir: Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
China
"The Nightingale" (夜莺/Le promeneur d'oiseau)
Dir: Philippe Muyl
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Kinology
Trailer
Colombia
"Mateo"
Dir: Maria Gamboa ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Alpha Violet
Trailer
Costa Rica
"Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
Dir: Laura Astorga ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films Trailer
Croatia
"Cowboys" (Kauboji)
Dir: Tomislav Mrsic
Language: Croatian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Cuba
"Behavior" (Conducta)
Dir: Ernesto Daranas
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films
Trailer
Czech Republic
"Fair Play"
Dir: Andrea Sedlácková Andrea Sedlácková
Language: Czech
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: IntraMovies
Trailer
Denmark
"Sorrow and Joy" (Sorg og glæde)
Dir: Nils Malmros
Language: Danish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Nordisk Film Production
Trailer
Dominican Republic
"Cristo Rey"
Dir: Leticia Tonos ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: The Little Film Company
Trailer
Ecuador
"Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
Dir: Tito Molina
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Facultad
Trailer
Egypt
"Factory Girl" (فتاة المصنع )
Dir: Mohamed Khan
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: DayDream Art Production
Trailer
Estonia
"Tangerines" (Mandariinid)
Dir: Zaza Urushadze
Language: Estonian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Cinemavault
Trailer
Ethiopia
"Difret"
Dir: Zeresenay Mehari
Language: Amharic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Finland
"Concrete Night" (Betoniyö)
Dir: Pirjo Honkasalo ♀
Language: Finnish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Film Republic Trailer
France
"Saint Laurent"
Dir: Bertrand Bonello
Language: French
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Europacorp
Trailer
Georgia
"Corn Island" (სიმინდის კუნძული)
Dir: George Ovashvili
Language: Georgian/Abkhazian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Arizona Productions
Trailer
Germany
"Beloved Sisters" (Die geliebten Schwestern)
Dir: Dominik Graf
Language: German /French
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Global Screen
Trailer
Greece
"Little England" (Μικρά Αγγλία)
Dir: Pantelis Voulgaris
Language: Greek
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Black Orange
Trailer
Hong Kong
"The Golden Era" (黄金时代)
Dir: Ann Hui ♀
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Edko Films
Trailer
Hungary
"White God" (Fehér isten)
Dir: Kornél Mundruczó
Language: Hungarian/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: The Match Factory
Trailer
Iceland
"Life in a Fishbowl" (Vonarstræti)
Dir: Baldvin Zophoníasson
Language: None Yet
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
India
"Liar's Dice" (लायर्स डाइस)
Dir: Geethu Mohandas ♀
Language: Hindi
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Jar Pictures Trailer
Indonesia
"Soekarno"
Dir: Hanung Bramantyo
Language: Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Mvp Pictures
Trailer
Iran
"Today" (امروز )
Dir: Reza Mirkarimi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Iraq
"Mardan"
Dir: Batin Ghobadi
Language: Kurdish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Versatile Trailer
Ireland
"The Gift" (An Bronntanas)
Dir: Tom Collins
Language: Irish/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Rosg/De Facto Films
Trailer
Israel
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (Gett: Le Procès de Viviane Amsalem)
Dir: Ronit Elkabetz ♀ & Shlomi Elkabetz
Language: Hebrew/French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Italy
"Human Capital" (Il Capitale Umano)
Dir: Paolo Virzì
Language: Italian
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
PC: Indiana Production Company
Trailer
Japan
"The Light Shines Only There" (そこのみにて光輝く)
Dir: Mipo Oh ♀
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Open Sesame
Trailer
Kosovo
"Three Windows and a Hanging" (Tri Dritare dhe një Varje)
Dir: Isa Qosja
Language: Albanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: CMb Productions
Trailer
Kyrgyzstan
"Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains" (Курманжан Датка)
Dir: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz
Language: Kirghiz
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Aitysh Film
Trailer
Latvia
"Rocks in My Pockets" (Akmeņi manās kabatās)
Dir: Signe Baumane ♀
Language: Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Trailer
Lebanon
"Ghadi" (غدي)
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
Lithuania
"The Gambler" (Lošėjas)
Dir: Ignas Jonynas
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Luxembourg
"Never Die Young"
Dir: Pol Cruchten
Language: French
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest Distribution
Trailer
MacEdonia
"To the Hilt" (До балчак)
Dir: Stole Popov
Language: Macedonian/French/English/ Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Triangle Film- Skopje
Trailer
Malta
"Simshar"
Dir: Rebecca Cremona ♀
Language: Maltese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Kukumajsa Productions
Trailer
Mauritania
"Timbuktu"
Dir: Abderrahmane Sissako
Language: French/Arabic/Bambara/English/Songhay/Tamasheq
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Le Pacte
Trailer
Mexico
"Cantinflas"
Dir: Sebastian del Amo
Language: Spanish/English
U.S Distribution: Pantelion Films
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Moldova
"The Unsaved" (La Limita de Jos a Cerului)
Dir: Igor Cobileanski
Language: Romanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Insomnia World Sales Trailer
Montenegro
"The Boys from Marx and Engels Street" (Djecaci iz ulice Marksa i Engelsa)
Dir: Nikola Vukcevic
Language: Serbian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Artikulacija Production
Trailer
Morocco
"The Red Moon" (القمر الأحمر)
Dir: Hassan Benjelloun
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bentaqerla
Trailer
Nepal
"Jhola" (झोला)
Dir: Yadav Kumar Bhattarai
Language: Nepali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Media for Culture
Trailer
The Netherlands
"Accused" (Lucia de B.)
Dir: Paula van der Oest ♀
Language: Dutch
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
New Zealand
"The Dead Lands"
Dir: Toa Fraser
Language: Maori
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Xyz Films
Trailer
Norway
"1001 Grams" (1001 Gram)
Dir: Bent Hamer
Language: Norwegian/French/ English
U.S Distribution: Kino Lorber
Isa: Les Films du Losange
Trailer
Pakistan
"Dukhtar" (دختر، بیٹی)
Dir: Afia Nathaniel ♀
Language: Urdu
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Zambeel Films
Trailer
Palestine
"Eyes of a Thief" (عيون الحراميه)
Dir: Najwa Najjar ♀
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Ustura Films Trailer
Panama
"Invasion" (Invasión)
Dir: Abner Benaim
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Apertura Films Trailer
Peru
"The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
Dir: Eduardo Mendoza de Echave
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Soga Producciones
Trailer
The Philippines
"Norte, the End of History" (Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan)
Dir: Lav Diaz
Language: Tagalog/English
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Poland
"Ida"
Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski
Language: Polish
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Portobello Film Sales
Trailer
Portugal
"What Now? Remind Me" (E Agora? Lembra-me)
Dir: Joaquim Pinto
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
PC: C.R.I.M Productions
Trailer
Romania
"The Japanese Dog" (Câinele Japonez)
Dir: Tudor Cristian Jurgiu
Language: Romanian/Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Russia
"Leviathan" (Левиафан)
Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Language: Russian
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Pyramide International
Trailer
Serbia
"See You in Montevideo" (Montevideo, vidimo se!)
Dir: Dragan Bjelogrlic
Language: Serbian/Spanish/ English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Intermedia Network
Trailer
Singapore
"Sayang Disayang"
Dir: Sanif Olek
Language: Malay/Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: ReelJuice
Trailer
Slovakia
"A Step Into the Dark" (Krok do tmy)
Dir: Miloslav Luther
Language: Slovak
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Trigon Production Trailer
Slovenia
"Seduce Me" (Zapelji me)
Dir: Marko Santic
Language: Slovenian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Radio-Television Slovenia
Trailer
South Africa
"Elelwani"
Dir: Ntshaveni Wa Luruli
Language: Venda
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest FilmDistribution
Trailer
South Korea
"Haemoo" (해무)
Dir: Sung Bo Shim
Language: Korean
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Finecut
Trailer
Spain
"Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)
Dir: David Trueba
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Outsider Pictures
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Sweden
"Force Majeure" (Turist)
Dir: Ruben Östlund
Language: Swedish/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
Trailer
Switzerland
"The Circle" (Der Kreis)
Dir: Stefan Haupt
Language: Swiss German/ German/ French
U.S Distribution: Wolfe Video
Isa: Wide House
Trailer
Taiwan
"Ice Poison" (冰毒)
Dir: Midi Z.
Language: Burmese/Chinese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Flash Forward Enterteinment
Trailer
Thailand
"The Teacher's Diary" (คิดถึงวิทยา)
Dir: Nithiwat Tharathorn
Language: Thai
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Gth
Trailer
Turkey
"Winter Sleep" (Kis uykusu)
Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Language: Turkish/English
U.S Distribution: Adopt Films
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Ukraine
"The Guide" (Поводир)
Dir: Oles Sanin
Language: Ukrainian/Russia/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Pronto Film
Trailer
United Kingdom
"Little Happiness" (Uzun Yol)
Dir: Nihat Seven
Language: Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: 7&7 Producers' Sales Services
Trailer
Uruguay
"Mr. Kaplan"
Dir: Álvaro Brechner
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Venezuela
"The Liberator" (Libertador)
Dir: Alberto Arvelo
Language: Spanish/English/ French
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Mundial
Trailer...
This year more than most, there are a great number of films with serious possibilities. There is no unshakable front-runner, but there are numerous favorites. Yet, looking at last year’s 9 shortlisted films and eventual 5 nominees, nothing is written in stone. Critics and audience favorites like “ The Past” (Iran), “Gloria” (Chile), “Heli” (Mexico), and “Wadjda” (Saudi Arabia) were left out to include surprises like “The Missing Picture“ (Cambodia), “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or “The Notebook” (Hungary).
With Awards Season now in full swing and knowing that this is one of the most difficult races to follow, here is a comprehensive list that includes information for each of the 83 submissions. Below each poster you will find the title of the film linked to its page on IMDb Pro followed by the title in the original language; the director’s name also linked to his/her IMDb Page; the language the film is primarily in; the name of the U.S. distributor if there is one; the name of the film’s International Sales Agent (Isa) or Production Company (PC) linked to the film’s page on Cinando; and a link to the film’s trailer (most of them have English subtitles, others are only in the original language, and a few are videos related to the film because a trailer wasn't available). In addition, reviews and interviews with many of these filmmakers will be added regularly.
Before getting into the list, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and patterns among these 83 foreign language features.
Period Dramas/Biopics
Several countries selected films based on the lives of prominent local figures or great period pieces, both showcase the level of films being produced across the globe in terms of production value and scope. Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Venezuela’s “The Liberator,” Kyrgyzstan “Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains,” Bolivia’s “Forgotten,” Indonesia’s “Soekarno,” Greece’s “Little England,” Macedonia’s “To the Hilt,” Hong Kong’s “The Golden Era,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Serbia’s “ See You in Montevideo,” Slovakia’s “A Step Into the Dark” and New Zealand’s “The Dead Lands” are some of the most expensive films ever made in their respective territories. All of them are epic productions that highlight an important historical period using impressive cinematography, a great number of extras, intricate costumes, lavish locations, detailed production design, as well as great battle sequences in several of them. Other more traditional biopics/period pieces on the list include France’s “Saint Laurent,” The Netherlands “ Accused,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” and the Czech Republic’s “Fair Play”
Masters and Festival Winners
Not surprisingly many of the films on the list come into this race after winning important awards at international festivals. Furthermore, a handful of them are from master filmmakers, masters in the making, or unique new voices. These films include Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, Nyff, AFI Fest) by the Dardenne Brothers, Canada’s “Mommy” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by prodigy Xavier Dolan, Chile’s “To Kill a Man” (Sundance, Rotterdam, Cartagena) by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Hungary's "White God" (Cannes) by Kornél Mundruczó, Norway’s “1001 Grams” (Tiff) by Bent Hamer, Poland’s “Ida”(Tiff, Sundance) by Pawel Pawlikowski, Russia’s “Leviathan” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sweden’s “Force Majeure” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Ruben Östlund, and Turkey’s “ Winter Sleep” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. All of these films have played at renowned international festivals and most have earned important recognition there.
Out of the Box
Whether they are aware of their actual possibilities at a nomination or not, each year a few countries take the risk of sending a film that defies convention despite having more safe choices. But that is not say they are entirely out of the race, films like “The Missing Picture” and “Dogtooth” prove that sometimes there is room for daring and unique filmmaking. With “Rocks in My Pockets” Latvia is the only country to submit an animated film this year. The film is an inventive and colorful look at depression. Then there is the almost-silent and highly poetic Ecuadorian entry “Silence in Dreamland” and Singapore’s musically driven drama “Sayang Disayang.” However, the boldest selection has to be the Philippines’ “Norte, the End of History” by acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz, which runs over four hours and is inspired by Dostoyevsky Crime and Punishment.
Documentaries
Only two countries chose to go with non-fiction entries. One of them is Panama’s “Invasion,” which deals with the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in that country in 1989. This is the Central American nation’s first ever Oscar submission. The other documentary contending is Portugal’s “ What Now? Remind Me,“ a self-portrait by filmmaker Joaquim Pinto exploring his struggles living with HIV. One should note that Portugal is one of the few countries in Western Europe to have never obtained a nomination in the category despite entering films consecutively for several decades.
Lgbt
Films with stories that highlight sexual diversity occasionally make their way into this list. Last year the only Lgbt title submitted was “ Soongava: Dance of the Orchids,” which surprisingly came from Nepal and dealt with the relationship between two young women in the traditional Asian society. This time around two countries selected films with similar themes. Brazil’s festival darling “ The Way He Looks” – a sweet coming-of-age tale- was an audacious choice among the many other films the South American country produces every year. Then there is Switzerland’s “The Circle” about a pioneering gay publication during the 1940s/1950s in Zurich and the real life relationship between two of its prominent members.
Surprising Choices
As it usually happens, some countries go against what the industry expects and decide to send films that weren’t on most people’s radars. Bulgaria for example selected “Bulgarian Rhapsody” by veteran director Ivan Nitchev over Sundance’s “Viktoria” by young female director Maya Vitkova. Similarly, Ukraine overlooked Cannes favorite “The Tribe”- a powerful drama entirely in sign language - and decided to go with “The Guide” by Oles Sanin. Nevertheless, the most shocking decision came from China. Instead of selecting a Chinese-directed film like Berlin’s Golden Bear winner “Black Coal, Thin Ice” or Zhang Yimou’s “Coming Home,” the Chinese selection committee chose “The Nightingale” by French director Philippe Muyl. Despite having a European helmer the film is authentically Chinese in terms of language and story, but it was still an unexpected move from the traditionally patriotic country.
First Timers
The unprecedented number of entries is in part due to the addition of countries submitting for the first time. Besides aforementioned Panama, there are three other debutant nations in the mix. Kosovo- a tiny Balkan state often associated with the rampart war that afflicted the region a few decades ago - is finally showcasing its film production. Their entry titled “Three Windows and a Hanging” is said to be a high quality, affecting drama. Malta - a European island nation near Italy - is often used as astonishing location for big budget studio films. This year, however, “ Simshar,” a great immigration drama will represent the country. Lastly, Mauritania – a prominently Muslim nation in Sub-Saharan Africa – selected Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,”which played in competition at Cannes,as their inaugural submission. Although Sissako has had several successful films at international festivals, this is the first time his country decides to participate.
Female Directors
Out of the 83 films, 14 were directed by women. That’s 17% of all entries. What’s more interesting is the fact that some of these films come from countries that are often seen as traditionally patriarchal societies. 3 Latin American entries were created by female directors: Colombia’s “Mateo,” Costa Rica’s “Red Princesses” and the Dominican Republic’s “Cristo Rey.” 4 from Asia: Hong Kong’s “ The Golden Era,” India’s “Liar’s Dice,” Japan’s “The Light Shines Only There,” and Pakistan’s “Dukhtar.” 2 from the Middle East: Israel’s “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Co-directed) and Palestine’s “Eyes of a Thief.” Lastly, 5 films from Europe: The Czech Republic’s “Fair Play,” Finland’s “Concrete Night,” Latvia’s “ Rocks in My Pockets,” Malta’s “Simshar” and the Netherlands’ “Accused.”
U.S. Distribution
Another interesting fact is the number of these films that already have U.S. distribution. Several of them have actually already opened theatrically here, and others are set to open early next year. Out 83 films, 24 already have U.S. distribution. That’s 29% of all films. Hopefully that number increases by the end of the season. The films are: Argentina’s “Wild Tales,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night,” Brazil’s “The Way He Looks,” Canada’s “Mommy,” Chile’s “To Kill a Man,” France’s “Saint Laurent,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Hungary’s “White God,” Israel’s “ Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,” Italy’s “Human Capital,” Latvia’s “Rocks in My Pockets,” Mauritania’s “Timbuktu,” Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Norway’s “1001 Grams,” The Philippines “Norte, the End of History,” Poland’s “Ida,” Portugal's "What Now? Remind Me," Russia’s “Leviathan,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed,” Sweden’s “Force Majeure,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Turkey’s “Winter Sleep,” and Venezuela’s “ The Liberator.”
To see which distribution company has each of these films please refer to the list below.
Afghanistan
"A Few Cubic Meters of Love" (چند متر مکعب عشق)
Dir: Jamshid Mahmoudi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Argentina
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Dir: Damián Szifrón
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
Austria
"The Dark Valley" (Das finstere Tal)
Dir: Andreas Prochaska
Language: German
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Australia
"Charlie's Country"
Dir: Rolf de Heer
Language: Yolŋu Matha/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Visit Films
Trailer
Azerbaijan
"Nabat"
Dir: Elcin Musaoglu
Language: Azerbaijani
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Bangladesh
"Glow of the Firefly" (Jonakir Alo)
Dir: Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Language: Bengali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Impress Telefilm
Trailer
Belgium
"Two Days, One Night" (Deux jours, une nuit)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Language: French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Sundance Selects
Isa: Wild Bunch
Trailer
Bolivia
"Forgotten" (Olvidados)
Dir: Carlos Bolado
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Flor de Loto Pictures
Trailer
Bosnia & Herzegovina
"With Mom" (Sa mamom)
Dir: Faruk Loncarevic
Language: Bosnian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Scca/pro.ba
TraileR
Brazil
"The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: Strand Releasing
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Bulgaria
"Bulgarian Rhapsody" (българска рапсодия)
Dir: Ivan Nitchev
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Cinepaz Eood
Trailer
Canada
"Mommy"
Dir: Xavier Dolan
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Roadside Attractions
Isa: Seville International
Trailer
Chile
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Dir: Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
China
"The Nightingale" (夜莺/Le promeneur d'oiseau)
Dir: Philippe Muyl
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Kinology
Trailer
Colombia
"Mateo"
Dir: Maria Gamboa ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Alpha Violet
Trailer
Costa Rica
"Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
Dir: Laura Astorga ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films Trailer
Croatia
"Cowboys" (Kauboji)
Dir: Tomislav Mrsic
Language: Croatian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Cuba
"Behavior" (Conducta)
Dir: Ernesto Daranas
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films
Trailer
Czech Republic
"Fair Play"
Dir: Andrea Sedlácková Andrea Sedlácková
Language: Czech
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: IntraMovies
Trailer
Denmark
"Sorrow and Joy" (Sorg og glæde)
Dir: Nils Malmros
Language: Danish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Nordisk Film Production
Trailer
Dominican Republic
"Cristo Rey"
Dir: Leticia Tonos ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: The Little Film Company
Trailer
Ecuador
"Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
Dir: Tito Molina
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Facultad
Trailer
Egypt
"Factory Girl" (فتاة المصنع )
Dir: Mohamed Khan
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: DayDream Art Production
Trailer
Estonia
"Tangerines" (Mandariinid)
Dir: Zaza Urushadze
Language: Estonian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Cinemavault
Trailer
Ethiopia
"Difret"
Dir: Zeresenay Mehari
Language: Amharic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Finland
"Concrete Night" (Betoniyö)
Dir: Pirjo Honkasalo ♀
Language: Finnish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Film Republic Trailer
France
"Saint Laurent"
Dir: Bertrand Bonello
Language: French
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Europacorp
Trailer
Georgia
"Corn Island" (სიმინდის კუნძული)
Dir: George Ovashvili
Language: Georgian/Abkhazian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Arizona Productions
Trailer
Germany
"Beloved Sisters" (Die geliebten Schwestern)
Dir: Dominik Graf
Language: German /French
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Global Screen
Trailer
Greece
"Little England" (Μικρά Αγγλία)
Dir: Pantelis Voulgaris
Language: Greek
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Black Orange
Trailer
Hong Kong
"The Golden Era" (黄金时代)
Dir: Ann Hui ♀
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Edko Films
Trailer
Hungary
"White God" (Fehér isten)
Dir: Kornél Mundruczó
Language: Hungarian/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: The Match Factory
Trailer
Iceland
"Life in a Fishbowl" (Vonarstræti)
Dir: Baldvin Zophoníasson
Language: None Yet
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
India
"Liar's Dice" (लायर्स डाइस)
Dir: Geethu Mohandas ♀
Language: Hindi
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Jar Pictures Trailer
Indonesia
"Soekarno"
Dir: Hanung Bramantyo
Language: Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Mvp Pictures
Trailer
Iran
"Today" (امروز )
Dir: Reza Mirkarimi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Iraq
"Mardan"
Dir: Batin Ghobadi
Language: Kurdish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Versatile Trailer
Ireland
"The Gift" (An Bronntanas)
Dir: Tom Collins
Language: Irish/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Rosg/De Facto Films
Trailer
Israel
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (Gett: Le Procès de Viviane Amsalem)
Dir: Ronit Elkabetz ♀ & Shlomi Elkabetz
Language: Hebrew/French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Italy
"Human Capital" (Il Capitale Umano)
Dir: Paolo Virzì
Language: Italian
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
PC: Indiana Production Company
Trailer
Japan
"The Light Shines Only There" (そこのみにて光輝く)
Dir: Mipo Oh ♀
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Open Sesame
Trailer
Kosovo
"Three Windows and a Hanging" (Tri Dritare dhe një Varje)
Dir: Isa Qosja
Language: Albanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: CMb Productions
Trailer
Kyrgyzstan
"Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains" (Курманжан Датка)
Dir: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz
Language: Kirghiz
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Aitysh Film
Trailer
Latvia
"Rocks in My Pockets" (Akmeņi manās kabatās)
Dir: Signe Baumane ♀
Language: Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Trailer
Lebanon
"Ghadi" (غدي)
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
Lithuania
"The Gambler" (Lošėjas)
Dir: Ignas Jonynas
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Luxembourg
"Never Die Young"
Dir: Pol Cruchten
Language: French
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest Distribution
Trailer
MacEdonia
"To the Hilt" (До балчак)
Dir: Stole Popov
Language: Macedonian/French/English/ Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Triangle Film- Skopje
Trailer
Malta
"Simshar"
Dir: Rebecca Cremona ♀
Language: Maltese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Kukumajsa Productions
Trailer
Mauritania
"Timbuktu"
Dir: Abderrahmane Sissako
Language: French/Arabic/Bambara/English/Songhay/Tamasheq
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Le Pacte
Trailer
Mexico
"Cantinflas"
Dir: Sebastian del Amo
Language: Spanish/English
U.S Distribution: Pantelion Films
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Moldova
"The Unsaved" (La Limita de Jos a Cerului)
Dir: Igor Cobileanski
Language: Romanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Insomnia World Sales Trailer
Montenegro
"The Boys from Marx and Engels Street" (Djecaci iz ulice Marksa i Engelsa)
Dir: Nikola Vukcevic
Language: Serbian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Artikulacija Production
Trailer
Morocco
"The Red Moon" (القمر الأحمر)
Dir: Hassan Benjelloun
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bentaqerla
Trailer
Nepal
"Jhola" (झोला)
Dir: Yadav Kumar Bhattarai
Language: Nepali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Media for Culture
Trailer
The Netherlands
"Accused" (Lucia de B.)
Dir: Paula van der Oest ♀
Language: Dutch
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
New Zealand
"The Dead Lands"
Dir: Toa Fraser
Language: Maori
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Xyz Films
Trailer
Norway
"1001 Grams" (1001 Gram)
Dir: Bent Hamer
Language: Norwegian/French/ English
U.S Distribution: Kino Lorber
Isa: Les Films du Losange
Trailer
Pakistan
"Dukhtar" (دختر، بیٹی)
Dir: Afia Nathaniel ♀
Language: Urdu
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Zambeel Films
Trailer
Palestine
"Eyes of a Thief" (عيون الحراميه)
Dir: Najwa Najjar ♀
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Ustura Films Trailer
Panama
"Invasion" (Invasión)
Dir: Abner Benaim
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Apertura Films Trailer
Peru
"The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
Dir: Eduardo Mendoza de Echave
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Soga Producciones
Trailer
The Philippines
"Norte, the End of History" (Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan)
Dir: Lav Diaz
Language: Tagalog/English
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Poland
"Ida"
Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski
Language: Polish
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Portobello Film Sales
Trailer
Portugal
"What Now? Remind Me" (E Agora? Lembra-me)
Dir: Joaquim Pinto
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
PC: C.R.I.M Productions
Trailer
Romania
"The Japanese Dog" (Câinele Japonez)
Dir: Tudor Cristian Jurgiu
Language: Romanian/Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Russia
"Leviathan" (Левиафан)
Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Language: Russian
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Pyramide International
Trailer
Serbia
"See You in Montevideo" (Montevideo, vidimo se!)
Dir: Dragan Bjelogrlic
Language: Serbian/Spanish/ English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Intermedia Network
Trailer
Singapore
"Sayang Disayang"
Dir: Sanif Olek
Language: Malay/Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: ReelJuice
Trailer
Slovakia
"A Step Into the Dark" (Krok do tmy)
Dir: Miloslav Luther
Language: Slovak
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Trigon Production Trailer
Slovenia
"Seduce Me" (Zapelji me)
Dir: Marko Santic
Language: Slovenian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Radio-Television Slovenia
Trailer
South Africa
"Elelwani"
Dir: Ntshaveni Wa Luruli
Language: Venda
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest FilmDistribution
Trailer
South Korea
"Haemoo" (해무)
Dir: Sung Bo Shim
Language: Korean
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Finecut
Trailer
Spain
"Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)
Dir: David Trueba
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Outsider Pictures
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Sweden
"Force Majeure" (Turist)
Dir: Ruben Östlund
Language: Swedish/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
Trailer
Switzerland
"The Circle" (Der Kreis)
Dir: Stefan Haupt
Language: Swiss German/ German/ French
U.S Distribution: Wolfe Video
Isa: Wide House
Trailer
Taiwan
"Ice Poison" (冰毒)
Dir: Midi Z.
Language: Burmese/Chinese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Flash Forward Enterteinment
Trailer
Thailand
"The Teacher's Diary" (คิดถึงวิทยา)
Dir: Nithiwat Tharathorn
Language: Thai
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Gth
Trailer
Turkey
"Winter Sleep" (Kis uykusu)
Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Language: Turkish/English
U.S Distribution: Adopt Films
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Ukraine
"The Guide" (Поводир)
Dir: Oles Sanin
Language: Ukrainian/Russia/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Pronto Film
Trailer
United Kingdom
"Little Happiness" (Uzun Yol)
Dir: Nihat Seven
Language: Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: 7&7 Producers' Sales Services
Trailer
Uruguay
"Mr. Kaplan"
Dir: Álvaro Brechner
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Venezuela
"The Liberator" (Libertador)
Dir: Alberto Arvelo
Language: Spanish/English/ French
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Mundial
Trailer...
- 11/11/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The festival’s 25th edition will feature a contribution from Ai Weiwei and competition titles including Whiplash, Nightcrawler and Foxcatcher.
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 5-16) is to present its Achievement Award to Us actress Uma Thurman.
The Kill Bill star will will visit Stockholm to receive the prestigious Bronze Horse and meet the audience during an exclusive “Face2Face”.
Thurman will also take part in the inauguration ceremony, which will include the unveiling of an ice sculpture by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Weiwei was a Stockholm jury member last year but since he wasn’t allowed to leave China, he sent an empty chair named ”The Chair for Non-attendance” as symbol of his absence.
He is still not allowed to leave China so will send a design that will be portrayed in the form of a large ice sculpture symbolising this years’ Spotlight theme - Hope.
Brazil
The festival will focus this year on Brazil...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
x
A record 83 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Academy Awards. Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants.
The 2014 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “A Few Cubic Meters of Love,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;
Argentina, “Wild Tales,” Damián Szifrón, director;
Australia, “Charlie’s Country,” Rolf de Heer, director;
Austria, “The Dark Valley,” Andreas Prochaska, director;
Azerbaijan, “Nabat,” Elchin Musaoglu, director;
Bangladesh, “Glow of the Firefly,” Khalid Mahmood Mithu, director;
Belgium, “Two Days, One Night,” Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, directors;
Bolivia, “Forgotten,” Carlos Bolado, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “With Mom,” Faruk Lončarevič, director;
Brazil, “The Way He Looks,” Daniel Ribeiro, director;
Bulgaria, “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Ivan Nitchev, director;
Canada, “Mommy,” Xavier Dolan, director;
Chile, “To Kill a Man,” Alejandro Fernández Almendras, director;
China, “The Nightingale,” Philippe Muyl, director;
Colombia, “Mateo,” María Gamboa, director;
Costa Rica, “Red Princesses,” Laura Astorga Carrera, director;
Croatia, “Cowboys,” Tomislav Mršić,...
A record 83 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Academy Awards. Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants.
The 2014 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “A Few Cubic Meters of Love,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;
Argentina, “Wild Tales,” Damián Szifrón, director;
Australia, “Charlie’s Country,” Rolf de Heer, director;
Austria, “The Dark Valley,” Andreas Prochaska, director;
Azerbaijan, “Nabat,” Elchin Musaoglu, director;
Bangladesh, “Glow of the Firefly,” Khalid Mahmood Mithu, director;
Belgium, “Two Days, One Night,” Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, directors;
Bolivia, “Forgotten,” Carlos Bolado, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “With Mom,” Faruk Lončarevič, director;
Brazil, “The Way He Looks,” Daniel Ribeiro, director;
Bulgaria, “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Ivan Nitchev, director;
Canada, “Mommy,” Xavier Dolan, director;
Chile, “To Kill a Man,” Alejandro Fernández Almendras, director;
China, “The Nightingale,” Philippe Muyl, director;
Colombia, “Mateo,” María Gamboa, director;
Costa Rica, “Red Princesses,” Laura Astorga Carrera, director;
Croatia, “Cowboys,” Tomislav Mršić,...
- 10/10/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday the final submissions for the Foreign Language Film category for the 87th annual Academy Awards. A record 83 countries have entered a film for consideration, including Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania, and Panama for the first time. Notable selections include Xavier Dolan's Canadian drama Mommy, a favorite at this year's Cannes, Sweden's Force Majeure, and the Russian retelling of the Book of Job, Leviathan, winner of the Best Screenplay award at Cannes. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 15, ahead of the live telecast on ABC Sunday, Feb. 22, from Hollywood. Last...
- 10/9/2014
- by Jake Perlman
- EW - Inside Movies
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the list of submissions for the 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. According to the Academy's press release, a record 83 countries have submitted films for consideration, including first-timers Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania, and Panama. Now, if only all those movies were made available for online viewing — or at least on DVD (outside of their respective countries). The 2015 Oscar nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 15, at 5:30 a.m. Pt in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The 2015 Oscar ceremony will be held on Sunday, February 22, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. In the United States, the Oscarcast will be televised live by ABC; additionally, the Oscars will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. See below the full list of 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submissions. Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters of Love,...
- 10/9/2014
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
The Academy has announced the complete list of 2015 Foreign Language Oscar contenders for the 2015 Oscar awards and again its a new record, topping last year's record 76 submissions, this year the list reaches 83 total submissions. Kosovo, Malta, Mauritania and Panama are first-time entrants. I've seen a few more on the list than I did last year and I actually have to assume with the buzz from those I've seen they may end up being major players. I'm particularly happy to see Xavier Dolan's Mommy in the field from Canada and it's great seeing the hilarious Wild Tales submitted by Argentina. The Russian submission of Leviathan (Leviafan) came, I think, as a bit of a surprise to everyone considering its subject matter, which could be looked at as critical of its native country. The Dardennes' Two Days, One Night has received a lot of acclaim everywhere it has played and we...
- 10/9/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Academy has received a record 83 submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar.
Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.
The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.
The 2014 submissions are (in alphabetical order of country):
Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters Of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi
Argentina, Wild Tales, Damián Szifrón
Australia, Charlie’s Country, Rolf de Heer
Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska
Azerbaijan, Nabat, Elchin Musaoglu
Bangladesh, Glow Of The Firefly, Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Belgium, Two Days, One Night, Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne
Bolivia, Forgotten, Carlos Bolado
Bosnia and Herzegovina, With Mom, Faruk Lončarevič
Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro
Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev
Canada, Mommy, Xavier Dolan
Chile, To Kill A...
Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.
The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.
The 2014 submissions are (in alphabetical order of country):
Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters Of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi
Argentina, Wild Tales, Damián Szifrón
Australia, Charlie’s Country, Rolf de Heer
Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska
Azerbaijan, Nabat, Elchin Musaoglu
Bangladesh, Glow Of The Firefly, Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Belgium, Two Days, One Night, Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne
Bolivia, Forgotten, Carlos Bolado
Bosnia and Herzegovina, With Mom, Faruk Lončarevič
Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro
Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev
Canada, Mommy, Xavier Dolan
Chile, To Kill A...
- 10/9/2014
- ScreenDaily
Keeping track of the Foreign Language submissions for the Oscars each year is something I constantly forget to keep on top of, but I have just done a full update as we are now up to 56 total submissions, only 20 shy of last year's record-breaking 76 submissions with only eight days to go before the October 1 submission deadline. Notable new entries on the list include Belguim's submission of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's festival favorite Two Days, One Night as well as Canada submitting Xavier Dolan's Mommy, which knocked the socks of Cannes audiences and did the same to me in Toronto this year (read my review here). It should also be noted France has submitted Bertrand Bonello's Saint Laurent instead of last year's buzzy title Blue is the Warmest Color, which missed the release date cut off date last year, making it eligible for this year's Oscars, but the...
- 9/23/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the Academy Awards 2015.
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
This year’s nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.
The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.
Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi
Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska
Bolivia, Olvidados, Carlos Bolado
Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro
Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev
Chile, To Kill a Man, Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Colombia, Mateo, Maria Gamboa
Croatia, Cowboys, Tomislav Mršić
Czech Republic, Fair Play, Andrea...
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 76 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Italian entry The Great Beauty, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.
This year’s nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 15, 2015.
The awards ceremony will be held on Feb 22, 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.
Afghanistan, A Few Cubic Meters of Love, Jamshid Mahmoudi
Austria, The Dark Valley, Andreas Prochaska
Bolivia, Olvidados, Carlos Bolado
Brazil, The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro
Bulgaria, Bulgarian Rhapsody, Ivan Nitchev
Chile, To Kill a Man, Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Colombia, Mateo, Maria Gamboa
Croatia, Cowboys, Tomislav Mršić
Czech Republic, Fair Play, Andrea...
- 9/18/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Not Without My Dukhtar: Nathaniel’s Debut a Sobering Drama
On paper, the premise of director Afia Nathaniel’s debut, Dukhtar (Daughter), sounds like it has the potential to be emotionally exhausting. And while the situation it’s depicting is certainly unsettling and upsetting, Nathaniel chooses to place the film in a more hopeful dwelling, something that works for and against the film. As concerns a woman striking out against her culture’s repression of women in Pakistan, a community and country not often depicted in film, Nathaniel recalls Haifaa Al-Mansour’s 2012 film Wadjda, about a young girl in Saudi Arabia. While we’re not as emotionally engaged with the women at the center of this tale as in Al-Mansour’s more light-treading film, the specific locale is what lends this otherwise slight tale some weight, crafted quite similarly to American women-in-trouble pictures showcasing women fleeing from abusive spouses.
On paper, the premise of director Afia Nathaniel’s debut, Dukhtar (Daughter), sounds like it has the potential to be emotionally exhausting. And while the situation it’s depicting is certainly unsettling and upsetting, Nathaniel chooses to place the film in a more hopeful dwelling, something that works for and against the film. As concerns a woman striking out against her culture’s repression of women in Pakistan, a community and country not often depicted in film, Nathaniel recalls Haifaa Al-Mansour’s 2012 film Wadjda, about a young girl in Saudi Arabia. While we’re not as emotionally engaged with the women at the center of this tale as in Al-Mansour’s more light-treading film, the specific locale is what lends this otherwise slight tale some weight, crafted quite similarly to American women-in-trouble pictures showcasing women fleeing from abusive spouses.
- 9/6/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The lineups for the Mavericks, Discovery, and Tiff Kids parts of the Toronto Film Festival were announced, wrapping up a series of lineup announcements for the Toronto International Film Festival.
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
- 8/19/2014
- by Jacob Shamsian
- EW - Inside Movies
Bill Murray is coming to Toronto folks. Actually, the film he stars in (Theodore Melfi’s St. Vincent) is having its official World Premiere launch at the jaw-dropping 285 feature film 2014 Tiff line-up. In the final batch of items we finally get the confirmation that 2014′s Palme d’Or Winner Winter Sleep (which gets added along with a trio of others to the Masters Programme) will show, and Tomm Moore’s highly anticipated Song of the Sea (among the four item line-up for Tiff Kids) also lands. Worth mentioning are the sprinkling of add-ons to the various other sections (Marjane Satrapi’s Sundance preemed The Voices, Matt Shakman’s Cut Bank and the world preem of Danis Tanovic’s Tigers) with a Studio Ghibli docu item being fitted into the Tiff Docs, but it is the Discovery Programme that finally takes shape.
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
- 8/19/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The 2014 Toronto Film Festival lineup got a lot stronger this morning by adding several new titles to the Special Presentations, Masters, Documentaries, Vanguard and Contemporary World Cinema selection as well as announcing the Mavericks and Discovery Programme picks. Most notable selections begin with Special Presentations additions of The Weinstein's St. Vincent starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarty and James Franco's The Sound and the Fury. The St. Vincent screening will be a world premiere and suggest Murray will be walking the Tiff red carpet... now that's a get for the fest I'm sure brings a smile to their face. In the Masters selection we have Studio Ghibli's The Tale of Princess Kaguya as well as the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Winter Sleep. The Vanguard selection has added The Voice, the lastest film from Persepolis helmer Marjane Satrapi and in the Mavericks selection...
- 8/19/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Bill Murray starrer St. Vincent will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of this week’s wave of programming that includes Discovery.
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
- 8/19/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
While technically this was Forest Whitaker’s big night (Actor Tribute plus the weight he threw behind as a producer accolades for a small San Fran based film), if tonite’s Gothams awards informs us on how future noms might pan out for the “bigger” award shows, it’s that there are no tapering off signs for Fruitvale Station, that a Coen bros. film Inside Llewyn Davis has just become a partner alongside 12 Years a Slave as the front-runner for Best Picture slots for the Indie Spirits and Oscars, and that Joshua Oppenheimer should get the ultimate speech ready for The Act of Killing. Ryan Coogler’s big Sundance winner went 2 for 2 in the Breakthrough Director and Actor categories, while the heart, soul and spirit of Short Term 12 in Brie Larson rightly beat out her group of peers to win the Best Actress award. Here’s hoping that it picks up steam elsewhere.
- 12/3/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
2013 Gotham Awards 2013: Nominations (photo: Best Actress nominee Cate Blanchett in ’Blue Jasmine,’ directed by Woody Allen) See previous post: “Gotham Awards Nominations: No Oscar Guarantee (or Even Likelihood)?“ Best Feature 12 Years A Slave. Steve McQueen, director; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Anthony Katagas, producers. (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, David Lowery, director; Tony Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Amy Kaufman, Cassian Elwes, producers (IFC Films) Before Midnight, Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, Sara Woodhatch, producers (Sony Pictures Classics) Inside Llewyn Davis, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, directors; Scott Rudin, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, producers (CBS Films) Upstream Color, Shane Carruth, director; Shane Carruth, Casey Gooden, Ben LeClair, producers. Best Documentary The Act Of Killing, Joshua Oppenheimer, director; Signe Byrge, Joshua Oppenheimer, producers (Drafthouse Films) The Crash Reel, Lucy Walker, director; Julian Cautherly,...
- 10/29/2013
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave leads this years Gothams award noms with three, but well-received Sundance items in Blue Caprice, Concussion, Fruitvale Station, Upstream Color and the Cannes preemed Inside Llewyn Davis find themselves all in the hunt for trophy-ware with a pair of nominations each. In the heavyweight Best Feature category, David Lowery’s Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight (oddly no mention in the acting categories) and Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color go up against the Coens and McQueen. The 23rd Gotham Independent Film Awards will take place on December 2nd. Here are the categories:
Best Feature
12 Years a Slave – Steve McQueen, director; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Anthony Katagas, producers. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – David Lowery, director; Tony Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Amy Kaufman, Cassian Elwes,...
Best Feature
12 Years a Slave – Steve McQueen, director; Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Bill Pohlad, Steve McQueen, Arnon Milchan, Anthony Katagas, producers. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints – David Lowery, director; Tony Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Amy Kaufman, Cassian Elwes,...
- 10/24/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
12 Years A Slave has earned three nods in the 23rd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, while Blue Caprice, Concussion, Fruitvale Station, Inside Llewyn Davis and Upstream Color earned two apiece.
For the first year awards for the best actor and actress will be handed out on Dec 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
To be eligible, submissions must be independent American feature-length films from Us-based or Us-born directors and producers made with “a point of view and with an economy of means.”
Gotham Award Tributes will be given to Forest Whitaker, director Richard Linklater and NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Katherine Oliver.
“The Gotham Awards celebrate and showcase the very best of the vibrant, entertaining, challenging, and innovative films presented by our community, and help new audiences discover this vital work,” said Joana Vicente, executive director at Ifp and the Made in NY Media Center.
“We congratulate...
For the first year awards for the best actor and actress will be handed out on Dec 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
To be eligible, submissions must be independent American feature-length films from Us-based or Us-born directors and producers made with “a point of view and with an economy of means.”
Gotham Award Tributes will be given to Forest Whitaker, director Richard Linklater and NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Katherine Oliver.
“The Gotham Awards celebrate and showcase the very best of the vibrant, entertaining, challenging, and innovative films presented by our community, and help new audiences discover this vital work,” said Joana Vicente, executive director at Ifp and the Made in NY Media Center.
“We congratulate...
- 10/24/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
12 Years A Slave has earned three nods in the 23rd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, while Blue Caprice, Concussion, Fruitvale Station, Inside Llewyn Davis and Upstream Color earned two apiece.
For the first year awards for the best actor and actress will be handed out on Dec 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
To be eligible, submissions must be independent American feature-length films from Us-based or Us-born directors and producers made with “a point of view and with an economy of means.”
Gotham Award Tributes will be given to Forest Whitaker, director Richard Linklater and NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Katherine Oliver.
“The Gotham Awards celebrate and showcase the very best of the vibrant, entertaining, challenging, and innovative films presented by our community, and help new audiences discover this vital work,” said Joana Vicente, executive director at Ifp and the Made in NY Media Center.
“We congratulate...
For the first year awards for the best actor and actress will be handed out on Dec 2 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
To be eligible, submissions must be independent American feature-length films from Us-based or Us-born directors and producers made with “a point of view and with an economy of means.”
Gotham Award Tributes will be given to Forest Whitaker, director Richard Linklater and NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Katherine Oliver.
“The Gotham Awards celebrate and showcase the very best of the vibrant, entertaining, challenging, and innovative films presented by our community, and help new audiences discover this vital work,” said Joana Vicente, executive director at Ifp and the Made in NY Media Center.
“We congratulate...
- 10/24/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
There aren't exactly a ton of categories at the Gotham Awards so to say one film led all others isn't exactly saying much, but numbers are numbers and 12 Years a Slave is your leader as the nominees for the 2013 Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) Gotham Awards were announced this morning and leading the way was Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave with three nominees. The Fox Searchlight release was nominated for Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Best Supporting Actor (Lupita Nyong'o) and Best Feature. Also among the Best Feature nominees you have Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Before Midnight, Inside Llewyn Davis and Upstream Color, the latter two also saw nominations elsewhere, Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color) for Best Actress and Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis) for Best Actor. Also nominated for two awards was Blue Caprice, the film based on the Beltway shooters, with both Isaiah Washington and Alexandre Moors scoring nominations and...
- 10/24/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Women In Film Foundation’s Film Finishing Fund has announced the recipients of their 28th annual grant program, which provides cash grants and in-kind production services to the winners, among them two narrative features, one short and four documentaries. The seven winners, listed below, were selected from over 113 submissions. For the fifth year running, funding support is provided by Netflix. Narrative Feature Films "Dukhtar" - Afia Nathaniel (Writer/Director/Producer) A Pakistani mother goes on an extraordinary journey to save her ten year old daughter from an arranged marriage. Based on a true story. "The Factory Girl" - Mohamed Samir (Producer) A factory worker in a low middle class area has feelings for her supervisor despite class differences, but must deal with societal pressures when a pregnancy test is found at work. An examination of life in Cairo for a working young woman with hopes,...
- 8/28/2013
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
The Women In Film Foundation’s (Wiff) Film Finishing Fund co-chairs Betsy Pollock and Nancy Rae Stone have announced the recipients of the 28th annual Film Finishing Fund grant programme.
The Wiff received more than 113 narrative features, documentaries and shorts around the world. The 2013 Wiff Film Finishing Fund winners are:
Narrative Feature Films – Dukhtar by Afia Nathaniel and The Factory Girl by Mohamed Samir.
Documentary Films – Ladonna Harris: Indian 101 by Julianna Brannum; The Last One by Nadine Licostie; Mia, A Dancer’s Odyssey by Maria Ramas and Kate Johnson; and Spies Of Mississippi by Dawn Porter.
Narrative Short Film – The Bravest, The Boldest by Pelin Uzay.
“There was a real diversity of subjects explored in this year’s entries,” said Pollock and Stone in a joint statement. “The global status of women and the rights of minorities are consistent themes, but this year we saw many more topics as well.”
The Film Finishing...
The Wiff received more than 113 narrative features, documentaries and shorts around the world. The 2013 Wiff Film Finishing Fund winners are:
Narrative Feature Films – Dukhtar by Afia Nathaniel and The Factory Girl by Mohamed Samir.
Documentary Films – Ladonna Harris: Indian 101 by Julianna Brannum; The Last One by Nadine Licostie; Mia, A Dancer’s Odyssey by Maria Ramas and Kate Johnson; and Spies Of Mississippi by Dawn Porter.
Narrative Short Film – The Bravest, The Boldest by Pelin Uzay.
“There was a real diversity of subjects explored in this year’s entries,” said Pollock and Stone in a joint statement. “The global status of women and the rights of minorities are consistent themes, but this year we saw many more topics as well.”
The Film Finishing...
- 8/27/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Tribeca Film Institute has announced recipients of the 10th Annual Access Awards, which offers year-round support for burgeoning filmmakers and their incomplete projects. In the narrative category, the political drama "The Lobbyists," directed by Terence Nance ("An Oversimplification of Her Beauty"), took an All Access Creative Promise Awards. Nance's experimental "Oversimplification" played at Sundance last year, and won a Gotham Award. Chosen from 11 projects, this film will receive $10,000 in funding. Two documentary projects also nabbed Creative Promise Awards: Lyric R Cabral and David F Sutcliffe's "(T)error" -- about an FBI counterterrorism operation gone awry -- and Erik Parker's "Time Is Illmatic," a documentary about the rapper Nas. A number of grants were also doled out by Tfi, including the Adrienne Shelley Foundation Filmmaker Grant -- named after the late "Waitress" director and frequent Hal Hartley muse -- which supports women in film. Afia Nathaniel's...
- 4/25/2013
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
- Film Independent checks in with producer and Find Fellow René Bastian -
Over the years, Spirit Award-winning producer René Bastian has worked to make a name for himself in the independent film world. Named one of Variety's 10 Producers to Watch in 2005, René, under his banner Belladonna Productions, which he runs alongside producer Linda Moran, has produced films including L.I.E., Transamerica, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, as well as Michael Haneke's American remake of Funny Games. Linda and René are two-time Spirit Award nominees for L.I.E. and Transamerica, and René was 2001 Spirit Award recipient of the Motorola Producers Award. He is currently in pre-production on Neither the Veil Nor the Four Walls, by writer/director Afia Nathaniel, which was selected for Film Independent's 2009 Fast Track financing market.
By Josh Welsh
Let's start with Neither the Veil Nor the Four Walls. This is a remarkable project, set in post 9/11 Pakistan,...
- 12/2/2010
- by maint
- Film Independent
Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, has chosen 10 projects for its seventh annual Fast Track program, which connects filmmakers with film industry professionals.
Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway's "Better This World," one of the projects chosen, has also been awarded the second annual HBO Documentary Films Fellowship.
"Better" follows the journey of two childhood friends from Midland, Texas, who set out to prove their manhood to themselves and to Brandon Darby, a revolutionary activist turned FBI informant. The fellowship combines HBO's funding with Find's year-round support services to give documentary filmmakers the necessary tools to develop their craft.
The Fast Track Program, sponsored by Eastman Kodak Co., takes place during Laff, which runs through June 28.
Industry participants include representatives from Paramount, Sony, Lionsgate, the Weinstein Co., Participant Prods., Roadside Attractions, Yari Film Group, the Film Department,...
Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway's "Better This World," one of the projects chosen, has also been awarded the second annual HBO Documentary Films Fellowship.
"Better" follows the journey of two childhood friends from Midland, Texas, who set out to prove their manhood to themselves and to Brandon Darby, a revolutionary activist turned FBI informant. The fellowship combines HBO's funding with Find's year-round support services to give documentary filmmakers the necessary tools to develop their craft.
The Fast Track Program, sponsored by Eastman Kodak Co., takes place during Laff, which runs through June 28.
Industry participants include representatives from Paramount, Sony, Lionsgate, the Weinstein Co., Participant Prods., Roadside Attractions, Yari Film Group, the Film Department,...
- 6/19/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Documentary helmers Albert Maysles ("Gimme Shelter"), Rachel Grady ("Jesus Camp"), Sandi DuBowski ("Trembling Before G-d") and Afia Nathaniel will present short docus from directors they've mentored through the new nonprofit Cinereach program.
Mira Nair ("Monsoon Wedding") will present the works of Cinereach film fellows Nicholas Bruckman, Suel Kim, Annie Waldman, and Pilar Zaragoza March 19 at New York's Gramercy Park Hotel. They were selected by Gen Art's Jeffrey Abramson, producer Caroline Baron, Good founder Benjamin Goldhirsh and Film Society of Lincoln Center's Kent Jones, each receiving a $5,000 grant and filmmaking equipment to create socially relevant films. Cinereach founder Phillip Engelhorn has distributed $1 million in grants to date.
Mira Nair ("Monsoon Wedding") will present the works of Cinereach film fellows Nicholas Bruckman, Suel Kim, Annie Waldman, and Pilar Zaragoza March 19 at New York's Gramercy Park Hotel. They were selected by Gen Art's Jeffrey Abramson, producer Caroline Baron, Good founder Benjamin Goldhirsh and Film Society of Lincoln Center's Kent Jones, each receiving a $5,000 grant and filmmaking equipment to create socially relevant films. Cinereach founder Phillip Engelhorn has distributed $1 million in grants to date.
- 3/11/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.