New projects from Jenni Toivoniemi, Jon Blåhed, Erol Mintaş and Ester Martin Bergsmark are among selection
The Finnish Film Affair (Ffa), Helsinki International Film Festival’s industry strand, has unveiled the line-up for its market showcase of Nordic films and Finnish series running September 20-22.
Among the 31 projects selected is Jenni Toivoniemi’s comedy Butterflies, the director’s second feature after Games People Play which was also presented at the Ffa.
Also being showcased is Jon Blåhed’s new feature Raptures; Erol Mintaş’ Earth Song; Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Land Of Ferns; and Marika Harjusaari’s The Mire from the producer of Hatching.
The Finnish Film Affair (Ffa), Helsinki International Film Festival’s industry strand, has unveiled the line-up for its market showcase of Nordic films and Finnish series running September 20-22.
Among the 31 projects selected is Jenni Toivoniemi’s comedy Butterflies, the director’s second feature after Games People Play which was also presented at the Ffa.
Also being showcased is Jon Blåhed’s new feature Raptures; Erol Mintaş’ Earth Song; Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Land Of Ferns; and Marika Harjusaari’s The Mire from the producer of Hatching.
- 8/30/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Mexican director Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser’s debut feature Red Shoes premiered in Venice’s Horizons Extra section.
Mexican director Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser’s debut feature Red Shoes won three awards at this year’s Sofia International Film Festival (March 16-31), taking home the international competition’s main prize - the Sofia City of Film Award - as well as the Fipresci prize and young jury award.
Red Shoes premiered in Venice’s Horizons Extra section and is being handled internationally by 102 Distribution.
The international jury headed by North Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski gave its special jury award to Bekir Bülbül...
Mexican director Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser’s debut feature Red Shoes won three awards at this year’s Sofia International Film Festival (March 16-31), taking home the international competition’s main prize - the Sofia City of Film Award - as well as the Fipresci prize and young jury award.
Red Shoes premiered in Venice’s Horizons Extra section and is being handled internationally by 102 Distribution.
The international jury headed by North Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski gave its special jury award to Bekir Bülbül...
- 3/28/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
It’s not a coincidence that Volker Schlöndorff’s latest film The Forest Maker, the environmental essay documentary about Australian agronomist Tony Rinaudo, who found a way to grow trees in the most barren areas of Africa, is opening the 27th Sofia International Film Festival kicking off Thursday in the Bulgarian capital.
One of the major film festivals in Eastern Europe is going green, and the veteran German filmmaker, winner of the Palme d’Or and what was then called the best foreign language Oscar for The Tin Drum (1979), will plant the first tree of the future Sofia Film Festival Forest.
“We wanted to remind ourselves of our deep connection to the land and our power to be agents of change together. We wish to engage the public in the global vision of sustainable development of society and a responsible attitude towards nature”, the festival organizers said about the green...
One of the major film festivals in Eastern Europe is going green, and the veteran German filmmaker, winner of the Palme d’Or and what was then called the best foreign language Oscar for The Tin Drum (1979), will plant the first tree of the future Sofia Film Festival Forest.
“We wanted to remind ourselves of our deep connection to the land and our power to be agents of change together. We wish to engage the public in the global vision of sustainable development of society and a responsible attitude towards nature”, the festival organizers said about the green...
- 3/16/2023
- by Stjepan Hundic
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When he began working on his latest documentary, “The Last Seagull,” acclaimed Bulgarian filmmaker Tonislav Hristov (“The Good Postman”) set himself a seemingly simple task: to follow the last of the dying breed of male escorts who, since the communist era, have spent their summers seducing foreign women in resort towns along the Black Sea.
That plan went astray, however, when real-world events intervened: first the coronavirus pandemic, which grounded flights and shuttered the very resorts where those escorts plied their trade; then the war in Ukraine, which impacted “The Last Seagull” in unexpected ways.
“This is what’s nice, but also scary, about documentaries,” Hristov told Variety after the film’s world premiere at the Thessaloniki Intl. Documentary Festival. “You never know what’s going to happen next.”
“The Last Seagull” is the director’s eighth documentary feature, following films such as Sundance and Berlinale selection “The Magic Life...
That plan went astray, however, when real-world events intervened: first the coronavirus pandemic, which grounded flights and shuttered the very resorts where those escorts plied their trade; then the war in Ukraine, which impacted “The Last Seagull” in unexpected ways.
“This is what’s nice, but also scary, about documentaries,” Hristov told Variety after the film’s world premiere at the Thessaloniki Intl. Documentary Festival. “You never know what’s going to happen next.”
“The Last Seagull” is the director’s eighth documentary feature, following films such as Sundance and Berlinale selection “The Magic Life...
- 3/11/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival kicks off its 25th edition Thursday at a time when the nonfiction genre has arguably reached unprecedented heights.
This year’s festival, which takes place March 2 – 12 in the seaside Mediterranean city, unfolds just days after veteran French docmaker Nicolas Philibert won the Golden Bear in Berlin for his documentary about a Paris mental health care facility, “On the Adamant.” The award capped a fortnight in which Sean Penn’s gonzo doc about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “Superpower,” also generated plenty of buzz (albeit lukewarm reviews).
Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Cyrielle Raingou took home Rotterdam’s Tiger Award just a few weeks earlier for “Le Spectre de Boko Haram,” a riveting view of terrorism seen through children’s eyes. And one summer ago, Laura Poitras triumphed on the Lido with “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” her docu-portrait of the photographer and activist Nan Goldin, which won the...
This year’s festival, which takes place March 2 – 12 in the seaside Mediterranean city, unfolds just days after veteran French docmaker Nicolas Philibert won the Golden Bear in Berlin for his documentary about a Paris mental health care facility, “On the Adamant.” The award capped a fortnight in which Sean Penn’s gonzo doc about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “Superpower,” also generated plenty of buzz (albeit lukewarm reviews).
Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Cyrielle Raingou took home Rotterdam’s Tiger Award just a few weeks earlier for “Le Spectre de Boko Haram,” a riveting view of terrorism seen through children’s eyes. And one summer ago, Laura Poitras triumphed on the Lido with “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” her docu-portrait of the photographer and activist Nan Goldin, which won the...
- 2/28/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Cph:forum, the financing and co-production event held during Cph:dox documentary film festival in Copenhagen, will introduce new projects by filmmakers such as Ljubomir Stefanov (“Honeyland”), Jessica Kingdon (“Ascension”), Finlay Pretsell (“Time Trial”), Ousmane Samassekou (“The Last Shelter”), Mila Turajlić (“The Other Side of Everything”), Tonislav Hristov (“The Good Postman”), Iryna Tsilyk (“The Earth Is Blue as an Orange”) and Brett Story (“The Hottest August”), among others.
Stefanov, who was nominated for an Oscar for “Honeyland,” will be pitching “House of Earth.” He teams with producer Maya E. Rudolph, who produced Emmy-nominated “The Andy Warhol Diaries,” and Sarah D’hanens. The film centers on transgender sex worker Pinky, who returns to her Roma community after 30 years, and finds two families in need of a matriarch. Torn between her biological kin and chosen queer family, Pinky attempts to build a future that feels like home.
Kingdon, who was Oscar nominated for “Ascension,” arrives with “Untitled Animal Project,...
Stefanov, who was nominated for an Oscar for “Honeyland,” will be pitching “House of Earth.” He teams with producer Maya E. Rudolph, who produced Emmy-nominated “The Andy Warhol Diaries,” and Sarah D’hanens. The film centers on transgender sex worker Pinky, who returns to her Roma community after 30 years, and finds two families in need of a matriarch. Torn between her biological kin and chosen queer family, Pinky attempts to build a future that feels like home.
Kingdon, who was Oscar nominated for “Ascension,” arrives with “Untitled Animal Project,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
After the Viking conquest at July’s Cannes Festival, where Norway (“The Worst Person in the World”), Finland (“Compartment No. 6”) and Iceland (“Lamb”) collected kudos, more than 60 possible gems from the North are to be unveiled at the hybrid market New Nordic Films which will unspool over Aug. 24-27.
Scandinavia’s major film showcase, New Nordic Films runs parallel to Haugesund’s Norwegian Intl. Film Festival, which takes place Aug. 21-27.
Sony Pictures Classics’ Finnish pick-up “Compartment No. 6”, a Grand Jury Prize co-winner in Cannes, is set to kick-start the annual event and lead the pack of 24-plus finished titles. Most pics will screen online only, except those bowing in Haugesund cinemas as well, as fest official selections, such as “The Innocents,” “The Gravedigger’s Wife,” “Margrete-Queen of the North,” and “a-ha-The Movie.”
“It’s been a bit hard to finalize the market screenings, due to social distancing measures still in place in cinemas,...
Scandinavia’s major film showcase, New Nordic Films runs parallel to Haugesund’s Norwegian Intl. Film Festival, which takes place Aug. 21-27.
Sony Pictures Classics’ Finnish pick-up “Compartment No. 6”, a Grand Jury Prize co-winner in Cannes, is set to kick-start the annual event and lead the pack of 24-plus finished titles. Most pics will screen online only, except those bowing in Haugesund cinemas as well, as fest official selections, such as “The Innocents,” “The Gravedigger’s Wife,” “Margrete-Queen of the North,” and “a-ha-The Movie.”
“It’s been a bit hard to finalize the market screenings, due to social distancing measures still in place in cinemas,...
- 8/13/2021
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Tonislav Hristov shoots his fiction debut, The Good Driver - Production / Funding - Finland/Bulgaria
The drama is inspired by a character in Hristov’s previous documentary The Good Postman. With a host of documentaries under his belt, including the very well-travelled The Good Postman, Helsinki-based Bulgarian director Tonislav Hristov is currently in the middle of the shoot for his first fiction feature, The Good Driver. The new feature is being staged by Finnish production company Making Movies Oy, represented by Kaarle Aho, and by Hristov’s Soul Food (Bulgaria). The project was presented at the 2021 Sofia Meetings as a work in progress and is currently looking for new production partners in order to cover post-production. The screenplay is written by Aho, Hristov and Bulgarian director-screenwriter Konstantin Bojanov, and it is based on a character from The Good Postman: Hristov tells Cineuropa that the fiction is a “thematic sequel” to the documentary. The protagonist is Ivan, a Bulgarian taxi driver working and living in the Golden.
Ukrainian filmmaker’s third feature was postponed due to five years imprisonment.
Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov is to showcase footage from upcoming feature Rhino at Bulgaria’s Sofia Meetings, which is taking place virtually from March 17-24.
It marks the third feature from Sentsov and was originally pitched at the industry platform in 2012, before being abandoned when the filmmaker was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service in May 2014 and later sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. Sentsov resurrected the project after being released from prison as part of a prisoner exchange in September 2019.
Set in 1990s Ukraine, the drama centres on...
Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov is to showcase footage from upcoming feature Rhino at Bulgaria’s Sofia Meetings, which is taking place virtually from March 17-24.
It marks the third feature from Sentsov and was originally pitched at the industry platform in 2012, before being abandoned when the filmmaker was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service in May 2014 and later sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. Sentsov resurrected the project after being released from prison as part of a prisoner exchange in September 2019.
Set in 1990s Ukraine, the drama centres on...
- 3/19/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Mormon documentary ‘The Mission’ also triumphs.
Taneli Mustonen’s English-language horror feature project The Twin has won the best fiction award at the Finnish Film Affair (Ffa) 2020.
The film is produced by Don Films and is about a deceased twin that will not leave his family alone. The film is in production now for a planned launch in 2021.
The feature is being sold by Film Constellation, which previously handled Mustonen’s 2016 international hit Lake Bodom. It is being produced and is co-written by Aleksi Hyvarinen.
“This elevated horror piece speaks to a bigger thematic with its exploration of grief, giving...
Taneli Mustonen’s English-language horror feature project The Twin has won the best fiction award at the Finnish Film Affair (Ffa) 2020.
The film is produced by Don Films and is about a deceased twin that will not leave his family alone. The film is in production now for a planned launch in 2021.
The feature is being sold by Film Constellation, which previously handled Mustonen’s 2016 international hit Lake Bodom. It is being produced and is co-written by Aleksi Hyvarinen.
“This elevated horror piece speaks to a bigger thematic with its exploration of grief, giving...
- 9/25/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The hybrid event will run September 23-25 in Helsinki.
The Finnish Film Affair has unveiled the lineup for its hybrid event, which will run September 23-25 in Helsinki as well as online.
Some 300 industry professionals are expected to attend, with some in-person and 150 online.
New talents and female voices are prominent in this year’s programme, with debut features comprising one-third of the lineup. Across the selection, at least 58% of projects have at least one non-male director.
Nearly 50 films in development, production or post-production will be on offer. Some highlights in development include Lapland War from Unknown Soldier director Aku Louhimies,...
The Finnish Film Affair has unveiled the lineup for its hybrid event, which will run September 23-25 in Helsinki as well as online.
Some 300 industry professionals are expected to attend, with some in-person and 150 online.
New talents and female voices are prominent in this year’s programme, with debut features comprising one-third of the lineup. Across the selection, at least 58% of projects have at least one non-male director.
Nearly 50 films in development, production or post-production will be on offer. Some highlights in development include Lapland War from Unknown Soldier director Aku Louhimies,...
- 9/11/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Latest round will support 20 fiction, one animation, and five documentary films.
New projects from Danish director Niels Arden Oplev and Portugal’s Miguel Gomes are among the 26 selected in the latest Eurimages co-production support funding round.
The 26 films have been awarded a total of €6.1m (£5.5m). 52% are directed by women, with those projects receiving €2.5m (£2.3m) – 41% of the total funding.
Arden Oplev’s new film Rose will receive €280,000, and is a co-production between Norway and his native Denmark. Oplev’s previous features include 2009’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and last year’s Daniel.
Also included is Gomes’ Savagery,...
New projects from Danish director Niels Arden Oplev and Portugal’s Miguel Gomes are among the 26 selected in the latest Eurimages co-production support funding round.
The 26 films have been awarded a total of €6.1m (£5.5m). 52% are directed by women, with those projects receiving €2.5m (£2.3m) – 41% of the total funding.
Arden Oplev’s new film Rose will receive €280,000, and is a co-production between Norway and his native Denmark. Oplev’s previous features include 2009’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and last year’s Daniel.
Also included is Gomes’ Savagery,...
- 7/6/2020
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
The foundation has granted €5.6 million worth of production support to 22 projects, including a documentary that will finally explain why Finns don’t show emotion. Proving once again that what the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, the Finnish Film Foundation – which has just received €5 million for production support from the Ministry of Education and Culture due to Covid-19 (see the news) – has redistributed €5.6 million among 22 new productions, consisting of ten feature-length fiction films, six documentaries, four series (including two animations) and, finally, two short films: Pete Riski’s Ero and For Relaxin’ Times by Aleksi Delikouras. Among the fiction features, It’s Alive Films scored a double win with Teemu Nikki’s A Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic and the children’s film Snot and Splash, while Making Movies, run by Kaarle Aho and Kai Nordberg, got €300,000 for Tonislav Hristov’s...
Maria Pirkkalainen now heads the Helsinki event, which attracted 400 industry attendees.
The Finnish Film Affair wraps today with its best project award going to Oasis Of Now, the debut feature of Finnish-Iranian director and screenwriter Hamy Ramezan. The story follows a family seeking asylum in Finland, and Shahab Hosseini will lead the cast.
Jussi Rantamäki and Emilia Haukka of Aamu Film Company will produce; the company’s credits include Cannes award-winner The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Maki. The best project prize comes with a cash award of €3000 ($3320) to support the film’s international marketing.
“The film has...
The Finnish Film Affair wraps today with its best project award going to Oasis Of Now, the debut feature of Finnish-Iranian director and screenwriter Hamy Ramezan. The story follows a family seeking asylum in Finland, and Shahab Hosseini will lead the cast.
Jussi Rantamäki and Emilia Haukka of Aamu Film Company will produce; the company’s credits include Cannes award-winner The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Maki. The best project prize comes with a cash award of €3000 ($3320) to support the film’s international marketing.
“The film has...
- 9/19/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Deadline is teaming with with the International Documentary Association and Hulu to launch For the Love of Docs, a screening series of 10 feature documentaries that represent the best of the brand. The films will be screened each week at the Landmark Theatre in Los Angeles beginning September 17 and running until December 10. The screenings are free.
The following films were chosen:
Ask Dr. Ruth, directed by Ryan White: A documentary about America’s favorite sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
Bellingcat, Truth in a Post Truth World, directed by Hans Pool: An exciting film about “citizen investigative journalism” tackling issues such as the crash of Mh 17 to the poisoning of a Russian spy.
Halston, directed by Frédéric Tcheng: A captivating documentary about the legendary ’70s fashion designer Halston.
Love, Antosha, directed by Garret Price: A film about the late actor Anton Yelchin, who died in 2016. Told through letters...
The following films were chosen:
Ask Dr. Ruth, directed by Ryan White: A documentary about America’s favorite sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
Bellingcat, Truth in a Post Truth World, directed by Hans Pool: An exciting film about “citizen investigative journalism” tackling issues such as the crash of Mh 17 to the poisoning of a Russian spy.
Halston, directed by Frédéric Tcheng: A captivating documentary about the legendary ’70s fashion designer Halston.
Love, Antosha, directed by Garret Price: A film about the late actor Anton Yelchin, who died in 2016. Told through letters...
- 8/21/2019
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
News announced at the annual Sofia Meetings and Sofia International Film Festival.
Bulgaria is poised to launch a financial incentive to attract high-budget international film and TV production to the south-eastern European country. The news was announced at last week’s Sofia Meetings (March 13-17) the biggest annual event of the Bulgarian film industry which runs as part of the Sofia International Film Festival (Mach 7-17).
“Bulgaria is practically the only country in Europe which doesn’t yet have an incentive but at the end of 2018 the government declared they are willing to do this and very fast,” said Jana Karaivanova,...
Bulgaria is poised to launch a financial incentive to attract high-budget international film and TV production to the south-eastern European country. The news was announced at last week’s Sofia Meetings (March 13-17) the biggest annual event of the Bulgarian film industry which runs as part of the Sofia International Film Festival (Mach 7-17).
“Bulgaria is practically the only country in Europe which doesn’t yet have an incentive but at the end of 2018 the government declared they are willing to do this and very fast,” said Jana Karaivanova,...
- 3/18/2019
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
The surprise Oscar nomination of impressionistic “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” suggested a broadening of acceptance towards documentaries well beyond standard “Just the facts, ma’am” territory. Still, juggling style and substance will always be a tricky matter in that form, as evidenced by a film such as “The Magic Life of V.” This latest from Bulgarian-Finnish nonfiction director Tonislav Hristov is so invested in looking like a polished narrative feature that it seems downright uninterested in providing basic intel about its subjects.
That’s a problem, since this is no abstract slice of evocative atmosphere, but a movie about a real-life young woman dealing with family issues of alcoholism and mental disability. It’s not enough for the film to look great; can’t we get some actual insight, too? The alluring craftsmanship will no doubt keep “The Magic Life of V” — which premiered at Sundance en route...
That’s a problem, since this is no abstract slice of evocative atmosphere, but a movie about a real-life young woman dealing with family issues of alcoholism and mental disability. It’s not enough for the film to look great; can’t we get some actual insight, too? The alluring craftsmanship will no doubt keep “The Magic Life of V” — which premiered at Sundance en route...
- 2/15/2019
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
A young woman from Finland uses role-playing games to deal with childhood trauma in the documentary The Magic Life of V (Veeran maaginen elämä), from Bulgarian-born, Helsinki-based director Tonislav Hristov. Issues such as bullying and alcoholism are touched upon — if never quite explored in much depth — in this non-fiction work, which suggests that not everyone involved in Live Action Role Playing (sometimes referred to as “Larp-ing”) does it purely for entertainment purposes but that for some participants, it can be therapeutic, too. Though 25-year-old protagonist Veera and her alter ego, V, are certainly a ...
- 1/30/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A young woman from Finland uses role-playing games to deal with childhood trauma in the documentary The Magic Life of V (Veeran maaginen elämä), from Bulgarian-born, Helsinki-based director Tonislav Hristov. Issues such as bullying and alcoholism are touched upon — if never quite explored in much depth — in this non-fiction work, which suggests that not everyone involved in Live Action Role Playing (sometimes referred to as “Larp-ing”) does it purely for entertainment purposes but that for some participants, it can be therapeutic, too. Though 25-year-old protagonist Veera and her alter ego, V, are certainly a ...
- 1/30/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
V for Vanquish: Hristov Showcases Role-Playing as Trauma Therapy in Intimate Doc
For his seventh documentary feature, Finland’s Tonislav Hristov returns to his home country to examine how a popular escapist medium has fashioned one young woman’s trajectory for dealing with significant internalized trauma in The Magic Life of V. Set amongst the popular subculture of Larp (Live Action Role Play), the notion of an alternate persona as both a safe zone and a powerful tool of psychological catharsis is explored through the experiences of Veera Lapinkoski and her alter ego, the effortlessly sanguine V. Hristov allows Veera to steer the trajectory of her own narrative, working backwards as an avid LARPer who wishes to reconcile some emotional baggage from her past so she can move forward with her life enjoying these events as a hobby rather than a crutch.…...
For his seventh documentary feature, Finland’s Tonislav Hristov returns to his home country to examine how a popular escapist medium has fashioned one young woman’s trajectory for dealing with significant internalized trauma in The Magic Life of V. Set amongst the popular subculture of Larp (Live Action Role Play), the notion of an alternate persona as both a safe zone and a powerful tool of psychological catharsis is explored through the experiences of Veera Lapinkoski and her alter ego, the effortlessly sanguine V. Hristov allows Veera to steer the trajectory of her own narrative, working backwards as an avid LARPer who wishes to reconcile some emotional baggage from her past so she can move forward with her life enjoying these events as a hobby rather than a crutch.…...
- 1/25/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
“The Magic Life of V,” a new documentary that explores the world of LARPing (live-action role-playing), is debuting at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.
The film follows a young woman named Veera who uses LARPing as a form of escapism to combat the psychological issues she faces during her everyday life. Growing up dealing with an abusive, alcoholic father while trying to care for her disabled brother Ville has wreaked havoc on Veera’s life and well-being, and she uses LARPing as a way to cope. Transforming into her alter ego “V” and exploring fantastic sword battles in a land of wizards and magical spells helps give her something of a reprieve from the turmoil of real life.
Real-world role-playing gives Veera an outlet she may otherwise not have had, and as she explores new stories and ideas in her fantasy world, she’s able to deal with her inner...
The film follows a young woman named Veera who uses LARPing as a form of escapism to combat the psychological issues she faces during her everyday life. Growing up dealing with an abusive, alcoholic father while trying to care for her disabled brother Ville has wreaked havoc on Veera’s life and well-being, and she uses LARPing as a way to cope. Transforming into her alter ego “V” and exploring fantastic sword battles in a land of wizards and magical spells helps give her something of a reprieve from the turmoil of real life.
Real-world role-playing gives Veera an outlet she may otherwise not have had, and as she explores new stories and ideas in her fantasy world, she’s able to deal with her inner...
- 1/14/2019
- by Brittany Vincent
- Variety Film + TV
It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for a new year of the Sundance Film Festival, but we’re now less than two months away, and this writer is extremely excited to head to Park City once again, especially after digging into Sundance’s initial lineup announcement today. Not only does their Midnight slate look insanely great, but there are a ton of films running in Sundance’s other programming tracks that I am beyond excited to see in January.
Some of the highlights from today’s lineup announcement include Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile which chronicles the life of Ted Bundy (played by Zac Efron) through the experiences of his girlfriend; Paradise Hills, which stars Emma Roberts, Milla Jovovich, and Awkwafina; Relive from producer Jason Blum; Dan Gilroy’s Buzzsaw; and the Alien-themed documentary Memory. I’ve gone ahead and broken down all the titles...
Some of the highlights from today’s lineup announcement include Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile which chronicles the life of Ted Bundy (played by Zac Efron) through the experiences of his girlfriend; Paradise Hills, which stars Emma Roberts, Milla Jovovich, and Awkwafina; Relive from producer Jason Blum; Dan Gilroy’s Buzzsaw; and the Alien-themed documentary Memory. I’ve gone ahead and broken down all the titles...
- 11/29/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Scandinavian sales outfit LevelK has picked up “One Last Deal,” Finnish director Klaus Härö’s follow up to Golden Globe-nominated film “The Fencer.”
Set to world premiere at Toronto in the Contemporary World Cinema section, “One Last Deal” follows Olavi, an elderly art dealer on the verge of retirement who has always put business and art before everything, and embarks on a journey to sell an unmarked painting found at an auction. The film was written by Anna Heinämaa, and it stars Heikki Nousiainen, Amos Brotherus and Pirjo Lonka.
One of Finland’s most successful filmmakers, Härö made his feature debut with “Elina” which won the Berlin Crystal Bear in 2003, while his latest film “The Fencer” was shortlisted for an Oscar and nominated for a foreign-language Golden Globe in 2016.
“One Last Deal” is produced by Kai Nordberg and Kaarle Aho at Making Movies whose credits include “The Fencer” and Tonislav Hristov’s “The Good Postman.
Set to world premiere at Toronto in the Contemporary World Cinema section, “One Last Deal” follows Olavi, an elderly art dealer on the verge of retirement who has always put business and art before everything, and embarks on a journey to sell an unmarked painting found at an auction. The film was written by Anna Heinämaa, and it stars Heikki Nousiainen, Amos Brotherus and Pirjo Lonka.
One of Finland’s most successful filmmakers, Härö made his feature debut with “Elina” which won the Berlin Crystal Bear in 2003, while his latest film “The Fencer” was shortlisted for an Oscar and nominated for a foreign-language Golden Globe in 2016.
“One Last Deal” is produced by Kai Nordberg and Kaarle Aho at Making Movies whose credits include “The Fencer” and Tonislav Hristov’s “The Good Postman.
- 8/16/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The workshop is a joint programme from Sarajevo Film Festival and the Balkan Documentary Center.
Docu Rough Cut Boutique, the workshop created by Sarajevo Film Festival and the Balkan Documentary Centre, has selected the projects for its 2018 edition.
Among the selected projects are One Of Us from Croatian director Đuro Gavran, whose short Verdict debuted at Rotterdam Film Festival in 2013; The Magic Life Of V from Bulgarian director Tonislav Hristov; and Diary Of A Serious Offender from Danilo Ceković.
Rounding out the selection are Siniša Gacić’s Daughter Of Camorra and Catalina Tesar’s The Chalice.
Now in its 8th edition,...
Docu Rough Cut Boutique, the workshop created by Sarajevo Film Festival and the Balkan Documentary Centre, has selected the projects for its 2018 edition.
Among the selected projects are One Of Us from Croatian director Đuro Gavran, whose short Verdict debuted at Rotterdam Film Festival in 2013; The Magic Life Of V from Bulgarian director Tonislav Hristov; and Diary Of A Serious Offender from Danilo Ceković.
Rounding out the selection are Siniša Gacić’s Daughter Of Camorra and Catalina Tesar’s The Chalice.
Now in its 8th edition,...
- 6/20/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
“The Square” was the big winner at the European Film Awards, taking nearly every top prize: Best Film, Director, Actor, Screenwriter, even Best Comedy for good measure. It continues a very good year for Ruben Östlund’s art-world satire, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is considered a likely nominee for the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film.
Also represented were “On Body and Soul,” which won the Golden Bear at Berlinale and earned Alexandra Borbely the Best Actress award, and “Communion,” which took the Documentary prize.
This year’s ceremony, the 30th, took place in Berlin. Avail yourself of the winner list below.
Read More:2017 European Film Awards Nominations: ‘The Square,’ ‘Bpm,’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ and More Lead the Way Best European Film
“Bpm (Beats per Minute),” (Robin Campillo, France)
“Loveless,” (Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany, France)
“On Body and Soul,” (Ildiko Enyedi,...
Also represented were “On Body and Soul,” which won the Golden Bear at Berlinale and earned Alexandra Borbely the Best Actress award, and “Communion,” which took the Documentary prize.
This year’s ceremony, the 30th, took place in Berlin. Avail yourself of the winner list below.
Read More:2017 European Film Awards Nominations: ‘The Square,’ ‘Bpm,’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ and More Lead the Way Best European Film
“Bpm (Beats per Minute),” (Robin Campillo, France)
“Loveless,” (Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany, France)
“On Body and Soul,” (Ildiko Enyedi,...
- 12/9/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The European Film Awards nominations have been released, with a number of festival favorites landing high-profile nods. Among them are “The Square” and “Bpm,” which were both nominated for Best European Film, and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” which missed out on the top category but was recognized in the Director, Actor, and Screenwriter fields.
Read More:‘The Square’ Director Ruben Östlund Wants to Push Cultural Boundaries, But Won’t Read Any Scripts With Killing
This year’s ceremony, the 30th, takes place in Berlin on December 9. Here are all the nominees:
Best European Film
“Bpm (Beats per Minute),” (Robin Campillo, France)
“Loveless,” (Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany, France)
“On Body and Soul,” (Ildiko Enyedi, Hungary)
“The Other Side of Hope,” (Aki Kaurismaki, Finland, Germany)
“The Square,” (Ruben Ostlund, Sweden, Germany, France, Denmark)
Best European Director
Ildiko Enyedi, (“On Body and Soul”)
Aki Kaurismaki, (“The Other Side of Hope”)
Yorgos Lanthimos,...
Read More:‘The Square’ Director Ruben Östlund Wants to Push Cultural Boundaries, But Won’t Read Any Scripts With Killing
This year’s ceremony, the 30th, takes place in Berlin on December 9. Here are all the nominees:
Best European Film
“Bpm (Beats per Minute),” (Robin Campillo, France)
“Loveless,” (Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany, France)
“On Body and Soul,” (Ildiko Enyedi, Hungary)
“The Other Side of Hope,” (Aki Kaurismaki, Finland, Germany)
“The Square,” (Ruben Ostlund, Sweden, Germany, France, Denmark)
Best European Director
Ildiko Enyedi, (“On Body and Soul”)
Aki Kaurismaki, (“The Other Side of Hope”)
Yorgos Lanthimos,...
- 11/4/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
No reason has been given for the change in opening film.
Danish director Bille August’s The Chinese Widow will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff, June 17-26), replacing Ann Hui’s Our Time Will Come, which was previously announced as the opening film.
However, Our Time Will Come will still play in the Golden Goblet competition at Siff. No reason was given for the change by either the festival or the film’s producer Bona Film Group.
Both films are set in China during the Second World War. Starring Emile Hirsch and Yu Nan, The Chinese Widow tells the story of an American pilot who is shot down and saved by Chinese villagers. It remains unclear if the film has been made under the recently signed Danish-Chinese co-production treaty. August recently served as jury president at the Beijing International Film Festival.
Our Time Will Come, which stars Zhou Xun and Eddie Peng, revolves...
Danish director Bille August’s The Chinese Widow will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff, June 17-26), replacing Ann Hui’s Our Time Will Come, which was previously announced as the opening film.
However, Our Time Will Come will still play in the Golden Goblet competition at Siff. No reason was given for the change by either the festival or the film’s producer Bona Film Group.
Both films are set in China during the Second World War. Starring Emile Hirsch and Yu Nan, The Chinese Widow tells the story of an American pilot who is shot down and saved by Chinese villagers. It remains unclear if the film has been made under the recently signed Danish-Chinese co-production treaty. August recently served as jury president at the Beijing International Film Festival.
Our Time Will Come, which stars Zhou Xun and Eddie Peng, revolves...
- 6/12/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Film Acquisition Rundown: IFC Buys ‘Rebel in the Rye,’ Gunpowder & Sky Grabs ‘Little Boxes’ and More
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– IFC Films has picked up North American distribution rights to the J. D. Salinger drama “Rebel in the Rye,” which stars Nicholas Hoult as J.D. Salinger. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It will receive a theatrical release in the fall of 2017.
The film was written and directed by Danny Strong, and follows the early years of Salinger’s storied career. It also stars Kevin Spacey, Sarah Paulson and Zoey Deutch. The news was first reported by Variety.
– Gunpowder & Sky Distribution has acquired Rob Meyer’s “Little Boxes,” with a theatrical release set for April 14. Written by Annie J. Howell, the film stars Melanie Lynskey, Nelsan Ellis, Armani Jackson, Oona Laurence and Janeane Garofalo.
– IFC Films has picked up North American distribution rights to the J. D. Salinger drama “Rebel in the Rye,” which stars Nicholas Hoult as J.D. Salinger. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It will receive a theatrical release in the fall of 2017.
The film was written and directed by Danny Strong, and follows the early years of Salinger’s storied career. It also stars Kevin Spacey, Sarah Paulson and Zoey Deutch. The news was first reported by Variety.
– Gunpowder & Sky Distribution has acquired Rob Meyer’s “Little Boxes,” with a theatrical release set for April 14. Written by Annie J. Howell, the film stars Melanie Lynskey, Nelsan Ellis, Armani Jackson, Oona Laurence and Janeane Garofalo.
- 3/3/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Conceived and created before the Presidency of Donald J. Trump, Sundance’s documentaries straddle one of the most profound cultural and political shifts in the United States’ recent history.
As the country is forced to grapple with a new range of issues in the post-Obama age, documentarians are also now straining to catch up. You could see it on the screen at Sundance, where last-act codas and recent news snippets suggested how the triumph of Trump had impacted, and in some cases, undermined the stories being told. The story of the election is explicitly told in “Trumped: Inside the Greatest Political Upset of All Time,” but even when Trump wasn’t presented, the country’s conservative turn—and the pain and fractures it has caused among many of its citizens—may influence the way these films are received and understood.
A People Divided
How are this year’s nonfiction stories,...
As the country is forced to grapple with a new range of issues in the post-Obama age, documentarians are also now straining to catch up. You could see it on the screen at Sundance, where last-act codas and recent news snippets suggested how the triumph of Trump had impacted, and in some cases, undermined the stories being told. The story of the election is explicitly told in “Trumped: Inside the Greatest Political Upset of All Time,” but even when Trump wasn’t presented, the country’s conservative turn—and the pain and fractures it has caused among many of its citizens—may influence the way these films are received and understood.
A People Divided
How are this year’s nonfiction stories,...
- 1/26/2017
- by Anthony Kaufman
- Indiewire
World premieres include Fanny Ardant’s Stalin’s Couch [pictured], Elisabeth E. Schuch’s The Book Of Birdie, Erlingur Ottar Thoroddsen’s Rift, and Manuel Concha’s Blind Alley.
Goteborg Film Festival has announced its programme of nearly 450 films from 84 countries to screen during the festival’s 40th anniversary edition (Jan 27-Feb 6).
As reported earlier, the festival will kick off with Dome Karukoski’s Tom Of Finland.
The eight films (all world premieres) competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film – with a prize of $110,500 (Sek 1m) — are as follows:
Tom Of Finland by Dome Karukoski (Finland/Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Us)Beyond Dreams by Rojda Sekersöz (Sweden)The Ex-wife by Katja Wik (Sweden)Heartstone by Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson (Iceland/Denmark)Sámi Blood by Amanda Kernell (Sweden/Denmark/Norway)Little Wing bySelma Vilhunen (Finland)The Man by Charlotte Sieling (Denmark)Handle With Care by Arild Andresen (Norway)
The Nordic documentary competition includes:
Citizen Schein by Maud Nycander, [link...
Goteborg Film Festival has announced its programme of nearly 450 films from 84 countries to screen during the festival’s 40th anniversary edition (Jan 27-Feb 6).
As reported earlier, the festival will kick off with Dome Karukoski’s Tom Of Finland.
The eight films (all world premieres) competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film – with a prize of $110,500 (Sek 1m) — are as follows:
Tom Of Finland by Dome Karukoski (Finland/Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Us)Beyond Dreams by Rojda Sekersöz (Sweden)The Ex-wife by Katja Wik (Sweden)Heartstone by Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson (Iceland/Denmark)Sámi Blood by Amanda Kernell (Sweden/Denmark/Norway)Little Wing bySelma Vilhunen (Finland)The Man by Charlotte Sieling (Denmark)Handle With Care by Arild Andresen (Norway)
The Nordic documentary competition includes:
Citizen Schein by Maud Nycander, [link...
- 1/11/2017
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
As a small-scale encapsulation of the biggest political issue in modern-day Europe, Tonislav Hristov's Bulgaria-Finland co-production The Good Postman has ongoing topicality on its side. Carefully calibrated for wide consumption, this wryly amusing portrait of a sleepy hamlet on the Bulgaria-Turkey border — where a mayoral election revolves around differing attitudes to Middle Eastern refugees — bowed in competition at Amsterdam's Idfa and will vie for the World Documentary prize at Sundance.
Conventional in form and intermittently engaging in content, this fly-on-the-wall examination of human foibles and prejudices does little to stand out in a...
Conventional in form and intermittently engaging in content, this fly-on-the-wall examination of human foibles and prejudices does little to stand out in a...
- 12/21/2016
- by Neil Young
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Since the onset of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, there are over 6 million Syrian refugees that are internationally displaced around the globe. Of all the countries who have opened their borders to refugees, Turkey has took in the most. Tonislav Hristov’s new documentary “The Good Postman” is set in a small Bulgarian village that faces the Turkish border and has been resisting foreign invaders since the Roman empire. Now, The Great Gate, as the village has been called for centuries, has found itself in the middle of a crisis since asylum seekers sneak across the border causing fear amongst the populace. But the postman Ivan has a new vision: Welcome the refugees and help bring life to the dying village. Watch an exclusive trailer for the film below.
Read More: Idfa Founder Ally Derks To Step Down from Post in 2017
This is Hristov’s fifth documentary. His feature debut...
Read More: Idfa Founder Ally Derks To Step Down from Post in 2017
This is Hristov’s fifth documentary. His feature debut...
- 11/17/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Alberdi, Grude, Lozinski and Koguashvili set to compete in main competition.
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 29th edition, which is set to take place Nov 16-27.
The 15-title competition line-up includes Chilean director Maite Alberdi’s The Grown Ups, about four adults living with Down’s syndrome.
It follows her award-winning Tea Time about five septuagenarians who have been meeting for tea and cake once a month for 60 years.
Other contenders include Mogadishu Soldier by prolific Norwegian documentary producer and director Torstein Grude; respected Polish documentarian Pawel Lozinski’s exploration of a mother and daughter’s relationship You Have No Idea How Much I Love You, and Gogita’s New Life by Georgian director Levan Koguashvili, which follows a recently-released prisoner’s search for a wife.
Koguashvili is best known internationally for his fiction feature Blind Dates.
A total of 297 films will screen at the festival, 102 of which will...
The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) has unveiled the line-up for its 29th edition, which is set to take place Nov 16-27.
The 15-title competition line-up includes Chilean director Maite Alberdi’s The Grown Ups, about four adults living with Down’s syndrome.
It follows her award-winning Tea Time about five septuagenarians who have been meeting for tea and cake once a month for 60 years.
Other contenders include Mogadishu Soldier by prolific Norwegian documentary producer and director Torstein Grude; respected Polish documentarian Pawel Lozinski’s exploration of a mother and daughter’s relationship You Have No Idea How Much I Love You, and Gogita’s New Life by Georgian director Levan Koguashvili, which follows a recently-released prisoner’s search for a wife.
Koguashvili is best known internationally for his fiction feature Blind Dates.
A total of 297 films will screen at the festival, 102 of which will...
- 10/10/2016
- ScreenDaily
A total of 21 projects are set to be presented at the event, which last year showcased Cannes hit The Happiest Day In The Life of Olli Mäki.
The fifth edition of the Finnish Film Affair runs from September 20 -22. The programme will showcase 40 Finnish titles, screening 24 recent releases and presenting a further 21 films as works in progress, 11 of which are currently in production while 10 are in development.
Expectation is high as it was at the Finnish Film Affair works in progress presentations in 2015 that sales agents and buyers got their first look at Aamu Film Compnay´s The Happiest Day In The Life of Olli Mäki, directed by Juho Kuosmanen, which won the Un Certain Regard best film prize at this year´s Cannes Film Festival.
A jury will select a Best Pitch from the eleven Works in Progress projects. The following projects will be vying for the prize awarded by a jury comprising Sergei Rakhlin, chair...
The fifth edition of the Finnish Film Affair runs from September 20 -22. The programme will showcase 40 Finnish titles, screening 24 recent releases and presenting a further 21 films as works in progress, 11 of which are currently in production while 10 are in development.
Expectation is high as it was at the Finnish Film Affair works in progress presentations in 2015 that sales agents and buyers got their first look at Aamu Film Compnay´s The Happiest Day In The Life of Olli Mäki, directed by Juho Kuosmanen, which won the Un Certain Regard best film prize at this year´s Cannes Film Festival.
A jury will select a Best Pitch from the eleven Works in Progress projects. The following projects will be vying for the prize awarded by a jury comprising Sergei Rakhlin, chair...
- 9/19/2016
- ScreenDaily
Wendy Mitchell talks to four Finish producers headed to Edinburgh, which is hosting a territory focus on the Scandinavian territory this year.
As part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Finnish focus, four Finnish producers are headed to the festival for meetings and a panel discussion. The wider delegation also includes the filmmakers who have their current films screening in the focus.
Screen caught up with the producers about their new projects during a visit to Helsinki in May.
Helena Mielonen, Bufo Films and B-Plan Distribution
Mielonen runs the marketing department of Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari’s production...
As part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Finnish focus, four Finnish producers are headed to the festival for meetings and a panel discussion. The wider delegation also includes the filmmakers who have their current films screening in the focus.
Screen caught up with the producers about their new projects during a visit to Helsinki in May.
Helena Mielonen, Bufo Films and B-Plan Distribution
Mielonen runs the marketing department of Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari’s production...
- 6/16/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Wendy Mitchell talks to four Finish producers headed to Edinburgh, which is hosting a territory focus on the Scandinavian territory this year.
As part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Finnish focus, four Finnish producers are headed to the festival for meetings and a panel discussion. The wider delegation also includes the filmmakers who have their current films screening in the focus.
Screen caught up with the producers about their new projects during a visit to Helsinki in May.
Helena Mielonen, Bufo Films and B-Plan Distribution
Mielonen runs the marketing department of Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari’s production...
As part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Finnish focus, four Finnish producers are headed to the festival for meetings and a panel discussion. The wider delegation also includes the filmmakers who have their current films screening in the focus.
Screen caught up with the producers about their new projects during a visit to Helsinki in May.
Helena Mielonen, Bufo Films and B-Plan Distribution
Mielonen runs the marketing department of Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari’s production...
- 6/16/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Anti-Nazi satire from Stations of the Cross director Dietrich Bruggemann and a new documentary from Mark Cousins among titles.Scroll down for competition line-ups
The 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 3-11) has unveiled the competition titles in its Official Selection, East of the West, Forum of Independents and Documentary sections.
The main competition will comprise seven world premieres and six international premieres, including the new film from Stations of the Cross director Dietrich Brüggemann, Heil, a satirical comedy centred on neo-Nazis.
Polish documentary director Marcin Koszałkaʼs will present his feature debut, The Red Spider, a psychological thriller inspired by true events from the 1950s that delves into the mechanisms that give rise to a mass murderer.
Danish documentary maker Daniel Dencik will present his first feature, Gold Coast, about a young anti-colonial idealist who sets out for Danish Guinea to set up a coffee plantation - but not everything goes to plan. The music is...
The 50th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 3-11) has unveiled the competition titles in its Official Selection, East of the West, Forum of Independents and Documentary sections.
The main competition will comprise seven world premieres and six international premieres, including the new film from Stations of the Cross director Dietrich Brüggemann, Heil, a satirical comedy centred on neo-Nazis.
Polish documentary director Marcin Koszałkaʼs will present his feature debut, The Red Spider, a psychological thriller inspired by true events from the 1950s that delves into the mechanisms that give rise to a mass murderer.
Danish documentary maker Daniel Dencik will present his first feature, Gold Coast, about a young anti-colonial idealist who sets out for Danish Guinea to set up a coffee plantation - but not everything goes to plan. The music is...
- 6/2/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
With all the Hollywood glamour and star-studded red carpets that awards season entail, sometimes the craft and talent behind the films get overlooked. Last week, the Asc handed out their annual awards celebrating the most impressive achievements in cinematography, and we were happily surprise to see Peter Flinckenberg win the Asc Spotlight Award for "Concrete Night." Showcasing flawless, expressive, black-and-white cinematography, recognizing this intimate film was definitely a wise decision.
Read More: Interview with Dir. Pirjo Honkasalo on the Visually Stunning "Concrete Night"
The film was directed by Pirjo Honkasalo and it was chosen as Finland's Oscar entry in the Best Foreign Language Film race. This is the first time that a Finnish DoP was nominated, let along won a major tech award from an American association. The American Society of Cinematographers created this award last year to recognize new or forward thinking talent. The other nominees were Darius Khondji, Asc, Afc, for "The Immigrant" and Daniel Lavin, Bsc, for "Under the Skin."
“These nominees have created some of the more inspiring and imaginative visuals our members have seen recently,” said Asc Awards Chairman Lowell Peterson. “We’re proud to recognize their innovative work, and we hope at the same time to raise the profile of these films, so more audiences have a chance to see them.”
Read More: Tribeca Review - "Love and Engineering"
Flinckenberg is one of the most courageous and experienced cinematographers of the younger film generation in Finland. He has worked both in documentaries and features, and his latest works include the Oscar® nominated short "Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?"(by Selma Vilhunen, 2012), "Miss Blue Jeans" (by Matti Kinnunen, 2012), "Love and Engineering" (by Tonislav Hristov, 2014, Tribeca Film Festival) and "Pixadores" (by Amir Escandari, 2014, Idfa).
"Concrete Night" marks Finnish director Pirjo Honkasalo’s return to fiction, following years of internationally acclaimed documentaries. This boldly shot drama about the fateful misinterpretation of brotherly advise continues Honkasalo’s equally strong hand in fiction. The film clearly builds on her earlier features that premiered in Cannes, Venice and Locarno, which landed Honkasalo a spot in Tiff’s prestigious Master Series in 2013, which in previous years included Bernardo Bertolucci, Abbas Kiarostami and Michael Haneke
Based on a 1981 novel by leading author and Pirjo's life partner Pirkko Saisio, "Concrete Night" charts the last day and night of two young brothers as they roam around dreary high-rises and a hot, unforgiving Helsinki. Honkasalo envelops their dynamic in a dream-like noir tension, which leads Simo, the younger brother to emulate his brother Ilkka, who is due to start his prison sentence the next day. A boundless admiration for Ilkka, his only available role model, leads Simo to look for his identity in all the wrong places.
The film was produced by Bufo. Founded in 2007 by producers Misha Jaari, Mark Lwoff and screenwriter Vesa Virtanen, Bufo has produced a number of fiction films of which many have received international recognition.
Despite all the acclaim and recognition, "Concrete Night" is still looking for a U.S. Distributor to bring this hypnotic coming-of-age tale to American screens. World sales for the film are handled by nm5579306 autoXavier Rashid[/link]'s Film Republic.
Read More: Interview with Dir. Pirjo Honkasalo on the Visually Stunning "Concrete Night"
The film was directed by Pirjo Honkasalo and it was chosen as Finland's Oscar entry in the Best Foreign Language Film race. This is the first time that a Finnish DoP was nominated, let along won a major tech award from an American association. The American Society of Cinematographers created this award last year to recognize new or forward thinking talent. The other nominees were Darius Khondji, Asc, Afc, for "The Immigrant" and Daniel Lavin, Bsc, for "Under the Skin."
“These nominees have created some of the more inspiring and imaginative visuals our members have seen recently,” said Asc Awards Chairman Lowell Peterson. “We’re proud to recognize their innovative work, and we hope at the same time to raise the profile of these films, so more audiences have a chance to see them.”
Read More: Tribeca Review - "Love and Engineering"
Flinckenberg is one of the most courageous and experienced cinematographers of the younger film generation in Finland. He has worked both in documentaries and features, and his latest works include the Oscar® nominated short "Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?"(by Selma Vilhunen, 2012), "Miss Blue Jeans" (by Matti Kinnunen, 2012), "Love and Engineering" (by Tonislav Hristov, 2014, Tribeca Film Festival) and "Pixadores" (by Amir Escandari, 2014, Idfa).
"Concrete Night" marks Finnish director Pirjo Honkasalo’s return to fiction, following years of internationally acclaimed documentaries. This boldly shot drama about the fateful misinterpretation of brotherly advise continues Honkasalo’s equally strong hand in fiction. The film clearly builds on her earlier features that premiered in Cannes, Venice and Locarno, which landed Honkasalo a spot in Tiff’s prestigious Master Series in 2013, which in previous years included Bernardo Bertolucci, Abbas Kiarostami and Michael Haneke
Based on a 1981 novel by leading author and Pirjo's life partner Pirkko Saisio, "Concrete Night" charts the last day and night of two young brothers as they roam around dreary high-rises and a hot, unforgiving Helsinki. Honkasalo envelops their dynamic in a dream-like noir tension, which leads Simo, the younger brother to emulate his brother Ilkka, who is due to start his prison sentence the next day. A boundless admiration for Ilkka, his only available role model, leads Simo to look for his identity in all the wrong places.
The film was produced by Bufo. Founded in 2007 by producers Misha Jaari, Mark Lwoff and screenwriter Vesa Virtanen, Bufo has produced a number of fiction films of which many have received international recognition.
Despite all the acclaim and recognition, "Concrete Night" is still looking for a U.S. Distributor to bring this hypnotic coming-of-age tale to American screens. World sales for the film are handled by nm5579306 autoXavier Rashid[/link]'s Film Republic.
- 2/27/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Third edition will include pitching of 17 projects and screening of 19 completed features.Scroll down for full lists
The Finnish Film Affair is to host its third edition during the Helsinki International Film Festival (Sept 23-25).
The showcase for new Finnish films will include 17 projects being pitched and the screening of 19 completed films. A Project Development Clinic has been added for first and second-time directors.
The 17 new projects will be pitched to 60 guests including sales agents, festival programmers, distributors and TV buyers, including Fortissimo Films, Wild Bunch, Memento Films International, Films Transit, Sundance Film Festival, Koch Media and Zdf/Arte.
The pitches include The Fencer by Klaus Härö, whose previous film Letters to Father Jacob sold worldwide; and Stupid Young Heart from Oscar-nominated Selma Vilhunen (Do I Have To Take Care Of Everything?).
Other titles include Tsamo by Markku Lehmuskallio, documentary Mother’s Wish by Joonas Berghäll (Steam Of Life), and Cross Your Heart by Petri Kotwica, whose...
The Finnish Film Affair is to host its third edition during the Helsinki International Film Festival (Sept 23-25).
The showcase for new Finnish films will include 17 projects being pitched and the screening of 19 completed films. A Project Development Clinic has been added for first and second-time directors.
The 17 new projects will be pitched to 60 guests including sales agents, festival programmers, distributors and TV buyers, including Fortissimo Films, Wild Bunch, Memento Films International, Films Transit, Sundance Film Festival, Koch Media and Zdf/Arte.
The pitches include The Fencer by Klaus Härö, whose previous film Letters to Father Jacob sold worldwide; and Stupid Young Heart from Oscar-nominated Selma Vilhunen (Do I Have To Take Care Of Everything?).
Other titles include Tsamo by Markku Lehmuskallio, documentary Mother’s Wish by Joonas Berghäll (Steam Of Life), and Cross Your Heart by Petri Kotwica, whose...
- 8/26/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Out of competition screening for My Craft about artist Arsen Dedic.
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced its documentary competition for 2014.
Themes explored include non-violent protests and civil disobedience (Everyday Rebellion); refugee immigration and growing xenophobia (Evaporating Borderes); a controversial Stalin statue in a small town (The Ruler); Egyptian women in the Arab Spring (Private Revolutions); and It engineers searching for love (Love and Engineering).
Also, the festival will host a gala screening, out of competition, with the international premiere of Mladen Matičević’s My Craft from Croatia and Serbia, about the music, poetry and life of the artist Arsen Dedić.
Documentary Competition
Azemina
Enes Zlatar, Ajdin Kamber (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Ghetto 59
Ines Tanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Naked Island
Tiha Klara Gudac (Croatia) [world premiere]
Private Revolutions – Young, Female, Egyptian
Alexandra Schneider (Austria) [world premiere]
The Ruler
Shalva Shengeli (Georgia) [world premiere]
Scandal
Elton Baxhaku, Eriona Cami (Albania) [world premiere]
Children Of Transition
Matija Vukšić (Croatia)
The Forest
Siniša Dragin (Romania-Serbia)
Mitch - The Diary...
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced its documentary competition for 2014.
Themes explored include non-violent protests and civil disobedience (Everyday Rebellion); refugee immigration and growing xenophobia (Evaporating Borderes); a controversial Stalin statue in a small town (The Ruler); Egyptian women in the Arab Spring (Private Revolutions); and It engineers searching for love (Love and Engineering).
Also, the festival will host a gala screening, out of competition, with the international premiere of Mladen Matičević’s My Craft from Croatia and Serbia, about the music, poetry and life of the artist Arsen Dedić.
Documentary Competition
Azemina
Enes Zlatar, Ajdin Kamber (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Ghetto 59
Ines Tanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Naked Island
Tiha Klara Gudac (Croatia) [world premiere]
Private Revolutions – Young, Female, Egyptian
Alexandra Schneider (Austria) [world premiere]
The Ruler
Shalva Shengeli (Georgia) [world premiere]
Scandal
Elton Baxhaku, Eriona Cami (Albania) [world premiere]
Children Of Transition
Matija Vukšić (Croatia)
The Forest
Siniša Dragin (Romania-Serbia)
Mitch - The Diary...
- 7/22/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Out of competition screening for My Craft about artist Arsen Dedic.
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced its documentary competition for 2014.
Themes explored include non-violent protests and civil disobedience (Everyday Rebellion); refugee immigration and growing xenophobia (Evaporating Borderes); a controversial Stalin statue in a small town (The Ruler); Egyptian women in the Arab Spring (Private Revolutions); and It engineers searching for love (Love and Engineering).
Also, the festival will host a gala screening, out of competition, with the international premiere of Mladen Matičević’s My Craft from Croatia and Serbia, about the music, poetry and life of the artist Arsen Dedić.
Documentary Competition
Azemina, Enes Zlatar, Ajdin Kamber (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Ghetto 59, Ines Tanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Naked Island, Tiha Klara Gudac (Croatia) [world premiere]
Private Revolutions – Young, Female, Egyptian, Alexandra Schneider (Austria) [world premiere] [pictured]
The Ruler, Shalva Shengeli (Georgia) [world premiere]
Scandal, Elton Baxhaku, Eriona Cami (Albania) [world premiere]
Children Of Transition, Matija Vukšić (Croatia)
The Forest, Siniša Dragin...
The Sarajevo Film Festival has announced its documentary competition for 2014.
Themes explored include non-violent protests and civil disobedience (Everyday Rebellion); refugee immigration and growing xenophobia (Evaporating Borderes); a controversial Stalin statue in a small town (The Ruler); Egyptian women in the Arab Spring (Private Revolutions); and It engineers searching for love (Love and Engineering).
Also, the festival will host a gala screening, out of competition, with the international premiere of Mladen Matičević’s My Craft from Croatia and Serbia, about the music, poetry and life of the artist Arsen Dedić.
Documentary Competition
Azemina, Enes Zlatar, Ajdin Kamber (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Ghetto 59, Ines Tanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [world premiere]
Naked Island, Tiha Klara Gudac (Croatia) [world premiere]
Private Revolutions – Young, Female, Egyptian, Alexandra Schneider (Austria) [world premiere] [pictured]
The Ruler, Shalva Shengeli (Georgia) [world premiere]
Scandal, Elton Baxhaku, Eriona Cami (Albania) [world premiere]
Children Of Transition, Matija Vukšić (Croatia)
The Forest, Siniša Dragin...
- 7/22/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
International market dedicated to factual content runs June 23-26 in La Rochelle, France.
Sunny Side of the Doc is gearing up for its 25th anniversary, running June 23-26 in La Rochelle, France.
The international market dedicated to factual content is now open to every continent and, following the success this year’s Asian Side of the Doc, there will be a bigger Chinese delegation at this year’s event.
To mark its 25th anniversary, there will be free screenings of 17 films that have benefitted from Sunny Side, Asian Side or Latin Side including Gonzalo Arijón’s Battle for Rio, Tonislav Hristov’s Love and Engineering and Thierry Michel’s The Chebeya Affair, A State Crime?.
Panels at this year’s event include an exploration of how producers and broadcasters are confronting the issues of environmental pollution, how commercial funding can be integrated into the documentary ecology and the future for public service media.
The European...
Sunny Side of the Doc is gearing up for its 25th anniversary, running June 23-26 in La Rochelle, France.
The international market dedicated to factual content is now open to every continent and, following the success this year’s Asian Side of the Doc, there will be a bigger Chinese delegation at this year’s event.
To mark its 25th anniversary, there will be free screenings of 17 films that have benefitted from Sunny Side, Asian Side or Latin Side including Gonzalo Arijón’s Battle for Rio, Tonislav Hristov’s Love and Engineering and Thierry Michel’s The Chebeya Affair, A State Crime?.
Panels at this year’s event include an exploration of how producers and broadcasters are confronting the issues of environmental pollution, how commercial funding can be integrated into the documentary ecology and the future for public service media.
The European...
- 6/11/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Art and Craft
From Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman, and Mark Becker comes a fascinating look into the life and work of notorious art forger Mark Landis, who, for over 30 years, has duped museums across the country into accepting phony paintings. The secret to such a long career? Landis doesn’t sell; he donates (often in the name of his made-up deceased sister’s estate), so the FBI and irate curators everywhere are powerless to prosecute him for what he considers “philanthropy.” Opposite Landis, the filmmakers consult Matthew Leininger, a former registrar obsessed with seeking revenge on the forger. Yet with all his personal issues (schizophrenia, alcoholism, and a Norman Bates-like obsession with his late mother, to name a few), Landis always looms front and center. A talented artist who can replicate everything from Peanuts sketches to portraits from Picasso’s blue period, you wouldn’t be the first to wonder...
From Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman, and Mark Becker comes a fascinating look into the life and work of notorious art forger Mark Landis, who, for over 30 years, has duped museums across the country into accepting phony paintings. The secret to such a long career? Landis doesn’t sell; he donates (often in the name of his made-up deceased sister’s estate), so the FBI and irate curators everywhere are powerless to prosecute him for what he considers “philanthropy.” Opposite Landis, the filmmakers consult Matthew Leininger, a former registrar obsessed with seeking revenge on the forger. Yet with all his personal issues (schizophrenia, alcoholism, and a Norman Bates-like obsession with his late mother, to name a few), Landis always looms front and center. A talented artist who can replicate everything from Peanuts sketches to portraits from Picasso’s blue period, you wouldn’t be the first to wonder...
- 5/7/2014
- by Misa Shikuma
- SoundOnSight
It’s often said there’s no magic formula in the workings of love, but what about a scientific formula? As weird as it sounds, a group of scientists in Finland decided to test the aspects of romance with considerable scientific rigor, and emerged with nothing less than a formula for what it takes for one person to fall in love with the other. It’s a project worthy of the four main nerdy characters of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, and one hopes that Tonislav Hristov doesn’t mind the comparison, because the mixture of science, romance and more than a fair share of comedy is certainly evocative of the hit series. But Love & Engineering is actually a real thing, and quite entertaining.
Our hero is Atanas Boev, a Bulgarian engineer living and working in Finland. He’s recently married and his wife just gave birth to their first child,...
Our hero is Atanas Boev, a Bulgarian engineer living and working in Finland. He’s recently married and his wife just gave birth to their first child,...
- 5/5/2014
- by Adam A. Donaldson
- We Got This Covered
Describing emotional connection as a measurable cocktail of chemicals that affects the brain might not be the best way into another person’s heart. In a scenario in which every mannerism and facial expression must be understood in terms of hard facts and scientific numerical values, there is little room for spontaneous reactions. In an effort to help other men like him whose careers in the stoic world of engineering have hinder their social skills preventing them from successfully finding a partner, Atanas Boev, a Bulgarian 3D engineer living in Finland, sets up a romance workshop of sorts. Boev’s quirky field experiments and the four geeks that serve as subjects are at the center of Tonislav Hristov’s documentary Love and Engineering.
It is true, these guys need all the help they can get to get out of their shells, but why should they listen to their new love professor? Well, Boev begins by explaining that he was on the same boat. Overly focused on his career he forgot to seek human interaction with the opposite sex, until he decided it was time for him to find his match and reproduce. Not the subtlest or must touching reasoning to go on a date, but is one that fits his pragmatic behavior. After successfully marrying and fathering a child, Boev felt the need to pay it forward and mentor his fellow single nerds. Background regarding the purposes of his “studies” beyond finding them a girlfriend is never given, which is strange, but it doesn’t take away from the playful tone of the film.
In his role of resourceful scientific wingman he exposes his four pupils to the object of their anxiety: women. They go to nightclubs and speed-dating events as a way to develop a sense of confidence in them. For one of them, Markus, this becomes the perfect opportunity to create an alter ego. He dresses up as a sailor and uses the dapper look as an icebreaker, this seems to work much better than his typical references to computer games - which tend to alienate the prospective date. Perhaps impersonating an someone from an entirely different profession is not the ideal approach, but at least it gives the man a chance. Then there are Andon and Thomas, who don’t really get a long. The former is a testosterone-fueled angry man who appears a bit jealous of the latter’s short-lived success with the ladies.
Out of this pack of hopeless non-romantics, the one that stands out as being closer to the “cool” wavelength is Todor. Friendly and more assertive than the rest, he manages to actually find a girlfriend, go on dates with her, and experience first hand the agony of rejection. By forcing them to spend time outside of the digital world, Boev at least provides them with an opportunity to change and decide how much of an effort they want to make not to be lonely. He pushes them to dance, to tell jokes, and to unavoidably make mistakes in the quest to sharpen their pick-up moves.
Nevertheless, all these exercises are underscored with the intention to find rational answers. The researcher wants a formula; a pattern that repeats itself and that can be manipulated to produce consistent results. When a female engineer is briefly brought into the picture, their systematic approach to seduction is put into question. Love & Engineering is not a grand piece of filmmaking; it’s not incredibly insightful about the human condition or full of revelatory discoveries. However, it succeeds at being a small and engaging look at these likeable men’s mission to find companionship. They are insecure but relatable people who are at least trying, whether that merits a feature film to be depicted is another question, but at least it is enjoyable enough. The lesson is, of course, that even when cutting-edge technology is available, there is no surefire scientific method to reveal all the complex and immeasurable factors that conform the intoxicating feeling of being in love.
It is true, these guys need all the help they can get to get out of their shells, but why should they listen to their new love professor? Well, Boev begins by explaining that he was on the same boat. Overly focused on his career he forgot to seek human interaction with the opposite sex, until he decided it was time for him to find his match and reproduce. Not the subtlest or must touching reasoning to go on a date, but is one that fits his pragmatic behavior. After successfully marrying and fathering a child, Boev felt the need to pay it forward and mentor his fellow single nerds. Background regarding the purposes of his “studies” beyond finding them a girlfriend is never given, which is strange, but it doesn’t take away from the playful tone of the film.
In his role of resourceful scientific wingman he exposes his four pupils to the object of their anxiety: women. They go to nightclubs and speed-dating events as a way to develop a sense of confidence in them. For one of them, Markus, this becomes the perfect opportunity to create an alter ego. He dresses up as a sailor and uses the dapper look as an icebreaker, this seems to work much better than his typical references to computer games - which tend to alienate the prospective date. Perhaps impersonating an someone from an entirely different profession is not the ideal approach, but at least it gives the man a chance. Then there are Andon and Thomas, who don’t really get a long. The former is a testosterone-fueled angry man who appears a bit jealous of the latter’s short-lived success with the ladies.
Out of this pack of hopeless non-romantics, the one that stands out as being closer to the “cool” wavelength is Todor. Friendly and more assertive than the rest, he manages to actually find a girlfriend, go on dates with her, and experience first hand the agony of rejection. By forcing them to spend time outside of the digital world, Boev at least provides them with an opportunity to change and decide how much of an effort they want to make not to be lonely. He pushes them to dance, to tell jokes, and to unavoidably make mistakes in the quest to sharpen their pick-up moves.
Nevertheless, all these exercises are underscored with the intention to find rational answers. The researcher wants a formula; a pattern that repeats itself and that can be manipulated to produce consistent results. When a female engineer is briefly brought into the picture, their systematic approach to seduction is put into question. Love & Engineering is not a grand piece of filmmaking; it’s not incredibly insightful about the human condition or full of revelatory discoveries. However, it succeeds at being a small and engaging look at these likeable men’s mission to find companionship. They are insecure but relatable people who are at least trying, whether that merits a feature film to be depicted is another question, but at least it is enjoyable enough. The lesson is, of course, that even when cutting-edge technology is available, there is no surefire scientific method to reveal all the complex and immeasurable factors that conform the intoxicating feeling of being in love.
- 5/3/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Love and Engineering
Directed by Tonislav Hristov
Finland, Germany, and Bulgaria, 2014
The apartments of the four main subjects of Tonislav Hristov’s documentary Love and Engineering are illuminating. Literally. Each Finnish flat glows with at least three computer and TV screens, always displaying a video game. Hristov’s question is age-old – can love be calculated? – but the approach is entirely 21st-century. Engineer Atanas Boev uses formulas, mechanically-inclined metaphors, and scientific studies to help find his hapless friends love.
Both nerd-funny and heartfelt, Love and Engineering cracks plenty of jokes but never mocks its subjects. At the heart of the narrative is Todor Vlaev, the most outgoing and stylish of the geek group, but also, perhaps, the most susceptible to the perils of infatuation and dating. Hristov captures Todor in disparate states of dreamy elation and absolute despondence and the young man feels realer than an internet profile might suggest.
Hristov...
Directed by Tonislav Hristov
Finland, Germany, and Bulgaria, 2014
The apartments of the four main subjects of Tonislav Hristov’s documentary Love and Engineering are illuminating. Literally. Each Finnish flat glows with at least three computer and TV screens, always displaying a video game. Hristov’s question is age-old – can love be calculated? – but the approach is entirely 21st-century. Engineer Atanas Boev uses formulas, mechanically-inclined metaphors, and scientific studies to help find his hapless friends love.
Both nerd-funny and heartfelt, Love and Engineering cracks plenty of jokes but never mocks its subjects. At the heart of the narrative is Todor Vlaev, the most outgoing and stylish of the geek group, but also, perhaps, the most susceptible to the perils of infatuation and dating. Hristov captures Todor in disparate states of dreamy elation and absolute despondence and the young man feels realer than an internet profile might suggest.
Hristov...
- 4/26/2014
- by Neal Dhand
- SoundOnSight
Tonislav Hristov’s Love & Engineering is to open the 20th edition of the Visions du Réel documentary film festival.
The film about a Bulgarian computer engineer searching for a formula to create irresistible seductive power for four desperate digital geeks searching for analogue love will open this year’s festival in Nyon, Switzerland tomorrow (April 24). The festival runs from April 25 to May 3.
The German-Finnish-Bulgarian co-production won the Audience Award at DocPoint Helsinki and is set to be screened at Hot Docs Toronto and the Tribeca Film Festival this month.
Nyon’s 2014 edition will see the festival celebrating two anniversaries: in 1969, the Festival international de cinéma Nyon was founded by the later Berlinale director Moritz de Hadeln, and the name change to Visions du Réel was taken by present artistic director Luciano Barisone’s predecessor Jean Perret in 1995
19 feature-length documentaries from 17 countries in the festival’s main competition will be judged by an International Jury comprising UK producer...
The film about a Bulgarian computer engineer searching for a formula to create irresistible seductive power for four desperate digital geeks searching for analogue love will open this year’s festival in Nyon, Switzerland tomorrow (April 24). The festival runs from April 25 to May 3.
The German-Finnish-Bulgarian co-production won the Audience Award at DocPoint Helsinki and is set to be screened at Hot Docs Toronto and the Tribeca Film Festival this month.
Nyon’s 2014 edition will see the festival celebrating two anniversaries: in 1969, the Festival international de cinéma Nyon was founded by the later Berlinale director Moritz de Hadeln, and the name change to Visions du Réel was taken by present artistic director Luciano Barisone’s predecessor Jean Perret in 1995
19 feature-length documentaries from 17 countries in the festival’s main competition will be judged by an International Jury comprising UK producer...
- 4/23/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Georgia was the big winner at the 18th edition of the Sofia International Film Festival (Siff) which closed at the weekend with the Grand Prix for Best Film and Best Director award going to Levan Koguashvili’s second feature Blind Dates.
The melancholic comedy, which premiered at the Berlinale’s Forum last month, also received the Fipresci International Film Critics’ Prize. Handled internationally by Films Boutique, it is already booked to screen at the April festivals in Wiesbaden (goEast) and Lecce and in Odessa in July.
Presenting the Grand Prix to Koguashvili, the International Jury’s president producer Alexander Rodnyansky said that the jury’s discussion on the top prize had ¨lasted only about 10 minutes and was unanimous. This film has become the absolute winner of this festival!¨
In addition, Vladimer Katcharava of Tbilisi-based 20 Steps Production received the Sofia Meetings’ €10,000 Digimage - Lvt Postproduction Award for Miriam Khachvani’s Dede which he pitched in the Plus Minus...
The melancholic comedy, which premiered at the Berlinale’s Forum last month, also received the Fipresci International Film Critics’ Prize. Handled internationally by Films Boutique, it is already booked to screen at the April festivals in Wiesbaden (goEast) and Lecce and in Odessa in July.
Presenting the Grand Prix to Koguashvili, the International Jury’s president producer Alexander Rodnyansky said that the jury’s discussion on the top prize had ¨lasted only about 10 minutes and was unanimous. This film has become the absolute winner of this festival!¨
In addition, Vladimer Katcharava of Tbilisi-based 20 Steps Production received the Sofia Meetings’ €10,000 Digimage - Lvt Postproduction Award for Miriam Khachvani’s Dede which he pitched in the Plus Minus...
- 3/17/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Top brass at the 57th San Francisco International Film Festival (Sfiff) have announced the films in competition for the New Directors Prize and the Golden Gate Award contenders in the documentary category.
The festival will award close to $40,000 in total cash prizes this year.
The New Directors Prize of $10,000 will go to a narrative first feature that exhibits “a unique artistic sensibility and deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible.”
The Gga documentary winner will receive $10,000 and the Gga Bay Area documentary feature winner will receive $5,000.
The Sfiff is scheduled to run from April 24-May 8.
The 2014 New Directors Prize (Narrative Feature) Competition entries are:
The Amazing Catfish (pictured, Mexico), dir Claudia Sainte-Luce
The Blue Wave (Turkey-Germany-Netherlands-Greece), dir Zeynep Dadak and Merve Kayan
Difret (Ethiopia), dir Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
The Dune (France-Israel), dir Yossi Aviram
History Of Fear (Argentina-France-Germany-Uruguay-Qatar), dir Benjamin Naishtat
Manos Sucias (Us-Colombia), dir Josef Wladyka
Of Horses And Men (Iceland-Germany), dir Benedikt Erlingsson...
The festival will award close to $40,000 in total cash prizes this year.
The New Directors Prize of $10,000 will go to a narrative first feature that exhibits “a unique artistic sensibility and deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible.”
The Gga documentary winner will receive $10,000 and the Gga Bay Area documentary feature winner will receive $5,000.
The Sfiff is scheduled to run from April 24-May 8.
The 2014 New Directors Prize (Narrative Feature) Competition entries are:
The Amazing Catfish (pictured, Mexico), dir Claudia Sainte-Luce
The Blue Wave (Turkey-Germany-Netherlands-Greece), dir Zeynep Dadak and Merve Kayan
Difret (Ethiopia), dir Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
The Dune (France-Israel), dir Yossi Aviram
History Of Fear (Argentina-France-Germany-Uruguay-Qatar), dir Benjamin Naishtat
Manos Sucias (Us-Colombia), dir Josef Wladyka
Of Horses And Men (Iceland-Germany), dir Benedikt Erlingsson...
- 3/6/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
By the looks of it, the Tribeca Film Festival might finally be growing out of their awkward teenage phase and moving into a new era where the nab more than just Sundance and SXSW festival rejects. Artistic Director Frederic Boyer has managed to nab some noteworthy American indie projects such as Lou Howe’s Gabriel (see pic above), Keith Miller’s Five Star, Adam Rapp’s Loitering with Intent, and Tristan Patterson’s Electric Slide.
On the docu front, we’ve got the latest from the likes of notable documentarians Marshall Curry and Jessica Yu. Think Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Round meets child solider movie for Curry’s awesomely titled Point and Shoot — where the Libyan rebel army take hold of Curry’s subject. Yu moves from water shortage in Last Call at the Oasis (read our review) to the biggest pandemic of all; Misconception looks at the consequences...
On the docu front, we’ve got the latest from the likes of notable documentarians Marshall Curry and Jessica Yu. Think Ewan McGregor’s Long Way Round meets child solider movie for Curry’s awesomely titled Point and Shoot — where the Libyan rebel army take hold of Curry’s subject. Yu moves from water shortage in Last Call at the Oasis (read our review) to the biggest pandemic of all; Misconception looks at the consequences...
- 3/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
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