Tsr Exclusive: ‘Life, Above All’ interview with actress Khomotso Manyaka and director Oliver Schmitz
Met with a ten-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival two years ago, Life, Above All was South Africa’s official submission for the “Best Foreign Language” Oscar. It has since become picked up by Sony Pictures Classics (the same folks behind the record-breaking Midnight in Paris box office push), and was touted by Roger Ebert at his film festival “Ebertfest.”
The film tells the story of a young girl who is forced to carry the weight of her family when her mother runs away after rumors of AIDS in the community spread. Khomotoso Manyaka plays Chanda, the foundation that a whole community needs to understanding the destructive power of gossip, especially as it is hid amongst our own secrets.
I sat down with director Oliver Schmitz and his teenage actress Manyaka to discuss the film and its roots in restoring neo-realism cinema to South Africa.
Life, Above All...
The film tells the story of a young girl who is forced to carry the weight of her family when her mother runs away after rumors of AIDS in the community spread. Khomotoso Manyaka plays Chanda, the foundation that a whole community needs to understanding the destructive power of gossip, especially as it is hid amongst our own secrets.
I sat down with director Oliver Schmitz and his teenage actress Manyaka to discuss the film and its roots in restoring neo-realism cinema to South Africa.
Life, Above All...
- 9/15/2011
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Chicago filmmaker Giancarlo Iannotta is family man. He doesn’t just embrace the roots that have make up his extensive Italian family tree, he wants to share them with the world. He captures his family’s stories with his camera, and as a filmmaker of the Vimeo.com age, uploads them to the internet.
Iannotta doesn’t have a feature film to his name yet, but he’s got a credit that isn’t just handed to any man or woman with a movie camera – his documentary short, My Big Red Purse, was selected to play at last month’s South by Southwest Film Festival, beating out hundreds of competitors in the process.
Expanded from a simple project for Vimeo.com, My Big Red Purse features Iannotta’s mother re-telling a story from her childhood, with a re-enactment mixed in with interview footage, a la the Oscar-winning film Man on Wire.
Iannotta doesn’t have a feature film to his name yet, but he’s got a credit that isn’t just handed to any man or woman with a movie camera – his documentary short, My Big Red Purse, was selected to play at last month’s South by Southwest Film Festival, beating out hundreds of competitors in the process.
Expanded from a simple project for Vimeo.com, My Big Red Purse features Iannotta’s mother re-telling a story from her childhood, with a re-enactment mixed in with interview footage, a la the Oscar-winning film Man on Wire.
- 4/27/2011
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
The following is Part Four of a Five Part series that chronicles Nick Allen’s first journey to SXSW, which also stands as his first time in Texas, ever. The final day, Part Five, is to be posted soon.
I slept in! No express pass waiting, no 8 Am wake-ups, nothing. Instead, it was decided that we would actually take a break from SXSW to explore some Austin culture. Of course, I do not mean a historical tour or anything remotely tourist. Instead, we headed over to a dee-licious small rib joint called Franklin Barbecue, which is not just Tsr-recommended, but is said to offer some of the best ribs etc in the entire state of Texas. (This is a strong recommendation: I owe them for that free Coke they let me have.)
While Jeff has photographic evidence of the entire species we eradicated with our meal, I can say that the tray was huge,...
I slept in! No express pass waiting, no 8 Am wake-ups, nothing. Instead, it was decided that we would actually take a break from SXSW to explore some Austin culture. Of course, I do not mean a historical tour or anything remotely tourist. Instead, we headed over to a dee-licious small rib joint called Franklin Barbecue, which is not just Tsr-recommended, but is said to offer some of the best ribs etc in the entire state of Texas. (This is a strong recommendation: I owe them for that free Coke they let me have.)
While Jeff has photographic evidence of the entire species we eradicated with our meal, I can say that the tray was huge,...
- 4/4/2011
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
SXSW Film Festival Announces Midnight Features & Shorts
Austin, TX – Today the SXSW Film Festival revealed their Midnight Features & Shorts program.
The Midnighters section of SXSW is known for premiering the work future stars of the horror genre. Filmmakers Eli Roth, and Ti West, are a few notable directors who have had their films screened during the Midnight Features.
”Our midnight programs are the bloody, beating heart of SXSW,” said SXSW Film Conference & Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “Since the beginning, midnight films have been an essential ingredient to what makes SXSW so exciting and fun, and this year’s selections are no exception.”
Out of over 3000 short films submitted, only 150 were chosen, and will screen as part of twelve overall shorts programs.
“After months of reviewing a record number of submissions, we’re tremendously happy to share the final program,” said Shorts Programmers Claudette Godfrey and Stephanie Noone, “The short films...
Austin, TX – Today the SXSW Film Festival revealed their Midnight Features & Shorts program.
The Midnighters section of SXSW is known for premiering the work future stars of the horror genre. Filmmakers Eli Roth, and Ti West, are a few notable directors who have had their films screened during the Midnight Features.
”Our midnight programs are the bloody, beating heart of SXSW,” said SXSW Film Conference & Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “Since the beginning, midnight films have been an essential ingredient to what makes SXSW so exciting and fun, and this year’s selections are no exception.”
Out of over 3000 short films submitted, only 150 were chosen, and will screen as part of twelve overall shorts programs.
“After months of reviewing a record number of submissions, we’re tremendously happy to share the final program,” said Shorts Programmers Claudette Godfrey and Stephanie Noone, “The short films...
- 2/11/2011
- by Albert Art
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Following the unveiling of the fantastic 2011 feature line-up last week, the South by Southwest Film Festival has announced the films selected to play at midnight throughout the nine-day event, as well as the complete list of short films.
Insidious, a haunted house flick from Saw director James Wan, is among the midnight program, along with Xavier Gen’s sci-fi thriller The Divide, Sundance favorite Hobo With a Shotgun, Argentinean entry Phase 7, and Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block. In previous years, the midnight and SXFantastic programs has helped launch the careers of Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and Eli Roth (Hostel).
Spike Jonze returns to the festival with another short film titled Scenes from the Suburbs, his second collaboration with (and about) the band Arcade Fire after his moving feature Where the Wild Things Are.
For those of you attending the festival, the schedule will be released on February 15 along with details about film-related panels.
Insidious, a haunted house flick from Saw director James Wan, is among the midnight program, along with Xavier Gen’s sci-fi thriller The Divide, Sundance favorite Hobo With a Shotgun, Argentinean entry Phase 7, and Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block. In previous years, the midnight and SXFantastic programs has helped launch the careers of Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and Eli Roth (Hostel).
Spike Jonze returns to the festival with another short film titled Scenes from the Suburbs, his second collaboration with (and about) the band Arcade Fire after his moving feature Where the Wild Things Are.
For those of you attending the festival, the schedule will be released on February 15 along with details about film-related panels.
- 2/10/2011
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Today the midnight features and short sections were announced for SXSW 2011.
This year the midnight features section has some awesome films, including Hobo With A Shotgun, James Wan’s Insidious, Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block, Xavier Gens’ The Divide, and Ben Wheatley’s Kill List. This years shorts include 150 films including, Spike Jonze’s Scenes from the Suburbs and a doc short from Jay Duplass.
Here's the full list of SXSW 2011 midnights and shorts:
Midnight Features
Midnighters
Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.
Films screening in Midnighters are:
Attack The Block (UK-England)
Director & Writer: Joe Cornish
A funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen gang against an invasion of alien monsters. It turns a tower block into a sci-fi playground. It’s inner city versus outer space. Cast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard,...
This year the midnight features section has some awesome films, including Hobo With A Shotgun, James Wan’s Insidious, Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block, Xavier Gens’ The Divide, and Ben Wheatley’s Kill List. This years shorts include 150 films including, Spike Jonze’s Scenes from the Suburbs and a doc short from Jay Duplass.
Here's the full list of SXSW 2011 midnights and shorts:
Midnight Features
Midnighters
Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.
Films screening in Midnighters are:
Attack The Block (UK-England)
Director & Writer: Joe Cornish
A funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen gang against an invasion of alien monsters. It turns a tower block into a sci-fi playground. It’s inner city versus outer space. Cast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard,...
- 2/10/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
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