The Enchanted Cottage: Lifshitz Salvages a Segment of Transgender History
Although he began his directorial career in the vein of free-spirited indie narratives navigating the fringes of queer and trans perspectives, French filmmaker Sebastien Lifshitz has exclusively delivered documentaries for well over a decade. Either focusing on a specific subject, or a group perspective, (such as the elderly gay men and women of 2012’s Les Invisibles or the tempestuous friends of 2019’s Adolescents), Lifshitz has spent a large part of his career shining on a light on erased histories and neglected viewpoints from a community already defined by historical (and ongoing) disenfranchisement.…...
Although he began his directorial career in the vein of free-spirited indie narratives navigating the fringes of queer and trans perspectives, French filmmaker Sebastien Lifshitz has exclusively delivered documentaries for well over a decade. Either focusing on a specific subject, or a group perspective, (such as the elderly gay men and women of 2012’s Les Invisibles or the tempestuous friends of 2019’s Adolescents), Lifshitz has spent a large part of his career shining on a light on erased histories and neglected viewpoints from a community already defined by historical (and ongoing) disenfranchisement.…...
- 9/3/2022
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
PBS International has unveiled the trailer for “Casa Susanna,” Sébastien Lifshitz’s follow up to “Little Girl,” which is having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in the Giornate degli Autori section. Produced by Agat Films, Arte France and American Experience Films, in association with BBC Storyville, the documentary film will have its North American premiere at Toronto on Sept. 9.
“Susanna” delivers a look at the underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men who found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place for them to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression.
Lushly lensed by Paul Guilhaume, the documentary is told through the memories of those...
“Susanna” delivers a look at the underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men who found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place for them to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression.
Lushly lensed by Paul Guilhaume, the documentary is told through the memories of those...
- 9/3/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
For a young teenager steeped in grunge, Britpop, and the Beatles, the discovery of 1970s UK punk rock was tantamount to a swift slap in the face—and a glorious one, at that. And one of the crucial pieces of pre-internet background information was England’s Dreaming, Jon Savage’s indispensable study of the era. The book is full of memorable figures—none more so than Poly Styrene. She is only a minor player in Savage’s text, but few resonate more. The author explains that “Poly was a star, with her dayglo clothes, multi-racial background, teeth braces, and surreal songs which wittily commented on that very process of consumption and packaging that she was at once celebrating and transcending.”
All of these elements and many others are represented in the long-in-the-works documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, which makes its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs 2021. The timing is apropos.
All of these elements and many others are represented in the long-in-the-works documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, which makes its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs 2021. The timing is apropos.
- 4/30/2021
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Albert Dopontel’s “Bye Bye Morons” (“Adieu Les Cons”) has won the top prizes at France’s Cesar Awards, taking six awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.
The black tragicomedy is about a terminally ill woman and a suicidal man on the run who team up in an attempt to locate the child the woman hasn’t seen in almost 30 years. It also won awards for Dupontel’s screenplay and for its cinematography and set design.
The only other film to win more than one award was the documentary “Adolescents,” which won in the Best Documentary and Best Editing categories.
“Bye Bye Morons” went into Friday’s Cesar Awards, France’s version of the Oscars, with 12 nominations, second only to Frederic Niedermeyer’s “Love Affair(s)”. That film won a single award, for supporting actress Emilie Dequenne.
“Two of Us,” France’s entry in this year...
The black tragicomedy is about a terminally ill woman and a suicidal man on the run who team up in an attempt to locate the child the woman hasn’t seen in almost 30 years. It also won awards for Dupontel’s screenplay and for its cinematography and set design.
The only other film to win more than one award was the documentary “Adolescents,” which won in the Best Documentary and Best Editing categories.
“Bye Bye Morons” went into Friday’s Cesar Awards, France’s version of the Oscars, with 12 nominations, second only to Frederic Niedermeyer’s “Love Affair(s)”. That film won a single award, for supporting actress Emilie Dequenne.
“Two of Us,” France’s entry in this year...
- 3/13/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
46th ceremony unfolded amid growing anger within French film industry over cinema closures.
Albert Dupontel’s Bye Bye Morons topped the awards at a politically-charged 46th Césars ceremony on Friday evening (March 12), marked by growing anger within the French film industry over the ongoing closure of cinemas and other cultural spaces as part of anti-Covid-19 measures.
Bye Bye Morons clinched seven Césars including best film, director, cinematography (Alexis Kavyrchine), best original screenplay (Dupontel), best supporting actor (Nicolas Marié), best production design (Carlos Conti) and the fledgeling César des Lycéens, which is voted on by 1,500 high school students.
Dupontel, who previously...
Albert Dupontel’s Bye Bye Morons topped the awards at a politically-charged 46th Césars ceremony on Friday evening (March 12), marked by growing anger within the French film industry over the ongoing closure of cinemas and other cultural spaces as part of anti-Covid-19 measures.
Bye Bye Morons clinched seven Césars including best film, director, cinematography (Alexis Kavyrchine), best original screenplay (Dupontel), best supporting actor (Nicolas Marié), best production design (Carlos Conti) and the fledgeling César des Lycéens, which is voted on by 1,500 high school students.
Dupontel, who previously...
- 3/13/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The Party Films Sales, the sales outfit behind the Golden-Globe nominated drama “Two of Us,” has acquired a trio of feature debuts from promising filmmakers, “Too Close to the Sun,” “The Sea Ahead,” and the animated film “My Neighbor’s Neighbours.”
All three films are set to be delivered later this year and are expected to world premiere in the festival circuit. The Party Films Sales will introduce all three projects at the virtual European Film Market.
“Too Close to the Sun” is directed by Brieuc Carnaille, a screenwriter-turned-filmmaker who is also a rock singer for the band Duel.
The film follows Clément Roussier (“Churchmen”) as Basile, a 30-something man who has just come out of the hospital and moved in with this youngest sister and closest confidant, Sarah. Suffering from a psychiatric disorder, Basil tries his best to re-establish a sense of normality in both his work and his love life.
All three films are set to be delivered later this year and are expected to world premiere in the festival circuit. The Party Films Sales will introduce all three projects at the virtual European Film Market.
“Too Close to the Sun” is directed by Brieuc Carnaille, a screenwriter-turned-filmmaker who is also a rock singer for the band Duel.
The film follows Clément Roussier (“Churchmen”) as Basile, a 30-something man who has just come out of the hospital and moved in with this youngest sister and closest confidant, Sarah. Suffering from a psychiatric disorder, Basil tries his best to re-establish a sense of normality in both his work and his love life.
- 2/23/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Emmanuel Mouret’s “Love Affairs” is leading the nominations for the Cesar Awards, France’s top film honors. Nominations were announced online on Wednesday.
The film, which was part of Cannes 2020’s official selection, weaves together a series of romantic tales exploring love, friendship and infidelity with an ensemble cast including Camelia Jordana, Niels Schneider, Vincent Macaigne and Julia Piaton. “Love Affairs” earned 13 awards nominations, including for best film, director, as well as nods for Jordana, Schneider, Macaigne and Piaton. The film previously won best film at the Lumieres Awards.
Meanwhile, Albert Dupontel’s “Bye Bye Morons” and Francois Ozon’s “Summer of 85” are each nominated for 12 Cesar Awards, including best film and best director. A dark comedy, “Bye Bye Morons” stars Virginie Efira as a seriously ill woman on a mission to reunite with her long-lost child with the help of a man who’s having a burnout.
The film, which was part of Cannes 2020’s official selection, weaves together a series of romantic tales exploring love, friendship and infidelity with an ensemble cast including Camelia Jordana, Niels Schneider, Vincent Macaigne and Julia Piaton. “Love Affairs” earned 13 awards nominations, including for best film, director, as well as nods for Jordana, Schneider, Macaigne and Piaton. The film previously won best film at the Lumieres Awards.
Meanwhile, Albert Dupontel’s “Bye Bye Morons” and Francois Ozon’s “Summer of 85” are each nominated for 12 Cesar Awards, including best film and best director. A dark comedy, “Bye Bye Morons” stars Virginie Efira as a seriously ill woman on a mission to reunite with her long-lost child with the help of a man who’s having a burnout.
- 2/10/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
MyFrenchFilmFestival, an online film festival dedicated to French movies launched by the promotion org UniFrance, will showcase 33 titles, including a competitive lineup of 10 feature films and 10 shorts.
Set to run Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, the 11th edition of the festival will collaborate with more than 60 platforms around the world to allow movies to be watched across more than 200 territories.
The roster of films selected to compete as part of this year’s MyFrenchFilmFestival includes Sébastien Lifshitz’s “Adolescents,” a documentary exploring the evolving friendship of two young women through the years; Hafsia Herzi’s “You Deserve a Lover,” a drama about a young woman struggling to overcome a breakup; and Frédéric Fonteyne’s “Filles de joie,” a social drama about family women leading double lives to make ends meet.
The rest of the lineup comprises Bruno Merle’s “Felicita,” a family dramedy about an eccentric couple raising a child; Stéphane Batut...
Set to run Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, the 11th edition of the festival will collaborate with more than 60 platforms around the world to allow movies to be watched across more than 200 territories.
The roster of films selected to compete as part of this year’s MyFrenchFilmFestival includes Sébastien Lifshitz’s “Adolescents,” a documentary exploring the evolving friendship of two young women through the years; Hafsia Herzi’s “You Deserve a Lover,” a drama about a young woman struggling to overcome a breakup; and Frédéric Fonteyne’s “Filles de joie,” a social drama about family women leading double lives to make ends meet.
The rest of the lineup comprises Bruno Merle’s “Felicita,” a family dramedy about an eccentric couple raising a child; Stéphane Batut...
- 1/5/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Following the Cannes prize-winning film “Bpm (Beats per Minute),” Playtime and Memento are re-teaming on Jacques Audiard’s “Paris, 13th District” (Les Olympiades) which is currently filming in the French capital.
Audiard, whose credits include the Palme d’Or winning “Dheepan” and Oscar-nominated “A Prophet,” penned the script with two female auteurs, Léa Mysius (“Ava”) and Celine Sciamma, whose latest film “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” won best screenplay at Cannes 2019 and earned a Golden Globe nomination.
Playtime will handle worldwide sales on the movie, while Memento will distribute in France. Both banners previously partnered on Robin Campillo’s “Bpm (Beats per Minute),” which won Cannes’ Grand Jury Prize, six Cesar awards, and went on to have a successful commercial run.
Produced by Audiard and Valérie Schermann through their Paris-based banner Page 114, “Paris, 13th District” is in its second week of shooting in Paris and could be delivered as...
Audiard, whose credits include the Palme d’Or winning “Dheepan” and Oscar-nominated “A Prophet,” penned the script with two female auteurs, Léa Mysius (“Ava”) and Celine Sciamma, whose latest film “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” won best screenplay at Cannes 2019 and earned a Golden Globe nomination.
Playtime will handle worldwide sales on the movie, while Memento will distribute in France. Both banners previously partnered on Robin Campillo’s “Bpm (Beats per Minute),” which won Cannes’ Grand Jury Prize, six Cesar awards, and went on to have a successful commercial run.
Produced by Audiard and Valérie Schermann through their Paris-based banner Page 114, “Paris, 13th District” is in its second week of shooting in Paris and could be delivered as...
- 10/8/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
MK2 Films has closed key territory deals on Sébastien Lifshitz’s timely feature documentary “Little Girl,” which world premiered in the Panorama section at the Berlin Film Festival to warm reviews.
The auteur-driven documentary revolves around the seven-year-old Sasha, who has always known she was a little girl, even though she was born a boy. Following the child and her close ones for one year, Lifshitz captures their moments of joys and challenges, and shows how Sasha’s family leads a constant battle to make her difference accepted, as society fails to treat her like the other children her age.
“Little Girl,” produced by Agat Films & Cie with Denmark’s Fine Cut For Real, was sold by MK2 Films to Benelux (Imagine), Germany (Salzgeber), Spain (La Aventura), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Poland (Against Gravity), Switzerland (Praesens), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Mexico (Piano), Brazil (Imovision), South Korea (Watcha), Taiwan...
The auteur-driven documentary revolves around the seven-year-old Sasha, who has always known she was a little girl, even though she was born a boy. Following the child and her close ones for one year, Lifshitz captures their moments of joys and challenges, and shows how Sasha’s family leads a constant battle to make her difference accepted, as society fails to treat her like the other children her age.
“Little Girl,” produced by Agat Films & Cie with Denmark’s Fine Cut For Real, was sold by MK2 Films to Benelux (Imagine), Germany (Salzgeber), Spain (La Aventura), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Poland (Against Gravity), Switzerland (Praesens), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Mexico (Piano), Brazil (Imovision), South Korea (Watcha), Taiwan...
- 9/24/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Jacques Audiard, the French director of Palme d’Or winning “Dheepan” and Oscar-nominated “A Prophet,” is currently filming his next feature, “Les Olympiades,” near Paris.
Audiard, who enjoys working with a mix of rising and well-seasoned talents behind and in front of the camera, wrote the script of “Les Olympiades” with two female auteurs, Léa Mysius (“Ava”) and Celine Sciamma, whose latest film “Portrait of a Young Lady on Fire” won best screenplay at Cannes 2019 and earned a Golden Globe nomination.
“Les Olympiades” is based on New Yorker cartoonist Adrian Tomine’s “”Killing and Dying,” a collection of graphic short stories. Although the plot is under wraps, the story is expected to deal with adolescence and revolve around female protagonists.
The movie will mark Audiard’s follow-up to “The Sisters Brothers,” a period crime film starring Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhaal. “The Sisters Brothers” won Audiard the...
Audiard, who enjoys working with a mix of rising and well-seasoned talents behind and in front of the camera, wrote the script of “Les Olympiades” with two female auteurs, Léa Mysius (“Ava”) and Celine Sciamma, whose latest film “Portrait of a Young Lady on Fire” won best screenplay at Cannes 2019 and earned a Golden Globe nomination.
“Les Olympiades” is based on New Yorker cartoonist Adrian Tomine’s “”Killing and Dying,” a collection of graphic short stories. Although the plot is under wraps, the story is expected to deal with adolescence and revolve around female protagonists.
The movie will mark Audiard’s follow-up to “The Sisters Brothers,” a period crime film starring Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly and Jake Gyllenhaal. “The Sisters Brothers” won Audiard the...
- 9/23/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
‘Mama Weed’ starring Isabelle Huppert, is also opening in France.
France, opening Wednesday September 9
The French box office appeared to be on route to recovery in the first week of September thanks to the launch of Tenet and a wider range of titles on release generally. It now remains to be seen if this momentum can be sustained with further US studio releases remaining elusive and the country on high alert following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
French cinemas this week will mainly be reliant on local films to draw spectators.
This week’s biggest release is Jean-Paul Salomé’s...
France, opening Wednesday September 9
The French box office appeared to be on route to recovery in the first week of September thanks to the launch of Tenet and a wider range of titles on release generally. It now remains to be seen if this momentum can be sustained with further US studio releases remaining elusive and the country on high alert following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
French cinemas this week will mainly be reliant on local films to draw spectators.
This week’s biggest release is Jean-Paul Salomé’s...
- 9/11/2020
- by Ben Dalton¬Martin Blaney¬Melanie Goodfellow¬Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
The Minutemen’s Mike Watt, the Runaways’ Cherie Currie, Eddie Spaghetti, Josie Cotton and more punk luminaries have teamed for a new Covid-19 benefit song, “Flatten the Curve.” Proceeds from the track will benefit the Jubilee Consortium and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
“Flatten the Curve” was organized and produced by manager and musician Bruce Duff, while his Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs bandmate Frank Meyer wrote the tune. In all, 31 musicians contributed to the four-minute ripper, which grapples with the strangeness of social-distancing while still hammering home its necessity: “Hey, you gotta spread the word,...
“Flatten the Curve” was organized and produced by manager and musician Bruce Duff, while his Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs bandmate Frank Meyer wrote the tune. In all, 31 musicians contributed to the four-minute ripper, which grapples with the strangeness of social-distancing while still hammering home its necessity: “Hey, you gotta spread the word,...
- 5/5/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
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