Julien Faraut's 2018 documentary In the Realm of Perfection worked with the recorded footage of a sporting event to speak about philosophy, image creation, editing and the impetus behind proficient sportsmen and women like John McEnroe, the "protagonist" of the film. Faraut's newest film doesn't stray too far, this time focusing on an entire sports team, the Japanese female volleyball team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. But, just like with his directorial debut, The Witches of the Orient (origital title Les sorcieres d l'Orient) goes much more deeper than just showing the footage. The film takes its name from the nickname gave by the press to the Japanese team throughout the first Japanese Olympics, the ones that were so dearly featured...
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- 2/11/2021
- Screen Anarchy
Swiss sales outfit Lightdox has acquired Julien Faraut’s documentary “Les Sorcières de l’Orient,” taking part in the Big Screen Competition of the Rotterdam Film Festival.
The film follows the former players of the Japanese women’s volleyball team. Now in their 70s, they used to be known as the “The Sorcerers of the East” because of their seemingly supernatural powers on the courts. From the formation of the squad in the late 1950s as a worker’s team at a textile factory, right up until their triumph at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, their memories and true magic from long ago bubble up into a heady brew where fact and fable fly hand in hand.
Faraut told Variety: “I’ve always thought that if I enjoyed making a film, the viewers will probably enjoy watching it afterwards. It was such a delight to meet The Sorcerers, to be inspired by their strength,...
The film follows the former players of the Japanese women’s volleyball team. Now in their 70s, they used to be known as the “The Sorcerers of the East” because of their seemingly supernatural powers on the courts. From the formation of the squad in the late 1950s as a worker’s team at a textile factory, right up until their triumph at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, their memories and true magic from long ago bubble up into a heady brew where fact and fable fly hand in hand.
Faraut told Variety: “I’ve always thought that if I enjoyed making a film, the viewers will probably enjoy watching it afterwards. It was such a delight to meet The Sorcerers, to be inspired by their strength,...
- 2/3/2021
- by Davide Abbatescianni
- Variety Film + TV
It was another crazy rich weekend for Warner Bros.'s Crazy Rich Asians, which dropped just 5.7% in its second weekend based on estimates, and if last weekend's performance is any indication, don't be surprised to see that weekend number climb once actuals are received on Monday afternoon. As for the weekend's new wide releases, both The Happytime Murders and A.X.L. struggled, though Sony's limited release of Searching delivered a chart-topping per theater average in limited release, in advance of going wide next weekend. With an impressive $25 million, WB's Crazy Rich Asians dropped just 5.7% compared to its opening weekend, easily remaining the #1 film at the weekend box office. The film's domestic gross now totals over $76 million after just 12 days in release, on its way to what looks like it could be a $150+ million domestic run. The film's second weekend drop is one of the smallest of all-time...
- 8/26/2018
- by Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
"John McEnroe always finds a way to win." Oscilloscope Labs has debuted the official, full-length trailer for a documentary titled John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection, one of the best documentaries this year so far, hands down. This first premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, and also stopped by Cinéma du Réel and Art of the Real. The film is made up entirely of footage recorded by a French filmmaker named Gil De Kermadec, in the 1980s when iconic tennis player John McEnroe stopped by to play at the French Open. With narration by Mathieu Amalric. It's an incredible, exhilarating, fascinating combination of tennis and cinema. I wrote in my positive review: "This film is such a wonderful discovery and it's entirely entrancing, not only for cinema lovers, but for anyone who enjoys sports and the art of physical performance." I really love this doc and have been recommending...
- 7/25/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
With the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival wrapped, we’ve highlighted our favorite films from the festival. Make sure to stay tuned in the coming months as we learn about distribution news for the titles. Check out our favorites below.
An Elephant Sitting Still (Bo Hu)
The trick to getting the most out of the Berlin Film Festival is to dig deep into its stupendous program spanning 400 films across a multitude of sidebars. Premiering in the Forum section which traditionally favors more experimental/radical forms of filmmaking, Chinese writer/director Bo Hu’s feature debut An Elephant Sitting Still is the work of raw, intimidating talent driven by a creative fury that would likely daunt most competition titles. Unmissable for anyone craving the gritty realism and independent spirit of pre-00’s Chinese cinema. Fair warning: this is decidedly not the feel-good movie of the year. – Zhuo-Ning Su (full review)
Grass (Hong...
An Elephant Sitting Still (Bo Hu)
The trick to getting the most out of the Berlin Film Festival is to dig deep into its stupendous program spanning 400 films across a multitude of sidebars. Premiering in the Forum section which traditionally favors more experimental/radical forms of filmmaking, Chinese writer/director Bo Hu’s feature debut An Elephant Sitting Still is the work of raw, intimidating talent driven by a creative fury that would likely daunt most competition titles. Unmissable for anyone craving the gritty realism and independent spirit of pre-00’s Chinese cinema. Fair warning: this is decidedly not the feel-good movie of the year. – Zhuo-Ning Su (full review)
Grass (Hong...
- 2/27/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
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