Showing posts with label Festivals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festivals. Show all posts

Cannes 2012

Today is the best day to start to talk about the 2012 Festival de Cannes as the poster was released a few moments ago.

Cannes will be 65 this year and to celebrate the occasion pays tribute to Marilyn Monroe who has been selected as the icon for the 2012 Festival and as you can see is the object of a beautiful piece of work.

From the press announcement: "Fifty years after her death, Marilyn is still a major figure in world cinema, an eternal icon, whose grace, mystery and power of seduction remain resolutely contemporary.

Each of her screen appearances sparks the imagination. The Festival poster captures Marilyn by surprise in an intimate moment where myth meets reality – a moving tribute to the anniversary of her passing, which coincides with the Festival anniversary.

She enchants us with this promising gesture: a seductively blown kiss.

The Festival is a temple of glamour and Marilyn is its perfect incarnation. Their coming together symbolises the ideal of simplicity and elegance."

Bronx agency, Paris, created the poster from a photo by Otto L. Bettmann and will produce all the graphics for the 2012 Festival.

On other news one of my favorite contemporary Italian directors will be the President of the Jury, I'm talking about none other than great Nanni Moretti.

Accepting the invitation, the Italian actor and director said: “This is a real joy, an honour and a tremendous responsibility to preside over the jury of the most prestigious festival of cinematography in the world, a festival that is held in a country where film has always been treated with interest and respect.

As a director, I was always very moved when my films were presented at the Festival de Cannes. I also have very happy memories of my experience as a jury member during the fiftieth anniversary season, and of the attentiveness and passion that went into the jury’s viewing and discussion of all the films.

As a spectator, fortunately I still have the same curiosity that I had in my youth and so it is a great privilege for me to embark on this voyage into the world of contemporary international film.”


In less than what we can think of, May 16 will be here and the mother of all Festivals will once again start for the glory of extraordinary Cinema. Festival will run from May 16 to 27 and will keep you all up-to-date with the announcements that I know will start to pour next month. Excellent, I survived to live another great party. Yay!

Cheers!

62nd Berlin International Film Festival Award Winners

Ceremony is over and the awards are given to all winners. Everyone is surprised with the top winner and twitter is not saying good things but from the few scenes I have seen I find the Taviani's Cesare deve morire quite hypnotic and definitively looking forward to watch it.

Tend to agree with Miguel Gomes as his film looks and feel quite traditional and "old fashion" but hope to discover soon why the jury awarded him the innovation award.

So this is it until next year, now we have to watch the movies that were screened in the festival.

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More awards have been announced and in about 5 hours the award ceremony will be streamed live with main awards.
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2/17

As some winners have been announced let’s start the post that will be finished tomorrow when the festival has the closing ceremony.

Competition

Golden Bear for Best Film: Cesare deve morire (Caesar Must Die), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy

Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix: Csak a szél (Just The Wind), Bence Fliegauf, Hungary, Germany and France

Silver Bear for Special Mention: L’Enfant d’en haut (Sister), Ursula Meier, Switzerland and France

Silver Bear for Best Director: Christian Petzold for Barbara, Germany

Silver Bear for Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza in Rebelle (War Witch), Kim Nguyen, Canada
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Mikkel Følsgaard in En Kongelig Affære (A Royal Affair), Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Germany

Silver Bear for Best Script:En Kongelig Affære (A Royal Affair), Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Germany

Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution in the categories Camera, Editing, Score, Costume Design or Set Design: Bai lu yuan (White Deer Plain), Wang Quan'an, China

Alfred Bauer Prize: Tabu, Miguel Gomes, Portugal, Germany and Brazil

Best First Feature Award: Kauwboy, Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands
Special Mention: Tepenin Ardı (Beyond the Hill), Emin Alper, Turkey and Greece

Generation

Generation Kplus
Children's Jury
Crystal Bear Best Film: Arcadia, Olivia Silver, USA
Special Mention: Kikoeteru, furi wo sita dake (Just Pretend to Hear), Kaori Imaizumi, Japan
Crystal Bear Best Short Film: Julian, Matthew Moore, Australia
Special Mention: B I N O, Billie Pleffer,Australia

International Jury
Grand Prix of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk for Best Film: Kauwboy, Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands
Special Mention: Gattu, Rajan Khosa, India
Special Prize of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk for Best Short Film: BINO, Billie Pleffer,Australia
Special Mention: L, Thais Fujinaga, Brazil

Generation 14plus
Crystal Bear for Best Film: Lal Gece (Night of Silence), Reis Çelik, Turkey
Special Mention: Kronjuvelerna (The Crown Jewels), Ella Lemhagen, Sweden

Crystal Bear for Short Film: Meathead, Sam Holst, New Zealand
Special Mention: 663114, Isamu Hirabayashi, Japan

Short Films

Golden Bear for Best Short Film: Rafa, João Salaviza, Portugal and France
Silver Bear Jury Prize: Gurehto Rabitto, Atsushi Wada, France
Special Mention: Licuri Surf, Guile Martins, Brazil

DAAD Short Film Prize: The Man that Got Away, Trevor Anderson, Canada
Nominee for the European Film Awards 2012: Vilaine Fille Mauvais Garçon (Two Ships), Justine Triet, France

Collateral Awards

FIPRESCI
Competition: Tabu, Miguel Gomes, Portugal, Germany and Brazil
Panorama: L'âge atomique (Atomic Age), Héléna Klotz, France
Forum: Hemel, Sacha Polak, Netherlands and Spain

Ecumenical Jury
Competition: Cesare deve morire (Caesar Must Die), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy
Special Mention: Rebelle (War Witch), Kim Nguyen, Canada
Panorama: Die Wand (The Wall), Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria and Germany
Special Mention: Parada (The Parade), Srdjan Dragojevic, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia
Forum: La demora (The Delay), Rodrigo Plá, Uruguay, Mexico and France

NETPAC Prize: Paziraie Sadeh (Modest Reception), Mani Haghighi, Iran

Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas: A moi seule (Coming Home), Frédéric Videau, France

Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et d’Essai (C.I.C.A.E.)
Panorama: Death for Sale, Faouzi Bensaïdi, Belgium, France and Morocco
Forum: Kazoku no kuni (Our Homeland), Yang Yonghi, Japan

Europa Cinemas Label: My Brother The Devil, Sally El Hosaini, UK
Special Mention: Dollhouse, Kirsten Sheridan, Ireland

Dialogue en Perspective: This Ain't California, Marten Persiel, Germany

Caligari Prize: Tepenin Ardı (Beyond the Hill), Emin Alper, Turkey and Greece
Special Mentions
Bagrut Lochamim (Soldier/Citizen), Silvina Landsmann, Israel
Escuela normal (Normal School), Celina Murga, Argentina
Jaurès, Vincent Dieutre, France

Teddy Award
Feature Film: Keep The Lights On, Ira Sachs, USA
Jury Award: Jaurès, Vincent Dieutre, France
Best Documentary: Call Me Kuchu, Malika Zouhali-Worral and Katherine Fairfax Wright, USA
Best Short Film: Loxoro, Claudia Llosa, Spain, Peru, Argentina and USA

Peace Film Prize: Csak a szél (Just The Wind), Bence Fliegauf, Hungary, Germany and France

Amnesty International Film Prize: Csak a szél (Just The Wind), Bence Fliegauf, Hungary, Germany and France

Cinema Fairbindet Prize: Call Me Kuchu, Malika Zouhali-Worral and Katherine Fairfax Wright, USA

Panorama Audience Award
Best Feature: Parada (The Parade), Srdjan Dragojevic, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia
Best Documentary: Marina Abramović The Artist is Present, Matthew Akers, USA

The Berliner Morgenpost Readers' Award: Barbara, Christian Petzold, Germany
The Tagesspiegel Readers' Award: La demora (The Delay), Rodrigo Plá, Uruguay, Mexico and France
Else - The Siegessäule Readers' Choice Award: Parada (The Parade) by Srđjan Dragojevic, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia

To check winners in all categories and special awards go here.

26th Teddy Award Winners

Award winners were just announced at the official site here. Winners are in *BLUE.

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2/1/2011

As organizers say in their press release “The world’s most prestigious queer film prize the TEDDY AWARD will be presented during the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival on 17 February 2012 for the 26th time. TEDDY AWARD prizes will be presented in the categories: best feature film, best documentary / film essay and best short film.” The following are the films being considered for the awards.

Competition
Les adieux à la Reine (Farewell My Queen) by Benoït Jacquot, France and Spain (L)

Panorama
7 Deadly Kisses (7 Deadly Kisses) by Sammaria Simanjuntak, Indonesia
A Lazy Summer Afternoon with Mario Montez by John Heys, Germany
Anak-Anak Srikandi (Children of Srikandi) by Children of Srikandi Collective, Indonesia (L/Q)
Audre Lorde – The Berlin Years 1984 to 1092 by Dagmar Schultz, Germany (L)
Bugis Street Redux by Yonfan, Hong Kong and China
*Call Me Kuchu by Malika Zouhali-Worral and Katherine Fairfax Wright, USA BEST DOCUMENTARY
Cherry by Stephen Elliot, USA (L?)
Dtlef by Stefan Westerwelle, Germany
Glaube, Liebe, Tod (Belief, Love, Death) by Peter Kern, Austria
Green Laser by John Greyson, Canada
Hot Boy Nổi Loạn và Câu Chuyện về Thằng Cười, Cô Gái Điếm và Con Vịt (Lost In Paradise) by Vu Ngoc Dang, Vietnam (G)
*Keep The Lights On by Ira Sachs, USA (G)  BEST FEATURE FILM
König des Comics (King Of Comics) by Rosa von Praunheim, Germany (G)
Kuma by Umut Dag, Austria (interesting)
L'âge atomique (Atomic Age) by Héléna Klotz, France (G)
Leave It On The Floor by Sheldon Larry, Canada and USA (G)
Mommy is Coming by Cheryl Dunye, Germany (L)
My Brother The Devil by Sally El Hosaini, UK
Olhe pra mim de novo (Look at me Again) by Kiko Goifman and Claudia Priscilla, Brazil
Parada (The Parade) by Srđjan Dragojevic, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia
Ulrike Ottinger – die Nomadin vom See (Ulrike Ottinger – Nomad from the Lake) by Brigitte Kramer, Germany
Unter Männern – Schwul in der DDR (Among Men – Gay in East Germany) by Markus Stein, Ringo Rösener, Germany (G)
Vito by Jeffrey Schwarz, USA (G)
Wo men de gu shi (Our Sotry – 10 year “guerrilla warfare” of Beijing Queer Film Festival) by Yang Yang, China
Zucht und Ordnung (Law and Order) by Jan Soldat, Germany (G)

Forum
Francine by Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky, USA and Canada
*Jaurès by Vincent Dieutre, France  SPECIAL JURY AWARD
Koi ni itaru yamai (The End of Puberty) by Kimura Shoko, Japan (L –wow! Must be seen for me)
Sekret (Secret) by Przemyslaw Wojcieszek, Poland
Sleeples Knights by Stefan Butzmühlen, Cristina Diz, Germany (G)
Swoon by Tom Kalin, USA (G)

Forum Expanded
A World of our own by Eline McGeorge, Norway and UK
As they say by Hicham Ayouch, Morocco and UAE
Road Movie by Elle Flanders and Tamira Sawatzky, Canada
The Tiny Ventriloquist by Steve Reinke, Canada

Generation
Joven & Alocada (Young & Wild) by Marialy Rivas, Chile (L – just won screenplay award at Sundance)
Kronjuvelerna (The Crown Jewels) by Ella Lemhagen, Sweden (L)
Magi I Luften (Love is in the Air) by Simon Staho, Denmark and Sweden
Nono by Rommel Toletino, Philippines
Una Noche by Lucy Mulloy, USA, Cuba and UK
The Wilding by Grant Scicluna, Australia

Perspektive Deutsches Kino
Man for a Day by Katarina Peters, Germany, UK and Finland
Westerland by Tim Staffel, Germany (G)

Shorts
Erotic Fragments No. 1, 2, 3 by Anucha Boonyawatana, Thailand
La Santa (The Blessed) by Mauricio López Fernández, Chile
*Loxoro by Claudia Llosa, Spain, Peru, Argentina and USA  BEST SHORT FILM
The Man That Got Away by Trevor Anderson, Canada

To check the official press release go to pages 10 up to 13 here.

The Jury
Alessandro Rais, film historian and film critic, Italy
Bilge Taş, co-founder Pink Life QueerFest in Ankara, Turkey
Joako Ezpeleta, organizer of FIRE!! International LGBT Film Mostra of Barcelona, Spain
João Federici, producer of Mix Brasil Film Festival of Sexual Diversity, Brazil
Magali Simard, film programmer at Toronto International Film Festival, Canada
Monika Visniarova, programmer for Filmovy Festival inakosti / Slovak Queer Film Festival, Slovakia
Mhlanhla Ndaba, production manager for the Out in Africa Film Festival, South Africa
Shannon Kelley, Head of Public Programs for the UCLA Film & Television Archive, USA
Yang Yang, co-founder and executive-chairwoman of the Beijing Queer Film Festival, China

To read info about each juror go here.

Last year organizers were so kind as to classify films but this year they haven’t done it yet, so I hope that when they list the films at their official site –info came from press release- they’ll be so kind as to tell us to which letter from LGTB+ each film belongs. Still from what I read about each film most seem to be with gay interest, a few with T interest and very little to L interest, sigh.

I was already following Marialy Rivas Young & Wild, but Kimura Shoko’s film is a great find that I hope to see soon. Cheryl Dunye is no stranger to Berlinale as in 1996 won the Teddy for her film Watermelon Woman and her latest film, Mommy is Coming, not only is a full German production but story could will be interesting. Wasn’t able to tell from synopsis if there are other lesbian interest movies, but no matter what interest has Kuma by Umut Dag seems very interesting.

Award ceremony will be on February 17 and as in previous years Arte TV will broadcast ceremony plus video will be uploaded to official site.

41st International Film Festival Rotterdam Award Winners

Yesterday the award ceremony gave three top prizes to three different films from Serbia, Chile and China. Winners are in *BLUE. To learn all winners go here.

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1/11

The festival will open on January 25 and will run until February 5 and there are several films that seems could be extraordinary. Here are some excerpts from the press release with the films in competition announcement.

Fifteen films have been selected for IFFR's Tiger Awards Competition 2012. The complete lineup, comprising first or second feature films concurring for three equal Hivos Tiger Awards of each 15,000 euro, includes eight world premieres. Five competing films have received support from Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund. The Rotterdam Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films 2012 comprises twenty-one films, ranging in length from five to fifty-six minutes. Nine short films in competition will see their world premieres in Rotterdam.

Jury Tiger Awards Competition 2012
The Jury of the seventeenth Tiger Awards Competition comprises actress and film maker Helena Ignez from Brazil, star of Rogerio Sganzerla’s The Red Light Bandit, and co-founder of legendary production company Belair; Ludmila Cvikova, Head of International Programming of the Doha Film Institute, Qatar and former programmer of the International Film Festival Rotterdam; Tine Fischer, director of CPH:DOX, the international documentary film festival in Copenhagen, Denmark; film maker Eric Khoo from Singapore, who’s animated feature film Tatsumi screens in the festival; film maker Samuel Maoz from Israel, who’s first feature film Lebanon was launched as a project at CineMart and went on to win the Golden Lion in Venice. The winners of the Hivos Tiger Awards will be announced on Friday 3 February.

Films In Competition


Babamin Sesi (Voice of My Father), Orhan Eskiköy and Zeynel Dogan, Turkey and Germany, 2011
Black's Game, Óskar Thor Axelsson, Iceland, 2012
*De Jueves a Domingo, Dominga Sotomayor Castillo, Chile and Netherlands, 2012
Gui lái dí rén (Return to Burma), Midi Z, Taiwan, Myanmar, 2011
In April the Following Year, There Was a Fire, Wichanon Somumjarn, Thailand, 2012
*Jidan he shitou (Egg and Stone), Huang Ji, China, 2012
*Klip (Clip), Maja Milos, Serbia, 2012
L, Babis Makridis, Greece, 2012
Living, Vasily Sigarev, Russia, 2012
Lo-maen-seu Jo (Romance Joe), Lee Kwang-Kuk, South Korea, 2011
Mul-go-gi (A Fish), Park Hong-Min, South Korea, 2011
*Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil, 2012 FIPRESCI Award Winner
Sudoeste (Southwest), Eduardo Nunes, Brazil, 2011
Tôkyô Pureibôi Kurabu (Tokyo Playboy Club), Okuda Yosuke, Japan, 2011
Z daleka widok jest piekny (It Looks Pretty From a Distance), Anka Sasnal and Wilhelm Sasnal, Poland and USA, 2011

To read info about each film in the press release go here  or here for info and the full list.

Out of Competition
Opening Night: 38 Témoins (38 Witnesses), Lucas Belvaux, France
Closing Night: The Hunter, Daniel Nettheim, Australia

For those interested in watching many complete full and short films, the festival has a youtube channel that is a pleasure to visit the whole year; check the 28 today available feature films (not all films are available to all countries) by going here.

Cheers!

62nd Berlin International Film Festival Lineup

The post has become final and now will try to find the trailers I'm missing from the Competition section plus will include some outstanding films from the many other sections.

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1/31/2012

In today’s press conference the full program was announced and as I did last year, in one post will list all films in the fest different sections, so will be a work in progress until it becomes final.

Films in competition include 18 films that will be vying for the top awards, Golden and Silver Bears; but a total of 23 films will be showing in the Competition program and there will be two special screenings.

Competition

Opening film: Les adieux à la Reine (Farewell My Queen), Benoït Jacquot, France and Spain

A moi seule (Coming Home), Frédéric Videau, France
Aujourd'hui (Tey), Alain Gomis, France and Senegal
Bai lu yuan (White Deer Plain), Wang Quan'an, China
Barbara, Christian Petzold, Germany
Captive (Captured), Brillante Mendoza, France and Philippines
Cesare deve morire (Caesar Must Die), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy
Csak a szél (Just The Wind), Bence Fliegauf, Hungary, Germany and France
Dictado (Childish Games), Antonio Chavarrías, Spain
En Kongelig Affære (A Royal Affair), Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark, Czech Republic, Sweden, and Germany
Gnade (Mercy), Matthias Glasner, Germany and Norway
Jayne Mansfield's Car, Billy Bob Thornton, USA and Russia
Kebun binatang (Postcards From The Zoo), Edwin, Indonesia, Germany, Hong Kong and China
L’Enfant d’en haut (Sister), Ursula Meier, Switzerland and France
Metéora (Meteora), Spiros Stathoulopoulos, Germany and Greece
Rebelle (War Witch), Kim Nguyen, Canada
Tabu, Miguel Gomes, Portugal, Germany and Brazil
Was bleibt (Home For The Weekend), Hans-Christian Schmid, Germany

Out of Competition
Bel Ami, Declan Donnellan, UK
Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close, Stephen Daldry, USA
Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Tsui Hark, Hong Kong and China
Jin líng Shi San Chai (The Flowers of War), Zhang Yimou, China
Shadow Dancer, James Marsh,

Competition Special Screening
Haywire, Steven Sodenberg, USA
Tribute to Meryl Streep: The Iron Lady, Phyllida Lloyd, UK

To read info about each film go here and select competition for all films in the section to appear below.

International Jury
President: Mike Leigh, director, UK
Anton Corbijn, photographer, designer and filmmaker,Netherlands
Asghar Farhadi, director and screenwriter, Iran
Charlotte Gainsbourg, actress, France and UK
Jake Gyllenhaal, actor, USA
François Ozon, director and screenwriter, France
Boualem Sansal, writer, Algeria
Barbara Sukowa, singer and actress, Germany

I’m impressed with this year jury as there are several directors and one actress that I really like and follow by watching all their films. Great. To learn more about each jury member go here.

Haven’t read about all movies but soon will do but I know there are many must be seen for me because of the amazing director or because stars Isabelle Hupert, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Virginie Ledoyen or Diane Kruger.

Check some trailers and/or synopsis @MOC

Panorama

According to press release this year’s Panorama is presenting 53 feature films: 18 in the main programme, 15 in Panorama Special and 20 in Panorama Dokumente; a few of the topics explored in them will be examined again in four short supporting films. 34 productions from 33 countries are screening as world premieres with six fictional films being directorial debuts and most amazing there are 24 women filmmakers presenting 16 films –still too low but about average.

Panorama Main Program is opening on February 9 with “a new discovery” from Austria, Kuma by Umut Dag that absolutely is must be seen for me.

Main Program
Opening Film: Kuma, Umut Dag, Austria

Bugis Street Redux, Yonfan, Hong Kong
Chocó (Choco), Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Colombia
Death for Sale, Faouzi Bensaïdi, Belgium, France and Morocco
Dollhouse, Kirsten Sheridan, Ireland
Fon Tok Kuen Fah (Headshot), Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Thailand and France
From Seoul To Varanasi, Kyuhwan Jeon, Korea (Very curious, will watch)
Glaube, Liebe, Tod (Belief, Love, Death), Peter Kern, Austria
Highway, Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal and USA
Hot boy noi loan - cau chuyen ve thang cuoi, co gai diem va con vit (Lost In Paradise), Vu Ngoc Dang, Vietnam
Keep The Lights On, Ira Sachs, USA
L'âge atomique (Atomic Age), Héléna Klotz, France
Leave It On The Floor, Sheldon Larry, USA and Canada
Man On Ground, Akin Omotoso, South Africa
Mommy is Coming, Cheryl Dunye, Germany
Rentaneko (Rent-a-Cat), Naoko Ogigami, Japan
Sharqiya, Ami Livne, Israel, France and Germany
The Convoy, Alexey Mizgirev, Russia
Wilaya, Pedro Pérez Rosado, Spain

Panorama Special
10+10, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wang Toon, Wu Nien-Jen, Sylvia Chang, Chen Guo-Fu, Wei Te-Sheng, Chung Meng-Hung, Chang Tso-Chi, Arvin Chen, Yang Ya-Che and others, Taiwan
Cherry, Stephen Elliott, USA
Diaz - Don’t Clean Up This Blood, Daniele Vicari, Italy, Romania and France
Die Wand (The Wall), Julian Roman Pölsler, Austria and Germany

Elles, Malgoska Szumowska, France, Poland and Germany (with Juliette Binoche thus must be seen)
Indignados, Tony Gatlif, France
Iron Sky, Timo Vuorensola, Finland, Netherlands, Australia and Germany
La mer à l'aube (Calm At Sea), Volker Schlöndorff, France and Germany
Love, Doze and Niu Chen-zer, China and Taiwan
Mai-wei (My Way), KANG Je-kyu, Korea
My Brother The Devil, Sally El Hosaini, UK
Parada (The Parade), Srdjan Dragojevic, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and Slovenia
The Woman Who Brushed Off Her Tears, Teona Strugar Mitevska, Macedonia, Germany, Slovenia and Belgium (wow like this director have to see film, plus lead is Victoria Abril)
Xingu, Cao Hamburger, Brazil (like this director will watch film)

Panorama Dokumente
Anak-Anak Srikandi (Children of Srikandi), the Children of Srikandi Collective, Germany and Indonesia
Angriff auf die Demokratie - Eine Intervention (Democracy Under Attack - An Intervention), Romuald Karmakar, Germany
Audre Lorde - The Berlin Years 1984 to 1992, Dagmar Schultz, Germany
“Blut muss fließen” - Undercover unter Nazis (Blood must flow” – Undercover among Nazis), Peter Ohlendorf, Germany
Brötzmann - Da gehört die Welt mal mir (Brötzmann – That’s When The World Is Mine), Uli M Schueppel, Germany
Call Me Kuchu, Malika Zouhali-Worrall and Katherine Fairfax Wright, USA
Detlef, Stefan Westerwelle, Jan Rothstein, Germany
Herr Wichmann aus der dritten Reihe (Henryk from the back row), Andreas Dresen, Germany
In the Shadow of a Man, Hanan Abdalla, Egypt
König des Comics (King of Comics), Rosa von Praunheim, Germany
La Vierge, les Coptes et Moi (The Virgin, the Copts and Me), Namir Abdel Messeeh, France, Qatar and Egypt
Marina Abramović The Artist is Present, Matthew Akers, USA
Olhe pra mim de novo (Look at me again), Kiko Goifman and Claudia Priscilla, Brazil
The Reluctant Revolutionary, Sean McAllister, UK and Ireland
The Summit, Franco Fracassi, Massimo Lauria, Italy
Ulrike Ottinger - die Nomadin vom See (Ulrike Ottinger - nomad from the lake), Brigitte Kramer, Germany
Unter Männern - Schwul in der DDR (Among Men – Gay in East Germany), Markus Stein and Ringo Rösener, Germany
Vito, Jeffrey Schwarz, USA
Wo men de gu shi (Our Story –10-year ‘Guerrilla Warfare’ of Beijing Queer Film Festival), Yang Yang, China
Words of Witness, Mai Iskander, USA

Panorama Short Supporting films
7 Deadly Kisses, Sammaria Simanjuntak, Indonesia
A Lazy Summer Afternoon with Mario Montez, John Heys, Germany
Green Laser, John Greyson, Canada
ZUCHT und ORDNUNG (LAW and ORDER), Jan Soldat, Germany

Above list was done using the program search and requesting the Panorama films and as you can see doesn’t add to what the press release says; will check later to try to make sure we have all films that belong to each program. To check info about each film go here.

Forum

Main Program
The 42nd Berlinale Forum will be showing 38 films in its main program, including 26 world premieres and 8 international premieres.

Al Juma Al Akheira (The Last Friday), Yahya Alabdallah, Jordan and UAE
Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank), Marlon N. Rivera, Philippines
Avalon, Axel Petersén, Sweden
Bagrut Lochamim (Soldier/Citizen), Silvina Landsmann, Israel
Bestiaire, Denis Côté, Canada and France
Beziehungsweisen (Negotiating Love), Calle Overweg, Germany
Die Lage (Condition), Thomas Heise, Germany
Escuela normal (Normal School), Celina Murga, Argentina
Espoir voyage, Michel K. Zongo, France and Burkina Faso
For Ellen, So Yong Kim, USA
Formentera, Ann-Kristin Reyels, Germany
Francine, Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky, USA and Canada
friends after 3.11, Iwai Shunji, Japan
Habiter/Construire (Living/Building), Clémence Ancelin, France
Hemel, Sacha Polak, Netherlands and Spain
Hiver nomade (Winter Nomads), Manuel von Stürler, Switzerland
Jaurès, Vincent Dieutre, France
Kashi (Choked), Kim Joong-hyun, Korea
Kazoku no kuni (Our Homeland), Yang Yonghi, Japan
Kid-Thing, David Zellner, USA
Koi ni itaru yamai (The End of Puberty), Kimura Shoko, Japan (very interesting!)
La demora (The Delay), Rodrigo Plá, Uruguay, Mexico and France (new movie, must be seen)
Lawinen der Erinnerung, Dominik Graf, Germany
Le sommeil d’or (Golden Slumbers), Davy Chou, France and Cambodia
Mujin chitai (No Man’s Zone), Fujiwara Toshi, Japan and France
Nuclear Nation, Funahashi Atsushi, Japan
Parabeton - Pier Luigi Nervi und römischer Beton (Parabeton - Pier Luigi Nervi and Roman Concrete), Heinz Emigholz, Germany
Paziraie Sadeh (Modest Reception), Mani Haghighi, Iran
Příliš mladá noc (A Night Too Young), Olmo Omerzu, Czech Republic and Slovenia
Revision, Philip Scheffner, Germany
Salsipuedes, Mariano Luque, Argentina
Sekret (Secret), Przemysław Wojcieszek, Poland
Sleepless Knights, Stefan Butzmühlen and Cristina Diz, Germany
Spanien (Spain), Anja Salomonowitz, Austria
Tepenin Ardı (Beyond the Hill), Emin Alper, Turkey and Greece
Tiens moi droite (Keep Me Upright), Zoé Chantre, France
Toată lumea din familia noastră (Everybody in Our Family) by Radu Jude, Romania and Netherlands
What Is Love, Ruth Mader, Austria
Zavtra (Tomorrow) Andrey Gryazev, Russia

Forum Special Screenings
Bakamatsu taiyoden (The Sun in the Las Days of The Shogunate), Kawashima Yuzo, Japan, 1957
Brand X, Wynn Chamberlain, USA, 1970
In Arbeit (In Construction), Minze Tummescheit and Arne Hector, Germany, 2012
Kino to ashita no aida (Between Yeterday and Tomorrow), Kawashima Yuzo, Japan, 1954
Ornette: Made in America, Shirley Clarke, USA, 1985
Peov Chouk Sor, Tea Lim Koun, Cambodia, 1967
Puos Keng Kang (The Snake Man), Tea Lim Kuon, Cambodia, 1970
Puthiesen Neang Kongrey (12 Sisters), Ly Bun Yim, Cambodia, 1968
Suzaki Paradaisu Akashingo (Suzaki Paradise: Red Light), Kawashima Yuzo, Japan, 1956
Swoon, Tom Kalin, USA, 1992
The Connection, Shirley Clarke, USA, 1961

Forum Expanded
To check the films, the exhibitions, shorts, panels and many more activities in the Forum Expanded section please go here.

Definitively the stranger section in fest but there are some new films by directors I highly enjoy. To read about each film in the Forum program go here.

Generation

A Total of 58 short and full-length films from 32 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions; two of these films will be screen out of competition. Eleven children from Berlin between the ages of eleven and 14 as well as seven young adults have been invited to be on the Children’s and Youth Juries. They will award Crystal Bears for the best short and feature-length films. The five members of the Generation International Jury have also been confirmed. They present the awards of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk for the best short film and the best feature-length film in the Generation Kplus competition

Generation Kplus
Opening Film: Die Kinder vom Napf (The Children from the Napf), Alice Schmid, Switzerland

Arcadia, Olivia Silver, USA
Gattu, Rajan Khosa, India
Isdraken (The Ice Dragon), Martin Högdahl, Sweden
Kauwboy, Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands
Kikoeteru, furi wo sita dake (Just Pretend to Hear), Kaori Imaizumi, Japan
Lotte ja kuukivi saladus (Lotte and the Moonstone Secret), Janno Põldma and Heiki Ernits, Estonia and Latvia
Nono, Rommel Tolentino, Philippines
Pacha, Hector Ferreiro, Boliva and Mexico
Patatje Oorlog (Taking Chances), Nicole van Kilsdonk, Netherlands
The Mirror Never Lies, Kamila Andini, Indonesia
Zarafa, Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie, France and Belgium

Generation 14plus
Opening Film: Electric Children, Rebecca Thomas, USA

Comes A Bright Day, Simon Aboud, UK
Joven & Alocada (Young & Wild), Marialy Rivas, Chile
Kronjuvelerna (The Crown Jewels), Ella Lemhagen, Sweden
Lal Gece (Night of Silence), Reis Çelik, Turkey
Magi I Luften (Love is in the Air), Simon Staho, Denmark and Sweden
Maori Boy Genius, Pietra Brettkelly, New Zealand – documentary
Mustafa’s Sweet Dreams, Angelo Abazoglou, Greee and UK
Nosilatiaj. La Belleza (Beauty), Daniela Seggiaro, Argentina
Orcim LeRega (Off White Lies), Maya Kenig, Isarel and France
Snackbar, Meral Uslu, Netherlands
Two Little Boys, Robert Sarkies, New Zealand
Una Noche, Lucy Mulloy, USA, Cuba and UK
Un Mundo Secreto (A Secret World), Gabriel Mariño, Mexico
Wandeukyi (Punch), Han Lee, Korea

Out of Competition
The Monkey King – Uproar in Heaven 3D, Da Su and Chen Zhihong, China
Vierzehn (Fourteen), Cornelia Grünberg, Germany

To check short films in each section and read the complete press release that includes de jury members please go here and to read information about each film go here.

Perspektive Deutsches Kino

Selection consists of 13 films, including three full-length documentaries and four full-length fictional films as well two sets of three medium-long films each. Section director Linda Söffker sums up the selection: “The GDR was colourful, adolescents are critical and good films end in our minds.”

Ararat by Engin Kundag
Dichter und Kämpfer (Rhymers and Rivals) by Marion Hütter (documentary)
DIE VERMISSTEN (REPORTED MISSING) by Jan Speckenbach
Gegen Morgen (Before Tomorrow) by Joachim Schoenfeld
Karaman by Tamer Yigit and Branka Prlić
Man for a Day by Katarina Peters (documentary)
Rodicas by Alice Gruia (documentary)
Sometimes we sit and think, and sometimes we just sit by Julian Pörksen
Sterben nicht vorgesehen (Dying Not Planned For) by Matthias Stoll (documentary)
Tage in der Stadt (Out Off) by Janis Mazuch
This Ain’t California by Marten Persiel (documentary)
Trattoria by Soleen Yusef
Westerland by Tim Staffel

To read the press release go here and to read about each film go here.

Berlinale Shorts

27 films from 22 countries will be competing for the Golden Bear and Silver Bear Jury Prize, the DAAD Short Film Award and a short film nomination for the European Film Prize. German actress Sandra Hüller, Palestinian artist Emily Jacir as well as filmmaker David OReilly will be picking the winners in 2012.

Most interesting is to discover a 20 minutes short by none other than Claudia Llosa with an intriguing story about Makuti,a middle-aged single mother desperately searching for her 19-years-old daughter; both are no ordinary women as they are transsexuals. Absolutely must be seen for me as I really enjoy the magic-realism in Llosa’s films.

Berlinale Shorts
Ad balloon, Lee Woo-jung, Republic of Korea, 24’ (IP)
An das Morgengrauen, Mariola Brillowska, Germany, 3’ (WP)
Ein Mädchen Namens Yssabeau, Rosana Cuellar, Germany / Mexico, 18’ (DP)
Enakkum Oru Per, Suba Sivakumaran, USA / Sri Lanka, 12’ (WP)
Erotic Fragments No. 1, 2, 3, Anucha Boonyawatana, Thailand, 7’ (IP)
Gurehto Rabitto, Atsushi Wada, France, 7’ (WP)
impossible exchange, Mahmoud Hojeij, Lebanon, 10’ (WP)
Karrabing! Low Tide Turning, Liza Johnson, Elizabeth A. Povinelli, Australia, 14’ (WP)
La Santa, Mauricio López Fernández, Chile, 14’ (WP)
LI.LI.TA.AL., Akihito Izuhara, Japan, 8’ (WP)
Licuri Surf, Guile Martins, Brazil, 15’ (IP)
Loxoro, Claudia Llosa, Spani / Peru / Argentina / USA, 20’ (IP)
Mah-Chui, Kim Souk-young, Republic of Korea, 23’ (IP)
Nostalgia, Gustavo Rondón Córdova, Venezuela, 30’ (WP)
Panchabhuta, Mohan Kumar Valasala, India, 15’ (WP)
PUSONG WAZAK! Isa Na Namang Kwento Ng Pag-ibig Sa Pagitan Ng Isang Kriminal at Isang Puta (THE RUINED HEART! Another Lovestory Between A Criminal And A Whore), Khavn De La Cruz, Philippines, 15’ (WP)
Rafa, João Salaviza, Portugal / France, 25’ (WP)
Say Goodbye to the Story (ATT 1/11), Christoph Schlingensief, Germany, 23’ (WP)
Shi Luo Zhi Di, Zhou Yan, China, 25’ (WP)
Strauß.ok, Jeanne Faust, Germany, 5’ (WP)
The End, Barcelo, France, 17’ (WP)
The Man that Got Away, Trevor Anderson, Canada, 25’ (WP)
Utsikter, Marcus Harrling and Moa Geistrand, Sweden, 12’ (WP)
Uzushio, Naoto Kawamoto, Japan, 6’ (WP)
Vilaine Fille Mauvais Garçon, Justine Triet, France, 30’ (IP)
Yi chang ge ming zhong hai wei lai de ji ding yi de xing wei, Sun Xun, China, 12’ (WP)
zounk!, Billy Roisz, Austria, 6’ (WP)

Berlinale Shorts Extra
Magyarország 2011, András Jeles, Ágnes Kocsis, Ferenc Török, Simon Szabó, Márta Mészáros, Péter Forgács, László Siroki, György Pálfi, Bence Fliegauf, András Salamon, Miklós Jancsó, Ungarn, 75' (IP) presented by Béla Tarr

To read the complete press release go here and to read about each film go here .

Berlinale Special

Among the activities in this section most interesting is the screening of Doris Dörrie (remember Cherry Blossoms?) latest movie Glück (Bliss) starring none other than Alba Rohrwacher which obviously is must be seen for me. Also Alex de la Iglesia latest La Chispa de la Vida (As Luck Would Have It) that surely has a story that I have to see (name comes from Coca-Cola slogan, lol) as is a satire about what I used to do in previous life.

There will be a Special Tribute to Theo Angelopoulos, a biodoc about Bob Marley, a restored Oktjabr (October) by none other than Sergej M. Eisenstein, and many other interesting films including the one by Angelina Jolie and Jason Reitman’s Young Adult starring Charlize Theron.

To check all the events and movies in this section plus read about each film go here.

Retrospective & Homage

Most interesting is to learn that The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has become partner with the Deutsche Kinemathek and the Berlin International Film Festival to enrich the Retrospective section of the festival that this year is entitled “The Red Dream Factory. Mezhrabpom-Film and Prometheus 1921 – 1936”, the legendary German-Russian film studio that wrote film history from 1922 to 1936. If you wish to read the press release with more info go here.

This year the Homage and Honorary Golden Bear goes to Meryl Streep and several of her movies will be screened during the fest. On February 14 Streep will be awarded the Honorary Golden Bear and The Iron Lady will be screened. To learn more go here.

Culinary Cinema

Perhaps my favorite section in the fest as what’s better that watching –good- films plus each great food by renown chefs? This year there are films from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy Mexico, USA, Korea, Taiwan, and Germany. Perhaps the one that really calls my attention is a “sweet” movie from Mexico called Canela with a battle between Mexican traditional food and an international chef, yum just to think about it I’m hungry! lol. To check films in this section go here.

Berlinale Talent Campus

The 10th edition of the Berlinale Talent Campus received 4382 applications from up-and-coming filmmakers from 137 countries; only 350 filmmakers from around 90 countries were accepted and 150 experts from all over the world will join them to meet, talk, mentor and intensively coach them. Will take place from February 11 to 16 and to read more go here.

European Film Market & Co-Production Market

From February 9 to 17 the EFM will open its door making it the first meeting and trade platform for the international film industry; from February 12 to 14 the Berlinale Co-Production Market opens for the ninth time with producers and directors of 39 selected film projects from 30 countries will meet with 450 potential co-production and financing partners. But most interesting will be the panel discussion “Distribution in a Crossmedia World” that will talk –obviously- about the new digital platforms that are bringing radical changes to the distribution and consumption of film.

World Cinema Fund

At the 15th session of the World Cinema Fund (WCF) jury, five new film projects were selected for production funding. The WCF jury made their selection from 113 submissions from a total of 38 countries and awarded production funds totalling 210,000 €. Jury members are film scholar and curator Viola Shafik (Germany/Egypt), documentary producer Marta Andreu (Spain), distributor and producer Jan De Clercq (Belgium) and WCF project managers Sonja Heinen and Vincenzo Bugno. To learn the projects from mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Uganda go here.

Special Presentations

Studio Babelsberg is celebrating its 100th anniversary in February 2012. The world’s oldest large-scale film studio complex was not only the birthplace of German film but also a major force in the development of cinema internationally. In honor of the studio’s 100th anniversary, the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival has put together a review of Studio Babelsberg’s history: ten films, one from each decade, will be presented in the “Happy Birthday, Studio Babelsberg” special series. Among the films perhaps the best known internationally are Polanski’s The Pianist and Daldry’s The Reader, but there are eight more that you can discover here.

So that's it for information, now to enjoy the fest with many very interesting films and activities.

Cheers!

2nd Online World Festival of French Cinema

A year ago I was highly excited about being part of the very first French Cinema festival online as was one of the (too) many jurors. A year after the second edition promises to be a little bit more interesting, not only because it has become more available (14 languages) but also there are a couple of films that could be very interesting.

Let me share with you excerpts of the press release I got this year.

Unifrance Films and Allociné are launching the 2nd edition of the Online World Festival of French Cinema, MyFrenchFilmFestival.com, from 12 January to 1 February 2012. Three weeks to discover young French film creation throughout the world!

After its first edition, which attracted more than 320,000 Internet users from 170 different countries, the Festival is even bigger in 2012. The selection proposes via paying VOD 10 French feature films and 10 French shorts, as well as 3 films out of competition: "The Trip Across Paris", directed by Claude Autant-Lara, and two Canadian films, one short and one feature. Three prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the festival: the Audience Prize, International Press Prize and Social Network’s Prize.

This year both the films and website are available in 14 different languages. In addition to the official platform, the Festival is hosted worldwide by partner platforms. The films can be watched free of charge in certain territories: Latin America, Russia, Germany, Italy and China.


The following are the films that will be shown this year.

Feature Films In Competition
Belle épine (Dear Prudence), Rebecca Zlotowski
Case depart (Back to square one), Lionel Steketee
D'amour et d'eau fraîche (Living On Love Alone), Isabelle Czajka
Entre nos mains (Into our own hands), Mariana Otero
Huit fois debout (Eight Times Up), Xabi Molia
J'aime regarder les filles (18 years old and rising), Frédéric Louf
La Reine des pommes (Queen of Hearts), Jérémie Elkaïm
Memory Lane, Mikhaël Hers
Pauline et François (Pauline andFrançois), Renaud Fely
Un poison violent (Love Like Poison) Directed by Katell Quillévéré

Short Films In Competition
Aglaée, Rudi Rosenberg
C’est à Dieu qu’il faut le dire (God's the one to tell), Elsa Diringer
Cul de bouteille (Specky Four-Eyes),Directed by Jean-Claude Rozec
Dripped, Léo Verrier
J'aurais pu être une pute (I could've been a hooker), Baya Kasmi
L'Accordeur (The Piano Tuner), Olivier Treiner
Le Meilleur ami de l'homme (Man's best friend), Vincent Mariette
Monsieur l'abbé (Dear Abbot), Blandine Lenoir
Petit tailleur (The Little Tailor), Louis Garrel
The Silence Beneath the Bark, Joanna Lurie

Out of Competition
La Traversée de Paris (The Trip Across Paris), Claude Autant-Lara
La Vérité, Marc Bisaillon
Trotteur, Arnaud Brisebois

To watch movies, check director’s interviews, watch trailers and more go to the fest official site here.  Hope you’ll participate in this incredible festival that STILL is the only one that’s truly open to the world; is with our participation that this and hopefully many more unconventional “distribution channels” could become available in regions where otherwise is impossible to be able to watch GREAT films.

Enjoy!

68th Venice Film Festival Award Winners

Not sure that this festival is as exciting as the other one from Cannes that not only really gets my attention but undoubtedly gets the attention of most of the world. During the fest there was a seminar about the “future of festivals” and I was talking about the same subject -but referring exclusively to La Mostra- with a friend, in our discussion we tend to agree that fest hast to go back to be less American and more non-American (you know what we mean), should be an Italian stage that showcases the world cinema -yes should go face-to-face with the one from France as one is early in the year and the other is later in the year and each year has enough months and days to have two world worthy cinema festivals.

Anyway there are not many films that I’m “dying” to see from this year fest, but obviously there are some that are absolutely must be seen for me. So, here are the Award winners.

VENEZIA 68 (The Competition)

Golden Lion for Best Film: Faust, Alexander Sokurov, Russia
Special Jury Prize: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese, Italy

Silver Lion for Best Director: Shangjun Cai for People Mountain People Sea, China and Hong Kong
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Michael Fassbender in Shame, Steve McQueen, UK
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Deanie Ip in Tao Jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui, China and Hong Kong)

Osella for Best Screenplay: Yorgos Lanthimos for Alpis (Alps), Greece
Osella for Best Cinematography: Wuthering Heights, Andrea Arnold, UK

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress: Shôta Sometani and Fumi Nikaidô in Himizu, Sion Sono, Japan

Lion of the Future – Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: Là-bas (A Criminal Education), Guido Lombardi, Italy

To check all the winners go here.

ORIZZONTI AWARDS

Best Film: Kotoko, Shinya Tsukamoto, Japan
Special Jury Prize: Whores’ Glory, Michael Glawogger, Austria and Germany

Best Medium-Length Film: Accidentes Gloriosos (Glorious Accidents), Mauro Andrizzi and Marcus Lindeen, Sweden, Denmark and Argentina
Best Short Film: In Attesa Dell'Avvento, Felice D'Agostino and Arturo Lavorato, Italy

Special Mentions
O le Tulafale (The Orator), Tusi Tamasese, New Zealand and Samoa
All The Lines Flow Out, Charles Lim Yi, Singapore

Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards: Hypercrisis, Josef Dabernig, Austria

To read Jury statements please go here.

CONTROCAMPO ITALIANO

Best Film: Scialla!, Francesco Bruni
Best Documentary: Pugni Chiusi , Fiorenza Infascelli
Best Short Film: A Chjána, Jonas Carpignano
Special Mentions
Black Block, Carlo Augusto Bachschmidt
Francesco Di Giacomo for the cinematography of Pugni Chiusi

To check winners official announcement go here.

COLLATERAL AWARDS

FIPRESCI Prize
Best Film from Venezia 68: Shame by Steven McQueen, UK
Best Film from Orizzonti and International Critics’ Week: Two Years at Sea, Ben Rivers

SIGNIS Award: Faust, Aleksandr Sokurov, Russia
Special Mention: Tao jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui, China

CICAE Award: O le tulafale (The Orator), Tusi Tamasese

International Critics’ Week Award: Là-Bas, Guido Lombardi, Italy
Label Europa Cinemas Award for Best European Film: Présumé Coupable (Guilty), Vincent Garenq, France

Queer Lion Award: Wilde Salomé by Al Pacino, USA (To check the 12 films that were considered go here, almost all are gay interest)

La Navicella – Venezia Cinema Award: Tao jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui

Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award: Carnage, Roman Polanski
Cinema for UNICEF Commedation: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese
Frasceso Pasinetti (SNGCI) Award: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese
SNGCI Commendation: L’ultimo terrestre, Gian Alfonso Pacinotti
Brian Award: The Ides of March, George Clooney
C.I.C.T. UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award: Tahrir 2011, Tamer Ezzat, Ayten Amin, Amr Salama

Arca CinemaGiovani Award
Best Film Venezia68: Shame, Steve McQueen, UK
Best Italian Film: L’ultimo terrestre, Gian Alfonso Pacinotti

To check all the collateral awards winners go here.

Other Awards

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Marco Bellocchio
Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award 2011: Al Pacino
Persol 3D Award for Most Creative Stereoscopic Film of the Year: Zapruder Filmmkaers Group
L’Oreal Paris Award for Cinema: Nicole Grimaudo

Award Ceremony Highlights

Day 10 – 68th Venice International film Festival

The last festival day as tomorrow is the closing ceremony where the main awards will be given and yes, I hope can watch it live as is more exciting to learn winners as it happens.

Today the most important event is the Golden Lion to Marco Bellocchio for his career/lifetime achievement; the award will be presented by Bernardo Bertolucci. The ceremony will be followed by the screening of the new version of Nel Nome del padre (In the Name of the Father) by Marco Bellochio, who re-edited and remixed to create a new original work.

The last day of competition has the screening of Texas Killing Fields by Ami Canaan Mann, and Duo Migjin (Life Without Principle) by Johnnie To.

This morning the Bianchi Award was presented to one actress that I have seen almost all her movies, I’m talking about beautiful Virna Lisi that today looks as good as when she was young; the award will join many other honors like her seven Nasti d’Argento, four David di Donatello, one Cannes Palm d’Or and one Cesar.



Later today we will start to learn winners in the collateral sections but wish to remind you all that last year the winner of the 25th International Film Critics Week was none other than Svinalängorna (Beyond) by Pernilla August that now we know is Sweden’s submission to 2012 Oscar. So I’ll be checking to create the winners post.

Day 9 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Today the first award winners from the fest in the Controcampo Italiano section that showcases the new trends in Italian cinema. Here are the winners.

Best Film: Scialla! By Francesco Bruni
Documentary: Pugni Chiusi by Fiorella Infasscelli
Short Film: A Chjàna by Jonas Carpignano

The Jury also awarded a special mention to the documentary Black Block by Carlo Augusto Bachschmidt and to Francesco Di Giacomo for the photography in Pugni Chiusi.

The informal ceremony



The festival is almost over but today we have three films competing for the Golden Lion. I do like –a lot- the style and movies from Aleksander Sokurov so it’s no surprise that Faust is a must be seen for me, no matter if is another adaptation of a tale that’s been told too many times, I’m sure that Sokurov will do something “fresh” with his own style all over. Another American movie in competition Killer Joe by William Friedkin starring Matthew McConaughey (?), Emile Hirsch and Gina Gershon among others. Last, an Italian production L’Ultimo Terrestre by Gian Alfonso Pacinotti.

Emile Hirch at the photocall

Day 8 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Today three (3) films vie for the Golden Lion Hahithalfut (The Exchange) by Eran Kolirin, Quando La Notte by Cristina Comencini and Abel Ferrara’s 4:44 Last Day on Earth. Three very different movies, with different audience profiles but if I believe everything I have read in English –and La Mostra likes English speaking films- the race is on with two already screened films… hmm BUT since Aronofsky is the jury president and if I think about his movies as reference or inspiration, maybe the winner will be a not-very-conventional film like… (don’t know yet! Lol!).

In the Orizzonti section today there is a movie that many are talking (and joking) about, yes is the Yolande Zauberman’s Would you have sex with an Arab? So maybe you’ll like to check excerpts from the press conference that also includes comments about The Tracks of my Tears 2 by Axel Petersen.



Willem Defoe in 4:44 photocall

Day 6 and 7 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Venezia 68 In Competition. Today two films that definitively are looking forward to watch, Andrea Arnold’s Wunthering Heights and Sono Sion’s Himizu; while yesterday was the day of Tao Jie (A Simple Life) by Ann Hui and as I read a while back the most expensive German coproduction up-to-date Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by none other than Tomas Alfredson in his first English language movie, that even if is a remake the cast plus the director give me high hopes to a good not-so-usual entertainment moment.

Wunthering Heights



Himizu



Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy





Also today the “surprise film” in competition, which brings the total number to 23 titles, Ren Shan Ren Hai by Cai Shangjun from China.

Also in competition, Dark Horse by Todd Solondz calls my attention

Day 5 - 68th Venice International Film Festival

Sunday usually is a quiet day but today there are some great things happening at Venice, let’s take a look

Venezia 68 – In Competition

Most English reviewers are extremely excited with Shame by Steve McQueen; honestly I need no endorsement, I liked McQueen’s Hunger and obviously his next movie had to be must be seen for me no matter the story or the cast, but he was gracious and included two of my nowadays favorite actors, Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, so can’t complain. Suggest you watch this movie as soon as comes near you.





Emanuele Crialese has done some interesting movies like Respiro or Nuovomondo so his latest Terraferma obviously is must be seen for me and well, story could be interesting if you care to explore how a stranger can be “something” in an “new” environment, as no one must be denied the right to be elsewhere… very interesting, isn’t?



Out of Competition

Early afternoon started with Nicholas Ray’s We Can’t Go Home Again which is a restored version of Ray’s experimental masterpiece with “journalistic” approach to footage from 1911 to 2011; then we have Susan Ray’s Don’t Expect Too Much (Nicholas Ray 1911-2011) what I call a companion piece that explains the first with Nicholas own words; late night, i.e. midnight brings the screening of Alois Nebel by Tomáš Lunák an animated film that could be interesting for the story as you know, animation can go beyond what reality can do.

Early night, the screening of Wilde Salome by Al Pacino, yes Al Pacino is the director and the film star of this experimental work that mixes fiction, documentary and I should say: imagination. This film is the winner of the Glory to the Filmaker Award.



Orizzonti

Today five short films plus I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, The Mad and The Beautiful, by none other than Johathan Demmme that yes calls my attention. Also today, The Invader by Nicholas Provost from Belgium.

Controcampo Italiano

Sunday morning started with the screening of L’Arrivo di Wang by Manetti bros preceded by Roberto de Paolis’ short film Alice; later Pivano Blues – Sulla Strada di Nanda by Teresa Marche, with Patti Smith performing at the red carpet! (wow!).

Retrospective

Today Ana by Alberto Grifi and Massimo Sarchielli; also, the 1942 film Il Betturale del San Gottardo by Ivo Illuminati and Hans Hinrich

Giornate Degli Autori – Venice Days

Today the screening of Portret V Sumerkakh (Twightlight Portrait) by Angelina Mikonova that could be interesting for the bare production values and Habibi Rasak Kharban (Habibi) by Susan Youssef with another exploration about the forbidden love between Jews and Palestinian.

International Critics’ Week

Today La Terre Outragee by Michale Boganim, a puzzling French, German Polish and Ukrainian production that I have been reading about for a while and yes, calls my attention.

Collateral Events

Today the screening of the first of three films that are competing for the European Premio Lux, from Greece a film that yes I’m absolutely curious about, Rachel Tsangari’s Attenberg. Film is also Greece’s submission to 2012 Oscar. By the way in case you didn’t know it by now, Yorgos Lathimos is an actor in this film.

So that’s for today and since the only “stars” come from UK I know coverage will be less intense than other days, even when Pacino is around. Let’s hope I find some good/interesting photos and videos.

Not So Serious News

You might or might not recognize her, but this is Patti Smith at the red carpet. Sorry (Thank YOU!!) Getty Images but had to share this one.


Day 4 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Venezia 68 – In Competition

One movie that absolutely calls my attention as is their first experience with non-animation after the fantastic Persepolis, Poulet Aux Prunes by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud has an incredible cast with the likes of Mathieu Amalric, Maria de Medeiros, Isabella Rossellini, Chiara Mastroianni and others plus a story that according to directors’ statement sort of precedes the story of the same family in Persepolis as covers the years between 1930 and 1990. Nevertheless with preceding credentials plus great actors, film is absolutely must be seen for me.





Yorgos Lanthimos is very young and does very strange movies but yes will try to see Alpis (Alps) that has a story that really appeals to me about people stand-in for dead people. LOL! Has to be a very crazy movie.



Out of Competition

Another American movie that could have had great stars in the red carpet but it didn’t as there was no Marion Cotillard, no Kate Winslet, no Jude Law, only Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and Gwyneth Paltrow… lol! I’m talking about Contagion by Steven Soderbergh that no it doesn’t call much my attention but have to see everything with Marion Cotillard, so I know will watch it. The best news from today is that Soderbergh is quitting doing movies to become a full time painter, hope his painting is better than his later movies.



More interesting is La Folie Almayer by Chantal Akerman but then I’ll watch anything and everything by Chantal Akerman.

Late night was the screening of Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel by Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Frédéric Tcheng, and Bent Jorgen Perlmutt with a portrait of perhaps the 20th century greatest arbiter of style.

Orizzonti

Today the feature film Sal by James Franco that honestly I’m not interesting at all in watching, can’t stand the actor and truly believe he was overexposed –this even when I am interested in Sal Mineo. More interesting are Lung Neaw Vitits his Neighbourts by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Shock Head Soul by Simon Pummell, O le Tulafale (The Orator) by Tusi Tamasese and Palacios de Pena (Palaces of Pity) by Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt.

Controcampo Italiano

Today a few shorts plus the screening of Cose dell’Altro Mondo by Francesco Patierno and Quiproquo by Ellisabetta Sgarbi.

Retrospective

Today two short films from 1967 and 1970 plus the 1971 In Punto di Morte by Mario Garriba.

Giornate Degli Autori – Venice Days

Early today Philippe Lioret’s Toutes Nos Envies (All Our Desires) that surprise, surprise NO I’m not interested in watching. Also today the special event with the screening of Inni by Vincent Morisset a doc with very interesting images and suggestive use of black and white, and a documentary about death by Julia Murat, Historias que so existem quando lembradas.

International Critics’ Week

Today Marecages (Wetlands) by Guy Édoin from Canada with a family story that doesn’t appeal to me.

The not so serious news

Some photos with Gwyneth Paltrow

 
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