Le Havre

My first and spontaneous reaction to this movie is that is very strange to watch an Aki Kaurismäki movie and understand what actors say instead of reading subtitles. Not that his movies have lots of dialogue, nor this one, that has but the essential words to guide you into this deadpan faces performances (typical) that with very slight expressions tell everything that characters are feeling in a lovely story (non-typical) that absolutely melted my heart all the way to tears when the movie was over. Yes, also thought that probably I’m the only person that could cry with a Kaurismäki movie.

Then, also spontaneously my first thoughts were to how marvelous is the use of light in this movie and in most Kaurismäki movies, as most of his Finland set movies light allows us to feel the cold both from weather as from situations. Here in lower than Finland geographical setting he does exactly the same but with the use of light eventually what we see in the screen, the weather and the complete film experience becomes warm, very warm. Exceptional. I know the story also helps, but is the use of light what really warms the story, that’s it according to me.

Then you have the most carefully crafted production design, amazing visual compositions, many scenes that look like and thus become awesome photographs, great actors performances –yes most if not all scenes with deadpan faces and almost expressionless body language- that tell all with small, very small details, plus a masterful direction that allows flawless fluidity of story and film. Marvelous.

Literally film tells a story about immigration of the not legal kind, but actually according to me is a very simple story with a clear message and morale: do good and you will receive good. A message executed in the most unusual way you can think of, unless you’re very familiar with Kaurismäki storytelling style and still, maybe, you will also find some oddity that probably comes more from the non-Finland setting.

Kaurismäki movies fascinate and mesmerize me, Le Havre is no exception but this movie had the immense power to make me feel beyond what his other films have done and for this I’ll be grateful as feeling intense (warm) emotions in such a dry environment is kind of explosive. Thanks master filmmaker and can’t wait for your next film.

As we know film is Finland submission to Oscar, had its premiere at 2011 Cannes where was in competition for the Palme d’Or and won the FIPRESCI prize, continued to collect honors up to winning the most prestigious Prix Louis Delluc among other accolades. All honors are more than well-deserved.

I was thinking how could be the experience of watching this film when never seen a Kaurismäki movie before; if that’s your case I strongly suggest you do not start with this movie, watch first any other set in Finland Kaurismäki film and then watch this one, I am sure you will enjoy this movie a lot more if is not your first experience with Kaurismäki narrative and visual storytelling style.

Love the movie and thanks to Cannes 2011 also the director –he’s so funny, exactly like his films that have that kind of humor that travels more to the dark and sarcastic side- but I know that this kind of movies is not for all audiences and believe that his films are an acquired taste that once you taste them and like them, you will strive to have more and more.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

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.

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!

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tomas Alfredson is the director of my favorite vampire movie I’ve ever seen, Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In), so I had big expectations for his first English language film. Have to say that film has traces of what I can call Alfredson style, great slowish pace, good framing and some spectacular indoor compositions, and a darkish/blueish tone that made me think about colder scenarios, but then –after all- film is set in the Cold War. Visually I found film very compelling but I had a problem that distract me a lot from truly enjoying the film.

I have not read the novel by John le Carré but, unfortunately I read once, more than the headline reviews and end up learning the character that was the double agent, which surely spoiled the complete story and tension building –still, performances are quite good; so highly enjoyed the almost cruel, freezing-cold bloody characters with some great dialogues.

Probably is only me but nowadays I admit not to be interested in Cold War spies, double agents, missions or anything else related. For me the world tensions have changed so much that the spying world has also changed a lot as players and circumstances have become “less classic” and more “underworld”. So even if I did enjoy the directorial style, the visuals, the slowish pace, the performances, I wasn’t able to get involved with the story. Undoubtedly knowing “who-did-it” was a major spoiler, but also story needs to be told maybe in what, 20-30 years to become relevant again.

Film basically tells the story of a British semi-retired spy that is given the task to uncover a double (British-Russian) agent at the TOP of British echelons.

But if you enjoy classical–very close to reality- spy films with no Hollywood distracting chases/sfx’s, with darkish/blueish great directorial style and great performances by an extraordinary actor’s ensemble that deliver some crisp lines then probably you will enjoy this movie even more than what I did.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Nostalgia de la Luz (Nostalgia for the Light)

Had to close 2011 with my take on a film. Most particular is that I’m closing the year with comments about a documentary and not a fiction film. 2011 had some outstanding films but my top films are definitively documentaries and yes, it’s a first! Really loved Pina it is truly outstanding but my top film for 2011 absolutely is a documentary about a Chilean desert and everything that once happened there, is currently happening there and will continue to happen there. Is about the Atacama Desert.

In life there are many things that make us deeply wonder, like the infamous question “where do we come from”, we being the human race or better, life in planet Earth. The Atacama Desert is “the” driest place in planet Earth, there is no humidity –so, there are no clouds making it the best place to have the largest telescopes on Earth. From there astronomers are learning about the beginnings or the big bang -if you wish-; but actually are learning about the past, a very-very-very far away past that could explain us, life, and the very ephemeral present. Documentary starts telling us about all this with the most mind blowing images of the universe, which are so good that honestly made me feel tiny, very tiny and humble.

I already felt small and deeply humbled by what I saw, but nothing prepared me to what followed.

The first fateful September 11th came with brutal repression that killed many and yes, I have seen several movies about that date and what followed after; BUT, never like what I saw here. The Atacama Desert during Pinochet had several concentration camps and one is quite close to where the marvelous and huge telescopes are. Was an old mine from the times when mining was like slavery, so easily became a prison for political prisoners. Prisoners from those camps and elsewhere were killed and dumped into massive graves that were “moved” to erase their existence. In the “moving” process bodies, cadavers were split with broken feet and heads parts flying out and bodies placed on trucks to be thrown elsewhere (mostly in the sea). Many, many Chileans mothers walk the Atacama Desert searching for their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters; and some found something that allow them to finally realize that they are dead. These mothers, as the close-by astronomers, are searching the past for clues.

I know I’m telling a lot about what this film is about, but I’m doing it so when you watch this film you’ll be prepared, you will have an idea of what you will see and after watching you will be able to “digest” everything a lot faster. See, the situation with this film is that is not horror, NO, on the contrary is so beautiful, then so real, then so crude-real (and beautiful), so painful to watch (everything hurts), so beautiful, so beautiful, so horrific, so beautiful and finally an ending that strongly blends both stories into one. Ah!!

Patricio Guzman’s oeuvre is so well-done that will impress you beyond your imagination as flawlessly and most delicately will tell you his story (he narrates), a slice of the story of his country, the story where most likely Scientists will find more and new answers about our past, and where Chilean people found, are finding and will find knowledge about their recent past. Chapeau Master Guzman.

Strongly recommend this marvelous film that was screened in 2010 Cannes, won the 2010 European Film Award for documentary plus many more well-deserved honors in the festival circuit. Film has impressed general audiences but most interesting for me was to find that also impressed scientists, still after watching you’ll understand why so many have succumbed to Patricio Guzman incredible narrative and narrative style.

BIG ENJOY!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

24th European Film Awards Winners

Today awards ceremony live streaming was not flawless like last year as honestly, was truly awful probably due to a bad server that wasn't enough for the demand; still had to watch live and so I did. Winners are in *BLUE. To check the award winners at official site go here.

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05/11

Today at the Seville European Film Festival the European Film Academy announced the nominations and in my opinion is one very good films selection that surely will make the more than 2,500 EFA members work not easy as how can you chose one movie from the six nominated for best film? Here are the nominations.

Best European Film
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius, France
Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike), Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium, France and Italy
Haeven (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark
The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, UK
Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, France and Germany
*Melancholia, Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany

European Director
*Susanne Bier for Haeven (In a Better World), Denmark
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Le Gamin au Velo (the Kid with a Bike), Belgium, France and Italy
Aki Kaurismäki for Le Havre, Finland, France and Germany
Béla Tarr for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse),
Lars von Trier for Melancholia, Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany

European Actress
Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia
Cécile de France in Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike)
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Melancholia
Nadezhda Markina in Elena
*Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin

European Actor
Jean Dujardin in The Artist
*Colin Firth in The King’s Speech
Mikael Persbrandt in Haeven (In a Better World)
Michel Piccoli in Habemus Papam
André Wilms in Le Havre

European Cinematographer
*Manuel Alberto Claro for Melancholia
Fred Kelemen for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse)
Guillaume Schiffman for The Artist
Adam Sikora for Essential Killing

European Screenwriter
*Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Le Gamin au Velo(the Kid with a Bike)
Anders Thomas Jensen for Haeven (In a Better World)
Aki Kaurismäki for Le Havre
Lars von Trier for Melancholia

European Composer
*Ludovic Bource for The Artist
Alexandre Desplat for The King’s Speech
Alberto Iglesias for La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
Mihály Vig for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse)

European Editor
*Tariq Anwar for The King’s Speech
Mathilde Bonnefoy for Drei (Three)
Molly Malene Stensgaard for Melancholia

European Production Designer
Paola Bizzarri for Habemus Papam
Antxón Gómez for La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
*Jette Lehmann for Melancholia

European Documentary
*Pina, Wim Wenders, Germany
Stand van de Sterren (Position Among the Stars), Leonard Retel Helmrich, Netherlands
¡Vivan las Antipodas!, Victor Kossakovsky, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina and Chile

European Animated Feature Film
Le Chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi’s Cat), Antoine Delesvaux and Joann Sfar, France
*Chico and Rita, Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba, Spain and Isle of Man
Une Vie de Chat (A Cat in Paris), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, France and Belgium

European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI
*Adem (Oxygen), Hans Van Nuffel, Belgium and Netherlands
Atmen (Breathing), Karl Markovics, Austria
Michael, Markus Schleinzer, Austria
Smukke Menesker (Nothing’s All Bad), Mikkel Munch-Fals, Denmark
Tilva Ros, Nikola Ležaić, Serbia

To check the nominated shorts go here  or here. Awards ceremony will be on December 3 in Berlin. As in previous years ceremony will be streamed live in the awards site that you can find here.

I do like the selection a lot more than last year but still believe that Academy members like “American-style” films more than what I imagined as Melancholia is the most mainstream (American) movie that Lars von Trier has ever done –according to what he said and me, I absolutely agree with him. Is not a bad movie but definitively Melancholia is far-away from The Antichrist for example. Since I’m talking about this movie have to say that I don’t agree with Cannes as I believe Charlotte Gainsbourg performance –and movie segment/story- is superior to Kirsten Dunst, so hopefully the record could be straighten by the European Academy. But won’t be an easy task as the Best Actress category has very good performance by Cécile de France and even if haven’t seen it yet I know that Tilda Swinton has a very good performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, so good that has strong Oscar buzz; of course I’m “dying” to watch Elena but sometimes is so hard to be able to finally watch Russian films.

But going back to the best film category, the selection is fabulous (sans Melancholia) as you have the film that won the Best Film Oscar last year as well as the film that won the Oscar in the Foreign Language category, then the film that won the Cannes Jury Prize, the film that everyone is talking about because is black and white plus silent, and the film that I’m “dying” to see by one of my favorite directors that always mesmerize me with outstanding and out-of-the-ordinary films, yep Aki. My award goes to Aki even when haven’t seen his film, that’s how loyal and enthusiast fan I am.

But when we review the director category I’m not that sure about Aki as I know that Béla Tarr is a more than amazing director and no, haven’t seen his latest oeuvre but I’m sure will be mesmerizing; the Dardenne Brothers particular realism style has always puzzled/marveled me. Hope the award stays within these three directors.

Best Actor first impulse is –of course- Colin Firth! But have to admit that I was absolutely taken by Michel Piccoli in Habemus Papam, fantastic performance that should get more accolades than the ones I’ve been hearing.

Almodovar’s film didn’t made it to the top awards but got two nominations for music and production designer, hmm he won’t be pleased! (Lol!) I have been delaying watching Essential Killing as imagine that will be the kind of film that I don’t enjoy but always wondered about the beautiful images I saw in clips plus trailer, so now that got the cinematography nomination maybe I’ll watch.

I have no doubt which film will win this year in documentary HAS TO BE the outstanding, mesmerizing and visually impressive Pina by Wim Wenders, I could give this film the BEST FILM award as to my eyes this film is a lot more than a document about dancing and Pina’s life/oeuvre … is SO well done that becomes a very complete cinematic experience that stimulate ALL your senses.

Last but not least, I’m going to watch some (if not all) of the animated films as I know that French animation is really evolving too fast –still is the best in the world- and have to see the state of their development but who could not enjoy two films about cats? Lol!

As you can see have seen many movies and there are only a few that haven’t seen but are absolutely must be seen for me and for a trio I’m really counting the days until I finally will watch them. Sigh. So we will see what happens on December when we watch the awards live as always.

Cheers!

Autumn Movie Bites #2

Some bites to remind us that I have seen the movies and what I think about them.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes by Rupert Wyatt. USA. I start by saying that have seen the old movies, thus I know story; so my big surprise was to find that I liked the prequel, is a lot better than what I could ever imagined or expected. Loved the new apes, especially the protagonist with an amazingly expressive face that really transmitted feelings, truly fabulous how cinema technology has advanced and how good can be when is well-used. If you haven’t seen it, go ahead and watch if only just to pay attention to the great expression by the protagonist ape. Enjoy!!

What Women Want by Daming Chen. China. I’m crazy about Gong Li and will watch everything with her, but I have no idea why did she accepted to do this remake of the Hollywood movie with the same name. Much less because I did enjoyed original and gee, this remake was really awful and got me feeling embarrassed for Gong Li performance. If you love Gong Li please do not watch this movie. Sigh.

Margin Call by J. C. Chandor. USA. Nice entertaining drama about the financial crisis that seems will be explored from many points of view; this time telling about an investment bank that rushes to dump their positions before everything explodes and pushing fast-forward the crisis. Great cast with the likes of Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, and well, Demi Moore. Movie is starting to collect honors in this award season and yes, is well-deserved as film is a good representative of current American cinema that doesn’t target teenagers and doesn’t use special effects to fill movie duration. Enjoy!

The Help by Tate Taylor. USA, India, UAE. No, haven’t read the book and was expecting a not-easy-to-watch American period drama before civil rights were a possibility. To my surprise the story engage me to the point of making me very uncomfortable at moments as many things that are depicted in the movie are still true today between maids and their mistresses from many Latin American countries. Film is well done, so well that does generate emotions in viewers and I’m no exception, but great performances enhance story and movie in general, especially Viola Davis that I’m sure will get an Oscar nomination. Watch movie is entertaining and surely will make you laugh, shred a few tears, make you think a lot, and for some, wonder why no one has written a successful book about Latin America’s maid/mistress relationship. Enjoy!!!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Wayne Wang. China and USA. Film tells parallel stories between 19th century China and present day Shanghai with tales of two women joined by laotong, a biding vow and contract to be eternal friends and share each other lives communicating with a secret women’s language called nushu beautiful written on the folds between the spines of silken fans. Nice story isn’t? Unfortunately film does not match the greatness of the story and what could have become interesting, thrilling and engaging becomes banal, not interesting and focus less. If you skip movie won’t miss much, but I do suggest you read book by Lisa See. Enjoy.

Melancholia by Lars von Trier. Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany. Lars von Trier has said publicly that this is his most American-like (ie mainstream or commercial) movie ever and you have no idea how right he is as this film definitively is not the regular greatness von Trier imprints in his works. Maybe the cast helps too much to his Americanization, as the first part with Kirsten Dunst character story is really not-engaging and for me, dull. Thing change a bit in the second part when Charlotte Gainsbourg commands the story and the screen but by then you know the end is coming and effectively comes with a bang done more with light than with impact. I suppose that most honors will come because film is not as crude as for example The Antichrist, is a lot more easy to watch and one-dimensionally understandable. Sigh. All right because I really liked second part, let say is Enjoy! (I hope he goes back to do his remarkable movies that so goodly shock us).

The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. USA. Let me get this out of the way I have seen Malick’s movies and yes there are some I don’t like (The New World) and some nobody liked but I did (Days of Heaven); so many like his latest and surprise, surprise I did not. Just let me share that can’t understand why to reproduce the big-bang for about 20 minutes (more or less) with images that look more belonging to Natgeo, Discovery or any of those cable TV channels than to a “serious” film. I literally forced myself to watch the complete movie, but boy that was really a very hard thing to do and do not suggest anyone to do it. Too hard-to-watch (ie boring) but got the Palm d’Or and praises from everyone, except me. Sigh.

Beginners by Mike Mills. USA. Could you believe I watched this movie because Mélanie Laurent? Lol! It’s an entertaining movie thanks to very good performances by Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor as father and son. Film is a drama that tells about a man inability to keep a relationship surely due to what he saw his parents live, especially after her mother dies and his father recuperates the ‘joie de vivre’ when he tells everyone that he’s gay. It’s a complex story with many layers that I got them but somehow didn’t engaged me and watched from a comfortable distance, I was just an spectator of whatever was going on in the screen. Enjoy!!

Attenberg by Athina Rachel Tsangari. Greece. Very crazy movie, so crazy that I love it! But know that is not for everyone not for the story, not for the performances, not for the style and not for the whole that to me feels not hot like Greece but very cold like Finland –somehow film made me think of Aki K. films-. There is nothing lesbian interest in this film as I thought, so watch film only if you like cold-expression-less performances in very complex layered stories. If you dare to watch film I bet you will enjoy it a lot more than you expect, obviously you have to like art/arthouse films too. Enjoy!!!

Le Gamin au Vélo (The Girl with a Bike) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Belgium, France and Italy. Typical and particular Dardenne brothers visual style, amazing storytelling technique/style, and excellent directorial style that makes something very simple into a true masterpiece that’s a pleasure to watch. Period. Both Cécile De France and Thomas Doret give impeccable performances. A must be seen film for all of us that love the work of great Dardenne brothers. Enjoy!!!

Elena by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Russia. This movie has been killing me since the moment I finished watching and as days went by it has gotten worst. See, my spontaneous reaction when I saw the movie was: it’s an okay movie, Russia now looks/behaves like the rest of us… hmm, not good. Liked the visuals but believed they’re not as good as in Izgnanie or The Return. But since I like this director way beyond what I saw, I replayed movie in my mind and from that moment on movie is killing me. I know there are a lot of symbols and film explores the capitalist dichotomy of poor-rich, have-have not’s, plus the roles nouveaux riches play in their societies and I suppose that in Russia those that have money have not old money, but new money. Then started to read about movie and gee, almost each review, no matter the language, has slightly different story interpretations. I even read what Zvyaginstsev says about story and yes is slightly different. So my conclusion, is that movie story could have as many interpretations as people who see the movie, there is a very easy to understand story essence that deals with what I said above plus the morals of committing murder, but when you see story essence you know there is more and indeed people find more. One thing I’m sure if you enjoy great Russian films, this is must be seen for you. Big Enjoy!!!

جدایی نادر از سیمین Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader and Simin, A Separation) by Asghar Farhadi. Iran. Excellent movie, for me as good as Farhadi previous two films, Fireworks Wednesday and About Elly; but this film has something new as story flawlessly travels several genres and engages us viewers not like spectators but like we are inside the movie and sometimes we side with Simin, then with Nader, the with Razieh, then with the judge, then with no one, then we are completely immersed inside the story and film. Fabulous! Until you see this brilliantly crafted very simple story you have no idea how seeing something so banal and common can become a masterpiece in the hands of a master filmmaker. Chapeau Mr. Farhadi. I don’t doubt that has huge possibilities of winning the Oscar and if so, will be well deserved, especially now that I know Pina is also competing in the documentary category. I strongly recommend this film as must be seen for all everyone that loves great world cinema. BIG ENJOY!!!

There are many more movies, but this is it for today. Cheers!

Autumn Movie Bites #1

Here are some bites about lesbian interest movies. Enjoy.

Circumstance by Maryam Keshavarz. France, USA, and Iran. Bit confused about film as found stays like in the middle not going in depth with something. As a genre film tells a known story –set in the Middle East too- with love scenes that are more sex scenes filmed from a male-point-of-view than with female eyes. Not the best lesbian interest film with similar theme that I have seen. Then as a political statement is not strong as there are other female centered stories that have more successfully shown how Middle Eastern cultures/traditions/religion converts women to almost non-existence within their society. Maybe if film had no lesbian interest content political message could have been developed more; likewise if had no political message then the lesbian interest story could have been developed more and more appropriately. Still, film is watchable. Enjoy.

You and I by Roland Joffé. Russia and USA. Not pleasant to watch thanks to a terrible script with absurd dialogues and lack of clear focus in a story that pretends to show youth decadence in contemporary Russia by telling the “falling in love” story of Janie (Shantel VanSanten) and Lana (Mischa Barton). If you skip movie you will be missing absolutely nothing. Sigh.

Sour Sorriso (Sister Smile) by Roger Deutsch. Italy. This 2001 film is more a fictitious account of what infamous Belgian nun surely didn’t live; but not like the more recent version, clearly presents a woman that loved women. The problem is that the director to tell a 60’s set story used a 60’s cinema style that today makes story and film not easy-to-watch plus hard to be related to. Sigh.

80 Egunean (For 80 Days) by Jon Garaño and José María Goenaga. Spain. Film tells about “Axun and Maite meeting at secondary school during a repressive that never allowed their relationship to go beyond friendship” and when they meet 50 years after they can’t really become a couple as seems is too late. Not particularly liked message as I do believe that NEVER is too late, but how writers decided to end story makes message “more politically correct” but less human as we have to end up doing what others want and not what we really want. Film has very good production values and performances that will entertain you. Enjoy!!

Die Konkurrentin by Dagmar Hirtz. Germany. This 1997 German TV movie has a very nice love story between two women as only –I believe- German television can do SO good, which makes it absolutely must be seen for those that enjoy the genre and have seen before (great) German lesbian interest TV movies. The last is because whatever else happens in story (here is Business Corporation drama) is secondary to their typical seductive way of making their protagonists fall in love and have a happy ending. Still surprises me that German audiences were able to watch lesbian interest movies in that decade, when still today -40 years after- many countries TV will never show them. Enjoy!!

Break My Fall by Kanchi Wichmann. UK. Can’t deny that film has an interesting style that makes it look and feel quite realistic. For a 40,000 UK pounds production, have to say that film is really great. Story is raw and like in all stories about a relationship last days we will not see romantic moments; if performances are good then story will be felt a lot more and this is the case with this film. It’s a lesbian story about something that hasn’t been explored too much in the genre and suggest to many to watch it with no romance expectations and maybe you will enjoy it as much as I did. Enjoy!!

Como Esquecer (So Hard to Forget) by Malu de Martino. Brazil. Nope is not about how the relationship ends, but how the one that didn’t want to break up abandons herself into depression, how she starts to overcome not being with Antonia anymore and finally meets someone that allows her to give herself another chance to care for someone. Gee, sounds kind of sad BUT honestly is NOT as this Brazilian movie has all over the Brazilian “joie de vivre” more in style than in story, plus acceptable to good performances by good-looking cast makes the ride really easier. Can be entertaining if you have no expectations and just enjoy the ride. Enjoy!!

Leading Ladies by Daniel Beahm and Erika Randal Beahm. USA. My big mistake was that I had expectations about this movie, “dancing expectations” lol! Honestly is not a good movie and there is not much dancing; but if you enjoy typical American comedy style (which I don’t) maybe you will enjoy this “zany” comedy a lot more than me. Sigh.

Tomboy by Céline Sciamma. France. An entertaining film that surely is more mainstream than Sciamma’s previous Naissance des pieuvres, which I simply loved. As you can imagine was expecting a film more in the style of Naissance des pieuvres and definitively Tomboy is different; still is an engaging story about a girl that sees her moving into a new neighborhood as the opportunity to be more what she really feels like: a boy. Okay I should explain myself so I will not confuse anyone, this film is NOT mainstream, is arty; but if you compare both Sciamma’s films then you will see that her second is more commercial than her first thanks to the story mainly. Not your regular genre film, but worth watching. Enjoy!!

Kyss Mig (With Every Heartbeat) by Alexandra-Therese Keining. Sweden. Has this film a predictable story? Yes. Indeed is true, very predictable BUT film is highly enjoyable, so it’s not about the destination is about the trip. You have no idea how good your trip into the lives of Mia and Frida will be as performances by complete cast is quite good, cinematography is super, production values are high and director is so good that I’ll watch her future films for sure. I loved this movie and if you have the patience to enjoy a great ride to a predictable destination, then this film is definitively for you. Enjoy!!!

Mein Freund Aus Faro (To Faro) by Nana Neul. Germany. This 2008 film has been labeled as the German version of Boys Don’t Cry and indeed has a similar story but fortunately fictional To Faro does not have the violence of the real story. Tells about Melanie that meets Jenny and falls in love; but Jenny think she’s met Miguel from Faro, Portugal. Film is nothing special, entertaining but not much more. If you been delaying watching because of violence (as I did) be assure that there is none here, so go ahead and watch. Enjoy.

Luan qing chun (Beatiful Crazy) by Chi Y. Lee. Taiwan. Couldn’t enjoy film even when I tried harder (lol!), yes is arty but unfortunately not really interesting. Not much lesbian interest, just what seems like a few seconds. If you skip it, won’t be missing much. Sigh.

Albert Nobbs by Rodrigo García. UK and Ireland. Honestly I had no lesbian interest expectations for this movie as I’m familiar with main character story, so finding that perhaps the most digestible/funny character the movie has is the one played by Janet McTeer (Page) who happens to be lesbian and lives with her wife was most refreshing. Glenn Close really gets lost into her male character and does a great performance but character is truly lame -and definitively not lesbian at all- as Albert Nobbs is a woman trapped in a man cover that resigned herself to live a life of loneliness, that’s it until she meets Page as sees an opportunity to change her destiny. Unfortunately she does not look for love, she looks for convenience and pursues Helen (Mia Wasikowska) that definitively doesn’t need “convenience” at that moment. Maybe if Nobbs had seduced Helen then things would have been different, but obviously that will happen later when Page starts to seduce Helen. I believe that Close does really good her character but character is so unappealing and is so well-done that some are saying that her performance made the character one-dimensional, flat, pan faced, etc; but I do believe that’s the way it was supposed to be. Anyway this is a movie to watch not because has lesbian interest moments but because is a story of women that had to dress like men to be able to earn a living when for whatever reason, there was no man to take care of them. Enjoy!!!

2011 European Film Awards – Animated Film Nominations

Three (3) films are nominated for the EFA's award and here they are. Included trailers to check how different European animation can feel and look.

Le Chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi's Cat), Antoine Delesvaux and Joann Sfar, France



Chico & Rita, Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba, Spain and Isle of Man



Une Vie de Chat (A Cat in Paris), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, France and Belgium



To read official announcement go here.

2011 European Film Awards – People’s Choice Award

Since September 1st up to October last day, my European friends are able to vote for their favorite film and yes, win a trip to the European Film Awards that this year will be in Berlin (I also LOVE Berlin!). The following are the nominated films and you can VOTE HERE.

Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to the South), Luca Miniero, Italy (the hilarious Italian remake of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis)

Hævnen (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark

The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, UK

Konferenz der Tiere (Animals United), Reinhard Kloss and Holger Tappe, Germany

Les petits mouchoirs (Little White Lies), Guillaume Canet, France

Potiche, François Ozon, France

También la lluvia (Even the Rain), Icíar Bollaín, Spain

Unknown, Jaume Collet-Serra, Germany

If I could vote I’ll have a hard time deciding between Potiche, Hævnen or the hilarious Italian comedy (yeah for a change!). Have no idea what the animated movie plus Unknown are doing here, but after all is the People’s Choice so there had to be options for all kind of movie tastes.

Hope many of my friends and loyal blog readers VOTE so we can have a better winner that the 2010 winner.