Day 8 @ 67th Venice International Film Festival

Another day in La Mostra with some interesting films.

In Competition

Attenberg, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece (If you watch the trailer you'll notice that has a "little" lesbian interest)
Vénus Noire (Black Venus), Abdellatif Kechiche, France (yes will watch)

Out of Competition
La Prima Volta a Venezia by Antonello Sarno, Italy (collage with eighty-eight memories and secrets about their first time at Venice fest with the likes of Clint Eastwood, Charlize Theron, and many more)
Sorelle Mai by Marco Bellocchio, Italy (could be interesting - filmed from 1999 to 2008 comprises 6 episodes of a single story)
The Town by Ben Affleck, USA (I like Affleck directing, not acting; but probably will watch maybe he can direct himself better)
All Inclusive (3D) by David Zamagni and Nadia Ranocchi, Italy and Austria (the story seems interesting but 3d?)
Zebraman by Takashi Miike, Japan, 2004

Controcampo Italiano
Tajabone by Salvatore Mereu

Orizzonti
A Espada e A Rosa by João Nicolau, Portugal and France
The Nine Muses by John A komfrah, UK and Ghana
Nainsukh by Amit Dutta, Switzerland and India
Many short and medium-length films

Retrospective
Eccezzziuna le... Veramente by Carlo Vanzina, 1982
Guardie e Ladri by Stefano Vanzina and Mario Monicelli, 1951

Venice Days
Et in Terra Pax (And Peace On Earth), Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini, Italy
Scena del Crimine by Walter Stokman, Netherlands (Italian Portraits and Landscapes section)

International Critics' Week
Hora Proelefsis (Mother Earth), Syllas Tzoumerkas, Greece, 2010

News

Yesteday Mani Ratman was honored with the Jaeger leCoultre - Glory to the Filmmaker Award, he received the award for the film Raavan. Unfortunately Aish wasn't there. Today finally got clear the reason why the film has two names. Raavanan is Tamil and Raavan is Hindi and as some us know, there were two versions one in Tamil and another in Hindi; so the longer name really belongs to Tollywood, while the second -the one I saw- to Bollywood.

Most news in any language are about Ben Affleck being there. At Radio Montecarlo there is an interview where he talks about his movie but also about his interest in politics, the title: Dopo Obama... Ben Affleck? (After Obama... Ben Affleck?)

Today's Photo

Very elegant Paz Vega at the red carpet of Vallanzasca -Gli Angeli Del Male premiere.

Beautiful Kate

I got really curious about this film that collected numerous nominations at Australian awards and fests because one actress that always called my attention is Rachel Ward and her directing was something that I had to watch. Unfortunately even do has a very appealing cast the movie story is so common or maybe I should say, told so many times, that you easily guess what could happen plus really does not help to have transposed the story from the American West to the Australian outback, where life in the bush seems so tedious.

Based on a novel by Newton Thornburg with a screenplay also by Rachel, the film tells the story of a family that have past dark secrets and all come alive when the youngest son Ned, now a forty-something writer, comes back as his father is dying. Slowly one strand tells the present that honestly is not that interesting, while a second strand tells the past that definitively was more interesting. Perhaps this was a story to be told in chronological order and probably the film would have been a lot more interesting.

The cast couldn't be better with Ward's real life husband Bryan Brown and one actress I like in the big screen, Rachel Griffiths; but both performances are not their best at all. Other actors are not known to me and well, won't be looking forward to watch them in the future. I'm afraid that Ward's directorial abilities couldn't extract good performances from actors.

Cinematography is one element that the film has on the good side, especially with outdoor sights takes showing the dry -desert alike- Australian outback, but there are not many of those beautiful takes as most of the drama happens indoors or around the house.

Not a film I can recommend, but if you wish to watch a story of incest, family drama, and dysfunctional father-son relationship told in a blunt and awkward way, then you should give a try to this movie.

Sigh.

Watch trailer @Movie On Companion

Day 6 and Day 7 @ 67th Venice International Film Festival

You can't miss a day in the fest as yesterday was the screening of the usual "film sorpresa" (surprise film) with a documentary by whom been called "master documentarian" Wang Bing. The film: The Ditch that seems will be hard to watch, but definitively will watch as I like the style. To read the press release go here.

As there are many films decided to separate the list by days for better reading.

Day 6

In Competition

Essential Killing, Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland, Norway, and Hungary
Meek's Cutoff, Kelly Reichardt, USA (Like Reichardt style-will watch)
The Ditch by Wang Bing, Hong Kong, France and Belgium (was this year's film "sorpresa")

Out of Competition
I'm Still Here by Casey Affleck, USA (yes the doc about Joaquin Phoenix)
Vallanzasca - Gli Angeli del Male, Michele Placido, Italy
Raavanan, Mani Ratman, India (yes is Raavan that I liked a lot)

Controcampo Italiano
Ma Che Storia by Gianfranco Pannone, Italy
Ward 54 by Monica Maggioni, Italy and USA (out of competition)
Sposero Nich Vendola by Andrea Costantino, Italy (short film - out of competition)

Orizzonti
Cara Cremada by Lluís Galter, Spain
Xifang Qu Ci Bu Yuan (Reconstructing Faith) by Huang Wenhai, China
Verano de Goliat by Nicolás Pereda, Mexico and Canada
Many Short Films

Special Events
Minnesota Clay by Sergio Corbucci, Italy, 1964

Retrospective
Il Domestico by Luigi Filippo d'Amico, Italy, 1974
Cassotto by Sergio Citti, Italy, 1977

Venice Days
Cirkus Columbia (Circus Columbia), Danis Tanovic, Bosnia Herzegovina, France, UK, Slovenia, Serbia and Belgium
Cielo Senza Terra (Heaven Without Earth), Giovanni Maderna and Sara Pozzoli, Italy

International Critics' Week
Svinalängorna (Beyond), Pernilla August, Sweden, 2010 (was the official date)

Day 7

In Competition

Promises Written in Water, Vincent Gallo, USA
Noi Credevamo, Mario Martone, Italy and France (with Toni Servillo!)
Balada Triste de Trompeta (A Sad Trumpet Balad), Alex de la Iglesia, Spain and France (seems surrealistic)

Out of Competition
Prezit Svuj Zivot (Surviving Life), Jan Svankmajer, Czech Republic and Slovakia

Controcampo Italiano
Into Paradiso by Paola Randi
Achille by Giorgia Farino, Italy (short film out of competition)

Orizzonti
Tsumetai Nettaigyo (Cold Fish) by Sion Sono, Japan
Per Questi Stretti Morire (Cartografia di Una Passione) by Giuseppe Gaudino and Isabella Sandri
Many short and medium-length films

Special Events
I Crudeli (Hellbenders) by Sergio Corbucci, Italy, 1967

Retrospective
Cinque Ore In Contanti by Mario Zampi, 1960
La Manina di Fatma - episode from Cuori Infranti by Vittorio Caprioli, 1963
L'Onorata Societa by Riccardo Pazzaglia, Italy, 1961 (oh! Domenico Modugno! and Vittorio De Sica)

Venice Days
Notre Etrangere (The Place In Between), Sarah Bouyain, Burkina Faso and France

International Critics' Week
Oča (Father), Vlado Škafar, Slovenia, 2010

News
A few days ago I was able to watch the AMAZING trailer of Aleksei Fedorchenko's Ovsyanki Овсянки (Silent Souls) and even if is just a trailer (more than a trailer seems like the film beginning) I was absolutely captivated by the visuals, immediately became Must Be Seen for me. Today I'm reading that the film got a 12-minute standing ovation from the audience plus first critics' reviews headlines are very positive (don't want to read much). In my book the film has become a major contender for the top award. Check the trailer at the trailers blog, okay I make it easy for you and go here.

Also today I found a lot of interesting news but only one was about Venice fest, an interview with Noomi Rapace that if you like her I strongly suggest to watch the video. Check facebook wall to check the video plus other news about Telluride, one film I have to watch: The Illusionist, one film I will NOT watch, and more.

Interviews

Perhaps some of you will be interested in watching Pablo Larrain's interview at arte.tv, if you do go here (available only in French or German - but film images are in Spanish with English subtitles)

I still go 'gaga' for Catherine Deneuve and obviously I'm watching/reading everything about Potiche, but arte.tv has a Petite etude comparative entre l'interpretation de l'une et celle de autre. Deux reines, deux epoques (a small comparative interpretation study with two interpretations - one from the film the other from the famous stage play) that I strongly suggest to watch here.

Today's Photo

A very nice photo of Michelle Williams at the premiere of Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff. Remember to click the photo so you can appreciate it more.