Category: Festivals

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Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008 Reactions: Kung Fu Panda

Last night saw the out of competition premiere of Kung Fu Panda – the latest animated film from DreamWorks Animation.

After Jack Black posed yesterday for photographers alongside a bunch of pandas and inadvertantly confirmed that co-star Angelina Jolie was pregnant with twins, people finally got a look at the film.

Here is a summary of the critical reaction.

James Rocchi of Cinematical is impressed:

Dreamworks Animation’s latest effort may stick out a little on the Red Carpet at Cannes — where it’s screening out of competition — but it’s certainly a well-made kid’s film that earns high points for how directors John Stevenson and Mark Osborne clearly crafted and contemplated its look and feel with ambition and style.

Richard Corliss of Time is also taken with the cartoon panda:

Today DreamWorks unveiled its latest ani-movie, Kung Fu Panda. As cunning visual art and ultra-satisfying entertainment, it proved an excellent choice.

…some sequences [are] so smartly thought out and spectacularly executed that they might have been designed by an ace stunt coordinator like Yuen Wo-ping.

Todd McCarthy of Variety is more circumspect:

How many underdog kidpic characters have been told “You just need to believe” in recent years? Whatever the ample number, add one more to the list with “Kung Fu Panda,” a nice looking but heavily formulaic DreamWorks animation entry.

It looks like this is going to do solid business when it opens in the US on June 6th and the UK on July 4th.

Here is the moment where Jack Black accidentally let slip Jolie was pregnant with twins whilst in an interview with Natalie Morales of the Today show:

> Kung Fu Panda at the IMDb
> Official site for Kung Fu Panda

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Cannes Festivals Trailers

Trailer: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

This is the trailer for Woody Allen’s latest film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. 

It premieres in Cannes on Saturday (out of competition) and opens in the US on September 5th.

> Vicky Cristina Barcelona at IMDb
> See our preview of the Cannes films showing out of competition

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Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008 Reactions: Waltz with Bashir

Waltz with Bashir is one of the films in competition getting some early buzz.

It is an animated film that documents the struggle of director Ari Folman to come to terms with the part he played in the first Lebanese war in 1982 and the massacre of Palestinian civilians in the West Beirut refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila.

There will be comparisons with last year’s Persepolis, which used animation to deal with political memories, but Kim Voynar of Cinematical thinks that would be unwise:

Where Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis (to which this film will be inevitably, if somewhat inaccurately, compared) used stark black-and-white animation based on Satrapi’s graphic novels to tell the history of one girl growing up during the Iranian revolution, Waltz with Bashir uses vivid, hand-drawn animation to bring to life interviews Folman conducted with friends who were involved in the Lebanese war in the early 1980s to bring to life harrowing memories of death, guilt and regret.

She goes on to praise the film and talk up its Oscar prospects:

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that I wouldn’t be surprised to see Waltz with Bashir show up on the slate at Telluride in September, and even less so to see it wind up with an Oscar nod come January.

Folman has made a beautiful, disturbing and deeply compelling film that documents the horrors to which he and his friends were witnesses, while offering hope that he and others might, some day, heal from the ravages of war.

Anne Thompson of Variety was similarly impressed. She calls it:

…an odd Israeli documentary that is gorgeously and effectively animated.

Like the stylized Persepolis, the animation makes palatable scenes that would otherwise be horrific: hallucinatory flashbacks of Israeli soldiers on various campaigns in Lebanon, all leading to one long repressed memory of witnessing a 1982 massacre by Christian militia of Palestinians.

The filmmaker makes a journey back into his mind by interviewing people who might remember what he has suppressed.

Very strong film. Some of the animated characters’ POV have a vidgame feel. Early distrib response is cautious. They’ll check reviews and see where it goes.

Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune was another struck by the film and feels it:

…made up for the arch inertia of the opening-night selection.

The collaborators work in a style of animation resembling the rotoscoping efforts of Richard Linklater (”Waking Life” and “A Scanner Darkly”), though none of the fluid, insinuating frames was actually rotoscoped.

…Folman’s story has a lot to say about how a miserable conflict haunts those who wage it.

Watch the trailer here:


Waltz With Bashir, the first official trailer

There is another montage here:

> Waltz with Bashir at the official Cannes site
> Quiet Earth with a preview of Waking with Bashir
> Official site for Waltz with Bashir

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Cannes Events Festivals

Cannes 2008: Buzz Builders

At the American Pavilion in Cannes yesterday, there was a debate entitled Buzz Builders which dealt with movie journalism and the internet.

The AmPav

Alex Ben Block moderated a panel that included:

Here are a few key bits as relayed by Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere:

Poland said that the difference between print and online film writing is a “lack of editing” and seasoned judgment.

Both Hernandez and Jones mentioned the importance of judgment and “context” in the reporting of news stories.

Poland said later that an online hurdle thus far is that “there’s no money” in blogging for many if not most writers who toil in this medium. Or at least, “not enough to live on.”

And yet “having a seat at the table” is what everyone wants, he said, including the N.Y. Times.

But the bit that really struck me was when he quotes David Poland as saying:

….he “would be very surprised if The Hollywood Reporter is still [around] three years from now.” (I think he meant in its present form, but maybe not.)

Is this true?

Let’s for a second assume this isn’t a throwaway line about a traditional media outlet not adapting to the times.

Is the Hollywood Reporter really going the way of Premiere Magazine? Or is it perhaps adapting to some kind of web/print hybrid?

On a more pressing point, why don’t the American Pavilion or the organisers of the debate film this and put it up on the web? Why no live stream? Or YouTube video? Or some kind of transcript?

What is sometimes depressing – and indeed ironic – about these kinds of debate is that they suffer from the very problems they are discussing.

At a talk last year at the London Film Festival about the internet and film criticism, the moderator mused at one point that maybe the panel (which consisted of two national newspaper critics, plus two heads of content from MySpace and the BBC) should have included a blogger, as that’s what they were partly discussing.

Similarly here, with all the chat about the merits of blogger vs traditional media, we should be reminded that if it wasn’t for the efforts of Hollywood Elsewhere and a link from Spout Blog, then anyone outside of the American Pavilion probably wouldn’t know about this.

If the issues are important enough to debate at one of the key venues of the world’s biggest film festival, then why not disseminate it to the wider world via the web?

> Original report at Hollywood Elsewhere
> Official site of The American Pavilion

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Cannes Festivals News

Cannes 2008 Reactions: Blindness

The opening film of this year’s festival was Blindness, directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener) and starring Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo.

Based on José Saramago’s 1995 novel it is about an epidemic of blindness in a modern city.

Here is a summary of some of the critical reaction:

Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere is underwhelmed:

I respected Blindness — I certainly agree with what it’s saying — but it didn’t arouse me at all. Opening-night films at big festivals are often underwhelming on this or that level — bland, suckish, so-so.

I’m sorry to be saying what I’m saying as I worshipped Meirelles’ City of God and very much admired The Constant Gardener. But the truth is that Blindness is more than a bit of a flub.

For what it’s worth, the pacing, performances and tech credits are first-rate.

Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter feels lacks an element of surprise:

Blindness is provocative cinema. But it also is predictable cinema: It startles but does not surprise.

An appreciative critical response will be needed stateside for Miramax to market this Brazilian-Canadian-Uruguayan co-production.

Other territories may benefit from the casting of an array of international actors with some boxoffice draw.

Justin Chang of Variety has similarly mixed feelings:

Despite a characteristically strong performance by Julianne Moore as a lone figure who retains her eyesight, bearing sad but heroic witness to the horrors around her, Fernando Meirelles’ slickly crafted drama rarely achieves the visceral force, tragic scope and human resonance of Saramago’s prose.

Despite marquee names, mixed reviews might yield fewer eyes than desired for this international co-production.

Joe Utichi of IGN is also somewhat disappointed:

Ultimately, Blindness is a brave attempt from this ever-versatile director at creating an intelligent, original sci-fi thriller that, sadly, never quite comes together.

James Rocchi of Cinematical is more admiring:

But while Blindness can be faulted for many things, it also has to be respected for its ambition, craft, and effort;

Blindness shows us a world of wide-eyed sightlessness, and it does so through a fierce vision that only occasionally loses focus.

Xan Brooks of The Guardian is also more positive:

Blindness may well be the bleakest curtain raiser in the history of the festival, a nightmarish parable of the apocalypse, directed by the Brazilian film-maker Fernando Meirelles and just as impressive in its way as his career-making City of God.

It’s a devastating bit of work – a cold-eyed portrait of social meltdown that nonetheless shows how catastrophe can bring out the best in people as well as the worst.

I could have done without Danny Glover’s sage, hushed narration over every stray moment of quiet, but otherwise this was pretty much spot-on.

Sukhdev Sandhu of The Daily Telegraph feels the acting is strong, but not enough to redeem the overall film:

As always, it’s impossible to take one’s eyes off Moore who is so adept at playing roles in which her strength seems brittle, almost masochistic.

Alice Braga, a prostitute who is one of the inmates that Moore and Ruffalo befriend, is also a stand-out performer.

They do well to save a film that, in trying so hard to be faithful to the novel, falls prey to tone-deafness.

Did you see Blindness at Cannes? If so, then leave your thoughts below.

> Blindness at the IMDb
> Find out more about the novel at Wikipedia
> Anne Thomspon speaks to director Fernando Meirelles at Variety
> Will Lawrence also has a piece on Mereilles at the Telegraph

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Amusing Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008: Kung Fu Panda launch at the Carlton

Now this is how to launch a DreamWorks animated film about kung fu pandas in Cannes.

Get Jack Black and about 40 people in panda costumes outside the Carlton Hotel:

Kung Fu Panda screens at the festival tomorrow (Thursday 15th) and opens in the US on June 6th and the UK on July 4th

> Official site for Kung Fu Panda
> Find out more about the film at Wikipedia

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Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008: Screening Schedule

For all those out at Cannes here is the schedule for all the major screenings for the next fortnight, which include those in and out of official competition.

Steps of the Red Carpet

FILMS IN COMPETITION AND CLOSING FILM

WEDS 14th MAY
19.15 Opening ceremony
23.30 BLINDNESS (1h58) Directed by Fernando Meirelles

THURS 15th MAY
8.30 – 16.30 LEONERA (1h53) Directed by Pablo Trapero
14.00 – 22.00 WALTZ WITH BASHIR (1h27) Directed by Ari Folman

FRI 16th MAY
8.30 – 14.30 – 19.00 UN CONTE DE NOËL (2h30) Directed by Arnaud Desplechin
12.00 – 22.30 ÜÇ MAYMUN (Les Trois Singes) (1h49) Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan

SAT 17th MAY
8.30 – 22.00 LINHA DE PASSE (1h48) Directed by Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
16.00 ER SHI SI CHENG JI (24 City) (1h52) Directed by Jia Zhangke

SUN 18th MAY
8.30 – 22.00 GOMORRA (2h15) Directed by Matteo Garrone
16.30 SERBIS (1h30) Directed by Brillante Mendoza

MON 19th MAY
9.00 – 13.00 – 19.00 LE SILENCE DE LORNA (1h45) Directed by Jean-Pierre et Luc Dardenne
22.00 TWO LOVERS (1h40) Directed by James Gray

TUE 20th MAY
8.30 – 12.00 – 19.30 CHANGELING (2h21) Directed by Clint Eastwood
16.00 DELTA (1h32) (Directed by Kornél Mundruczó)

WED 21st MAY
16.00 LA MUJER SIN CABEZA (1h27) Directed by Lucrecia Martel
18.30 CHE (4h28) Directed by Steven Soderbergh

THU 22nd MAY
8.30 – 14.30 – 19.30 LA FRONTIÈRE DE L’AUBE (1h46) Directed by Philippe Garrel
11.30 – 22.30 ADORATION (1h40) Directed by Atom Egoyan

FRI 23rd MAY
8:30 – 19.30 SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (2h04) Directed by Charlie Kaufman
11.30 – 22.30 IL DIVO (1h50) Directed by Paolo Sorrentino
16.30 MY MAGIC (1h15) Directed by Eric Khoo

SAT 24th MAY
8.30 – 16.00 ENTRE LES MURS (2h08) Directed by Laurent Cantet
19.30 PALERMO SHOOTING (2h04) Directed by Wim Wenders

SUN 25th MAY
19.30 Closing ceremony
23.00 WHAT JUST HAPPENED? (1h46) Directed by Barry Levinson

Crowd gathers for Ocean's Thirteen premiere

OUT OF COMPETITION AND MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS

THU 15th MAY
11.15 – 19.30 KUNG FU PANDA (1h35) Directed by Mark Osborne, John Stevenson

SAT 17th MAY
11.30 – 19.30 VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (1h36) Directed by Woody Allen
00.15 THE CHASER (2h03) Directed by Na Hong-jin

SUN 18th MAY
13.00 – 19.00 INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2h03) Directed by Steven Spielberg

MON 19th MAY
16.00 SÉANCE HOMMAGE À MANOEL DE OLIVEIRA (1h00)

TUE 20th MAY
23.30 MARADONA BY KUSTURICA (1h30) Directed by Emir Kusturica

WED 21st MAY
23.45 SURVEILLANCE (1h38) Directed by Jennifer Lynch

SAT 24th MAY
11.30 – 22.30 THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD (2h00) Directed by Kim Jee-woon

> Download the official screenings schedule as a PDF file

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Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008 Preview: Films Out of Competition

The out of competition films screening at this year’s Cannes Film Festival include some of the more high profile premieres.

Red Carpet at the Palais

OUT OF COMPETITION

Here is a guide to the big films screening out of competition, which means they are not competing for the Palme d’Or and are basically ‘prestige’ premieres.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Dir. Steven Spielberg): The biggest major studio release of the year gets a high profile premiere, with Steven Spielberg bringing a film to the festival for the first time since The Color Purple in 1985.

All eyes around the world will eagerly be awaiting how this installment will fit in with the original trilogy. Plot details have been kept under wraps, but according to the offficial plot sypnopsis at the festival site it begins in 1957 at the height of the Cold War and involves Indy battling Russian agents as he searches for the Crystal Skull of Akator in Peru.

Harrison Ford returns as the famous archaeologist and the supporting cast includes Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent and Karen Allen.

It is bound to be a huge hit worldwide, but the big question is whether or not it can please the older, more demading audiences that loved the original trilogy. All eyes will be on the reports coming out of the press screening which happens a few hours before the official premiere. (Screening: Sunday 18th May)

Kung Fu Panda (Dir. Mark Osborne and John Stevenson): The new animated film from DreamWorks Animation is about a panda (voiced by Jack Black) who learns martial arts to fight his enemies.

The film features a starry voice cast including the likes of Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and
Lucy Liu. Cannes has often been a place for DreamWorks to launch their tentpole releases like Shrek or Over the Hedge and this is expected to do similar business.

Maradona (Dir. Emir Kusturica): A documentary about the extraordinary life of Diego Maradona – the legendary Argentine footballer.

If the quality is good, this looks set to get interest from the wider media though the fact that the IMDb lists it as a 2006 film may be a cuase for concern. (Screens: Tuesday 20th May)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Dir. Woody Allen): The latest Woody Allen film is about two young American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) who come to Barcelona for a summer holiday only to get invloved with a local painter (Javier Bardem).

Despite the fact that Allen’s recent films haven’t always even secured UK distribution, he is loved in France and the European setting of this film, as well as the solid cast, should ensure a lot of interest. (Screens: Saturday 17th May)

What Just Happened? (Dir. Barry Levinson): The closing night film is based on producer Art Linson’s memoir of the same name, this stars Robert De Niro as an ageing producer struggling to get his new moviein the crazy world of Hollywood.

Despite a solid cast with Bruce Willis and Sean Penn turning up in minor roles as themselves, this only seemed to get lukewarm reviews at Sundance back in January. That said the book it is based on is very funny indeed (especailly the chapter chrinicling the making of The Edge) so it could be a pleasant surprise. (Screens: Sunday 25th May)

Also screening out of competition are:

If you are in Cannes and get to see any of these films then you can leave comments below.

> Official site for the Cannes Film Festival
> Our guide to the history and significance of the festival from last year
> Download the official screenings schedule as a PDF file

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Cannes Festivals News

Cannes in a Van

Last year three people armed with a projector and a van brought new meaning to the term ‘guerrilla cinema’ when they screened films at Cannes from their van.

This year they are back and their aim is to give exposure to lesser known films and filmmakers whilst out in Cannes.

As they put it:

Every film has a creator who is undeniably committed to what they are doing, committed to their obsession.

Maybe their goal is to make a personal film about something close to their heart, maybe they have a bigger picture, maybe their career is in film.

One thing is for sure – some of them you will know about in 10 years, some will win Oscars, Baftas, international awards. Some will change the publics’ consciousness.

Our aim is to give these films exposure. Where that exposure takes them is an unknown quantity, but it may just help them on their way.

We screen the best selection of short-films from the cream of independent filmmaking to a receptive, captive audience.

The crew this year consists of Andy, Cath, Stuart and Janus and you can follow their exploits at their blog or podcasts.

Check out this London Tonight report from last year’s festival:


Cannes in a Van on London Tonight

> Cannes in a Van official website
> Their video diary and blog
> Check out their videos form last year
> Find out more about the Cannes Film Festival here

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Cannes Festivals

Cannes 2008 Preview: Films in Competition

The 2008 Cannes Film Festival kicks off tomorrow and here are my pick of the films to look out for in competition for the Palme d’Or.

Big sign on Le Palais

IN COMPETITON

Blindness (Dir. Fernando Meirelles): An adaptation of José Saramago’s 1995 novel about about an epidemic of blindness in a modern city, it stars Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and Gael García Bernal.

Hotly anticipated because it has an excellent cast, is based on a Nobel prize winning novel and is directed by the man who brought us City of God and The Constant Gardener. (Screens: Wednesday 14th May)

Un conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) (Dir. Arnaud Desplechin): The latest film from the director of Kings and Queen is a family drama starring Catherine Deneuve and Mathieu Amalric.

The presence of a screen legend like Deneuve and the rising star of Amalric (who will be seen later this year as the new Bond villain in Quantum of Solace) will make this a high profile French entry. (Screens: Friday 16th May)

Linha de Passe (Dir. Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas): The new film from the director of The Motorcycle Diaries is about four brothers from a poor family in Sao Paolo struggling to find a better life.

Although 2005’s Dark Water was an unproductive attempt to bring his sensibility to a Hollywood film, Salles is always a director worth looking out for and this looks like a return to what he does best. (Screens: Saturday 17th May)

Le Silence de Lorna (Lorna’s Silence) (Dir. Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne): The new film from the Belgian brothers is about a young Albanian woman living in Belgium who becomes an accomplice to a local mobster’s plan.

The Belgian duo have achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Palme d’Or twice (with Rosetta in 1999 and L’Enfant in 2005) so all eyes will be on whether this can match the heights of those films. (Screens: Monday 19th May)

Two Lovers (Dir. James Gray): Set in Brooklyn, this is a romantic drama about a bachelor (Joaquin Phoenix) who is torn between two women (Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw).

Director James Gray is something of a favourite with Cannes, as he was here in competition just last year with We Own the Night. The star power of Phoenix, Paltrow and Isabella Rossellini should ensure interest in this one. (Screens: Monday 19th May)

Changeling (Dir: Clint Eastwood): The new film from Clint Eastwood is set in LA in 1928 and stars Angelina Jolie as a woman whose young son goes missing. When the child is found months later, she suspects it might not be him.

If Clint can deliver the goods you would have to say this is a hot favourite to snag the Palme d’Or – the veteran actor/director has long been a favourite at the festival (with films like Pale Rider, White Hunter Black Heart and Mystic River all playing in official competition) but has never won the big prize. The star power of Jolie in the lead role will also ensure huge press interest. (Screens: Tuesday 20th May)

Che (The Argentine / Guerrilla) (Dir: Steven Soderbergh): Possibly the most anticipated and ambitious film due to be shown at Cannes this year, director Steven Soderbergh will screen his two films about Che Guevera (played by Benicio del Toro) back-to-back.

The first one is called The Argentine and will focus on the Cuban revolution, as Fidel Castro, Guevara  and other revolutionaries topple the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The second film is called Guerrilla and focuses on the years after the Cuban revolution with Che’s trip to the UN in 1964, until his death in the Bolivian mountains in 1967. (Screens: Weds 21st May)

Adoration (Dir. Atom Egoyan): The new film from Canadian director Atom Egoyan is about a young man obsessed with the idea that he is the spawn of two historical figures.

It stars Devon Bostick, Rachel Blanchard and Scott Speedman. (Screens: Thursday 22nd May)

Synechdoche, New York (Dir. Charlie Kaufman): Another one of the most hotly anticipated films of the festival, this sees screenwriter Charlie Kaufman make his directorial debut.

It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theatre director in Schenectady, New York who has to cope with his wife leaving him and a mysterious illness. Worried about his life, he moves his theater company to a warehouse where he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York as part of his new play. Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton and Hope Davis co-star. (Screens: Friday 23rd May)

Palermo Shooting (Dir. Wim Wenders): The German veteran who won Best Director at Cannes in 1987 with Wings of Desire, returns with a new film about a German photographer (played by Campino) who comes to Palermo because he needs to escape his past.

Although Wenders’ output has been a little inconsistent of late (Don’t Come Knocking, which screened at the festival in 2005, was a huge disappointent) some will be keen to see if the magic of his earlier work can return. (Screens: Saturday 24th May)

The other films screening in competition are:

The jury at Cannes this year features:

It is notoriously hard to predict who will win the big prize but the major contenders would appear to be Blindness, Changeling, Che, Lorna’s Silence and Synechdoche, New York.

If you are at the festival or have any thoughts then do leave a comment below.

> Official site for the Cannes Film Festival and the full list of films competing in the official selection
> Our guide to the history and significance of the festival from last year
> See a past list of Palme d’Or winners at Wikipedia

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Cannes Festivals News

Cannes 2008 lineup announced

This year’s Cannes Film Festival lineup has been announced.

Destination Cannes

The films in official competition are:

The big films showing out of competition are:

Variety have a comprehensive list of all the films showing here.

> Official site for the festival
> A Guide to the Cannes film festival from last year

Categories
Festivals

Sundance 2008: Winners

Sundance FF 2008Here are the winners of this year’s Sundance Film Festival:

AMERICAN CINEMA

Grand Jury Dramatic: Frozen River

Dramatic Audience Award: The Wackness

Dramatic Screenwriting Award: Sleep Dealer, Alex Rivera, David Riker

Dramatic Directing Award: Lance Hammer, Ballast

Dramatic Special Jury Prize for “the Spirit of Independent Cinema”: Chusy Haney

Jardine for Anywhere, USA

Dramatic Special Jury Prize for “Work by an Ensemble Cast”: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald and Brad Henke for Choke

Dramatic Cinematography Award: Ballast, Lol Crawley

Documentary Grand Jury Prize: Trouble the Water

Documentary Audience Award: Fields of Fuel

Documentary Directing Award: Nanette Burnstein, American Teen

Documentary Special Jury Prize: The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo

Documentary Cinematography Award: Patti Smith: Dream of Life

Documentary Editing Award: Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, Joe Bini

WORLD CINEMA

Documentary Jury Prize: Man on Wire

Documentary Audience Award: Man on Wire

Documentary Cinematography Award: Mahmoud al Massad, Recycle

Documentary Editing Award: Irena Dol, The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins

Documentary Directing Award: Nino Kirtadze for Durakovo: Village of Fools

Dramatic Jury Prize: The King of Ping Pong

Dramatic Cinematography Award: Askilld Vik Edvardsen, King of Ping Pong

Dramatic Screenwriting: Samuel Benchetrit, I Always Wanted to be a Gangster

Dramatic Directing: Anna Melikyan, Mermaid

Dramatic Audience Award: Captain abu Raed

SHORTS

International Jury Prize: Soft

Jury Prize: My Olympic Summer and Sikumi
> Official site for Sundance
> Variety article on whether blogs and the Internet influence buyers at Sundance

Categories
Festivals Interesting

Michel Gondry edits YouTube

Director Michel Gondry is editing the YouTube homepage from the Sundance Film Festival, where his new film Be Kind Rewind is showing.

It is not up to the very high standards of a film like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but is still a highly inventive and amusing comedy.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is the way in which the central premise of the film – two workers in a video store remake movies on the cheap – fits in with the rise of YouTube and the trend of mashups and home videos.

Here are some of Gondry’s picks:

Anxiety Attack – Jeffrey Lewis

MIT sketching

The Willowz – Take A Look Around

Chomsky dispels 9/11 conspiracies with sheer logic

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Cinema Festivals Interviews Podcast

Interview: Carlos Reygadas on Silent Light

Carlos Reygadas at the LFF Screening of Silent Light

Back in October during the London Film Festival I spoke to Mexican director Carlos Reygadas about his latest film Silent Light.

It opened in selected UK cinemas this week and is a visually stunning drama set in the Mennonite community in Northern Mexico.

It was presented in a gala screening at the Odeon West End and I spoke to Carlos the day after about the film and how it went down with the London audience.

Listen to the interview by clicking below:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-10-24-65220.mp3]

To download this as a podcast via iTunes just click the image below:



Silent Light is out now at selected UK cinemas

> Download this interview as an MP3 file
> Check out which cinemas near you are showing the film via Google Movies
> The official website for Silent Light
> Carlos Reygadas at the IMDb
> Manohla Dargis of the NY Times with her review of the film at Cannes

(Photo: Getty Images)

Categories
Festivals News

Sundance Film Festival: Lineup Announced

Sundance 2008 LineupThe line up for the Sundance Film Festival has been announced.

Todd McCarthy of Variety has printed a detailed breakdown of what’s on and the official press release can be found here.

The director of the festival, Geoffrey Gilmore says:

The broad range of cinematic expression in this year’s Festival is found not simply in terms of the volume of submissions or its demographics but in the variety of types of filmmakers and the issues they explore.

This year we are seeing a convergence of storytelling and art that truly illustrates the spectrum of what is possible in film.

John Cooper, the Director of Programming, also said:

The creativity, urgency and passion of this year’s filmmakers are palpable, proving that independent filmmaking is alive and well not only in the U.S. but throughout the world.

The amount of high-quality work submitted from a diverse range of filmmakers made our jobs difficult this year. The Competition program is funny, spirited, human, and at times uncharacteristically optimistic about the world we live in.

There’s quite a few interesting films set to premiere there but here are some that caught my eye:

In Bruges – The opening film is about two hit men (played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who end up hiding out in the Belgian town of Bruges. Martin McDonagh – who won an Oscar for his short film Six Shooter – directs.

Choke — An adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel directed by Clark Gregg. It purports to be about about mother and son relationship and “the dark side of historical theme parks” with Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston and Kelly MacDonald.

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh — Based on Michael Chabon’s novel (the man who wrote Wonder Boys and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay), it explores the summer of a recent college graduate in Pittsburgh. Jon Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, and Sienna Miller star. Rawson Marshall Thurber directs.

Sugar – Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck had a startling debut with Half Nelson last year return with this tale of a Dominican baseball player named Miguel “Sugar” Santos, who was recruited from his native country to play in the U.S. minor leagues.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired – A documentary about the Polish director by Marina Zenovich which covers examines the scandals and tragedies which led to him fleeing the United States.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr Hunter S Thompson – Alex Gibney directs this documentary about the late writer which will apparently explore his drinking, drug taking and writing, focusing on the years 1965 to 1975. Featuring clips of rare home movies, audiotapes and passages from unpublished manuscripts it looks like a treat for fans of the late writer.

The festival runs from the 17th to the 27th of January in Park City, Utah.

> Official website for the Festival
> Find out more about the Sundance Film Festival at Wikipedia
> Check out the Sundance YouTube channel
> Listen to Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck discuss Sugar back in April when I spoke to them about Half Nelson
> Listen to Peter Carlton of Film4 talk about In Bruges when I interviewed him back in March
> Listen to our interview with John Carney who directed Once – one of the big hits of last year’s festival

Categories
Festivals London Film Festival Podcast Reviews

London Film Festival 2007: The Darjeeling Limited

The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival ended last night with a screening of The Darjeeling Limited.

Poster of The Darjeeling Limited in Leicester Square on closing night

It is the fifth film from director Wes Anderson and stars Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody as three estranged brothers who go on a train journey through India.

Listen to our thoughts on the film (and final festival update) by clicking below:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-11-01-74015.mp3]

Download this review via iTunes by clicking on the image below:

If you have any questions about this year’s festival feel free to get in touch via email or the contact page.

> Download this festival update as an MP3 file
> IMDb entry for The Darjeeling Limited
> Check out the official site for The Darjeeling Limited
> Wes Anderson discusses the film in an interview at IonCinema
> The Rushmore Academy – A Wes Anderson fansite
> Anderson discusses the inspirations for the film at the NY Film Festival

Categories
Festivals News

London Film Festival Lineup

London Film FestivalThe full lineup for the 51st London Film Festival was announced today.

Here is the official press release:

The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival’s full programme, announced today by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron, includes 184 features and 133 shorts as well as a host of screen talks, masterclasses and live events.

Opening the Festival on Thursday 17 October is the UK premiere of David Cronenberg’s EASTERN PROMISES with Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts and Vincent Cassel, whilst Wes Anderson closes the Festival on November 1 with the UK premiere of THE DARJEELING LIMITED, starring Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody.

Hosting 7 World, 29 European and 128 UK premieres, the Festival welcomes both familiar faces and newcomers, showcasing established and emerging talent throughout the 16 day cinematic celebration. The programme includes the latest work from Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion winner Ang Lee (LUST, CAUTION), Alexander Sokurov (ALEXANDRA), Abdellatif Kechiche (THE SECRET OF THE GRAIN), Jan Svĕrák (EMPTIES), François Ozon (ANGEL), Sean Penn (INTO THE WILD), Ermanno Olmi (ONE HUNDRED NAILS), Michael Haneke (FUNNY GAMES), Adoor Gopalakrishnan (FOUR WOMEN), Takeshi Kitano (GLORY TO THE FILMMAKER!), Andrew Dominik (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD), Todd Haynes (I’M NOT THERE) and Nobuhiro Yamashita (THE MATSUGANE POTSHOT AFFAIR).  Audiences will also discover debut feature directors including: Céline Sciamma (WATER LILIES), Rodrigo Plá (LA ZONA), Shivajee Chandrabhushan (FROZEN) and Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud (PERSEPOLIS).

British filmmaking talent is strongly represented by Penny Woolcock (EXODUS), Garth Jennings (SON OF RAMBOW: A HOME MOVIE), Nick Broomfield (BATTLE FOR HADITHA), Asif Kapadia (FAR NORTH),  Richard Attenborough (CLOSING THE RING) as well as by newcomers Simon Welsford (JETSAM) and Joanna Hogg (UNRELATED),  and a selection of documentaries and shorts.

Cinema-goers will also be transported around the globe with films from 43 countries including Israel, Lebanon, China and Korea, and with a special event ROMANIAN CINEMA: THE NEXT NEW WAVE?, exemplified by Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winner 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS and Cristian Nemescu’s CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ (ENDLESS).  Spain’s Iciar Bollain directs MATAHARIS while Hungary’s ISKA’S JOURNEY is directed by Csaba Bollók and Austrian IMPORT EXPORT comes from Ulrich Seidl. Argentinian double-bill: COPACABANA by Martín Rejtman with STARS by directing duo Federico León & Marcos Martínez, sits alongside a strong Japanese presence including Masayuki Suo’s I JUST DIDN’T DO IT and Cannes Grand Prix winner THE MOURNING FOREST by Naomi Kawase while Jia Zhangke’s WU YONG (USELESS) hails from China.

The French Revolutions strand offers 14 of the country’s latest exports including Samuel Benchetrit’s I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A GANGSTER and CAPTAIN AHAB from Philippe Ramos, and French co-productions with Israel and Lebanon respectively bring Eran Kolirin’s THE BAND’S VISIT and Nadine Labaki’s CARAMEL. A brilliantly eclectic slate from the US includes Terry George’s RESERVATION ROAD, Kevin Lima’s ENCHANTED, SHOTGUN STORIES from Jeff Nichols and Kasi Lemmons’ TALK TO ME.

Documentary fans have a wealth of choice including Kim Longinotto’s HOLD ME TIGHT LET ME GO, Nicolas Philibert’s BACK TO NORMANDY, Helena Trestikova’s MARCELA from the Czech Republic, ZOO by Robinson Devor, WE WANT ROSES TOO by Alina Marazzi and Israeli Nadav Schirman’s THE CHAMPAGNE SPY. Marc Evans directs IN PRISON MY WHOLE LIFE and DOES YOUR SOUL HAVE A COLD? comes from Mike Mills.

Celebrating restorations from archives around the world, Treasures from the Archives showcases features and shorts including: the magnificent ENAMORADA, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and extraordinary, neglected classic KILLER OF SHEEP. The big screen will also come to Trafalgar Square for two nights, ablaze with archive films that celebrate London as one of the world’s great cinematic cities, including Alfred Hitchcock’s BLACKMAIL. 

Taking to the stage to discuss their careers and work will be Wes Anderson, Laura Linney, Steve Buscemi, Harmony Korine, Robert Rodriguez and Paul Greengrass, while David Lynch and Donovan will be ‘Catching the Big Fish’ together. Other expected guests include David Cronenberg, Naomi Watts, Cristian Mungiu, Sienna Miller, Andrew Dominik, Tang Wei, Ang Lee, Jason Schwartzman, Julian Schnabel, Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Jan Svĕrák, Michael Moore, Asif Kapadia, Halle Berry, Susanne Bier, Sean Penn, Michael Pitt, Todd Haynes, Casey Affleck, Tamara Jenkins, Carlos Reygadas, Esther Robinson, Amy Adams, James Marsden, Jason Reitman and Kevin Lima.

Commenting on the Festival line-up, Sandra Hebron said: “In a very strong year for world cinema, we are delighted to be able to present such a wide ranging and high quality programme of films and special events, in which work by internationally renowned directors sits comfortably alongside that from many exciting new talents.  We look forward to welcoming filmmakers, audiences and press and industry delegates alike to our two week celebration of the best, most creative and original films of the year.”

Robert Thomson, Editor, The Times, added: “The list of works gathered for The Times BFI London Film Festival is a tribute to the organisers and an indication that the country’s lovers of film will be very busy in late October and early November. There will be the famous and the infamous, the stars and the hangers-on, but there will also be many a film whose intrinsic worth will broaden the mind and bring a smile to the face.”

The gala screenings shown in Leicester Square often get the most attention during the festival and here is more information on those films:

LIONS FOR LAMBS (The Times Gala)
Director and actor Robert Redford helms this complex contemporary thriller, scripted by Matthew Michael Carnahan, exploring the consequences of war. With a cast including Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep, three stories are increasingly entwined across Afghanistan, California and Washington DC, revealing their profound impact on each other and the world at large.

LUST, CAUTION (The Mayor of London Gala)   
Venice Golden Lion winning director Ang Lee, returns to his roots with this espionage thriller set amidst a fascinating and troubled period in 1940’s China. Bringing together cinema icon Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and dazzling newcomer Tang Wei with the ever excellent Joan Chen, the film is based on a short story by celebrated Chinese author Eileen Chang. Lee captures the nuances of suppressed passion amidst everyday subterfuge, with emotionally devastating results.

I’M NOT THERE (Centrepiece Gala)
Six actors portray Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ unconventional journey into the life and times of the man, weaving together a rich, multi-layered portrait of this ever-elusive icon. Performances by Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw are set against music from the man himself, as well as cover versions from a wealth of musicians including Cat Power, Tom Verlaine and Sonic Youth.

JUNO (Film on the Square Gala)
Jason Reitman’s second feature follows a bright teenager with a fine line in sardonic wit, who has the misfortune to find herself pregnant after having sex for the first and only time. With a screenplay from ‘Pussy Ranch’ blogger Diablo Cody, titular Juno MacGuff is the ultimate cool-if-slightly-weird chick role model, deftly performed by Ellen Page, in a film with a whip smart surface and heartwarming depth.

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE (American Airlines Gala)
In her first English language project, Susanne Bier directs a film which builds a genuine sense of loss and redemption. Halle Berry shines in the challenging role of Audrey Burke, a woman who has it all until her husband, played by David Duchovny, is killed in a random incident. Hoping to turn her life around, she turns to her husband’s childhood best friend and long-term addict, Jerry. With an extraordinary performance by Benicio Del Toro, Bier explores how lives are transformed by dramatic events and the feelings that emerge in the aftermath. 

INTO THE WILD (Kyoto Planet Gala)
Adapted and directed by Sean Penn from Jon Krakauer’s best-selling book, the film follows the true life story of 22-year-old Christopher McCandles, who walked out of his privileged life in search of adventure. On a journey across America to Alaska, he became an enduring symbol for people in search of truth and happiness.  American auteur cinema at its best, Penn combines artistry with an outstanding performance from Emile Hirsch and flawless support from a cast including Catherine Keener, William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden.

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Tiscali Gala)
Australian director Andrew Dominik bases his haunting, poetic western on Ron Hansen’s novel. Venice award winner Brad Pitt has rarely been better than as the ‘gentleman outlaw’ who became an American icon, in a film that delights in questioning the myth and confounding expectations. Casey Affleck creates a complex Ford, youthful and naïve but with hidden depths of his own.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (Time Out Special Screening)       
Director Julian Schnabel’s interpretation of Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir and international bestseller excels at bringing the author’s interior monologue to the screen. Having suffered a massive stroke leading to ‘locked-in-syndrome’ at the age of 43, Bauby is depicted subtly and intelligently by Mathieu Amalaric, showing him as a flawed man, but droll and irreverent too.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS (Sight & Sound Special Screening)
Cristian Mungiu’s superb arthouse nail-biter, an odyssey of desperation set in 1980’s Romania, won him the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Taking place during one night, Gabita has organised an illegal abortion for herself. However when she relies on her friend, Otila, to sort things out, the other woman has to pay her own price to make sure it happens. Anamaria Marinca delivers a piercing performance as Otila in this excruciatingly tense drama.

SICKO (Documentary Gala)
Filmmaker Michael Moore returns with his funniest and most moving film to date, examining the very unfunny fact that the USA is the only developed nation which lacks a universal health care system. Making comparisons with health services in England (one interviewee is Tony Benn), France, Canada and Cuba, he points out the irony that Guantanamo Bay detainees receive better medical care than 9/11 volunteers. There is no denying the acuteness and scale of the problem Moore identifies, and the skill with which he attacks it.

SILENT LIGHT (World Cinema Gala)
Carlos Reygadas directs this contemplative study of morality and spiritual crisis set in a Menonite community in the outskirts of Chihuahua, Mexico. Johan, a husband and father, breaks the rules of his community by falling in love and having an affair, and his inner turmoil is played out against the everyday habits and rituals which punctuate the day. Reygadas’ control and mastery of image and sound leave no doubt that we are watching cinema at its most carefully and artfully constructed.

BEE MOVIE (Family Gala)
Dreamworks bring Jerry Seinfeld’s first film script to the big screen, in this smart family 3-D animation with a sting in its tale. Seinfeld also lends his voice to Barry B Benson, your average ‘bee next door’ who becomes infatuated with New York florist Vanessa, voiced by Renée Zellweger. The smalltown bee becomes a celebrity in his own world in a film with plenty for both adults and children to enjoy.

The festival runs from October 17– November 1.

Tickets can be booked online at www.lff.org.uk  or by telephone on: 020 7928 3232 from Saturday 29 September.

> The London Film Festival at Wikipedia
> Check out the films we liked from last year’s festvial

Categories
Cinema Festivals Interviews

Jonathan King on Black Sheep

Jonathan KingThe annual UK horror film festival FrightFest got underway this week and the opening film was Black Sheep.

A horror comedy set in and filmed in New Zealand it follows a group of people trying to survive when an experiment with sheep goes horribly wrong.

I recently spoke to writer and director Jonathan King about the film which opens here in the UK on October 12th.

Listen to the interview below:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-08-23-85870.mp3]

> Download the interview as an MP3
> Check out the official website for Black Sheep
> Visit the official site for FrightFest

Categories
Festivals News

Eastern Promises to open London Film Festival

London Film FestivalDavid Cronenberg’s new film Eastern Promises is going to open this year’s London Film Festival which runs from October 17th to November 1st.

Here’s more details from the official press release:

The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival is delighted to announce that this year’s Festival will open on Wednesday 17th October with David Cronenberg’s EASTERN PROMISES.

The London set thriller, written by Steven Knight (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS), reunites multi-award winning director David Cronenberg with his HISTORY OF VIOLENCE leading man, Viggo Mortensen, and also stars Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

The plot centres on the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Mortensen), who is tied to one of London’s most notorious organised Russian crime families. A harrowing chain of murder, deceit and retribution is put in motion when he crosses paths with Anna (Watts), an innocent midwife, trying to right a wrong she accidentally uncovers…

EASTERN PROMISES is produced by Paul Webster and Robert Lantos, co-produced by Tracey Seaward, and executive produced by Stephen Garret, David Thompson, Jeff Abberley and Julia Blackman.

Pathé will release the film in the UK on 26th October 2007.

Sandra Hebron, the Festival’s Artistic Director comments: “It’s hugely exciting that a director who has consistently thrilled and challenged us throughout his career has made a film in our city. This gripping, powerfully directed and acted story of lives colliding in contemporary London is the perfect opener for our Festival.”

David Cronenberg adds: “I’m thrilled to be returning to the scene of the crime. Eastern Promises is the first film I’ve ever shot entirely away from my home in Canada, and it makes perfect sense that it is set in London, home of so many of my most potent film influences. I can’t wait to be there!”

The full programme for The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival will be announced on Thursday 13th September.      

> Official Website for the Times BFI London Film Festival
> Eastern Promises at the IMDb
> Check at the trailer to Eastern Promises here
> The London Film Festival at Wikipedia
> Check out the films we liked from last year
 

Categories
Cinema Festivals Interesting

The Hot Fuzztival

Hot FuzzThe Prince Charles Cinema is easily one of my favourites in London.

Great films show at great prices and they really treat their customers and members as intelligent film lovers.

But apart from the smart programming, the PCC also excels in the special events they put on, such as special Q&As, films you sing-along to or days where you can see films for a £1.

The latest outbreak of coolness to hit the holy ground of PCC is The Hot Fuzztival. This Sunday (June 10th) there will be screenings throughout the day of films that inspired Hot Fuzz culminating in a special showing of the film itself.

The screening schedule breaks down like this:

11:00am Hot Fuzztival: Hard Boiled
1:45pm Hot Fuzztival: The Last Boy Scout
4:30pm Hot Fuzztival: Point Break
8:00pm Hot Fuzztival: Hot Fuzz

The final screening will be of Hot Fuzz and will have Edgar Wright and cast from the film giving a live audio commentary on the film.

Tickets are FREE and are served on a first come first served basis. However, priority entrance will be given to those people who come along to ALL of the previous films.

They will be giving out cards at the 11am screening, which you get stamped as you come in for each film. At the Hot Fuzz screening there will be a queue for people with 3 stamps and a regular queue, the 3 stamp people get in first.

For more details check out the PCC website or visit their forum thread on these screenings.

> Official PCC Website
> Find the Prince Charles Cinema on Google Maps
> Official website for Hot Fuzz

Categories
Cannes Festivals News

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days wins the Palme D’Or

Romanian drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days has won the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

A harrowing depiction of a woman (played by Anamaria Marinca) trying to help her friend get an abortion in Communist-era Romania, it was hotly tipped in a very strong field.

> IMDb entry for 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
> BBC News report on the win

Categories
Cannes Festivals Interviews Short Films

Cannes Interview – Rob Johnson

The Short Film Corner is the area at the Cannes Film Festival where filmmakers who have made short films gather together.

Short Film Corner

Flyers for hundreds of short films adorn the walls as people try to get their work more exposure at the festival.

Filmmakers at Short Film Corner

Directors from all over the world submit films for inclusion in the Short Film Competition and to meet fellow directors.

Rob Johnson

It was there that I met Rob Johnson who has made a short called Sometimes the  Smallest Places.

We hooked up later at The Grand Hotel to discuss the film and his experience bringing it over to Cannes.

Listen to the interview here:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?web=podcast-2007-05-24-86595.mp3]

> Subscribe to the Interview Podcast via iTunes
> Download the interview as an MP3 file (just right click, save as and rename the file)
> Check out the official website for Sometimes the Smallest Places
> The MySpace page for Sometimes the Smallest Places
> Official site for Short Film Corner

Categories
Cannes Festivals News

Polanski walks out of press conference

The AP are reporting that Roman Polanski walked out of a press conference earlier today at Cannes.

He was talking about To Each His Own Cinema, a collection of short films from 30 illustrious directors from around the world.

They report:

Director Roman Polanski walked out of a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday after berating journalists for asking ’empty’ questions.

Polanski, whose film “The Pianist” won the top prize at Cannes in 2002, was onstage with nearly 30 major directors – from Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu to Germany’s Wim Wenders to China’s Wong Kar-wai – who were showing short films in homage to cinema.

Apparently several questions focused on the future of cinema in the digital age and towards the end Polanski took the microphone and said:

“It’s a shame to have such poor questions, such empty questions. And I think that it’s really the computer which has brought you down to this level. You’re no longer interested in what’s going on in the cinema. Frankly, let’s all go and have lunch”.

None of the directors followed him and it is unclear what the director of Chinatown and The Pianist had to eat.

But here he is with his fellow directors at the photo call (he is on the front row to the left  wearing a white jacket and jeans):

Photocall for To Each His Own Cinema

> AP story via Guardian Film
> Roman Polanski at the IMDb

Categories
Cannes Festivals

A Guide to the Cannes Film Festival

For those of you unfamiliar, the Cannes Film Festival is the biggest and most important in the world.

Although Toronto, Berlin, Venice and Sundance are all important in their own right, nothing can quite match Cannes for the glamour, deals and networking.

Le Palais Du Cinema

It is estimated that between three to four thousand journalists attend every year, which probably makes it the most covered annual event in the world (the Olympics gets more, but that is every four years).

Although its roots remain in the film competition that culminates in a big awards ceremony, it has grown over the years into the most important marketplace for the film industry.

Filmmakers, distributors, sales agents and other people from all over the world meet up here every year to show their films, cut deals and make contacts for future projects.

So, if you are not familiar with the festival here is a guide to the history and importance of the festival.

HISTORY

The first ever Cannes Film Festival started in September 1939, but World War II and the not inconsiderable business of Nazis invading France got in the way of things.

It was only years later during the 1950s that it revived itself and gradually started to become what it is today. In 1955, the Palme d’Or was introduced as a prize and was won by the US drama Marty.

Coincidentally, that film also won the Best Picture Oscar and to date it is the only time that a film has won both – perhaps a sign of just how different tastes still can be on each side of the Atlantic.

White Tents on the beach

 

With the scenic backdrop of the Cote d’Azur in late May and stars like Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly making celebrated appearances, the festival soon became established as the most high profile in the world.

THE COMPETITION

Despite the glitz, glamour and business surrounding it, the core of the actual film festival is about films from around the world getting screened and competing for recognition from an international jury.

The Red Carpet at the Palais

There are several sections to this side of the Festival: In Competition, Out of Competition, Un Certain Regard, Cinefondation,Critics’ Week and Directors’ Fortnight. The most important strand of these are the films screening In Competition as they are all up for the coveted Palme d’Or prize.

Usually around 20 films are entered each year each year and victory can significantly boost the profile of a film and guarantee it distribution around the world.

Sometimes it can help launch a career such as Steven Soderbergh (who won in 1989 for Sex, Lies and Videotape) or Quentin Tarantino (who upset the odds in 1994 by winning for Pulp Fiction).

It might also give exposure to smaller and more artistic fare like L’Enfant, which scooped the prize in 2005 for the Belgian film making pair, the Dardenne Brothers.

At other times it can propel a film into a global news story, which was the case in 2004, when Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, which won and went on to unlikely success at the global box office.

Whilst the films in the official competition get the red carpet treatment and a crack at the Palme d’Or, many other films come to the festival to screen out of competition.

They are here essentially for the exposure the festival provides. Some films will be looking for a distributor in a certain territory, some big Hollywood style films will be here to use Cannes as a launch pad for their European release, whilst others are just here hoping to make waves at such a huge festival.

In recent years huge blockbusters like Star Wars Episode III and The Da Vinci Code have had high profile ‘out of competition’ screenings. Reaction has been decidedly mixed as true cineastes feel the Festival proper gets tainted by such overtly commercial films.

However, the festival organisers (though wary of being mere stooges to Hollywood) know that the presence of big stars helps keep the status of Cannes in the news and could even help shine a light on the more uncommercial films screening here.

Croisette

The other strands of the festival include Un Certain Regard which was set up in the late 70s to showcase more world cinema and to absorb smaller aspects of the festival. Although there are no prizes it is still a prominent strand to showcase films.

The french have a great tradition of film criticism with publications like Cahiers Du Cinema and Critics’ Week was founded way back in 1962. Run by the Union of French Film Critics, films in this section compete for the Grand Prix and it has often given new filmmakers their first taste of the limelight.

Directors’ Fortnight was established in 1968 after the famous strikes all over France that year shut down the festival. Features and shorts are shown together and it can often be the place to find a hidden gem away from the glare of the main competition.

Cinefondation came in to being in 1998 as a program to help young film makers. It shows several films selected by from all around the world and has its own jury which select three awards for the best films.

THE BUSINESS

Gradually the exposure of the film festival led to the growth of the business side of Cannes. Almost anyone of note in the film world comes to town to network and do deals of various shapes and sizes.

The Marche du Film (or “The Film Market“) is the largest event of its kind in the world and it is where films and projects in development are pitched, bought and sold. For distributors and sales agents from around the world it is a vital place to meet as key rights in different territories are traded.

Marche Du Film

Although differing levels of business is done at other film festivals around the world, Cannes is unique in terms of its scale and importance.

The Marche is based next to the Palais du Festivals (the central venue where films are screened) and market screenings are held in smaller rooms within the same complex that also shows the bigger films in competition.

The business action also spreads out all over town as meetings are held on boats in The Old Port, hotels like The Grand (where many film companies book entire suites throughout the festival) and The International Village which is a series of small white pavilions situated on the beach near the Palais and stretches along the seafront of Cannes.The American Pavilion

Many countries from all over the world have their small bases here. Delegates attend seminars, interviews and meetings during the day and later on they often hold drinks and receptions to promote various aspects of their country’s film industry.

I’ll be posting more photos and interviews from the festival but in the meantime check out the links below to find out more.

> Official site for the Cannes Film Festival
> Wikipedia entry for this year’s Cannes Film Festival
> A Beginner’s Guide to Surviving Cannes
> IMDb entry for The Cannes Film Festival
> Tales of Cannes from previous years

Categories
Festivals News

Sicko screens at Cannes

Sicko screened earlier today at the Cannes film festival.

Michael Moore in Sicko

The new documentary by Michael Moore explores the US health care system and screens at the festival 3 years after he won the Palme D’or with Fahrenheit 9/11.

Mike Collett-White of Reuters reports from Cannes:

Director Michael Moore says the U.S. health care system is driven by greed in his new documentary “SiCKO”, and asks of Americans in general, “Where is our soul?”

He also said he could go to jail for taking a group of volunteers suffering ill health after helping in the September 11, 2001 rescue efforts on an unauthorised trip to Cuba, where they received exemplary treatment at virtually no cost.

The controversial film maker is back in Cannes, where he won the film festival’s highest honour in 2004 with his anti-Bush polemic “Fahrenheit 9/11”.

In “SiCKO” he turns his attention to health, asking why 50 million Americans, 9 million of them children, live without cover, while those that are insured are often driven to poverty by spiralling costs or wrongly refused treatment at all.

But the movie, which has taken Cannes by storm, goes further by portraying a country where the government is more interested in personal profit and protecting big business than caring for its citizens, many of whom cannot afford health insurance.

Stephen Robb of BBC News quotes Moore about his Cuba trip:

“The point was not to go to Cuba, it was to go to American soil, to Guantanamo Bay, to take the 9/11 rescue workers there to receive the same healthcare that they are giving the al-Qaeda detainees. No film-maker should ever have to be talking about jail or fines or where he or she can travel.”

Moore told a Cannes press conference: “I know a lot of you have written: ‘How dumb are they to give us all this publicity?’ But I am the one who is personally being investigated, and I am the one who is personally liable for potential fines or jail so I don’t take it lightly.”

Slashfilm has a rundown of the early critical reaction (which seems mostly positive) and also has a very interesting story about Moore (apparently) paying the medical bills of one of his fiercest critics. (Moore even left a voicemail for him).

> Sicko at the IMDb
> BBC News on Sicko opening at Cannes
> Moorewatch on Sicko
> Slashfilm on the early reactions

Categories
Festivals Interesting News

Joy Division film gets plaudits

Stephen Robb of BBC News is reporting good things about Control, a new film about former Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.

Control

It is the directorial debut of Anton Corbijn and seems to have gone down well after opening the Director’s Fortnight strand of the Cannes Film Festival:

A British film about the life and death of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, starring a first-time actor, has earned a rapturous reception in Cannes. Unknown Sam Riley said he was “working in a warehouse in Leeds folding shirts” when he was cast to star in Control.

Debut film director Anton Corbijn said the newcomer had brought “an innocence and freshness that I was hoping for but never thought I would find”. This is a very hard role for anybody to play, because it is very hard to fit in somebody’s shoes who has become an icon in many people’s eyes,” said the Dutch director.

“I can’t think of the movie without Sam, to be very honest – I think he gave everything to that role. It was his first film, it was my first film – in a way we had nothing to lose.”

Control, which also stars Samantha Morton as Curtis’s wife, follows the singer’s rise with Joy Division until his suicide in 1980, aged 23.

Find out more about Control at the following links:

> Official site for Control
> BBC News article on Control at Cannes
> Find out more about Ian Curtis at Wikipedia

Categories
Festivals Interesting

Fincher in the The Guardian

Andrew Pulver of The Guardian has a short profile piece on David Fincher in today’s edition about Zodiac at Cannes:

“I never really thought about film festivals before,” he says. “I don’t think of myself as making festival pictures. I was shocked when they said they wanted the movie for competition. I thought it was a little too … lurid.”

Fincher says he initially offered Zodiac, his account of the serial killer who terrorised northern California in the 1960s and 70s, to Cannes for an out-of-competition screening, thinking that’s where they normally dump product they sneer at but want the stars to decorate the red carpet. But no: with his sixth feature film, Fincher was in. “I don’t know. It’s an odd choice. It doesn’t seem arty enough.”

Zodiac may or may not be arty, but it’s certainly artful. Fincher’s source material was a book written in the mid-1970s by Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist on the San Francisco Chronicle, the newspaper to which the Zodiac sent a number of his mocking, threatening letters. Mindful of his past form – in the shape of his second feature Seven, one of the best-known serial-killer thrillers of the 1990s – Fincher went out of his way to establish clear water between that undeniably lurid carve-em-up and his far more sober true-crime project.

“I knew people would think: why would you make another fucking serial killer movie? There’s plenty of reasons not to. When I sent it out, I just said, read this, tell me what you think. It’s not that Seven thing. We already did that.”

Read the rest of the interview here.

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Festivals Podcast

Cannes Film Festival 2007 – Preview

The Cannes Film Festival kicks off today and here is a preview of what’s happening in the South of France.

Le Palais at Cannes

It is the 60th Festival and there will be films from the likes of Wong Kar-Wai, Michael Moore, The Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, Anton Corbjin and Michael Winterbottom, amongst others.

We’ll be out at the festvial in the next few days so keep a look out for regular updates.

Listen to the preview podcast here:

[audio:https://www.filmdetail.com/podcast/get.php?fla=podcast-2007-05-16-26574.mp3]

> Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes
> Download it as an MP3 file
> A beginners guide to the Cannes Film Festival

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Festivals Interesting

Roger Ebert speaks at Overlooked Film Festival

Roger Ebert recently appeared at his Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign.

The folks over at The Hot Button have posted a video of him addressing the audience with a little electronic help:

[youtube]4xhmnOqOk9E[/youtube]

He has recently undergone complications after treatment for cancer so it is good to see him back.

> The Hot Button
> Roger Ebert’s official site

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Festivals Reviews Thoughts

London Film Festival 2006 – In Review

There was much to enjoy at this year’s London Film Festival. As usual there were a few things I missed (especially when it came to live events) but here is a rundown of the things that impressed me.

The opening film was The Last King of Scotland, an absorbing look at former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Seen through the eyes of a Scottish doctor, who by chance becomes his personal physician, it features some terrific performances. Forest Whittaker is a force of nature as the African ruler managing to convey his childlike charm before the plunging us into a dark vortex of terror. James McAvoy is finally given a role of weight and substance and he manages to hold his own for most of the film against Whittaker, who delivers one of the best performances this year. Although it has taken certain liberties with historical fact, director Kevin McDonald in his debut feature manages to portray things with the same intensity he brought to documentaries like One Day in September and Touching the Void.

Infamous is the ‘other film’ about Truman Capote. Director Douglas McGrath had the misfortune to be preparing a film version of the writing of In Cold Blood at the same time that director Bennett Miller and Philip Seymour Hoffman were getting ready with their version. Although Capote is still the superior film in many respects, Infamous does actually hold up very well. One of the main reasons is the high quality of the acting, in particular British actor Toby Jones who gives a remarkable interpretation of the writer. His physical resemblance to Capote is eerie and he also conveys a dandyish sense of humour that was a little lacking in Philip Seymour Hoffman’s work (great though that was). Watch out too for some sterling supporting performances from Daniel Craig as convicted killer Perry Smith and Sandra Bullock as Nelle Harper Lee. One upshot of two Capote movies could be that film studies classes will be comparing them for years to come.

Another film about a notable 20th century figure was the documentary The US vs John Lennon, directed by David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. Taking a look at the former Beatle and his political activism in the late 60s and 70s it combined an impressive amount of new footage with Lennon’s music from that era. If you are a Beatles or Lennon fan you may be familiar with his anti-war protests and struggle to avoid deportation from New York. But if not, it is still an eye opening tale, not least because of the numerous parallels with current events.

Stranger Than Fiction plays like a literary version of The Truman Show, where a lowly tax inspector (Will Ferrell) finds out that he is actually the character of a book being written by a respected author (Emma Thompson). For about an hour the concept works a treat but sadly it runs out of steam after that as it never really gets to grips with merging the two worlds of fiction and reality. Having said that, Ferrell is very good in a more subdued role and Dustin Hoffman gives amusing support as an English professor trying to get to the bottom of the problem. Maggie Gyllenhall provides the love interest but her character is too underwritten to be truly believable. It is still worth seeing and the boldness of the concept may lead to some scriptwriting nominations for Zach Helm but I couldn’t help feeling that a greater film was there for the taking.

Director Todd Field’s Little Children is one of the best films to come out of America this year. If there is any justice it thius follow up to 2001s In the Bedroom will be a major contender this awards season. Kate Winslet stars as a frustrated housewife stuck in a privileged Boston suburb with a husband who doesn’t love her and a lifestyle she can’t stand. When she begins an affair with a handsome but married neighbour (Patrick Wilson) she also becomes aware that a convicted child molester has moved into the area. To say too much else would spoil some of the many surprises in this intelligent and many layered film. The acting is strong all across the board and different shifts in tone as the narrative unfolds are brilliantly handled.

On the other hand, Breaking and Entering is a major disappointment given the talent involved in making it. After the historical sweep of previous films like The English Patient and Cold Mountain, director Anthony Minghella has opted to make a drama set in contemporary London. An architect (Jude Law) ends up falling for the immigrant mother (Juliette Binoche) of a criminal who keeps breaking into his new offices near Kings Cross. Despite having the technical expertise you might expect from Minghella and featuring a touching performance from Binoche, the narrative drowns in a checklist of half baked liberal concerns (immigration, crime, kids with mental problems) and never explores any of them with any depth or bite.

Half Nelson was the real treat of the festival for me. It isn’t that often that you come across a debut film that is so assured and well made as this. Ryan Gosling stars as a Brooklyn teacher whose illicit drug taking is discovered by one of his pupils one night. However, the trick here is that director Ryan Fleck (who co-wrote the film with Anna Boden) avoids any of the usual stereotypes involved with “teacher-pupil” movies and has crafted a wonderful portrait of two very different characters who become friends. Wisely side-stepping any emotional manipulation and instead portraying the rough edges of an unusual relationship it treats its characters as fully rounded humans. Gosling and co-star Shareeka Epps give two excellent central performances and in an age where even so called indie films seem to be following a text book, this carefully made drama is a real breath of fresh air.

Babel closed the festival last night and it is the third film in a trilogy from director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga that started with Amores Perros and continued with 21 Grams. Like those films it involves three intercut stories, but here the canvas is much bigger, involving a sprawling narrative set across three different continents. A US tourist in Morrocco (Cate Blanchett) is accidentally shot whilst her husband (Brad Pitt) frantically tries to summon help; in the US a Mexican nanny is forced to take two children under her care over the border to attend her son’s wedding; and in Japan a deaf mute girl struggles to deal with her life. As you might expect from Inarritu, the stories deal with big themes and there is a lot of emotional anguish. But don’t let the fact that he has explored similar themes and ideas before put you off. This is still a highly accomplished piece of film making with some marvellous cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto and some superb editing from Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise.

> Official site for the London Film Festival

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Festivals News

LFF 2006: Odeon West End


Odeon West End

Outside the Odeon West End in Leicester Square after a screening of The US vs John Lennon at the 50th London Film Festival.

This documentary about Lennon’s political activism and his struggles with the Nixon administration also screens tomorrow at 1pm.

It opens here on December 8th.

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Festivals News

London Film Festival 2006 – Preview

It might not be as big or as important as Cannes or Toronto but the London Film Festival starts today and I’ll be posting some updates as it goes on.

Some of the films at the festival are likely to be contenders in the upcoming awards season so it is worth keeping an eye out for what’s going on. Plus it is held in the city where I work so it seems only natural to cover it!
There’s a lot of films on but here are a select few that I’m paticularly looking forward to:

  • The Last King of Scotland: Director Kevin McDonald’s feature debut with Forrest Whitaker as 70’s Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
  • The Caiman: Director Nanni Moretti’s satire on Berlusconi’s Italy
  • For Your Consideration: The latest docu-spoof from Christopher Guest and his ensemble
  • Catch a Fire: Drama dealing with Apartheid in 1980s South Africa
  • Little Children: Kate Winslet stars in director Todd Field’s drama set in US surburbia
  • Black Book: Paul Verhoeven makes his first European film in years with this tale of a Jewish woman separated from family during World War II
  • Bug: William Friedkin’s adaptation of Tracey Letts’ off-Broadway play
  • Babel: The latest film from Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu which stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gabriel Garcia Bernal.

There are some that I’ve already seen (Breaking and Entering, Stranger Than Fiction and Borat) but I’ll be posting my thoughts on those too as the festival goes on.

If you are in London or fancy visiting to see a film then just click on the official website below which should have all the information you need.

> Official Site for the 2006 London Film Festival

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Festivals News

Venice Film Festival winners

The winners of the 63rd Venice Film Festival were:

BEST FILM: Still Life (Directed by Jia Zhang-Ke)

BEST DIRECTOR: Alain Resnais for Private Fears in Public Places 

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: Daratt (Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun)

BEST ACTOR: Ben Affleck for Hollywoodland (Directed by Allen Coulter) 

BEST ACTRESS: Helen Mirren for The Queen (Directed by Stephen Frears)

BEST YOUNG ACTOR: Isild Le Besco for L’intouchable (Directed by Benoît Jacquot). 

BEST TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION: Emmanuel Lubezki (Director of Photography for Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón)

BEST SCREENPLAY: Peter Morgan for The Queen (Directed by Stephen Frears)

SPECIAL LION: Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet for innovation in the language of cinema

Still Life is obviously the big surprise here and a report from Reuters said that it left critics perplexed:

The jury at the Venice Film Festival left critics and journalists perplexed and in some cases vexed when it awarded top prize to China’s “Still Life.” Jia Zhang-Ke’s picture, about two people searching for their partners as villages and towns are submerged by the giant Three Gorges Dam project in China, was introduced as a surprise entry at a point when the main competition was already nearly over. 

Many journalists at the 11-day movie marathon had not seen the film when the prizes were announced, and after a screening of the Golden Lion winner following the awards ceremony late on Saturday the response of the packed theater was muted. “This verdict leaves people perplexed (and with Rome looming),” said the headline in the Corriere della Sera newspaper, suggesting the jury had damaged Venice’s reputation at a time when Rome is launching a rival festival. 

The article by Tullio Kezich goes on to question several decisions of a jury headed by French actress Catherine Deneuve. “Apart from the award for Helen Mirren … there is not much to agree on in the list of prizes,” he wrote. Mirren won the best actress award for her portrayal of the British monarch in Stephen Frears’ “The Queen,” one of the few popular decisions alongside French veteran Alain Resnais’ best director award for “Private Fears in Public Places.”

Eyebrows were raised over the choice of Ben Affleck as best actor for his role in “Hollywoodland,” a performance that barely registered in pre-award speculation.La Stampa newspaper stressed the political message of “Still Life,” saying a Chinese film “against China” had won.

The big winner overall has to be The Queen, which has now looks like a clear front-runner for BAFTA and Oscar glory.

> Official Site for the 63rd Venice Film Festival
> BBC News on Helen Mirren’s win
> Richard Corliss of Time with a piece on the Venice Film Festival