Forty years ago, the Berlinale launched the festival programme for the young cineastes. From the beginning the concept was embraced and celebrated by its target audiences and consequently expanded through the establishment of a further competition programme catering to adolescents. Since 2007, the Generation section has united the Kplus and 14plus competitions together under one roof and provided an opportunity not only for young people to participate in the greater conversation on cinema and culture that the festival represents.
In 2017, a grand total of 62 short and feature-length films hailing from 41 countries of production will take part in the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions. Both programmes feature a wide range of thematic concerns and aesthetic approaches. Animated productions rich in contrast, quiet observations, iconoclastic collages and sensitive dramas signalise the programme. Drawn from life, the films demonstrate the experiential horizons of young people – their desires and dreams, those things they wish to leave behind, those things that bind them and of their sense of longing to explore other realms.
Maryanne Redpath, head of the Generations section of the Berlin International Film Festival (Photo via berlinale.de)
“Our world is not in great shape. Often this means children and adolescents are left on their own and have to search for solutions and ways out of their predicaments. Generation shows young people on the move, crossing boundaries and tearing down walls, erecting barricades and overcoming them. Everything is in motion,” comments section head Maryanne Redpath in regard to this year’s programme.
Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau (Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves) by Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie
Documentary Forms
The programme is enriched by a great variety of approaches to documentary filmmaking. Diverse methods of presentation are utilised by filmmakers in the observation of their subjects. Ever vigilant but never intrusive, they reflect upon the wider topics of our times by capturing intimate portraits. They provide privileged insight into closed-off spaces and direct our attention to the all too easily overlooked. They are always on the move, in search of images of the world and opportunities to render the invisible visible for all to see.
Short Films at Generation
In the short film competitions, Generation is presenting productions from a total of 28 countries. The three Kplus short film programmes are colourful, sensitive and serious; the young protagonists face the challenges life has set before them with great bravery, staking out new spaces for themselves with growing self-confidence. With strong contrasts and brisk pacing, explosive and soothing moments and no lack of twists and turns, the two 14plus short film programmes also pay tribute to the contradictory nature of our world.
Kplus Opening Film
The Generation Kplus competition will open at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt with a screening of Red Dog: True Blue by Kriv Stenders. Generation looks forward to starting the section’s 40th anniversary edition with a bang in the presence of the Australian director and his cast.
Generation 14plus
In addition to the previously announced selections, including the opening film for 14plus, Michael Winterbottom’s On the Road, the following productions have also been invited to screen at Generation 14plus.
Ben Niao (The Foolish Bird)
The People’s Republic of China
By Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka
World premiere
For the sake of her mother, who lives far away, withdrawn Lynn searches for a way to be accepted into the local police academy. At the same time, the 16-year-old gets caught up in a criminal mess involving stolen cell phones. Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka (The Warmth of Orange Peel, Generation 2010) employ precise imagery to tell a story of isolation and lack of perspective in a small Chinese city marked by corruption, sexual violence and the all-permeating presence of new media.
Freak Show
USA
By Trudie Styler
World premiere
Somewhere between David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Freddy Mercury and Oscar Wilde, Billy has carved out his own spot in the sparkling firmament of pop culture. Though the denizens of his conservative surroundings find all this markedly less fabulous, Billy has no intention of deviating from his plan to campaign for the role of Homecoming Queen at his school. What at first seems a high school caper transforms into a bombastic yet nuanced drama, one which earns the attribution that Billy himself has also claimed as his own: trans-visionary. Aside from Alex Lawther’s brilliant performance, Bette Midler, Laverne Cox, Larry Pine and Ian Nelson also shine in this one-of-a-kind film.
Loving Lorna
Sweden
By Annika Karlsson, Jessica Karlsson
International premiere
In Ballymun, a poor suburb of Dublin, horses have been an integral part of everyday life for generations. 17-year-old Lorna’s family is no exception. Lorna would like to become a farrier after she finishes school, if only she weren’t plagued by a bad back. In this poetic study, the two Swedish directors paint a portrait of a young woman in search of happiness, fulfilled dreams and her own proper place in the world.
Não devore meu coração! (Don’t Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl!)
Brazil / The Netherlands / France
By Felipe Bragança
European premiere
The Rio Apa, the river marking the border between Paraguay and Brazil, serves as the central setting for this visually stunning, modern and powerful Romeo and Juliet story of the relationship between 13-year-old Joca and the mysterious Guaraní girl, Basano. Bragança tells his tale of an adolescent “amour fou” against the backdrop of contemporary conflicts concerning land theft and cultural identity. His fiction feature debut makes a strong impression on the big screen also through the successful use of both young Brazilian stars and local non actors.
Poi E: The Story of Our Song
New Zealand
By Tearepa Kahi
European premiere
The incredible story of a Maori pop song that took New Zealand’s charts by storm quite unexpectedly in 1984. Back in those days it was a near miracle for a piece of traditionally inspired music to become so popular. That is, until singer Dalvanius Prime, an imposing Maori with a powerfully smooth voice, and the singers of the Patea Maori Club came along. Prime had long been into soul – but now he combined the Maori-language song with modern beats and rap on stage. The media would have preferred to pretend he didn’t exist. Alas, both the song and video managed to become cult hits and helped many Maoris – especially young folks – to gain a new sense of self along the way.
The Inland Road
New Zealand
By Jackie van Beek
World premiere
On a road running through the New Zealand countryside, a fatal accident brings 16-year-old Tia together with expectant dad Will. Along with Will’s pregnant wife Donna and four-year-old Lily, a finely spun and electrifying drama about wounds both visible and invisible unfolds. This beautifully shot, atmospherically dense work is New Zealand native Jackie van Beek’s feature film debut as a director. Berlinale audiences have been able to enjoy her comedic and acting talents previously (What We Do in the Shadows, Generation 2014) as well as her work as a short film director (Go the Dogs, Generation 2011).
Shkola nomer 3 (School Number 3)
Ukraine / Germany
By Yelizaveta Smith, Georg Genoux
World premiere
Thirteen adolescents from a rebuilt school in South Ukrainian Donbass relate their hopes and fears. In rigorously composed shots, the documentary film shows the protagonists in their everyday environment, while they tell of experiences that move them, of nascent new loves and personal loss alike. The war is often only immediately perceptible on the periphery, yet it makes its presence felt as an unavoidable frame of reference. The puristic way in which it is shot renders the overall impression made by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux’s film all the more haunting.
Soldado (Soldier)
Argentina
By Manuel Abramovich
World premiere
Following orders, rehearsing snappy marches and running through more drills than you can shake a drum stick at. A 19-year-old Argentinian man goes off into the army, where he becomes a drummer in a military band. A measured but poignant study of the collision between young individuality and military uniformity, which expands on the contradictions and uncertainties of entering into adulthood within the constraints of a rigid hierarchy. A coming-of-age story set in a “total institution”.
Already announced in the previous press release:
Almost Heaven, United Kingdom, Carol Salter – WP Butterfly Kisses, United Kingdom, Rafael Kapelinski – WP Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau (Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves), Canada, Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie – EP Emo the Musical, Australia, Neil Triffett – IP Mulher do pai (Nalu on the Border), Brazil / Uruguay, Cristiane Oliveira -IP My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, USA, Dash Shaw – EP On The Road, United Kingdom, Michael Winterbottom, screening out of competition – IP – opening film for 14plus Krolewicz Olch (The Erlprince), Poland, Kuba Czekaj – EP Weirdos, Canada, Bruce McDonald – EP
Generation Kplus
Amelie rennt (Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship)
Germany / Italy
By Tobias Wiemann
World premiere
Headstrong Amelie is the queen of cursing – at her parents, her patronising doctors and her damn asthma above all else. During a forced stay in a special clinic in South Tirol she suddenly decides to run away. During the arduous trek up the mountain she not only gains an unsolicited travelling companion, she is also confronted by risky trials of courage and the overwhelming tingle of first love. An emotional roller-coaster ride.
Becoming Who I Was
Republic of Korea
By Moon Chang-Yong, Jeon Jin
International premiere
Angdu is not your average boy, he is Rinpoche. In a past life he was actually a venerable Buddhist master. Together with his carer, he sets out one day on foot from India to distant Tibet, the centre of his faith. Questions about friendship and life in general accompany the duo on their trek through the awe-inspiring landscape of the remote alpine region. With its narrative approach steeped in a serene sense of concentration, this film, composed over a period of eight years, is a fundamental experience in its own right.
Estiu 1993 (Summer 1993)
Spain
By Carla Simón
World premiere
Summer in Catalonia, 1993. For six-year-old Frida, the death of her mother means the beginning of a whole new life. In the loving care of her uncle and his family far away from her home in Barcelona, she first has to get used to her new life in the countryside. Moments of childish mischievousness turn into thoughtful detachment. Despite the summery atmosphere, serious undertones underlie this precocious coming-of-age drama. The inevitable consequences of AIDS, in those days still incalculable, have induced in gentle images Carla Simón’s (Berlinale Talents alumna) stunning debut feature film.
Oskars Amerika (Oskar’s America)
Norway / Sweden
By Torfinn Iversen
World premiere
Torfinn Iversen’s feature debut is based on motifs and characters first explored in his short film Levi’s Horse (Generation, 2012). Now this moving portrait of an unusual friendship can be enjoyed at length on the big screen. Oskar’s deepest wish is to be able to ride on the prairie with his mother over summer break. But alas, everything turns out differently than expected and the 10-year-old is forced to spend his vacation on his grumpy grandfather’s farm. Oskar’s only friend is the outsider Levi, who talks with his pony. Together they hatch a plan to get away from their grim reality: they’ll row across the Atlantic to America in Grandfather’s boat!
Piata Loď (Little Harbour)
Slovak Republic / Czech Republic / Hungary
By Iveta Grófová
World premiere
Crushed by her mother’s lack of affection for her, ten-year-old Jarka stumbles upon two abandoned infants. Together with her neighbour, 8-year-old Kristian, she lovingly cares for the tiny twins in what becomes a welcome escape from her own dysfunctional family situation. The Slovakian director’s film is an adaptation of a novel by Monika Kompaníková, in which children assume the roles of adults. The story, sensitively told from the children’s perspective, employs dynamic imagery to trace the universal desire for family and a sense of emotional security and belonging.
Uilenbal (Owls & Mice)
The Netherlands
By Simone van Dusseldorp
International premiere
Meral is new in town and the first friend she makes is her little grey housemate: the mouse Peepeep. On a school trip both are confronted by the wonder and challenges of life. Meral is forced to watch as her beloved new buddy is swept up by an owl. In spite of this frightening development, through rocking musical numbers, owl pellets and the wonders of life in the woods Meral learns to understand the meaning of true friendship. Dutch director Simone von Dusseldorp will celebrate with this Generation highlight for young audiences.
Upp i det blå (Up in the Sky)
Sweden
By Petter Lennstrand
International premiere
Pottan’s stressed-out parents actually wanted to drop her off at summer camp, but somehow the 8-year-old ends up at a scrapyard inhabited by extremely odd residents instead. Together the gang is hard at work building a homemade spaceship so that they can blast off for the stars. In his feature film debut, complete with a healthy dose of humour and a great appetite for adventure, television producer and puppeteer Petter Lennstrand tells a tale of unexpected friendships and what they can enable us to accomplish.
Wallay
France / Burkina Faso / Qatar
By Berni Goldblat
World premiere
When his father sends him off to Burkina Faso to visit relatives, 15-year-old Ady is excited at the prospect of being able to enjoy a laid-back vacation in his native land. Alas, on arrival the young man is met with a chilly reception and it soon becomes clear to him that his trip is not going to be the pleasant break from life back home that he expected. Swiss director Berni Goldblat approaches his feature film debut with the sharp eye of a documentary filmmaker in this depiction of everyday life in his adopted West African home of Burkina Faso.
Already announced in the previous press release:
As duas Irenes (Two Irenes), Brazil, Fabio Meira – WP Die Häschenschule – Jagd nach dem Goldenen Ei (Rabbit School – Guardians of the Golden Egg), Germany, Ute von Münchow-Pohl – WP Primero enero (January), Argentina, Darío Mascambroni – EP Red Dog: True Blue, Australia, Kriv Stenders – EP Richard the Stork, Germany / Belgium / Luxembourg / Norway, Toby Genkel, Reza Memari – WP Tesoros, Mexico, María Novaro – WP Shi Tou (Stonehead), People’s Republic of China, Zhao Xiang – WP
Short Films Generation 14plus
After the Smoke, Australia, Nick Waterman – WP In a Nutshell, Switzerland, Fabio Friedli – WP La prima sueca (Swedish Cousin), Argentina, Inés María Barrionuevo, Agustina San Martín – WP Libélula (Firefly), Mexico, José Pablo Escamilla Gonzáles Aragón – IP Milk, Lithuania, Daria Vlasova – WP Morning Cowboy, Spain, Fernando Pomares – WP Sheva Dakot (Seven Minutes), Israel, Assaf Machnes – IP Sirens, Monaco, Emmanuel Trousse, screening out of competition – WP Smashed, Australia, Sean Lahiff – WP SNIP, Canada, Terril Calder – EP The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do, Columbia / Belgium, Juanita Onzaga – WP U Plavetnilo (Into the Blue), Croatia / Slovenia / Sweden, Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic – WP White Riot: London, United Kingdom, Rubika Shah – EP Wolfe, Australia, Claire Randall – WP
Short Films Generation Kplus
1Minuutje natuur (1Minute of Nature), Netherlands, Stefanie Visjager, Katinka Baehr – IP Aaba (Grandfather), India, Amar Kaushik – WP Der kleine Vogel und die Raupe (The Little Bird and the Caterpillar), Switzerland, Lena von Döhren – WP Dziedošais Hugo un viņa neticamie piedzīvojumi (Singing Hugo and His Incredible Adventures), Latvia, Reinis Kalnaellis – WP Em busca da terra sem males (In Search of the Land Without Evil), Brazil, Anna Azevedo – WP Engiteng‘ Narok Lukunya (Black Head Cow), USA, Elizabeth Nichols – EP Hedgehog´s Home, Canada / Czech Republic, Eva Cvijanovic – WP Jazzoo, Sweden, Adam Marko-Nord – IP Li.le, Georgia, Natia Nikolashvili – WP Min Homosyster (My Gay Sister), Sweden / Norway, Lia Hietala – IP Odd er et egg (Odd is an Egg), Norway / Portugal, Kristin Ulseth – IP Promise, USA, Xie Tian – IP Sabaku, Netherlands, Marlies van der Wel – IP Terrain de jeux (Playground), France, Maxence Lemonnier – WP The Catch, Canada, Holly Brace-Lavoie – WP The Dress on Her, Taiwan, Wen Chih Yi- WP Vulkánsziget (Volcanoisland), Hungary, Anna Katalin Lovrity – WP Xalé Bu Rérr (Lost Child), Senegal, Abdou Khadir Ndiaye – WP
IT’S NOT OVER YET, CHECK OUT THESE FILMS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 15
TRUMAN
Spain/Argentina – 2015 – 108 minutes
Director: Cesc Guy
WORLD CINEMA NOW
Two of Spanish-speaking cinema’s finest stars, Ricardo Darin and Javier Cámara, play lifelong friends reconnecting for a short visit under the shadow of terminal cancer in this wide and tender (and surprisingly funny) movie from Cesc Gay. Goya Winner: Best Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Screenplay, Goya Awards.
A country manor mystery that’s actually a deliciously wicked comedy of manners, adapted from Stephen Fry’s best-seller. A disgraced poet and all-round drunken sot, Ted is invited to his friend Lord Logan’s estate, and investigates a spate of “miracle” healings attributed to Logan’s teenage son.
Sun, Jan 15 – 10:00 AM – PSHS
Director, John Jencks; Actor, Matthew Modine to attend.
The brilliant and controversial editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani, is given the documentary treatment by the one man who can get her to drop her guard -her son-in this insightful portrait of one of fashion’s most original icons.
In the first scripted film from acclaimed non-fiction filmmaker Natalia Almada (El velador), her austere gaze is trained on a lonely, aging government bureaucrat, Doña Flor. Patience is demanded, and rewarded. “A heartfelt argument for empathy.” Indiewire. Winner: Best Actress, Morelia.
VACATION PALM SPRINGS “DREAM VACATION” WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
* A Four (4) night stay for up to 4 people in a luxury 3-bedroom Palm Springs vacation rental home during the 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Winner will also receive the following:
* Opening -or- Closing Night Screening and Gala Reception – 4 Tickets
* Festival Screening Passes – 4 non-transferable passes, good for all regular screenings
Must be at least 25 years of age to enter this contest.
No purchase necessary.
One entry per person; employees of PSIFF are not eligible.
THE DAY WILL COME
Denmark – 2016 – 119 minutes
Director: Jesper W. Nielsen
WORLD CINEMA NOW
North American Premiere
Inspired by recent revelations about abuse in Danish orphanages dating back to the 1960s, this hard-hitting but inspiring drama focuses on two (fictional) brothers, aged 10 and 13, resisting the brutal regime of Headmaster Heck, armed with nothing but their imagination. It reunites the writer and two stars from TV’s The Killing. Winner: Audience Award, Hamburg.
A socially awkward secret service agent makes the acquaintance of both a beautiful Russian spy and a barely tolerable Estonian modern poet in the absurdly comic new film from the producer of Tangerines. It provides a sarcastic reflection on the identity and concerns of contemporary Estonia.
36 Attractive Feature Film Projects Searching for International Partners at the Berlinale Co-Production Market
At the 14th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 12 to 15, 2017) a selection of 36 promising feature-film projects from 29 countries will come together with a wide range of potential co-production and funding partners from around the world. In addition, the market will be presenting several respected production companies in the scope of their exclusive “Company Matching Programme”.
To aid the producers of the selected projects and companies, the Berlinale Co-Production Market team is organizing a total of approximately 1,200 one-on-one meetings with interested potential partners from a participant pool made up of 550 producers, world sales agents, broadcasters, distributors, film funds and financiers from all across the world.
For the official project selection, 20 promising feature-film projects with budgets ranging from 750,000 euros to eleven million euros were chosen from a total of 323 submissions. They will be presented by internationally experienced producers and have all either already secured production funding from their native countries or have at least been able to cover 30% of their projected financing needs to date.
In the scope of the “Rotterdam Berlinale Express”, three additional film projects will take part both in the CineMart Rotterdam and the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
Ten newcomers to the world of international film production will also be presenting their projects at the “Talent Project Market”, which is organized in co-operation with Berlinale Talents. These attendees were chosen from an additional 178 submitted projects.
Among the directors of the selected projects are familiar names such as Hans Petter Moland (In Order of Disappearance, A Somewhat Gentle Man, The Beautiful Country), whose films have already been featured three times in the official Berlinale programme, Agnieszka Holland, whose most recent film Spoor is celebrating its premiere at this year’s Berlinale, as well as further directors of Competition films from the past years, including for instance Lou Ye (Blind Massage), Celina Murga (The Third Side of the River), Anne Zohra Berrached (24 Weeks) and Laura Bispuri (Sworn Virgin).
In the category “Berlinale Directors”, three projects from directors whose previous films were shown at the Berlinale will be presented; though these productions are still in a very early stage of development from a financing perspective, they are considered so promising that they can already benefit from finding co-operation partners in order to ease their way to the big screen.
In addition to the meetings with potential partners, which are arranged individually to satisfy the concrete needs of each project, there are also three awards available: the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth 20,000 euros, the VFF Talent Highlight Award, worth 10,000 euros, and the ARTE International Prize, worth 6,000 euros, will all be given away at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
The four already confirmed companies featured in the “Company Matching Programme” come from Germany, France, Israel and Norway. The 550 other participants can also request one-on-one meetings with them in order to exchange information on a structural level or on the basis of project slates and move towards exploring the possibility of long-term co-operation.
There are at least two films screening in the festival programme of the upcoming Berlinale which were presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market as projects in previous years and met partners: Una mujer fantástica (A fantastic woman) by Sebastián Lelio, which is part of the Competition, and Mulher do pai (Nalu on the Border) by Cristiane Oliveira, which is being shown in Generation 14plus.
The primary partners of the Berlinale Co-Production Market are the MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and Creative Europe MEDIA, a programme of the European Union.
The Berlinale Co-Production Market is a part of the European Film Market.
The Berlin House of Representatives, which is located right across from the European Film Market in the Martin-Gropius-Bau, will once again serve as a co-operation partner and main venue for the event.
Official project selection for Berlinale Co-Production Market 2017
(in alphabetical order by production company):
– Where the Summer Went (D: Beatriz Sanchis), Animal de Luz Films, Mexico
– Psychobitch (D: Martin Lund), Ape&Bjørn, Norway
– 7500 (D: Patrick Vollrath), Augenschein Filmproduktion, Germany
– Irene (D: Celina Murga), Cepa Audiovisual & Tresmilmundos Cine, Argentina
– The Ski Jumper Who Didn’t Want to Land (D: Hans Petter Moland), Chezville & Storyline Studios, Norway
– Overgod (D: Gabriel Mascaro), Desvia Produções, Brazil
– Clear Blue (D: Lindsay MacKay), Devonshire Productions, Canada
– Man’s Fate (D: Lou Ye), Dream Factory, China & Chinese Shadows, Hong Kong, China
– The Deer (D: Bogdan George Apetri), Fantascope, Romania
– The Monster Within (D: Rodrigo Susarte), Forastero, Chile
– Lost Country (D: Vladimir Perisic), KinoElektron, France, Trilema, Serbia & MPM Film, France
– Benigno Cruz (D: Jorge Hernandez Aldana), La Pandilla Producciones, Venezuela & Lucía Films & Paloma Negra Films, Mexico
– Eloe (D: Piotr Złotorowicz), Lava Films, Poland
– Charlatan (D: Agnieszka Holland), Marlene Film Production, Czech Republic
– A Film by Verner Holm (D: Jannik Johansen), Profile Pictures, Denmark
– Blanquita (D: Fernando Guzzoni), QuijoteRampante, Chile
– Paloma’s Wedding (D: Marcelo Gomes), Rec Produtores, Brazil
– Waiting for an Angel (D: Akin Omotoso), Rififi Pictures, South Africa & Triptych Media, Canada
– Dead Noon (D: Jeff Desom), Samsa Film, Luxembourg
– Daughter of Mine (D: Laura Bispuri), Vivo Film, Italy
“Berlinale Directors” projects:
– Ten Thousand Happiness (D: Johnny Ma), Image X Productions, China
– Colour of the Skull (D: Sibs Shongwe-La Mer), Mille et Une Productions, France
– Zorro (D: Ronny Trocker), Zischlermann Filmproduktion, Germany
“Rotterdam Berlinale Express”:
– Girls of the Sun (D: Eva Husson), Maneki Films, France
– Jumpman (D: Ivan I. Tverdovsky), New People Film Company, Russia
– The Wife of the Pilot (D: Anne Zohra Berrached), Razor Film Produktion, Germany
“Talent Project Market” – projects and selected production talents (in alphabetical order by production company):
– The Deposit (P: Eva Sigurdardottir), Askja Films, Iceland
– MNK Boy (P: Aydin Dehzad), Kaliber Film, Netherlands / Turkey
– Shock Labor (P: Maria Carla del Rio), Marinca Filmes, Cuba
– The Bus to Amerika (P: Nefes Polat), Mars Production, Turkey
– The Space Between (P: Angela Lee), Nifty Pictures, USA
– Memoryland (P/D: Quy Bui), Pixelholic Media, Vietnam
– Tomorrow is a Long Time (P: Jeremy Chua), Potocol, Singapore
– Never the Bright Lights (P: Tonee Acejo), Quiapost Productions, Philippines
– You Will Die at Twenty (P: Hossam Elouan), Transit Films, Egypt / Sudan
– Breaking Surface (P: Julia Gebauer), Way Creative Films, Sweden
Company Matching (in alphabetical order by company):
Black Sheep Film Productions, Israel
Haut et Court, France
Mer Film, Norway
Weydemann Bros., Germany
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), presented by UGG®, will offer a vast array of films representing 50+ countries, 51 world premieres and 64 US premieres, along with tributes with the year’s top talent, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.
Directed by Phillip Baribeau, CHARGED chronicles the journey of chef and outdoorsman, Eduardo Garcia and his recovery after being electrocuted by 2400 volts of electricity miles from help in the Montana backcountry. Garcia had his hand amputated, lost ribs, muscle mass and nearly his life, but more important than what he lost is what he found. CHARGED tells Eduardo’s remarkable journey from getting up off the forest floor to becoming the man he is today.
The documentary is produced by Dennis Aig and Phillip Baribeau along with executive producers Teri Weinberg, Scott Ballew, Doug Ellin, Peter Hochfelder, Constance Schwartz–Morini and Michael Strahan.
INTERNATIONAL GALA
For the International Gala, the festival will feature the US Premiere of HEAL THE LIVING (Réparer les vivants) a French–Belgian drama directed by Katell Quillévéré and written by Quillévéré and Gilles Taurand. HEAL THE LIVING stars Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past, Grand Central, The Informant), Emmanuelle Seigner (Venus in Fur, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) and Anne Dorval (Mommy, Heartbeats). Three seemingly unrelated stories are masterfully woven together in this family medical drama. A French teenager takes a road trip to the sea with friends to go surfing; a woman learns her heart is failing; and the staff at a regional hospital struggles through another day of saving lives. Cohen Media Group plans for a Spring 2017 release.
Their Finest directed by Lone Sherfig stars Gemma Arteton, left, as a scriptwriter in charge of writing female dialogue, and Bill Nighy as pretentious, fading movie star Ambrose Hilliard in this 1940’s British period comedy-drama.
The year is 1940, Britain. With the nation devastated by the war, the British ministry turns to propaganda films to boost morale at home. Realizing their films could use “a woman’s touch,” the ministry hires Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton) as a scriptwriter in charge of writing the female dialogue. Although her artist husband looks down on her job, Catrin’s natural flair quickly gets her noticed by charming lead scriptwriter Buckley (Sam Claflin). Catrin and Buckley set out to make an epic feature film based on the Battle of Dunkirk starring pretentious fading movie star Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Nighy). As bombs are dropping all around them, Catrin, Buckley and their colorful cast and crew work furiously to make a film that will warm the hearts of the nation.
The film is produced by Stephen Woolley, Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer and Elizabeth Karlsen. Christine Langan, Ed Wethered, Robert Norris, Ivan Dunleavy, Peter Watson, Zygi Kamasa and Thorsten Schumacher serve as executive producers. The film is produced by Number 9 Films and Wildgaze Films.
THE TRIBUTES
SBIFF has become an important showcase for Academy–Award® frontrunners, many of whom have arrived as nominees and gone on to win the Oscar. The 32nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival proudly celebrates some of the year’s finest work in film. The complete list of 2017 Honorees (in date order) is as follows:
The Virtuosos Award presented by UGG®will be awarded to Aaron Taylor Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), Dev Patel (Lion), Janelle Monáe (Hidden Figures, Moonlight), Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Ruth Negga (Loving), Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins), and Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences) in recognition of the year’s emerging film artists. The evening will be moderated by Dave Karger on Saturday, February 4th.
The Variety Artisans Awards will take place on Monday, February 6th and will be moderated by Variety’s Sr. VP Awards Editor, Tim Gray. Honorees to be announced.
The Outstanding Director of the Year Awardsponsored by The Hollywood Reporter will be Tuesday, February 7th and will be moderated by Pete Hammond. Honorees to be announced.
All tributes take place at the historic Arlington Theatre except the Variety Artisans Award, which will be at the Lobero Theatre.
THE PANELS
SBIFF has become renowned for creating smart, insightful panels that feature a who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar® contenders.
The panel series begins on Saturday, February 4th with the “Movers and Shakers,” (Producers Panel), bringing together the industry’s most prolific producers to talk about current projects, hopes for the future of filmmaking, and insight into the creative process. Moderated by Glenn Whipp.
That same day proceeds with “It Starts With the Script” (Screenwriters Panel), bringing together top writers to discuss their craft. The panel will be moderated by Anne Thompson.
On Saturday, February 11th, Creative Forces: Women in the Business (Women’s Panel), will be moderated by Madelyn Hammond.
All panels take place at the Lobero Theatre.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The 2017 Film Program addresses timely themes including a focus on environmental activism, feminism in the Middle East, efforts to thwart ISIS around the world including, Mali and Kurdistan, the fight for democracy in Ukraine and the global refugee crisis. In addition, some of the new highlights in the program include the following sections:
Nordic Cinema Competition: A diverse showcase of contemporary cinema From Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Crime Scenes: An international selection of crime thrillers and neo-noirs filled with gritty underworlds and moral nihilists.
Documentary Shorts: Refugees: A program of short documentaries featuring compelling stories from refugees living in Malawi, Syria, West Africa, Greece, Sweden and the United States.
The Jury – Films in several of the Festival’s film categories are in competition. These categories are viewed by a hand selected group of industry professionals including: Richard Raymond, Joanna Kerns, Jesus Lloveras, Tamara Asseyev, Martin Gooch, Anthony & Arnette Zerbe, Alan Marshall, Artie Schmidt, Janet Walker, Phyllis de Picciotto, Perry Lang and Mimi deGruy. On the last day of the Festival, the award winning films will be announced at the annual SBIFF awards breakfast.
ABOUT SBIFF
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non–profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 30 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 90,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
Sponsors of the 32nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival include: UGG®, Belvedere Vodka, Dom Pérignon, Anti–Defamation League, Montecito Bank & Trust, Visit The Santa Ynez Valley, IMDB, Santa Barbara Foundation, Union Bank, Winchester Mystery House, Wells Fargo, Westerly Wines, The Bentson Foundation and many more supporting through trade.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through free programs like its 10–10–10 Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies, National Film Studies Program, AppleBox Family Films, 3rd Weekend and educational seminars. This past June, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. The theatre is SBIFF’s new home and is the catalyst for program expansion and marks the first time that Santa Barbara has had a 24/7 community center to expand their mission of educational outreach.
It’s that time of year again. The first film festival bookend of the Oscar race, The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), is wrapping up its two-week long run including its first-ever, pre-event Film Awards Gala, while the other bookend, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), is ramping up for its 32nd edition.
In comparison, PSIFF has maintained a decided edge on glamour with its Film Awards Gala and film viewing with its Regal Cinemas, The Mary Pickford and the Camelot Theaters. Not to be outdone, SBIFF is in the process of updating its newly acquired and not-so-distant future home, the Santa Barbara Riviera Theater, and its use of the Sate Street Metropolitan Theater venues on the stunning shop lined, downtown State Street segment keeps the screens within a reasonable walking distance.
Currently, SBIFF continues its Riviera Project Capital Campaign in support of seat and facility improvements for its Riviera Theater. SBIFF also continues to expand its growing educational programming and remains steadfast in its commitment on community engagement.
Both festivals offer similar, cutting-edge, timely programming with stimulating themes. In addition, SBIFF recently released its 2017 film program.
Here’s the latest information release on the 32nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival:
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), presented by UGG®, will offer a vast array of films representing 50+ countries, 51 world premieres and 64 US premieres, along with tributes with the year’s top talent, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.
Directed by Phillip Baribeau, CHARGED chronicles the journey of chef and outdoorsman, Eduardo Garcia and his recovery after being electrocuted by 2400 volts of electricity miles from help in the Montana backcountry. Garcia had his hand amputated, lost ribs, muscle mass and nearly his life, but more important than what he lost is what he found. CHARGED tells Eduardo’s remarkable journey from getting up off the forest floor to becoming the man he is today.
The documentary is produced by Dennis Aig and Phillip Baribeau along with executive producers Teri Weinberg, Scott Ballew, Doug Ellin, Peter Hochfelder, Constance Schwartz–Morini and Michael Strahan.
INTERNATIONAL GALA
For the International Gala, the festival will feature the US Premiere of HEAL THE LIVING (Réparer les vivants) a French–Belgian drama directed by Katell Quillévéré and written by Quillévéré and Gilles Taurand. HEAL THE LIVING stars Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past, Grand Central, The Informant), Emmanuelle Seigner (Venus in Fur, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) and Anne Dorval (Mommy, Heartbeats). Three seemingly unrelated stories are masterfully woven together in this family medical drama. A French teenager takes a road trip to the sea with friends to go surfing; a woman learns her heart is failing; and the staff at a regional hospital struggles through another day of saving lives. Cohen Media Group plans for a Spring 2017 release.
The year is 1940, Britain. With the nation devastated by the war, the British ministry turns to propaganda films to boost morale at home. Realizing their films could use “a woman’s touch,” the ministry hires Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton) as a scriptwriter in charge of writing the female dialogue. Although her artist husband looks down on her job, Catrin’s natural flair quickly gets her noticed by charming lead scriptwriter Buckley (Sam Claflin). Catrin and Buckley set out to make an epic feature film based on the Battle of Dunkirk starring pretentious fading movie star Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Nighy). As bombs are dropping all around them, Catrin, Buckley and their colorful cast and crew work furiously to make a film that will warm the hearts of the nation.
The film is produced by Stephen Woolley, Amanda Posey, Finola Dwyer and Elizabeth Karlsen. Christine Langan, Ed Wethered, Robert Norris, Ivan Dunleavy, Peter Watson, Zygi Kamasa and Thorsten Schumacher serve as executive producers. The film is produced by Number 9 Films and Wildgaze Films.
THE TRIBUTES
SBIFF has become an important showcase for Academy–Award® frontrunners, many of whom have arrived as nominees and gone on to win the Oscar. The 32nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival proudly celebrates some of the year’s finest work in film. The complete list of 2017 Honorees (in date order) is as follows:
The Virtuosos Award presented by UGG®will be awarded to Aaron Taylor Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), Dev Patel (Lion), Janelle Monáe (Hidden Figures, Moonlight), Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Ruth Negga (Loving), Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins), and Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences) in recognition of the year’s emerging film artists. The evening will be moderated by Dave Karger on Saturday, February 4th.
The Variety Artisans Awards will take place on Monday, February 6th and will be moderated by Variety’s Sr. VP Awards Editor, Tim Gray. Honorees to be announced.
The Outstanding Director of the Year Awardsponsored by The Hollywood Reporter will be Tuesday, February 7th and will be moderated by Pete Hammond. Honorees to be announced.
All tributes take place at the historic Arlington Theatre except the Variety Artisans Award, which will be at the Lobero Theatre.
THE PANELS
SBIFF has become renowned for creating smart, insightful panels that feature a who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar® contenders.
The panel series begins on Saturday, February 4th with the “Movers and Shakers,” (Producers Panel), bringing together the industry’s most prolific producers to talk about current projects, hopes for the future of filmmaking, and insight into the creative process. Moderated by Glenn Whipp.
That same day proceeds with “It Starts With the Script” (Screenwriters Panel), bringing together top writers to discuss their craft. The panel will be moderated by Anne Thompson.
On Saturday, February 11th, Creative Forces: Women in the Business (Women’s Panel), will be moderated by Madelyn Hammond.
All panels take place at the Lobero Theatre.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
The 2017 Film Program addresses timely themes including a focus on environmental activism, feminism in the Middle East, efforts to thwart ISIS around the world including, Mali and Kurdistan, the fight for democracy in Ukraine and the global refugee crisis. In addition, some of the new highlights in the program include the following sections:
Nordic Cinema Competition: A diverse showcase of contemporary cinema From Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Crime Scenes: An international selection of crime thrillers and neo-noirs filled with gritty underworlds and moral nihilists.
Documentary Shorts: Refugees: A program of short documentaries featuring compelling stories from refugees living in Malawi, Syria, West Africa, Greece, Sweden and the United States.
The Jury – Films in several of the Festival’s film categories are in competition. These categories are viewed by a hand selected group of industry professionals including: Richard Raymond, Joanna Kerns, Jesus Lloveras, Tamara Asseyev, Martin Gooch, Anthony & Arnette Zerbe, Alan Marshall, Artie Schmidt, Janet Walker, Phyllis de Picciotto, Perry Lang and Mimi deGruy. On the last day of the Festival, the award winning films will be announced at the annual SBIFF awards breakfast.
ABOUT SBIFF
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non–profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 30 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 90,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
Sponsors of the 32nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival include: UGG®, Belvedere Vodka, Dom Pérignon, Anti–Defamation League, Montecito Bank & Trust, Visit The Santa Ynez Valley, IMDB, Santa Barbara Foundation, Union Bank, Winchester Mystery House, Wells Fargo, Westerly Wines, The Bentson Foundation and many more supporting through trade.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through free programs like its 10–10–10 Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies, National Film Studies Program, AppleBox Family Films, 3rd Weekend and educational seminars. This past June, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. The theatre is SBIFF’s new home and is the catalyst for program expansion and marks the first time that Santa Barbara has had a 24/7 community center to expand their mission of educational outreach.
AFI asked Amy Adams, Mel Gibson, Donald Glover, Chris Pine, Martin Scorsese, Denzel Washington and many other artists what they’d like to be remembered for about their movies and TV shows, and why movies and television matter now. This AFI AWARDS 2016 video almanac serves as that part of film history. To see photos click here.
The interviews were filmed at the AFI AWARDS luncheon, where each year the entertainment community celebrates the creative ensembles behind the year’s most outstanding films and television shows.
In order of appearance:
Martin Scorsese (SILENCE)
Jay Cocks (SILENCE)
Clint Eastwood (SULLY)
Denzel Washington (FENCES)
Amy Adams (ARRIVAL)
Mandy Moore (THIS IS US)
Donald Glover (ATLANTA)
John Lithgow (THE CROWN)
Kenneth Lonergan (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA)
Shawn Levy (ARRIVAL, STRANGER THINGS)
Eric Heisserer (ARRIVAL)
Damien Chazelle (LA LA LAND)
Matt and Ross Duffer (STRANGER THINGS)
Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham (HELL OR HIGH WATER)
Dan Cohen (ARRIVAL, STRANGER THINGS)
Saniyya Sidney (FENCES)
Taylor Sheridan (HELL OR HIGH WATER)
Cuba Gooding Jr. (THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY)
Mahershala Ali (MOONLIGHT)
Andrew Garfield (HACKSAW RIDGE, SILENCE)
Susan Kelechi Watson (THIS IS US)
Mel Gibson (HACKSAW RIDGE)
Vince Gilligan (BETTER CALL SAUL)
Chris Pine (HELL OR HIGH WATER)
Milo Ventimiglia (THIS IS US)
Brian Tyree Henry (ATLANTA)
Telefilm Canada hosted a party at Lulu California Bistro to celebrate the great talent of Canadian filmmakers and their work. Looks like a pretty great party, eh?
HERE ARE SOME MORE GREAT FILM CHOICES FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 14
MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI
Switzerland/France – 2016 – 66 minutes
Director: Claude Barras
AWARDS BUZZ-BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Delightful, brightly-colored stop-motion animation makes this sensitive coming-of-age story about an orphan nicknamed Zucchini all but irresistible. Submitted for the Academy Award® in the Animated Feature category and again as Switzerland’s FLO entry, it will charm children and adults alike. Winner: Best Feature and Audience Award, Annecy
Set against China’s rugged Taihang Mountains and superbly photographed by Patrick Murgia, Larry Yang’s forceful melodrama tells of the love between a mute widow and the man responsible for the death of her husband. A gorgeous film with the feel of a timeless allegory. Winner: Best Director, Screenplay, Shanghai.
This powerful, nuanced and resonant drama follows a teenage girl living in Amsterdam, who becomes disillusioned by daily encounters with racism, and turns to Islam. Her relationship with a Jihadist completes her radicalization, but her journey is far from over… Winner: Outstanding Performance, Philadelphia.
A stand-alone Film Festival Store for the Palm Springs International Film Festival is featuring a complete collection of Film Festival Merchandise at Destination PSP. The Festival Store is now open and will be open every day through January 16.
The Festival Store is located in the Regal Cinema Courtyard Plaza, unit 16,
just down from the Regal Cinemas and across the courtyard from the
Festival Ticket and Information Center.
You can also shop online at Destination PSP by clicking HERE.
IN BETWEEN
Israel/France – 2016 – 96 minutes
Director: Maysaloun Hamoud
NEW VOICES/NEW VISIONS
US Premiere
A spiky, compelling dramedy about strong, modern, sexually active Palestinian-Israeli women, living independently in the center of Tel Aviv, far from their families and the weight of tradition. Winner, Best Debut, Haifa; NETPAC Award, Toronto.
A casual brush-off has profound and terrible consequences in the latest morality tale from the Dardenne brothers (Two Days, One Night; The Kid with a Bike). A young doctor turns detective to investigate the circumstances around a suspicious death in which she feels implicated.
Chris Daniels talks to the people behind brand films such as BMW’s The Escape and Samsung’s Fighting Chance and identifies the secret sauce that engaged viewers and persuaded them to watch.
BMW’s 5 Series Sedan looks gleaming and gorgeous in the automaker’s new brand film, The Escape, but by the end of the action-packed 11 minutes the vehicle has been dented, cracked and shot at. As the film’s co-creative director Bruce Bildsten tells PRWeek, “We went out of our way to avoid any shots that looked like a car commercial. We made sure the car got pretty banged up and dirty.”
“In fact, to prepare for the final shot we had a stuntman jump off a ladder onto the hood because it wasn’t dented enough,” Bildsten recalls. “And the client was there saying, ‘Go for it!’”
The Escape arrives 15 years after The Hire, the first BMW film that raced to more than 100 million views back before high-speed Internet was widespread. The success was fueled by a great story, word of mouth, and earned media impressions. Many experts consider the action film (starring movie actor Clive Owen, who reprised his role for the latest iteration) a seminal moment for brand film as a viral content play.
Although it has taken time for more brands to experiment with the media, industry watchers note advertisers of all categories have gotten into the filmmaking business. Some, such as Nike and Chipotle Mexican Grill, have commissioned animated shorts; others, including Prada-owned fashion house Miu Miu and Häagen-Dazs, have done documentaries; and the likes of BMW and H&M have opted for cinematic fiction.
Its growing popularity is also reflected in the hundreds of entries to PRWeek and Campaign’s inaugural Brand Film Festival last year.
Experts attribute its rise to several factors, paramount among them being the democratization of content and the fact consumers are choosing what to watch and how to watch it.
Since its launch in late October last year, The Escape has been watched on YouTube more than 5.1 million times. Bildsten reunited with former Fallon colleagues David Carter and Brian DiLorenzo and created Geisel Productions to produce it. They worked on the first film for BMW USA while they were all at ad agency Fallon and hope to make more brand films under Geisel.
“The lesson we learned from BMW was that we could integrate the car into the story, but it could never be heavy handed,” he explains. “That’s the mistake often made with brand films. They’re selling; they turn the viewer off; and no one seeks it out.”
Experts agree a brand film is no longer a film if it’s selling (that’s just an extended ad), or telling a story strictly about the company (that’s an infomercial). They say it follows a different set of parameters and best practices that seem counter to almost everything else they do in marcomms.
Understand your brand first
Spectrecom Films & Spectrecom Studios in London, with corporate clients including American Express, Skittles, and Guinness, has increasingly been approached by newer brands looking to put themselves on the map, says Christiaan Harden, client services director.
However, he says companies can’t look to a film for helping define their brand; it has to instead evangelize and emote what your brand is about. “You can’t do that if you don’t have a good understanding of your own brand,” says Harden. “We’ve had to say to some clients, in particular for new brands, ‘Don’t even think of allocating a budget until you know who you are yourself.’”
A clear understanding of your brand also keeps you focused on the storytelling that would resonate and engage on an emotional level with your particular target, he adds.
“Sometimes a client already has an idea that may be imaginative and slightly different, but it is not communicated with the brand in mind – it’s just an idea for its own sake,” says Harden. “That’s why the branding stage and understanding your audience is so important.”
Also understand – audiences aren’t clamoring for your film.
“There are very few brands people genuinely care about. You could probably count them on the fingers of one hand,” says Matthew Gidley, SVP, MD, experiential and live events group, Momentum Worldwide and an award-winning writer who has worked on films for brands including Nokia and Meridien Hotels.
“You should assume nobody wants to see your brand film other than the client, a handful of your colleagues, and perhaps some close members of your family,” says Gidley. “It’s the number one golden rule and as an industry it’s the first rule we choose to ignore: Never be boring, and don’t kid yourself you’re being interesting.”
Choose your collaborators
Brands can work with production companies, ad agencies, and PR firms, which have boosted their production capabilities with hires of former executive producers in TV and film.
A field producer for Rachel Ray and The Martha Stewart Show before joining Weber Shandwick in 2011, Ian Cohen is now the firm’s global executive producer and president, content creation and innovation. He oversees over 100 employees globally, from directors and editors to photographers and animators.
Collaborating with a PR agency in helping to identify and craft a story for film offers distinct advantages, Cohen says.
“The advantage of coming at it from the PR angle is we ask ‘what type of film can we create that would get into the news cycle?’, because non-paid media is what we’re really after,” he says. “When we do a film and someone does an online search of the client, we want them to find coverage of the film – because it will be embedded in the coverage.”
“That unpaid media becomes the film’s rocket fuel. It signals this is something you can’t miss,” he adds.
As an example, he points to the 90-second mini-documentary Weber produced for Fisher-Price called “Wishes for baby,” which features new moms in hospitals around the world sharing their wishes for their babies. The footage – shot in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2016 – has been viewed on YouTube more than 1.8 million times and was picked up by the likes of USA Today.
Regardless of your collaborators, remember films are written by writers, not copywriters, says Gidley.
“The most sacred object in this whole enterprise is the script, and you’d better make sure whoever wrote it is a voracious reader of everything from history to politics to fiction to poetry to metaphysics – because they’re going to have to apply the rules of rhetoric to a subject that may not on the face of it be terrifically exciting (a brand),” he points out. “I once won an award for a brand film about a hotel chain, and the spark of inspiration came to me whilst reading a passage in a Jane Austen novel that reminded me of something I had once seen in a PBS documentary about the history of the Spanish guitar.”
“That’s what writers do. They find connections and turn them into ideas that move people,” Gidley notes.
He also notes that many of his most-awarded films were written while he was a planner at a large events agency. As a result, he advises clients make an effort to know who’s who in their agency roster and actively identify the people they want thinking and writing about their brand. “I have a chip on my shoulder, but I’ll say it anyway – the best people probably aren’t inside the ad agency,” notes Gidley.
Think about distribution upfront
Before joining Ketchum Sports & Entertainment in October, Michelle Carney was at Tribeca Enterprises where she produced films for clients, including a series of small business documentaries for American Express, an Olympics feature for United Airlines, and numerous projects for Dick’s Sporting Goods. Now she leads Ketchum’s branded film, video, and VR/AR offering Ketchum Films.
“A film can live forever and have multiple phases within its distribution window,” Carney points out. “It is imperative to think about distribution as you’re conceiving the idea for the film, whether it’s a documentary, narrative, or short. You want to make sure distribution aligns with those important times in a brand calendar.”
She also says while most brands look to an earned media strategy for their film using owned channels, they should also consider seeking a distribution deal with the likes of Amazon or Netflix. She says having a top-shelf director on a brand film gives it instant credibility.
Carney cites the short documentary Fighting Chance that Ketchum produced for Samsung leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympics, directed by Oscar-winner Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom).
Samsung’s film highlights the reality that of the one million athletes who train for the Olympics, only 1% qualify.
“If you have a great film, a platform is going to want to distribute it. They’re probably not going to pay a premium for it, but you never know when you have people like Morgan and Ron Howard making brand content,” says Carney. “That changes the game. Also, remember the distribution landscape changes every day and is constantly evolving.”
Cohen agrees as much attention should be paid to distribution as creative. “Often a piece of content is made and then handed off to distribution, but that’s the wrong approach,” he says. “The distribution team, whether for paid or earned media, needs to be engaged in the brand story upfront, because I’ve seen where they’ve said, ‘Hey, if we move this soundbite up or engage this particular cast of characters, we’ll get picked up by these different media trades.’”
“That is what you’re after: you’re not paying for 10,000 views and getting 10,000 views. You’re guaranteeing yourself 10,000 views [with paid distribution] and hoping for 100,000 more through earned media,” summarizes Cohen.
Go here to learn more about PRWeek and Campaign’s Brand Film Festival New York, or to submit your film for consideration for their second annual gala screening.
The deadline for submissions, which are open to work from the Americas and Asia-Pacific, is February 6.
Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2016.
Nominees for First-Time Feature Film Director Category Also Announced
Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay (Photo via MadameNoir)
“These phenomenal filmmakers have captured our hearts and minds, breathing life into stories rarely told and revealing worlds rarely seen,” said Barclay. “What makes this recognition truly special is the knowledge that these five directors have made a lasting impression on their peers – directors and members of the director’s team who intimately understand the blood, sweat and tears necessary to create a feature film.”
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2016 are (in alphabetical order):
Damien Chazelle La La Land(Lionsgate)
Mr. Chazelle’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michael Beugg
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton
Second Second Assistant Director: Brett Robinson
Additional Second Assistant Director: Dodi Rubenstein
*This is Mr. Chazelle’s first DGA Award nomination.
Garth Davis Lion (The Weinstein Company)
Mr. Davis’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Chris Webb
First Assistant Director: Ananya Rane (India Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Mark Ingram (Australia Unit), Sunny Tiku (India Unit), KP Singh (India Unit), Shaunak Kapur (India Unit)
*This is one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Mr. Davis. He is also nominated in the First-Time Feature Film category for Lion. He was previously nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 2009 for “Shadow Puppets,” U.S. Cellular.
Barry Jenkins Moonlight (A24)
Mr. Jenkins’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jennifer Radzikowski
*This is Mr. Jenkins’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.
Kenneth Lonergan Manchester by the Sea (Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions)
Mr. Lonergan’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Declan Baldwin
First Assistant Director: Michael J. Moore
Second Assistant Director: David Blazina
Second Second Assistant Directors: Tim LaDue, Scooter Perrotta
*This is Mr. Lonergan’s first DGA Award nomination.
Denis Villeneuve Arrival (Paramount Pictures)
Mr. Villeneuve’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Stan Wlodkowski
First Assistant Director: Donald L. Sparks
Second Assistant Director: Brigitte Goulet
Second Second Assistant Director: Karine P. Labelle
*This is Mr. Villeneuve’s first DGA Award nomination.
First-Time Feature Director Award
In addition, Mr. Barclay announced the five nominees for a new category, which debuted last year, recognizing the achievement of first-time feature film directors. First announced by Steven Spielberg at the 2015 DGA Awards, the Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director was created to showcase up-and-coming feature film talent.
“They say that ‘the only thing that stays the same is change,’ and that’s especially true when it comes to the art of filmmaking when driven by fresh viewpoints and new methods,” said Barclay. “The future of film is dependent on newly blazed trails and creative leaps of faith which is what we’re honoring with our first-time feature film director award. Congratulations to these five emerging filmmakers who have created projects that are as bold as they are innovative.”
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director for 2016 are (in alphabetical order):
Garth Davis Lion (The Weinstein Company)
Kelly Fremon Craig The Edge of Seventeen (STX Entertainment)
Tim Miller Deadpool (Twentieth Century Fox)
Nate Parker Birth of a Nation (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Dan Trachtenberg 10 Cloverfield Lane (Paramount Pictures)
*Eligible directors for this award must have released his or her first feature-length film theatrically in Los Angeles or New York in 2016. Foreign films are eligible and the director does not need to be a DGA member.
The nominees in categories honoring outstanding directorial achievement in television, commercials and documentary for 2016 were announced on January 11, 2017. Click here to see that post.
The winners in all categories will be announced at the 69th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
BMW is the Exclusive Automotive Sponsor of the 69th Annual DGA Awards.
A truth universally acknowledged: Everything is going digital, from the promotion of films to the way they are screened in movie theaters.
The bulk of film revenue comes from online, not only domestically but worldwide. Producers today wonder if their films still need theatrical and DVD distribution, both of which have been declining in profits, or if they can bypass these and go straight to the digital market. On top of lower returns, the fact that almost 30 new movies open every week crowds the theatrical market like never before. The clamor of do-it-yourself distribution makes things even more confusing. So, can a case still be made for theatrical release? Yes. Here’s why:
“They say that ‘the only thing that stays the same is change,’ and that’s especially true when it comes to the art of filmmaking when driven by fresh viewpoints and new methods,” said Barclay. “The future of film is dependent on newly blazed trails and creative leaps of faith which is what we’re honoring with our first-time feature film director award. Congratulations to these five emerging filmmakers who have created projects that are as bold as they are innovative.”