Tag Archives: creativity

2017 Oscar Nominations: Live Stream

January 17, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences along with several Oscar-winning and Academy nominated members including Jennifer Hudson, Brie Larson, Emmanuel Lubezki, Jason Reitman and Ken Watanabe as they join Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs to reveal the 89th Oscars® Nominations, on Tuesday, January 24, beginning at 5:18 a.m. PST/8:18 a.m. EST/1:18 p.m. GMT/9:18 p.m. CST. Come and celebrate the nominees here with HollywoodGlee!

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 7,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is under construction in Los Angeles.

(Source: oscars.org)

#Berlinale, #BIFF, Berlin Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival

Berlin’s Panorama Dokumente Complete: Opening on February 10, 2017

January 17, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

Authoritarian Regimes Under Observation / Music Documentaries Featuring Almodóvar’s Muse and Electronic Avant-Garde

Director Monika Treut Receives Special TEDDY Award 2017

The French production Belinda by Marie Dumora is slated to open Panorama Dokumente with a contribution to the previously announced thematic focus “Europa Europa” (see post here). The Yenish people have occupied a difficult position in the national fabric of Europe since time immemorial: like the Sinti and Roma, they typically have trouble aligning themselves as they are legally and socially excluded by majority populations. The grandparents of 15-year-old sisters Belinda and Sabrina first met in a German concentration camp – the young women were placed in foster care at an early age and were lucky to land in the La Nichée children’s home. With the start of life comes the start of a long struggle with the world – a world also determined by limits and rules on this most diverse of all continents. A haunting, harrowing documentation of everyday life as it is lived on the margins of society.

Three films demand that we take a fresh historical look at European events whose echoes are still felt so many years later:

First off is No Intenso Agora (In the Intense Now) from Brazil’s João Moreira Salles, who juxtaposes a cornucopia of archive materials documenting the events which unfolded in Paris in 1968 with amateur footage showing the suppression of the Prague Spring and footage of a self -confident Chinese society under Mao, just as his mother experienced it back then – as a private political reflection.

Next up is an exciting bit of time travel in Jochen Hick’s Mein wunderbares West-Berlin (My Wonderful West Berlin), an account of queer living situations in West Berlin in an era when emancipation had yet to be invented, primarily covering the 1960s to the the 1980s but also taking time to revisit the roots of the gay rights movement in the immediate post-war period.

bones_biff — *Bones of* *Contention*, by American Andrea Weiss, is an in-depth look at the LGBT community in Spain during the Franco regime into the present. (Photo courtesy of Berlinale Press Office)

And finally, a long look underneath the rug of Spanish reticence in Bones of Contention by Andrea Weiss of the USA: In search of the earthly remains of iconic Spanish poet and fascist murder victim Federico García Lorca, the filmmaker stumbles upon the entirely unexamined history of the suppression of the LGBT community under Franco, while also becoming familiar with the struggles of today’s movement, whose efforts to procure some sort of long overdue justice for the hundreds of thousands who were “disappeared” during the fascist era are met with little support.

In Tahqiq fel djenna (Investigating Paradise), distinguished French director Merzak Allouache seeks answers to a question which also exerts an influence on today’s Europa. In order to try to fathom the origins of the desire for death exhibited by so many young Arab men in Algeria, one must understand that they are motivated by the florid fairy tales that their spiritual leaders have led them to believe, including above all the notion that sex and wine will finally be available in abundance after death. The young Algerian journalist Nedjma researches the paradise that Salafist preachers promise young men together with her colleague Mustapha. A dense analysis of the extreme manifestations of a destructive, conservative Islam that seeks to dominate.

The second of the two previously mentioned thematic focal points “Black Worlds” is reinforced by Yance Ford’s Strong Island. The director processes the murder of his own brother 25 years ago in a documentary film by equal turns personal and political, in a formally open examination of racist terror, grief work and smouldering anger about inequality.

Is this the heart of “America”? And does Rambo live inside it like the man in the moon lives inside his satellite? Erase and Forget by Andrea Luka Zimmerman (Great Britain) doesn’t pose the question, it answers it instead. The all American hero, the most highly decorated soldier of all time with hundreds of human lives on his conscience, roams like a benevolent patriarch through Idaho, where the people are proud of the high level of diversity in the available flavours of right-wing radicalism, just another normal part of life out here.

Two films turn their attention to Latin America and structures that still make their effects felt from left and right-wing authoritarian forms of society.

In Tania Libre, Lynn Hershman Leeson, a guest at Panorama for the third time, accompanies Cuban artist Tania Bruguera during sessions with trauma therapist Dr. Frank Ochberg. After having served a sentence for treason meted out in the wake of a performance that expressed criticism of the regime, she wants to acquire the skills necessary to process the invasive infringement wrought by the paranoid machinery of the people’s dictatorship, including the revocation of her right to practice her art. The founder of the Institute for Artivism Hannah Arendt in Havana intends to campaign in Cuba’s next presidential election in 2018.

The second film hails from Chile: El Pacto De Adriana (Adriana’s Pact) by Lissette Orozco. The director accidently comes across indications that her once favourite aunt Adriana colluded actively with the secret service back in the days of the Pinochet junta. Her research yields a picture that can be found after the fall of every dictatorship ever: those that lived well under the terror regime steadfastly deny their involvement after the winds have shifted. A macrocosm opens up within a family’s intimate history – and no one knew nothing.

The French-Swiss-Palestinian co-production Istiyad Ashbah (Ghost Hunting) by Raed Andoni on the other hand leads us back into the present. In the scope of shooting for a film, a group of ex-prisoners from Israeli detention re-enact a sort of exhaustive catalogue of their experiences, in role plays and often in what borders on trauma therapy. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have experienced things like this in a variety of forms – what impact will these experiences have on the affected societies in the future?

Three extraordinary music documentaries make up a last thematic focus: On the one hand, we have Chavela by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi, an homage to the Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, whose exceptional talent carried her to the world’s most notable concert halls, and whose independence and prodigious sacrifice in her life as a lesbian testified to an admirable attitude that stayed with her to a ripe old age. The last concert of this lover of Frida Kahlo, which took place under the patronage of Pedro Almodóvar (who has featured her music consistently in his films), was an homage performed in Madrid to the great gay Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (see also the Panorama production Bones of Contention in this connection).

On the other hand, Panorama brings together two films that treat electronic music culture in Germany: An inventor, innovator, a creator of genres, that’s Edgar Froese. Revolution of Sound. Tangerine Dream by Margarete Kreuzer is devoted to the story of the band and their influential, world famous music – while director Romuald Karmakar turns his attention once again to the settings of his “Club Land Trilogy”: With Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht (If I Think of Germany at Night) he shows the development of the music genres in question in the here and now, by enabling us to watch and listen to notable DJs while they work, including Ricardo Villalobos, Sonja Moonear, Ata Macias, Roman Flügel and Move D/David Moufang.

After her success at Panorama with Anderson, Annekatrin Hendel is back with an extremely intimate story of friendship that has larger societal implications. In Fünf Sterne (Five Stars) she spends four existential weeks in a seaside hotel with a close female friend. The two women’s conversations revolve around the often glamorous past in East Berlin, the current struggle with a diagnosis – and how our life plans relate to our actual lives.
Speaking of life plans: they can be found in abundance in Tristan Milewski’s Dream Boat – even if they seem to resemble one another, here under the premise of a temporary manipulation of society on a cruise exclusively for gay men. A society completely devoid of heteros, who normally rule the world, and completely devoid of women too: by purging the majority the minority becomes one. Many of the guests come from countries where simply being the way they are exposes them to serious danger: a concentrated form of existence is the result here, which represents a challenge beyond the purely physical for the participants.

Special TEDDY for Monika Treut

The Special TEDDY Award is presented by the friends’ association TEDDY e.V. to a filmmaker whose accomplishments have made an especially significant contribution to the characterisation of queer filmmaking over the years.

As a director, producer and author, Monika Treut has not only left her mark on feminist and lesbian cinema since the 1980s – she has also had a great impact on the German-speaking independent film scene and inspired practitioners and audiences alike all the way into world of US American indie cinema as a trailblazer for the New Queer Cinema. The boldness of and iconoclastic approach to her subjects and aesthetics are closely linked with the liberating energy of the Spontex movement of the 1970s. Her documentary Gendernauts won the TEDDY Award for Best Documentary Film in 1999 as well as audience prizes the world over. Since the presentation of her feature film debut with Elfi Mikesch Seduction: The Cruel Woman in 1985, the Berlinale has shown more than twelve of her films. On the occasion of the presentation of the award in the scope of the 31st TEDDY Awards on Friday, February 17th, Panorama will be showing her second feature film, the 1989 classic Die Jungfrauenmaschine (Virgin Machine).

Panorama Dokumente

Belinda – France
By Marie Dumora
World premiere

Bones of Contention – USA
By Andrea Weiss
World premiere

Chavela – USA
By Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi
With Chavela Vargas, Pedro Almodóvar
World premiere

Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht (If I Think of Germany at Night) – Germany
By Romuald Karmakar
With Ricardo Villalobos, Sonja Moonear, Ata, Roman Flügel, Move D/David Moufang
World premiere

Dream Boat – Germany
By Tristan Ferland Milewski
World premiere

Erase and Forget – United Kingdom
By Andrea Luka Zimmerman
World premiere

Fünf Sterne (Five Stars) – Germany
By Annekatrin Hendel
World premiere

Istiyad Ashbah (Ghost Hunting) – France / Palestinian Territories / Switzerland / Quatar
By Raed Andoni
World premiere

Mein wunderbares West-Berlin (My Wonderful West Berlin) – Germany
By Jochen Hick
World premiere

No Intenso Agora (In the Intense Now) – Brazil
By João Moreira Salles
World premiere

El Pacto de Adriana (Adriana’s Pact) – Chile
By Lissette Orozco
World premiere

Revolution of Sound. Tangerine Dream – Germany
By Margarete Kreuzer
With Edgar Froese, Peter Baumann, Christoph Franke, Johannes Schmoelling
World premiere

Strong Island – USA / Denmark
By Yance Ford
International premiere

Tahqiq fel djenna (Investigating Paradise) – France / Algeria
By Merzak Allouache
International premiere

Tania Libre – USA
By Lynn Hershman Leeson
With Tania Bruguera, Frank Ochberg
Spoken by Tilda Swinton
World premiere

**Already announced for Panorama Dokumente:**

Casting JonBenet – USA / Australia, by Kitty Green
Combat au bout de la nuit (Fighting Through the Night) – Canada by Sylvain L’Espérance
I Am Not Your Negro – France / USA / Belgium / Switzerland, by Raoul Peck
Política, manual de instrucciones (Politics, instructions manual) – Spain, by Fernando León de Aranoa
Ri Chang Dui Hua (Small Talk) – Taiwan, by Hui-chen Huang
Untitled – Austria / Germany, by Michael Glawogger, Monika Willi

(Source: Berlinale Press Office)

distribution

Ericsson’s Nuvu to distribute 20th Century Fox TV’s DreamWorks animated features across Africa

January 17, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

Nuvu, Ericsson’s SVOD platform will distribute 20th Century Fox TV’s DreamWorks Animation-produced titles along with an extensive selection of global film franchises for territories across sub-Saharan Africa in multiple language.

In a statement, Thorsten Sauer, head of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson said:

Thorsten Sauer, head of Ericsson’s Broadcast and Media Services (Photo via digitalveurope.com)

“This feature film content deal through 20th Century Fox Television Distribution is another major milestone for Ericsson as we look to expand our new SVOD service, Nuvu. Through this partnership, Nuvu subscribers will have access to some of Hollywood’s hottest films as part of their package, localized on a market-by-market basis.”

Developed for mobile operators in Africa, Nuvu leverages the company’s extensive over-the top capabilities based on Ericsson Managed Player and components of Ericsson MediaFirst TV Platform, Ericsson’s highly scalable modular technology platforms used by broadcasters and telco service providers to distribute video content efficiently to connected devices.

For a monthly fee, subscribers have unlimited access to an initial 3 000 local and international premium titles across a wide variety of genres including Hollywood and Nollywood movies, TV series, kids, music, gospel and education.

To take on competitors – ShowMax, Amazon and Netflix – Nuvu has built-in ability to distribute content to consumers during off-peak periods minimising data costs for both operator and consumer. The platform also integrates fully into the operator’s customer relationship management and payment systems.

(Source: screenafrica.com, TechMoran)

#Berlinale, #BIFF, Berlin Film Festival

Berlinale NATIVe 2017 Features Indigenous Films from the Arctic Circle

January 16, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

Cinema Born of the Icy Cold

NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema will focus in 2017 on Indigenous cinema from the Arctic. The film programme for the special series, which is comprised of nine short and ten feature-length films, will also be complemented by a number of events featuring discussion and other spoken word formats.

NATIVe 2017 will open with a film from the cultural sphere of the Sámi, Europe’s only Indigenous people: 2016’s Kuun metsän Kaisa (Kaisa’s Enchanted Forest), by Finnish Skolt Sámi director Katja Gauriloff.

Kuun metsän Kaisa tells the story of Gauriloff’s charismatic great-grandmother Kaisa. This personal and poetic documentary film effortlessly weaves original film and sound recordings from the 1930s to the 1970s together with animated sequences and folk tales of the Skolt Sámi. It stands as a testament to the eventful history of the Skolt Sámi and their struggle to preserve their unique culture in the wake of resettlements brought about by shifting borders throughout the course of the 20th century.

The pressure to assimilate and wider social change influence all of the Indigenous peoples who call the area around the Arctic Circle home: these include the Inuit of Canada, the Greenlanders, the Sámi of Northern Europe and Russia’s Kola Peninsula as well as the Yakuts and Chukchi of the Russian Federation’s Eastern Siberian region.

Sustainability, climate change, delocalisation and questions of Indigenous rights and self-empowerment are further themes addressed in this year’s featured films. “Climate change in the Arctic and the economic machinations of the industrialised nations of the West represent serious impositions in the everyday lives of the Indigenous communities which still inhabit the region. The medium of film can play a positive role by enabling them to position themselves and gain international exposure for their points of view,” comments NATIVe Curator Maryanne Redpath.

Festival Director Dieter Kosslick also emphasises the significance of Indigenous cinema: “With each new regional focus, NATIVe demonstrates how multifaceted and creative the world of Indigenous filmmaking is and how much its films enrich the international cinema landscape.”

As in previous years, the film programme of this special series will be accompanied by an extensive supporting programme. On two afternoons, the Embassy of Canada will assist the NATIVe team in co-hosting panel discussions with Indigenous filmmakers and international guests in the rooms of their Leipziger Platz location, to be followed by film screenings.

The event “Arctic Change, Indigenous Life and Scientific Tracks in Sakha / Russia”, organised in co-operation with the Climate Initiative Regional Climate Change (REKLIM) at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and the DEKRA Hochschule für Medien, will present the effects of climate change on everyday life and the environment in Sakha to a Berlin audience in the scope of talks and short films.

For the first time, NATIVe will also be represented in the special series Berlinale Goes Kiez with an additional screening of the documentary film Angry Inuk, which provides insight into the Inuit perspective on the heated international debate surrounding seal hunting.

**Feature Films at NATIVe:**

24 Snega (24 Snow)
By Mikhail Barynin, Russian Federation 2016
Documentary form
International premiere
Despite the sacrifices it entails, Sergei passionately devotes his life to traditional horse breeding, toughing out the winter in the taiga like a lone cowboy hero. Spectacular cinematography conveys the biting cold feeling of nomadic life in Sakha.

Angry Inuk
By Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Canada 2016
Documentary form
A vivid depiction of the quiet anger of a people whose very subsistence is being threatened from many angles. An outcry to reassess the preconceptions around commercial seal-hunting, while illustrating the role of global sealskin trade for Inuit.

Johogoi Aiyy (God Johogoi)
By Sergei Potapov, Russian Federation 2016
Documentary form
International premiere
The young horse herder Johogoi feels summoned by the equine deity to attend the celebrated summer festival of Sakha. His excitement radiates through his smile as he participates in the rituals, believing he will find the woman who appears in his dreams.

Jumalan morsian (A Bride of the Seventh Heaven)
By Anastasia Lapsui, Markku Lehmuskallio, Finland 2003
With Angelina Saraleta, Viktoria Hudi, Ljuba Filipova, Jevgeni Hudi
At birth, Syarda was promised as a bride to Num, the highest god of the Nenets. Now an elderly lady, still bound to this fate, she tells the story of her wistful, yet self-determined life to a blind young girl who alleviates her loneliness.

Kniga Tundry. Povest’ o Vukvukaye – Malen’kom Kamne. (The Tundra Book. A Tale of Vukvuka – the Little Rock.)
By Aleksei Vakhrushev, Russian Federation 2011
Documentary form
Jovial and as energetic as a teenager, the wise Vukvukai guides his nomadic Chukchi community. These tough reindeer herders survive in their snowy wonderland despite the harsh threats posed by the weather and Russian politics.

Kuun metsän Kaisa (Kaisa’s Enchanted Forest)
By Katja Gauriloff, Finland 2016
Documentary form
The Swiss author Robert Crottet visits the Skolt Sámi and records spirited Kaisa’s unique storytelling gift. Handmade animation and rare archival footage illustrate the full world of the Skolt Sámi, from magical moments to the hardships of war.

Maliglutit (Searchers)
By Zacharias Kunuk, Canada 2016
With Benjamin Kunuk, Jocelyne Immaroitok, Karen Ivalu, Joseph Uttak
European premiere
The tranquil life of a nomadic family in Nunavut is torn apart by a marauding gang of hunters looking for wives. Kuanana, the head of the family, goes out for revenge. A poetic Inuit Western.

Sameblod (Sami Blood)
By Amanda Kernell, Sweden 2016
With Lene Cecilia Sparrok, Mia Erika Sparrok, Maj Doris Rimpi, Julius Fleischanderl
A teenage girl from a traditional Sámi family yearns to be accepted by the Swedish society of the 1930s, a society full of prejudice and discrimination against her people. A shrewd commentary on institutionalised abuse and its consequences.

Seitsemän laulua tundralta (Seven Songs from the Tundra)
By Anastasia Lapsui, Markku Lehmuskallio, Finland 2000
With Vitalina Hudi, Hatjako Yzangi, Gregory Anaguritsi, Nadezhda Volodeeva
A rich contemplation of the Nenets in a seven-part chronicle, each guided by a meaningful song. Once a free people, the Soviet rule arrives to infringe upon their culture, affecting their identity irreversibly. An emotional political statement.

SUME – Mumisitsinerup Nipaa (SUMÉ – The Sound of a Revolution)
By Inuk Silis Høegh, Greenland / Denmark / Norway 2014
Documentary form
For the Greenlanders of the 1970s, the surge of the progressive rock band SUME was mind-blowing: lyrics in their own language, inspiring them to act against the repression of their people. This is the compelling testimony to their revolution.

**Short Films at NATIVe:**

Bihttoš (Rebel)
By Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Canada / Norway 2014
Documentary form
In a poignant personal essay, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers examines her complex relationship to her Sámi father. Her family’s blissful life was silently affected by a dark pain her father harboured. A pain rooted in past injustices against a whole generation of the Sámi.

Half&half
By Aka Hansen, Denmark / Greenland 2014
Documentary form
Aka Hansen ponders her mixed heritage by posing well-struck questions about how others perceive her, which in contrast to the filmic symmetry suggests that identity cannot be split neatly in half.

Nowhere Land
By Rosie Bonnie Ammaaq, Canada 2015
Documentary form
Denied the opportunity to lead a true Inuit life on Baffin Island, Rosie Bonnie Ammaaq shares the grief she felt when forced to relocate, while witnessing the heartbreaking demise of her homeland. She stands in front of the camera and bares her soul.

Ogo Kuyuurduu Turara (Boy and Lake)
By Prokopyi Nogovitsyn, Russian Federation 2003
With Slava Titov, Roman Danilov, Vladimir Krivoshapkin
A Sakha boy sets out on a lyrical journey through the boreal forest to catch fish in a secluded icebound lake. He performs the laborious task as a meditative ritual, at the same time drifting into a magical oneiric world.

Sámi Boddu (Sámi Moment)
By Ken Are Bongo, Norway 2011
With Nils Henrik Buljo, Svein Birger Olsen
Surrounded only by the wintry tundra, two Sámi men meet and contemplate the immense horizon. The silence is scarcely broken by the soft breeze, shared cigarettes and a few laconic words.

Sikumi (On the Ice)
By Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, USA 2008
With Brad Weyiouanna, Tony Bryant, Olemaun Rexford
On the frozen barren horizon, Apuna spots a furious fight between two hunters, which escalates to a fatality. As Apuna rushes to the scene he becomes conflicted when the perpetrator asks him to bend his morals and appeals to his sense of community.

Sloth
By Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Canada 2011
With Bryan Pearson
A witty sketch of the Inuit way of life, playfully poking fun at stereotypical perceptions.

Tungijuq
By Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Canada 2009
With Tanya Tagaq, Zacharias Kunuk
An artistically powerful statement about the reality of hunting, expressed through a fantastic icy universe and Inuit throat singing, embracing the relevance and appreciation of this vital act.

Vor dem Schnee (Before the Snow)
By Christian Vagt, Germany 2007
Documentary form
Eerie first-hand accounts of the supernatural and the dead in the world of the Khanty and Nenets. An intimate atmosphere encompasses the spiritual world void of interpretation, and tells of the mysteries beyond the reality of western Siberia.

(Source: Berlinale Press Office)

#BIFF, Berlin Film Festival, World Premiere

Hedgehog’s Home to Premiere at Berlin International Film Festival

January 16, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

Hedgehog’s Home (Ježeva kuća), an animated film by Canadian-Croatian Eva Cvijanović based on a classic tale by Branko Ćopić, will have its world premiere at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.

The film, which was part of the national curriculum for primary school literature in Croatia, has been included in the Generation Kplus competition programme at the famous festival, which will be held from 9 – 19 February 2017.

Hedgehog’s Home is about a hedgehog who lives in a lush and lively forest. He is respected and envied by the other animals. However, the hedgehog’s unwavering devotion to his home annoys a quartet of insatiable beasts. Together, they march off towards Hedgehog’s home and spark a tense and prickly standoff.

Cvijanović’s 10-minute animated film is based on Ćopić’s classic story which is a warm and universal tale for young and old that reminds us there truly is no place like home.

The film has been narrated in three languages – Croatian (by actor Rade Šerbedžija), English (by actor Kenneth Welsh (Twin Peaks), and in French (by actor France Castel).

The film is co-produced by The National Film Board (NFB) of Canada, winner of 12 Oscar Awards, and Croatia’s Bonobostudio.

Find out more about the film here.

(Source: croatiaweek.com)

Venice International Film Festival

UPDATE: 28th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Announce Audience Awards

January 16, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

*This is an update from yesterday’s 28th Annual Palm Springs 28th International Film Festival Audience Awards.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

When We Rise and Take Me Home Huey Receives Mercedes-Benz Audience Awards;

Toni Erdmann Receives FIPRESCI Prize;

Gael García Bernal and Isabelle HuppertReceive Acting Prizes;

White Sun Receives New Voices/New Visions Award;

No Dress Code Required Receives The John Schlesinger Award;

Neruda Receives Cine Latino Award; Mercenary Receives The HP Bridging The Borders Awards

Palm Springs, CA (January 15, 2017) – The 28^th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced this year’s juried award winners at a luncheon at the Hilton Palm Springs on Saturday, January 14, 2017. The Mercedes-Benz Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature were announced on Sunday, January 15, 2017 during the closing night screening of “The Comedian.” The Festival, held from January 2-16, 2017, screened 190 films from 72 countries.

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature:

When We Rise (U.S.), directed by Gus Van Sant. From Gus van Sant and Dustin Lance Black, the festival screened the first episode of this stirring seven-part docudrama that charts the progress of Gay Liberation from its early days in San Francisco in the 1960s to its 21st-century triumphs. When We Rise will air on ABC starting February 27. The screening was a North American premiere at the Festival.

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature:

Take Me Home Huey (U.S.), directed by Alicia Brauns and Christine Steele. This moving documentary traces the evolution of Steve Maloney’s eponymous mixed-media sculpture, in which he took a wrecked Huey helicopter and transformed it into a memorial to the men who served and lost their lives in Vietnam. It’s a salutary reminder of the healing power of art. The film was a World Premiere at the Festival.

FIPRESCI PRIZE

A special jury of international film critics reviewed 43 of the 85 official submissions for the Academy Awards^(R) Best Foreign Language Film category screened at this year’s Festival. Awards are presented to the Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor and Actress in a Foreign Language Film.

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year:

Toni Erdmann (Germany), directed by Maren Ade. In this unforgettable comedy, a prankster father puts on a wig and false teeth and invades the life of his rigid, ambitious corporate consultant daughter, whose life is upended in profound and often hilarious ways.The jury presented the award to the film, “for its originality, human complexity and unique tonal orchestration that seems natural and uncalculated. It is also an observant look at corporate culture carried by two wonderful performances.”

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film:

Gael García Bernalin Neruda(Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín. The jury said, “Bernal’s performance is the heart of the film’s tonal shifts, infusing the historical drama with the very poetry of its subject matter.”

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film:

Isabelle Huppert in Elle (France), directed by Paul Verhoeven. The jury said, “Isabelle Huppert gives depth and humanity to a complex and conflicted character in a challenging, unorthodox film. Her intelligence, self-assurance, and gift for conveying rich emotional tones have never been more strikingly displayed.”

The FIPRESCI jury members were Kiva Reardon (programming associate, TIFF), Yael Shuv (chief film critic, Time Out Tel Aviv) and David Sterritt (editor-in-chief, Quarterly Review of Film and Video).

NEW VOICES/NEW VISIONS AWARD

The New Voices/New Visions competition showcases ten films from emerging international directors bringing their first or second narrative features to the Festival. The winner is selected by a jury of festival programmers and U.S. distributors.

New Voices/New VisionsAward:

White Sun (Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands), directed by Deepak Rauniyar. The film is a dark comedy about two brothers from each side of the Nepalese civil war brought together after 10 years for their father’s funeral. A trenchant, eye-catching parable, this is the best film to come out of Nepal in years.

The jury issued the following statement, “White Sun, for its sympathetic but unsentimental portrayals of multiple perspectives, artfully integrating landscape as a participating character in the film. Featuring stunning performances from an ensemble cast, directed with sensitivity, the film’s storytelling leaves space for the audience to experience the tension between tradition and modernity. The film balances personal and political drama with a touch of absurdist humor.”

New Voices/New Visions Special Mentions:

Kati Kati (Kenya/Germany), directed by Mbithi Masya and Mellow Mud (Latvia), directed by Ren?rs Vimba. The jury said, “Both directors create worlds that lead the audience deeply into beautifully-realized worlds.”

The films were juried byJonathan Howell (founder and director, Big World Pictures), Funa Maduka (Global Content Acquisition group, Netflix), Jane Schoettle (International Programmer, TIFF).

THE JOHN SCHLESINGER AWARD

The John Schlesinger Award, named after the director, writer, producer and festival supporter,ispresented to the director of either a first or second feature documentary from among those screened at the festival.

Schlesinger Award:

No Dress Code Required (Mexico), directed by Cristina Herrera Bórquez. This memorable doc follows a same-sex couple, Víctor and Fernando, as they fight for the right to be married in their home town of Mexicali, Baja California. A rallying cry for equality and a testament to the power of ordinary people to become agents of change.

The jury issued the following statement, “For a film that does not let you look away as ordinary people rise to the challenge of fighting for their legal rights, the John Schlesinger Award goes to No Dress Code Required, a compelling documentary that puts us on the front line of the evolving story of marriage equality.”

Schlesinger Special Mention:

Beauties of the Night (Mexico), directed by María José Cuevas. The jury said, “For a beautifully crafted exploration of ageism with a powerful vision, and an empowering take on what it means to grow old in a culture obsessed with youth and beauty, Special Mention goes to Beauties of the Night.”

The films were juried by Daniela Elena Alatorre (head of documentary programming, Morelia International Film Festival), Fenton Bailey (co-founder, World of Wonder Productions), Sudeep Sharma (senior programmer, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles).

CINE LATINO AWARD

The Cine Latino Award is presented to the best Ibero-American film screening at the festival. The award aims to highlight the creativity seen in modern Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American films. Cine Latino is supported in part by Acción Cultural Espanola, Spain’s Public Agency for Cultural Action.

Cine Latino Award:

Neruda (Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín. The jury said, “Bypassing narrative tropes associated with films about important historical figures and creating a nearly fantastical story that is as visually striking as it is telling about the relationship between an artist and his creation, the Cine Latino Grand Jury Prize goes to Neruda.”

Cine Latino Special Mention:

Everything Else (Mexico), directed by Natalia Almada. The jury said, “Coming from a doc background gives this filmmaker a unique perspective and framing that has created a powerful film. Her story often asks more questions than there are answers for but anchored by a strong, yet understated performance this film succeeds. The film is executed with precise framing and uncanny cinematography.”

The films were judged by Carlos Aguilar (film journalist), Lane Kneedler (Director of Programming, AFI Fest) and Andrea Roa (producer)

THE HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD

The HP Bridging the Borders Award is presented by Cinema Without Borders and Hewlett Packard, which honors the film that is most successful in exemplifying art that promotes bringing the people of our world closer together. The prize includes an HP ZBook 17 Mobile Workstation, valued at $4,000.

HP Bridging the Borders Award:

Mercenary (France), directed by Sacha Wolff. The film is a fierce, moving thriller about a massive Polynesian rugby player recruited to play in France. This stunning debut film shows us a violent, unfamiliar world through the eyes of an unforgettable outsider.

The jury said, “The winner of HP Bridging The Border Award is the story of a tattooed, colossal 19 year-old recruited from his island shack in Wallis, New Caledonia , to the brutal world of a rugby team in France. Wolff, paints the contrasting societies with authenticity and elicits from his non-professional actor, Toki Pilioki a performance of quiet dignity that scorches your memory. The winning film is Mercenary by Sasha Wolff.”

The Best of the Fest screenings will take place on Monday, January 16. For a complete list of screenings visit www.psfilmfest.org.

The complete list of award winners are:

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature

When We Rise (U.S.), directed by Gus Van Sant

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature

Take Me Home Huey (U.S.), directed by Alicia Brauns and Christine Steele

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Toni Erdmann (Germany), directed by Maren Ade

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film

Gael García Bernal in Neruda (Chile)

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film

Isabelle Huppert in Elle(France)

New Voices/New Visions Award

Winner:White Sun (Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands), directed by Deepak Runiyar

Special Mentions: Kati Kati (Kenya/Germany), directed by Mbithi Masya and Mellow Mud (Latvia), directed by Ren?rs Vimba

The John Schlesinger Award

Winner: No Dress Code Required (Mexico), directed by Cristina Herrera Bórquez

Special Mention: Beauties of the Night (Mexico), directed by Maria José Cuevas

Cine Latino Award

Winner: Neruda (Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín

Special Mention: Everything Else (Mexico), directed by Natalia Alamda

HP Bridging the Borders Award

Winner: Mercenary (France), directed by Sacha Wolff

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Film Awards Gala, a glamorous, black-tie event, presented by Chopard and sponsored by Mercedes Benz and Entertainment Tonight, and attended by 2,500. The Film Awards Gala honors the year’s best achievements in cinema in front of and behind the camera. The celebrated list of talents who have been honored in recent years includes Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Julianne Moore, Brad Pitt, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Reese Witherspoon. PSIFF is organized by The Palm Springs International Film Society, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization with a mission to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness.

(Source: psiff.org)

#Berlinale, #BIFF, Berlin Film Festival, Culinary Cinema

11th Culinary Cinema: Passion Food

January 16, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

“Passion Food” is the motto of the eleventh Culinary Cinema, which will be held from February 12 to 17, 2017. This year eleven recent full-length films focusing on the relationship between food, culture and politics will be presented.

“Undoubtedly, passion – and its mastery – is a driving force behind the work of cooks and filmmakers, and simultaneously one of its themes,” Festival Director Dieter Kosslick says in explaining the motto.

At 7.30 pm the main programme of Culinary Cinema will present four world and one international premieres. Following these screenings, star chefs Eneko Atxa, Alexander Koppe, Tim Raue, Sebastian Frank and Christian Lohse will take turns serving a menu inspired by the films in the Gropius Mirror Restaurant.

The Spanish documentary Soul by José Antonio Blanco and Ángel Parra will open the programme. The film’s protagonist Eneko Atxa runs a restaurant complex near Bilbao in the Basque region. His exploration of the soul of cooking has him travelling to famous colleagues in Catalonia and Japan. Eneko Atxa (three Michelin stars, “Azurmendi”, Larrabetzu, province of Bizkaia) will create the meal on this first evening.

Barkeepers also have to master passions, as otherwise they might lose control of the situation. In the documentary Schumanns Bargespräche (Schumann’s Bar Talks) director Marieke Schroeder accompanies legendary barkeeper Charles Schumann to the world’s best bars. Alexander Koppe (one Michelin star, “Skykitchen”, Berlin) will cook.

In his episode of the Netflix series Chef’s Table (dir: Abigail Fuller), Tim Raue tells how he succeeded in turning the negative energies of his youth into positive ones by cooking. In another episode, David Gelb, who created Chef’s Table, takes us to Korea, to the kitchen of a hermitage where Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan prepares temple food. Tim Raue (two Michelin stars, “Tim Raue”, Berlin) will take up his position at the stove of Culinary Cinema for the seventh time.

In Mark Tchelistcheff’s film André – The Voice of Wine we learn that vines have to suffer to bear quality grapes. This knowledge from viniculture is, in a figurative sense, also true of André Tchelistcheff, an oenologist who emigrated from Russia. In the 1930s, after the end of Prohibition, he helped re-establish winemaking in California. Sebastian Frank (two Michelin stars, “Horváth”, Berlin) will serve the meal for this film.

mayo_biff — Monsieur Mayonnaise | Herr Mayonnaise from Director Trevor Graham and filmmaker Philippe Mora will be screening in 2017 Culinary Cinema (Photo courtesy of The Berlinale)

In Monsieur Mayonnaise, Australian director Trevor Graham accompanies painter and filmmaker Philippe Mora who is researching his family’s eventful past. His father, Georges Mora alias Monsieur Mayonnaise fought in the Résistance. After the war he moved to Australia and founded an artist colony. Christian Lohse (two Michelin stars, “Fischers Fritz”, Berlin) will cook on this evening.

To wrap up the main programme, Culinary Cinema Goes Kiez will present the Canadian production Theater of Life by Peter Svatek at EISZEIT Kino. It shows how highly celebrated chef Massimo Bottura sets up a soup kitchen in Milan that cooks meals made from discarded food. Markthalle Neun and restaurant “Restlos Glücklich” will be responsible for this evening’s meal.

At the late-night screenings (where no meals are served afterwards), the passion for good food and ecological engagement will remain the leitmotif. Should we eat animals or just pet them? This is the question explored by filmmakers John Papola and Lisa Versaci in At the Fork. And in Christopher LaMarca’s Boone, three young farmers from Oregon have a dilemma: they may milk their goats but are not allowed to sell the milk. In Atlantic, Risteard Ó Domhnaill examines how it was possible that the fish population of the vast North Atlantic was almost wiped out and the ecosystem destroyed. In addition Wendell Berry, who has shaped ecological thinking in the USA for the past 50 years is portrayed by Laura Dunn in Look & See: The Story of Wendell Berry.

The Canadian short film Hand.Line.Cod. by Justin Simms completes this year’s programme.

“In its eleventh year, Culinary Cinema will once more be a melting pot for films and cooks who explore the human body and soul through the topic of food. Is eating a passion, a vital activity, or a profit-oriented commercial sector? This requires clarification,” says Thomas Struck, curator of Culinary Cinema.

A fiery passion also blazes during Culinary Cinema’s “TeaTime”:The cookbook „Studio Olafur Eliasson: The Kitchen“ features the communal spirit of cooking and creativity by one of today’s most recognized artists („TeaTime“, Feb. 14, 2017).
Kamal Mouzawak, Slow Food activist from Lebanon, reflects on problems of migration, and the relationship between a person’s homeland and food. (“TeaTime”, Feb. 15, 2017).

Nobody visiting the Festival should have to forego eating well: in cooperation with Markthalle Neun and Slow Food, delicious Berlinale Street Food will again be on sale at food trucks at the corner of Joseph-von-Eichendorf-Gasse and Alte Potsdamer Straße (Feb 8 – 19, 2017).

Tickets for Culinary Cinema will go on sale starting at 10.00 am on February 6, 2017 at central ticket counters in the Arkaden am Potsdamer Platz, at Kino International, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Audi City Berlin, and online at http://www.berlinale.de.

**The films in the Culinary Cinema programme 2017:**

André – The Voice of Wine – USA
By Mark Tchelistcheff
Documentary
World premiere

Atlantic – Ireland / Canada
By Risteard Ó Domhnaill
Documentary
German premiere

At The Fork – USA
By John Papola
Documentary
International premiere

Boone – USA
By Christopher LaMarca
Documentary
German premiere

Chef’s Table – Jeong Kwan – USA
By David Gelb
Documentary-Series
World premiere

Chef’s Table – Tim Raue – USA
By Abigail Fuller
Documentary-Series
World premiere

Hand.Line.Cod. – Canada
By Justin Simms
Documentary

Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry – USA
By Laura Dunn
Documentary
European premiere

Monsieur Mayonnaise – Australia / Germany
By Trevor Graham
Documentary
International premiere

Schumanns Bargespräche (Schumann’s Bar Talks) – Germany
By Marieke Schroeder
Documentary
World premiere

Soul – Spain
By Ángel Parra / José Antonio Blanco
Documentary
World premiere

Theater of Life – Canada
By Peter Svatek
Documentary
German premiere

(Source: Berlinale Press Office)

Palm Springs International Film Festival

28th ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

January 15, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toni Erdmann Receives FIPRESCI Prize;

Gael García Bernal and Isabelle HuppertReceive Acting Prizes;

White Sun Receives New Voices/New Visions Award;

No Dress Code Required Receives The John Schlesinger Award;

Neruda Receives Cine Latino Award;

Mercenary Receives The HP Bridging The Borders Awards

Palm Springs, CA (January 14, 2017) – The 28^th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced this year’s juried award winners at a luncheon at the Hilton Palm Springs on Saturday, January 14, 2017. The Festival, held from January 2-16, 2017, screened 190 films from 72 countries. The Mercedes-Benz Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature will be announced on Sunday, January 15.

FIPRESCI PRIZE

toni_erdmann_5_psiff — Director Maren Ade’s *Toni Erdmann* received the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: Toni Erdmann(Germany), directed by Maren Ade. In this unforgettable comedy, a prankster father puts on a wig and false teeth and invades the life of his rigid, ambitious corporate consultant daughter, whose life is upended in profound and often hilarious ways. The jury presented the award to the film, “for its originality, human complexity and unique tonal orchestration that seems natural and uncalculated. It is also an observant look at corporate culture carried by two wonderful performances.”

Neruda - Gael García Bernal (left) and Diego Muñoz (right).jpg — Gael Garcia Bernal (left) and Diego Munoz in a scene from Pablo Larrain’s biopic *Neruda.* (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film: Gael García Bernalin Neruda(Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín. The jury said, “Bernal’s performance is the heart of the film’s tonal shifts, infusing the historical drama with the very poetry of its subject matter.”

Actress Isabelle Huppert in character from Paul Verhoeven’s *Elle.* For her performance received the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film: Isabelle Huppert in Elle (France), directed by Paul Verhoeven. The jury said, “Isabelle Huppert gives depth and humanity to a complex and conflicted character in a challenging, unorthodox film. Her intelligence, self-assurance, and gift for conveying rich emotional tones have never been more strikingly displayed.”

The FIPRESCI jury members were Kiva Reardon (programming associate, TIFF), Yael Shuv (chief film critic, Time Out Tel Aviv) and David Sterritt (editor-in-chief, Quarterly Review of Film and Video).

NEW VOICES/NEW VISIONS AWARD

white_sun_psiff — A scene from Deepak Rauniyar’s dark comedy, White Sun, a story about two brothers from each side of the Nepalese civil war reunited after 10 years for their father’s funeral. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

New Voices/New VisionsAward: White Sun(Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands), directed by Deepak Rauniyar. The film is a dark comedy about two brothers from each side of the Nepalese civil war brought together after 10 years for their father’s funeral. A trenchant, eye-catching parable, this is the best film to come out of Nepal in years.

New Voices/New Visions Special Mentions: Kati Kati (Kenya/Germany), directed by Mbithi Masya and Mellow Mud (Latvia), directed by Renars Vimba. The jury said, “Both directors create worlds that lead the audience deeply into beautifully-realized worlds.”

The films were juried by Jonathan Howell (founder and director, Big World Pictures), Funa Maduka (Global Content Acquisition group, Netflix), Jane Schoettle (International Programmer, TIFF).

THE JOHN SCHLESINGER AWARD

The John Schlesinger Award, named after the director, writer, producer and festival supporter, is presented to the director of either a first or second feature documentary from among those screened at the festival.

Cristina Herrera Borquez’ memorable documentary, No Dress Code Required, follows a same-sex couple, Victor and Fernando, as they fight for the right to be married in their home town of Mexicali, Baja California. No Dress Code Required received this year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) John Schlesinger Award. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

Schlesinger Award: No Dress Code Required (Mexico), directed by Cristina Herrera Bórquez. This memorable doc follows a same-sex couple, Víctor and Fernando, as they fight for the right to be married in their home town of Mexicali, Baja California. A rallying cry for equality and a testament to the power of ordinary people to become agents of change.

Schlesinger Special Mention: Beauties of the Night (Mexico), directed by María José Cuevas. The jury said, “For a beautifully crafted exploration of ageism with a powerful vision, and an empowering take on what it means to grow old in a culture obsessed with youth and beauty, Special Mention goes to Beauties of the Night.”

CINE LATINO AWARD

neruda-luis-gnecco — Chilean Director Pablo Larrain’s *Neruda* is the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) recipient of the Cino Latino Award for best Ibero -American film screening. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

Cine Latino Award: Neruda (Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín. The jury said, “Bypassing narrative tropes associated with films about important historical figures and creating a nearly fantastical story that is as visually striking as it is telling about the relationship between an artist and his creation, the Cine Latino Grand Jury Prize goes to Neruda.”

Cine Latino Special Mention: Everything Else (Mexico), directed by Natalia Almada. The jury said, “Coming from a doc background gives this filmmaker a unique perspective and framing that has created a powerful film. Her story often asks more questions than there are answers for but anchored by a strong, yet understated performance this film succeeds. The film is executed with precise framing and uncanny cinematography.”

The films were judged by Carlos Aguilar (film journalist), Lane Kneedler (Director of Programming, AFI Fest) and Andrea Roa (producer)

THE HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD

mercenary_1 — Director Sacha Wolff’s *Mercenary* is the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) recipient of the HP Bridging the Borders Award. (Photo courtesy of PSIFF Press Office)

HP Bridging the Borders Award: Mercenary (France), directed by Sacha Wolff. The film is a fierce, moving thriller about a massive Polynesian rugby player recruited to play in France. This stunning debut film shows us a violent, unfamiliar world through the eyes of an unforgettable outsider.

Audience Award winners will be announced on Sunday, January 15. The Best of the Fest screenings will take place on Monday, January 16. For a complete list of screenings visit www.psfilmfest.org.

The complete list of award winners are:

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature

TBA on Sunday, January 15

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature

TBA on Sunday, January 15

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Toni Erdmann (Germany), directed by Maren Ade

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film

Gael García Bernal in Neruda (Chile)

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film

Isabelle Huppert in Elle(France)

New Voices/New Visions Award

Winner:White Sun (Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands), directed by Deepak Runiyar

Special Mentions: Kati Kati (Kenya/Germany), directed by Mbithi Masya and Mellow Mud (Latvia), directed by Renars Vimba

The John Schlesinger Award

Winner: No Dress Code Required (Mexico), directed by Cristina Herrera Bórquez

Special Mention: Beauties of the Night (Mexico), directed by Maria José Cuevas

Cine Latino Award

Winner: Neruda (Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín

Special Mention: Everything Else (Mexico), directed by Natalia Alamda

HP Bridging the Borders Award

Winner: Mercenary (France), directed by Sacha Wolff

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival

For more information, call 760-778-8979 or 800-898-7256 or visit www.psfilmfest.org.

Contacts:

Steven Wilson/Ashley Patterson David Lee

B|W|R Public Relations PSIFF

212.901.3920/310.550.7776 760.322.2930

Steven.wilson@bwr-pr.com /Ashley.patterson @bwr-pr.com david@psfilmfest.org

(Source: PSIFF Press Office)

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Palm Springs International Film Festival – January 15

January 15, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

The 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival Jury Award Winners were announced on Saturday, January 14 at the annual Awards Luncheon.

The winners are:

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

Toni Erdmann (Germany), directed by Maren Ade

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film

Gael García Bernal in Neruda (Chile)

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film

Isabelle Huppert in Elle (France)

New Voices/New Visions Award

Winner: White Sun (Nepal/U.S./Qatar/Netherlands), directed by Deepak Runiyar

Special Mentions: Kati Kati (Kenya/Germany), directed by Mbithi Masya and
Mellow Mud (Latvia), directed by Renārs Vimba

The John Schlesinger Award

Winner: No Dress Code Required (Mexico), directed by Cristina Herrera Bórquez

Special Mention: Beauties of the Night (Mexico), directed by Maria José Cuevas

Cine Latino Award

Winner: Neruda (Chile), directed by Pablo Larraín

Special Mention: Everything Else (Mexico), directed by Natalia Alamda

HP Bridging the Borders Award

Winner: Mercenary (France), directed by Sacha Wolff

The Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and the

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature will be announced at the Closing Night Screening of THE COMEDIAN on Sunday, January 15.

THERE’S STILL TIME LEFT – GREAT FILMS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

THE WINTER

Argentina/France – 2016 – 95 minutes

Director: Emiliano Torres

NEW VOICES/NEW VISIONS

North American Premiere

Forced from his longtime job as ranch foreman by a sincere young upstart, a weary caretaker prepares to take advantage as the younger man shows himself ill-prepared for an unforgiving Patagonian winter. A lean, stark tale of survival against the unforgiving forces of both nature and man himself. Winner: Best Actor, Biarritz; Special Jury Award, San Sebastian.

Sun, Jan 15 – 9:30 AM – Regal

Director, Emiliano Torres to attend.

Purchase tickets HERE.

GRADUATION

Romania/France/Belgium – 2016 – 128 minutes

Director: Cristian Mungiu

WORLD CINEMA NOW

A doctor abandons his principles to ensure his daughter passes her crucial exams in this tense and complex moral thriller from the director of
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, which explores the endemic corruption in post-Communist Romania. Winner: Best Director, Cannes; Best Actor, Screenplay, Chicago.

Sun, Jan 15 – 1:30 PM – Annenberg

Purchase tickets HERE

NAGASAKI: MEMORIES OF MY SON

Japan – 2015 – 130 minutes

Director: Yôji Yamada

AWARDS BUZZ-BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Three years after the Nagasaki atomic bomb killed her son, the widowed Nobuko starts being visited by his ghost. Octogenarian filmmaker Yoji Yamada (Twilight Samurai) has crafted a delicate, affecting, magical realist chamber piece, with a haunting score by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Winner: Best Actor, Japanese Academy Awards.

Sun, Jan 15 – 3:30 PM – Regal

Purchase tickets HERE.

DARK SKULL

Bolivia/Qatar – 2016 – 80 minutes

Director: Kiro Russo

WORLD CINEMA NOW

North America Premiere

Broken by the recent death of his father, a troubled young man tears through a small, indigenous town until his godfather gets him a job in the mines. With jaw-dropping, dreamlike visuals, Russo’s debut offers a darkly beautiful subterranean study in atmosphere and mourning. A new landmark in Bolivian cinema.

Sun, Jan 15 – 8:00 PM – Mary Pickford

Purchase tickets HERE.

DREAM VACATION PALM SPRINGS

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: dream_vacation_psiff

* Opening -or- Closing Night Screening and Gala Reception – 4 Tickets

* Festival Screening Passes – 4 non-transferable passes, good for all regular screenings

Enter NOW through January 16, 2017

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.

A JEW MUST DIE

Switzerland – 2016 – 73 minutes

Director: Jacob Berger

WORLD CINEMA NOW

North America Premiere

In a small Swiss village in 1942, a cabal of Nazi sympathizers select a Jewish scapegoat (played by Bruno Ganz) to kill, and an 8-year-old witness grows into a 70-year-old writer whose life was changed forever by what he saw.

Sun, Jan 15 – 8:00 PM – Regal

Purchase tickets HERE

(Source: psiff.org)

Berlin Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival

Generation 2017: Celebrating 40 Years of Film Programming for Young Audiences at the Berlinale

January 14, 2017 HollywoodGlee Leave a comment

Posted by Larry Gleeson

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

(Source: Berlinale Press Office)

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Authoritarian Regimes Under Observation / Music Documentaries Featuring Almodóvar’s Muse and Electronic Avant-Garde

Director Monika Treut Receives Special TEDDY Award 2017

Special TEDDY for Monika Treut

Panorama Dokumente

Already announced for Panorama Dokumente:

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Cinema Born of the Icy Cold

Feature Films at NATIVe:

Short Films at NATIVe:

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AUDIENCE AWARDS

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature:

Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature:

FIPRESCI PRIZE

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year:

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor in a Foreign Language Film:

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress in a Foreign Language Film:

NEW VOICES/NEW VISIONS AWARD

New Voices/New VisionsAward:

New Voices/New Visions Special Mentions:

THE JOHN SCHLESINGER AWARD

Schlesinger Award:

Schlesinger Special Mention:

CINE LATINO AWARD

Cine Latino Award:

Cine Latino Special Mention:

THE HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD

HP Bridging the Borders Award:

The complete list of award winners are:

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“Undoubtedly, passion – and its mastery – is a driving force behind the work of cooks and filmmakers, and simultaneously one of its themes,” Festival Director Dieter Kosslick says in explaining the motto.

The films in the Culinary Cinema programme 2017:

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The complete list of award winners are:

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The winners are:

THERE’S STILL TIME LEFT – GREAT FILMS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

THE WINTER

GRADUATION

NAGASAKI: MEMORIES OF MY SON

DARK SKULL

DREAM VACATION PALM SPRINGS

A JEW MUST DIE

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Ben Niao (The Foolish Bird)

Freak Show

Loving Lorna

Não devore meu coração! (Don’t Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl!)

Poi E: The Story of Our Song

The Inland Road

Shkola nomer 3 (School Number 3)

Soldado (Soldier)

Generation Kplus

Amelie rennt (Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship)

Becoming Who I Was

Estiu 1993 (Summer 1993)

Oskars Amerika (Oskar’s America)

Piata Loď (Little Harbour)

Uilenbal (Owls & Mice)

Upp i det blå (Up in the Sky)

Wallay

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Film Review and Marketing

**Already announced for Panorama Dokumente:**

**Feature Films at NATIVe:**

**Short Films at NATIVe:**

**The films in the Culinary Cinema programme 2017:**