Enjoy & Entertainment » film festival

Venice Film Festival Premiers Puccini E La Fanciulla

admin — Sat, 29 May 2010 01:45:54 +0000

The 150th anniversary of the birth of the great tuscan composer Giacono Puccini was celebrated at the Venice Film Festival, where on 30 August the world première was presented of the film Puccini e la fanciulla (”Puccini and the Young Girl”), directed by Paolo Benvenuti.

The file recounts the origins of the opera “La fanciulla del West”: the love affair between Puccini and Giulia Manfredi, who fell in love at the “Chalet da Emilio”, a rustic bar suspended on wooden piles opposite the home of the musician at Torre del Lago.

The great musician often visited the bar, where Giulia served wine and smiles: he drank, played, smoked and thus went back refreshed to composing music.

Giulia was the cousin of Doria Manfredi, the young serving maid in Puccini’s house, who was unjustly accused by Elvira, his jealous wife, of being her husband’s lover. Dora committed suicide due to this, but once dead it was discovered that she was a virgin. Her silence, according to the theory of the director, served to protect the secret her master had entrusted her with: the relationship between her master and her cousin, a strong volatile woman, who probably inspired the character Minnie, “la fanciulla del West”.

For the film they rebuilt and restored some of the typical buildings of the time to just as they were at the beginning of the 1900s, and which now belong to the nation: the Chalet di Emilio, the Casetta di Doria and the Barchetto, a little boat that took Puccini from Villa Ginori to his house at Torre del Lago after his car accident in 1903.

The little village of Torre del Lago is part of the National Park of Migliarino S. Rossore Massaciucolli. Thanks to the setting up of the Park, these places have recovered the sounds and atmosphere that enchanted the great composer. And time seems to have stood still since then: Villa Orlando a Torre, Villa Ginori a Massarosa, the guards’ house on the shore at Vecchiano, all have remained mysteriously intact despite the fact that they lie close to the famous beaches of Versilia, the wonderful city of Lucca and the most famous tower in the world, at Pisa. The best way of enjoying these places full of charm, history and culture is to stay in an elegant and prestigious traditional home at Lucca, Camaiore or Villas in Forte dei Marmi

Tuscany is a perfect combination of beautiful scenery, art treasures, warmth and hospitality, and superb food and wine. We have some enchanting villas in Tuscany to enable you to enjoy this extraordinary area to the full. The Tuscan villas in our collection of Tuscan villa rentals, many of which are luxury villas, are in the most beautiful positions to enable you to experience this unique place.

When in Rome Visit the Film Festival

admin — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:51:34 +0000

While Rome, affectionately referred to as la Città Eterna (“the Eternal City”), is often visited due to its rich history, its stunning architecture or renowned cuisine, later this month from the 18th to the 27th of October, visitors can experience the Rome Film Festival. Although it is only in its second year, it has attracted a high number of private sponsors, and the City Council of Rome, in the name of the Mayor and film-buff Walter Veltroni, the Province of Rome and the Lazio Region all strongly support it both in terms of institutional communication and economic investment.

The actual title of the festival in Italian is Festa, which could be translated as feast, not festival, and is apt, since it is more a celebration of the joy of cinema than a regular film festival. Indeed, though the Rome Film Festival’s jury includes a renowned director as its president, last year Ettore Scola, the rest of the 50 jurors are not film professionals but are, in fact, regular moviegoers selected both in Italy and Europe.

Although it enjoys fierce rivalry with the Venice Film Festival, The Rome Film Festival has attracted its own audience and this year will host the world premiere of 11 new films. Among the most exciting is ‘Youth Without Youth’ – Francis Ford Coppola’s first feature film in a decade. The film is about a timid Romanian professor who becomes young again after being hit by lightning. The five-time Oscar-winning director wrote the film based on a novella by Romanian philosopher-author Mircea Eliade and has been described as his “third renaissance” after ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather’.

Coppola’s film appears out of competition, along with a number of American films exploring the political climate post 9/11. These include Robert Redford’s ‘Lions for Lambs’ and Gavin Hood’s ‘Rendition’. ‘Lions for Lambs’ stars Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep and tells the story of two soldiers wounded behind enemy lines in Afghanistan and the repercussions back home. ‘Rendition’ is about an American woman trying to track down her Egyptian-born husband, who is held at a secret CIA detention centre. It also stars Meryl Streep, as well as Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon.

The 14 movies in competition for the top Marcus Aurelius award for Best Film include ‘El Pasado’ (The Past), with Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, ‘Li Chun’ (translated as ‘And the Spring Comes’) from China’s Chang Wei Gu, ‘Barcelona (un mapa)’ (translated as ‘Barcelona, a Map’) by Spain’s Ventura Pons and Alain Corneau’s ‘La Deuxieme Souffle’ (translated as ‘Second Wind’), starring Monica Bellucci and Daniel Auteuil. Separate awards for Best Actress and Best Actor, as well as a special jury prize, will also be handed out.

In addition to the more mainstream fare, the festival also boasts dedicated sections for alternative productions and documentaries, children films, first films by new directors and the craft of acting.

Visitors wishing to experience the Rome Film Festival can take advantage of cheap flights to Rome’s two main international airports, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, more commonly known as “Fiumicino airport”, and Ciampino International Airport. From either airport travellers can catch a train or bus or arrange private transfer to get to their final destination with ease. Hotels in Rome can be booked online in advance, which is recommended, especially due to the popularity of the festival. Last year’s inaugural edition attracted half-a-million visitors and this year is looking to top that.

Celebrating 25 Years of the Miami International Film Festival

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:50:45 +0000

Centered on the campus of Miami Dade College, the annual Miami International Film Festival began in 1983, promoting not only thought provoking film but also encouraging cultural understanding and tolerance; a fact made evident by the festival’s emphasis on Latin film making, set against the backdrop of Miami’s multi cultural communities.

Throughout the years, the Miami Film Festival has been the breeding ground for a selection of diverse films and events, offering not only new film makers the opportunity to showcase their efforts in a multi cultural metropolis, but industry professionals too. Influential film makers, including Spike Lee and Luc Besson, have screened their work at the festival in the past, while distributors such as HBO, Fox Searchlight and Miramax have taken part in the presentation of some of the business programs available at the festival.

The diverse and unique nature of the films on offer during the festival is reflected in the choice of screening venues, with three of the theatres used being historic landmarks, including the Gusman Center – a grand, elegant movie theatre ideal for the major red carpet events and the Tower Theatre, conveniently situated in the Little Havana neighbourhood of Miami and vibrant with different cultures. Other theatres include the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco district, as well as screenings at the University of Miami’s central campus.

The 25th anniversary of the festival also marks the fifth year of the ground breaking Encuentros program; giving Spanish and Latin American artists the opportunity to present their latest projects to U.S and International industry professionals, helping to build connections and contacts in the industry. With the Festival boasting more than 1300 relationships with national and international press organisations, the Miami Film Festival is the ideal platform for new artists to showcase their talent.

Outstanding work is encouraged with a $25,000 prize going to the leaders in a number of categories, with prize-money donated by the Knight Foundation, an organisation promoting journalistic excellence worldwide. One of the biggest supporters of the Miami area in general, the foundation has invested over $148 million in the vitality of Miami since 1950.

Last year’s event saw the hotels in Miami packed with more than three hundred directors, actors, film makers and writers as well as 70,000 film fans who flocked to the city to sample the 120 films being screened. This year is set to be even bigger with an educational and thought-provoking experience on offer to all the visitors to the 25th Miami International Film Festival this February.

44th Chicago International Film Festival Announces Roster of Films From More Than 45 Countries

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:51:28 +0000

Laura Silverman / Heather Connor

The Silverman Group, Inc.

312.932.9965 / 312.932.9911

laura@silvermangroupchicago.com

Lori Hile

Chicago International Film Festival

312.683.0121 ext. 103

publicity@chicagofilmfestival.com

The 44th Chicago International Film Festival, October 16 – 29, 2008, presented by Cinema/Chicago, will offer moviegoers the best new films from around the world, with several exciting additions, including a “Festival Village” and the launch of Green Screen, a program celebrating our natural environment, the power and artistry of filmmaking, and the intersection between the two. In its fifth decade, the Festival continues to present special appearances by legendary international actors and directors, along with the impressive film line-up for which the Festival is known. Audiences this year will be captivated by 116 feature films, 38 short and student films, and 18 documentaries from more than 45 countries, showcasing both established and promising new filmmakers. ”

For 44 years, we’ve been committed to taking you all across the globe to discover some of the most exciting cinema the world has to offer, right here in Chicago for two weeks only,” said Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International Film Festival. “This isn’t your typical Saturday night out at the movies – these are once-in-a-lifetime events. And this year we’ve set up camp in a new Festival Village to create an even stronger sense of community where you can come out, see the films, meet the people who make them, mingle with your fellow film fans, and most importantly see the world in a whole new way.”

SCREENING LOCATIONS The 44th Chicago International Film Festival will screen films at four locations. The majority of films will be shown at AMC River East 21, 322 E. Illinois Street, and AMC 600 N. Michigan 9, 600 N. Michigan Avenue. Both the Opening Night (October 16) and Closing Night (October 29) screenings take place at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive. Screenings of films in the Rediscovered and Restored Series will be held at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Avenue, on October 26, 27, and 28.

TICKETS Film Festival passes are on sale now. Individual tickets for the 44th Chicago International Film Festival screenings and events will go on sale the beginning of October. Passes and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.chicagofilmfestival.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 312-902-1500.

ABOUT CINEMA/CHICAGO Cinema/Chicago, a not for profit, tax exempt cultural and educational organization, presents the annual Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s oldest competitive international film festival, organized to encourage better understanding between cultures and its people and to make a positive contribution to the art form of the moving image. Subscribers to Cinema/Chicago’s membership program form a loyal core audience for the organization and are granted access to more than 15 free film screenings and sneak previews throughout the year. Cinema/Chicago also offers year-round educational programs designed for students and the deaf and hard of hearing to provide new film experiences and offer insight into other cultures, languages, and ideas. These programs include the Educational Outreach Program, the Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Black Perspectives Program. For up-to-date and detailed Festival information, call 312-332-FILM or visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com.

Posted by: ERICK LASECA

Junior Board Member

Chicago International Film Festival

Here Is Something About Filmmakers And Film Festivals

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:47:21 +0000

“I don’t know about you, but this sounds like heaven to me. Whether you are a film aficionado or a filmmaker with a film entered, a film festival is an exciting experience and one you will want to repeat as often as possible.” These words are the experience of Chris Gore that he writes in the first 10 pages of his book “The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide”. In this book he talks about going to Film Festivals all over the world and enjoying each and every one of them.
There was a time when there were only few film festivals and people were not enthusiasts enough as the studios controlled every aspect of film making. However, with the rise of Indie films every state in the country had its own film festival. In California alone there is around twenty or more film festivals.
There was a time when films did not happen at all unless they were under the sponsorship of the some studios. There was no chance at all for a little guy getting his or her film out there. But now the whole thing has been changed. The little guy can show his films anywhere he want, this gave a call to the rise of independent film festivals all over the world.
The first few film festivals where people submitted their films were the Sundance, The Tribeca, and The Toronto Film Festivals. Later however there came lots of other film festivals where people could submit their films and show their talent. This is rather like a lottery; if you don’t play you can’t win. If you don’t enter your film you can’t get it shown. You must continue to present your motion picture as many times as you can until you finally get approval into a festival.
Always remember that film festival board may have 800 submissions and only 40 spots for a film to be shown. So in the beginning you might get few rejection letters until you get your first acceptance letters. Many a refusal letter has given the reason that they had far too many submissions to even view them all. My advice to you is that once you have your film done and you have the very first date they are opening for submissions then put forward your film. Don’t wait until the last minute.
Make sure that your film has entered the right festival. I am not sure about the category, but you can get your film into the general drift. Also do not forget to read your application cautiously. It may require your entry to be mailed, done online, or even in person.
While presenting an independent motion picture, be very careful about the timings. If it is too long then do some trimming work. Just to be on the safer side if the film is say about 10 minutes long, make it 9 minutes. Do not let them a chance to give you a rejection letter for any cause.
Rejections can be a bit funny at the same time tricky. The “Slamdance” film festival came about as an answer to the rejections from “Sundance”. The Sundance Festival shows its plays in Park City, Utah at the same time in Park City, Utah Slamdance also shows it plays. This is a purposeful attempt to show the films that have been over looked or rejected by Sundance.
Go ahead and do your own search of film festivals and check out their application processes. Do these research sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the last minute.

London Film Festival: a True Celebration of Films

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:48:51 +0000

The love of films becomes a celebration in London for two weeks during ‘The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival’. The capital city is buzzing with people who love films and filmmakers from all over the world. This festival gives a chance to view films, documentaries and provide opportunity to meet filmmakers and celebrity artists. It also promotes world films that may not be available for screening in the cinemas across the nation. The festival is an important venue for development and promotion of films from UK and abroad and it showed around 184 feature films and 133 short films from 43 countries, at various venues in London. The Festival Started with the opening night gala showing David Cronenberg’s ‘Eastern Promises’ and finished with the closing night gala showing Wes Anderson’s ‘The Darjeeling Limited’, a train voyage across India. Few films from the festival are reviewed below.

Closing The Ring: Richard Attenborough/ UK-Canada

Richard Attenborough has done it again. ‘Closing the ring’ is one of the most beautiful films I have seen in a long time. This film is about the value of love and the loss of it, inability to grieve, loyalty among friends and above all, the heartache and suffering brought on by war. Shirley MacLain and Christopher Plummer have excelled in their performance. Christopher Plummer showed his adoring fans that he could still win hearts, just as he did all those years ago as the handsome captain in ‘Sound of Music’! ‘Jimmy’ (Martin Mac Cann) was a delight to watch along with Pete Postlethwaite. Richard Attenborough shows us that there is no shame in falling love and keep it live, no matter what your age is. ‘A film that touches your heart and tells you something’, that’s what ‘Closing the Ring’ does and therefore, an example of good cinema truly at its best. Question & Answer time with Lord Attenborough after the screening was sheer delight.

The Darjeeling Limited: Wes Anderson/USA

A light hearted film that tells the story of three brothers who haven’t seen each other for a year going on a train journey through the deserts of India. They are trying to bond with each other and with the beautiful but unknown conditions in India. Wes Anderson’s film brings comedy, conflict among siblings and some hilarious moments. These brothers who love each other don’t like each other very much and their odd behaviour comes as no surprise once you meet their mother (Angelica Houston), who gives a great performance along with Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson. A good laugh and a film you don’t want to miss.

I’m Not There: Todd Haynes/USA

‘I’m not There’ means just that! It’s a biographical journey into Bob Dylan’s life, portrayed by six actors, but Bob Dylan, as the title says, is not there! If you think an 11-year-old black boy, Marcus Carl Franklin, who is splendid as Bob Dylan is odd, the worse is yet to come; but that’s surely the best, Dylan played by a woman! Cate Blanchett in black and white turns up as Bob Dylan and you don’t for a moment suspect that it’s a woman. She is just magnificent and puts the other ‘Bobs’ in the shade. It’s confusing and chaotic if you are not a Dylan fan, but entertaining till the closing credits. The music however is real stuff and as the closing credits roll in, songs like the original ‘Knock knock knock’n on heaven’s door’ keeps you on your seat.

The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford: Andrew Domonik /USA

Definitely ‘a Brad Pitt film’ and everyone else fades away in the background. The film is based on the legend of Jesse James, ‘the gentleman outlaw’ who became an American icon. Brad Pitt has shown his acting ability yet again, only more so this time. He has graduated in the ‘Jack Nicholson School of acting’! A film worth watching and the cinematography is at its best. Perhaps the film would have been even better, if it did not stretch that long after the assassination of Jesse James; great film, in spite of this and not to be missed.

In Memory of Me: Saverio Costanzo/ Italy

As the film is set in Venice one expects to see at least a bit of this beautiful city; but that was not to be. The camera has eyes for the outside world only when a large ship slips by the window of the seminary. ‘In Memory of me’ is a very intense film that goes into the inner depth of spirituality and the conflicts encountered. The story is about Andrea who is accepted into a Jesuit seminary, isolated in an island. The recruits undergo very strict training to prepare them for the disciplined work that awaits these soldiers of Christ. The rituals are repeated in a methodical fashion everyday and that includes cleaning of the corridors of that magnificent monastic building. The inmates’ personality is analyzed to such an extent that they start to doubt their own spirituality and whether such mental cruelty is justified.

The silence that lingers in the magnificent corridors is mesmerizing, to say the least! We have heard of severe Mother Superiors, but the Father Superior in this film is frightening. Some find this fearsome training unbearable and decide to leave. Andrea too reaches his turning point, but finally realizes that he is made for better things and God has a purpose for him and decides to follow Him. This film is a lesson in itself in how one gives himself to God, then loose that faith and ultimately regaining the love of God and the faith. An intense film that makes one think.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Susanne Bier/USA

It tells the story of Audrey (Halle Berry), her loss and how she tries to rebuild her life after loosing the love of her life in a tragic accident. Her envious life with her husband ‘Brian’ and the two beautiful children are shown as flashback. Audrey decides to seek help from her husband’s childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio Del Toro), who is a drug addict and quite dangerous at times. Though she did not like him to be her husband’s friend in the past, she felt drawn to him now as they both had one thing in common- the love they both shared for Brian. She asks Jerry to move into the converted garage that was refurnished following a fire at the house and Audrey and the children form a bond with him. Anyone would wish to have somebody like Jerry in a situation like this, but not a drug addict though! Complications set in and the emotional turmoil in dealing with the sense of loss, drug addiction, rehabilitation and the society’s role in all this are portrayed very well.

Halle Berry has given a magnificent performance. Benicio Del Toro was dazzling and he has given his best ever. It was a delight to see Halle Berry at the screening, looking gorgeous in a brilliant blue backless gown! Susanne Bier (Director) and Halle Berry answered questions from the audience after the film: a beautiful film not to be missed.

Richard Attenborough, Wes Anderson, Susanne Bier, Saverio Constanzo, Andrew Dominik, Shivajee Chandrabhushan, Shamim Sarif, Amitab Bachan, Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry and Adrien Brody were among the celebrities who attended the screening of their films. It was truly a festival of films, films that touched the audience and made them think. The two weeks of the festival was a stage for meeting the best filmmakers from all over the world, listen to them and see films of extreme diversity.

5th Asian Film Festival

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:50:33 +0000

5th Asian Film Festival under the joint ageis of Aashay Film Club, the Indira School of Communication and in association with the Asian Film Foundation, was successfully held in Pune at twin venues, -between 1st – 8th November at City Pride,Multiplex Kothrud, and the National Film Archives theatre.

The concept of the festival being screening of majority of Asian Cinema which has now become the major attraction in the 21st century and even in the Oscars. Asian movies are making ground entries Even when we compare European and Hollywood movies with the Asian Cinema the Asian movies are making a mark for itself due to its realistic scripts and stories.

India, China, Japan and Iran are pioneers in the Asian Cinema Industry which is closely followed by Korea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Srilanka

and Taiwan who are also setting a mark of their own stream in the European market. Cultures of these places are being publicized through the screening of these movies in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.

Senior Film Drama Actor Dr.Mohan Agashe was the convener of this year’s festival. Kirloskar group were the ‘Main Partner’.The co-partner City Pride Kothrud, with Media partners being the Sakal & Maharashtra Herald group of News Papers.

Madhur Bhandarkar, young and talented film maker, inaugurated the festival by lighting the traditional lamp. Noted Film maker Yash Chopra, received the 3rd Zenith Asia award. Well received film of International Film Festival, Poet of the Wastes directed by Mohammad Ahmadi, was the opening film,which was screened to packed houses, whereas, Umesh Kulkarni’s film in Marathi, ‘Valu’ – The Wild Bull was screened on the closing day.

Highlight of the festival being, the screeing of exclusive films from Japan, China, Israel, Iran, Taiwan, Thailand, Srilanka, ,Korea, Bhutan, Phillipines, Kyrgystan

As of Indian films, a mix of regional films …Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese and other language films were screened.

The festival saw separate section on Chinese films, where seven films made during the last seven years from China, were screened.

Tribute to Master, section, saw films of World known Japanese master Akira Kurosava.

Off Beat Hindi Cinema: A section is devoted to some of the off- beat films of last year from Bollywood were screened.

Mai Marathi: In this section last year’s best seven Marathi films were screened. Some of the films were premiered in presence of their

Director and Crew.

Best of Asia: This section saw a combination of films from Asia which were discussed in the last five years.

Retro of recent Hindi Film Director Nageskh

Kukonoor, whereby his four films were screened.

The recepient of this year’s Dadasaheb Phalke award,Director Shyam Benegal’s films were sreened.

Liv Interactions with Director and Artist made the festival more eventful and lively.

Debut Film: A special section devoted to screening Debut film of a director from different Asian Countries was also the highlight of the 5thAsian film festival

Film Festivals And Film Makers? Everything You Ever Wanted To Know

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:50:57 +0000

The national film festival of Cannes is celebrated for about 12 days in May. More than 200,000 people which includes film makers, film fans and many star gazers gather at the Croisette to take part in the national film festival. On the 12th and the final day around thousands of film are screened and many careers are launched and like another film festivals disappointment shows. More than 200,000 people gather. Also many stars form all over the world come here and grab attention.

The filmmaker has to do many things like writing a script, shooting the film, editing and then it has to be distributed to the public. This totally depends on how complex the subject is and also various problems that would come up while making the film.

Development: The idea of the filmmaker or any story that a producer finds is first transformed into a script. The source of the story can be many like it can be from a book or some play, or it could also be remake of a older movie. An outline synopsis is prepared as soon as the story is chosen. This breaks the movie down into various scenes, which are of one paragraph each. This is made into a treatment of 25 to 30 pages, which describes the characters, and the mood of the story.

Based on the story a screenplay is then developed which is then edited again and again until the story becomes viable. At this time the filmmaker would want to contact the film distributors to know how these films are doing in the market to make sure the film becomes a success. The film is now presented to its financiers. If they are impressed with the film then they will offer financial backing for the movie. This may be major film studios or a major film council or even independent financiers.

Pre-production: the production company banner is made and an office is opened for it. The company is made and then a life is given to the story on a story board and is drawn out using the help from concept artists and illustrators. The estimate budget for the movie is laid at this time.
The film maker then hires the crew which is determined by the estimated budget for the film.

Production: the filming for the movie starts now and more and more crew will be required. To help manage this stage in a film making process a director is hired and he will in charge of everything that happens.

Post production: The film shot will be of more running time and hence has to be edited and the best scenes are chosen and are made into a proper movie.

Distribution: the movie is then released in theatres and then is formatted according to the need. The press releases, posters and other materials are published and proper advertising is done. Now enough publicity is given to the movie and then it is launched.

However, for the independent filmmaker, all you need is a working script and you are on your way!

The competitions in the film festivals are usually open only to normal narrative films, but sometimes documentaries are also introduced. For example: Michael Moore’s controversial documentary ” Fahrenheit 9/ 11″ walked away with the prize in year 2004. The film makers are welcome to enter both features and shorts. There are awards in each category.

Cannes Film Festival Fever

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:51:07 +0000

The glamour and glitz of Tinseltown hit the French Riviera this week as the 61st Cannes Film Festival began.
The next 12 days will be full of A-listers, wannabes and executives schmoozing, posing and partying at the film industry’s most famous and prestigious event. There will also be a good deal of serious film viewing and reviewing.
This year’s festival is showcasing South American film and promises something for everyone, from dark independent European tales and quirky animation to good old-fashioned blockbusting Hollywood adventure.
Over 33,000 industry professionals will be in Cannes to see 22 movies fight it out for the coveted Palme d’Or for best film which is awarded on the final day, 25 May. Other awards in the motion picture competition include the Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Actor.
The main competition opens with Brazilian entry Blindness, directed by Fernando Meirelles who also directed City of God. It stars Julianne Moore and Gael Garcia Bernal caught up in a global blindness epidemic.
More big names in the feature film competition include Angelina Jolie in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, Benicio del Toro in Steven Soderbergh’s Che, Gwyneth Paltrow and Joaquin Phoenix in James Gray’s Two Lovers and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York.
Matteo Garrone, Paolo Sorrentino and Ari Folman are some of the less mainstream directors competing for the big awards.
There are also competition prizes for new talent (Un Certain Regard), film school entries (Cinefondation) and short films. In addition, the festival features special screenings and out of competition showings.
This year the return of the well-preserved Harrison Ford as archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones is grabbing the headlines in the latter category. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is directed, as ever, by Steven Spielberg. Jack Black, Woody Allen and Robert de Niro are all involved in Out of Competition films too.
Madonna, Diego Maradona and Mike Tyson are just a few of the celebrities expected to strut their stuff on the Croisette, Cannes’ main thoroughfare, during the next two weeks.
Britain is represented at the festival by first-time director Steve McQueen who opens the Un Certain Regard competition with his portrayal of the last six weeks in the life of Bobby Sands. The IRA hunger striker died in 1981 after 66 days without food. The short film category features a film made by English artist Sam Taylor-Wood and executive-produced by the late Anthony Minghella.
The juries for each competition category include international film actors, directors, writers, technicians, critics and journalists depending on the award. This year’s feature film jury is led by American actor-director Sean Penn and includes US actress Natalie Portman and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron.
Last year Cristian Mungiu won the feature film Palme d’Or with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.
The Cannes Film Festival may be a private, invitation-only affair but even we mere mortals can enjoy the unique atmosphere of the resort. EasyJet flies to Nice from London and most regional airports. UK travellers based in the North can fly from Manchester with Air France and KLM.

Sundance Film Festival 2008: Five Key Trends and Must-knows for Indie Directors and Producers

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:51:14 +0000

The Sundance Film Festival, though firmly in its mid-twenties and suffering all the expected crises, is one of the world’s most important cinema venues. It’s been said that what plays well up in the mountains of Park City this year will be trickling into the Hollywood mainstream by the summer after next. If this is true, the 2008 iteration of the festival leaves us with a lot to think about. Here are 5 things to chew on as American movies face what is likely a pivotal year.

5. Trouble in Hollywood is not necessarily good news for indies. At the outset of the festival the Writer’s Guild strike dominated conversation. Prognosticators expected a buying frenzy at Sundance 2008 as studios searched nervously for films to fill their potentially empty release slate. However, at the same time, pundits were quick to point to last year’s rampant overspending and predicted buyers would be cautious.

So, what happened? Not much. After an initial panic, over $25 million worth of deals were inked at Sundance ’08. While this pales compared to the $53 million forked over at Sundance ’07, we can consider 2008 as a return to sanity.

4. Of the 17 films sold at Sundance…8 were documentaries. In fact, all the films to sell in the usually frantic first weekend at Sundance were documentaries, leading many to believe that this year’s marketplace would be a bust. But even if prices were down a bit for dramas, critics and audiences agree that the American documentary is as vital as ever, and even after the disappointing box-office performance of last year’s Sundance docs (MY KID COULD PAINT THAT, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON) there is still a very healthy market.

3. The Webolution is not being webcast. “The writing is on the wall-the industry must adapt to new media or face extinction. Today’s studios and independents are finally embracing the challenge of porting content and revenue to new distribution strategies. Join Hollywood power brokers and new media superstars to discuss their strategies for the Web.”

That’s from the official Sundance Film Festival Guide and the introduction to the much-buzzed about panel “Webolution!”. Netflix, Veoh.com, Joost.com, Hulu.com, the MPAA, and MTV were all represented.

Sadly, nothing was solved.

The big take-away: the US needs to do more to inspire the kind of access to high speed internet the rest of the developed world enjoys. Some commentators have said, compared to Europe, Japan, and Korea, the US is a “broadband third world.”

Despite the panel and the panic about the web, this year Sundance is scaling back its online offerings. Its Online Film Festival, launched in 2001, has all but disappeared. In 2007, Sundance’s site offered nearly 50 films continuously over the course of the festival; this year, it’ll show just one for each of the festival’s 10 days.

2. Who really rules Sundance and why is it that no one likes Sony Pictures Classics? There have been rumblings for a number of years now that sales agents (or brokers) might have a little too much pull at Sundance. Dealmakers like Cinetic Media, William Morris, Submarine Entertainment, and the CAA (Creative Agency Artists) come to Sundance to represent filmmakers and to fuel the bidding war furnaces. Does a Cinetic stamp of approval get you into Sundance? Probably not, but the annual Cinetic Sundance Party is definitely where you want to be once you get there.

This year the brokers had Sony Pictures Classics’ number. While Fox Searchlight and Focus films paid the most for films ($10M for HAMLET 2, and $5M for CHOKE, respectively), SPC was the most active, snapping up three dramas this year: FROZEN RIVER (repped by William Morris Agency), BAGHEAD (repped by CAA), and THE WACKNESS (repped by Submarine Entertainment). So why are bloggers up in arms? Sony Pictures Classics has a horrific track record releasing and marketing Sundance films (JUNEBUG, LAYER CAKE, PERSEPOLIS), and it is expected that SPC will fumble these crowd favourites.

This side of Sundance has always received a lot of talk, but this year it seems to be receiving, mainly thanks to the efforts of bloggers, the kind of scrutiny that will help it mature in line with Sundance’s artistic aspirations.

1. New American Realism equals… drugs? For critics, commentators, and most bloggers, there was a lot to celebrate at Sundance 2008. Manohla Dargis (New York Times), tweaked to what she called the “emergence of a new American realism,” praised the Sundance crop this year for pointing a way beyond the twee and solipsistic, the mainstays of Sundance Film Festivals past. But at the same time, Todd McCarthy, in Variety, can’t help but comment on how many films this year feature characters trying, failing, succeeding, or thinking about getting high. American documentaries may be in the midst of a renaissance, and the injustices of the world may call for even closer scrutiny, but the stories America is telling itself seem stranded between a desperate holding tight to the bare bones of experience and the wisps of self-delusion.

The jury prizes went to TROUBLE THE WATER, a staggeringly intimate documentary on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (still unsold as of this writing), and to FROZEN RIVER, a drama about immigrant smuggling across the United States/Canada border (sold to Sony Classics for less than one million). The audience awards went to FIELDS OF FUEL, a documentary abut American addiction to oil (still unsold as of this writing), and to THE WACKNESS, a comedy drama about New York pot dealers (sold to Sony Pictures Classics for less than 2 million).

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