1939 Union Pacific by Cecil B. DeMille United States 1946 Torment (Hets) by Alf Sjöberg Sweden The Lost Weekend by Billy Wilder United States The Red Meadows (De røde enge) by Bodil Ipsen and Lau Lauritzen Jr. Denmark Brief Encounter by David Lean United Kingdom Portrait of Maria (María Candelaria (Xochimilco) by Emilio F...

by Marla LewinI spent almost an hour with Robert Koehler who has gone from a top movie critic for Variety, to Artistic Director, Programmer of the AFI Film Festival and he gave me a look inside how he approached putting together this years festival and where it is going.Marla: Congratulations,  Robert, this is your second year programming the festival, How different is it from being a critic? How is it going? Robert: I was at the Los Angeles Times, and started in 94 writing for Variety, w...

From October 1st 2009 to February 15th 2010, the Résidence plays host to 6 new winners to accompany them in the writing of their first or second feature, and facilitate the preparation of their film.  Gilles Jacob and his jury selected three female and three male directors out of a total of 170 candidates.   - Paz Fabrega (Costa Rican, 30) observes in Todos Nosotros (2nd feature) the behaviour of a middle class when faced with social inequality.   - Ioana Ur...

Watch the full length video of the panel. Part 1: click to view  the videos: “Show me the money !” and  “Show me the money !” Part 2                       Show me the Money! Monitoring film revenues and collecting rightsholders’ money Moderator : Bertrand Moullier, Consultant, Narval Media. OPENING: Wolfgang Closs...

  DAY TWENTY The flight was uneventful. It was a good thing I had some cookies from the Edinburgh train. I paced myself through-out the trip. I had ordered two meals, but there is a good 9-10 hours in between them. Upon arrival, I was surprised to see ALL Malaysian workers with face masks. We had to go through a single-file line with a heat-sensing camera aimed at us. They were taking no chances with passengers arriving from countries which have had cases of H1N1 flu, and London f...

My First Distribution Offer!!Hello! I know...it's been over a week! I needed to decompress and get to work on What's Next....  I had the pleasure of having an Italian filmmaker that I met in Cannes stay and visit for a few days while he attended the Dances with films film festival. Vincenzo won the honorable mention award for his clever and adorably funny short film "Being Handy". The festival had shorts and features however I saw only one block of shorts. The other Short I really lik...

RIFF Awards 2010: it’s time to apply! On November 15th expires the deadline to participate at the 9th Edition Apply on line for the Roma Independent Film Festival The deadline for submitting works to participate in the 9th Edition of the RIFF (Roma Independent Film Festival) that will take place in Rome in March 11/19 2010 is November 15th, 2009. All information to apply and the official Call for Entry are available on the website: www.riff.it. Since the beginning, the RIFF has dis...

Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel's LA PIVELLINA, an Austrian/Italian co-production, has been awarded the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European Film in the Directors' Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival, it was announced today by a jury of four Europa Cinemas exhibitors - the seventh year the Label has been awarded in the section. LA PIVELLINA will now receive the support of the Europa Cinemas exhibitors who commit themselves to extend the length of its run on screen and additional ...

This morning I decided to look out the drapes and check my watch when I woke up. It was 5:30am and already getting light. Any further north and I suspect it would be the gloaming, when the darkest part of night remains twilight. Breakfast was again superb, this time with an added sausage. Chris need to run an errand, so he dropped me off at Sorbie Tower to wander around. It was quiet except for the birds; it smelled of fresh rain and wild garlic (or onions - they both look the same to me)...

The drapes in my room were thick tapestries. I awoke in the morning, but couldn't tell the time, so I dozed off back to sleep. Around 8:30am I finally got up. Almost instantly, Chris, my host, had a hot breakfast prepared. An egg, potatoes, bacon (of course, they raise pigs), tomatoes, and toast, all served with Brown Sauce (like A1) and homemade rhubarb/ginger jam. I checked my email and showered; then Chris was extra-kind enough to take me into town. We drove by Sorbie Tower (built by my a...

Do not miss the final chapter 12 of Rex Weiner's "A Festival Wife" which has just been published on fest21.com it will also be launched may 21st at 5.30 from Film France Pavillon in the International Village in Cannes...up in the air, with 12 balloons off croisette to a luck reader who will get to read the full version of the novel. Filmfestivals.com, the leading online source for global film festival news and resources, is posting the final chapter of "A Festival Wife...

Tonight at 10:30, Marco Bellochio's "Vincere" premiers. The film is the exagerated story of Benito Mussolini's secret wife and son. The film is very "Italian" with plenty of dramatic orchestral music and over-the-top kissing and steamy sex scenes. It incorporates original footage from Mussolini's time along with an extraordinary acting performances by Giovanna Mezzorgiorno and Filippo Timi.  ...

  Vic had to leave for work so I said my goodbye early. She suggested I might want to skip Galway because it would make a tough day. This was always a "Plan B" that I was hoping I wouldn't have to do, but I can also be flexible and adapt when necessary. Jim and I spent the morning checking out options for going to Belfast and catching the ferry. I decided to take the 12pm Bus Eireann to Belfast ($15 Euros) arriving around 3pm to catch the 5pm ferry to Stanraer, Scotland ($35 ...

Breakfast was a healthy serving of muesli with fresh banana, pear, yogurt and milk. The coffee tasted sooo good. Jim had to cater an event and left early. Nathan and I looked at photos I brought in my computer of Cambodia, America, my family, and other places. Being Sunday, it was Vic's day off so she chose to spend it relaxing while I went with Nathan by bus to meet up with Jim in Blessington for a ride through the mountains. We got to Blessington at 12:30pm, but Jim wasn't going be finishe...

It is with great satisfaction that I dedicate the New Saratoga, New York Film Festinal , http://saratoganyfilmfest.fest21.com  to the Roman Catholic Charities of Albany N.Y. The money shall be used to keep Camp Skully in operation for another year. Camp Skully in North Greenbush, N.Y. gives a few weeks of camping and lake fun to the children of the region, whether they are Catholic or not! I know we do not have much time, (only 3 months) but we shall hope for the Best. All are welcome. We shal...