10 good reasons to open and maintain your film or festival blog on fest21.com

editor — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:32:47 +0100

Best things in life are free... so is our blog platform for the fest community of the 21 st century.

The blog is absolutely free like any myspace, youtube video blog...!
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Do any festival related search on google: typing for instance cinequest 18 wraps or cinequest 18: you will find our platform giving N°1 positioning ahead of variety, indiewire, any myspace youtube... (and cinequest website) there are several reasons for this but this is a long story (Google friendly technology).

Take advantage of that promotion and create your blog now.

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Appear on the Homepage of fest21.com.

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Fest Pro Only: your blog is hosted in a festivals-and-films-only environment, why settle for less with other platforms that are not dedicated to the festival circuit:

the result is a more relevant environment for the search engine who will recognize the quality of the pages (full of relevant words, like film, festival...)

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Meet my friends on Fest21.com

editor — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:30:26 +0100

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Add me to your buddies

Call for entry Go Short 2009!!

kirsten — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:28:59 +0100

Go Short International Short Film Festival Nijmegen Calling for entries now!

March 18. - 22. 2009

Submit your films now!

Final deadline is Dec. 18 th. 2008

for entry form and regulations visit www.goshort.nl

or download the attached entry form

IFFS panel on Festival ticketing Tuesday December 9, 2008

IFFS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:12:48 +0100

1:45pm- 2:45pm Unlock Your Festivals Ticketing Potential

This panel will provide a comparison of ticketing and pass models addressing pros and cons along with companies to consider working with. Hear what models are appropriate for your festival, printing issues, day of sale issues and more.

Moderator: Bruno Chatelin, COO, Filmfestivals.com

Some of the following questions will be answered by our esteemed panelists:
Which percentage of ticketing is achieved online
Individual tickets%
Fest passes %

What to your knowledge is the extreme range of the percentages (ie online tix business vs total box office max)

Can festivals operate with multiple ticketing solutions?

Which business models are in the market, how do the ticketing make money?

What a typical turnover breakdown for ticketing companies (ie what do they sell)

Concerts, theatre musical movie, sports...

What are the key rules to move smoothly into online ticketing...

Our panelists:

Keith Weckstein, Director of Ticketing, Tribeca Film Festival

Erik Jambor, Executive Director, Indie Memphis

Erik has been associated with Sidewalk (Birmingham, Alabama) and BendFilm (Bend, Oregon) before moving to Memphis earlier this year, he will be able offer a regional film fest perspective that will compliment Keith.

He will be talking about the planning before approaching the ticketing companies and how it's important for the ticketing companies to actually show you the functionality you are being told about rather than just taking the Sales person's word for it.

Brian Arnone, VP of Business Development, Enta USA

Enta USA is a ticketing software company that has been in the US market for about 2 years now.

Enta was created in the UK and currently works with over 200 organizations in 24 countries. They work with Film Festival organizations like the British Film Institute in the UK and the New Orleans Film Society in the US. Brian has personally worked for a variety of ticketing companies during his career including Tickets.com, Ticketmaster, TicketWeb, MAXtix and now Enta.

He has worked with the San Francisco International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the Dubai International Film Festival to a name a few.

MICKEY MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, A Celebration of Walt Disney at Shea's Buffalo, December 13, 2008

BuffaloFilmFestival — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:55:47 +0100

Happy Birthday, Mickey!

The Buffalo International Film Festival presents: MICKEY MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, A Celebration of Walt Disney at Shea's Buffalo, December 13, 2008

Presented in Collaboration by Buffalo International Film Festival and Shea's through the courtesy of The Walt Disney Company

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NOVEMBER 17, 2008

www.BuffaloFilmFestival.com

Buffalo, NY –The Buffalo International Film Festival and Shea's Performing Arts Center are proud to present MICKEY MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, three separate and unique screenings celebrating Walt Disney and The 80th Birthday of Mickey Mouse, the most timeless character of world cinema, on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2008 at Shea's Buffalo Theater. This is a benefit for many local children's charities, Shea's restoration efforts and BIFF.

On November 18, 1928, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound, Steamboat Willie, premiered in New York City. The world was never the same again. A tiny, singing, dancing mouse went on to become the most enduring and beloved movie character of all time: a timeless, ageless being. As Walt Disney himself said, "It all started with a mouse."

This extraordinary event is unique in the whole world and will never be repeated. It is the only authorized Birthday Party for this wonderful occasion. Shea's and BIFF are thrilled to bring it exclusively to the residents of Western New York. Anyone within walking, running, driving, or flying distance should get themselves there!

TRIBUTES

Together, the screenings will tell the story of how Walt Disney and his partner Ub Iwerks were facing bankruptcy when their successful character Oswald the Rabbit was taken away from them. In a moment of inspiration, followed by desperate labor, Mickey Mouse was born and serendipitously found his voice at the same time.

Mickey's Birthday Party will also pay tribute to Ralph Kent (aka Kwiatkowski), a Buffalo, NY boy who became "The Keeper of the Mouse," the studio's official artist for likenesses of Mickey.

The event will also include the history of Pat Powers, a Buffalo native, who provided Powers Cinephone to the Disney Brothers and made Mickey's "talking" debut possible.

The Program Book includes special messages to Buffalo, NY from Leonard Maltin (the host of all the Walt Disney Treasures DVD Sets and Entertainment Tonight's film critic), Brad Bird (Pixar's Director of Ratatouille and The Incredibles), Don Hahn (Producer of Fantasia 2000 andBeauty and The Beast), John Canemaker (Academy-Award Winning Author of many Disney books), and Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are, and the best-known living, children's book author in the world).

Mr. Sendak, it is worth noting, was born the same year as Mickey, 1928, and considers him his hero. He has also visited Buffalo, NY in the past and thinks it is one of the most beautiful cities in the country.

GUESTS

Mike Iwerks of Disney Imagineering and great-grandson of Ub Iwerks, the man who drew the very first Mickey Mouse cartoons, will introduce The Hand Behind the Mouse, a documentary made by his cousin Leslie Iwerks as a tribute to Ub and Walt.

J.B. Kaufman, author of Walt in Wonderland, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonys, Walt in South America and a forthcoming book on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is a film historian on the staff of the Walt Disney Family Foundation who is working on the new Disney Family Museum which will open in 2009. Mr. Kaufman is also an expert on early Mickey Mouse.

Edward Summer wrote screenplays for Mickey Mouse at The Walt Disney Company. He is also President of The Buffalo International Film Festival.

All three will introduce the screenings and, at the 2:30 show, explain the significance of each of the wonderful short films in the program. There will be "Talk-Back" sessions after each screening in The Smith Theater adjacent to the Shea's.

THE FILMS

The dozen films to be shown -- which include Steamboat Willie (1928) and Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940) -- are extremely rare 35mm prints directly from the Disney Archive. There will be three separate movie screenings of completely different film programs on the huge Shea's screen using authentic carbon-arc projection just as the films would have been shown 80 years ago. Those who have seen some of these films on television will be astounded at how they look -- huge -- as they were meant to be seen. The two silent films, Alice's Wild West Show (1924) and Oswald the Rabbit in "All Wet" (1927), will be accompanied live on the Shea's Mighty Wurlitzer Organ. A complete list is below.

SCHEDULE, Saturday, December 13, 2008

10:30 A.M. THE HAND BEHIND THE MOUSE
Introduced by Mike Iwerks of Disney Imagineering and also Ub Iwerk's great-grandson,

this award-winning feature-length documentary tells the story of Ub Iwerks, who designed Mickey Mouse in collaboration with Walt Disney who was his hometown friend. The screening also includes: The Skeleton Dance (1929) (the first Silly Symphony cartoon) and Jack Frost(1934), (a rare, CineColor, Iwerks/Powers cartoon supplied by the Academy Archive). All are 35mm prints.

2:30 p.m. MICKEY MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, Featuring 10 ORIGINAL Mickey Mouse cartoons in 35mm prints direct from the "Disney Vault."

Introduced by J.B. Kaufman, Historian, Walt Disney Family Museum and Edward Summer, Mickey Mouse Screenwriter.

ALICE'S WILD WEST SHOW (1924) with Live Wurlitzer Organ!

OSWALD THE RABBIT: ALL WET (1927) with Live Wurlitzer Organ!

PLANE CRAZY (1928) – The First Mickey Cartoon animated almost single-handed by Ub Iwerks, but not released until after Steamboat Willie.

GALLOPIN' GAUCHO (1928), the 2nd Mickey cartoon (also released after Steamboat Willie).

STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928) The first Sound Cartoon featuring Mickey and his public debut.

MICKEY'S GALA PREMIER (1933)

THE BAND CONCERT (1935) – The First Technicolor Mickey

BRAVE LITTLE TAILOR (1938)

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE (1940) from Fantasia

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (1931)

6:30 P.M. WALT DISNEY'S FANTASIA (1940)

The original, uncut Roadshow Version unseen in any theater since 1990.

Introduced by J.B. Kaufman, Historian, Walt Disney Family Museum
and Edward Summer, Mickey Mouse Screenwriter.

Guests include J.B. Kaufman, Mike Iwerks and Edward Summer.

Sponsors include: Villa Maria College Animation Program, Drama Lighting, The Mansion on Delaware, Semanchin and Wetter, ScottAlexanderWood Design, Steven Kerr Design

Prices are: $20 adult; $15 student (with ID) $10 children 12 and under) for Fantasia and theBirthday Party. The Hand Behind the Mouse is $5.00 for all seats. Special combination tickets for admission to all afternoon events are $35 adult, $25 student, $15 children. VIP Tickets, which include special "Talk Back" sessions with the Disney guests, All-Day passes, and reserved seating, are $75.

Tickets are on sale now and are available by calling Ticketmaster at (716) 852-5000, online atwww.ticketmaster.com and at Shea's Ticket Office, 650 Main Street. For information, go towww.sheas.org , www.BuffaloFilmFestival.com or call 847-0850.

Manos Zakharias Honorary Ceremony

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:55:12 +0100

Director Manos Zakharias was honored at a special ceremony on Monday November 17th, in the context of the TIFF’s retrospective to his work. The ceremony took place at Tonia Marketaki theater which was filled with friends and fans of the great filmmaker. Among them were the director’s life-time partner Liolia and his daughter Lena, who both received a flower bouquet from TIFF’s president Georges Corraface as an honor for their contribution to the work of Mr. Zakharias. TIFF director Despina Mouzaki underlined the importance of Manos Zakharias’ work. ‘Manos Zakharias is an inspired and educated filmmaker with consistent moral values, who worked with some of the greatest Russian directors. Today we are honoring Manos Zakharias as a man, a friend, an artist and a man of vision with an unappeased passion for cinema who pays his dues to humanity’. ‘The one thing I keep from honorary ceremonies is people’s honesty, something that I find deeply touching’, the director commented and then spoke briefly about the screening of the film that took place after the ceremony. ‘At the Corner of Arbat and Bubulinas Street is the most personal of all my movies since it includes a lot of biographical elements. Throughout the film I tried to introduce a different perspective of certain events of modern Greek history’. A close friend of Manos Zakharias, director Fotos Lamprinos said: ‘I feel that I am connected with bonds of blood with Manos, and I feel deeply moved when speaking about him because we know each other since October 1964 when I was studying in Moscow. During my stay there, I spent most of my time in his house and the main topic of our discussions was the progress of the U.S.S.R. since I also had a communist background. Through our talks, different views were revealed to me by Manos; views related more to morality than politics. This is an element that defines his work. Although he was engaged to the Left as a youth, he examines the moral substance of things in his films’.

Oliver Stone Press Conference

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:50:56 +0100

American director and producer Oliver Stone gave his press conference on Tuesday, November 18th at the Warehouse C.

Talking about his latest film W., Oliver Stone recalled the period when he was studying with George Bush at Yale University in 1968. He described the president of the U.S.A. as a sociable person and member of various fraternities, and then referred to their meeting in 1998 when George Bush was the Governor of Texas. ‘I was impressed by his confidence and how well organized his whole promotion “system” was. I immediately got the feeling that he would win the 2000 presidential election’.

When asked about when he decided to make a movie about George Bush, he said ‘After 11/9, I was not interested in making another film about Iraq. I wanted to show how a small team of 6 to 12 men was thinking, men whose decisions were radical and changed the way the American administration runs. I realized that George Bush had used all the available functions of American society. I am not a reporter, I am a filmmaker and after the J.F.K. and Richard Nixon related films, I never thought that I would make another film about a U.S.A. President. But George Bush changed my life, as he changed yours. Even our grandchildren will be experiencing the results of his policies; his presidency changed the life of the planet’. Regarding Barack Obama’s election, Oliver Stone said ‘The new president gives us many hopes. The expectations for a change are high, but it is very early to make any judgments’.

Oliver Stone also said that George Bush was underestimated, and even now that he is powerless, the Bush dogma on terrorism is still in effect. ‘Today the American government spies on everything and everyone they want and claims that, in the name of the war against terrorism, it can start a war against anybody. George Bush calls himself ‘President of War’, and this scares me. I would love to see this cancer be removed. I don’t know if Barack Obama is capable of changing things, but I am not very optimistic’.

Answering a question about the system that pulls the strings in his country, Oliver Stone said ‘George Bush is a product of a consistent military pattern which is in use since 1946 and is based on the idea that the U.S.A. always needs to invent an enemy. In this context, Richard Nixon is George Bush’s grandfather and Ronald Reagan his father. He brought war into politics in order to help his political party by taking advantage of people’s fears and need for security. ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself’, Franklin Roosevelt had said but George Bush seems to totally ignore these words. He sees himself as a savior and he believes that in 2040 people will be thanking him for his contribution’.

Regarding the box office failure of his film Natural Born Killers, the American director said that it is very difficult to make a satire on modern life. ’It was a film about violence and exploitation in a society like the American one whose culture is based on greed, violence and Jesus Christ’.

The unexpected duet of Stone and Kusturica at the No Smoking Band concert, held on Tuesday night at Warehouse C, in the context of the 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, thrilled the crowd of the event. The renowned film director went on stage and marked this unique concert.

Opening of the 4th Crossroads Co- Production Forum

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:46:28 +0100

The 4th Crossroads Co-production Forum, organized by the 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF), started on Monday, November 17th, in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

This year’s Industry Center is being hosted at the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography. Crossroad’s artistic director, Marie-Pierre Macia, French producer and former director of Cannes’ Directors’ Forthnight, welcomed the guests and said she is very pleased with the program’s progress, which is funded by the program MEDIA and has as a target to support productions related to the Balkan and the Mediterranean area. ‘This year we are screening Yesim Ustaoglou’s film ‘Pandora's Box’. The director, whose film won the Golden Shell Award for Best Film and the Award for Best Leading Actress in the Film Festival of San Sebastian, had also won the Crossroads Award two years ago’, pointed out Ms. Macia.

The 15 selected projects that compete for the Crossroads Nokia N series award, which is accompanied by a 10.000 euros prize, are productions or co- productions from the Balkan or the Mediterranean areas or include elements of these areas in their plot. The projects’ producers will have the chance to meet a network of important personalities of the film industry circuit. Distributors, sponsors, co-producers, television companies’ representatives and consultants will be present in order to discuss any matter concerning the promotion of their film.

Just Talking 16/11

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:42:36 +0100

The first ‘Just Talking’ event of this year’s Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) took place on Sunday, November 16th, at the Old Pump Station in Thessaloniki’s port.

Naoko Ogigami, director of the film ‘Megane / The glasses’ (Focus), Anna Boden, director of the film ‘Sugar’ (Independence days), Tomas Alfredson, director of the film ‘Let the right one in’ (Independence days) and the leading actor of the film ‘Terribly happy’ (Independence days) Jacob Cedergren were participating in the discussion.

‘I’m no good in promoting my films’, admitted Anna Boden when she was asked about how she managed to ‘sell’ her rather common story about a baseball player of Dominican Republic origin. ‘We were not interested in the super star version of the story about a baseball player overcoming obstacles and reaching the top. On the contrary, we wanted to tell the story of thousands of young athletes who however hard they train, they never become successful. It is a common story presented from an original point of view’.

‘In our days you have to be a good salesman apart from being a good director’, added Tomas Alfredson and went on by saying: ‘This is not something which happens automatically to everybody. Summing up your work in three catchy lines is not an easy task. The fact that my film is about a twelve year old boy who meets a vampire may sound catchy, but it could also refer to a story about a boy meeting a girl in a dull Swedish neighborhood 25 years ago. I cannot accept the idea of being a salesman.’

‘That is exactly what we have been discussing with Anna yesterday’, added Naoko Ogigami. ‘We recently visited the Sundance Festival and noticed that all that people were trying to do was sell themselves. This situation is causing me a lot of stress. Happily, thanks to the Japanese audience’s positive response to my previous film ‘Kamome Diner’, it hasn’t been difficult for me to find the financial aid for Megane.

‘I chose to play in the film because of its story’, quoted Jacob Sendergren. ‘Furthermore, I liked the director’s attempt to produce a film with its own personality, that was not “Danish”. Although I haven’t pitched a movie, I understand the business of selling yourself very well. As an actor, you are sometimes asked to give some silly interviews where you have to talk about which is your favorite food and what you enjoy doing in your free time, instead of talking about the film. I am not very keen about this and try to avoid it even when I am advised for the opposite. If you are truthful in what you do, things will work out’.

‘Categorizing films according to their content is not a part of the director’s work. This is a job reserved for the marketing people’, added Tomas Alfredson. ‘I hate it when producers and sponsors ask me in advance about my film’s genre. I like to complicate things for the viewer. Life is complicated and so should be art’.

‘I start by writing what I have in my mind and then I transfer it to the film’, noted Naoko Ogigami. ‘I also try to put a little laughter in my films. I never reach the 100% of my original idea and this is a reason for me to keep on filming. Each time, I try to do something different, something better’.

‘Every time I see the notes someone is taking on a film of mine, I want to quit and turn to something else like teaching, for example. However, there are still stories for me to tell and that is why I keep on making films’, added Anna Boden .

Manos Zakharias Press Conference at Thessaloniki

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:39:03 +0100

Greek Director Manos Zakharias, whom TIFF honors with a retrospective to his work this year, talked about his films, Greek cinema and Greek filmmakers during a press conference that took place on Monday, November 17th.

TIFF Director, Despina Mouzaki, launched the press conference saying: ‘Manos Zakharias is a deeply moral person and filmmaker. We wanted to introduce this side of the filmmaker to our audience this year, with a complete retrospective of his work. A work with Greek roots and universal ideas that manages to retain its force and meaning uncorrupted until now’. She also expressed her satisfaction that the theaters are full during Manos Zakharias’ film screenings. ‘This proves that his work goes beyond time and space’, she mentioned.

Yorgos Bramos, editor of the Festival's publication on Manos Zakharias, said that the time has come for us to truly discover the creative side of a director whose work begins with the Greek Resistance and is expressed through a series of films created in U.S.S.R. which defined his generation. Yorgos Bramos also noted that ‘In his films Manos Zakharias doesn’t recreate Greece, he carries Greece inside him’.

Manos Zakharias thanked the Festival for the retrospective to his work, and explained that 4 films – out of a total of 11 – are being screened for the first time in Greece thanks to Despina Mouzaki’s efforts, since she was the one that found and brought them over from Moscow. The films are The Morning Flight, The Town Of First Love, I'm A Soldier, Mother and The night Passenger.

Answering a question regarding his thoughts on contemporary Greek cinema, Manos Zakharias said that there is a future thanks to the talented young filmmakers, but he pointed out that the main problem is the lack of education. ‘It takes more than a few words and incomplete actions for something important to happen in Greek cinema’. As far as the reformation of the law regarding cinema in Greece is concerned, he stated that although there are some good intentions, some things have to be re-examined.

‘Cinema can easily become old’, Manos Zakharias said when he was asked to make an evaluation of his work. ‘I would change some of my films. Some others stand the test of time and still have something to offer. They deal with the morality of man when he must make decisions in difficult situations, an everlasting issue that I tried to deal with’, he said.

Finally, in a question about when he is planning to make his next film, the distinguished filmmaker answered with a young man’s excitement, that there is not a single director who has not thought about his next movie. ‘I think about it too. If I manage to do it, I'll let you know’, he said.

Diablo Cody Masterclass

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:35:19 +0100

Diablo Cody’s spontaneity and humor became evident during her masterclass on Monday, November 17th at the John Kassavetes Theater. The American screenwriter and producer, who has won 18 awards – among them the Oscar for Original Screenplay and the BAFTA for Original Screenplay – for her début script for the film ’Juno’, is one of TIFF’s International Jury’s members.

‘Writing this script has been the most exciting experience for me. I enjoyed it even more than when I received the Oscar! I loved the procedure and the script’s characters became my friends. Every night I couldn’t wait to find the time to go on with my writing’, admitted Cody and added: ‘I didn’t want to copy somebody else’s story. I didn’t want my story to repeat the same stupid stories, that are so abundant in American film’. As for the characters in ‘Juno’, she said that they were composed of a mixture of elements of herself and people she has met. ‘My heroes come from the real world. It irritates me whenever I see characters in movies that are extremely smart or weird. However funny they might be, they are fake’.

She also added that she is utterly satisfied as far as the contribution of her director, Jason Rightman, to the film’s success is concerned. ‘In the hands of another director it may have turned out to be a bad movie. Screenwriters often feel that a film belongs to them and that directors are trying to take it away from them. In ‘Juno’s case though, Jason showed great respect, shared my vision and assured me that he was going to keep the ideas of the film as they were’.

Regarding her experience during the shooting of the film, she said: ‘During the first two weeks all I could do was sit and watch. What I considered extremely important for this film was the rhythm of the dialogues, the way the actors would carry the words out. Normally, this is the director’s job, but Jason wanted me to feel safe about everything being done the right way. However, I didn’t take part in the rehearsals. I would have been the worst actress in the world!’

‘I believe that anyone who loves cinema and watches films can write a script. Even small children can write a story with a beginning, middle and end. That is all you need. There is no recipe. Scriptwriting is not mathematics. You just need to find something to inspire you and tell the story with your own unique voice’.

When asked about her future steps, Cody noted that sudden success can become a trap. ‘After a big success everybody wants to make serious films, win more awards… In my case, however, I want to write fun scripts, for comedies and horror films”.

She also talked about her next film Jennifer’s Body, a horror film that will be released in the spring of 2009. ‘I love horror films. Like Juno, Jennifer’s body is focused on a strong female character. This is something not very common in Hollywood where women usually get the supporting roles. They never get the good lines and this is why I feel like I have to give them to them’.

She also added: ‘I would like to write a novel one day. A big book, like one of those you can hit a man on the head with! It is extremely difficult, I know, but at the same time it satisfies your ego because it depends entirely on yourself. On the other hand though, there will be no director to improve it!’

‘My diary was based on my private life and included real facts. I had to invent a character and use an alias just as everybody does on the Internet. If my mother knew about it she would have felt ashamed. When she finally did learn about it, she wanted to kill me! I set it right for her only when I won the Oscar!’
She defended blogging as a means of expression for every prospective writer. ‘Blogging has been heavily criticized, but has a great advantage. In order to publish a book you have to get an appointment with a publisher, think of what they want you to write… It is a long and complicated procedure. On the web, however, things are a lot easier. I can write an essay today and have the feedback of thousands of people by tomorrow. I keep writing in a blog from time to time but I find it more difficult now that I have so many other activities in my schedule’.

Golden Alexander Award Presented to The Dardenne Brothers

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:22:38 +0100

On Saturday, November 15th, the acclaimed European cinematographers Luc and Jean Pierre Dardenne were honored with the Golden Alexander Award at the Olympion Theater. Luc Dardenne was present to receive the award for both of them.

‘The Dardenne brothers’ work reaches deep into the human soul and underlines the reasons why cinema is so important to us’, noted TIFF Director Despina Mouzaki. ‘We would like to thank the two filmmakers for placing a mirror in front of our eyes. A mirror, which reflects not only ourselves, but also society and history. In their films, the Dardenne brothers do not take the role of the Messiah. They only express their personal ethical code’.

Luc Dardenne concluded by saying that the Golden Alexander Award is very important for him and his brother. ‘I am very happy to be in Thessaloniki, a city with a great cultural history and tradition, that still remains a crossroads for different cultures’. He also dedicated the award to their actors and collaborators.

The ceremony was followed by the screening of the short film ‘Dans l’oscurité /Inside the dark’ and ‘Le silence de Lorna / Lorna’s silence’, the Dardenne Brothers’ latest film which has won the best script award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Haris Zambarloukos Masterclass

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:17:57 +0100

Critically acclaimed cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos held a Masterclass on Sunday, November 15th, at the John Kassavetes Theatre. Haris Zambarloukos talked about the way he works with light, his collaboration with known filmmakers, as well as his relationship with modern technology. Film Journalist Yorgos Krassakopoulos was co-ordinating the masterclass.

‘Today we have with us Haris Zambarloukos, a great compatriot, a man who glorified the Aegean landscape in his work for the film Mamma Mia. Born in Cyprus, yet a citizen of the world, he is a man who can bring Greek light to Hollywood. His unique vision established him as one of the greatest cinematographers of our days’, noted TIFF director Despina Mouzaki in her introduction.

Haris Zambarloukos went to London to study painting but was eventually absorbed by cinema. ‘From the moment I first became interested in cinema, I lost my interest in painting. However, I am always more focused on the artistic, rather than the technical, aspect of my work’, he explained.

He also added: ‘I am inspired by the actors’ gestures and wit and this is what I try to accentuate in a film. I take great care in creating the right atmosphere during the shooting, so that the actors feel comfortable to express themselves’.

He pointed out that he is not a passionate follower of the digital technology. ‘Old movies carry some kind of magic. I therefore choose to work with traditional lenses and film, I think they create the best result’, he explained. Answering a question asked by TIFF President Georges Corraface regarding the digital restoration of film, he pointed out that he supports the restoration of old films by the means of new technologies.

Regarding to his collaboration with Phyllida Lloyd, director of ‘Mamma Mia’ he noted: ‘Phyllida, although a competent theater and opera director who had already worked for ‘Mamma Mia’ in the theater for nine years, had no previous experience in cinema. As a result, I had to explain to her some things about cinema and she had to offer me her knowledge of musical plays’.

Mr Zambarloukos also talked about his love for cinema that helps and encourages him to overcome the difficulties he encounters in his profession. ‘Prior to becoming a director of photography, I had practiced many other jobs within the film industry and I have always been very happy about

Opening of the 49th Thessaloniki International Film festival

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:50:13 +0100

The 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) started yesterday, with the opening ceremony being held at the Olympion Theater. This year's opening ceremony has been based on the idea of a journey throughout the history of cinema. Three large screens carried the audience in an exciting trip starting from the Lumière brothers' first images.
Konstantinos Kontovrakis, host of the opening ceremony directed by Angelos Frantzis, welcomed the audience and the 49th TIFF's honored guests.
Despina Mouzaki, director of the TIFF, pointed out that the critical times the world is facing generate hope for radical changes in the future and that the need for art is more evident than ever. ‘The stability of this institution and our presence here today demonstrate that we have an inner need to express our agonies through the art of cinema', she mentioned and she also thanked everybody who contribute and support the TIFF, from creative people and artists of cinema to the jury, the state, the sponsors and the team that works in the TIFF.
Mr. Vassilis Gakis, Deputy Mayor of Culture of Thessaloniki, greeted the TIFF as the city's celebration and announced a new award starting from this year, entitled ‘Cinema and the City'. As he noted, the aim is to award the fiction film of the International Program that captures the urban environment best.
Thodoris Dravillas, Secretary General of Minister of Culture, stressed out the importance of the 49th TIFF's role in the economic market and expressed his wishes for the future.
Margaritis Tzimas, Minister of Macedonia and Thrace, underlined that there is no reason for the state to cut its funds for the film industry and announced that the Macedonia and Thrace Ministry funded 4 films which were produced in areas of Macedonia and Thrace this year. The economic support came up to 140 thousands of Euros; this will continue in the future.
The lights were turned off and Mr. Georges Corraface, president of the TIFF, lit up a lighter and the 49th TIFF's logo appeared on the screen. ‘' Don't listen to anybody who says that cinema cannot change the world '', he pointed out and then wished for everyone to enjoy this year's Festival.
The opening ceremony was completed with the presentation of the 14 films of the international competition section and the members of the jury.
Daren Aronofsky's latest film, ‘The Wrestler', was screened after the ceremony. The director was introduced to the Greek audience back in 1998 at the 39th TIFF when his first film ‘π' was received with great success and earned the FIPRESCI award. ‘The Wrestler' has been also awarded with the Golden Lion of the Festival of Venice.

Oliver Stone Masterclass

thessaloniki — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:19:55 +0100

Oliver Stone Masterclass (11/18/2008)

Political cinema and W., Oliver Stone’s latest film, monopolized interest during the masterclass delivered by the renowned director, which was held at Stavros Tornes theater on Tuesday, November 18th. Among the people attending the Masterclass were TIFF Director, Despina Mouzaki and TIFF President, Georges Corraface.

Despina Mouzaki introduced Oliver Stone as a director of political films who doesn’t compromise and doesn’t fit in the conservative production system of Hollywood. ‘He created some of most talked about films in the American film history. Even when he chooses to play by the system’s rules, he keeps his revolutionary spirit alive. Art and life share the same purpose for him and politics exists in both’.

‘Bush wanted to make history’, said Oliver Stone. ‘He changed America in a radical way by taking extreme risks just as ancient tyrants did. The consequences this had in my country went far beyond the politics of Nixon or Kennedy. I grew up next to a father who supported Nixon and I ended up supporting Kennedy. These two men were the dipole of my youth. Clinton wasn’t of any interest to me. And then I met Bush. In his 40’s he was a bum who had no job and used to drink and live in his father’s shadow. You have to watch the film to understand why this man became president’, said the director and then added: ‘I was characterized as non-patriotic for not supporting his propaganda against terrorism. Bush was named the War President. He could bomb anyone only because he wanted to. This was the public’s opinion in 2002. But people tend to forget. Bush was re-elected by the same people who criticized and were making fun of him’.

‘I am not trying to turn people against Bush’, he explained. ‘We based our story on real facts. We tried to see things from his point of view and not comment on his choices. We wanted to show the life of a man who gets up in the morning and likes what he sees. A man who defends what he does because he believes he is doing the right thing. Don’t bring your personal ideology with you when you come to see the film. Come to see the man’.

In relation to his film The Great Alexander and the way the hero appears in the film, Stone commented that according to his opinion, Great Alexander had a very strong feminine side in his personality. ’Those who cannot understand this are narrow-minded. I personally admire him a lot because he was a man of strong will and knowledge who kept the Greek spirit alive’.

Political cinema and W., Oliver Stone's latest film, monopolized interest during the masterclass delivered by the renowned director, which was held at Stavros Tornes theater on Tuesday, November 18th. Among the people attending the Masterclass were TIFF Director, Despina Mouzaki and TIFF President, Georges Corraface.

Despina Mouzaki introduced Oliver Stone as a director of political films who doesn't compromise and doesn't fit in the conservative production system of Hollywood. ‘He created some of most talked about films in the American film history. Even when he chooses to play by the system's rules, he keeps his revolutionary spirit alive. Art and life share the same purpose for him and politics exists in both'.

‘Bush wanted to make history', said Oliver Stone. ‘He changed America in a radical way by taking extreme risks just as ancient tyrants did. The consequences this had in my country went far beyond the politics of Nixon or Kennedy. I grew up next to a father who supported Nixon and I ended up supporting Kennedy. These two men were the dipole of my youth. Clinton wasn't of any interest to me. And then I met Bush. In his 40's he was a bum who had no job and used to drink and live in his father's shadow. You have to watch the film to understand why this man became president', said the director and then added: ‘I was characterized as non-patriotic for not supporting his propaganda against terrorism. Bush was named the War President. He could bomb anyone only because he wanted to. This was the public's opinion in 2002. But people tend to forget. Bush was re-elected by the same people who criticized and were making fun of him'.

‘I am not trying to turn people against Bush', he explained. ‘We based our story on real facts. We tried to see things from his point of view and not comment on his choices. We wanted to show the life of a man who gets up in the morning and likes what he sees. A man who defends what he does because he believes he is doing the right thing. Don't bring your personal ideology with you when you come to see the film. Come to see the man'.

In relation to his film The Great Alexander and the way the hero appears in the film, Stone commented that according to his opinion, Great Alexander had a very strong feminine side in his personality. 'Those who cannot understand this are narrow-minded. I personally admire him a lot because he was a man of strong will and knowledge who kept the Greek spirit alive'.

Ogresta – Behind the Glass- No Typical Croatian Film

radmila — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:04:15 +0100

On the territory of Balkan, in countries of ex Yugoslavia, it is beyond the doubt a miracle to see film that deals on every day subject of a contemporary life we all are living in. One Croatian film director does that really well. I’m talking about film director and professor of Drama Academy in Zagreb Zrinko Ogresta. He deals with no past civil war; no Balkan politics toward rest of the world, no war crimes, no people trafficking, but ordinary people and ordinary life, on such manner that anyone in world can understand it. Language that he speaks is easy to swallow, to comprehend, and it is definitely no typical Croatian or Balkan film. “Behind the Glass” is a film that deals with eternal subject, a love triangle, which maybe is a theme that sometimes big film festivals do not want, but is the film that everyone will stay foot, right to the end. Most of the films from ex Yugoslavian region that have achieved something on international scene in the last 10-15 years, carry on sub-political messages or heavy subjects such as war crimes, politics, massacre and history. Ogresta’s principle is different. People can have different opinions on the film, but they will recognize a true every day inspiration, a simple temptation –a love triangle. In “Behind the Glass”, the official competition entry at Karlovy Vary and winning of Audience Award at the Motovun Film Festival, Ogresta concentrates on a love triangle between Nikola (Leon Lucev), his colleague and mistress Ana (Darija Lorenci) and wife Maja (Jadranka Djokic). And Nikola fights between his two women.

“Behind the Glass “film has no usual calculation or political catch that will allow political propaganda or current political fashion to take advantage in order to open inter-ethnic relationship doors to many festivals. Ogresta here is interested in individual, in their intimate drama and problems. He believes that a particular problem can be interpreted as universal in a wider social context. Film ends’ ludicrous and has credits that often attributes to a TV-soap feel, and at first might scream as a nouveau riche. But it is not. There is no big deal, no big words, no social past civil war here, just us…Us, living our ordinary life, a story that can happen anywhere in the world. The film is a social commentary and the statement of time and it concentrates on human suffer, within the context of modern contemporary upper middle class. We are watching the characters from a distance. A backup to this approach are characters themselves and the story really is “a leit-motif - a poisonous algae that has accidentally been released from an aquarium in Monaco and spread throughout the Mediterranean, destroying all other marine vegetation”, said in film by one of characters. Film seems to be very personal, but it does tell universal story of human being, in the situation where anyone cannot change, just a human nature. And yet we can all identify ourselves in it. Here, we see the film made by the book.

“Behind the Glass is my attempt to face some of my personal dilemmas and failures in life. I allowed myself to make a film that probably personally concerns me the most. I felt that I had a very personal subject matter, not autobiographical, but which corresponded with audiences. It's about a very common problem but it is shaped in a personal way and people can recognize themselves in it. It's in my nature. I am interested with people and I watch them from a distance without going into their relationships directly, almost in a voyeuristic way. That is a part of my character that is transferred to the film...”

Considering the subject that follows, this is the kind of film that demands a strong acting and carefully chosen crew. To prove the point, next to Leon Lucev Ogresta successfully chooses Jadranka Djokic, who subsequently won the Golden Arena for Best Actress at the Pula Film Festival for the part, and on the screen, you can actually see the chemistry between them.

I think that film “Behind the Glass” represents move forward in Croatian production today. The film is invited, because of the production values, on couple of European cinema and between of seven films in competition at this year’s national Pula Film Festival, this film really falls out of the usual standard pattern. The festival prospects here are bright: the film has been invited to Cairo, Rome, Goteburg, Denver and Ghent, which is pretty good and proves the point.

Some media got it wrong about San Seb: here is the official story

editor — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:02:36 +0100

John Hopewell from Variety wrote the following title "San Sebastian faces budget crisis: Festival chief and staff threaten to resign"
Read the full article on Variety.com (you probably would have to pay to access the article)

"...The head of the San Sebastian Film Festival, the Spanish-speaking world’s biggest movie confab, is threatening to resign if his budget is slashed.

If festival director Mikel Olaciregui ankles, he’ll be followed out the door by his entire management team.

The threat, made via a letter on the festival website, reps an attempt by Olaciregui to dissuade four public-sector partners from removing coin..."

The festival's officials had a different story and made the following statement on their website.

"In view of the erroneous, inaccurate information printed and broadcast by certain media in recent days, the San Sebastian Festival Management Team wishes to make the following clarifications:

ONE – The economic results of the last two editions have experienced deficits of €511,878.31 in 2007 and €450,000 (provisional figure) in 2008. These results, which have coincided with two of the most highly valued editions of recent years by the media, public, sponsors and the Partner Institutions themselves, and which imply a deviation of less than 5% from the total budgets, have been offset against the Festival’s own voluntary reserves, with no modifications to its capital, no untoward financial situation in the Festival accounts, and without any additional or extraordinary amounts having to be paid out by the four Partner Institutions. While the Festival Management Team considers these deficits to be structural and caused by the growth in infrastructures experienced by the event in recent years, as it has informed the Partner Institutions, in view of these negative results, the Management Team as a whole has tendered its resignation to the Board of Directors, following which the Institutions sitting on the Board have decided that the Management Team shall remain in place.

TWO – The Festival has succeeded in self-financing 48% of its total budget and important, prestigious names (TVE, Schweppes-Spirit, L’Oreal Paris, Renault, Altadis Foundation, Kutxa, Loewe, Intel, Euskaltel, Cacique Rum, DHL, etc.) have used the Festival platform for their communication and marketing policies. Specifically, income from sponsorship rose by 23% at the last edition.

THREE – A study is being made of whether or not to adopt a series of measures aimed at adapting the Festival budget to the overall situation of crisis and to the budgetary differences of the last two editions. In coming weeks, the Partner Institutions will take a decision regarding their contribution to the Festival budgets, and the Festival Management Team has stipulated that it will remain in place provided that the resulting circumstances make it possible to hold a Festival in the conditions which, from a position of professional responsibility, it deems to be necessary."

The Festival Management Team

Mikel Olaciregui
José Ángel Herrero-Velarde
Ricardo Aldarondo
Vicente Mozo
José Luis Rebordinos
Ana Esperanza Redondo

Sita (and Nina) Sing the Blues, but not for Long

elisabeth — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:57:45 +0100

Sita opened the San Francisco International Animation Film Festival this weekend, where I got to see it, and where director Nina Paley (check her blog) and Sound Designer Greg Sextro were in attendance for some q & a.

IFC Film Center, New York, Sunday Nov. 9, 2008. Photo by Ken Levis.

Paley introduced her movie, and having lived in the Bay Area before, she was awe-struck to be back introducing a movie she made. "It's really weird to be in this position. I've been to so many movies at the Embarcadero Cinema, and this is the only one I've been to where I'm standing up here," she said.

The film opens with a sort of music video, and the animation and music were immediately so much like nothing I'd seen before that I wondered what I was in for. Soon enough the soothing visuals and music lured me into relaxation and I was entranced. In short, Sita Sings the Blues is: about the Indian Epic the Ramayana, and Nina Paley's break up with her husband. Sweet blusey songs of Annette Hanshaw accompany the story, and it's told through different styles of animation, mainly flash, that Paley did all on her own. It's the first feature length work of animator Nina Paley, though she has been animating since 1998 and has a series of other short works.

To me, the movie is special for many reasons.

One reason is that the story of the Ramayana is told not only through the main characters Sita and her Rama, but also by three shadow puppet narrators who fill in the blanks, explaining the story for audience. Their seemingly on
the spot narration and forgetfulness is endearing and relatable, and provides a lot of laugh out loud moments.

We learned from Paley in the Q&A that, as it seemed, these narrators weren't scripted, but friends
of Paley's who she asked questions to in the studio one day.

You may be wondering right now how Paley's break-up, the Ramayana, and Annette Hanshaw have anything to do
with one another.

In quite an interesting and random way actually.

1- Paley's husband moved to India, she moved after him, then he broke up with her in an email.

2- While in India, she discovered the Indian story of Ramayana.

3- Back in New York after the dump, she was crashing at a friend's house who had a record player, were
she discovered the music of Annette Hanshaw.

Lucky thing all of these events happened, because together they birthed Sita Sings the Blues.

I had read in Paley's blog that with this film she wasn't aiming to make a children's movie, but during it I didn't see anything that I thought wasn't fit for children, so when I had the chance I asked Paley how she felt about children watching it. She said she thought it was fine for children, but that some people didn't.

I also asked her if she recommends storytelling through entertainment as a form of healing- since she told the story of her hard break up through this movie that's now showing in festivals across the world.
She said she just recommends art as expression.

Other Press the film is getting creates controversy around Paley's "feminist recontextualization" of the Ramayan, how it's offensive to some, disrespecting Rama. But Paley says for the most part the response to the
film has been very positive.

Hopefully it's playing at a festival near you! Get out and see it. Or email Paley for your own copy.

She says her next film will be about free speech.

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Call For Entries! 2009 Estes Park Film Festival

seandb — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:04:44 +0100

We are pleased to announce the start of our Call for Entries! We are looking for the best independent Feature Films, Documentaries, and Short Films for our fourth annual event in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. Submit early and save! Last year's festival was an amazing success, and had many special guests in attendance including the Colorado Film Commissioner and representatives from Univeral Pictures!

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Estes Park Film Festival is dedicated to providing a platform for filmmakers from around the world to screen their newest productions in the relaxing and creative atmosphere of Estes Park, Colorado. Our goal is to educate, inspire, and advance a greater appreciation of independent cinema. We also support the preservation of historic cinematic landmarks.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Founded in 2005, the annual Estes Park Film Festival takes place each September in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, home of Rocky Mountain National Park! Each year filmmakers from around the world travel to Estes Park to showcase their newest films at the beautiful Historic Park Theatre. Built in 1913, the Historic Park Theatre is one of the oldest movie theatres still operating in America, and in 1984 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visit www.estesparkfilm.com for more info!

Estes Park Film Festival
September 17-20, 2009

See Mickey Rourke in the Raw in “The Wrestler” Opens Theatrically December 19, 2008

avivapress — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:48:41 +0100

By Maria Esteves - November 18, 2008

The 46th New York Film Festival (NYFF46), presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Closing Night Premiere of THE WRESTLER, directed by Darren Aronofsky was held at Avery Fisher Hall, Sunday, October 12, 2008, 8:30 PM. A special Q&A with director Darren Aronofsky, producer Scott Franklin, actor Mickey Rourke, and actress Marisa Tomei, moderated by NYFF selection committee chairman, Richard Pena, program director, Film Society of Lincoln Center immediately followed the film.

THE WRESTLER, is a Winner! A Powerful, Riveting, Compelling, and Passionate film set in New Jersey during the 1980s, about a working class professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) life struggles between love, retirement, reconciliation, and mortality. Randy who falls in love with a single parent aging dancer Cassidy aka Pam (Marisa Tomei) he met at a gentlemen's club, seeks to reconcile with his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) whom he have not seen in years. Advised by his doctor not to wrestle again after a near fatal heart attack, "The Ram" tempts fate!

Winner of the Golden Lion award, 2008 Venice International Film Festival, THE WRESTLER, directed by Darren Aronofsky co-produced by Wild Bunch | USA | 2008 | Drama | 109 minutes, released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, opens theatrically Friday, December 19, 2008.

23rd Israel Film Festival Closing Night PANAVISION Awards

avivapress — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:41:03 +0100

By Maria Esteves - November 18, 2008

The 23rd Israel Film Festival (IFF) in New York Closing Night Awards presented by Panavision and the IsraFest Foundation, acknowledging the best in filmmaking and emerging directors and producers of Israeli descent, was held at the Clearview Cinemas, Thursday, November 13, 7:30 PM. The awards were announced by founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein and Peter Brogna of PANAVISION. 2008 IFF Closing Night premiere sold out screening of THE SECRETS, directed by Avi Nesher immediately followed the award announcements.

Since 1982, IFF founded by Meir Fenigstein of the IsraFest Foundation, Inc., annually showcase the largest Israeli film festival by talented filmmakers in the United States. The festival is an opportunity to experience Israel through the world of cinema. IFF members are founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein; 2008 Festival Co-chairs Arnon Milchan and Amy Pascal; Honorary Co-chairs Peter Chernin, Michael Fuchs, Arthur Hiller, Yair Landau, Sherry Lansing, David Matalon,
Mike Medavoy, Ron Meyer, Sumner Redstone, Joe Roth, Terry Semel, Steven Spielberg, and Ted Turner.

2008 IFF presented by The IsraFest Foundation, Inc., proud sponsors are NUIMAGE, Millennium Films, The Family Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Clear Channel, 94.7 KTWV-FM The Wave, Israel Film Fund, Government of Israel, The Jewish Federation, Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles and New York, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, The Ant Farm, Israel Ministry of Tourism, EL AL Airlines, VARIETY, Strictly the Finest (Beverly Hills, Palm Beach), Israel Lottery Council, New York Post, Carmel Car & Limousine, The Hollywood Reporter, PANAVISION, Security Couriers, Inc, Modern Video Film, Regency, Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Guess? Foundation, Mika Drimer, The Schechter Foundation, Caesarea Development Corp., TAL TK7, Aya Azrielant, AMERICA The Jewish Israeli Magazine, International Creative Management, Alcon Management, Bank Leumi USA, Drissi Advertising, Sparitual, Zohar Loshitzer, HBO, FIJI Water, The Collateral Lender, Inc., Beverly Hills Design & Life, Paramount Vantage, 1260/540 KGIL- AM News/Talk, The Jewish Journal, Laemmle Theatres, Bleiberg Entertainment, Israeli Global 1, Media Arsenal, Park Avenue Funding, Israeli Independence Day Festival, American Apparel, Residence Inn, AMS/PACIFIC Limousine & Transportation, Bnai Zion Foundation, AJC, Moshe & Laura Aflato Family Foundation, Budget, Skyview Wine & Spirits, Renaissance, Sam & Shanit Schwartz, Inbal Jerusalem Hotel, Blazer Medina Group, FORWARD Jewish News, Robert and Beverly Cohen Four Seasons Hotel, Long Island Jewish World, LA Weekly, Shavua Israeli Weekly Magazine, and Factor's Famous Deli.

This year's festival celebrating Israel's 60th Anniversary was the most successful in the history of IFF in New York with more than 26 sold-out screenings. The festival included 16 premieres, 11 features, 14 documentaries, and 6 student shorts; filmmaker's panel discussion, special
events, awards ceremony, and the opening night gala honoring 2008 IFF winners producer/director/writer Edward Zwick, Outstanding Achievement in Film Award; director/producer/writer Irwin Winkler, IFF Lifetime Achievement Award; and actor/director/producer/writer Danny DeVito, Lifetime Visionary Award.

A combination of film software and camera packages were announced to the following winners:

* PANAVISION Audience Choice Award (Los Angeles and New York), presented by Peter Brogna of PANAVISION, to Avi Nesher for THE SECRETS

* Best Documentary Award Ran Tal for CHILDREN OF THE SUN

* Best Student Short Award Lior Geller for ROADS

2008 IFF Closing Night Panavision Awards:
founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein,
(right), with PANAVISION Audience Choice
Award presenter Peter Brogna.

2008 IFF Closing Night Panavision Awards:
founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein.

2008 IFF Closing Night Panavision Awards:
founder/executive director Meir Fenigstein,
(left), with PANAVISION Audience Choice
Award presenter Peter Brogna.

A Touch of Flash in Mannheim

Phillip Bergson — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:06:06 +0100

If Clara was one musical highpoint in Mannheim this year, another was certainly Carlos Saura's latest revue-film Fados, which like his earlier Flamenco and Tango, explores urban melodies, presenting- with some luminous photography by Eduardo Serra-the place of fado in the life of Lisbon, looking for its African and Brazilian roots and providing 90 sensuous minutes filled with infinite affection and regret.The film received its German premiere, out of competition, and like Iberia seems to be completely unknown in Great Britain and unreleased in many territories.

The Spanish accent was definitely pronounced with no fewer than three entries in competition from Spain - the charming Un poco de chocolate (by Aitzol Aramaio) teamed young German star Daniel Brühl, impressively speaking his own lines in fluent Spanish, with Argentinian veteran Hector Alterio, in an original family story with much incidental humour,Alterio was also to be seen tackling the affronts of aging in Amaner de Un Sueno, an apparently personal story by Freddy Mas Franqueza, with a startling coda set in Berlin; and an all-too-topical tale of immigrants smuggling their way into Spain, by crossing the 14 Kilometros that separate Europe from Africa, in the feature debut of the documentarist Gerardo Olivares.

The trials of the family are also at the heart of the hugely enjoyable French entry, Les Murs Porteurs, where the seemingly-ageless Miou-Miou has to handle the vagaries of her Polish mother succumbing to Alzheimer's and the philanderings of her media-celebrity brother(played by the excellent Charles Berling). Set in the Jewish quarter of Paris, this lovely film was sensibly programmed on the of Kristallnacht, the 70th anniversary of which- on 9th November, 2008- was marked in Mannheim's modern Synagogue, where another standing-room only audience heard a dignified speech by the Lord Mayor, Dr Peter Kurz, who was having a particularly busy 'day of rest', as later he was obliged to deliver an eloquent discourse on the importance of film during the first Film Culture Prize ceremony, presented during a truly festive- and very delicious- banquet in the rapidly transformed Stadthaus Kino 1, with flowe-bedecked tables and gleaming candelabra, conjuring up an ambiance to rival any gala dinner held at Cannes.

A healthy mix of paying and invited guests enjoyed an excellent jazz cabaret from local music students, while four popular German actresses cited the laudations to the award-winners for their love and practical support of cinema in Germany: the Berlin-based distributor Neue Visionen, the producer Peter Rommel (I presume no relation),three TV programmes and commissioning departments, and the educational project Vision Kino.Both their efforts to encourage quality film-making and film-viewing and the culinary delights of what might become a fixture in the festival programme of Mannheim are to be applauded with gusto.And in another echo of Cannes a young man was apparently arrested after flashing more than a smile late at night at a presumably unimpressed lady passer-by in the Quadrat.I did say it was warm enough to promenade sans but sans everything was going a little too far for Badem-Württemberg!

Phillip Bergson

The Band Sails on in Mannheim

Phillip Bergson — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:35:12 +0100

The second Gala Opening of the 57th Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival took place on 7th November 2008, in the mother-ship, so to say.Even more crowds massed for the premiere of Helma Sanders-Brahms's (surely some relation) elegant menage `a trois Clara (original title Geliebte Clara), an opulent opus on the turbulent amours 'twixt the troubled Schumanns (energetically brought to life by Martina Gedeck and French star Pascal Greggory) and their younger protege Johannes Brahms (an intriguingly cast Malik Zidi, himself no stranger to Franco-German co-productions, successfully cónveying youth and maturity à la fois in his subtle portrayal of the composer who was to eclipse both his mentor Robert and become the lover of his wife Clara, then the most successful concert pianist of the time).

The renovated Stadthaus- a kind of municipal powerhosue-cum-eco-shopping plaza in the very centre of the Mannheim Quadrat- was festively garlanded with banners and lights and a traditional red carpet.The larger auditorium. newly reseated in welcoming scarlet, was completely sold out with guests directed to the packed balcony. The festival now has an additional cinema, created in an adjacent council chamber,with comfortable seating and table lamps reminiscent of Cabaret, while upstairs a tapas bar and downstairs the Press Desk, and a Viewings Room capably cater to most of the needs of the professionally present.There is a acomforable corner with a podium for the nightly, informal Talk Shows with film-makers,apparently carved out of a library area, while across the mezzanine another bar area and cafeteria ply reasonably priced fare,hot and cold,for the paying public.

A sparkling apres-Clata reception inaugurated the Festival Salon, which became the regular rende-vous for receptions hosted by directors with large quantities of sekt, wines and local beers, served into the small hours, though pretzels were sadly not as abundant.

The weather stayed spectacularly mild for the time of year- 17 degrees C by day and coat-less at night-, and the Indian Summer brought recorded audiences for all the screenings. Few things can more delight festival and film directors than full houses on the Saturday for such diverse selections,such as Another Planet, Ferenc Moldovanyi's docu-poem on the suffering little children in some not-so-remote corners of our world, a production lovingly crafted over five years which brought tears to the eyes of some viewers, watching the piteous spectacle of under-age prostitutes or tiny-but not at all toy-soldiers conscripted in the Congo, somehow facing up to their fates with an unsettling matter-of.-factness. The Budapest-based director was returning to Mannheim after presenting a short film here a number of years ago, with a rare documentary selected for the International Competition and which was shot literally around the globe.It topped the poll of the critics published in the bi-lingual festival paper.

Welcomed back as additional festival venues this year were the lovely period art-house Atlantis, as well as the smaller Quadrat kino, while in Heidelberg, besides the purpose-built Unizelt, two other permanent cinemas were in use by the festival.Admissions seem likely to surpass last year's total of 60,000 by the end of this 11-day filmic wonder.

Phillip Bergson