“Los caminantes de la calle,” directed by Argentina’s Juan Martín Hsu, Chilean Ignacio Pávez’s docu-fiction drama “An Amputee” and Uruguayan Lorenzo Tocco’s “For God’s Sake” proved the biggest winners at the Malaga Festival’s Mafiz industry area awards, announced at a ceremony on Friday night.
Covering Malaga’s Work in Progress showcase, its Málaga Festival Fund Co-Production forum (Maff) and the Spanish Screenings Content – Málaga Short Corner, prizes were divvied up among a slew of titles, with ‘Sometimes,’ by Sara Fantova and Enrique Buleo’s ‘Still Life With Ghosts,’ both scoring multiple awards.
From his first feature, 2015’s “La Salada,” a patchwork narrative tale of immigrants’ lives, dreams and suffering in Argentina, to 2021’s “La Luna Reprenta Mi Corazon,” a docu feature record of the rencounter with his mother in Taiwan, Hsu has carved out a niche depicting the immigrant experience in Argentina. In “Los caminantes de la calle,...
Covering Malaga’s Work in Progress showcase, its Málaga Festival Fund Co-Production forum (Maff) and the Spanish Screenings Content – Málaga Short Corner, prizes were divvied up among a slew of titles, with ‘Sometimes,’ by Sara Fantova and Enrique Buleo’s ‘Still Life With Ghosts,’ both scoring multiple awards.
From his first feature, 2015’s “La Salada,” a patchwork narrative tale of immigrants’ lives, dreams and suffering in Argentina, to 2021’s “La Luna Reprenta Mi Corazon,” a docu feature record of the rencounter with his mother in Taiwan, Hsu has carved out a niche depicting the immigrant experience in Argentina. In “Los caminantes de la calle,...
- 3/8/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin-winning Argentine helmer Ariel Rotter debuts his latest feature “A Blue Bird” (“Un Pájaro Azul”) to Spanish audiences in Málaga this week, the film screening in a particularly robust out-of-competition 19 title lineup that include Benito Zembrano’s “Jumping the Fence” and Morena Films-backed “Puntos Suspensivos,” from David Marqués.
Produced by Argentina’s Tarea Fina, behind “Sublime” and Cannes Camera d’Or winner “Las Acacias,” alongside Uruguay’s Montelona Cine (“Nunchaku”), the film follows Javier (Alfonso Tort) and his partner Valeria (Julieta Zylberberg), as they navigate their exhausting six-year battle to conceive a child.
Scenes sit still, sometimes in silence between the pair as they embrace, breathe, sigh, indicative of the love poured into their struggle.
“In the years that my partner and I spent trying to become parents, we went through periods of great uncertainty that strengthened us and wore us down at the same time. The feeling of those years is reflected,...
Produced by Argentina’s Tarea Fina, behind “Sublime” and Cannes Camera d’Or winner “Las Acacias,” alongside Uruguay’s Montelona Cine (“Nunchaku”), the film follows Javier (Alfonso Tort) and his partner Valeria (Julieta Zylberberg), as they navigate their exhausting six-year battle to conceive a child.
Scenes sit still, sometimes in silence between the pair as they embrace, breathe, sigh, indicative of the love poured into their struggle.
“In the years that my partner and I spent trying to become parents, we went through periods of great uncertainty that strengthened us and wore us down at the same time. The feeling of those years is reflected,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Featuring famed directors such as Argentina’s Ariel Rotter and Spain’s Benito Zambrano, who have not only played but won at Berlin and San Sebastian respectively, Malaga’s 19-pic out of competition strand is a testament to the buyer-driven pulling power of Malaga , thanks to its significant market.
Multiple other name auteurs pack out the selection, which also includes a far stronger line is broad audience comedies than most festivals would risk.
This is certainly territory for discoveries and breakouts – a healthy Málaga tradition.
A brief drill down on titles:
“La Bandera”
Director: Martín Cuervo
“La Bandera,” produced by Álamo Producciones Audiovisuales and Idesia Films, humorously unfolds a family’s inheritance dispute, in the sense that sons, Aitor Luna and Miquel Fernández, aren’t getting what they expected from their father played by Spanish veteran actor Imanol Arias.
“A Blue Bird”
Director: Ariel Rotter
Respected Argentine auteur Rotter returns...
Multiple other name auteurs pack out the selection, which also includes a far stronger line is broad audience comedies than most festivals would risk.
This is certainly territory for discoveries and breakouts – a healthy Málaga tradition.
A brief drill down on titles:
“La Bandera”
Director: Martín Cuervo
“La Bandera,” produced by Álamo Producciones Audiovisuales and Idesia Films, humorously unfolds a family’s inheritance dispute, in the sense that sons, Aitor Luna and Miquel Fernández, aren’t getting what they expected from their father played by Spanish veteran actor Imanol Arias.
“A Blue Bird”
Director: Ariel Rotter
Respected Argentine auteur Rotter returns...
- 3/5/2024
- by Callum McLennan
- Variety Film + TV
Descubre las películas que estarán en el 27 Festival de Málaga: una lista de las películas en competición y fuera de concurso.
Todos los años se celebra en Málaga, el Festival de Cine de Málaga. Un festival que se centra principalmente en producciones españolas y tiene como objetivo promover y celebrar la industria cinematográfica en España, así como proporcionar una plataforma para el reconocimiento y la difusión del cine español. Un festival en el que han tenido su estreno mundial muchas películas que después han sido nominadas a los premios Goya, como es el caso de “20.000 Especies de Abejas” en esta pasada edición de los premios más grandes del cine español.
Este año, el 27 Festival de Málaga se celebra del 1 al 10 de marzo y cuenta con un total de 19 películas (11 españolas y 8 latinoamericanas), que concursarán en la Sección Oficial y 18 películas (15 españolas y 3 latinas) en sección Oficial no competitiva. Una...
Todos los años se celebra en Málaga, el Festival de Cine de Málaga. Un festival que se centra principalmente en producciones españolas y tiene como objetivo promover y celebrar la industria cinematográfica en España, así como proporcionar una plataforma para el reconocimiento y la difusión del cine español. Un festival en el que han tenido su estreno mundial muchas películas que después han sido nominadas a los premios Goya, como es el caso de “20.000 Especies de Abejas” en esta pasada edición de los premios más grandes del cine español.
Este año, el 27 Festival de Málaga se celebra del 1 al 10 de marzo y cuenta con un total de 19 películas (11 españolas y 8 latinoamericanas), que concursarán en la Sección Oficial y 18 películas (15 españolas y 3 latinas) en sección Oficial no competitiva. Una...
- 2/16/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
Buenos Aires — Buenos Aires-based Meikincine Entertainment, one of the most active sales agents at this year’s Ventana Sur, has closed the U.S. and Canada with Cinephobia Releasing on “Sublime,” produced by Buenos Aires’ Tarea Fina and a standout at Ventana Sur’s 2021 Copia Final pix-in-post competition.
“Sublime” went on to world premiere at Berlin’s Generation 14-Plus strand this February.
In parallel, Meikincine has picked up world sales rights outside Argentina to Tarea Fina’s latest feature, “Alemania,” directed by Maria Zanetti (“Furia”), which wraps its shoot on Dec. 2.
A coming of age tale “Sublime” marks the feature debut of Argentina’s Mariano Biasin, who scored a Crystal Bear for best short film at the 2016 Berlinale Generation KPlus for “El inicio de Fabrizio.”
“Sublime” turns on Manuel, 16, as he struggles with desire, tangled relationships and a coalescing identity in a coastal Argentinian town.
“Anchored by a soundtrack played...
“Sublime” went on to world premiere at Berlin’s Generation 14-Plus strand this February.
In parallel, Meikincine has picked up world sales rights outside Argentina to Tarea Fina’s latest feature, “Alemania,” directed by Maria Zanetti (“Furia”), which wraps its shoot on Dec. 2.
A coming of age tale “Sublime” marks the feature debut of Argentina’s Mariano Biasin, who scored a Crystal Bear for best short film at the 2016 Berlinale Generation KPlus for “El inicio de Fabrizio.”
“Sublime” turns on Manuel, 16, as he struggles with desire, tangled relationships and a coalescing identity in a coastal Argentinian town.
“Anchored by a soundtrack played...
- 12/2/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Buenos Aires-based Meikincine Entertainment has acquired international sales rights to Sabrina Campos’ first feature, Argentine drama “Ven a mi casa esta Navidad” (“Come to My Place This Christmas”).
In post, the film is produced by Juan Pablo Miller at Tarea Fina, the Buenos Aires outfit whose hallmark of exacting, carefully crafted movies which break out to big festival prizes and even global art house distribution is well known.
“Come to My Place This Christmas” toplines Argentine actors Leonora Balcarce, whose credits take in Lucrecia Martel’s “La Ciénaga,” Manuel Callau (“Gasoleros”) and Marita Ballesteros (Netflix original “La Corazonada”).
The film turns on Inés, a single woman who has no children, meeting her brother’s in-laws on Christmas Eve. As the evening progresses, Inés feels the judging gaze of the other guests for being single in her forties, which confronts her with her life choices and her place as a woman.
In post, the film is produced by Juan Pablo Miller at Tarea Fina, the Buenos Aires outfit whose hallmark of exacting, carefully crafted movies which break out to big festival prizes and even global art house distribution is well known.
“Come to My Place This Christmas” toplines Argentine actors Leonora Balcarce, whose credits take in Lucrecia Martel’s “La Ciénaga,” Manuel Callau (“Gasoleros”) and Marita Ballesteros (Netflix original “La Corazonada”).
The film turns on Inés, a single woman who has no children, meeting her brother’s in-laws on Christmas Eve. As the evening progresses, Inés feels the judging gaze of the other guests for being single in her forties, which confronts her with her life choices and her place as a woman.
- 11/25/2022
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Buenos Aires-based Meikincine, sales agents for Paula Hernández’s 2020 Argentine Oscar submission “The Sleepwalkers,” has closed an exclusive agreement with Barcelona’s Harpo Entertainment for distribution in Spain of the filmmaker’s follow-up feature “Las Siamesas,” recently nominated for the best Ibero-American film of the year at the upcoming Spanish Academy Goya Awards.
The news comes hot off the heels of a high-profile deal struck by Meikincine, which just scooped the rights to Mariano Biasin’s debut feature “Sublime,” a coming-of-age drama which screened this week at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Puerto Madero cinema to sales agents, fest heads and buyers as part of Ventana Sur’s Copia Final section for films in advanced post-production.
In “Las Siamesas,” which translates as The Siamese in English, Clota and Stella are a mother and daughter who live alone in their old family house where each day unspools much like the last. Their otherwise...
The news comes hot off the heels of a high-profile deal struck by Meikincine, which just scooped the rights to Mariano Biasin’s debut feature “Sublime,” a coming-of-age drama which screened this week at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Puerto Madero cinema to sales agents, fest heads and buyers as part of Ventana Sur’s Copia Final section for films in advanced post-production.
In “Las Siamesas,” which translates as The Siamese in English, Clota and Stella are a mother and daughter who live alone in their old family house where each day unspools much like the last. Their otherwise...
- 12/2/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Buenos Aires-based sales agency Meikincine has acquired the international rights to “Sublime,” the first feature film from Argentine director Mariano Biasin,
A coming-of-age drama, the title screened at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Puerto Madero cinema to sales agents, fest heads and buyers on Tuesday. It did so as part of Ventana Sur’s Copia Final pix-in-post section, hitting the market as one of its buzz titles, rated as one of the strand’s productions with most commercial potential.
Struck between producer Juan Pablo Miller at Tarea Films and Meikincine’s Lucia and Julia Meik, the deal reps one of the first known sales pacts stick on-site at this year’s Ventana Sur, the biggest film-tv market in Latin America.
“Sublime” follows Manuel, 16, as he struggles with desire, tangled relationships and a coalescing identity in a coastal Argentinian town. Anchored by a soundtrack played out on screen by Manuel’s band, the...
A coming-of-age drama, the title screened at Buenos Aires’ Cinemark Puerto Madero cinema to sales agents, fest heads and buyers on Tuesday. It did so as part of Ventana Sur’s Copia Final pix-in-post section, hitting the market as one of its buzz titles, rated as one of the strand’s productions with most commercial potential.
Struck between producer Juan Pablo Miller at Tarea Films and Meikincine’s Lucia and Julia Meik, the deal reps one of the first known sales pacts stick on-site at this year’s Ventana Sur, the biggest film-tv market in Latin America.
“Sublime” follows Manuel, 16, as he struggles with desire, tangled relationships and a coalescing identity in a coastal Argentinian town. Anchored by a soundtrack played out on screen by Manuel’s band, the...
- 12/1/2021
- by JD Linville and John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Juan Marisé’s “Camionero,” Laura Baumeister’s “Daughter of Rage” and Ion Bors’ “Carbon” triumphed Wednesday at San Sebastian Festival’s prize ceremony for winners at its main industry competitions: the Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum and Wip Latin America and Wip Europa pix-in-post showcases.
Also among victors were Juan Andrés Arango’s “Where the River Begins,” María Zanetti’s “Alemania,” Carlos Lechuga’s “Vicenta B.,” and Eduardo Crespo’s “The Wind’s Cave,” the latter walking off with the trophy at San Sebastián’s Ikusmira Berriak, fast emerging as one of the key young talent hubs in Spain.
Three of the seven winning titles are from Argentina, a sign of the country’s undeniable depth in talent as its industry, with Covid-19 on the wane, continues to be whammied by economic crisis.
The caliber of many Latin American producers with projects at the Forum suggest another strong year for an...
Also among victors were Juan Andrés Arango’s “Where the River Begins,” María Zanetti’s “Alemania,” Carlos Lechuga’s “Vicenta B.,” and Eduardo Crespo’s “The Wind’s Cave,” the latter walking off with the trophy at San Sebastián’s Ikusmira Berriak, fast emerging as one of the key young talent hubs in Spain.
Three of the seven winning titles are from Argentina, a sign of the country’s undeniable depth in talent as its industry, with Covid-19 on the wane, continues to be whammied by economic crisis.
The caliber of many Latin American producers with projects at the Forum suggest another strong year for an...
- 9/22/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Paula Hernández’s “El Viento Que Arrasa,”Cristian Leighton’s “El Porvenir de la Mirada” and Johnny Ma’s “Chin-Gone” feature among 14 projects selected for San Sebastian’s 9th Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum, the Spanish festival’s industry centerpiece.
Many projects come with high-caliber Latin American arthouse backing.
“El Viento Que Arrasa” was talked up by producer Hernán Musaluppi at Cannes; “El Porvenir de la Mirada” is associate produced by Academy Award winner Sebastián Lelio, (“A Fantastic Woman”); Ma’s “Chin Gone” is produced by Rachel Daisy Ellis’ Desvia Produçoes in Brazil, whose credits include “Divine Love,” “Rojo” and “Prayers for the Stolen.”
Of two feature debuts, “Alemania” is backed by Tarea Fina (“The Sleepwalkers”), and “La Sucesión” by Pasto, which had “The Employer and the Employee” at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, and Gema Films (“Soldado”). New Argentine Cinema icon Diego Dubcovsky produces Romina Paula’s “People by Night.” Multi-prized Spanish...
Many projects come with high-caliber Latin American arthouse backing.
“El Viento Que Arrasa” was talked up by producer Hernán Musaluppi at Cannes; “El Porvenir de la Mirada” is associate produced by Academy Award winner Sebastián Lelio, (“A Fantastic Woman”); Ma’s “Chin Gone” is produced by Rachel Daisy Ellis’ Desvia Produçoes in Brazil, whose credits include “Divine Love,” “Rojo” and “Prayers for the Stolen.”
Of two feature debuts, “Alemania” is backed by Tarea Fina (“The Sleepwalkers”), and “La Sucesión” by Pasto, which had “The Employer and the Employee” at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, and Gema Films (“Soldado”). New Argentine Cinema icon Diego Dubcovsky produces Romina Paula’s “People by Night.” Multi-prized Spanish...
- 8/12/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Ventana Sur, which wrapped Friday, was, on many counts, quite extraordinary. With Buenos Aires, the market’s normal location, still under Covid-19 lockdown, Latin America’s biggest movie mart-meet spread out film screenings over five cities in two continents – Madrid, Mexico City, Bogotá, São Paulo and Santiago de Chile – complemented by digital screenings for the rest of the world. Following, five takes on that bold gambit and the market itself, organized by Argentina’s Incaa Film Institute and the Cannes Marché du Film and Festival:
It Was Remarkable – But Did It Work?
Ventana Sur’s five city spread marks a revolution. But did it work? Global attendance held stable at 2,957 participants from 61 countries. 188 online screenings, complimented by 118 theatrical screenings, and the loss of a single on-site event in Buenos Aires, sparked a dramatic increase in non-Argentine attendees with delegates rocketing up to 78% in Europe to 546, 49% in the U.S. to 110 and 185% to 134 in Mexico,...
It Was Remarkable – But Did It Work?
Ventana Sur’s five city spread marks a revolution. But did it work? Global attendance held stable at 2,957 participants from 61 countries. 188 online screenings, complimented by 118 theatrical screenings, and the loss of a single on-site event in Buenos Aires, sparked a dramatic increase in non-Argentine attendees with delegates rocketing up to 78% in Europe to 546, 49% in the U.S. to 110 and 185% to 134 in Mexico,...
- 12/5/2020
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Producer of Argentina’s Oscar entry “Sleepwalkers,” Juan Pablo Miller’s Buenos Aires-based Tarea Fina has unveiled “El Hijo Deseado,” the next film by Berlinale Jury Grand Prix winner Ariel Rotter.
Its announcement comes as Tarea Fina advances on post-production of “La Encomienda,” from Pablo Giorgelli, whose “Las Acacias” was awarded the Cannes Festival’s Camera d’Or for best first feature by a jury presided by “Parasite’s” Bong Joon Ho.
Both films maintain Tarea Fina’s hallmark of exacting, carefully crafted movies which break out to big festival prizes and sometimes global art house distribution.
“We always work like artisans, producing a small number of films a year so that we can care for them a lot, whether they’re first features or from established directors,” Miller told Variety during Ventana Sur where “El Hijo Deseado” looks to have been one highlight of the market’s Proyecta section.
Its announcement comes as Tarea Fina advances on post-production of “La Encomienda,” from Pablo Giorgelli, whose “Las Acacias” was awarded the Cannes Festival’s Camera d’Or for best first feature by a jury presided by “Parasite’s” Bong Joon Ho.
Both films maintain Tarea Fina’s hallmark of exacting, carefully crafted movies which break out to big festival prizes and sometimes global art house distribution.
“We always work like artisans, producing a small number of films a year so that we can care for them a lot, whether they’re first features or from established directors,” Miller told Variety during Ventana Sur where “El Hijo Deseado” looks to have been one highlight of the market’s Proyecta section.
- 12/4/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Online market ran from November 30-December 3.
Nico Manzano’s Venezuelan entry Me And The Beasts picked up three out of the six Primer Corte awards at Friday’s (December 4) online awards ceremony marking the conclusion of 2020 Ventana Sur.
Beasts took home the Sofia Films Award, Nmf Y Color Front Award, and La Mayor Cine Award offering various post-production services.
Juan Carve’s Uruguayan project Olivia And The Shadows triumphed in the Animación sidebar, picking up The MIFA / Annecy Award and La Liga de la Animactón Iberoamericana Award.
Sebastian Perillo’s The Nights Belong To The Monsters from Argentina won three...
Nico Manzano’s Venezuelan entry Me And The Beasts picked up three out of the six Primer Corte awards at Friday’s (December 4) online awards ceremony marking the conclusion of 2020 Ventana Sur.
Beasts took home the Sofia Films Award, Nmf Y Color Front Award, and La Mayor Cine Award offering various post-production services.
Juan Carve’s Uruguayan project Olivia And The Shadows triumphed in the Animación sidebar, picking up The MIFA / Annecy Award and La Liga de la Animactón Iberoamericana Award.
Sebastian Perillo’s The Nights Belong To The Monsters from Argentina won three...
- 12/4/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Taking place on site in five cities – Madrid, São Paulo, Mexico City, Bogotá and Santiago de Chile – and online for the rest of the world, Ventana Sur, Latin America’s biggest film market, climaxed Friday with a virtual awards ceremony for its major industry competitions hosted out of Buenos Aires.
Awards went to some buzzed up titles from major production houses, as well as others – “Me & The Beasts,” for example, which came from seemingly nowhere to take multiple industry sponsors by storm.
Following, the prize winners:
Primer Corte
Venezuelan Nico Manzano’s “Me & The Beasts” – an original, fantasy-tinged drama turning on a singer seeking inspiration as Venezuela’s crisis roils – won three of the six prizes on offer at Ventana Sur’s 2020 Primer Corte, its art film pix-in-post competition. Post-production prizes took in a Dcp copy (Nmf/Colorfront), color correction and Vxf supervision (Sofia Films) and a final mix check (La Mayor.
Awards went to some buzzed up titles from major production houses, as well as others – “Me & The Beasts,” for example, which came from seemingly nowhere to take multiple industry sponsors by storm.
Following, the prize winners:
Primer Corte
Venezuelan Nico Manzano’s “Me & The Beasts” – an original, fantasy-tinged drama turning on a singer seeking inspiration as Venezuela’s crisis roils – won three of the six prizes on offer at Ventana Sur’s 2020 Primer Corte, its art film pix-in-post competition. Post-production prizes took in a Dcp copy (Nmf/Colorfront), color correction and Vxf supervision (Sofia Films) and a final mix check (La Mayor.
- 12/4/2020
- by John Hopewell, Emilio Mayorga and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Uruguay’s government has announced new and ambitious film-tv legislation aimed at converting the small Latin American nation into a far larger film-tv hub via a new series of cash rebates for international shoots and co-productions with Uruguay.
Coming as Uruguay neighbors Brazil and Argentina battle huge challenges to state film funding – an incentive free in Brazil, a decimation of state funding in Argentina tanks to Covid-19 – the new regulation in Uruguay looks set to accelerate a disappear of productions from Latin America and runaway international shoots to its shores.
Measures take in a qualitative leap in the ceiling put on cash rebate plus a plunge in the minimum expenditure in Uruguay required to access them.
Announced Nov. 25, the regs, framed in an Uruguay Audiovisual Program (Pua), establish four action lines. International shoots and international co-productions filming in Uruguay with a local expenditure from $300,000 to $4 million receive a 25% of spend...
Coming as Uruguay neighbors Brazil and Argentina battle huge challenges to state film funding – an incentive free in Brazil, a decimation of state funding in Argentina tanks to Covid-19 – the new regulation in Uruguay looks set to accelerate a disappear of productions from Latin America and runaway international shoots to its shores.
Measures take in a qualitative leap in the ceiling put on cash rebate plus a plunge in the minimum expenditure in Uruguay required to access them.
Announced Nov. 25, the regs, framed in an Uruguay Audiovisual Program (Pua), establish four action lines. International shoots and international co-productions filming in Uruguay with a local expenditure from $300,000 to $4 million receive a 25% of spend...
- 12/2/2020
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Producers of “Las Acacias,” a Cannes’ Camera d’Or winner for best first feature, Juan Pablo Miller’s Tarea Fina and Ariel Rotter’s Aire Cine are now teaming on “Forest Girl” (“Niña Bosque”), their first animated feature production.
Co-written by Rotter, a distinguished writer-director in his own right whose first movie, 2007’s “The Other,” won a Berlin Festival Grand Jury Prize, “Forest Girl” also marks the debut feature of its Taiwan-born and Buenos Aires-based director Aili Chen, a co-founder with Rotter of Aire Cine.
A coming-of age fantasy adventure targeting up-scale family audiences, art house devotees, festivals and platforms, “Forest Girl” is set to be unveiled at Animation! Pitching Sessions, organized by Ventana Sur, the biggest film market in Latin America, and the Annecy Animation Festival’s MIFA market.
Conceived by Chen, who co-writes with Rotter, “Forest Girl” turns on a little girl who awakes alone in a forest land of striking wild beauty.
Co-written by Rotter, a distinguished writer-director in his own right whose first movie, 2007’s “The Other,” won a Berlin Festival Grand Jury Prize, “Forest Girl” also marks the debut feature of its Taiwan-born and Buenos Aires-based director Aili Chen, a co-founder with Rotter of Aire Cine.
A coming-of age fantasy adventure targeting up-scale family audiences, art house devotees, festivals and platforms, “Forest Girl” is set to be unveiled at Animation! Pitching Sessions, organized by Ventana Sur, the biggest film market in Latin America, and the Annecy Animation Festival’s MIFA market.
Conceived by Chen, who co-writes with Rotter, “Forest Girl” turns on a little girl who awakes alone in a forest land of striking wild beauty.
- 10/28/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Fernanda Frick’s “Irl Squad,” the Cinema Management Group-sold “Kayara” and Brazil’s “Bring on the Revolution!” are three of the 16 film and TV animation projects at Animation!, one of the industry highlights at the upcoming Ventana Sur, Latin America’s biggest film market.
Running Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, and available on Ventana Sur online, Animation!’s pitches, organized with the Annecy Animation Festival’s MIFA market, play off a building animation scene in Latin America. Animation!’s pitches received 241 submissions this year, an all-time record.
The projects look set as ever to frame some of the strongest movie market titles at Ventana Sur: A exceptional big animated feature production from Latin America, backed by a reputable sales agent, can now spark seven-figure dollar pre-sales.
An auteur of highly crafted character-driven animation tales, who was cherry-picked by Netflix for development of her last project, “Raise the Bar,” about a stereotype-smashing female weightlifter,...
Running Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, and available on Ventana Sur online, Animation!’s pitches, organized with the Annecy Animation Festival’s MIFA market, play off a building animation scene in Latin America. Animation!’s pitches received 241 submissions this year, an all-time record.
The projects look set as ever to frame some of the strongest movie market titles at Ventana Sur: A exceptional big animated feature production from Latin America, backed by a reputable sales agent, can now spark seven-figure dollar pre-sales.
An auteur of highly crafted character-driven animation tales, who was cherry-picked by Netflix for development of her last project, “Raise the Bar,” about a stereotype-smashing female weightlifter,...
- 10/28/2020
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Lucia and Julia Meik’s boutique sales company Meikincine has announced three acquisitions out of this year’s Cannes Film Market: Gaspar Scheuer’s “Delfin”- which world premiered in the Cannes Écrans Juniors Competition; Marcelo Paez Cubells’ “Which”– part of this year’s Blood Window Showcase for films in progress; Sebastián Mega Díaz’s romantic comedy “The Big Love Picture.”
The three come after an announcement earlier this week that the company had acquired Omar Zúñiga’s debut feature “Los fuertes,” produced by Zúñiga, Dominga Sotomayor and Catalina Marín’s Cinestación Producciones, one of Chile and Latin America’s most exciting young production houses.
Scheuer’s third feature, “Delfin” is produced by Buenos Aires-based Tarea Fina Films, and follows 11-year-old Delfín. The boy and his single father wake up with the sun each morning and work hard to keep away a debt collector threatening to evict them before Delfín heads to school,...
The three come after an announcement earlier this week that the company had acquired Omar Zúñiga’s debut feature “Los fuertes,” produced by Zúñiga, Dominga Sotomayor and Catalina Marín’s Cinestación Producciones, one of Chile and Latin America’s most exciting young production houses.
Scheuer’s third feature, “Delfin” is produced by Buenos Aires-based Tarea Fina Films, and follows 11-year-old Delfín. The boy and his single father wake up with the sun each morning and work hard to keep away a debt collector threatening to evict them before Delfín heads to school,...
- 5/20/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Ariel Rotter's Incident Light was the big winner at the Sur Awards, the Argentine equivalent of the Oscars, which were announced Tuesday night at a ceremony in Buenos Aires.
Set in 1960s Argentina and starring Erica Rivas (Wild Tales), the film depicts a young widow, struggling to raise her twin daughters, who accepts the courtship of a charming but mysterious older suitor.
Incident Light, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, picked up six trophies, including for best film and director (Ariel Rotter), as well as best cinematography, editing, breakthrough performance by an actor (Marcelo Subiotto) and art direction.
Lorena...
Set in 1960s Argentina and starring Erica Rivas (Wild Tales), the film depicts a young widow, struggling to raise her twin daughters, who accepts the courtship of a charming but mysterious older suitor.
Incident Light, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, picked up six trophies, including for best film and director (Ariel Rotter), as well as best cinematography, editing, breakthrough performance by an actor (Marcelo Subiotto) and art direction.
Lorena...
- 3/29/2017
- by Agustin Mango
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Films set to show at the 40th Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff), updated as announcements are made in the run up to the event.
Tiff will open on September 10 with Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts.
Tiff 40
Key: Wp = world premiere; Nap = North American premiere; IP = international premiere; Cp = Canadian premiere.
GALASBeeba Boys (Canada), Deepa Mehta, WPDemolition, Jean-Marc Vallée WPDisorder (Maryland) (France-Belgium), Alice Winocour NAPThe Dressmaker (Aus), Jocelyn Moorhouse, WPEye In The Sky (UK), Gavin Hood WPForsaken (Canada), Jon Cassar, WPFreeheld (Us), Peter Sollett, WPHyena Road (Canada), Paul Gross, WPLolo (France), Julie Delpy, NAPLegend (UK), Brian Helgeland, IPMan Down (Us), Dito Montiel NAPThe Man Who Knew Infinity (UK), Matt Brown, WPThe Martian (Us), Ridley Scott, WPMiss You Already (UK), Catherine Hardwicke WPMississippi Grind (Us), Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden CPMr. Right (Us), Paco Cabezas WPThe Program (UK), Stephen Frears, WPRemember (Canada), Atom Egoyan, NAPSeptembers Of Shiraz (Us), Wayne Blair, WPStonewall ([link...
Tiff will open on September 10 with Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts.
Tiff 40
Key: Wp = world premiere; Nap = North American premiere; IP = international premiere; Cp = Canadian premiere.
GALASBeeba Boys (Canada), Deepa Mehta, WPDemolition, Jean-Marc Vallée WPDisorder (Maryland) (France-Belgium), Alice Winocour NAPThe Dressmaker (Aus), Jocelyn Moorhouse, WPEye In The Sky (UK), Gavin Hood WPForsaken (Canada), Jon Cassar, WPFreeheld (Us), Peter Sollett, WPHyena Road (Canada), Paul Gross, WPLolo (France), Julie Delpy, NAPLegend (UK), Brian Helgeland, IPMan Down (Us), Dito Montiel NAPThe Man Who Knew Infinity (UK), Matt Brown, WPThe Martian (Us), Ridley Scott, WPMiss You Already (UK), Catherine Hardwicke WPMississippi Grind (Us), Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden CPMr. Right (Us), Paco Cabezas WPThe Program (UK), Stephen Frears, WPRemember (Canada), Atom Egoyan, NAPSeptembers Of Shiraz (Us), Wayne Blair, WPStonewall ([link...
- 8/25/2015
- ScreenDaily
Anne Sewitsky‘s Sundance preemed Homesick, Cannes preemed Romanian imports from Radu Muntean‘s One Floor Below and Corneliu Porumboiu‘s The Treasure along with Athina Rachel Tsangari‘s Locarno shown Chevalier are just four of the film titles in the just announced Contemporary World Cinema programme for Tiff. Among the other noteworthy titles in what is mostly a mix of world preems and North American premieres we find Grímur Hákonarson‘s Rams (just picked up by Cohen Media), Alex van Warmerdam well-received Locarno comedy Schneider vs. Bax , the world preem for Sion Sono’s The Whispering Star, and the Oscilloscope Laboratories picked up Ciro Guerra‘s Embrace Of The Serpent. Here are today’s selections that were added to the already announced Canadian items.
25 April (New Zealand), Leanne Pooley Wp
3000 Nights (Palestine-France-Jordan-Lebanon-uae-Qatar), Mai Masri Wp
An (Japan-France-Germany), Naomi Kawase Nap
The Apostate (Spain-France-Uruguay), Federico Veiroj Wp
As I Open...
25 April (New Zealand), Leanne Pooley Wp
3000 Nights (Palestine-France-Jordan-Lebanon-uae-Qatar), Mai Masri Wp
An (Japan-France-Germany), Naomi Kawase Nap
The Apostate (Spain-France-Uruguay), Federico Veiroj Wp
As I Open...
- 8/18/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Due to the large volume of films that the Toronto International Film Festival screens every year, participants often find themselves unsure of how to decide what to see. To that end, festival organisers often distribute the films into numerous programmes to reflect commonalities among them. The Contemporary World Cinema Programme, to that end, looks at the features from filmmakers from around the world, showcasing the talents being displayed from numerous countries.
The full lineup for the 2015 Tiff Contemporary World Cinema Programme has now been announced, adding to the previously announced slate of Canadian Films in the Programme. The films, as well as their official synopses, can be seen below.
25 April, directed by Leanne Pooley, making its World Premiere
Award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley utilizes the letters and memoirs of New Zealand soldiers and nurses along with state of the art animation to tell the true story of the 1915 battle of Gallipoli.
The full lineup for the 2015 Tiff Contemporary World Cinema Programme has now been announced, adding to the previously announced slate of Canadian Films in the Programme. The films, as well as their official synopses, can be seen below.
25 April, directed by Leanne Pooley, making its World Premiere
Award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley utilizes the letters and memoirs of New Zealand soldiers and nurses along with state of the art animation to tell the true story of the 1915 battle of Gallipoli.
- 8/18/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Potential awards season contenders Truth from James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham’s I Saw The Light starring Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams land world premiere slots, while Paco Cabezas’s Mr. Right will close the festival.
London is the subject of the seventh annual City To City programme that features world premieres of Tom Geens’ Couple In A Hole starring Paul Higgins and Kate Dickie and Michael Caton-Jones’ Urban Hymn with Letitia Wright and Shirley Henderson. Elaine Constantine’s Northern Soul gets a North American premiere.
The world premiere of Catherine Hardwicke’s Miss You Already is among five additions to the galas alongside Mr. Right, an action comedy starring Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick.
Matthew Cullen’s Martin Amis adaptation London Fields and David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis get first public screenings in the Special Presentations roster with I Saw The Light.
Tiff top brass also unveiled the Contemporary World Cinema section, featuring...
London is the subject of the seventh annual City To City programme that features world premieres of Tom Geens’ Couple In A Hole starring Paul Higgins and Kate Dickie and Michael Caton-Jones’ Urban Hymn with Letitia Wright and Shirley Henderson. Elaine Constantine’s Northern Soul gets a North American premiere.
The world premiere of Catherine Hardwicke’s Miss You Already is among five additions to the galas alongside Mr. Right, an action comedy starring Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick.
Matthew Cullen’s Martin Amis adaptation London Fields and David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis get first public screenings in the Special Presentations roster with I Saw The Light.
Tiff top brass also unveiled the Contemporary World Cinema section, featuring...
- 8/18/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Here at the Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg), Verónica Cura is presenting her latest film, "Death in Buenos Aires" ("Muerte en Buenos Aires"), an Argentine policier. She is also meeting with her international sales agent, Film Factory, the Mexican distributor and the director, first-timer Natalia Meta. The film stars Demian Bichir, Chino Darin , Monica Antonopulos , Carlos Casella , Hugo Arana, Jorgelina Aruzzi , Emilio Disi, Fabián Arenillas, Humberto Tortonese, Gino Renni , Wullich Martin and Luisa Kuliok.
After one month in release in Argentina, it has racked up admissions which is astonishing for a first feature with no TV backing. Its returns were greater than 2014 and first semester 2015’s hit by Daniel Burman, " The Mystery of Happiness" ("El misterio de la felicidad”) .
One of Argentina’s top producers, Verónica Cura ’s opinions on the business and on the importance of education are crucial to understanding what is happening in Latin American production today. Not only does she teach about film production from an artistic and organizational perspective, starting from the moment the idea takes hold, to project development, to shooting and all the way to theatrical exhibition, but her productions are seminal to the cinema of Argentina.
Vero started working in 1992 as a director and head of production. In 2001 she began producing her own films. From 2007 to 2009 she was President of the Association of Independent Producers and Vice President of the Chamber of Film Producers from 2009 to 2011. Veronica has been Vice President of the Argentina Productions Companies Union from 2011 to 2013 .
She was the line producer on 2009’s U.S.- Spain coproduction "There Be Dragons" directed by Roland Joffe. Her credits go as far back as the 1995 film “Moebius" and the 1993 documentary "Radio Olmos," both directed by Gustavo Mosquera. She has been involved in films such as "The Headless Woman" ("La Mujer Sin Cabeza") by Lucrecia Martel (Cannes Competition), "The Other" by Ariel Rotter (Berlinale winner of two Silver Bears and the Jury Grand Prize).
She was executive producer on "Las Acacias" by Pablo Giogelli (Camera D’Or, Cannes 2011), an Argentina–Spain coproduction, as well as "Whisky Romeo Zulu" … and many many more including "One Love" ("Un Amor") by Paula Hernandez in 2011, "In the Eyes Abides the Heart" by Mary Sweeney, a short for Turner Classics Channel, all directed by women, which is something of importance in today’s world. She also produced "Live-in Maid" by Jorge Gaggero (Sundance Special Jury Prize), "Torrent 3" by Santiago Segura, "The Dead and Being Happy" by Javier Rebolla and "The Game Maker" by John Paul Buscarini, among others.
She was the Academic Coordinator for Production at Enerc and teaches in different labs and schools throughout Latin America. She is also a former student of La Fuc. Most recently she spent 1 1/2 weeks in Cuba at the International Film School (Eictv) giving a week's seminar and working with a director and two writers on scripts as part of a new Doctorate program for screenwriters.
"Regarding The film business today, as in every part of the world, cinema in Argentina is facing new challenges. Only about 20% of the theaters remain Un-digitized. Producers must be thinking about budgets, distribution and new forms of exhibition."...
After one month in release in Argentina, it has racked up admissions which is astonishing for a first feature with no TV backing. Its returns were greater than 2014 and first semester 2015’s hit by Daniel Burman, " The Mystery of Happiness" ("El misterio de la felicidad”) .
One of Argentina’s top producers, Verónica Cura ’s opinions on the business and on the importance of education are crucial to understanding what is happening in Latin American production today. Not only does she teach about film production from an artistic and organizational perspective, starting from the moment the idea takes hold, to project development, to shooting and all the way to theatrical exhibition, but her productions are seminal to the cinema of Argentina.
Vero started working in 1992 as a director and head of production. In 2001 she began producing her own films. From 2007 to 2009 she was President of the Association of Independent Producers and Vice President of the Chamber of Film Producers from 2009 to 2011. Veronica has been Vice President of the Argentina Productions Companies Union from 2011 to 2013 .
She was the line producer on 2009’s U.S.- Spain coproduction "There Be Dragons" directed by Roland Joffe. Her credits go as far back as the 1995 film “Moebius" and the 1993 documentary "Radio Olmos," both directed by Gustavo Mosquera. She has been involved in films such as "The Headless Woman" ("La Mujer Sin Cabeza") by Lucrecia Martel (Cannes Competition), "The Other" by Ariel Rotter (Berlinale winner of two Silver Bears and the Jury Grand Prize).
She was executive producer on "Las Acacias" by Pablo Giogelli (Camera D’Or, Cannes 2011), an Argentina–Spain coproduction, as well as "Whisky Romeo Zulu" … and many many more including "One Love" ("Un Amor") by Paula Hernandez in 2011, "In the Eyes Abides the Heart" by Mary Sweeney, a short for Turner Classics Channel, all directed by women, which is something of importance in today’s world. She also produced "Live-in Maid" by Jorge Gaggero (Sundance Special Jury Prize), "Torrent 3" by Santiago Segura, "The Dead and Being Happy" by Javier Rebolla and "The Game Maker" by John Paul Buscarini, among others.
She was the Academic Coordinator for Production at Enerc and teaches in different labs and schools throughout Latin America. She is also a former student of La Fuc. Most recently she spent 1 1/2 weeks in Cuba at the International Film School (Eictv) giving a week's seminar and working with a director and two writers on scripts as part of a new Doctorate program for screenwriters.
"Regarding The film business today, as in every part of the world, cinema in Argentina is facing new challenges. Only about 20% of the theaters remain Un-digitized. Producers must be thinking about budgets, distribution and new forms of exhibition."...
- 3/11/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
What pleasures await in Panama! As part of the invited press corps, I attended the first ever Premios Platino del Cine Iberoamericano where I met numerous journalists from all over the world, though most particularly from Latin America.
As part of the expanded International Film Festival of Panama, running April 3 to 9, 2014, the Platinum Awards Ceremony was held in the huge Convention Center Theater just across from the Sheraton where we were given four days.
Watch this compendium of Iberoamerican cinema on You Tube: http://youtu.be/VXxgtudHzz0 (or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXxgtudHzz0)
The old city of Panama is undergoing extensive modernization and gentrification. When finished, it may look a beautiful as Cartagena…both are Colonial styles, but there is unbearable traffic in the Panama streets which was not the case in Cartagena. The city not only reveals layers and layers of history, from the indigenous days to the Spanish days of conquest and colonialism where it was the starting point of the quest to conquer the Incas, to the days when all the gold and silver of Latin America passed through the isthmus here on its way to Spain, to the first 80 years of independence from Spain as a part of Colombia, from its independence from Colombia with the aid of the U.S., to the days when the French attempted to build the Panama Canal followed by the early 20th Century when U.S. succeeded, to those days of Noriega which U.S. terminated by invading Panama in Operation Just Cause under Commander in Chief George W. Bush in 1989, to today when you can see the capital of the world pouring into the economy, building massive sky scrapers and restoring the old town to its colonial and later French splendor.
What struck me most after the horrible traffic, were the fabulous artisanal goods, of embroidery, straw weaving, bone carvings, gourds, panama hats! This picture of a Guna woman is an example of one of many selling their wares in rich markets. I could spend a lot of money here if and when I return!
The Panamanian economy has been among the fastest growing and best managed in Latin America. Latin Business Chronicle had previously predicted that Panama would be the fastest growing economy in Latin America in the five-year period of 2010–14, matching Brazil's 10% rate. This was obvious from our tour. The expansion project of the Panama Canal, combined with the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the United States, is expected to boost and extend economic expansion for some time.
The Panama Canal during an empty moment, as shot by me from the terrace. We saw ships going through as well. In 2014, 100 years after its establishment, a new canal will allow larger container ships to transport goods between the two largest oceans in the world. This literally positions Panama as the trade crossroads of the world and it is experiencing an investment surge which astounds the first time visitor (like me!)
After our tour of Panama City and the night we were feted after taking another tour of the Panama Canal, we had dinner and a Festival party on the terrace overlooking it.
Panama’s film history is null, but it is quickly being rectified by Jose Pacheco, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and also the President of the Panama Film Commission, along with his one-woman band, Arianne Marie Benedetti who has taken maternity leave for the moment.
They are responsible for instigating the new film law, for the four year old film festival, coproduction meetings, and hiring Toronto Latina programmer Diana Sanchez to program their festival and now the first Iberoamerican Platinum Awards, and much more.
The workshops at this event are outstanding. I wish I were able to hear all they have to say!
Jonathan Jakubobiwz , the producer of the $17 million Hands of Stone (Isa: Lotus) which tells the story of the Panamanian boxer Roberto “Mano de Piedra” Durán, spoke about how this production used 15,000 extras, was shot in over 140 locations. All was filmed and produced in Panama where the producers took advantage of a 15% cash rebate and a $2.8 million advance from the Panamanian government, the latter expressly offered to make sure they lensed the story about their national hero Roberto Durán in his native land.
“They gave us full support, dozens of free locations and a level of hospitality that made everyone feel at home,” said Jonathan Jakubowicz (Secuestro Express). With 15,000 extras and a stellar international cast led by Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramírez, Ellen Barkin, John Turturro and Usher Raymond, Hands of Stone recreated four cities and four decades in Panama. “The footage is a million times better than even I expected,” Jakubowicz said.
Another workshop was given by one of Argentina’s top producers, Verónica Cura. Thirty-five filmmakers, mostly from Panama took part. Vero spoke about film production from an artistic and organizational perspective, starting from the moment the idea takes hold, to project development ,to shooting and all the way to theatrical exhibition. Vero started working in 1992 as a director and head of production. In 2001 she began producing her own films. From 2007 to 2009 she was President of the Association of Independent Producers and Vice President of the Chamber of Film Producers from 2009 to 2011. She has been involved in films such as The Headless Woman by Lucrecia Martel (Cannes Competition), The Other by Ariel Rotter (Berlinale, 2 Silver Bears and the Jury Grand Prize), Las Acacias by Pablo Giogelli (Camera d’or, Cannes 2011), Live-in Maid by Jorge Gaggero (Sundance Special Jury Prize), There Be Dragons by Roland Joffe, Torrente 3 by Santiago Segura, The Dead and Being Happy by Javier Rebolla, One Love by Paula Hernandez and The Game Maker by John Paul Buscarini, among others.
Panel – Producing in Central America
The panel that reads like a Who’s Who of Central America discussed producing in Latin America. These active figures in current Central American production, shared their experiences on film production in the region. Moderated by Pituka Ortega (Iff -Panamá), the speakers included
Pablo Schverdfinger (Argentina )
After his film studies in Argentina, in Avellaneda Film School and then at the Universidad del Cine, Pablo began working with the filming of Highlander II and from there he developed his career as director of photography . In 2010 he founded Dragon Films and began directing commercials and documentaries for the local market in Panama. The 2012 he started Mangrove Films, a more ambitious bid to expand its services to the local Panamanian market with prestigious directors representation opening the doors to international markets by adding the alliance with Argentina Concrete Films.
Ileana Novas (Argentina)
Ileana Nova studied Social Communication at the Universidad del Salvador in Argentina . She worked many years in production at Flehner Films and Sorin Cine, for many local productions and especially in the international department providing production services abroad. Post Production Coordinator : The Other ( Ariel Rotter - Silver Bear at Berlin Intl Film Festival 2007 ) , Hide ( Canadian Production of KCBascombe - 2007), The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, co-produced by France, Italy, Spain and nominated in the Cannes Film Festival 2008 ). Then , while working on The Acacias (Pablo Giorgelli won three awards at Cannes Film Festival 2011) , the idea arose to establish herself in Panama . Her previous work experience in Panama in 1999 encouraged her to decide to move there in 2010 where she set up Mangrove Films.
Rafael González (Guatemala )
Rafael worked on The Wagon (TV) and The Comal House in Guatemala as a producer and screenwriter. He has been looking back on the history of his country for the last 15 years, and he created Back to Home in which he addresses the issue of Guatemalan refugees in Mexico. He was a sound technician and producer on the documentary La Camioneta selected for the Festival of Guadalajara 2013. Currently he is directing and producing the documentary Flight of Azacuán , a coproduction with Doctv Latin America.
Neto Villalobos (Costa Rica )
Neto graduated with a BA in Sociology from the University of Costa Rica and later graduated in film direction at the Centre d 'Estudis Cinema de Catalunya in Barcelona. His first feature film All About the Feathers was selected for the International Film Festival in Toronto and then in the International Film Festival of San Sebastian. All About the Feathers was also at other international festivals such as Rotterdam, Miami , Buenos Aires, Toulouse, Vancouver, Stockholm, Havana, Prague, Geneva, Kerala, Cleveland and won Best American Film and Best Director at the Icarus Film Festival of Guatemala. Neto is working on his second feature film called Majijo
Luis Rafael Gonzalez (Santo Domingo )
With extensive experience in various branches of the film industry, founding member of the International Film Festival of Santo Domingo, Deputy Director of Programming and Broadcasting (2004-2006) and CEO (2007-2011) of the Dominican Cinematheque, Representative of the Dominican Republic in the Congress of the International Federation of Film Archives (Fiaf) , the International Federation of Film Clubs ( Ficc ) and the First Latin American Congress of Culture dedicated to Cinema and Audiovisual, Luis Rafael has also participated in developing the law on the Promotion of Film Activity in the Dominican Republic. He won the top prize for a script at Les Films de L' Astre, 2011 with his Gods without Twilight. He is also part of the Dominican Film Selection Committee to select the Dominican film for Oscars and other international awards. He serves as Vice President of Acquisitions and Distribution for Palmera International, a distributor which operates in the territories of the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.
María Lourdes Cortés (Costa Rica )
Costa Rican and Central American historian, professor at the University of Costa Rica, a researcher at the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema and director at Cinergia, Maria Lourdes was also director of the first School of Cinema and Television founded in Costa Rica (Universidad Veritas) and the Costa Rican Film Production Center. She has won the Joaquín García Monge Prize in cultural diffusion and twice the Essay Prize Achilles J. Echeverría for the books Love and Treachery, Film and Literature in Latin America (1999), and The Broken Screen. One Hundred Years of Cinema in Central America (2005). For this last book, she received the honorary award Ezequiel Martínez Estrada by the Casa de las Americas (Cuba ) for the best essay published in that year (2005). She is currently preparing research on Gabriel García Márquez and film and on the textual work of Silvio Rodriguez. She has been jury in film festivals in France, Holland, Cuba and Mexico where she has also given talks and workshops. The Government of the Republic of France awarded her with the rank of Knight of the Order with the Merit of Honor (2005).
Another workshop featured Cameron Bailey, the Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most important festivals in the world and one of the largest in North America, discussed how Tiff’s position has been achieved and the importance for the Latin American industry of participating in this event. Cameron is also part of the School Advisory Council at the University of Western Arts and Humanities and the School of Cinema Institute of Haiti. He lectures on programming and preservation at the University of Toronto and is also a member of the Board of Tourism Toronto and the former co-chair of the Working Group Arts and Culture Civic Action Toronto. Former board member of the Ontario Film Development Corporation and member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of the Royal Ontarios Museum for Contemporary Culture, in 2007 he was part of the delegation accompanying the General Governor of Canada, Michaelle Jean on her state visit to Brazil.
As part of the expanded International Film Festival of Panama, running April 3 to 9, 2014, the Platinum Awards Ceremony was held in the huge Convention Center Theater just across from the Sheraton where we were given four days.
Watch this compendium of Iberoamerican cinema on You Tube: http://youtu.be/VXxgtudHzz0 (or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXxgtudHzz0)
The old city of Panama is undergoing extensive modernization and gentrification. When finished, it may look a beautiful as Cartagena…both are Colonial styles, but there is unbearable traffic in the Panama streets which was not the case in Cartagena. The city not only reveals layers and layers of history, from the indigenous days to the Spanish days of conquest and colonialism where it was the starting point of the quest to conquer the Incas, to the days when all the gold and silver of Latin America passed through the isthmus here on its way to Spain, to the first 80 years of independence from Spain as a part of Colombia, from its independence from Colombia with the aid of the U.S., to the days when the French attempted to build the Panama Canal followed by the early 20th Century when U.S. succeeded, to those days of Noriega which U.S. terminated by invading Panama in Operation Just Cause under Commander in Chief George W. Bush in 1989, to today when you can see the capital of the world pouring into the economy, building massive sky scrapers and restoring the old town to its colonial and later French splendor.
What struck me most after the horrible traffic, were the fabulous artisanal goods, of embroidery, straw weaving, bone carvings, gourds, panama hats! This picture of a Guna woman is an example of one of many selling their wares in rich markets. I could spend a lot of money here if and when I return!
The Panamanian economy has been among the fastest growing and best managed in Latin America. Latin Business Chronicle had previously predicted that Panama would be the fastest growing economy in Latin America in the five-year period of 2010–14, matching Brazil's 10% rate. This was obvious from our tour. The expansion project of the Panama Canal, combined with the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the United States, is expected to boost and extend economic expansion for some time.
The Panama Canal during an empty moment, as shot by me from the terrace. We saw ships going through as well. In 2014, 100 years after its establishment, a new canal will allow larger container ships to transport goods between the two largest oceans in the world. This literally positions Panama as the trade crossroads of the world and it is experiencing an investment surge which astounds the first time visitor (like me!)
After our tour of Panama City and the night we were feted after taking another tour of the Panama Canal, we had dinner and a Festival party on the terrace overlooking it.
Panama’s film history is null, but it is quickly being rectified by Jose Pacheco, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and also the President of the Panama Film Commission, along with his one-woman band, Arianne Marie Benedetti who has taken maternity leave for the moment.
They are responsible for instigating the new film law, for the four year old film festival, coproduction meetings, and hiring Toronto Latina programmer Diana Sanchez to program their festival and now the first Iberoamerican Platinum Awards, and much more.
The workshops at this event are outstanding. I wish I were able to hear all they have to say!
Jonathan Jakubobiwz , the producer of the $17 million Hands of Stone (Isa: Lotus) which tells the story of the Panamanian boxer Roberto “Mano de Piedra” Durán, spoke about how this production used 15,000 extras, was shot in over 140 locations. All was filmed and produced in Panama where the producers took advantage of a 15% cash rebate and a $2.8 million advance from the Panamanian government, the latter expressly offered to make sure they lensed the story about their national hero Roberto Durán in his native land.
“They gave us full support, dozens of free locations and a level of hospitality that made everyone feel at home,” said Jonathan Jakubowicz (Secuestro Express). With 15,000 extras and a stellar international cast led by Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramírez, Ellen Barkin, John Turturro and Usher Raymond, Hands of Stone recreated four cities and four decades in Panama. “The footage is a million times better than even I expected,” Jakubowicz said.
Another workshop was given by one of Argentina’s top producers, Verónica Cura. Thirty-five filmmakers, mostly from Panama took part. Vero spoke about film production from an artistic and organizational perspective, starting from the moment the idea takes hold, to project development ,to shooting and all the way to theatrical exhibition. Vero started working in 1992 as a director and head of production. In 2001 she began producing her own films. From 2007 to 2009 she was President of the Association of Independent Producers and Vice President of the Chamber of Film Producers from 2009 to 2011. She has been involved in films such as The Headless Woman by Lucrecia Martel (Cannes Competition), The Other by Ariel Rotter (Berlinale, 2 Silver Bears and the Jury Grand Prize), Las Acacias by Pablo Giogelli (Camera d’or, Cannes 2011), Live-in Maid by Jorge Gaggero (Sundance Special Jury Prize), There Be Dragons by Roland Joffe, Torrente 3 by Santiago Segura, The Dead and Being Happy by Javier Rebolla, One Love by Paula Hernandez and The Game Maker by John Paul Buscarini, among others.
Panel – Producing in Central America
The panel that reads like a Who’s Who of Central America discussed producing in Latin America. These active figures in current Central American production, shared their experiences on film production in the region. Moderated by Pituka Ortega (Iff -Panamá), the speakers included
Pablo Schverdfinger (Argentina )
After his film studies in Argentina, in Avellaneda Film School and then at the Universidad del Cine, Pablo began working with the filming of Highlander II and from there he developed his career as director of photography . In 2010 he founded Dragon Films and began directing commercials and documentaries for the local market in Panama. The 2012 he started Mangrove Films, a more ambitious bid to expand its services to the local Panamanian market with prestigious directors representation opening the doors to international markets by adding the alliance with Argentina Concrete Films.
Ileana Novas (Argentina)
Ileana Nova studied Social Communication at the Universidad del Salvador in Argentina . She worked many years in production at Flehner Films and Sorin Cine, for many local productions and especially in the international department providing production services abroad. Post Production Coordinator : The Other ( Ariel Rotter - Silver Bear at Berlin Intl Film Festival 2007 ) , Hide ( Canadian Production of KCBascombe - 2007), The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, co-produced by France, Italy, Spain and nominated in the Cannes Film Festival 2008 ). Then , while working on The Acacias (Pablo Giorgelli won three awards at Cannes Film Festival 2011) , the idea arose to establish herself in Panama . Her previous work experience in Panama in 1999 encouraged her to decide to move there in 2010 where she set up Mangrove Films.
Rafael González (Guatemala )
Rafael worked on The Wagon (TV) and The Comal House in Guatemala as a producer and screenwriter. He has been looking back on the history of his country for the last 15 years, and he created Back to Home in which he addresses the issue of Guatemalan refugees in Mexico. He was a sound technician and producer on the documentary La Camioneta selected for the Festival of Guadalajara 2013. Currently he is directing and producing the documentary Flight of Azacuán , a coproduction with Doctv Latin America.
Neto Villalobos (Costa Rica )
Neto graduated with a BA in Sociology from the University of Costa Rica and later graduated in film direction at the Centre d 'Estudis Cinema de Catalunya in Barcelona. His first feature film All About the Feathers was selected for the International Film Festival in Toronto and then in the International Film Festival of San Sebastian. All About the Feathers was also at other international festivals such as Rotterdam, Miami , Buenos Aires, Toulouse, Vancouver, Stockholm, Havana, Prague, Geneva, Kerala, Cleveland and won Best American Film and Best Director at the Icarus Film Festival of Guatemala. Neto is working on his second feature film called Majijo
Luis Rafael Gonzalez (Santo Domingo )
With extensive experience in various branches of the film industry, founding member of the International Film Festival of Santo Domingo, Deputy Director of Programming and Broadcasting (2004-2006) and CEO (2007-2011) of the Dominican Cinematheque, Representative of the Dominican Republic in the Congress of the International Federation of Film Archives (Fiaf) , the International Federation of Film Clubs ( Ficc ) and the First Latin American Congress of Culture dedicated to Cinema and Audiovisual, Luis Rafael has also participated in developing the law on the Promotion of Film Activity in the Dominican Republic. He won the top prize for a script at Les Films de L' Astre, 2011 with his Gods without Twilight. He is also part of the Dominican Film Selection Committee to select the Dominican film for Oscars and other international awards. He serves as Vice President of Acquisitions and Distribution for Palmera International, a distributor which operates in the territories of the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.
María Lourdes Cortés (Costa Rica )
Costa Rican and Central American historian, professor at the University of Costa Rica, a researcher at the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema and director at Cinergia, Maria Lourdes was also director of the first School of Cinema and Television founded in Costa Rica (Universidad Veritas) and the Costa Rican Film Production Center. She has won the Joaquín García Monge Prize in cultural diffusion and twice the Essay Prize Achilles J. Echeverría for the books Love and Treachery, Film and Literature in Latin America (1999), and The Broken Screen. One Hundred Years of Cinema in Central America (2005). For this last book, she received the honorary award Ezequiel Martínez Estrada by the Casa de las Americas (Cuba ) for the best essay published in that year (2005). She is currently preparing research on Gabriel García Márquez and film and on the textual work of Silvio Rodriguez. She has been jury in film festivals in France, Holland, Cuba and Mexico where she has also given talks and workshops. The Government of the Republic of France awarded her with the rank of Knight of the Order with the Merit of Honor (2005).
Another workshop featured Cameron Bailey, the Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most important festivals in the world and one of the largest in North America, discussed how Tiff’s position has been achieved and the importance for the Latin American industry of participating in this event. Cameron is also part of the School Advisory Council at the University of Western Arts and Humanities and the School of Cinema Institute of Haiti. He lectures on programming and preservation at the University of Toronto and is also a member of the Board of Tourism Toronto and the former co-chair of the Working Group Arts and Culture Civic Action Toronto. Former board member of the Ontario Film Development Corporation and member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of the Royal Ontarios Museum for Contemporary Culture, in 2007 he was part of the delegation accompanying the General Governor of Canada, Michaelle Jean on her state visit to Brazil.
- 4/26/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
BERLIN -- Tuya's Marriage, by Chinese director Wang Quan'an, was the surprise winner of this year's Golden Bear for Best Film at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival.
The Golden and Silver Bears were presented Saturday night at a gala ceremony at the Berlinale Palast.
The story of a Mongolian shepherd forced by encroaching industrialization to abandon the steeps for the city, Marriage stars Yu Nan. It was picked from among 22 In Competition films in what most observers called the best Berlinale lineup in years.
Accepting the trophy from jury president Paul Schrader, Wang said he couldn't imagine a better gift for Chinese New Year.
"When I started making films, my teacher said film should show people's dreams." he said. "This film made my dreams come true."
German actress Nina Hoss won the Best Actress Silver Bear for her bravura performance as an East German woman trying to escape unemployment and a violent husband by fleeing to the West in Christian Petzold's well-received Yella.
"I was sure it was going to go to Marianne Faithfull," said a clearly surprised Hoss, referring to the British pop icon who was widely tipped to win for her performance in Irina Palm as a woman who turns to a job in a sex club to pay her grandson's hospital bills.
Another surprise was the Best Actor Silver Bear, which went to Argentina's Julio Chavez for his role in Ariel Rotter's The Other.
Chavez's subdued performance as a man who takes on a new identity after his father dies and his wife becomes pregnant won over this year's jury, which included actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Hiam Abbass and Mario Adorf, producer Nansun Shi and film editor Molly Malene Stensgaard.
Other also won the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix.
The Best Directing Silver Bear went to Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar for his drama Beaufort, about the last Israeli military unit to leave Lebanon in 2000.
American films didn't go home entirely empty-handed, with Robert De Niro's CIA drama The Good Shepherd winning a special Silver Bear for the performance of the film's ensemble, which included De Niro, Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie.
The Golden and Silver Bears were presented Saturday night at a gala ceremony at the Berlinale Palast.
The story of a Mongolian shepherd forced by encroaching industrialization to abandon the steeps for the city, Marriage stars Yu Nan. It was picked from among 22 In Competition films in what most observers called the best Berlinale lineup in years.
Accepting the trophy from jury president Paul Schrader, Wang said he couldn't imagine a better gift for Chinese New Year.
"When I started making films, my teacher said film should show people's dreams." he said. "This film made my dreams come true."
German actress Nina Hoss won the Best Actress Silver Bear for her bravura performance as an East German woman trying to escape unemployment and a violent husband by fleeing to the West in Christian Petzold's well-received Yella.
"I was sure it was going to go to Marianne Faithfull," said a clearly surprised Hoss, referring to the British pop icon who was widely tipped to win for her performance in Irina Palm as a woman who turns to a job in a sex club to pay her grandson's hospital bills.
Another surprise was the Best Actor Silver Bear, which went to Argentina's Julio Chavez for his role in Ariel Rotter's The Other.
Chavez's subdued performance as a man who takes on a new identity after his father dies and his wife becomes pregnant won over this year's jury, which included actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Hiam Abbass and Mario Adorf, producer Nansun Shi and film editor Molly Malene Stensgaard.
Other also won the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix.
The Best Directing Silver Bear went to Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar for his drama Beaufort, about the last Israeli military unit to leave Lebanon in 2000.
American films didn't go home entirely empty-handed, with Robert De Niro's CIA drama The Good Shepherd winning a special Silver Bear for the performance of the film's ensemble, which included De Niro, Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie.
- 2/20/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BERLIN -- Tuya's Marriage, by Chinese director Wang Quan'an is the surprise winner of this year's Golden Bear for best film at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival.
The story of a Mongolian sheepherder forced by encroaching industrialization to abandon the steeps for the city, the film stars Yu Nan. It was picked from among 22 In Competition films in what most observers called the best Berlinale lineup in years.
Accepting the golden statuette from jury president Paul Schrader, Wang Quan'an said he could not imagine a better gift for Chinese New Year.
"When I started making films, my teacher said film should show people's dreams." he said. "This film made my dreams come true."
German actress Nina Hoss won the best actress Silver Bear for her bravura performance as an East German woman trying to escape unemployment and a violent husband by fleeing to the West in Christian Petzold's well-received Yella.
"I was sure it was going to go to Marianne Faithfull," said a clearly surprised Hoss, referring to the British pop icon who was widely tipped to win for her performance in Irina Palm as a woman who turns to a job in a sex club to pay her grandson's hospital bills.
Another surprise was the best actor Silver Bear, which went to Argentina's Julio Chavez for his role in Ariel Rotter's The Other.
Chavez's subdued performance as a man who takes on a new identity after his father dies and his wife becomes pregnant, won over this year's jury which included actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass, Hong Kong producer Nansun Shi, veteran German actor Mario Adorf and Danish film editor Molly Malene Stensgaard.
The Other also won the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix.
The best directing Silver Bear went to Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar for his drama Beaufort, about the last Israeli military unit to leave Lebanon in 2000.
U.S. films didn't go home entirely empty-handed, with Robert DeNiro's CIA drama The Good Shepherd winning a special Silver Bear for the film's ensemble performance, which included DeNiro, Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie.
David Mackenzie won a Silver Bear for the use of music in his film Hallam Foe, the story of a young boy investigating the suspicious nature of his mother's death.
The story of a Mongolian sheepherder forced by encroaching industrialization to abandon the steeps for the city, the film stars Yu Nan. It was picked from among 22 In Competition films in what most observers called the best Berlinale lineup in years.
Accepting the golden statuette from jury president Paul Schrader, Wang Quan'an said he could not imagine a better gift for Chinese New Year.
"When I started making films, my teacher said film should show people's dreams." he said. "This film made my dreams come true."
German actress Nina Hoss won the best actress Silver Bear for her bravura performance as an East German woman trying to escape unemployment and a violent husband by fleeing to the West in Christian Petzold's well-received Yella.
"I was sure it was going to go to Marianne Faithfull," said a clearly surprised Hoss, referring to the British pop icon who was widely tipped to win for her performance in Irina Palm as a woman who turns to a job in a sex club to pay her grandson's hospital bills.
Another surprise was the best actor Silver Bear, which went to Argentina's Julio Chavez for his role in Ariel Rotter's The Other.
Chavez's subdued performance as a man who takes on a new identity after his father dies and his wife becomes pregnant, won over this year's jury which included actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Willem Dafoe, Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass, Hong Kong producer Nansun Shi, veteran German actor Mario Adorf and Danish film editor Molly Malene Stensgaard.
The Other also won the Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix.
The best directing Silver Bear went to Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar for his drama Beaufort, about the last Israeli military unit to leave Lebanon in 2000.
U.S. films didn't go home entirely empty-handed, with Robert DeNiro's CIA drama The Good Shepherd winning a special Silver Bear for the film's ensemble performance, which included DeNiro, Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie.
David Mackenzie won a Silver Bear for the use of music in his film Hallam Foe, the story of a young boy investigating the suspicious nature of his mother's death.
- 2/18/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Airecine/Aquafilms
BERLIN -- "The Other" is a midlife crisis in search of a movie. Argentine director Ariel Rotter follows a 45-year-old man around for a few days, watching him behaving with increasing oddness for no apparent reason other than -- and this is pure speculation -- his wife's announcement of her pregnancy. The only curious thing here is what a film so lacking in energy or imagination is doing in the Competition section of the Berlinale.
Julio Chavez plays a Buenos Aires attorney who, following his wife's announcement, takes a business trip to a small town by bus. Why he goes by bus is anybody's guess. Upon arrival, he realizes the man seated next to him has died.
His business there has something to do with the foreclosure of farm property owned by an old man who has died. Upon concluding this affair, the lawyer suddenly decides to miss his bus home.
He checks into a hotel under the name of the deceased farmer. Awhile later, he checks into another hotel under the name of the dead man on the bus. He wanders around for a while until he spots an attractive woman. He follows her.
The next day he goes to the wake of his namesake. He sees the woman there, only this time she follows him. They go to her home and have sex. He tells more lies and makes up yet a third name for himself. She asks him to come back the next night for more sex.
Returning to his hotel, one of his lies catches up to him. The hotelkeeper urgently summons him to assist an ill guest. When he checked in, he claimed to be a doctor. After the paramedics leave, he catches the next bus home.
Read into this what you want, writer-director Rotter seems to be saying. Because he has made no effort to interest an audience in either his character or his unknown dilemma, few will take up the challenge. Some decent acting and fine cinematography by Marcelo Lavintman are wasted on this forlorn effort.
BERLIN -- "The Other" is a midlife crisis in search of a movie. Argentine director Ariel Rotter follows a 45-year-old man around for a few days, watching him behaving with increasing oddness for no apparent reason other than -- and this is pure speculation -- his wife's announcement of her pregnancy. The only curious thing here is what a film so lacking in energy or imagination is doing in the Competition section of the Berlinale.
Julio Chavez plays a Buenos Aires attorney who, following his wife's announcement, takes a business trip to a small town by bus. Why he goes by bus is anybody's guess. Upon arrival, he realizes the man seated next to him has died.
His business there has something to do with the foreclosure of farm property owned by an old man who has died. Upon concluding this affair, the lawyer suddenly decides to miss his bus home.
He checks into a hotel under the name of the deceased farmer. Awhile later, he checks into another hotel under the name of the dead man on the bus. He wanders around for a while until he spots an attractive woman. He follows her.
The next day he goes to the wake of his namesake. He sees the woman there, only this time she follows him. They go to her home and have sex. He tells more lies and makes up yet a third name for himself. She asks him to come back the next night for more sex.
Returning to his hotel, one of his lies catches up to him. The hotelkeeper urgently summons him to assist an ill guest. When he checked in, he claimed to be a doctor. After the paramedics leave, he catches the next bus home.
Read into this what you want, writer-director Rotter seems to be saying. Because he has made no effort to interest an audience in either his character or his unknown dilemma, few will take up the challenge. Some decent acting and fine cinematography by Marcelo Lavintman are wasted on this forlorn effort.
- 2/15/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- 57th Berlin Film FestivalFebruary 8 to 18, 2007Countdown: updateCountdownClock('February 8, 2007'); Berlin, Germany Festival LinkOn February 8 the curtain will rise in Berlinale Palast for the 57th Berlin International Film Festival. Throughout the following ten days, the festival will show 373 films on some 50 cinema screens all over the city. At the growing European Film Market, the festival's business fair, more than 700 films will be presented to the industry. International guests, stars on the red carpet, packed theaters, hot debates, and wild parties - the Berlinale will play Berlin like no other event on the calendar does. Yet, it is a festival not only of the masses, but also of the many: of the many who in months of hard work organized the programme and provided the infrastructure, and of the many who are busy behind the scenes to keep the festival buzzing. Of course, it will again be a festival of stars,
- 2/7/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
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