A filmmaker with an affinity for the dark, Daniel Espinosa caught international attention with 2010 Swedish thriller “Easy Money.” Hollywood was immediately and understandably intrigued by his capacity to make us care about shady criminal types, and for his part, the Chilean-born, Sweden-based director couldn’t resist the lure of making an American studio movie. Or three. Alas, each paycheck took Espinosa farther from his core strength: finding the humanity in morally compromised characters. Now, in a hard swing from ill-advised snabba cash project “Morbius” in 2022, “Madame Luna” can be seen either as penance or simply a return to form. Either way, this tense, tragic contemporary immigrant drama makes infinitely better use of his instincts.
Where Espinosa’s past four credits allowed him to work with an enviable roster of English-speaking stars — Denzel Washington, Tom Hardy, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jared Leto — this smaller, more sociological character study gives him a chance...
Where Espinosa’s past four credits allowed him to work with an enviable roster of English-speaking stars — Denzel Washington, Tom Hardy, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jared Leto — this smaller, more sociological character study gives him a chance...
- 2/4/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Momento Film, the leading Swedish banner founded by David Herdies (“Winter Buoy”) and Michael Krotkiewski (“Bellum — The Daemon Of War”), is boasting a slate of projects including the documentaries “Leaving Jesus” and “The Underdog,” as well as Simón Mesa Soto’s “A Poet.”
While at Cannes, the banner also started teasing one of its biggest project so far, “The Swedish Torpedo,” Frida Kempff (“Winter Buoy”)’s period film inspired by the life of Sally Bauer, the first Scandinavian to swim across the English Channel in 1939. “The Swedish Torpedo” will start shooting in August with a topnotch cast led by Josefin Neldén, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, as well as Lisa Carlehed (“The Emigrants”).
Co-produced by Sweden, Estonia, Belgium and England, the film opens in 1939, as Europe is on the brink of war. Sally, a 30-year-old single mom, dreams of being the first European woman to cross the English Channel. While society and...
While at Cannes, the banner also started teasing one of its biggest project so far, “The Swedish Torpedo,” Frida Kempff (“Winter Buoy”)’s period film inspired by the life of Sally Bauer, the first Scandinavian to swim across the English Channel in 1939. “The Swedish Torpedo” will start shooting in August with a topnotch cast led by Josefin Neldén, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, as well as Lisa Carlehed (“The Emigrants”).
Co-produced by Sweden, Estonia, Belgium and England, the film opens in 1939, as Europe is on the brink of war. Sally, a 30-year-old single mom, dreams of being the first European woman to cross the English Channel. While society and...
- 5/31/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Wild Bunch International has made an eleventh-hour addition to its European Film Market slate, signing international sales on Swedish Morbius director Daniel Espinosa’s upcoming drama Madame Luna.
Inspired by real-life events, the film follows an Eritrean refugee who gets stuck in Libya and becomes a notorious human trafficker known as “Mama Luna” with deep ties to the Italian Mafia.
When she is forced to flee to Italy due to a change in fortunes, she experiences the same hardships endured by the people she exploited.
Desperate to find a way out of the situation before she is recognized and brought to justice, she forms a bond with a younger version of herself.
The film was shot in Sicily and Calabria last August and September and is now in post-production.
Wbi has teased a first image of newcomers Meninet Abraha and Hilyam Weldemichael, who are both of Eritrean origin, in...
Inspired by real-life events, the film follows an Eritrean refugee who gets stuck in Libya and becomes a notorious human trafficker known as “Mama Luna” with deep ties to the Italian Mafia.
When she is forced to flee to Italy due to a change in fortunes, she experiences the same hardships endured by the people she exploited.
Desperate to find a way out of the situation before she is recognized and brought to justice, she forms a bond with a younger version of herself.
The film was shot in Sicily and Calabria last August and September and is now in post-production.
Wbi has teased a first image of newcomers Meninet Abraha and Hilyam Weldemichael, who are both of Eritrean origin, in...
- 2/17/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
As the director herself has stated, Palaistinian producers-filmmakers tend to shoot movies about the Occupation without realizing it. In “Villa Touma”, however, Suha Arraf tries to stray away from the usual approach to the subject, by focusing on a story that is almost Shakesperean, still managing, though, to talk about the Occupation.
“Villa Touma” screened at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The film begins in 2000, when Badia ages out of the Christian orphanage where she grew up, and is essentially forced upon her aunts, three sisters who have lost their lands and social status following the Six Day War with Israel in 1967, but continue to live as if nothing has changed, essentially in seclusion from the outside world, with the exception of the high class gatherings in thelocal Christian church. Juliette, the eldest one and “boss” of the family, greets Badia in coldness, immediately communicating that the only...
“Villa Touma” screened at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The film begins in 2000, when Badia ages out of the Christian orphanage where she grew up, and is essentially forced upon her aunts, three sisters who have lost their lands and social status following the Six Day War with Israel in 1967, but continue to live as if nothing has changed, essentially in seclusion from the outside world, with the exception of the high class gatherings in thelocal Christian church. Juliette, the eldest one and “boss” of the family, greets Badia in coldness, immediately communicating that the only...
- 2/17/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Here are all the winners of the 28th Vesoul Iff Asian Cinemas that took place from the 1st to the 8th of February in Vesoul, France.
Honorary Golden Cyclo:
(offered by the Agglomeration Community and the city of Vesoul)
Mrs. Leila Hatami, actress, Iran for her entire career, and Mr. Kôji Fukada, director, Japan for the all of his work.
Cyclo D’Or:
(offered by the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), International Jury: President: Ms. Leila Hatami, actress (Iran), members: Ms. Suha Arraf, director (Palestine), Ms. Tran Bich Quan, distributor, producer (France), Mr. Zig Dulay, director (Philippines)
Yanagawa by Zhang Lu (China) Beautiful, strong images, based on a powerful and perfectly told story, lead us to the discovery of brotherly relationship and love
Grand Jury Prize:
Along The Sea by Fujimoto Akio (Japan) Exposing a calm, restful nature on the one hand, harsh and merciless on the other, the film confronts...
Honorary Golden Cyclo:
(offered by the Agglomeration Community and the city of Vesoul)
Mrs. Leila Hatami, actress, Iran for her entire career, and Mr. Kôji Fukada, director, Japan for the all of his work.
Cyclo D’Or:
(offered by the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), International Jury: President: Ms. Leila Hatami, actress (Iran), members: Ms. Suha Arraf, director (Palestine), Ms. Tran Bich Quan, distributor, producer (France), Mr. Zig Dulay, director (Philippines)
Yanagawa by Zhang Lu (China) Beautiful, strong images, based on a powerful and perfectly told story, lead us to the discovery of brotherly relationship and love
Grand Jury Prize:
Along The Sea by Fujimoto Akio (Japan) Exposing a calm, restful nature on the one hand, harsh and merciless on the other, the film confronts...
- 2/9/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
France’s Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas kicks off Feb. 1 with a gala screening of Iranian auteur Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s 2001 Cannes winner “Kandahar” and will conclude on Feb. 8 with Kazakhstan filmmaker Yerlan Nurmukhambetov’s “The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time.”
The guest of honor at the festival’s 28th edition will be Japanese filmmaker Fukada Koji, who will be presented with an Honorary Cyclo at the opening ceremony. All 10 of Fukada’s features and four shorts will be presented at Vesoul, marking the first complete retrospective for the filmmaker. In all, 20 films from Japan will play at the festival, including Nakano Ryota’s “The Asadas” and Miyazaki Hayao’s “My Neighbor Totoro.”
The festival also pays tribute to Chinese master Xie Fei, whose masterpiece “Woman Sesame Oil Maker” won the Berlin Golden Bear in 1993.
This year, the international competition jury is presided over by Leila Hatami, Berlin Silver...
The guest of honor at the festival’s 28th edition will be Japanese filmmaker Fukada Koji, who will be presented with an Honorary Cyclo at the opening ceremony. All 10 of Fukada’s features and four shorts will be presented at Vesoul, marking the first complete retrospective for the filmmaker. In all, 20 films from Japan will play at the festival, including Nakano Ryota’s “The Asadas” and Miyazaki Hayao’s “My Neighbor Totoro.”
The festival also pays tribute to Chinese master Xie Fei, whose masterpiece “Woman Sesame Oil Maker” won the Berlin Golden Bear in 1993.
This year, the international competition jury is presided over by Leila Hatami, Berlin Silver...
- 2/1/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Leila Hatami, Iranian actress, silver bear in Berlin for A Separation by Ashgar Faradhi, an Iranian film with one million admissions in France, will be the president of the international Jury. The other members are: Suha Arraf, director (Palestine), Zig Dulay, director (Philippines), Yerlan Nurmukhambetov, director (Kazakhstan), Tran Bich Quan, distributor-producer (France).
Koji Fukada, the rising star of Japanese directors, will present all of his films in world premiere.
Both will receive a Cyclo d’or d’honneur for their entire career or their work during the opening ceremony on February 1, 2022.
Moshen Makhmalbaf, multi-award-winning Iranian director, and Atiq Rahimi, Afghan director, Goncourt Prize 2008, signatories of the appeal of July 29, 2021 “let’s save Afghan artists! », will present several films during the Afghan Day.
A tribute will be paid to filmmaker Marc Haaz, technical director of Fica, who died tragically, at the age of 33, on July 30, 2021.
The complete films of Xei Fei,...
Koji Fukada, the rising star of Japanese directors, will present all of his films in world premiere.
Both will receive a Cyclo d’or d’honneur for their entire career or their work during the opening ceremony on February 1, 2022.
Moshen Makhmalbaf, multi-award-winning Iranian director, and Atiq Rahimi, Afghan director, Goncourt Prize 2008, signatories of the appeal of July 29, 2021 “let’s save Afghan artists! », will present several films during the Afghan Day.
A tribute will be paid to filmmaker Marc Haaz, technical director of Fica, who died tragically, at the age of 33, on July 30, 2021.
The complete films of Xei Fei,...
- 1/30/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Stockholm-based Momento Film, the company behind “Tiny King for a Day” and Göteborg’s Nordic Film Market-bound work in progress “Dogborn,” has confirmed start of production and E.U. partners on Daniel Espinosa’s “Madame Luna,” its biggest project ever.
Principal photography in Sicily and Calabria is set to begin May 5 on the €5 million ($5.6 million) refugee drama, penned by Maurizio Braucci (“Gomorrah”) and Suha Arraf (“Lemon Tree”) from an idea by Binyam Berhane.
David Herdies is producing for Momento Film, with co-production partners Marco Alessi and Massimiliano Navarra of Italy’s Dugong Films, Peter Nadermann of Germany’s Nadcon and Katja Adomeit and Pål Røed of Denmark’s Adomeit Film.
The film marks Chilean-born Espinosa’s return to Swedish-language filmmaking, after a string of Hollywood movies including “Safe House,” “Life” and Sony Pictures’ upcoming Spider-Man spin-off “Morbius”.
“It’s going to be interesting and inspiring to enter a cinematic tradition that really was my roots,...
Principal photography in Sicily and Calabria is set to begin May 5 on the €5 million ($5.6 million) refugee drama, penned by Maurizio Braucci (“Gomorrah”) and Suha Arraf (“Lemon Tree”) from an idea by Binyam Berhane.
David Herdies is producing for Momento Film, with co-production partners Marco Alessi and Massimiliano Navarra of Italy’s Dugong Films, Peter Nadermann of Germany’s Nadcon and Katja Adomeit and Pål Røed of Denmark’s Adomeit Film.
The film marks Chilean-born Espinosa’s return to Swedish-language filmmaking, after a string of Hollywood movies including “Safe House,” “Life” and Sony Pictures’ upcoming Spider-Man spin-off “Morbius”.
“It’s going to be interesting and inspiring to enter a cinematic tradition that really was my roots,...
- 1/27/2022
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
The International Jury of the 28th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas will be joint. The President of the Jury will be by Leila Hatami, Iranian Francophone and Francophile actress, winner of Silver Bear in Berlin for “A Separation” by Ashgar Faradhi, Iranian film with million admissions in France.
The other members are, Suha Arraf, screenwriter of The Bride Syrienne and The Lemon Trees, director of Villa Touma (Palestine), Zig Dulay, director, Cyclo d’or Vesoul 2018 for Baggage (Philippines), and Yerlan Nurmukhambetov, director of The Horse Thieves – Road of Time and Walnut Tree awarded at Vesoul 2016, (Kazakhstan). The International Jury awards three prizes: Le Cyclo d´Or (offered by the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), the Grand Prix du Jury and the Prix du Jury (offered by the Departmental Council of Haute-Saône).
6 other juries will judge the 17 films of the fiction and documentary competitions, presented in international, European or French premieres.
The other members are, Suha Arraf, screenwriter of The Bride Syrienne and The Lemon Trees, director of Villa Touma (Palestine), Zig Dulay, director, Cyclo d’or Vesoul 2018 for Baggage (Philippines), and Yerlan Nurmukhambetov, director of The Horse Thieves – Road of Time and Walnut Tree awarded at Vesoul 2016, (Kazakhstan). The International Jury awards three prizes: Le Cyclo d´Or (offered by the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), the Grand Prix du Jury and the Prix du Jury (offered by the Departmental Council of Haute-Saône).
6 other juries will judge the 17 films of the fiction and documentary competitions, presented in international, European or French premieres.
- 1/5/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sundance Institute has announced the 15 screenwriters who have been chosen for the January 2020 Screenwriters Lab, which will go from the 17th-22nd. Those selected will have the opportunity to develop their independent projects by immersing themselves in the creative process and working with the mentorship of Creative Advisors.
Creative Advisors are Artistic Director Scott Frank, Michael Arndt, Suha Arraf, Ritesh Batra, Andrea Berloff, D.V. DeVincentis, Gonzalo Maza, Doug McGrath, Walter Mosley, Nicole Perlman, Howard Rodman, Susan Shilliday, Zach Sklar, Dana Stevens, Joan Tewkesbury, Bill Wheeler, and Tyger Williams.
“We’re so excited to welcome this singular and bold group of artists to our January Screenwriters Lab,” said Michelle Satter, the feature film program founding director. “Our program provides a safe and protected space for writers to be rigorous in their creative process as they develop new work that’s a true reflection of their unique voice and power as storytellers.
Creative Advisors are Artistic Director Scott Frank, Michael Arndt, Suha Arraf, Ritesh Batra, Andrea Berloff, D.V. DeVincentis, Gonzalo Maza, Doug McGrath, Walter Mosley, Nicole Perlman, Howard Rodman, Susan Shilliday, Zach Sklar, Dana Stevens, Joan Tewkesbury, Bill Wheeler, and Tyger Williams.
“We’re so excited to welcome this singular and bold group of artists to our January Screenwriters Lab,” said Michelle Satter, the feature film program founding director. “Our program provides a safe and protected space for writers to be rigorous in their creative process as they develop new work that’s a true reflection of their unique voice and power as storytellers.
- 12/17/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
“Creating a stimulating platform that brings together filmmakers, scholars and the public in order to encourage crucial dialogue regarding Palestine’s film industry, its culture and its politics.”
The London Palestine Film Festival (Lpff) 2019 will run in London from 15 to 30 November, in partnership with The Barbican, Curzon Soho, Institute Of Contemporary Arts (Ica), The Rio, The Tabernacle, Soas and P21 Gallery.
The Festival is proud to open its 2019 edition with the long-awaited, and now Cannes Awarded ‘Special Mention’, film “It Must Be Heaven”, by the honourable filmmaker, Elia Suleiman. The film was also selected as the Palestinian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Full Programme
It Must Be Heaven
Opening Night:
It Must Be Heaven (2019 l Elia Suleiman l 97’)
Lpff 2019 is proud to open with this long-awaited film from director Elia Suleiman.
Friday 15th November – Barbican @ 8:45pm
Family Affairs: Drama Shorts from Palestine...
The London Palestine Film Festival (Lpff) 2019 will run in London from 15 to 30 November, in partnership with The Barbican, Curzon Soho, Institute Of Contemporary Arts (Ica), The Rio, The Tabernacle, Soas and P21 Gallery.
The Festival is proud to open its 2019 edition with the long-awaited, and now Cannes Awarded ‘Special Mention’, film “It Must Be Heaven”, by the honourable filmmaker, Elia Suleiman. The film was also selected as the Palestinian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Full Programme
It Must Be Heaven
Opening Night:
It Must Be Heaven (2019 l Elia Suleiman l 97’)
Lpff 2019 is proud to open with this long-awaited film from director Elia Suleiman.
Friday 15th November – Barbican @ 8:45pm
Family Affairs: Drama Shorts from Palestine...
- 11/9/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Whistler Film Festival (November 28 — December 2) is hosting the industry’s top screenwriters at highly anticipated 7th consecutive event in Whistler.
This year’s honoured screenwriters will share their personal stories and challenges related to succeeding in today’s film industry at an afternoon conversation on December 1 as part of Wff’s Signature Series as well as receive their coveted award at Wff’s Awards Celebration on December 2.
Hosted by Canadian broadcast veteran George Stroumboulopoulos, festival goers will join this prestigious class of film scribes as they discuss tips and tricks for navigating the film landscape in 2018. The group will also share a behind the scenes look at their current and future projects during this intimate conversation.
Variety’s class of 2018 screenwriters and notable credits include:
Joe Robert Cole, Black PantherBryan Woods and Scott Beck, A Quiet PlaceAshleigh Powell, The Nutcracker And The Four RealmsJay Longino, Uncle DrewElizabeth Chomko, What They HadSofia Alvarez,...
This year’s honoured screenwriters will share their personal stories and challenges related to succeeding in today’s film industry at an afternoon conversation on December 1 as part of Wff’s Signature Series as well as receive their coveted award at Wff’s Awards Celebration on December 2.
Hosted by Canadian broadcast veteran George Stroumboulopoulos, festival goers will join this prestigious class of film scribes as they discuss tips and tricks for navigating the film landscape in 2018. The group will also share a behind the scenes look at their current and future projects during this intimate conversation.
Variety’s class of 2018 screenwriters and notable credits include:
Joe Robert Cole, Black PantherBryan Woods and Scott Beck, A Quiet PlaceAshleigh Powell, The Nutcracker And The Four RealmsJay Longino, Uncle DrewElizabeth Chomko, What They HadSofia Alvarez,...
- 11/20/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Trieste event welcomed 350 industry professionals this year.
Women producers were the big winners at the seventh edition of Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum, which was attended by more than 350 industry professional from over 30 countries.
The Wemw jury awarded the Cnc Development Award to Italian producer Erica Barbiani for her pitch of Hungarian director Peter Kerekes’ new documentary Wishing On A Star.
Two free accreditations to Cannes’ Producers Network went to Cecilia Frugiuele for Bosnian filmmaker Una Gunjak’s debut feature Alfa and to Georgia’s Tekla Machavariani for Marine Gulbiani’s documentary Before Father Is Back, about two Muslim girls waiting for their fathers to come home from abroad.
The Turkish producer-director team of Anna Maria Aslanoglu and Nazli Elif Durlu went home with the Flow Postproduction Award for Durlu’s feature debut Zuhal.
Film London’s Helena Mackenzie and Mia Co-Production Market’s Alexia De Vito were in Trieste to present the Trl...
Women producers were the big winners at the seventh edition of Trieste’s When East Meets West (Wemw) co-production forum, which was attended by more than 350 industry professional from over 30 countries.
The Wemw jury awarded the Cnc Development Award to Italian producer Erica Barbiani for her pitch of Hungarian director Peter Kerekes’ new documentary Wishing On A Star.
Two free accreditations to Cannes’ Producers Network went to Cecilia Frugiuele for Bosnian filmmaker Una Gunjak’s debut feature Alfa and to Georgia’s Tekla Machavariani for Marine Gulbiani’s documentary Before Father Is Back, about two Muslim girls waiting for their fathers to come home from abroad.
The Turkish producer-director team of Anna Maria Aslanoglu and Nazli Elif Durlu went home with the Flow Postproduction Award for Durlu’s feature debut Zuhal.
Film London’s Helena Mackenzie and Mia Co-Production Market’s Alexia De Vito were in Trieste to present the Trl...
- 1/25/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Qatar’s Doha Film Institute (Dfi) backs 32 projects in autumn funding round.
Moroccan filmmaker Narjiss Nejjar (Cry No More), Lebanon’s Bassem Breish and Palestinian director Suha Arraf (Villa Touma, pictured) are among the latest recipients of the Doha Film Institute’s grants programme aimed at first and second-time film-makers in the Middle East and Africa region.
The Qatari organization backed a total 32 projects from 27 countries in its autumn funding round.
Nejjar received support for upcoming film Stateless about a girl who will do anything to re-connect with her mother, including marry an aging, blind man.
Breish is working on The Maiden’s Pond, about two woman connected to the same man who need to find a way of living side by side in the same village.
Arraf, whose last film was Villa Touma, is currently working on The Poster, about a Palestinian village situated within Israeli borders which is stirred up when a controversial poster appears...
Moroccan filmmaker Narjiss Nejjar (Cry No More), Lebanon’s Bassem Breish and Palestinian director Suha Arraf (Villa Touma, pictured) are among the latest recipients of the Doha Film Institute’s grants programme aimed at first and second-time film-makers in the Middle East and Africa region.
The Qatari organization backed a total 32 projects from 27 countries in its autumn funding round.
Nejjar received support for upcoming film Stateless about a girl who will do anything to re-connect with her mother, including marry an aging, blind man.
Breish is working on The Maiden’s Pond, about two woman connected to the same man who need to find a way of living side by side in the same village.
Arraf, whose last film was Villa Touma, is currently working on The Poster, about a Palestinian village situated within Israeli borders which is stirred up when a controversial poster appears...
- 12/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
Ar Rahman
The Colombian film ‘Embrace of the Serpent’ directed by Ciro Guerra and produced by Cristina Gallego has been awarded the Best Film Award at the 46th International Film Festival of India. Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Laxmikant Parsekar and Honourable Minister of State I&B, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore jointly presented the Golden Peacock to the Art Director of the film, Ramses Benjumea at a spectacular closing ceremony held at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa. The ceremony was compered by the actors Lillete Dubey and Kabir Bedi.
The world renowned and Oscar-winning music composer Mr. A. R. Rahman was the chief guest of the evening. He said, “I am so fascinated by the way the festival is being organized. I thank Iffi team for hosting the festival so beautifully. I hope that supported by festivals like Iffi, the people will come up with great cinema...
The Colombian film ‘Embrace of the Serpent’ directed by Ciro Guerra and produced by Cristina Gallego has been awarded the Best Film Award at the 46th International Film Festival of India. Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Laxmikant Parsekar and Honourable Minister of State I&B, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore jointly presented the Golden Peacock to the Art Director of the film, Ramses Benjumea at a spectacular closing ceremony held at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Goa. The ceremony was compered by the actors Lillete Dubey and Kabir Bedi.
The world renowned and Oscar-winning music composer Mr. A. R. Rahman was the chief guest of the evening. He said, “I am so fascinated by the way the festival is being organized. I thank Iffi team for hosting the festival so beautifully. I hope that supported by festivals like Iffi, the people will come up with great cinema...
- 12/7/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
The 46th edition of International Film Festival of India (Iffi) is all set to conclude with a grand closing ceremony to be held at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Goa. Honorable Minister of State, I&B, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Retd) along with Honorable Governor of Goa, Smt. Mridula Sinha, Honorable Chief Minister Goa, Shri Laxmikant Parsekar and Secretary I&B, Shri Sunil Arora will inaugurate the closing ceremony. The ceremony will be compered by actors Lillete Dubey and Kabir Bedi.
Vice Chairman, Entertainment Society of Goa, Shri. Damodar Naik, Chief Secretary, Government of Goa, Shri R.K Srivastava, Secretary General Icft, Ms. Lola Poggi Goujon, CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa, Ameya Abhyankar will also be present at the event.
A.R. Rahman is the Chief Guest of the evening. International Jury members including the chairperson, Shekhar Kapur, UK based BAFTA winner director, Micheal Radford, Palestinian based Israel director, Ms. Suha Arraf,...
Vice Chairman, Entertainment Society of Goa, Shri. Damodar Naik, Chief Secretary, Government of Goa, Shri R.K Srivastava, Secretary General Icft, Ms. Lola Poggi Goujon, CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa, Ameya Abhyankar will also be present at the event.
A.R. Rahman is the Chief Guest of the evening. International Jury members including the chairperson, Shekhar Kapur, UK based BAFTA winner director, Micheal Radford, Palestinian based Israel director, Ms. Suha Arraf,...
- 11/30/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
The International Film Festival of India (Iffi) today announced a stellar lineup of International Competition, Indian Panorama films and Juries for its 46th edition to be held in Goa from November 20 to 30 2015. The film festival will showcase 187 films from 89 countries in World Cinema section along with 26 Feature and 21 Non-Feature films in Indian Panorama section.
Curtain Raiser Press Conference of Iffi 2015
Addressing the curtain raiser press conference, Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Minister, I&B, Finance & Corporate Affairs said, “The Kingdom of Spain is the focus country of Iffi 2015.The films of master Spanish filmmakers Carlos Saura and Pedro Almadovar along with contemporary filmmakers like Alejandro Amenabar will be screened at the festival. The section will also feature Spanish actress Leticia Dolera’s directorial debut ‘Requirements to Be a Normal Person.’ ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ written and directed by Matthew Brown would be the opening film of Iffi 2015. Mr. Anil Kapoor...
Curtain Raiser Press Conference of Iffi 2015
Addressing the curtain raiser press conference, Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Minister, I&B, Finance & Corporate Affairs said, “The Kingdom of Spain is the focus country of Iffi 2015.The films of master Spanish filmmakers Carlos Saura and Pedro Almadovar along with contemporary filmmakers like Alejandro Amenabar will be screened at the festival. The section will also feature Spanish actress Leticia Dolera’s directorial debut ‘Requirements to Be a Normal Person.’ ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ written and directed by Matthew Brown would be the opening film of Iffi 2015. Mr. Anil Kapoor...
- 11/16/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
According to local filmmakers, the recent suppression of documentary Beyond The Fear is just one episode in a quickening erosion of artistic freedom in Israel.
As Nanni Moretti’s Mia Madre began to roll on the opening night of the Jerusalem Film Festival in the picturesque Sultan’s Pool amphitheatre in early July, another screening was kicking off just metres above the spectators’ heads.
On a terrace overlooking the event, some 50 film-makers and producers had gathered for a protest screening of Maria Kravchenko and the late Herz Frank’s Beyond The Fear.
They included The Kindergarten Teacher director Nadav Lapid; Keren Yedaya, who won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for her debut work Or; Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, whose credits include the award-winning The Law In These Parts; and Shlomi Elkabetz, co-director of the Golden Globe-nominated Gett: The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem which premiered in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May 2014 and went on to win best film at...
As Nanni Moretti’s Mia Madre began to roll on the opening night of the Jerusalem Film Festival in the picturesque Sultan’s Pool amphitheatre in early July, another screening was kicking off just metres above the spectators’ heads.
On a terrace overlooking the event, some 50 film-makers and producers had gathered for a protest screening of Maria Kravchenko and the late Herz Frank’s Beyond The Fear.
They included The Kindergarten Teacher director Nadav Lapid; Keren Yedaya, who won Cannes’ Camera d’Or for her debut work Or; Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, whose credits include the award-winning The Law In These Parts; and Shlomi Elkabetz, co-director of the Golden Globe-nominated Gett: The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem which premiered in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May 2014 and went on to win best film at...
- 7/24/2015
- ScreenDaily
Neil Armfield.s Holding the Man, Simon Stone.s The Daughter, Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and Jen Peedom.s feature doc Sherpa will have their world premieres at the Sydney Film Festival.
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
- 5/6/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has unveiled its 2015 line-up which includes films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The U.S. premiere of Niki Caro’s McFarland USA will close out the 30th fest. Based on the 1987 true story and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello, the film follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. The unlikely band of runners overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
- 1/8/2015
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
A self-acknowledged "showcase for Academy Award frontrunners," the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is often overlooked for the actual films that earn it festival status. An amalgamation of international discoveries and ’merica’s circuit highlights, the Sbiff curates a week of best-of-the-best to pair with their star-praising. The 2015 edition offers another expansive selection, bookended by two films that aren’t on any radars just yet. Sbiff will open with "Desert Dancer," producer Richard Raymond’s directorial debut. Starring Reece Ritchie and Frieda Pinto, the drama follows a group of friends who wave off the harsh political climate of Iran’s 2009 presidential election in favor of forming a dance team, picking up moves from Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev thanks to the magic of YouTube. The festival will close with "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Telling the 1987 true story of a Latino high school’s underdog cross-country team,...
- 1/8/2015
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
Band of Girls: Lavie’s Acerbic, Confident Debut
Exacerbated ennui is explored to comedic effect in Tayla Lavie’s striking directorial debut, Zero Motivation, which explores life on an Israeli military base through the perspective of several female soldiers. Groups of humans not taken seriously and treated with demeaning abandon tend to disengage from rational behaviors, and Lavie explores the rampant pettiness born out of being kept in certain positions without any opportunity to grow. Some have criticized Lavie for abstaining from composing the film as a more complicated and transgressive portrait of the reductive nature of war, in general. Coming from an area where cinematic offerings are saturated and inflected with the constant, aggravated unrest transpiring there, Lavie’s film is already a subtly wicked statement, and her focus on the trivialities of one group of women on one military base serves as the subtle microcosm for the enduring...
Exacerbated ennui is explored to comedic effect in Tayla Lavie’s striking directorial debut, Zero Motivation, which explores life on an Israeli military base through the perspective of several female soldiers. Groups of humans not taken seriously and treated with demeaning abandon tend to disengage from rational behaviors, and Lavie explores the rampant pettiness born out of being kept in certain positions without any opportunity to grow. Some have criticized Lavie for abstaining from composing the film as a more complicated and transgressive portrait of the reductive nature of war, in general. Coming from an area where cinematic offerings are saturated and inflected with the constant, aggravated unrest transpiring there, Lavie’s film is already a subtly wicked statement, and her focus on the trivialities of one group of women on one military base serves as the subtle microcosm for the enduring...
- 12/4/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Israeli-Arab director Suha Arraf must repay the state funding she received for her debut feature Villa Touma, an Israeli government committee has ruled, arguing that the film should have been labeled as "Israeli" rather than "Palestinian." The film, a black comedy about a young girl who goes to live with her three unmarried aunts in the West Bank, had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it was presented as Palestinian. But a backlash followed, with the Israeli economy minister Naftali Bennett in August saying Arraf would have to return the $150,000 she received from the
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- 11/13/2014
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
I Can Quit Whenever I Want wins the Golden Puffin; Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear gets special jury mention.
Italian comedy I Can Quit Whenever I Want (Smetto quando voglio) has won the Golden Puffin at the Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
The film marks the directorial debut of Sydney Sibilia and topped the 12 titles in Riff’s New Visions competitive strand, which are all first or second features.
The story centres on a university researcher who is fired because of cutbacks and decides to produce drugs with his former colleagues
A special mention of the jury was given to drama Before I Disappear, written, directed and starring Shawn Christensen.
The jury comprised Icelanic actor Björn Thors, international distributor Pascale Ramonda, Film London CEO Adrian Wooton, Peter Debruge, and festival advisor Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, keeper of the national treasures and the manager of the Office of National Heritage.
The jury described...
Italian comedy I Can Quit Whenever I Want (Smetto quando voglio) has won the Golden Puffin at the Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5).
The film marks the directorial debut of Sydney Sibilia and topped the 12 titles in Riff’s New Visions competitive strand, which are all first or second features.
The story centres on a university researcher who is fired because of cutbacks and decides to produce drugs with his former colleagues
A special mention of the jury was given to drama Before I Disappear, written, directed and starring Shawn Christensen.
The jury comprised Icelanic actor Björn Thors, international distributor Pascale Ramonda, Film London CEO Adrian Wooton, Peter Debruge, and festival advisor Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, keeper of the national treasures and the manager of the Office of National Heritage.
The jury described...
- 10/4/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Titles include Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear and Suha Arraf’s Villa Touma [pictured]; guests include Mike Leigh and Ruben Ostlund.
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
- 9/18/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Suha Arraf, who co-wrote the screenplays for Eran Riklis' charming films The Syrian Bride and The Lemon Tree, makes her directing debut with an inexplicably stodgy tale about a trio of Christian Palestinian sisters who have sunk into genteel poverty, and whose secluded lives are shaken up when they take in an orphaned niece. Unfortunately, Villa Touma is as stylistically outmoded as the sisters’ clothing, hairstyles and superior attitude, and its simple storytelling, almost like a fairy tale one has heard many times, is unlikely to entertain anyone outside generous festival audiences. Nevertheless, it's a welcome change to see
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- 8/31/2014
- by Deborah Young
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Few films in Venice this year have arrived trailing as much controversy in their their wake as Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf’s new feature Villa Touma, which screens in Venice Critics Week.
Arraf’s drama received a large part of its funding from public sources in Israel but the director wished it to be identified as a Palestinian film.
There have been calls from such prominent figures as Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat for her to return the Israeli money with which she made the film.
On the eve of her Venice screening, Arraf, respected internationally as the screenwriter of such award winning films as The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree, said she was baffled by the heated Israeli reaction to Villa Touma.
The writer-director pointed out that she has never denied the film was made with Israeli money. There is nothing in her contract that requires her to present the film as an Israeli...
Arraf’s drama received a large part of its funding from public sources in Israel but the director wished it to be identified as a Palestinian film.
There have been calls from such prominent figures as Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat for her to return the Israeli money with which she made the film.
On the eve of her Venice screening, Arraf, respected internationally as the screenwriter of such award winning films as The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree, said she was baffled by the heated Israeli reaction to Villa Touma.
The writer-director pointed out that she has never denied the film was made with Israeli money. There is nothing in her contract that requires her to present the film as an Israeli...
- 8/29/2014
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Few films in Venice this year have arrived trailing as much controversy in their their wake as Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf’s new feature Villa Touma (which screens in Venice Critics Week.)
Arraf’s drama received a large part of its funding from public sources in Israel but the director wished it to be identified as a Palestinian film.
There have been calls from such prominent figures as Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat for her to return the Israeli money with which she made the film.
On the eve of her Venice screening, Arraf, respected internationally as the screenwriter of such award winning films as The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree, said she was baffled by the heated Israeli reaction to Villa Touma. The writer-director pointed out that she has never denied the film was made with Israeli money. There is nothing in her contract that requires her to present the film as an Israeli...
Arraf’s drama received a large part of its funding from public sources in Israel but the director wished it to be identified as a Palestinian film.
There have been calls from such prominent figures as Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat for her to return the Israeli money with which she made the film.
On the eve of her Venice screening, Arraf, respected internationally as the screenwriter of such award winning films as The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree, said she was baffled by the heated Israeli reaction to Villa Touma. The writer-director pointed out that she has never denied the film was made with Israeli money. There is nothing in her contract that requires her to present the film as an Israeli...
- 8/29/2014
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
The lineups for the Mavericks, Discovery, and Tiff Kids parts of the Toronto Film Festival were announced, wrapping up a series of lineup announcements for the Toronto International Film Festival.
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
- 8/19/2014
- by Jacob Shamsian
- EW - Inside Movies
Bill Murray is coming to Toronto folks. Actually, the film he stars in (Theodore Melfi’s St. Vincent) is having its official World Premiere launch at the jaw-dropping 285 feature film 2014 Tiff line-up. In the final batch of items we finally get the confirmation that 2014′s Palme d’Or Winner Winter Sleep (which gets added along with a trio of others to the Masters Programme) will show, and Tomm Moore’s highly anticipated Song of the Sea (among the four item line-up for Tiff Kids) also lands. Worth mentioning are the sprinkling of add-ons to the various other sections (Marjane Satrapi’s Sundance preemed The Voices, Matt Shakman’s Cut Bank and the world preem of Danis Tanovic’s Tigers) with a Studio Ghibli docu item being fitted into the Tiff Docs, but it is the Discovery Programme that finally takes shape.
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
- 8/19/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The 2014 Toronto Film Festival lineup got a lot stronger this morning by adding several new titles to the Special Presentations, Masters, Documentaries, Vanguard and Contemporary World Cinema selection as well as announcing the Mavericks and Discovery Programme picks. Most notable selections begin with Special Presentations additions of The Weinstein's St. Vincent starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarty and James Franco's The Sound and the Fury. The St. Vincent screening will be a world premiere and suggest Murray will be walking the Tiff red carpet... now that's a get for the fest I'm sure brings a smile to their face. In the Masters selection we have Studio Ghibli's The Tale of Princess Kaguya as well as the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Winter Sleep. The Vanguard selection has added The Voice, the lastest film from Persepolis helmer Marjane Satrapi and in the Mavericks selection...
- 8/19/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Bill Murray starrer St. Vincent will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of this week’s wave of programming that includes Discovery.
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
- 8/19/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Katriel Schory, executive director of the Israel Film Fund sent this:
"Dear Friend,
One of the three major newspapers in Israel, "Haaretz" newspaper, decided to dedicate its weekend edition's editorial, to the Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf and her film "Villa Touma" which the Film Fund supported and the Minister of Culture seems to be extremely unhappy."
Stop political persecution in Israel's film industry
The culture ministry's 'Zionist' war on Arab-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf and other such campaigns will have dire consequences for Israeli cinema and culture.
Haaretz Editorial | Aug. 8, 2014 | 3:42 Am
Filmmaker Suha Arraf received funding from Israeli institutions, primarily the Israel Film Fund, for the production of “Villa Touma.” She chose, however, to submit it to the Venice Film Festival as a Palestinian film. The move ignited a campaign of persecution against Arraf, and subsequently against the executive director of the Israel Film Fund, Katriel Schory, who refused to join the assault on Arraf.
Now Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat wants the funding provided by the foundation returned. This, despite Arraf’s willingness, with Schory’s encouragement, to remove “Palestine” from the film’s country of origin. “The opinion of the Culture Ministry’s legal counsel underscores the concern that the film’s maker of the film behaved cynically when she sought recognition and support for her film as an Israeli film,” Livnat said. “Film funds that serve as a conduit for financial support have a duty to ascertain that they are used for this purpose. It would appear that in the case of ‘Villa Touma,’ the film fund did not perform its duty.”
In response, Schory said that he too had expected Arraf to present her film as Israeli, but he stressed that there is no contractual obligation regarding the way a film is submitted to festivals. So far, he added, Arraf has met all her obligations, including detailed credit to the Israeli film funds that took part in financing her production.
Arraf’s decision does not justify the persecution campaign against her and against the film fund and Schory. The government of Israel should learn to accommodate all the complexities in the identity of its Palestinian citizens, and in any event to prevent political interference in the state’s cultural institutions — a practice that Livnat has actually upheld. The culture minister, who apparently envies her rivals on the right who are vying with each other in hate speech against Arabs, has launched all-out “Zionist” war on the filmmaker, and in so doing is crushing the Israel Film Fund underfoot.
Thanks to the film funds, the Israeli film industry presents the beautiful face of Israel to the world. Political interference will bring down the curtain on it and on Israeli culture in general.
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"Dear Friend,
One of the three major newspapers in Israel, "Haaretz" newspaper, decided to dedicate its weekend edition's editorial, to the Palestinian-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf and her film "Villa Touma" which the Film Fund supported and the Minister of Culture seems to be extremely unhappy."
Stop political persecution in Israel's film industry
The culture ministry's 'Zionist' war on Arab-Israeli filmmaker Suha Arraf and other such campaigns will have dire consequences for Israeli cinema and culture.
Haaretz Editorial | Aug. 8, 2014 | 3:42 Am
Filmmaker Suha Arraf received funding from Israeli institutions, primarily the Israel Film Fund, for the production of “Villa Touma.” She chose, however, to submit it to the Venice Film Festival as a Palestinian film. The move ignited a campaign of persecution against Arraf, and subsequently against the executive director of the Israel Film Fund, Katriel Schory, who refused to join the assault on Arraf.
Now Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat wants the funding provided by the foundation returned. This, despite Arraf’s willingness, with Schory’s encouragement, to remove “Palestine” from the film’s country of origin. “The opinion of the Culture Ministry’s legal counsel underscores the concern that the film’s maker of the film behaved cynically when she sought recognition and support for her film as an Israeli film,” Livnat said. “Film funds that serve as a conduit for financial support have a duty to ascertain that they are used for this purpose. It would appear that in the case of ‘Villa Touma,’ the film fund did not perform its duty.”
In response, Schory said that he too had expected Arraf to present her film as Israeli, but he stressed that there is no contractual obligation regarding the way a film is submitted to festivals. So far, he added, Arraf has met all her obligations, including detailed credit to the Israeli film funds that took part in financing her production.
Arraf’s decision does not justify the persecution campaign against her and against the film fund and Schory. The government of Israel should learn to accommodate all the complexities in the identity of its Palestinian citizens, and in any event to prevent political interference in the state’s cultural institutions — a practice that Livnat has actually upheld. The culture minister, who apparently envies her rivals on the right who are vying with each other in hate speech against Arabs, has launched all-out “Zionist” war on the filmmaker, and in so doing is crushing the Israel Film Fund underfoot.
Thanks to the film funds, the Israeli film industry presents the beautiful face of Israel to the world. Political interference will bring down the curtain on it and on Israeli culture in general.
Related Articles
Minister demands subsidy back after director classifies film as Palestinian
By Nirit Anderman | Aug. 8, 2014 | 1:02 Pm
Israeli artists opposing the war come under attack on social networks
By Dafna Arad | Jul. 22, 2014 | 4:10 Am
Punch a lefty, save the homeland: Israel rediscovers political violence
By Asher Schechter | Jul. 24, 2014 | 7:58 Am...
- 8/12/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Suha Arraf’s Villa Touma, selected for Venice Critics’ Week, received $400,000 from the Israel Film Fund but has been classified as Palestinian by the director.
The Israeli government has demanded the return of funding for Villa Touma, a film from Israeli-Arab director Suha Arraf that has been selected for Venice Critics’ Week (Aug 27-Sep 6), following its classification as Palestinian.
Arraf’s decision to brand the film as Palestinan was in defiance of the contract she signed with the Fund, which specified that support has been granted for the purpose of making an Israeli film.
And despite its classification as Palestinian, the film print and publicity material credits all the Israeli institutions that provided support.
Suha has since requested all festivals not to brand the film as Palestinian and leave the origin blank, and the Venice Critics’ Week website no longer carries the Palestine origin of the film.
But Limor Livnat, Israel’s minister...
The Israeli government has demanded the return of funding for Villa Touma, a film from Israeli-Arab director Suha Arraf that has been selected for Venice Critics’ Week (Aug 27-Sep 6), following its classification as Palestinian.
Arraf’s decision to brand the film as Palestinan was in defiance of the contract she signed with the Fund, which specified that support has been granted for the purpose of making an Israeli film.
And despite its classification as Palestinian, the film print and publicity material credits all the Israeli institutions that provided support.
Suha has since requested all festivals not to brand the film as Palestinian and leave the origin blank, and the Venice Critics’ Week website no longer carries the Palestine origin of the film.
But Limor Livnat, Israel’s minister...
- 8/8/2014
- by dfainaru@netvision.net.il (Edna Fainaru)
- ScreenDaily
The Venice International Film Festival is in the process announcing the lineup for its 71st edition. Here's what we know so far:
Competition
The Cut (Fatih Akin)
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Roy Andersson)
99 Homes (Ramin Bahrani)
Tales (Rakhshan Bani E'temad)
La rancon de la gloire (Xavier Beauvois)
Hungry Hearts (Saverio Costanzo)
Le dernier coup de marteau (Alix Delaporte)
Pasolini (Abel Ferrara)
Manglehorn (David Gordon Green)
Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
Three Hearts (Benoît Jacquot)
The Postman's White Nights (Andrei Konchalovsky)
Il Giovane Favoloso (Mario Martone)
Sivas (Kaan Mujdeci)
Anime Nere (Francesco Munzi)
Good Kill (Andrew Niccol)
Loin des hommes (David Oelhoffen)
The Look of Silence (Joshua Oppenheimer)
Nobi (Shinya Tsukamoto)
Red Amnesia (Wang Xiaoshuai)
Out Of Competition
Joe Date. Photo by Evan Dickson.
Words with Gods (Guillermo Arriaga, Emir Kusturica, Amos Gitai, Mira Nair, Warwick Thornton, Hector Babenco, Bahman Ghobadi,...
Competition
The Cut (Fatih Akin)
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Roy Andersson)
99 Homes (Ramin Bahrani)
Tales (Rakhshan Bani E'temad)
La rancon de la gloire (Xavier Beauvois)
Hungry Hearts (Saverio Costanzo)
Le dernier coup de marteau (Alix Delaporte)
Pasolini (Abel Ferrara)
Manglehorn (David Gordon Green)
Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
Three Hearts (Benoît Jacquot)
The Postman's White Nights (Andrei Konchalovsky)
Il Giovane Favoloso (Mario Martone)
Sivas (Kaan Mujdeci)
Anime Nere (Francesco Munzi)
Good Kill (Andrew Niccol)
Loin des hommes (David Oelhoffen)
The Look of Silence (Joshua Oppenheimer)
Nobi (Shinya Tsukamoto)
Red Amnesia (Wang Xiaoshuai)
Out Of Competition
Joe Date. Photo by Evan Dickson.
Words with Gods (Guillermo Arriaga, Emir Kusturica, Amos Gitai, Mira Nair, Warwick Thornton, Hector Babenco, Bahman Ghobadi,...
- 7/25/2014
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Nima Javidi’s Melbourne and Diego Bianchi’s The Market to bookend Venice Critics’ Week line-up.
The line-up for the 29th Venice International Film Critics’ Week (Aug 27-Sept 6) has been announced.
The opening film, playing out of competition, is Nima Javidi’s Melbourne.
The Iranian feature will receive its international premiere at Critics’ Week - the independent section of the Venice International Film Festival - dedicated to first-time directors’ feature-length films.
Melbourne centres on a young couple on their way to the eponymous Australian city to continue their studies. But just a few hours before their departure, they become involved in a tragic event.
The closing film will be the world premiere of Italian director Diego Bianchi’s The Market (Arance e Martello), also playing out of competition.
The satirical comedy, which takes place over one day in the midst of the Berlusconi era in 2011, centres on the life of a quiet corner market, which is shaken...
The line-up for the 29th Venice International Film Critics’ Week (Aug 27-Sept 6) has been announced.
The opening film, playing out of competition, is Nima Javidi’s Melbourne.
The Iranian feature will receive its international premiere at Critics’ Week - the independent section of the Venice International Film Festival - dedicated to first-time directors’ feature-length films.
Melbourne centres on a young couple on their way to the eponymous Australian city to continue their studies. But just a few hours before their departure, they become involved in a tragic event.
The closing film will be the world premiere of Italian director Diego Bianchi’s The Market (Arance e Martello), also playing out of competition.
The satirical comedy, which takes place over one day in the midst of the Berlusconi era in 2011, centres on the life of a quiet corner market, which is shaken...
- 7/21/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Pitted Olive: Riklis’ Period Piece Adventure a Sappy Fantasy
Israeli director Eran Riklis returns to familiar territory with Zaytoun, using another unlikely friendship scenario between a Palestinian and Israeli which he used to great effect in previous titles, such as the excellent 2008 film Lemon Tree. Broadening his international appeal with a well known American star, Riklis ends up making an overly sentimental film that tends to overstep the bounds of realism as he explores a distinct time period in early 80’s war torn Lebanon. While it’s not a wholly unlikeable film, there’s just a few too many out of place elements to make this anything more than a predictably tame tale.
It’s 1982 and there’s a war going on between Israel and Lebanon. In the years leading up to this, many Palestinian families lived as refugees in Beirut, but were segregated into camps, where they were hardly treated with respect.
Israeli director Eran Riklis returns to familiar territory with Zaytoun, using another unlikely friendship scenario between a Palestinian and Israeli which he used to great effect in previous titles, such as the excellent 2008 film Lemon Tree. Broadening his international appeal with a well known American star, Riklis ends up making an overly sentimental film that tends to overstep the bounds of realism as he explores a distinct time period in early 80’s war torn Lebanon. While it’s not a wholly unlikeable film, there’s just a few too many out of place elements to make this anything more than a predictably tame tale.
It’s 1982 and there’s a war going on between Israel and Lebanon. In the years leading up to this, many Palestinian families lived as refugees in Beirut, but were segregated into camps, where they were hardly treated with respect.
- 9/16/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
More Berlinale coverage
Berlin -- German subsidy bodies the Medienboard and the Ffa have joined forces with the Israel Film Fund and the Jerusalem Film Festival to start a scholarship program for two young Israeli film professionals.
Suha Arraf, the screenwriter of "Lemon Tree" and "The Syrian Bride," and writer-director Itamar Alkaly ("Stefan Braun") will be the first beneficiaries of the artists-in-residence program, spending three months in Berlin meeting with local producers, filmmakers and funding bodies from the German film and television industry.
The two filmmakers will also be helped by the program's patrons, which include "Waltz With Bashir" co-producers Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner, Nico Hofmann, head of TV production powerhouse teamWorx, and Oliver Berben, a producer at the Berlin-based Moovie company.
Berlin -- German subsidy bodies the Medienboard and the Ffa have joined forces with the Israel Film Fund and the Jerusalem Film Festival to start a scholarship program for two young Israeli film professionals.
Suha Arraf, the screenwriter of "Lemon Tree" and "The Syrian Bride," and writer-director Itamar Alkaly ("Stefan Braun") will be the first beneficiaries of the artists-in-residence program, spending three months in Berlin meeting with local producers, filmmakers and funding bodies from the German film and television industry.
The two filmmakers will also be helped by the program's patrons, which include "Waltz With Bashir" co-producers Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner, Nico Hofmann, head of TV production powerhouse teamWorx, and Oliver Berben, a producer at the Berlin-based Moovie company.
- 2/9/2009
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- IFC Films has picked up all U.S. rights to Eran Riklis' Lemon Tree, an Israeli drama that won the Panorama section Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival last month.
Lemon is inspired by the true story of a Palestinian widow (Hiam Abbass) forced to stand up against the Israeli Defense Minister when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove and threatens to have it torn down.
Riklis is best known for his 2004 film The Syrian Bride (written with his Lemon co-writer Suha Arraf, ) which earned 18 international awards including best film at the Montreal World Film Festival.
Lemon will be released through the theatrical/VOD IFC In Theaters program.
IFC's Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Didar Domehri from Films Distribution, who represented Riklis.
Lemon is inspired by the true story of a Palestinian widow (Hiam Abbass) forced to stand up against the Israeli Defense Minister when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove and threatens to have it torn down.
Riklis is best known for his 2004 film The Syrian Bride (written with his Lemon co-writer Suha Arraf, ) which earned 18 international awards including best film at the Montreal World Film Festival.
Lemon will be released through the theatrical/VOD IFC In Theaters program.
IFC's Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Didar Domehri from Films Distribution, who represented Riklis.
- 3/26/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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