Curtain Up on the Cannes Marche!Even though the Cannes Film Festival will not show the films they have selected, the Market marches on.Because the interconnectedness of audience, film industry, movie stars, press, cineastes and cinephiles and just plan gawking fans is so crucial to making the festival what it is, the Festival cannot take place, but the Cannes Marche was brave enough to take the bait and rise to the occasion with its Cannes Online.Visit for updates!
The conference schedule is packed and this first day has been exceptional.
Of the three conferences I attended, Meet the Streamers was the finest articulation of what is happening today which might point to a future that changes the personality of arthouse theater curation. Richard Lorber of Kino Lorber (USA), Olle Agebro of Draken Film (Sweden) and Jaume Ripoli of Filmin discussed the projects they launched to reply to the Covid 19 emergency,...
The conference schedule is packed and this first day has been exceptional.
Of the three conferences I attended, Meet the Streamers was the finest articulation of what is happening today which might point to a future that changes the personality of arthouse theater curation. Richard Lorber of Kino Lorber (USA), Olle Agebro of Draken Film (Sweden) and Jaume Ripoli of Filmin discussed the projects they launched to reply to the Covid 19 emergency,...
- 5/5/2020
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Free Radicals: Bouchareb Explores a Mother’s Nightmare in Topical Treatment
French director Rachid Bouchareb is no stranger to exploring the actions radicalized children have on their bewildered parents, as evidenced in his eloquent 2008 feature, London River. Whereas his earlier film dealt with the aftermath of disastrous actions, Bouchareb returns to the topical issue of Western recruitment into contemporary terrorist cells, this time centered on drama as it unfolds in The Road to Istanbul. We’ve become accustomed to these types of narratives from the perspectives of perplexed loved ones, desperately searching for explanations as to why friends or family were coerced or brainwashed into such despicable acts of violence, both domestically and abroad. In many ways, this is another statistical composite of such grim realities, but features a performance perfectly administered by actress Astrid Whettnall, who succinctly captures the desperation of a woman caught up in an unexpected nightmare.
French director Rachid Bouchareb is no stranger to exploring the actions radicalized children have on their bewildered parents, as evidenced in his eloquent 2008 feature, London River. Whereas his earlier film dealt with the aftermath of disastrous actions, Bouchareb returns to the topical issue of Western recruitment into contemporary terrorist cells, this time centered on drama as it unfolds in The Road to Istanbul. We’ve become accustomed to these types of narratives from the perspectives of perplexed loved ones, desperately searching for explanations as to why friends or family were coerced or brainwashed into such despicable acts of violence, both domestically and abroad. In many ways, this is another statistical composite of such grim realities, but features a performance perfectly administered by actress Astrid Whettnall, who succinctly captures the desperation of a woman caught up in an unexpected nightmare.
- 2/19/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
First edition of the new Icelandic film festival to open with award-winning actor Sverrir Gudnason in attendance.
The inaugural Stockfish Film Festival (Feb 19-March 1), launched by a group of industry veterans, is to kick off in Iceland with Jens Östberg’s crime thriller Blowfly Park (Flugparken).
The film’s star, Sverrir Gudnason, will be in attendance as an honorary guest of the festival. The crime thriller saw Gudnason pick up the best actor award at Sweden’s Guldbagge awards last month.
Director Östberg will also attend the festival to present the film.
Blowfly Park will also be a part of the Stockfish on Wheels initiative, where a select few films from the festival will tour Iceland afterthe festival. Amongst other films screening at Stockfish are Party Girl, Black Coal, Thin Ice, Goodbye to Language 3D and The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq.
Stockfisheffectively revives the Reykjavik Film Festival (Rff), which ran from 1978 to 2001.
The organisers, led by Oscar-nominated...
The inaugural Stockfish Film Festival (Feb 19-March 1), launched by a group of industry veterans, is to kick off in Iceland with Jens Östberg’s crime thriller Blowfly Park (Flugparken).
The film’s star, Sverrir Gudnason, will be in attendance as an honorary guest of the festival. The crime thriller saw Gudnason pick up the best actor award at Sweden’s Guldbagge awards last month.
Director Östberg will also attend the festival to present the film.
Blowfly Park will also be a part of the Stockfish on Wheels initiative, where a select few films from the festival will tour Iceland afterthe festival. Amongst other films screening at Stockfish are Party Girl, Black Coal, Thin Ice, Goodbye to Language 3D and The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq.
Stockfisheffectively revives the Reykjavik Film Festival (Rff), which ran from 1978 to 2001.
The organisers, led by Oscar-nominated...
- 2/19/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Finally, a trailer for a project we've been tracking since August 2011, when it was first announced. Forest Whitaker teams up with Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb to star in the first film in a trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world. "The questions I'm asking in my movies here in America are 'Where are we?' and 'Where are we going?' and 'Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?'" the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we've covered on S&A) said. The film made its World Premiere at the Berlin...
- 4/2/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Finally, some footage from this project we've been tracking since August 2011, when it was first announced. Forest Whitaker teamed up with Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb to star in the first film in a trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world. "The questions I'm asking in my movies here in America are 'Where are we?' and 'Where are we going?' and 'Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?'" the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we've covered on S&A) said. The film is making its World Premiere at...
- 2/11/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb has lately alternated between sweeping historical dramas (the WWII drama "Days of Glory," the Algerian War portrait "Outside the Law") and sentimental two-handers with quieter approaches ("London River," "Just Like a Woman"). In all cases, however, Bouchareb tends to deal in similar themes of contrasting political and personal relationships. "Two Men In Town," a loose remake of José Giovanni's 1973 tale of a paroled murderer trying to get his life back together, applies this tendency to the least-ideological of Bouchareb's movies, resulting in a thinly executed tale littered with uneven performances. Nevertheless, a committed turn by Forest Whitaker in the lead role, paired with "Holy Motors" and "My Life in Pink" cinematographer Yves Cape's evocative images of the spare western landscape, lead to an intriguing contrast between the half-baked material and a handful of stronger ingredients. It's a movie at war with its deficiencies. "Two Men.
- 2/8/2014
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
An update to a project we first profiled in August 2011 and have been following since. Forest Whitaker teamed up with Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb to star in the first film in a trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world. "The questions I'm asking in my movies here in America are 'Where are we?' and 'Where are we going?' and 'Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?'" the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we've covered on S&A) said. I learned today that the film will make its World Premiere at...
- 1/15/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Joining the titles already announced—including films by Alain Resnais and Dominik Graf—the following films complete the lineup for the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival's Competition section.
Bai Ri Yan Huo (Black Coal, Thin Ice)
People’s Republic of China
By Yinan Diao (Night Train, Uniform)
With Fan Liao, Lun Mei Gwei, Xuebing Wang
World premiere
Boyhood
USA
By Richard Linklater (Before Midnight, Me & Orson Welles)
With Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater
International premiere
Chiisai Ouchi (The Little House)
Japan
By Yoji Yamada (Tokyo Family, About Her Brother)
With Takako Matsu, Haru Kuroki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Chieko Baisho
International premiere
Historia del miedo (History of Fear)
Argentina / Uruguay / Germany / France
By Benjamin Naishtat - feature debut
With Jonathan Da Rosa, Claudia Cantero, Mirella Pascual, Cesar Bordon, Tatiana Gimenez
World premiere
Jack
Germany
By Edward Berger
With Ivo Pietzcker, Georg Arms, Luise Heyer, Vincent Redetzki, Jacob Matschenz,...
Bai Ri Yan Huo (Black Coal, Thin Ice)
People’s Republic of China
By Yinan Diao (Night Train, Uniform)
With Fan Liao, Lun Mei Gwei, Xuebing Wang
World premiere
Boyhood
USA
By Richard Linklater (Before Midnight, Me & Orson Welles)
With Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater
International premiere
Chiisai Ouchi (The Little House)
Japan
By Yoji Yamada (Tokyo Family, About Her Brother)
With Takako Matsu, Haru Kuroki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Chieko Baisho
International premiere
Historia del miedo (History of Fear)
Argentina / Uruguay / Germany / France
By Benjamin Naishtat - feature debut
With Jonathan Da Rosa, Claudia Cantero, Mirella Pascual, Cesar Bordon, Tatiana Gimenez
World premiere
Jack
Germany
By Edward Berger
With Ivo Pietzcker, Georg Arms, Luise Heyer, Vincent Redetzki, Jacob Matschenz,...
- 1/15/2014
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Richard Linklater’s Boyhood to compete for the Golden Bear; Beauty and the Beast, starring Vincent Cassel and Léa Seydoux, to play out of competition.
The 64th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has added 15 titles to its Competition programme, completing the line-up of 23 films - of which 20 will vye for the Golden Bear and Silver Bears.
The programme includes 18 world premieres and three feature debuts.
The line-up includes the international premiere of Boyhood, from Before Midnight director Richard Linklater. The film, which will premiere at Sundance, was shot over short periods from 2002 to 2013 and covers 12 years in the life of a family, featuring Mason and his sister Samantha. Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater star.
World premieres include In Order of Disappearance, directed by Hans Petter Moland, which stars Stellan Skarsgård as a snow plough driver whose son’s sudden death puts him in the middle of a drug war between theNorwegian mafia and the...
The 64th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has added 15 titles to its Competition programme, completing the line-up of 23 films - of which 20 will vye for the Golden Bear and Silver Bears.
The programme includes 18 world premieres and three feature debuts.
The line-up includes the international premiere of Boyhood, from Before Midnight director Richard Linklater. The film, which will premiere at Sundance, was shot over short periods from 2002 to 2013 and covers 12 years in the life of a family, featuring Mason and his sister Samantha. Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater star.
World premieres include In Order of Disappearance, directed by Hans Petter Moland, which stars Stellan Skarsgård as a snow plough driver whose son’s sudden death puts him in the middle of a drug war between theNorwegian mafia and the...
- 1/15/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The Berlin International Film Festival has bulked up its competition adding Richard Linklater's Boyhood starring Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke to it's official line up in the film's international premiere. Two Men in Town, the drama from director Rachid Bouchareb (London River) featuring Forest Whitaker and Harvey Keitel will have its world premiere in competition. Photos: 25 of the Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2014 Other world premieres in Berlin's competition line up include three Chinese dramas: Black Coal, Thin Ice from director Yinan Diao (Night Train, Uniform); Norwegian feature In Order of Disappearance starring Stellan Skarsgard and Bruno Ganz and
read more...
read more...
- 1/14/2014
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An update to a project we first profiled in August 2011 and have been following since. Forest Whitaker has teamed up with Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb to star in the first film in a trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world. "The questions I'm asking in my movies here in America are 'Where are we?' and 'Where are we going?' and 'Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?'" the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we've covered on S&A) said. Titled Enemy Way, in the film, Whitaker plays a Muslim...
- 12/11/2013
- by Natasha Greeves
- ShadowAndAct
Female Trouble: Bouchareb’s Understated First Chapter in Arab-American Trilogy
Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb, perhaps most widely recognized for his films Outside the Law (2010) and Days of Glory (2006), depicting historical and divisive conflicts between Algeria and France, returns once again to the Us with Just Like a Woman, the first film of a planned trilogy depicting the transforming relationships between the Western and Arab world. A female centric road film born out of severe character conflicts created by their oppressive, male dominated existence ensures that the film will be rampantly compared to Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise (1991), even though it avoids an overtly melodramatic malaise. Shining through its formulaic setup and stereotypical antagonists are a pair of actresses that manage to fit perfectly with Bouchareb’s knack for uniting people despite of their socially constructed differences.
Down and out Chicago receptionist Marilyn (Sienna Miller) is struggling to make ends...
Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb, perhaps most widely recognized for his films Outside the Law (2010) and Days of Glory (2006), depicting historical and divisive conflicts between Algeria and France, returns once again to the Us with Just Like a Woman, the first film of a planned trilogy depicting the transforming relationships between the Western and Arab world. A female centric road film born out of severe character conflicts created by their oppressive, male dominated existence ensures that the film will be rampantly compared to Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise (1991), even though it avoids an overtly melodramatic malaise. Shining through its formulaic setup and stereotypical antagonists are a pair of actresses that manage to fit perfectly with Bouchareb’s knack for uniting people despite of their socially constructed differences.
Down and out Chicago receptionist Marilyn (Sienna Miller) is struggling to make ends...
- 7/5/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
A project we first profiled in August 2011 is now, finally pushing ahead. Recapping... Forest Whitaker is teaming up with Oscar-nominated Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb to star in one of a trilogy of English-language films that will explore the complex relationship between the west and the Arab world. "The questions I'm asking in my movies here in America are 'Where are we?' and 'Where are we going?' and 'Why do we need to have hope in this relationship?'" the director of Hors la Loi (Outside the Law), his most recent work, and London River before that (both films we've covered on S&A) said. Whitaker will play a...
- 2/27/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brings you the Oscars (yep, that's why they're called Academy Awards), and on Friday, the organization announced that it was prepared to invite 176 new folks to its fold.
In a list posted on its website, the Academy deemed Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Terrence Malick, Jonah Hill, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and a host of other film luminaries worthy of inclusion in its nearly 6,000-member army.
The Academy has drawn the ire of critics who bemoan its overwhelmingly male, white population. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that of all Academy members, 94 percent are Caucasian and 77 percent are male. A mere 2 percent are black, with Latinos constituting an even smaller portion. Only 14 percent of members are under the age of 50.
Full members of the Academy select and vote on Oscars nominees. The organization was started in 1927 and is now governed by a 43-person board.
In a list posted on its website, the Academy deemed Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Terrence Malick, Jonah Hill, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and a host of other film luminaries worthy of inclusion in its nearly 6,000-member army.
The Academy has drawn the ire of critics who bemoan its overwhelmingly male, white population. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that of all Academy members, 94 percent are Caucasian and 77 percent are male. A mere 2 percent are black, with Latinos constituting an even smaller portion. Only 14 percent of members are under the age of 50.
Full members of the Academy select and vote on Oscars nominees. The organization was started in 1927 and is now governed by a 43-person board.
- 6/29/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended their 2012 membership invitations today to 176 lucky actors, directors, cinematographers, and other members of the filmmaking industry.
Terrence Malick, who somehow wasn’t already a member, received an invitation, as did fellow directors Rodrigo Garcia and Asghar Farhadi.
For actors, Melissa McCarthy’s invitation continues her incredible post-Bridesmaids rise. In addition, actors Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Andy Serkis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were all invited to be members, among others.
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003, according to the Academy’s website.
Terrence Malick, who somehow wasn’t already a member, received an invitation, as did fellow directors Rodrigo Garcia and Asghar Farhadi.
For actors, Melissa McCarthy’s invitation continues her incredible post-Bridesmaids rise. In addition, actors Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Andy Serkis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were all invited to be members, among others.
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003, according to the Academy’s website.
- 6/29/2012
- by Erin Strecker
- EW - Inside Movies
HollywoodNews.com: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 176 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy’s roster of members.
“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
The 2012 invitees are:
Actors
Simon Baker – “Margin Call,” “L.A. Confidential”
Sean Bean – “Flightplan,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
Bérénice Bejo – “The Artist,” “Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”
Tom Berenger – “Inception,” “Platoon”
Demián Bichir – “A Better Life,” “Che”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help,” “The Tree of Life”
Clifton Collins,...
“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
The 2012 invitees are:
Actors
Simon Baker – “Margin Call,” “L.A. Confidential”
Sean Bean – “Flightplan,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
Bérénice Bejo – “The Artist,” “Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”
Tom Berenger – “Inception,” “Platoon”
Demián Bichir – “A Better Life,” “Che”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help,” “The Tree of Life”
Clifton Collins,...
- 6/29/2012
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
David Walliams has paid tribute to TV stars Jimmy Carr, Miranda Hart and Rob Brydon for helping him complete his gruelling Thames swim. The 'Britain's Got Talent' judge spent eight days swimming the London river last year and revealed his TV pals were a welcome distraction from the difficult experience which left him with signs of hypothermia and a parasite called Giardia. He told The Sun newspaper: ''I won't forget being kept sane and entertained by the likes of Jimmy Carr, Miranda Hart and Rob Brydon (who had me in stitches with his matchless and almost legendary Ronnie Corbett impressions). ''Bumping...
- 3/8/2012
- Virgin Media - TV
DVD Playhouse—March 2012
By Allen Gardner
J. Edgar (Warner Bros.) Director Clint Eastwood provides a rock-solid, albeit rather flat portrait of polarizing FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, covering his life from late teens to his death. Leonardo DiCaprio does an impressive turn as Hoover, never crossing the line into caricature, and creating a Hoover that is all too human, making for an all the more unsettling look at absolute power run amuck. Where the film stumbles is the love story at its core: Hoover’s relationship with longtime aide Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). In the hands of an openly-gay director like Gus Van Sant, this could have been a heartbreaking, tender story of forbidden (unrequited?) love, but Eastwood seems to tiptoe around their romance, with far too much delicacy and deference. The film works well when recreating the famous crimes and investigations which Hoover made his name on (the Lindbergh kidnapping,...
By Allen Gardner
J. Edgar (Warner Bros.) Director Clint Eastwood provides a rock-solid, albeit rather flat portrait of polarizing FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, covering his life from late teens to his death. Leonardo DiCaprio does an impressive turn as Hoover, never crossing the line into caricature, and creating a Hoover that is all too human, making for an all the more unsettling look at absolute power run amuck. Where the film stumbles is the love story at its core: Hoover’s relationship with longtime aide Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). In the hands of an openly-gay director like Gus Van Sant, this could have been a heartbreaking, tender story of forbidden (unrequited?) love, but Eastwood seems to tiptoe around their romance, with far too much delicacy and deference. The film works well when recreating the famous crimes and investigations which Hoover made his name on (the Lindbergh kidnapping,...
- 3/7/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
While "New Year's Eve" is poised to do solid business this weekend, don't worry; there are a slew of speciality releases opening to counter the star-studded stinker. Below get an idea of what's worth you money by reading the reviews published this week on Indiewire and our blog network. "I Melt With You" The Playlist: C+ A more interesting film would have explored this fascinating dichotomy. Unfortunately, “I Melt with You” simply likes its characters too much, giving legitimacy to what amounts to petty lifetime grievances. "London RIver" Indiewire: B- Rachid Bouchareb's "London River" is simultaneously quaint and far-reaching, a tension the filmmaker never fully resolves. Set in the immediate aftermath of the 2005 London bombings, the movie follows a pair of single parents -- a middle-class widow, Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn), who heads from her country home to the city in search of...
- 12/9/2011
- Indiewire
Rachid Bouchareb's "London River" is simultaneously quaint and far-reaching, a tension the filmmaker never fully resolves. Set in the immediate aftermath of the 2005 London bombings, the movie follows a pair of single parents -- a middle-class widow, Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn), who heads from her country home to the city in search of her grown daughter; and a soft-spoken African man, Ousmane (the late Sotigui Kouyaté), who seeks his estranged son. Drawn together in search of their missing children, they embark on a mission to follow their childrens' footsteps. The outcome of their investigation matters less than the cultural and ethnic tensions between them. While the conflicts are rooted in credibility, the story feels simplistic. A political filmmaker to the core (see the Algerian war drama "Days of Glory" for a better example of his strengths), Bouchareb litters news coverage throughout "London River," but he focuses soley on the...
- 12/8/2011
- Indiewire
Below Academy Award nominated director Rachid Bouchareb ("Days of Glory") shares a scene from his drama "London River," starring Brenda Blethyn ("Secrets and Lies"). The film follows two parents are they search for their respective children following the aftermath of the London bus bombings. It's currently playing in New York and opens December 16 in Los Angeles. This scene was a total improvisation. When we finished a scene earlier in the day, I saw this bench in the park and I decided to create an intimate moment with the actors. For me, it was the first time in the movie when these two characters make a real connection. Our discussion was: how we could show this for the first time? And then we sat together on that bench and talked about what connections their characters might have coming from such disparate backgrounds. She works the land; she’s a small farmer and he’s an arborist,...
- 12/8/2011
- Indiewire
When Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) first hears about the suicide bombings that shook London on July 7, 2005, it's from her television set a world away in Guernsey. Among the pastoral setting of her farm, the events that are happening miles away seem even more horrific and unbelievable, but her shock is coupled with a genuine concern. It's not long before she's on the phone to her daughter Jane, who is living in London, looking to be reassured that's she okay. She leaves a message. After not hearing from her, she calls again. And then again, leaving voicemails each time. And that's when worry turns into motherly panic and Elisabeth soon heads to the big metropolis to find her daughter. Rachid Bouchareb's "London River" differs from other films centered around a terrorist event in that it remains firmly in the background, while the emotional effects stay front and center. There are no...
- 12/7/2011
- The Playlist
David Walliams has completed his swim across the River Thames, raising over £1 million for Sport Relief. The Little Britain comedian made it 140 miles across the London river in eight days, finishing under Westminster Bridge. Walliams's achievement comes despite catching a stomach bug last Thursday, which caused him severe vomiting and diarrhoea, after swallowing some of the river's water. During the challenge, the Come Fly with Me star also rescued a struggling Labrador at the weekend. Speaking on The One Show after his victory, Walliams said: "I'm okay, I'm a bit tired. [I feel] incredible relief, because I must say I'm over swimming. I feel like I've done enough swimming for one lifetime. "There was a lot against me, and the water was a lot colder than we expected, (more)...
- 9/12/2011
- by By Paul Millar
- Digital Spy
Oscar's foreign film submission announcements will be flying at us for the next month and you can keep track of the whole list at my foreign oscar predictions pages. A short time ago I told you that South Korea had narrowed down their Oscar submissions. That news was shortlived as the competition is over and they've gone with the battlefield drama The Front Line. [Thanks to faithful Tfe reader Jin for the info.]
Here's the warry trailer.
Excuse me but I barely see any actressing! I mean other than Kim Ok-bin. Shouldn't there be a rule against films light on actressing in South Korean cinema? They have so many good ones and their one representative film for AMPAS is practically bereft of them? sigh.
To make up for their sudden xy departure, here's a recent photoshoot starring Kim Ok-bin, who you'll recall was a Film Bitch nominee right here in 2009 for Thirst.
I feel much better already...
Three other selections were announced last week.
Here's the warry trailer.
Excuse me but I barely see any actressing! I mean other than Kim Ok-bin. Shouldn't there be a rule against films light on actressing in South Korean cinema? They have so many good ones and their one representative film for AMPAS is practically bereft of them? sigh.
To make up for their sudden xy departure, here's a recent photoshoot starring Kim Ok-bin, who you'll recall was a Film Bitch nominee right here in 2009 for Thirst.
I feel much better already...
Three other selections were announced last week.
- 8/31/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The world's first amphibious ice cream van has made its way down the Thames this week to the surprise of sunseekers. The special vehicle was created to promote awareness of how the traditional ice cream van trade is struggling in the modern era. The 'Hms Flake 99' launched in Blackpool, before sailing down the London river to mark National Ice Cream Day. "I'm the captain of a floating ice cream van. It's crazy!" driver Dave Mounfield told the Daily Mail. "I came up with the idea because of the increasing number of exclusion zones (more)...
- 6/5/2011
- by By Tom Ayres
- Digital Spy
At the beginning of every month, Ioncinema.com's "Tracking Shot" features a handful of projects that are moments away from lensing and that we feel are worth signaling out. This June, we are keeping tabs on nine projects including the untitled, aka The Master from master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. A View from the Bridge Director: Robert Connolly - Screenwriter: Andrew Bovell Producer(s): Anthony Lapaglia, Marion Pilowsky, Natalie Stevenson Cast: Vera Farmiga, Mia Wasikowska, Sam Neill, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Lapaglia Filming in New York and Melbourne, Australia Comments: Aussie-born actor Anthony Lapaglia wears the producer hat, returns to a character that is familiar to him: the jealousy husband/father in a 1950's New York borough. The helmer behind the Tiff selected Balibo directs this Arthur Miller play which was the basis for Kazan's On the Waterfront. Farmiga will look great in the eras' garb. Ray Lawrence was originally attached to direct.
- 6/2/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
Rachid Bouchareb offers a gripping insight into the Algerian independence struggle through the lives of three brothers
The still highly controversial colonial war that France fought in Algeria from the mid-1950s until the granting of independence in 1962 has only been patchily reflected in the cinema. It figures significantly in the background in films as different as Alain Resnais' Muriel and Michael Haneke's Hidden, and in 1966 there was Lost Command, a Hollywood version of Jean Lartéguy's French bestseller The Centurions about a battalion of Indo-China veterans reassembling for another bitter colonial conflict in Algeria. The only truly memorable movie is the Marxist The Battle of Algiers (1966), set in the early days of the revolution, directed by Gillo Pontecorvo and initiated by Yacef Saadi, a leader of the Fln (National Liberation Front). Banned in France for several years and regarded as one of the greatest political movies ever made,...
The still highly controversial colonial war that France fought in Algeria from the mid-1950s until the granting of independence in 1962 has only been patchily reflected in the cinema. It figures significantly in the background in films as different as Alain Resnais' Muriel and Michael Haneke's Hidden, and in 1966 there was Lost Command, a Hollywood version of Jean Lartéguy's French bestseller The Centurions about a battalion of Indo-China veterans reassembling for another bitter colonial conflict in Algeria. The only truly memorable movie is the Marxist The Battle of Algiers (1966), set in the early days of the revolution, directed by Gillo Pontecorvo and initiated by Yacef Saadi, a leader of the Fln (National Liberation Front). Banned in France for several years and regarded as one of the greatest political movies ever made,...
- 5/7/2011
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
That title might sound like the latest straight to DVD effort from Seagal or Van Damme, but it is actually a new film by acclaimed director Rachid Bouchareb (Days of Glory, London River). Sienna Miller may soon be starring in Just Like a Woman with Bouchareb directing and she said of him:-
“Rachid is one of the most exciting directors working today [...] He’s one of those people who understand the medium of film in a way that’s not manipulative but that’s honest and raw. As a director he’s capable of anything. The kinds of films he makes are the ones I like to watch.”
As for Outside the Law, it takes us to the battle in Algeria between those fighting for independence and the French military, with three brothers initially scattered around the world following the loss of their home in Algeria, before being reunited once again.
“Rachid is one of the most exciting directors working today [...] He’s one of those people who understand the medium of film in a way that’s not manipulative but that’s honest and raw. As a director he’s capable of anything. The kinds of films he makes are the ones I like to watch.”
As for Outside the Law, it takes us to the battle in Algeria between those fighting for independence and the French military, with three brothers initially scattered around the world following the loss of their home in Algeria, before being reunited once again.
- 4/12/2011
- by Dave Roper
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
While he walked away empty handed at the Oscars on Sunday night, the nomination certainly put director Rachid Bouchareb on the map and, for those who have been following his career, recognition from the Academy seemed pretty much inevitable. His last few films have tackled some heavy topics including WWII ("Indigènes"), terror attacks ("London River") and the Algerian revolution (the Oscar-nominated "Outside the Law"). But for this next effort, Bouchareb is taking a decidedly lighter path. Deadline reports that Sienna Miller has joined "Just Like A Woman," a movie that sounds like it has shades of "Shall We Dance" and…...
- 3/2/2011
- The Playlist
Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield in Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go London Evening Standard Awards' Unusual Winners Best Film Another Year (director Mike Leigh) The Arbor (director Clio Barnard) The Illusionist (director Sylvain Chomet) Kick-Ass (director Matthew Vaughn) The King's Speech (director Tom Hooper) * Neds (director Peter Mullan) Never Let Me Go (director Mark Romanek) Best Actor Riz Ahmed (Four Lions) Jim Broadbent (Another Year) Colin Firth (The King's Speech) * Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, Never Let Me Go) Eddie Marsan (The Disappearance of Alice Creed) Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer) Sam Riley (Brighton Rock) Best Actress Brenda Blethyn (London River) Rebecca Hall (Please Give) Sally Hawkins (Made in Dagenham) Keira Knightley (Never Let Me Go) Carey Mulligan (Never Let Me Go) * Kristin Scott Thomas (Leaving) Ruth Sheen (Another Year) Tilda Swinton (I Am Love) Olivia Williams (The Ghost Writer) Best Screenplay Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy...
- 2/11/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
British films have worked hard to tackle the sometimes thorny issue of multi-culturalism in the past year or two. Some have been high-minded (London River), some satirical (The Infidel), and some have planted a foot in both camps (Four Lions). If you had to pigeonhole it, West is West fits into the second bracket, although as anyone who caught its 1999 predecessor will testify, it's unlikely to be shy of tackling the tough stuff too.Five years on (in plot terms) from East Is East and the story picks up in the mid-'70s with growling patriach George Khan (Om Puri) as much of a bulldozer as ever. As this clip demonstrates, the Salfordsider is still fighting fiercely to protect the traditions he loves.This time it's the turn of his youngest son, the one-time hoodie'd Sajid, to bear the brunt of his domineering attempts to keep his family on the straight and narrow.
- 2/8/2011
- EmpireOnline
These final nominations for the Evening Standard British Film Awards are pared down from the longlist of a couple weeks ago. Best Film Another Year, dir. Mike Leigh The Illusionist,...
- 1/22/2011
- by Beth Stevens
- AwardsDaily.com
Crazy Thai movie Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, which won the prestigious Palme d’Or gong at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival has not been selected for the Best Film in a Foreign Language at this year’s forthcoming Oscars ceremony. Also ejected from the final list is the Grand Prix winner Of Gods and Men, which has won rave reviews.
Films from Algeria, Denmark, Canada, Greece, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Sweden have made this year’s list and includes:
Hors la Loi (Outside the Law) – Algeria
Incendies – Canada
In a Better World – Denmark
Dogtooth – Greece
Confessions – Japan
Biutiful – Mexico
Life, Above All – South Africa
Tambien la Lluvia (Even the Rain) – Spain
Simple Simon – Sweden
Dogtooth was my second favourite film of 2010 after Gaspar Noe’s crazy head-fuck Enter the Void. I’d have thought the Greek entry would have been far too philosophical and weird for the Americans,...
Films from Algeria, Denmark, Canada, Greece, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Sweden have made this year’s list and includes:
Hors la Loi (Outside the Law) – Algeria
Incendies – Canada
In a Better World – Denmark
Dogtooth – Greece
Confessions – Japan
Biutiful – Mexico
Life, Above All – South Africa
Tambien la Lluvia (Even the Rain) – Spain
Simple Simon – Sweden
Dogtooth was my second favourite film of 2010 after Gaspar Noe’s crazy head-fuck Enter the Void. I’d have thought the Greek entry would have been far too philosophical and weird for the Americans,...
- 1/20/2011
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
Continuing on with my coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which began last week, on November 26th, and will run through December 14th…
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, Goodbye Momo, Here, Venus Noire, Here, and the horror film Evil Angel, which stars Ving Rhames, Here.
Today, it’s a Panamanian comedy titled Chance, which tells the story of Toña and Paquita, the long-mistreated maids for the aristocratic González-Dubois family, who have grown tired their situation, and decide to turn the tables on their employer.
Directed by Abner Benaim, and starring Rosa Isabel Lorenzo and Aida Morales as Toña and Paquita, the maids, the film has screened in Panama, Colombia, Spain and Cuba. This, however, will be its New York premiere.
It screens this Sunday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 pm at Anthology Film Archives in lower Manhattan,...
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, Goodbye Momo, Here, Venus Noire, Here, and the horror film Evil Angel, which stars Ving Rhames, Here.
Today, it’s a Panamanian comedy titled Chance, which tells the story of Toña and Paquita, the long-mistreated maids for the aristocratic González-Dubois family, who have grown tired their situation, and decide to turn the tables on their employer.
Directed by Abner Benaim, and starring Rosa Isabel Lorenzo and Aida Morales as Toña and Paquita, the maids, the film has screened in Panama, Colombia, Spain and Cuba. This, however, will be its New York premiere.
It screens this Sunday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 pm at Anthology Film Archives in lower Manhattan,...
- 12/2/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing on with my coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which began last week, on November 26th, and will run through December 14th…
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, Goodbye Momo, Here, and Venus Noire, Here.
Today, it’s a horror film title that’s new to me titled Evil Angel – a contemporary take on the ancient myth of Lilith, which stars Ving Rhames in a role we rarely see him in, as John Carruthers, described as a tough and resourceful detective, in hot pursuit of a sexy and seductive villainess/murderer.
Evil Angel screens tomorrow, December 2nd, and Saturday, December 4th (both at 8:30Pm) at the Anthology Film Archives theater.
Watch the film’s trailer below, then Click Here to purchase a ticket to see it on any of the...
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, Goodbye Momo, Here, and Venus Noire, Here.
Today, it’s a horror film title that’s new to me titled Evil Angel – a contemporary take on the ancient myth of Lilith, which stars Ving Rhames in a role we rarely see him in, as John Carruthers, described as a tough and resourceful detective, in hot pursuit of a sexy and seductive villainess/murderer.
Evil Angel screens tomorrow, December 2nd, and Saturday, December 4th (both at 8:30Pm) at the Anthology Film Archives theater.
Watch the film’s trailer below, then Click Here to purchase a ticket to see it on any of the...
- 12/1/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing on with my coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which began last week, on November 26th, and will run through December 14th…
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, and Goodbye Momo, Here.
Today, it’s the distressing, discomforting Black Venus, aka Venus Noire, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, and starring Yamina Torres. It’s a film we’ve talked about a bit on this blog, centered on the troubling historical tale of the so-called Hottentot Venus. I saw the film at the New York a couple of months ago, and reviewed it Here. It’s certainly a title that I believe will inspire impassioned dialogue when seen, and I encourage you to give it a look New Yorkers, Tonight!
Short notice, I know, but better late than never. I’ve been on...
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, Soul Boy, Here, and Goodbye Momo, Here.
Today, it’s the distressing, discomforting Black Venus, aka Venus Noire, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, and starring Yamina Torres. It’s a film we’ve talked about a bit on this blog, centered on the troubling historical tale of the so-called Hottentot Venus. I saw the film at the New York a couple of months ago, and reviewed it Here. It’s certainly a title that I believe will inspire impassioned dialogue when seen, and I encourage you to give it a look New Yorkers, Tonight!
Short notice, I know, but better late than never. I’ve been on...
- 11/29/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
"I need to wait a few years to make another movie like this," says Rachid Bouchareb, the director of "Outside the Law." It's a statement that doesn't need much explanation, though not for the reasons you might think. Roughly a thousand protesters came out of the woodwork to picket the "Outside the Law"'s premiere at Cannes this summer, a response to the film sight unseen by French nationalists who believed Bouchareb's portrayal of one of the nation's darkest hours as their occupation of Algeria violently came to an end during the mid- 20th century.
Months later, through a translator, Bouchareb appeared to shrug off the protests, saying, "France has been in this sort of debate about colonization and it's own past for many years. And that debate always sort of turns into a political one."
So what did intimidate the director about "Outside the Law"? Having to deal with...
Months later, through a translator, Bouchareb appeared to shrug off the protests, saying, "France has been in this sort of debate about colonization and it's own past for many years. And that debate always sort of turns into a political one."
So what did intimidate the director about "Outside the Law"? Having to deal with...
- 11/20/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Continuing on with my planned 2 1/2 week pre-coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which begins on November 26th, and will run for about 2 1/2 weeks, through December 14th…
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, and Soul Boy, Here.
Today, it’s the uplifting and heartening Uruguayan film called Goodbye Momo, directed by Leonardo Ricagni.
Its story goes… Obdulio, a cheerful eleven-year-old Afro-Uruguayan boy lives with his devoted grandmother and two sisters. He is the self-proclaimed “man of the house” and sells newspapers on the street to make money to live and to buy needed school uniforms for his sisters. Obduilo can’t read or write and has no interest in attending school as his grandmother encourages him to do. One night he meets the charismatic night watch man at the newspaper’s office who introduces him to...
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, London River, Here, and Soul Boy, Here.
Today, it’s the uplifting and heartening Uruguayan film called Goodbye Momo, directed by Leonardo Ricagni.
Its story goes… Obdulio, a cheerful eleven-year-old Afro-Uruguayan boy lives with his devoted grandmother and two sisters. He is the self-proclaimed “man of the house” and sells newspapers on the street to make money to live and to buy needed school uniforms for his sisters. Obduilo can’t read or write and has no interest in attending school as his grandmother encourages him to do. One night he meets the charismatic night watch man at the newspaper’s office who introduces him to...
- 11/17/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing on with my planned 2 1/2 week pre-coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which begins on November 26th, and will run for about 2 1/2 weeks, through December 14th…
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, and London River, Here.
Today, it’s a film called Soul Boy, another film that has been previously mentioned on this blog.
Its story goes… In September 2008, the German production company One Fine Day Films teamed up with Kenyan producing partners Ginger Ink to develop a film workshop in Nairobi for aspiring local movie makers. The concept of the project was to take a minimal budget, a small professional crew and a large group of young trainees to create a feature film inside Kibera, Nairobi’s biggest slum.
The main aim was to integrate upcoming talents of all filmmaking categories from Nairobi in the practical work...
Thus far, I’ve profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here, and London River, Here.
Today, it’s a film called Soul Boy, another film that has been previously mentioned on this blog.
Its story goes… In September 2008, the German production company One Fine Day Films teamed up with Kenyan producing partners Ginger Ink to develop a film workshop in Nairobi for aspiring local movie makers. The concept of the project was to take a minimal budget, a small professional crew and a large group of young trainees to create a feature film inside Kibera, Nairobi’s biggest slum.
The main aim was to integrate upcoming talents of all filmmaking categories from Nairobi in the practical work...
- 11/14/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing on with my planned 2 1/2 week pre-coverage of the New York African Diaspora Film Festival, which begins on November 26th, and will run for about 2 1/2 weeks, through December 14th…
I said I’d profile at least 1 film screening at the upcoming festival, daily, until the festival actually begins. A couple of days ago, I profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here.
Today, it’s a film called London River, which has been previously mentioned on this blog.
Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb’s drama which, thus far, has been well-received by critics and audiences alike, since its debut at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, in February.
The film tells the story of Brit Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) and Malian Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) – two parents from drastically different backgrounds, searching for their children in the wake of the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks in London.
Kouyaté won a...
I said I’d profile at least 1 film screening at the upcoming festival, daily, until the festival actually begins. A couple of days ago, I profiled the festival opener, Africa United, which you can read Here.
Today, it’s a film called London River, which has been previously mentioned on this blog.
Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb’s drama which, thus far, has been well-received by critics and audiences alike, since its debut at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, in February.
The film tells the story of Brit Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) and Malian Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) – two parents from drastically different backgrounds, searching for their children in the wake of the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks in London.
Kouyaté won a...
- 11/11/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
MacGruber; Villa Amalia; The Time That Remains; London River; StreetDance 3D
What is it about Saturday Night Live spin-off movies that induces such soul-crushing torpor? For every rare success (Wayne's World, The Blues Brothers) there are umpteen duffers (Coneheads, It's Pat, The Ladies Man, Blues Brothers 2000) which demonstrate just how poorly TV skits translate to the big screen.
Few SNL stinkers could be worse, however, than MacGruber, an execrable dirge which suffers not only from stretching a single joke over an excruciating hour and a half, but also from spoofing an 80s TV show (MacGyver) which few in the UK either saw or care to remember. "I'm proud of how bad this film is," announced Val Kilmer whose character name, Dieter von Cunth, is about as close as the script gets to humour. "In fact, I can't believe I just called it a film. It's a two-hour skit."
Just...
What is it about Saturday Night Live spin-off movies that induces such soul-crushing torpor? For every rare success (Wayne's World, The Blues Brothers) there are umpteen duffers (Coneheads, It's Pat, The Ladies Man, Blues Brothers 2000) which demonstrate just how poorly TV skits translate to the big screen.
Few SNL stinkers could be worse, however, than MacGruber, an execrable dirge which suffers not only from stretching a single joke over an excruciating hour and a half, but also from spoofing an 80s TV show (MacGyver) which few in the UK either saw or care to remember. "I'm proud of how bad this film is," announced Val Kilmer whose character name, Dieter von Cunth, is about as close as the script gets to humour. "In fact, I can't believe I just called it a film. It's a two-hour skit."
Just...
- 10/9/2010
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
The Loved Ones
DVD, Blu-ray, Optimum
Horror fans are used to adjusting their critical faculties, often accepting perhaps a little less in the acting and characterisation departments. It's a fair enough trade-off; the more intense the horror, the smaller the budget, so they seldom attract big names. It's a rare horror film that truly delivers on the acting front while keeping things nice and scary. This is one of those rarities. Director Sean Byrne lucked out with a uniformly great cast here, notably with lead actress Robyn McLeavy as the terrifying Lola; the other standout is Xavier Samuel (Twilight Saga: Eclipse) as Brent, her main victim (a tough role as he's rendered mute by an injection of detergent into his throat early on). Lola is the plain, almost invisible girl at school; when Brent politely turns down her invitation to the prom his fate is sealed. Lola holds her own...
DVD, Blu-ray, Optimum
Horror fans are used to adjusting their critical faculties, often accepting perhaps a little less in the acting and characterisation departments. It's a fair enough trade-off; the more intense the horror, the smaller the budget, so they seldom attract big names. It's a rare horror film that truly delivers on the acting front while keeping things nice and scary. This is one of those rarities. Director Sean Byrne lucked out with a uniformly great cast here, notably with lead actress Robyn McLeavy as the terrifying Lola; the other standout is Xavier Samuel (Twilight Saga: Eclipse) as Brent, her main victim (a tough role as he's rendered mute by an injection of detergent into his throat early on). Lola is the plain, almost invisible girl at school; when Brent politely turns down her invitation to the prom his fate is sealed. Lola holds her own...
- 10/8/2010
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Film festivals are everywhere these days. In your local towns and villages, in the big cities and resorts. But the Branchage International Film Festival is something a little different – it’s running on an island! Returning for its third year, Biff ’10 will host a fine selection of films in some breathtaking locations – 3D projections against Mt Orgueil Castle, screenings in the Opera house.
Mixing the old, the new, the documentary and the short, Biff ’10 caters for all tastes and cinematic persuasions. There’s a screening of the iconic Breathless (1960) and Sergei Eisenstein’s landmark Soviet Montage flick Battleship Potemkin (1925) with live accompaniment!
Alongside revered classics are screenings of Jez Lewis’ powerful Shed Your Tears and Walk Away, A Town Called Panic, Gainsbourg, I Am Love, Lourdes and London River.
The festival runs from Thursday 23rd September to Sunday 26th September on the island of Jersey, Channel Islands. From the press...
Mixing the old, the new, the documentary and the short, Biff ’10 caters for all tastes and cinematic persuasions. There’s a screening of the iconic Breathless (1960) and Sergei Eisenstein’s landmark Soviet Montage flick Battleship Potemkin (1925) with live accompaniment!
Alongside revered classics are screenings of Jez Lewis’ powerful Shed Your Tears and Walk Away, A Town Called Panic, Gainsbourg, I Am Love, Lourdes and London River.
The festival runs from Thursday 23rd September to Sunday 26th September on the island of Jersey, Channel Islands. From the press...
- 9/11/2010
- by Martyn Conterio
- FilmShaft.com
City of God director Fernando Meirelles talks about his dream picture, and Brenda Blethyn explains why she's learning Arabic
In the air, Fernando
Although Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles was talking about retirement on a recent visit to London, the City of God maestro – a sprightly 54 – seems to be lining up projects to keep him busy for the foreseeable future.
He'll be shooting in London this year on a film called 360, written by Peter Morgan and based on an Arthur Schnitzler work. "It's about sexual appetite," Meirelles tells me, "about people who strive do anything to get to the top." Part-funded by BBC Films, it will have UK actors and crews.
However, first Meirelles has a segment of Rio, I Love You to film, a portmanteau movie of short love stories in which he's joining directors such as Jose Padilha and Guillermo Arriaga to capture the city he did so much...
In the air, Fernando
Although Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles was talking about retirement on a recent visit to London, the City of God maestro – a sprightly 54 – seems to be lining up projects to keep him busy for the foreseeable future.
He'll be shooting in London this year on a film called 360, written by Peter Morgan and based on an Arthur Schnitzler work. "It's about sexual appetite," Meirelles tells me, "about people who strive do anything to get to the top." Part-funded by BBC Films, it will have UK actors and crews.
However, first Meirelles has a segment of Rio, I Love You to film, a portmanteau movie of short love stories in which he's joining directors such as Jose Padilha and Guillermo Arriaga to capture the city he did so much...
- 7/17/2010
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
Is Rachid Bouchareb's 7/7-themed drama 'a film no Londoner should miss' or a morally bankrupt enterprise that uses the bombings as a gimmick?
The basics
In the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings, two very different characters travel to London in search of their children, who they fear may have been caught up in the attacks. Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) is a mumsy Guernsey smallholder, while Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) is an elderly African muslim who works as a forester in France. Director Rachid Bouchareb is best known for his Oscar-nominated epic tale of north Africans fighting to defend France in the second world war, Days of Glory. Here, he crafts a film with a narrower scope, which nevertheless aims high in its determination to expose the folly of prejudice, and the universal empathy of all human beings.
The stakes
Bouchareb is a favourite of the critics and something of a regular at Cannes and Berlin.
The basics
In the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings, two very different characters travel to London in search of their children, who they fear may have been caught up in the attacks. Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) is a mumsy Guernsey smallholder, while Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) is an elderly African muslim who works as a forester in France. Director Rachid Bouchareb is best known for his Oscar-nominated epic tale of north Africans fighting to defend France in the second world war, Days of Glory. Here, he crafts a film with a narrower scope, which nevertheless aims high in its determination to expose the folly of prejudice, and the universal empathy of all human beings.
The stakes
Bouchareb is a favourite of the critics and something of a regular at Cannes and Berlin.
- 7/13/2010
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
Distributors tell us The Twilight Saga: Eclipse enjoyed the 'highest UK box office opening of 2010', but the picture is hazy
The winner
With an official UK opening of £13.76m, it's no surprise that the local distributor of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is trumpeting the result as a major success. The film has achieved the "highest UK box office opening of 2010", says a press release, and has "exceeded the opening of its predecessor, New Moon".
But you don't have to dig very deep to discover a more complicated picture. Eclipse's £13.76m opening includes £6.37m in previews from Saturday and Sunday 3-4 July. Strip those out, and the opening is a more modest £7.39m. That's not the biggest opening of the year, and nor is it better than the New Moon result.
Back in March, Alice In Wonderland debuted with £10.56m from a standard weekend of play, with no previews. And last November,...
The winner
With an official UK opening of £13.76m, it's no surprise that the local distributor of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is trumpeting the result as a major success. The film has achieved the "highest UK box office opening of 2010", says a press release, and has "exceeded the opening of its predecessor, New Moon".
But you don't have to dig very deep to discover a more complicated picture. Eclipse's £13.76m opening includes £6.37m in previews from Saturday and Sunday 3-4 July. Strip those out, and the opening is a more modest £7.39m. That's not the biggest opening of the year, and nor is it better than the New Moon result.
Back in March, Alice In Wonderland debuted with £10.56m from a standard weekend of play, with no previews. And last November,...
- 7/13/2010
- by Charles Gant
- The Guardian - Film News
The tale of a British mother and a Malian father searching for their children after the 7/7 bombings is subtle but affecting
A recurrent theme in movies is that of strangers being suddenly brought together in the wake of a tragic event to examine, share and compare their lives. In Billy Wilder's bittersweet comedy Avanti!, starchy American businessman Jack Lemmon and plump English spinster Juliet Mills go to Ischia to pick up the bodies of parents killed in an accident only to discover that his father and her mother were secret lovers.
In Costa-Gavras's superb real-life thriller, Missing, Lemmon has a similar role as an uptight, middle-class American having the scales fall from his eyes over Us foreign policy and the CIA when he goes to Chile after Pinochet's 1973 coup. There, he meets his hippie daughter-in-law (Sissy Spacek) and they're drawn together as they investigate the disappearance of his political activist son.
A recurrent theme in movies is that of strangers being suddenly brought together in the wake of a tragic event to examine, share and compare their lives. In Billy Wilder's bittersweet comedy Avanti!, starchy American businessman Jack Lemmon and plump English spinster Juliet Mills go to Ischia to pick up the bodies of parents killed in an accident only to discover that his father and her mother were secret lovers.
In Costa-Gavras's superb real-life thriller, Missing, Lemmon has a similar role as an uptight, middle-class American having the scales fall from his eyes over Us foreign policy and the CIA when he goes to Chile after Pinochet's 1973 coup. There, he meets his hippie daughter-in-law (Sissy Spacek) and they're drawn together as they investigate the disappearance of his political activist son.
- 7/10/2010
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
Predators (15)
(Nimród Antal, 2010, Us) Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo. 107 mins.
Twenty-three years and three sequels after the original, the sub-Alien sci-fi movie at last gets a proper follow-up, and even if Brody barely has the bulk to fill one of Schwarzenegger's combat boots, this serves up the semi-guilty action pleasures you'd demand. Brody is one of a gang of random human badasses who wind up in a strange jungle and realise they're now training material for apprentice alien badasses. So who will survive to be the, er, worst ass?
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (12A)
(David Slade, 2010, Us) Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner. 124 mins.
Another teen-conquering exercise in sexless erotica, but at least there's an actual film around it this time. A new vampire threat and Bella's love triangle won't be enough to entice newcomers, but fans will enjoy the unconsummated fantasy thrills they crave.
(Nimród Antal, 2010, Us) Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Danny Trejo. 107 mins.
Twenty-three years and three sequels after the original, the sub-Alien sci-fi movie at last gets a proper follow-up, and even if Brody barely has the bulk to fill one of Schwarzenegger's combat boots, this serves up the semi-guilty action pleasures you'd demand. Brody is one of a gang of random human badasses who wind up in a strange jungle and realise they're now training material for apprentice alien badasses. So who will survive to be the, er, worst ass?
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (12A)
(David Slade, 2010, Us) Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner. 124 mins.
Another teen-conquering exercise in sexless erotica, but at least there's an actual film around it this time. A new vampire threat and Bella's love triangle won't be enough to entice newcomers, but fans will enjoy the unconsummated fantasy thrills they crave.
- 7/9/2010
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
A decent French film about the capital's 7/7 suicide bombings. By Peter Bradshaw
With the conspicuous and magnificent exception of Chris Morris, film-makers here have shied away from the contemporary issue of 7/7 and suicide bombing on British soil. It falls to the French director Rachid Bouchareb to make what is, so far, the only substantial feature specifically on 7/7, and he brings to the subject an outsider's view – very different, I suspect, from how a self-consciously speechified, British-made drama might look. It is the story of two middle-aged people – prosperous Guernsey smallholder Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) and African migrant worker Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) – who have come to London, suspecting that their missing children have been killed in the bombings, and desperate to find the truth. Between these two lost souls develops a hesitant, painful friendship. Bouchareb brings in two of his repertory équipe for supporting roles: Sami Bouajila is an imam, apparently at the Finsbury Park mosque,...
With the conspicuous and magnificent exception of Chris Morris, film-makers here have shied away from the contemporary issue of 7/7 and suicide bombing on British soil. It falls to the French director Rachid Bouchareb to make what is, so far, the only substantial feature specifically on 7/7, and he brings to the subject an outsider's view – very different, I suspect, from how a self-consciously speechified, British-made drama might look. It is the story of two middle-aged people – prosperous Guernsey smallholder Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) and African migrant worker Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyaté) – who have come to London, suspecting that their missing children have been killed in the bombings, and desperate to find the truth. Between these two lost souls develops a hesitant, painful friendship. Bouchareb brings in two of his repertory équipe for supporting roles: Sami Bouajila is an imam, apparently at the Finsbury Park mosque,...
- 7/8/2010
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
This week on the podcast, Jason Solomons meets British actress Brenda Blethyn and French/Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb to discuss their film London River, which explores cultural clashes and personal tragedies in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings.
And, as we are well into the music festival season, Tania Harrison, film and music curator at Latitude, and Katrina Larkin from the Big Chill festival discuss how film is a growing part of the festival experience.
Xan Brooks is back from his stint dodging balls as a Wimbledon reporter and joins Jason to review some of the week's other big releases, including The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Kristin Scott Thomas in Leaving.
Jason SolomonsXan BrooksJason Phipps...
And, as we are well into the music festival season, Tania Harrison, film and music curator at Latitude, and Katrina Larkin from the Big Chill festival discuss how film is a growing part of the festival experience.
Xan Brooks is back from his stint dodging balls as a Wimbledon reporter and joins Jason to review some of the week's other big releases, including The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Kristin Scott Thomas in Leaving.
Jason SolomonsXan BrooksJason Phipps...
- 7/8/2010
- by Jason Solomons, Xan Brooks, Jason Phipps
- The Guardian - Film News
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