FULL IMMERSION INGMAR BERGMAN
The subject of the Berlinale Retrospective this year is legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. The Festival is presenting more than 60 of his taboo-breaking films, including such classics as SUMMER WITH MONICA, THE SEVENTH SEAL, THE VIRGIN SPRING, WINTER LIGHT, PERSONA, HOUR OF THE WOLF, CRIES AND WHISPERS, AUTUMN SONATA, FANNY AND ALEXANDER and his final film SARABAND. Three of Bergman's actress collaborators have also been in town to introduc...
It is rare that a rather low budget American indie title ever is included in the main Competition section here at the Berlinale (American indies are more represented in the Panorama and Forum sidebar sections). However, when a film artist has such a clear, individual voice as Miranda July, the main festival programmers cannot resist. Such is the case with July's sophomore effort following her celebrated debut ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW in 2004. It has taken almost seven years for...
It is rare that a rather low budget American indie title ever is included in the main Competition section here at the Berlinale (American indies are more represented in the Panorama and Forum sidebar sections). However, when a film artist has such a clear, individual voice as Miranda July, the main festival programmers cannot resist. Such is the case with July's sophomore effort following her celebrated debut ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW in 2004. It has taken almost seven years for her follow...
BERLINALE IN 3D
On Sunday, the Berlinale was host to three back-to-back 3D films that demonstrated that the technology is not only good for computer animation and big budget sci-fi. In TALES OF THE NIGHT, French animator Michel Ocelot provides a shadow-puppet retelling of famous fairy tales, much in the manner of the films of famed 1930s storyteller Lotte Reininger. The film mixes classic silhouette animation with strong colorful backgrounds to amazing effect. In PI...
Standing: Cédomir Kolar (Shooting Stars jury), Ole Christian Madsen (jury), Sylvia Hoeks (The Netherlands), Alicia Vikander (Sweden), Andrea Riseborough (United Kingdom), Marija Škaričić (Croatia), Natasha Petrovic (FYR Macedonia), Clara Lago (Spain), Ralph Fiennes (Host), Heike Makatsch (jury), Lina Todd (jury). Front row: Nik Xhelilaj (Albania) Alexander Fehling (Germany), Pilou Asbæk (Denmark), Domhnall Gleeson (Ireland). Photo: EFP/ Markus Nass
As it has done for the past ...
International film festivals are here in force at the Berlinale to not only scout for new films but also to make announcements on upcoming special projects. Here are a few that have made the headlines here in Berlin.
BEIJING INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LAUNCHES
Beijing, the Chinese capital, now will have its own film event with the launching of the 1st Beijing International Film Festival, set for April 23-28, 2011. The Festival organization took an office at the M...
Long live the King……or The King’s Speech that is. The historical biopic made a nearly clean sweep of the Orange British Academy Awards this evening in London. The awards, best known as the BAFTAs, crowned actor Colin Firth as Best Actor, while recognizing his fellow thespians, including best supporting actress Helena Bonham Carter and best supporting actor Geoffrey Rush. The film also won as Best Film, Best British Film and for its Original Screenplay. Firth was honored wi...
While some people in America may already be nostalgic for George W. Bush (do not count me in that group), one of the guilty pleasures that one could perhaps pine for was the former President’s odd use of the English language. Although he was educated at Harvard, he was prone to colloquialisms that were bad mashups of words that he kind of, sort of just made up. He shares this quality with the lead actor in the new Italian satirical comedy QUALUNQUEMENTE translated as WHATSOEVERL...
EUROPEAN FILM MARKET OPENS WITH HIGH HOPES
The European Film Market, the professional parallel event to the Berlin Film Festival, opened yesterday with anticipation of a busy buying session that signal the reemergence of the market after three disasterous years of economic recession. Market registration has increased by 15% from last year and offices are filled to capacity at the Martin Gropius Bau, the Market’s main venue, and the Marriot Hotel. Unofficial offices have also been s...
There was a conspicuous empty chair when the jury of the 61st Berlinale held its press conference on Thursday afternoon. Jury President Isabella Rossellini read a pronouncement that the empty chair was a symbolic gesture of support for Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who was invited to participate on the jury but was prevented from leaving his country. Panahi was sentenced last month to a six-year prison term and also received a ban from making movies for the next 20 years. The...
The Panorama section of the Berlinale, known for its edgy programming, is celebrating two significant anniversaries this year. The first is the 30 year involvement of Wieland Speck, the handsome honcho who began his involvement as an assistant to the legendary Manfred Salzgaber, a producer and film exhibitor who began the section as an alternative to the somewhat stuffy programming of the main Berlinale section. With an emphasis on queer and outsider cinema, the Panorama was event...
A real, honest-to-goodness movie star will grace the agonizingly chic borough of Brooklyn when screen goddess (and serious actress) Susan Sarandon is feted at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this coming weekend. Starting on Thursday and running through Sunday, the aptly titled The Susan Sarandon Picture Show (a hommage to Sarandon's breakout role in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show) at BAMcinématek presents a 13-film salute to the movie star and committed social activi...
Can film festivals work together? That was one of the provocative questions brought up on the first full day of the International Film Festival Summit, a "meeting of the minds" event that is bringing together leading film festival reps in Berlin today and tomorrow. The event is being held at the Berlin Hilton Hotel.
"While I think that collaboration can always happen, the idea that film festivals will share their contacts, films or sponsors is rather utopian", ...
Bruno Chatelin, COO, Filmfestivals.com/Fest21.com
A “who’s who” of film festival mavens are speaking at the International Film Festival Summit, taking place at the Berlin Hilton on 8 and 9 February, on the eve of the Berlinale. Here are the bold face names making presentations at the event:
Bruno Chatelin, COO, filmfestivals.com and fest21.com (Conference Chair); Stacey Donen, Artistic Director, Whistler Film Festival; Marina Fabri, Co-director, Courmayeur Noir ...
Leading representatives from film festivals, distribution companies and marketing mavens are huddling in Berlin in the next few days just prior to the Berlinale for a "meeting of the minds" conference. The International Film Festival Summit, a European addition to the highly successful industry conference and trade event held every year in Las Vegas in December, will bring together an intriguing mix of film festival programmers, managers and marketers.
The 4th Annual ...
The Connecticut Film Festival, one of the more important regional events devoted to indie filmmaking, is taking its act on the road, with a series of weekend mini-festivals around the state. The first is taking place this weekend in the central Connecticut town of Torrington. All screenings are held at the historic Warner Theater, an art deco gem from the great era of movie palaces.
The 3 day program, which mixes up film premieres, industry seminars and reception events, began on ...
While most of the Oscar nominations announced last week were rather predictably the names and titles that we have been expecting, there were a number of surprises and snubs. Although the Academy has expanded the Best Film contender list to ten titles in order to spread the love, the acting and directing categories still can only include five people, so invariably there are those worthy of attention who fall off the list. Maybe there were number 6 or number 7, but if they did not make t...
............. NEWSLETTER N° 495: february 4, 2011 Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly The Berlin edition of the IFFS Festival Summit 2011 Bruno Chatelin, your editor, will co chair the Berlin edition 2011. ...
Winning an award at the Sundance Film Festival is no small accomplishment. The competition to just get into the Festival is fierce (150 films chosen out of over 2000 submissions.....ouch). However, winning the top prizes is still no assurance that the films will be widely seen or make any dent at the box office. Some years, the top prize winners have barely registered beyond the festival circuit. In others, such as last year's winner WINTER'S BONE, the win at Sundance led to an outstanding showi...
Winning an award at the Sundance Film Festival is no small accomplishment. The competition to just get into the Festival is fierce (150 films chosen out of over 2000 submissions.....ouch). However, winning the top prizes is still no assurance that the films will be widely seen or make any dent at the box office. Some years, the top prize winners have barely registered beyond the festival circuit. In others, such as last year's winner WINTER'S BONE, the win at Sundance led to an outs...
Season's greeting to all our friends on the festival circuit! I thank you for the warm and encouraging messages around my candidacy for President of uniFrance, Thanks for your support : results in the next newsletter!. Bruno Chatelin Support Bruno Chatelin running for President at uniFrance and discover his program Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly Contact the Editor, Advertise with us This weekly ...
The Slamdance Film Festival, which takes place in Park City, Utah at the same time as the Sundance Film Festival, takes low budget American indies to its heart. It tends to show the more experimental, scruffy work that clock in at less than a $1 Million budget (some far less than that). They tend to be the kinds of films that are passed over by their glitzier festival cousin. However, over the past 17 years, the Festival has discovered true gems that have long careers. More of these ...
While the name Sundance immediately is linked with the American Independent film movement, in the past number of years, international titles have found a home base in the ski resort of Park City. By creating competition sections for both narrative and documentary films from around the world, the Festival has not only expanded its scope but has forged a link between international producers, distributors and financiers across the globe in a real and tangible way. In terms of the marketpl...
The stars were out in force earlier this week at the Sundance Film Festival when The Creative Coalition, a national advocacy organization for the arts and entertainment, gave out their 2011 Spotlight Initiative Awards at a gala ceremony in Park City. Academy-Award winning actor Alan Arkin received a special award for his career contribution and for his latest film THE CONVINCER, which premiered at the Festival earlier this week. Arkin returns to Park City for the first time since LI...
Savvy filmgoers at the Sundance Film Festival know that the roster of documentaries on tap are generally of more consistent quality and interest than their narrative cousins. For that reason, and the increased boxoffice potential of reality-based films at the theatrical box office, attention is being paid to the American films competing for Best Documentary honors at the event. They include:
Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Director: Michael Rapaport)...
