The 16th Stockholm International Film Festival, held November 17-27.The countdown has started. The Stockholm International Film Festival is now This year will present 160 films from close to 40 countries. Herewith a glimpse of this year’s extensive programme. Here are some highlights of the selection.A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE The Festival opener.A convincing drama, where director David Cronenberg tells a story of the cruel way in which humanity relates to violence. Family father Tom is unexpectedl...
The Sunday morning festival reports in the Spanish papers, whose writers represent a cross-section of leading Spanish film critics, were nearly unanimous in denouncing the prizes dished out the day before by the Angelica Huston led official competition jury. The main prize, which went to the Czech film "Something Like Happiness", came in for the strongest condemnation. Three critics used the word "absurdo" (absurd) to describe the top award, one going so far as to say that there were at least e...
The Donostia-San Sebastian film festival on the incredibly picturesque North Spanish coast, ("NAZIOARTEKO ZINEMALDIA" in the exotic Basque language of the region), has opened heavily "front loaded" as the saying goes these days, which means that many of the big guns, films with high prize potential, have already been fired off in the first few days. The festival opener was, appropriately, "Obaba", one of the most eagerly awaited Spanish films of the year based on a Basque language best seller b...
53RD SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL OPENS WITH SEVERAL BANGSby Alex Deleon, San SebastianThe Donostia-San Sebastian film festival on the incredibly picturesque North Spanish coast, ("NAZIOARTEKO ZINEMALDIA" in the exotic Basque language of the region), has opened heavily "front loaded" as the saying goes these days, which means that many of the big guns, films with high prize potential, have already been fired off in the first few days. The festival opener was, appropriately, "Obaba", one of the m...
The following films will compete for the San Sebastian honors in competition in the only Festival in Spain to hold the International Federation of Film Producers Association's top-level "non-specialised competitive" category. The Festival will celebrate its 53rd year between September 15 and 24, at a moment of tremendous popularity and excellent image. The entire city participates in its Festival as it fills with visitors attracted by the movies, the Festival atmosphere, the local food and touri...
The Italian journalists so far think that George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck is the best film in the international competition but the journalists don’t select the awards. Still, often what film critics think turns out to be right. Add to the list Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener , screened today at the fest, another strong contender for the Lion. The Venezia 62 international jury is composed of the Chinese scriptwriter and author Acheng, French filmmaker Claire Denis, Israeli ...
The 11th edition of Lund International Fantastic Film Festival takes place between the 16th and the 25th of September. During ten days almost 100 films from 19 countries are screened, which means that the festival is bigger than ever. Opening filmThis year's opening film is Hayao Miyazaki's animated masterpiece Howl's Moving Castle. The Japanese director, who won an Academy Award for his last film Spirited Away, will receive an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival at September 9.Film...
Fellini’s Il Casanova and the competition film Sympathy for Lady Vengeance by Park Chan-wook brought world class art cinema to the screens of Venezia 62 yesterday. There is Casanova, and there is Il Casanova. Fellini’s Il Casanova is required viewing before or after the popular success of Lasse Hallström’s Casanova. The restoration of Fellini’s 1976 print began in 2001 and was supervised by Giuseppe Rotunna, the photographer of the film present at the press conference at Venice today a...
The 25th Atlantic Film Festival (AFF), September 15-24, 2005, announced today one of the largest line-up of films, industry programs and special events in the history of the Festival. This year's program includes a full slate of 220 Atlantic, Canadian and international films including the largest Atlantic program to date with 15 Atlantic features and 50 shorts. New special programs include: Focus on Germany, which will complement this year's Strategic Partners conference focus, plus the 25th AFF...
OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL FILM FIGURES COMPETE FOR THE GOLDEN SHELLThe official programme of the Donostia-San Sebastián Festival, scheduled for 15-24 September next, features a series of outstanding names from the moviemaking world who sketch a cinematographic portrait of our contemporary reality. While some of them regularly participate it the Festival, others are competing for the first time. PreviewTIDELAND, Terry Gilliam, UK.Terry Gilliam, to whom the Festival dedicated a retrospective in ...
Video CompetitionThe Iranian entry “President Mir Qanbar” by Mohammed Shirvari is a most unusual documentary about a 74 year old man from a village in the Turkish speaking Azerbaijan region who mounts his own private campaign to run for president of Iran. He travels from village to village on a bicycle addressing whoever will listen with a portable megaphone and is accompanied by a deformed cripple riding a donkey cart. Being a poor villager himself he contends to be sensitive to the probl...
The International Istanbul Film Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, has kicked off with Charles Dance's film Ladies in Lavender. The festival will run April 2nd to 17th, 2005. The Festival will show approximately 170 films from 62 countries. Among these films will be some brand new films that participated in world-acclaimed festivals last year and were appreciated and greatly honoured with awards, as well as unforgettable cinema classics and masterpieces from the...
ISTANBUL FILM FESTIVAL IS FULL UP THIS YEAR!The International Istanbul Film Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, is approaching with full speed. The 24th International Istanbul Film Festival sponsored by AKBANK will be replete with some of the most striking, newest and world-class films, special screenings, guest stars and chats with masters of cinema from April 2nd to 17th, 2005. Once again, the Festival will practically lock film-lovers into the movie-theaters i...
Stars Shine at Toronto’s 29th International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival now in its 29th year, brings the biggest and brightest stars of Hollywood, the film industry and the world to this prestigious Film Festival. TIFF takes place from September 9th to the 18th and is known and the largest and best Film Festival worldwide. The list of visitors who will be on hand in Toronto will be meeting greeting and highlighting there newest films and projects to best promote the m...
