2011 European Film Awards – Animated Film Nominations

Three (3) films are nominated for the EFA's award and here they are. Included trailers to check how different European animation can feel and look.

Le Chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi's Cat), Antoine Delesvaux and Joann Sfar, France



Chico & Rita, Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba, Spain and Isle of Man



Une Vie de Chat (A Cat in Paris), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, France and Belgium



To read official announcement go here.

2011 European Film Awards – People’s Choice Award

Since September 1st up to October last day, my European friends are able to vote for their favorite film and yes, win a trip to the European Film Awards that this year will be in Berlin (I also LOVE Berlin!). The following are the nominated films and you can VOTE HERE.

Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to the South), Luca Miniero, Italy (the hilarious Italian remake of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis)

Hævnen (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark

The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, UK

Konferenz der Tiere (Animals United), Reinhard Kloss and Holger Tappe, Germany

Les petits mouchoirs (Little White Lies), Guillaume Canet, France

Potiche, François Ozon, France

También la lluvia (Even the Rain), Icíar Bollaín, Spain

Unknown, Jaume Collet-Serra, Germany

If I could vote I’ll have a hard time deciding between Potiche, Hævnen or the hilarious Italian comedy (yeah for a change!). Have no idea what the animated movie plus Unknown are doing here, but after all is the People’s Choice so there had to be options for all kind of movie tastes.

Hope many of my friends and loyal blog readers VOTE so we can have a better winner that the 2010 winner.

24th European Film Awards – Long List

A few minutes ago the European Film Academy (EFA) announced the titles of the forty-five (45) films on this year’s selection list with films that will be considered for a nomination in current year European Film Awards.

This year the EFA’s will return to Berlin with the award ceremony scheduled on December 3rd; as always nominations will be announced at 2011 Seville European Film Festival – fest will run from November 6 to 14, 2011- on November 5th.

Here is the long list that includes many Cannes, Berlin and festival films in general.

ALMANYA – WILLKOMMEN IN DEUTSCHLAND (ALMANYA), Yasemin Samdereli, Germany and Turkey
AMÉRICA (AMERICA), João Nuno Pinto, Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Russia
THE ARTIST, Michel Hazanavicius, France
AS IF I AM NOT THERE, Juanita Wilson, Ireland, Macedonia and Sweden
ATTENBERG, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece
AVE, Konstantin Bojanov, Bulgaria
BALADA TRISTE DE TROMPETA (THE LAST CIRCUS), Alex de la Iglesia, Spain
BELI BELI SVET (WHITE WHITE WORLD), Oleg Novkovic, Serbia, Germany and Sweden
CIRKUS COLUMBIA, Danis Tanović, Bosnia & Herzegovina, France, UK, Germany, Slovenia and Belgium
CIRKUS FANTASTICUS (SILENT SONATA), Janez Burger, Slovenia and Ireland
DREI (THREE), Tom Tykwer, Germany
ELDFJALL (VOLCANO), Rúnar Rúnarsson, Iceland and Denmark
ЕЛЕНА (ELENA), Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia
ESSENTIAL KILLING, Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland, Norway, Ireland and Hungary
LE GAMIN AU VÉLO (THE KID WITH A BIKE), Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium, France and Italy
HABEMUS PAPAM, Nanni Moretti, Italy and France
HÆVNEN (IN A BETTER WORLD), Susanne Bier, Denmark
HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (STOPPED ON TRACK), Andreas Dresen, Germany
HITGANVUT YEHIDIM (INFILTRATION), Dover Kosashvili, Israel and France
THE KING’S SPEECH, Tom Hooper, UK
LE HAVRE, Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, France and Germany
LIDICE, Petr Nikolaev, Czech Republic
LOVERBOY, Cătălin Mitulescu, Romania
MAJKI (MOTHERS), Milcho Manchevski, Macedonia
MELANCHOLIA, Lars von Trier, Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany
NEDS, Peter Mullan, UK
NOI CREDEVAMO (WE BELIEVED), Mario Martone, Italy and France
OSLO 31. AUGUST (OSLO, AUGUST 31st), Joachim Trier, Norway
ОВCЯНКИ – OVSYANKI (SILENT SOULS), Alexey Fedorchenco, Russia
PA NEGRE (BLACK BREAD), Agustí Villaronga, Spain
LA PETITE CHAMBRE (THE LITTLE ROOM), Stéphanie Chuat & Véronique Reymond, Switzerland and Luxembourg
LES PETITS MOUCHOIRS (LITTLE WHITE LIES), Guillaume Canet, France
LA PIEL QUE HABITO (THE SKIN I LIVE IN), Pedro Almodóvar, Spain
PLAY, Ruben Östlund, Sweden
PŘEŽÍT SVŮJ ŽIVOT (SURVIVING LIFE), Jan Švankmajer, Czech Republic and Slovakia
RUNDSKOP (BULLHEAD), Michaël R. Roskam, Belgium and Netherlands
SALA SAMOBÓJCÓW (SUICIDE ROOM), Jan Komasa, Poland
SVINALÄNGORNA (BEYOND), Pernilla August, Sweden, Denmark and Finland
TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA (EVEN THE RAIN), Icíar Bollaín, Spain
TILVA ROŠ, Nikola Ležaić, Serbia
TIRZA, Rudolf van den Berg, Netherlands
TOMBOY, Céline Sciamma, France
A TORINÓI LÓ (THE TURIN HORSE), Béla Tarr, Hungary, France, Switzerland and Germany
DIE UNABSICHTLICHE ENTFÜHRUNG DER FRAU ELFRIEDE OTT (THE UNINTENTIONAL KIDNAPPING OF ELFRIEDE OTT), Andreas Prochaska, Austria
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, Lynne Ramsay, UK

To my surprise have seen more than a few and the ones I haven’t seen of course I’m “dying” to see them. Quite unusual but in this long list there are two lesbian interest films and as usual there are more gay interest films in the list, sigh. Most of the new to me films come from Eastern Europe and there are some that definitively am interested in watching, so let’s hope I’m able before November 5th, just in case they’re nominated.

To check the list at the EFA official site go here or here at the European Film Awards official site.

Not an easy task for the Academy members as in the above list there are TOO MANY extraordinary movies that already collected the Oscar last year and/or are being submitted to Oscar this year. But let’s wait until the nominations are near to play the guessing game for the main categories.

Cheers!!!

68th Venice Film Festival Award Winners

Not sure that this festival is as exciting as the other one from Cannes that not only really gets my attention but undoubtedly gets the attention of most of the world. During the fest there was a seminar about the “future of festivals” and I was talking about the same subject -but referring exclusively to La Mostra- with a friend, in our discussion we tend to agree that fest hast to go back to be less American and more non-American (you know what we mean), should be an Italian stage that showcases the world cinema -yes should go face-to-face with the one from France as one is early in the year and the other is later in the year and each year has enough months and days to have two world worthy cinema festivals.

Anyway there are not many films that I’m “dying” to see from this year fest, but obviously there are some that are absolutely must be seen for me. So, here are the Award winners.

VENEZIA 68 (The Competition)

Golden Lion for Best Film: Faust, Alexander Sokurov, Russia
Special Jury Prize: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese, Italy

Silver Lion for Best Director: Shangjun Cai for People Mountain People Sea, China and Hong Kong
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Michael Fassbender in Shame, Steve McQueen, UK
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Deanie Ip in Tao Jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui, China and Hong Kong)

Osella for Best Screenplay: Yorgos Lanthimos for Alpis (Alps), Greece
Osella for Best Cinematography: Wuthering Heights, Andrea Arnold, UK

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress: Shôta Sometani and Fumi Nikaidô in Himizu, Sion Sono, Japan

Lion of the Future – Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: Là-bas (A Criminal Education), Guido Lombardi, Italy

To check all the winners go here.

ORIZZONTI AWARDS

Best Film: Kotoko, Shinya Tsukamoto, Japan
Special Jury Prize: Whores’ Glory, Michael Glawogger, Austria and Germany

Best Medium-Length Film: Accidentes Gloriosos (Glorious Accidents), Mauro Andrizzi and Marcus Lindeen, Sweden, Denmark and Argentina
Best Short Film: In Attesa Dell'Avvento, Felice D'Agostino and Arturo Lavorato, Italy

Special Mentions
O le Tulafale (The Orator), Tusi Tamasese, New Zealand and Samoa
All The Lines Flow Out, Charles Lim Yi, Singapore

Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards: Hypercrisis, Josef Dabernig, Austria

To read Jury statements please go here.

CONTROCAMPO ITALIANO

Best Film: Scialla!, Francesco Bruni
Best Documentary: Pugni Chiusi , Fiorenza Infascelli
Best Short Film: A Chjána, Jonas Carpignano
Special Mentions
Black Block, Carlo Augusto Bachschmidt
Francesco Di Giacomo for the cinematography of Pugni Chiusi

To check winners official announcement go here.

COLLATERAL AWARDS

FIPRESCI Prize
Best Film from Venezia 68: Shame by Steven McQueen, UK
Best Film from Orizzonti and International Critics’ Week: Two Years at Sea, Ben Rivers

SIGNIS Award: Faust, Aleksandr Sokurov, Russia
Special Mention: Tao jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui, China

CICAE Award: O le tulafale (The Orator), Tusi Tamasese

International Critics’ Week Award: Là-Bas, Guido Lombardi, Italy
Label Europa Cinemas Award for Best European Film: Présumé Coupable (Guilty), Vincent Garenq, France

Queer Lion Award: Wilde Salomé by Al Pacino, USA (To check the 12 films that were considered go here, almost all are gay interest)

La Navicella – Venezia Cinema Award: Tao jie (A Simple Life), Ann Hui

Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award: Carnage, Roman Polanski
Cinema for UNICEF Commedation: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese
Frasceso Pasinetti (SNGCI) Award: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese
SNGCI Commendation: L’ultimo terrestre, Gian Alfonso Pacinotti
Brian Award: The Ides of March, George Clooney
C.I.C.T. UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award: Tahrir 2011, Tamer Ezzat, Ayten Amin, Amr Salama

Arca CinemaGiovani Award
Best Film Venezia68: Shame, Steve McQueen, UK
Best Italian Film: L’ultimo terrestre, Gian Alfonso Pacinotti

To check all the collateral awards winners go here.

Other Awards

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Marco Bellocchio
Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award 2011: Al Pacino
Persol 3D Award for Most Creative Stereoscopic Film of the Year: Zapruder Filmmkaers Group
L’Oreal Paris Award for Cinema: Nicole Grimaudo

Award Ceremony Highlights

อยากรักก็รักเลย Yak Rak Kor Rak Loei (Yes or No)

Not often I have the opportunity to watch a Thai movie, much less a movie that could easily have the mainstream label as this film by Saratswadee Wongsomphet looks/feels very much for general audiences; as a matter of fact film style recalls many Japanese contemporary/entertainment cinema films that I have seen. You have to recall that the last Thai movie I saw was the Cannes Palm d’Or and gee these two Thai films are absolutely opposites in the cinema range. Sigh.

But this film is not mainstream cinema, is not art cinema and is not your regular entertainment movie because it has a lovely story about how confusing first-time love can be especially if you’re unsure about your sexuality no matter how you look in the outside. Yes, the story is about Kim and Pie, two girls that eventually –against society plus their own fears- will fall in love and even when some English reviews label film as the “so-called Thai lesbian film” well, I can assure you that film and story are with 100% lesbian interest (there is nothing “so-called”) and yes, is a very nice-to-watch film that will leave you with an uplifting feeling as has a happy ending –for a change.

Performances are not the best but somehow fit the characters they’re playing, so made me wonder if is not done on purpose but have no reference to really know; yet I know that movie first half made me laugh (which is not easy) and second half made me feel whatever the characters were feeling. So surely is not a bad movie as can absorb you into living/feeling whatever is happening.

As the West tends now to produce sophisticated lesbian themed films, the East can surprise us with very simple and refreshing lesbian themed movies; Yes or No absolutely was a surprise as everything about it is so simple that became very, very refreshing. If you enjoy lesbian interest films plus the dvd comes to your rental store do not hesitate to rent and watch it as I know that you’ll not be disappointed.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Day 10 – 68th Venice International film Festival

The last festival day as tomorrow is the closing ceremony where the main awards will be given and yes, I hope can watch it live as is more exciting to learn winners as it happens.

Today the most important event is the Golden Lion to Marco Bellocchio for his career/lifetime achievement; the award will be presented by Bernardo Bertolucci. The ceremony will be followed by the screening of the new version of Nel Nome del padre (In the Name of the Father) by Marco Bellochio, who re-edited and remixed to create a new original work.

The last day of competition has the screening of Texas Killing Fields by Ami Canaan Mann, and Duo Migjin (Life Without Principle) by Johnnie To.

This morning the Bianchi Award was presented to one actress that I have seen almost all her movies, I’m talking about beautiful Virna Lisi that today looks as good as when she was young; the award will join many other honors like her seven Nasti d’Argento, four David di Donatello, one Cannes Palm d’Or and one Cesar.



Later today we will start to learn winners in the collateral sections but wish to remind you all that last year the winner of the 25th International Film Critics Week was none other than Svinalängorna (Beyond) by Pernilla August that now we know is Sweden’s submission to 2012 Oscar. So I’ll be checking to create the winners post.

Day 9 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Today the first award winners from the fest in the Controcampo Italiano section that showcases the new trends in Italian cinema. Here are the winners.

Best Film: Scialla! By Francesco Bruni
Documentary: Pugni Chiusi by Fiorella Infasscelli
Short Film: A Chjàna by Jonas Carpignano

The Jury also awarded a special mention to the documentary Black Block by Carlo Augusto Bachschmidt and to Francesco Di Giacomo for the photography in Pugni Chiusi.

The informal ceremony



The festival is almost over but today we have three films competing for the Golden Lion. I do like –a lot- the style and movies from Aleksander Sokurov so it’s no surprise that Faust is a must be seen for me, no matter if is another adaptation of a tale that’s been told too many times, I’m sure that Sokurov will do something “fresh” with his own style all over. Another American movie in competition Killer Joe by William Friedkin starring Matthew McConaughey (?), Emile Hirsch and Gina Gershon among others. Last, an Italian production L’Ultimo Terrestre by Gian Alfonso Pacinotti.

Emile Hirch at the photocall

Day 8 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Today three (3) films vie for the Golden Lion Hahithalfut (The Exchange) by Eran Kolirin, Quando La Notte by Cristina Comencini and Abel Ferrara’s 4:44 Last Day on Earth. Three very different movies, with different audience profiles but if I believe everything I have read in English –and La Mostra likes English speaking films- the race is on with two already screened films… hmm BUT since Aronofsky is the jury president and if I think about his movies as reference or inspiration, maybe the winner will be a not-very-conventional film like… (don’t know yet! Lol!).

In the Orizzonti section today there is a movie that many are talking (and joking) about, yes is the Yolande Zauberman’s Would you have sex with an Arab? So maybe you’ll like to check excerpts from the press conference that also includes comments about The Tracks of my Tears 2 by Axel Petersen.



Willem Defoe in 4:44 photocall

Day 6 and 7 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Venezia 68 In Competition. Today two films that definitively are looking forward to watch, Andrea Arnold’s Wunthering Heights and Sono Sion’s Himizu; while yesterday was the day of Tao Jie (A Simple Life) by Ann Hui and as I read a while back the most expensive German coproduction up-to-date Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by none other than Tomas Alfredson in his first English language movie, that even if is a remake the cast plus the director give me high hopes to a good not-so-usual entertainment moment.

Wunthering Heights



Himizu



Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy





Also today the “surprise film” in competition, which brings the total number to 23 titles, Ren Shan Ren Hai by Cai Shangjun from China.

Also in competition, Dark Horse by Todd Solondz calls my attention

Day 5 - 68th Venice International Film Festival

Sunday usually is a quiet day but today there are some great things happening at Venice, let’s take a look

Venezia 68 – In Competition

Most English reviewers are extremely excited with Shame by Steve McQueen; honestly I need no endorsement, I liked McQueen’s Hunger and obviously his next movie had to be must be seen for me no matter the story or the cast, but he was gracious and included two of my nowadays favorite actors, Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, so can’t complain. Suggest you watch this movie as soon as comes near you.





Emanuele Crialese has done some interesting movies like Respiro or Nuovomondo so his latest Terraferma obviously is must be seen for me and well, story could be interesting if you care to explore how a stranger can be “something” in an “new” environment, as no one must be denied the right to be elsewhere… very interesting, isn’t?



Out of Competition

Early afternoon started with Nicholas Ray’s We Can’t Go Home Again which is a restored version of Ray’s experimental masterpiece with “journalistic” approach to footage from 1911 to 2011; then we have Susan Ray’s Don’t Expect Too Much (Nicholas Ray 1911-2011) what I call a companion piece that explains the first with Nicholas own words; late night, i.e. midnight brings the screening of Alois Nebel by Tomáš Lunák an animated film that could be interesting for the story as you know, animation can go beyond what reality can do.

Early night, the screening of Wilde Salome by Al Pacino, yes Al Pacino is the director and the film star of this experimental work that mixes fiction, documentary and I should say: imagination. This film is the winner of the Glory to the Filmaker Award.



Orizzonti

Today five short films plus I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, The Mad and The Beautiful, by none other than Johathan Demmme that yes calls my attention. Also today, The Invader by Nicholas Provost from Belgium.

Controcampo Italiano

Sunday morning started with the screening of L’Arrivo di Wang by Manetti bros preceded by Roberto de Paolis’ short film Alice; later Pivano Blues – Sulla Strada di Nanda by Teresa Marche, with Patti Smith performing at the red carpet! (wow!).

Retrospective

Today Ana by Alberto Grifi and Massimo Sarchielli; also, the 1942 film Il Betturale del San Gottardo by Ivo Illuminati and Hans Hinrich

Giornate Degli Autori – Venice Days

Today the screening of Portret V Sumerkakh (Twightlight Portrait) by Angelina Mikonova that could be interesting for the bare production values and Habibi Rasak Kharban (Habibi) by Susan Youssef with another exploration about the forbidden love between Jews and Palestinian.

International Critics’ Week

Today La Terre Outragee by Michale Boganim, a puzzling French, German Polish and Ukrainian production that I have been reading about for a while and yes, calls my attention.

Collateral Events

Today the screening of the first of three films that are competing for the European Premio Lux, from Greece a film that yes I’m absolutely curious about, Rachel Tsangari’s Attenberg. Film is also Greece’s submission to 2012 Oscar. By the way in case you didn’t know it by now, Yorgos Lathimos is an actor in this film.

So that’s for today and since the only “stars” come from UK I know coverage will be less intense than other days, even when Pacino is around. Let’s hope I find some good/interesting photos and videos.

Not So Serious News

You might or might not recognize her, but this is Patti Smith at the red carpet. Sorry (Thank YOU!!) Getty Images but had to share this one.

Day 4 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Venezia 68 – In Competition

One movie that absolutely calls my attention as is their first experience with non-animation after the fantastic Persepolis, Poulet Aux Prunes by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud has an incredible cast with the likes of Mathieu Amalric, Maria de Medeiros, Isabella Rossellini, Chiara Mastroianni and others plus a story that according to directors’ statement sort of precedes the story of the same family in Persepolis as covers the years between 1930 and 1990. Nevertheless with preceding credentials plus great actors, film is absolutely must be seen for me.





Yorgos Lanthimos is very young and does very strange movies but yes will try to see Alpis (Alps) that has a story that really appeals to me about people stand-in for dead people. LOL! Has to be a very crazy movie.



Out of Competition

Another American movie that could have had great stars in the red carpet but it didn’t as there was no Marion Cotillard, no Kate Winslet, no Jude Law, only Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and Gwyneth Paltrow… lol! I’m talking about Contagion by Steven Soderbergh that no it doesn’t call much my attention but have to see everything with Marion Cotillard, so I know will watch it. The best news from today is that Soderbergh is quitting doing movies to become a full time painter, hope his painting is better than his later movies.



More interesting is La Folie Almayer by Chantal Akerman but then I’ll watch anything and everything by Chantal Akerman.

Late night was the screening of Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel by Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Frédéric Tcheng, and Bent Jorgen Perlmutt with a portrait of perhaps the 20th century greatest arbiter of style.

Orizzonti

Today the feature film Sal by James Franco that honestly I’m not interesting at all in watching, can’t stand the actor and truly believe he was overexposed –this even when I am interested in Sal Mineo. More interesting are Lung Neaw Vitits his Neighbourts by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Shock Head Soul by Simon Pummell, O le Tulafale (The Orator) by Tusi Tamasese and Palacios de Pena (Palaces of Pity) by Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt.

Controcampo Italiano

Today a few shorts plus the screening of Cose dell’Altro Mondo by Francesco Patierno and Quiproquo by Ellisabetta Sgarbi.

Retrospective

Today two short films from 1967 and 1970 plus the 1971 In Punto di Morte by Mario Garriba.

Giornate Degli Autori – Venice Days

Early today Philippe Lioret’s Toutes Nos Envies (All Our Desires) that surprise, surprise NO I’m not interested in watching. Also today the special event with the screening of Inni by Vincent Morisset a doc with very interesting images and suggestive use of black and white, and a documentary about death by Julia Murat, Historias que so existem quando lembradas.

International Critics’ Week

Today Marecages (Wetlands) by Guy Édoin from Canada with a family story that doesn’t appeal to me.

The not so serious news

Some photos with Gwyneth Paltrow

Day 3 – 68th Venice International Film Festival

So last night there was no Jodie Foster at Venice, strange quite strange… but Kate Winslet wore such a special dress that put her in the spotlight above Madonna and everyone else… check the video at yesterday’s post to get a glimpse of the amazing dress.

Venezia 68 -In Competition

Today’s centerpiece is a movie that absolutely calls my attention because story –a period drama- , the amazing cast –love Michael Fassbender plus Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel and Keira Knightley- and most of all a very special/puzzling director: David Cronenberg. I’m talking about A Dangerous Method the dark tale of sexual and intellectual discovery that plays with Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, wow! Do I need to say more about story? No.





Late night the premiere of a film that’s must be seen for me Un été brûlant by Philippe Garrel starring his son Louis Garrel and none other than Monica Bellucci. No need to comment more as you all know that I simply LOVE (good) French Cinema.



I imagine that tonight both red carpets will have the awesome real life husband and wife couple of Vincent and Monica, so hope tomorrow to find great photos.

Out of Competition

La Sala Grande will have the screening of Mildred Pierce (episodes 1 and 2) which I absolute loved and highly recommend to watch the first four episodes that are magnificent; unfortunately the quality of the story and some performances in the last two episodes is not as good as in the first four. So we will have Kate Winslet and surely Rachel Evan Wood again today.



Midnight will bring to la Sala Grande China’s Tony Siu-tung’s Baishe Chuanshuo (The Sorcerer and the White Snake) that I’m sure will have amazing visuals but wonder if I ever will see it as the genre disappoints me too much thanks to lame stories that extraordinary visual cannot cover enough for me to enjoy the film.

Orizzonti

The section will screen several short and medium-length films, but also feature films like Birmingham Ornament by Andrey Silvestrov and Yuri Leiderman from Russia; Whores’ Glory by Michael Glawogger from Austria and Germany; Hail by Amiel Courtin-Wilson from Australia; Le Petit Poucet by Marina de Van from France; and Photographic Memory by Ross McElwee from USA.

Controcampo Italiano

The section opens today with the screening of the short by none other than Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Il Maestro; followed by the feature film Scialla! By Francesco Bruni. Later in the afternoon, the screening of Out of Tehran – Four Stories by Monica Maggioni and Rudolf Jacobs and L’Uomo che nacque morendo by Luigi M. Faccini.

Giornate Degli Autori -Venice Days

Today the Canada/France production by Jean-Marc Vallée, Café de Flore, a love story about people separated by time and place but connected in profound and mysterious ways. Not particularly fond of Vanessa Paradis but I like the director previous work The Young Victoria, so probably will give film a try.

International Critics’ Week

From Argentina El Campo (In the Open) by Hernán Belón that maybe could be interesting.

The not so serious news

Another day with spectacular photos with Kate Winslet and Rachel Evan Wood, yes will include some from today and the previous days. It’s official Kate is absolutely showing off her fantastic body with great dresses that outline it.

Today photos are fantastic and if you wish to check them the best place is Getty Images where you just enter 68th Venice and enjoy seeing all the great photos that are for sale, that’s why cannot put them here.

Let's start with Kate and Rachel with night and day photos.

Daytime Monica and Vincent

Second Day – 68th Venice International Film Festival

Today’s centerpiece is the premiere of Carnage –in competition- with the most amazing cast in what I hope is a better movie –than his previous- by Roman Polanski. Described as “grotesque comedy of manners” seems was received with rounds of applause and riotous laughter which makes me wonder a bit if I’ll be able to enjoy the humor but hopefully I will as film was shot in real time which probably positively will help the humor. From photocall shots I see Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Christopher Waltz but no Jodie Foster so let’s hope she will be tonight at the red carpet.

Also today in competition the Taiwanese epic film that tells a real life story about the aboriginal tribes that lived in the island when was a Japanese colony. Saideke Balai (Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale) by Te-Sheng Wei reviews the 1930 so-called Wushe Incident where the Japanese ban indigenous cultural practices. Could be interesting plus a while back read that is the most expensive film produced up-to date in Taiwan and from trailer can say that production values are high.

From the films out of competition surely the one everyone will be talking about is W.E. by Madonna a film that tells a “modern version” of the Wallis and Edward tale told by a fictional Wally that lives in current time and mirrors their life. Always like UK period dramas and what makes me wonder if I’ll like it is that this film is by Madonna, but from photos film looks fine. All right early reviews are not positive, lol!  Follows a video with Madonna and her cast arrival.



Today fest also will screen the following out of competition films: Giochi d’Estate (Summer Games) by Rolando Colla, India, Matri Bhumi by Roberto Rossellini, La Désintégration by Philippe Faucon, and Scosa by Francesco Maselli, Carlo Lizzani, Ugo gregoretti, and Nino Russo.

Venice Days continues today with the screening of Rugine (Rust) by Daniele Gaglianone an Italian drama that does not call my attention at all.

La Settimana della Critica opens with an event, the screening of Stocholm Ostra (Stockholm East) by Simon Kaijser da Silva which is out of competition and is a family drama that wonder if will appeal to me.

Orizzonti opens today with Cut by Amir Naderi a film described as a “visual poem” for the cinema set in the world of the yakuza that obviously calls my attention for the visuals but wonder if I will stand the story. Worth to remind you all that none other than Jia Zhang-ke is the Orizzonti jury President who will chair a very eclectic group of jurors. Orizzonti will also today screen five (5) short films.

Today is the presentation of the collateral award Città di Venezia 2011 to Colombian Carlos Gaviria for his movie Retratos en un Mar de Mentiras, the film will be screened after the award ceremony as well as The Neighbor by Nahgmeh Shirkan from Iran and the 2006 film Si le vent soulève les sables by Marion Hansel from Belgium. The program closes with three short films from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco that includes Garagouz by Abdenour Zahzah, winner in the short film category.. For more information go here.

Here is a photo with the W.E. male cast and the director plus another video with Madonna joking...

Most interesting video with some clips from press conference and the movie... audio can be switched to French or German... English only in the background...



At the Carnage red carpet/premiere Kate wore a truly amazing dress that fitted her like a glove... you have to check the following video or browse the net for the spectacular photos