60th San Sebastian Film Festival Award Winners

With a good awards ceremony, San Sebastian closes this year. The most emotional moment was when Dustin Hoffman received the Donostia award, not only for the movie clips but also for his speech.

Great films won awards. Good.

Official Selection

Golden Shell for Best Film: Dans La Maison (In The House), François Ozon, France

Special Jury Prize: Blancanieves (Snow White), Pablo Berger, Spain and France
Special Mention: The Attack, Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma, Lebanon, France, Qatar, Belgium

Silver Shell for Best Director: Fernando Trueba for El Artista y La Modelo, Spain

Silver Shell for Best Actress: (tie)
Katie Coseni in Foxfire, Laurent Cantet, France and Canada
Macarena García in Blancanieves (Snow White), Pablo Berger, Spain and France

Silver Shell for Best Actor: Jose Sacristan in El Muerto y Ser Feliz (The Dead Man and Being Happy), Javier Rebollo, Spain, Argentina and France

Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Fasle Kargadan (Rhino Season), Bahman Ghobadi, Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan
Jury Prize for Best Screenplayer: Dans La Maison (In The House), François Ozon, France

Zabaltegi-New Directors

Kusta-New Directors Award: Fernando Guzzoni for Carne de Perro (Dog Flesh), Chile, France and Germany
Special Mentions:
Parviz, Majid Barzegar, Iran
El Limpiador (The Cleaner), Adrián Saba, Peru

Horizontes Latinos

Best Film: El Ultimo Elvis, Armando Bo, Argentina and USA
Special Mentions:
Era Uma Vez Eu, Veronica (Once Upon A Time Was I, Veronica), Marcelo Gomes, Brasil
Despues de Lucia, Michel Franco, Mexico

Other Awards

FIPRESCI Award: El Muerto y Ser Feliz (The Dead Man and Being Happy), Javier Rebollo, Spain, Argentina and France
SIGNIS Award: Días de Pesca (Gone Fishing), Carlos Sorin, Argentina
Solidarity Award: Le Capital (Capital), Costa Gravas, France
Serbitzu Saria for Best Basque Film: Pura Vida, Pablo Iraburu y Migueltxo Molina, Spain
SEBASTIANE Award: Joven y Alocada (Young and Wild), Marialy Rivas, Chile
Euskatel Youth Award: 7 Cajas (7 Boxes), Juan Carlos Maeglia and Tana Schémbori, Paraguay

TVE - Another Look Award: Shesh Peamin (Six Acts), Jonathan Gurfinkel, Israel
Special mention: The Attack, Ziad Doueiri, Lebanon, France, Qatar and Belgium

Films in Progress Award: Gloria, Sebastián Lelio, Chile
Norteado Award: Tanta Agua, Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge, Uruguay, Mexico, Netherlands

Cinema in Motion Awards
Le Veau D'Or (The Golden Calf), Hassan Legzouli, France and Morocco
Moug (Waves), Ahmed Nour, Egypt and Morocco

Audience Award: The Sessions, Ben Lewin, USA
European Film Audience Award: The Angel's Share, Ken Loach, UK, France, Belgium and Italy

International Film Student Meetings Awards - Short Films
Panavision Award: The Mass of Men, Gabriel Gauchet, UK, National Film and TV School
Freak Independent Film Agency Award: The Mass of Men, Gabriel Gauchet, UK, National Film and TV School
Participation in the Short Film Corner at Cannes Festival
The Mass of Men, Gabriel Gauchet, UK, National Film and TV School
Wedding Duet, Goran MIhailov, Romania, Universitatea Nationala de Arta Teatrala si Cinematografica“I.L. Caragiale
I Think This Is The Closest to How the Footage Looked, Yuval Hameiri and Michal Vaknin, Israel, Tel Aviv University

To check info about each movie go here and/or check home page at fest official page.

Bye Bye Blondie

I find films directed by Virginie Despentes quite unpleasant to watch, especially Baise Moi but also Les Jolies Choses which she did not direct, did not wrote the screenplay but was based on her novel. This film is not like those as while still having some very unpleasant moments, definitively she toned down -a lot- from her directorial debut and made film easier to watch.

Most surprising was to find that movie is based on her book with the same name but in book the protagonists are a man and a woman, while in movie are two women. Have no idea why Despentes changed the story but definitively if this was a man/woman story would have been similar to many other stories told in films; what makes story different is that is about two women.

I see everything with Emmanuelle Béart so film was must be seen for me because of her and well, yes because is absolutely with lesbian interest. The bad news is that this film is NOT fantastic Nathalie, did not enjoyed much Béart performance (that's what happens with an inexperienced director) and found story not that much interesting.

Film tells the story of Frances and Gloria who meet when they are teenagers, fall in love, life separates them and when they're older Frances looks for and finds Gloria again. So older Frances is played by Béart and older Gloria by Béatrice Dalle; this couple have no chemistry, their interactions look forced BUT chemistry explodes when they fight, which are the only scenes where I recognized the Béart I enjoy so much.

The good news is that story is not told sequentially as their younger years are told by flashbacks, but what is incredibly good are the performances by Clara Ponsot (teen Frances) and Soko (teen Gloria) as couple not only has good chemistry but somehow their story is a lot more interesting. Just to watch Béart fighting and the younger couple film is worth watching.

Will share a bit more about story. Younger Gloria is punk, which gives permission to play some nice old punk rock and later some retro punk scenes with a famous French punk icon, so she's rebellious and ends up in a psychiatric institution. There is where she meets younger Frances who dares Gloria to have sex with her as is forbidden by the institution. What follows you have to watch, but will share that while watching started to think that story was about two different backgrounds, about love not being enough and I was sure that was what I was seeing until the "shocking" end that absolutely surprised me. In French cinema not often you will see a film ending like this film does.

Found film as a film to be uneven, some scenes have good tech specs while many others don't. I know this is unthinkable/unforgivable in French cinema but for the lesbian interest genre unfortunately is quite common, so know that won't bother at all to those watching because they enjoy the genre.

Having two well-known French actresses in film, Béart and Dalle, plus famous singer Soko, attracted much attention from critics and viewers, but I'm afraid that this film is only suited for lesbian interest audiences that do not mind to see "unusual" French movies. Sigh.

Can't say I did not enjoy film but also cannot say that I enjoy it. I'm lukewarm as after all film looks and feels like a Virginie Despentes film; all right, a slightly improved Despentes.

Enjoy!

Watch trailer @MOC

Tanner Hall

Browsing what to watch in my cable, discovered this 2008 produced film that was screened at 2009 Toronto fest, seems went into oblivion until 2011 when had a limited theater release and the DVD came out. Film is co directed by two little-known women, that's it if you are NOT familiar with royalty and/or lesbian celebrities. Tatiana von Furstenberg, better known as Tatiana Desirée Prinzessin zu Fürstenberg, and Francesca Gregorini, better known as Countess Francesca McKnight Donatella Romana Gregorini di Savignano di Romagna or Portia di Rossi's ex, direct and co wrote the film.

All right after the film royal pedigree let me share that I found movie to be quite interesting and surprisingly good, with a few storyline exceptions that were really horrendous. Film is "inspired" by co directors/writers real experiences while being in England boarding schools but has fiction peppered around. Have no idea what is fiction and what is not, but I can guess the storyline that involved Mr. and Mrs. Middlewood has to be fiction, was introduced mainly for comic relief and is absolutely horrendous, not only because casting, actors performances but also because was not credible, realistic. The last becomes more visible as everything else not related exclusively to the Middlewood's looks and feels very real. If all those scenes were deleted, film would have been better.

Film tells the story of four girls at a very upper class New England boarding school and is a slice of their lives that shows crucial moments that changed them forever. Fernanda (Rooney Mara), Victoria (Georgia King), Kate (Brie Larson) and Lucasta (Amy Ferguson) are the four very different personalities girls and this story is interesting, actresses give quite good performances and feels real. Admit that saw film to see Rooney Mara's performance and now I'm quite impressed, the young actress can really act and she's good; so sorry that I had to meet her doing the American version of Lizbeth Salander.

If you enjoy regular girls boarding school movies maybe you will not enjoy this one as definitively film does not look like regular American cinema, this is similar to European cinema and/or European boarding school stories. Film has a lesbian interest character and perhaps those that enjoy the genre could enjoy the storyline that -for a change- has a happy ending.

A good film with some big flaws, but believe could entertain you and if you are like me, unable to appreciate Mara's most famous performance, then give this movie a chance and maybe you will agree that Mara shows here that she's an actress worthy to follow her career.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle)

Truly amazing film that takes us slowly into an intense study on human reactions to impotence, inability to stop something and how far can we go trying. Took me a while but finally was able to see Florin Serban's 2010 highly acclaimed feature film debut that won the 2010 Berlinale Jury Grand Prix, was Romania submission to Oscar in 2011, and collected many honors in the fest circuit and awards season. Some things are worth waiting for and definitively this film was one of them.

Set in a youth-reformatory tells the story of Silviu (George Pistereanu) last days of sentence where after years of being an exemplary recluse starts to transgress the prison rules thanks to learning that his mother came back from Italy to take his younger brother back with her. Film is set in a prison but in my opinion this is not a prison movie at all, as I believe is used because is a setting that perfectly allows to show a microcosm where due to forceful confinement naturally facilitates impossibilities to do what you wish to do. And that's what exactly happens in film, as Silviu after unsuccessfully trying reasonable ways to help him stop his mother, has to resort to extreme measures.

It's a simple story that becomes outstanding thanks to absolutely impressive performance by Pistereanu and the mind-blowing Serban's abilities as a filmmaker and storyteller. Film is so good that is one of the few films that I have seen that very successfully translated a play to the big screen, as film is based on the stage play with the same name by Andreea Valean.

Film gloriously closes with an open end where you have to imagine what comes next, was Silviu successful? Did he stopped his mother? Was everything worth it? It's up to you to close this story with a classical happy ending or opt for a different outcome. I simply love when filmmakers leave to us viewers the opportunity to close the story, especially after a very intense, very emotional ride. Fantastic.

I know that film is not for general audiences as has a very slow pace, has many silences, actors express what happens more with face and body expressions than words and yes, nothing is spelled-out in here, you have to get inside the movie to highly enjoy the ride. Almost my perfect kind of movie as the only thing missing was to be visually stunning, but in this case I forgive filmmaker as beauty definitively is something that could not be present in this film and story. This is glorious raw realism.

If you haven't seen film yet, strongly suggest you do so if you enjoy great Romanian new wave cinema.

BIG ENJOY!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Fraulein - Ein Detusches Melodram

The last made for TV movie by Michael Haneke before doing his first big screen film (later he did two more made for TV movies) is a film that honestly really confused me. My first spontaneous reaction was that this movie does not fit what I have in my head regarding Haneke as to me film looks and feels quite normal. Yes found film to be similar to several European movies from those years (the eighties) and before, as film is set in the near past, post-WWII and there was nothing I could find that told me this was a Haneke film. Sigh. But that doesn't mean at all that I didn't enjoy watching this unusual melodrama, a film that to enjoy it you have to really recall many movies, some cinema history and some WWII history, I'll explain later.

Then I started to read about this movie and what follows is a mix of what I read and what I saw in film. Let's start by sharing that this film is considered by some cinema academics as the "response" to Rainer Werner Fassbinder's Die Ehe der Maria Braun (The Marriage of Maria Braun) and perhaps it is as definitively this film looks like what Haneke said: "a deliberate attempt to create a counter-film against the heroizing of German postwar mentalities". In this film the lead role Anna, played by Angelica Domröse, is more concerned with her life and the inconveniences that came when his husband, believed to be dead, suddenly returns to the small German village; which is very different than the patriotic view that predominated in post-war set German cinema. I don't really remember Fassbinder's film as saw it a very long time ago, but maybe will see it again to see with my own eyes the two films relationship.

Nevertheless from what I read, what got my attention is that cinema academics claim that with this film Haneke "overcame" his Fassbinder "obsession". If factual, then we have to thank this film that helped Haneke to develop his own particular master style.

As mentioned film tells the story of Anna, who has a good life 10 years after her husband, Hans, became a POW in Russia. Film starts with Hans family discussing that is time to declare Hans dead, Anna's refusal and showing us how happy life was for this family in this sleepy German village. Anna has two teenage children, works/owns a movie theater and has a companion, Andre, who is accepted by all her family, including her in-laws. Everything changes when she gets a letter from the association of war returnees, telling her that Hans is returning home. Not a bad story, even when only seen in the surface, without analyzing the movie clips, the historic events and news seen in the movie theater and other screens.

If something I discovered after reading about film is that film is complex, very complex. To me contemporary Haneke's films have been quite easy to decode, but this one was not, even when I'm familiar with many -not all- the movie clips and other elements shown in film. Maybe now that I learned so much about this movie I could watch it again to decode all elements; so, I do recommend you read as much as possible about this movie before watching as surely will help to enjoy more film. Unlike previous Haneke's TV movie I posted, this film has many references and analysis that you can easily find in the net.

Spontaneously film as a film bothered me a lot because editing which I found intrusive instead of explanatory, which is not at all how contemporary Haneke's films are. But film has many absolutely beautiful compositions that are truly visually stunning and yes, is a black and white film that only at the end, for a few minutes, becomes full color.

Would I be talking like the above if film was not a Haneke film? No, probably not; but it is a Haneke film and had to learn more about film before writing and yes, surely will watch film again but have to wait a while as watching two Haneke's films in one day was too much, I knew it but couldn't resist watching. Sigh.

If you enjoy Haneke's contemporary work then this film is must be seen for you but as mentioned, suggest you read about film before watching; if you enjoy classic European melodramas then I know you could also enjoy this film.

I'm still amazed that this is a made for TV movie (German TV) as definitively does not look or feel like that; film looks and feels like big screen movies from the seventies and eighties, like many films from great French, Italian, and German directors. Truly surprising as before watching these two Haneke's films perhaps the best TV related film was 1989 Dekalog miniseries; but have to admit that I haven't seen Fassbinder's made for TV movies. If you wish to see film, use the link provided in previous Haneke's made for TV movie post.

Enjoy!!!

Lemminge, Teil 1 Arkadien (Lemmings, Part 1: Arcadia)

Fascinating early work by Michael Haneke that fast will grab your attention, hold it and won't release you until the very end. Most impressive is that this was about the fourth Haneke film and is a made for TV movie! Yes a TV movie. But never before have seen a made for TV movie like this one, and have seen my good share of old TV movies from Europe.

To be brief I'll do a comparison as reference and because there has to be a relationship. This 1979 movie feels like Haneke's 1997 Funny Games as has similar storytelling style that magnificently introduces us to characters and slowly their downturn begins. It does not look like the mentioned movie as here I believe he goes darker, very darker, disturbingly darker. Not only with narrative but also with the use of light. Yes I believe this is darker than Funny Games that was strictly violent, disturbingly violent.

Written by Haneke tells a story of five teenagers, a slice of their lives that begin at one point and end at another point; nothing much is said about before and you have to imagine what follows after the end. But obviously that's not what movie is about. This is a strong exploration of post-war youth and how damaged they are thanks to living in a morally very restrictive society. As in many of Haneke's films story is set in the past but is truly impressive how current they are, even today, 33 years after first was screened on Austrian TV.

Even if is told in movie, let me share a definition of Lemmings, one that is not about the rodent: a member of any large group following an unthinking course towards mass destruction. That's exactly what movie is all about.

Never is too late to discover Michael Haneke's early work and my purpose is to eventually watch all his TV movies that seem have his very distinctive mark. This movie has a second part, Lemminge, Teil 2 Verletzungen (Lemmings, Part 2: Injuries) which obviously I'm dying to see.

If you wish to read detailed plot for both films I suggest you check an excerpt of the book Funny Frames: The Filmic Concepts of Michael Haneke by Oliver C. Speck, that you can find here.

If you enjoy the current work by master filmmaker Michael Haneke then this film is must be seen for you. Film was uploaded today here (has English subtitles) and strongly suggest you watch film in your TV, not your computer.

Big Enjoy!!!

The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences News

Yesterday AMPAS published a press release that is causing waves all over the net, as even do was just announcing the Key Dates for the 85th Academy Awards, news below the dates plus having the Awards Nominations five (5) days before the previously announced date generated multiple reactions.

Last night when I saw that the new nominations date is January 10th, 2013 had the spontaneously reaction to believe is great, as for me the sooner I learn nominations the better, so the guessing game is over sooner. But then started to read what was below the dates announcement and some concerns started to emerge; still, decided to not comment yesterday but leave it for today, when my mind is fresher.

My first concern came to figure out when they are going to publish the shortlist of 9 films in the foreign language category as usually they do it about a week before the nominations. If they keep the tradition then they will announce them on Thursday, January 3. What? Not likely, as according to the key dates, January 3rd is when Nominations ends at 5:00 pm Pacific Time. So then maybe Friday? Also not likely as no matter what they do is not possible to announce results within 24 hours of voting closing. I have no idea when they will announce the shortlist, but according to category rules at official site, second print from shortlisted films is due by 5pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013.

G. Countries whose motion pictures are shortlisted will be required to provide a second English-language subtitled print or DCP of the film to facilitate voting screenings. This second print or DCP is due at the Academy by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, January 10, 2013.

Probably they haven't changed the date yet as seems not logical to have second print due in the same day where the five (5) nominees were announced at 5am. Nevertheless let's hope soon they will clarify this situation that seems will be complex due to season holidays where "everybody" takes days off since December 21st up to January 2nd. Maybe some will have to work during holidays, lol, which seems highly unlikely.

Second concern: The voting. This will be the first time the Academy will provide its membership the opportunity to vote electronically. Maybe I'll sound harsh but due to Academy members average age I suspect that not many are tech savvy and perhaps that's why still this year there will be several voting resources, including the installation of assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London plus a 24-hour telephone help line during voting period and -nonetheless- paper ballots. I know change is not easy and probably transition will not be smooth, but a little bird tells me that voting could be confusing, not for us outsiders, but for Academy members, organizers and last, but not least, auditors (PricewaterhouseCoopers). Ha.

There is more about the voting. In the pre-Nominations phase, members will continue to vote via paper ballot in eight categories due to specialized screening schedules and processes. Those categories are Animated Feature Film, Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling and Visual Effects. This means that Academy members that vote in those categories -not all members vote- still will use paper; which makes me wonder if organizers haven't heard about mobile apps? Bet you many have at least a smartphone. All right I'm being sarcastic. Somehow this year voting process is sounding to me more and more like the infamous Florida case in a previous presidential election. Yes, still being sarcastic.

Nevertheless the voting process could give us unexpected surprises, which is not bad news IF results (i.e. nominees) are worthy.

Third concern. The reason to advance the nominations announcement is the following:

In an effort to provide members and the public a longer period of time to see the nominated films, the Academy will reveal the 85th Academy Awards nominations on January 10, five days earlier than previously announced.

True, now there will be more time to see films between the nominations and the award ceremony for us outsiders and also for Academy members as final voting ends at 5pm PT on Tuesday, February 19, 2013. But while they widen this window they shorten the other window where there are many more films to watch. Yes, they shorten the time to see films in voting phase one, where Academy members decide the finalists. Now films that can afford to spend Big Money surely will have better chances -than those that don't- to be finalists, as surely most Academy members will not be able to watch the many deserving smaller films that do not generate much buzz.

There are more implications. Some studios and distributors are today surely scrambling their heads to find how to fit their own plans with such "short" notice. See, most top contenders plan releases during the holidays hoping to get more audiences and yes, Academy members going to regular theater screenings. But seems this year, thanks to voting beginning on Monday, December 17, 2012, they will have to do something that they do not like to do, send out screeners and/or stream their films BEFORE they release them, as like someone says: "private viewings exponentially increase the risk of someone pirating the film". There are about a dozen BIG films that will have to do this as their theatrical release is scheduled between December 14 and December 25.

Another implication is based on an speculative reason to advance the nominations date. Some renown cinema journalists are claiming that the Academy did it to get back more of the attention "stolen" from the other award shows. I don't know if they're right but I certainly hope is not one of the reasons, as we outsiders and cinema lovers, enjoy all the hype from the so-called "awards season". Me, I highly enjoy the hype of the World awards season that begins around the same time as the American season but ends a few months later.

But from what I read, there was one comment that made me think could be a more "realistic" possible reason; the Academy will advance the awards ceremony even further - maybe January?- next year. Who knows, I don't, if something like this could happen, but if announced with enough time, the American Cinema Industry will have more time to move their huge machinery and be ready to do what they always have done during the American award season. They also don't like much change and they always go back to their "usual" ways, sooner or later.

So an apparently routine press release has generated much buzz and no doubt noise will continue for more days. Noise is so loud, that today is not easy to find foreign language submissions as most searches -in many languages- bring back news about this press release and nothing else. Sigh. Hope noise goes away fast as there is nothing we -and everyone else- can do. The Academy has spoken and now is the "law"... okay, the rules. Ha.

Now, let see: What do you think, does the changes matter to you?

The following are the key dates and to check the complete press release go here.

The key dates are:
Friday, November 30, 2012: Official Screen Credits due
Saturday, December 1, 2012: Governors Awards presentation
Monday, December 17, 2012: Nominations voting begins
Thursday, January 3, 2013: Nominations voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 10, 2013: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Monday, February 4, 2013: Nominees Luncheon
Friday, February 8, 2013: Final voting begins
Saturday, February 9, 2013: Scientific and Technical Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 19, 2013: Final voting ends 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 24, 2013: 85th Academy Awards presentation

20th Raindance Film Festival

This is the second time I talk about this festival as the only post in the blog is from 2008 festival with the award winners. I do follow everything about this fest as for me has very unconventional films from all over the world. This year they did something that makes it very easy to share info about the fest, they published a digital catalog.

Catalog is large as has 196 pages, but believe me, it is a lot easier to read than browsing the maze of the fest site. Most interesting for me are the films in the following four sections: World Cinema, Way Out East, The Reel Quebec and Mexican Film.

So here it is the 2012 catalog converted for very easy reading. Enjoy!

Open publication -

25th European Film Awards - Animated Feature Film Nominations

A few minutes ago the Academy announced by press release the nominations selected by the committee with the following members: EFA Board Member Antonio Saura (producer, Spain) and EFA Member Per Holst (producer, Denmark) as well as representatives of CARTOON, the European Association of Animation Film, Brigitte Baronet (France), Tony Loeser (Germany), and Tomm Moore (Ireland).

These are the three nominated films.

Alois Nebel, Tomáš Luňák, Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia
Arrugas (Wrinkles), Ignacio Ferreras, Spain
The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists, Peter Lord, USA and UK

To check movie info go to official awards site here.

2012 Toronto International Film Festival Award Winners

We have to acknowledge that fest major and important service to the world cinema community is that has become one of the best sources to predict Oscar contenders and sometimes, winners as allows many American cinema journalists to actually see films and start the current award season media buzz. Obviously fest films clearly influences Critics' awards but we have to remember that not necessarily influences the other sectors awards, as for example and according to what I was reading, since 1999 only 3 films have won TIFF's top award and Oscar Best Picture.

I don't particularly follow the fest, but this year have to share that saw everyday developments thanks to the YouTube summary videos posted by the festival and tweets by some of the cinema journalists I follow. Festival is not that interesting for me as usually we already know most of the films in festival, thanks to following world festivals, plus fest site is not really that user friendly to understand and decode the many films that the fest screens. For example, this year there were 43 films produced or co produced by France which were really impossible to find as fest site only has film list by alphabet.

Anyway here are the award winners from news and as soon as fest site publishes list will post link.

People's Choice Awards

Feature Film: Silver Linings Playbook by David O. Russell
Runners-up: Argo by Ben Affleck and Zaytoun by Eran Riklis

Documentary: Artifact by Bartholomew Cubbins
Runners-up: Storm Surfers 3D by Christopher Nelius and Justin McMillan, and Revolution by Rob Stewart

Midnight Madness: Seven Psychopaths by Martin McDonagh
Runners-up: The Bay by Barry Levinson and John Dies at the End by Don Coscarelli

Canadian Films

Best Feature Film: Laurence Anyways by Xavier Dolan
Best First Feature Film: (tie)
Antiviral by Brandon Cronenberg
Blackbird by Jason Buxton
Best Short Film: Keep a Modest Head by Deco Dawson

FIPRESCI Awards
Special Presentations Section: Dans la maison (In the House) by François Ozon
Discovery Section: Call Girl by Mikael Marcimain

NETPAC Award: Kibô no kuni (The Land of Hope) by Sion Sono

Grolsch Film Works Discovery Award: Detroit Unleaded by Rola Nashef

If you're not familiar with the top award winner then can share that film star is none other than Jennifer Lawrence, another young actress that I follow her career closely and see everything with her (except scary movies). Also in movie Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Julia Stiles; if you follow Movie On facebook page you saw the trailer a long while back.

Info is up at fest site if you wish to check their announcement go here where some pics have links to movie info.

Les adieux à la reine (Farewell, My Queen)

An interesting glimpse into history in a movie that actually was filmed in Versailles and surprisingly for me shows not only the sumptuous lifestyle inside the palace but also the grim world of servant quarters. But I was not captivated by story as while watching I was thinking more about the different worlds that inhabit the palace and the historic events that happened at that time which amazingly resemble so much to what is happening today in current world time.

Based on a book with the same name by Chantal Thomas, this Benoît Jacquot film tells the story of four days at the eve of the French Revolution seen by a fictional character, Sidonie Laborde (Léa Seydoux) who is a reader to Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger). It is tale that that perfectly fits the label of a "women's point-of-view" as in story we have mainly female characters telling us about monarchy reactions to the storming of La Bastille, that with its fall is the flashpoint to the French Revolution and the beginning of modern France.

Let's be clear, this is not a history class. In the surface is a tale of a woman that will do anything and everything for the queen and indeed she does; but at least for me, was impossible not to relate what I was seeing to historical events and in my opinion, here is where this movie excels as have seen other same-period movies and none made me think about historic events. If you know your world history then maybe the same could happen to you and if it does, believe me, is a very interesting ride.

Movie absurd marketing told us that film had lesbian interest, specifically Marie Antoinette relationship with Gabrielle de Polignac (Virginie Ledoyen). As a matter of fact film was competing for the Teddy Award in the 2012 Berlinale, where was also in the main competition for the Golden Bear. Now I can tell you that film had no opportunity to win the Teddy as there is not much lesbian interest in this movie, just a few short scenes that suggest something that now, after reading historic facts, learned that has never been factual as seems was used for political reasons. I'm talking about de Polignac being Marie Antoinette lesbian lover published in the newspapers of that time. So if you watch movie expecting what marketing promised, maybe you will be disappointed.

Besides what I call my "history provocation" this movie has something else that definitively allowed me to think so much and follow closely what I was seeing in the screen, outstanding Léa Seydoux performance and quite good Diane Kruger interpretation of Marie Antoniette that included an Austrian accent while speaking French, which magnificently resembles possible reality. Brief Virginie Ledoyen performance was too short for me as I really like her performances and most of all, her fabulous voice tone. Last, but not least, film is a feast for the eyes if you enjoy watching glorious period costumes.

Have no idea if director storytelling style had the purpose to provoke history relationships, but know that his intention was to portrait intense emotions in a close environment far away from where history was developing. Actually he shows a tight close environment as camera never leaves Versailles in film and what we see in screen is characters having all sort of emotions; but for me, as a viewer, didn't felt any emotions, I was only an spectator, like a fly in the wall that can see everything but can't feel anything.

It's unusual for me to wait a long time before writing a review, but this time I wanted to digest what I saw and my reactions before deciding what to write, maybe that is why this review is kind of "brainy" but after all my first and foremost experience with this film was very brainy. I can't assure you will have the same experience but what I can suggest is not to skip this film that surely has something that you could enjoy.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Muriel fait le désespoir de ses parents (Muriel's Parents Have Had It Up to Here)

A nice -but very French- made for TV movie by Philippe Faucon that made me recall when movies were light and was common to show things that nowadays hardly anyone shows in the small or big screen. This feel-good movie with not much drama, showing life as it is, gave me a good entertainment moment while telling a "normal" story, French style of course.

Definitively a mainstream movie with nothing special, one that looks and feels like many European made for TV movies, but story plus storytelling style makes watching very enjoyable even today, seventeen years after was first released on French television. Yes, this is a 1995 movie that if you haven't watch it, I suggest you do. Good is to mention that film was screened at 1996 Locarno in competition at the Cinéastes du Présent section.

Film tells a very important slice of the life of Muriel played by Catherine Klein and is based on real life experiences that happened to the actress, who also co wrote the script; tells about Muriel realizing she's attracted to her friend Nora, how she tells her mother that she prefers girls over boys and how she finds her happy life. This simple and light story also talks about very profound things but you have to see film to find them.

Absolutely not the regular movie in the lesbian interest genre and one film that I know goes above and beyond the genre as could please general audiences that still recall how simple life was or could be, and do not mind watching very European movies.

A great unexpected surprise for me, which made me wish filmmakers could do now films as light and as real as this one as not only is very entertaining and makes you feel good, but also shows/says something profound that can stay a while in your head.

Enjoy!!!

Watch scene @MOC

Leaving here an excerpt from the dialogue that perhaps sounds dramatic but in my opinion was not at all. To me it was a wow-moment and made me smile.

MURIEL : Si, y a une chose que je voudrais te dire.
SA MÈRE : Qu’est-ce que c’est ? T’as fait une bêtise ?
MURIEL : Non mais faut que je te parle d’une chose.
SA MÈRE : Qu’est-ce qu’il y a ? T’as fait quelque chose de grave ? T’as quand même pas volé ? T’es enceinte ?
MURIEL : Non.
SA MÈRE : T’as couché avec un mec ?
MURIEL : Non.
SA MÈRE : C’est quoi ?
MURIEL : Voilà, y a une chose qu’il faut que tu saches. Faut que tu l’admettes et que tu me prennes avec ça parce que je ne changerai pas. C’est que je préfère les filles aux garçons.
SA MÈRE : Comment ça ? Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire ? Comment ça ? Mais t’as pas pu faire ça !
MURIEL : Me regarde pas comme ça, comme si j’étais sale.
SA MÈRE : C’est pas possible enfin ! Tu sais ce qu’elles font entre elles ces femmes-là ? C’est pas possible, t’as pas couché avec une fille !
MURIEL : Si.
SA MÈRE : Non, c’est pas possible. C’est pas vrai. Tu mens. Tu dis ça pour m’énerver.
MURIEL : Non, je mens pas.

25th European Film Awards - Long List

A few minutes ago the European Film Academy (EFA) announced the titles of the forty-seven (47) films on this year's selection with films that will be considered for a nomination in the European Film Awards.

In the 20 countries with the most EFA Members, these members have voted one national film directly into the selection list. To complete the list, a Selection Committee consisting of EFA Board Members and invited experts Pierre-Henri Deleau (France), Marit Kapla (Sweden), Stefan Kitanov (Bulgaria), Paz Lázaro (Spain), Derek Malcolm (UK), and Elma Tataragic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) have included further films.

These are the films.

A PERDRE LA RAISON (OUR CHILDREN), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium/France/Switzerland/Luxembourg
AΔΙΚΟΣ ΚΟΣΜΟΣ ADIKOS KOSMOS (UNFAIR WORLD), Filippos Tsitos, Greece/Germany
AZ AJTÓ (THE DOOR), István Szabó, Hungary/Germany
ALPEIS (ALPS), Yorgos Lanthimos, Greece
AMOUR (LOVE), Michael Haneke, Austria/France/Germany
THE ANGELS’ SHARE, Ken Loach, UK/France/Belgium/Italy
AVALON, Axel Petersén, Sweden
BARBARA, Christian Petzold, Germany
BİR ZAMANLAR ANADOLU’DA (ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA), Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey
CARNAGE, Roman Polanski, France/Germany/Poland/Spain
CESARE DEVE MORIRE (CAESAR MUST DIE), Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, Italy
CIGÁN (GYPSY), Martin Šulík, Czech Republic/Slovakia
CSAK A SZÉL (JUST THE WIND), Bence Fliegauf, Hungary/Germany/France
DE ROUILLE ET D’OS (RUST AND BONE), Jacques Audiard, France
DIAZ: DON’T CLEAN UP THIS BLOOD, Daniele Vicari, Italy/Romania/France
DJECA (CHILDREN OF SARAJEVO), Aida Begić, Bosnia & Herzegovina/Germany/France/Turkey
DUPĂ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS), Cristian Mungiu, Romania/France/Belgium
L’ENFANT D’EN HAUT (SISTER), Ursula Meier, Switzerland/France
FAUST, Alexander Sokurov, Russia
GRUPO 7 (UNIT 7), Alberto Rodriguez, Spain
ההתחלפות HAHITHALFUT (THE EXCHANGE), Eran Kolirin, Israel/Germany
השוטר HASHOTER (POLICEMAN), Nadav Lapid, Israel
HASTA LA VISTA (COME AS YOU ARE), Geoffrey Enthoven, Belgium
IN DARKNESS, Agnieszka Holland, Germany/Poland/Canada
INTOUCHABLES (UNTOUCHABLE), Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano, France
IO SONO LI (SHUN LI AND THE POET), Andrea Segre, Italy
IRON SKY, Timo Vuorensola, Finland/Germany/Australia
JAGTEN (THE HUNT), Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark
KAUWBOY, Boudewijn Koole, The Netherlands
КЕЦОВЕ KETCOVE (SNEAKERS), Ivan Vladimirov & Valery Yordanov, Bulgaria
EN KONGELIG AFFÆRE (A ROYAL AFFAIR), Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark
KRIEGERIN (COMBAT GIRLS), David Wnendt, Germany
PARADA (THE PARADE), Srđjan Dragojević, Serbia
PARADIES: LIEBE (PARADISE: LOVE), Ulrich Seidl, Austria/Germany/France
POUPATA (FLOWER BUDS), Zdeněk Jiráský, Czech Republic
RÓŻA (ROSE), Wojciech Smarzowski, Poland
SHAME, Steve McQueen, UK
SMRT ČOVEKA NA BALKANU (DEATH OF A MAN IN BALKANS), Miroslav Momčilović, Serbia
SØNNER AV NORGE (SONS OF NORWAY), Jens Lien, Norway
SUEÑO Y SILENCIO (THE DREAM AND THE SILENCE), Jaime Rosales, Spain/France
TABU, Miguel Gomes, Portugal/Germany/Brazil/France
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, Tomas Alfredson, France/UK/Germany
В ТУМАНΕ V TUMANE (IN THE FOG), Sergei Loznitsa, Germany/Russia/Latvia/the Netherlands/Belarus
LA VOZ DORMIDA (THE SLEEPING VOICE), Benito Zambrano, Spain
VUOSAARI (NAKED HARBOUR), Aku Louhimies, Finland
Жената која ги избриша своите солзи ZENATA KOJA GI IZBRISA SOLZITE (THE WOMAN WHO BRUSHED OFF HER TEARS), Teona Strugar Mitevska, Macedonia/Belgium/Slovenia/Germany
ЖИЛА-БЫЛА ОДНА БАБА ZHILA-BYLA ODNA BABA (ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED A SIMPLE WOMAN), Andrey Smirnov, Russia

To check the list with movie info at the European Film Awards official site go here.

As every single year the Academy members will have a very hard task selecting one film to vote as there are TOO MANY extraordinary movies; how can you decide, for example, between Haneke, Audiard, Mungiu, Loznitsa, Ceylan and Sokurov? I can't.

Anyway, in the coming weeks, the 2,700 members of the European Film Academy will vote for the nominations in the different award categories. The nominations will then be announced on 3 November at the Seville European Film Festival in Spain and the 25th European Film Awards ceremony will take place in Malta on 1 December. The ceremony will be streamed live at the awards official site and yes, I'll be watching.

The list has many films that I have not seen, many that are must be seen for me, some that I did not particularly liked and one or two that I wish not to see. The good news for me is that list also has some movies I was not familiar with and now will like to learn more about them.

Cheers!!!

60th San Sebastian Film Festival Lineup

Been waiting for the official site to publish complete info and finally is up in English. Lineup with a few exceptions seems interesting as has some films that are must be seen for me, but I knew about many before the fest officially announced them. According to what I see in the fest official site the fest will screen a total of 230 films.

Here are the films in the three main competitive sections of this festival that will run from September 21st to 29th.

Official Selection

Opening Film: Arbitrage, Nicholas Jarcki, USA
All Apologies, Emily Tang, China
El Artista y La Modelo, Fernando Trueba, Spain
The Attack, Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma, Lebanon, France, Qatar, Belgium
Blancanieves (Snow White), Pablo Berger, Spain and France
Le Capital (Capital), Costa-Gavras, France
Dans La Maison (In The House), François Ozon, France
Días de pesca (Gone Fishing), Carlos Sorín, Argentina
Die Lebeden (The Dead and The Living), Barbara Albert, Austria, Poland and Germany
Fasle Kargadan (Rhino Season), Bahman Ghobadi, Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan
Foxfire, Laurent Cantet, France and Canada
Hypnotisören (The Hypnotist), Lasse Hallström, Sweden
El Muerto y Ser Feliz (The Dead Man and Being Happy), Javier Rebollo, Spain, Argentina and France
Venuto al Mondo (Twice Born), Sergio Castellitto, Italy and Spain

Jury
President: Christine Vauchon, producer USA
Mia Hansen-Løve, director, France
Julie Taymor, director, USA
Agusti Villaronga, director, Spain
Ricardo Darin, actor, Argentina
Peter Suschitzky, cinematographer, Poland
Michel Gaztambide, screenwriter,

Out of Competition

Closing Film: Quartet, Dustin Hoffman, UK
Argo, Ben Affleck, USA
¡Atraco!, Eduard Cortés, Spain and Argentina
The Impossible, Juan Antonio Bayona, Spain

New Directors

7 Cajas (7 Boxes), Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori, Paraguay
Animals, Marçal Forés, Spain
Carne de Perro (Dog Flesh), Fernando Guzzoni, Chile, France and Germany
Chaika (Seagull), Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Spain, Georgia and Russia
Cores (Colors), Francisco Garcia, Brazil
Draussen Ist Sommer (Summer Outside), Friederike Jehn, Germany and Switzerland
Los Increíbles (The Incredibles), David Valero, Spain (documentary)
Le Jour des Corneilles (Day of The Crows), Jean-Christophe Dessaint, France and Belgium (animation)
Layali Bala Noom (Sleepless Nights), Elaine Raheb, Lebanon, Dubai, Qatar, Palestine and France
El Limpiador (The Cleaner), Adrián Saba, Peru
The Love Songs of Tiedan, Hao Jie, China
Parviz, Majid Barzegar, Iran
Rocker, Marian Crisan, Romania, France and Germany
Shell, Scott Graham, UK
Shesh Peamin (Six Acts), Jonathan Gurfinkel, Israel
Silent City, Threes Anna, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium
Viceværten (A Caretaker's Tale), Katrine Wiedemann, Denmark

Jury
President: Katayoon Shahbi, producer, Iran
Radu Muntean, director, Romania
Demetrios Matheou, writer and film critic, UK
Lourdes Oñederra, writer, Spain
Diana Sánchez, TIFF programmer and now IFF Panama Artistic Director

Horizontes Latinos

Opening Film: Infancia Clandestina (Clandestine Childhood), Benjamín Ávila, Argentina, Spain and Brazil
Aquí y allá, Antonio Méndez Esparza, Mexico, Spain and USA
El Bella Vista (The Bella Vista), Alicia Cano, Uruguay and Germany (documentary)
La Demora (The Delay), Rodrigo Plá, Uruguay, Mexico and France
Despues de Luicia, Michel Franco, Mexico
Era Uma Vez Eu, Veronica (Once Upon A Time Was I, Veronica), Marcelo Gomes, Brasil
Joven & Alocada (Young & Wild), Marialy Rivas, Chile
La Playa, Juan Andrés Arango, Colombia, Brazil and France
Post Tenebras Lux, Carlos Reygadas, Mexico, France, Germany and Netherlands
Salsipuedes, Mariano Luque, Argentina
La Sirga, William Vega, Colombia, Mexico and France
El Ultimo Elvis, Armando Bo, Argentina and USA

Jury
President: Jorge Dexler, musician, Uruguay
Fernanda del Nido, producer, Argentina
Sandro Fiorin, producer

Ewan McGregor, Tommy Lee Jones, and John Travolta will receive the Donostia Award as well as Dustin Hoffman and Oliver Stone the Special 60th Anniversary Donostia Award. To check films info for above sections plus films in other sections go here.

Definitively Castellitto film calls my attention but I'm puzzled with the casting; been following everything about Paraguay's 7 Boxes as seems film is my kind of film; glad to find a new Marian Crisan movie that seems to have great visuals - similar to Mungiu's latest film. Lasse Hallström and Laurent Cantet films are highly attractive for me, as well as became really interested in Bahman Ghobadi's film. But most interesting to find a new Rodrigo Plá movie plus the latest Costa-Gavras film that instantly become must be seen for me.

As we know the FIPRESCI Grand Prix for Best Film of the Year is given at the fest opening gala; FIPRESCI already announced the film and is none other than Amour (Love) by Michael Haneke. From the Thematic Retrospectives, worth mention is the In Progress - Ten Years With Latin America Cinema as for those that enjoy non-traditional cinema from the region, films to be screened make a great list to check films you may have forgotten, list is here.

돈의 맛 Do-nui Mat (The Taste of Money)

Cannot understand why this film was in competition at 2012 Cannes and only assume that organizers invited film because the success of Im Sang-soo's previous film Hanyeo (The Housemaid) but maybe they didn't watch film before the invitation. Can tell you that this movie is no sequel to The Housemaid and maybe can be considered as a parallel story told from a male point of view.

According to what I read Im Sang-soo mentions that while The Housemaid was about the women, The Taste of Money is about the men. Indeed we can say that lead is one man, Joo Young-jak ( played by Kim Kang-woo), but his performance absolutely is diminished by one woman Baek Geum-ok (played by Yoon Yeo-jeong) that in my opinion steals the movie to make it her own. So, to me this was another women story that unfortunately was not as interesting as The Housemaid story; still, what both movies have in common is a soapy melodramatic story.

Somehow I imagined that story was going to be a melodrama, so no surprise to be right; but I was expecting great visuals as good as in The Housemaid. Trailer and stills promised that could be similar but NO was not similar as this movie moves inside another high class house that was not as great as in The Housemaid. In other words, set design quality was inferior here; so no matter how the camera moved, visuals were not that much impressive. If you have a so-so repetitive story plus inferior visuals then movie becomes less interesting and more mainstream entertainment.

Film tells another "power corrupts" story but here is more clearly stated by showing how elites are above the law, which maybe if director explored more this story film would have been a bit more memorable. Instead he chose the path of presenting the so common dysfunctional family where husband cheats, wife gets mad and seeks revenge, start killing people and ends like nothing happened, everything is back to normal.

Film is also marketed because the sex scenes but again can assure that scenes are nothing special and a lot tamer than in The Housemaid, so if you wish to see film for this reason maybe you'll be disappointed. As you can see comparisons between both films are inevitable but if you have not seen The Housemaid maybe you will enjoy this film, still have to suggest you watch The Housemaid instead of this one. Sigh.

Watched the complete film and is okay to kill sometime and have an average entertainment moment.

Enjoy.

Watch trailer @MOC

69th Venice International Film Festival Award Winners

It is known as Murphy's Law but who could imagine that while watching the fest streaming my Internet connection AND the computer BOTH will fail? That's exactly what happened. Good that I have a laptop because none of the "i" devices (Phone or Pad) worked with the streaming, LOL!

Nevertheless I'm glad the fest is over and here are the winners as published in the Official festival site.

VENEZIA 69 (The Competition)

Golden Lion for Best Film: 피에타 Pieta, Kim Ki-Duk, South Korea

Special Jury Prize: Paradies: Glaube (Paradise: Faith), Ulrich Seidl, Austria, France and Germany

Silver Lion for Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master, USA

Volpi Cup for Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Hadas Yaron in Lemale Et Ha'Chalal (Fill The Void), Rama Burshtein, Israel

Osella for Best Screenplay: Après mai (Something in the Air), Olivier Assayas, France
Osella for Best Cinematography:  È stato il figlio, Daniele Ciprì, Italy

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress: Fabrizio Falco in È stato il figlio, Daniele Ciprì, Italy and Bella Addormentata (Dormant Beauty), Marco Bellocchio, Italy and France

Lion of the Future – Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film:  Küf (Mold), Ali Aydin, Turkey and Germany

Orizzonti Awards

Best Film: San Zi Mei (Three Sisters), Bing Wang, France, Hong Kong and China
Special Jury Prize: Tango Libre, Frédéric Fonteyne, Belgium, France and Luxembour
Best Short Film: Cho-De (Invitation), Min-Young Yoo, South Korea, 16'
Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards: Titloi Telous (Out of Frame), Yorgos Zois, Greece, 10'

Autonomous Sections

9th Giornate degli Autori - Venice Days
Europe Cinemas Label: Crawl, Hervé Lasgouttes, France

27th Settimana Internazionale Della Critica - Venice International Film Critics Week
RaroVideo Audience Award: Äta sova dö (Eat Sleep Die), Gabriela Pichler, Sweden

Collateral Awards

FIPRESCI Prizes
Best Film from Venezia 69: The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Best Film from Orizzonti and International Critics' Week: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany

CICAE Award: Wadjda, Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia and Germany

SIGNIS Award: To The Wonder, Terrence Malick, USA
Special Mention: Lemale Et Ha'Chalal (Fill The Void), Rama Burshtein, Israel

Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award: Pieta, Kim Ki-Duk, South Korea
La Navicella - Venezia Cinema Award: Sinapupunan (Thy Womb), Brillante Mendoza, Philippines
Queer Lion: 무게 Mooge (The Weight), Jeon Kyu-hwan, South Korea

AIF - Forfilmfest Award: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
Brian Award: Bella Addormentata (Dormant Beauty), Marco Bellocchio, Italy and France
Christopher D. Smithers Foundation Award: Low Tide, Roberto Minervini, USA, Italy and Belgium
CIT UNESCO Enrico Fulchignoni Award: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
Fondazione Mimmo Rotella Award: Après mai (Something in the Air), Olivier Assayas, France
Green Drop Award: La Cinquiéme Saison, Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth, Belgium, Netherlands and France
Interfilm Award for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue: Wadjda, Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia and Germany
Laterna Magica (CGS) Award: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
Lina Mangiacapre Award: Queen of Montreuil, Sòlveig Anspach, France
Open Award: The Company You Keep, Robert Redford, USA
Premio Cinematografico Civitas Vitae Prossima Award: Terramatta, Constanza Quatriglio, Italy
UK-Italy Creative Industries Award - Best Innovative Budget Award: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
YouTube First Your Film Festival Grand Prize: La Culpa (The Guilt), David Victori, Spain

Arca CinemaGiovani Award
Best Film Venezia 69: La Cinquiéme Saison, Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth, Belgium, Netherlands and France
Best Italian Film: La città ideale, Luigi Lo Cascio, Italy

Biografilm Lancia Award:(tie)
La nave dolce (The Human Cargo), Daniele Vicari, Italy and Albania
Bad 25, Spike Lee, USA

CinemAvvenire Awards
Best Film Venezia 69: Paradies: Glaube (Paradise: Faith), Ulrich Seidl, Austria, France and Germany
Best Film Cinema for Peace and Diversity Richness: Wadjda, Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia and Germany

FEDIC Award: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
Special Mention: Bellas Mariposas, Salvatore Mereu, Italy

Francesco Pasinetti (SNGCI) Awards
Best Film: L'Intervallo, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Italy, Switzerland and Germany
Best Documentary: La nave dolce (The Human Cargo), Daniele Vicari, Italy and Albania
Best Actor: Valerio mastandrea in Gli Equilibristi, Ivano de Matteo, Italy and France
Pasinetti Speciale: Clarisse by Liliana Cavani, Italy

Future Film Festival Digital Award: Bad 25, Spike Lee, USA
Special Mention: Spring Breakers, Harmony Korine, USA

Giovani Giurati del Vittorio Veneto Film Festival Award: The Company You Keep, Robert Redford, USA
Special Mention: Toni Sevillo

Mouse d'Oro Award: Pieta, Kim Ki-Duk, South Korea
Mouse d'Argento Award: Anton tut ryadom (Anton's Right Here) by Lyubov Arkus, Russia

P. Nazareno Taddei Award: Pieta, Kim Ki-Duk, South Korea
Special Mention: Sinapupunan (Thy Womb), Brillante Mendoza, Philippines

Other Awards

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Francesco Rosi
Robert Bresson Award for Lifetime Achievements: Ken Loach
Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award: Spike Lee
Persol Award: Michael Cimino
SNGCI Pietro Bianchi Award: Gianni Amelio
Gucci Award for Women in Cinema: Thelma Schoonmaker
L'Oreal Paris Award for Cinema: Giulia Bevilacqua
Gillo Pontecorvo - Arcobalento Latino Award: Laura Delli Colli

To read official announcement go here. As got several collateral awards it's impossible not to be curious about Leonardo Di Costanzo's L'Intervallo, will pay attention to this film. Good.

Awards not Associated with Festival

Independent Critics Award Bisato d'Oro
Best Film: Bellas Mariposas, Salvatore Mereu, Italy
Best Director: Jazmin Lopez for Leones, Argentina, France and Netherlands
Best Actress: Nora Aunor in Sinapupunan (Thy Womb), Brillante Mendoza, Philippines

Day 10 - 69th Venice International Film Festival

The last day of the festival and all films in main competition have been screened, at least to the press. Is time to close this festival that seemed so promising in paper, before started, as gave the impression that was "different". Indeed was quite different but in my opinion the difference strongly tilted to the not-positive side after the second day. Hope that next year organizers review the fest to re-formulate the structure of the oldest festival in the world. Now I'm really curious to find what will happen with the Rome Film Festival and soon enough, November 9, all of us will find out.

As you know in previous posts the two Autonomous Sections closed today and some awards have been already announced. I'm still curious to find who wins what as no matter what happens with fest a Lion in any color plus la Copa Volti are still great honors in the cinema industry.

Venezia 69

Passion by Brian De Palma

Obviously must be seen for me as I see everything with Noomi Rapace and well, older films by De Palma are good so there is always hope that he does something different to his latest films. My concern is that film is a remake of a film by Alain Corneau, Crime d'Amour with two of my favorite actresses, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier.

When I leaned about this film, long before Venice fest, was very difficult for me to imagine Noomi playing the role Ludivine played; but harder was imagining Rachel McAdams playing Kristin Scott Thomas role! I do not particularly like any of the Rachel McAdams performances I have seen and on top can't imagine she acting beside a great actress like Noomi. I know both were already in one film but both were terrible and as far as I remember they had no scene together.

Perceptions started to get better when I learned that De Palma changed the story, good as literal remakes are always awful. But still have problems imagining Rapace and McAdams together. Will be until after seeing movie that will know if these two actresses have chemistry, as will be indispensable for the steamy scenes but also for the whole film.

As reviews have started to appear I learned that some are mildly positive while others are mildly negative. Key word is mild. Seems no one is excited enough to be positive or negative. Not really full-reading reviews but since I know the story, did peak a little to find what they say. There is one headline that made me laugh out loud "It's very much a film for women"; funny headline, but then if I think about Corneau's film have to agree with it. So maybe De Palma film is not that much different.

So, what do I expect from this movie? Good/great steamy lesbian interest scenes and really hope for a great Noomi Rapace performance as role and De Palma could make Noomi to do its best performance in English, up to date. Watched Noomi Rapace interview video and best news are that she's currently filming a Swedish movie! Great, miss her in any other language that is not English. Anyway the synopsis.

An erotic thriller in the tradition of Dressed to Kill and Basic Instinct, Brian De Palma’s Passion tells the story of a deadly power struggle between two women in the dog-eat-dog world of international business. Christine possesses the natural elegance and casual ease associated with one who has a healthy relationship with money and power. Innocent, lovely and easily exploited, her admiring protegée Isabelle is full of cutting edge ideas that Christine has no qualms about stealing. They’re on the same team, after all... Christine takes pleasure in exercising control over the younger woman, leading her one step at a time ever deeper into a game of seduction and manipulation, dominance and humiliation. But when Isabelle falls into bed with one of Christine’s lovers, war breaks out. On the night of the murder, Isabelle is at the ballet, while Christine receives an invitation to seduction. From whom? Christine loves surprises. Naked she goes to meet the mystery lover waiting in her bedroom...

Film will also be in Toronto soon, so more reviews will be available soon and maybe those will be more extreme and less mild. Sigh.



Un Giorno Speciale by Francesca Comencini

According to what I have seen from this film really doesn't call my attention as seems like a regular Italian film, which is not bad but is not the kind of movies that make my excited to see them. The synopsis.

Gina and Marco are both very young and are determined to be “someone.” They meet one morning in a shabby suburb at the gates of Rome. She has an appointment with a politician who could put a good word in for her and help her enter the entertainment world; he is the driver who has to take her to the meeting. It is the moment both have been waiting for: their first day of work and their entry into the adult world. But nothing goes according to plan. The politician, stuck in a never-ending parliamentary session, keeps postponing the meeting, leaving the two young people in a limbo of waiting that soon turns into a special day. It will take them from the provinces to the heart of the capital, in which the two of them will get to know each other. But the immediate future is always lying in ambush. Just when Marco and Gina have revealed their true selves and entered under each other’s skin, forgetting about everything else— including that appointment which just a few hours earlier had seemed so important to them—the eagerly anticipated phone call comes crashing down on them. Later, when Marco takes Gina back home, night has fallen and so has the silence between them. Their lives have changed.

The director's statement

I wanted to make a simple, uncomplicated and seemingly spontaneous film that looked a bit messy. In reality, it is a written and well-constructed film in which a small window was left open for any changes. I wanted to make a fi lm about two young people on the outskirts who get closer to the centre. I wanted to depict their day through delicate touches and make a film that was precise, light and quick both in its narrative arc—a single day—and in the rhythm of the story. I thought this was the only way I’d be able to capture something that lightly and rapidly takes hold of our lives, making them heavy and timeless.

News

L'Oreal Paris Award went to Giulia Bevilacqua.

Photo

Actresses Josephine de la Baume and Roxane Mesquida attend Xan Cassavettes' Kiss of the Dammed photocall today and share a kiss for the press at yesterday red carpet.

6th Queer Lion Award Winner

Today the award winner was announced by organizers.

무게 Mooge (The Weight), Jeon Kyu-hwan, South Korea (G, T)

The strong drama "The Weight" presented in the Venice Days sidebar of the 69. Venice International Film Festival, won the Queer Lion Award 2012.
The jury, headed by directors Daniele Coluccini & Matteo Botrugno and composed by Queer Lion founder Daniel N. Casagrande and Marco Busato, general delegate of cultural association CinemArte, unanimously awarded the prize "for dealing in a poetic and convincing way with an extreme language covering topics as diverse as they often are taboos, and for depicting, in a way as straightforward as it is devoid of morbidity, a gallery of borderline characters looking for their own corner of the world where living without being judged for their differences."

Film seems interesting beyond the genre and probably will watch as soon as possible. To read the official announcement go here.

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8/21 - Lineup
The preliminary list of films that will be competing for this year Biennale collateral award has been released and includes seven films with LGTB interest. Before listing the films and considering what is being commented in the 2012 Queer Palm post, will share how this award has been improving their organization as well as obtained the support of four entities that improves their recognition as an award. Consider that the award is still "young" (especially compared to the Teddy) plus happens in a country that hosts the Head of the Catholic Church and perhaps you will better realize their task as an organization.

Queer Lion, the collateral award of the 69th Venice International Film Festival dedicated to movies "with homosexual themes or queer interest" is now in its sixth year, yet again under the prestigious patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Veneto Region, Province of Venice, Venice Municipality and the National Union of Italian Film Critics.

The preliminary list contains some films that I consider "very good films" that obviously are not only must be seen for me but if they have what organizers call "steamy lesbian sex scenes" then definitively is a plus to stimulate more my interest.

The Films

Official Selection - In Competition
Passion, Brian de Palma, France and Germany (L)

Official Selection - Out of Competition
Cherchez Hortense, Pascal Bonitzer, France (G)
Den skaldede frisør (Love is All You Need), Susanne Bier, Denmark and Sweden

Venice Days
Acciaio (Steel), Stefano Mordini, Italy (L)
무게 Mooge (The Weight), Jeon Kyu-hwan, South Korea (G, T)
6 Sull'Autobus, Simone Dante Antonelli, Giacomo Bisordi, Rita de Donato, Irene di Lelio, Antonio Ligas, Emiliano Russo, Italy (Short Collection) - Short film: Unghie (Nails) by Emiliano Russo (T)

Venice International Film Critics Week
Kiss Of The Dammed, Xan Cassavetes, USA (L)

The Jury
Presidents: Matto Brotugno, director and Daniele Coluccini, director
Daniel N. Casagrande, creator of "Queer Lion Club"
Marco Busato, General Delegate of cultural association CinemArte

As mentioned this is a preliminary list that will be updated as soon as more information becomes available; updates will be announced at the award site and will update this post accordingly. One film that seems will be also included is Spring Breakers by Harmony Korine but we will have to wait until is confirmed.

Yes, Brian de Palma's Passion is one of the two films with "steamy lesbian sex scenes" and my imagination went "wild" with the idea of Noomi Rapace involved in some of those scenes; definitively will have to control my expectations as above all, this is a Brian de Palma's film and that's the main reason why is must be seen for me.

The following is the catalog published by organizers with films info available in Italian and English.

Open publication

Day 9 - 69th Venice International Film Festival

In two more days the fest will close but today media attention will be less than before (if possible) as today Toronto fest starts and has not only more celebrities but an interesting -different to other years- lineup. The most surprising news I read today is about Robert Redford greeting the Italian President, check photo at the end of post.

Venezia 69

La Cinquiéme Saison by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth

Not much interested in watching this movie as I did not enjoyed his last film Altiplano, but maybe now that they returned to what they really know, Belgium, film could be interesting; besides the film premise seems could be interesting as another way to view where inevitability we are going and sooner than later, we will arrive.. The synopsis.

A mysterious calamity strikes: spring doesn’t come. In a village deep in the Ardennes the cycle of nature is capsized. WINTER—In which Alice, a farmer’s daughter, and Thomas, a reclusive teenager, are in love. And in which the annual bonfire celebrating the end of winter fails to burn. SPRING—In which the bees vanish, the seeds won’t grow and the cows refuse to give milk. And in which the first victim falls. SUMMER—In which a passing flower vendor brings ephemeral joy. And in which insects abound, panic mounts and violence explodes. FALL—In which all civility has dissolved. And in which the angels take flight.

Film closes a trilogy that started in Mongolia and continued in Peru. The directors' statement.

What would happen if spring didn’t come? After shooting Khadak in Mongolia and Altiplano in Peru it was a necessity to conclude our trilogy in the place where we live in Belgium. In La cinquième saison nature takes the upper hand in its protest against man’s arrogance. By doing nothing, giving nothing, by denying the earth fertility, nature sparks the rapid implosion of a whole community. Emerging from the wreckage are a few souls who take flight. Their fate is unknown.

Maybe is not another "end of the world" movie but surely and perhaps with a bit of fantasy, film will shows us a perspective of what we are doing to Planet Earth. Finally watched trailer and as expected images are great, hope story doesn't interfere with great images as happened with Altiplano

Sinapupunan (Thy Womb) by Brillante Mendoza

I have seen very interesting movies by Mendoza but somehow wonder if this film will be one that I could enjoy. The synopsis first, the director's statement next.

Shaleha Sarail hails from a water-village in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi. The province is a seaweed producing area in the southern most part of the Philippines down to the Malaysian and Indonesian archipelagos. A woman of mature years, experiencing a 3rd miscarriage, Shaleha agonizes that she can’t bear a child. Though an adoptive parent to her nephew, she still feels that her husband Bangas An desires to be a father. To fulfill her husband’s only wish and to be blessed by Allah as having a child is a tangible proof of divine grace, Shaleha decides to march to a different drummer. Her resolve is to find a new partner for her husband. Night and day, she and her husband sail island, floating-village, and nearby communities in search of a fertile woman. Providentially, Shaleha finds the girl as recommended by friends. But on the eve of her husband’s second marriage to Mersila, a gnawing jealousy consumes Shaleha.

As a film, Sinapupunan examines the opposing natures of two women (Shaleha’s sterility against Mersila’s fertility) to reflect the prevailing condition in Tawi-Tawi, a place endowed with natural beauty and rich resources but mired in economic and socio-political crises. A quiet hell of a paradise, Sinapupunan’s “birth place” and its environs are constant reminders of yesterday’s conflict that has remained unresolved up to the present.

Surely will give film a try hoping that story will be interesting and that Mendoza goes back to his top form as a filmmaker. There is a so-called trailer around but is not and images look with very low quality, was able to see the official trailer that debuted at festival and yes, images are stunning! Perhaps is Mendoza's most visually appealing film to date. Great. Unfortunately can't embed trailer to trailer blog from source. Found a HD video that almost looks like the one I saw. Check trailer blog.

Out of Competition

The Company You Keep by Robert Redford

Definitively a mainstream movie from America but worth mention is that Julie Christie and Richard Jenkins also are in film along Redford and the young kid that I've been waiting for him to stop doing Summer movies, Shia LaBeouf. The very long synopsis for you, as won't read it.

Jim Grant is a civil rights lawyer and single father raising his daughter in the tranquil suburbs of Albany, NY. His world is turned upside down, when a brash young reporter named Ben Shepard, exposes Grant’s true identity as a former 1970s antiwar radical fugitive wanted for murder. After living for more than thirty years underground as a lawyer, Grant must now go on the run. He is the center of a nationwide manhunt and with the FBI in hot pursuit, he sets off on a cross-country journey to track down the one person that can clear his name. Shepard knows the significance of the national news story he has exposed and for a journalist, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. Hell-bent on making a name for himself, he is willing to stop at nothing to capitalize on it. He digs deep into Grant’s past. Despite warnings from his editor and threats from the FBI, Shepard relentlessly tracks Grant across the country. As Grant reopens old wounds and reconnects with former members of his group, the Weather Underground, Shepard realizes something about this man is just not adding up. With the FBI closing in, Shepard uncovers the shocking secrets Grant has been keeping for the past three decades. As the Grant and Shepard come face to face in the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, they each must come to terms with who they really are.

The director's statement seems more interesting and yes I read it.

I’ve always been drawn to stories about America that dig under the surface and focus in on the gray areas— exploring the complex picture versus the more oft used two-dimensional one—the truth (writ large) that defines who we really are. This is a story about facing the repercussions of our sometimes misguided choices of youth and how the challenges of love and conviction permeate time and are at once perilous and inescapable.

No doubt I'll be watching this movie but not rushing to do so.

Not So Serious

I'm starting to worry, no Noomi in Venice and tomorrow is the premiere; not even Brian de Palma or Rachel McAdams. Strange because photos start to appear the day before the photocall, press conference, and premiere.

Photo

Robert Redford greeting Italy's President.