Post Mortem

Film started like a story about a deadpan face obsessive stalker-alike neighbor that wanted to “meet” Nancy, his front door neighbor. Continued with all his life little dull life nuances at home and at work, where he was an autopsy recorder of the very old fashion and traditional style. Life was monotonous and Mario found the way to meet Nancy but she literally escapes from his company. A discussion at work, only way to keep what they have is with arms… finally film touches the theme I was waiting for! Yes I knew what film was about and for more than half the film I was impatiently waiting for the film to start. Big mistake!

If you want to enjoy movie first half I strongly suggest you learn nothing about this movie otherwise you will be just like me “waiting for the movie to start”.

Pablo Larraín film will hit you hard probably as much as really hit those that live it and lived to tell. Set a few days before the other September 11th, tells Mario’s story but as you can imagine is only the excuse to tell what was happening before, during and after that fatidic date in 1973 and Larraín chooses to tell it in an unconventional, unique, and unexpected way that will hit you hard while watching but more after when you play the movie again in your head. Still on the surface is a dark non-romantic love story. But after all movie is about the death of a nation, about dead people and about a love that dies; I’m sure it will hit you more than what you imagine and could expect.

With only a few characters and starring incredible Alfredo Castro of Tony Manero’s fame film showcases very interesting visual narrative with high production values that will keep your undivided attention even when movie has slow pace that feels slower in the first half and so fast in the second half even when rhythm is the same the entire picture. But film’s provocation does not only comes from the story, also comes from an astoundingly beautiful framing and composition, especially in many takes with the space off the screen when we cannot see what goes on.

Premiered in competition at 2010Venice and followed with San Sebastian fest at Horizontes Latinos, film continued to collect honors in the fest circuit, including the one I gave it from just watching the trailer that now I absolutely confirm as this is an almost perfect cinema masterpiece. Chapeau Pablo Larraín.

Not for all audiences, you have to enjoy art cinema with strong stories that are not easy to watch and yes, to understand if you’re not familiar with true history; still I believe movie could be interesting even if only you can see is the dark love story. But again, be prepared as film will hit you hard and harder after watching.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch Trailer @MOC

2011 German Film Awards Winners

On April 8th they had the award ceremony and winners are in *BLUE. To check the complete list of award winners go here for German or here for English.

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3/14/11
Last Friday the 16 categories of the Deutscher Filmpreis, better known as Lola Awards, were announced and here are the nominees for some categories.

Best Film
*Vincent Will Meer (Vincent Wants to Sea), Ralf Huettner BEST FILM IN GOLD
*Almanya- Willkommen in Deutchland;(Almanya – Welcome to Germany), Yasemin Samdereli BEST FILM IN SILVER
*Wer Wenn Nicht Wir (If Not Us, Who), Andres Veiel BEST FILM IN BRONZE
Der Ganz Große Traum, Sebastian Grobler
Drei (Three), Tom Tykwer
Goethe! (Young Goethe in Love), Philipp Stölzl

Best Director
Florian Cossen for Das Lied In Mir (The Day I Was Not Born)
*Tom Tykwer for Drei (Three)
Wim Wenders for Pina

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bernadette Heerwagen in Die Kommenden Tage (Days to Come),
Lena Lauzemis in Wer Wenn Nicht Wir (If Not Us, Who), Andres Veiel
*Sophie Rois in Drei (Three), Tom Tykwer

Best Actor in a Leading Role
August Diel in Wer Wenn Nicht Wir (If Not Us, Who), Andres Veiel
Alexander Fehling in Goethe! (Young Goethe in Love), Philipp Stölzl
*Florian David Fitz in Vincent Will Meer (Vincent Wants to Sea), Ralf Huettner

To check nominations in all categories go here or here  available in German or here for English.

If you’re wondering why Die Fremde is not nominated you have to check last year nominations as was nominated and competed against Das Weisse Band that of course won. Film with most nominations (6) is Tom Tykwer’s Drei (Three), followed with five by Andres Veiel’s If Not Us, Who and Ralf Huettner’s Vincent Wants to Sea.

The Lola Awards ceremony will be held on April 8th at the Friedrichstadtpalast in Berlin.

64th Festival de Cannes Cinéfondation, Short Films Competition and More News

Cinéfondation

Also announced today is the selection of short and medium-length films from schools all over the world with a total of sixteen (16) works selected this year from countries like Czech Republic, Singapore, USA, Israel, Belgium, Brazil, France, Argentina, Italy and South Korea. To learn the films please go here and scroll down to the Cinéfondation section.

The jury headed by Michel Gondry will announce the three Cinéfondation Prizes on May20th.

Both sessions of the Résidence 2011 (21 and 22) will be represented at the Festival and the films will be screened by Cannes Short Films. The residents will present their scripts during a session organized in the CNC pavilion and debates will be organized with professional filmmakers who have shown interest in their projects. To check participants in sessions 21 and 22 go here.

This year, the Atelier has selected 15 projects from 15 different countries. Directors will take part in the Festival along with their producers and individual meetings will be organised to help them complete funding for their films.

Escafandra by Pablo Reyero (Argentina)
Now is the Future of the Past by Huang Weikai (China)
Augustine by Alice Winocour (France)
Khibula by George Ovashvili (Georgia)
Luton by Michalis Konstantatos (Greece)
Hier by Bálint Kenyeres (Hungary)
The Train Station by Mohamed Al Daradji (Iraq)
Of Our Economical Situation by Elad Keidan (Israel)
Il Sud è Niente by Fabio Mollo (Italy)
La delgada línea amarilla by Celso García (Mexico)
Full Contact by David Verbeek (Netherlands)
El Mudo by Daniel & Diego Vega (Peru
Wolf by Bogdan Mustata (Romania)
Kings by Deniz Ergüven (Turkey)
Mr Kaplan by Alvaro Brechner (Uruguay)

Cannes Short Films

This year the Short Film Competition and the Short Film Corner will be linked to become Cannes Short Films in order to foster the promotion of short movies.

The list of the short films in competition will be announced on Monday, April 18. Michel Gondry is also the Jury's president of the Cannes Short Films.

Cannes Classics

Most interesting is the film that will open this section as is none other than Jerry Schatzberg’s 1970 Puzzle of a Downfall Child starring Faye Dunaway. Film has a new copy restored by Universal Studios and both director and leading lady will be on attendance. Remember that Dunaway’s Cannes 2011 poster has a photo taken by Schatzberg.

Another interesting event is the screening of a new restored copy of a film that shocked and marveled me when I saw it a long time ago Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 A Clockwork Orange. I don’t doubt that this event is related to the current extraordinary exhibition at la Cinematheque Francaise as also will screen Il était une fois Orange Mécanique, the documentary by Antoine de Gaudemar.

The full Cannes Classics program will be announced on Friday April 22nd.

Other Activities

There will be an unusual exhibition at Grands Foyers Lumière and Debussy. Palais des Festivals where Cannes will welcome the Kobal Collection that celebrates the glossy world of the Pin-Up; an exhibition with cinema-related photographs of the likes of Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor and Sennett Girls among many more.

Not long ago was announced that Melanie Laurent will be the Mistress of Ceremonies at the 2011 festival and that the most unusual event will happen at the Opening Ceremony where an Honorary Palme d’Or will be given to Bernardo Bertolucci. In previous years Honorary Palms have been given before the festival, but is the first time during the festival; still recall that in 2009 Clint Eastwood was honored. The good news is that from now on will be an annual event and always will be presented during the Opening Ceremony.

Last, this year the festival will honor the great Jean-Paul Belmondo with a gala evening in celebration of his talent and career that will take place on Tuesday, May 17 where Vincent Perrot and Jeff Domenech’s documentary Belmondo, The Career will be premiered.

Some Movie Bits

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – Think I skipped one installment, but nevertheless I imagine movie has its lovers; I’m not one of them and felt asleep like a baby! Sigh.

Rubber by Quentin Dupieux. Was very curious about “the tire” film, but can’t say that enjoy it much; still watched completely. Enjoy.

Trust the Man by Bart Freundlich. This 2005 movie with Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, David Duchovny and Billy Crudup is a NYC set talkie that has its good moments; maybe the best is the too short scene with Ellen Barkin as the “lesbian predator” to Maggie G character, which was funny as director tried to make it so normal, that became hilarious (at least to me). If you haven’t seen it yet, won’t miss much if you skip it. Enjoy.

Hereafter by Clint Eastwood. I really like this movie mainly because the subject matter that in my opinion can be interpreted in so many ways that becomes a layered story; still the obvious is about death and what happens after. Triptych stories are good, but best is the one with Celine de France that has the tsunami excellent special effects (still after watching real tsunami images, nothing comes close to reality). I do recommend movie for more than entertaining purposes. Enjoy!!!

Mildred Pierce. Watch the 1954 original with Joan Crawford; but DO NOT MISS the miniseries with Kate Winslet is just FANTASTIC and not similar to movie! Enjoy!!!

64th Festival de Cannes Poster

Here we have the very elegant poster for the 2011 Cannes fest with some info about the poster.

This photo of Faye Dunaway was taken by Jerry Schatzberg in 1970. Model of sophistication and timeless elegance, it is an embodiment of the cinematic dream that the Festival de Cannes seeks to maintain.

Jerry Schatzberg is a filmmaker from New York who won the Palme d’Or in 1973 for Scarecrow. He began his career as a photographer and his work is quickly noticed, in particular a series of Bob Dylan photos from the 60s which ultimately are used on the cover of the legendary album Blonde on Blonde. In the early 70s Schatzberg turns to filmmaking and his first film, Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970), reveals an exceptional sense of framing and lighting for a first-timer. Panic In Needle Park (1971) with newcomer Al Pacino and Scarecrow follow and are both award-winners in Cannes.

Puzzle of a Downfall Child, in which Faye Dunaway has the starring role, has been restored by Universal Pictures. Rarely seen on the big screen the film will be distributed in France by Carlotta in the fall and the restored print will be screened in Cannes in the presence of the director and his actress.

The poster was produced by the H5 design agency, which is also providing the graphics for the 2011 Festival. Artwork: H5 (M. Lelièvre, B. Parienté)

We have only 36 days to Cannes. Sigh. (suggest to click photo to see larger version of this great poster)

Must Be Seen

A smart C4 documentary that is Must Be Seen for everyone that lives in an earthquake zone. It's a serious, scientific oriented documentary that explains how the Japan earthquake and later the tsunami happened.

Even if is serious and scientific has some moments that are not easy to watch, especially at minute 30.

I live in an earthquake zone where two platforms collide, have lived a massive earthquake plus strong aftershocks, but even with my experience it's impossible for me to imagine an earthquake that could last 5 minutes. If this happens here (or should I say when it happens here) 5 minutes will destroy everything and the energy that could be liberated will definitively change the geography of this country. It's very scary but I wish I could learn more information about this area, as good as the excellent explanation given to what happened in Japan. Knowledge is always good and absolutely helps to understand what could happen and what you could do. Of course in this country as well in neighboring countries/area we don't get any earthquake education.

Please watch this excellent documentary I'm sure will teach many what earthquakes are all about.

Miral

Artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel latest film is not similar to his previous movies where in my opinion art and filmmaking merged more successfully; maybe first half of this movie, before Miral becomes the center story, camera moves and editing look and feel artier but everything changes to more “normal” narrative when the little girl becomes a teenager. Then this so-called controversial movie because of the story it tells, is to my eyes and ears not really controversial as tells a known story, Israel/Palestine conflict, told from the Palestine point-of-view, which also has been told in films like for example Elia Suleiman’s The Time That Remains that I believe was more emotionally successful conveying what Palestinians had to live since the Israel state was created thanks to extraordinary use of dark comedy.

Based on a novel by Rula Jebreal, who did the screenplay and seems is real life Schnabel companion, film tells the story of Miral but for more than half the movie you will not see her as the actual story told is about Hind Husseini, marvelously played by Hiam Abbass, the wealthy woman that takes in her house orphan children from the 1948 war with the orphanage eventually becoming a school for girls that still exists today. Not only this part of the story is visually told more interesting but also story and Abbass performances are compelling. Miral story per se is interesting but I believe that was not translated into the screen in a compelling way as you can’t sympathize with her not-really-shown struggle deciding between becoming active in the urban guerilla or do something to promote peace.

Not exactly what I was hoping from Schnabel and end-product is not as interesting as could or should have been as telling the story of four women Hindi Husseini, Nadia (Miral’s mother), Fatima (Nadia’s cell mate) and Miral HAD to be more interesting especially when most of what happens is true life facts and reality.

Can’t recommend the movie but have to share that story got me curious, so curious that think will read the book by Rula Jebreal as I need to know details that so obviously were left out in the movie. Still IF you’re interested in a Palestinian vision from the Israel-Palestine conflict I strongly suggest you to watch Elia Suleiman marvelous The Time That Remains, but be prepared for non-conventional art cinema.

Enjoy.

Watch trailer @MOC