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

Primo Giorno - 68th Venice International Film Festival

With a forgettable not entertaining and truly protocol opening ceremony La Mostra 2011 opened with too much Clooney for my taste and not even a single movie clip from any of the movies in or out of competition. But have to admit that enjoyed the first part of Vittoria Puccini speech and nothing else in particular.

Anyway today was the premiere of George Clooney’s The Ides of March so there was a press conference, a photo call and a red carpet walk with him dominating and stealing the limelight for the day. Nevertheless was able to watch on TV and photos from Evan Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Marisa Tomei who star in Clooney’s film.

Before the screening of the Festival and Competition opening film there was a four minute short film called Lido ’28 by Anonymous produced in 1928 that was able to watch as they showed it as part of the opening ceremony on TV. Short made me recall Visconti’s Morte a Venezia (Deatch in Venice) but short shows the real beach and 20’s beauties doing all sort of odd things, including riding horses in the sea.

After the Competition opening film, the Out of Competition opening film follows: ¡VIVAN LAS ANTIPODAS! by Victor Kossakovsky, a documentary that is in Spanish, Russian, Setswana, and English; is a Germany, Argentina, Netherlands, and Chile production plus tells about the few land-to-land antipodal places in mother Earth… which makes doc very interesting for me.

Early this afternoon the Giornate degli Autori opened with a special event: the screening of Crazy Horse by Frederick Wiseman an absolute Must-Be-Seen for me since I learned about it a few months back; followed by Di La Dal Vetro (Beyond the Glass) a short by Andrea Di Bari plus Love and Bruises by Lou Ye a French production staring a mesmerizing actor Tahar Rahim (remember A Prophet?) with an interesting story that will made me watch it.

Later in the afternoon the Retrospective section opened with three 1967 Italian medium-length films Hemitage by Carmelo Bene, Il Canto d’Amore di Alfred Prufrock by Nico D’Alessandria, and Bis by Paolo Brunatto; last a longer film with 55 minutes from 1967-68 by Paolo Brunatto Vieni Dolce Morte (Dell ‘Ego) that is a silent film.

As the first day fades away I hope to see tomorrow a lot less of Clooney and a lot more of the Jury President Darren Aronofsky, in the meantime here are some photos from today’s events.

Ci vediamo a Domani!!

The Main Competition Jury

The Ides of March cast and crew

Nice Rachel and George photo.

Watch Biennale 2011 trailers @MOC


Highlights from the First Day

Midnight in Paris

The 2011 Cannes opening movie is a pleasant surprise as looks and feels like the great movies by Woody Allen especially because Allen is in the film. Well, actually he is not in the screen at all! Let me explain. I don’t particularly care about Owen Wilson and I do dislike most of his performances but I believe that his best role up-to-date is in this movie and he’s playing Woody Allen! Oh yes, I could see (a younger) Woody all over Owen’s performance and maybe now I finally gasped what I miss in Allen’s movies, I miss him, the (younger) actor.

A beautiful love-letter to Paris with breath-taking day/night/rainy views of the gorgeous city (yes, I do LOVE Paris) film tells the impossible dream of many “intellectuals” that wish to alternate, converse and rub elbows with la crème de la crème of the many artists that lived in 20’s Paris, but Gil (Owens) is a “normal” American tourist struggling with writing a novel after being a very successful Hollywood screenplay writer and indeed he could be the opposite to a intellectual prototype. There is a lot of irony in story and dialogues, which absolutely makes it very appealing to me and yes is an enjoyable glimpse into the Parisian lives of the likes of Hemingway, Buñuel, Picasso, Matisse, Dalí, Gertrude Stein, Cole Porter, Fitzgerald, and many others. The only predictable moment for me was going to Maxim where I knew Toulouse-Lautrec was going to appear, but I forgive you Mr. Allen, as most of it was really unexpected.

Best performance in movie belongs to Marion Cotillard that truly steals all scenes she’s in; but I also enjoyed the brief appearance by Léa Seydoux and to be honest, did not recognized Carla Bruni (lol!) and wonder –like someone else also wonders- if her sister Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi played the character instead of her surely character would have been more noticeable and interesting.

It’s a fun to watch film, well, a Woody Allen type of fun to watch film and definitively enjoyed my entertaining moment and I do recommend film to those that like Allen’s oldies and somehow wish to see (the younger version of) him in the screen.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Jane Eyre

You read the book. You have seen one or more movie adaptations. You know the story. So how a new adaptation can absolutely take your breath away as well as stimulate all your senses and emotions at the right moments?

Cary Jôji Fukunaga first voyage into a period drama -after his spectacular Sin Nombre- is an amazing visual experience that since the very beginning up to the end marvels your eyes with outstanding visual compositions, amazing framing, great camera takes, and moving sequential –one after another- photographs that you wish to stop the film to admire them more. It’s not a perfect visual experience as Fukunaga chose in some key moments to relegate the visual to the back only to allow drama to build up front with outstanding performances by a perfect cast, which detonates your emotions to the fullest. And the ride continues until the very last scene with breathtaking visuals, emotions explosions and even tension building. Incredible, especially because I really know the story but this movie made me live and feel the story as if was new to me.

Have to give credit to a fresh screenplay by Moira Buffini that in my opinion highlighted the drama by more in-depth developing lead and secondary story characters which allowed Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre), Michael Fassbender (Rochester), Judi Dench (Mrs. Fairfax), Jamie Bell (St John Rivers), and Sally Hawkins (Mrs. Reed) to shine on the screen. But no doubt that is Fukunaga masterful storytelling which allowed all the pieces to come together to make this movie an excellent cinematic experience.

This is not a fast paced movie but neither is slow; somehow made wish it was slower paced to admire more time the many classical framing photos that populate the film. Definitively will watch again to enjoy more the visuals hoping that I won’t be taken again by the emotions, but guess that won’t be an easy task as this is an almost perfect combination of everything I love in a movie. Bravo Master Fukunaga and I’ll be most anxiously waiting for your next film that I do imagine will masterly explore new -for you- cinema territories.

I do praise this movie as truly deserves it but I know that for many will be just another adaptation or if you’re not familiar with story, like another period drama; still if you love very visual movies maybe you will experience as much as I did this great film.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC