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.

L'enfant d'en haut (Sister)

Ursula Meier really know how to do great films that also are very disturbing. As soon as started watching this movie recognized some elements that immediately made me see inside my head and from beginning to end, her previous movie Home. It took me a few seconds to see the complete movie in my head, but definitively set my mind in the right mood to continue watching this movie.

As camera follows young Simon we are introduced to his world where what we see doesn't match at all the civilized Swiss society as he is a small-time thief that during ski season steals skies, skiing gear, sun glasses and food. He sells to other kids until he finds in workers better shoppers. With the money he buys food for him and his sister. You like Simon, you try to understand why he's doing what he does, you don't like his sister, you feel sorry for Simon. Then after a while at the precise moment when you already started to see differently everything about Simon, the bomb comes and explodes heavily.

The last sentence uses an image as there is no explosion in this film, as a matter of fact before and after the "bomb" nothing much happens but thanks to great performances by Kacey Mottet Klein (he was also in Home) who plays Simon and Léa Seydoux who plays his sister plus the amazing Meier filmmaking and storytelling style you will feel a lot of contradictory intense emotions. At least, that's exactly what happened to me.

A very, extremely unusual family drama that plays with all kind of borders and border-crossing; about "up there" and "down here"; is set in Switzerland but story is universal. Really wish to forget about my golden rule for NO spoilers as this film deserves an analysis of everything we see, everything that happens and what we see more with expressions, silences and camera moves. So much deserves the analysis that makes me think I should start a blog called 'movie spoilers' where I can talk freely. Yes, is a very good movie, one that you should not watch alone, so you can talk and talk about it. Sigh.

Believe that film as film is quite simple but recognize that while is "up there" a style prevails that changes when we go "down here" which makes this not fast paced movie, faster than many I have seen. It's an interesting resource that Meier calls "vertical film" and is the contraposition of Home that was an "horizontal" film. As film has the vertical movement, worth mention and kudos to editing; also, as in Home the highway becomes a character, I believe here the ski lift ride becomes the third lead character in film.

Film is the Silver Bear Special Mention award winner at the 2012 Berlinale and collected more honors while traveling the fest circuit. Is one of the films competing to be the Swiss submission to Oscar and wonder if will be the selection due to the Swiss process as definitively I do not think this movie is for general audiences. Still, among English-language critics reception was more than acceptable, but somehow less than those I read in French.

A must be seen movie for those that like great European cinema, already have seen Home and like it, and don't mind to feel intense emotions.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Day 8 - 69th Venice International Film Festival

Some interesting films but what really surprised me as was very unexpected is how elegant young Hollywood actresses look today at their film photocall; check photos at the end of post.

Venezia 69

Bella Addormentata (Dormant Beauty) by Marco Bellocchio

Definitively must be seen for me not only because is a Bellocchio film but also for the outstanding cast that includes Toni Servillo, Isabelle Huppert and Alba Rohrwacher. The three stories rotate about a not easy to watch and highly controversial (especially in a Catholic country) theme, euthanasia; that's why Eluana Englaro's, Italian famous cause-celebre, six last days are the frame where movie moves. The synopsis.

The film takes place in various parts of Italy over six days, which are Eluana Englaro’s last and whose story remains in the background. The stories of fictional characters from different faiths and ideologies are connected emotively to that case, in an existential reflection on the reasons for living life and for hope despite everything. A senator has to choose whether to vote for a law that goes against his conscience or not, going against the party line, whilst his daughter Maria, an activist in a pro-life movement, demonstrates outside the clinic where Eluana is being treated. Roberto, alongside his brother, is on the opposing secular front; an “enemy” who Maria falls in love with. Elsewhere, a great actress looks to her faith and a miracle to save her daughter, who has been in an irreversible coma for years, and for whom she has sacrificed her relationship with her son. Finally, there is the desperate Rossa who wants to die, but a young doctor called Pallido opposes her suicide with all his might. And against all expectations, at the end of the film, there is a reawakening...

Somehow surprising is to learn that film has wry humor, but then I came to realize that definitively will ease whatever we will see in movie. It is clear to me that Bellocchio's vision of Englaro's case will be emotional, as emotional as situation was for him. This is what Servillo said in a interview.

E' un film che piuttosto che occuparsi dell'aspetto fisiologico del coma, si occupa del coma dei sentimenti. Si occupa del coma delle idee, di un'anarcosi generale che viene raccontata come una possibilità di risvegli.

Plus see what Bellocchio says in the director's statement.

The film stemmed from the powerful emotions (and amazement) I felt at the death of Eluana Englaro. However, I also felt that this involvement risked limiting my imagination; I felt that it was necessary to broaden the horizon... I waited for two years and in that time the other stories were developed that were not far from Eluana’s but independent of it. They were “fished” from a distant time, from my whole life, childhood, adolescence, family, Catholic education, political compromise, moral principles. They came from the need to be consistent with one’s ideas, from the refusal to give up when faced with a life in danger that nevertheless retains all the potential for recovery and rebirth. Without Eluana dying there would be no Bella Addormentata (Dormant Beauty), who wakes up.

Has to be emotional. Films inspired in controversial real-events usually become also controversial and don't doubt that film will not be the exception. Still according to Italian media, film was received with applauses, so there is hope that film will not be that hard to watch.

Spring Breakers by Harmony Korine

Not really interested in watching this film because of cast (really dislike James Franco) and director, as I didn't liked his 2007 film Mister Lonely. But since is in competition decided to talk a little about it to share what is being said in the Net about film.

Headlines from "serious" reviewers (English and non-English) are not positive while some trendy English-speaking reviewers tend to say that film is great, even if is the director's most mainstream film and style. The last comment is important to conceptualize inside Korine's world as even his most mainstream will be really further away from standard mainstream movies.

I imagine film will become a cult movie in American Indie cinema, as many of Korine's film have become. My suggestion: watch at your own risk, as film has been labeled as bordering teen-ish porn. Sigh.

Out of Competition

O Gebo e a Sombra by Manoel de Oliveira

Can't say that I'm a director's fan but for sentimental reasons have to see Jeanne Moreau and Claudia Cardinale in the big screen as has been so long especially the last one. Also here great Michael Londsdale. Story could not be easy to watch but then the spoken language perhaps makes it easier as film is in French. The synopsis.

Gebo lives with his wife and his daughter in law, his only son’s wife, in a humble house. Their son has been silent in a while, to the mother’s despair. The father suspects his son is devoting himself to not so commendable activities, but he does what he can to keep it from his wife. The daughter in-law takes care of them as if they were their own parents. Nonetheless, she waits for her husband. Suddenly one night the son shows up. The mother believes in his return, but the father has no illusions. Intentionally or not, the father doesn’t hide the colossal amount of money he’s been keeping, belonging to the company in which he works as the treasurer. His son shamelessly steals from him. The father has no choice and keeps from his wife their son’s fraud against his employer...

From what I have seen film seems like theater and seems I'm not that lost as somehow there may be a relationship according to the director's statement.

The idea for this film stemmed from having been approached by a friend who asked me to make a film about the poor. Yes, that was a good idea, but making a film about the poor isn’t easy. Subsequently I recalled Samuel Beckett’s play, Waiting for Godot, which was highly discussed by the most prominent intellectuals. Accordingly, José Régio, who had always been a quite farseeing critic, reminded that, after all, Raul Brandão’s play, The Hunchback and His Shadow, was already the anticipation of what would become Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Which leads me back to Brandão’s The Hunchback and His Shadow, because despite being a play from the past century it easily adapts to our current situation, both ethically and economically, without any preconceptions. On the contrary—it remains contemporary and universal. Also, it’s not the first time I’m using France as the scenery of my films. The film is spoken in French. I’m a great admirer of France, a country which invented the cinematographer which gave birth to many works of art, essential today and in the future, I suppose. As the great Mexican director Arturo Ripstein said: “Cinema is the mirror of life.” Besides my acknowledgement of France as the country of invention, I also have a personal debt to the French critics as they welcomed my first film presented at the 5th Congress of Film Critics, in Lisbon, in 1931.

No matter the story or film style, the great cast makes movie highly appealing to me.

Venice Days

Heritage (Inheritance) by Hiam Abbass

I'm huge fan of Hiam Abbass performances and her debut as a filmmaker makes me very curious to learn her vision translated into the screen. Still, film is must be seen because Abbass also performs in what I call a classic story about Palestinians living in Israel explored thru human/family drama. The synopsis.

A Palestinian family living in northern Galilee gathers to celebrate the wedding of one of their daughters, as war rages between Israel and Lebanon. When the father falls into coma and inches toward death, internal conflicts explode within the family - secrets are revealed and lies are unmasked.

Have seen many films with similar stories and could watch many more. But, not often we have the opportunity to see this story told by a woman director, much less from a Palestinian born in Israel as Abbass describes herself. An excerpt from her comments.

As a Palestinian born in Israel, I´ve always wondered about my identity as a woman and an artist who grew up in a traditional society. I felt I was on the margins of non-Arab society in Israel, foreign to its tradition and ways of functioning. Yet I felt just as alienated from traditional Arab society laden with conservative values. The Palestinians of Israel are torn between tradition and modernism. They feel partially excluded from Israel, and therefore try to preserve what is left of their traditions in order to protect this threatened Palestinian identity. They embrace these traditions in a strong family structure that gives them the impression of creating a "true home" In this context, the men take power over the women, giving them little room to build their independence as individuals. Women are forced to fight for a certain form of equality. The path followed by the main character (Hajar) is similar to mine.

Hajar is played by none other than Hafsia Herzi, an actress that I also enjoy. As I imagined film had to be a very personal vision. Great. What do I expect from film? Great performances in a difficult family drama that reflect larger -political, social- conflicts.

International Critics' Week

No Quiero Dormir Sola (She Doesn't Want to Sleep Alone) by Natalia Beristáin

Lately have been very interested in learning more about the "new wave" of Mexican filmmakers that definitively are doing very unconventional films while telling not that uncommon stories. I have not enjoyed all films that have seen but do recognize that there is "something" going on in Mexico cinema, a new movement that is gestating and comes after what I call the "Carlos Reygadas movement". Very interesting indeed.

Finding this movie in the most unconventional section of any festival makes me think that Natalia Beristain probably belongs to the above trend, but also according to the movie clips I have seen in several director's interviews. The synopsis.

Amanda lives in a flat offered by her father, a famous actor with whom she is in bad terms. Although she has grown up in affluence, she is now adrift without a stable job. Besides this, she has also a psychological problem: she cannot sleep alone. Every night, she looks for someone to sleep with her, but the next morning this person is felt like a burden to her. This fragile balance is further shaken when she has to assist her grandmother, once a famous actress, and now an old person facing alcoholism and Alzheimer. Grandmother and granddaughter will slowly get to know each other to discover their respective human and affective spheres.

As expected story seems common, ordinary; how the story is told is what I believe it will matter. One of the few Latin American films in this year festival had a full theater plus collected applauses after the press screening. Italian media praises film and "unexpected" end. Good. Could this film be the Opera Prima award winner? Maybe.

News

The 2012 Robert Bresson Award for lifetime achievements went to Ken Loach.

Not So Serious

Let's start to speculate. More than half of the 18 films in competition has been screened, some with speculation that could be fest top award winner. If jury behaves like Italian and international media then NO doubt that the front contender for this year top award is The Master and not surprisingly both Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman are contenders for the Copa Volpi. Also a contender, Toni Servillo for any/both of his performances. Strangely enough there has not been much buzz about the Best Actress or Best Director, as seems media hasn't been impressed until today. But jurors do not behave like media and doubt that in their minds The Master is the movie to beat from first position.

Photos

Young Hollywood invades Venice. Very well-dressed and elegant Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez.

Day 7 - 69th Venice International Film Festival

Not many interesting films today, but today we have the latest work by one of my most admired master filmmakers, Kim Ki-Duk.

Venezia 69

Pieta by Kim Ki-Duk

As many say: Kim Ki-Duk films are an acquired taste. Agree and yes, I have the taste. Most of his films are visually stunning but I think that maybe this one could be different as from what I seen film stays in urban settings. Still trailer shows a magnificent use of light and darkness. The synopsis.

Hired by moneylenders, a man lives as a loan shark brutally threatening people for paybacks. This man, without any family therefore with nothing to lose, continues his merciless way of life regardless of all the pain he has caused to a countless number of people. One day, a woman appears in front of him claiming to be his mother. He coldly rejects her at first, but gradually accepts her in his life. He decides to quit his cruel job and to live a decent life. Then suddenly the mother is kidnapped. Assuming that it would be by someone he had hurt in the past, he starts to track down all the people he had harassed. The man finally finds the one, only to discover most horrifying dark secrets better left unrevealed.

Puzzling story that tickles my interest as seems movie explores one of the devils of the capital society, money. Check the director's statement.

Money inevitably puts people to the test in a capitalist society, and the people today are obsessed with a fantasy that money can solve anything. Money is the problem for most of the incidents that occur today. In this film, two people who give and receive pain over money, unlikely to meet, comes across each other and become family. And through such family, we realize that we are accomplices to everything that occurs in our period. Money will ask sad questions until the people of this era die. Ultimately, we will end up becoming a money to each other and grind ourselves on an asphalt. I again cry out towards heaven with a meager faith today. God, have mercy on us.

First reviews mention that film is hard-to-watch for its violence but tend to be positive; surprising is to find that most already out reviews come from media agencies (!) which is not common at all. Good as there must be more people with the acquired taste than what I could imagine. Some Italian media see film as a strong contender for top award.

Linhas de Wellington by Valeria Sarmiento

A period film prepared by Raúl Ruiz and completed by his widow Valeria Sarmiento. Film has a truly amazing cast, but imagine that most will have more cameos than developed roles. Still take a look at the great cast with the likes of Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Vincent Pérez, Chiara Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli, Elsa Zylberstein, John Malkovich, Mathieu Amalric, Melvil Popupaud, Marisa Paredes and more. Impressive.

Take a good look at movie photo; yes they're together and talking to each other. How many times can we see Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert in the same scene? Not many, just for this scene movie is more than must be seen for me. The synopsis.

After the attempts of Junot and Soult, in 1807 and 1809, Napoleon Bonaparte sent a powerful army, commanded by Marshal Massena, to invade Portugal in 1810. The French easily reached the center of the country, where the Anglo-Portuguese army, led by General Wellington, was waiting for them...

Seems like a classic tale from a classic director, but definitively I'm curious to find out what his widow did with this film that also will become a TV miniseries. The director's statement

When Paulo Branco asked me to carry on the film about the Napoleonic wars that Raoul Ruiz had been preparing, it seemed an almost impossible task. Reading Carlos Saboga’s script, however, everything was a surprise: I discovered the exodus of the Portuguese people, the typical fate of the common people, the everyday life existing in a conflict, perspectives that allowed me to appropriate the story. The rest was to outline the actors, especially the female characters, who suffer so much during a conflict, and, above all, to feel the landscape following with the camera a paradoxical tactic of war: this contradictory pilgrimage which was the retreat to the “Lines of Wellington.”

So, indeed, film seems could be more Valeria Sarmiento vision than Ruiz, which is good news for me as sometimes Ruiz's films become "too soapy" for my eyes.

International Critics' Week

O Luna In Thailandia (A Month in Thailand) by Paul Negoescu

There is nothing surprising with me interested in a Romanian film, but what is surprising is that after learning about film, I'm still interested. Check the synopsis from fest official site.

Radu and Adina, a young couple of graduates, have just made love and are now ready for New Year’s Eve. She is profoundly in love with him and cannot wait to move to his place; instead, he has a few reservations on their relationship. While going shopping in a superstore, he bumps into (or thinks to bump into) his ex girlfriend Nadia, and his intolerance becomes palpable.

Very nice isn't it? But then found another synopsis.

During the New Year's Party, Radu realizes that he is not satisfied with his love life and decides to break up with his girlfriend. Soon after, he departs in a journey through several nightclubs of Bucharest in the search of his true love. But is the woman he's looking for really the woman he needs?

Awful isn't it? Well, this is a good example why you shouldn't learn too much about a film, as official trailer shows more the second synopsis than the first. But yes, will watch it as not only is screened at a section that in any festival screens "strange" movies but by the time I finally see film I will have forgotten everything about it. Sigh.

Collateral Events - Premio Lux Award

Io Sono Li (Shun Li and the Poet), Andrea Segre

One of the three films in competition for the 2012 Lux Award. If one Italian film I've been impatiently waiting to see is this one that during the 2011 festival circuit collected many honors. This is the best opportunity to share with you all some info about film. The synopsis.

Shun Li works in a textile factory in the outskirts of Rome, in order to get her papers and enable her eight-year-old son to come to Italy. She is suddenly transferred to Chioggia, a small city-island in the Veneto lagoon, to work as a bartender in a pub. Bepi, a Slavic fisherman, nicknamed "the Poet" by his friends, has been a regular at that little pub for years. The friendship between Shun Li and Bepi upsets both the Chinese and local communities, who interfere with this new journey, which they are perhaps simply too afraid of.

Very, very curious about film that I believe is the frontrunner for this year Lux award. What do I expect from film? A visual poem.

News

Gianni Amelio wins the 2012 Pietro Bianchi award given by the SNGCI.

Photo of the Day

Great looking Pierce Brosnan.