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.