Directed by Australian film-maker Amiel Courtin-Wilson, this compelling work follows Bob Rosenzweig’s decision to end his life through assisted dying
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There are lots of literal grey areas in the Australian film-maker Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s very compelling and heart-rending documentary about the final week of Bob Rosenzweig, a 65-year-old Jewish man living in Washington who has Parkinson’s disease and decides to end his life through assisted dying. From the opening shot Courtin-Wilson draws a stony overcast aesthetic, beginning with an ambiguous image of what seems to resemble a foggy, ashen skyline before a vague human outline emerges. Later there are shots of misty skylines and bodies of water more cement-coloured than blue; it’s as if the world around Rosenzweig is greying before his eyes, easing him through his last days.
Courtin-Wilson and the cinematographer, Jac Fitzgerald, impressively texture the film in...
Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email
There are lots of literal grey areas in the Australian film-maker Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s very compelling and heart-rending documentary about the final week of Bob Rosenzweig, a 65-year-old Jewish man living in Washington who has Parkinson’s disease and decides to end his life through assisted dying. From the opening shot Courtin-Wilson draws a stony overcast aesthetic, beginning with an ambiguous image of what seems to resemble a foggy, ashen skyline before a vague human outline emerges. Later there are shots of misty skylines and bodies of water more cement-coloured than blue; it’s as if the world around Rosenzweig is greying before his eyes, easing him through his last days.
Courtin-Wilson and the cinematographer, Jac Fitzgerald, impressively texture the film in...
- 6/14/2023
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Warwick Thornton’s “The New Boy” has been set as the opening title of next month’s Sydney Film Festival, which will celebrate its 70th edition, June 7-18. The film, a tale of sprituality and survival in 1940s Australia, starring Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair and Aswan Reid, will also play in the festival’s competition section.
Other titles in competition include: the world premiere of Australian documentary feature “The Dark Emu Story,” directed by Allan Clarke; Christian Petzold’s previously announced “Afire”; Charlotte Regan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Scrapper”; Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Monster”; Aki Kaurismäki’s compassionate comedy “Fallen Leaves”; Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb”; Asmae El Moudir’s “The Mother of All Lies”; Alice Englert’s directorial debut “Bad Behaviour”; Celine Song’s Sundance and Berlinale 2023 selected romance “Past Lives”; Liu Jian’s 2023 Berlinale-selected animation “Art College 1994”; Devashish Makhija’s “Joram,” a thriller about an...
Other titles in competition include: the world premiere of Australian documentary feature “The Dark Emu Story,” directed by Allan Clarke; Christian Petzold’s previously announced “Afire”; Charlotte Regan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner “Scrapper”; Kore-eda Hirokazu’s “Monster”; Aki Kaurismäki’s compassionate comedy “Fallen Leaves”; Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb”; Asmae El Moudir’s “The Mother of All Lies”; Alice Englert’s directorial debut “Bad Behaviour”; Celine Song’s Sundance and Berlinale 2023 selected romance “Past Lives”; Liu Jian’s 2023 Berlinale-selected animation “Art College 1994”; Devashish Makhija’s “Joram,” a thriller about an...
- 5/10/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Carnation
We’re beginning to think Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Carnation is driftwood at sea as it wrapped up back in 2019. The Australian filmmaker with film splash showings at Sundance, Cannes and Venice might be still chiselling down his latest feature as we happened to notice it’s advertised at over two and a half hours. This filmed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with producers Abby Harri, John Baker, Kate Laurie, Chris Luscri, Freeman Trebilcock backing the project.
Gist: In the American South, two lovers forge an all-consuming love as their physical and spiritual worlds are pushed to the limits of time and space.…...
We’re beginning to think Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Carnation is driftwood at sea as it wrapped up back in 2019. The Australian filmmaker with film splash showings at Sundance, Cannes and Venice might be still chiselling down his latest feature as we happened to notice it’s advertised at over two and a half hours. This filmed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with producers Abby Harri, John Baker, Kate Laurie, Chris Luscri, Freeman Trebilcock backing the project.
Gist: In the American South, two lovers forge an all-consuming love as their physical and spiritual worlds are pushed to the limits of time and space.…...
- 1/5/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The documentary festival will include 38 world premieres.
The UK’s Sheffield DocFest (June 23-28) has unveiled its 2022 line-up, including the world premiere of Werner Herzog’s The Fire Within: Requiem For Katia And Maurice Krafft.
The documentary festival will host 38 world premieres, 22 international premieres and 11 European premieres.
The Fire Within, which is written, narrated and directed by Herzog, will feature in DocFest’s Memories strand. It chronicles the French volcanologists who died in a volcanic eruption on Japan’s Mount Uzen in 1991, leaving an archive of more than 200 hours of footage that makes up the film.
Herzog previously explored the...
The UK’s Sheffield DocFest (June 23-28) has unveiled its 2022 line-up, including the world premiere of Werner Herzog’s The Fire Within: Requiem For Katia And Maurice Krafft.
The documentary festival will host 38 world premieres, 22 international premieres and 11 European premieres.
The Fire Within, which is written, narrated and directed by Herzog, will feature in DocFest’s Memories strand. It chronicles the French volcanologists who died in a volcanic eruption on Japan’s Mount Uzen in 1991, leaving an archive of more than 200 hours of footage that makes up the film.
Herzog previously explored the...
- 5/31/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Five docs making their world premiere at the fesitival
The UK’s Sheffield DocFest has selected nine films for its International Competition, with five of the documentaries making their world premiere at the festival. It runs from June 23-28.
The docs come from a broad span of countries - Australia, Brazil, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, Spain, UK, US, and Ukraine.
The films in selection reflect the full spectrum of documentary production, from collective filmmaking on the frontline of war in the world premiere of Volodymyr Tykhyy’s One Day In Ukraine to the experimental exchange of video letters during the pandemic...
The UK’s Sheffield DocFest has selected nine films for its International Competition, with five of the documentaries making their world premiere at the festival. It runs from June 23-28.
The docs come from a broad span of countries - Australia, Brazil, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, Spain, UK, US, and Ukraine.
The films in selection reflect the full spectrum of documentary production, from collective filmmaking on the frontline of war in the world premiere of Volodymyr Tykhyy’s One Day In Ukraine to the experimental exchange of video letters during the pandemic...
- 5/26/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Casting
Nomzamo Mbatha (“Coming 2 America”) is set to star in period drama “Shaka Ilembe” about the iconic African king. The series is set in 1700s and will also star Lemogang Tsipa and newcomer Ntando Zondi, who will both play Shaka at different ages, Thembinkosi Mthembu as King Dingiswayo and Senzo Radebe as King Senzangakhona.
Mbatha, who will play Queen Nandi, Shaka’s mother, will also executive produce. “I am honoured to bring the giant that is Queen Nandi to life,” she said. “History will remember those who informed its people of where we come from, to better understand who we are. I am fortunate to be part of a project that is much bigger than ourselves and to tell this story in our own language. Impi iyeza!”
The series comes from MultiChoice and Bomb Productions.
Screen Summit
Wales is set to host an inaugural screen summit showcasing the film...
Nomzamo Mbatha (“Coming 2 America”) is set to star in period drama “Shaka Ilembe” about the iconic African king. The series is set in 1700s and will also star Lemogang Tsipa and newcomer Ntando Zondi, who will both play Shaka at different ages, Thembinkosi Mthembu as King Dingiswayo and Senzo Radebe as King Senzangakhona.
Mbatha, who will play Queen Nandi, Shaka’s mother, will also executive produce. “I am honoured to bring the giant that is Queen Nandi to life,” she said. “History will remember those who informed its people of where we come from, to better understand who we are. I am fortunate to be part of a project that is much bigger than ourselves and to tell this story in our own language. Impi iyeza!”
The series comes from MultiChoice and Bomb Productions.
Screen Summit
Wales is set to host an inaugural screen summit showcasing the film...
- 5/26/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Carnation
With over two decades of output beginning with a splash at the 2000 edition of Sundance with Chasing Buddha to showing Cicada in the 2009 Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, his unofficial home of sorts has become the Lido. Having premiered 2011’s Hail in the Orrizonti section and contributed to the festival’s 70th anniversary with his short, in 2013 Amiel Courtin-Wilson co-directed Ruin and it picked up a Special Jury Prize at the fest. The Australian filmmaker ‘s latest is titled Carnation and would have filmed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Producers include Abby Harri, John Baker, Kate Laurie, Chris Luscri, Freeman Trebilcock.…...
With over two decades of output beginning with a splash at the 2000 edition of Sundance with Chasing Buddha to showing Cicada in the 2009 Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, his unofficial home of sorts has become the Lido. Having premiered 2011’s Hail in the Orrizonti section and contributed to the festival’s 70th anniversary with his short, in 2013 Amiel Courtin-Wilson co-directed Ruin and it picked up a Special Jury Prize at the fest. The Australian filmmaker ‘s latest is titled Carnation and would have filmed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Producers include Abby Harri, John Baker, Kate Laurie, Chris Luscri, Freeman Trebilcock.…...
- 1/7/2022
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
When Fti was consolidated into Screenwest back in 2017, the annual Wa Screen Awards disappeared with it.
However, Revelation Perth International Film Festival director Richard Sowada has sought to bring them back, giving the state’s industry an awards platform for the first time in nearly five years.
Newly dubbed the Western Australian Screen Culture Awards, the event will bookend Revelation in mid-December.
Sowada has somewhat reimagined the honours, with a focus on innovation and achievement. Categories span all screen genres, from shorts, features and docos, through to VR/Ar, games, moving image art and installation.
The aim is to recognise the extraordinary growth and current vibracy of the Western Australian industry; Sowada posits that when he started Revelation back in 1997, Wa produced a feature film every three years.
“Over the years, particularly in the last six years or so, it’s exploded,” he tells If.
“There’s an enormous amount of work coming out,...
However, Revelation Perth International Film Festival director Richard Sowada has sought to bring them back, giving the state’s industry an awards platform for the first time in nearly five years.
Newly dubbed the Western Australian Screen Culture Awards, the event will bookend Revelation in mid-December.
Sowada has somewhat reimagined the honours, with a focus on innovation and achievement. Categories span all screen genres, from shorts, features and docos, through to VR/Ar, games, moving image art and installation.
The aim is to recognise the extraordinary growth and current vibracy of the Western Australian industry; Sowada posits that when he started Revelation back in 1997, Wa produced a feature film every three years.
“Over the years, particularly in the last six years or so, it’s exploded,” he tells If.
“There’s an enormous amount of work coming out,...
- 10/23/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
‘I Am Mother’.
Australia’s production incentives and Indigenous storytelling will be showcased at this year’s virtual IFP Week in New York, thanks to the Australian International Screen Forum and Screen Australia.
Running September 20-24, the event will feature two panels with an Aussie focus, while two local projects have also been selected for the No Borders International Co-Production Market.
In a session moderated by Jenny Cooney, writers Steven McGregor (Sweet Country) and Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road) will discuss the importance of Indigenous Australians telling their own stories, and taking those projects to a global audience.
Kodie Bedford.
Separately, director Grant Sputore and producer Kelvin Munro will break down how they leveraged South Australia’s production incentives and facilities to produce sci-fi I Am Mother, to which Netflix ultimately snapped up the worldwide rights. The discussion will be designed for international filmmakers interested in working with Australians to make...
Australia’s production incentives and Indigenous storytelling will be showcased at this year’s virtual IFP Week in New York, thanks to the Australian International Screen Forum and Screen Australia.
Running September 20-24, the event will feature two panels with an Aussie focus, while two local projects have also been selected for the No Borders International Co-Production Market.
In a session moderated by Jenny Cooney, writers Steven McGregor (Sweet Country) and Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road) will discuss the importance of Indigenous Australians telling their own stories, and taking those projects to a global audience.
Kodie Bedford.
Separately, director Grant Sputore and producer Kelvin Munro will break down how they leveraged South Australia’s production incentives and facilities to produce sci-fi I Am Mother, to which Netflix ultimately snapped up the worldwide rights. The discussion will be designed for international filmmakers interested in working with Australians to make...
- 9/17/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Shane Warne.
Fourteen documentary projects – spanning a feature film about Shane Warne, a Vr project that traverses the historical expedition of Ernest Shackleton, to a short about Australia’s femme and butch scene in the 1950s – will share in $2.1 million of production funding from Screen Australia.
Twelve projects funded through the Producer Program, and two through the Commissioned Program.
Screen Australia head of documentary Bernadine Lim said,:“This is an exciting lineup of projects telling uniquely Australian stories across science, social issues, modern legends and even big cats, through different formats and media. It’s fantastic to support three co-productions which open up the teams to international opportunities in financing as well as audience reach.”
“The past few months have presented several challenges for the sector but it’s been great to see that many documentary projects have been able to continue production in some form, and we’re...
Fourteen documentary projects – spanning a feature film about Shane Warne, a Vr project that traverses the historical expedition of Ernest Shackleton, to a short about Australia’s femme and butch scene in the 1950s – will share in $2.1 million of production funding from Screen Australia.
Twelve projects funded through the Producer Program, and two through the Commissioned Program.
Screen Australia head of documentary Bernadine Lim said,:“This is an exciting lineup of projects telling uniquely Australian stories across science, social issues, modern legends and even big cats, through different formats and media. It’s fantastic to support three co-productions which open up the teams to international opportunities in financing as well as audience reach.”
“The past few months have presented several challenges for the sector but it’s been great to see that many documentary projects have been able to continue production in some form, and we’re...
- 6/3/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Buoyancy’ cinematographer Michael Latham (Photo credit Rafael Winer © Causeway Films)
Four or five years ago writer-director Rodd Rathjen read a story in an environmental journal about forced labour and exploitation of children in Thailand’s fishing industry.
He was so shocked by the revelations of trauma and hardship he decided he wanted to make a feature film which tells the stories of “people whose voices are not being heard.”
The result is Buoyancy, his feature film debut which will have its world premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings, Kristina Ceyton and Rita Walsh in association with Cambodia’s Anupheap Productions and Melbourne-based Definition Films, the drama centres on 14-year-old Chakra, who is forced to work on a fishing trawler. He soon realises his only hope of freedom is to become as violent as his captors.
Veteran Thai casting director Non Jungmeier found Sarm Heng,...
Four or five years ago writer-director Rodd Rathjen read a story in an environmental journal about forced labour and exploitation of children in Thailand’s fishing industry.
He was so shocked by the revelations of trauma and hardship he decided he wanted to make a feature film which tells the stories of “people whose voices are not being heard.”
The result is Buoyancy, his feature film debut which will have its world premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings, Kristina Ceyton and Rita Walsh in association with Cambodia’s Anupheap Productions and Melbourne-based Definition Films, the drama centres on 14-year-old Chakra, who is forced to work on a fishing trawler. He soon realises his only hope of freedom is to become as violent as his captors.
Veteran Thai casting director Non Jungmeier found Sarm Heng,...
- 1/31/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Aacta is calling for recommendations for the Byron Kennedy Award which celebrates outstanding creative enterprise in the screen industry.
The prize, which honours Dr George Miller’s original filmmaking partner and Mad Max co-creator Byron Kennedy, is given to an individual or organisation whose work embodies innovation and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Presented by Kennedy Miller Mitchell in association with Aacta and selected by a jury, the award includes a cash prize of $10,000.
Past recipients include John Poulson; Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin; Animal Logic; filmmakers Ivan Sen, Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Martin Butler and Bentley Dean; Dop Adam Arkapaw; and Vr artist and filmmaker Lynette Wallworth.
The award will be presented at the 8th Aacta Awards in Sydney in December. Recommendations should be emailed to Aacta Awards manager Ivan Vukusic at ivukusic@afi.org.au with:
• A copy of the candidate’s filmography;
• A letter detailing the candidate’s...
The prize, which honours Dr George Miller’s original filmmaking partner and Mad Max co-creator Byron Kennedy, is given to an individual or organisation whose work embodies innovation and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Presented by Kennedy Miller Mitchell in association with Aacta and selected by a jury, the award includes a cash prize of $10,000.
Past recipients include John Poulson; Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin; Animal Logic; filmmakers Ivan Sen, Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Martin Butler and Bentley Dean; Dop Adam Arkapaw; and Vr artist and filmmaker Lynette Wallworth.
The award will be presented at the 8th Aacta Awards in Sydney in December. Recommendations should be emailed to Aacta Awards manager Ivan Vukusic at ivukusic@afi.org.au with:
• A copy of the candidate’s filmography;
• A letter detailing the candidate’s...
- 9/13/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Filmed over three days inside the Fort Greene brownstone of jazz piano legend Cecil Taylor, the 70-minute chamber piece The Silent Eye unfolds as one long jam, with only a couple of costume changes betraying the passage of time as the 88-year-old Taylor riffs with Japanese dancer Min Tanaka, a longtime collaborator. The result is a near-wordless tribute to the spirit of live performance embodied by the pianist-poet, with whom director Amiel Courtin-Wilson has been working for years on a more traditional biographical documentary. Screening in Melbourne after premiering at the Whitney's Taylor showcase in April, this intimate curio might put some festivalgoers to sleep...
- 8/17/2017
- by Harry Windsor
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
'The Butterfly Tree'..
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Miff Premiere Fund will present six world premieres at the 66th Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff), including Greg McLean.s survival thriller Jungle.
The festival runs August 3-20; the full program will be launched on July 11, with general public individual session tickets on sale from July 14..
The six premieres are:.
The Butterfly Tree, the feature debut of director Priscilla Cameron, is a coming-of-age tale of love and loss tinged with magical realism, starring Melissa George, Ewen Leslie, Ed Oxenbould and Sophie Lowe.
Naina Sen.s The Song Keepers chronicles the hidden musical legacy of ancient Aboriginal languages and German baroque songs that are being preserved by the Central Australian Aboriginal Women.s Choir.
Eddie Martin.s Have You Seen the Listers? is a moving personal account of the artistic and commercial rise of Australia.s most renowned street artist, which came with a deep personal cost.
In Westwind: Djalu.s Legacy, director Ben Strunin portrays Yolngu elder Djalu Gurruwiwi.s quest to pass his people.s ancient song lines and culture to the next generation — with a little help from global pop star Gotye..
Rabbit is a chilling fairytale feature debut from director Luke Shanahan in which identical twins are linked by more than just DNA, starring Alex Russell and Adelaide Clemens.
The opening night selection, Jungle stars Alex Russell and Daniel Radcliffe in a thriller based on the real-life story of adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg.
The Premiere Fund, which offers minority co-financing to new Australian narrative and documentary theatrical features that then premiere at Miff, has invested in a total of 56 projects. To celebrate the anniversary, Miff will have retro screenings of three classics:
Balibo (2009), Robert Connolly.s political thriller starring Oscar Isaac and Anthony Lapaglia. Bastardy (2008), Amiel Courtin-Wilson.s impressionistic portrait of the life of Indigenous arts personality Jack Charles.. Blessed (2009), Ana Kokkinos. drama about families, love and loss, starring Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness, William McInnes, Sophie Lowe, Harrison Gilbertson and Reef Ireland.
Meanwhile www.miff.com.au will feature a new dedicated Premiere Fund page outlining all 56 investments along with a link to a new iTunes page where many of those films can be purchased..
Among the notable milestones over the 10 years:
Nearly 32 per cent of the fund.s films had female directors (versus Screen Australia-reported industry average of 16 per cent). Nearly 59 per cent had female producers (versus industry average of 32 per cent). 41 per cent included youth themes.. 27 per cent had elements portraying Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALDs), with 5 per cent having Cald creative principals (director and/or producer(s). 16 per cent included Indigenous themes and/or characters (including Bran Nue Dae), and nearly 7 per cent had Indigenous creative principals. 13 per cent included Lgbti characters and/or issues, with 18 per cent involving Lgbti creative principals. Some 50% of Premiere Fund movies were helmed by first-time directors.
Miff Premiere Fund executive producer Mark Woods said, .The talent we have been able to support has been incredible — 19 per cent of Premiere Fund films are directed by alumni of Miff emerging director workshop Accelerator Lab and 48 per cent advanced their funding at Miff.s film financing event 37ºSouth Market — so we really do feel like we come on a long journey with these projects..
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Miff Premiere Fund will present six world premieres at the 66th Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff), including Greg McLean.s survival thriller Jungle.
The festival runs August 3-20; the full program will be launched on July 11, with general public individual session tickets on sale from July 14..
The six premieres are:.
The Butterfly Tree, the feature debut of director Priscilla Cameron, is a coming-of-age tale of love and loss tinged with magical realism, starring Melissa George, Ewen Leslie, Ed Oxenbould and Sophie Lowe.
Naina Sen.s The Song Keepers chronicles the hidden musical legacy of ancient Aboriginal languages and German baroque songs that are being preserved by the Central Australian Aboriginal Women.s Choir.
Eddie Martin.s Have You Seen the Listers? is a moving personal account of the artistic and commercial rise of Australia.s most renowned street artist, which came with a deep personal cost.
In Westwind: Djalu.s Legacy, director Ben Strunin portrays Yolngu elder Djalu Gurruwiwi.s quest to pass his people.s ancient song lines and culture to the next generation — with a little help from global pop star Gotye..
Rabbit is a chilling fairytale feature debut from director Luke Shanahan in which identical twins are linked by more than just DNA, starring Alex Russell and Adelaide Clemens.
The opening night selection, Jungle stars Alex Russell and Daniel Radcliffe in a thriller based on the real-life story of adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg.
The Premiere Fund, which offers minority co-financing to new Australian narrative and documentary theatrical features that then premiere at Miff, has invested in a total of 56 projects. To celebrate the anniversary, Miff will have retro screenings of three classics:
Balibo (2009), Robert Connolly.s political thriller starring Oscar Isaac and Anthony Lapaglia. Bastardy (2008), Amiel Courtin-Wilson.s impressionistic portrait of the life of Indigenous arts personality Jack Charles.. Blessed (2009), Ana Kokkinos. drama about families, love and loss, starring Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness, William McInnes, Sophie Lowe, Harrison Gilbertson and Reef Ireland.
Meanwhile www.miff.com.au will feature a new dedicated Premiere Fund page outlining all 56 investments along with a link to a new iTunes page where many of those films can be purchased..
Among the notable milestones over the 10 years:
Nearly 32 per cent of the fund.s films had female directors (versus Screen Australia-reported industry average of 16 per cent). Nearly 59 per cent had female producers (versus industry average of 32 per cent). 41 per cent included youth themes.. 27 per cent had elements portraying Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALDs), with 5 per cent having Cald creative principals (director and/or producer(s). 16 per cent included Indigenous themes and/or characters (including Bran Nue Dae), and nearly 7 per cent had Indigenous creative principals. 13 per cent included Lgbti characters and/or issues, with 18 per cent involving Lgbti creative principals. Some 50% of Premiere Fund movies were helmed by first-time directors.
Miff Premiere Fund executive producer Mark Woods said, .The talent we have been able to support has been incredible — 19 per cent of Premiere Fund films are directed by alumni of Miff emerging director workshop Accelerator Lab and 48 per cent advanced their funding at Miff.s film financing event 37ºSouth Market — so we really do feel like we come on a long journey with these projects..
- 6/22/2017
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
'Top of the Lake: China Girl' will make its Australian debut at Miff.
The Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has unveiled the first 30 films on its line-up ahead of the full program launch in July..
Among the highlights at this year.s festival, to be held August 3-20, is actually a television series: the Australian premiere of Jane Campion.s series Top of the Lake: China Girl, fresh from Cannes..
All six episodes of the show, starring Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman, will play in three concurrent two-hour sessions, before the show goes on to air on Foxtel.s BBC First.
Another Aussie highlight will be documentary The Silent Eye, from director Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Hail, Ruin), which follows free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor and modern dance artist Min Tanaka..
Many of the Aussie films that are screening at Sydney Film Festival will also head south for Miff, including a double bill froom Kriv Stenders,...
The Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) has unveiled the first 30 films on its line-up ahead of the full program launch in July..
Among the highlights at this year.s festival, to be held August 3-20, is actually a television series: the Australian premiere of Jane Campion.s series Top of the Lake: China Girl, fresh from Cannes..
All six episodes of the show, starring Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman, will play in three concurrent two-hour sessions, before the show goes on to air on Foxtel.s BBC First.
Another Aussie highlight will be documentary The Silent Eye, from director Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Hail, Ruin), which follows free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor and modern dance artist Min Tanaka..
Many of the Aussie films that are screening at Sydney Film Festival will also head south for Miff, including a double bill froom Kriv Stenders,...
- 6/6/2017
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
(L-r) Leo Faber, Shaun Gladwell.
Leo Faber has worked in TV for almost twenty years as a producer and director, predominantly in the factual space.
Now he.s getting into virtual reality as one of the eight members of content collective Badfaith, made up of video artists Shaun Gladwell and Daniel Crooks, biomedical engineer Dr. Jordan Nguyen and directors Natasha Pincus, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Samantha Matthews and Luci Schroder.
Faber was introduced to Vr two years ago by Sbs.s then-head of digital content, Jean-Paul Marin.
.I wasn.t sure what Vr really was,. says Faber, .but I tried it and was blown away at how cool it was. Even just a really simple 360° video through Google Cardboard I could see the potential..
Faber went straight out and bought a headset off eBay — .that was pretty much the only way you could get them at that stage. — and reached out to Pixelcase,...
Leo Faber has worked in TV for almost twenty years as a producer and director, predominantly in the factual space.
Now he.s getting into virtual reality as one of the eight members of content collective Badfaith, made up of video artists Shaun Gladwell and Daniel Crooks, biomedical engineer Dr. Jordan Nguyen and directors Natasha Pincus, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Samantha Matthews and Luci Schroder.
Faber was introduced to Vr two years ago by Sbs.s then-head of digital content, Jean-Paul Marin.
.I wasn.t sure what Vr really was,. says Faber, .but I tried it and was blown away at how cool it was. Even just a really simple 360° video through Google Cardboard I could see the potential..
Faber went straight out and bought a headset off eBay — .that was pretty much the only way you could get them at that stage. — and reached out to Pixelcase,...
- 4/10/2017
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
Shaun Gladwell and Leo Faber, co-founders of Badfaith. . Producer Leo Faber and mixed media artist Shaun Gladwell have founded Badfaith, a new Vr collective with members based out of Australia, London and Los Angeles.. . Its first project, Gladwell.s Orbital Vanitas, had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival over the weekend. The six minute Vr experience, which places the viewer in the Earth.s orbit, will continue to screen at Sundance this week as part of the New Frontier Showcase. The project is said to set the tone for Badfaith's future endeavours and ethos, which "prioritises creative over the commercial... . As well as Gladwell (The Lacrima Chair, Apology to Roadkill) and Faber, Badfaith consists of video artist Daniel Crooks (Hamilton.s Path, So Long As You Move), writer-director Natasha Pincus (Love.s Labour, Arietta), Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Hail, Ruin) and Luci Schroder (Slapper, Nick Knight.s .Fashion Fetish), Indigenous artist Tony Albert (Unalienable,...
- 1/23/2017
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
The winners of the 2015 Aftrs Creative Fellowships are visual artist Del Kathryn Barton,. emerging filmmaker Sari Braithwaite and Aftrs alumnus Rachel Perkins,. who will all be supported to create bold and distinctive new works.
Now in their sixth year, the fellowships provide funding and support for talented individuals or small collaborative groups from a diverse range of creative backgrounds including visual artists, filmmakers, screenwriters and directors.
Aftrs CEO Sandra Levy said, .What is truly special about the Aftrs Creative Fellowship is that practitioners are supported with a substantial grant to pursue unique and innovative work in a context where grants of this nature are not on offer from other organisations..
The grant is supplemented with additional support that includes access to the School.s resources and state-of-the-art production facilities as well as its. teaching staff to encourage innovative creative exploration and original work.
Del Kathryn Barton will use her fellowship to create Red,...
Now in their sixth year, the fellowships provide funding and support for talented individuals or small collaborative groups from a diverse range of creative backgrounds including visual artists, filmmakers, screenwriters and directors.
Aftrs CEO Sandra Levy said, .What is truly special about the Aftrs Creative Fellowship is that practitioners are supported with a substantial grant to pursue unique and innovative work in a context where grants of this nature are not on offer from other organisations..
The grant is supplemented with additional support that includes access to the School.s resources and state-of-the-art production facilities as well as its. teaching staff to encourage innovative creative exploration and original work.
Del Kathryn Barton will use her fellowship to create Red,...
- 6/9/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
Titles in development include Virginia Heath’s Mystery Ride and Taika Waititi’s Hunt For The Wilderpeople.
Australia/New Zealand production, post production and distribution company Curious is ramping up. Here in Cannes, the company has announced further details of its production slate.
Among the features Curious has in development is Mystery Ride, a UK/New Zealand co-production to be directed by Virginia Heath (From Scotland with Love), with a cast including Frances O’Connor, Peter Mullan and Sam Neill. Producers are Lene Bausager of Ugly Duckling Films, Faction North’s Grant Keir and Matt Noonan. TrustNordisk is handling international sales.
Another Curious title, Taika Waititi’s comic adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople is now in production in New Zealand. The film, which will star Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders) and Julian Dennison, is Waititi’s follow-up tovampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows.
Waititi will produce with Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders and [link...
Australia/New Zealand production, post production and distribution company Curious is ramping up. Here in Cannes, the company has announced further details of its production slate.
Among the features Curious has in development is Mystery Ride, a UK/New Zealand co-production to be directed by Virginia Heath (From Scotland with Love), with a cast including Frances O’Connor, Peter Mullan and Sam Neill. Producers are Lene Bausager of Ugly Duckling Films, Faction North’s Grant Keir and Matt Noonan. TrustNordisk is handling international sales.
Another Curious title, Taika Waititi’s comic adventure Hunt For The Wilderpeople is now in production in New Zealand. The film, which will star Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders) and Julian Dennison, is Waititi’s follow-up tovampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows.
Waititi will produce with Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders and [link...
- 5/20/2015
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Production, post and distribution company Curious has announced a ramped up production slate across both Australian and Nz projects, including Pat Nalin.s highly anticipated Beyond the Known World due for completion in mid-2015.
Set in The Himalayas, the Nz-India co-production follows an estranged couple who journey to India in order to search for their missing daughter. The cast includes David Wenham (Lord of the Rings, 300, Top of the Lake), Sia Trokenheim (Step Dave, Everything We Loved), and Emmanuelle Beart (8 Femmes) and is currently in post-production at Curious Auckland.
Matthew Horrocks and Kristian Eek will produce while Matt Noonan and Sarah Noonan are the EPs. Arclight Films is handling international sales. Curious will distribute in Australia and Nz.
Director Taika Watiti of Boy and What We Do in The Shadows has a new comic adventure up his sleeve, with Hunt for the Wilderpeople commencing production on May 18, 2015 in New Zealand.
Set in The Himalayas, the Nz-India co-production follows an estranged couple who journey to India in order to search for their missing daughter. The cast includes David Wenham (Lord of the Rings, 300, Top of the Lake), Sia Trokenheim (Step Dave, Everything We Loved), and Emmanuelle Beart (8 Femmes) and is currently in post-production at Curious Auckland.
Matthew Horrocks and Kristian Eek will produce while Matt Noonan and Sarah Noonan are the EPs. Arclight Films is handling international sales. Curious will distribute in Australia and Nz.
Director Taika Watiti of Boy and What We Do in The Shadows has a new comic adventure up his sleeve, with Hunt for the Wilderpeople commencing production on May 18, 2015 in New Zealand.
- 5/18/2015
- by Emily Blatchford
- IF.com.au
The Sessions writer-director Ben Lewin is attached to helm Blue Rose, a biopic about the self-described .sex crazed. Australian composer and pianist Percy Grainger.
La-based Jeffrey Walker will return to Oz a to direct Dance Academy: The Comeback., a spin-off of Werner Film Productions. popular TV series, which will follow a young ballerina who dreams of being a star.
Following Ruin and Hail, Amiel Courtin-Wilson is to write, produce and direct Hawkwood, a thriller set in the backwaters of Africa which tells of ageing mercenary.s journey from chaos to grace.
These are among 16 feature projects which are receiving more than $620,000 in development funding from Screen Australia.
Lewin will write Blue Rose with Wain Fimeri for producers Chryssy Tintner, Jan Eymann, Judi Levine and Arclight.s Mark Lazarus and Gary Hamilton. His next film is Us indie romantic drama Purple Hearts, which will star Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez...
La-based Jeffrey Walker will return to Oz a to direct Dance Academy: The Comeback., a spin-off of Werner Film Productions. popular TV series, which will follow a young ballerina who dreams of being a star.
Following Ruin and Hail, Amiel Courtin-Wilson is to write, produce and direct Hawkwood, a thriller set in the backwaters of Africa which tells of ageing mercenary.s journey from chaos to grace.
These are among 16 feature projects which are receiving more than $620,000 in development funding from Screen Australia.
Lewin will write Blue Rose with Wain Fimeri for producers Chryssy Tintner, Jan Eymann, Judi Levine and Arclight.s Mark Lazarus and Gary Hamilton. His next film is Us indie romantic drama Purple Hearts, which will star Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez...
- 4/21/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Water Diviner and The Babadook share top film honours and ABC’s The Code is the biggest TV winner. All the red carpet glitz, gossip and gongs from Sydney
Water Diviner and Babadook tie, but at least they’re AussieAactas red carpet: the stars arrive – in pictures
8.58pm Aest
The big winners? The Water Diviner and The Babadook for film, and The Code for its multiple awards in the telly categories.
Plenty more to celebrate and debate in the coming days. We’ll be back on Friday with the best quotes and pictures. Not to mention our weekly film column that sees Luke Buckmaster re-watching the cult classics of Australian cinema, week in week out, for your reading/viewing pleasure.
8.39pm Aest
And, breathe, we’re almost there. Cate and Debs are back on stage to lead into the final and biggest gong of the night: the award for...
Water Diviner and Babadook tie, but at least they’re AussieAactas red carpet: the stars arrive – in pictures
8.58pm Aest
The big winners? The Water Diviner and The Babadook for film, and The Code for its multiple awards in the telly categories.
Plenty more to celebrate and debate in the coming days. We’ll be back on Friday with the best quotes and pictures. Not to mention our weekly film column that sees Luke Buckmaster re-watching the cult classics of Australian cinema, week in week out, for your reading/viewing pleasure.
8.39pm Aest
And, breathe, we’re almost there. Cate and Debs are back on stage to lead into the final and biggest gong of the night: the award for...
- 1/29/2015
- by Nancy Groves and Alexandra Spring in Sydney
- The Guardian - Film News
Double win marks the first time two films have shared Australia’s top film prize.Scroll down for full list of winners
Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner and Jennifer Kent thriller The Babadook have both won the Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Award for best film, marking the first time that two titles have shared the country’s top film prize.
The event in Sydney, hosted this year by actresses Cate Blanchett and Deborah Mailman, is only the 4th annual Aacta Awards but they were the result of an overhaul of the AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards, which were established in 1969.
The two winning films could not be more different from each other. Kent’s meticulously crafted low-budget claustrophobic thriller, The Babadook, is about a single mother who battles with her son’s fear of a monster lurking in the house.
Gladiator star Crowe’s directorial debut, The Water Diviner, is about...
Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner and Jennifer Kent thriller The Babadook have both won the Aacta (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Award for best film, marking the first time that two titles have shared the country’s top film prize.
The event in Sydney, hosted this year by actresses Cate Blanchett and Deborah Mailman, is only the 4th annual Aacta Awards but they were the result of an overhaul of the AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards, which were established in 1969.
The two winning films could not be more different from each other. Kent’s meticulously crafted low-budget claustrophobic thriller, The Babadook, is about a single mother who battles with her son’s fear of a monster lurking in the house.
Gladiator star Crowe’s directorial debut, The Water Diviner, is about...
- 1/29/2015
- by Sandy.George@me.com (Sandy George)
- ScreenDaily
Jennifer Kent.s The Babadook and Russell Crowe.s The Water Diviner tied for best film at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) awards in Sydney.
That.s the first joint award for best film in AFI/Aacta history. Kent also collected the awards for best director (Crowe wasn't nominated in that category) and original screenplay.
Telecast on Network Ten, the awards drew just 297,000 viewers in the five metro cities last night, proving more popular in Melbourne (107,000) than Sydney (80,000).
Playmaker Media.s conspiracy thriller The Code collared the awards for best TV drama, lead actor in a TV drama (Ashley Zukerman), supporting actress (Chelsie Preston Crayford) and direction in a TV drama or comedy (Shawn Seet). The Longford Lyell Award, named for Australian cinema pioneers Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell, went to screenwriter Andrew Knight, whose credits as head writer or co-writer include Fast Forward, Full Frontal,...
That.s the first joint award for best film in AFI/Aacta history. Kent also collected the awards for best director (Crowe wasn't nominated in that category) and original screenplay.
Telecast on Network Ten, the awards drew just 297,000 viewers in the five metro cities last night, proving more popular in Melbourne (107,000) than Sydney (80,000).
Playmaker Media.s conspiracy thriller The Code collared the awards for best TV drama, lead actor in a TV drama (Ashley Zukerman), supporting actress (Chelsie Preston Crayford) and direction in a TV drama or comedy (Shawn Seet). The Longford Lyell Award, named for Australian cinema pioneers Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell, went to screenwriter Andrew Knight, whose credits as head writer or co-writer include Fast Forward, Full Frontal,...
- 1/29/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Nsw development and production executive Justin Donoghue is joining Screen Australia.
Donoghue has been appointed development executive, replacing Jo Dillon, who departed in August to become head of production and development at Screen Queensland.
At Screen Nsw he has focussed primarily on feature development as well as TV and interactive projects and he managed the Aurora development program.
He worked on the development of Amiel Courtin-Wilson.s Ruin and Simon Stone.s The Daughter and with Jennifer Kent, Cate Shortland, Andrew Bovell and John Collee. A graduate of the UK National Film & Television School in script development, he had 15 years experience in Europe, South Africa and the UK in development, production and distribution, working on projects for Hallmark Entertainment, Film Four, Channel Five, Downtown Pictures and Kudos Film and Television.
Screen Australia head of production Sally Caplan said, .I am delighted to have Justin bring in his range of skills and experience,...
Donoghue has been appointed development executive, replacing Jo Dillon, who departed in August to become head of production and development at Screen Queensland.
At Screen Nsw he has focussed primarily on feature development as well as TV and interactive projects and he managed the Aurora development program.
He worked on the development of Amiel Courtin-Wilson.s Ruin and Simon Stone.s The Daughter and with Jennifer Kent, Cate Shortland, Andrew Bovell and John Collee. A graduate of the UK National Film & Television School in script development, he had 15 years experience in Europe, South Africa and the UK in development, production and distribution, working on projects for Hallmark Entertainment, Film Four, Channel Five, Downtown Pictures and Kudos Film and Television.
Screen Australia head of production Sally Caplan said, .I am delighted to have Justin bring in his range of skills and experience,...
- 11/28/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Debut competition titles at cinematography festival unveiled.
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Direct from its world-premiere screening at the Cannes Film Festival, Sff and Vivid Ideas are proud to present the Australian Premiere of the highly anticipated futuristic thriller The Rover and host director David Michôd, actors Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson and producer Liz Watts at the State Theatre on Saturday 7 June. The Rover screens as part of Sff’s Official Competition. Michôd, Pearce, Pattinson and Watts will also give a talk as part of Vivid Ideas at Town Hall on Sunday 8 June.
Actor Cate Blanchett will attend the Festival to introduce a special screening of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 the second chapter of the epic trilogy in which Blanchett is the voice of the character Valka. The screening is held at 2pm on Public Holiday Monday, 9 June, at Event Cinemas George Street.
UK visual artists and film directors Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard introduce Sff’s Opening Night Film,...
Actor Cate Blanchett will attend the Festival to introduce a special screening of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 the second chapter of the epic trilogy in which Blanchett is the voice of the character Valka. The screening is held at 2pm on Public Holiday Monday, 9 June, at Event Cinemas George Street.
UK visual artists and film directors Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard introduce Sff’s Opening Night Film,...
- 5/30/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
Nick Cave documentary 20,000 Days on Earth and titles set for Cannes among Sydney Film Festival competiton contenders.
In an unusual move the Sydney Film Festival has included among its official competition contenders, the June 4 opening night film 20,000 Days on Earth, which digs deep into the life of Australian-born musician and artist Nick Cave and won the top prize for documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
This year will also see the biggest number of Australian films in the competition. David Michôd’s The Rover will come fresh from Cannes and the other two are Ruin, which writer/directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody filmed in Cambodia, and Fell, a debut film from Kasimir Burge that will have its world premiere at the annual event. Burge won a Crystal Bear at Berlin for his short Lily.
See below for the full list of the finalists in the seventh year of the A$60,000 ($56,000) competition.
Finishing off the...
In an unusual move the Sydney Film Festival has included among its official competition contenders, the June 4 opening night film 20,000 Days on Earth, which digs deep into the life of Australian-born musician and artist Nick Cave and won the top prize for documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
This year will also see the biggest number of Australian films in the competition. David Michôd’s The Rover will come fresh from Cannes and the other two are Ruin, which writer/directors Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody filmed in Cambodia, and Fell, a debut film from Kasimir Burge that will have its world premiere at the annual event. Burge won a Crystal Bear at Berlin for his short Lily.
See below for the full list of the finalists in the seventh year of the A$60,000 ($56,000) competition.
Finishing off the...
- 5/10/2014
- by Sandy.George@me.com (Sandy George)
- ScreenDaily
Sydney - David Michod’s Cannes Film Festival selection, The Rover, has booked a place in the Sydney Film Festival Official Competition this year, competing for the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize, Sff organizers announced Wednesday. The Rover will have its Australian premiere at the festival on June 7, with stars Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce as well as Michod and producer Liz Watts attending. It will be one of three Australian films competing for the seventh Sydney Film Prize -- the most ever in the competition’s history. In addition to The Rover, Kasimir Burgess’ Fell, and Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody’s
read more...
read more...
- 5/7/2014
- by Pip Bulbeck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Rover, Ruin, 20,000 Days on Earth, Fell and Nz mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows are just some of the 183 films scheduled to screen at the 61st Sydney Film Festival in June this year.
The full program for the Festival was announced this morning by the Nsw Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant, at a packed event held at Customs House in Circular Quay, Sydney.
.The New South Wales Government, through Screen Nsw and Destination Nsw, is very pleased to be again supporting Sydney Film Festival which is also part of Vivid Ideas 2014. Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city.s rich arts calendar and an important part of our cultural fabric. The Festival underpins Sydney.s recognition as a Unesco City of Film, and I look forward to experiencing the Festival this June,. Mr Grant addressed the crowd this morning.
Another exciting announcement was the Sff...
The full program for the Festival was announced this morning by the Nsw Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant, at a packed event held at Customs House in Circular Quay, Sydney.
.The New South Wales Government, through Screen Nsw and Destination Nsw, is very pleased to be again supporting Sydney Film Festival which is also part of Vivid Ideas 2014. Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city.s rich arts calendar and an important part of our cultural fabric. The Festival underpins Sydney.s recognition as a Unesco City of Film, and I look forward to experiencing the Festival this June,. Mr Grant addressed the crowd this morning.
Another exciting announcement was the Sff...
- 5/7/2014
- by Emily Blatchford
- IF.com.au
These Final Hours, an Apocalyptic thriller from first-time writer-director Zak Hilditch, will screen at the Cannes Film Festival in the Directors. Fortnight section in May.
Its selection enhances the Australian profile at the festival with David Michôd.s The Rover getting a midnight screening out of competition and Rolf de Heer.s Charlie.s Country showing in the Un Certain Regard sidebar.
.I think it.s every director.s dream to have their work screen in Cannes. This is a huge achievement for everyone who worked on the film,. Hilditch told If on Tuesday night.
In a joint statement with his producer Liz Kearney, he continued, .We are feeling so excited and proud to have our debut feature film selected for Directors' Fortnight. We are really looking forward to sharing These Final Hours with an international audience for the first time and could not ask for a better platform to premiere the film internationally in.
Its selection enhances the Australian profile at the festival with David Michôd.s The Rover getting a midnight screening out of competition and Rolf de Heer.s Charlie.s Country showing in the Un Certain Regard sidebar.
.I think it.s every director.s dream to have their work screen in Cannes. This is a huge achievement for everyone who worked on the film,. Hilditch told If on Tuesday night.
In a joint statement with his producer Liz Kearney, he continued, .We are feeling so excited and proud to have our debut feature film selected for Directors' Fortnight. We are really looking forward to sharing These Final Hours with an international audience for the first time and could not ask for a better platform to premiere the film internationally in.
- 4/22/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Australia hasn.t had a film selected for official competition at the Cannes Film Festival or the Un Certain Regard sidebar since 2011 and in the Directors. Fortnight section since 2009.
But the prospects are looking brighter this year. According to If.s straw poll among industry figures, David Michôd.s The Rover, Rolf de Heer.s Charlie.s Country and Zak Hilditch.s These Final Hours are promising candidates for one or more of the festival.s competitive sections.
The official competition line-up for the 67th Cannes festival and Un Certain Regard will be unveiled on Thursday night local time by fest director Thierry Frémaux.
Baz Luhrmann.s The Great Gatsby was the opening night film in Cannes last year, out of competition. Julia Leigh.s Sleeping Beauty was the last Australian film to screen in competition in 2011, the same year that Ivan Sen.s Toomelah was invited to Un Certain Regard.
But the prospects are looking brighter this year. According to If.s straw poll among industry figures, David Michôd.s The Rover, Rolf de Heer.s Charlie.s Country and Zak Hilditch.s These Final Hours are promising candidates for one or more of the festival.s competitive sections.
The official competition line-up for the 67th Cannes festival and Un Certain Regard will be unveiled on Thursday night local time by fest director Thierry Frémaux.
Baz Luhrmann.s The Great Gatsby was the opening night film in Cannes last year, out of competition. Julia Leigh.s Sleeping Beauty was the last Australian film to screen in competition in 2011, the same year that Ivan Sen.s Toomelah was invited to Un Certain Regard.
- 4/16/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The 61st Sydney Film Festival today announced 32 films to be featured in this year.s event (June 4-15) in advance of the full program launch on May 7.
The line-up includes the world premiere of The Redfern Story, 19 Australian premieres, 13 features, 11 documentaries and an eight-film retrospective on maverick American filmmaker Robert Altman. Altman.s son, filmmaker Michael Altman, will attend festival and introduce several of the Altman screenings.
Darlene Johnson.s The Redfern Story chronicles the volatile birth of the first all-Indigenous theatre company, the National Black Theatre. It features interviews with indigenous media pioneer Lester Bostock, writer Gerry Bostock, actor Lillian Crombie, activist-academic Gary Foley, academic Marcia Langton, actors Rachael Maza, Bryan Brown and Bindi Williams. .We are pleased to present this sneak preview of 32 of the 180-plus films in this year.s program,. said Festival Director Nashen Moodley. .We have gathered a selection of the best films from the...
The line-up includes the world premiere of The Redfern Story, 19 Australian premieres, 13 features, 11 documentaries and an eight-film retrospective on maverick American filmmaker Robert Altman. Altman.s son, filmmaker Michael Altman, will attend festival and introduce several of the Altman screenings.
Darlene Johnson.s The Redfern Story chronicles the volatile birth of the first all-Indigenous theatre company, the National Black Theatre. It features interviews with indigenous media pioneer Lester Bostock, writer Gerry Bostock, actor Lillian Crombie, activist-academic Gary Foley, academic Marcia Langton, actors Rachael Maza, Bryan Brown and Bindi Williams. .We are pleased to present this sneak preview of 32 of the 180-plus films in this year.s program,. said Festival Director Nashen Moodley. .We have gathered a selection of the best films from the...
- 4/1/2014
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
Madman Entertainment co-founders and joint managing directors Tim Anderson and Paul Wiegard have agreed on the key terms to buy the theatrical and home entertainment distributor from parent company Funtastic.
In a letter to staff and stakeholders today, they said they expect to close the deal within a few weeks and they are part of a small consortium that's buying the business.
Anderson and Wiegard sold the distributor, which they founded 18 years ago in the bedroom of a share house, to Funtastic in 2006 for $34.5 million.
Funtastic told the Australian Stock Exchange it had received two expressions of interest to buy Madman and while assessing these offers it had discovered the book value of $52 million was far higher than market value. It warned it would take an impairment charge of $22 million-$28 million on the sale.
A management buy-out seemed the most logical outcome. The co-founders said that after thinking about Madman...
In a letter to staff and stakeholders today, they said they expect to close the deal within a few weeks and they are part of a small consortium that's buying the business.
Anderson and Wiegard sold the distributor, which they founded 18 years ago in the bedroom of a share house, to Funtastic in 2006 for $34.5 million.
Funtastic told the Australian Stock Exchange it had received two expressions of interest to buy Madman and while assessing these offers it had discovered the book value of $52 million was far higher than market value. It warned it would take an impairment charge of $22 million-$28 million on the sale.
A management buy-out seemed the most logical outcome. The co-founders said that after thinking about Madman...
- 3/7/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Madman Entertainment is for sale. Toy, clothing and confectionery company Funtastic, which bought the distributor for $34.5 million in 2006, told the Asx it expects to finalise the sale before it announces its first half results.
Funtastic said it had received two expressions of interest to buy Madman. While assessing these offers it said it discovered the carrying value of Madman of $52 million was higher than market value.
It revealed it would likely incur an impairment charge of $22 million- $28 million on the sale.. Funtastic said it will use the proceeds to repay debt, which would be reduced to about $25 million.
Madman has been hit by the downturn in the DVD market,. Foxtel Movies slashing the licence fees for films and a contraction in the theatrical market. for indie films. In fiscal 2013, Madman accounted for 31% of Funtastic's revenues. Some 79% of the division's revenues came from physical sales of DVDs with just 11% from theatrical and 10% from digital and ancillary.
Funtastic said it had received two expressions of interest to buy Madman. While assessing these offers it said it discovered the carrying value of Madman of $52 million was higher than market value.
It revealed it would likely incur an impairment charge of $22 million- $28 million on the sale.. Funtastic said it will use the proceeds to repay debt, which would be reduced to about $25 million.
Madman has been hit by the downturn in the DVD market,. Foxtel Movies slashing the licence fees for films and a contraction in the theatrical market. for indie films. In fiscal 2013, Madman accounted for 31% of Funtastic's revenues. Some 79% of the division's revenues came from physical sales of DVDs with just 11% from theatrical and 10% from digital and ancillary.
- 3/4/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Cambodian-set surreal love story Ruin has won another international festival award.
The film collected the prize for best concept and cinematography at the International 2morrow film festival in Moscow. Michael Cody, who co-directed the film with Amiel Courtin-Wilson, was on hand to accept the award.
Ruin won the special Orizzonti Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It.s screening this week in Chile.s Festival Internacional de Cine Valdivia and in November will participate in Ireland's Cork International Film Festival. Courtin-Wilson tells If the film will be released in Australia by Madman Entertainment after it plays at Oz festivals next year.
Mark Hartley.s Patrick is competing at the Sitges horror/thriller festival in Spain alongside films such as Robert Rodriguez.s Machete Kills, Nicolas Winding Refn.s Only God Forgives and Eli Roth.s The Green Inferno.
Charles Dance, who plays a renegade neurologist who treats the comatose title character in Patrick,...
The film collected the prize for best concept and cinematography at the International 2morrow film festival in Moscow. Michael Cody, who co-directed the film with Amiel Courtin-Wilson, was on hand to accept the award.
Ruin won the special Orizzonti Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. It.s screening this week in Chile.s Festival Internacional de Cine Valdivia and in November will participate in Ireland's Cork International Film Festival. Courtin-Wilson tells If the film will be released in Australia by Madman Entertainment after it plays at Oz festivals next year.
Mark Hartley.s Patrick is competing at the Sitges horror/thriller festival in Spain alongside films such as Robert Rodriguez.s Machete Kills, Nicolas Winding Refn.s Only God Forgives and Eli Roth.s The Green Inferno.
Charles Dance, who plays a renegade neurologist who treats the comatose title character in Patrick,...
- 10/8/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia.s announcement last week that it will fund up to three short dramas, each budgeted at $70,000, in a new program entitled Hot Shots raised eyebrows in sections of the industry.
Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.
.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..
Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...
Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.
.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..
Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...
- 9/23/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Screen Australia.s announcement last week that it will fund up to three short dramas, each budgeted at $70,000, in a new program entitled Hot Shots raised eyebrows in sections of the industry.
Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.
.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..
Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...
Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.
.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..
Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...
- 9/23/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
When the hardware was handed out at the Venice International Film Festival just the other week the jury members behind the Orizzonti Special Jury Prize, headed by Paul Schrader (writer of such films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The Mosquito Coast), saw fit to award the film Ruin and its filmmakers Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson. And now we have a trailer to share with you. It features some tremendous imagery and a dreamlike quality to it. Take a look below!Ruin is an impressionistic fable- the story of Phirun (Rous Mony) and Sovanna (Melang) - two lovers inexplicably drawn together who escape a brutal and exploitative world of crime and violence in modern day Cambodia. Fleeing Phnom Penh after a murder, they travel deeper...
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[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/16/2013
- Screen Anarchy
★★★★☆ Showing in the Orizzonti sidebar at the 70th Venice Film Festival, Ruin (2013) is by turns a gritty and dazzling lovers-on-the-run tale set in modern day Cambodia. Directed by Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson, the film tells the story of two of society's worst-off down-and-outs. Sang Malen plays Sovanna, a young prostitute who is beaten and mistreated by her pimp when she feigns illness to escape work. She manages to escape, but Phnom Penh - and Cambodia, for that mater - is no place for a young girl on her own. Fortunately she meets Phirun (Rous Mony), an aggressive young local factory worker.
A vague spark of affection is ignited and Phirun promises to shelter the girl, but following a murder they are forced to flee the city and look to survive on the road. The obvious model here is Terrence Malick's 1973 classic Badlands, with moments of down-to-earth social realism...
A vague spark of affection is ignited and Phirun promises to shelter the girl, but following a murder they are forced to flee the city and look to survive on the road. The obvious model here is Terrence Malick's 1973 classic Badlands, with moments of down-to-earth social realism...
- 9/10/2013
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Matteo Lovadina’s Reel Suspects has picked up international rights on Venice Orizzonti special jury prize winner Ruin.
Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody direct.
The Australian-made Ruin is set in modern-day Cambodia. It’s an impressionistic love story about young lovers on the run, trying to escape a life of crime and violence. The cast is led by Rous Mony and Sang Malen. It was made through Flood Projects Production and Hanuman Films.
Madman will release the film in Australia. North American rights are handled by La based Xyz Films and United Talent Agency (UTA). Germany and Italy are reportedly in negotiations for the title.
Reel Suspects has also confirmed two more deals on another of its titles, Brendan Muldowney’s Love Eternal. The film, produced by Fastnet Films, Red Lion, Rinkel Film and T.O. Entertainment, has now gone to Sweden (Njuta Films) and Benelux (Just Film Distribution).
The film is a darkly comic melodrama about an...
Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody direct.
The Australian-made Ruin is set in modern-day Cambodia. It’s an impressionistic love story about young lovers on the run, trying to escape a life of crime and violence. The cast is led by Rous Mony and Sang Malen. It was made through Flood Projects Production and Hanuman Films.
Madman will release the film in Australia. North American rights are handled by La based Xyz Films and United Talent Agency (UTA). Germany and Italy are reportedly in negotiations for the title.
Reel Suspects has also confirmed two more deals on another of its titles, Brendan Muldowney’s Love Eternal. The film, produced by Fastnet Films, Red Lion, Rinkel Film and T.O. Entertainment, has now gone to Sweden (Njuta Films) and Benelux (Just Film Distribution).
The film is a darkly comic melodrama about an...
- 9/9/2013
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
In Competition
Golden Lion – Sacro Gra, directed by Gianfranco Rosi
Silver Lion (Best Director) – Alexandros Avranas, Miss Violence
Grand Jury Prize – Stray Dogs, directed by Tsai Ming-liang
Special Jury Prize – The Police Officer's Wife, directed by Philip Gröning
Volpi Cup for Best Actor – Themis Panou, Miss Violence
Volpi Cup for Best Actress – Elena Cotta, A Street in Palermo
Best Screenplay – Philomena, written by Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress – Tye Sheridan, Joe
Horizons (Orizzonti)
Orizzonti Award for Best Film – Eastern Boys, directed by Robin Campillo
Orizzonti Award for Best Director – Uberto Pasolini, Still Life
Special Orizzonti Jury Prize – Ruin, directed by Michael Cody & Amiel Courtin-Wilson
Special Orizzonti Prize for Innovative Content – Fish & Cat, directed by Shahram Mokri
Lion of the Future Award
Best Debut Film – White Shadow, directed by Noaz Deshe
Fipresci
Competition Fipresci Prize – Tom at the Farm, directed by Xavier Dolan...
Golden Lion – Sacro Gra, directed by Gianfranco Rosi
Silver Lion (Best Director) – Alexandros Avranas, Miss Violence
Grand Jury Prize – Stray Dogs, directed by Tsai Ming-liang
Special Jury Prize – The Police Officer's Wife, directed by Philip Gröning
Volpi Cup for Best Actor – Themis Panou, Miss Violence
Volpi Cup for Best Actress – Elena Cotta, A Street in Palermo
Best Screenplay – Philomena, written by Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress – Tye Sheridan, Joe
Horizons (Orizzonti)
Orizzonti Award for Best Film – Eastern Boys, directed by Robin Campillo
Orizzonti Award for Best Director – Uberto Pasolini, Still Life
Special Orizzonti Jury Prize – Ruin, directed by Michael Cody & Amiel Courtin-Wilson
Special Orizzonti Prize for Innovative Content – Fish & Cat, directed by Shahram Mokri
Lion of the Future Award
Best Debut Film – White Shadow, directed by Noaz Deshe
Fipresci
Competition Fipresci Prize – Tom at the Farm, directed by Xavier Dolan...
- 9/8/2013
- by Notebook
- MUBI
A still from Kush
Shubhashish Bhutiani’s short film Kush, the lone Indian entry at the Venice Film Festival, has won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film.
Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival showcases new trends in world cinema. The Orizzonti Jury was chaired by Paul Schrader and composed of Catherine Corsini, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Frédéric Fonteyne, Kseniya Rappoport and Amr Waked.
Kush featuring Sonika Chopra, Shayaan Sameer and Anil Sharma is inspired by a true story : In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, causing anti-Sikh riots to erupt throughout the country. A teacher travelling back from a field trip with her class of 10-year-old students struggles to protect Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, from the growing violence around him.
Bhutiani recently graduated from School of Visual Arts (Sva) in New York.
List Of Awards:
Golden...
Shubhashish Bhutiani’s short film Kush, the lone Indian entry at the Venice Film Festival, has won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film.
Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival showcases new trends in world cinema. The Orizzonti Jury was chaired by Paul Schrader and composed of Catherine Corsini, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Frédéric Fonteyne, Kseniya Rappoport and Amr Waked.
Kush featuring Sonika Chopra, Shayaan Sameer and Anil Sharma is inspired by a true story : In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards, causing anti-Sikh riots to erupt throughout the country. A teacher travelling back from a field trip with her class of 10-year-old students struggles to protect Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, from the growing violence around him.
Bhutiani recently graduated from School of Visual Arts (Sva) in New York.
List Of Awards:
Golden...
- 9/8/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The Venice Golden Lion returned to the host country after fifteen years this evening with Gianfranco Rosi's biography of a Rome ring road, Sacro Gra, picking up the festival's top prize. Renowned director Bernardo Bertolucci and his jury plumped for high arthouse cinema over the more crowd-pleasing fare of Stephen Frears' British offering Philomena, which had to make do with the award for Best Screenplay. Best Actor and Best Director went respectively to Themis Panou and Alexandros Avranas for Greek family abuse drama Miss Violence. Although the film (for this reviewer at least) is an exploitative, nasty piece of work, it's undeniably well-directed, and Panou is utterly brilliant as the chilling pater familias.
The Grand Jury Prize was reserved for Tsai Ming-liang's dark horse Stray Dogs which, with its ten-minute long takes of people staring at walls and eating cabbages, could well be a test case for cinephile seriousness.
The Grand Jury Prize was reserved for Tsai Ming-liang's dark horse Stray Dogs which, with its ten-minute long takes of people staring at walls and eating cabbages, could well be a test case for cinephile seriousness.
- 9/7/2013
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Surprise choice for Golden Lion is Italian documentary. Silver Lion for best director goes to Alexandros Avranas for Miss Violence.
The surprise winner of the Venice Golden Lion is Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian documentary Sacro Gra, about life on the highway that surrounds Rome.
It marks the first time a documentary has ever won the Golden Lion.
Greek film Miss Violence had a strong showing winning both best director for Alexandros Avranas and best actor for Themis Panou.
Review: Sacro Grareview: Miss Violence
The Venezia 70 Jury, chaired by Bernardo Bertolucci and comprised of Andrea Arnold, Renato Berta, Carrie Fisher, Martina Gedeck, Jiang Wen, Pablo Larraín, Virginie Ledoyen, Ryuichi Sakamoto has awarded the following prizes:
Main Competition Awards
Golden Lion for Best Film
Sacro Gra, Gianfranco Rosi (Italy, France)
Silver Lion for Best Director
Alexandros Avranas, Miss Violence (Greece)
Grand Jury Prize
Jiaoyou, Tsai Ming-liang (Chinese Taipei, France)Best Actor: Themis Panou, Miss ViolenceBest...
The surprise winner of the Venice Golden Lion is Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian documentary Sacro Gra, about life on the highway that surrounds Rome.
It marks the first time a documentary has ever won the Golden Lion.
Greek film Miss Violence had a strong showing winning both best director for Alexandros Avranas and best actor for Themis Panou.
Review: Sacro Grareview: Miss Violence
The Venezia 70 Jury, chaired by Bernardo Bertolucci and comprised of Andrea Arnold, Renato Berta, Carrie Fisher, Martina Gedeck, Jiang Wen, Pablo Larraín, Virginie Ledoyen, Ryuichi Sakamoto has awarded the following prizes:
Main Competition Awards
Golden Lion for Best Film
Sacro Gra, Gianfranco Rosi (Italy, France)
Silver Lion for Best Director
Alexandros Avranas, Miss Violence (Greece)
Grand Jury Prize
Jiaoyou, Tsai Ming-liang (Chinese Taipei, France)Best Actor: Themis Panou, Miss ViolenceBest...
- 9/7/2013
- ScreenDaily
Surprise choice for Golden Lion is Italian documentary. Silver Lion for best director goes to Alexandros Avranas for Miss Violence.
The surprise winner of the Venice Golden Lion is Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian documentary Sacro Gra, about life on the highway that surrounds Rome.
Greek film Miss Violence had a strong showing winning both best director for Alexandros Avranas and best actor for Themis Panou.
The Venezia 70 Jury, chaired by Bernardo Bertolucci and comprised of Andrea Arnold, Renato Berta, Carrie Fisher, Martina Gedeck, Jiang Wen, Pablo Larraín, Virginie Ledoyen, Ryuichi Sakamoto has awarded the following prizes
Main Competition Awards
Golden Lion for Best Film
Sacro Gra by Gianfranco Rosi (Italy, France)
Silver Lion for Best Director
Alexandros Avranas for Miss Violence (Greece)
Grand Jury Prize
Jiaoyou by Tsai Ming-liang (Chinese Taipei, France)
Coppa Volpi for Best Actor
Themis Panou in Miss Violence
Coppa Volpi for Best Actress
Elena Cotta inVIA Castellana Bandiera by Emma Dante (Italy, Switzerland...
The surprise winner of the Venice Golden Lion is Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian documentary Sacro Gra, about life on the highway that surrounds Rome.
Greek film Miss Violence had a strong showing winning both best director for Alexandros Avranas and best actor for Themis Panou.
The Venezia 70 Jury, chaired by Bernardo Bertolucci and comprised of Andrea Arnold, Renato Berta, Carrie Fisher, Martina Gedeck, Jiang Wen, Pablo Larraín, Virginie Ledoyen, Ryuichi Sakamoto has awarded the following prizes
Main Competition Awards
Golden Lion for Best Film
Sacro Gra by Gianfranco Rosi (Italy, France)
Silver Lion for Best Director
Alexandros Avranas for Miss Violence (Greece)
Grand Jury Prize
Jiaoyou by Tsai Ming-liang (Chinese Taipei, France)
Coppa Volpi for Best Actor
Themis Panou in Miss Violence
Coppa Volpi for Best Actress
Elena Cotta inVIA Castellana Bandiera by Emma Dante (Italy, Switzerland...
- 9/7/2013
- ScreenDaily
The 70th Venice Film Festival wrapped this weekend with the top prize of the Golden Lion going to Gianfranco Rosi's documentary "Sacro Gra".
The Venice fest awards are unique in that, only in exceptional cases, can a film win more than one prize. On top of that, whoever wins the Golden Lion can only win that award.
An exceptional case was seen with "Miss Violence" which took the Best Director (Alexandros Avranas) and Best Actor (Themis Panou) honors. Elena Cotta won Best Actress for "Via Castellana Bandiera".
Tsai Ming-liang's "Stray Dogs" took the newly added Grand Jury Prize, while Philip Groning's "The Police Officer’s Wife" won a Special Jury Prize.
Rising young "Mud" star Tye Sheridan took Best New Young Actor/Actress for "Joe," and comedian Steve Coogan along with Jeff Pope took best screenplay for "Philomena".
Earlier, the critics week "Lion of the Future" award for debut...
The Venice fest awards are unique in that, only in exceptional cases, can a film win more than one prize. On top of that, whoever wins the Golden Lion can only win that award.
An exceptional case was seen with "Miss Violence" which took the Best Director (Alexandros Avranas) and Best Actor (Themis Panou) honors. Elena Cotta won Best Actress for "Via Castellana Bandiera".
Tsai Ming-liang's "Stray Dogs" took the newly added Grand Jury Prize, while Philip Groning's "The Police Officer’s Wife" won a Special Jury Prize.
Rising young "Mud" star Tye Sheridan took Best New Young Actor/Actress for "Joe," and comedian Steve Coogan along with Jeff Pope took best screenplay for "Philomena".
Earlier, the critics week "Lion of the Future" award for debut...
- 9/7/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The initial reactions to Amiel Courtin-Wilson and Michael Cody.s Cambodian-set romantic drama Ruin after the world premiere at the Venice Film Festival are decidedly mixed.
Billed as an impressionistic fable about a disgruntled factory worker who hooks up with a prostitute on a road trip after a murder, the low-budget film screened in the festival.s Horizon section dedicated to new, distinctive films from rising talents.
Fairfax Media.s Stephanie Bunbury described the film as .elliptical, full of sumptuous images that can be read as dreams or symbols more easily than as a real-world narrative, backed with a dense electronic score..
Bunbury observed, .The film may have a small audience, but it's an intensely committed one.. She noted there were a number of walk-outs and there were negative responses from trade magazine critics.
Perhaps, although none of the major trades has yet posted reviews. And Cody has a very different take on the responses,...
Billed as an impressionistic fable about a disgruntled factory worker who hooks up with a prostitute on a road trip after a murder, the low-budget film screened in the festival.s Horizon section dedicated to new, distinctive films from rising talents.
Fairfax Media.s Stephanie Bunbury described the film as .elliptical, full of sumptuous images that can be read as dreams or symbols more easily than as a real-world narrative, backed with a dense electronic score..
Bunbury observed, .The film may have a small audience, but it's an intensely committed one.. She noted there were a number of walk-outs and there were negative responses from trade magazine critics.
Perhaps, although none of the major trades has yet posted reviews. And Cody has a very different take on the responses,...
- 9/4/2013
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
I’ve yet to find myself on the Lido (at the top of my bucket list choices for film festivals I’ve yet to visit) but thanks to some forward-thinking folks such as the Festival Scope folks, the Venice Film Festival is coming directly to our living rooms, laptops and whatnot Live.
An experiment that began last year and in its sophomore edition has blossomed into a well-oiled virtual event, each film (see list) below will hold a maximum “seating capacity” of 500 virtual places/seat holders for world cinephiles (read the full description of the service). Among the dozen or so films from the Orizzonti section and a selected trio films from the new Biennale College are the make-up of Web Theatre programme and to help promote the event, we’re holding a contest – five lucky readers will get to watch Pavilion‘s Tim Sutton’s (an Ioncinephile of the...
An experiment that began last year and in its sophomore edition has blossomed into a well-oiled virtual event, each film (see list) below will hold a maximum “seating capacity” of 500 virtual places/seat holders for world cinephiles (read the full description of the service). Among the dozen or so films from the Orizzonti section and a selected trio films from the new Biennale College are the make-up of Web Theatre programme and to help promote the event, we’re holding a contest – five lucky readers will get to watch Pavilion‘s Tim Sutton’s (an Ioncinephile of the...
- 8/28/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
With the rise of the encroaching Toronto, the domestic competition offered by Rome and a hugely successful Cannes this year, the 70th Venice Film Festival - which begins on 28 August - is facing some pretty stiff competition. The lineup, however, is on the face of it relatively low-key, though there are some very interesting possibilities and potential surprises. Regular attendee George Clooney opens proceedings with Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, whilst in the main competition lie a mix of old hands - Errol Morris with his Donald Rumsfeld documentary, Hayao Miyazaki's last fable - along with fresh talents such as Kelly Reichardt (Night Moves) and Jonathan Glazer (with his Birth follow-up, Under the Skin).
Terry Gilliam also returns after an elongated absence, his The Zero Theorem starring Christoph Waltz as a hacker searching for the meaning of existence. The film hopefully marks a return to form for a filmmaker who...
Terry Gilliam also returns after an elongated absence, his The Zero Theorem starring Christoph Waltz as a hacker searching for the meaning of existence. The film hopefully marks a return to form for a filmmaker who...
- 8/28/2013
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
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