Fast-paced modernity acts like deceptive facade that tricks us into thinking we've become something very different from what we've always been. But below the multiple layers of unimportant burdens, pretended indifference, and overflowing cynicism, lies an unalterable human core that rejoices and suffers like it’s done since its genesis. A person navigating the turbulent waters of life today is indeed pondering on the same questions that another did centuries ago. Pain and pleasure, births and deaths, tears and laughter, passion and despair, they all continue to trap us all in their ambivalent choreography that forced us to question if there is meaning to the madness or if the absurdity of the human condition is just an indecipherable codex.
Enlightened thinkers have incessantly taken it upon themselves to interpret our common fears and urges to arrive at somewhat logical conclusions about our puzzling purpose and put these into comprehensible words. Academic and formal the philosopher appeals to rational mind, while the poet delicately arranges his thoughts and aims for the impetuous tenderness of our visceral side. Like preachers of a higher faith that exist about authoritarian religions, poets share their knowledge in ways unrestricted by physicality. Their words travel in the wind and pierce hearts with darts made out of profound realizations. Such sacred gift was granted by the universe to Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese-American poem who would pen The Prophet, one of the most spiritual books ever written unbound by any denomination.
Containing ethereal poems delving into specific facets of our mortal condition, Gibran’s volumes are not quintessential material for a film adaptation. His writing seemed elusive to traditional representations limited by a rigid narrative structure. Conscious of this seemingly obstructive aspect, determined producer Salma Hayek recognized that a much more fluid and unrestrictive medium was required to portray Gibran’s teachings not with literal imagery, but with dreamlike works of moving art that could evoke the essence of each verse. Ambitiously, Hayek set out to expand the accessibility of this book, one that her grandfather of Lebanese origin treasured deeply and which she had grown to appreciate herself, thought an animation project of tremendous magnitude.
Aspiring to effectively turn this lifelong wish into a soulful visual feast, Hayek enlisted nine of the world’s most passionate animators to fabricate magic with color and to take part in an exuberant celebration of creativity. Eight of them would craft individual segments interpreting a specific poem without any parameter other than Gibran’s intricate phrases, while another director was charged with the demanding task of wrapping these delightful fragments in a frame narrative that could cohesively unify them. The product of this phenomenal amalgamation is Roger Allers’ “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Honed during the Disney Renaissance, Allers’ stylistic principles still carry a familiar aesthetic that resembles iconic films from said period. Although better known for directing one the most beloved animated tales of all time, “The Lion King,” his resourceful hand touched several other projects including “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as both a writer and a storyboard artist. That myriad of storytelling abilities is reflected in his approach to this unorthodox venture. While the character design employed in his enveloping storyline will immediately and instinctively remind viewers of the filmmaker’s Disney origins, he manages to tailor he manages to tailor such distinct appearance for this singular undertaking. It’s classically elegant and precisely suitable for the plot-driven portion of the film.
Centered on Mustafa (Liam Neeson), a poet and painter living as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire for what they considered subversive ideas, Allers’ screenplay channels Gibran’s thin fictional account and develops it further so that it blossoms into a full-length fable that relays its own moral, while serving as vehicle for the abstract enclaves to be presented seamlessly. Besides spearheading the entire operation, in this section of the film Hayek also voices Kamila, a hardworking widow paid by the regime to tend to Mustafa and who is out of option when it comes to dealing with her rebellious, yet silent, young daughter, Almitra (Quvenzhané Wallis). It’s only when the girl meets the unassuming wise man that her quiet frustration begins to dissipate.A receptive vessel, Almitra is fascinated by Mustafa’ss tranquil demeanor and fascination by his convictions even if she can’t fully grasp their significance.
Neeson’s virile tone gives the protagonist a regal air without sounding intimidating. His voice emanates tranquility coated with strength, like a fatherly figure at peace with his every step. Alfred Molina appears as the comically villainous Sergeant in charge of escorting Mustafa through the village, but who often gives in to his human impulses on their way to the harbor. Meanwhile John Krasinski plays Halim, a young official romantically pursuing Kamila, and veteran thespian Frank Langella is heard briefly as Pasha, the evil ruler who holds the poet’s fate in his hands. As the events that lead to Mustafa’s final trial unfold each of the stylistically eclectic short sequences finds the right moment to be unveiled.
First comes Michal Socha’s “On Freedom,“ in which an anthropomorphic birdcage prevents its feathered captives from flying into the sunset. Ridding themselves of their shackles holds the promise of fulfillment, but that desire is in fact “the strongest of these chains.” Clever in its use of symbolism and graceful in its execution, Socha’s rendition of Gibran’s piece is sharp and poignant. Then, with kaleidoscopic vividness, Nina Paley uses multiple motifs evocative of both Indian and Greek iconography in “On Children,” to depict the cyclical nature of life and the perennial bond between parents and their descendants. Though this connection is irreproachable, progenitors shouldn't attempt to command the life they’ve brought into the world because it’s not their possession, but a link in a greater continuum. Like bows launching arrows into an uncertain abyss, mothers and fathers must come to terms with letting go. Singer/songwriter Damien Rice rearranges the author’s lines into heartfelt lyrics for a melancholic song that builds up to a captivating finale.
Seductively, Joann Sfar's “On Marriage” shows two lovers dancing tango under the moonlight. Ancient ruins become the battleground for a sensual clash where impeccable choreography is a more of a strategic maneuver than just coordinated movement. Subtly wrestling each other to set the boundaries of their union, husband and wife know their paths advance parallel, yet independently. Similarly exquisite is the manner in which Academy Award-winner Joan Gratz delivers “On Work,” via a painstaking technique known as claypainting. Blending colors with inconspicuous ability, the seasoned artist travels through the numerous notions on the worthiness of labor, whether physical or creative. Exceptionally delicate in nature, her work thoroughly explains why “he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth” is not nobler than “he who makes sandals for our feet.”
Bill Plympton's scratchy and utterly handcrafted frames in "On Eating and Drinking" flow with the uncompromising animator's expected candidness.These elemental joys are held sacred by Gibran as “an act of worship,” and while the cartoonist is respectful of this canon, humor is always a vital quality of his deliberately nonchalant drawings. A man bites an apple and as we follow its journey through the human body we witness nourishment and sustainability by means of Plympton's style. Now, the most unquestionably breathtaking piece of this magnificent puzzle, and perhaps the most beautiful piece of filmmaking to be projected on screens this year, is Tomm Moore’s “On Love.” Its alluring rhythm and detailed Art Nouveau designs flood each frame with spellbinding imagery that speaks of the thorny splendor that falling for another being entails. Elating and devastating at once, “love crowns you” with its intoxicating glory, but just as strongly it can “crucify you” with merciless fury. Moore’s unmistakable enchantment illustrates an ancestral couple ascending from the depths of darkness into the light of redemption propelled by the dazzlingly magic of “love’s ecstasy.”
Silhouetted animals racing for survival personify human ambitions in Mohammed Harib's “On Good and Evil.” Given the broadness of the poem’s subject matter the animator could have taken much more literal routes to relay its lesson, but his metaphorical approach successfully encapsulates Gibran’s stance on benevolence and wickedness. In hi eyes any wrong doings perpetrated have a purpose within the landscape of our collective destiny. All that is evil was once kindness, because, according to the poet, “good tortured by its own hunger and thirst.” Finally, our unavoidable fate is treated with compassion rather than morbid tropes by Gaëtan Brizzi and Paul Brizzi in their transcendent visualization of "On Death." Our soul, comes to life in the form of an incorporeal character who dances swiftly celestial radiance. Sorrow is replaced with the hope that the end is just a transition into an “unencumbered” state. Drinking from the “river of silence” allows our inner divinity to truly sing without restrains. A peaceful rebirth only comes from letting go of carnal necessities, and that’s something both Gibran and Mustafa are convince of.
Musically, “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” was embellished by composer Gabriel Yared’s grand score, which mixes epic sentiments with soothing melodies decorating almost every second of it. Accentuating Tomm Moore’s lovely bit, Irish singers Lisa Hannigan and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard fashion a stirring tune out the scribe’s contemplation on amorous frenzy. Lastly, in addition to providing a song for Paley’s segment, Damien Rice wrote another moving ballad titled “Hypnosis” to play during the final credits. Perfectly reflective of the experiential attributes of the film it caps, Rice’s stanzas put an empowering final touch as it asks us to seek strength from our personal truth.
In this tapestry of lyrical mirages, the eternal endurance of art prevails as testament of the immortality bestowed only on those whose brilliance surpasses time and space. Harnessing wide-ranging techniques, the artists behind “Kahil Gibran’s The Prophet” gifted us one of the most mesmerizing films of the year and a milestone in the history of animation, which brought together the genius of many to spread words of compassion and serenity. Solidarity amongst mankind and the acceptance of our flaws as virtues hidden by unnecessary vanity and greed, are the first steps towards the reconciliation between what we think we are now and what we've always been. Gibran’s message is as relevant as ever today, so let us fill ourselves with the majesty of his wisdom, and become vindicated disciples willing to live beyond merely existing.
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" is now playing in L.A. and NYC and will open in other cities across the country in the upcoming weeks.
Enlightened thinkers have incessantly taken it upon themselves to interpret our common fears and urges to arrive at somewhat logical conclusions about our puzzling purpose and put these into comprehensible words. Academic and formal the philosopher appeals to rational mind, while the poet delicately arranges his thoughts and aims for the impetuous tenderness of our visceral side. Like preachers of a higher faith that exist about authoritarian religions, poets share their knowledge in ways unrestricted by physicality. Their words travel in the wind and pierce hearts with darts made out of profound realizations. Such sacred gift was granted by the universe to Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese-American poem who would pen The Prophet, one of the most spiritual books ever written unbound by any denomination.
Containing ethereal poems delving into specific facets of our mortal condition, Gibran’s volumes are not quintessential material for a film adaptation. His writing seemed elusive to traditional representations limited by a rigid narrative structure. Conscious of this seemingly obstructive aspect, determined producer Salma Hayek recognized that a much more fluid and unrestrictive medium was required to portray Gibran’s teachings not with literal imagery, but with dreamlike works of moving art that could evoke the essence of each verse. Ambitiously, Hayek set out to expand the accessibility of this book, one that her grandfather of Lebanese origin treasured deeply and which she had grown to appreciate herself, thought an animation project of tremendous magnitude.
Aspiring to effectively turn this lifelong wish into a soulful visual feast, Hayek enlisted nine of the world’s most passionate animators to fabricate magic with color and to take part in an exuberant celebration of creativity. Eight of them would craft individual segments interpreting a specific poem without any parameter other than Gibran’s intricate phrases, while another director was charged with the demanding task of wrapping these delightful fragments in a frame narrative that could cohesively unify them. The product of this phenomenal amalgamation is Roger Allers’ “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Honed during the Disney Renaissance, Allers’ stylistic principles still carry a familiar aesthetic that resembles iconic films from said period. Although better known for directing one the most beloved animated tales of all time, “The Lion King,” his resourceful hand touched several other projects including “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as both a writer and a storyboard artist. That myriad of storytelling abilities is reflected in his approach to this unorthodox venture. While the character design employed in his enveloping storyline will immediately and instinctively remind viewers of the filmmaker’s Disney origins, he manages to tailor he manages to tailor such distinct appearance for this singular undertaking. It’s classically elegant and precisely suitable for the plot-driven portion of the film.
Centered on Mustafa (Liam Neeson), a poet and painter living as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire for what they considered subversive ideas, Allers’ screenplay channels Gibran’s thin fictional account and develops it further so that it blossoms into a full-length fable that relays its own moral, while serving as vehicle for the abstract enclaves to be presented seamlessly. Besides spearheading the entire operation, in this section of the film Hayek also voices Kamila, a hardworking widow paid by the regime to tend to Mustafa and who is out of option when it comes to dealing with her rebellious, yet silent, young daughter, Almitra (Quvenzhané Wallis). It’s only when the girl meets the unassuming wise man that her quiet frustration begins to dissipate.A receptive vessel, Almitra is fascinated by Mustafa’ss tranquil demeanor and fascination by his convictions even if she can’t fully grasp their significance.
Neeson’s virile tone gives the protagonist a regal air without sounding intimidating. His voice emanates tranquility coated with strength, like a fatherly figure at peace with his every step. Alfred Molina appears as the comically villainous Sergeant in charge of escorting Mustafa through the village, but who often gives in to his human impulses on their way to the harbor. Meanwhile John Krasinski plays Halim, a young official romantically pursuing Kamila, and veteran thespian Frank Langella is heard briefly as Pasha, the evil ruler who holds the poet’s fate in his hands. As the events that lead to Mustafa’s final trial unfold each of the stylistically eclectic short sequences finds the right moment to be unveiled.
First comes Michal Socha’s “On Freedom,“ in which an anthropomorphic birdcage prevents its feathered captives from flying into the sunset. Ridding themselves of their shackles holds the promise of fulfillment, but that desire is in fact “the strongest of these chains.” Clever in its use of symbolism and graceful in its execution, Socha’s rendition of Gibran’s piece is sharp and poignant. Then, with kaleidoscopic vividness, Nina Paley uses multiple motifs evocative of both Indian and Greek iconography in “On Children,” to depict the cyclical nature of life and the perennial bond between parents and their descendants. Though this connection is irreproachable, progenitors shouldn't attempt to command the life they’ve brought into the world because it’s not their possession, but a link in a greater continuum. Like bows launching arrows into an uncertain abyss, mothers and fathers must come to terms with letting go. Singer/songwriter Damien Rice rearranges the author’s lines into heartfelt lyrics for a melancholic song that builds up to a captivating finale.
Seductively, Joann Sfar's “On Marriage” shows two lovers dancing tango under the moonlight. Ancient ruins become the battleground for a sensual clash where impeccable choreography is a more of a strategic maneuver than just coordinated movement. Subtly wrestling each other to set the boundaries of their union, husband and wife know their paths advance parallel, yet independently. Similarly exquisite is the manner in which Academy Award-winner Joan Gratz delivers “On Work,” via a painstaking technique known as claypainting. Blending colors with inconspicuous ability, the seasoned artist travels through the numerous notions on the worthiness of labor, whether physical or creative. Exceptionally delicate in nature, her work thoroughly explains why “he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth” is not nobler than “he who makes sandals for our feet.”
Bill Plympton's scratchy and utterly handcrafted frames in "On Eating and Drinking" flow with the uncompromising animator's expected candidness.These elemental joys are held sacred by Gibran as “an act of worship,” and while the cartoonist is respectful of this canon, humor is always a vital quality of his deliberately nonchalant drawings. A man bites an apple and as we follow its journey through the human body we witness nourishment and sustainability by means of Plympton's style. Now, the most unquestionably breathtaking piece of this magnificent puzzle, and perhaps the most beautiful piece of filmmaking to be projected on screens this year, is Tomm Moore’s “On Love.” Its alluring rhythm and detailed Art Nouveau designs flood each frame with spellbinding imagery that speaks of the thorny splendor that falling for another being entails. Elating and devastating at once, “love crowns you” with its intoxicating glory, but just as strongly it can “crucify you” with merciless fury. Moore’s unmistakable enchantment illustrates an ancestral couple ascending from the depths of darkness into the light of redemption propelled by the dazzlingly magic of “love’s ecstasy.”
Silhouetted animals racing for survival personify human ambitions in Mohammed Harib's “On Good and Evil.” Given the broadness of the poem’s subject matter the animator could have taken much more literal routes to relay its lesson, but his metaphorical approach successfully encapsulates Gibran’s stance on benevolence and wickedness. In hi eyes any wrong doings perpetrated have a purpose within the landscape of our collective destiny. All that is evil was once kindness, because, according to the poet, “good tortured by its own hunger and thirst.” Finally, our unavoidable fate is treated with compassion rather than morbid tropes by Gaëtan Brizzi and Paul Brizzi in their transcendent visualization of "On Death." Our soul, comes to life in the form of an incorporeal character who dances swiftly celestial radiance. Sorrow is replaced with the hope that the end is just a transition into an “unencumbered” state. Drinking from the “river of silence” allows our inner divinity to truly sing without restrains. A peaceful rebirth only comes from letting go of carnal necessities, and that’s something both Gibran and Mustafa are convince of.
Musically, “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” was embellished by composer Gabriel Yared’s grand score, which mixes epic sentiments with soothing melodies decorating almost every second of it. Accentuating Tomm Moore’s lovely bit, Irish singers Lisa Hannigan and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard fashion a stirring tune out the scribe’s contemplation on amorous frenzy. Lastly, in addition to providing a song for Paley’s segment, Damien Rice wrote another moving ballad titled “Hypnosis” to play during the final credits. Perfectly reflective of the experiential attributes of the film it caps, Rice’s stanzas put an empowering final touch as it asks us to seek strength from our personal truth.
In this tapestry of lyrical mirages, the eternal endurance of art prevails as testament of the immortality bestowed only on those whose brilliance surpasses time and space. Harnessing wide-ranging techniques, the artists behind “Kahil Gibran’s The Prophet” gifted us one of the most mesmerizing films of the year and a milestone in the history of animation, which brought together the genius of many to spread words of compassion and serenity. Solidarity amongst mankind and the acceptance of our flaws as virtues hidden by unnecessary vanity and greed, are the first steps towards the reconciliation between what we think we are now and what we've always been. Gibran’s message is as relevant as ever today, so let us fill ourselves with the majesty of his wisdom, and become vindicated disciples willing to live beyond merely existing.
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" is now playing in L.A. and NYC and will open in other cities across the country in the upcoming weeks.
- 8/16/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Montreal’s genre film festival to showcase 135 features and almost 300 shorts across its three-week run from July 14-Aug 4.Scroll down for line-up
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for its upcoming 19th edition which kicks off next Tuesday [July 14].
Over its three-week run, the Montreal-based genre film festival will showcase 135 features, including 22 world, 13 international premieres and 21 North American premieres, and almost 300 short films.
Shinji Higuchi’s Attack on Titan will receive its Canadian premiere as the closing film of this year’s edition on Aug 4. The live-action film is based on Hajime Isyama’s steampunk fantasy war opera manga series.
Additional highlights of the final wave of titles include the world premieres of Malik Bader’s thriller Cash Only and Ken Ochiai’s Ninja the Monster, as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion’s horror comedy Cooties starring Elijah Wood.
A trio of Sion Sono films will also be shown at this...
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for its upcoming 19th edition which kicks off next Tuesday [July 14].
Over its three-week run, the Montreal-based genre film festival will showcase 135 features, including 22 world, 13 international premieres and 21 North American premieres, and almost 300 short films.
Shinji Higuchi’s Attack on Titan will receive its Canadian premiere as the closing film of this year’s edition on Aug 4. The live-action film is based on Hajime Isyama’s steampunk fantasy war opera manga series.
Additional highlights of the final wave of titles include the world premieres of Malik Bader’s thriller Cash Only and Ken Ochiai’s Ninja the Monster, as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion’s horror comedy Cooties starring Elijah Wood.
A trio of Sion Sono films will also be shown at this...
- 7/7/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
The 19th Annual Fantasia Film Festival is only a week away, beginning July 14 and running through August 4. And as promised for today, they’ve revealed their full line-up of films screening at 2015’s festival in Montreal.
This year’s line-up boasts 22 World Premieres, 13 International Premieres, and 21 North American Premieres. Both Marvel’s Ant-Man and the animated Miss Hokusai were previously announced, but now they’ve added the much anticipated Attack on Titan movie as their closing night film. Other highlights include the Sundance darlings Cooties, starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson, Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by the upcoming Spider-man director Jon Watts, and a trio of films from horror auteur Sion Sono.
See the full line-up announcement of films below via Fantasia’s Facebook page, and be sure to check out their website at fantasiafestival.com for additional information.
****
Fantasia 2015:
36 Countries, 135 Features, and Nearly 300 Short Films
- Including 22 World Premieres,...
This year’s line-up boasts 22 World Premieres, 13 International Premieres, and 21 North American Premieres. Both Marvel’s Ant-Man and the animated Miss Hokusai were previously announced, but now they’ve added the much anticipated Attack on Titan movie as their closing night film. Other highlights include the Sundance darlings Cooties, starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson, Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by the upcoming Spider-man director Jon Watts, and a trio of films from horror auteur Sion Sono.
See the full line-up announcement of films below via Fantasia’s Facebook page, and be sure to check out their website at fantasiafestival.com for additional information.
****
Fantasia 2015:
36 Countries, 135 Features, and Nearly 300 Short Films
- Including 22 World Premieres,...
- 7/7/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
"I am a prisoner. My crime? Poetry." After debuting at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the animated drama The Prophet is finally coming to the United States this year. Based on the book of prose and poems of the same name, the film features the voices of Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and more, along with a myriad of animation styles to bring the friendship between a little girl and an imprisoned poet to life. Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar and more lend their animation expertise to the film that looks absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Watch! Here's the teaser trailer for Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet from Gulf Film (via The Playlist): The Prophet is directed by Roger Allers, Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi, Joan C. Gratz, Mohammed Saeed Harib, Tomm Moore, Nina Paley, Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar, and Michal Socha. Inspired by the...
- 4/1/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Shout all you want that The Simpsons hasn't been good for the past years; either way, you can't deny that the show's recent spate of elaborate, extended couch gags has led to some dazzling, audaciously creative stuff. This is especially true when The Simpsons turns over its opening to famous animators and filmmakers like Michal Socha, Guillermo del Toro—and, most recently, indie idol Don Hertzfeldt, beloved for absurdist fare like the Oscar-nominated short film Rejected. (Contrary to semi-popular belief, he has nothing to do with those lookalike Pop Tart commercials from 2011; as the F.A.Q. section of his website states,...
- 9/29/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Name and focus changes for every section, which are now all competitive, resulting in the festival’s structure being “slimmer’.
The ninth Rome Film Festival (Oct 16-25) has revealed a diverse line-up including the Italian premieres for potential awards contenders including David Fincher’s Gone Girl. the world premiere of Takashi Miike’s As the Gods Will and Burhan Qurbani’s We are Young, We are Strong and European premiere of Oren Moverman’s Time Out of Mind, Toronto hit Still Alice and Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet.
This year for the first time the award-winners in each section of the programme will be decided by the audience on the basis of votes cast after the screenings.
Each section has changed name and focus for 2014 and are all competitive, resulting in the festival’s structure being “slimmer’.
Italian comedies Soap Opera and Andiamo a Quel Paese bookend the line-up.
Full line-up
Cinema D’Oggi
World premiere
• Angely...
The ninth Rome Film Festival (Oct 16-25) has revealed a diverse line-up including the Italian premieres for potential awards contenders including David Fincher’s Gone Girl. the world premiere of Takashi Miike’s As the Gods Will and Burhan Qurbani’s We are Young, We are Strong and European premiere of Oren Moverman’s Time Out of Mind, Toronto hit Still Alice and Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet.
This year for the first time the award-winners in each section of the programme will be decided by the audience on the basis of votes cast after the screenings.
Each section has changed name and focus for 2014 and are all competitive, resulting in the festival’s structure being “slimmer’.
Italian comedies Soap Opera and Andiamo a Quel Paese bookend the line-up.
Full line-up
Cinema D’Oggi
World premiere
• Angely...
- 9/29/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
One of the highlights of the Cannes Film Festival for me this summer was a presentation of selected clips from "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet," an ambitious animated film that adapts one of the most beloved works of poetry of the 20th Century, and I wrote in that piece that I hoped the final film would live up to the segments that I saw out of context. It is safe to say that is the case. Ultimately, this is a very simple, very direct film. There are plenty of movies playing at this festival that want to make you work for whatever meaning you take from them, but this feels like the opposite. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" has been designed to be as emotionally direct as possible, easy to understand and very, very clear in its storytelling, and the result is a film that I would feel comfortable showing to my...
- 9/9/2014
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Much like back to school sales in mid July, in our books, Tiff’s first announcement wave reminds us that the end of summer is upon us (we heart fall film festival bliss) and it also gets our team of journalists heading to Tiff in Charlie Foxtrot pickle of a situation as the Docs, Midnight Madness, Vanguard & Wavelengths get revealed in the weeks to come making for scheduling overload. Of star-struck, tickets sale friendly list of showy red carpet items mentioned today, we find our usual set of Oscar bait items (how odd that Quebecois helmers Jean-Marc Vallee and Philippe Falardeau both present tear-jerker items with Reese Witherspoon), acquisitions titles, and more importantly, our first look at items that are pretty much guaranteed a showing at this year’s Telluride and Venice Film Festivals. On tap, we have Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden, Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, Noah Baumbach’s While...
- 7/22/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) has fired its awards season opening salvo, announcing a slew of world premieres for the September edition, which will close with Alan Rickman’s A Little Chaos.Scroll down for full list
Not to be outdone by the New York Film Festival, which has staked a claim to the world premieres of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice, and Venice, which will open with Birdman, artistic director Cameron Bailey and his team announced on Tuesday (22) close to 50 galas and special presentations.
Two factors are certain to ratchet up the sense of anticipation heading into September. Most of these titles are without Us distribution and that said, it remains to be seen which films will qualify for a coveted first-weekend slot.
Tiff top brass made it clear earlier this year that any title that sneaks into Telluride will be forced to screen after the first four days of the festival. Tiff runs from...
Not to be outdone by the New York Film Festival, which has staked a claim to the world premieres of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice, and Venice, which will open with Birdman, artistic director Cameron Bailey and his team announced on Tuesday (22) close to 50 galas and special presentations.
Two factors are certain to ratchet up the sense of anticipation heading into September. Most of these titles are without Us distribution and that said, it remains to be seen which films will qualify for a coveted first-weekend slot.
Tiff top brass made it clear earlier this year that any title that sneaks into Telluride will be forced to screen after the first four days of the festival. Tiff runs from...
- 7/22/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The 39th Toronto International Film Festival has announced its initial slate of galas and special presentations, which includes 37 world premieres and several films with Oscar ambitions. The Judge, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as a big-city lawyer who reluctantly returns home and ends up defending his revered father (Robert Duvall) against criminal charges, will have its world premiere in Toronto. His Avengers pal, Chris Evans, will unveil his own directorial debut in Toronto, titled Before We Go.
Also noteworthy: James Gandolfini’s final film, The Drop, which also stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; another Jason Reitman Toronto world premiere,...
Also noteworthy: James Gandolfini’s final film, The Drop, which also stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; another Jason Reitman Toronto world premiere,...
- 7/22/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
This morning the first wave of the 2014 Toronto Film Festival lineup was announced and so far it's an impressive list of films including films from Noah Baumbach, Mike Leigh, David Gordon Green, Jason Reitman, Bennett Miller, David Cronenberg, Antoine Fuqua, Edward Zwick, Mikael Roskam, David Dobkin and many others. One surprising detail is there was no announcement of an opening film so along with everything below there is still at least one biggie on the way, and while they say it has nothing to do with their "premiere" mandate, I wouldn't be surprised if it might be Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman and they're waiting to see if it will be the North American premiere. Then again, could Birdman open both Toronto and Venicec But what else could it bec Maybe David Ayer's Furyc No chance for Christopher Nolan's Interstellar... or is therec Probably the films announced so far...
- 7/22/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Toronto International Film Festival announced its initial wave of 2014 premieres and galas this morning and it features some familiar awards titles, some big stars and some unexpected studio titles. Among the major studio films, David Dobkin's "The Judge" with Robert Downey Jr. and Antoine Fuqua's "The Equalizer" each received gala slots and should premiere over the festival's opening weekend. Other announced galas so far include Bennett Miller's acclaimed "Foxcatcher," which debuted at Cannes, and Mike Binder's "Black and White" starring Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer and Anthony Mackie. Toronto has also scheduled special gala screenings for David Cronenberg's "Map to the Stars" with Julianne Moore and Robert Pattinson, François Ozon's "The New Girlfriend," Ed Zwick's "Pawn Sacrifice" with Tobey Maguire, Lone Scherfig's "The Riot Club," Jean-Marc Vallée's "Wild," Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano's "Samba" and Shawn Levy's "This is Where I Leave You...
- 7/22/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
Salma Hayek hit the Cannes Film Festival to present a work-in-progress screening of The Prophet, based on Khalil Gibran's philosophical novel. To share the story of the 1923 best-seller, director Roger Allers worked with Tomm Moore, Joan Gratz, Joann Sfar, Bill Plympton, Paul and Gaeton Brizzi, Michal Socha, Nina Paley and Mohammed Saeed Harib, as each helmed a different thematic section of the animated film. Photos: The Party Scene at Cannes "We have nine directors that have worked on this project, really hard, and we have amazing voices in this too, amazing actors," she told The
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- 5/17/2014
- by Rebecca Ford, Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From a coma to intentional weight-gain to crayons up the nose, Homer Simpson’s body has been one 25-season-long punchline on The Simpsons. In the hands of award-winning Polish animator Michal Socha, that portly, balding, radiation-tinged vessel is also a work of art.
It’s not pretty — no one ever expected Homer’s liver to be the picture of health — but Socha’s imagining of the Springfield resident’s innards makes for a very cool couch gag. Kicking off Sunday’s episode, What to Expect When Bart’s Expecting, the director’s opener is a minimalistic Fantastic Voyage, drawn only in red,...
It’s not pretty — no one ever expected Homer’s liver to be the picture of health — but Socha’s imagining of the Springfield resident’s innards makes for a very cool couch gag. Kicking off Sunday’s episode, What to Expect When Bart’s Expecting, the director’s opener is a minimalistic Fantastic Voyage, drawn only in red,...
- 4/26/2014
- by Amber Ray
- EW.com - PopWatch
The Simpsons has really been having fun with animation this season, especially with the opening. There was the Guillermo del Toro one, the Sylvain Chomet one, and The Hobbit one. Now they turned the couch gag over to Polish animator Michal Socha. The result is a hard-to-describe trip inside Homer's body. Drawn in an intentional flat style only using red, black, and white, Socha creates something that feels both like The Simpsons and like something totally unique. Be forewarned: It's kind of disgusting, but just in the way that human bodies are always disgusting.
- 4/25/2014
- by Jesse David Fox
- Vulture
Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet is heading to the big screen as an animated feature, and now Salma Hayek’s passion project (she’s onboard as producer) has landed an all-star cast that includes John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina, Liam Neeson and Quvenzhané Wallis, along with Hayek.
The special thing about this project is that it’ll be there are a number of directors on board. Each director will adapt each of the 89-year old classic’s chapters. Roger Allers (The Lion King) is responsible for connecting all of the narrative.
Some of the directors onboard are Marjane Satrapi (Oscarnominated for Persepolis), Chris Landreth (Oscar winner for short “Ryan”), Tomm Moore (Oscar nominated for The Secret of Kells), Nina Paley (Berlin Film Festival winner for Sita Sings the Blues), Mohammed Saeed Harib (creator of hit series “Freej”), Michal Socha, Francesco Testa, Joan Gratz (Oscar winner for Mona Lisa Descending...
The special thing about this project is that it’ll be there are a number of directors on board. Each director will adapt each of the 89-year old classic’s chapters. Roger Allers (The Lion King) is responsible for connecting all of the narrative.
Some of the directors onboard are Marjane Satrapi (Oscarnominated for Persepolis), Chris Landreth (Oscar winner for short “Ryan”), Tomm Moore (Oscar nominated for The Secret of Kells), Nina Paley (Berlin Film Festival winner for Sita Sings the Blues), Mohammed Saeed Harib (creator of hit series “Freej”), Michal Socha, Francesco Testa, Joan Gratz (Oscar winner for Mona Lisa Descending...
- 6/19/2013
- by Laura Frances
- LRMonline.com
Khalil Gibran's The Prophet has unveiled an all-star voice cast.
Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and Quvenzhané Wallis have all been announced for the animated feature, reports Deadline.
Hayek will produce the movie for writer-director Roger Allers, who has worked on Disney's The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.
Published in 1923, The Prophet is a collection of 26 prose poetry essays by Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer Gibran.
Allers will direct the narrative story, with contributions from Marjane Satrapi, Tomm Moore, Joan Gratz, Bill Plympton, Nina Paley, Joann Sfar, Paul and Gaetan Brizzi, Michal Socha and Mohammed Harib , who will direct different segments based on the essays in the book.
The Prophet will be completed by Spring 2014.
Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and Quvenzhané Wallis have all been announced for the animated feature, reports Deadline.
Hayek will produce the movie for writer-director Roger Allers, who has worked on Disney's The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.
Published in 1923, The Prophet is a collection of 26 prose poetry essays by Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer Gibran.
Allers will direct the narrative story, with contributions from Marjane Satrapi, Tomm Moore, Joan Gratz, Bill Plympton, Nina Paley, Joann Sfar, Paul and Gaetan Brizzi, Michal Socha and Mohammed Harib , who will direct different segments based on the essays in the book.
The Prophet will be completed by Spring 2014.
- 6/19/2013
- Digital Spy
Exclusive: Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and Quvenzhané Wallis have all joined the voice cast of Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet, the animated feature film written and directed by Roger Allers, whose animation credits include directing Disney’s The Lion King and Open Season and whose writing and storyboard work encompasses such films as Aladdin, Beauty And The Beast, and The Little Mermaid. The film is being produced by Hayek, Clark Peterson, and Ron Senkowski. Participant Media and Doha Film Institute are financing and are exec producers. Allers’ script was inspired by The Prophet, the iconic book that is one of the biggest sellers in history, north of 100 million copies in over 40 languages since it was first published by Alfred Knopf in 1923. Allers is directing the narrative story, while individual chapters based on Gibran’s poems are being helmed by animation directors from around the world,...
- 6/18/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
The new Spring 2012 issue of Cineaste is out and selections online include James L Neibaur on Kino's Blu-ray releases of Buster Keaton's work (as well as eleven more DVD/Blu-ray reviews), Andrew Horton's remembrance of Theo Angelopolous, Anchalee Chaiwaraporn and Kong Rithdee on the politics of Thai film and the opening paragraphs of Thomas Doherty's review of Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director:
Generally admiring but never intoxicated, Patrick McGilligan's insightful biography is a chronicle not only of the troubled director but also of the Hollywood studio system at dusk, the vagaries of the multilateral skirmishes between French, British, and American film criticism, and the political follies roiling through twentieth-century America. The author of well-regarded biographies of Fritz Lang and Clint Eastwood and the editor of the invaluable Backstory series of interviews with Hollywood screenwriters (who all prove to be much more than...
Generally admiring but never intoxicated, Patrick McGilligan's insightful biography is a chronicle not only of the troubled director but also of the Hollywood studio system at dusk, the vagaries of the multilateral skirmishes between French, British, and American film criticism, and the political follies roiling through twentieth-century America. The author of well-regarded biographies of Fritz Lang and Clint Eastwood and the editor of the invaluable Backstory series of interviews with Hollywood screenwriters (who all prove to be much more than...
- 2/24/2012
- MUBI
This was a piece of last week's news that we're getting to late - but is worth highlighting. It’s been reprinted 163 times, sold over 100 million copies and translated into over 40 different languages, so it comes as no surprise that, in an era of Hollywood producers scraping the bottom of the barrel for new ideas, a hugely popular book like Khalil Gibran’s masterpiece The Prophet will be adapted for the big screen. Deadline is reporting that Salma Hayek, operating under her Ventanarosa Productions banner, has partnered with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski to produce an animated feature based on the book of 26 poetic essays. Hayek’s producing partner, Jose Tamez, will executive produce along with William Nix and co-financing from Steve Hanson. As each essay deals with such differing topics as joy to death and religion to beauty, The Prophet will get produced along the same lines as Fantasia and Paris,...
- 3/8/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
“And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.”
Well, sorry Kahlil Gibran, but they obviously have plans to direct your The Prophet!
Salma Hayek and her Ventanarosa Productions have teamed up with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski to produce an animated feature based on Gibran’s beloved book.
According to the latest reports, the intention is for different directors to helm each chapter, with “an interconnecting theme and a musical through-line.”
And we have quite interesting team on board, or, should we say that these are just expectations from this project at the moment?
“It is well to give when asked but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.”
So, here are filmmakers expected to participate so far: Sylvain Chomet (“The Triplets of Belleville”), Kunio Kato (“Tsumiki no ie”), Oscar-winner Chris Landreth (“Ryan”), Tomm Moore (“The Secret of Kells...
Well, sorry Kahlil Gibran, but they obviously have plans to direct your The Prophet!
Salma Hayek and her Ventanarosa Productions have teamed up with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski to produce an animated feature based on Gibran’s beloved book.
According to the latest reports, the intention is for different directors to helm each chapter, with “an interconnecting theme and a musical through-line.”
And we have quite interesting team on board, or, should we say that these are just expectations from this project at the moment?
“It is well to give when asked but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.”
So, here are filmmakers expected to participate so far: Sylvain Chomet (“The Triplets of Belleville”), Kunio Kato (“Tsumiki no ie”), Oscar-winner Chris Landreth (“Ryan”), Tomm Moore (“The Secret of Kells...
- 3/7/2011
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
Chicago – Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth” is in the great tradition of old-fashioned adventure serials. The line between good and evil is clearly drawn and there is little doubt which side of the line each character belongs. This story is a battle between heart and hierarchy, nobility and debauchery, light and darkness. It’s fraught with clichés, melodramatic in the extreme, and entertaining as hell.
Follett’s best-selling 1989 novel must’ve been daunting material for this German/Canadian co-production to tackle. Taking the form of an eight-part miniseries, the film runs over seven hours without commercials, yet still manages to feel somewhat rushed, particularly in its initial episodes, as dozens of characters and story threads are breathlessly set up. Yet once the series settles on its primary subject: the construction of a cathedral in Kingsbridge, England, during the 12th century, “Pillars” becomes an engrossing portrait of how...
Follett’s best-selling 1989 novel must’ve been daunting material for this German/Canadian co-production to tackle. Taking the form of an eight-part miniseries, the film runs over seven hours without commercials, yet still manages to feel somewhat rushed, particularly in its initial episodes, as dozens of characters and story threads are breathlessly set up. Yet once the series settles on its primary subject: the construction of a cathedral in Kingsbridge, England, during the 12th century, “Pillars” becomes an engrossing portrait of how...
- 12/7/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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