Why are modern buildings so ugly? It’s a question Viktor Kossakovsky asks near the end of this visual elegy of sorts for building. He doesn’t exactly want to find out the answer – he’s more interested in the hypnotic beauty of the many processes involved in modern construction. So spellbinding are some of the shots, in fact, that even when you know the implications are ominous, its hard not to stare in complete awe (a punning alternate title for this film might be Awe-chitecton). Suggestive rather than polemic, the film is loathe to dig too deeply into that subtext however, instead resting on the kind of sensory experience Kossakovsky employed for Aquarela, his essay on water in its many forms.
In publicity for this, the director has spoken of his dismay at humanity’s remorseless love affair with concrete at the expense of other materials, but such pointed concerns are left.
In publicity for this, the director has spoken of his dismay at humanity’s remorseless love affair with concrete at the expense of other materials, but such pointed concerns are left.
- 3/5/2024
- by Sunil Chauhan
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Match Factory has revealed multiple distribution deals for two Berlinale competition titles: German director Matthias Glasner’s “Dying,” which won the festival’s Silver Bear for best screenplay, and Russian director Victor Kossakovsky’s documentary “Architecton.”
“Dying,” which stars Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg and Corinna Harfouch, also picked up the Guild of German Arthouse Cinemas and the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award. Variety‘s review describes the film as “a profoundly affecting exploration of life and loss.”
The Match Factory closed deals for the film in France (Bodega Film), Italy (Satine Film), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Norway (Selmer Media), Poland (Aurora), Cis (Provzglyad), Ex-Yugoslavia (McF MegaCom Film), Hungary (Cirko Films), Greece (Cinobo), Romania (Freealize), Taiwan (Andrews Film) and South Korea (Pancinema). A U.K. deal has also been signed with the buyer yet to be announced. Wild Bunch will be distributing the film in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland.
“Dying,” which stars Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg and Corinna Harfouch, also picked up the Guild of German Arthouse Cinemas and the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award. Variety‘s review describes the film as “a profoundly affecting exploration of life and loss.”
The Match Factory closed deals for the film in France (Bodega Film), Italy (Satine Film), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Norway (Selmer Media), Poland (Aurora), Cis (Provzglyad), Ex-Yugoslavia (McF MegaCom Film), Hungary (Cirko Films), Greece (Cinobo), Romania (Freealize), Taiwan (Andrews Film) and South Korea (Pancinema). A U.K. deal has also been signed with the buyer yet to be announced. Wild Bunch will be distributing the film in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland.
- 2/26/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“We need a new idea of beauty,” says Michele De Lucchi, the Italian architect who talks us through certain stretches of “Architecton,” a singularly imposing and sonorous new documentary from Russian non-fiction auteur Victor Kossakovsky. His argument is that the earth can no longer sustain the kind of hefty architectural grandeur, built from the fabric of the Earth itself, that we’ve asthetically prized for centuries, and nor can the cycle of more disposable concrete construction continue without devastating environmental impact. It’s a sound point, even as Kossakovsky’s film trades in entirely classic ideas of beauty to jaw-dropping effect. Whether gazing in rapt widescreen across wondrous ancient structures, ruined recent cityscapes or the oceanic shift and shake of a stone quarry in action, this is blatantly dazzling, epic-scale filmmaking that nonetheless invites viewers to consider the implications of our awe.
What is it about man-made landmarks that moves...
What is it about man-made landmarks that moves...
- 2/19/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Having championed the cause of animals in farmyard doc Gunda, Victor Kossakovsky is making a fresh appeal to the world through new work Architecton: stop using concrete.
The visually arresting documentary, world premiering in Competition at the Berlinale, explores how unsustainable modern building practices relying on concrete are destroying the planet and suggests there are lessons to be learned from ancient constructions.
Without explanation or commentary, the work juxtaposes mesmerizing images of mountains being dug out for raw materials; vast landfill sites, bombed-out, collapsed apartment blocks in Ukraine and quake-hit towns in Turkey, with the majestic remains of the 2,000-year-old Roman temple complex of Baalbeck in Lebanon, which still puzzles archaeologists to this day on how it was built.
“Buildings made from concrete are lasting 40, 50 years. In the UK, you destroyed 50,000 buildings last year, imagine what is happening in the rest of Europe,” says Russian-documentarian Kossakovsky, in a timely comment...
The visually arresting documentary, world premiering in Competition at the Berlinale, explores how unsustainable modern building practices relying on concrete are destroying the planet and suggests there are lessons to be learned from ancient constructions.
Without explanation or commentary, the work juxtaposes mesmerizing images of mountains being dug out for raw materials; vast landfill sites, bombed-out, collapsed apartment blocks in Ukraine and quake-hit towns in Turkey, with the majestic remains of the 2,000-year-old Roman temple complex of Baalbeck in Lebanon, which still puzzles archaeologists to this day on how it was built.
“Buildings made from concrete are lasting 40, 50 years. In the UK, you destroyed 50,000 buildings last year, imagine what is happening in the rest of Europe,” says Russian-documentarian Kossakovsky, in a timely comment...
- 2/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The Match Factory has acquired the international rights to the Russian director Victor Kossakovsky’s documentary “Architecton,” which world premieres in the competition section of the Berlinale. A24 financed the film and will distribute it in North America.
“Architecton” follows Kossakovsky’s highly acclaimed “Gunda,” which played in Berlinale Encounters in 2020, and “Aquarela,” which screened in Venice’s out of competition section in 2018.
“Architecton” is described as “an epic, intimate and poetic meditation on architecture and how the design and construction of buildings from the ancient past reveal our destruction — and offer hope for survival and a way forward.”
The film centers on a landscape project by the Italian architect Michele de Lucci, which Kossakovsky uses to reflect on the rise and fall of civilizations. He captures breathtaking imagery from the temple ruins of Baalbek in Lebanon, dating back to 60 Ad, to the recent destruction of cities in Turkey following...
“Architecton” follows Kossakovsky’s highly acclaimed “Gunda,” which played in Berlinale Encounters in 2020, and “Aquarela,” which screened in Venice’s out of competition section in 2018.
“Architecton” is described as “an epic, intimate and poetic meditation on architecture and how the design and construction of buildings from the ancient past reveal our destruction — and offer hope for survival and a way forward.”
The film centers on a landscape project by the Italian architect Michele de Lucci, which Kossakovsky uses to reflect on the rise and fall of civilizations. He captures breathtaking imagery from the temple ruins of Baalbek in Lebanon, dating back to 60 Ad, to the recent destruction of cities in Turkey following...
- 1/31/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The Match Factory has acquired international sales rights to Russian director Victor Kossakovsky’s documentary Architecton which world premieres next month in the Berlinale’s Competition section
Architecton is billed as a meditation on architecture and how the design and the construction of buildings from the ancient past reveal our destruction — and offer hope for survival and a way forward.
Kossakovsky’s previous films include 2020 Berlinale Encounters title Gunda and Aquarela, which played out of competition at Venice in 2018.
Architecton is produced by Heino Deckert for Germany’s Ma.ja.de. A24 financed and will distribute the film in North America.
Architecton is billed as a meditation on architecture and how the design and the construction of buildings from the ancient past reveal our destruction — and offer hope for survival and a way forward.
Kossakovsky’s previous films include 2020 Berlinale Encounters title Gunda and Aquarela, which played out of competition at Venice in 2018.
Architecton is produced by Heino Deckert for Germany’s Ma.ja.de. A24 financed and will distribute the film in North America.
- 1/31/2024
- ScreenDaily
Variety is debuting an exclusive clip from Farah Nabulsi’s thriller “The Teacher,” starring Imogen Poots (“The Father”) and Saleh Bakri. The film will have its world premiere on Saturday at the Toronto Film Festival in the Discovery section.
The film is Nabulsi’s feature debut following her Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning short “The Present,” which also starred Bakri.
“The Teacher” follows Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Bakri), who acts as a father figure to two of his students, Yacoub and Adam (Muhammad Abed Elrahman), amidst turmoil in the West Bank. Upon meeting British volunteer worker Lisa (Poots), Basem struggles to reconcile his life-threatening commitment to political resistance and his emotional support for Yacoub and Adam with the chance of a new romantic relationship.
The story – based on true events – takes place against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, offering insight into the lives of the people living in the region from all religious and cultural backgrounds.
The film is Nabulsi’s feature debut following her Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning short “The Present,” which also starred Bakri.
“The Teacher” follows Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Bakri), who acts as a father figure to two of his students, Yacoub and Adam (Muhammad Abed Elrahman), amidst turmoil in the West Bank. Upon meeting British volunteer worker Lisa (Poots), Basem struggles to reconcile his life-threatening commitment to political resistance and his emotional support for Yacoub and Adam with the chance of a new romantic relationship.
The story – based on true events – takes place against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, offering insight into the lives of the people living in the region from all religious and cultural backgrounds.
- 9/7/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Russian documentary filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky and the production team behind his Oscar-shortlisted feature “Gunda” will follow up with the second instalment in his “Empathy Trilogy.”
AC Independent will handle the North America sale and Cinephil will be selling international rights. They will be kicking off sales this week at the European Film Market in Berlin.
The new film focuses on the health of the oceans and the effects of industrial fisheries. The “Empathy Trilogy,” of which “Gunda” formed the first part, looks at the sentience of non-human animals.
After a pre-production shoot in June 2022, principal photography is planned for June 2023, with a projected release date in 2025.
While “Gunda” captured the lives of farm animals, notably the engaging mother sow who was its eponymous protagonist, for this new project, Kossakovsky is collaborating with the German artist known as K49814 to record her quest to raise awareness of our depredation of the...
AC Independent will handle the North America sale and Cinephil will be selling international rights. They will be kicking off sales this week at the European Film Market in Berlin.
The new film focuses on the health of the oceans and the effects of industrial fisheries. The “Empathy Trilogy,” of which “Gunda” formed the first part, looks at the sentience of non-human animals.
After a pre-production shoot in June 2022, principal photography is planned for June 2023, with a projected release date in 2025.
While “Gunda” captured the lives of farm animals, notably the engaging mother sow who was its eponymous protagonist, for this new project, Kossakovsky is collaborating with the German artist known as K49814 to record her quest to raise awareness of our depredation of the...
- 2/18/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Anonymous Content has enlisted Nicholas Shumaker, a longtime producer and former talent agent at UTA, and Kimberly Carver, a veteran manager and TV producer, to join the company’s literary department. Both will work as managers and producers.
Anonymous Content CEO, Dawn Olmstead, said: “Kimberly and Nick have such an incredible passion and commitment to finding creators and artists that not only have authentic voices but that also are the meaningful voices of the future.”
Olmstead said both executives have “tremendous reputations in the entertainment industry, on a global scale,” and that “their fierce dedication to elevating their clients through authentic opportunities is both admirable and unshakeable.”
Shumaker spent the last six years at the UTA Independent Film Group working out of their New York office. During his tenure, Shumaker worked on packaging, financing, and the sales for a variety of international director-driven titles, including the Oscar-winning film “Call Me By Your Name,...
Anonymous Content CEO, Dawn Olmstead, said: “Kimberly and Nick have such an incredible passion and commitment to finding creators and artists that not only have authentic voices but that also are the meaningful voices of the future.”
Olmstead said both executives have “tremendous reputations in the entertainment industry, on a global scale,” and that “their fierce dedication to elevating their clients through authentic opportunities is both admirable and unshakeable.”
Shumaker spent the last six years at the UTA Independent Film Group working out of their New York office. During his tenure, Shumaker worked on packaging, financing, and the sales for a variety of international director-driven titles, including the Oscar-winning film “Call Me By Your Name,...
- 11/16/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)
It is hard to think of a recent horror film––or a film of any genre, really––in which the main character is tasked with a job as original and ingenious as Enid Baines, the protagonist of Prano Bailey-Bond’s riveting Censor. She is, yes, the titular censor. It is 1980s England, the time of “video nasties” that drew parental consternation and tabloid outrage. These were the low-budget, ultra-violent VHS cassettes that earned their own category in the collective consciousness. Not all were UK productions––I Spit On Your Grave and Abel Ferrara’s Driller Killer made the list. In Censor, however, the nasties are homegrown, in more ways than one. – Chris S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Hulu...
Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)
It is hard to think of a recent horror film––or a film of any genre, really––in which the main character is tasked with a job as original and ingenious as Enid Baines, the protagonist of Prano Bailey-Bond’s riveting Censor. She is, yes, the titular censor. It is 1980s England, the time of “video nasties” that drew parental consternation and tabloid outrage. These were the low-budget, ultra-violent VHS cassettes that earned their own category in the collective consciousness. Not all were UK productions––I Spit On Your Grave and Abel Ferrara’s Driller Killer made the list. In Censor, however, the nasties are homegrown, in more ways than one. – Chris S. (full review)
Where to Stream: Hulu...
- 10/15/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Enemies of the State (Sonia Kennebeck)
This ambiguity is where Enemies of the State becomes a must-see because it exposes how skeptical we’ve become about the truth. As soon as you admit systems can be manipulated for selfish gain, there’s no denying that it isn’t happening right now in ways that make you the victim. Donald Trump epitomizes this phenomenon because he’s akin to God to his sycophants. They won’t even look at proof of his lies because they’ve decided that anything refuting his words has already been fabricated. So when DeHart earns the backing of other whistleblowers and the media, his story gets spun as one of a maligned hero to everyone that believes the government can’t be trusted.
Enemies of the State (Sonia Kennebeck)
This ambiguity is where Enemies of the State becomes a must-see because it exposes how skeptical we’ve become about the truth. As soon as you admit systems can be manipulated for selfish gain, there’s no denying that it isn’t happening right now in ways that make you the victim. Donald Trump epitomizes this phenomenon because he’s akin to God to his sycophants. They won’t even look at proof of his lies because they’ve decided that anything refuting his words has already been fabricated. So when DeHart earns the backing of other whistleblowers and the media, his story gets spun as one of a maligned hero to everyone that believes the government can’t be trusted.
- 7/30/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Participant and French sales agent MK2 Films have teamed up to jointly represent worldwide rights to Rahul Jain’s documentary feature “Invisible Demons.” The feature film will have its world premiere at Cannes in the cinema for the climate special section.
In “Invisible Demons,” Jain explores the dramatic consequences of India’s growing economy and what it means on the broader world stage.
Using Jain’s experimental style and strong visuals, the documentary zooms in on the situation in New Delhi, where climate change is impacting the daily lives and health of 30 million locals.
Set for July 12, the premiere will mark the Cannes debut of Jain, a rising filmmaking who made his critically acclaimed debut feature with “Machines,” which won Sundance’s best cinematography award in 2017. “Machines” went on to nab 17 international awards at more than 160 festivals.
Rob Williams, Participant’s VP of content sales, and Fionnuala Jamison, MK2 Films’ MD,...
In “Invisible Demons,” Jain explores the dramatic consequences of India’s growing economy and what it means on the broader world stage.
Using Jain’s experimental style and strong visuals, the documentary zooms in on the situation in New Delhi, where climate change is impacting the daily lives and health of 30 million locals.
Set for July 12, the premiere will mark the Cannes debut of Jain, a rising filmmaking who made his critically acclaimed debut feature with “Machines,” which won Sundance’s best cinematography award in 2017. “Machines” went on to nab 17 international awards at more than 160 festivals.
Rob Williams, Participant’s VP of content sales, and Fionnuala Jamison, MK2 Films’ MD,...
- 6/25/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount’s thriller sequel opened on Thursday 3.
Thriller sequel A Quiet Place Part II will look to replicate its success in international markets when it opens in 563 UK cinemas this weekend.
The film took $48.4m (£34.3m) across its opening three-day weekend in North America. This represented the best debut in the territory since the pandemic began; and, given social distancing measures, compares well with the $50.2m three-day opening of the first film in April 2018, which went on to gross $188m (£133.1m) across the US and Canada.
It moved up to $58m (£41.1m) including Monday, and had $65.2m (£46.2m) as of...
Thriller sequel A Quiet Place Part II will look to replicate its success in international markets when it opens in 563 UK cinemas this weekend.
The film took $48.4m (£34.3m) across its opening three-day weekend in North America. This represented the best debut in the territory since the pandemic began; and, given social distancing measures, compares well with the $50.2m three-day opening of the first film in April 2018, which went on to gross $188m (£133.1m) across the US and Canada.
It moved up to $58m (£41.1m) including Monday, and had $65.2m (£46.2m) as of...
- 6/4/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
In this quietly affecting documentary, the camera follows a sow and her piglets as life in the farmyard unfolds – and a sad ending inevitably looms
The secret life of farm animals remains a secret, but a fascinating and even poignant one, in this strange and unexpectedly subtle film from the Russian documentary-maker Viktor Kossakovsky, whose last movie, Aquarela, was a disturbing meditation on the climate crisis.
It’s an extended, black-and-white study of a farmyard sow whose name is presumably Gunda, although the humans who would have given her this name are never shown. There are no people. No dialogue. Just animals. The camera follows this sow around the farm, just after farrowing, and we see the tiny piglets suckling; and later these same piglets, much bigger, still suckling and jostling. We also see the sow’s fellow beasts, including a one-legged chicken and some cows who are shown running...
The secret life of farm animals remains a secret, but a fascinating and even poignant one, in this strange and unexpectedly subtle film from the Russian documentary-maker Viktor Kossakovsky, whose last movie, Aquarela, was a disturbing meditation on the climate crisis.
It’s an extended, black-and-white study of a farmyard sow whose name is presumably Gunda, although the humans who would have given her this name are never shown. There are no people. No dialogue. Just animals. The camera follows this sow around the farm, just after farrowing, and we see the tiny piglets suckling; and later these same piglets, much bigger, still suckling and jostling. We also see the sow’s fellow beasts, including a one-legged chicken and some cows who are shown running...
- 6/3/2021
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Neon has released the official full trailer for “Gunda,” an experimental black and white film about the life of farm animals that took this year’s Berlin Film Festival by storm. “Gunda” is the latest in a trilogy of nature films from Russian documentary auteur Victor Kossakovsky, whose 2018 film “Aquarela” broke technological barriers to examine water in various shapes around the world. After viewing an early cut of “Gunda,” Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix was so moved by the film that he came on as an executive producer. Phoenix has a long history of advocating for animal rights and related issues (including in his 2020 Academy Award acceptance speech.)
Per the official synopsis: “Experiential cinema in its purest form, ‘Gunda’ chronicles the unfiltered lives of a mother pig, a flock of chickens, and a herd of cows with masterful intimacy. Using stark, transcendent black and white cinematography and the farm’s ambient soundtrack,...
Per the official synopsis: “Experiential cinema in its purest form, ‘Gunda’ chronicles the unfiltered lives of a mother pig, a flock of chickens, and a herd of cows with masterful intimacy. Using stark, transcendent black and white cinematography and the farm’s ambient soundtrack,...
- 11/13/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
A total of €5.7m was awarded in latest funding round.
New projects from Oleg Sentsov, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Emily Atef are among 29 films selected to receive Eurimages funding in its latest round of co-production awards.
Eighteen fiction features and 11 documentary projects will receive a total of €5.7m ($6.7m).
Scroll down for the full list of titles.
Of the projects selected, one third are directed by women; they will receive 35% of the total amount (€2m).
Sentsov receives €270,000 towards his crime drama Rhino, a Ukraine-Poland-Germany co-production. The film started pre-production back in 2013, before Sentsov was imprisoned by the Russian Federal Security...
New projects from Oleg Sentsov, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and Emily Atef are among 29 films selected to receive Eurimages funding in its latest round of co-production awards.
Eighteen fiction features and 11 documentary projects will receive a total of €5.7m ($6.7m).
Scroll down for the full list of titles.
Of the projects selected, one third are directed by women; they will receive 35% of the total amount (€2m).
Sentsov receives €270,000 towards his crime drama Rhino, a Ukraine-Poland-Germany co-production. The film started pre-production back in 2013, before Sentsov was imprisoned by the Russian Federal Security...
- 10/16/2020
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Dogwoof has closed a deal to handle international TV and digital sales rights to Participant’s feature doc catalogue.
UK-based sales outfit Dogwoof has closed a deal to handle international TV and digital sales rights to Green Book producer Participant’s feature documentary catalogue.
The deal will see Dogwoof take on 19 titles from the Participant library and start presenting to buyers during Mipcom next week.
Among the titles are political documentary Slay The Dragon, about the fight to end gerrymandering in the US. which was released earlier this year by Magnolia Pictures; Victor Kossakovsky’s Aquarela; Ai Weiwei’s Human Flow...
UK-based sales outfit Dogwoof has closed a deal to handle international TV and digital sales rights to Green Book producer Participant’s feature documentary catalogue.
The deal will see Dogwoof take on 19 titles from the Participant library and start presenting to buyers during Mipcom next week.
Among the titles are political documentary Slay The Dragon, about the fight to end gerrymandering in the US. which was released earlier this year by Magnolia Pictures; Victor Kossakovsky’s Aquarela; Ai Weiwei’s Human Flow...
- 10/12/2020
- ScreenDaily
The Notebook is covering the NYFF with an on-going correspondence between critic Doug Dibbern and editor Daniel Kasman.Above: Gunda.Hey, Danny—I know what you mean when you wonder whether or not we’re actually attending a film festival. I’ve never been a fan of digital streaming or projection or of watching movies at home, each of which flattens and diminishes the inherently sensual aspects of the movies. And I’m worried that we’re living through some sort of shadow experience even more now because we usually watch these films for the festival on two of the biggest screens in the city: the Walter Reade and Alice Tully Hall, packed in tightly with sold-out crowds, which always intensifies the fact that movies aren’t just visual—they’re auditory, tactile, gustatory, and olfactory, too.So like you, I’ve been struggling to recreate some simulacrum of the theater experience at home.
- 9/28/2020
- MUBI
An annual celebration in the finest cinematic offerings, the New York Film Festival has been a treasure trove of the latest work from seasoned auteurs along with new discoveries throughout its storied history. Now in its 58th year, the festival’s slate will be available to a wider audience than ever before. Due to the pandemic forcing theaters in New York to continue with their shutdown, Film at Lincoln Center has reimagined the event, offering nationwide virtual screenings with limited rentals as well as drive-in screenings in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
Kicking off this Thursday with the world premiere of Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock (to be followed by two more films in his Small Axe anthology), we’ll be providing reviews of the premieres and beyond, but to begin our coverage we’re highlighting the recommended films coming to the festival we’ve seen at Sundance, Venice, TIFF,...
Kicking off this Thursday with the world premiere of Steve McQueen’s Lovers Rock (to be followed by two more films in his Small Axe anthology), we’ll be providing reviews of the premieres and beyond, but to begin our coverage we’re highlighting the recommended films coming to the festival we’ve seen at Sundance, Venice, TIFF,...
- 9/16/2020
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Nuuk-based Polarama Greenland working on ‘Kalak’, the new film from Isabella Eklöf.
Four Icelandic and Greenlandic producers have joined forces to launch a new production, co-production, production service, and casting company called Polarama Greenland.
The new outfit, based in Nuuk, hopes to be a one-stop shop for the international industry who want to shoot in Greenland as well as working on Greenlandic features.
Polarama Greenland is an independent and self-owned sub-division of Iceland’s Polarama.
Panorama Greeland is co-producing and providing services to Kalak, the forthcoming Greenland-set feature from Swedish director Isabella Eklöf (Holiday); the outfit is also in talks...
Four Icelandic and Greenlandic producers have joined forces to launch a new production, co-production, production service, and casting company called Polarama Greenland.
The new outfit, based in Nuuk, hopes to be a one-stop shop for the international industry who want to shoot in Greenland as well as working on Greenlandic features.
Polarama Greenland is an independent and self-owned sub-division of Iceland’s Polarama.
Panorama Greeland is co-producing and providing services to Kalak, the forthcoming Greenland-set feature from Swedish director Isabella Eklöf (Holiday); the outfit is also in talks...
- 8/7/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦39¦
- ScreenDaily
After Universal ran to premium VOD at the first opportunity, other distributors were quick to follow suit. Sony trotted out “Bloodshot,” while Disney offered “Onward,” Searchlight presented “Downhill,” and Warner Bros. sold “The Way Back.” However, if there’s going to be a last man standing for theatrical exhibition, it’s Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard, who has no interest in exploring the Pvod trend.
“That’s no place to play them,” said Bernard. “Everything starts with exhibition. When the virus is gone, when it’s safe, people will come back to theaters.”
Spc’s sexy European mystery-thriller “The Burnt Orange Heresy” opened in theaters March 13, only days before the pandemic closed theaters across the country. That same day, Focus opened “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which will now go to Pvod April 3. Bernard and partner Michael Barker will bring “Heresy” — and all the others on their spring schedule — back when theaters open again.
“That’s no place to play them,” said Bernard. “Everything starts with exhibition. When the virus is gone, when it’s safe, people will come back to theaters.”
Spc’s sexy European mystery-thriller “The Burnt Orange Heresy” opened in theaters March 13, only days before the pandemic closed theaters across the country. That same day, Focus opened “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which will now go to Pvod April 3. Bernard and partner Michael Barker will bring “Heresy” — and all the others on their spring schedule — back when theaters open again.
- 3/27/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
After Universal ran to premium VOD at the first opportunity, other distributors were quick to follow suit. Sony trotted out “Bloodshot,” while Disney offered “Onward,” Searchlight presented “Downhill,” and Warner Bros. sold “The Way Back.” However, if there’s going to be a last man standing for theatrical exhibition, it’s Sony Pictures Classics co-president Tom Bernard, who has no interest in exploring the Pvod trend.
“That’s no place to play them,” said Bernard. “Everything starts with exhibition. When the virus is gone, when it’s safe, people will come back to theaters.”
More from IndieWireAs the Golden Globes Make Rule Changes, Will Oscars Follow?Regal, AMC Theaters, and Cinemark Close All Locations Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Spc’s sexy European mystery-thriller “The Burnt Orange Heresy” opened in theaters March 13, only days before the pandemic closed theaters across the country. That same day, Focus opened “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which...
“That’s no place to play them,” said Bernard. “Everything starts with exhibition. When the virus is gone, when it’s safe, people will come back to theaters.”
More from IndieWireAs the Golden Globes Make Rule Changes, Will Oscars Follow?Regal, AMC Theaters, and Cinemark Close All Locations Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Spc’s sexy European mystery-thriller “The Burnt Orange Heresy” opened in theaters March 13, only days before the pandemic closed theaters across the country. That same day, Focus opened “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which...
- 3/27/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The 70th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival is now in the books. The jury, featuring Jeremy Irons, Bérénice Bejo, Bettina Brokemper, Annemarie Jacir, Kenneth Lonergan, Luca Marinelli, and Kleber Mendonça Filho, shared their award winners–and now here’s a look at what we admired the most during the festival.
Featuring a fair bit of cross-over, check out our favorites below and return for more coverage (including reviews and interviews). Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates as these films get distribution and release dates.
Dau. Natasha
It is no use of hyperbole to suggest that Dau. Natasha already looks like one of the most provocative art films ever made. The first strictly theatrical feature to be released from Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s gargantuan, unprecedented Dau project (12 other films were shown at an immersive exhibition in Paris last year), it offers the viewer a kind of...
Featuring a fair bit of cross-over, check out our favorites below and return for more coverage (including reviews and interviews). Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates as these films get distribution and release dates.
Dau. Natasha
It is no use of hyperbole to suggest that Dau. Natasha already looks like one of the most provocative art films ever made. The first strictly theatrical feature to be released from Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s gargantuan, unprecedented Dau project (12 other films were shown at an immersive exhibition in Paris last year), it offers the viewer a kind of...
- 3/5/2020
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
In 2018, Victor Kossakovsky set out to shoot Aquarela, a survey-symphony that took the Russian documentarian around the world to capture glaciers, waterfalls, frozen lakes, oceans, and storms. Water, art-speak waffle as it may sound, served as Aquarela’s only protagonist: in that hyper-high-definition blue canvas, human faces seldom popped up, and voices were seldom heard, as Kossakovsky’s focus centered squarely on his liquid star alone.
A mystifying follow-up working again to question and depart from an anthropocentric perspective, here comes Gunda, a black-and-white, dialogue-free documentary chronicling a few months in the lives of the animals stranded in a Norwegian farm. Writer-director Kossakovsky and co-scribe Ainara Vera patch together a collage of farm life that hops from one animal to the other: there’s the eponymous Gunda, a sow raising a dozen piglets to which the film dedicates the largest screen time; a few caged chickens gingerly tiptoeing on grass...
A mystifying follow-up working again to question and depart from an anthropocentric perspective, here comes Gunda, a black-and-white, dialogue-free documentary chronicling a few months in the lives of the animals stranded in a Norwegian farm. Writer-director Kossakovsky and co-scribe Ainara Vera patch together a collage of farm life that hops from one animal to the other: there’s the eponymous Gunda, a sow raising a dozen piglets to which the film dedicates the largest screen time; a few caged chickens gingerly tiptoeing on grass...
- 3/3/2020
- by Leonardo Goi
- The Film Stage
"A mesmerizing perspective on sentience within animal species, normally–and perhaps purposely–hidden from our view." Who doesn't love cute animals? An early promo trailer has debuted online for the beloved documentary titled Gunda, which just premiered to great reviews at the Berlin Film Festival last month. This is the latest doc by the Russian documentarian Viktor Kosakovskiy (who last made Aquarela) and it's an adorable B&w dialogue-less feature that focuses mainly on a momma pig named Gunda. Shot at ground-level to put you in the same place as the animals, the film looks at the daily life of a pig and its farm animal companions: two cows and a one-legged chicken. That's all there is. Executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix. And fellow filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson raves: "Gunda is pure cinema. This is a film to take a bath in - it’s stripped to its essential elements,...
- 3/2/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Some were bemused earlier this month when Joaquin Phoenix used his entirely expected Oscar win as a less predictable occasion for an impassioned animal-rights plea: It was certainly the first time bovine artificial insemination had been discussed amid the glitter and glistening tears of Hollywood’s biggest night. What we didn’t know, however, was how neatly the actor’s speech would dovetail into his next screen credit: as an executive producer on Victor Kossakovsky’s simple but entirely astonishing documentary “Gunda.” It’s not hard to imagine his words as the unspoken subtext to this wholly dialogue-free animal character study, in which an enormous sow on a Norwegian farmyard embarks on an emotive arc of motherhood without any need for human voiceover or twee anthropomorphism: just the still, searching power of an attentive camera.
The clear breakout title of this year’s inaugural Encounters competition at the Berlinale, “Gunda...
The clear breakout title of this year’s inaugural Encounters competition at the Berlinale, “Gunda...
- 3/1/2020
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
This year’s Berlin International Film Festival brought a lot of anticipation. The first edition assembled by artistic director Carlo Chatrian and executive director Mariette Rissenbeek required the team to push back on several years of backlash to lackluster programming while competing with a busy festival circuit.
The Berlinale isn’t Cannes or Sundance, but it turns out it didn’t need to chase either mold: In its 70th year, Berlin provided a range of international offerings large and small, more than enough to make the selection worth following across the 10-day event. Here are 10 highlights.
“The American Sector” (Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez)
Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez’s “The American Sector” may not have time to visit every section of the Berlin Wall that’s been imported to the country (the film runs a breezy 65 minutes without credits), but this light and thoughtful documentary road trip still manages...
The Berlinale isn’t Cannes or Sundance, but it turns out it didn’t need to chase either mold: In its 70th year, Berlin provided a range of international offerings large and small, more than enough to make the selection worth following across the 10-day event. Here are 10 highlights.
“The American Sector” (Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez)
Courtney Stephens and Pacho Velez’s “The American Sector” may not have time to visit every section of the Berlin Wall that’s been imported to the country (the film runs a breezy 65 minutes without credits), but this light and thoughtful documentary road trip still manages...
- 2/29/2020
- by Eric Kohn, Anne Thompson and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Viktor Kossakovsky’s Berlinale documentary sells to Parasite distributor.
Continuing to ride a wave of awards season success, Neon has acquired North American rights to Gunda, director Viktor Kossakovsky’s acclaimed documentary about a group of farm animals that had its world premiere in the new Encounters competitive section at this week’s Berlinale.
Neon, Us distributor of surprise multiple Oscar winner Parasite, picked the film up from the UTA Independent Film Group, which was handling North American sales.
Gunda, produced by Sand & Usant in a co-production with Louverture Films, follows its title character, a mother sow, through interactions with...
Continuing to ride a wave of awards season success, Neon has acquired North American rights to Gunda, director Viktor Kossakovsky’s acclaimed documentary about a group of farm animals that had its world premiere in the new Encounters competitive section at this week’s Berlinale.
Neon, Us distributor of surprise multiple Oscar winner Parasite, picked the film up from the UTA Independent Film Group, which was handling North American sales.
Gunda, produced by Sand & Usant in a co-production with Louverture Films, follows its title character, a mother sow, through interactions with...
- 2/25/2020
- ScreenDaily
Joaquin Phoenix has came onboard as executive producer.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Victor Kossakovsky’s animal rights documentary Gunda, which had its world premiere in the new Encounters section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Screen revealed last week that passionate animal rights advocate Joaquin Phoenix came onboard as executive producer, describing the project as a “mesmerising perspective on sentience within animal species.”
Gunda, which Kossakovsky also wrote alongside Ainara Vera, is a black and white meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals.
Sant & Usant produced the project, which is a co-production with Louverture Films.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Victor Kossakovsky’s animal rights documentary Gunda, which had its world premiere in the new Encounters section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Screen revealed last week that passionate animal rights advocate Joaquin Phoenix came onboard as executive producer, describing the project as a “mesmerising perspective on sentience within animal species.”
Gunda, which Kossakovsky also wrote alongside Ainara Vera, is a black and white meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals.
Sant & Usant produced the project, which is a co-production with Louverture Films.
- 2/25/2020
- by 1101184¦Orlando Parfitt¦38¦
- ScreenDaily
Joaquin Phoenix has came onboard as executive producer.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Viktor Kossakovsky’s animal rights documentary Gunda, which had its world premiere in the new Encounters section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Screen revealed last week that passionate animal rights advocate Joaquin Phoenix came onboard as executive producer, describing the project as a “mesmerising perspective on sentience within animal species.”
Gunda, which Kossakovsky also wrote alongside Ainara Vera, is a black and white meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals.
Sant & Usant produced the project, which is a co-production with Louverture Films.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Viktor Kossakovsky’s animal rights documentary Gunda, which had its world premiere in the new Encounters section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Screen revealed last week that passionate animal rights advocate Joaquin Phoenix came onboard as executive producer, describing the project as a “mesmerising perspective on sentience within animal species.”
Gunda, which Kossakovsky also wrote alongside Ainara Vera, is a black and white meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals.
Sant & Usant produced the project, which is a co-production with Louverture Films.
- 2/25/2020
- by 1101184¦Orlando Parfitt¦38¦
- ScreenDaily
Neon is continuing its busy streak and picked up the North American rights to the documentary “Gunda,” which premiered at the Berlinale festival and is executive produced by Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix, the studio announced Tuesday. It’s the first sale of a festival title.
“Gunda” is shot in mesmerizing black and white and follows a day in the life of some livestock on a farm, including a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda) two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken in an artful, dialogue-free triptych.
“Gunda” was directed by the famed nature filmmaker of “Aquarela” Victor Kossakovsky. It made its world premiere in the new competitive section at the festival, Encounters, where it was nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Award.
Also Read: Joaquin Phoenix Calls Out BAFTAs for Lack of Diversity During 'Joker' Acceptance Speech (Video)
Whereas his previous film “Aquarela” was a reminder of the fragility of human tenure on earth,...
“Gunda” is shot in mesmerizing black and white and follows a day in the life of some livestock on a farm, including a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda) two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken in an artful, dialogue-free triptych.
“Gunda” was directed by the famed nature filmmaker of “Aquarela” Victor Kossakovsky. It made its world premiere in the new competitive section at the festival, Encounters, where it was nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Award.
Also Read: Joaquin Phoenix Calls Out BAFTAs for Lack of Diversity During 'Joker' Acceptance Speech (Video)
Whereas his previous film “Aquarela” was a reminder of the fragility of human tenure on earth,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Neon has acquired North American rights to “Gunda,” directed by “Aquarela” helmer Viktor Kossakovsky and executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix. The film made its world premiere in the Encounters section of the Berlin Film Festival. It is one of the few films in the festival this year to have closed a U.S. distribution deal so far.
“In ‘Gunda,’ Kossakovsky reminds us that we share our planet with billions of other animals,” according to a statement. “Through encounters with a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda), two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken, Kossakovsky movingly recalibrates our moral universe, reminding us of the inherent value of life and the mystery of all animal consciousness, including our own.”
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon along with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Cinephil is handling international sales.
Anita Rehoff Larsen produced “Gunda” for Sant & Usant; it is a co-production with Louverture Films.
“In ‘Gunda,’ Kossakovsky reminds us that we share our planet with billions of other animals,” according to a statement. “Through encounters with a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda), two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken, Kossakovsky movingly recalibrates our moral universe, reminding us of the inherent value of life and the mystery of all animal consciousness, including our own.”
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon along with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Cinephil is handling international sales.
Anita Rehoff Larsen produced “Gunda” for Sant & Usant; it is a co-production with Louverture Films.
- 2/25/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Parasite distributor Neon has picked up North American rights to well-reviewed Berlin Film Festival documentary Gunda, which is executive-produced by Joaquin Phoenix.
Victor Kossakovsky’s film, which had its world premiere in the German capital, is a dialogue-free black and white film which looks at the daily life of a pig and its farm animal companions: two cows and a one-legged chicken. It’s an unusual premise. But the film has had rave reviews and this is one of the first North American deals on a Berlin festival title this year.
Sant & Usant produced Gunda, which is a co-production with Louverture Films. Anita Rehoff Larsen produced. Joslyn Barnes and Susan Rockefeller co-produced with Tone Grøttjord-Glenne and recent Oscar-winner Phoenix executive producing.
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon along with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Cinephil is handling international sales. Kossakovsky previously directed epic Aquarela.
After his Oscar win,...
Victor Kossakovsky’s film, which had its world premiere in the German capital, is a dialogue-free black and white film which looks at the daily life of a pig and its farm animal companions: two cows and a one-legged chicken. It’s an unusual premise. But the film has had rave reviews and this is one of the first North American deals on a Berlin festival title this year.
Sant & Usant produced Gunda, which is a co-production with Louverture Films. Anita Rehoff Larsen produced. Joslyn Barnes and Susan Rockefeller co-produced with Tone Grøttjord-Glenne and recent Oscar-winner Phoenix executive producing.
Jeff Deutchman negotiated the deal for Neon along with UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers. Cinephil is handling international sales. Kossakovsky previously directed epic Aquarela.
After his Oscar win,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
As a four-year-old boy, filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky fell in love with a piglet when he spent some time in a remote Russian village. “He became my closest friend and was killed by Christmastime,” Kossakovsky told me at the Berlinale after-party for his nonfiction film “Gunda,” which debuted Sunday in the “Encounters” section. “I became probably the first vegetarian in the Soviet Union. I always wanted to make a movie about pigs.”
Finally financed after decades of no interest, the movie is fascinating and immersive, and critics are raving, even if it took IndieWire’s Eric Kohn three viewings to figure out what he thought of it. “Gunda” couldn’t be more unlike the entertaining 2019 doc “The Biggest Little Farm,” with its colorful anthropomorphic animal characters and voiceover narration and perky, manipulative soundtrack.
“Gunda” is a documentary with no dialogue that follows around a bunch of farm animals in natural light,...
Finally financed after decades of no interest, the movie is fascinating and immersive, and critics are raving, even if it took IndieWire’s Eric Kohn three viewings to figure out what he thought of it. “Gunda” couldn’t be more unlike the entertaining 2019 doc “The Biggest Little Farm,” with its colorful anthropomorphic animal characters and voiceover narration and perky, manipulative soundtrack.
“Gunda” is a documentary with no dialogue that follows around a bunch of farm animals in natural light,...
- 2/23/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
As a four-year-old boy, filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky fell in love with a piglet when he spent some time in a remote Russian village. “He became my closest friend and was killed by Christmastime,” Kossakovsky told me at the Berlinale after-party for his nonfiction film “Gunda,” which debuted Sunday in the “Encounters” section. “I became probably the first vegetarian in the Soviet Union. I always wanted to make a movie about pigs.”
Finally financed after decades of no interest, the movie is fascinating and immersive, and critics are raving, even if it took IndieWire’s Eric Kohn three viewings to figure out what he thought of it. “Gunda” couldn’t be more unlike the entertaining 2019 doc “The Biggest Little Farm,” with its colorful anthropomorphic animal characters and voiceover narration and perky, manipulative soundtrack.
“Gunda” is a documentary with no dialogue that follows around a bunch of farm animals in natural light,...
Finally financed after decades of no interest, the movie is fascinating and immersive, and critics are raving, even if it took IndieWire’s Eric Kohn three viewings to figure out what he thought of it. “Gunda” couldn’t be more unlike the entertaining 2019 doc “The Biggest Little Farm,” with its colorful anthropomorphic animal characters and voiceover narration and perky, manipulative soundtrack.
“Gunda” is a documentary with no dialogue that follows around a bunch of farm animals in natural light,...
- 2/23/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
More experience than movie, “Gunda” is . Russian filmmaker Viktor Kossakovsky’s mesmerizing achievement removes humans from the picture to magnify the small moments in the lives of various farm animals, with his eponymous pig at its center. Over the course of 90 hypnotic minutes, his roving camera observes Gunda and her piglets, a handful of chickens, and a smattering of cows simply going about their lives on an unspecified farmland.
Devoid of music or any other obvious artifice, “Gunda” neither aims to document animal consciousness or anthropomorphize it. Instead, Kossakovsky’s fascinating non-narrative experiment burrows into the center of his subject’s nervous system, meeting the creatures on their own terms in a remarkable plea for empathy that only implores carnivores to think twice by implication.
The concept behind the movie bears some similarity to Kossakovsky’s previous effort, the euphoric visual feast “Aquarela,” a feature-length environmentally conscious tribute to water around the world.
Devoid of music or any other obvious artifice, “Gunda” neither aims to document animal consciousness or anthropomorphize it. Instead, Kossakovsky’s fascinating non-narrative experiment burrows into the center of his subject’s nervous system, meeting the creatures on their own terms in a remarkable plea for empathy that only implores carnivores to think twice by implication.
The concept behind the movie bears some similarity to Kossakovsky’s previous effort, the euphoric visual feast “Aquarela,” a feature-length environmentally conscious tribute to water around the world.
- 2/23/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
UTA Independent Film Group, Cinephil represent North American, international sales.
Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix has come on to serve as executive producer on Victor Kossakovsky’s Encounters documentary Gunda ahead of the world premiere in Berlin on Sunday (23).
Phoenix, a passionate animal rights advocate, said he was deeply moved by the film as it was being finished and by Kossakovsky’s artistry. He intends to support the release of the meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals, which marks the follow-up to Kossakovsky’s 2018 Venice Film Festival world premiere Aquarela.
UTA Independent Film Group handles...
Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix has come on to serve as executive producer on Victor Kossakovsky’s Encounters documentary Gunda ahead of the world premiere in Berlin on Sunday (23).
Phoenix, a passionate animal rights advocate, said he was deeply moved by the film as it was being finished and by Kossakovsky’s artistry. He intends to support the release of the meditation on the lives of the eponymous sow and other farm animals, which marks the follow-up to Kossakovsky’s 2018 Venice Film Festival world premiere Aquarela.
UTA Independent Film Group handles...
- 2/20/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Farm animal documentary to screen in Berlin’s new Encounters competition.
Cinephil has boarded international sales for Victor Kossakovsky’s Gunda, which will receive its world premiere in the Berlinale’s new Encounters competition this month.
UTA Independent Film Group will handle Us rights on the Norwegian-us co-production.
Kossakovsky observes farm animals – protagonist Gunda the pig, two cows and a one-legged chicken – to offer new perspective on the way animals live their lives and our relationship to them.
Anita Rehoff Larsen of Norway’s Sant & Usant produces in co-production with New York-based Louverture Films.
The film was previously pitched at...
Cinephil has boarded international sales for Victor Kossakovsky’s Gunda, which will receive its world premiere in the Berlinale’s new Encounters competition this month.
UTA Independent Film Group will handle Us rights on the Norwegian-us co-production.
Kossakovsky observes farm animals – protagonist Gunda the pig, two cows and a one-legged chicken – to offer new perspective on the way animals live their lives and our relationship to them.
Anita Rehoff Larsen of Norway’s Sant & Usant produces in co-production with New York-based Louverture Films.
The film was previously pitched at...
- 2/7/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The 70th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 20 – March 1) unveiled its Encounters program today, featuring the premieres of new works by Tim Sutton and Romanian director Cristi Puiu.
Also screening is Josephine Decker’s Shirley with Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg, marking the film’s international premiere after its upcoming Sundance bow, and Gunda by Victor Kossakovsky, whose last pic was the 2018 Venice doc Aquarela.
Encounters is a newly-created competitive section at the Berlin festival that looks to highlight “new voices in cinema and to give more room to diverse narrative and documentary forms.” A three-member jury will choose the winners for Best Film, Best Director and a Special Jury Award.
“As a result of passionate research, the 15 titles chosen for Encounters present the vitality of cinema in all of its forms. Each film presents a different way of interpreting the cinematic story: autobiographical, intimate, political,...
Also screening is Josephine Decker’s Shirley with Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg, marking the film’s international premiere after its upcoming Sundance bow, and Gunda by Victor Kossakovsky, whose last pic was the 2018 Venice doc Aquarela.
Encounters is a newly-created competitive section at the Berlin festival that looks to highlight “new voices in cinema and to give more room to diverse narrative and documentary forms.” A three-member jury will choose the winners for Best Film, Best Director and a Special Jury Award.
“As a result of passionate research, the 15 titles chosen for Encounters present the vitality of cinema in all of its forms. Each film presents a different way of interpreting the cinematic story: autobiographical, intimate, political,...
- 1/17/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Over the course of a single year, the staff of IndieWire consumes a dizzying amount of films, thanks to packed film festival slates, stuffed streaming offerings, and regular old theatrical releases. Along the way, we find plenty of films to love, and closing out another year at the movies gives us a chance to keep spreading the good word of the year’s best (at least in our eyes).
For those of you obsessed with numbers, IndieWire’s overall top five film picks likely don’t surprise: Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” was the clear favorite, but it was followed by an array of darlings, including Celine Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems,” Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” And while those top favorites appeared on a number of lists, a few films only appeared on one, including...
For those of you obsessed with numbers, IndieWire’s overall top five film picks likely don’t surprise: Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” was the clear favorite, but it was followed by an array of darlings, including Celine Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems,” Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” And while those top favorites appeared on a number of lists, a few films only appeared on one, including...
- 12/23/2019
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
At a time when leaders spout lies and cries of “fake news” put reputable media outlets in doubt, audiences showed an astonishing appetite for nonfiction filmmaking. This year, more than 15 documentaries crossed the $1 million mark in theaters, ranging from high-profile concert films (such as Bruce Springsteen’s “Western Stars” and “Bring the Soul: The Movie”) to powerful human interest stories (“Maiden” and “The Biggest Little Farm”). Revolutionary “The Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson pushed the boundaries of the medium yet again, bringing fresh dimension to century-old World War I footage in his 3D doc “They Shall Not Grow Old”, while high-frame-rate eco doc “Aquarela” changed the way we look at water. All told, it was an incredibly strong year for documentaries, amid which Variety film critics Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman singled out these 10 as their favorites.
1. “The Hottest August”
When you think of climate change documentaries, chances...
1. “The Hottest August”
When you think of climate change documentaries, chances...
- 12/21/2019
- by Peter Debruge and Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a number of shortlists for the 2020 Academy Awards including Best Documentary and the two three categories. As expected, “Apollo 11,” “Honeyland,” “The Biggest Little Farm” and “The Cave” made the Documentary cut. And, somewhat sadly, international filmmakers dominated the Live Action short category.
Read More: Parasite, Honeyland & Pain and Glory make the International Film shortlist
For Documentary, the 15 films remaining in contention are:
“Advocate”
“American Factory”
“The Apollo”
“Apollo 11”
“Aquarela”
“The Biggest Little Farm”
“The Cave”
“The Edge of Democracy”
“For Sama”
“The Great Hack”
“Honeyland”
“Knock Down the House”
“Maiden”
“Midnight Family”
“One Child Nation”
For Documentary Short, also voted on by the Documentary Branch, the 10 remaining contenders are:
“After Maria”
“Fire in Paradise”
“Ghosts of Sugar Land”
“In the Absence”
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”
“Life Overtakes Me”
“The Nightcrawlers”
“St.
Continue reading ‘Apollo 11,...
Read More: Parasite, Honeyland & Pain and Glory make the International Film shortlist
For Documentary, the 15 films remaining in contention are:
“Advocate”
“American Factory”
“The Apollo”
“Apollo 11”
“Aquarela”
“The Biggest Little Farm”
“The Cave”
“The Edge of Democracy”
“For Sama”
“The Great Hack”
“Honeyland”
“Knock Down the House”
“Maiden”
“Midnight Family”
“One Child Nation”
For Documentary Short, also voted on by the Documentary Branch, the 10 remaining contenders are:
“After Maria”
“Fire in Paradise”
“Ghosts of Sugar Land”
“In the Absence”
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”
“Life Overtakes Me”
“The Nightcrawlers”
“St.
Continue reading ‘Apollo 11,...
- 12/17/2019
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Nominations to be announced on January 13, 2020.
The Academy on Monday (16) announced shortlisted films in the documentary feature, music, VFX, make-up and hairstyling, and shorts categories.
All shortlists appear below. Click here to read the international feature film shortlist, which was also announced on Monday.
Documentary feature
Fifteen films will advance in the category after 159 films were submitted. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees, to be announced on January 13, 2020. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave
The Edge Of Democracy...
The Academy on Monday (16) announced shortlisted films in the documentary feature, music, VFX, make-up and hairstyling, and shorts categories.
All shortlists appear below. Click here to read the international feature film shortlist, which was also announced on Monday.
Documentary feature
Fifteen films will advance in the category after 159 films were submitted. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees, to be announced on January 13, 2020. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave
The Edge Of Democracy...
- 12/16/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Nominations to be announced on January 13, 2020.
The Academy on Monday (16) announced shortlisted films in the documentary feature, music, VFX, make-up and hairstyling, and shorts categories.
All shortlists appear below. Click here to read the international feature film shortlist, which was also announced on Monday.
Documentary feature
Fifteen films will advance in the category. One hundred and fifty-nine films were submitted. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees, to be announced on January 13,2020.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave...
The Academy on Monday (16) announced shortlisted films in the documentary feature, music, VFX, make-up and hairstyling, and shorts categories.
All shortlists appear below. Click here to read the international feature film shortlist, which was also announced on Monday.
Documentary feature
Fifteen films will advance in the category. One hundred and fifty-nine films were submitted. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees, to be announced on January 13,2020.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave...
- 12/16/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Moments ago, the Academy released a handful of shortlists for some of their below the line categories. Last year, they tried it out for the first time and it seemed to go over well, so expect this to be the new normal. Yes, in the categories of Best Documentary Feature, Best Documentary Short Subject, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Animated Short Film, Best Live Action Short Film, and Best Visual Effects, we now have a narrowed field for the 92nd Academy Awards. Essentially, Academy voters can once again focus in on just a handful of titles in these categories, for better or worse. The wisdom of that still remains to be seen as the years progress, but it will still take some time to see if we get a different set of nominees than expected because of this. For now,...
- 12/16/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its Oscar shortlists for nine categories at once. Here are the films vying for final slots for the 92nd annual Academy Awards in Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects:
Here they are:
Documentary Feature
One hundred fifty-nine films were submitted in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
The Great Hack
Honeyland
Knock Down the House
Maiden
Midnight Family
One Child Nation
Documentary Short Subject
Ninety-six films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
Here they are:
Documentary Feature
One hundred fifty-nine films were submitted in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:
Advocate
American Factory
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
The Great Hack
Honeyland
Knock Down the House
Maiden
Midnight Family
One Child Nation
Documentary Short Subject
Ninety-six films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
- 12/16/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The sailing documentary “Maiden” and the chronicle of the first trip to the moon, “Apollo 11,” are among the 15 titles that made this year’s shortlist for the Oscars’ Best Documentary Feature race.
The shortlist also included two films about Syria, “For Sama” and “The Cave”; the first film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory”; and the Macedonian beekeeping documentary “Honeyland,” which also made the shortlist in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
Also on the list: “One Child Nation,” “The Great Hack,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Midnight Family,” “Knock Down the House,” “The Apollo,” “Advocate” and “Aquarela.”
As it has been since the Oscars’ Documentary Branch opened shortlist voting to all members and did away with small committees, the list contained most...
The shortlist also included two films about Syria, “For Sama” and “The Cave”; the first film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory”; and the Macedonian beekeeping documentary “Honeyland,” which also made the shortlist in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
Also on the list: “One Child Nation,” “The Great Hack,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “Midnight Family,” “Knock Down the House,” “The Apollo,” “Advocate” and “Aquarela.”
As it has been since the Oscars’ Documentary Branch opened shortlist voting to all members and did away with small committees, the list contained most...
- 12/16/2019
- by Brian Welk and Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists in consideration for the Oscars in nine categories: documentary feature, documentary short subject, international feature film, makeup and hairstyling, music (original score), music (original song), animated short film, live action short film and visual effects.
The full lists are below:
Documentary Feature
Fifteen films will advance in the documentary feature category after 159 films were submitted in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“Advocate”
“American Factory”
“The Apollo”
“Apollo 11”
“Aquarela”
“The Biggest Little Farm”
“The Cave”
“The Edge of Democracy”
“For Sama”
“The Great Hack”
“Honeyland”
“Knock Down the House”
“Maiden”
“Midnight Family”
“One Child Nation”
Documentary Short Subject
Ten films will advance in the documentary short subject category. There were 69 films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“After Maria...
The full lists are below:
Documentary Feature
Fifteen films will advance in the documentary feature category after 159 films were submitted in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“Advocate”
“American Factory”
“The Apollo”
“Apollo 11”
“Aquarela”
“The Biggest Little Farm”
“The Cave”
“The Edge of Democracy”
“For Sama”
“The Great Hack”
“Honeyland”
“Knock Down the House”
“Maiden”
“Midnight Family”
“One Child Nation”
Documentary Short Subject
Ten films will advance in the documentary short subject category. There were 69 films qualified in the category. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“After Maria...
- 12/16/2019
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
For the second time in Oscars history, the academy released the short lists in nine categories all at once. On Monday, December 16, the hopefuls in a wide range of races found out if they are still in contention for the 92nd annual Academy Awards. Among these are the marquee awards for Best International Feature Film (which was pared down to 10 films from the 92 submitted) and Best Documentary Feature (which went from 159 to 15).
The race for Best Visual Effects, which had already been narrowed down to 20 films, was cut in half. Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 75 submissions apiece. And the Best Makeup and Hairstyling race as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
One hundred and fifty-nine films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist.
The race for Best Visual Effects, which had already been narrowed down to 20 films, was cut in half. Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 75 submissions apiece. And the Best Makeup and Hairstyling race as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
One hundred and fifty-nine films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist.
- 12/16/2019
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Other new openers included horror remake ’Black Christmas’ and Imelda Marcos documentary ’The Kingmaker’.
RankFilm (Distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 13-Dec 15)Total gross to date Week 1 Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony) £5.2m £9.4m 1 2 Frozen II (Disney) £3.17m £38.27m 4 3 Last Christmas (Universal) £1.28m £14.9m 5 4 Knives Out (Lionsgate) £1.25m £8.4m 3 5 Black Christmas (Universal) £282,536 £282,536 1 Sony
Action sequel Jumanji: The Next Level has replaced Disney’s Frozen II at the top of the UK box office by taking £5.2m over its opening weekend.
The Sony title scored an £8,000 location average from 641 sites and reported a declared opening of £9.4m. Adding to the £3m from last week’s previews,...
RankFilm (Distributor)Three-day gross (Dec 13-Dec 15)Total gross to date Week 1 Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony) £5.2m £9.4m 1 2 Frozen II (Disney) £3.17m £38.27m 4 3 Last Christmas (Universal) £1.28m £14.9m 5 4 Knives Out (Lionsgate) £1.25m £8.4m 3 5 Black Christmas (Universal) £282,536 £282,536 1 Sony
Action sequel Jumanji: The Next Level has replaced Disney’s Frozen II at the top of the UK box office by taking £5.2m over its opening weekend.
The Sony title scored an £8,000 location average from 641 sites and reported a declared opening of £9.4m. Adding to the £3m from last week’s previews,...
- 12/16/2019
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.