Veteran actress Kang Soo-youn has been confirmed as festival co-director for Busan International Film Festival. The announcement was made by Busan International Film Festival Organization Committee yesterday at a special assembly in Busan City Hall.
A member of the BIFF executive committee since 1998, Kang is known to be a widely respected member of the Korean film industry .Having begun her acting career as a child, she won best actress awards at Venice in 1987 and Moscow in 1989 for her performances in Im Kwon-taek’s films The Surrogate Woman and Come, Come, Come Upward, respectively.
She has also served on film festival juries in Moscow, Tokyo, Sydney and Montreal.
“It’s a difficult position with tremendous responsibility, but I will do my best to work together with the people who have been making a good film festival up to now to make it even better,” said Kang on her appointment.
Developments
This is the latest development in BIFF’s saga since screening The Truth Shall Not Sink With The Sewol, a documentary critical of the government’s handling of the Sewol ferry disaster, against conservative Busan mayor Seo Byeong-soo’s wishes last year.The mayor had originally demanded festival director Lee Yong Kwan Step Down.It was Lee’s proposal that the fest gets a co-director and BIFF said Kang was selected after recommendations from people in the film industry.
Lee’s current appointment ends February 2016. Kang’s will run until July 2018.The festival’s hope is that Lee’s appointment will be renewed and the Lee-Kang co-directorship will be continued.
New Deputy Director
The committee yesterday also named a new deputy director, Lee Myung-shik.A former director of English-language radio Busan E-FM, Lee also worked at the local KNN and Busan MBC broadcasters.
They also revised their articles of association, increasing the number of deputy director positions from two to four.With 87 days left to BIFF’s 20th edition, the fest is dealing with budgetary cuts and still awaiting the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea’s results, which were expected out by late June or early July.
BIFF is set to run Oct 10-10, with the Asian Film Market Oct 3-6.
Downfall director Oliver Hirschbiegel who has made two high profile movies set during the Hitler years is now hatching plans for a new film that will unfold during the First World War.
The German filmmaker’s latest feature 13 Minutes portrayed the life of a small town carpenter Georg Elser who failed to assasisin Hitler.The Oscar-nominated Downfall was set at the end of the Second World War, depicted the final ten days of Adolf Hitler’s reign over Nazi Germany in 1945. Now, Hirschbiegel wants to turn his attention toward the first World War of 1914-18.
“It is very much in the wake of Jean Renoir and of (Stanley) Kubrick,” the German director told an international film Magazine of the project, which is at a very early stage.
Two of its points of reference are Renoir’s La Grande Illusion (1937), the First World War classic about three French prisoners in German captivity, and Kubrick’s anti-war movie, Paths Of Glory (1957).
“For the first time, it would give me the chance to direct in French, which I have always wanted, even though my French is appalling, but I grew up with French films. They were probably the most important factor in my becoming a filmmaker,” Hirschbiegel commented of the film, which will dramatise the Battle Of Marne.
Cold War miniseries
Hirschbiegel will be going into production on August 24 on new miniseries The Same Sky (formerly known as Back To Back).
The Cold War drama is scripted by Paula Milne (The Virgin Queen) and produced by German outfits Beta and UFA Fiction as well as the UK’s Rainmark Films.
The series is set in east and west Berlin during 1973. Tom Schilling has come on board to play the lead, a young Stasi agent sent over to west Berlin to seduce an English woman.The English lead will be announced shortly.
Hirshcbiegel was speaking in London following the UK premiere of 13 Minutes last month at Edinburgh International Film Festival.
13 Minutes is set to be released in the UK on July 17 by StudioCanal.
The 68th edition of the much reputed Locarno Film Festival is scheduled from August 5th – 15th, 2015. The recent news from the corner is regarding the details of two world premieres which will be screened in the International Competition section of the festival.
The World Premieres of ‘Right Now, Wrong Then’ directed by South Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo and ‘Cosmos’ filmed by Andrzej Zulawski will be conducted at this reputed platform.
Sangsoo is not a new name at Locarno Film Festival. He has previously won the ‘Pardo’ award in 2013 for ‘U ri Sunhi’. He was also a jury member in the judging panel of 2009 festival. Sangsoo is often referred as the ‘Korean Woody Allen’, and the film festival organizers are reportedly happy to have his movie’s world premiere in Locarno.
‘Cosmos‘ directed by Andrzej Zuwalski is the direct film adaptation of a nivel writtten by Polish author Witold Gombrowic. The movie will showcase the life of two young men who wish to taste the solitude of their country. But things started going out of their hands due to some random occurrences.
Zuwalski also has a bright legacy at the Locarno Film Festival. He was the festival’s jury president in 1981, and in the same year, his movie ‘Posession’ was screened in the non competitive section.
Actor John Turturro to visit Jerusalem and take part in opening ceremony
Nanni Moretti’s film My Mother (Mia Madre) is to open the 32nd Jerusalem Film Festival (July 9-19). The movie’s premiere in Israel will be screened at the Sultan’s Pool on July 9, following its world premiere in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival last month. The opening ceremony will be attended by John Turturro, who stars in the movie.
Italian maverick Moretti’s latest film, which stars Margherita Buy alongside the director, is a return to the family drama he explored in 2001 Palme d’Or winner The Son’s Room. This time it’s a mother’s slow decline that sparks the melodrama, leavened by comic touches courtesy of a film within the film featuring a US actor played by Turturro. Moretti’s previous film in Cannes Competition was 2011 papal dramedy We Have A Pope (Habemus Papam).JFF director Noa Regev said the selection of the film paid tribute to “the inspiring Lia van Leer, the Cinematheque’s founder who passed away this year”.
Closing ceremony
The festival’s closing ceremony, to be held at the Sultan’s Pool on July 18, will be The Godfather Live, a cinematic musical event in which Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary film will be projected on a giant screen with live music.The famous soundtrack, composed by Nino Rota, will be performed by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra conducted by Justin Freer. This year’s JFF will comprise more than 200 films, including both Israeli and international films.
Sean McAllister’s A Syrian Love Story has awarded the Grand Jury prize at Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10).
Acclaimed British documentary filmmaker McAllister, whose credits include The Liberace in Baghdad and The Reluctant Revolutionary. McAllister took four years to complete the shoot of this project.
It follows the plight of a Syrian family as they are forced to leave the war torn country, the political unrest affects it and the family’s relationships face hurdles . During the filming process, the film maker McAllister himself spent time in a Syrian jail when the authorities seized his camera.
On behalf of the jury, Ruby Chen of CNEX China said: “The jury were enamoured by this Bergmanesque portrait of a relationship and love, taking place against an ever-changing and tumultuous backdrop.
“Delivering unusual gender portraits it explores vulnerabilities, looking at the concept of belonging, providing a unique and intimate portrait of disillusionment.”
The award was announced yesterday and presented by comedian Jeremy Hardy at Crucible Theatre.
Hamilton, NY : Grant and Todd Slater of Slater Brothers Entertainmenthave announced that they are returning to Hamilton, New York with their annual Summer Film Festival. SBE’s Hamilton (NY) International Film Festival is in its seventh year and continues to be one of the Premier Summer Events in Northeast United States.
Todd Slater commented, “The Festival is something that we look forward to every year. It has been so well received by the community and the feedback from the filmmakers tells us that we made a great decision to bring the Festival to the town we grew up in.”
The Slater Brothers’ Hamilton International Film Festival is located in the beautiful Chenango Valley region of Central New York. Long known as weekend retreat for city dwellers from New York, Boston, Ottawa, and Toronto, the Chenango Valley boasts some of the most beautiful vistas in North America and has gained an international reputation for it’s cultural events, outdoor activities and academic institutions.
The Brothers are excited about some of the early commitments, including a special screening of DAM999, one of the most controversial but celebrated films to come out of India in the past century. The Film’s producer/director Sohan Roy will be traveling from India to present his film and hold a Q & A following the special screening. “ We feel very fortunate to have a filmmaker of Sohan’s caliber coming half way across the globe to present his film and discuss the business of filmmaking in India”, commented festival founder, Grant Slater. (DAM999 will screen August 1st at 1:30 PM at the Hamilton Theater)
Other early selections include British Filmmaker, Helen Curran’s psychological horror film, Delicacy set during the British retreat to Dunkirk during WWII, Matt Twomey’s documentary film, The Duck Diaries: A Cold War quest for friendship across the Americas and French Filmmaker, Fredric Kofman’s romantic comedy, For Sarah’s Love. All three filmmakers will be on hand to present their films.
The Brothers are also excited to announce that former Hamilton resident, Kenny MacBain will be screening his latest documentary film, The Voice of Valley. The story of how Central New York resident Colby VanVoorhis who was born with TAR syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, uses his voice to fit in and indulge his love for sports. “The last time, Kenny had a film at our Festival, it’s was The General, and it sold out two theaters,” stated Slater, “So we are excited to share his latest work. It is another incredibly inspiring documentary film and a can’t miss selection.”
The Festival will have an extended line-up with a record number of films being screened. Screenings will be held in a variety of locations in the village ofHamilton including the Historical Hamilton Movie Theater.
Other events include: A Saturday August 1st panel discussion held at the Colgate University Bookstore in downtown Hamilton. The topic is “The Business of Filmmaking” and will include a panel of visiting producers, directors and actors, including Sohan Roy, Kenny MacBain, Helen Curran and Matt Twomey. The discussion will start at 12:00 PM and is free to the public.
Ticket prices are set at $5.00 and All Festival Passes are set at $20.00. Although the complete schedule will not be released until July, All Access Passes are currently available and Individual Tickets will be available during the week of June 21st. Tickets and Passes will be available on the Hamilton Theater website: http://hamiltontheater.net/ or by contacting the Hamilton Theater Box Office at 315 824 2724 .
For all the latest Festival information visit SBE’s Hamilton (NY) International Film Festival Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SBEs-Hamilton-International-Film-Festival/360996037352846?ref=hl
Suffragette, portrays the story of the British women who fought for the right to vote at the turn of the 20th century, has been named as the opening night film of the 59th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18).The period drama will receive its European premiere at the festival on October 7 – three weeks ahead of its UK release – at the Odeon Leicester Square, attended by cast members including Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep.
The premiere will be broadcasted live from the red carpet ahead of simultaneous screenings of the film at cinemas across the UK. The film stars Mulligan, Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw and Streep.It is directed by Sarah Gavron, reteaming with her Brick Lane screenwriter Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady).The film is produced by Faye Ward and Alison Owen, producers of Saving Mr. Banks, which closed the LFF in 2013.
Suffragette tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement as they fought for the right to vote, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with an increasingly brutal State.Mulligan will play one such foot soldier, Maud, while Steep makes an appearance as Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst.LFF festival director Clare Stewart said Suffragette was “an urgent and compelling film – made by British women, about British women who changed the course of history.”The film is produced by Ruby Films for Pathé, Film4 and the BFI in association with Redgill Productions and with the participation of Canal+ and Cine-Cinema.Executive producers are Cameron McCracken, Tessa Ross, Rose Garnett, Nik Bower, James Schamus and Teresa Moneo.
The late Christopher Collins was the lead executive for the BFI.Pathé UK is set to release the film in cinemas nationwide on October 30.
The full programme for this year’s LFF will be announced on September 1.
‘The Fourth Direction‘ (Chauthi Koot), the Punjabi language film had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard Section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film was opened to positive reviews upon its screening, and viewers praised director Waryam Singh Sandhu for his realistic cinematic language. The recent news from the corner is regarding the bagging of Candian rights of the movie.
SFG International (Studio Film Group) has bagged the Canadian rights of this feature film.
The film showcases a story in the backdrop of Sikh seperationist problem which happened in India during 1984. The director has casted mainly non professional for this Punjab based flick.
Satya Nagpaul has done the cinematography of the movie. Waryam Singh Sandhu has previously worked together with Satya in the movie, ‘Alms For a Blind Horse’ in 2011. This film was screened at the Venice International Film Festival.
“The events of 1984 are a major touchstone in recent Indian history and while they have a particular relevance to a large number of Indo-Canadians, the Hindu-Sikh stories depicted in The Fourth Direction are accessible as deeply personal human stories for film fans of all backgrounds”, said Nadia Sandhu, President of Studio Film Group.
More details regarding the release of the movie in Canadian theaters are expected to be unleashed in the coming days.
Reese Witherspoon along with her partner Bruna Papandrea at the duo’s production banner, Pacific Standard are all set to produce ‘Tink‘, a live action movie based on the classic Peter Pan character Tinker Bell. Witherspoon will also do the lead role in this flick.
As per reports, the project is still in its development stage, and the producers have not zeroed the director. Victoria Strouse who is writing the script for Pixar’s upcoming ‘Finding Nemo‘ sequel is writing the script for this movie.
Unlike other Disney movies which are being made with huge budget, ‘Tink’ will follow a different route, and it will be made with a modest budget.
The character of Tinker Bell first appeared in 1953,in the Peter Pan story. Tinker Bell is often portrayed as a temperamental character who becomes extremely jealous at times due to her unrequited love for the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.
Reese Witherspoon‘s latest release ‘Hor Pursuit‘ hit the theaters on May 08, 2015. The film is getting mixed to negative reviews from the audiences, and in all probabilities, the film will not make big in the theaters.
‘The Goddess on the Throne’ Film Festival ,Kosovo is different in all means when we compare it with traditional film events. This festival which started its course in 2002 has successfully completed thirteen years, and it is growing strong and steady with increased numbers of audiences every year. One of the main peculiarity of this festival is its venue. The film festival will be conducted exclusively in train, and doesn’t that sound great?
This year, ‘DAM 999‘, a Hollywood movie directed by Indian filmmaker Sohan Roy is getting screened in this festival. This movie was released in 2011, and it is still the hottest pick in International Film Festival circuits. ‘DAM 999′ was even recognized in the Academy Award Red Carpet as the the Screenplay of the movie was added to the permanent core collection in Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The movie showcases the story of an outdated dam which is prone to destruction at any moment. The director also beautifully portrays some emotional elements with finesse in this movie. The concepts of Ayurveda and Lost Love are also discussed in this movie.
Short films which are being selected in the festival will be shown on the train trips from one city to another, while the feature films will be screened in the Railway Station premises. This year’s ‘The Goodness on the Throne’ festival is scheduled from June 1st – 5th 2015.