One of the most memorable films I have seen this past year was the haunting and lyrical film WHITE AS SNOW (Turkey, 2010) by director Selim Gunes and producer Nur Gunes. This is an unforgettable experiment in storytelling, disrupting our linear-prone conception of time in order to think in fragments. The mind doesn’t look back in time sequentially so why should a film that is retrospective? In this film about a poor young boy, Hasan, from the 1970’s, the viewer is forced to struggl...
Costume Designer Michael Kaplan attended an ‘In Conversations With’ panel in Aruba during the Aruba International Film Festival 2011. Journalist Brandon Harris conducted the interviews. The panel went on for over and hour. Below is transcribed part of the Q and A that followed (to the best of what I could transcribe). Q: How are you able to keep yourself and your soul in the work that you do when it is for someone’s film and they have a specific idea of what they want? And als...
Costume Designer Michael Kaplan
My interview with Costume Designer Michael Kaplan
Fantastic fashion figure, costume designer Michael Kaplan attended the 2011 Aruba International Film Festival for a 'Conversations With' panel session led by journalist Brandon Harris. He spoke at length to press and film aficionados about his illustrious career in Hollywood as costume designer for some of the most celebrated films of cinematic history.
Before his ‘Conversations With...
actress Barbara Mori
I spoke with the luminous Uruguayan/Mexican actress Barbara Mori on her way up the red carpet during the Aruba International Film Festival the night of her Aruba premier of the Hollywood/Bollywood film KITES (2010/1). She approached me and greeted me with a kiss.
ME: Oh, I get a kiss. So sweet! Hi Barbara, I'm Vanessa with filmfestivals.com. Can you tell us a little bit about your film KITES and how it is to be here? I mean, you're Uruguay born and now a Mexic...
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011) is Woody Allen’s latest magnum opus which held its world premier at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and has met with critical praise since, proving to be Allen’s most watched and beloved film since the past twenty-five years. Imagine the legendary tales of CINDERELLA, A MOVEABLE FEAST, THE SUN ALSO RISES and the film THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO (1985) all stewed together to make a new stellar film, familiar yet completely original set within the ever twinkling romant...
Interview with 50 Cent in Aruba at AIFF
INTERVIEW WITH 50 CENT AT AIFF.
On June 15th, 2011 I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson at the Hyatt Grand Hotel in Aruba during the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival. ’50 Cent’ and I spoke about his music career and his highly anticipated acting role in the soon to be released film THINGS FALL APART (2011) by director Mario Van Peebles. ’50 Cent’ stars in the film and also worked as producer.
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While in Aruba during the 2nd annual Aruba Film Festival, I spoke with Mexican director Sergio Sanchez Suarez about his romantic nostalgic Mexican film TEQUILA (2011) which held its international world premier the previous night in Aruba's Paseo Herencia Theater. Here is what he had to say about TEQUILA. ME: Hi Sergio. How are you? Can you start by telling us a bit about your film TEQUILA?SERGIO: Well, it’s a love story about a guy who gets deeply in love with a woman he can't have ...
Daniela Schmidt on TEQUILA I interviewed the stately and sultry actress Daniela Schmidt, star of the Mexican film TEQUILA, ‘a story of a passion’ while at the Aruba Film Festival. Our interview was held the day after the film’s world premier which took place in the Paseo Herencia where the filmmakers watched the film for the first time with audiences. Here is what Daniela had to say about this very hot-blooded ill-fated love story.ME: Can you start by telling us something about your role ...
MOTHERS (2010) by director Milcho Manchevski screened at the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) 2011. Here find a review of the award-winning film that saw its opening in Toronto at TIFF 2010 and continues to travel to festivals around the globe. MOTHERS, a rave review! Fiction, nonfiction, and everything else in between and without- this is the dizzying dialectic of Milcho Manchevski’s latest film MOTHERS (2010). MOTHERS is a feature film structured as a triptych of three par...
During the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival, the film VOICES FROM MARIEL (2011) screened to a tearful audience. The film ran in competition with five other films in the selection of ‘Caribbean Spotlight Series’ and director Jim Carleton received the CSS Special Jury Award for the film.
When the film had finished, festival producer Jonathan Viera went up to speak to the filmmakers, in tears:
JONATHAN: You know, the whole time I was watching the film, ...
Interview with Alessandro Calza in Aruba at AIFF 2011. Alessandro Calza part wrote and starred in the film CIAO (2008), a love story about two lovers brought together from two different worlds through the internet, and through the loss of a mutual lover. With Ale, I did a double up interview with Getty Images UK. I asked the questions and cameraman Chris rolled camera and recorded. We began the interview with Ale’s views on social systems in various countries before jumping in to talk a...
Interview with actresses Paola Cortellesi and Lucia Ocone from the film NESSUNO MI PUO GIUDICARE (2011) by director Massimiliano Bruno. While in Aruba, their film had its international premier and we held an interview on the 5th floor of the Hyatt hotel during the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF). ME: Can you first speak a little about your film, NESSUNO MI PUO GIUDICARE (2011)? PAOLA: This is a comedy but it’s also quite a serious subject too about a desperate woman w...
Alessandro Calza On ‘Italian Night’ of the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival, actor Alessandro Calza from the film CIAO (2008) answered questions on the red carpet. ME: With the name ‘Ciao’ are you saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’?ALE: Actually, ‘Ciao’ means ‘slave’ in Italian and it’s an old way of saying, ‘I serve you’ or ‘I am your slave’. It’s also an Italian way of saying ‘hello’ and/or ‘goodbye’. So, you can say it when you’re meeti...
Paola Cortellesi and Lucia Ocone On the second night of Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) 2011, it was Italian Night on the red carpet and the actresses from the Italian comedy hit NESSUNO MI PUO GIUDICARE (2011) were there to present their film. I asked the radiant actress Paola Cortellesi some questions on the carpet. ME: Is your film a comedy? And how do you feel about Italy now with a public that mostly wants just to see comedies?PAOLA: Yes. Well, this year in particular was a v...
Milcho Manchevski in Aruba Sound like a RHCP album??? :-) Well, it's not. No, this is the latest film by celebrated Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski (Before the Rain, 1994; Dust 2001; Shadows, 2007). This week Milcho has attended the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival to showcase his latest film, MOTHERS, as well as his Golden Lion award-winning film BEFORE THE RAIN. He will also attend a 'Conversations With' discussing at length his career as an award-winning filmmake...
50 Cent in Aruba! Last night Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson appeared at the Aruba International Film Festival to premier his new film THINGS FALL APART (2011). Exuberant crowds surged into the Paseo Herencia to catch sight of the singer/actor. Some of the world’s most prestigious press outlets gathered on the red carpet to interview 50 Cent as he made his way into the theater for his film’s world premier. When I interviewed 50 Cent on the red carpet he smiled his million-dollar smile and answered ...
One of the films to screen on opening night at AIFF 2011 was HERMANO (Venezuela, 2011). Marcel Rasquin's film, 'Hermano' (2010) conjures up reminiscence to the Brazilian hit film, 'City of God' (2002), not because it is similar, but because it is THAT GOOD!
We start with a baby boy (Daniel) left to die in a dumpster. A mother picks the baby out of the dumpster and takes him home with her young son, Julio. Then we jump to years later when both boys- Daniel a...
Meet Monica VelourDirector Keith Bearden of the American indie film MEET MONICA VELOUR (2010) attended the opening of the Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) to usher in the opening of the fest with the screening of his film, starring the sensual Sex And The City actress Kim Cattrall. I interviewed Keith just before the screening of his film on his way up the red carpet. Here is what he had to say:ME: Hi, I’m Vanessa with Film Festivals.com. How are you?KEITH: Oh, I know your website very...
This year at the open of the 2nd annual Aruba Film Festival (AIFF), one of the films to kick off the festival was the acclaimed Goya award winning film THE LIFE OF FISH (Chile, 2011) by the brilliant director Matias Bize. This was Chile’s 2011 Oscar Entry film and since its world premier in at Venice Film Festival I have seen the film several times now and it remains my favorite indie film of the year. Matias Bize's 'LA VIDA DE LOS PECES' (The Life of Fish) is so minimalist and yet such a hear...
Kim Cattrall on red carpet at AIFF 2011 ARUBA FILM FESTIVAL- Kim Cattrall on red carpet.Actress Kim Cattrall opened the 2nd annual Aruba Film Festival (AIFF) on June 10th, 2011 with the world premier of her film MEET MONICA VELOUR (2010). She was met by crowds of fans consisting of Aruba locals as well as visitors from all corners of the globe. As she walked up the red carpet, she answered questions about her film to inquiring press. ME: Can you tell us about your character Monica in this ...
Claudio Masenza and Kim Cattrall Welcome to Aruba where film fantasy and paradise meet- an Edenic tropical island, rich Aruban culture, crystal blue Caribbean water, stimulating humidity, sizzling sun and a celebration of international art-house cinema... This year’s Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF) began with a sensual flare welcoming beloved actress, Sex In The City star Kim Cattrall ...
HOUSE OF TOLERANCE (France, 2011) premiered at 64th Cannes film festival in official competition. Cast of film attended press conference on day of the premier of the film. CANNES OFFICIAL PRESS:SYNOPSISThe dawn of the XXth century: L'Apollonide, a house of tolerance, is living its last days.In this closed world, where some men fall in love and others become viciously harmful, the girls share their secrets, their fears, their joys and their pains...To read more visit the official Cannes sit...
Woody Allen's latest film: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011), premiered this year at Cannes on May 11 in the Lumiere Theater. From Cannes Press Release summary: The romcom, which was shot last year in the French capital, brings together a broad international cast, including Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard, as well as Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Gad Elmaleh and Léa Seydoux.Following London (Match Point) and Barcelona (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), it’s the turn of Par...
POLISSE (France, 2011) by Actress/Director Maiwenn Le Besco screened in competition at 64th Cannes Film Festival CANNES PRESS SYNOPSIS:The daily grind for the cops of the Police Department's Juvenile Protection Unit - taking in child molesters, busting underage pickpockets and chewing over relationship issues at lunch; interrogating abusive parents, taking statements from children, confronting the excesses of teen sexuality, enjoying solidarity with colleagues and laughing uncontrollably at the...
WE HAVE A POPE (HABEMUS PAPAM, Italy, 2011) This year at Cannes Nanni Moretti’s latest film, HEBEMUS PAPAM, screened in competition. The film is about a new pope (played by Michel Piccoli) who decides he cannot take the colossal responsibility of his new public role and ends up seeking psychological help to come to terms with his private past. In the morning before the film’s world premier at the Cannes press conference, a circus of press swarmed around the adored Italian director. While I d...
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