It’s a noteworthy irony that one of the eco-documentary films awarded at this year’s Reykjavik Film Festival is ECO-PIRATE: The Story of Paul Watson (2011), a film that focuses on the notorious eco-pirate, Paul Watson, who once had been named ‘persona non grata’ in Iceland after he had sunk two whaling ships in the Reykjavik harbor in 1988. The film tackles a heated political debate from the 1970’s till present day about the whaling industry, which is responsible for decimating the wor...

Olga Dykhovichnaya (Marina) Sergei Borisov (Andrei)TWILIGHT PORTRAIT (2011) held its world premier at 68th La Biennale in Venice, North American premier at TIFF in Toronto, Nordic premier in Reykjavik at RIFF and now travels next to BFI London. This was indeed the welcome surprise of the Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF) this year. Newcomer Director/Writer/Producer Angelina Nikonova and Writer/Producer/Actress Olga Dykhovichnaya (Marina) graced the festival with their presence in it...

                photo from Venice poster at La Biennale, 68.This past week I attended the 8th annual Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF) after going nonstop from Venice La Biennale, then to TIFF and then to RIFF. I was tired of course but so anxious to catch up on the films that I had missed at the former festivals that appeared also in Iceland. One of these films was one that had received a great buzz in Venice, a lyrica...

                                photo from Venice poster at La Biennale, 68. This past week I attended the 8th annual Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF) after going nonstop from Venice La Biennale, then to TIFF and then to RIFF. I was tired of course but so anxious to catch up on the films that I had missed at the former festiv...

THE PIPE!  When director Risteard O'Domhnaill (aka Richie O'Donnell) accepted his award for the RIFF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD in Reykjavik on October 01, 2011, Richie stood up confidently in front of hundreds thanking the RIFF jury and voters for his 'puffin statue of aluminum'. He had the whole crowd in stitches with his witty humor and singsong/rolling Irish accent. The film has held a successful run as yet, festival hopping for over a year now with a sweet final triumph at RIFF...

Olga Dykhovichnaya (Marina)  Sergei Borisov (Andrei)This was indeed the welcome surprise of the Reykjavik International Film Festival (RIFF) this year. Newcomer Director/Writer/Producer Angelina Nikonova and Writer/Producer/Actress Olga Dykhovichnaya (Marina) graced the festival with their presence in its final days to attend the Q and A screening of their film TWILIGHT PORTRAIT (‘Portret V Sumerkakh’, 2011) and the award ceremony at the end. Little did these passionate Russian Indie filmm...

It’s a noteworthy irony that one of the eco-documentary films awarded at this year’s Reykjavik Film Festival is ECO-PIRATE: The Story of Paul Watson (2011), a film that focuses on the notorious eco-pirate, Paul Watson, who once had been named ‘persona non grata’ in Iceland after he had sunk two whaling ships in the Reykjavik harbor in 1988. The film tackles a heated political debate from the 1970’s till present day about the whaling industry, which is responsible for decimating the wor...

 still from the film THE TURIN HORSE (2011) THE TURIN HORSE (2011), the last film by celebrated Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr, screened in Reykjavik tonight at the 8th Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF). The film is 2 ½ hours long but despite its hard subject matter and rough arthouse style, it holds onto its full audience from beginning to end. At the end of the screening the master filmmaker himself attended a Q and A for inquiring indie film buffs. This is a difficult film to work through and ...

The competition programme "New Europe - New Names" at the Vilnius International Film Festival "Kino Pavasaris" has selected a formidable collection of Eastern and Central European films. The audience is invited to 11 thrilling, refreshing brand new films thoroughly selected by an international jury. These particular foreign films are all contenders in the line to become the highlights of the festival. They have already proved their potential at Cannes, Venice, Berl...

  Från Árni Ólafur Asgeirssons Brim  It will be a thrilling battle with eight new feature films contending for the festival's award for Best Nordic film. Now the award is even more coveted as the prize money from this year and on is set to a breathtaking SEK one million (app. $143.000), an increase from the previous years' prize of SEK 100,000. 
 Dragon Award Best Nordic Film is one of ten awards presented at the Dragon Awards Gala on Saturday, February 5. Contributing to ...

  During this closing weekend of the International Reykjavik Film Festival, the most talked about film at the festival will be shown in sold out theaters, the documentary When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun (2010) by director Dirk Simon. When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun is the new controversial film about China's ongoing occupation of Tibet. Over the past seven years, Dirk Simon shot 800 hours of film between India, Beijing and Tibet depicting the seemingly never ending content...

    SEE INTERVIEW WITH DIRK SIMON HERE: http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/vanessa_mcmahon/when_the_dragon_swallowed_the_sun     REYKJAVIK RIFF PRESS RELEASE BELOW: DRAGON SWALLOWS MOVIE: CHINA PUSHES ICELAND TO SUPPRESS TIBET FILM China puts pressure on Iceland to suppress the documentary “When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun” at the International Reykjavik Film Festival, which opened this Thursday.   The f...

  When a filmmaker draws on his own experience to the extent that Icelandic director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson has done in his wonderful memory film MAMMA GOGO, the intimacy of the revelations is almost disarmingly intimate. The prolific director, probably the best known from his native country and one of the most consistent in Scandinavia cinema, takes his audience on a personal journey as the film’s protagonist, a filmmaker himself, becomes immersed in the downward spiral of his mothe...

   Gunnar Karlsson, Self Portrait   Iceland has had a rough patch of late.....first there was the economic collapse that threatened to engulf its European neighbors and then was the volcanic ash that did just that (and continues to be a major problem for air travel). But as a corrective, the films championed by Iceland are a reminder of that island nation's special geography, culture and allure. At this year's Zlin Film Festival, award-winning animator and visual de...

From 13 to 20 March 2010, the 24th edition of the Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF) offers Swiss audiences hitherto unknown pearls from Asia, Latin America, Africa, as well as from Europe. The appearance of contemporary Russian cinema is one of the highlights of this year's festival. The first elements of the programme were revealed today. Twelve features and documentaries have been selected for the international competition. Six parallel sections totalling 60 films and a forum with ...

by Marla LewinThis January marks the 21st anniversary year of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF). Today Festival Director Darryl Macdonald announced the program and said, "Our film line-up this year is a strong reflection of the current zeitgeist in world cinema. Sixty-seven first-time feature film directors will screen this year, representing a surge of new filmmaking talent on the world stage. In addition, we'll showcase a vintage crop of new works by established master...

The winner announced In Saturday’s afternoon of 24th of October during the Closing ceremony the decision of Media Jury of 10th Riga’s Nordic Film Days was announced and the winner awarded with the symbolic NorthernTable, which became incarnated into a chamomile ornamented cup. Film Days’ jury - satori.lv journalist Irbe Treile, DJ of Radio SWH Toms Grevins and magazine’s Klubs chief editor Juris Sleiers decided Icelandic director Valdís Óskarsdóttir’s exciting comedy Country...

Jacobson will curate the 18th½ Philadelphia Film Festival in October 15-18, 2009 The Philadelphia Film Society is pleased to announce that it has appointed Harlan Jacobson as the new Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Film Festival.  Jacobson begins immediately, and will curate the selection of films for the 18th½ Philadelphia Film Festival, scheduled for October 15, 2009 - October 18, 2009 at multiple venues throughout Philadelphia. Harlan Jacobson has covered the film i...

Jacobson will curate the 18th½ Philadelphia Film Festival in October 15-18, 2009The Philadelphia Film Society is pleased to announce that it has appointed Harlan Jacobson as the new Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Film Festival. Jacobson begins immediately, and will curate the selection of films for the 18th½ Philadelphia Film Festival, scheduled for October 15, 2009 – October 18, 2009 at multiple venues throughout Philadelphia.Harlan Jacobson has covered the film industry for more th...