Last week in the Radisson Hotel, Galway, the programme for Ireland’s premier film festival, the Galway Film Fleadh, was unveiled. Among festival staff, industry professionals and film entusiasts, Festival Programmer Gar O’Brien said at the launch “This year is without doubt a banner year for Irish film…alongside the usual mix of the best in world cinema and documentaries”. The 24th edition of the festival, which takes place from 10-15th July, has a line-up that includes 1...

TAOS, NM — Taos will play host again to the 4th annual Taos Shortz Film Fest dubbed as one of the most up and coming shorts film festivals in Northern New  Mexico. The festival will showcase more than 60 juried short films from 15 countries. The Festival is scheduled from Friday, March 4 through Sunday, March 6, 2011.  Several juried short films were the brainchild of Taosenos and other New Mexicans, including writer/producer Allegra Huston (sister of actress, Angelica H...

by Marla Lewin   Marla Lewin with Giuseppe Tornatore                                     photo by Marc Halperin The Italian film commission, brought together filmmakers from around the world for a party at the American Film Market in Santa Monica. The Department of Cinema of the Italian ministry of culture, the Italian consulate, and the Los Angeles Italian Cultural Institute along with friends and guests applauded legendary director, Giuseppe Tornatore winner of the Acad...

Aspen Film will honor Stanley Tucci (currently co-starring in JULIE & JULIA) with the Independent by Nature Award at this year's 31st annual Aspen Filmfest on Saturday, October 3rd at the Wheeler Opera House. Recognizing Mr. Tucci's richly eclectic career in independent and Hollywood film, the evening tribute will feature a selection of film highlights and an on-stage conversation. Following the theater presentation, Aspen Film will host a 30th Anniversary Gala Celebration with Mr. Tucci as an h...

The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 38th Annual USA Film Festival, April 21-27, 2008, at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas.This year, the Festival honors two stage, screen and television veterans; one of the most respected cinematographers of our time; a rock and roll living legend; stages an anniversary reunion of popular comedy cult phenomenons of all time; brings eminent French director Claude Lelouch to Dallas; presents its 30th annual installment of the Academy-q...

Patrick de Bokay had opened the LA office of filmfestivals.com in 2000 Filmfestivals team sends him a warm salute and is happy to see Patrick get even closer to his festival management passion declared Bruno Chatelin from the festivals portal. Patrick and Bruno had worked together for a while when both worked for Fox theatrical arm in France.Miami Dade College (MDC) President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón joined the team from the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), which is presented by Miami Dad...

Minnie Driver slowly removed her sunglasses at the Cinequest press conference, and quietly said, “I don’t want to force my bloodshot eyes on you.” She had worked until 3:30 a.m. before traveling to San Jose to receive the Maverick Spirit Award at an event scheduled later in the afternoon. “I’m really happy to be here. Exhausted but happy,” stated the London-born actor.When asked if she considered herself a maverick, Driver thoughtfully replied, “I don’t lie in bed going, hmmm, I�...

Saturday, March 3---Minnie Driver slowly removed her sunglasses at the Cinequest press conference, and quietly said, “I don’t want to force my bloodshot eyes on you.” She had worked until 3:30 a.m. before traveling to San Jose to receive the Maverick Spirit Award at an event scheduled later in the afternoon. “I’m really happy to be here. Exhausted but happy,” stated the London-born actor.When asked if she considered herself a maverick, Driver thoughtfully replied, “I don’t lie i...

Cardiff Film Festival officially opens at Cineworld, Cardiff on November 8th at 7.30pm with Art School Confidential. Directed by Terry Zwigoff (Bad Santa) and featuring a star studded cast with Max Minghella, Sophie Myles, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Steve Buscemi and Angelica Huston, the film is shown as part of a black tie gala evening with all proceeds supporting the work of the Community Foundation in sustaining community causes throughout Wales.The night’s attractions, in addition to t...

HAMBURG 13 CLOSES WITH CASH PRIZES AND ELECTRIC SHADOWSThe thirteenth installment of the Hamburg Film Festival came to a close on September 29 with an invitational screening of the Chinese film "Electric Shadows" (Dyan-Ying), which is simply a direct translation of the Chinese word for "movies". The film is basically a declaration of love for the medium itself, and female director Xiao Jiang picked up a nice little purse of 10,000 Euros, the Otto Sprenger Prize for best debut film. Sprenger is ...

The Donostia-San Sebastian film festival on the incredibly picturesque North Spanish coast, ("NAZIOARTEKO ZINEMALDIA" in the exotic Basque language of the region), has opened heavily "front loaded" as the saying goes these days, which means that many of the big guns, films with high prize potential, have already been fired off in the first few days. The festival opener was, appropriately, "Obaba", one of the most eagerly awaited Spanish films of the year based on a Basque language best seller b...

SAN SEBASTIAN -- ALFRED AND GRETA ARE WATCHING ...by Alex Deleon – Lasst DayThis being the centennial of the birth of two towering icons of world cinema, suspense maestro Alfred Hitchcock, and the mysterious lady from Sweden Greta ("I vunt to be alone"), Garbo, both born in 1905, the spirit and image of these two idols is much in evidence this year in Donostia-San Sebastian The official poster of the festival bears a full length photo of Hitch, the official press bag issued to all journalist...

The Sunday morning festival reports in the Spanish papers, whose writers represent a cross-section of leading Spanish film critics, were nearly unanimous in denouncing the prizes dished out the day before by the Angelica Huston led official competition jury. The main prize, which went to the Czech film "Something Like Happiness", came in for the strongest condemnation. Three critics used the word "absurdo" (absurd) to describe the top award, one going so far as to say that there were at least e...

53RD SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL OPENS WITH SEVERAL BANGSby Alex Deleon, San SebastianThe Donostia-San Sebastian film festival on the incredibly picturesque North Spanish coast, ("NAZIOARTEKO ZINEMALDIA" in the exotic Basque language of the region), has opened heavily "front loaded" as the saying goes these days, which means that many of the big guns, films with high prize potential, have already been fired off in the first few days. The festival opener was, appropriately, "Obaba", one of the m...

"U-CARMEN eKHYELITSHA" is an extremely unusual version of the opera Carmen set in a squalid shanty-town "Township", Khyelitsha, near Capetown, South Africa --and sung entirely by African singers in the "click language", Khosa! This black Carmen is a light year beyond the light brown "Carmen Jones" of 1954 which starred Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge and seemed so sucy and racy at the time. For one thing, Pauline Malefane (Carmen) is not a slender Hollywood mannekin type like Dandridge ...

The winners of the 2003 Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards and the recipients of the DGA's 2004 Lifetime Achievement Awards were announced tonight at the 56th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Carl Reiner hosted the Awards ceremony which attracted a record 1,750 guests, including the full slate of presenters: Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Maria Bello (The Cooler), Bob Butler (The Division), Keisha ...