Metropia Director Tarik Saleh talks with filmfestivals.com about 9/11, why he set Metropia in Europe, and Paris Hilton…FEST21 (Suzanne Lynch): You said at the press conference, "(Metropia) is about those years when the world went insane, it's about the past. And when you are afraid, you do irrational things." But Metropia is set in 2024... so to what degree is it about the past?TARIK SALEH: When 9/11 happened... I think that, in Europe, for example, we have a tradition of criticizing the Unit...
FEST21 (Suzanne Lynch): You said at the press conference, "(Metropia) is about those years when the world went insane, it's about the past. And when you are afraid, you do irrational things." But Metropia is set in 2024... so to what degree is it about the past?
TARIK SALEH: When 9/11 happened... I think that, in Europe, for example, we have a tradition of criticizing the United States, almost on a reflex basis. It doesn't matter what the United States does or how it r...
Without it knowing it, you may have already heard of Deby Cedars. Well, heard Deby Cedars’voice at least.
Voiceover work is the hidden art that seems to pass many listeners by. But as with many other artistic fields, the less it is noticed, the more successful the artist’s job.
Deby Cedars from Derby, Connecticutis a full-time voiceover artist but her acting roots started in her younger years.
“I guess it all started at home. I was one of the last t...
Fabien Dubois gives us details about his film, recently chosen for the ÉCU 2010 Official Selection. "High/Low" is a short film about two step-brothers living in Tokyo and experiencing the city in different ways: while one works on his decibel map project and thoroughly explores the city, the other abandons himself to a life of confusion and alcohol.By Maria Gabriella PezzoQ: Why did you choose to film in a city? How does the city speak to you?I fell in love with Tokyo the first time I...
L’asilo di Brea is a recent submission to ECU 2010’s Non European Dramatic Short category. Set in Los Angeles, the film traces the meeting between two strangers who after a casual night of intimacy, make the twisted discovery that their relationship is more than they realised. We talk to director Dae Hoon Kim about his inspiration behind the film, the wealth of symbolic imagery as well as his cinematographic influences. By Mairi Cunningham &nb...
Bill Mechanic, President/CEO of Pandemonium LLC and former Chairman/CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, (my boss when I was running Fox distribution in France)delivered the keynote speech at the annual Independent Film & Television Alliance Production Conference in Santa Monica. here below is a transcript ofhis keynotesHe addressed the current state and the future of the independent film business and offered a number of observations about his experiences at FOX and Disney."I was asked to address yo...
"Limits of Control" reminded me slightly of "Coffee and Cigarettes", only with two espressos (separate cups), matchbooks, and wooden string instruments, set in Spain. The film opens with the quote, "as I descend down impassable rivers, I no longer feel guided by the ferryman", and very little dialogue thereafter. "Usted habla espanol?", and "whenever someone thinks he is bigger than the rest of us, he must go to the cemetary", are repeatedly stated throughout the journey of a mild mannered myste...
From the highly acclaimed director of The Constant Gardner and City of God comes the compelling post-apocalyptic thriller BLINDNESS. This must-see chilling thriller has an all-star cast including: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and Gael Garcia Bernal. BLINDNESS is released to buy and rent on DVD on 30 March 2009 from Pathé Distribution Ltd.As a city is ravaged by an epidemic of sudden blindness, its victims are quarantined in a derelict hospital where a women (Moore; Children of Men...
The producers panel aptly named “Movers and Shakers,” included Charles Roven-Dark Knight, Christian Colson-Slumdog Millionaire, Dan Jinks-Milk, Jim Morris-Wall-E, Neda Armian-Rachel Getting Married were asked questions by Los Angeles Times writer Pat Goldstein that pried open Pandora’s industry box and let fly what it takes to bring a film from concept to fruition. First question went to Slumdog’s Christian Colson about the recent criticism regarding the youngest lead actors of the film...
The producers panel aptly named “Movers and Shakers,” included Charles Roven-Dark Knight, Christian Colson-Slumdog Millionaire, Dan Jinks-Milk, Jim Morris-Wall-E, Neda Armian-Rachel Getting Married were asked questions by Los Angeles Times writer Pat Goldstein that pried open Pandora’s industry box and let fly what it takes to bring a film from concept to fruition. First question went to Slumdog’s Christian Colson about the recent criticism regarding the youngest lead actors of the ...
Bouli Lanners is a Belgian actor and writer-director, whose Ultranova screened to great acclaim at the LFF in 2005. His follow-up, Eldorado, is a beautifully cinematic and absurdly funny road movie that also packs a hefty emotional punch. A lot of the films I’ve seen at this year’s Festival have been very sombre, so with Eldorado it was nice to see something that at least made me laugh before going on to fill me with a sense of sadness! It’s a very idiosyncratic film, full of strange litt...
Following an actor, writer and would-be chanteuse on their solitary
quests for fame and glory, Marc Fitoussi’s La Vie d’artiste bristles
with sharp observations and unpalatable truths about creative pursuit,
artistic compromise and personal disappointment.
La Vie d’artiste concerns a singer, an actress and a writer in
pursuit of recognition. Are there any parallels with your experiences
as a filmmaker? How did you come up with this story?
I wrote it when I was not re...
Barry Jenkins has emerged as a talent to watch with his debut feature Medicine for Melancholy. The film charts the aftermath of a drunken one-night stand between two African-American twentysomethings, and has been described by the director (when pushed) as "Before Sunset meets Do the Right Thing… with a dash of French New Wave to sweeten the pot." It's a warm-hearted, witty romantic drama with a great indie soundtack, which also succeeds in raising questions about the relationship between race...
Birdsong (El cant dels ocells) Waiting for Godot meets The Passion According to St. Matthew in Catalan maverick Albert Serra’s imaginative treatment of the Biblical tale of the three wise men travelling to see the newborn baby Jesus. Albert Serra Birdsong is based on an extremely famous Biblical story. What was it about the story of the Magi that made you want to recreate it? I think it’s special… I wanted to shoot another film with the historical ambience, the countryside, not inside, wit...
What were your fears as you set about making a film of a supposedly ‘unfilmable' book? "The biggest thing was that it was a sacred text. And with Gabriel Garcia Marquez there are people who cannot possibly have known him who call him by his diminutive Christian name - he's known as ‘Gabo' - so there's a kind of possessiveness which is very daunting. Beyond that this is a great, great book. I can be as snippy as I like about people thinking that they own it because I think I...
By JOHN WILDMAN, Contributing Writer When a film lands in your theatre with the critics' worthy buzz that Cristian Mungiu's 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS does, there can be a tendency to regard it strictly as a "broccoli movie." You know, "you really should watch it because it's good for you" kind of film. And all too often we opt for the popcorn movie in the Cineplex next door. In this case, that
John Cameron Mitchell InterviewHas Shortbus changed your attitude to sex?I don't know yet. I've been so busy that I haven't had any.One thing that interests me about your career is that you're very grounded in the theatre. How important do you think this background has been to your work?I think that the way that I work is based on the theatre education that I've had, certainly with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which was a play originally. I took a bit from rock 'n' roll, a bit from theatre; we dev...
As I open my INBOX in the press room today this is the first e-mail I see -- from film colleague and editor Tom, in Prague; "Ahoy, Alex: Sounds like you're having a helluva time over there! -- Vino pouring freely, sexy women lurking everywhere -- la dolce vita! Did you see the Scorsese flick? How was the press conference? Haven't been too impressed with him lately and Di Caprio can kiss my ass, but Marty did make a few great ones. Always waiting for the comeback. Tom"---------------------------...
“The Shape of Water” Sometimes the Sparkling Jewels are Diamonds in the RoughSanta Barbara- Not far away from the glitterati of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a movie that may be a diamond in the rough. Kum-Kum Bhavnani’s “The Shape of Water” is so well thought of that Oscar winning actress Susan Sarandon is a part of it. “The Shape of Water” is about five women in four Third World countries who defy odds by using grass roots efforts to make sweeping social chang...
Press conference with Christopher Walken on Dubrovnik International Film Festival 2005Moderatated by Daniel Rosenthal editor of Variety International Film Guide “the best annual guide to world cinema”*Daniel Rosenthal: “Good evening everybody last night we had an exquisite honor to award Mr. Christopher Walken with a Statue of Libertas, for an extraordinary contribution to his lifetime work. We talked last night about most recent films “Man of Fire”, “Welcome to the jungle”, “Ste...
WALTER CRUTTENDEN’S ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACEThe Great Year features the combination of two documentary genres I’d typically cross county lines to avoid. It’s equal parts somber, Discovery Channel-style science doc and one of those mystical, astrological, hippie dealies of the Chariots of the Gods school. Yet somehow these two genres work surprisingly well together; the film’s seriousness and scientific rigor help to mitigate a lot of the New Age woo-hoo, while the more wacky stuff sp...
THE FIVE STAGES OF BEER IS KILLING BRIAN MIX SOFTLYLocal boy Brian Mix’s affable little ensemble picture The Five Stages of Beer is a romantic comedy with plenty of snark to ground it in reality and keep it interesting. It’s not the kind of movie that rocks anybody’s world, but the dialogue has the lazy charm of Kevin Smith on a good day, and it’s certainly refreshing to see a contemporary American comedy that looks at love from the straight-dude point of view without including a few doz...
Leonardo Di CésareBUENA VIDA DELIVERY (Best Film and Best Screenplay)"I was moved a lot receiving this prize, I was so happy, because it was so difficult to make this movie. After so many frustrations and of so many years on the same thing, it is incredible. It was a double prize, it could not be any better : unanimous choice of best movie and best script. I had been told that the jury loved it." Benedek Fliegauf DEALER (Best Director)"I am very happy, because this is the most important priz...
