You could call the 40 executives on THR‘s inaugural International Women in Entertainment — Film list “the survivors.” As seismic disruptions rocked the indie world, from Covid shutdowns to the decimation of the special cinema market, these women have found a way to secure the money and the partners to keep making the stories they care about — often told by filmmakers from ignored or underrepresented groups — and get them out to the audiences that love them, worldwide. In a business that lionizes ego, these bosses — some who run pan-national mini-studios, others who oversee boutique operations with a handful of employees — have made an art out of collaboration, understanding that only by pooling their resources, by co-producing, co-financing or distributing one another’s movies, and by mentoring and encouraging young (often female) filmmakers, can the polyglot world of international indie cinema survive.
Mo Abudu
CEO, EbonyLife Media (Nigeria)
Mo Abudu
Abudu got...
Mo Abudu
CEO, EbonyLife Media (Nigeria)
Mo Abudu
Abudu got...
- 5/15/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski, Alex Ritman, Scott Roxborough and Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A spin-off of High Maintenance, starring Yael Stone, and a comedic crime series from Jungle Entertainment are among the 21 projects that will share in more than $600,000 in story development funding from Screen Australia.
The slate includes 14 feature films, six television dramas and an online project, with 11 titles supported through the Generate Fund and 10 through the Premium Fund.
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore, who will depart the agency in December after nine years, said she felt privileged to support more many creative projects and people during the time she has left in the role.
“This is an exciting mix of projects and it’s great to support creatives expand on their careers and take on new challenges, including producer Alex White working on her first TV series, and writer Arka Das and writer/director Hannah Hilliard on their debut feature films,” he said.
“The shared vision we are...
The slate includes 14 feature films, six television dramas and an online project, with 11 titles supported through the Generate Fund and 10 through the Premium Fund.
Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore, who will depart the agency in December after nine years, said she felt privileged to support more many creative projects and people during the time she has left in the role.
“This is an exciting mix of projects and it’s great to support creatives expand on their careers and take on new challenges, including producer Alex White working on her first TV series, and writer Arka Das and writer/director Hannah Hilliard on their debut feature films,” he said.
“The shared vision we are...
- 10/18/2021
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
The arc of Rodd Rathjen's tale of modern day slavery may be familiar but it's firmly embedded in the harsh realities of life for all-too many young Cambodians who find themselves trapped at sea as forced labourers. Even before that, teenage Cambodian Chakra (Sarm Heng) doesn't have it easy and writer/director Rodd Rathjen shows his keen eye for visual storytelling from the start as we watch the 14-year-old hefting a bag of rice on his shoulders along a road in the heat as other kids of a similar age stream past him in their school uniforms.
The only school Chakra is destined for is the one involving hard knocks, as his dad is literally and figuratively farming him out to help with local crop sowing and fertilising. No wonder then that the tales of the 8000 baht a month he could earn in Thailand sound appealing. Even the money to travel there.
The only school Chakra is destined for is the one involving hard knocks, as his dad is literally and figuratively farming him out to help with local crop sowing and fertilising. No wonder then that the tales of the 8000 baht a month he could earn in Thailand sound appealing. Even the money to travel there.
- 12/27/2020
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Helen Garner.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington plan to turn Helen Garner’s novel The Spare Room, a drama about a woman who cares for her cancer-stricken friend, into a feature film.
Eamon Flack, the artistic director of Sydney’s Belvoir, will make his screen directing debut on the project.
Published in 2008, the novel follows the relationship between two women, Nicola, who has advanced bowel cancer, and her friend Helen.
When Sydney-based Nicola goes to Melbourne for the treatment she hopes will cure her, Helen becomes her nurse, protector, guardian angel and judge.
Garner’s literary agent sent the tome to Waddington in 2009 when he was raising the finance for Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm and he has wanted to turn it into a film ever since.
Last year the producers met the author and optioned the screen rights. “We are both enormously encouraged that...
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington plan to turn Helen Garner’s novel The Spare Room, a drama about a woman who cares for her cancer-stricken friend, into a feature film.
Eamon Flack, the artistic director of Sydney’s Belvoir, will make his screen directing debut on the project.
Published in 2008, the novel follows the relationship between two women, Nicola, who has advanced bowel cancer, and her friend Helen.
When Sydney-based Nicola goes to Melbourne for the treatment she hopes will cure her, Helen becomes her nurse, protector, guardian angel and judge.
Garner’s literary agent sent the tome to Waddington in 2009 when he was raising the finance for Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm and he has wanted to turn it into a film ever since.
Last year the producers met the author and optioned the screen rights. “We are both enormously encouraged that...
- 10/27/2020
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
There’s a lie at the heart of Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, and that lie is freedom. It’s a fantasy spun by capital: that a boy might be free to leave his family, forego the confined and overdetermined life of an uncompensated worker living under the thumb of his father, to make bigger money elsewhere, on his own. Elsewhere, in this case, is Thailand. The lie, which the boy readily buys into, is that he can leave home for better work and come back, enjoying the riches of having...
- 9/14/2020
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
Audiences’ choices are limited as movie theaters in additional markets reopen this weekend, with only one new studio release, “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” joining high-profile holdovers “Tenet,” “The New Mutants” and “Unhinged” on megaplex marquees.
Meanwhile, limited releases are getting better exposure than usual, as indies and docs (such as “All In: The Fight for Democracy” about voter disenfranchisement and Stacey Abrams’ recent non-election) grab screens that might normally be crowded by blockbusters.
Streaming services HBO Max and Netflix are keeping subscribers flush with options, including “Unpregnant,” a comic look at a serious subject (minors traveling out of state to terminate a pregnancy) also addressed in indie breakout “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” earlier this year. For those worried about what all that screen time is doing to their heads, Netflix serves up eye-opening doc “The Social Dilemma,” one of the better-reviewed films out of Sundance.
Here’s a rundown of...
Meanwhile, limited releases are getting better exposure than usual, as indies and docs (such as “All In: The Fight for Democracy” about voter disenfranchisement and Stacey Abrams’ recent non-election) grab screens that might normally be crowded by blockbusters.
Streaming services HBO Max and Netflix are keeping subscribers flush with options, including “Unpregnant,” a comic look at a serious subject (minors traveling out of state to terminate a pregnancy) also addressed in indie breakout “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” earlier this year. For those worried about what all that screen time is doing to their heads, Netflix serves up eye-opening doc “The Social Dilemma,” one of the better-reviewed films out of Sundance.
Here’s a rundown of...
- 9/11/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The origin of the drama Buoyancy can be traced back to when Australian filmmaker Rodd Rathjen came across an article a few years ago about Cambodian workers and their life on a Thai fishing trawler. He became riveted by the unbelievable story and upon more research, he said in a statement: “The scale of modern slavery and exploitation in Thailand is vast and hard to grasp.”
Written and directed by Rathjen, Buoyancy follows a spirited Cambodian teenager Chakra (Sarm Heng) who works the rice fields with his family but is looking for independence. He seeks the help of a local broker who said that they can get him paid work in a Thai factory. He heads to Thailand in hopes to find his fortuitous independence but when he gets there, he and his newfound friend Kea (Mony Ros), discover they’ve been duped. Along with other Cambodians and Burmese, they...
Written and directed by Rathjen, Buoyancy follows a spirited Cambodian teenager Chakra (Sarm Heng) who works the rice fields with his family but is looking for independence. He seeks the help of a local broker who said that they can get him paid work in a Thai factory. He heads to Thailand in hopes to find his fortuitous independence but when he gets there, he and his newfound friend Kea (Mony Ros), discover they’ve been duped. Along with other Cambodians and Burmese, they...
- 9/11/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Behrouz Boochani (R) (Photo credit: David Collins).
Director Rodd Rathjen showed his mettle in his debut feature, human trafficking saga Buoyancy, so he is an obvious choice to direct an asylum seeker drama based on the harrowing experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani.
Rathjen will collaborate with Boochani, who will serve as story consultant and associate producer, on No Friend But The Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, developed with Screen Australia’s support.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington, who optioned Boochani’s 2018 novel, are producing with Hoodlum Entertainment and Sweetshop & Green’s Sharlene George and Gal Greenspan.
The project will be pitched at the Toronto International Film Festival’s International Financing Forum (TIFF) this month.
Boochani fled Iran in 2012 after the newspaper he co-founded was raided by the Iranian government. He attempted to travel to Australia by boat from Indonesia but the vessel was intercepted and he ended up on Manus Island,...
Director Rodd Rathjen showed his mettle in his debut feature, human trafficking saga Buoyancy, so he is an obvious choice to direct an asylum seeker drama based on the harrowing experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani.
Rathjen will collaborate with Boochani, who will serve as story consultant and associate producer, on No Friend But The Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, developed with Screen Australia’s support.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington, who optioned Boochani’s 2018 novel, are producing with Hoodlum Entertainment and Sweetshop & Green’s Sharlene George and Gal Greenspan.
The project will be pitched at the Toronto International Film Festival’s International Financing Forum (TIFF) this month.
Boochani fled Iran in 2012 after the newspaper he co-founded was raided by the Iranian government. He attempted to travel to Australia by boat from Indonesia but the vessel was intercepted and he ended up on Manus Island,...
- 9/1/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Story based on experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani on Australia’s notorious Manus Island asylum seeker camp.
Australian director Rodd Rathjen has signed to direct the upcoming feature adaptation of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning book No Friend But The Mountains: Writing From Manus Prison.
The production was announced on Tuesday (Sept 1) as one of the projects selected for the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff), which is due to run September 13-14 in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Rathjen garnered critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature Buoyancy, which explored the topic of human-trafficking...
Australian director Rodd Rathjen has signed to direct the upcoming feature adaptation of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning book No Friend But The Mountains: Writing From Manus Prison.
The production was announced on Tuesday (Sept 1) as one of the projects selected for the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff), which is due to run September 13-14 in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Rathjen garnered critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature Buoyancy, which explored the topic of human-trafficking...
- 9/1/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
"When will our debt be paid?" Kino Lorber has released an official US trailer for an acclaimed indie thriller titled Buoyancy, marking the feature directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Rodd Rathjen. This was Australia's submission to the Academy Awards for 2019, after premiering at the Berlin Film Festival earlier in the year. Buoyancy tells the story of 14-year-old Cambodian boy named Chakra who is sold as a slave laborer to the captain of a Thai fishing vessel. The captain's rule is cruel and arbitrary, and eventually he realizes the only way to truly survive is to fight back. "This story of a Cambodian teenager sold into forced labor on a Thai fishing boat is a passionate testimony against social injustice and a moving coming-of-age tale about a boy whose humanity is put to the test." The film stars Sarm Heng as Chakra, with Thanawut Ketsaro, Mony Ros, Saichia Wongwirot, Yothin Udomsanti,...
- 8/14/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising of ten countries in Southeast Asia, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Evidently, the movie industry of these countries does not yet reach the size of Japan, India and S. Korea for example, so we decided to include them in one list, although we still retain a hope that in the next years, we will see a cinematic boom from there also. Evidently, the Philippines are at least a step ahead of the rest of the Asean countries in that regard, which is the reason so many films from the country are included in the list. Lastly, some films in the list were produced in countries outside Asean, but we felt that due to their themes, they also belong in the list.
Without further ado, and with a focus on diversity, here...
Without further ado, and with a focus on diversity, here...
- 1/29/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
“Buoyancy,” the Australian-made story that has gathered momentum as a powerhouse depiction of human trafficking, is set to be released in North American theaters. Rights were acquired by specialty distributor Kino Lorber, which will give it a cinema opening in Spring 2020 ahead of video on demand and home video outings.
The rights sale was handled by Paris-based sales agent Charades.
The film portrays the desperate journey of two Cambodian teenagers who are unwittingly signed up to join Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet. There the labor is forced, and the trawlers only rarely return to port.
“Buoyancy” had its premiere nearly a year ago as part of the Berlin film festival, and has since played at the Mumbai, Melbourne and Macao festivals. It has picked up multiple accolades including the best youth feature prize from the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
It was directed by documentary maker Rodd Rathjen as his first feature-length fiction film.
The rights sale was handled by Paris-based sales agent Charades.
The film portrays the desperate journey of two Cambodian teenagers who are unwittingly signed up to join Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet. There the labor is forced, and the trawlers only rarely return to port.
“Buoyancy” had its premiere nearly a year ago as part of the Berlin film festival, and has since played at the Mumbai, Melbourne and Macao festivals. It has picked up multiple accolades including the best youth feature prize from the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
It was directed by documentary maker Rodd Rathjen as his first feature-length fiction film.
- 1/16/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Distributors has acquired last two Golden Bear winners.
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to Australian director Rodd Rathjen’s trafficking and slavery drama Buoyancy, which premiered at the Berlinale last year.
Buoyancy won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as an Amnesty International nomination in Germany and was Australia’s official Oscar submission.
The feature directorial debut tells the story of a 14-year-old Cambodian rural worked who gets sold to a psychopathic Thai fishing captain. Sarm Heng and Thanawut Kasro star.
Screen described Buoyancy as a “brutal, powerful drama” that “draws upon true tales and...
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to Australian director Rodd Rathjen’s trafficking and slavery drama Buoyancy, which premiered at the Berlinale last year.
Buoyancy won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as an Amnesty International nomination in Germany and was Australia’s official Oscar submission.
The feature directorial debut tells the story of a 14-year-old Cambodian rural worked who gets sold to a psychopathic Thai fishing captain. Sarm Heng and Thanawut Kasro star.
Screen described Buoyancy as a “brutal, powerful drama” that “draws upon true tales and...
- 1/15/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie in Bombshell.
Margot Robbie’s performance as Kayla Pospisil, an associate producer at Fox News, in Bombshell has been nominated for the Academy Award for best supporting actress – her second nod after I,Tonya last year.
Charlize Theron is up for best lead actress for Bombshell but her co-star Nicole Kidman missed out. Another notable omission is Australian film editor Lee Smith, whose exceptional work on Sam Mendes’ 1917 was overlooked; Smith won last year for Dunkirk.
As Deadline commented: “But seriously, nothing for editing and Lee Smith for a harrowing film that appeared as one continuous shot? Seriously?”
Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Australia’s submission for best international film, didn’t make the cut. The nominees in that category are Jan Komasa’s Corpus Christi (Poland), Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s Honeyland (North Macedonia), Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables (France), Pedro Almodóvar...
Margot Robbie’s performance as Kayla Pospisil, an associate producer at Fox News, in Bombshell has been nominated for the Academy Award for best supporting actress – her second nod after I,Tonya last year.
Charlize Theron is up for best lead actress for Bombshell but her co-star Nicole Kidman missed out. Another notable omission is Australian film editor Lee Smith, whose exceptional work on Sam Mendes’ 1917 was overlooked; Smith won last year for Dunkirk.
As Deadline commented: “But seriously, nothing for editing and Lee Smith for a harrowing film that appeared as one continuous shot? Seriously?”
Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Australia’s submission for best international film, didn’t make the cut. The nominees in that category are Jan Komasa’s Corpus Christi (Poland), Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s Honeyland (North Macedonia), Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables (France), Pedro Almodóvar...
- 1/13/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Fyzal Boulifa’s Lynn + Lucy, Hamish Bennett’s Bellbird and Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy were also among the winners at the Asian gathering. Us-based Russian writer-director Kirill Mikhanovsky’s feature Give Me Liberty has emerged as the big winner of the Best Film Award at the fourth International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (Iffam). Headed up by Iffam artistic director Mike Goodridge, the festival ran from 5-10 December and wrapped with the awards ceremony held at the Macao Cultural Centre. The Official Competition jury, chaired by Chinese director-producer-screenwriter Peter Chan Ho-sun, and comprising president and CEO of Vrega Ellen Eliasoph, Indonesian actress Dian Sastrowardoyo, Myanma director Midi Z and British actor Tom Cullen, handed the $60,000 award to Give Me Liberty, saying about their decision: “This is a farcical and poignant portrait of a day in the life of America’s challenged and disenfranchised. The film starts with hilarious, inexhaustible energy, and then weaves.
- 12/11/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
The 2019 International Film Festival & Awards Macao (Iffam) closed yesterday (December 4) with an awards ceremony that saw Kirill Mikhanovsky’s English/Russian-language comedy Give Me Liberty named best film in the international competition. A jury presided over by Chinese filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun awarded its best director prize to Fyzal Boulifa for his debut feature Lynn + Lucy, and the best screenplay prize to Hamish Bennett for Bellbird. The acting awards went to Sarm Heng for Bouyancy and Roxanne Scrimshaw for Lynn + Lucy. Finally, the Macao Audience Choice Award also went to Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy. In the New Chinese Cinema competition, which was presided over by Cristian Mungiu, Xiaogang Gu’s Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains was named best new Chinese-language film of the year. Best director went to Anthony Chen for Wet Season, best screenplay went to Johnny Ma for To Live To Sing, and the acting awards went to...
- 12/11/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears’.
Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, the feature film spin-off Every Cloud Productions’ series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and writer-director Michael Bentham’s indie Disclosure, will both make their world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January.
Each will screen as part of the World Cinema Now section, alongside other Australian films, Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth and Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch. Samuel Van Grinsven’s Sequin in a Blue Room will screen as part of Queer Cinema Today & the GayLA, and as Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy will also screen alongside the other 51 submissions for the Oscar from around the world.
‘Disclosure’.
Directed by the series’ set up director Tony Tilse from a screenplay by Deb Cox, Miss Fisher & Crypt of Tears was shot on location in Melbourne and in Morocco,...
Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, the feature film spin-off Every Cloud Productions’ series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and writer-director Michael Bentham’s indie Disclosure, will both make their world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January.
Each will screen as part of the World Cinema Now section, alongside other Australian films, Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth and Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch. Samuel Van Grinsven’s Sequin in a Blue Room will screen as part of Queer Cinema Today & the GayLA, and as Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy will also screen alongside the other 51 submissions for the Oscar from around the world.
‘Disclosure’.
Directed by the series’ set up director Tony Tilse from a screenplay by Deb Cox, Miss Fisher & Crypt of Tears was shot on location in Melbourne and in Morocco,...
- 12/11/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
The sobering statistic that closes Rodd Rathjen’s impressive debut “Buoyancy,” recently named Australia’s submission in the Oscars’ International Feature category, informs us that currently around 200,000 boys and men are believed to be essentially enslaved to the Thai fishing industry. Many of them have, like Rathjen’s teenage lead character, been trafficked away from home, lured by the false promise of better prospects before being tricked into a hell-or-high-water servitude from which there is no escape. That number is staggering, and that Rathjen was inspired by the accounts of real-life survivors gives the film its raw authenticity, forceful pacing and moral clarity. But this macro-mosaic effect also contributes to a certain blankness in terms of the more intimate character drama that should pump blood and emotion through the film’s veins, as though .
Here, that’s 14-year-old Chakra, who dreams of leaving his hardscrabble rice-farming life in rural Cambodia.
Here, that’s 14-year-old Chakra, who dreams of leaving his hardscrabble rice-farming life in rural Cambodia.
- 12/10/2019
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
The annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in California is always an opportunity to catch up on many of the contenders for the Best International Feature — née Best Foreign-Language — Film Academy Award. Now in its 31st edition, the festival this year has 51 of them, from favorite-to-beat “Parasite” from South Korea and Senegal’s “Atlantics,” to other films quietly making strides in the race: Czech Republic’s “The Painted Bird,” Sweden’s “And Then We Danced,” Russia’s “Beanpole,” Romania’s “The Whistlers,” North Macedonia’s documentary contender “Honeyland,” Norway’s “Out Stealing Horses,” and many more.
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 countries, including 51 premieres, from January 2-13, 2020. The Awards Buzz section includes a special jury of international film critics, who will review these films to present the Fipresci Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category.
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 countries, including 51 premieres, from January 2-13, 2020. The Awards Buzz section includes a special jury of international film critics, who will review these films to present the Fipresci Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category.
- 12/10/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Fyzal Boulifa won best director for UK title ‘Lynn + Lucy’.
The 4th International Film Festival & Awards Macao (Iffam) closed on Tuesday night (10) with the top award going to Us film Give Me Liberty directed by Kirill Mikhanovsky.
Stars such as Carina Lau and Juliette Binoche were on the red carpet for the festival, which showed 43 films including 10 in International Competition and six in the New Chinese Cinema Competition. It ran from December 5-10 in and around the Macau Cultural Centre.
Chinese filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun headed the jury for first and second-time directors in the international competition. He was joined...
The 4th International Film Festival & Awards Macao (Iffam) closed on Tuesday night (10) with the top award going to Us film Give Me Liberty directed by Kirill Mikhanovsky.
Stars such as Carina Lau and Juliette Binoche were on the red carpet for the festival, which showed 43 films including 10 in International Competition and six in the New Chinese Cinema Competition. It ran from December 5-10 in and around the Macau Cultural Centre.
Chinese filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun headed the jury for first and second-time directors in the international competition. He was joined...
- 12/10/2019
- by 134¦Jean Noh¦516¦
- ScreenDaily
One hundred eighty-eight films films from 81 countries including 51 premieres highlight the lineup for the 31st annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which kicks off January 2 with a star-studded gala that has become a must-stop during awards season for Oscar hopefuls. The festival, which runs through January 13, also is known for showcasing a large number of submissions in the Motion Picture Academy’s International Film (formerly Foreign Language) competition and will feature 51 of those entries.
The opening-night film on January 3 is the Italian farce An Almost Ordinary Summer, while the closer is director Peter Cattaneo’s heartwarming dramedy Military Wives in which Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan and Jason Flemyng lead a superb ensemble cast. The film had its world premiere at September’s Toronto International Film Festival and became an instant crowd-pleaser. Bleecker Street releases it in 2020.
Among the previously announced honorees at the January 2 gala are Antonio Banderas, Renee Zellweger,...
The opening-night film on January 3 is the Italian farce An Almost Ordinary Summer, while the closer is director Peter Cattaneo’s heartwarming dramedy Military Wives in which Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan and Jason Flemyng lead a superb ensemble cast. The film had its world premiere at September’s Toronto International Film Festival and became an instant crowd-pleaser. Bleecker Street releases it in 2020.
Among the previously announced honorees at the January 2 gala are Antonio Banderas, Renee Zellweger,...
- 12/10/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Kirill Mikhanovsky’s “Give Me Liberty” and Gu Xiaogang’s “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains won the best picture prizes in the international and Chinese cinema sections on Tuesday at the International Film Festival and Awards Macau (Iffam).
“This film shouldn’t have existed because there were so many obstacles. Everything was a miracle. Us being here is an utter miracle,” said Mikhanovsky, who took the stage with his producer Alice Austen to describe the frenzy of trying to shoot their film for a quarter of their original budget.
“If someone had asked us a year ago if we’d like to show our film in Macau, we’d have said man, you’re out of your mind,” he laughed, before thanking the festival. “This is such a gathering of minds and intellects and true lovers of cinema, which is very rare. You’ve truly crafted a one-of-a-kind global event.
“This film shouldn’t have existed because there were so many obstacles. Everything was a miracle. Us being here is an utter miracle,” said Mikhanovsky, who took the stage with his producer Alice Austen to describe the frenzy of trying to shoot their film for a quarter of their original budget.
“If someone had asked us a year ago if we’d like to show our film in Macau, we’d have said man, you’re out of your mind,” he laughed, before thanking the festival. “This is such a gathering of minds and intellects and true lovers of cinema, which is very rare. You’ve truly crafted a one-of-a-kind global event.
- 12/10/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
For most awards observers, the Asian Oscars race narrative in the international feature category begins and ends with Bong Joon Ho’s South Korean contender “Parasite.” That said, there are other notable submissions from around the continent that might spring a surprise or two.
The deliciously surgical dissection of Korean society that is “Parasite” has rightly won acclaim and awards around the planet, beginning with its unanimous Palme d’Or victory at Cannes. Neon is distributing the film in the U.S. and its impressive box office will do the film’s prospects no harm. A nom seems certain.
Tiny Singapore has been punching well above its weight in recent years and this year’s submission from the country, Yeo Siew Hua’s “A Land Imagined,” has been garlanded with awards since it exploded onto the global festival circuit with three trophies at Locarno, including the Golden Leopard, in 2018. The...
The deliciously surgical dissection of Korean society that is “Parasite” has rightly won acclaim and awards around the planet, beginning with its unanimous Palme d’Or victory at Cannes. Neon is distributing the film in the U.S. and its impressive box office will do the film’s prospects no harm. A nom seems certain.
Tiny Singapore has been punching well above its weight in recent years and this year’s submission from the country, Yeo Siew Hua’s “A Land Imagined,” has been garlanded with awards since it exploded onto the global festival circuit with three trophies at Locarno, including the Golden Leopard, in 2018. The...
- 12/5/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Natalie Miller.
The Australian films and feature documentaries released in cinemas this year including holdovers collectively have grossed $39.7 million.
So while the calendar year total will fall short of 2018’s $57.4 million, it should be noted Peter Rabbit was the top local title last year, grossing $26.7 million, which alone could explain the year-on-year decline. Sony Pictures is due to launch Peter Rabbit 2 next March, so that is virtually certain to be a big contributor to the 2020 revenues.
As Cinema Nova has supported almost every Australian release, If asked co-executive director Natalie Miller to assess the overall commercial and critical appeal of this year’s Oz slate.
“It’s not bad but it’s not great,” says the veteran exhibitor/distributor, who gives high marks to Ride Like a Girl, Top End Wedding, Storm Boy, Palm Beach and the feature docs 2040, Mystify: Michael Hutchence and The Australian Dream.
Among the...
The Australian films and feature documentaries released in cinemas this year including holdovers collectively have grossed $39.7 million.
So while the calendar year total will fall short of 2018’s $57.4 million, it should be noted Peter Rabbit was the top local title last year, grossing $26.7 million, which alone could explain the year-on-year decline. Sony Pictures is due to launch Peter Rabbit 2 next March, so that is virtually certain to be a big contributor to the 2020 revenues.
As Cinema Nova has supported almost every Australian release, If asked co-executive director Natalie Miller to assess the overall commercial and critical appeal of this year’s Oz slate.
“It’s not bad but it’s not great,” says the veteran exhibitor/distributor, who gives high marks to Ride Like a Girl, Top End Wedding, Storm Boy, Palm Beach and the feature docs 2040, Mystify: Michael Hutchence and The Australian Dream.
Among the...
- 12/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Lambs of God’.
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God was the big winner at yesterday’s Aacta Industry Luncheon, taking home seven of a potential nine awards, while Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy was named Best Indie Film.
Sweeping the afternoon, Lambs of God’s various accolades included Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy for Jeffery Walker; Best Cinematography in Television for Don McAlpine; Best Original Score in Television for Bryony Marks (one of two awards for the composer during the event); Best Production Design in Television for Chris Kennedy; Best Costume Design in Television for Xanthe Heubel; Best Sound Sound in Television for Nick Emond, Stephen Smith, Paul Devescovi and Mia Stewart; and Best Hair and Makeup for Zeljka Stanin, Paul Pattison, Cheryl Williams and Anita Howell-Lowe.
The Foxtel mini-series was beaten only out for Best Screenplay in Television, which went to Niki Aken and Matthew Cormack for The Hunting,...
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God was the big winner at yesterday’s Aacta Industry Luncheon, taking home seven of a potential nine awards, while Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy was named Best Indie Film.
Sweeping the afternoon, Lambs of God’s various accolades included Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy for Jeffery Walker; Best Cinematography in Television for Don McAlpine; Best Original Score in Television for Bryony Marks (one of two awards for the composer during the event); Best Production Design in Television for Chris Kennedy; Best Costume Design in Television for Xanthe Heubel; Best Sound Sound in Television for Nick Emond, Stephen Smith, Paul Devescovi and Mia Stewart; and Best Hair and Makeup for Zeljka Stanin, Paul Pattison, Cheryl Williams and Anita Howell-Lowe.
The Foxtel mini-series was beaten only out for Best Screenplay in Television, which went to Niki Aken and Matthew Cormack for The Hunting,...
- 12/3/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Buoyancy’.
Writer-director Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy won Best Youth Feature Film at last night’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) in Brisbane.
The award comes just as Rathjen returns to Australia from an Oscar campaign in The States; Buoyancy is Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings and Kristina Ceyton with Rita Walsh, Buoyancy details the story of a 14-year old Cambodian boy (Sarm Heng) who heads to Thailand search of a better life, only to find himself trafficked and enslaved on a fishing trawler.
The story of Buoyancy is inspired by real events, and informed by more than 50 interviews Rathjen conducted with people who had been trafficked onto fishing boats, as well as interviews with local communities, former ship captains and NGOs, and other research. An estimated 200,000 men and boys are thought to be in slavery and forced...
Writer-director Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy won Best Youth Feature Film at last night’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) in Brisbane.
The award comes just as Rathjen returns to Australia from an Oscar campaign in The States; Buoyancy is Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings and Kristina Ceyton with Rita Walsh, Buoyancy details the story of a 14-year old Cambodian boy (Sarm Heng) who heads to Thailand search of a better life, only to find himself trafficked and enslaved on a fishing trawler.
The story of Buoyancy is inspired by real events, and informed by more than 50 interviews Rathjen conducted with people who had been trafficked onto fishing boats, as well as interviews with local communities, former ship captains and NGOs, and other research. An estimated 200,000 men and boys are thought to be in slavery and forced...
- 11/22/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Kantemir Balagov’s ‘Beanpole’ picked up two prizes.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
- 11/21/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Bong Joon-ho’s Korean dark comedy Parasite scooped the best film prize at the 2019 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSAs), which were held today in Brisbane, Australia. Scroll down for the full list.
The award was accepted onstage by the film’s producer Jang Young-Hwan. The film also took the Palme d’Or at Cannes back in May and is seen as a major contender for this year’s Oscars.
Parasite has been a global box office smash, taking more than $70m in its native Korea, and more than $14m in the U.S. via Neon. It follows a family who insidiously inserts itself into the lives of another, wealthier family.
Elsewhere at this year’s APSAs, Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven picked up the Jury Grand Prize, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov won Achievement in Directing for Kazakh feature A Dark-Dark Man.
Best actor went to Manoj Bajpayee for his performance in Indian film Bhonsle,...
The award was accepted onstage by the film’s producer Jang Young-Hwan. The film also took the Palme d’Or at Cannes back in May and is seen as a major contender for this year’s Oscars.
Parasite has been a global box office smash, taking more than $70m in its native Korea, and more than $14m in the U.S. via Neon. It follows a family who insidiously inserts itself into the lives of another, wealthier family.
Elsewhere at this year’s APSAs, Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven picked up the Jury Grand Prize, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov won Achievement in Directing for Kazakh feature A Dark-Dark Man.
Best actor went to Manoj Bajpayee for his performance in Indian film Bhonsle,...
- 11/21/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
The New Chinese Cinema section returns for the second year.
The 4th International Film Festival & Awards Macao has unveiled its 2019 programme, including the return of the New Chinese Cinema section with a jury headed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu.
Mungiu will oversee a five-person jury watching six films from Chinese-speaking territories. His jury consists of BFI London Film Festival artistic director Tricia Tuttle; former Sffilm (San Francisco Film) executive director Noah Cowan; and filmmakers Kirsten Tan from Singapore and Qiu Yang from China.
Scroll down for the line-up
The films in the section include Anthony Chen’s Wet Season, which...
The 4th International Film Festival & Awards Macao has unveiled its 2019 programme, including the return of the New Chinese Cinema section with a jury headed by Romanian filmmaker Cristian Mungiu.
Mungiu will oversee a five-person jury watching six films from Chinese-speaking territories. His jury consists of BFI London Film Festival artistic director Tricia Tuttle; former Sffilm (San Francisco Film) executive director Noah Cowan; and filmmakers Kirsten Tan from Singapore and Qiu Yang from China.
Scroll down for the line-up
The films in the section include Anthony Chen’s Wet Season, which...
- 11/6/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Among the record 92 submissions this year, 27 titles are directed or co-directed by women. There are six documentaries in the mix, as well as two animated features. Moreover, for the first time, Ghana and Uzbekistan are each fielding an entry. However, Nigeria’s submission was disqualified by the Academy as being mostly in the English language. Here’s a guide to the films, including logline and sales or production contact.
Albania
“The Delegation”
Director: Bujar Alimani
Logline: In autumn 1990,
a political prisoner is secretly taken out of jail to meet the head of the European delegation investigating human-rights violations. But nothing goes according to plan.
Key Cast: Viktor Zhusti, Ndriçim Xhepa, Xhevdet Feri
Sales: Art Film
Algeria
“Papicha”
Director: Mounia Meddour
Logline: A female student rebels against the bans set by radicals during the civil war and plans a fashion show.
Key Cast: Lyna Khoudri, Shirine Boutella, Amira Hilda Douaouda
Sales:...
Albania
“The Delegation”
Director: Bujar Alimani
Logline: In autumn 1990,
a political prisoner is secretly taken out of jail to meet the head of the European delegation investigating human-rights violations. But nothing goes according to plan.
Key Cast: Viktor Zhusti, Ndriçim Xhepa, Xhevdet Feri
Sales: Art Film
Algeria
“Papicha”
Director: Mounia Meddour
Logline: A female student rebels against the bans set by radicals during the civil war and plans a fashion show.
Key Cast: Lyna Khoudri, Shirine Boutella, Amira Hilda Douaouda
Sales:...
- 11/6/2019
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Taika Waititi’s provocative Nazi comedy “Jojo Rabbit” has been set as the opening night gala screening at the fourth edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
- 11/5/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Debut director Prateek Vats’ “Eeb Allay Ooo!”, a satirical social commentary revolving around a monkey wrangler in New Delhi, won three awards at the 21st edition of the Mumbai Film Festival, which concluded Thursday.
The film won the Golden Gateway first prize in the festival’s India Gold competition, the best actor award for Shardul Bhardwaj, and the Young Critics’ Choice award. It had its world premiere at the Pingyao festival earlier this month in China.
Gitanjali Rao’s “Bombay Rose,” a Mumbai-set animated romance, which has played in Toronto, Venice, Busan and London, won the Silver Gateway award. It shared the inaugural Manish Acharya award for new voices in Indian cinema with first-time director Achal Mishra’s family drama, “Gamak Ghar.”
Another debut feature, Kislay’s “Aise Hi,” a portrait of an elderly woman’s emancipation, won best actress for Mohini Sharma and the Film Critics Guild award. The...
The film won the Golden Gateway first prize in the festival’s India Gold competition, the best actor award for Shardul Bhardwaj, and the Young Critics’ Choice award. It had its world premiere at the Pingyao festival earlier this month in China.
Gitanjali Rao’s “Bombay Rose,” a Mumbai-set animated romance, which has played in Toronto, Venice, Busan and London, won the Silver Gateway award. It shared the inaugural Manish Acharya award for new voices in Indian cinema with first-time director Achal Mishra’s family drama, “Gamak Ghar.”
Another debut feature, Kislay’s “Aise Hi,” a portrait of an elderly woman’s emancipation, won best actress for Mohini Sharma and the Film Critics Guild award. The...
- 10/24/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The 21st edition of the Mumbai Film Festival wrapped with an awards ceremony Thursday, and it was Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska's meditative documentary Honeyland that picked up the event's Golden Gateway award for best film in the international competition section.
Honeyland, a Macedonian docu that follows one of the last practitioners of wild beekeeping, also picked up a cash prize of $35,700. Australia's entry in the foreign-language Oscar category, Rodd Rathjen’s human trafficking thriller Buoyancy, won the Silver Gateway award, which included a cash prize of $21,400.
Mumbai's grand jury prize went to Suhaib ...
Honeyland, a Macedonian docu that follows one of the last practitioners of wild beekeeping, also picked up a cash prize of $35,700. Australia's entry in the foreign-language Oscar category, Rodd Rathjen’s human trafficking thriller Buoyancy, won the Silver Gateway award, which included a cash prize of $21,400.
Mumbai's grand jury prize went to Suhaib ...
- 10/24/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The 21st edition of the Mumbai Film Festival wrapped with an awards ceremony Thursday, and it was Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska's meditative documentary Honeyland that picked up the event's Golden Gateway award for best film in the international competition section.
Honeyland, a Macedonian docu that follows one of the last practitioners of wild beekeeping, also picked up a cash prize of $35,700. Australia's entry in the foreign-language Oscar category, Rodd Rathjen’s human trafficking thriller Buoyancy, won the Silver Gateway award, which included a cash prize of $21,400.
Mumbai's grand jury prize went to Suhaib ...
Honeyland, a Macedonian docu that follows one of the last practitioners of wild beekeeping, also picked up a cash prize of $35,700. Australia's entry in the foreign-language Oscar category, Rodd Rathjen’s human trafficking thriller Buoyancy, won the Silver Gateway award, which included a cash prize of $21,400.
Mumbai's grand jury prize went to Suhaib ...
- 10/24/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale tops the nominations pool for film at this year’s Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (Aacta).
The thriller, which debuted at Venice last year where it won a special jury prize, picked up 15 nods including best film and best direction.
Australian actor Damon Herriman is up for supporting actor for his role in The Nightingale, and also lead actor for his performance in Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch, which picked up a total of nine nominations including best film.
Herriman is also nominated twice on the TV side for roles in Lambs Of God and Mr Inbetween and has now become the Aacta record holder for the most nominations across performance categories. The actor is having a banner 2019, having also played Charles Manson in both Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and the Netflix series Mindhunter this year.
Tied...
The thriller, which debuted at Venice last year where it won a special jury prize, picked up 15 nods including best film and best direction.
Australian actor Damon Herriman is up for supporting actor for his role in The Nightingale, and also lead actor for his performance in Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch, which picked up a total of nine nominations including best film.
Herriman is also nominated twice on the TV side for roles in Lambs Of God and Mr Inbetween and has now become the Aacta record holder for the most nominations across performance categories. The actor is having a banner 2019, having also played Charles Manson in both Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and the Netflix series Mindhunter this year.
Tied...
- 10/23/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Lambs of God’.
Lingo Pictures’ four-part TV drama Lambs of God has collected an unprecedented 18 Aacta Award nominations, while Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale leads in film with 15 nods.
The Australian Academy revealed the full list of nominees for the annual awards today, with almost 60 to be presented across two events in Sydney in six weeks time.
Some 15 films are up for awards, though four dominate almost every category: Kent’s revenge tale, Anthony Maras’ debut feature Hotel Mumbai and David Michôd’s Netflix-backed The King, which each received 13 nominations, and Mirrah Foulkes’ dark comedy Judy & Punch, which earned nine. Each is nominated for Best Film alongside Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like A Girl and Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding.
Up in the Best Indie Film category (budgeted under $2 million) are Thomas M. Wright’s Acute Misfortune, Heath Davis’ Book Week, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Imogen Thomas’ Emu...
Lingo Pictures’ four-part TV drama Lambs of God has collected an unprecedented 18 Aacta Award nominations, while Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale leads in film with 15 nods.
The Australian Academy revealed the full list of nominees for the annual awards today, with almost 60 to be presented across two events in Sydney in six weeks time.
Some 15 films are up for awards, though four dominate almost every category: Kent’s revenge tale, Anthony Maras’ debut feature Hotel Mumbai and David Michôd’s Netflix-backed The King, which each received 13 nominations, and Mirrah Foulkes’ dark comedy Judy & Punch, which earned nine. Each is nominated for Best Film alongside Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like A Girl and Wayne Blair’s Top End Wedding.
Up in the Best Indie Film category (budgeted under $2 million) are Thomas M. Wright’s Acute Misfortune, Heath Davis’ Book Week, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Imogen Thomas’ Emu...
- 10/22/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Wang Xiaoshuai‘s ‘So Long, My Son‘ secures a record six nominations.
Chinese films dominate the nominations for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which will be held in Brisbane, Australia, on Novemer 21.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Films from 22 countries will be represented at the awards but while the likes of India, Japan and Russia have picked up a handful of nods, Chinese films have more than double that of any other country with 13 nominations across seven features.
Wang Xiaoshuai‘s family drama So Long, My Son has secured a record six nominations, including best feature where...
Chinese films dominate the nominations for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which will be held in Brisbane, Australia, on Novemer 21.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Films from 22 countries will be represented at the awards but while the likes of India, Japan and Russia have picked up a handful of nods, Chinese films have more than double that of any other country with 13 nominations across seven features.
Wang Xiaoshuai‘s family drama So Long, My Son has secured a record six nominations, including best feature where...
- 10/16/2019
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
‘Buoyancy’.
Two Australian films – Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy and Daniel Gordon’s feature documentary The Australian Dream – are nominated for Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa).
Some 37 films for 22 countries are nominated for the 13th iteration of the awards, which will be presented in Brisbane in November. Overall, films from China received the most nominations; 13 in total across seven films – the country is represented in all but one category.
Wang Xiaoshuai’s So Long, My Son (Di Jiu Tian Chang) leads the tally with nominations across six categories: actor (Wang Jingchun), actress (Yong Mei), screenplay, cinematography (Kim Hyunseok), directing (Wang Xiaoshuai) and Best Feature Film.
Fellow nominees for Best Feature Film are Pema Tseden’s Balloon; Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole, Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain and Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or winning Parasite.
Announced today alongside the nominations was the Asia Pacific Screen Forum,...
Two Australian films – Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy and Daniel Gordon’s feature documentary The Australian Dream – are nominated for Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa).
Some 37 films for 22 countries are nominated for the 13th iteration of the awards, which will be presented in Brisbane in November. Overall, films from China received the most nominations; 13 in total across seven films – the country is represented in all but one category.
Wang Xiaoshuai’s So Long, My Son (Di Jiu Tian Chang) leads the tally with nominations across six categories: actor (Wang Jingchun), actress (Yong Mei), screenplay, cinematography (Kim Hyunseok), directing (Wang Xiaoshuai) and Best Feature Film.
Fellow nominees for Best Feature Film are Pema Tseden’s Balloon; Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole, Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain and Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or winning Parasite.
Announced today alongside the nominations was the Asia Pacific Screen Forum,...
- 10/16/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Earlier in the week, we finally learned which films would be selected by all of the countries in search of Academy Award love in Best International Feature. Not only did we get the answers to some questions regarding what each nation would pick, but we found that a record breaking 93 submissions have been made here in 2019. It’s truly the largest slate ever for voters to sift through. Talk about a good problem to have! Below you can see all of the titles in competition for the Best International Feature Oscar. Right now, only Parasite from South Korea and Pain and Glory from Spain seem like safe bets, with the former almost assured of winning the Academy Award. Aside from them? Anything goes in this category, which has potential nominees like Atlantics from Senegal, Beanpole from Russia, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind from the United Kingdom, The Chambermaid from Mexico,...
- 10/12/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
A record 93 countries submitted entries in the International Feature Film race at the 2020 Oscars. That is up by six from last year,when the category was still called Best Foreign-Language Film, and eclipses the record 92 submissions in 2018. The nations represented ranged from A (Albania) to V (Vietnam). Predicting the eventual five Oscar nominees is made difficult by the two-step process.
First, the several hundred academy members of the Foreign-Language Film screening committee are required to watch a number of the submissions (upwards of a dozen) over a two-month period that ends in mid December. They will rate them from 6 to 10 and their top six vote-getters make it to the next round, as will three films added by the 20 members of the executive committee.
Those nine semi-finalists will be screened three per day beginning in early January by select committee members in Gotham, Hollywood, London and San Francisco. These 40 folks will...
First, the several hundred academy members of the Foreign-Language Film screening committee are required to watch a number of the submissions (upwards of a dozen) over a two-month period that ends in mid December. They will rate them from 6 to 10 and their top six vote-getters make it to the next round, as will three films added by the 20 members of the executive committee.
Those nine semi-finalists will be screened three per day beginning in early January by select committee members in Gotham, Hollywood, London and San Francisco. These 40 folks will...
- 10/7/2019
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
A record-breaking total of 93 countries have submitted entries to be considered for best international film nominations at the Academy Awards.
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The 2020 foreign-language Oscar nominees will come from submissions from 93 countries, up from last year’s 87, and breaking the record 92 from 2017. A contender for the renamed Best International Feature must be a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The 2020 foreign-language Oscar nominees will come from submissions from 93 countries, up from last year’s 87, and breaking the record 92 from 2017. A contender for the renamed Best International Feature must be a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the full list of countries that have submitted a pic for consideration for the new International Feature Film Oscar category.
Here are the 93 nations and their hopefuls, in alphabetical order:
Albania, The Delegation, Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, Papicha, Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, Heroic Losers, Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, Lengthy Night, Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, Buoyancy, Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, Joy, Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, Alpha, Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, Debut, Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, Our Mothers, César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, I Miss You, Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Son, Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, Invisible Life, Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, Ága, Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, In the Life of Music, Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, Antigone, Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, Spider, Andrés Wood, director;
China, Ne Zha, Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, Monos, Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, The Awakening of the Ants,...
Here are the 93 nations and their hopefuls, in alphabetical order:
Albania, The Delegation, Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, Papicha, Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, Heroic Losers, Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, Lengthy Night, Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, Buoyancy, Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, Joy, Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, Alpha, Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, Debut, Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, Our Mothers, César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, I Miss You, Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Son, Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, Invisible Life, Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, Ága, Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, In the Life of Music, Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, Antigone, Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, Spider, Andrés Wood, director;
China, Ne Zha, Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, Monos, Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, The Awakening of the Ants,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A record-breaking total of 93 countries will be competing in the Oscar race for Best International Feature Film, the new name for what previously has been known as the Best Foreign-Language Film category.
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday, with three countries — Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan — competing in the category for the first time.
The previous high for submissions was 92 films, which was set in 2017. This year’s field also sets a new record for the number of women with films in the race, with 29 female directors responsible for 28 of the qualifying films.
One film, Algeria’s “Papicha,” needed a special ruling from the Academy to retain its eligibility. The film was scheduled to open in Algeria in late September, but the Algerian government cancelled the screenings without explanation just before they were scheduled to happen, presumably because it was uncomfortable with a film...
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday, with three countries — Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan — competing in the category for the first time.
The previous high for submissions was 92 films, which was set in 2017. This year’s field also sets a new record for the number of women with films in the race, with 29 female directors responsible for 28 of the qualifying films.
One film, Algeria’s “Papicha,” needed a special ruling from the Academy to retain its eligibility. The film was scheduled to open in Algeria in late September, but the Algerian government cancelled the screenings without explanation just before they were scheduled to happen, presumably because it was uncomfortable with a film...
- 10/7/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
‘Ride Like a Girl’.
Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like a Girl will take the crown of highest grossing Australian film on home soil this year.
Meanwhile the low visibility and modest returns from limited releases including Kim Farrant’s Angel of Mine, Sophie Hyde’s Animals and Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy have prompted renewed calls from exhibitors to address the challenges facing most Aussie films in the crowded theatrical market.
Griffiths’ biopic starring Teresa Palmer as ground-breaking jockey Michelle Payne pocketed nearly $4 million in its first eight days, including $317,000 on Thursday.
So the Transmission Films release co-starring Sam Neill as Payne’s father Paddy and her brother Stevie Payne as himself will overtake Palm Beach’s $4.4 million this weekend and will zoom past Top End Wedding’s $5.2 million and Storm Boy’s $5 million.
Exhibitors are confident the film is heading for upwards of $10 million and could reach Ladies in Black’s $12 million.
Rachel Griffiths’ Ride Like a Girl will take the crown of highest grossing Australian film on home soil this year.
Meanwhile the low visibility and modest returns from limited releases including Kim Farrant’s Angel of Mine, Sophie Hyde’s Animals and Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy have prompted renewed calls from exhibitors to address the challenges facing most Aussie films in the crowded theatrical market.
Griffiths’ biopic starring Teresa Palmer as ground-breaking jockey Michelle Payne pocketed nearly $4 million in its first eight days, including $317,000 on Thursday.
So the Transmission Films release co-starring Sam Neill as Payne’s father Paddy and her brother Stevie Payne as himself will overtake Palm Beach’s $4.4 million this weekend and will zoom past Top End Wedding’s $5.2 million and Storm Boy’s $5 million.
Exhibitors are confident the film is heading for upwards of $10 million and could reach Ladies in Black’s $12 million.
- 10/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
A strong selection of Indian films is among the highlights of the 21st Mumbai Film Festival. The festival, which runs Oct. 17-24, announced its lineup on Thursday.
The festival’s Spotlight strand boasts of five world premieres, including Arati Kadav’s much awaited sci-film “Cargo,” actor Seema Bhargava Pahwa’s directorial debut, the family drama “Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi,” Deepti Gupta’s document of a female artist’s fight for equality in modern India “Shut Up Sona,” Kamal Swaroop’s portrayal of a theatre troupe staging a mythological play “Samudra Manthan” and R.V. Ramani’s “Oh That’s Bhanu.” The strand also includes Goutam Ghose’s “The Wayfarers” that has its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.
The Mumbai festival’s India Gold competition features further Busan titles, Gurvinder Singh’s “Bitter Chestnut” and Kislay’s “Just Like That,” and Gitanjali Rao’s hand drawn animation festival favourite...
The festival’s Spotlight strand boasts of five world premieres, including Arati Kadav’s much awaited sci-film “Cargo,” actor Seema Bhargava Pahwa’s directorial debut, the family drama “Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi,” Deepti Gupta’s document of a female artist’s fight for equality in modern India “Shut Up Sona,” Kamal Swaroop’s portrayal of a theatre troupe staging a mythological play “Samudra Manthan” and R.V. Ramani’s “Oh That’s Bhanu.” The strand also includes Goutam Ghose’s “The Wayfarers” that has its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.
The Mumbai festival’s India Gold competition features further Busan titles, Gurvinder Singh’s “Bitter Chestnut” and Kislay’s “Just Like That,” and Gitanjali Rao’s hand drawn animation festival favourite...
- 10/3/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
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