International Sales Agents are the core of the current international film market system – i.e., the buying and selling of films worldwide. Half of the approximately 450 worldwide ISAs are based in La, the rest spread around the globe, but it matters little in a business sense where they are based. They gather together during the upcoming American Film Market November 6 in Santa Monica, California, in Berlin at the European Film Market February 6, 2014, and at the Cannes Marche in May as well as other events around the world to license rights to their films to distributors coming from every corner of the world. Their films also originate from every corner of the world.
Shoreline has been selling to the international film market since 1992. Morris Ruskin sat down last week for a chat with me here in La. I sum up our discussion as follows, after I add that Morris’ friendship and professionalism (and good taste!), is in general one of the principal reasons we like this film business. When we travel, which is frequent, it is people like Morris who light up the distant locations for us and, while both of us are L.A. based, we often only see each other throughout the year at various film business related events in remote places such as Cannes, Berlin, Bahamas., etc.
Morris Ruskin was born in South Africa to anti-Apartheid parents. He left there, along with parents and three older sisters, at age 9, to move to Boston where his Dad went to Harvard Business School. Then they moved to Bermuda for 3 years. When Morris was 15 his mother attended graduate school at UCLA School of Theater. There he met Athol Fugard, the South African playwright about whom his mother did her dissertation.
Many years later, Morris Executive Produced Master Harold & the Boys and dedicated the movie to his mother. He fell in love with L.A. and the movies in high school in L.A. His best friend lured him into filmmaking through Super 8 films which they recreated --movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Blues Brothers. Attending UCLA he wrote screenplays, some of which were optioned and he became an intern at MTV, an experience he considered at that time to be “the new frontier” of entertainment.
He soon became employed at Zupnik Entertainment Enterprises, staying for 6 years. He began as a script reader, then moved up to become the Director of Development and finally became a Vice President. His high water mark there was as a Co-Producer for the high profile very successful film, Glengarry Glen Ross.
He began Shoreline in 1992 on his own with a financial partner. It started as a production company. He then had operating money to run the company but No income. Projects were set up at New Line, Warner Brothers and various sales companies but they all got stuck in development. He figured out that there were two viable ways to make money in the business – selling movies worldwide and managing talent. Because he worked very closely with the sales company, New Line, on Glengarry Glen Ross, he decided to start a sales company. In 1995 he hired sales people to sell films and within six months he had three films in play. Morris says this meant “we were off to the races”. He then began to pick up / or acquire other films to sell.
He continues to branch out. In 2012 he formed a management company for directors, writers and writer / directors.
When we spoke he was intensely proud of a new film he served as Executive Producer on, Pablo, which was opening the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival this past October. This is a Spanish language feature documentary about graphic artist, trailer and title maker, Pablo Ferro, narrated by Jeff Bridges. Pablo was Kubrick’s title designer. Born in Cuba, he migrated as a teen to New York and had, as Morris expresses it, “a rags to riches and back to rags life”. The documentary is a representation for how difficult it can be to make it as an artist in the business. Perhaps it resonates with Morris as he has been able to successfully balance the art of filmmaking with the business side of selling movies.
For Morris Shoreline is a “purposely eclectic” company. His team acquires and sells feature narrative films and documentaries. They pick up “foreign language” (meaning – non English language) films and art house indies. On the commercial side they sell “genre” pictures, thrillers, horror.
Now that sales are successful, Morris now focuses his daily work on management, production, financing. He has produced approximately fifty films. Two of those films were directed by his high school friend who introduced him to filmmaking through Super 8 movies! Shoreline tends to be very loyal to the filmmakers it works with. If it picks up someone’s finished film, often Morris works with that filmmaker to produce the next film and perhaps even to manage him or her. As a producer Morris has had many award winning films and multiple films in Sundance and at The Toronto International Film Festival.
He has started a film financing company called Watermark. His partners here are the Swiss / London based Blue Pencil Investments. They will raise equity money for films, will give MGs (aka minimum guarantees) and sales advances. They will take all rights to world markets and license them to distributors through Shoreline.
A film he used to outline his way of working was the 2005 Sundance hit Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, a romantic film about a couple meeting in a charm school, starring Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman and a cameo from Danny DeVito. These elements gave it heat for sales – Sundance, good cast, mini majors involved and CAA. Lots of CAA talent were cast in film. CAA was also brought in to sell U.S. rights post and during Sundance. Goldwyn acquired the film for U.S. distribution. For this deal CAA was proof (to the market) that the film had “the best elements”.
Another successful film out of Sundance in 2007 was The Signal which had a Usd $50,000 budget and made over $3 million Usd from the U.S. alone.
Shoreline acquires and sells lots of Spanish language films now. Some recent titles are Rabbit Woman, The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas and 7 Boxes which has been to as many as seventy five film festivals.
Morris’ main philosophy for Shoreline films is, “get the films out in the biggest way possible”. Often these days this means going firstly to festivals as there is often no theatrical release. Festivals can lead to or even replace theatrical. Festivals spread the word, help marketing, get films seen and reviewed, and can even mean income when a festival will pay a screening fee.
Some recent titles he is proud of include A Perfect Man with Liev Schreiber which will be released theatrically in North America by IFC on November 1st, A Farewell To Fools with Harvey Keitel and Gerard Depardieu which will be released theatrically in North America by Monterey Media in the Spring. (About Liev Schreiber Morris says “a good name really helps” and he says that sometimes the films with known cast sell best). Also The Geography Club, which premiered at OutFest and will be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass on November 15th, the aforementioned 7 Boxes which will also be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass in February, and Baal Shem Tov, a Jewish film in clay animation which Morris says is a very rare film medium and because it belongs in a niche which has attracted much attention.
+++++++++++++
Shoreline’s website says the following about Morris’ work and career.
During the course of producing more than fifty films, Morris has structured deals that incorporate deferments, soft money and international co-productions in order to create financially-viable motion pictures. These productions focus on bankable genre content and star-driven projects that can secure success in a sometimes-uneven marketplace.
Notable amongst such productions are the modern classic Glengarry Glen Ross (Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin) which led to an Academy Award Nomination for Al Pacino; The Man from Elysian Fields (Andy Garcia, Mick Jagger, Angelica Huston); The Visit (nominated for four Spirit Awards) and Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (John Goodman, Marisa Tomei, Octavia Spencer, Robert Carlyle, Danny DeVito).
Morris is no stranger to the festival circuit having films in the most distinguished festivals worldwide such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Sundance, where The Signal was sold in a multi million dollar bidding war hours after the world premiere.
Morris’s productions have spanned a variety of genres and locations, from a stereoscopic RealD 3D-animated film based on a comic book being released by Anchor Bay (The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse) to a wartime dark comedy starring Harvey Keitel and Gérard Depardieu (A Farewell to Fools). A documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges (Pablo), a co-production shot on location in China ( Wushu Warrior) a comedy that was the opening night gala film at Slamdance (Weirdsville), an action thriller shot in India starring Harvey Keitel (Beeper), a heist crime caper starring
Timothy Olyphant that premiered in The Berlin International Film Festival (High Life) and a South African feature dedicated to Morris’s mother (Master Harold And the Boys).
By consistently developing and acquiring projects that are attractive to domestic and foreign markets alike, Morris has ensured for over twenty years that Shoreline remains a stable yet versatile and ever-evolving organization.
+++++++++++
The website describes Shoreline like this:
Established by Morris Ruskin in 1992, Shoreline Entertainment's Worldwide Sales, Production, and Management divisions comprise one of the longest-running and most-respected film companies in the industry.
Shoreline presents itself via its quality participation at more than 15 major media markets and festivals a year and positions itself to nourish continuous relationships with broadcasters, distributors and festival programmers.
Shoreline has represented numerous award-winning films that have premiered at high profile Festivals such as Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca, Rotterdam and San Sebastian, as well as films nominated for Spirit Awards and Golden Globes.
Such films include: The Man From Elysian Fields, 7 Boxes, Father’s Chair, Un Mundo Secreto, Freaky Deaky, Zona Sur, Undertow, Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School, Weirdsville, High Life, The Signal, and The Maid.
Shoreline’s advertising presence includes a long-standing deal with the Hollywood Reporter for its back cover on the dailies during the Toronto International Film Festival, American Film Market, European Film Market (Berlinale), and Marche Du Film (Cannes).Moreover, Shoreline’s marketing efforts include sponsorship of the Buyers Lounge during the American Film Market. With more than 20 years of experience, Shoreline’s momentum is greater than ever.
++++++++++++
Lastly, some useful links to various that Shoreline supplied to us –
Here is a link to our website:
www.slefilms.com
Here is a link to an article Screen did on Watermark – which is the company we set up with Blue Pencil Investments to finance films -
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/Pdfs/screendaily-bluepencil.pdf
The number of festivals 7 Boxes has played in to date is 75. It will be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass in February. It all started for 7 Boxes in San Sebastian. This year we had Rabbit Woman there, so we hope for the same success. Tom Davia is our director of festivals and alternative theatrical.
Here is a link to all the markets we attend:
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/markets.html
Here is a link to the YouTube Baby Panda Sneezing that went viral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAcdvmnZ_GM
From this they made a family adventure film which we picked up. Here is a link to the film on our website:
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/SneezingBabyPanda.html
We’ve had success with family films and this is a title that is attracting a lot of interest from buyers.
Other hot Afm titles include:
A Perfect Man with Liev Schreiber who has heat from his new show Donavan.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/PerfectMan.html
A Farewell to Fools which stars Gerard Depardieu and Harvey Keitel
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/Ipu.html
The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse which was bought by Anchor Bay for North America, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/Corpse.html
Sir Billi which is a family animated film with the voice of Sean Connery.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/SirBilli.html
Freaky Deaky which is based on the novel by Elmore Leonard and stars Billy Burke, Christian Slater, Michael Jai White and Crispin Glover.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/FreakyDeaky.html
The Geography Club which won the Audience Award at Outfest and will be released theatrically by Breaking Glass in November.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/GeographyClub.html
Hidden Moon which stars Wes Bentley
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/HiddenMoon.html
was nominated for Eight prestigious Silver Goddess Awards, given by the
Mexican Film Press and Critics / Pecime on their 42nd. edition in 2013. The Silver Goddess Award is the most prestigious film award in Mexico.
1) Best Film of the year: Producers Antonio Ruiz, Ray Diaz Gonzalez, Rodrigo Lobo & Pepe
Bojórquez.
2) Best Director: Pepe Bojórquez
3) Best Screenplay: Pepe Bojórquez / David Howard
4) Best Actress: Ana Serradilla Winner
5) Best Supporting Actress: Alejandra Ambrosi
6) Best Actor "Best upcoming Lead Actor": Osvaldo de León
7) Best Female Actress in a feature role: Angélica María
8) Best Original Song: Hidden Moon. Performed by Il Volo. Music by Luis Bacalov. Spanish Lyrics by
Edgar Cortázar / Tony Renis / Humberto Gatica / Massimo Guantini. Produced by Humberto Gatica /
Tony Renis / David Franco. Winner...
Shoreline has been selling to the international film market since 1992. Morris Ruskin sat down last week for a chat with me here in La. I sum up our discussion as follows, after I add that Morris’ friendship and professionalism (and good taste!), is in general one of the principal reasons we like this film business. When we travel, which is frequent, it is people like Morris who light up the distant locations for us and, while both of us are L.A. based, we often only see each other throughout the year at various film business related events in remote places such as Cannes, Berlin, Bahamas., etc.
Morris Ruskin was born in South Africa to anti-Apartheid parents. He left there, along with parents and three older sisters, at age 9, to move to Boston where his Dad went to Harvard Business School. Then they moved to Bermuda for 3 years. When Morris was 15 his mother attended graduate school at UCLA School of Theater. There he met Athol Fugard, the South African playwright about whom his mother did her dissertation.
Many years later, Morris Executive Produced Master Harold & the Boys and dedicated the movie to his mother. He fell in love with L.A. and the movies in high school in L.A. His best friend lured him into filmmaking through Super 8 films which they recreated --movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Blues Brothers. Attending UCLA he wrote screenplays, some of which were optioned and he became an intern at MTV, an experience he considered at that time to be “the new frontier” of entertainment.
He soon became employed at Zupnik Entertainment Enterprises, staying for 6 years. He began as a script reader, then moved up to become the Director of Development and finally became a Vice President. His high water mark there was as a Co-Producer for the high profile very successful film, Glengarry Glen Ross.
He began Shoreline in 1992 on his own with a financial partner. It started as a production company. He then had operating money to run the company but No income. Projects were set up at New Line, Warner Brothers and various sales companies but they all got stuck in development. He figured out that there were two viable ways to make money in the business – selling movies worldwide and managing talent. Because he worked very closely with the sales company, New Line, on Glengarry Glen Ross, he decided to start a sales company. In 1995 he hired sales people to sell films and within six months he had three films in play. Morris says this meant “we were off to the races”. He then began to pick up / or acquire other films to sell.
He continues to branch out. In 2012 he formed a management company for directors, writers and writer / directors.
When we spoke he was intensely proud of a new film he served as Executive Producer on, Pablo, which was opening the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival this past October. This is a Spanish language feature documentary about graphic artist, trailer and title maker, Pablo Ferro, narrated by Jeff Bridges. Pablo was Kubrick’s title designer. Born in Cuba, he migrated as a teen to New York and had, as Morris expresses it, “a rags to riches and back to rags life”. The documentary is a representation for how difficult it can be to make it as an artist in the business. Perhaps it resonates with Morris as he has been able to successfully balance the art of filmmaking with the business side of selling movies.
For Morris Shoreline is a “purposely eclectic” company. His team acquires and sells feature narrative films and documentaries. They pick up “foreign language” (meaning – non English language) films and art house indies. On the commercial side they sell “genre” pictures, thrillers, horror.
Now that sales are successful, Morris now focuses his daily work on management, production, financing. He has produced approximately fifty films. Two of those films were directed by his high school friend who introduced him to filmmaking through Super 8 movies! Shoreline tends to be very loyal to the filmmakers it works with. If it picks up someone’s finished film, often Morris works with that filmmaker to produce the next film and perhaps even to manage him or her. As a producer Morris has had many award winning films and multiple films in Sundance and at The Toronto International Film Festival.
He has started a film financing company called Watermark. His partners here are the Swiss / London based Blue Pencil Investments. They will raise equity money for films, will give MGs (aka minimum guarantees) and sales advances. They will take all rights to world markets and license them to distributors through Shoreline.
A film he used to outline his way of working was the 2005 Sundance hit Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School, a romantic film about a couple meeting in a charm school, starring Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman and a cameo from Danny DeVito. These elements gave it heat for sales – Sundance, good cast, mini majors involved and CAA. Lots of CAA talent were cast in film. CAA was also brought in to sell U.S. rights post and during Sundance. Goldwyn acquired the film for U.S. distribution. For this deal CAA was proof (to the market) that the film had “the best elements”.
Another successful film out of Sundance in 2007 was The Signal which had a Usd $50,000 budget and made over $3 million Usd from the U.S. alone.
Shoreline acquires and sells lots of Spanish language films now. Some recent titles are Rabbit Woman, The Precocious and Brief Life of Sabina Rivas and 7 Boxes which has been to as many as seventy five film festivals.
Morris’ main philosophy for Shoreline films is, “get the films out in the biggest way possible”. Often these days this means going firstly to festivals as there is often no theatrical release. Festivals can lead to or even replace theatrical. Festivals spread the word, help marketing, get films seen and reviewed, and can even mean income when a festival will pay a screening fee.
Some recent titles he is proud of include A Perfect Man with Liev Schreiber which will be released theatrically in North America by IFC on November 1st, A Farewell To Fools with Harvey Keitel and Gerard Depardieu which will be released theatrically in North America by Monterey Media in the Spring. (About Liev Schreiber Morris says “a good name really helps” and he says that sometimes the films with known cast sell best). Also The Geography Club, which premiered at OutFest and will be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass on November 15th, the aforementioned 7 Boxes which will also be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass in February, and Baal Shem Tov, a Jewish film in clay animation which Morris says is a very rare film medium and because it belongs in a niche which has attracted much attention.
+++++++++++++
Shoreline’s website says the following about Morris’ work and career.
During the course of producing more than fifty films, Morris has structured deals that incorporate deferments, soft money and international co-productions in order to create financially-viable motion pictures. These productions focus on bankable genre content and star-driven projects that can secure success in a sometimes-uneven marketplace.
Notable amongst such productions are the modern classic Glengarry Glen Ross (Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alan Arkin) which led to an Academy Award Nomination for Al Pacino; The Man from Elysian Fields (Andy Garcia, Mick Jagger, Angelica Huston); The Visit (nominated for four Spirit Awards) and Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (John Goodman, Marisa Tomei, Octavia Spencer, Robert Carlyle, Danny DeVito).
Morris is no stranger to the festival circuit having films in the most distinguished festivals worldwide such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Sundance, where The Signal was sold in a multi million dollar bidding war hours after the world premiere.
Morris’s productions have spanned a variety of genres and locations, from a stereoscopic RealD 3D-animated film based on a comic book being released by Anchor Bay (The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse) to a wartime dark comedy starring Harvey Keitel and Gérard Depardieu (A Farewell to Fools). A documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges (Pablo), a co-production shot on location in China ( Wushu Warrior) a comedy that was the opening night gala film at Slamdance (Weirdsville), an action thriller shot in India starring Harvey Keitel (Beeper), a heist crime caper starring
Timothy Olyphant that premiered in The Berlin International Film Festival (High Life) and a South African feature dedicated to Morris’s mother (Master Harold And the Boys).
By consistently developing and acquiring projects that are attractive to domestic and foreign markets alike, Morris has ensured for over twenty years that Shoreline remains a stable yet versatile and ever-evolving organization.
+++++++++++
The website describes Shoreline like this:
Established by Morris Ruskin in 1992, Shoreline Entertainment's Worldwide Sales, Production, and Management divisions comprise one of the longest-running and most-respected film companies in the industry.
Shoreline presents itself via its quality participation at more than 15 major media markets and festivals a year and positions itself to nourish continuous relationships with broadcasters, distributors and festival programmers.
Shoreline has represented numerous award-winning films that have premiered at high profile Festivals such as Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca, Rotterdam and San Sebastian, as well as films nominated for Spirit Awards and Golden Globes.
Such films include: The Man From Elysian Fields, 7 Boxes, Father’s Chair, Un Mundo Secreto, Freaky Deaky, Zona Sur, Undertow, Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School, Weirdsville, High Life, The Signal, and The Maid.
Shoreline’s advertising presence includes a long-standing deal with the Hollywood Reporter for its back cover on the dailies during the Toronto International Film Festival, American Film Market, European Film Market (Berlinale), and Marche Du Film (Cannes).Moreover, Shoreline’s marketing efforts include sponsorship of the Buyers Lounge during the American Film Market. With more than 20 years of experience, Shoreline’s momentum is greater than ever.
++++++++++++
Lastly, some useful links to various that Shoreline supplied to us –
Here is a link to our website:
www.slefilms.com
Here is a link to an article Screen did on Watermark – which is the company we set up with Blue Pencil Investments to finance films -
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/Pdfs/screendaily-bluepencil.pdf
The number of festivals 7 Boxes has played in to date is 75. It will be released theatrically in North America by Breaking Glass in February. It all started for 7 Boxes in San Sebastian. This year we had Rabbit Woman there, so we hope for the same success. Tom Davia is our director of festivals and alternative theatrical.
Here is a link to all the markets we attend:
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/markets.html
Here is a link to the YouTube Baby Panda Sneezing that went viral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAcdvmnZ_GM
From this they made a family adventure film which we picked up. Here is a link to the film on our website:
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/SneezingBabyPanda.html
We’ve had success with family films and this is a title that is attracting a lot of interest from buyers.
Other hot Afm titles include:
A Perfect Man with Liev Schreiber who has heat from his new show Donavan.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/PerfectMan.html
A Farewell to Fools which stars Gerard Depardieu and Harvey Keitel
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/Ipu.html
The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse which was bought by Anchor Bay for North America, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/Corpse.html
Sir Billi which is a family animated film with the voice of Sean Connery.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/SirBilli.html
Freaky Deaky which is based on the novel by Elmore Leonard and stars Billy Burke, Christian Slater, Michael Jai White and Crispin Glover.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/FreakyDeaky.html
The Geography Club which won the Audience Award at Outfest and will be released theatrically by Breaking Glass in November.
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/GeographyClub.html
Hidden Moon which stars Wes Bentley
http://www.shorelineentertainment.com/movies/HiddenMoon.html
was nominated for Eight prestigious Silver Goddess Awards, given by the
Mexican Film Press and Critics / Pecime on their 42nd. edition in 2013. The Silver Goddess Award is the most prestigious film award in Mexico.
1) Best Film of the year: Producers Antonio Ruiz, Ray Diaz Gonzalez, Rodrigo Lobo & Pepe
Bojórquez.
2) Best Director: Pepe Bojórquez
3) Best Screenplay: Pepe Bojórquez / David Howard
4) Best Actress: Ana Serradilla Winner
5) Best Supporting Actress: Alejandra Ambrosi
6) Best Actor "Best upcoming Lead Actor": Osvaldo de León
7) Best Female Actress in a feature role: Angélica María
8) Best Original Song: Hidden Moon. Performed by Il Volo. Music by Luis Bacalov. Spanish Lyrics by
Edgar Cortázar / Tony Renis / Humberto Gatica / Massimo Guantini. Produced by Humberto Gatica /
Tony Renis / David Franco. Winner...
- 11/5/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
14th Mumbai Film Festival (Mff) announced its complete lineup today in a press conference. Mff will be held from October 18th to 25th at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Ncpa) and Inox, Nariman Point, Liberty Cinemas, Marine Lines as the main festival venues and Cinemax, Andheri and Cinemax Sion as the satellite venues. Click here to watch trailers and highlights from the festival.
Here is the complete list of films to be screened during the festival (October 18-25)
International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
1. From Tuesday To Tuesday (De Martes A Martes)
Dir.: Gustavo Fernandez Triviño (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 111′)
2. The Last Elvis (El Último Elvis)
Dir.: Armando Bo (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 91′)
3. The Sapphires
Dir.: Wayne Blair (Australia / 2012 / Col. / 103′)
4. The Wall (Die Wand)
Dir.: Julian Pölsler (Austria-Germany / 2012 / Col. / 108′)
5. Teddy Bear (10 timer til Paradis)
Dir.: Mads Matthiesen (Denmark / 2012 / Col. / 93′)
6. Augustine
Dir.: Alice Winccour (France / 2012 / Col.
Here is the complete list of films to be screened during the festival (October 18-25)
International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors
1. From Tuesday To Tuesday (De Martes A Martes)
Dir.: Gustavo Fernandez Triviño (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 111′)
2. The Last Elvis (El Último Elvis)
Dir.: Armando Bo (Argentina / 2012 / Col. / 91′)
3. The Sapphires
Dir.: Wayne Blair (Australia / 2012 / Col. / 103′)
4. The Wall (Die Wand)
Dir.: Julian Pölsler (Austria-Germany / 2012 / Col. / 108′)
5. Teddy Bear (10 timer til Paradis)
Dir.: Mads Matthiesen (Denmark / 2012 / Col. / 93′)
6. Augustine
Dir.: Alice Winccour (France / 2012 / Col.
- 9/24/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
I am happy to announce a great addition to SydneysBuzz. Juan Caceres will be writing about his discoveries and thoughts on the Latino Film Circuit. Juan is an independent film producer whose latest credit is Elliot Loves, a feature film that will reach the festival circuit in 2012 and was funded entirely independently. He has also written and directed the award winning short film Hero The Great and is currently adapting a young adult novel into a screenplay that he hopes will be his feature directing debut. Juan's greatest pride is being a founding member and Director of Programming for the HBO New York International Latino International Film Festival. He is also a programming associate for Tribeca All Access, an initiative of the Tribeca Film Festival that aids and supports undeserved minorities in the film industry. He has recently started subjecting his filmmaker friends to his craziness in his blog, 'the science of fresh'. Juan currently lives in an Empire State of Mind.
Being part of the cognoscenti of festivals, his opinion of the inaugural Riviera Maya Film Festival in Mexico is particularly well-informed. So read on!
The Riviera Maya Film Festival concluded its inaugural year on Sunday March 25th after 5 days of screening over 60 films of which half were Mexican premieres. Given that it's in its first year, that is impressive and no easy feat. The ideals of Rmff is to consolidate a connection between the love of cinema, the environment and support for local tourism. The festival solidified that commitment by paying tribute to actress Susan Sarandon, a frequent visitor to the area, with an award for her commitment to global, political and environmental issues.
The programming at Rmff, not without a few missteps, was highly respectable and even exciting. In some ways it made a statement that this is its own film festival and that it is determined to make a mark on the Mexican and international cinema landscape. A festival is always only as good as its film selection and the core reason for the success of Rmff was bringing in Michel Lipkes, who used to program the influential festival Ficco in Mexico City.
Undeterred by being on the heels of Guadalajara International Film Festival (a decision I'm curious about), Rmff boasted a roster of award winning films from across the globe, including a bitter sweet screening of This Is Not A Film (Isa: Wide) by Jafar Panahi and a treat of Wim Wenders' Pina (Isa: HanWay).
The Mexican showcase here was incredibly strong and I found Lipkes' reputation carried such weight that several filmmakers told me that their decision to participate in a first year film festival was solely because of programming team. This included Gabriel Mariño, director of the subtle yet affecting Un Mundo Secreto (Isa: Shoreline), who said that after playing festivals worldwide he never hesitated the offer to screen at Rmff, "As soon as I knew who the programmers were, there was no question I wanted to be a part of the festival" says Mariño. This is factor that will be key to Rmff's future: having a team which is headed by festival director Paula Chaurand and which filmmakers acknowledge and respect. Filmmakers want to know that their 'baby' is in the right hands.
I found the selection eclectic enough to warrant attention in future editions from filmmakers and industry alike -- if it irons out a few kinks. In all fairness, festivals in their first few years are always going to have kinks and quirks, no question about that.
One of the most exciting initiatives presented at Rmff was the RivieraLab, a co-production market and works-in-progress showcase. It screened projects from established, burgeoning and underserved film markets and generated excitement among those in attendance. Look forward to Reimon by Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina/Colombia), Nueva Espana by Raya Martin (Phillipines) & Tormentero by Ruben Imaz (Mexico) to make an impression on the festival circuit in the near future. The RivieraLab is a bold program to take on for most festivals and Rmff was committed enough to connect all the dots and make it a success and something that will eventually draw the eyes of the industry as a trusted place to discover exciting talent.
One thing that I was trying to put my finger on at Rmff was, who is the audience for this festival. By and large it was attended by young locals, an under 40 crowd, which in part was by design making the festival 'inclusive' and not another festival that takes up residence in an unsuspecting town like say, Park City, and turning it into something locals will resent. It's a beautiful gesture that must be connected with industry and cinephiles equally in attendance. At some of the galas I found very few people still left watching the film as the credits rolled which left for an awkward moment for the filmmakers, festival directors and any hope for a post screening Q&A. Fault did not rest on the quality of the film in any case but rather with an audience that perhaps is not used to film festival etiquette - if there is such a thing - and instead were anxious to experience the after party. I can't complain about the beautiful idyllic beach surroundings of the screenings but I'm sure it didn't help. You are planting people in paradise and asking them for two hours of pure focus. Again, not a personal complaint, just an observation.
Important attention will have to be given in identifying who exactly is the festival audience as it seeks to further the benefits to the filmmakers in attendance.
Location wise, Rmff was spread over several towns covering approximate 80 miles which, as far as press goes, can be a logistical problem. It is not ideal when one film alone can consume a large amount of time just in travelling to get to it. This may be another area of Rmff to reconsider: How to consolidate in order to maximize press and audience attendance.
I was incredibly impressed with Rmff as an organization. They were efficient in getting people from location to location and screenings started on time for the most part. The staff was cordial and attentive to attendees, press and filmmakers even if they weren't considered "V.I.P". Judging by all who participated from the “V.I.Ps” down to the volunteers, I left with the feeling that this festival is a film lover’s festival. I'm convinced Rmff will find its own voice and separate itself from any comparisons and be competive with any other festival in Mexico because it has the talent and passion to do so. I think we will be hearing Rmff make even more noise next year. Rmff gave us some of the best Mexico has to offer - Wonderful cinema and wonderful people.
Being part of the cognoscenti of festivals, his opinion of the inaugural Riviera Maya Film Festival in Mexico is particularly well-informed. So read on!
The Riviera Maya Film Festival concluded its inaugural year on Sunday March 25th after 5 days of screening over 60 films of which half were Mexican premieres. Given that it's in its first year, that is impressive and no easy feat. The ideals of Rmff is to consolidate a connection between the love of cinema, the environment and support for local tourism. The festival solidified that commitment by paying tribute to actress Susan Sarandon, a frequent visitor to the area, with an award for her commitment to global, political and environmental issues.
The programming at Rmff, not without a few missteps, was highly respectable and even exciting. In some ways it made a statement that this is its own film festival and that it is determined to make a mark on the Mexican and international cinema landscape. A festival is always only as good as its film selection and the core reason for the success of Rmff was bringing in Michel Lipkes, who used to program the influential festival Ficco in Mexico City.
Undeterred by being on the heels of Guadalajara International Film Festival (a decision I'm curious about), Rmff boasted a roster of award winning films from across the globe, including a bitter sweet screening of This Is Not A Film (Isa: Wide) by Jafar Panahi and a treat of Wim Wenders' Pina (Isa: HanWay).
The Mexican showcase here was incredibly strong and I found Lipkes' reputation carried such weight that several filmmakers told me that their decision to participate in a first year film festival was solely because of programming team. This included Gabriel Mariño, director of the subtle yet affecting Un Mundo Secreto (Isa: Shoreline), who said that after playing festivals worldwide he never hesitated the offer to screen at Rmff, "As soon as I knew who the programmers were, there was no question I wanted to be a part of the festival" says Mariño. This is factor that will be key to Rmff's future: having a team which is headed by festival director Paula Chaurand and which filmmakers acknowledge and respect. Filmmakers want to know that their 'baby' is in the right hands.
I found the selection eclectic enough to warrant attention in future editions from filmmakers and industry alike -- if it irons out a few kinks. In all fairness, festivals in their first few years are always going to have kinks and quirks, no question about that.
One of the most exciting initiatives presented at Rmff was the RivieraLab, a co-production market and works-in-progress showcase. It screened projects from established, burgeoning and underserved film markets and generated excitement among those in attendance. Look forward to Reimon by Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina/Colombia), Nueva Espana by Raya Martin (Phillipines) & Tormentero by Ruben Imaz (Mexico) to make an impression on the festival circuit in the near future. The RivieraLab is a bold program to take on for most festivals and Rmff was committed enough to connect all the dots and make it a success and something that will eventually draw the eyes of the industry as a trusted place to discover exciting talent.
One thing that I was trying to put my finger on at Rmff was, who is the audience for this festival. By and large it was attended by young locals, an under 40 crowd, which in part was by design making the festival 'inclusive' and not another festival that takes up residence in an unsuspecting town like say, Park City, and turning it into something locals will resent. It's a beautiful gesture that must be connected with industry and cinephiles equally in attendance. At some of the galas I found very few people still left watching the film as the credits rolled which left for an awkward moment for the filmmakers, festival directors and any hope for a post screening Q&A. Fault did not rest on the quality of the film in any case but rather with an audience that perhaps is not used to film festival etiquette - if there is such a thing - and instead were anxious to experience the after party. I can't complain about the beautiful idyllic beach surroundings of the screenings but I'm sure it didn't help. You are planting people in paradise and asking them for two hours of pure focus. Again, not a personal complaint, just an observation.
Important attention will have to be given in identifying who exactly is the festival audience as it seeks to further the benefits to the filmmakers in attendance.
Location wise, Rmff was spread over several towns covering approximate 80 miles which, as far as press goes, can be a logistical problem. It is not ideal when one film alone can consume a large amount of time just in travelling to get to it. This may be another area of Rmff to reconsider: How to consolidate in order to maximize press and audience attendance.
I was incredibly impressed with Rmff as an organization. They were efficient in getting people from location to location and screenings started on time for the most part. The staff was cordial and attentive to attendees, press and filmmakers even if they weren't considered "V.I.P". Judging by all who participated from the “V.I.Ps” down to the volunteers, I left with the feeling that this festival is a film lover’s festival. I'm convinced Rmff will find its own voice and separate itself from any comparisons and be competive with any other festival in Mexico because it has the talent and passion to do so. I think we will be hearing Rmff make even more noise next year. Rmff gave us some of the best Mexico has to offer - Wonderful cinema and wonderful people.
- 4/5/2012
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Comes a Bright Day
"With another twelve world premieres and three international premieres, Generation’s feature-length film program is now complete," the Berlinale's announced today. "A total of 58 short and full-length films from 32 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions." Straight from the release, then, with descriptions from the festival:
Generation 14plus
Comes a Bright Day (Great Britain, by Simon Aboud) – Against the backdrop of an armed robbery at a London jewellers, much more is at stake than money. Where diamonds are involved, love is not far. Cast: Craig Roberts, Imogen Poots, Kevin McKidd, Timothy Spall and others. World Premiere. Site.
Lal Gece (Night of Silence, Turkey, by Reis Çelik) – When the groom lifts the bride’s veil, he is looking into the face of a 14-year-old girl. As tradition has it, a night in the bridal chamber seals the marriage. Cast: Ilyas Salman, Dilan Aksüt and others.
"With another twelve world premieres and three international premieres, Generation’s feature-length film program is now complete," the Berlinale's announced today. "A total of 58 short and full-length films from 32 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions." Straight from the release, then, with descriptions from the festival:
Generation 14plus
Comes a Bright Day (Great Britain, by Simon Aboud) – Against the backdrop of an armed robbery at a London jewellers, much more is at stake than money. Where diamonds are involved, love is not far. Cast: Craig Roberts, Imogen Poots, Kevin McKidd, Timothy Spall and others. World Premiere. Site.
Lal Gece (Night of Silence, Turkey, by Reis Çelik) – When the groom lifts the bride’s veil, he is looking into the face of a 14-year-old girl. As tradition has it, a night in the bridal chamber seals the marriage. Cast: Ilyas Salman, Dilan Aksüt and others.
- 1/12/2012
- MUBI
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