Inexcusably self-indulgent. Tarantino gratifies his enormous self-love and his amusement at his own genius at the expense of all else. I’m “biast” (pro): loved Tarantino’s last two films…
I’m “biast” (con): …but really hate some of his films, too
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Damn. So after the marvels of Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino has swung back to the Kill Bill style of filmmaking, which I described in my review of Basterds as a cinematic “circle jerk in which he and his fans get off on one another and how clever they all are to be such rapacious film geeks.” With the inexcusably self-indulgent The Hateful Eight, Tarantino has returned to the gratification of his enormous self-love and his amusement at his own genius at the expense of all else.
There are no characters to like in Eight.
I’m “biast” (con): …but really hate some of his films, too
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Damn. So after the marvels of Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino has swung back to the Kill Bill style of filmmaking, which I described in my review of Basterds as a cinematic “circle jerk in which he and his fans get off on one another and how clever they all are to be such rapacious film geeks.” With the inexcusably self-indulgent The Hateful Eight, Tarantino has returned to the gratification of his enormous self-love and his amusement at his own genius at the expense of all else.
There are no characters to like in Eight.
- 1/11/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/5/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
I have watched Jennifer for years as she and I participate at the Sundance World Cinema networking event, speaking to international filmmakers whose films are showing at the festival. But it is only now that I have actually heard about all she does:
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
So what is it you do?
As a manager of writers and directors for over 16 years at Untitled Entertainment (a company I helped launch), I have always been particularly interested in working with voices from around the globe and am drawn to strong, distinctive storytellers with unique points of view. I also act as a producer on a selective basis.
How do you select clients?
My roster of clients really reflects both my personal taste in storytelling and in people; coupled with my instincts about what I think the marketplace will respond to. By that I don’t mean selling a certain genre of content that I think the market will buy (though it is great when that happens), but rather introducing producers, executives, other artists and financiers to writers and/or directors with material that is fearless, exceptionally well executed and provokes an authentic emotional reaction – whatever the genre.
Do you consider yourself a “Hollywood” manager?
I have found that some of the most interesting film and television projects have emerged from the intersection of storytellers from both inside and outside the Hollywood system. I had the unforgettable experience earlier this year of seeing a team of Argentine filmmakers (Armando Bo and Nicolas Giacobone) I signed off of a Spanish language film at Sundance a few years ago, win the Academy Award for best original screenplay as the co-writers of “Birdman." That was a journey I would not have predicted three years ago and yet it is a fantastic recognition that if you bring strong, distinctive storytelling into the world, there will be an audience to appreciate it.
What do you have to do with the film currently hitting the theaters, “Black Souls”?
One of my most recent client signs is a stunningly talented Italian filmmaker named Francesco Munzi whose film “Black Souls” (his third feature) premiered at the most recent Venice and Toronto film festivals. It has always been a personal interest of mine to find an Italian filmmaker to represent as I lived in Italy for a few years and have always been drawn to the culture and speak the language. I was really captivated by the sophistication and gritty realism of Francesco’s filmmaking in “Black Souls." From both a level of craft and storytelling, as well as the intensity of the performances he captured, I felt strongly that he has the ability to speak to an international audience and wanted to help him transition into English language films.
Read More: 'Black Souls' is a Sobering and Sharply Executed Twist on the Mob Genre
Fortunately Vitagraph picked up “Black Souls” for a U.S. theatrical release and it just started rolling out across the country in April. The reviews so far have been pretty stellar. I am excited to help introduce the entertainment industry to him and his work so we can find the right English-language debut project for him.
How do you define your role in the business?
My role is not limited to representing only film and television writers and directors. I work in every and any medium that my clients want to explore (theater, books, digital content, graphic novels, video games, etc) which is part of the fun of being a manager. It also means I am constantly learning something new, which is partly why I am still challenged by my job so many years into it. For example, taking playwrights and helping them transition into successful film and television writers (two of my clients who started in the theater and continue to work actively in the theater, are seeing great success in every medium right now including current Blacklist scribe David Bar Katz who is writing films for Universal, Fox and Warner Bros and past Blacklist scribe Bess Wohl who has a network pilot in post-production for ABC and features in development for Paramount and Disney).
I am also still excited to discover someone at the very beginning of their career and have recently helped launch a young filmmaker named Steven Caple Jr. who just came out of USC film school last year with some award winning short films. I was introduced to the script for his debut feature along with a teaser he shot for it and knew that he had something to say and the vision and drive to make it happen. A year after first meeting him, we are about to head into pre-production on that feature. I also believe strongly in working with women filmmakers and am fortunate enough to work with exceptional artists like U.K. director Sophie Muller who is an internationally acclaimed music video director and award winning Canadian Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”, “October Gale”) who has made four features (a feat for any young filmmaker).
How did you become a manager?
I fell into management almost by accident but it turned out to be a great match for me, allowing me to evolve creatively and professionally in this changing marketplace. It is a role which requires that I utilize skills from almost every job I have ever had (from being a summer camp counselor in high school, to working in finance in NYC, film acquisitions in Italy and studio development and production experience in Hollywood) and I treasure the feeling of true partnership I go into with the artists I represent.
The flexibility and entrepreneurial nature of my role as a manager has also presented exciting producing opportunities. A recent example is the film “Meadowland” which I executive produced and which just had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival – written by client Chris Rossi and starring Untitled client Olivia Wilde. I’m heading to Cannes in May with projects that I am championing both for management clients and (in a few instances) as a producer. And of course, keeping my eyes open for exciting new writers and directors.
Jennifer Levine – Bio
Jennifer Levine, Head of Production and Literary Management at Untitled Entertainment (a top Hollywood entertainment management and production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London), divides her time between representing a diverse group of writer, director, producer, and actor clients and shepherding a wide range of entertainment projects as a producer.
Prior to her position at Untitled, a company she helped start over sixteen years ago, Ms. Levine held positions in both feature film development and production, including stints at 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Kopelson Entertainment. In her various capacities, she has worked on dozens of studio and independent films.
Ms. Levine also spent three years based in Milan, Italy acquiring film and television rights for Italian distributor Compagnia Distribuzione Audiovisivi and participating in numerous international film markets and festivals. While in Italy, she also ran her own highly successful special events business and has been profiled in a wide range of Italian publications. Before moving to Italy, Jennifer started her career on Wall Street, working with international investment funds for Chase Manhattan Bank.
Ms. Levine holds an M.F.A. from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, where she was also a national finalist for the Sundance Producing Fellowship, winner of the Charles Ferguson Marketing Award, and recipient of the Ray Stark Film Grant. She has an undergraduate degree in literature from Wesleyan University and was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles.
- 5/4/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Scott Speedman grew up around Ontario’s Muskoka Lakes and Georgian Bay, a vacation getaway landscape that is part of the Canadian Shield. It holds a special place in his heart. So shooting October Gale on Lake Joseph was something special. Speedman returned home to star in October Gale, a romantic thriller about a man who breaks into a woman’s cottage at night, putting both their lives at risk. Stormy conditions outside mirror rising tensions inside as a night of depravity and violence begins. Oh, and there’s a little unexpected romance. We spoke with Speedman from New York. What was it […]...
- 3/24/2015
- by Anne Brodie
- Monsters and Critics
Patricia Clarkson is one of those indispensable character actors that is too rarely delegated to leading lady status. However, she makes the most of a meandering script in a new film she headlines, October Gale, which also reunites her with Cairo Time director Ruba Nadda.
The actress plays Helen Matthews, a recently widowed woman in her fifties returning to the Ontario cottage she used to enjoy with her husband, James (played in flashback by Callum Keith Rennie). It’s hard for Helen to let go, especially when remnants of James are everywhere: in the picture frames on the wall, in the deck of cards she shuffles tenderly, in the year-old sports section of the newspaper left by the fireplace.
Helen could use something to pre-occupy her as she lounges around the cabin, tenderly coveting the things her husband used to own, and that distraction soon comes in the form of...
The actress plays Helen Matthews, a recently widowed woman in her fifties returning to the Ontario cottage she used to enjoy with her husband, James (played in flashback by Callum Keith Rennie). It’s hard for Helen to let go, especially when remnants of James are everywhere: in the picture frames on the wall, in the deck of cards she shuffles tenderly, in the year-old sports section of the newspaper left by the fireplace.
Helen could use something to pre-occupy her as she lounges around the cabin, tenderly coveting the things her husband used to own, and that distraction soon comes in the form of...
- 3/7/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Perfect Storm: Mystery Tinged Romance from Nadda Gets Blown Away in Gusts
There’s much to admire in Montreal-born director Ruba Nadda’s latest film, October Gale, which reunites her with the Patricia Clarkson, star of her generally well-received 2009 film, Cairo Time. Nadda once again provides Clarkson with a melancholy tinged lead role that provides us with a framework that recalls classic ‘women’s pictures’ of the studio era, something we’d most likely have seen from a Cukor or Negulesco and starring the embittered likes of a Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck. Clarkson evokes a softer sentimentality than those references, which may explain why many will be dismayed when the film suddenly becomes a romance tinged mystery thriller, only one that doesn’t want to sacrifice any of these particular elements and therefore tends to seem watered down on all fronts.
A Toronto doctor still grieving over the tragic...
There’s much to admire in Montreal-born director Ruba Nadda’s latest film, October Gale, which reunites her with the Patricia Clarkson, star of her generally well-received 2009 film, Cairo Time. Nadda once again provides Clarkson with a melancholy tinged lead role that provides us with a framework that recalls classic ‘women’s pictures’ of the studio era, something we’d most likely have seen from a Cukor or Negulesco and starring the embittered likes of a Joan Crawford or Barbara Stanwyck. Clarkson evokes a softer sentimentality than those references, which may explain why many will be dismayed when the film suddenly becomes a romance tinged mystery thriller, only one that doesn’t want to sacrifice any of these particular elements and therefore tends to seem watered down on all fronts.
A Toronto doctor still grieving over the tragic...
- 3/4/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Ruba Nadda followed up her breakthrough film Cairo Time with thrillers for its two leads: Inescapable for Alexander Siddig, and now October Gale for Patricia Clarkson. Both rely on character-driven drama more than traditional action, exploring the intricacies of family relationships and the repercussions of loss. Dr. Helen Matthews (Clarkson) was accustomed to peaceful getaways with her husband, James, in the Hamptons of northern Ontario, a lake district that's long been a retreat for affluent Toronto residents. James died during an October gale on Lake Joseph, and Helen is still submerged in grief as she opens up their island cottage the following spring. Tidying the house triggers memories of James (Callum Keith Rennie), and Nadda uses these flashbacks to...
- 3/4/2015
- Village Voice
German distributor picks ip Love At First Fight (Les Combattants) [pictured], October Gale, Cabin Fever: Reboot and Viy,
Tiberius Film has acquired four films at the Efm.
The German independent distributor has picked up Thomas Cailley’s romantic comedy Love At First Fight (Les Combattants), which has just been nominated for nine César 2015 awards, and Ruba Nadda’s thriller October Gale which premiered at Toronto 2014 and stars Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman and Tim Roth.
Travis Zariwny’s Cabin Fever: Reboot, written by the writer-director of the original film Eli Roth, and Oleg Stepchenko’s Russian box office hit Viy have also been acquired by Tiberius Film.
Wolfgang Carl, managing director of Tiberius Film GmbH, commented: “The Efm is always a very good forum for us to discover exciting and promising movies. We are very excited that our acquisitions have begun so well this year. Our new films include a variety of highlights for all target groups...
Tiberius Film has acquired four films at the Efm.
The German independent distributor has picked up Thomas Cailley’s romantic comedy Love At First Fight (Les Combattants), which has just been nominated for nine César 2015 awards, and Ruba Nadda’s thriller October Gale which premiered at Toronto 2014 and stars Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman and Tim Roth.
Travis Zariwny’s Cabin Fever: Reboot, written by the writer-director of the original film Eli Roth, and Oleg Stepchenko’s Russian box office hit Viy have also been acquired by Tiberius Film.
Wolfgang Carl, managing director of Tiberius Film GmbH, commented: “The Efm is always a very good forum for us to discover exciting and promising movies. We are very excited that our acquisitions have begun so well this year. Our new films include a variety of highlights for all target groups...
- 2/6/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
First hearing about October Gale last year, with the announcement of casting, hopes were high. With writer-director Ruba Nadda (Cairo Time) at the helm, steering performances from Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson (Pieces Of April), Academy Award nominee Tim Roth (Rob Roy), and Genie Award nominee Scott Speedman (Adoration) – it had all the hallmarks of a taut thriller, with perhaps something of a twist on the tired home invasion schtick that persists in cinema. At the very least, it promised a dark drama, made by a woman, and led by a woman.
For those unfamiliar with the project, Patricia Clarkson plays Helen – a qualified doctor who is mourning her dead husband. She opts to spend some time alone at their isolated waterside cottage during a huge storm, but is disturbed when a man (Scott Speedman) washes ashore with a gunshot wound. Soon enough, his would-be assassins follow – led by Tim Roth.
For those unfamiliar with the project, Patricia Clarkson plays Helen – a qualified doctor who is mourning her dead husband. She opts to spend some time alone at their isolated waterside cottage during a huge storm, but is disturbed when a man (Scott Speedman) washes ashore with a gunshot wound. Soon enough, his would-be assassins follow – led by Tim Roth.
- 1/27/2015
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Patricia Clarkson is one of the most talented and versatile American actresses working today, so it’s always a nice surprise to see her headlining a feature, even if said feature looks like a generic home invasion thriller. At least, that’s what the recently released trailer for “October Gale” makes it look like. Clarkson stars as Helen, a depressed woman who is working through the grief of losing her husband by cleaning out the remote cottage she shared with him. After a mysterious wounded man (Scott Speedman) crawls into her cottage, Helen is compelled to take care of him. When the man’s attackers, led by Tim Roth in full-on stoic creep mode that we know and love, find the cottage to finish the job, Helen has to defend her life by any means necessary. With “October Gale”, Canadian writer/director Ruba Nadda works with Clarkson again after the...
- 1/27/2015
- by Oktay Ege Kozak
- The Playlist
Remember On Golden Pond? Well, October Gale is sorta like that—except the husband is dead and the young man who comes to visit the idyllic country getaway is a fugitive with a gunshot wound. Oh, and the wife is a crack shot who has to defend herself when a figurative and literal storm brews outside. Okay, so maybe it's nothing like On Golden Pond. There aren't even any loons—unless you count Tim Roth.
- 1/23/2015
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Nicholas Sparks offers two love stories for the price of one in the trailer for the upcoming film adaptation of his novel “The Longest Ride.” Directed by George Tillman Jr. from a script by Craig Bolotin, it’s the story of a young woman who finds parallels between her burgeoning relationship in the present and the World War II love story of an elderly man she befriends.
See video: Diane Sawyer Gets Nostalgic for Final Person of the Week Segment
Britt Robertson and Alan Alda take center stage after Robertson’s boyfriend in the film, played by Scott Speedman, discovers...
See video: Diane Sawyer Gets Nostalgic for Final Person of the Week Segment
Britt Robertson and Alan Alda take center stage after Robertson’s boyfriend in the film, played by Scott Speedman, discovers...
- 12/23/2014
- by Jason Hughes
- The Wrap
IFC Films has snapped up Us rights to Ruba Nadda’s recent Toronto world premiere from Blue Ice Pictures starring Patricia Clarkson. Separately, Starz Digital Media has announced release plans for Bad Turn Worse.
Myriad handles international sales to October Gale, which also stars Scott Speedman and Tim Roth in the story of a doctor who shelters a man on the run from a killer. Callum Keith Rennie rounds out the key cast.
Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron produced and the executive producers are Myriad chief Kirk D’Amico, Christine Vachon, Emily Alden, Lance Samuels, Steven Silver and Neil Tabatznik.
If brokered the deal with Jay Cohen at Gersh and D’Amico on behalf of the filmmakers.
Starz Digital Media will release Bad Turn Worse (formerly We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) in select theatres and on VOD on November 14. The directorial debut of Zeke and Simon Hawkins is based on the screenplay by Dutch Southern about...
Myriad handles international sales to October Gale, which also stars Scott Speedman and Tim Roth in the story of a doctor who shelters a man on the run from a killer. Callum Keith Rennie rounds out the key cast.
Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron produced and the executive producers are Myriad chief Kirk D’Amico, Christine Vachon, Emily Alden, Lance Samuels, Steven Silver and Neil Tabatznik.
If brokered the deal with Jay Cohen at Gersh and D’Amico on behalf of the filmmakers.
Starz Digital Media will release Bad Turn Worse (formerly We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) in select theatres and on VOD on November 14. The directorial debut of Zeke and Simon Hawkins is based on the screenplay by Dutch Southern about...
- 10/3/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
IFC Films has acquired Us rights to writer/director Ruba Nadda's survival thriller "October Gale." The film world-premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, where it played well with a hometown crowd. But clearly IFC believes that this tense two-hander has commercial potential. "October Gale" stars an excellent Patricia Clarkson as a wealthy doctor marooned alone on her island home during a raging storm with a man (Scott Speedman) she has rescued from the water who could be a killer. Also starring Tim Roth and Callum Keith Rennie, this is Nadda's second collaboration with Clarkson, who starred in her 2009 romance "Cairo Time." "October Gale" was produced by Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron. The film was executive produced by Kirk D'Amico, Christine Vachon, Emily Alden, Lance Samuels, Steven Silver and Neil Tabatznik. A release date is forthcoming.
- 10/3/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
IFC Films has acquired U.S. rights to writer-director Ruba Nadda's thriller “October Gale,” which stars Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, Tim Roth and Callum Keith Rennie. The film was produced by Blue Ice Pictures’ Daniel Iron and executive produced by Kirk D'Amico, Christine Vachon, Emily Alden, Lance Samuels, Steven Silver and Neil Tabatznik. Also read: Julia Stiles, Scott Speedman Movie ‘Out of the Dark’ Lands U.S. Distribution “October Gale” had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, where Myriad Pictures handled worldwide sales. Story follows a doctor (Clarkson) who takes in a mysterious man (Speedman) when...
- 10/3/2014
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Canadian director Ruba Nadda is best known for her affecting romances but over the last few years, she's been throwing the net out further and for her latest, Nadda continues to expand her horizons by directing another thriller.
October Gale reunites Nadda with Patricia Clarkson, here playing Helen Matthews, a recently widowed doctor. In an effort to leave the memory of her dead husband behind, Helen decides to take a trip up to her cottage. It's a little early in the season and her son is concerned she's going up there by herself but she's determined to do this on her own. Things are going well until a few nights in a stranger (Scott Speedman) comes crawling into her home, leaving behind him a trail of blood from a gunshot wound.
She treats the stranger and then watches over [Continued ...]...
October Gale reunites Nadda with Patricia Clarkson, here playing Helen Matthews, a recently widowed doctor. In an effort to leave the memory of her dead husband behind, Helen decides to take a trip up to her cottage. It's a little early in the season and her son is concerned she's going up there by herself but she's determined to do this on her own. Things are going well until a few nights in a stranger (Scott Speedman) comes crawling into her home, leaving behind him a trail of blood from a gunshot wound.
She treats the stranger and then watches over [Continued ...]...
- 9/29/2014
- QuietEarth.us
Several actors appeared in more than one movie at this year's Toronto International Film Festival: Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game” and “Laggies,” Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher” and “Infinitely Polar Bear,” Simon Pegg in “Kill Me Three Times” and “Horace and the Search for Happiness,” Patricia Clarkson in “October Gale” and “Learning to Drive” and Kristen Stewart in “Still Alice” and “Sils Maria,” among others. But Viggo Mortensen holds the unusual distinction of having two Tiff movies in which he speaks four different languages … none of which are English, the language that moviegoers are accustomed to hearing Mortensen speak. The.
- 9/11/2014
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Updated: A torpid start to the market coupled with concerns over the desirability of acquisition titles has left buyers looking expectantly towards reportedly a $10m-plus deal for Top Five.
By Sunday evening a growing number of buyers were circling Chris Rock’s adult comedy (pictured), arguably the only potentially commercial available title to earn universal praise.
Also drawing attention were François Girard’s Boychoir, Jalmari Helander’s Big Game, Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young, Thomas McCarthy’s The Cobbler and Ed Zwick’s Pawn Sacrifice.
Acquisitions teams have also seen Lone Scherfig’s The Riot Club, Paul Bettany’s directorial debut Shelter, Michael Douglas starrer The Reach and Kristen Wiig starrer Welcome To Me. Contrary to reports Sophie Barthes’ Madame Bovary remains on the table and had not been sold at time of the updated report on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s offerings include Oren Moverman’s Time Out Of Mind, Bill Pohlad’s Love...
By Sunday evening a growing number of buyers were circling Chris Rock’s adult comedy (pictured), arguably the only potentially commercial available title to earn universal praise.
Also drawing attention were François Girard’s Boychoir, Jalmari Helander’s Big Game, Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young, Thomas McCarthy’s The Cobbler and Ed Zwick’s Pawn Sacrifice.
Acquisitions teams have also seen Lone Scherfig’s The Riot Club, Paul Bettany’s directorial debut Shelter, Michael Douglas starrer The Reach and Kristen Wiig starrer Welcome To Me. Contrary to reports Sophie Barthes’ Madame Bovary remains on the table and had not been sold at time of the updated report on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s offerings include Oren Moverman’s Time Out Of Mind, Bill Pohlad’s Love...
- 9/7/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
After enjoying Ruba Nadda‘s Inescapable and hearing praise for Cairo Time I was intrigued by her latest effort, October Gale. For whatever reason Nadda doesn’t seem quite certain about what she wants from her plot. Is it a Nicholas Sparks love triangle for the middle-aged between a still grieving widow (Patricia Clarkson‘s Helen), the memory of her […]...
- 9/6/2014
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The 34th annual Atlantic Film Festival (Aff) announced its full festival program, featuring over 190 films and a full slate of special events, to be presented over eight days in Halifax, September 11-18.
"A film festival’s primary reason for existing is to celebrate film and to say this year’s line up of films and events is a celebration is a dramatic understatement,” said Wayne Carter, Executive Director. “The sheer breadth and quality of films from both our Atlantic region and beyond offers something for everyone and when you match that with special events that deliver an experience to remember we confidently feel we are raising the bar like never before."
“Our Government is pleased to support this iconic event through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, as part of our commitment to building a strong, competitive regional economy, said the Honorable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). The Festival generates tangible benefits for our region, opening new doors to international markets for local artists and industry professionals.”
The Atlantic Film Festival’s Gala Red Carpet Opening Night will take place at a new venue this year, the Dalhousie Arts Centre’s Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. Sponsored by NBC Universal, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund, this star-studded evening will feature the
Opening Gala presentation of "Elephant Song," directed by Charles Binamé ("The Rocket," "Seraphin" ).
Set in 1966, a psychiatrist (Bruce Greenwood) cautiously pries one secret after another from a charismatic but unbalanced patient (Xavier Dolan) concerning the disappearance of the patient’s doctor. What begins as a psychological cat-and-mouse game quickly becomes a far more serious exchange about loss, memory and mystery, with deadly consequences all around. Fuelled by moving performances from an all-star cast, including Bruce Greenwood, Xavier Dolan, Catherine Keener and Carrie-Ann Moss, "Elephant Song" is an exceptional trip into the world of imagination and desire. "Elephant Song" is produced Richard Goudreau and Melenny Productions and is distributed in Canada by Entertainment One.
Following the Opening Gala film presentation is the Opening Night Party. Penned as one of Halifax’s ‘most anticipated parties of the year’, the red-carpet event is once again sponsored by NBCUniversal and will take place at the Cunard Centre on Thursday, Sept. 11.
The Festival's Closing Gala presentation on Thursday, Sept. 18 will be "Maps to the Stars" by director, David Cronenberg. His latest feature film sees the veteran horror director veering into satire, comedy, and social commentary while still providing enough shocks to satisfy his old audience as he courts the new. This time out it is Hollywood itself that is the Toronto filmmaker’s target, telling multiple tales of past-it thespians, desperate wannabees and out-of-control child actors all colliding in a fast-paced, fame-obsessed world where nobody holds anything back. Both funny and terrifying, "Map To the Stars" sees "All About Eve" accelerated into Entourage on steroids.
"Maps to the Stars" is distributed in Canada by Entertainment One.
Featuring the newest and most anticipated films of the year, moviegoers will want to be first in line to see the eight films comprising the
2014 Rogers Special Presentations. Savour the sights and sounds of soon to be award-winning films: ’71 , a moving combat film set during a terrifying riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971; "Foxcatcher," starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo; Simon Pegg as a disillusioned psychiatrist on the hunt for meaning in "Hector and the Search for Happiness;" Mike Leigh’s "Mr. Turner," featuring the award-winning performance of Timothy Spall; the hilarious and heart-warming film, "My Old Lady" with Kevin Kline, Kristen Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith; Jake Gyllenhaal’s career-defining performance in Dan Gilroy’s "Nightcrawler;" and Ruba Nadda’s
"October Gale," starring Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman and Tim Roth.
The Aff will once again feature French films from Canada and around the world. This year’s Cinéma En Français S.V.P. program will take place from Friday, Sept. 12 to Monday, Sept. 15 and will feature two Gala Presentations. Xavier Dolan’s "Mommy" will be the Gala Français Canadien and Jean-Luc Godard’s "Adieu au langage 3D" ("Goodbye to Language 3D") will be the Gala Français International – reuniting the two Jury Prize winners from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Rounding out this year’s complete program is a top-tier line up of features and documentaries from Canada and throughout the world. Viewers will delight in a wide range of features such as: François Girard’s "Boychoir;" Kristen Stewart in both "Camp X-Ray" and "Clouds of Sils Maria;" Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s "Coming Home" (Gui Lai); "God Help the Girl" by Belle & Sebastien’s Stuart Murdoch; Cannes opener, "Grace of Monaco;" Sundance winner, "Whiplash;" Palme d’Or winner, "Winter Sleep;" and many more.
Select documentaries include: Nick Cave-focussed "20,000 Days on Earth;" a career-spanning look at one of film’s greatest directors in
"Altman;" the story of Russian hockey dominance in "Red Army;" a look inside Sesame Street’s most beloved character in "I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story;" and an exposé of bird poaching in "Emptying the Skies," among many other captivating and enlightening titles.
Also included in this year’s line up are Short Film Programs, featuring both a Canadian and international selection, a ViewFinders: Films for Youth program, film retrospectives at the Dalhousie Art Gallery, and the Festival’s always popular Late Shift program, which this year will screen the 40th Anniversary Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
The 2014 Festival will host several one-of-a kind special events and parties to celebrate the movies, the people and the city of Halifax. In addition to the Opening Night Party and debuting at this year’s festival is the Festival Music House Atlantic presented by Radio Starmaker Fund . The event offers some of the hottest music acts in the country (open exclusively to Festival Passholders and Festival Delegates).
The event will also feature A State of Mine Exhibition , an exhibition from photographer, Chris Geworsky exploring the personal, intimate and unique place each subject visits when he/she loses themselves in their own music; the Ofe@Aff – an Aff Outdoor Film Experience screening of Aff’s 2012 Atlantic Gala film, The Disappeared on the Dartmouth Waterfront; and the 34th Atlantic Film Festival Awards Reception , honoring the amazing talents of Atlantic Canadian film industry professionals.
Strategic Partners , a one-of-a-kind event focusing on film, television and digital fiction, from across Canada and around the world, will take place as part of Aff, Sept. 11-14. Each year, top Canadian and international industry players, including producers, investors, sales agents, funding agencies, broadcasters, aggregators and distributors are selected to attend. Recognized as one of the world’s pre-eminent co-production markets and celebrating its 17th year, Strategic Partners 2014 is shining the Country Spotlight brightly on Latin America and the U.S., and offering delegates over 1,000 pre-scheduled 1-2-1 meetings, co-production focused roundtable sessions, cutting edge panels, visionary keynote speakers, screenings and receptions as well as the popular Film & Creative Industries Nova Scotia Lobster Dinner By the Sea.
Keynote speakers include: Peter Gerard , Head of Content and Audience Engagement at Vimeo and Mariela Besuievsky , Academy award-winning producer at Tornasol Films. In addition there will be a case study of The Games Maker , a Canada/Agentina co-production success story; digital panel: Web Series Wizards Weigh In , with moderator Catherine Tait (Guidestones, Sos: Save Our Skins ) which will give independent producers insight on how to create/finance successful online content; and TV panel: Beyond Broadcast , with moderator Damon D’Oliveira ( What We Have, The Book of Negroes ) who will explore the changing broadcast landscape and original television programming in an increasingly digital-first world.
Financed with the support of the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development and Telefilm Canada as the Presenting Partner, Strategic Partners is a convergence of talent and innovation, producing tangible results. For more information, visit: atlanticfilm.com/sp
About the Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival (Aff) is an eight-day celebration of film, media and music from around the world. It’s a festival that turns Halifax – a charming and historic coastal city – into an international Mecca for the arts, abuzz with filmmakers, industry types and film lovers. This year’s event takes place from September 11-18.
Offering a first-look at the best international films of the festival season, the Aff is a champion of local filmmakers, committed to bridging the gap. We attract some of the biggest players in film, media and music from around the world. All of our film selections are chosen with our community in mind and our special events are designed to bring us all together. A not-for-profit organization, the Aff depends heavily upon its strong ties to the surrounding and thriving arts community.
The Atlantic Film Festival began as a tiny, grassroots operation in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1981, relocating to Halifax the following year. Just three decades later, the Atlantic film Festival has blossomed into one of Canada’s premier film festivals. Whether for industry folk, unabashed film lovers or curious onlookers, the Festival offers a slew of opportunities to engage through film. Today’s Atlantic Film Festival is now a year-round celebration, growing beyond our eight-day cornerstone event in September to include: ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, Aff Outdoor Film Experience, and Strategic Partners.
Receive the most up-to-date information about the Atlantic Film Festival and its Family of Programs:
atlanticfilm.com , on Facebook page:
/atlanticfilmfestival , on Twitter account:...
"A film festival’s primary reason for existing is to celebrate film and to say this year’s line up of films and events is a celebration is a dramatic understatement,” said Wayne Carter, Executive Director. “The sheer breadth and quality of films from both our Atlantic region and beyond offers something for everyone and when you match that with special events that deliver an experience to remember we confidently feel we are raising the bar like never before."
“Our Government is pleased to support this iconic event through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, as part of our commitment to building a strong, competitive regional economy, said the Honorable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency). The Festival generates tangible benefits for our region, opening new doors to international markets for local artists and industry professionals.”
The Atlantic Film Festival’s Gala Red Carpet Opening Night will take place at a new venue this year, the Dalhousie Arts Centre’s Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. Sponsored by NBC Universal, Telefilm Canada and the Canada Media Fund, this star-studded evening will feature the
Opening Gala presentation of "Elephant Song," directed by Charles Binamé ("The Rocket," "Seraphin" ).
Set in 1966, a psychiatrist (Bruce Greenwood) cautiously pries one secret after another from a charismatic but unbalanced patient (Xavier Dolan) concerning the disappearance of the patient’s doctor. What begins as a psychological cat-and-mouse game quickly becomes a far more serious exchange about loss, memory and mystery, with deadly consequences all around. Fuelled by moving performances from an all-star cast, including Bruce Greenwood, Xavier Dolan, Catherine Keener and Carrie-Ann Moss, "Elephant Song" is an exceptional trip into the world of imagination and desire. "Elephant Song" is produced Richard Goudreau and Melenny Productions and is distributed in Canada by Entertainment One.
Following the Opening Gala film presentation is the Opening Night Party. Penned as one of Halifax’s ‘most anticipated parties of the year’, the red-carpet event is once again sponsored by NBCUniversal and will take place at the Cunard Centre on Thursday, Sept. 11.
The Festival's Closing Gala presentation on Thursday, Sept. 18 will be "Maps to the Stars" by director, David Cronenberg. His latest feature film sees the veteran horror director veering into satire, comedy, and social commentary while still providing enough shocks to satisfy his old audience as he courts the new. This time out it is Hollywood itself that is the Toronto filmmaker’s target, telling multiple tales of past-it thespians, desperate wannabees and out-of-control child actors all colliding in a fast-paced, fame-obsessed world where nobody holds anything back. Both funny and terrifying, "Map To the Stars" sees "All About Eve" accelerated into Entourage on steroids.
"Maps to the Stars" is distributed in Canada by Entertainment One.
Featuring the newest and most anticipated films of the year, moviegoers will want to be first in line to see the eight films comprising the
2014 Rogers Special Presentations. Savour the sights and sounds of soon to be award-winning films: ’71 , a moving combat film set during a terrifying riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971; "Foxcatcher," starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo; Simon Pegg as a disillusioned psychiatrist on the hunt for meaning in "Hector and the Search for Happiness;" Mike Leigh’s "Mr. Turner," featuring the award-winning performance of Timothy Spall; the hilarious and heart-warming film, "My Old Lady" with Kevin Kline, Kristen Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith; Jake Gyllenhaal’s career-defining performance in Dan Gilroy’s "Nightcrawler;" and Ruba Nadda’s
"October Gale," starring Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman and Tim Roth.
The Aff will once again feature French films from Canada and around the world. This year’s Cinéma En Français S.V.P. program will take place from Friday, Sept. 12 to Monday, Sept. 15 and will feature two Gala Presentations. Xavier Dolan’s "Mommy" will be the Gala Français Canadien and Jean-Luc Godard’s "Adieu au langage 3D" ("Goodbye to Language 3D") will be the Gala Français International – reuniting the two Jury Prize winners from this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Rounding out this year’s complete program is a top-tier line up of features and documentaries from Canada and throughout the world. Viewers will delight in a wide range of features such as: François Girard’s "Boychoir;" Kristen Stewart in both "Camp X-Ray" and "Clouds of Sils Maria;" Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s "Coming Home" (Gui Lai); "God Help the Girl" by Belle & Sebastien’s Stuart Murdoch; Cannes opener, "Grace of Monaco;" Sundance winner, "Whiplash;" Palme d’Or winner, "Winter Sleep;" and many more.
Select documentaries include: Nick Cave-focussed "20,000 Days on Earth;" a career-spanning look at one of film’s greatest directors in
"Altman;" the story of Russian hockey dominance in "Red Army;" a look inside Sesame Street’s most beloved character in "I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story;" and an exposé of bird poaching in "Emptying the Skies," among many other captivating and enlightening titles.
Also included in this year’s line up are Short Film Programs, featuring both a Canadian and international selection, a ViewFinders: Films for Youth program, film retrospectives at the Dalhousie Art Gallery, and the Festival’s always popular Late Shift program, which this year will screen the 40th Anniversary Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
The 2014 Festival will host several one-of-a kind special events and parties to celebrate the movies, the people and the city of Halifax. In addition to the Opening Night Party and debuting at this year’s festival is the Festival Music House Atlantic presented by Radio Starmaker Fund . The event offers some of the hottest music acts in the country (open exclusively to Festival Passholders and Festival Delegates).
The event will also feature A State of Mine Exhibition , an exhibition from photographer, Chris Geworsky exploring the personal, intimate and unique place each subject visits when he/she loses themselves in their own music; the Ofe@Aff – an Aff Outdoor Film Experience screening of Aff’s 2012 Atlantic Gala film, The Disappeared on the Dartmouth Waterfront; and the 34th Atlantic Film Festival Awards Reception , honoring the amazing talents of Atlantic Canadian film industry professionals.
Strategic Partners , a one-of-a-kind event focusing on film, television and digital fiction, from across Canada and around the world, will take place as part of Aff, Sept. 11-14. Each year, top Canadian and international industry players, including producers, investors, sales agents, funding agencies, broadcasters, aggregators and distributors are selected to attend. Recognized as one of the world’s pre-eminent co-production markets and celebrating its 17th year, Strategic Partners 2014 is shining the Country Spotlight brightly on Latin America and the U.S., and offering delegates over 1,000 pre-scheduled 1-2-1 meetings, co-production focused roundtable sessions, cutting edge panels, visionary keynote speakers, screenings and receptions as well as the popular Film & Creative Industries Nova Scotia Lobster Dinner By the Sea.
Keynote speakers include: Peter Gerard , Head of Content and Audience Engagement at Vimeo and Mariela Besuievsky , Academy award-winning producer at Tornasol Films. In addition there will be a case study of The Games Maker , a Canada/Agentina co-production success story; digital panel: Web Series Wizards Weigh In , with moderator Catherine Tait (Guidestones, Sos: Save Our Skins ) which will give independent producers insight on how to create/finance successful online content; and TV panel: Beyond Broadcast , with moderator Damon D’Oliveira ( What We Have, The Book of Negroes ) who will explore the changing broadcast landscape and original television programming in an increasingly digital-first world.
Financed with the support of the Canada/Atlantic Provinces Agreement on International Business Development and Telefilm Canada as the Presenting Partner, Strategic Partners is a convergence of talent and innovation, producing tangible results. For more information, visit: atlanticfilm.com/sp
About the Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival (Aff) is an eight-day celebration of film, media and music from around the world. It’s a festival that turns Halifax – a charming and historic coastal city – into an international Mecca for the arts, abuzz with filmmakers, industry types and film lovers. This year’s event takes place from September 11-18.
Offering a first-look at the best international films of the festival season, the Aff is a champion of local filmmakers, committed to bridging the gap. We attract some of the biggest players in film, media and music from around the world. All of our film selections are chosen with our community in mind and our special events are designed to bring us all together. A not-for-profit organization, the Aff depends heavily upon its strong ties to the surrounding and thriving arts community.
The Atlantic Film Festival began as a tiny, grassroots operation in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1981, relocating to Halifax the following year. Just three decades later, the Atlantic film Festival has blossomed into one of Canada’s premier film festivals. Whether for industry folk, unabashed film lovers or curious onlookers, the Festival offers a slew of opportunities to engage through film. Today’s Atlantic Film Festival is now a year-round celebration, growing beyond our eight-day cornerstone event in September to include: ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, Aff Outdoor Film Experience, and Strategic Partners.
Receive the most up-to-date information about the Atlantic Film Festival and its Family of Programs:
atlanticfilm.com , on Facebook page:
/atlanticfilmfestival , on Twitter account:...
- 9/6/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Those of us that bang the drum for more film and television work originated by women can enjoy a small victory dance today, as it seems the creative partnership between actress Patricia Clarkson and director Ruba Nadda will continue with the development of an hour-long romantic drama, titled Elisabeth. While details of the premise are currently sketchy, it seems the show will be set amidst the world of international politics, which means we can look forward to the fabulous and talented Clarkson holding court in a realm we have never really seen her tackle before.
The Clarkson-Nadda team has previously delivered two feature films. The first – 2009’s Cairo Time – featured Clarkson opposite Alexander Siddig in a tale of unexpected romance, and won the Best Canadian Feature Film award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The second – October Gale – features Clarkson as a doctor living on a remote island, caught in...
The Clarkson-Nadda team has previously delivered two feature films. The first – 2009’s Cairo Time – featured Clarkson opposite Alexander Siddig in a tale of unexpected romance, and won the Best Canadian Feature Film award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The second – October Gale – features Clarkson as a doctor living on a remote island, caught in...
- 9/4/2014
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
For the curious among you this is my very tentative list of films on my very jam-packed schedule at Tiff. This will be the 10th anniversary of my very first trip to Tiff from which my fondest memory was sitting behind Gael García Bernal and Javier Bardem for the premiere of The Sea Inside (the fondness of the memory is due to the view, not the movie). I haven't been attending annually but perhaps last year's short trip was the start of a tradition?
This list is highly subject to change - there are always cancellations, late starts, pop ups which all throw off schedules, you can try to follow the critical buzz which will throw off the schedule, you can meet with friends for food and conversation which will throw off the schedule, and you can sleep which will throw off the morning screening schedule. It's a madcap journey: eye strain,...
This list is highly subject to change - there are always cancellations, late starts, pop ups which all throw off schedules, you can try to follow the critical buzz which will throw off the schedule, you can meet with friends for food and conversation which will throw off the schedule, and you can sleep which will throw off the morning screening schedule. It's a madcap journey: eye strain,...
- 9/3/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
For the first time ever, Toronto International Film Festival along with Telefilm Canada had a pre-Toronto reception for the trade. Held at Soho House on a flawless L.A. day, with views of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills all the way to the Pacific Ocean, the trade had the happy hours to greet and catch up with each other and to preview trailers of the films Canada will be showing at the festival. And best of all, Tiff gave everyone a 2 lb. 4 oz. catalog (even more than one to gift to other colleagues) to take home instead of having to pack them into our suitcases to take back from Toronto.
Maybe it’s the drought here in L.A. that gives me the yearning for rain, but the films on my must-see list include a couple about rain: the Tiff Doc, “Monsoon” by Surla Gunnarsson and “October Gale” by Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”) starring Patricia Clarkson and Scott Speedman, a Special Presentation being sold by Myriad.
Canada has the most coproduction treaties of any other nation, and Seoul Korea is the chosen city in this year’s City to City program. The coproduction between Canada and So. Korea, “In Her Place” by writer-director Albert Shin, showing in the Discovery Section looks very compelling. Elle Driver is selling this drama about a wealthy couple secretly seeking to adopt the unborn child of an impoverished and troubled rural teenager.
Other trailers we watched included Contemporary World Cinema entries, “Felix and Meira” by Maxime Giroux, being sold by Udi – Urban Distribution International, “Love in the Time of Civil War” by Rodrigue Jean (Isa: Les Films du 3 Mars) and “Heartbeat” by Andrea Dorfman.
In Midnight Madness, “The Editor” looks pretty good. Park Entertainment is selling it. Xavier Dolan, Bruce Greenwood and Catherine Keener star in “Elephant Song” by Charles Biname which is a Special Presentation. Another Special Presentation is “Preggoland” by Jacob Tierney (“The Trotsky”).
Trailers from Discovery included “Guidance”, the debut film by Pat Mills, “Big Muddy”, “The Valley Below” by Kyle Thomas, “Wet Bum” by Lindsay Mackay, (Isa: Traction Media), “Backcountry” by Adam MacDonald, (Isa: Event Film Distribution, Us: contact Cinetic), “Bang Bang Baby” a surreal, fever-dream fusion of small-town musical and 1950s sci-fi debut feature which writer-director Jeffrey St. Jules developed from his own short at the Cannes Film Festival Residence Program.
Peter Goldwyn of The Samuel Goldwyn Company and Matt Dentler of iTunes, talked up the unprecedented (for a foreign language film) success reaching the top 20 films on iTunes of “ The German Doctor” directed by Lucia Puenzo.
Paul Federbush and I spoke of new horizons of the international labs of Sundance Institute. Sundance Industry’s Rosy Wong introduced me to Lisa Ogdie, Sundance Ff’s Shorts Programmer. Strand’s Marcus Hu, who has two films in the festival (Films Distribution’s “Girlhood” and Pyramide’s “Xenia”) was there, Frank Wuliger looking at the Gersh trailer of “October Gale”, Rebecca (Bec) Smith of UTA as were so many others.
New acquisitions gigs were discussed: Bobby Rock looking for international sales agent,Cinema Management Group ( Dene Anderberg, Cmg’s VP of Sales and Operations, was also there schmoozing) and for Random Media, the new U.S. distribution company founded by Eric Doctorow (formerly head of Paramount Home Video) in November 2013, which will release films through Cinedigm.
Telefilm and Tiff have held a similar soiree for four years in NewYork. I’m sure Andrew Karpen, former Co-ceo of Focus Features, who is launching the new distribution company Bleecker Street was there in N.Y.
Rachel Shapiro, also happily working on many projects at once and her friend, producer Melanie Backer, Laurie Woodrow of RightsTrade a global online marketplace for film, television and digital rights licensing whose “Market On Demand” streamlines film, television, and digital rights sales and acquisitions for content owners, sales agents and distributors who can reach thousands of industry buyers, and buyers can search, screen, and license rights from sellers of thousands of titles.
Bonnie Voland with her hands full for Im Global and its many lines, reminisced with Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada and Brigitte Hubmann of Telefilm about the five (!) regimes of the Toronto International Film Festival she has known…from before Helga Stephenson all the way to Cameron Bailey who was there talking up the upcoming festival and hearing peoples’ raves or rants.
Also reminiscing with Brigitte about their days at Goethe Institut was Margit Kleinman who is now director of Villa Aurora, the artist-in-residence program for artists in Germany housed in the Pacific Palisades former home of German émigré, the novelist Lion Furchtwanger. I didn’t have time to ask if they would host the German Academy Award party this year for their submission for Best Foreign Language film, Dominik Graf’s “Beloved Sister”. Since its premiere at the Berlinale this year, international sales agent Global Screen has sold the rights to Music Box for U.S. who will release it in December, and to Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland and Croatia thus far.
Our dear friend, Ian Birnie, programmer for Mumbai Film Festival and the Louisiana International Film Festival was there with so many others. It was a wonderful moment to catch up and to forget the pressure we are all under preparing our screenings and meetings for Tiff.
Even though he wasn’t there, I want to mention a brief interchange I had with producer rep Cassian Elwes of Elevated Film Sales, who is repping “Black and White” with Kevin Costner and co-repping the Paul Bettany movie with Jennifer Connelly, “Shelter”, with UTA at Tiff. “In Venice I have Bogdanovich’s ‘She's Funny that Way’ which is in a three way split between me, CAA and UTA and Joe Dante's movie ‘Burying the Ex’ which I'm doing with CAA.”
Steven Raphael and Mj Pekos were fronting for the reception and also are repping “Voiceover” and “Dark Horse” at Tiff.
There was no need to show trailers to the buzz films like the Gala film “Foxcatcher”, which has Oscar expectations are already swirling around it and which premiered in Cannes and is being sold by Kimberly Fox’s Panorama Media and Annapurna (already sold to Sony Pictures Classics for U.S. as well as to Canada-Métropole Films Distribution and Mongrel Media Inc., France-Mars Films, Germany-Koch Media Gmbh, Japan-Longride Inc. So. Korea-Green Narae Media, Switzerland-Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Taiwan-Long Shong International, United Kingdom- Entertainment One Uk. The film has already earned Bennett Miller the Best Director prize at Cannes.
Another not previewing was Benedict Cumberbatch starring in the much talked about Alan Turing biopic “ The Imitation Game”, and his portrayal of the legendary British code breaker and mathematician is generating talk of a Best Actor nod at this year's Academy Awards. FilmNation is repping this and has already sold it to The Weinstein Company for U.S., Belgium to Paradiso Filmed Entertainment, Greece to Seven Films, Hong Kong (China) to Edko Films Ltd, Israel to Lev Films (Shani Films), Italy toVidea - Cde S.P.A., Japan toGaga Corporation, So. Korea to Medialog Corp., Sweden to Svensk Filmindustri, Ab, Switzerland to Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Taiwan to Applause Entertainment Ltd. Taiwan Branch, Thailand to M Pictures Co., Ltd.
Two other hot films are Lone Scherfig's “The Riot Club” repped by Hanway and already sold to Universal Pictures for No. America, Belgium-Lumière, France-Selective Films, Germany-Prokino Filmverleih Gmbh, Hong Kong (China)-Golden Scene Company Limited, Italy-Notorious Pictures, Benelux-Lumiere, Poland-Kino Swiat, Switzerland-Pathe Films Ag, United Arab Emirates-Front Row Filmed Entertainment and the U.K. Kingdom-Universal Pictures International and Noah Baumbach's “ While We're Young”, produced by Scott Rudin and repped by FilmNation (again!), with no sales on record yet.
See Cameron Bailey on CBC News discussing Tiff:
Video | TIFF2014: 4 buzz-worthy films at the fest If you want to know more about sales in Toronto, please check back with www.SydneysBuzz.com/Reports for the Toronto By Numbers Report and after the festival for the Toronto Rights Roundup.
Maybe it’s the drought here in L.A. that gives me the yearning for rain, but the films on my must-see list include a couple about rain: the Tiff Doc, “Monsoon” by Surla Gunnarsson and “October Gale” by Ruba Nadda (“Cairo Time”) starring Patricia Clarkson and Scott Speedman, a Special Presentation being sold by Myriad.
Canada has the most coproduction treaties of any other nation, and Seoul Korea is the chosen city in this year’s City to City program. The coproduction between Canada and So. Korea, “In Her Place” by writer-director Albert Shin, showing in the Discovery Section looks very compelling. Elle Driver is selling this drama about a wealthy couple secretly seeking to adopt the unborn child of an impoverished and troubled rural teenager.
Other trailers we watched included Contemporary World Cinema entries, “Felix and Meira” by Maxime Giroux, being sold by Udi – Urban Distribution International, “Love in the Time of Civil War” by Rodrigue Jean (Isa: Les Films du 3 Mars) and “Heartbeat” by Andrea Dorfman.
In Midnight Madness, “The Editor” looks pretty good. Park Entertainment is selling it. Xavier Dolan, Bruce Greenwood and Catherine Keener star in “Elephant Song” by Charles Biname which is a Special Presentation. Another Special Presentation is “Preggoland” by Jacob Tierney (“The Trotsky”).
Trailers from Discovery included “Guidance”, the debut film by Pat Mills, “Big Muddy”, “The Valley Below” by Kyle Thomas, “Wet Bum” by Lindsay Mackay, (Isa: Traction Media), “Backcountry” by Adam MacDonald, (Isa: Event Film Distribution, Us: contact Cinetic), “Bang Bang Baby” a surreal, fever-dream fusion of small-town musical and 1950s sci-fi debut feature which writer-director Jeffrey St. Jules developed from his own short at the Cannes Film Festival Residence Program.
Peter Goldwyn of The Samuel Goldwyn Company and Matt Dentler of iTunes, talked up the unprecedented (for a foreign language film) success reaching the top 20 films on iTunes of “ The German Doctor” directed by Lucia Puenzo.
Paul Federbush and I spoke of new horizons of the international labs of Sundance Institute. Sundance Industry’s Rosy Wong introduced me to Lisa Ogdie, Sundance Ff’s Shorts Programmer. Strand’s Marcus Hu, who has two films in the festival (Films Distribution’s “Girlhood” and Pyramide’s “Xenia”) was there, Frank Wuliger looking at the Gersh trailer of “October Gale”, Rebecca (Bec) Smith of UTA as were so many others.
New acquisitions gigs were discussed: Bobby Rock looking for international sales agent,Cinema Management Group ( Dene Anderberg, Cmg’s VP of Sales and Operations, was also there schmoozing) and for Random Media, the new U.S. distribution company founded by Eric Doctorow (formerly head of Paramount Home Video) in November 2013, which will release films through Cinedigm.
Telefilm and Tiff have held a similar soiree for four years in NewYork. I’m sure Andrew Karpen, former Co-ceo of Focus Features, who is launching the new distribution company Bleecker Street was there in N.Y.
Rachel Shapiro, also happily working on many projects at once and her friend, producer Melanie Backer, Laurie Woodrow of RightsTrade a global online marketplace for film, television and digital rights licensing whose “Market On Demand” streamlines film, television, and digital rights sales and acquisitions for content owners, sales agents and distributors who can reach thousands of industry buyers, and buyers can search, screen, and license rights from sellers of thousands of titles.
Bonnie Voland with her hands full for Im Global and its many lines, reminisced with Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada and Brigitte Hubmann of Telefilm about the five (!) regimes of the Toronto International Film Festival she has known…from before Helga Stephenson all the way to Cameron Bailey who was there talking up the upcoming festival and hearing peoples’ raves or rants.
Also reminiscing with Brigitte about their days at Goethe Institut was Margit Kleinman who is now director of Villa Aurora, the artist-in-residence program for artists in Germany housed in the Pacific Palisades former home of German émigré, the novelist Lion Furchtwanger. I didn’t have time to ask if they would host the German Academy Award party this year for their submission for Best Foreign Language film, Dominik Graf’s “Beloved Sister”. Since its premiere at the Berlinale this year, international sales agent Global Screen has sold the rights to Music Box for U.S. who will release it in December, and to Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland and Croatia thus far.
Our dear friend, Ian Birnie, programmer for Mumbai Film Festival and the Louisiana International Film Festival was there with so many others. It was a wonderful moment to catch up and to forget the pressure we are all under preparing our screenings and meetings for Tiff.
Even though he wasn’t there, I want to mention a brief interchange I had with producer rep Cassian Elwes of Elevated Film Sales, who is repping “Black and White” with Kevin Costner and co-repping the Paul Bettany movie with Jennifer Connelly, “Shelter”, with UTA at Tiff. “In Venice I have Bogdanovich’s ‘She's Funny that Way’ which is in a three way split between me, CAA and UTA and Joe Dante's movie ‘Burying the Ex’ which I'm doing with CAA.”
Steven Raphael and Mj Pekos were fronting for the reception and also are repping “Voiceover” and “Dark Horse” at Tiff.
There was no need to show trailers to the buzz films like the Gala film “Foxcatcher”, which has Oscar expectations are already swirling around it and which premiered in Cannes and is being sold by Kimberly Fox’s Panorama Media and Annapurna (already sold to Sony Pictures Classics for U.S. as well as to Canada-Métropole Films Distribution and Mongrel Media Inc., France-Mars Films, Germany-Koch Media Gmbh, Japan-Longride Inc. So. Korea-Green Narae Media, Switzerland-Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Taiwan-Long Shong International, United Kingdom- Entertainment One Uk. The film has already earned Bennett Miller the Best Director prize at Cannes.
Another not previewing was Benedict Cumberbatch starring in the much talked about Alan Turing biopic “ The Imitation Game”, and his portrayal of the legendary British code breaker and mathematician is generating talk of a Best Actor nod at this year's Academy Awards. FilmNation is repping this and has already sold it to The Weinstein Company for U.S., Belgium to Paradiso Filmed Entertainment, Greece to Seven Films, Hong Kong (China) to Edko Films Ltd, Israel to Lev Films (Shani Films), Italy toVidea - Cde S.P.A., Japan toGaga Corporation, So. Korea to Medialog Corp., Sweden to Svensk Filmindustri, Ab, Switzerland to Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, Taiwan to Applause Entertainment Ltd. Taiwan Branch, Thailand to M Pictures Co., Ltd.
Two other hot films are Lone Scherfig's “The Riot Club” repped by Hanway and already sold to Universal Pictures for No. America, Belgium-Lumière, France-Selective Films, Germany-Prokino Filmverleih Gmbh, Hong Kong (China)-Golden Scene Company Limited, Italy-Notorious Pictures, Benelux-Lumiere, Poland-Kino Swiat, Switzerland-Pathe Films Ag, United Arab Emirates-Front Row Filmed Entertainment and the U.K. Kingdom-Universal Pictures International and Noah Baumbach's “ While We're Young”, produced by Scott Rudin and repped by FilmNation (again!), with no sales on record yet.
See Cameron Bailey on CBC News discussing Tiff:
Video | TIFF2014: 4 buzz-worthy films at the fest If you want to know more about sales in Toronto, please check back with www.SydneysBuzz.com/Reports for the Toronto By Numbers Report and after the festival for the Toronto Rights Roundup.
- 9/1/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
As we look in the rearview mirror of the summer blockbusters, September heralds the start of the fall movie season. Filled with Hollywood heavyweights and A-listers, here’s our Big list of the most anticipated movies coming to cinemas this autumn and during the holidays.
Our exhaustive list includes films that are playing at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival as well the ones that already have a theatrical release date. With the awards season on the horizon, we also added a few bonus films at the end to keep your eye out for in the months ahead.
Pull up a chair, grab a pen and paper and get ready for Wamg’s Guide to the 100+ Films This Fall And Holiday Season.
We kick it off with what’s showing in Toronto at the film festival that runs September 4 – 14.
Maps To The Stars – September 2014 – Toronto International Film Festival; UK & Ireland September...
Our exhaustive list includes films that are playing at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival as well the ones that already have a theatrical release date. With the awards season on the horizon, we also added a few bonus films at the end to keep your eye out for in the months ahead.
Pull up a chair, grab a pen and paper and get ready for Wamg’s Guide to the 100+ Films This Fall And Holiday Season.
We kick it off with what’s showing in Toronto at the film festival that runs September 4 – 14.
Maps To The Stars – September 2014 – Toronto International Film Festival; UK & Ireland September...
- 8/29/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Tiff may be a showcase for cinema from around the world, but it’s also an exhibition place to show off our homegrown talent to the rest of the world.
At the Toronto International Film Festival’s Canadian press conference, the festival programmers unveiled the impressive line-up of Canadian films as well as the Canucks who are the ones to watch in their Rising Star programme.
In its fourth year, the Tiff Rising Stars programme recognizing emerging Canadian talent who are charting their own trajectory within Canadian cinema and beyond. Past Rising Stars have included Sarah Gadon, Megan Park, andTatiana Maslany.
This year’s crop of new talent includes Sophie Desmarais who you may have seen as a young track star in last year’s festival pick Sarah Prefers to Run (Sarah préfère la course) and Shannon Kook who appeared in a supporting role inThe Conjuring and next appears in...
At the Toronto International Film Festival’s Canadian press conference, the festival programmers unveiled the impressive line-up of Canadian films as well as the Canucks who are the ones to watch in their Rising Star programme.
In its fourth year, the Tiff Rising Stars programme recognizing emerging Canadian talent who are charting their own trajectory within Canadian cinema and beyond. Past Rising Stars have included Sarah Gadon, Megan Park, andTatiana Maslany.
This year’s crop of new talent includes Sophie Desmarais who you may have seen as a young track star in last year’s festival pick Sarah Prefers to Run (Sarah préfère la course) and Shannon Kook who appeared in a supporting role inThe Conjuring and next appears in...
- 8/6/2014
- by Rachel West
- Cineplex
The luxurious banquet hall in Toronto’s Royal York hotel was electric with excitement as Tiff senior programmers including Steve Gravestock and Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo announced the robust lineup of Canadian films (several world preems) at this year’s Tiff plus the 40+ short titles (out of an astounding 840 short films — an increase of over 200 titles from last year) that will screen at the prestigious festival. With features populating almost every section at the fest, among the headliner items from English Canada, Cairo Time‘s Ruba Nadda returns to the fest with October Gale, while also world preeming is Bang Bang Baby — Jeffrey St. Jules marks his feature film debut with a film that is equal parts Rocky Horror Picture Show and early Cronenberg. Starring Jane Levy of the recent About Alex, it revolves around a small-town teenager in the ’60s whose dream of becoming a famous singer is dashed...
- 8/6/2014
- by Leora Heilbronn
- IONCINEMA.com
New work by Sturla Gunnarsson, Denys Arcand, Ruba Nadda and Xavier Dolan are among the selection set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) next month.
“These are filmmakers at the top of their craft, bringing fresh perspectives to traditional genres like comedies and less traditionally Canadian genres, such as musicals,” said Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) senior programmer Steve Gravestock. “This year’s slate truly showcases the diversity of talent in our country, featuring films from coast to coast.”
“We are inspired by the number of exceptional debut features from Canadian directors, reflecting the depth of talent in this country,” said Tiff’s Canadian features programmer Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo.
“Extremely exciting is also the fact that female-driven narratives play a significant part in this year’s programming, highlighting the strong, rich tapestry of our storytelling.”
The Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film is up for grabs, as is the...
“These are filmmakers at the top of their craft, bringing fresh perspectives to traditional genres like comedies and less traditionally Canadian genres, such as musicals,” said Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) senior programmer Steve Gravestock. “This year’s slate truly showcases the diversity of talent in our country, featuring films from coast to coast.”
“We are inspired by the number of exceptional debut features from Canadian directors, reflecting the depth of talent in this country,” said Tiff’s Canadian features programmer Agata Smoluch Del Sorbo.
“Extremely exciting is also the fact that female-driven narratives play a significant part in this year’s programming, highlighting the strong, rich tapestry of our storytelling.”
The Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film is up for grabs, as is the...
- 8/6/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Toronto - The Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday revealed its Canadian lineup, including world premieres for homegrown films by Ruba Nadda, Sturla Gunnarsson and Kyle Thomas. Away from its Hollywood star-making machine, the September event will debut Nadda's October Gale, which stars Patricia Clarkson and Tim Roth, Gunnarsson's long-awaited feature documentary Monsoon, about India's monsoon season, and Kyle Thomas' The Valley Below, an Alberta badlands drama that stars Stephen Bogaert, Kris Demeanor and Alejandro Rae. The Special Presentations sidebar also booked world premieres for Charles Binane's The Elephant Song, which stars Xavier Dolan and Bruce Greenwood, and Jacob
read more...
read more...
- 8/6/2014
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Writer/director Ruba Nadda has found her mysterious stranger to star opposite Patricia Clarkson in their upcoming project, October Gale. Scott Speedman will take the role, in what is shaping up to be a potentially nail-biting drama.
Speedman – perhaps best known for his supporting turns in Underworld and Underworld: Evolution – will play William, who washes up on the shore of a remote island cottage owned by Helen Matthews (Clarkson), during a heavy storm. He is unconscious and bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound but, lucky for him, Matthews is a doctor. She takes him in to tend his injuries, but they soon realize the would-be assassin – possibly Tim Roth – is returning to finish what he started. To make matters worse, the inclement weather has cut them off from the mainland, and they must face the threat alone.
While elements of the plot may sound somewhat contrived – if you’re going...
Speedman – perhaps best known for his supporting turns in Underworld and Underworld: Evolution – will play William, who washes up on the shore of a remote island cottage owned by Helen Matthews (Clarkson), during a heavy storm. He is unconscious and bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound but, lucky for him, Matthews is a doctor. She takes him in to tend his injuries, but they soon realize the would-be assassin – possibly Tim Roth – is returning to finish what he started. To make matters worse, the inclement weather has cut them off from the mainland, and they must face the threat alone.
While elements of the plot may sound somewhat contrived – if you’re going...
- 4/24/2014
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
• 12 Years A Slave Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o and The Avengers’s Scarlett Johansson are both in talks to lend their voices to Disney’s upcoming live-action/CG adaption of The Jungle Book. Nyong’o is currently in talks to play Rakcha, the mother wolf who adopts Mowgli, while Johansson is in early negotiations to lend her voice to the character of Kaa, a python who eats its victims by hypnotizing them. Iron Man’s Jon Favreau is set to direct the film based on the classic novel by Rudyard Kipling which will also star Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom...
- 4/24/2014
- by Pamela Gocobachi
- EW - Inside Movies
Exclusive: Scott Speedman is set to star opposite Patricia Clarkson in October Gale, the drama written and directed by Ruba Nadda. She also wrote and directed Cairo Time, which starred Clarkson. Speedman plays a mysterious man who, during a violent October storm, washes up on the shore of Helen Matthews’ remote island cottage, unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound. Clarkson plays the recently widowed doctor who takes him in, only to find that the shooter is coming back to finish the job and that the storm has cut them off from the mainland. Daniel Iron will produce through Foundry Films, and Christine Vachon will be exec producer through Killer Films. The film shoots in Canada in five weeks. This comes as the Atom Egoyan-directed The Captive – a film Speedman stars in with Ryan Reynolds, Rosario Dawson and Mireielle Enos — was selected as a Competition title at Cannes next month.
- 4/23/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
October Gale
Scott Speedman is set to star opposite Patricia Clarkson in Ruba Nadda's "October Gale". Speedman plays a mysterious man who, during a violent October storm, washes up on a remote island cottage, unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound.
Clarkson plays a recently widowed doctor who takes him in, only to find that the shooter is coming back to finish the job, and that the storm has cut them off from the mainland. [Source: Deadline]
Goosebumps: The Movie
Ryan Lee ("Super 8") has joined the cast of the film adaptation of R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" book series at Sony Pictures.
Dylan Minnette plays a young man who must team with a horror author (Jack Black) and his niece (Amy Rush) to stop the demons of the author's mind which have been set free by a demonic ventriloquist's dummy. [Source: Variety]
A Monster Calls
Felicity Jones ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2," "Rosaline...
Scott Speedman is set to star opposite Patricia Clarkson in Ruba Nadda's "October Gale". Speedman plays a mysterious man who, during a violent October storm, washes up on a remote island cottage, unconscious and bleeding from a gunshot wound.
Clarkson plays a recently widowed doctor who takes him in, only to find that the shooter is coming back to finish the job, and that the storm has cut them off from the mainland. [Source: Deadline]
Goosebumps: The Movie
Ryan Lee ("Super 8") has joined the cast of the film adaptation of R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" book series at Sony Pictures.
Dylan Minnette plays a young man who must team with a horror author (Jack Black) and his niece (Amy Rush) to stop the demons of the author's mind which have been set free by a demonic ventriloquist's dummy. [Source: Variety]
A Monster Calls
Felicity Jones ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2," "Rosaline...
- 4/23/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Exclusive: Myriad Pictures is reuniting with Ruba Nadda, producer Daniel Iron and their Cairo Time star Patricia Clarkson on October Gale.
Kirk D’Amico’s company has secured world sales on the Canadian thriller and has been introducing to buyers at the Efm.
Principal photography is set to kick off in spring with Toronto-based Iron of Blue Ice Pictures producing with David Collins of Ireland’s Samson Films.
Myriad chief D’Amico is an executive produce with Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and Emily Alden of Canada’s Pacific Northwest Pictures.
October Gale centres on a woman who gets involved in a deadly struggle for survival as she spends time at her island cabin home putting her late husband’s affairs in order.
“We are very happy to be working with Ruba and Danny again,” said D’Amico, whose company handled sales on Nadda’s most recent film, Inescapable. “Ruba has written a taught, suspenseful script...
Kirk D’Amico’s company has secured world sales on the Canadian thriller and has been introducing to buyers at the Efm.
Principal photography is set to kick off in spring with Toronto-based Iron of Blue Ice Pictures producing with David Collins of Ireland’s Samson Films.
Myriad chief D’Amico is an executive produce with Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and Emily Alden of Canada’s Pacific Northwest Pictures.
October Gale centres on a woman who gets involved in a deadly struggle for survival as she spends time at her island cabin home putting her late husband’s affairs in order.
“We are very happy to be working with Ruba and Danny again,” said D’Amico, whose company handled sales on Nadda’s most recent film, Inescapable. “Ruba has written a taught, suspenseful script...
- 2/9/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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