Chile-based Escala Humana Prods., led by Sebastián Brahm, is developing an ambitious English-language series titled “Golpe” about a little-known story behind the CIA’s involvement in the fall of Chile’s first Socialist president, Salvador Allende.
Intended for a U.S. audience and based on declassified U.S. government documents, the first season of the historical crime drama series, titled “The Abduction of a Commander-in-Chief,” will dramatize the CIA’s covert attempt to trigger a coup before Marxist candidate Salvador Allende assumes power in 1970 Chile and a CIA officer’s initial instinct to undermine it.
“It pits traditional corporate interest in U.S. interventionism against the ultra-liberal disciples of Milton Friedman that would later run the show, to whom the chaos of a communist regime was a necessary step before full-scale privatization; Chile was a global test case and ‘Golpe’ will tell the story,” said Brahm, adding that he reviewed...
Intended for a U.S. audience and based on declassified U.S. government documents, the first season of the historical crime drama series, titled “The Abduction of a Commander-in-Chief,” will dramatize the CIA’s covert attempt to trigger a coup before Marxist candidate Salvador Allende assumes power in 1970 Chile and a CIA officer’s initial instinct to undermine it.
“It pits traditional corporate interest in U.S. interventionism against the ultra-liberal disciples of Milton Friedman that would later run the show, to whom the chaos of a communist regime was a necessary step before full-scale privatization; Chile was a global test case and ‘Golpe’ will tell the story,” said Brahm, adding that he reviewed...
- 11/27/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
The Cow That Sang A Song About The Future
When it comes time to developing the next generation of auteurs, the nation of Chile has provided more than a fair share. The well has not been dry in the past two decades with the likes of Pablo Larraín, Pablo Trapero, Dominga Sotomayor, Sebastián Silva and Sebastian Lelio taking over the film fest circuit and recently added, Sundance has supported the likes of Maite Alberdi, Alejandro Fernández Almendras, Marcela Said and in 2022: Francisca Alegria. The filmmaker saw her short film And All the Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye win Sundance’s Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction award in 2016 and has been in development process for her feature debut since 2017.…...
When it comes time to developing the next generation of auteurs, the nation of Chile has provided more than a fair share. The well has not been dry in the past two decades with the likes of Pablo Larraín, Pablo Trapero, Dominga Sotomayor, Sebastián Silva and Sebastian Lelio taking over the film fest circuit and recently added, Sundance has supported the likes of Maite Alberdi, Alejandro Fernández Almendras, Marcela Said and in 2022: Francisca Alegria. The filmmaker saw her short film And All the Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye win Sundance’s Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction award in 2016 and has been in development process for her feature debut since 2017.…...
- 1/6/2022
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
In what marks the company’s first Latin American project, Alec Baldwin’s El Dorado Pictures has boarded Chilean filmmaker Francisca Alegria’s debut feature, “The Cow Who Sang a Song About the Future.” The multi-Emmy-winning actor and his El Dorado partner Casey Bader will serve as executive producers of the film, slated to start principal photography in Valdivia, Chile by April next year.
Alegria’s first feature is based on her acclaimed short “The Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye,” winner of the best international fiction short award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.
“Francisca Alegria is creating a unique and engaging story set in a world of magical realism and stunning art. We are excited to join her in this process,” said Baldwin.
He added: “Her filmmaking style is original and powerful and she certainly has a dynamic and promising career ahead.”
For El Dorado,...
Alegria’s first feature is based on her acclaimed short “The Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye,” winner of the best international fiction short award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.
“Francisca Alegria is creating a unique and engaging story set in a world of magical realism and stunning art. We are excited to join her in this process,” said Baldwin.
He added: “Her filmmaking style is original and powerful and she certainly has a dynamic and promising career ahead.”
For El Dorado,...
- 9/17/2019
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Leading arthouse sales agent the Match Factory has added Francisca Alegria’s debut feature, “The Cow Who Sang a Song About the Future,” to its sales slate at Cannes, where it has four films in the festival. The Chilean director won the best international fiction short award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.
The feature, a combination of the fantastic film genre with Latin American magical realism, was developed at the Sundance Labs, with support from Cinereach, the Rotterdam Film Festival, Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund and Chile’s Ministry of Culture.
As well as winning at Sundance, Alegria’s most recent short, “And the Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye,” screened at the Telluride, Toronto, New York and San Francisco film festivals.
Alegria’s feature film follows Cecilia and her two children, who after a long time away, pay a visit to her father’s dairy farm in Valdivia,...
The feature, a combination of the fantastic film genre with Latin American magical realism, was developed at the Sundance Labs, with support from Cinereach, the Rotterdam Film Festival, Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund and Chile’s Ministry of Culture.
As well as winning at Sundance, Alegria’s most recent short, “And the Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cow’s Eye,” screened at the Telluride, Toronto, New York and San Francisco film festivals.
Alegria’s feature film follows Cecilia and her two children, who after a long time away, pay a visit to her father’s dairy farm in Valdivia,...
- 5/15/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Madrid — Peru’s La Vida Misma and Paris-based sales agent Luxbox have dropped the first trailer and poster of Melina Leon’s “Canción sin nombre” (“Song Without a Name”), selected this week for the Cannes Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight.
Written by Leon and Michael J. White, “Song Without a Name” sums up some of ambitions and focus of the section under first-time artistic director Paolo Moretti: A first feature, a movie with a strong auteurist voice, and elements of genre in its slow-boiling thriller thrust and dashes of film noir.
“Song Without a Name” is lead produced by La Vida Misma, in co-production with Spain’s Mgc, Peru’s La Mula Producciones and Switzerland’s Bord Cadre, co-producers of “Monos” and “Divine Love,” well received at this year’s Sundance festival, and 2018 Directors’ Fortnight standout “Birds of Passage.”
Sophie Dulac Distribution, the French distributor of Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship...
Written by Leon and Michael J. White, “Song Without a Name” sums up some of ambitions and focus of the section under first-time artistic director Paolo Moretti: A first feature, a movie with a strong auteurist voice, and elements of genre in its slow-boiling thriller thrust and dashes of film noir.
“Song Without a Name” is lead produced by La Vida Misma, in co-production with Spain’s Mgc, Peru’s La Mula Producciones and Switzerland’s Bord Cadre, co-producers of “Monos” and “Divine Love,” well received at this year’s Sundance festival, and 2018 Directors’ Fortnight standout “Birds of Passage.”
Sophie Dulac Distribution, the French distributor of Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship...
- 4/26/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Guadalajara, Mexico — This week, Mexico’s Guadalajara Festival will honor Chile as its guest country. That serves as further recognition of an extraordinary 15 years after the so-called Newest Chilean Cinema broke out at 2005’s Valparaíso Festival with Matías Bize, Sebastián Lelio and Alicia Scherson bowing first features.
During that stretch, Chile, just the seventh-largest country in Latin America with an 18 million population, has punched in international terms far above its weight, winning major prizes at Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Venice, and breaking out to sizable box office on select titles abroad. Last year Sebastian Lelio’s “A Fantastic Woman” won him and producers Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín an Oscar.
Now, however, Chile’s top talent is crossing over into TV, as TV producers return to cinema. The wall between both is fast coming down.
Chile certainly isn’t abandoning cinema. It has six or seven titles which could...
During that stretch, Chile, just the seventh-largest country in Latin America with an 18 million population, has punched in international terms far above its weight, winning major prizes at Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Venice, and breaking out to sizable box office on select titles abroad. Last year Sebastian Lelio’s “A Fantastic Woman” won him and producers Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín an Oscar.
Now, however, Chile’s top talent is crossing over into TV, as TV producers return to cinema. The wall between both is fast coming down.
Chile certainly isn’t abandoning cinema. It has six or seven titles which could...
- 3/11/2019
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Ten works in progress also screened at Coming Soon showcase.
Laura Samani’s Italian-Slovakian project Small Body and Mikko Myllylahti’s Finnish drama The Woodcutter Story received the TorinoFilmLab’s two prestigious €40,000 production awards on the final night of Tfl’s Meeting Event which marked the culmination of the 11th edition of the TorinoFilmLab.
The event presented all of the projects developed at Tfl through the year and took place from November 23-24.
Four co-production awards of €50,000 each were also presented to Mounia Akl’s Costa Brava, Lebanon (Lebanon-France-Sweden-Norway), Felipe Gálvez’s The Settlers (Chile-Argentina-Denmark), Jianjie Lin’s Blood And Water...
Laura Samani’s Italian-Slovakian project Small Body and Mikko Myllylahti’s Finnish drama The Woodcutter Story received the TorinoFilmLab’s two prestigious €40,000 production awards on the final night of Tfl’s Meeting Event which marked the culmination of the 11th edition of the TorinoFilmLab.
The event presented all of the projects developed at Tfl through the year and took place from November 23-24.
Four co-production awards of €50,000 each were also presented to Mounia Akl’s Costa Brava, Lebanon (Lebanon-France-Sweden-Norway), Felipe Gálvez’s The Settlers (Chile-Argentina-Denmark), Jianjie Lin’s Blood And Water...
- 11/27/2018
- by Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
Sundance love their Chilean cinema and have had a great rapport with Alejandro Fernández Almendras in the past showcasing his 2014 Grand Jury Prize World Cinema – Dramatic winner (Matar a un hombre) and 2016’s Aquí No Ha Pasado Nada. A Chile, France, Czech Republic, South Korea co-production, Hra was shot in black and white film and set in the Czech Republic, and recently at the 2018 Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) Works in Progress he offered some insight in where he was with the process.
Gist: This tells the tale of a small-town Czech playwright, Peter (Jiří Mádl), who makes a series of inadvisable decisions in his private life that begin to impose on the work being done in the theater.…...
Gist: This tells the tale of a small-town Czech playwright, Peter (Jiří Mádl), who makes a series of inadvisable decisions in his private life that begin to impose on the work being done in the theater.…...
- 11/21/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Films presented last year include Golden Bear wiunner Touch Me Not and Critics’ Week winner Diamantino.
This year’s Torino Film Lab (Tfl) will once again showcase 10 films developed within its programmes at the upcoming Meeting Event (23-24 November).
The projects, to be presented at the Coming Soon night, are all works in progress in their final stages of completion, half of which are still looking for a sales agent.
2018 has been an important year for many of the films previewed at last year’s Coming Soon event. Adina Pintilie Touch Me Not went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlinale,...
This year’s Torino Film Lab (Tfl) will once again showcase 10 films developed within its programmes at the upcoming Meeting Event (23-24 November).
The projects, to be presented at the Coming Soon night, are all works in progress in their final stages of completion, half of which are still looking for a sales agent.
2018 has been an important year for many of the films previewed at last year’s Coming Soon event. Adina Pintilie Touch Me Not went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlinale,...
- 10/25/2018
- by Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
Santiago, Chile — A leading voice in Chilean auteur cinema, Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Alejandro Fernández Almendras has stepped way outside the box with his latest feature, “Hra,” a black and white film set in the Czech Republic, which participated at this year’s Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) Works in Progress.
The film takes place in the world of a young theater director in a diminutive town in the Czech Republic. With an upcoming performance of a play of his own writing, based on Euripide’s “Fedra,” everything begins to crumble around Petr, played by longtime Czech standout Jiří Mádl, when he gets involved with one of the actresses in the production.
A bad idea under most any circumstances, it’s all the worse since he is married, and has a newborn child at home. After his wife leaves him, Petr reevaluates his life, and desperately strives to earn...
The film takes place in the world of a young theater director in a diminutive town in the Czech Republic. With an upcoming performance of a play of his own writing, based on Euripide’s “Fedra,” everything begins to crumble around Petr, played by longtime Czech standout Jiří Mádl, when he gets involved with one of the actresses in the production.
A bad idea under most any circumstances, it’s all the worse since he is married, and has a newborn child at home. After his wife leaves him, Petr reevaluates his life, and desperately strives to earn...
- 8/26/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Sanfic is a showcase for Chile’s cinema as it wins Oscars (“A Fantastic Woman” ), dazzles critics – Variety called Pablo Larrain “the most daring and prodigious political filmmaker of his generation” – and expands in foreign.
No other Latin America cinema, moreover, has crossed over into international filmmaking as much as Chile’s. As this year’s 14th Sanfic bows on Aug. 19, Variety delivers seven takes on now one of Latin America’s premiere fests.
1.Women
Chile is lightyears from genre parity. But its cinema, made by its often highly-educated liberal left, inevitably captures the zeitgeist. Sanfic’s highest-profile new completed Chilean title, fresh off a best director win at Locarno, Dominga Sotomayor’s sensorial “Too Late to Die Young,” chronicles the coming of age of a 16-year-old girl, more through the accumulation of emotions than classic resolutive drama.
“Dry Martina,” which world premiered at Tribeca, is directed by a man,...
No other Latin America cinema, moreover, has crossed over into international filmmaking as much as Chile’s. As this year’s 14th Sanfic bows on Aug. 19, Variety delivers seven takes on now one of Latin America’s premiere fests.
1.Women
Chile is lightyears from genre parity. But its cinema, made by its often highly-educated liberal left, inevitably captures the zeitgeist. Sanfic’s highest-profile new completed Chilean title, fresh off a best director win at Locarno, Dominga Sotomayor’s sensorial “Too Late to Die Young,” chronicles the coming of age of a 16-year-old girl, more through the accumulation of emotions than classic resolutive drama.
“Dry Martina,” which world premiered at Tribeca, is directed by a man,...
- 8/17/2018
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Chile’s Santiago-based international film festival, Sanfic, has shared with Variety its list of seven films set to participate in the 2018 Sanfic Industria Latin American Works in Progress section.
The films will compete for the following prizes: The Chemistry Award – $50,000 worth of post-production services towards color correction in HD or 2k resolution; the Avid Media Composer Licensing Software Award – a license for perpetual access to the Avid Media Composer post-production editing software valued at $1,800; Yagan Films Award – sound post-production services valued at $23,000; and the new-to-this-year Malaga Festival Award – guaranteed participation at the 2019 Malaga Festival to be held next March.
A highly-anticipated entry at this year’s Wip is the latest from Chile’s Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Produced by Jirafa Films in Chile, one of the country’s very top film outfits, Paris-based Arizona Films and Film & Roll in the Czech Republic, “Hra” (“The Play”) tells the tale of a small-town Czech playwright,...
The films will compete for the following prizes: The Chemistry Award – $50,000 worth of post-production services towards color correction in HD or 2k resolution; the Avid Media Composer Licensing Software Award – a license for perpetual access to the Avid Media Composer post-production editing software valued at $1,800; Yagan Films Award – sound post-production services valued at $23,000; and the new-to-this-year Malaga Festival Award – guaranteed participation at the 2019 Malaga Festival to be held next March.
A highly-anticipated entry at this year’s Wip is the latest from Chile’s Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Produced by Jirafa Films in Chile, one of the country’s very top film outfits, Paris-based Arizona Films and Film & Roll in the Czech Republic, “Hra” (“The Play”) tells the tale of a small-town Czech playwright,...
- 7/31/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
In one of the key deals in the run-up to next week’s Locarno Festival, Paris-based Stray Dogs has closed international sales rights on “Tarde para morir joven” (Too Late to Die Young), the anticipated second feature from Chile’s double Rotterdam winner Dominga Sotomayor.
Reprising some of the issues of her debut, “Thursday Till Sunday,” but on a far larger and novel canvas, “Too Late” is produced by Sotomayor’s Chile-based Cinestación and Rodrigo Teixeira’s Rt Features in Sao Paulo, whose current slate features films by Robert Eggers, James Gray and Olivier Assayas and a joint production alliance for emerging filmmakers with Martin Scorsese.
Backed by Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and the Doha Film Institute, “Too Late” is co-produced by Argentina’s Ruda Cine and the Netherlands’ Circe Films.
Holding world sales rights outside Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Benelux, Stray Dogs Nathan Fischer will introduce “Too Late...
Reprising some of the issues of her debut, “Thursday Till Sunday,” but on a far larger and novel canvas, “Too Late” is produced by Sotomayor’s Chile-based Cinestación and Rodrigo Teixeira’s Rt Features in Sao Paulo, whose current slate features films by Robert Eggers, James Gray and Olivier Assayas and a joint production alliance for emerging filmmakers with Martin Scorsese.
Backed by Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and the Doha Film Institute, “Too Late” is co-produced by Argentina’s Ruda Cine and the Netherlands’ Circe Films.
Holding world sales rights outside Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Benelux, Stray Dogs Nathan Fischer will introduce “Too Late...
- 7/25/2018
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Jirafa’s Augusto Matte and Bruno Bettati are scouting for partners on the Croisette.
Fast-rising Colombian actress Natalia Reyes, riding high on strong reviews for Directors’ Fortnight opener Birds Of Passage and set to star in James Cameron’s Terminator reboot, has signed on to play the lead in The Gray Beyond for Chilean producers Jirafa.
Bruno Bettati of Jirafa, whose Los Perros screened here in Critics Week last year, is with Reyes on the Croisette scouting for co-production partners and investors.
Alejandro Fernández Almendras will direct the English-language sci-fi, which will shoot in Patagonia and star Reyes as an...
Fast-rising Colombian actress Natalia Reyes, riding high on strong reviews for Directors’ Fortnight opener Birds Of Passage and set to star in James Cameron’s Terminator reboot, has signed on to play the lead in The Gray Beyond for Chilean producers Jirafa.
Bruno Bettati of Jirafa, whose Los Perros screened here in Critics Week last year, is with Reyes on the Croisette scouting for co-production partners and investors.
Alejandro Fernández Almendras will direct the English-language sci-fi, which will shoot in Patagonia and star Reyes as an...
- 5/14/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Plzen winnners also announced.
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
- 4/26/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
The Untamed, from Cannes best director award winner, among 13 titles.
The 64rd San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 16-24) has revealed the 13 titles in its Horizontes Latinos programme, comprising some of the best Latin American films of the year to date.
Films selected may have competed or premiered at international festivals, but will have not yet been screened at a Spanish festival or had their commercial release in Spain.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a specific jury and coming with €35,000, of which €10,000 will go to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 to its distributor in Spain.
The titles include The Untamed, from Amat Escalante, who won the Best Director Award in Cannes for Heli in 2013. The film, which will premiere in competition at this year’s Venice, centres on a young couple living in the Mexican lowlands whose lives are changed when a meteorite crashes into an nearby mountain.
Horizontes...
The 64rd San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 16-24) has revealed the 13 titles in its Horizontes Latinos programme, comprising some of the best Latin American films of the year to date.
Films selected may have competed or premiered at international festivals, but will have not yet been screened at a Spanish festival or had their commercial release in Spain.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a specific jury and coming with €35,000, of which €10,000 will go to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 to its distributor in Spain.
The titles include The Untamed, from Amat Escalante, who won the Best Director Award in Cannes for Heli in 2013. The film, which will premiere in competition at this year’s Venice, centres on a young couple living in the Mexican lowlands whose lives are changed when a meteorite crashes into an nearby mountain.
Horizontes...
- 8/17/2016
- ScreenDaily
Films in Progress, the twice-yearly event organized by the San Sebastian and Toulouse Festivals, is now receiving submissions for its 30th edition.
The initiative has the objective of promoting the completion of Latin-American feature films faced with difficulties at the post-production stage and of promoting their international distribution. The films must have a running time of more than 60 minutes and must be totally or partially produced by production companies in Latin American countries.
Films in Progress has contributed to the completion and dissemination of remarkable Latin American productions. Films presented at the last three editions of Films in Progress, such as "Matar a un hombre" (To Kill a Man) and "Aquí no ha pasado nada" (Much Ado about Nothing) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, "Historia del miedo" (History of Fear) by Benjamín Naishtat, "Ixcanul" by Jayro Bustamante, "La Mujer de Barro" (The Mud Woman) by Sergio Castro, "Mi amiga del Parque" (My Friend from the Park) by Ana Katz or "Rara" by Pepa San Martín have gone on to participate and garner awards at important international festivals such as Berlin, Rotterdam and Sundance.
Films in Progress 30 and the V Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum will run on the same dates, seeking to generate professional synergies, foster co-productions and the international circulation of films.
Awards
Films in Progress Industry Award granted by the companies Daniel Goldstein, Deluxe Spain, Dolby Iberia, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Nephilim Producciones, No problem Sonido, and Wanda Visión. The award consists of the post-production of a film until obtaining a Dcp subtitled in English and its distribution in Spain.
Ibermedia TV Films in Progress Award, going to the winning film of the Films in Progress Industry Award. Granted by the Conference of Ibero-American Cinematographic Authorities (Caci) by means of the Ibermedia Program, the award consists of including the film in the Grant Program for Television Broadcast: authorization of non-exclusive broadcasting on Ibermedia TV and Ibermedia Digital for the value of USD25,000 (full-length feature film) or USD15,000 (documentary).
Registration
Online Submission Form...
The initiative has the objective of promoting the completion of Latin-American feature films faced with difficulties at the post-production stage and of promoting their international distribution. The films must have a running time of more than 60 minutes and must be totally or partially produced by production companies in Latin American countries.
Films in Progress has contributed to the completion and dissemination of remarkable Latin American productions. Films presented at the last three editions of Films in Progress, such as "Matar a un hombre" (To Kill a Man) and "Aquí no ha pasado nada" (Much Ado about Nothing) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, "Historia del miedo" (History of Fear) by Benjamín Naishtat, "Ixcanul" by Jayro Bustamante, "La Mujer de Barro" (The Mud Woman) by Sergio Castro, "Mi amiga del Parque" (My Friend from the Park) by Ana Katz or "Rara" by Pepa San Martín have gone on to participate and garner awards at important international festivals such as Berlin, Rotterdam and Sundance.
Films in Progress 30 and the V Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum will run on the same dates, seeking to generate professional synergies, foster co-productions and the international circulation of films.
Awards
Films in Progress Industry Award granted by the companies Daniel Goldstein, Deluxe Spain, Dolby Iberia, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Nephilim Producciones, No problem Sonido, and Wanda Visión. The award consists of the post-production of a film until obtaining a Dcp subtitled in English and its distribution in Spain.
Ibermedia TV Films in Progress Award, going to the winning film of the Films in Progress Industry Award. Granted by the Conference of Ibero-American Cinematographic Authorities (Caci) by means of the Ibermedia Program, the award consists of including the film in the Grant Program for Television Broadcast: authorization of non-exclusive broadcasting on Ibermedia TV and Ibermedia Digital for the value of USD25,000 (full-length feature film) or USD15,000 (documentary).
Registration
Online Submission Form...
- 5/26/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Gabriel Mascaro’s selection from Brazil-Uruguay-Holland has won the official narrative competition award as the Colombian festival came to a close on Monday.
Jurors Michel Franco, Mike Downey and Ailín Salas awarded Neon Bull (Boi Neon, pictured) the $15,000 Cine Colombia prize.
Best director went to José Luis Guerín for Spain’s La Academia De Musas.
The Fipresci Prize went to Alejandro Fernández Almendras’ recent Sundance world premiere Much Ado About Nothing (Chile).
The Cine Colombiano official competition prize and an $11,000 award was presented to Noche Herida (Colombia-Belgium) by Nicolás Rincón.
A special jury prize went to Siembra (Colombia-Germany) by Angela Osorio and Santiago Lozano, while best director was awarded to Luis Ospina for Todo Comenzó Por El Fin. Ospina’s film also won the audience award.
Top documentary honours went to El Viento Sabe Que Vuelvo A Casa (Chile) by José Luis Torres Leiva, and best director to Jorge Caballero for Paciente (Colombia). The jury prize was awarded...
Jurors Michel Franco, Mike Downey and Ailín Salas awarded Neon Bull (Boi Neon, pictured) the $15,000 Cine Colombia prize.
Best director went to José Luis Guerín for Spain’s La Academia De Musas.
The Fipresci Prize went to Alejandro Fernández Almendras’ recent Sundance world premiere Much Ado About Nothing (Chile).
The Cine Colombiano official competition prize and an $11,000 award was presented to Noche Herida (Colombia-Belgium) by Nicolás Rincón.
A special jury prize went to Siembra (Colombia-Germany) by Angela Osorio and Santiago Lozano, while best director was awarded to Luis Ospina for Todo Comenzó Por El Fin. Ospina’s film also won the audience award.
Top documentary honours went to El Viento Sabe Que Vuelvo A Casa (Chile) by José Luis Torres Leiva, and best director to Jorge Caballero for Paciente (Colombia). The jury prize was awarded...
- 3/7/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
All the news, reviews and interviews coming out of Park City.News
The Birth of a Nation
What were the buzz titles of 2016?
‘The Birth Of A Nation’, ‘Sonita’ rule Sundance awards
Sundance buyers wait to see if numbers add up
Six major deals signed in Park City
Fox Searchlight in record $17.5m deal for ‘Birth Of A Nation’
The Orchard snaps up ‘Wilderpeople’
Sundance unveils shorts winners
‘Indignation’, ‘Equity’ find Us homes
Amazon strikes $10m deal for ‘Manchester By The Sea’
Sundance director lambasts Chilean film support
Partners unite on ‘Under The Shadow’
Spc takes world on Frank Zappa doc
Mongrel International boards ‘Little Men’
Brainstorm Media sparks to ‘Resilience’
Buyers circle hot ‘Manchester’
Robert Redford addresses diversity
Curzon Artificial Eye acquires Whit Stillman’s ‘Love & Friendship’
‘Embrace Of The Serpent’ wins Sloan prize
Netflix acquires ‘Audrie & Daisy’
Magnolia takes ‘Lo And Behold’
Paramount Home Media in talks for ‘The Intervention’
Sundance Channel acquires five festival...
The Birth of a Nation
What were the buzz titles of 2016?
‘The Birth Of A Nation’, ‘Sonita’ rule Sundance awards
Sundance buyers wait to see if numbers add up
Six major deals signed in Park City
Fox Searchlight in record $17.5m deal for ‘Birth Of A Nation’
The Orchard snaps up ‘Wilderpeople’
Sundance unveils shorts winners
‘Indignation’, ‘Equity’ find Us homes
Amazon strikes $10m deal for ‘Manchester By The Sea’
Sundance director lambasts Chilean film support
Partners unite on ‘Under The Shadow’
Spc takes world on Frank Zappa doc
Mongrel International boards ‘Little Men’
Brainstorm Media sparks to ‘Resilience’
Buyers circle hot ‘Manchester’
Robert Redford addresses diversity
Curzon Artificial Eye acquires Whit Stillman’s ‘Love & Friendship’
‘Embrace Of The Serpent’ wins Sloan prize
Netflix acquires ‘Audrie & Daisy’
Magnolia takes ‘Lo And Behold’
Paramount Home Media in talks for ‘The Intervention’
Sundance Channel acquires five festival...
- 2/1/2016
- ScreenDaily
All the news, reviews and interviews coming out of Park City.News
The Birth of a Nation
Fox Searchlight in record $17.5m deal for ‘Birth Of A Nation’
The Orchard snaps up ‘Wilderpeople’
Sundance unveils shorts winners
‘Indignation’, ‘Equity’ find Us homes
Amazon strikes $10m deal for ‘Manchester By The Sea’
Sundance director lambasts Chilean film support
Partners unite on ‘Under The Shadow’
Spc takes world on Frank Zappa doc
Mongrel International boards ‘Little Men’
Brainstorm Media sparks to ‘Resilience’
Buyers circle hot ‘Manchester’
Robert Redford addresses diversity
Curzon Artificial Eye acquires Whit Stillman’s ‘Love & Friendship’
Interviews
The Lure
Babak Anvari, ‘Under The Shadow’Agnieszka Smoczynska, ‘The Lure’Alejandro Fernández Almendras, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’Elite Zexer, ‘Sand Storm’Felix van Groeningen, ‘Belgica’Mirjana Karanovic, ‘A Good Wife’Rebecca Daly, ‘Mammal’Yao Huang, ‘Pleasure. Love.’Doron Weber, The Sloan FoundationFEATURES
Source: Jemal Countess
Sundance 2016: the year starts hereSundance 2016: World Cinema film profilesNew Frontier strand...
The Birth of a Nation
Fox Searchlight in record $17.5m deal for ‘Birth Of A Nation’
The Orchard snaps up ‘Wilderpeople’
Sundance unveils shorts winners
‘Indignation’, ‘Equity’ find Us homes
Amazon strikes $10m deal for ‘Manchester By The Sea’
Sundance director lambasts Chilean film support
Partners unite on ‘Under The Shadow’
Spc takes world on Frank Zappa doc
Mongrel International boards ‘Little Men’
Brainstorm Media sparks to ‘Resilience’
Buyers circle hot ‘Manchester’
Robert Redford addresses diversity
Curzon Artificial Eye acquires Whit Stillman’s ‘Love & Friendship’
Interviews
The Lure
Babak Anvari, ‘Under The Shadow’Agnieszka Smoczynska, ‘The Lure’Alejandro Fernández Almendras, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’Elite Zexer, ‘Sand Storm’Felix van Groeningen, ‘Belgica’Mirjana Karanovic, ‘A Good Wife’Rebecca Daly, ‘Mammal’Yao Huang, ‘Pleasure. Love.’Doron Weber, The Sloan FoundationFEATURES
Source: Jemal Countess
Sundance 2016: the year starts hereSundance 2016: World Cinema film profilesNew Frontier strand...
- 1/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Alejandro Fernández Almendras, whose Much Ado About Nothing plays in the World Cinema Dramatic section on Monday, said he feels he has no choice but to leave Chile to pursue his career “as a matter of survival.”
The outspoken former financial journalist and winner of the Sundance 2014 World Cinema Dramatic grand jury prize for To Kill A Man cited what he described as a lack of adequate support from the Chilean Film Fund.
“On the one hand the system to finance films in Chile depends almost exclusively on the Chilean Film Fund that have only one open call every year and whose jury is composed almost entirely of old school filmmakers, many of whom haven’t made a film in decades,” Almendras told Screendaily.
“They answer to their own agenda, which is completely removed from anything going on in the international film market.”
Almendras and producer Augusto Matte pieced together a financing patchwork for his social...
The outspoken former financial journalist and winner of the Sundance 2014 World Cinema Dramatic grand jury prize for To Kill A Man cited what he described as a lack of adequate support from the Chilean Film Fund.
“On the one hand the system to finance films in Chile depends almost exclusively on the Chilean Film Fund that have only one open call every year and whose jury is composed almost entirely of old school filmmakers, many of whom haven’t made a film in decades,” Almendras told Screendaily.
“They answer to their own agenda, which is completely removed from anything going on in the international film market.”
Almendras and producer Augusto Matte pieced together a financing patchwork for his social...
- 1/24/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The lineup for the Berlinale's Panorama section is now complete. Today's additions include new work by Sérgio Andrade and Fábio Baldo, Aslı Özge, Alejandro Fernández Almendras, E J-yong, Rachid Bouchareb, Anna Muylaert, Alex Anwandter, Jordan Schiele, Ali Abbasi, Oliver Schmitz, Patric Chiha, Marcos Prado, Jan Gassmann, Sophia Luvarà, Sara Jordenö, Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, Rob Cannan and Ross Adam, Lee Dong-ha, Fan Jian, Monika Treut—and Tomer Heymann, Barak Heymann and Alexander Bodin Saphir. The festival's 66th edition runs from February 11 through 21. » - David Hudson...
- 1/21/2016
- Keyframe
The lineup for the Berlinale's Panorama section is now complete. Today's additions include new work by Sérgio Andrade and Fábio Baldo, Aslı Özge, Alejandro Fernández Almendras, E J-yong, Rachid Bouchareb, Anna Muylaert, Alex Anwandter, Jordan Schiele, Ali Abbasi, Oliver Schmitz, Patric Chiha, Marcos Prado, Jan Gassmann, Sophia Luvarà, Sara Jordenö, Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, Rob Cannan and Ross Adam, Lee Dong-ha, Fan Jian, Monika Treut—and Tomer Heymann, Barak Heymann and Alexander Bodin Saphir. The festival's 66th edition runs from February 11 through 21. » - David Hudson...
- 1/21/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Films include Shepherds and Butchers with Steve Coogan; Don’t Call Me Son from Anna Muylaert; and a documentary about a director and actress who were kidnapped by Kim Jong-il.
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed the selection for this year’s Panorama strand, comprising 51 films from 33 countries. A total of 34 fiction features comprise the main programme and Panorama Special while a further 17 titles will screen in Panorama Dokumente.
A total of 33 films are world premieres, nine are international premieres and nine European premieres. The 30th Teddy Award is also being celebrated with an anniversary series of 17 films.
Notable titles include Shepherds and Butchers from South Africa, which is set toward the end of Apartheid and stars Steve Coogan as a hotshot lawyer who faces his biggest test when he agrees to defend a white prison guard who has killed seven black men. What ensues is a charge against the death penalty itself, in a case...
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed the selection for this year’s Panorama strand, comprising 51 films from 33 countries. A total of 34 fiction features comprise the main programme and Panorama Special while a further 17 titles will screen in Panorama Dokumente.
A total of 33 films are world premieres, nine are international premieres and nine European premieres. The 30th Teddy Award is also being celebrated with an anniversary series of 17 films.
Notable titles include Shepherds and Butchers from South Africa, which is set toward the end of Apartheid and stars Steve Coogan as a hotshot lawyer who faces his biggest test when he agrees to defend a white prison guard who has killed seven black men. What ensues is a charge against the death penalty itself, in a case...
- 1/21/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Films include Shepherds and Butchers, starring Steve Coogan; Don’t Call Me Son from Anna Muylaert; and a documentary about a director and actress who were kidnapped by Kim Jong-il and forced to make films.
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed the selection for this year’s Panorama strand, comprising 51 films from 33 countries. A total of 34 fiction features comprise the main programme and Panorama Special while a further 17 titles will screen in Panorama Dokumente.
A total of 33 films are world premieres, nine are international premieres and nine European premieres. The 30th Teddy Award is also being celebrated with an anniversary series of 17 films.
Notable titles include Shepherds and Butchers from South Africa, which is set toward the end of Apartheid and stars Steve Coogan as a hotshot lawyer faces his biggest test when he agrees to defend a white prison guard who has killed seven black men. What ensues is a charge against the death penalty itself...
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed the selection for this year’s Panorama strand, comprising 51 films from 33 countries. A total of 34 fiction features comprise the main programme and Panorama Special while a further 17 titles will screen in Panorama Dokumente.
A total of 33 films are world premieres, nine are international premieres and nine European premieres. The 30th Teddy Award is also being celebrated with an anniversary series of 17 films.
Notable titles include Shepherds and Butchers from South Africa, which is set toward the end of Apartheid and stars Steve Coogan as a hotshot lawyer faces his biggest test when he agrees to defend a white prison guard who has killed seven black men. What ensues is a charge against the death penalty itself...
- 1/21/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
As Sundance and Slamdance prepare to kick off this week some insiders have predicted there could be a surge of activity from digital platforms besides Netflix and Amazon Studios.
The latter two are expected to be active – and indeed have already taken a few Park City titles off the table – yet there is talk of other well-capitalised companies mulling over a splashy entry into the acquisitions arena.
The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21-31.
Nimble digital platforms challenge traditional buyers
Faced with sharp digital rivals unencumbered by the need to spend on costly P&A and plugged into transactional data that enables them to target audiences with forensic precision, theatrical buyers will need to be on their toes.
The distribution landscape is crowded and unforgiving, yet creative marketing campaigns can pave the way to success.
Among others, A24 did it with Ex Machina and Fox Searchlight reaped rewards with its 2015 Sundance pick-up Brooklyn, earning Oscar nods...
The latter two are expected to be active – and indeed have already taken a few Park City titles off the table – yet there is talk of other well-capitalised companies mulling over a splashy entry into the acquisitions arena.
The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21-31.
Nimble digital platforms challenge traditional buyers
Faced with sharp digital rivals unencumbered by the need to spend on costly P&A and plugged into transactional data that enables them to target audiences with forensic precision, theatrical buyers will need to be on their toes.
The distribution landscape is crowded and unforgiving, yet creative marketing campaigns can pave the way to success.
Among others, A24 did it with Ex Machina and Fox Searchlight reaped rewards with its 2015 Sundance pick-up Brooklyn, earning Oscar nods...
- 1/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
As Sundance and Slamdance prepare to kick off this week some insiders have predicted there could be a surge of activity from digital platforms besides Netflix and Amazon Studios.
The latter two are expected to be active – and indeed have already taken a few Park City titles off the table – yet there is talk of other well-capitalised companies mulling over a splashy entry into the acquisitions arena. The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21-31.
Nimble digital platforms challenge traditional buyers
Faced with sharp digital rivals unencumbered by the need to spend on costly P&A and plugged into transactional data that enables them to target audiences with forensic precision, theatrical buyers will need to be on their toes.
The distribution landscape is crowded and unforgiving, yet creative marketing campaigns can pave the way to success.
Among others, A24 did it with Ex Machina and Fox Searchlight reaped rewards with its 2015 Sundance pick-up Brooklyn, earning Oscar nods...
The latter two are expected to be active – and indeed have already taken a few Park City titles off the table – yet there is talk of other well-capitalised companies mulling over a splashy entry into the acquisitions arena. The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 21-31.
Nimble digital platforms challenge traditional buyers
Faced with sharp digital rivals unencumbered by the need to spend on costly P&A and plugged into transactional data that enables them to target audiences with forensic precision, theatrical buyers will need to be on their toes.
The distribution landscape is crowded and unforgiving, yet creative marketing campaigns can pave the way to success.
Among others, A24 did it with Ex Machina and Fox Searchlight reaped rewards with its 2015 Sundance pick-up Brooklyn, earning Oscar nods...
- 1/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Films in Progress, a joint initiative between Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse and the San Sebastian Festival, serves to facilitate the completion of rigorously selected independent Latin American films that might be facing difficulties in funding their way into the post-production stage.
Since 2002, this double event presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress in two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in September in San Sebastián.
Films in Progress allows for these films to be finished, it gives them an international visibility among professionals and promotes their circulation and exhibition.
Films in Progress encourages the meeting and cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to help the films reach more screens and audiences. <ore than 300 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international industries take part each year in these two sessions. Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point for Latin American films and the rest of the world.
In the last few years, Films in Progress has contributed efficiently to the completion, exposition and commercialization of the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Infancia Clandestina" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa" by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "Historia del Miedo" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, "Ixcanul" by Jayro Bustamente, "From Afar" by Lorenzo Vigas among others.
By involving film professionals capable of contributing to the film's post-production, and by encouraging distributors and promoters to diversify their offer, San Sebastian and Toulouse hope to develop and strengthen, with as much pragmatism and efficiency as possible, respect for and the promotion of cultural diversity based on a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.
Three Awards
-Toulouse's Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € in post-production services in France offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, audio post-production from Mactari, technical help from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firelfly, an auditorium and other materials for the film's calibration from Commune Image and the coordination of the post-production from Eaux vives.
-Ciné + Award consists in the guaranteed purchase of the film by a French distributor for the amount of 15.000 euros by Ciné +
-European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the network of 130 distributors part of Europa Distribution and in the 2.000 exhibitors part of Cicae.
Submission
The feature films presented must be a minority or major Latin American productionThe length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutesThe film must be at the post-production stage (first cut at minimum)The cut submitted for evaluation must be subtitled in English or in Spanish if it is not in Spanish.
There is no charge of fees for the registrationDeadline : January 20th, 2016
In case the film is selected:The director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 16th, 17th and 18th, 2016The film must be subtitled in EnglishThe screening format is Blu Ray (" copies for back up)Selection will be announced in early March 2016
Online Submission Form...
Since 2002, this double event presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress in two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in September in San Sebastián.
Films in Progress allows for these films to be finished, it gives them an international visibility among professionals and promotes their circulation and exhibition.
Films in Progress encourages the meeting and cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to help the films reach more screens and audiences. <ore than 300 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international industries take part each year in these two sessions. Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point for Latin American films and the rest of the world.
In the last few years, Films in Progress has contributed efficiently to the completion, exposition and commercialization of the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Infancia Clandestina" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa" by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "Historia del Miedo" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, "Ixcanul" by Jayro Bustamente, "From Afar" by Lorenzo Vigas among others.
By involving film professionals capable of contributing to the film's post-production, and by encouraging distributors and promoters to diversify their offer, San Sebastian and Toulouse hope to develop and strengthen, with as much pragmatism and efficiency as possible, respect for and the promotion of cultural diversity based on a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.
Three Awards
-Toulouse's Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € in post-production services in France offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, audio post-production from Mactari, technical help from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firelfly, an auditorium and other materials for the film's calibration from Commune Image and the coordination of the post-production from Eaux vives.
-Ciné + Award consists in the guaranteed purchase of the film by a French distributor for the amount of 15.000 euros by Ciné +
-European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the network of 130 distributors part of Europa Distribution and in the 2.000 exhibitors part of Cicae.
Submission
The feature films presented must be a minority or major Latin American productionThe length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutesThe film must be at the post-production stage (first cut at minimum)The cut submitted for evaluation must be subtitled in English or in Spanish if it is not in Spanish.
There is no charge of fees for the registrationDeadline : January 20th, 2016
In case the film is selected:The director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 16th, 17th and 18th, 2016The film must be subtitled in EnglishThe screening format is Blu Ray (" copies for back up)Selection will be announced in early March 2016
Online Submission Form...
- 1/17/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Eliane Caffé’s film scooped the Industry Award prize.
The Cambridge Squatter, director Eliane Caffé’s latest feature project, has won the Industry Award at the films in progress showcase of San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 18-26).
The film is a portrayal of homelessness in São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city.
Caffé’s previous work has seen him receive major recognition in Brazil and abroad, including his 2003 feature The Storytellers, which won awards at festivals across South America.
Films in progress is the bi-annual initiative run jointly by San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse to support Latin American films through post-production.
The Cambridge Squatter beat competition including new projects from directors Alejandro Fernández Almendras and Daniel Hendler.
The Cambridge Squatter, director Eliane Caffé’s latest feature project, has won the Industry Award at the films in progress showcase of San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 18-26).
The film is a portrayal of homelessness in São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city.
Caffé’s previous work has seen him receive major recognition in Brazil and abroad, including his 2003 feature The Storytellers, which won awards at festivals across South America.
Films in progress is the bi-annual initiative run jointly by San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse to support Latin American films through post-production.
The Cambridge Squatter beat competition including new projects from directors Alejandro Fernández Almendras and Daniel Hendler.
- 9/24/2015
- ScreenDaily
113 films from 20 countries were submitted to the Films in Progress 28 initiative at the San Sebastian Film Festival. The final selection includes: "Aquí no ha pasado nada" (Much Ado About Nothing) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile),whose previous film, "To Kill a Man," won numerous prizes at international festivals and represented Chile at the Oscars last year; "Era o Hotel Cambridge" (The Cambridge Squatter) by Eliane Caffé (Brazil - France), "La Emboscada" (The Ambush) by Daniel Hendler (Uruguay - Argentina), "La Princesita" (The Princess) by Marialy Rivas (Chile - Argentina - Spain), "Rara" by Pepa San Martín (Chile - Argentina) and "Sobrevivientes de Rober Calzadilla" (Venezuela - Colombia).
Films in Progress gains strength as a not-to-be-missed gathering for Latin American production. Four of the films presented last year at San Sebastian, in Films in Progress 26, will be screened at this year’s Festival: Eugenio Canevari’s "Paula" will compete in the New Directors section and Jayro Bustamante’s "Ixcanul,"which has just been announced as Guatemala's Oscar submission, will screen in the Horizontes Latinos section, having won the Silver Bear – Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlin Festival.
Salvador de Solar’s "Magallanes," winner of the Films in Progress Industry Award and Aly Muritiba’s "Para minha amada morta" (To My Beloved), will also compete for the Horizontes Award. And another of the films presented last year, Sergio Castro’s "La mujer de barro" (The Mud Woman), was programmed in the Berlin Festival’s Forum section.
Among the projects revealed at the Toulouse event last March, Pablo Agüero’s "Eva no duerme" (Eva doesn't sleep) is programmed in the official competition; Sebastián Brahm’s "Vida sexual de las plantas" (Sex Life of Plants) is part of the New Directors selection; and Lorenzo Vigas’s "Desde allá" (From afar) will be presented in Horizontes Latinos after having participated in the official competition at the Venice Festival.
"Aquí No Ha Pasado Nada" (Much Ado About Nothing) Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile) Young, daring and lonely, Vicente spends his life at his parent’s home by the beach. These are days of relaxation, sea and partying with anyone who’s up for it. But one night of alcohol and flirting will change his life forever; he is accused of a hit-and-run crime in which a fisherman is killed. "I wasn’t driving", he says, but his memories are hazy and he says the boy at the wheel was the son of an influential politician. Power, manipulation and guilt will send his sweet summer holidays careering towards a bitter end. This is the third time the director has participated in Films in Progress. His previous film, "Matar a un hombre" (To Kill a Man), landed the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Festival.
"Era o Hotel Cambridge" (The Cambridge Squatter)
Eliane Caffé (Brazil - France) The Cambridge Squatter shows us the unusual situation of the Brazilian homeless and refugees who squat together in an abandoned building in downtown Sao Paulo. The daily tension caused by the threat of eviction reveals the dramas, the joys and the different points of view of the squatters.
"La Emboscada" (The Ambush) Daniel Hendler (Uruguay - Argentina) Martin Marchand throws himself into the political contest. As a result of his work in the social media, a traditional political structure invites him to join their list. Martin calls in technicians and advisors to create his campaign image. Over a weekend, immersed in the bucolic setting of a country house, they get down to designing the leader’s image. But an infiltrator seeking to obtain information on the coming electoral alliance creates an atmosphere of mistrust. The film, with the working title of "El Palomar," participated in the I Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum.
"La Princesita" (The Princess) Marialy Rivas (Chile - Argentina - Spain) A film inspired by true events in Southern Chile. A family sect only has one purpose and belief: a new order is necessary. Tamara, 11, is responsible for procreating the leaders of the new world. Disgruntled with her "lot”, Tamara’s sexual exploration with a boy in her year at school will have unexpected consequences, marking her violent transition from childhood to womanhood. Tamara will gain her freedom in a way she had never imagined. Marialy Rivas’s previous film, "Joven y alocada," participated in Films in Progress and landed awards at Sundance and Bafici, among other festivals.
"Rara" Pepa San Martín (Chile - Argentina) A story inspired by the case of a Chilean judge who lost the custody of her children for being a lesbian, told from the point of view of her eldest daughter Sara, aged 13. The screenplay is based on true events that could be related as a tale of lawyers and courthouses, lawsuits, claimants, defenders and victims, but instead, it will be the story of a family.
"Sobrevivientes" Rober Calzadilla (Venezuela - Colombia) 1988. The town of El Amparo. Border with Colombia. Chumba and Pinilla survive an armed assault in the channels of the Arauca River in which fourteen of their companions are killed in the act. The Venezuelan Army accuses them of being guerrilla fighters and tries to seize them from the cell where they are being watched over by a policeman and a group of locals to prevent them from being taken away. They say they are simple fishermen, but pressure to yield to the official version is eye-watering.
Awards:
Films in Progress Industry Award : The companies Daniel Goldstein, Deluxe Spain, Dolby Iberia, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Nephilim producciones, No Problem Sonido and Wanda Visión will assume the post-production of a film until obtaining a Dcp subtitled in English and its distribution in Spain...
Films in Progress gains strength as a not-to-be-missed gathering for Latin American production. Four of the films presented last year at San Sebastian, in Films in Progress 26, will be screened at this year’s Festival: Eugenio Canevari’s "Paula" will compete in the New Directors section and Jayro Bustamante’s "Ixcanul,"which has just been announced as Guatemala's Oscar submission, will screen in the Horizontes Latinos section, having won the Silver Bear – Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlin Festival.
Salvador de Solar’s "Magallanes," winner of the Films in Progress Industry Award and Aly Muritiba’s "Para minha amada morta" (To My Beloved), will also compete for the Horizontes Award. And another of the films presented last year, Sergio Castro’s "La mujer de barro" (The Mud Woman), was programmed in the Berlin Festival’s Forum section.
Among the projects revealed at the Toulouse event last March, Pablo Agüero’s "Eva no duerme" (Eva doesn't sleep) is programmed in the official competition; Sebastián Brahm’s "Vida sexual de las plantas" (Sex Life of Plants) is part of the New Directors selection; and Lorenzo Vigas’s "Desde allá" (From afar) will be presented in Horizontes Latinos after having participated in the official competition at the Venice Festival.
"Aquí No Ha Pasado Nada" (Much Ado About Nothing) Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile) Young, daring and lonely, Vicente spends his life at his parent’s home by the beach. These are days of relaxation, sea and partying with anyone who’s up for it. But one night of alcohol and flirting will change his life forever; he is accused of a hit-and-run crime in which a fisherman is killed. "I wasn’t driving", he says, but his memories are hazy and he says the boy at the wheel was the son of an influential politician. Power, manipulation and guilt will send his sweet summer holidays careering towards a bitter end. This is the third time the director has participated in Films in Progress. His previous film, "Matar a un hombre" (To Kill a Man), landed the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Festival.
"Era o Hotel Cambridge" (The Cambridge Squatter)
Eliane Caffé (Brazil - France) The Cambridge Squatter shows us the unusual situation of the Brazilian homeless and refugees who squat together in an abandoned building in downtown Sao Paulo. The daily tension caused by the threat of eviction reveals the dramas, the joys and the different points of view of the squatters.
"La Emboscada" (The Ambush) Daniel Hendler (Uruguay - Argentina) Martin Marchand throws himself into the political contest. As a result of his work in the social media, a traditional political structure invites him to join their list. Martin calls in technicians and advisors to create his campaign image. Over a weekend, immersed in the bucolic setting of a country house, they get down to designing the leader’s image. But an infiltrator seeking to obtain information on the coming electoral alliance creates an atmosphere of mistrust. The film, with the working title of "El Palomar," participated in the I Europe-Latin America Co-production Forum.
"La Princesita" (The Princess) Marialy Rivas (Chile - Argentina - Spain) A film inspired by true events in Southern Chile. A family sect only has one purpose and belief: a new order is necessary. Tamara, 11, is responsible for procreating the leaders of the new world. Disgruntled with her "lot”, Tamara’s sexual exploration with a boy in her year at school will have unexpected consequences, marking her violent transition from childhood to womanhood. Tamara will gain her freedom in a way she had never imagined. Marialy Rivas’s previous film, "Joven y alocada," participated in Films in Progress and landed awards at Sundance and Bafici, among other festivals.
"Rara" Pepa San Martín (Chile - Argentina) A story inspired by the case of a Chilean judge who lost the custody of her children for being a lesbian, told from the point of view of her eldest daughter Sara, aged 13. The screenplay is based on true events that could be related as a tale of lawyers and courthouses, lawsuits, claimants, defenders and victims, but instead, it will be the story of a family.
"Sobrevivientes" Rober Calzadilla (Venezuela - Colombia) 1988. The town of El Amparo. Border with Colombia. Chumba and Pinilla survive an armed assault in the channels of the Arauca River in which fourteen of their companions are killed in the act. The Venezuelan Army accuses them of being guerrilla fighters and tries to seize them from the cell where they are being watched over by a policeman and a group of locals to prevent them from being taken away. They say they are simple fishermen, but pressure to yield to the official version is eye-watering.
Awards:
Films in Progress Industry Award : The companies Daniel Goldstein, Deluxe Spain, Dolby Iberia, Laserfilm Cine y Video, Nephilim producciones, No Problem Sonido and Wanda Visión will assume the post-production of a film until obtaining a Dcp subtitled in English and its distribution in Spain...
- 8/28/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
New projects from Alejandro Fernández Almendras, Eliane Caffé and Daniel Hendler are included in this year’s Films in Progress selection.
Films in Progress, the bi-annual initiative run jointly by San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse to support Latin American films through post-production, will showcase six projects at this year’s San Sebastian festival (Sept 18-26).
Fernández Almendras, who won the 2014 Sundance world cinema grand jury prize for To Kill A Man, will present his new film Much Ado About Nothing, which was announced in Berlin this year.
The other projects include Eliane Caffé’s new film The Cambridge Squatter and actor Daniel Hendler’s debut feature The Ambush.
Four of the projects that were presented at last year’s San Sebastian Films in Progress will screen at this year’s festival: Paula, by Eugenio Canevari, will compete in the New Directors section, while Jayro Bustamante’s Ixcanul, which won the...
Films in Progress, the bi-annual initiative run jointly by San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse to support Latin American films through post-production, will showcase six projects at this year’s San Sebastian festival (Sept 18-26).
Fernández Almendras, who won the 2014 Sundance world cinema grand jury prize for To Kill A Man, will present his new film Much Ado About Nothing, which was announced in Berlin this year.
The other projects include Eliane Caffé’s new film The Cambridge Squatter and actor Daniel Hendler’s debut feature The Ambush.
Four of the projects that were presented at last year’s San Sebastian Films in Progress will screen at this year’s festival: Paula, by Eugenio Canevari, will compete in the New Directors section, while Jayro Bustamante’s Ixcanul, which won the...
- 8/20/2015
- ScreenDaily
Films in Progress 27 will take place on March 26 and 27 within the framework of the 27th edition of the festival Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse.
Since 2002, this double event jointly organized by the festivals of Toulouse and San Sebastián, presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress within two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in San Sebastián in September.
Films in progress promotes the meeting and cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to make the films reach screens and audiences. With more than 400 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international level, taking part each year to these two sessions, Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point with Latin American films and professionals connected to Latin America.
In recent years, Films in Progress have contributed efficiently to the completion, diffusion and commercialization of some the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Clandestine Childhood" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa D.C." by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "History of Fear" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras.
Film in Progress is a label that generates trust between the community of professionals from both side of Atlantic Ocean.
Awards
Three prizes will be awarded in Film in Progress 27
Toulouse Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € in post-production services in France, offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, sound post-production by Mactari, technical works from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firefly, auditorium and material for calibration from Commune Imageand the coordination of the post-production by Eaux vives.
Ciné + Award consists of the guarantee to the French distributor of the purchase of the winning film for the amount of 15.000 euros by Cine + Broadcast.
European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the networks of the 130 distributors of Europa Distribution and the 2.000 members of the Cicae.
Submission of a work in progress
The feature films presented must be a Latin American production The length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutes The film must be at the post-production stage (minimum first cut) The cut that is presented for evaluation must last a minimum of 45 minutes The cut presented for evaluation must be subtitled in English if it is not Spanish-speaking There is no charge of fees for the registration The application must be done online: here Deadline : January 30, 2015 In the case that the film is selected:
The director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 25, 26 and 27 of 2015 The film must be subtitled in English The screening format is Blu-ray (2 copies for back up) The selection will be announced in early March 2015.
Since 2002, this double event jointly organized by the festivals of Toulouse and San Sebastián, presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress within two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in San Sebastián in September.
Films in progress promotes the meeting and cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to make the films reach screens and audiences. With more than 400 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international level, taking part each year to these two sessions, Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point with Latin American films and professionals connected to Latin America.
In recent years, Films in Progress have contributed efficiently to the completion, diffusion and commercialization of some the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Clandestine Childhood" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa D.C." by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "History of Fear" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras.
Film in Progress is a label that generates trust between the community of professionals from both side of Atlantic Ocean.
Awards
Three prizes will be awarded in Film in Progress 27
Toulouse Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € in post-production services in France, offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, sound post-production by Mactari, technical works from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firefly, auditorium and material for calibration from Commune Imageand the coordination of the post-production by Eaux vives.
Ciné + Award consists of the guarantee to the French distributor of the purchase of the winning film for the amount of 15.000 euros by Cine + Broadcast.
European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the networks of the 130 distributors of Europa Distribution and the 2.000 members of the Cicae.
Submission of a work in progress
The feature films presented must be a Latin American production The length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutes The film must be at the post-production stage (minimum first cut) The cut that is presented for evaluation must last a minimum of 45 minutes The cut presented for evaluation must be subtitled in English if it is not Spanish-speaking There is no charge of fees for the registration The application must be done online: here Deadline : January 30, 2015 In the case that the film is selected:
The director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 25, 26 and 27 of 2015 The film must be subtitled in English The screening format is Blu-ray (2 copies for back up) The selection will be announced in early March 2015.
- 1/13/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Dealing with the some of the darkest shades of the human experience, Alejandro Fernández Almendras’ “To Kill a Man” (Matar a un Hombre) is an unsettling character study about an individual that leaves life as a passive man to get revenge on a man that has been harassing his family. It’s been almost a year since the film premier at the Sundance Film Festival, and during this year it has earned numerous awards from Rotterdam to Cartagena and everywhere in between. Now, Fernandez Almendras latest work, which will be distributed in the U.S. by Film Movement, is Chile’s Official Oscar Submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Award.
“To Kill a Man” is not only another outstanding example of the great films coming out of the South American country, but is also a thought-provoking work that explores crime and its consequences. Director Alejandro Fernandez Almendras recently sat down with us to discuss his intriguing film and what pushes a man over the edge.
Read the review Here
Aguilar: How was the idea for “To Kill a Man” born? Was it your interest in the nature of crime or was it something else that set in motion the creation of this project?
Alejandro: The origin of the story is sort of funny. I was inspired by a Chilean TV series called “Mea Culpa”, which is a sort of a true crime docudrama. The cases were very intriguing but the reenactments were incredibly cheesy. The format was very funny. During the reenactments, the characters would suddenly freeze, sort of like a corny version of a tableau vivant. Then smoke would appear out of nowhere and from behind the smoke a presenter or narrator would appear and say something like, “This morning was his last time.” He would say it in this ridiculously serious tone [Laughs].
Aguilar: Sort of like “The Twilight Zone”
Alejandro: Yes, but this was terrible [Laughs]. However, the cases were actually really good. They were very interesting. For some reason a phrase that the protagonist in a particular episode said stuck with me. I never saw that episode of the show after the original release about 7 or 8 years ago, but I was certain that the character had said this phrase. In my mind this show probably blended with other information. Recently, a magazine in Chile announced that they were going to publish an article on the actual case from this particular episode. When I heard about this I looked for this episode again and I finally found it. After watching it I realize that I had constructed this film based on a phrase that I thought the character in this show had said, but he never did! [Laughs].
The case is very similar to what’s on the film. In the show when they ask the character “If this events would happen again, would you commit this crime again?” In my mind, I could have sworn his answer was, “No, you don’t know what it means to kill a man” and in reality the character just says “ No, is not worth it,” {Laughs]. That’s how it started, but I just found out I was wrong recently. I was never really interested in finding out if that was what he had actually said or what was the truth about this case. This just served for me to think about what would happen to a regular person in this situation if he/she commits this crime.
I think that cinema is not always about delivering an answer. It’s more about putting myself in a situation and trying to understand how would I behave in that situation. That’s what interests me.
Aguilar: The film starts as a very familiar, everyday type of story and then it evolves into this transformative experience for the protagonist.
Alejandro : Exactly. For example, the scene that involves the car alarm going off came to me from something very familiar. I knew the location and I knew I wanted to shoot there because I like this particular look that these housing projects have. Then I put myself in the character’s place and thought, “If I’m trying to get someone to come downstairs, I’m not coming directly towards the place because then he would see me. I have to wait for him to turn around and follow him up the stairs, but if that happens then I will probably not reach him until he is almost back in his house. That wouldn’t work. I have to think of how to make the “victim” come towards me by getting his attention.” At this point I thought about the one thing that always makes people, including myself, come out of their house to see what’s happening, and that is the car alarm.
In the film we see our protagonist hiding behind the car, but in real life he would have had to be face down on the ground not to be seen. Daniel, the actor had to lay on his stomach not to be seen and this wasn’t working for the rest of the scene. We decided to alter reality in order to make it work [Laughs]. In cinema we can lie a little bit and change reality.
Aguilar: Tell me about this duality that’s at the center of “To Kill a Man.” The division between the victim and the executer is blurred through the protagonist’s actions.
Alejandro: The more I think about he film it becomes more difficult to see who the victim is. There was a moment when I thought I knew who this character was as a person. For most of the film we empathize with him, we suffer with him. We even think about doing the same thing he does, but after he kills a man it’s harder to be on his side. I had trouble during editing because I couldn’t find the right tone for what happens after the murder.
Then, I watched one of those shows on Investigation Discovery - which is a channel I like a lot – in which a girl killed her boyfriend because he was violent and abused her. The interesting part was how strange her behavior was. She stabbed him multiple times, and though she knew he was dead, she returned the next day to make sure he was dead. It was crazy. From that point on I felt my character had crossed a threshold and, just like with the girl in this true crime show, it was impossible to follow him in a logical manner anymore. The film had to become sort of a dream, or better said, a nightmare. From this point on the editing became much more ethereal, less grounded on reality.
Aguilar: Is he the victim or the perpetrator?
Alejandro: I see him as both. He goes from being a victim to becoming the perpetrator. I’ve notice that the film is more shocking for people from more developed countries like the Netherlands or countries in Scandinavia where they have highest standards of living. In this countries prisons are truly seen as places that help people reintegrate into society. In my film the protagonist takes justice into his own hands, which is a politically complex act because it’s something sort of protofascist. His actions are justifiable in his mind, but they really have no justification. He is very intuitive to this notion but not in a moral or ethical way, it’s physical. His actions are on the border between being justifiable and being the worst crime of all.
Aguilar: In a sense justifying his crime is the worst thing one can do
Alejandro: Yes, if societies worked this way every time you got robbed on the street you could pull out your shotgun and shoot the criminal. That’s much more terrible.
Aguilar: Would you say everyone is capable of committing such a crime?
Alejandro: This character is the in the middle of the spectrum between those who would jump at the chance and the last person capable or killing somebody. In on side there are those who would do it without remorse and on other side there are those, like me, who would never do it. I would probably just move to another neighborhood. In Chile there are other cases similar to this, at least two more that I know of. In one, a man killed his neighbor because this neighbor would threaten his family, very similar to what happens in the film. He continued disturbing the family until this man shot him. When this story appeared on the news, people online would voice their opinions and many of them would say, “I know that crazy man. He lived across the street and he would threaten our family as well, so I understand why this man killed him. We just moved to another city.”
In a sense other people also wanted to kill this man, but none of them were taken over the edge, except for the one man that actually killed him. Not everyone is capable of doing something like this, but most people understand his reasoning behind it. Other people would comment, “I was very close to killing him myself” or “I knew someone would end up killing that disturbed man.” Yet, this people didn’t do it.
Aguilar: There had to be something that pushed this person over the edge, something that separated him from those who wouldn’t do it and turn him into someone capable of killing.
Alejandro: Absolutely, in Jorge’s case this happens when he loses his family’s support.
Aguilar: I feel like it also has to do with the pressure he feels to be the protector. His family expects him to defend them and be this archetypal male that won’t let anyone push him around.
Alejandro: When his own family shuts him out for not being “man enough” to do something drastic about the situation, that’s what tips the scale. That’s what turns him into something else. His own family abandons him, judges him, and considers him a coward, and he feels like he needs to prove himself.
Aguilar: He is expected to do something to defeat this villain that’s harassing them, but is it unthinkable for them to give up and just move to another city?
Alejandro: Besides the fact that it could be practically difficult for some people to move to a different house, what plays a big part as well is the fact that people don’t want to accept defeat. The thought process is more like, “This is my territory, I’m not moving from here.” Recently a Chilean critic interpreted the film in a very interesting way, he wrote that the first time Jorge resorts to violence is when he grabs the shotgun to protect the property he works at.
It’s interesting that we think police exists to protect people. In reality the police as we know it appeared after the Industrial Revolution when business owners needed to protect their factories and other private property. That’s when police as an institution appeared. Jorge feels like he must defend that property. The fact that his family doesn’t move to a different house has to do with this instinct to protect what’s “theirs.”
Aguilar: I also think that Jorge feels like justice has failed him. The corrupt and indifferent bureaucracy has failed him. Do you think this story would work the same in other parts of the world where people have more trust in their institutions?
Alejandro: The only places in the world where I’ve felt like people didn’t fully understand it were those I mentioned before, which have higher standards of living and less corruption. In countries like Japan, in which 80% of homicide cases are solved, it probably wouldn’t make much sense either. Impunity is not such a familiar concept in these places, but there only a few places like these in the world. In the U.S. people seem to understand it very well. In Miami a woman said to me during the Q&A, “I would have killed that man in the first five minutes of the movie. Why did he take so long to kill him?” [Laughs].
In France people also understood what I was trying to say. Unfortunately the idea that police is not impartial and that it can be bought is something very familiar in many places around the world. In Russia people evidently understood it. Russians are very familiar with what corruption is and some people there were angry with Jorge for not taking justice into his own hands sooner. Obviously, all over Latin America people related to this story, it’s much more common than what it should be. This feeling that justice doesn’t exist for you but only for those with money is sadly very common.
Aguilar: The visual style of the film is almost impersonal. It’s very realist and it’s beautifully done, but it almost feels like you didn’t want to get emotionally close to this man. We are looking at him from afar in a solemn manner.
Alejandro: I fell that was the only way to not pollute the film with any judgment towards the character. There are two handheld shots at the beginning of the film. One is when Jorge gets robbed outside his house and the other when his son gets shot. These represent instances in which he is the victim. Then there are two other moments in which he is clearly the perpetrator. One is when he chases the man in the woods with his shotgun and the other when he kidnaps his victim.
We have to note that this film is politically dangerous. If I formally accentuate a feeling of empathy with this character I lose the distance that I need to question him and his actions. This is very important. Having this distance allows the audience to create their own judgment. I didn’t want to label him as a hero or a villain through my images. If I would have gotten closer to this man I might have empathize with him. I didn’t want that. In the Dardenne Brothers’ films, you always loves their characters regardless of what they do because the way they make their films forces you to follow the characters all the time. You end up siding with them even if what they do is bad, like with Rosetta who almost drowns her best friend. Since we are so close to the character all the time, we are tempted to condone or justify her actions.
If I was trying to make more of a genre film in which this political issues are not approached in a serious manner and the spectacle was the most important thing, then in that case I would make a film that’s less about restraint and more visceral. In this case I wanted to keep that distance because I still don’t feel like I know who this character is. Because of this distance I can form a more complex opinion of him, one that is not only driven by emotion.
Aguilar: At the end of the film we are not sure of the consequences Jorge will face in terms of what his family will think of him or how society will perceive his actions.
Alejandro: I feel like leaving some questions unanswered allows me to explore just this part of the story. If I wanted to understand what happens after I would have to dive in even further, but I think that his family wouldn’t understand what he did. Even if they did understand that he did it for them, they wouldn’t allow him to return to the family.
Aguilar: He has crossed a line and he can’t come back
Alejandro : Exactly, and I feel that this line was crossed before he actually committed the crime through all the circumstances around him. His family won’t say, “You killed him, you did good!” It might be the opposite. I picture his wife telling him, “You are so dumb for doing that. Why didn’t you just scare him? “ Or “Nobody asked you to do it.” He is going to be the villain no matter what. They might understand it as, “He did it for us, but what he did was still wrong.”
Aguilar: Is there a way for Jorge to redeem himself?
Alejandro: No because he made this decision on his own. If this had been a mutual decision between him and his wife or between him and his son, then he would have some support from his family. But he did it by himself. I’m very interested in crime as a disassociation of reality. There is a Romanian film called “ Aurora” by Cristi Puiu, which is three hours long, and is about a man that murders four people. In the end it’s very clear that crime is a consequence of the isolation this character experiences.
Aguilar: It’s difficult to see crime in such a pragmatic manner. We usually have very emotional reactions to criminal acts. Finding a specific reason for it is not easy.
Alejandro: Crime is definitely not a normal state in human beings. Even during the worst moments in World War II, soldiers would train at least for about two weeks because you can’t just teach a man how to use weapons. You have to teach him to obey orders, which is a way to place the guilt on the institution. Is not you who is killing people, it’s the institution through you. You have to disassociate yourself from your conscience in order to be able to do terrible things.
In this types of situations like in the army or a in a gang, people do terrible things as part of a group and they justify it as doing something for their country or their partners. Jorge is alone. However, even if you find comfort in justifying these acts through something else, they still damage you. Many soldiers come back from war very damaged emotionally.
Aguilar: Like we were discussing before, the act of taking another person’s life is a line that once crossed can’t be uncrossed or taken back.
Alejandro: Thankfully most people haven’t and will not cross this line, but films cross this line often and without consequences. My film doesn’t use over-the-top violence, but it brings you closer to the violence we experience everyday day. I would say the most violent scene in my film is when the villain harasses the young girl. Most of us will never know what being in a war is, but we all know what being humiliated or being afraid feels like.
I’ve been robbed in several occasions and I felt that way. In the great scale of things being robbed is nothing compared to the violence other people experience, but it’s very personal. Some films show too much violence without any emotional context, I wanted to show less but give it more recognizable emotion.
Aguilar: With such a thought-provoking and morally challenging story, how difficult was it to find the right actors to play these parts?
Alejandro: The actors that play the two protagonists, Jorge and Kalule, are theater actors. I chose Daniel Candia, who plays Jorge, because he is a very particular actor in Chilean cinema. He is not the typically handsome guy. He is very real and I believe everything he does on screen. Coincidentally, he used to work in a forest and he knew how to cut down a tree. This knowledge also helped me understand how to direct him.
On the other hand, I chose Daniel Antivilo to play Kalule because he is a very tall man. He has a deep voice, and is very imposing. I knew it had to be him. I also knew that he would be on screen for a brief period of time because this wasn’t his story. I needed someone that just by looking at him a couple times could produce fear or make people uncomfortable. He captured that very well even though he is a really charming man in real life.
When I met him I told him, “We are going to have a barbeque at my house. All the other actors will be there and I want you to behave like Kalule in front of them to see if you can pull it off.” He arrived pretending to be the character and he annoyed everyone. He was insufferable [Laughs]. He broke several plates and he searched my entire house looking for liquor while playing this character. It was horrible but he proved he could do it. [Laughs]
Aguilar: This has been an incredible year for you and the film. First winning at Sundance, then Rotterdam, Cartagena, among many others. Did all the success catch you by surprise?
Alejandro: It’s been a great year. I never thought the film would be so well received because it’s a very rough and dark film. Some people have even told me that after watching it they’ve had nightmares. What’s more surprising to me is the fact that it has won different awards from Best Actor, to Best Screenplay, to Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and even Audience Awards. This shows me that people like it for different reasons. I didn’t expect this because my first film did very well in festivals and my second film didn’t do well at all.
I love my second film but it didn’t connect with other people. However, I feel like I’m still working in the same way even if the theme and the situations are different. I’m true to the way I like to make films but you never know if people will respond. We were lucky, we were about to submit the film to the Berlinale, but they wanted to see the final version of the film on a Dcp and we finished the film the week before Sundance. Berlin didn’t get to see it in the best quality and then Sundance wanted us to confirm because they needed to announce the lineup. We said no to Berlin. Maybe if the film had premiered in Berlin nothing would have happened and it would have been just another film. We won at Sundance and then we sold the film to many territories in the Berlinale market. After that we won in Rotterdam, in Cartagena, in Miami, and many other festivals.
Aguilar: And now the film is the Chilean Oscar submission
Alejandro: This has been great for the film. We got great reviews in Chile probably because it’s very different to other films being made in Chile. This is a film about real people, about the working class in a small town. It’s not the typical Chilean film about a certain economic or social class. “ To Kill a Man” is different. Whatever happens now is out of our hands...
“To Kill a Man” is not only another outstanding example of the great films coming out of the South American country, but is also a thought-provoking work that explores crime and its consequences. Director Alejandro Fernandez Almendras recently sat down with us to discuss his intriguing film and what pushes a man over the edge.
Read the review Here
Aguilar: How was the idea for “To Kill a Man” born? Was it your interest in the nature of crime or was it something else that set in motion the creation of this project?
Alejandro: The origin of the story is sort of funny. I was inspired by a Chilean TV series called “Mea Culpa”, which is a sort of a true crime docudrama. The cases were very intriguing but the reenactments were incredibly cheesy. The format was very funny. During the reenactments, the characters would suddenly freeze, sort of like a corny version of a tableau vivant. Then smoke would appear out of nowhere and from behind the smoke a presenter or narrator would appear and say something like, “This morning was his last time.” He would say it in this ridiculously serious tone [Laughs].
Aguilar: Sort of like “The Twilight Zone”
Alejandro: Yes, but this was terrible [Laughs]. However, the cases were actually really good. They were very interesting. For some reason a phrase that the protagonist in a particular episode said stuck with me. I never saw that episode of the show after the original release about 7 or 8 years ago, but I was certain that the character had said this phrase. In my mind this show probably blended with other information. Recently, a magazine in Chile announced that they were going to publish an article on the actual case from this particular episode. When I heard about this I looked for this episode again and I finally found it. After watching it I realize that I had constructed this film based on a phrase that I thought the character in this show had said, but he never did! [Laughs].
The case is very similar to what’s on the film. In the show when they ask the character “If this events would happen again, would you commit this crime again?” In my mind, I could have sworn his answer was, “No, you don’t know what it means to kill a man” and in reality the character just says “ No, is not worth it,” {Laughs]. That’s how it started, but I just found out I was wrong recently. I was never really interested in finding out if that was what he had actually said or what was the truth about this case. This just served for me to think about what would happen to a regular person in this situation if he/she commits this crime.
I think that cinema is not always about delivering an answer. It’s more about putting myself in a situation and trying to understand how would I behave in that situation. That’s what interests me.
Aguilar: The film starts as a very familiar, everyday type of story and then it evolves into this transformative experience for the protagonist.
Alejandro : Exactly. For example, the scene that involves the car alarm going off came to me from something very familiar. I knew the location and I knew I wanted to shoot there because I like this particular look that these housing projects have. Then I put myself in the character’s place and thought, “If I’m trying to get someone to come downstairs, I’m not coming directly towards the place because then he would see me. I have to wait for him to turn around and follow him up the stairs, but if that happens then I will probably not reach him until he is almost back in his house. That wouldn’t work. I have to think of how to make the “victim” come towards me by getting his attention.” At this point I thought about the one thing that always makes people, including myself, come out of their house to see what’s happening, and that is the car alarm.
In the film we see our protagonist hiding behind the car, but in real life he would have had to be face down on the ground not to be seen. Daniel, the actor had to lay on his stomach not to be seen and this wasn’t working for the rest of the scene. We decided to alter reality in order to make it work [Laughs]. In cinema we can lie a little bit and change reality.
Aguilar: Tell me about this duality that’s at the center of “To Kill a Man.” The division between the victim and the executer is blurred through the protagonist’s actions.
Alejandro: The more I think about he film it becomes more difficult to see who the victim is. There was a moment when I thought I knew who this character was as a person. For most of the film we empathize with him, we suffer with him. We even think about doing the same thing he does, but after he kills a man it’s harder to be on his side. I had trouble during editing because I couldn’t find the right tone for what happens after the murder.
Then, I watched one of those shows on Investigation Discovery - which is a channel I like a lot – in which a girl killed her boyfriend because he was violent and abused her. The interesting part was how strange her behavior was. She stabbed him multiple times, and though she knew he was dead, she returned the next day to make sure he was dead. It was crazy. From that point on I felt my character had crossed a threshold and, just like with the girl in this true crime show, it was impossible to follow him in a logical manner anymore. The film had to become sort of a dream, or better said, a nightmare. From this point on the editing became much more ethereal, less grounded on reality.
Aguilar: Is he the victim or the perpetrator?
Alejandro: I see him as both. He goes from being a victim to becoming the perpetrator. I’ve notice that the film is more shocking for people from more developed countries like the Netherlands or countries in Scandinavia where they have highest standards of living. In this countries prisons are truly seen as places that help people reintegrate into society. In my film the protagonist takes justice into his own hands, which is a politically complex act because it’s something sort of protofascist. His actions are justifiable in his mind, but they really have no justification. He is very intuitive to this notion but not in a moral or ethical way, it’s physical. His actions are on the border between being justifiable and being the worst crime of all.
Aguilar: In a sense justifying his crime is the worst thing one can do
Alejandro: Yes, if societies worked this way every time you got robbed on the street you could pull out your shotgun and shoot the criminal. That’s much more terrible.
Aguilar: Would you say everyone is capable of committing such a crime?
Alejandro: This character is the in the middle of the spectrum between those who would jump at the chance and the last person capable or killing somebody. In on side there are those who would do it without remorse and on other side there are those, like me, who would never do it. I would probably just move to another neighborhood. In Chile there are other cases similar to this, at least two more that I know of. In one, a man killed his neighbor because this neighbor would threaten his family, very similar to what happens in the film. He continued disturbing the family until this man shot him. When this story appeared on the news, people online would voice their opinions and many of them would say, “I know that crazy man. He lived across the street and he would threaten our family as well, so I understand why this man killed him. We just moved to another city.”
In a sense other people also wanted to kill this man, but none of them were taken over the edge, except for the one man that actually killed him. Not everyone is capable of doing something like this, but most people understand his reasoning behind it. Other people would comment, “I was very close to killing him myself” or “I knew someone would end up killing that disturbed man.” Yet, this people didn’t do it.
Aguilar: There had to be something that pushed this person over the edge, something that separated him from those who wouldn’t do it and turn him into someone capable of killing.
Alejandro: Absolutely, in Jorge’s case this happens when he loses his family’s support.
Aguilar: I feel like it also has to do with the pressure he feels to be the protector. His family expects him to defend them and be this archetypal male that won’t let anyone push him around.
Alejandro: When his own family shuts him out for not being “man enough” to do something drastic about the situation, that’s what tips the scale. That’s what turns him into something else. His own family abandons him, judges him, and considers him a coward, and he feels like he needs to prove himself.
Aguilar: He is expected to do something to defeat this villain that’s harassing them, but is it unthinkable for them to give up and just move to another city?
Alejandro: Besides the fact that it could be practically difficult for some people to move to a different house, what plays a big part as well is the fact that people don’t want to accept defeat. The thought process is more like, “This is my territory, I’m not moving from here.” Recently a Chilean critic interpreted the film in a very interesting way, he wrote that the first time Jorge resorts to violence is when he grabs the shotgun to protect the property he works at.
It’s interesting that we think police exists to protect people. In reality the police as we know it appeared after the Industrial Revolution when business owners needed to protect their factories and other private property. That’s when police as an institution appeared. Jorge feels like he must defend that property. The fact that his family doesn’t move to a different house has to do with this instinct to protect what’s “theirs.”
Aguilar: I also think that Jorge feels like justice has failed him. The corrupt and indifferent bureaucracy has failed him. Do you think this story would work the same in other parts of the world where people have more trust in their institutions?
Alejandro: The only places in the world where I’ve felt like people didn’t fully understand it were those I mentioned before, which have higher standards of living and less corruption. In countries like Japan, in which 80% of homicide cases are solved, it probably wouldn’t make much sense either. Impunity is not such a familiar concept in these places, but there only a few places like these in the world. In the U.S. people seem to understand it very well. In Miami a woman said to me during the Q&A, “I would have killed that man in the first five minutes of the movie. Why did he take so long to kill him?” [Laughs].
In France people also understood what I was trying to say. Unfortunately the idea that police is not impartial and that it can be bought is something very familiar in many places around the world. In Russia people evidently understood it. Russians are very familiar with what corruption is and some people there were angry with Jorge for not taking justice into his own hands sooner. Obviously, all over Latin America people related to this story, it’s much more common than what it should be. This feeling that justice doesn’t exist for you but only for those with money is sadly very common.
Aguilar: The visual style of the film is almost impersonal. It’s very realist and it’s beautifully done, but it almost feels like you didn’t want to get emotionally close to this man. We are looking at him from afar in a solemn manner.
Alejandro: I fell that was the only way to not pollute the film with any judgment towards the character. There are two handheld shots at the beginning of the film. One is when Jorge gets robbed outside his house and the other when his son gets shot. These represent instances in which he is the victim. Then there are two other moments in which he is clearly the perpetrator. One is when he chases the man in the woods with his shotgun and the other when he kidnaps his victim.
We have to note that this film is politically dangerous. If I formally accentuate a feeling of empathy with this character I lose the distance that I need to question him and his actions. This is very important. Having this distance allows the audience to create their own judgment. I didn’t want to label him as a hero or a villain through my images. If I would have gotten closer to this man I might have empathize with him. I didn’t want that. In the Dardenne Brothers’ films, you always loves their characters regardless of what they do because the way they make their films forces you to follow the characters all the time. You end up siding with them even if what they do is bad, like with Rosetta who almost drowns her best friend. Since we are so close to the character all the time, we are tempted to condone or justify her actions.
If I was trying to make more of a genre film in which this political issues are not approached in a serious manner and the spectacle was the most important thing, then in that case I would make a film that’s less about restraint and more visceral. In this case I wanted to keep that distance because I still don’t feel like I know who this character is. Because of this distance I can form a more complex opinion of him, one that is not only driven by emotion.
Aguilar: At the end of the film we are not sure of the consequences Jorge will face in terms of what his family will think of him or how society will perceive his actions.
Alejandro: I feel like leaving some questions unanswered allows me to explore just this part of the story. If I wanted to understand what happens after I would have to dive in even further, but I think that his family wouldn’t understand what he did. Even if they did understand that he did it for them, they wouldn’t allow him to return to the family.
Aguilar: He has crossed a line and he can’t come back
Alejandro : Exactly, and I feel that this line was crossed before he actually committed the crime through all the circumstances around him. His family won’t say, “You killed him, you did good!” It might be the opposite. I picture his wife telling him, “You are so dumb for doing that. Why didn’t you just scare him? “ Or “Nobody asked you to do it.” He is going to be the villain no matter what. They might understand it as, “He did it for us, but what he did was still wrong.”
Aguilar: Is there a way for Jorge to redeem himself?
Alejandro: No because he made this decision on his own. If this had been a mutual decision between him and his wife or between him and his son, then he would have some support from his family. But he did it by himself. I’m very interested in crime as a disassociation of reality. There is a Romanian film called “ Aurora” by Cristi Puiu, which is three hours long, and is about a man that murders four people. In the end it’s very clear that crime is a consequence of the isolation this character experiences.
Aguilar: It’s difficult to see crime in such a pragmatic manner. We usually have very emotional reactions to criminal acts. Finding a specific reason for it is not easy.
Alejandro: Crime is definitely not a normal state in human beings. Even during the worst moments in World War II, soldiers would train at least for about two weeks because you can’t just teach a man how to use weapons. You have to teach him to obey orders, which is a way to place the guilt on the institution. Is not you who is killing people, it’s the institution through you. You have to disassociate yourself from your conscience in order to be able to do terrible things.
In this types of situations like in the army or a in a gang, people do terrible things as part of a group and they justify it as doing something for their country or their partners. Jorge is alone. However, even if you find comfort in justifying these acts through something else, they still damage you. Many soldiers come back from war very damaged emotionally.
Aguilar: Like we were discussing before, the act of taking another person’s life is a line that once crossed can’t be uncrossed or taken back.
Alejandro: Thankfully most people haven’t and will not cross this line, but films cross this line often and without consequences. My film doesn’t use over-the-top violence, but it brings you closer to the violence we experience everyday day. I would say the most violent scene in my film is when the villain harasses the young girl. Most of us will never know what being in a war is, but we all know what being humiliated or being afraid feels like.
I’ve been robbed in several occasions and I felt that way. In the great scale of things being robbed is nothing compared to the violence other people experience, but it’s very personal. Some films show too much violence without any emotional context, I wanted to show less but give it more recognizable emotion.
Aguilar: With such a thought-provoking and morally challenging story, how difficult was it to find the right actors to play these parts?
Alejandro: The actors that play the two protagonists, Jorge and Kalule, are theater actors. I chose Daniel Candia, who plays Jorge, because he is a very particular actor in Chilean cinema. He is not the typically handsome guy. He is very real and I believe everything he does on screen. Coincidentally, he used to work in a forest and he knew how to cut down a tree. This knowledge also helped me understand how to direct him.
On the other hand, I chose Daniel Antivilo to play Kalule because he is a very tall man. He has a deep voice, and is very imposing. I knew it had to be him. I also knew that he would be on screen for a brief period of time because this wasn’t his story. I needed someone that just by looking at him a couple times could produce fear or make people uncomfortable. He captured that very well even though he is a really charming man in real life.
When I met him I told him, “We are going to have a barbeque at my house. All the other actors will be there and I want you to behave like Kalule in front of them to see if you can pull it off.” He arrived pretending to be the character and he annoyed everyone. He was insufferable [Laughs]. He broke several plates and he searched my entire house looking for liquor while playing this character. It was horrible but he proved he could do it. [Laughs]
Aguilar: This has been an incredible year for you and the film. First winning at Sundance, then Rotterdam, Cartagena, among many others. Did all the success catch you by surprise?
Alejandro: It’s been a great year. I never thought the film would be so well received because it’s a very rough and dark film. Some people have even told me that after watching it they’ve had nightmares. What’s more surprising to me is the fact that it has won different awards from Best Actor, to Best Screenplay, to Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and even Audience Awards. This shows me that people like it for different reasons. I didn’t expect this because my first film did very well in festivals and my second film didn’t do well at all.
I love my second film but it didn’t connect with other people. However, I feel like I’m still working in the same way even if the theme and the situations are different. I’m true to the way I like to make films but you never know if people will respond. We were lucky, we were about to submit the film to the Berlinale, but they wanted to see the final version of the film on a Dcp and we finished the film the week before Sundance. Berlin didn’t get to see it in the best quality and then Sundance wanted us to confirm because they needed to announce the lineup. We said no to Berlin. Maybe if the film had premiered in Berlin nothing would have happened and it would have been just another film. We won at Sundance and then we sold the film to many territories in the Berlinale market. After that we won in Rotterdam, in Cartagena, in Miami, and many other festivals.
Aguilar: And now the film is the Chilean Oscar submission
Alejandro: This has been great for the film. We got great reviews in Chile probably because it’s very different to other films being made in Chile. This is a film about real people, about the working class in a small town. It’s not the typical Chilean film about a certain economic or social class. “ To Kill a Man” is different. Whatever happens now is out of our hands...
- 12/9/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The Palm Springs International Film Festival has increasingly become an important stop on the awards calendar for foreign language films. While the desert fest hands out an international critics prize, it’s more about the filmmakers getting a chance to rub shoulders with Academy members just before nominations ballots are due. The upcoming 26th annual fest is running January 2-12 and has announced the movies that will compete for the Fipresci prize in its Awards Buzz section. Fifty of the 83 official submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar are on the list with the titles chosen believed by festival programmers to be the strongest entries in this year’s Academy Awards race. A special jury of international film critics will screen the films and hand out a Fipresci for an individual title as well as Best Actor and Best Actress. While the fest doesn’t always match the eventual Oscar winner,...
- 12/2/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
The organisers of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will screen 50 of the 83 foreign-language Oscar submissions.
A jury of international film critics will be convened to bestow the Fipresci Award for best foreign language film of the year, as well as best actor and best actress in this category.
Further film programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. Psiff is set to run from January 2-12.
The Awards Buzz selections in alphabetical order of country are:
A Few Cubic Meters Of Love (Afghanistan), Jamshid Mahmoudi:
Wild Tales (Argentina), Damián Szifrón;
Charlie’s Country (Australia), Rolf de Heer;
The Dark Valley (Austria), Andreas Prochaska;
Nabat (Azerbaijan), Elchin Musaoglu;
Two Days, One Night (Belgium-France-Italy), Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne;
The Way He Looks (Brazil), Daniel Ribeiro;
Mommy (Canada), Xavier Dolan;
To Kill A Man (Chile), Alejandro Fernández Almendras;
The Nightingale (China), Philippe Muyl;
Mateo (Colombia), Maria Gamboa;
Cowboys (Croatia), Tomislav Mršić;
Behavior (Cuba), Director [link=nm...
A jury of international film critics will be convened to bestow the Fipresci Award for best foreign language film of the year, as well as best actor and best actress in this category.
Further film programmes will be announced in the coming weeks. Psiff is set to run from January 2-12.
The Awards Buzz selections in alphabetical order of country are:
A Few Cubic Meters Of Love (Afghanistan), Jamshid Mahmoudi:
Wild Tales (Argentina), Damián Szifrón;
Charlie’s Country (Australia), Rolf de Heer;
The Dark Valley (Austria), Andreas Prochaska;
Nabat (Azerbaijan), Elchin Musaoglu;
Two Days, One Night (Belgium-France-Italy), Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne;
The Way He Looks (Brazil), Daniel Ribeiro;
Mommy (Canada), Xavier Dolan;
To Kill A Man (Chile), Alejandro Fernández Almendras;
The Nightingale (China), Philippe Muyl;
Mateo (Colombia), Maria Gamboa;
Cowboys (Croatia), Tomislav Mršić;
Behavior (Cuba), Director [link=nm...
- 12/2/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Every year Hollywood gets a curated batch of films from dozens of countries seeking an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. One film per nation is chosen to represent the best of its cinematic production during the previous year. Certainly the chosen film is not always the ideal candidate, but the reasoning behind the selection usually follows two patterns: there are countries that go with the best film even if this is not the most appealing choice and there are countries that go with the most ambitious, industry-friendly, and financially successful work. This year the astonishing number of submissions – a total of 83 – makes for an incredible list of films that range from those that sport festival pedigree of the highest caliber, unknown gems looking for an audience, expensive visual achievements, and obscure art house hopefuls.
This year more than most, there are a great number of films with serious possibilities. There is no unshakable front-runner, but there are numerous favorites. Yet, looking at last year’s 9 shortlisted films and eventual 5 nominees, nothing is written in stone. Critics and audience favorites like “ The Past” (Iran), “Gloria” (Chile), “Heli” (Mexico), and “Wadjda” (Saudi Arabia) were left out to include surprises like “The Missing Picture“ (Cambodia), “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or “The Notebook” (Hungary).
With Awards Season now in full swing and knowing that this is one of the most difficult races to follow, here is a comprehensive list that includes information for each of the 83 submissions. Below each poster you will find the title of the film linked to its page on IMDb Pro followed by the title in the original language; the director’s name also linked to his/her IMDb Page; the language the film is primarily in; the name of the U.S. distributor if there is one; the name of the film’s International Sales Agent (Isa) or Production Company (PC) linked to the film’s page on Cinando; and a link to the film’s trailer (most of them have English subtitles, others are only in the original language, and a few are videos related to the film because a trailer wasn't available). In addition, reviews and interviews with many of these filmmakers will be added regularly.
Before getting into the list, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and patterns among these 83 foreign language features.
Period Dramas/Biopics
Several countries selected films based on the lives of prominent local figures or great period pieces, both showcase the level of films being produced across the globe in terms of production value and scope. Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Venezuela’s “The Liberator,” Kyrgyzstan “Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains,” Bolivia’s “Forgotten,” Indonesia’s “Soekarno,” Greece’s “Little England,” Macedonia’s “To the Hilt,” Hong Kong’s “The Golden Era,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Serbia’s “ See You in Montevideo,” Slovakia’s “A Step Into the Dark” and New Zealand’s “The Dead Lands” are some of the most expensive films ever made in their respective territories. All of them are epic productions that highlight an important historical period using impressive cinematography, a great number of extras, intricate costumes, lavish locations, detailed production design, as well as great battle sequences in several of them. Other more traditional biopics/period pieces on the list include France’s “Saint Laurent,” The Netherlands “ Accused,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” and the Czech Republic’s “Fair Play”
Masters and Festival Winners
Not surprisingly many of the films on the list come into this race after winning important awards at international festivals. Furthermore, a handful of them are from master filmmakers, masters in the making, or unique new voices. These films include Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, Nyff, AFI Fest) by the Dardenne Brothers, Canada’s “Mommy” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by prodigy Xavier Dolan, Chile’s “To Kill a Man” (Sundance, Rotterdam, Cartagena) by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Hungary's "White God" (Cannes) by Kornél Mundruczó, Norway’s “1001 Grams” (Tiff) by Bent Hamer, Poland’s “Ida”(Tiff, Sundance) by Pawel Pawlikowski, Russia’s “Leviathan” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sweden’s “Force Majeure” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Ruben Östlund, and Turkey’s “ Winter Sleep” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. All of these films have played at renowned international festivals and most have earned important recognition there.
Out of the Box
Whether they are aware of their actual possibilities at a nomination or not, each year a few countries take the risk of sending a film that defies convention despite having more safe choices. But that is not say they are entirely out of the race, films like “The Missing Picture” and “Dogtooth” prove that sometimes there is room for daring and unique filmmaking. With “Rocks in My Pockets” Latvia is the only country to submit an animated film this year. The film is an inventive and colorful look at depression. Then there is the almost-silent and highly poetic Ecuadorian entry “Silence in Dreamland” and Singapore’s musically driven drama “Sayang Disayang.” However, the boldest selection has to be the Philippines’ “Norte, the End of History” by acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz, which runs over four hours and is inspired by Dostoyevsky Crime and Punishment.
Documentaries
Only two countries chose to go with non-fiction entries. One of them is Panama’s “Invasion,” which deals with the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in that country in 1989. This is the Central American nation’s first ever Oscar submission. The other documentary contending is Portugal’s “ What Now? Remind Me,“ a self-portrait by filmmaker Joaquim Pinto exploring his struggles living with HIV. One should note that Portugal is one of the few countries in Western Europe to have never obtained a nomination in the category despite entering films consecutively for several decades.
Lgbt
Films with stories that highlight sexual diversity occasionally make their way into this list. Last year the only Lgbt title submitted was “ Soongava: Dance of the Orchids,” which surprisingly came from Nepal and dealt with the relationship between two young women in the traditional Asian society. This time around two countries selected films with similar themes. Brazil’s festival darling “ The Way He Looks” – a sweet coming-of-age tale- was an audacious choice among the many other films the South American country produces every year. Then there is Switzerland’s “The Circle” about a pioneering gay publication during the 1940s/1950s in Zurich and the real life relationship between two of its prominent members.
Surprising Choices
As it usually happens, some countries go against what the industry expects and decide to send films that weren’t on most people’s radars. Bulgaria for example selected “Bulgarian Rhapsody” by veteran director Ivan Nitchev over Sundance’s “Viktoria” by young female director Maya Vitkova. Similarly, Ukraine overlooked Cannes favorite “The Tribe”- a powerful drama entirely in sign language - and decided to go with “The Guide” by Oles Sanin. Nevertheless, the most shocking decision came from China. Instead of selecting a Chinese-directed film like Berlin’s Golden Bear winner “Black Coal, Thin Ice” or Zhang Yimou’s “Coming Home,” the Chinese selection committee chose “The Nightingale” by French director Philippe Muyl. Despite having a European helmer the film is authentically Chinese in terms of language and story, but it was still an unexpected move from the traditionally patriotic country.
First Timers
The unprecedented number of entries is in part due to the addition of countries submitting for the first time. Besides aforementioned Panama, there are three other debutant nations in the mix. Kosovo- a tiny Balkan state often associated with the rampart war that afflicted the region a few decades ago - is finally showcasing its film production. Their entry titled “Three Windows and a Hanging” is said to be a high quality, affecting drama. Malta - a European island nation near Italy - is often used as astonishing location for big budget studio films. This year, however, “ Simshar,” a great immigration drama will represent the country. Lastly, Mauritania – a prominently Muslim nation in Sub-Saharan Africa – selected Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,”which played in competition at Cannes,as their inaugural submission. Although Sissako has had several successful films at international festivals, this is the first time his country decides to participate.
Female Directors
Out of the 83 films, 14 were directed by women. That’s 17% of all entries. What’s more interesting is the fact that some of these films come from countries that are often seen as traditionally patriarchal societies. 3 Latin American entries were created by female directors: Colombia’s “Mateo,” Costa Rica’s “Red Princesses” and the Dominican Republic’s “Cristo Rey.” 4 from Asia: Hong Kong’s “ The Golden Era,” India’s “Liar’s Dice,” Japan’s “The Light Shines Only There,” and Pakistan’s “Dukhtar.” 2 from the Middle East: Israel’s “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Co-directed) and Palestine’s “Eyes of a Thief.” Lastly, 5 films from Europe: The Czech Republic’s “Fair Play,” Finland’s “Concrete Night,” Latvia’s “ Rocks in My Pockets,” Malta’s “Simshar” and the Netherlands’ “Accused.”
U.S. Distribution
Another interesting fact is the number of these films that already have U.S. distribution. Several of them have actually already opened theatrically here, and others are set to open early next year. Out 83 films, 24 already have U.S. distribution. That’s 29% of all films. Hopefully that number increases by the end of the season. The films are: Argentina’s “Wild Tales,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night,” Brazil’s “The Way He Looks,” Canada’s “Mommy,” Chile’s “To Kill a Man,” France’s “Saint Laurent,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Hungary’s “White God,” Israel’s “ Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,” Italy’s “Human Capital,” Latvia’s “Rocks in My Pockets,” Mauritania’s “Timbuktu,” Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Norway’s “1001 Grams,” The Philippines “Norte, the End of History,” Poland’s “Ida,” Portugal's "What Now? Remind Me," Russia’s “Leviathan,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed,” Sweden’s “Force Majeure,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Turkey’s “Winter Sleep,” and Venezuela’s “ The Liberator.”
To see which distribution company has each of these films please refer to the list below.
Afghanistan
"A Few Cubic Meters of Love" (چند متر مکعب عشق)
Dir: Jamshid Mahmoudi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Argentina
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Dir: Damián Szifrón
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
Austria
"The Dark Valley" (Das finstere Tal)
Dir: Andreas Prochaska
Language: German
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Australia
"Charlie's Country"
Dir: Rolf de Heer
Language: Yolŋu Matha/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Visit Films
Trailer
Azerbaijan
"Nabat"
Dir: Elcin Musaoglu
Language: Azerbaijani
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Bangladesh
"Glow of the Firefly" (Jonakir Alo)
Dir: Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Language: Bengali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Impress Telefilm
Trailer
Belgium
"Two Days, One Night" (Deux jours, une nuit)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Language: French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Sundance Selects
Isa: Wild Bunch
Trailer
Bolivia
"Forgotten" (Olvidados)
Dir: Carlos Bolado
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Flor de Loto Pictures
Trailer
Bosnia & Herzegovina
"With Mom" (Sa mamom)
Dir: Faruk Loncarevic
Language: Bosnian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Scca/pro.ba
TraileR
Brazil
"The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: Strand Releasing
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Bulgaria
"Bulgarian Rhapsody" (българска рапсодия)
Dir: Ivan Nitchev
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Cinepaz Eood
Trailer
Canada
"Mommy"
Dir: Xavier Dolan
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Roadside Attractions
Isa: Seville International
Trailer
Chile
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Dir: Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
China
"The Nightingale" (夜莺/Le promeneur d'oiseau)
Dir: Philippe Muyl
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Kinology
Trailer
Colombia
"Mateo"
Dir: Maria Gamboa ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Alpha Violet
Trailer
Costa Rica
"Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
Dir: Laura Astorga ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films Trailer
Croatia
"Cowboys" (Kauboji)
Dir: Tomislav Mrsic
Language: Croatian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Cuba
"Behavior" (Conducta)
Dir: Ernesto Daranas
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films
Trailer
Czech Republic
"Fair Play"
Dir: Andrea Sedlácková Andrea Sedlácková
Language: Czech
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: IntraMovies
Trailer
Denmark
"Sorrow and Joy" (Sorg og glæde)
Dir: Nils Malmros
Language: Danish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Nordisk Film Production
Trailer
Dominican Republic
"Cristo Rey"
Dir: Leticia Tonos ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: The Little Film Company
Trailer
Ecuador
"Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
Dir: Tito Molina
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Facultad
Trailer
Egypt
"Factory Girl" (فتاة المصنع )
Dir: Mohamed Khan
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: DayDream Art Production
Trailer
Estonia
"Tangerines" (Mandariinid)
Dir: Zaza Urushadze
Language: Estonian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Cinemavault
Trailer
Ethiopia
"Difret"
Dir: Zeresenay Mehari
Language: Amharic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Finland
"Concrete Night" (Betoniyö)
Dir: Pirjo Honkasalo ♀
Language: Finnish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Film Republic Trailer
France
"Saint Laurent"
Dir: Bertrand Bonello
Language: French
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Europacorp
Trailer
Georgia
"Corn Island" (სიმინდის კუნძული)
Dir: George Ovashvili
Language: Georgian/Abkhazian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Arizona Productions
Trailer
Germany
"Beloved Sisters" (Die geliebten Schwestern)
Dir: Dominik Graf
Language: German /French
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Global Screen
Trailer
Greece
"Little England" (Μικρά Αγγλία)
Dir: Pantelis Voulgaris
Language: Greek
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Black Orange
Trailer
Hong Kong
"The Golden Era" (黄金时代)
Dir: Ann Hui ♀
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Edko Films
Trailer
Hungary
"White God" (Fehér isten)
Dir: Kornél Mundruczó
Language: Hungarian/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: The Match Factory
Trailer
Iceland
"Life in a Fishbowl" (Vonarstræti)
Dir: Baldvin Zophoníasson
Language: None Yet
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
India
"Liar's Dice" (लायर्स डाइस)
Dir: Geethu Mohandas ♀
Language: Hindi
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Jar Pictures Trailer
Indonesia
"Soekarno"
Dir: Hanung Bramantyo
Language: Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Mvp Pictures
Trailer
Iran
"Today" (امروز )
Dir: Reza Mirkarimi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Iraq
"Mardan"
Dir: Batin Ghobadi
Language: Kurdish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Versatile Trailer
Ireland
"The Gift" (An Bronntanas)
Dir: Tom Collins
Language: Irish/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Rosg/De Facto Films
Trailer
Israel
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (Gett: Le Procès de Viviane Amsalem)
Dir: Ronit Elkabetz ♀ & Shlomi Elkabetz
Language: Hebrew/French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Italy
"Human Capital" (Il Capitale Umano)
Dir: Paolo Virzì
Language: Italian
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
PC: Indiana Production Company
Trailer
Japan
"The Light Shines Only There" (そこのみにて光輝く)
Dir: Mipo Oh ♀
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Open Sesame
Trailer
Kosovo
"Three Windows and a Hanging" (Tri Dritare dhe një Varje)
Dir: Isa Qosja
Language: Albanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: CMb Productions
Trailer
Kyrgyzstan
"Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains" (Курманжан Датка)
Dir: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz
Language: Kirghiz
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Aitysh Film
Trailer
Latvia
"Rocks in My Pockets" (Akmeņi manās kabatās)
Dir: Signe Baumane ♀
Language: Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Trailer
Lebanon
"Ghadi" (غدي)
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
Lithuania
"The Gambler" (Lošėjas)
Dir: Ignas Jonynas
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Luxembourg
"Never Die Young"
Dir: Pol Cruchten
Language: French
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest Distribution
Trailer
MacEdonia
"To the Hilt" (До балчак)
Dir: Stole Popov
Language: Macedonian/French/English/ Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Triangle Film- Skopje
Trailer
Malta
"Simshar"
Dir: Rebecca Cremona ♀
Language: Maltese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Kukumajsa Productions
Trailer
Mauritania
"Timbuktu"
Dir: Abderrahmane Sissako
Language: French/Arabic/Bambara/English/Songhay/Tamasheq
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Le Pacte
Trailer
Mexico
"Cantinflas"
Dir: Sebastian del Amo
Language: Spanish/English
U.S Distribution: Pantelion Films
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Moldova
"The Unsaved" (La Limita de Jos a Cerului)
Dir: Igor Cobileanski
Language: Romanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Insomnia World Sales Trailer
Montenegro
"The Boys from Marx and Engels Street" (Djecaci iz ulice Marksa i Engelsa)
Dir: Nikola Vukcevic
Language: Serbian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Artikulacija Production
Trailer
Morocco
"The Red Moon" (القمر الأحمر)
Dir: Hassan Benjelloun
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bentaqerla
Trailer
Nepal
"Jhola" (झोला)
Dir: Yadav Kumar Bhattarai
Language: Nepali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Media for Culture
Trailer
The Netherlands
"Accused" (Lucia de B.)
Dir: Paula van der Oest ♀
Language: Dutch
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
New Zealand
"The Dead Lands"
Dir: Toa Fraser
Language: Maori
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Xyz Films
Trailer
Norway
"1001 Grams" (1001 Gram)
Dir: Bent Hamer
Language: Norwegian/French/ English
U.S Distribution: Kino Lorber
Isa: Les Films du Losange
Trailer
Pakistan
"Dukhtar" (دختر، بیٹی)
Dir: Afia Nathaniel ♀
Language: Urdu
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Zambeel Films
Trailer
Palestine
"Eyes of a Thief" (عيون الحراميه)
Dir: Najwa Najjar ♀
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Ustura Films Trailer
Panama
"Invasion" (Invasión)
Dir: Abner Benaim
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Apertura Films Trailer
Peru
"The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
Dir: Eduardo Mendoza de Echave
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Soga Producciones
Trailer
The Philippines
"Norte, the End of History" (Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan)
Dir: Lav Diaz
Language: Tagalog/English
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Poland
"Ida"
Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski
Language: Polish
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Portobello Film Sales
Trailer
Portugal
"What Now? Remind Me" (E Agora? Lembra-me)
Dir: Joaquim Pinto
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
PC: C.R.I.M Productions
Trailer
Romania
"The Japanese Dog" (Câinele Japonez)
Dir: Tudor Cristian Jurgiu
Language: Romanian/Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Russia
"Leviathan" (Левиафан)
Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Language: Russian
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Pyramide International
Trailer
Serbia
"See You in Montevideo" (Montevideo, vidimo se!)
Dir: Dragan Bjelogrlic
Language: Serbian/Spanish/ English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Intermedia Network
Trailer
Singapore
"Sayang Disayang"
Dir: Sanif Olek
Language: Malay/Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: ReelJuice
Trailer
Slovakia
"A Step Into the Dark" (Krok do tmy)
Dir: Miloslav Luther
Language: Slovak
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Trigon Production Trailer
Slovenia
"Seduce Me" (Zapelji me)
Dir: Marko Santic
Language: Slovenian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Radio-Television Slovenia
Trailer
South Africa
"Elelwani"
Dir: Ntshaveni Wa Luruli
Language: Venda
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest FilmDistribution
Trailer
South Korea
"Haemoo" (해무)
Dir: Sung Bo Shim
Language: Korean
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Finecut
Trailer
Spain
"Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)
Dir: David Trueba
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Outsider Pictures
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Sweden
"Force Majeure" (Turist)
Dir: Ruben Östlund
Language: Swedish/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
Trailer
Switzerland
"The Circle" (Der Kreis)
Dir: Stefan Haupt
Language: Swiss German/ German/ French
U.S Distribution: Wolfe Video
Isa: Wide House
Trailer
Taiwan
"Ice Poison" (冰毒)
Dir: Midi Z.
Language: Burmese/Chinese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Flash Forward Enterteinment
Trailer
Thailand
"The Teacher's Diary" (คิดถึงวิทยา)
Dir: Nithiwat Tharathorn
Language: Thai
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Gth
Trailer
Turkey
"Winter Sleep" (Kis uykusu)
Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Language: Turkish/English
U.S Distribution: Adopt Films
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Ukraine
"The Guide" (Поводир)
Dir: Oles Sanin
Language: Ukrainian/Russia/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Pronto Film
Trailer
United Kingdom
"Little Happiness" (Uzun Yol)
Dir: Nihat Seven
Language: Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: 7&7 Producers' Sales Services
Trailer
Uruguay
"Mr. Kaplan"
Dir: Álvaro Brechner
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Venezuela
"The Liberator" (Libertador)
Dir: Alberto Arvelo
Language: Spanish/English/ French
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Mundial
Trailer...
This year more than most, there are a great number of films with serious possibilities. There is no unshakable front-runner, but there are numerous favorites. Yet, looking at last year’s 9 shortlisted films and eventual 5 nominees, nothing is written in stone. Critics and audience favorites like “ The Past” (Iran), “Gloria” (Chile), “Heli” (Mexico), and “Wadjda” (Saudi Arabia) were left out to include surprises like “The Missing Picture“ (Cambodia), “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker” (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or “The Notebook” (Hungary).
With Awards Season now in full swing and knowing that this is one of the most difficult races to follow, here is a comprehensive list that includes information for each of the 83 submissions. Below each poster you will find the title of the film linked to its page on IMDb Pro followed by the title in the original language; the director’s name also linked to his/her IMDb Page; the language the film is primarily in; the name of the U.S. distributor if there is one; the name of the film’s International Sales Agent (Isa) or Production Company (PC) linked to the film’s page on Cinando; and a link to the film’s trailer (most of them have English subtitles, others are only in the original language, and a few are videos related to the film because a trailer wasn't available). In addition, reviews and interviews with many of these filmmakers will be added regularly.
Before getting into the list, let’s take a look at some of the statistics and patterns among these 83 foreign language features.
Period Dramas/Biopics
Several countries selected films based on the lives of prominent local figures or great period pieces, both showcase the level of films being produced across the globe in terms of production value and scope. Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Venezuela’s “The Liberator,” Kyrgyzstan “Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains,” Bolivia’s “Forgotten,” Indonesia’s “Soekarno,” Greece’s “Little England,” Macedonia’s “To the Hilt,” Hong Kong’s “The Golden Era,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Bulgaria’s “Bulgarian Rhapsody,” Serbia’s “ See You in Montevideo,” Slovakia’s “A Step Into the Dark” and New Zealand’s “The Dead Lands” are some of the most expensive films ever made in their respective territories. All of them are epic productions that highlight an important historical period using impressive cinematography, a great number of extras, intricate costumes, lavish locations, detailed production design, as well as great battle sequences in several of them. Other more traditional biopics/period pieces on the list include France’s “Saint Laurent,” The Netherlands “ Accused,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” and the Czech Republic’s “Fair Play”
Masters and Festival Winners
Not surprisingly many of the films on the list come into this race after winning important awards at international festivals. Furthermore, a handful of them are from master filmmakers, masters in the making, or unique new voices. These films include Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, Nyff, AFI Fest) by the Dardenne Brothers, Canada’s “Mommy” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by prodigy Xavier Dolan, Chile’s “To Kill a Man” (Sundance, Rotterdam, Cartagena) by Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Hungary's "White God" (Cannes) by Kornél Mundruczó, Norway’s “1001 Grams” (Tiff) by Bent Hamer, Poland’s “Ida”(Tiff, Sundance) by Pawel Pawlikowski, Russia’s “Leviathan” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff, AFI Fest) by Andrey Zvyagintsev, Sweden’s “Force Majeure” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Ruben Östlund, and Turkey’s “ Winter Sleep” (Cannes, Telluride, Tiff) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. All of these films have played at renowned international festivals and most have earned important recognition there.
Out of the Box
Whether they are aware of their actual possibilities at a nomination or not, each year a few countries take the risk of sending a film that defies convention despite having more safe choices. But that is not say they are entirely out of the race, films like “The Missing Picture” and “Dogtooth” prove that sometimes there is room for daring and unique filmmaking. With “Rocks in My Pockets” Latvia is the only country to submit an animated film this year. The film is an inventive and colorful look at depression. Then there is the almost-silent and highly poetic Ecuadorian entry “Silence in Dreamland” and Singapore’s musically driven drama “Sayang Disayang.” However, the boldest selection has to be the Philippines’ “Norte, the End of History” by acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz, which runs over four hours and is inspired by Dostoyevsky Crime and Punishment.
Documentaries
Only two countries chose to go with non-fiction entries. One of them is Panama’s “Invasion,” which deals with the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in that country in 1989. This is the Central American nation’s first ever Oscar submission. The other documentary contending is Portugal’s “ What Now? Remind Me,“ a self-portrait by filmmaker Joaquim Pinto exploring his struggles living with HIV. One should note that Portugal is one of the few countries in Western Europe to have never obtained a nomination in the category despite entering films consecutively for several decades.
Lgbt
Films with stories that highlight sexual diversity occasionally make their way into this list. Last year the only Lgbt title submitted was “ Soongava: Dance of the Orchids,” which surprisingly came from Nepal and dealt with the relationship between two young women in the traditional Asian society. This time around two countries selected films with similar themes. Brazil’s festival darling “ The Way He Looks” – a sweet coming-of-age tale- was an audacious choice among the many other films the South American country produces every year. Then there is Switzerland’s “The Circle” about a pioneering gay publication during the 1940s/1950s in Zurich and the real life relationship between two of its prominent members.
Surprising Choices
As it usually happens, some countries go against what the industry expects and decide to send films that weren’t on most people’s radars. Bulgaria for example selected “Bulgarian Rhapsody” by veteran director Ivan Nitchev over Sundance’s “Viktoria” by young female director Maya Vitkova. Similarly, Ukraine overlooked Cannes favorite “The Tribe”- a powerful drama entirely in sign language - and decided to go with “The Guide” by Oles Sanin. Nevertheless, the most shocking decision came from China. Instead of selecting a Chinese-directed film like Berlin’s Golden Bear winner “Black Coal, Thin Ice” or Zhang Yimou’s “Coming Home,” the Chinese selection committee chose “The Nightingale” by French director Philippe Muyl. Despite having a European helmer the film is authentically Chinese in terms of language and story, but it was still an unexpected move from the traditionally patriotic country.
First Timers
The unprecedented number of entries is in part due to the addition of countries submitting for the first time. Besides aforementioned Panama, there are three other debutant nations in the mix. Kosovo- a tiny Balkan state often associated with the rampart war that afflicted the region a few decades ago - is finally showcasing its film production. Their entry titled “Three Windows and a Hanging” is said to be a high quality, affecting drama. Malta - a European island nation near Italy - is often used as astonishing location for big budget studio films. This year, however, “ Simshar,” a great immigration drama will represent the country. Lastly, Mauritania – a prominently Muslim nation in Sub-Saharan Africa – selected Abderrahmane Sissako’s “Timbuktu,”which played in competition at Cannes,as their inaugural submission. Although Sissako has had several successful films at international festivals, this is the first time his country decides to participate.
Female Directors
Out of the 83 films, 14 were directed by women. That’s 17% of all entries. What’s more interesting is the fact that some of these films come from countries that are often seen as traditionally patriarchal societies. 3 Latin American entries were created by female directors: Colombia’s “Mateo,” Costa Rica’s “Red Princesses” and the Dominican Republic’s “Cristo Rey.” 4 from Asia: Hong Kong’s “ The Golden Era,” India’s “Liar’s Dice,” Japan’s “The Light Shines Only There,” and Pakistan’s “Dukhtar.” 2 from the Middle East: Israel’s “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” (Co-directed) and Palestine’s “Eyes of a Thief.” Lastly, 5 films from Europe: The Czech Republic’s “Fair Play,” Finland’s “Concrete Night,” Latvia’s “ Rocks in My Pockets,” Malta’s “Simshar” and the Netherlands’ “Accused.”
U.S. Distribution
Another interesting fact is the number of these films that already have U.S. distribution. Several of them have actually already opened theatrically here, and others are set to open early next year. Out 83 films, 24 already have U.S. distribution. That’s 29% of all films. Hopefully that number increases by the end of the season. The films are: Argentina’s “Wild Tales,” Austria’s “The Dark Valley,” Belgium’s “Two Days, One Night,” Brazil’s “The Way He Looks,” Canada’s “Mommy,” Chile’s “To Kill a Man,” France’s “Saint Laurent,” Germany’s “Beloved Sisters,” Hungary’s “White God,” Israel’s “ Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem,” Italy’s “Human Capital,” Latvia’s “Rocks in My Pockets,” Mauritania’s “Timbuktu,” Mexico’s “Cantinflas,” Norway’s “1001 Grams,” The Philippines “Norte, the End of History,” Poland’s “Ida,” Portugal's "What Now? Remind Me," Russia’s “Leviathan,” Spain’s “Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed,” Sweden’s “Force Majeure,” Switzerland’s “The Circle,” Turkey’s “Winter Sleep,” and Venezuela’s “ The Liberator.”
To see which distribution company has each of these films please refer to the list below.
Afghanistan
"A Few Cubic Meters of Love" (چند متر مکعب عشق)
Dir: Jamshid Mahmoudi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Argentina
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Dir: Damián Szifrón
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
Austria
"The Dark Valley" (Das finstere Tal)
Dir: Andreas Prochaska
Language: German
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Australia
"Charlie's Country"
Dir: Rolf de Heer
Language: Yolŋu Matha/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Visit Films
Trailer
Azerbaijan
"Nabat"
Dir: Elcin Musaoglu
Language: Azerbaijani
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Bangladesh
"Glow of the Firefly" (Jonakir Alo)
Dir: Khalid Mahmood Mithu
Language: Bengali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Impress Telefilm
Trailer
Belgium
"Two Days, One Night" (Deux jours, une nuit)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Language: French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Sundance Selects
Isa: Wild Bunch
Trailer
Bolivia
"Forgotten" (Olvidados)
Dir: Carlos Bolado
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Flor de Loto Pictures
Trailer
Bosnia & Herzegovina
"With Mom" (Sa mamom)
Dir: Faruk Loncarevic
Language: Bosnian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Scca/pro.ba
TraileR
Brazil
"The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: Strand Releasing
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Bulgaria
"Bulgarian Rhapsody" (българска рапсодия)
Dir: Ivan Nitchev
Language: Bulgarian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Cinepaz Eood
Trailer
Canada
"Mommy"
Dir: Xavier Dolan
Language: French/English
U.S Distribution: Roadside Attractions
Isa: Seville International
Trailer
Chile
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Dir: Alejandro Fernández Almendras
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
Trailer
China
"The Nightingale" (夜莺/Le promeneur d'oiseau)
Dir: Philippe Muyl
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Kinology
Trailer
Colombia
"Mateo"
Dir: Maria Gamboa ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Alpha Violet
Trailer
Costa Rica
"Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
Dir: Laura Astorga ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films Trailer
Croatia
"Cowboys" (Kauboji)
Dir: Tomislav Mrsic
Language: Croatian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Cuba
"Behavior" (Conducta)
Dir: Ernesto Daranas
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Latido Films
Trailer
Czech Republic
"Fair Play"
Dir: Andrea Sedlácková Andrea Sedlácková
Language: Czech
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: IntraMovies
Trailer
Denmark
"Sorrow and Joy" (Sorg og glæde)
Dir: Nils Malmros
Language: Danish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Nordisk Film Production
Trailer
Dominican Republic
"Cristo Rey"
Dir: Leticia Tonos ♀
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: The Little Film Company
Trailer
Ecuador
"Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
Dir: Tito Molina
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Facultad
Trailer
Egypt
"Factory Girl" (فتاة المصنع )
Dir: Mohamed Khan
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: DayDream Art Production
Trailer
Estonia
"Tangerines" (Mandariinid)
Dir: Zaza Urushadze
Language: Estonian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Cinemavault
Trailer
Ethiopia
"Difret"
Dir: Zeresenay Mehari
Language: Amharic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
Finland
"Concrete Night" (Betoniyö)
Dir: Pirjo Honkasalo ♀
Language: Finnish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Film Republic Trailer
France
"Saint Laurent"
Dir: Bertrand Bonello
Language: French
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Europacorp
Trailer
Georgia
"Corn Island" (სიმინდის კუნძული)
Dir: George Ovashvili
Language: Georgian/Abkhazian/Russian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Arizona Productions
Trailer
Germany
"Beloved Sisters" (Die geliebten Schwestern)
Dir: Dominik Graf
Language: German /French
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Global Screen
Trailer
Greece
"Little England" (Μικρά Αγγλία)
Dir: Pantelis Voulgaris
Language: Greek
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Black Orange
Trailer
Hong Kong
"The Golden Era" (黄金时代)
Dir: Ann Hui ♀
Language: Mandarin
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Edko Films
Trailer
Hungary
"White God" (Fehér isten)
Dir: Kornél Mundruczó
Language: Hungarian/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: The Match Factory
Trailer
Iceland
"Life in a Fishbowl" (Vonarstræti)
Dir: Baldvin Zophoníasson
Language: None Yet
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Films Boutique Trailer
India
"Liar's Dice" (लायर्स डाइस)
Dir: Geethu Mohandas ♀
Language: Hindi
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Jar Pictures Trailer
Indonesia
"Soekarno"
Dir: Hanung Bramantyo
Language: Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Mvp Pictures
Trailer
Iran
"Today" (امروز )
Dir: Reza Mirkarimi
Language: Persian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Dreamlab Films
Trailer
Iraq
"Mardan"
Dir: Batin Ghobadi
Language: Kurdish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Versatile Trailer
Ireland
"The Gift" (An Bronntanas)
Dir: Tom Collins
Language: Irish/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Rosg/De Facto Films
Trailer
Israel
"Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (Gett: Le Procès de Viviane Amsalem)
Dir: Ronit Elkabetz ♀ & Shlomi Elkabetz
Language: Hebrew/French/Arabic
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Films Distribution
Trailer
Italy
"Human Capital" (Il Capitale Umano)
Dir: Paolo Virzì
Language: Italian
U.S Distribution: Film Movement
PC: Indiana Production Company
Trailer
Japan
"The Light Shines Only There" (そこのみにて光輝く)
Dir: Mipo Oh ♀
Language: Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Open Sesame
Trailer
Kosovo
"Three Windows and a Hanging" (Tri Dritare dhe një Varje)
Dir: Isa Qosja
Language: Albanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: CMb Productions
Trailer
Kyrgyzstan
"Kurmanjan Datka Queen of the Mountains" (Курманжан Датка)
Dir: Sadyk Sher-Niyaz
Language: Kirghiz
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Aitysh Film
Trailer
Latvia
"Rocks in My Pockets" (Akmeņi manās kabatās)
Dir: Signe Baumane ♀
Language: Latvian
U.S Distribution: Zeitgeist Films
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
Trailer
Lebanon
"Ghadi" (غدي)
Dir: Amin Dora
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
Lithuania
"The Gambler" (Lošėjas)
Dir: Ignas Jonynas
Language: Lithuanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Wide
Trailer
Luxembourg
"Never Die Young"
Dir: Pol Cruchten
Language: French
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest Distribution
Trailer
MacEdonia
"To the Hilt" (До балчак)
Dir: Stole Popov
Language: Macedonian/French/English/ Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Triangle Film- Skopje
Trailer
Malta
"Simshar"
Dir: Rebecca Cremona ♀
Language: Maltese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Kukumajsa Productions
Trailer
Mauritania
"Timbuktu"
Dir: Abderrahmane Sissako
Language: French/Arabic/Bambara/English/Songhay/Tamasheq
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Le Pacte
Trailer
Mexico
"Cantinflas"
Dir: Sebastian del Amo
Language: Spanish/English
U.S Distribution: Pantelion Films
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Moldova
"The Unsaved" (La Limita de Jos a Cerului)
Dir: Igor Cobileanski
Language: Romanian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Insomnia World Sales Trailer
Montenegro
"The Boys from Marx and Engels Street" (Djecaci iz ulice Marksa i Engelsa)
Dir: Nikola Vukcevic
Language: Serbian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Artikulacija Production
Trailer
Morocco
"The Red Moon" (القمر الأحمر)
Dir: Hassan Benjelloun
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Bentaqerla
Trailer
Nepal
"Jhola" (झोला)
Dir: Yadav Kumar Bhattarai
Language: Nepali
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Media for Culture
Trailer
The Netherlands
"Accused" (Lucia de B.)
Dir: Paula van der Oest ♀
Language: Dutch
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Fortissimo Films
Trailer
New Zealand
"The Dead Lands"
Dir: Toa Fraser
Language: Maori
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Xyz Films
Trailer
Norway
"1001 Grams" (1001 Gram)
Dir: Bent Hamer
Language: Norwegian/French/ English
U.S Distribution: Kino Lorber
Isa: Les Films du Losange
Trailer
Pakistan
"Dukhtar" (دختر، بیٹی)
Dir: Afia Nathaniel ♀
Language: Urdu
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Zambeel Films
Trailer
Palestine
"Eyes of a Thief" (عيون الحراميه)
Dir: Najwa Najjar ♀
Language: Arabic
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Ustura Films Trailer
Panama
"Invasion" (Invasión)
Dir: Abner Benaim
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Apertura Films Trailer
Peru
"The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
Dir: Eduardo Mendoza de Echave
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: La Soga Producciones
Trailer
The Philippines
"Norte, the End of History" (Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan)
Dir: Lav Diaz
Language: Tagalog/English
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Poland
"Ida"
Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski
Language: Polish
U.S Distribution: Music Box Films
Isa: Portobello Film Sales
Trailer
Portugal
"What Now? Remind Me" (E Agora? Lembra-me)
Dir: Joaquim Pinto
Language: Portuguese
U.S Distribution: The Cinema Guild
PC: C.R.I.M Productions
Trailer
Romania
"The Japanese Dog" (Câinele Japonez)
Dir: Tudor Cristian Jurgiu
Language: Romanian/Japanese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: M-Appeal World Sales
Trailer
Russia
"Leviathan" (Левиафан)
Dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Language: Russian
U.S Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Isa: Pyramide International
Trailer
Serbia
"See You in Montevideo" (Montevideo, vidimo se!)
Dir: Dragan Bjelogrlic
Language: Serbian/Spanish/ English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Intermedia Network
Trailer
Singapore
"Sayang Disayang"
Dir: Sanif Olek
Language: Malay/Indonesian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: ReelJuice
Trailer
Slovakia
"A Step Into the Dark" (Krok do tmy)
Dir: Miloslav Luther
Language: Slovak
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Trigon Production Trailer
Slovenia
"Seduce Me" (Zapelji me)
Dir: Marko Santic
Language: Slovenian
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Radio-Television Slovenia
Trailer
South Africa
"Elelwani"
Dir: Ntshaveni Wa Luruli
Language: Venda
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: EastWest FilmDistribution
Trailer
South Korea
"Haemoo" (해무)
Dir: Sung Bo Shim
Language: Korean
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Finecut
Trailer
Spain
"Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)
Dir: David Trueba
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: Outsider Pictures
Isa: 6 Sales
Trailer
Sweden
"Force Majeure" (Turist)
Dir: Ruben Östlund
Language: Swedish/English
U.S Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
Trailer
Switzerland
"The Circle" (Der Kreis)
Dir: Stefan Haupt
Language: Swiss German/ German/ French
U.S Distribution: Wolfe Video
Isa: Wide House
Trailer
Taiwan
"Ice Poison" (冰毒)
Dir: Midi Z.
Language: Burmese/Chinese
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Flash Forward Enterteinment
Trailer
Thailand
"The Teacher's Diary" (คิดถึงวิทยา)
Dir: Nithiwat Tharathorn
Language: Thai
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Gth
Trailer
Turkey
"Winter Sleep" (Kis uykusu)
Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Language: Turkish/English
U.S Distribution: Adopt Films
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Ukraine
"The Guide" (Поводир)
Dir: Oles Sanin
Language: Ukrainian/Russia/English
U.S Distribution: None Yet
PC: Pronto Film
Trailer
United Kingdom
"Little Happiness" (Uzun Yol)
Dir: Nihat Seven
Language: Turkish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: 7&7 Producers' Sales Services
Trailer
Uruguay
"Mr. Kaplan"
Dir: Álvaro Brechner
Language: Spanish
U.S Distribution: None Yet
Isa: Memento Films International
Trailer
Venezuela
"The Liberator" (Libertador)
Dir: Alberto Arvelo
Language: Spanish/English/ French
U.S Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Isa: Mundial
Trailer...
- 11/11/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Films in Progress 27 will take place on the 26th and 27th of March within the framework of the 27th edition of the festival Cinélatino, Rencontres de Toulouse.
Since 2002, this double event jointly organized by the festivals of Toulouse and San Sebastián, presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress in two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in San Sebastián in September.
Films in progress promotes the cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to make the films reach screens and audiences across the world. With more than 400 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international level, taking part each year to these two sessions, Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point with Latin American films and professionals connected to Latin America.
In the last years, Films in Progress have contributed efficiently to the finalization, difusion and commercialization of the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Clandestine Childhood" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa" by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "Historia del Miedo" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras...
Film in Progress is a label that generates trust between the community of professionals from both sides of Atlantic Ocean.
Awards
Three prizes will be awarded in Film in Progress 27
Toulouse Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € of post-production services to be done in France, offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, sound post-production by Mactari, technical works from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firefly, auditorium and material for calibration from Commune Image and the coordination of the post-production by Eaux vives.Ciné + Award consists in the guarantee that Cine + Broadcast will be the French distributor of the winning film. It will be purchased for 15.000 euros.European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the networks of the 130 distributors of Europa Distribution and the 2.000 members of the Cicae.
Submission of a work-in-progress
The feature films presented must be a minority or major Latin American productionThe length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutesThe film must be at the post-production stage (minimum first cut)The cut that is presented for evaluation must last a minimum of 45 minutesThe cut presented for evaluation must be subtitled in English if it is not Spanish-speakingThere is no charge of fees for the registrationThe application must be done online: hereDead line : January the 30th 2015
In the case that the film is selected:
the director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 25, 26 and 27 of 2015the film must be subtitled in Englishthe screening format is Blu Ray (2 copies for back up)The selection will be announced in early March 2015.
Since 2002, this double event jointly organized by the festivals of Toulouse and San Sebastián, presents an annual selection of 12 works-in-progress in two sessions: 6 films in Toulouse in march and 6 films in San Sebastián in September.
Films in progress promotes the cooperation between the producers of the selected works-in-progress and European partners to make the films reach screens and audiences across the world. With more than 400 professionals, among the most influential on the European and international level, taking part each year to these two sessions, Films in Progress is the unmissable and strategic meeting point with Latin American films and professionals connected to Latin America.
In the last years, Films in Progress have contributed efficiently to the finalization, difusion and commercialization of the most remarkable Latin American films: "Tony Manero" by Pablo Larraín, "Gloria" by Sebastián Lelio, "Sangre" by Amat Escalante, "Clandestine Childhood" by Benjamín Ávila, "La Sirga" by William Vega, "La Playa" by Juan Andrés Arango, "Bad Hair" by Mariana Rondón, "Historia del Miedo" by Benjamin Naishtat, "To Kill a Man" by Alejandro Fernández Almendras...
Film in Progress is a label that generates trust between the community of professionals from both sides of Atlantic Ocean.
Awards
Three prizes will be awarded in Film in Progress 27
Toulouse Films in Progress Award consists of 58.850 € of post-production services to be done in France, offered by prestigious organizations: a grant from the Cnc, a residence in Paris by the Ccas, sound post-production by Mactari, technical works from Titra Tvs, color correction program by Firefly, auditorium and material for calibration from Commune Image and the coordination of the post-production by Eaux vives.Ciné + Award consists in the guarantee that Cine + Broadcast will be the French distributor of the winning film. It will be purchased for 15.000 euros.European Distributors and Exhibitors Award consists in the promotion of the winning film in the networks of the 130 distributors of Europa Distribution and the 2.000 members of the Cicae.
Submission of a work-in-progress
The feature films presented must be a minority or major Latin American productionThe length of the feature film in its final version must be over 60 minutesThe film must be at the post-production stage (minimum first cut)The cut that is presented for evaluation must last a minimum of 45 minutesThe cut presented for evaluation must be subtitled in English if it is not Spanish-speakingThere is no charge of fees for the registrationThe application must be done online: hereDead line : January the 30th 2015
In the case that the film is selected:
the director and the producer have to be in Toulouse on March 25, 26 and 27 of 2015the film must be subtitled in Englishthe screening format is Blu Ray (2 copies for back up)The selection will be announced in early March 2015.
- 10/31/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Boyhood, Foxcatcher, Birdman, Phoenix, Mr Turner among critics choices.
This year’s Talinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 13 – 30) will host a strand of 13 films curated by Screen International critics.
The strand includes Boyhood, Foxcatcher, Birdman, Phoenix, Mr Turner, The Tribe and ‘71.
Wendy Mitchell, editor of Screen International commented: “Screen International is proud to present our Critics Choice at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival. 2014 has been a banner year for filmmaking, as evidenced by the diversity and quality of the global films our critics have championed, everything from the showbiz skewering of Birdman to a remarkable Ukrainian dialogue-free thriller, the Tribe.”
Screen International critics’ selection in the programme of Black Nights:
• “Tales” (Iran / director Rakhshan Bani Etemad)
• “Black Souls” (Italy / director Francesco Munzi)
• “The Wonders” (Italy, Switzerland / director Alice Rohrwac)
• “Eden” (France / director Mia Hansen Love)
• “A Pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence” (Sweden, Germany, Norway, France / director Roy Andersson)
• “Mr Turner” (United Kingdom / director...
This year’s Talinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 13 – 30) will host a strand of 13 films curated by Screen International critics.
The strand includes Boyhood, Foxcatcher, Birdman, Phoenix, Mr Turner, The Tribe and ‘71.
Wendy Mitchell, editor of Screen International commented: “Screen International is proud to present our Critics Choice at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival. 2014 has been a banner year for filmmaking, as evidenced by the diversity and quality of the global films our critics have championed, everything from the showbiz skewering of Birdman to a remarkable Ukrainian dialogue-free thriller, the Tribe.”
Screen International critics’ selection in the programme of Black Nights:
• “Tales” (Iran / director Rakhshan Bani Etemad)
• “Black Souls” (Italy / director Francesco Munzi)
• “The Wonders” (Italy, Switzerland / director Alice Rohrwac)
• “Eden” (France / director Mia Hansen Love)
• “A Pigeon sat on a branch reflecting on existence” (Sweden, Germany, Norway, France / director Roy Andersson)
• “Mr Turner” (United Kingdom / director...
- 10/27/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Once again the San Sebastian Festival will showcase the best Latin American productions of the year. The program of the Horizontes Latinos section at the 62nd edition includes fourteen productions from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. Films that have competed or been presented at important international festivals, but which have not yet been seen at a Spanish festival or commercially released in the country.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a specific jury and carrying €35,000, of which €10,000 go to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 to its distributor in Spain.
"Casa Grande"Fellipe Barbosa (Brazil - U.S.A.)Set within Rio's social elite, a teenage boy struggles to escape his overprotective parents as his family spirals into bankruptcy. This second movie by Brazil's Fellipe Barbosa was presented in the Official Selection at the Rotterdam Festival.
"Natural Sciences" (Ciencias Naturales)
Matías Lucchesi (Argentina - France)Presented in the Generation section of the Berlin Festival and winner of the Award for Best Ibero-American Film at the Guadalajara Festival, the first film by Matías Luchesi revolves around a girl who, starting to become a woman, feels the profound need to discover her true identity. She does not know who her father is and she is determined to find him.
"Two Gun Shots" (Dos Disparos)
Martín Rejtman (Argentina - Chile - Netherlands - Germany)The Argentinian filmmaker Martín Rejtman competed at the Locarno Festival with his latest film. Early one morning, 16 year-old Mariano finds a gun in his house and proceeds to shoot himself twice without giving it a second thought. He survives. Dos disparos (Two Shots Fired) is the tale of how Mariano and his family react to the situation.
"Gente de Bien"Franco Lolli (France - Colombia)The feature film debut of Franco Lolli, following several short films to have won awards at several festivals, was presented in the Critics' Week at Cannes. Ten year-old Eric finds himself almost overnight living with Gabriel, his father, who he barely knows. Maria Isabel, the woman Gabriel works for as a carpenter, decides to help and invites them both to the country to spend Christmas with her and her family. However, she fails to foresee all the consequences of taking the child under her wing.
"Güeros"Alonso Ruiz Palacios (Mexico)A road movie and coming of age comedy which pays homage to the French new wave, winner of Panorama's First Feature Award in Berlin Film Festival and of Best Cinematography Award and Special Jury Mention in Tribeca Festival. Since the teenager Tomás is clearly too much of a handful for his mother, she packs him off to stay with his big brother who is studying in Mexico City.Tomás has brought a cassette along with him; the tape is part of his father’s legacy and contains the music of Epigmenio Cruz. When the trio learns that their idol is in hospital fading fast and alone, they set off in their rusty heap of a car to pay their last respects to this one-time rock star.
"History of Fear" (Historia del Miedo)
Benjamín Naishtat (Argentina - France - Germany - Uruguay - Qatar)Following its screening in Films in Progress at last year's San Sebastian Festival, Benjamín Naishtat's first film competed at the Berlin Festival and won Best Film at the Jeonju Festival. When a heat wave grips the suburbs, blackouts and waves of pollution push the social order to the brink of collapse, forcing each inhabitant to confront his own motives, instincts and fears.
"Jauja"
Lisandro Alonso (Argentina - U.S.A. - Mexico - Netherlands - France - Denmark- Germany)Viggo Mortensen stars in a film by Lisandro Alonso that competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Festival and won the Fipresci Award. In 1882, Captain Dinesen arrives in Patagonia from Denmark with his 15 year old daughter Ingeborg to take up an engineering post with the Argentinian army. When Ingeborg falls in love with a young soldier and runs away with him, the Captain ventures into enemy territory to find the couple. A solitary quest that takes us to a place beyond time.
"The Princess of France"(La Princesa de Francia)
Matías Piñeiro (Argentina)Matías Piñeiro returns to his reflections on the theatre world in this competitor in the Official Selection of the Locarno Festival. A year after his father's death in Mexico, Víctor returns to Buenos Aires with a job for his former theatre company: to make a Latin American series of radio dramas by recording a pilote episode of the last play they put on together.
"La Salada"Juán Martín Hsu (Argentina - Spain)The winning film of the Films in Progress Industry Award at last year's Festival is a mosaic of experiences for new immigrants in Argentina. Three tales of people from different races who struggle with loneliness and alienation during "La feria de La Salada".
"The Third Side of the River" (La Tercera Orilla)
Celina Murga (Argentina- Germany - The Netherlands)The Argentinian director Celina Murga competed in Berlin's Official Selection with this film focused on the seventeen-year-old Nicolas, who lives with his mother and younger siblings in a small provincial city. When his entranged father returns to his life, tensions rise between father and son. Nicolas realizes he has to make radical choices for his own future.
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile - France)The third film from Chile's Alejandro Fernández Almendras participated in Films in Progress last year and has won awards at several international festivals, including Sundance and Rotterdam. Jorge, a hardworking man, is muggled by Kalule, a neighbourhood delinquent. Jorge’s son, in an attemp to defend his father, is shot by Kalule for what Kalule is sent to prision. When he is released, only wants one thing: revenge.
"Futuro Beach" (Praia do Futuro)
Karim Ainouz (Brazil - Germany)A love story directed by Karim Aïnouz which competed in the Official Selection at the Berlin Festival. Donato works as a life guard patrolling the spectacular but treacherous Praia do Futuro beach. When he dives into the sea after two men caught in the undercurrent, he saves Konrad, a German vacationing in Brazil, but Konrad’s friend is lost to the sea. While waiting for the body to resurface, a bond grows between donato and Konrad and the initial sexual sparks give way to a deeper,emotional connection. Winner of the Sebastiane Latino Award.
"Refugiado"Diego Lerman (Argentina- Colombia - France - Poland - Germany)Presented at the Directors' Fortnight in Cannes, the latest film from Diego Lerman opens when Matías, a 7 year-old boy, finds his mother, Laura, unconscious on the floor on coming home from a birthday party. When Laura comes round, she decides to flee with her son to a shelter for battered women. Seen through the eyes of Matías, we follow their escape and the way everything he knew turns into danger, while Laura looks for a safe place to live.
"August Winds" (Ventos de Agosto)
Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil)The arrival to a small coastal village in Brazil of a researcher registering the sound of the trade winds and a surprise discovery take Shirley and Jeison on a journey that confronts them with the duel between life and death, loss and memory, the wind and the sea. A first film by Gabriel Mascaró, winner of a special mention at the Locarno Festival.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a specific jury and carrying €35,000, of which €10,000 go to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 to its distributor in Spain.
"Casa Grande"Fellipe Barbosa (Brazil - U.S.A.)Set within Rio's social elite, a teenage boy struggles to escape his overprotective parents as his family spirals into bankruptcy. This second movie by Brazil's Fellipe Barbosa was presented in the Official Selection at the Rotterdam Festival.
"Natural Sciences" (Ciencias Naturales)
Matías Lucchesi (Argentina - France)Presented in the Generation section of the Berlin Festival and winner of the Award for Best Ibero-American Film at the Guadalajara Festival, the first film by Matías Luchesi revolves around a girl who, starting to become a woman, feels the profound need to discover her true identity. She does not know who her father is and she is determined to find him.
"Two Gun Shots" (Dos Disparos)
Martín Rejtman (Argentina - Chile - Netherlands - Germany)The Argentinian filmmaker Martín Rejtman competed at the Locarno Festival with his latest film. Early one morning, 16 year-old Mariano finds a gun in his house and proceeds to shoot himself twice without giving it a second thought. He survives. Dos disparos (Two Shots Fired) is the tale of how Mariano and his family react to the situation.
"Gente de Bien"Franco Lolli (France - Colombia)The feature film debut of Franco Lolli, following several short films to have won awards at several festivals, was presented in the Critics' Week at Cannes. Ten year-old Eric finds himself almost overnight living with Gabriel, his father, who he barely knows. Maria Isabel, the woman Gabriel works for as a carpenter, decides to help and invites them both to the country to spend Christmas with her and her family. However, she fails to foresee all the consequences of taking the child under her wing.
"Güeros"Alonso Ruiz Palacios (Mexico)A road movie and coming of age comedy which pays homage to the French new wave, winner of Panorama's First Feature Award in Berlin Film Festival and of Best Cinematography Award and Special Jury Mention in Tribeca Festival. Since the teenager Tomás is clearly too much of a handful for his mother, she packs him off to stay with his big brother who is studying in Mexico City.Tomás has brought a cassette along with him; the tape is part of his father’s legacy and contains the music of Epigmenio Cruz. When the trio learns that their idol is in hospital fading fast and alone, they set off in their rusty heap of a car to pay their last respects to this one-time rock star.
"History of Fear" (Historia del Miedo)
Benjamín Naishtat (Argentina - France - Germany - Uruguay - Qatar)Following its screening in Films in Progress at last year's San Sebastian Festival, Benjamín Naishtat's first film competed at the Berlin Festival and won Best Film at the Jeonju Festival. When a heat wave grips the suburbs, blackouts and waves of pollution push the social order to the brink of collapse, forcing each inhabitant to confront his own motives, instincts and fears.
"Jauja"
Lisandro Alonso (Argentina - U.S.A. - Mexico - Netherlands - France - Denmark- Germany)Viggo Mortensen stars in a film by Lisandro Alonso that competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Festival and won the Fipresci Award. In 1882, Captain Dinesen arrives in Patagonia from Denmark with his 15 year old daughter Ingeborg to take up an engineering post with the Argentinian army. When Ingeborg falls in love with a young soldier and runs away with him, the Captain ventures into enemy territory to find the couple. A solitary quest that takes us to a place beyond time.
"The Princess of France"(La Princesa de Francia)
Matías Piñeiro (Argentina)Matías Piñeiro returns to his reflections on the theatre world in this competitor in the Official Selection of the Locarno Festival. A year after his father's death in Mexico, Víctor returns to Buenos Aires with a job for his former theatre company: to make a Latin American series of radio dramas by recording a pilote episode of the last play they put on together.
"La Salada"Juán Martín Hsu (Argentina - Spain)The winning film of the Films in Progress Industry Award at last year's Festival is a mosaic of experiences for new immigrants in Argentina. Three tales of people from different races who struggle with loneliness and alienation during "La feria de La Salada".
"The Third Side of the River" (La Tercera Orilla)
Celina Murga (Argentina- Germany - The Netherlands)The Argentinian director Celina Murga competed in Berlin's Official Selection with this film focused on the seventeen-year-old Nicolas, who lives with his mother and younger siblings in a small provincial city. When his entranged father returns to his life, tensions rise between father and son. Nicolas realizes he has to make radical choices for his own future.
"To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile - France)The third film from Chile's Alejandro Fernández Almendras participated in Films in Progress last year and has won awards at several international festivals, including Sundance and Rotterdam. Jorge, a hardworking man, is muggled by Kalule, a neighbourhood delinquent. Jorge’s son, in an attemp to defend his father, is shot by Kalule for what Kalule is sent to prision. When he is released, only wants one thing: revenge.
"Futuro Beach" (Praia do Futuro)
Karim Ainouz (Brazil - Germany)A love story directed by Karim Aïnouz which competed in the Official Selection at the Berlin Festival. Donato works as a life guard patrolling the spectacular but treacherous Praia do Futuro beach. When he dives into the sea after two men caught in the undercurrent, he saves Konrad, a German vacationing in Brazil, but Konrad’s friend is lost to the sea. While waiting for the body to resurface, a bond grows between donato and Konrad and the initial sexual sparks give way to a deeper,emotional connection. Winner of the Sebastiane Latino Award.
"Refugiado"Diego Lerman (Argentina- Colombia - France - Poland - Germany)Presented at the Directors' Fortnight in Cannes, the latest film from Diego Lerman opens when Matías, a 7 year-old boy, finds his mother, Laura, unconscious on the floor on coming home from a birthday party. When Laura comes round, she decides to flee with her son to a shelter for battered women. Seen through the eyes of Matías, we follow their escape and the way everything he knew turns into danger, while Laura looks for a safe place to live.
"August Winds" (Ventos de Agosto)
Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil)The arrival to a small coastal village in Brazil of a researcher registering the sound of the trade winds and a surprise discovery take Shirley and Jeison on a journey that confronts them with the duel between life and death, loss and memory, the wind and the sea. A first film by Gabriel Mascaró, winner of a special mention at the Locarno Festival.
- 9/9/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Competitive strand will feature 14 films, including Jauja starring Viggo Mortensen.
A total of 14 titles have been selected to compete in Horizontes Latinos at the 62nd San Sebastian Festival (Sept 19-27).
The strand comprises productions from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia that have competed or screneed at international festivals but have yet to be seen in Spain.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a jury and including a prize of €35,000 ($46,000), of which €10,000 ($13,000) goes to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 ($33,000) to its distributor in Spain.
Casa Grande
Fellipe Barbosa (Brazil - USA)
Set within Rio’s social elite, a teenage boy struggles to escape his overprotective parents as his family spirals into bankruptcy. This second movie by Brazil’s Fellipe Barbosa was presented in the Official Selection at the Rotterdam Festival.
Ciencias naturales (Natural Sciences)
Matías Lucchesi (Argentina - France)
Presented in the Generation section of the Berlin Festival...
A total of 14 titles have been selected to compete in Horizontes Latinos at the 62nd San Sebastian Festival (Sept 19-27).
The strand comprises productions from Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia that have competed or screneed at international festivals but have yet to be seen in Spain.
The selected films compete for the Horizontes Award, decided by a jury and including a prize of €35,000 ($46,000), of which €10,000 ($13,000) goes to the director of the winning film, and the remaining €25,000 ($33,000) to its distributor in Spain.
Casa Grande
Fellipe Barbosa (Brazil - USA)
Set within Rio’s social elite, a teenage boy struggles to escape his overprotective parents as his family spirals into bankruptcy. This second movie by Brazil’s Fellipe Barbosa was presented in the Official Selection at the Rotterdam Festival.
Ciencias naturales (Natural Sciences)
Matías Lucchesi (Argentina - France)
Presented in the Generation section of the Berlin Festival...
- 8/28/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Early predictions have emerged for most Academy Award categories. As the studios reveal their hopeful offers to be released in the final months of the year, the speculation increases. But despite all the information available on the centerpiece awards, other more obscure races remain a complete mystery at this point. Among these, the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar is almost certainly the most complex to prognosticate. The lengthy process that precedes the announcement of the final nominees makes for a competition that begins months in advance in nations around the globe.
Having the opportunity to submit only one film, each country must carry out its own selection process. Once these decisions have been made, their chosen works will compete to make it to the nine-film shortlist, and eventually into the final five slots. Although this procedure allows for a certain degree of democracy, it also excludes all those other films that were left behind in their homelands. This, in turn, gives us a narrow view of what is being produced abroad.
Therefore, after lots of research and arduous educated guessing to put it together, the list below offers a more insightful look at this race before the actual individual selections are announced. For the sake of time, the amount of films is limited to five per country, but in some cases the choices are scarcer and less films are listed. While trying to speculate is always an uncertain endeavor, the factors taken into account to determine which are some of this year’s most important films in each country and their prospects of being chosen as their representative at the Academy Awards, were varied. Festival exposure, release date, the country’s previous submissions, and even the thematic elements of a few of them were considered to create this piece.
Clearly nothing is definitive at this point, but at the very least, this compilation will provide a sense of what the film industries in these territories are putting out and sharing with the world.
It is important to note that several of the films mentioned below are being handled by Mundial, a joint venture between Im Gobal and Canana, including "Gueros," "A Wolf at the Door," and "The Liberator."
Here is the first list dedicated to the Americas
Argentina
With four films presented at Cannes and several others receiving praise in festivals around the world, Argentina has several interesting options this year. Unfortunately, Lisandro Alonso’s period piece “Jauja” will almost certainly be ineligible due to its November release date, unless a qualifying one-week run is scheduled. That scenario seems unlikely. Screening in the Directors’ Forthnight, Diego Lerman’s “Refugee” (Refugiado) will open on October 3rd, also a few days after the deadline. That leaves the Almodovar-produced “Wild Tales” as the undisputed favorite. Acclaimed films such as “Natural Sciences," “The Third Side of the River”, “El Ardor“ (staring Gael Garcia Bernal), and “La Paz” are longer shots but still viable choices.
1. "Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
2. "Natural Sciences" (Ciencias Naturales)
3."The Ardor" (El Ardor)
4."The Third Side of the River" (La Tercera Orilla)
5."La Paz"
Bolivia
The last time the landlocked country submitted a film was back in 2009. However, this year offers several possibilities for the Bolivian film industry. Given its production value and historical theme, it is likely that - if they choose to send a film - it will be Mexican director Carlos Bolado’s “Forgotten” (Olvidados), which deals with the 70s Operation Condor. Another likely choice is “Yvy Maraey,” which highlights the mysticism of the country’s indigenous people and is the latest work by Juan Carlos Valdivia, whose films have represented Bolivia in 3 out of the 6 occasions they’ve participated. A long delayed road trip flick (“Once Upon a Time in Bolivia”) and a unique documentary (“Apricot”) round up the list of contenders.
1. "Forgotten" (Olvidados)
2. "Yvy Maraey: Land Without Evil" (Yvy Maraey: Tierra Sin Mal)
3. "Once Upon a Time in Bolivia" (Erase una vez en Bolivia)
4. "Apricot" (Durazno)
Brazil
Producing an impressive amount of films per year, the Brazilian film industry is seeing incredible progress recently. Particularly this year, the quality of works was exceptional across the board. Having such an overflow of great material could make it difficult to select just one. However, there are a few films that standout amongst the crowd. Fernando Coimbra’s debut feature “A Wolf at the Door” is undoubtedly the one to beat after receiving rave reviews and touring some of the most important international festivals. Its biggest competitors are the quiet character study “The Man of the Crowd” and the adorable coming-of-age tale “The Way He Looks.” Rounding up the top five are locally acclaimed “Runriver” and powerful Lgbt drama “Futuro Beach.”
1. "A Wolf at the Door" (O Lobo atrás da Porta)
2. "The Man of the Crowd" (O Homem das Multidões)
3. "The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
4. "Riverrun" (Riocorrente)
5. "Futuro Beach" (Praia do Futuro)
Canada
This definitely seems like Xavier Dolan’s year. After sharing an award with New Wave patriarch Jean-Luc Godard in Cannes, the 25-year-old prodigy is almost a safe bet having two films that could represent his country. While “Mommy” is the clear favorite, it will have to go against “An Eye for Beauty, ” the latest film from Oscar-winner Denys Arcand. Both films will screen at Tiff in the upcoming weeks, just as time runs out for Canada to nominate a film by the end of September. Less probable but still great options are Dolan’s own “Tom at the Farm,” quirky black-and-white dramedy “Tu Dors Nicole,” and the well-received rural family drama “The Auction. ”
1. "Mommy"
2. "An Eye for Beauty" (Le Règne de la Beauté)
3. "Tom at the Farm" (Tom à la ferme)
4. "You's Sleeping Nicole" (Tu Dors Nicole)
5. "The Auction" (Le démantèlement)
Chile
Here is one of the few countries in the region with a very clear choice, but which sadly might decide to miss that opportunity. Alejandro Fernández Almendras ‘“To Kill a Man” won at Sundance, Rotterdam, Berlin, Cartagena amongst several other festivals and has received extremely positive reactions from critics and audiences. Yet, its opening date in its homeland (October 16th) might prevent it from being selected, which would be a regrettable mistake. A one-week run or an earlier release date would be a worthwhile investment. If they decide to leave it behind for next year, this great film would definitely miss its chance. If that is the case, the South American nation, which in recent years has garnered incredible success with films like “No” and “Gloria,” might decide to go with “The Dance of Reality,” the first film in over 20 years by veteran auteur Alejandro Jodorowsky. Other plausible candidates include “Illiterate” (starring Paulina Garcia), Marcela Said’s remarkable “The Summer of Flying Fish,” and historical biopic “Neruda.”
1. "To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
2. "The Dance of Reality" (La Danza de la Realidad)
3. "Illiterate" (Las Analfabetas)
4. "The Summer of Flying Fish" (El Verano de los Peces Voladores)
5. "Neruda"
Colombia
Being forced to resort to mainstream cartel-themed fare in past occasions, this year has fortunately seen a fantastic reemergence of auteur-driven works in the country. Cartagena winner “Dust on the Tongue” is by far the most promising Colombian offer of the year with a thought-provoking premise. Next in line is “Mateo” about a young man struggling to pursue his passion for theater while living in a crime-ridden community. Other films include the touching “Catching Fireflies,” apocalyptic comedy “Chronicle of the End of the World,” and music-infused romance “Ciudad Delirio.” Franco Lolli’s award-winning “Gente de Bien” doesn’t have a release date yet, but will probably be in the running next year.
1. "Dust on the Tongue" (Tierra en la Lengua)
2. "Mateo"
3. "Chasing Fireflies" (Cazando Luciernagas)
4. "Chronicle of the End of the World" (Crónica del Fin del Mundo)
5. "Ciudad Delirio"
Costa Rica
Having three great films eligible for consideration, Costa Rica will likely enter the Oscar race for what would be only the third time in its history. Without a doubt, the country is spearheading Central America in terms of increased film production. Lauded throughout multiple festivals, “Red Princesses,” about a girl growing up in the Sandinista-era, is the most notable work. “Port Father,” a coming-of-age drama set in a coastal town and the comedy “All About the Feathers” are the other two that could be picked. Regardless of which one is selected, they all serve as an encouraging sign of growth for the Costa Rican industry.
1. "Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
2. "Port Father" (Puerto Padre)
3. "All About the Feathers" (Por las Plumas)
Cuba
Hosting the Havana International Film Festival and its consistent investment in local talent make Cuba a unique place for film in the Caribbean. In spite of this, only a few national productions have reached cinemas this year. The three notable titles revolve around personal stories of survival and the struggles associated with living on the island. Winner of several international awards, “Behavior” is the clear favorite. “Melaza,” another local drama dealing with the economic challenges Cubans face and the gay love story “The Last Match,” complete the trio.
1. "Behavior" (Conducta)
2."Melaza"
3. "The Last Match" (La Partida)
Dominican Republic
For its size, this island nation has an impressive working industry that steadily produces films in diverse genres. The Dominican Republic will almost certainly participate again with one of the works by its homegrown talent. Screening in Toronto last year, crime romance “Cristo Rey” has the highest probability of being chosen. In second place is the documentary “The Mountain,” which centers on a unique expedition to Mount Everest by a Dominican team. Passionate road trip story “To the South of Innocence” and psychological thriller “Despertar ” conform the list of options.
1. "Cristo Rey"
2. "The Mountain"(La Montaña)
3. "To the South of Innocence" (Al Sur de la Inocencia)
4. "Despertar"
Ecuador
Seemingly dormant for many decades, the Ecuadorian film industry has recently exploded. Even though they have only submitted three times in the past, it appears they plan to make their presence more consistent moving forward. What is even more surprising, are the numerous alternatives they have to make their selection. At the top of the list is “Holiday,” which premiered in Berlin and has received considerable praise. Two other art house offers, “Silence in Dreamland” and “Saudade,” could be serious contenders. “Girl Without Fear,” a gritty crime film and “The Facilitator,” a politically charged work, have less chances but are still interesting offers.
1. "Holiday" (Feriado)
2. "Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
3. "Saudade"
4. "Girl With No Fear" (Ciudad Sin Sombra)
5. "The Facilitator" (El Facilitador)
El Salvador
Sporadically producing feature length works due to the lack of initiatives that facilitate their funding, El Salvador has never entered the race. Nevertheless, there are three films that could potentially be submitted: Supernatural horror film "The Supreme Book," romantic comedy "The Re-Search," and the more viable choice, " The Four Cardinal Points," a documentary about the diverse lifestyles throughout the tiny country. The latter was exhibited commercially as part of Ambulante El Salvador for about a week, which could possibly make it eligible. But in all honesty, it is hard to think they’ll feel so inclined as to participate.
1. "El Salvador: The Four Cardinal Points" (El Salvador: Cuatro Puntos Cardinales)
2. "The Re-Search" (La ReBusqueda)
3. "The Supreme Book" (El Libro Supremo)
Guatemala
With only one submission under their belt back in 1994 and several missed opportunities in recent years, Guatemala might opt to remain out of the spotlight once again. If, however, they change their mind, there are three films that qualify to be entered. Focusing on the indigenous Maya‘s beliefs and legends, “Where the Sun is Born” is surely the most authentic and visually powerful of these films. Then there is “Pol,” a story about two teenage friends and their mishaps. Lastly, there is “12 Seconds,” a sort of slasher flick set in the countryside. It’s been 20 years since their last try, it wouldn’t hurt to see them make the effort once again.
1. "Where the Sun is Born" (Donde Nace el Sol)
2. "Pol"
3. "12 Seconds" (12 Segundos)
Honduras
Although they have never submitted an entry, the Central American country is showing signs of progress in terms of its film industry. With only two local, low budget films released this year, it is highly unlikely they will enter. Nevertheless, they do have an eligible film “11 Cipotes,” a sports comedy about a soccer team in a small town. The other film, “The Zwickys,” is surprisingly ineligible because it is mostly in English.
1. "11 Kids" (11 Cipotes)
Mexico
Now that the Mexican Academy has announced their shortlist - which strangely and inexplicably includes titles that have no scheduled release dates or that will be released after AMPAS' deadline (September 30th, 2014) - the landscape has dramatically changed. Three of the original selections mentioned here (“The Empty Hours,” “Potosi,” and “ Club Sandwich”) are not included among the finalists. It is important to note that films need to be submitted by the filmmakers in order to be considered by the Mexican Academy. One can assume that these films, though they qualify, decided not to participate. The 21 films listed include several documentaries such as “Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border,” “Disrupted” (Quebranto), “Eufrosina’s Revolution” (La Revolución de los Alcatraces), and “H2Omx" among others. But even if many of these are outstanding films, it is highly unlikely that the Academy will decide to go with a documentary over a narrative given their track record and the other options available. Comedic offers like the charming “Paraíso” by Mariana Chenillo, "Flying Low" (Volando Bajo), and "The Last Call" (Tercera Llamada) also made it in. Just like last year with “Instructions Not Included,” most people could assume that the film with the most commercial prospects would make for a good candidate for Oscar consideration, in this case that would be the biopic “Cantinflas," which was also listed. Fortunately, however, the selection committee often prefers to bet on films honored internationally regardless of their controversial content (“Heli,” “After Lucia,” “Silent Light,” “The Crime of Father Amaro”).
With the new additions, the possibilities have shifted. On the top spot is Alonso Ruiz Palacios’ black and white debut “Güeros,” which won in Berlin and Tribeca, and screened at Karlovy Vary. The festival pedigree will definitely help this unique road trip film set in Mexico City during the late 90s. The runner up is Luis Urquiza’s “Perfect Obedience,” though it did not have any festival exposure or a highly profitable theatrical run, the local critics praised the compelling portrayal of a depraved Catholic priest with satirical undertones. It would definitely make for a great contender if the Academy were willing to run the risk given its controversial subject matter. At number three we have Christian Diaz Pardo’s “Gonzalez,” an intriguing drama about a man looking to change his destiny by joining a for profit evangelical church. Dark comedy “ Workers,” by Salvadoran filmmaker Jose Luis Valle, comes in at number four. Lastly, there is Luis Estrada’s long awaited new film “The Perfect Dictatorship,” which made the cut despite having an October 16th release date. The film could definitely come into play; however, voters should consider the fact that its premise and humor might be too specific to the Mexican political idiosyncrasies to connect with foreign voters. Two other films that might be in the race next year are “Perpetual Sadness” (La Tirisia) and “ The Well” (Manto Acuifero)
1."Güeros"
2. "Perfect Obedience" (Obediencia Perfecta)
3. "Gonzalez"
4. "Workers"
5. "The Perfect Dictatorship" (La Dictadura Perfecta)
Nicaragua
With three submissions in over 30 years (1982, 1988, 2010), Nicaragua is the Central American nation with the most attempts at Oscar glory. More astonishing perhaps, is the fact that their first ever entry, “Alsino and the Condor,” earned them a nomination. These days production is almost non-existent. Still, the country’s most prolific filmmaker Florence Jaugey, responsible for their last submission “La Yuma,” made a small documentary titled “Class Days." It is just over 50 minutes long but actually had a theatrical run. Though eligible, it’s probable they’ll decide to skip this year. On the other hand, Jaugey has just finished a new narrative new feature, “The Naked Screen” (La Pantalla Desnuda), which will surely be part of the conversation next year.
1. "Class Days" (Dias de Clase)
Panama
An unprecedented amount of national productions were scheduled to premier in Panama during 2014. All of those four films - which by the country’s standards is an exceptional number - are documentaries. However, only two of them will be eligible given their set release dates. Out of those two, the top choice would certainly be Abner Benaim’s “Invasion” which uses reenactments in lieu of archive footage to revisit the American military intervention in the Central American country in 1989. The runner-up, “Majesty,” deals with the more lighthearted subject of carnival queens. In any case, should Panama decide to submit a film, this would be their first ever appearance.
1. "Invasion"
2. "Majesty" (Reinas)
Paraguay
Disappointed after missing the chance to submit last year's surprise hit “7 Boxes”due to the lack of a selection committee, Paraguayan authorities have stressed their wish to send a film to compete this time around. Unfortunately, it appears that their two best options might be scheduled to open theatrically past the Academy’s deadline. The documentary “Cloudy Times,” a Swiss co-production, has garnered positive reactions internationally and would be their best shot. A second choice could be the crime flick “Filthy Luck,” which sports a decent production value. But if neither of them manages to qualify, then the country’s only other option is yet another crime film “End of the Line.” In any case, hopefully they follow through with their intentions and participate for the first time.
1. "Cloudy Times" (El Tiempo Nublado)
2. "Filthy Luck" (Luna de Cigarras)
3. "End of the Line" (Fin de Linea)
Peru
The eclectic collection of Peruvian films released this year speaks of the great development the medium is experiencing in that country. The five films mentioned here represent the array of genres and stories coming out of Peru today. Given its incredible reception abroad, dark comedy “The Mute” by Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal is undoubtedly the frontrunner. Behind it comes the intriguing thriller “Guard Dog” starring Peruvian star Carlos Alcántara, multi-narrative drama “The Gospel of the Flesh,” romantic tearjerker “Trip to Timbuktu,” and “Old Friends” about a group of elderly men on a mission. Definitely a though decision needs to be made.
1. "The Mute" (El Mudo)
2. "Guard Dog" (Perro Guardian)
3. "The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
4. "Trip to Timbuktu" (Viaje a Tombuctu)
5. "Old Friends" (Viejos Amigos)
Uruguay
Last year the country decided to take a chance and submit the adorable animated film “Anina,” which despite not getting a nomination has become a great success. This time they have “The Militant,” a serious contender about a man retuning to his late father’s hometown. Empowered by a positive festival run, this seems to be their most ideal option. “23 Seconds,” a drama about an unlikely connection between two people and “Mr. Kaplan,” a buddy comedy by Álvaro Brechner - whose previous film “A Bad Day to Go Fishing” was selected a few years back - are the next best choices. The remaining film “At 60 km/h” is a documentary about a unique journey around the world.
1. "The Militant" (El Lugar del Hijo)
2. "23 Seconds" (23 Segundos)
3. "Mr. Kaplan"
4. "At 60 Km/h" (A 60 Km/h)
Venezuela
Dubbed as “the most expensive film ever made in Latin America” and focusing on the accomplishments of the country’s most important historical figure, selecting “The Liberator” is simply a no-brainer. Added to those qualities, the film is actually an elegantly achieved period piece that really showcases the sizable budget and director Alberto Arvelo’s talent. Two of his previous films have also represented his country in the past. On the other hand, this has been a monumental year for Venezuelan films. Festival darling “Bad Hair” would be the perfect choice if it weren’t going against the imposing major production. Other important films that could figure in the mix but have much less prospects are the emotional road-trip film “The Longest Distance,” the women-centered drama “Liz in September,” and the acclaimed thriller “Solo.”
1. "The Liberator" (El Libertador)
2. "Bad Hair" (Pelo Malo)
3. "The Longest Distance" (La Distnacia Mas Larga)
4. "Liz in September" (Liz en Septiembre)
5. "Solo"...
Having the opportunity to submit only one film, each country must carry out its own selection process. Once these decisions have been made, their chosen works will compete to make it to the nine-film shortlist, and eventually into the final five slots. Although this procedure allows for a certain degree of democracy, it also excludes all those other films that were left behind in their homelands. This, in turn, gives us a narrow view of what is being produced abroad.
Therefore, after lots of research and arduous educated guessing to put it together, the list below offers a more insightful look at this race before the actual individual selections are announced. For the sake of time, the amount of films is limited to five per country, but in some cases the choices are scarcer and less films are listed. While trying to speculate is always an uncertain endeavor, the factors taken into account to determine which are some of this year’s most important films in each country and their prospects of being chosen as their representative at the Academy Awards, were varied. Festival exposure, release date, the country’s previous submissions, and even the thematic elements of a few of them were considered to create this piece.
Clearly nothing is definitive at this point, but at the very least, this compilation will provide a sense of what the film industries in these territories are putting out and sharing with the world.
It is important to note that several of the films mentioned below are being handled by Mundial, a joint venture between Im Gobal and Canana, including "Gueros," "A Wolf at the Door," and "The Liberator."
Here is the first list dedicated to the Americas
Argentina
With four films presented at Cannes and several others receiving praise in festivals around the world, Argentina has several interesting options this year. Unfortunately, Lisandro Alonso’s period piece “Jauja” will almost certainly be ineligible due to its November release date, unless a qualifying one-week run is scheduled. That scenario seems unlikely. Screening in the Directors’ Forthnight, Diego Lerman’s “Refugee” (Refugiado) will open on October 3rd, also a few days after the deadline. That leaves the Almodovar-produced “Wild Tales” as the undisputed favorite. Acclaimed films such as “Natural Sciences," “The Third Side of the River”, “El Ardor“ (staring Gael Garcia Bernal), and “La Paz” are longer shots but still viable choices.
1. "Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
2. "Natural Sciences" (Ciencias Naturales)
3."The Ardor" (El Ardor)
4."The Third Side of the River" (La Tercera Orilla)
5."La Paz"
Bolivia
The last time the landlocked country submitted a film was back in 2009. However, this year offers several possibilities for the Bolivian film industry. Given its production value and historical theme, it is likely that - if they choose to send a film - it will be Mexican director Carlos Bolado’s “Forgotten” (Olvidados), which deals with the 70s Operation Condor. Another likely choice is “Yvy Maraey,” which highlights the mysticism of the country’s indigenous people and is the latest work by Juan Carlos Valdivia, whose films have represented Bolivia in 3 out of the 6 occasions they’ve participated. A long delayed road trip flick (“Once Upon a Time in Bolivia”) and a unique documentary (“Apricot”) round up the list of contenders.
1. "Forgotten" (Olvidados)
2. "Yvy Maraey: Land Without Evil" (Yvy Maraey: Tierra Sin Mal)
3. "Once Upon a Time in Bolivia" (Erase una vez en Bolivia)
4. "Apricot" (Durazno)
Brazil
Producing an impressive amount of films per year, the Brazilian film industry is seeing incredible progress recently. Particularly this year, the quality of works was exceptional across the board. Having such an overflow of great material could make it difficult to select just one. However, there are a few films that standout amongst the crowd. Fernando Coimbra’s debut feature “A Wolf at the Door” is undoubtedly the one to beat after receiving rave reviews and touring some of the most important international festivals. Its biggest competitors are the quiet character study “The Man of the Crowd” and the adorable coming-of-age tale “The Way He Looks.” Rounding up the top five are locally acclaimed “Runriver” and powerful Lgbt drama “Futuro Beach.”
1. "A Wolf at the Door" (O Lobo atrás da Porta)
2. "The Man of the Crowd" (O Homem das Multidões)
3. "The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)
4. "Riverrun" (Riocorrente)
5. "Futuro Beach" (Praia do Futuro)
Canada
This definitely seems like Xavier Dolan’s year. After sharing an award with New Wave patriarch Jean-Luc Godard in Cannes, the 25-year-old prodigy is almost a safe bet having two films that could represent his country. While “Mommy” is the clear favorite, it will have to go against “An Eye for Beauty, ” the latest film from Oscar-winner Denys Arcand. Both films will screen at Tiff in the upcoming weeks, just as time runs out for Canada to nominate a film by the end of September. Less probable but still great options are Dolan’s own “Tom at the Farm,” quirky black-and-white dramedy “Tu Dors Nicole,” and the well-received rural family drama “The Auction. ”
1. "Mommy"
2. "An Eye for Beauty" (Le Règne de la Beauté)
3. "Tom at the Farm" (Tom à la ferme)
4. "You's Sleeping Nicole" (Tu Dors Nicole)
5. "The Auction" (Le démantèlement)
Chile
Here is one of the few countries in the region with a very clear choice, but which sadly might decide to miss that opportunity. Alejandro Fernández Almendras ‘“To Kill a Man” won at Sundance, Rotterdam, Berlin, Cartagena amongst several other festivals and has received extremely positive reactions from critics and audiences. Yet, its opening date in its homeland (October 16th) might prevent it from being selected, which would be a regrettable mistake. A one-week run or an earlier release date would be a worthwhile investment. If they decide to leave it behind for next year, this great film would definitely miss its chance. If that is the case, the South American nation, which in recent years has garnered incredible success with films like “No” and “Gloria,” might decide to go with “The Dance of Reality,” the first film in over 20 years by veteran auteur Alejandro Jodorowsky. Other plausible candidates include “Illiterate” (starring Paulina Garcia), Marcela Said’s remarkable “The Summer of Flying Fish,” and historical biopic “Neruda.”
1. "To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)
2. "The Dance of Reality" (La Danza de la Realidad)
3. "Illiterate" (Las Analfabetas)
4. "The Summer of Flying Fish" (El Verano de los Peces Voladores)
5. "Neruda"
Colombia
Being forced to resort to mainstream cartel-themed fare in past occasions, this year has fortunately seen a fantastic reemergence of auteur-driven works in the country. Cartagena winner “Dust on the Tongue” is by far the most promising Colombian offer of the year with a thought-provoking premise. Next in line is “Mateo” about a young man struggling to pursue his passion for theater while living in a crime-ridden community. Other films include the touching “Catching Fireflies,” apocalyptic comedy “Chronicle of the End of the World,” and music-infused romance “Ciudad Delirio.” Franco Lolli’s award-winning “Gente de Bien” doesn’t have a release date yet, but will probably be in the running next year.
1. "Dust on the Tongue" (Tierra en la Lengua)
2. "Mateo"
3. "Chasing Fireflies" (Cazando Luciernagas)
4. "Chronicle of the End of the World" (Crónica del Fin del Mundo)
5. "Ciudad Delirio"
Costa Rica
Having three great films eligible for consideration, Costa Rica will likely enter the Oscar race for what would be only the third time in its history. Without a doubt, the country is spearheading Central America in terms of increased film production. Lauded throughout multiple festivals, “Red Princesses,” about a girl growing up in the Sandinista-era, is the most notable work. “Port Father,” a coming-of-age drama set in a coastal town and the comedy “All About the Feathers” are the other two that could be picked. Regardless of which one is selected, they all serve as an encouraging sign of growth for the Costa Rican industry.
1. "Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)
2. "Port Father" (Puerto Padre)
3. "All About the Feathers" (Por las Plumas)
Cuba
Hosting the Havana International Film Festival and its consistent investment in local talent make Cuba a unique place for film in the Caribbean. In spite of this, only a few national productions have reached cinemas this year. The three notable titles revolve around personal stories of survival and the struggles associated with living on the island. Winner of several international awards, “Behavior” is the clear favorite. “Melaza,” another local drama dealing with the economic challenges Cubans face and the gay love story “The Last Match,” complete the trio.
1. "Behavior" (Conducta)
2."Melaza"
3. "The Last Match" (La Partida)
Dominican Republic
For its size, this island nation has an impressive working industry that steadily produces films in diverse genres. The Dominican Republic will almost certainly participate again with one of the works by its homegrown talent. Screening in Toronto last year, crime romance “Cristo Rey” has the highest probability of being chosen. In second place is the documentary “The Mountain,” which centers on a unique expedition to Mount Everest by a Dominican team. Passionate road trip story “To the South of Innocence” and psychological thriller “Despertar ” conform the list of options.
1. "Cristo Rey"
2. "The Mountain"(La Montaña)
3. "To the South of Innocence" (Al Sur de la Inocencia)
4. "Despertar"
Ecuador
Seemingly dormant for many decades, the Ecuadorian film industry has recently exploded. Even though they have only submitted three times in the past, it appears they plan to make their presence more consistent moving forward. What is even more surprising, are the numerous alternatives they have to make their selection. At the top of the list is “Holiday,” which premiered in Berlin and has received considerable praise. Two other art house offers, “Silence in Dreamland” and “Saudade,” could be serious contenders. “Girl Without Fear,” a gritty crime film and “The Facilitator,” a politically charged work, have less chances but are still interesting offers.
1. "Holiday" (Feriado)
2. "Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)
3. "Saudade"
4. "Girl With No Fear" (Ciudad Sin Sombra)
5. "The Facilitator" (El Facilitador)
El Salvador
Sporadically producing feature length works due to the lack of initiatives that facilitate their funding, El Salvador has never entered the race. Nevertheless, there are three films that could potentially be submitted: Supernatural horror film "The Supreme Book," romantic comedy "The Re-Search," and the more viable choice, " The Four Cardinal Points," a documentary about the diverse lifestyles throughout the tiny country. The latter was exhibited commercially as part of Ambulante El Salvador for about a week, which could possibly make it eligible. But in all honesty, it is hard to think they’ll feel so inclined as to participate.
1. "El Salvador: The Four Cardinal Points" (El Salvador: Cuatro Puntos Cardinales)
2. "The Re-Search" (La ReBusqueda)
3. "The Supreme Book" (El Libro Supremo)
Guatemala
With only one submission under their belt back in 1994 and several missed opportunities in recent years, Guatemala might opt to remain out of the spotlight once again. If, however, they change their mind, there are three films that qualify to be entered. Focusing on the indigenous Maya‘s beliefs and legends, “Where the Sun is Born” is surely the most authentic and visually powerful of these films. Then there is “Pol,” a story about two teenage friends and their mishaps. Lastly, there is “12 Seconds,” a sort of slasher flick set in the countryside. It’s been 20 years since their last try, it wouldn’t hurt to see them make the effort once again.
1. "Where the Sun is Born" (Donde Nace el Sol)
2. "Pol"
3. "12 Seconds" (12 Segundos)
Honduras
Although they have never submitted an entry, the Central American country is showing signs of progress in terms of its film industry. With only two local, low budget films released this year, it is highly unlikely they will enter. Nevertheless, they do have an eligible film “11 Cipotes,” a sports comedy about a soccer team in a small town. The other film, “The Zwickys,” is surprisingly ineligible because it is mostly in English.
1. "11 Kids" (11 Cipotes)
Mexico
Now that the Mexican Academy has announced their shortlist - which strangely and inexplicably includes titles that have no scheduled release dates or that will be released after AMPAS' deadline (September 30th, 2014) - the landscape has dramatically changed. Three of the original selections mentioned here (“The Empty Hours,” “Potosi,” and “ Club Sandwich”) are not included among the finalists. It is important to note that films need to be submitted by the filmmakers in order to be considered by the Mexican Academy. One can assume that these films, though they qualify, decided not to participate. The 21 films listed include several documentaries such as “Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border,” “Disrupted” (Quebranto), “Eufrosina’s Revolution” (La Revolución de los Alcatraces), and “H2Omx" among others. But even if many of these are outstanding films, it is highly unlikely that the Academy will decide to go with a documentary over a narrative given their track record and the other options available. Comedic offers like the charming “Paraíso” by Mariana Chenillo, "Flying Low" (Volando Bajo), and "The Last Call" (Tercera Llamada) also made it in. Just like last year with “Instructions Not Included,” most people could assume that the film with the most commercial prospects would make for a good candidate for Oscar consideration, in this case that would be the biopic “Cantinflas," which was also listed. Fortunately, however, the selection committee often prefers to bet on films honored internationally regardless of their controversial content (“Heli,” “After Lucia,” “Silent Light,” “The Crime of Father Amaro”).
With the new additions, the possibilities have shifted. On the top spot is Alonso Ruiz Palacios’ black and white debut “Güeros,” which won in Berlin and Tribeca, and screened at Karlovy Vary. The festival pedigree will definitely help this unique road trip film set in Mexico City during the late 90s. The runner up is Luis Urquiza’s “Perfect Obedience,” though it did not have any festival exposure or a highly profitable theatrical run, the local critics praised the compelling portrayal of a depraved Catholic priest with satirical undertones. It would definitely make for a great contender if the Academy were willing to run the risk given its controversial subject matter. At number three we have Christian Diaz Pardo’s “Gonzalez,” an intriguing drama about a man looking to change his destiny by joining a for profit evangelical church. Dark comedy “ Workers,” by Salvadoran filmmaker Jose Luis Valle, comes in at number four. Lastly, there is Luis Estrada’s long awaited new film “The Perfect Dictatorship,” which made the cut despite having an October 16th release date. The film could definitely come into play; however, voters should consider the fact that its premise and humor might be too specific to the Mexican political idiosyncrasies to connect with foreign voters. Two other films that might be in the race next year are “Perpetual Sadness” (La Tirisia) and “ The Well” (Manto Acuifero)
1."Güeros"
2. "Perfect Obedience" (Obediencia Perfecta)
3. "Gonzalez"
4. "Workers"
5. "The Perfect Dictatorship" (La Dictadura Perfecta)
Nicaragua
With three submissions in over 30 years (1982, 1988, 2010), Nicaragua is the Central American nation with the most attempts at Oscar glory. More astonishing perhaps, is the fact that their first ever entry, “Alsino and the Condor,” earned them a nomination. These days production is almost non-existent. Still, the country’s most prolific filmmaker Florence Jaugey, responsible for their last submission “La Yuma,” made a small documentary titled “Class Days." It is just over 50 minutes long but actually had a theatrical run. Though eligible, it’s probable they’ll decide to skip this year. On the other hand, Jaugey has just finished a new narrative new feature, “The Naked Screen” (La Pantalla Desnuda), which will surely be part of the conversation next year.
1. "Class Days" (Dias de Clase)
Panama
An unprecedented amount of national productions were scheduled to premier in Panama during 2014. All of those four films - which by the country’s standards is an exceptional number - are documentaries. However, only two of them will be eligible given their set release dates. Out of those two, the top choice would certainly be Abner Benaim’s “Invasion” which uses reenactments in lieu of archive footage to revisit the American military intervention in the Central American country in 1989. The runner-up, “Majesty,” deals with the more lighthearted subject of carnival queens. In any case, should Panama decide to submit a film, this would be their first ever appearance.
1. "Invasion"
2. "Majesty" (Reinas)
Paraguay
Disappointed after missing the chance to submit last year's surprise hit “7 Boxes”due to the lack of a selection committee, Paraguayan authorities have stressed their wish to send a film to compete this time around. Unfortunately, it appears that their two best options might be scheduled to open theatrically past the Academy’s deadline. The documentary “Cloudy Times,” a Swiss co-production, has garnered positive reactions internationally and would be their best shot. A second choice could be the crime flick “Filthy Luck,” which sports a decent production value. But if neither of them manages to qualify, then the country’s only other option is yet another crime film “End of the Line.” In any case, hopefully they follow through with their intentions and participate for the first time.
1. "Cloudy Times" (El Tiempo Nublado)
2. "Filthy Luck" (Luna de Cigarras)
3. "End of the Line" (Fin de Linea)
Peru
The eclectic collection of Peruvian films released this year speaks of the great development the medium is experiencing in that country. The five films mentioned here represent the array of genres and stories coming out of Peru today. Given its incredible reception abroad, dark comedy “The Mute” by Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal is undoubtedly the frontrunner. Behind it comes the intriguing thriller “Guard Dog” starring Peruvian star Carlos Alcántara, multi-narrative drama “The Gospel of the Flesh,” romantic tearjerker “Trip to Timbuktu,” and “Old Friends” about a group of elderly men on a mission. Definitely a though decision needs to be made.
1. "The Mute" (El Mudo)
2. "Guard Dog" (Perro Guardian)
3. "The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)
4. "Trip to Timbuktu" (Viaje a Tombuctu)
5. "Old Friends" (Viejos Amigos)
Uruguay
Last year the country decided to take a chance and submit the adorable animated film “Anina,” which despite not getting a nomination has become a great success. This time they have “The Militant,” a serious contender about a man retuning to his late father’s hometown. Empowered by a positive festival run, this seems to be their most ideal option. “23 Seconds,” a drama about an unlikely connection between two people and “Mr. Kaplan,” a buddy comedy by Álvaro Brechner - whose previous film “A Bad Day to Go Fishing” was selected a few years back - are the next best choices. The remaining film “At 60 km/h” is a documentary about a unique journey around the world.
1. "The Militant" (El Lugar del Hijo)
2. "23 Seconds" (23 Segundos)
3. "Mr. Kaplan"
4. "At 60 Km/h" (A 60 Km/h)
Venezuela
Dubbed as “the most expensive film ever made in Latin America” and focusing on the accomplishments of the country’s most important historical figure, selecting “The Liberator” is simply a no-brainer. Added to those qualities, the film is actually an elegantly achieved period piece that really showcases the sizable budget and director Alberto Arvelo’s talent. Two of his previous films have also represented his country in the past. On the other hand, this has been a monumental year for Venezuelan films. Festival darling “Bad Hair” would be the perfect choice if it weren’t going against the imposing major production. Other important films that could figure in the mix but have much less prospects are the emotional road-trip film “The Longest Distance,” the women-centered drama “Liz in September,” and the acclaimed thriller “Solo.”
1. "The Liberator" (El Libertador)
2. "Bad Hair" (Pelo Malo)
3. "The Longest Distance" (La Distnacia Mas Larga)
4. "Liz in September" (Liz en Septiembre)
5. "Solo"...
- 8/22/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
★★★★☆The fourth feature from director Alejandro Fernández Almendras, To Kill a Man (2014) opens with a wide shot of a dense forest, the trees cut by light forcing its way through the canopy. We see a man in the right of the frame walking slowly yet purposefully through the foliage and then disappear from view as Pablo Vergara's complementary score reaches its crescendo. This startlingly beautiful yet ominous scene sets the tone of To Kill a Man perfectly, as what unravels over the next 83 minutes is a thriller of graceful simplicity. Diabetic Jorge (Daniel Candia), works at the Santa Julia Centre for Forest Research, and lives with his wife Marta (Alejandra Yanez) and teenage son and daughter.
- 6/26/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Emerging with diverse artistic visions, Greek filmmakers have managed to mold the chaotic and uncertain situation of their county into cinematic statements ranging from the utterly realist to the most audacious. This weekend several of these unique perspectives were screened at the 8th Edition of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival with a program that included documentary features, shorts, and some of the most daring narratives to come out of the Hellenic nation recently. More prolific than ever, Greek Cinema voices the experiences of those affected by the economic crisis, those trying to make amends between tradition and fast-paced modernity, and above all it is fertile ground for exploration and reinvention.
Miss Violence
Dir. Alexandros Avranas
Any film that opens with a girl committing suicide on her 11th birthday announces itself as something out of the ordinary. Alexandros Avranas’ “ Miss Violence” can easily be considered a new addition to the unofficially named Greek Weird Wave movement. Its closest reference is the Oscar-nominated “Dogtooth”. Much like Lanthimos film, “Miss Violence” focuses on a family in which a controlling patriarch ruthlessly decides over its members’ lives. While “Dogtooth” deals with a distorted perception of reality created by the monstrous father, Avranas’ film is darker, more puzzling, and at times unbearably unnerving. Conformed by a mother, two daughters, and two grandchildren, the family mechanics are never easily presented. Dozens of theories can be at play in the viewer’s mind as one tries to decipher what is the evil truth behind it all. A shattering must-see, “Miss Violence” is a twisted tale of submission and perversion cleverly concealed by apparent righteousness. Full review coming soon.
Standing Aside, Watching
Dir. Giorgos Servetas
When an educated and self-sufficient woman, Antigone (Marina Symeou), decides to return to her small town, she soon realizes that things haven’t improved much from what she remembers. After finding a job as a teacher and reconnecting with her old friend Eleni ( Marianthi Pantelopoulou), Antogone finds a younger boyfriend who makes things in the sleepy community more exciting. Sadly for this independent woman, that relationship will unearth the viciousness of the town’s bully. Reveling in their archaic ideologies, people here uphold male chauvinist values that condone violence against women. Those protected by the corrupt local authorities enjoy impunity. Furthermore, the film points at indifference as the source of injustice. Outspoken about the outrageous gender inequality that still exists, this effective thriller is infuriating and poignant until its culminating sequence. Servetas film is an extraordinarily brave and important statement not only for Greece, but anywhere where women still need to struggle for the most elemental respect.
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas
Dir. Elina Psikou
Delusions of grandeur take on a new form when famed talk-show host Antonis Paraskeva ( Christos Stergioglou) decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping as a publicity stunt. Hidden in a remote hotel out of service for the winter, he spends his days reading what the media says about his disappearance and endlessly practicing a recipe for molecular pasta all in hopes of a triumphal return. Subtly comedic and occasional unsettling, Psikou’s film makes blunt observations about a man’s obsession with his own image and status. Aware that his antics to turn himself into a legendary figure are failing, Antonis’ arrogance will drive him to carry out increasingly more deranged tactics in order to recover his position and keep his fans interested. Embellished by a couple magical realist episodes, “The Eternal Return” peculiarly depicts the cult of celebrity and instant glorification, which is something that rings true now more than ever.
The Enemy Within
Dir. Yorgos Tsemberopoulos
While watching Tsemberopoulos film, another thematically similar work quickly comes to mind: "To Kill a Man" by Chilean director Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Both stories are concerned with events that drive normal family men to kill with the purpose of avenging their loved ones. While the South American director focuses on what leads to the act itself, in the suspenseful Greek tale the filmmaker decides to go further and deal with the consequences of getting even. A performance brimming with tremendous vulnerability and heartbreaking powerlessness by Manolis Mavromatakis as Kostas, the father, is at the center of this provocative feature. As the family begins to fall apart, Kostas hateful thirst for retribution is transformed into a strange form of forgiveness towards those who ravaged his life. "The Enemy Within" is intense, intelligent, and forces its characters to make decisions that place them in the grayer side of morality.
To The Wolf
Dir. Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou
Bleak and meditative, this hyperrealist story evolves around two impoverished families in a precarious Greek muntain town. Set in the midst of the financial crisis, To The Wolf examines the daily struggles of an elderly couple and their son Giorgos (Giorgos Katsaros), who is goatherd unable to sell any of his animals and can’t find any other way to make a living. Desperation quickly sets in followed by a dark feeling of despair. This families are in debt, they don’t know where their next meal with come from, and they are completely disenchanted with a government that has forgotten them. Extremely minimalist visually and employing non-professional actors, the film exists ambiguously between documentary and fiction. It includes explicit social commentary about the terrible living conditions people in rural communities have been forced to endure, as well as the dismal disparities between them and their urban counterparts, of whom they are only aware via their ramshackle television.
Committed
Dir. Stelana Kliris
This English-language road trip romantic comedy set in Cyprus is an entertaining work that relies heavily on its two protagonists’ ability to be engaging. Driving around the island to clear his head after a fight with his girlfriend, George ( Orestes Sophocleous Orestes Sophocleous), an engineer of Greek origin who studied in England, runs across a bride (Melia Kreiling), wedding dress and all, who is walking alone on a deserted road running away from something or someone. He offers her a ride and what ensues are a series of conversations about love, the boredom of conventions, and of course, fear of commitment. Even if the performances appear overdone and rather generic at times, there is still a lighthearted chemistry between the two actors that makes the journey simplistic, but enjoyable. It would come as no surprise if the concept is adapted and remade with an American cast. This is the type of story that Hollywood craves, especially with the added bonus of a somewhat intriguing twist.
Miss Violence
Dir. Alexandros Avranas
Any film that opens with a girl committing suicide on her 11th birthday announces itself as something out of the ordinary. Alexandros Avranas’ “ Miss Violence” can easily be considered a new addition to the unofficially named Greek Weird Wave movement. Its closest reference is the Oscar-nominated “Dogtooth”. Much like Lanthimos film, “Miss Violence” focuses on a family in which a controlling patriarch ruthlessly decides over its members’ lives. While “Dogtooth” deals with a distorted perception of reality created by the monstrous father, Avranas’ film is darker, more puzzling, and at times unbearably unnerving. Conformed by a mother, two daughters, and two grandchildren, the family mechanics are never easily presented. Dozens of theories can be at play in the viewer’s mind as one tries to decipher what is the evil truth behind it all. A shattering must-see, “Miss Violence” is a twisted tale of submission and perversion cleverly concealed by apparent righteousness. Full review coming soon.
Standing Aside, Watching
Dir. Giorgos Servetas
When an educated and self-sufficient woman, Antigone (Marina Symeou), decides to return to her small town, she soon realizes that things haven’t improved much from what she remembers. After finding a job as a teacher and reconnecting with her old friend Eleni ( Marianthi Pantelopoulou), Antogone finds a younger boyfriend who makes things in the sleepy community more exciting. Sadly for this independent woman, that relationship will unearth the viciousness of the town’s bully. Reveling in their archaic ideologies, people here uphold male chauvinist values that condone violence against women. Those protected by the corrupt local authorities enjoy impunity. Furthermore, the film points at indifference as the source of injustice. Outspoken about the outrageous gender inequality that still exists, this effective thriller is infuriating and poignant until its culminating sequence. Servetas film is an extraordinarily brave and important statement not only for Greece, but anywhere where women still need to struggle for the most elemental respect.
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas
Dir. Elina Psikou
Delusions of grandeur take on a new form when famed talk-show host Antonis Paraskeva ( Christos Stergioglou) decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping as a publicity stunt. Hidden in a remote hotel out of service for the winter, he spends his days reading what the media says about his disappearance and endlessly practicing a recipe for molecular pasta all in hopes of a triumphal return. Subtly comedic and occasional unsettling, Psikou’s film makes blunt observations about a man’s obsession with his own image and status. Aware that his antics to turn himself into a legendary figure are failing, Antonis’ arrogance will drive him to carry out increasingly more deranged tactics in order to recover his position and keep his fans interested. Embellished by a couple magical realist episodes, “The Eternal Return” peculiarly depicts the cult of celebrity and instant glorification, which is something that rings true now more than ever.
The Enemy Within
Dir. Yorgos Tsemberopoulos
While watching Tsemberopoulos film, another thematically similar work quickly comes to mind: "To Kill a Man" by Chilean director Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Both stories are concerned with events that drive normal family men to kill with the purpose of avenging their loved ones. While the South American director focuses on what leads to the act itself, in the suspenseful Greek tale the filmmaker decides to go further and deal with the consequences of getting even. A performance brimming with tremendous vulnerability and heartbreaking powerlessness by Manolis Mavromatakis as Kostas, the father, is at the center of this provocative feature. As the family begins to fall apart, Kostas hateful thirst for retribution is transformed into a strange form of forgiveness towards those who ravaged his life. "The Enemy Within" is intense, intelligent, and forces its characters to make decisions that place them in the grayer side of morality.
To The Wolf
Dir. Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou
Bleak and meditative, this hyperrealist story evolves around two impoverished families in a precarious Greek muntain town. Set in the midst of the financial crisis, To The Wolf examines the daily struggles of an elderly couple and their son Giorgos (Giorgos Katsaros), who is goatherd unable to sell any of his animals and can’t find any other way to make a living. Desperation quickly sets in followed by a dark feeling of despair. This families are in debt, they don’t know where their next meal with come from, and they are completely disenchanted with a government that has forgotten them. Extremely minimalist visually and employing non-professional actors, the film exists ambiguously between documentary and fiction. It includes explicit social commentary about the terrible living conditions people in rural communities have been forced to endure, as well as the dismal disparities between them and their urban counterparts, of whom they are only aware via their ramshackle television.
Committed
Dir. Stelana Kliris
This English-language road trip romantic comedy set in Cyprus is an entertaining work that relies heavily on its two protagonists’ ability to be engaging. Driving around the island to clear his head after a fight with his girlfriend, George ( Orestes Sophocleous Orestes Sophocleous), an engineer of Greek origin who studied in England, runs across a bride (Melia Kreiling), wedding dress and all, who is walking alone on a deserted road running away from something or someone. He offers her a ride and what ensues are a series of conversations about love, the boredom of conventions, and of course, fear of commitment. Even if the performances appear overdone and rather generic at times, there is still a lighthearted chemistry between the two actors that makes the journey simplistic, but enjoyable. It would come as no surprise if the concept is adapted and remade with an American cast. This is the type of story that Hollywood craves, especially with the added bonus of a somewhat intriguing twist.
- 6/9/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
This Friday April 25th The Filadelfia celebrates its third annual edition with an impressive line up of the best of Latino film from Mexico to Chile to Colombia, The Us and even a film made with the youth of Philly. Opening night film will be the super 1943 classic ‘Maria Candelaria’ starring Dolores Del Rio. For those near the city of brotherly amor we’ve done ya homework and listed their films below!
Opening Night: Maria Candelaria (Mexico)
Starring Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendáriz, Maria Candelaria was the first Mexican film to be screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the first Latin American film awarded the Gran Prix. Gabriel Figueroa, the film’s cinematographer, was nominated for an Academy Award for The Night of the Iguana, and is often referred to as “the Fourth Muralist” of Mexico.
A young journalist presses an old artist (Alberto Galán ) to show a portrait of a naked indigenous woman that he has in his study. The body of the movie is a flashback to Xochimilco, Mexico, in 1909. The film is set right before the Mexican Revolution, and Xochimilco is an area with beautiful landscapes inhabited mostly by indigenous people.
The woman in the painting is María Candelaria (Dolores del Rio), a young Indian woman who is constantly rejected by her own people for being the daughter of a prostitute. She and her lover, Lorenzo Rafael (Pedro Armendariz), face constant struggles throughout the film. They are honest and hardworking, yet nothing ever goes right for them. Don Damian (Miguel Inclán), a jealous Mestizo store owner who wants María for himself, prevents them from getting married. He kills a piglet that María and Lorenzo plan to sell for profit and he refuses to buy vegetables from them. When María falls ill with malaria, Don Damian refuses to give the couple the quinine medicine necessary to fight the disease. Lorenzo breaks into his shop to steal the medicine, and he also takes a wedding dress for María. Lorenzo goes to prison for stealing, and María agrees to model for the painter to pay for his release. The artist begins painting a portrait of María, but when he asks her to pose nude she refuses.
The artist finishes the painting with the nude body of another woman. When the people of Xochimilco see the painting, they assume it is María Candelaria and stone her to death.Finally, Lorenzo escapes from prison )to carry María's lifeless body through Xochimilco's canal of the dead.
Bad Hair/Pelo Malo (Venezuela)
The third film from the filmmaker and plastic artist Mariana Rondón, Pelo Malo stars Junior, a 9 year-old with "bad hair". He wants to have it straightened for his yearbook picture, like a fashionable pop singer. This puts him at odds with his mother Marta. The more Junior tries to look sharp and make his mother love him, the more she rejects him, until he is cornered, face to face with a painful decision.
To Kill A Man/Matar A Un Hombre (Chile)
Read the Review
Read the Interview with Dir. Alejandro Fernandez Almendras
A thriller about a hardworking family man Jorge who is just barely making ends meet. When he gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront Kalule, only to get himself shot in the process. Sentenced to a scant 2 years in prison for the offense, Kalule, released and now intent on revenge, goes on the warpath, terrorizing Jorge's family. With his wife, son and daughter at the mercy of a thug, Jorge has no choice but to take justice into his own hands, and live with the emotional and psychological consequences.
Lines of class and masculinity ignite friction in this rugged thriller, adeptly shot with a discerning eye. Director Alejandro Fernández Almendras elevates raw grit to a new level with a tone that is both elemental and prophetic. Rife with unnerving tension, To Kill a Man is ultimately a surprising exploration of the heavy burden of what it takes to do what the title suggests.
Anina (Colombia)
Read the Review
Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old girl. All her names form palindromes, making her the butt of her classmates’ jokes, and especially of Yisel’s, who Anina sees as an “elephant.” One day, fed up with all the taunting, Anina starts a fight with Yisel during recess. The incident ends with the principal penalizing the girls and calling their parents.Anina receives her punishment inside a sealed black envelope, which she is told not to open until she meets with the principal again a week later.She is also forbidden to tell anyone about the envelope. Her classmates pressure her to find out what the punishment will be, while they imagine cruel physical torture.
Anina, in her anxiousness to find out what horrible punishment awaits her in the mysterious black envelope, will get mixed up in a series of troubles, involving secret loves, confessed hatreds, close friendships, dreadful enemies, some loving teachers, and also some evil teachers.Without her realizing it, Anina’s efforts to understand the content of the envelope turn into an attempt to understand the world and her place in it.
The Devil’S Music (USA)
When the new sound of jazz first spread across America in the early twentieth-century, it left delight – and controversy – in its wake.As jazz's popularity grew, so did campaigns to censor "the devil's music." This documentary classic has been hailed by the New York Times as a documentary that "addressing the complex interaction of race and class… engages viewers in a conversation as vigorous as the art it chronicles,” featuring timeless performances by artists such as Louis Armstrong and vocalist Rachelle Ferrelle, plus interviews with giants of social and musical criticism such as Albert Murray, Marian MacPartland, Studs Terkel, and Michael Eric Dyson. The Devil's Music is Written, Produced and Directed by Maria Agui Carter and Calvin A. Lindsay Jr., and Narrated by Dion Graham.
I, Undocumented/Yo, Indocumentada (Venezuela)
Yo Indocumentada (I, Undocumented) , exposes the struggles of transgender people in Venezuela. The film, Andrea Baranenko’s first feature-length production, tells the story of three Venezuelan women fighting for their right to have an identity.
Tamara Adrián, 58, is a lawyer; Desirée Pérez, 46, is a hairdresser; and Victoria González, 27, has been a visual arts student since 2009. These women share more than their nationality: they all carry identifications with masculine names that do not correspond to their actual identities. They are transgender women, who long ago assumed their gender and now defend it in a homophobic and transphobic society.
The House That Jack Built (USA )
Jack Maldonado is an ambitious Latino man who fueled by misguided nostalgia, buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his family into the apartments to live rent-free. His parents, Carlos and Martha, sister Nadia, brother Richie and his wife Rosa, Grandmother/Abuela and cousins Hector and Manny, all under one roof. Tension builds quickly as Jack imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancée, Lily. All the while, he hides the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana but soon has to deal with new unwanted competitive forces. It's only a matter of time before Jack's family and 'business' lives collide in tragic fashion.
Aqui Y Alla Crossing Borders (USA)
The “Aquí y Allá’ transnational public art project explored the impact of immigration in the lives of Mexican immigrant youth in Philadelphia in connection with youth in Chihuahua, Mexico. The documentary highlights the testimonials of the youth on both sides of the border working towards the creation of a collaborative mural in South Philadelphia.
Cesar’S Last Fast (USA)
Read the Review
In 1988, Cesar Chavez embarked on what would be his last act of protest in his remarkable life. Driven in part to pay penance for feeling he had not done enough, Chavez began his “Fast for Life,” a 36-day water-only hunger strike, to draw attention to the horrific effects of unfettered pesticide use on farm workers, their families, and their communities.
Using never-before-seen footage of Chavez during his fast and testimony from those closest to him, directors Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee weave together the larger story of Chavez’s life, vision, and legacy. A deeply religious man, Chavez’s moral clarity in organizing and standing with farm workers at risk of his own life humbled his family, friends, and the world. Cesar’s Last Fast is a moving and definitive portrait of the leader of a people who became an American icon of struggle and freedom.
La Camioneta (Guantemala)
Every day dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States on a southward migration that carries them to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and resurrected as the brightly-colored camionetas that bring the vast majority of Guatemalans to work each day. La Camioneta follows one such bus on its transformative journey: a journey between North and South, between life and death, and through an unfolding collection of moments, people, and places that serve to quietly remind us of the interconnected worlds in which we live.
Forbidden Lovers Meant To Be (USA)
Working with talented high school students from North Philadelphia at Taller Puertorriqueño’s Youth Artist Program, filmmakers Joanna Siegel, Melissa Beatriz Skolnick, and Kate Zambon sought to capture the personal and artistic journeys of the youth through film. While facilitating collaborative film workshops with the students, themes of race/ethnicity, cultures, language, and identity emerged. Throughout this process of engaging in story development and visual representation, the students created a video of their own, while the filmmakers documented the process using metafilm techniques. The students' short film, Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be, highlights the talent and creativity of these youth. Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be was created by the spring 2012 Youth Artist Program participants: Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez, Zayris Rivera, Tashyra Suarez, Nestor Tamayo, Yoeni Torres, Karina Ureña Vargas, and Kara Williams. (Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez)
Tire Die (Argentina)
The first film of the first Latin American documentary film school (The Escuela Documental de Santa Fe), this documentary focuses on the children in the neighborhood known as Tire Dié in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, who wait daily for the passing train to ask for money from the passengers, shouting “Tire dié!” (Toss me a dime!).
Dubbed as the father of the New Latin American Cinema, Fernando Birriwas one of the first filmmakers to document poverty and underdevelopment. Tire Dié was part of the exhibition, Latin American Visions, produced by International House, 1989-1991.
The Illiterates/Las Analfabetas (Chile)
Ximena, played by the incomparable Paulina García (Gloria) is an illiterate woman in her fifties, who has learned to live on her own to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline, is a young unemployed elementary school teacher, who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes. Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, till one day, Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. Thus, the two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them.
For the schedule please visit: http://flaff.org/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Opening Night: Maria Candelaria (Mexico)
Starring Dolores del Rio and Pedro Armendáriz, Maria Candelaria was the first Mexican film to be screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, and the first Latin American film awarded the Gran Prix. Gabriel Figueroa, the film’s cinematographer, was nominated for an Academy Award for The Night of the Iguana, and is often referred to as “the Fourth Muralist” of Mexico.
A young journalist presses an old artist (Alberto Galán ) to show a portrait of a naked indigenous woman that he has in his study. The body of the movie is a flashback to Xochimilco, Mexico, in 1909. The film is set right before the Mexican Revolution, and Xochimilco is an area with beautiful landscapes inhabited mostly by indigenous people.
The woman in the painting is María Candelaria (Dolores del Rio), a young Indian woman who is constantly rejected by her own people for being the daughter of a prostitute. She and her lover, Lorenzo Rafael (Pedro Armendariz), face constant struggles throughout the film. They are honest and hardworking, yet nothing ever goes right for them. Don Damian (Miguel Inclán), a jealous Mestizo store owner who wants María for himself, prevents them from getting married. He kills a piglet that María and Lorenzo plan to sell for profit and he refuses to buy vegetables from them. When María falls ill with malaria, Don Damian refuses to give the couple the quinine medicine necessary to fight the disease. Lorenzo breaks into his shop to steal the medicine, and he also takes a wedding dress for María. Lorenzo goes to prison for stealing, and María agrees to model for the painter to pay for his release. The artist begins painting a portrait of María, but when he asks her to pose nude she refuses.
The artist finishes the painting with the nude body of another woman. When the people of Xochimilco see the painting, they assume it is María Candelaria and stone her to death.Finally, Lorenzo escapes from prison )to carry María's lifeless body through Xochimilco's canal of the dead.
Bad Hair/Pelo Malo (Venezuela)
The third film from the filmmaker and plastic artist Mariana Rondón, Pelo Malo stars Junior, a 9 year-old with "bad hair". He wants to have it straightened for his yearbook picture, like a fashionable pop singer. This puts him at odds with his mother Marta. The more Junior tries to look sharp and make his mother love him, the more she rejects him, until he is cornered, face to face with a painful decision.
To Kill A Man/Matar A Un Hombre (Chile)
Read the Review
Read the Interview with Dir. Alejandro Fernandez Almendras
A thriller about a hardworking family man Jorge who is just barely making ends meet. When he gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront Kalule, only to get himself shot in the process. Sentenced to a scant 2 years in prison for the offense, Kalule, released and now intent on revenge, goes on the warpath, terrorizing Jorge's family. With his wife, son and daughter at the mercy of a thug, Jorge has no choice but to take justice into his own hands, and live with the emotional and psychological consequences.
Lines of class and masculinity ignite friction in this rugged thriller, adeptly shot with a discerning eye. Director Alejandro Fernández Almendras elevates raw grit to a new level with a tone that is both elemental and prophetic. Rife with unnerving tension, To Kill a Man is ultimately a surprising exploration of the heavy burden of what it takes to do what the title suggests.
Anina (Colombia)
Read the Review
Anina Yatay Salas is a ten-year-old girl. All her names form palindromes, making her the butt of her classmates’ jokes, and especially of Yisel’s, who Anina sees as an “elephant.” One day, fed up with all the taunting, Anina starts a fight with Yisel during recess. The incident ends with the principal penalizing the girls and calling their parents.Anina receives her punishment inside a sealed black envelope, which she is told not to open until she meets with the principal again a week later.She is also forbidden to tell anyone about the envelope. Her classmates pressure her to find out what the punishment will be, while they imagine cruel physical torture.
Anina, in her anxiousness to find out what horrible punishment awaits her in the mysterious black envelope, will get mixed up in a series of troubles, involving secret loves, confessed hatreds, close friendships, dreadful enemies, some loving teachers, and also some evil teachers.Without her realizing it, Anina’s efforts to understand the content of the envelope turn into an attempt to understand the world and her place in it.
The Devil’S Music (USA)
When the new sound of jazz first spread across America in the early twentieth-century, it left delight – and controversy – in its wake.As jazz's popularity grew, so did campaigns to censor "the devil's music." This documentary classic has been hailed by the New York Times as a documentary that "addressing the complex interaction of race and class… engages viewers in a conversation as vigorous as the art it chronicles,” featuring timeless performances by artists such as Louis Armstrong and vocalist Rachelle Ferrelle, plus interviews with giants of social and musical criticism such as Albert Murray, Marian MacPartland, Studs Terkel, and Michael Eric Dyson. The Devil's Music is Written, Produced and Directed by Maria Agui Carter and Calvin A. Lindsay Jr., and Narrated by Dion Graham.
I, Undocumented/Yo, Indocumentada (Venezuela)
Yo Indocumentada (I, Undocumented) , exposes the struggles of transgender people in Venezuela. The film, Andrea Baranenko’s first feature-length production, tells the story of three Venezuelan women fighting for their right to have an identity.
Tamara Adrián, 58, is a lawyer; Desirée Pérez, 46, is a hairdresser; and Victoria González, 27, has been a visual arts student since 2009. These women share more than their nationality: they all carry identifications with masculine names that do not correspond to their actual identities. They are transgender women, who long ago assumed their gender and now defend it in a homophobic and transphobic society.
The House That Jack Built (USA )
Jack Maldonado is an ambitious Latino man who fueled by misguided nostalgia, buys a small apartment building in the Bronx and moves his family into the apartments to live rent-free. His parents, Carlos and Martha, sister Nadia, brother Richie and his wife Rosa, Grandmother/Abuela and cousins Hector and Manny, all under one roof. Tension builds quickly as Jack imposes his views on everyone around him, including his fiancée, Lily. All the while, he hides the fact that his corner store is a front for selling marijuana but soon has to deal with new unwanted competitive forces. It's only a matter of time before Jack's family and 'business' lives collide in tragic fashion.
Aqui Y Alla Crossing Borders (USA)
The “Aquí y Allá’ transnational public art project explored the impact of immigration in the lives of Mexican immigrant youth in Philadelphia in connection with youth in Chihuahua, Mexico. The documentary highlights the testimonials of the youth on both sides of the border working towards the creation of a collaborative mural in South Philadelphia.
Cesar’S Last Fast (USA)
Read the Review
In 1988, Cesar Chavez embarked on what would be his last act of protest in his remarkable life. Driven in part to pay penance for feeling he had not done enough, Chavez began his “Fast for Life,” a 36-day water-only hunger strike, to draw attention to the horrific effects of unfettered pesticide use on farm workers, their families, and their communities.
Using never-before-seen footage of Chavez during his fast and testimony from those closest to him, directors Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee weave together the larger story of Chavez’s life, vision, and legacy. A deeply religious man, Chavez’s moral clarity in organizing and standing with farm workers at risk of his own life humbled his family, friends, and the world. Cesar’s Last Fast is a moving and definitive portrait of the leader of a people who became an American icon of struggle and freedom.
La Camioneta (Guantemala)
Every day dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States on a southward migration that carries them to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and resurrected as the brightly-colored camionetas that bring the vast majority of Guatemalans to work each day. La Camioneta follows one such bus on its transformative journey: a journey between North and South, between life and death, and through an unfolding collection of moments, people, and places that serve to quietly remind us of the interconnected worlds in which we live.
Forbidden Lovers Meant To Be (USA)
Working with talented high school students from North Philadelphia at Taller Puertorriqueño’s Youth Artist Program, filmmakers Joanna Siegel, Melissa Beatriz Skolnick, and Kate Zambon sought to capture the personal and artistic journeys of the youth through film. While facilitating collaborative film workshops with the students, themes of race/ethnicity, cultures, language, and identity emerged. Throughout this process of engaging in story development and visual representation, the students created a video of their own, while the filmmakers documented the process using metafilm techniques. The students' short film, Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be, highlights the talent and creativity of these youth. Forbidden Lovers Meant to Be was created by the spring 2012 Youth Artist Program participants: Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez, Zayris Rivera, Tashyra Suarez, Nestor Tamayo, Yoeni Torres, Karina Ureña Vargas, and Kara Williams. (Amy Lee Flores, Ricardo Lopez, Michael Mendez)
Tire Die (Argentina)
The first film of the first Latin American documentary film school (The Escuela Documental de Santa Fe), this documentary focuses on the children in the neighborhood known as Tire Dié in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, who wait daily for the passing train to ask for money from the passengers, shouting “Tire dié!” (Toss me a dime!).
Dubbed as the father of the New Latin American Cinema, Fernando Birriwas one of the first filmmakers to document poverty and underdevelopment. Tire Dié was part of the exhibition, Latin American Visions, produced by International House, 1989-1991.
The Illiterates/Las Analfabetas (Chile)
Ximena, played by the incomparable Paulina García (Gloria) is an illiterate woman in her fifties, who has learned to live on her own to keep her illiteracy a secret. Jackeline, is a young unemployed elementary school teacher, who tries to convince Ximena to take reading classes. Persuading her proves to be an almost impossible task, till one day, Jackeline finds something Ximena has been keeping as her only treasure since she was a child: a letter Ximena’s father left when he abandoned her many years before. Thus, the two women embark on a learning journey where they discover that there are many ways of being illiterate, and that not knowing how to read is just one of them.
For the schedule please visit: http://flaff.org/
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 4/23/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Quietly disturbing and thoughtfully insightful about the evil mankind is capable of, Chilean auteur Alejandro Fernández Almendras’ To Kill a Man has stroke a chord with festival goers and jurors across the globe. The film, which deals with a man pushed to commit a crime by a vengeful crook, premiered at Sundance this past January where it was awarded the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize. Fernandez Almendras, whose previous films include Huacho and Seated by the Fire, seems to have finally reached a level of international exposure with a small film that carries important social commentary about masculinity, violence, and guilt. In this in-depth interview the director talked to us about the origin of the story, the complex themes behind the plot, and the uncomfortable emotions his film can create on the audience.
Read the review Here
To Kill a Man has received the following awards:
Sundance Film Festival 2014: World Cinema Grand Jury Prize- Dramatic
Rotterdam Film Festival 2014: Knf Award
Miami Film Festival 2014: Miami Future Cinema Critics Award
Cartagena International Film Festival: Fipresci Award for Best Film/ Official Competition Award for Best Director
Carlos Aguilar: The events that set in motion the plot of “To Kill a Man” can seem simple on the surface, but you embedded the film with many existential concepts. Where did these come from?
Alejandro Fernandez Almendras: Well, the real story on which I based my film was a very simple story. It was terrible for the family that lived it, but it was a very common story, at least in Chile. It was about a family in which the father was a diabetic, and there was a neighborhood criminal known by everybody who one day robes the father. Then when his son tries to recover his blood sugar meter, the thief, who ends up in prison for a brief period of time, shoots him. Once he is out after 1 or 2 years, the criminal starts threatening the family to seek revenge for the time he did in prison, which he thinks he didn’t deserve since the son was the one who went to his house.
The concept of being helpless in front of justice was very interesting to me to start working around it. What pushed me to make this film, and what caught my attention when I heard the story, was that all the events were described from the family’s point of view and the father’s point of view. After the final crime, which was a bit different to how it is portrayed in the film, they ask the father, now in prison himself, if he would do the same again given the circumstances. He answered he wouldn’t under no circumstances because now he knows how it feels to kill someone and he understands how terrible it is. The personal price he had to pay was that the moral guilt was too much for him. I found that very compelling and that’s why I decided to make the film.
Aguilar: The line between the killer and the victim is blurred in the film. The person who starts being victimized takes on the role of the punisher. Although it is a terrifying idea, would you say that anyone is capable of killing given the right circumstances?
Fernandez Almendras: I think so given the context. I believe that the character of Jorge was pushed to commit the crime rather than being something that existed in him naturally. The dangerous thing about crime is that it is sometimes justified when it is seen as the only possible solution. Those are the types of crimes that are hard to explain legally. They are complicated cases, it is not as simple as to say that the guy did it out evilness, but he did it almost justifiably, yet, what he did was worse than what the actual career criminal Kalule was doing or threatening to do. He doesn’t rape his daughter or hurt them physically, it is more about the fear that he imposed on them than anything he actually did. On the other hand, Jorge ends up being crueler and much more violent than what he looked like. The film aims to place the viewer in a situation that is morally uncomfortable. If one defends the protagonist, Jorge, which is what the film does in the first half, you end up justifying a terrible crime in the second half.
Aguilar: Another aspect that is prominent is the questioning of Jorge’s masculinity. It seems as if he feels he has to prove it by defending his family and standing up to this bully, even if this means taking drastic measure. Was that part of your process while creating the character?
Fernandez Almendras: Sure. There is this image in film and the media of a rugged macho man who protects his family. In the film his son, his wife and his daughter they point out that he is not fulfilling that role as a man. He feels forced to be that man. What the film also deals with is the fact that many decisions like this have to do with what is perceived as being the right thing to do, even if it means committing a crime. Morally, many people justify it. They think, “What else is there to do? He has no other choice” However, by saying that you are justifying a crime. It is interesting to explore that and to make the audience face both sides of the same coin.
Aguilar: The family seeks help from the authorities, but it feels like in the midst of al the bureaucracy they are left helpless. Is there are a flaw in the judicial system, not only in Chile, but everywhere, to deal with situations like the one on the film?
Fernandez Almendras: I believe that in terms of the film, the system functions very efficiently given the lack of resources and the circumstances I feel the family gets treated well. It was my intention to not highlight the bureaucracy, but despite my efforts it is still noticeable because there is an institutional inability to deal with a situations like these. There are also issues like these with those situations that involve domestic violence. The husband could threaten the wife in many occasions, but they can’t ask for a restraining order, or to fine him, or even to hold him for some days because you can’t punish a crime before it is committed. One can’t punish a dead threat as if it was a murder. Otherwise we would live in a completely schizophrenic society, one in which thinking of something would be enough to be arrested, and that’s even worse.
The law can reach a certain point, and after that point instead of being left vulnerable by the law, the law leaves it to your own judgment. That’s the interesting part, when there is no judicial, protection, not because the institution doesn’t want to provide it but because it can’t reach that gray area. The family is forced to make very difficult decisions, but perhaps other choices would have been better in the long run. They could have moved apartments, or moved to another city, start again, and maybe admit that they lost to this evil character. But it would be looked down upon by others “Why do they have to leave if they didn’t do anything?” Well sometimes you cross paths with a person like this and you can’t do anything. Justifying a family that doesn’t want to leave the neighborhood because someone is threatening them is the same argument that one could use to ask why a woman doesn’t leave the house when the husband threatens her. In the case of a mistreated woman we assume that against such violence there is nothing to do but to leave. In this case, many people keep on defending the idea that one has to stand his ground, and it has to do with the fact that he is a man.
People think that if you let yourself be undermined by another man you are not man enough. I’m absolutely convinced that domestic violence in which a woman is the abuser towards the man is much more prominent than what we think or find in surveys. Because from the get-go, to say that your woman mistreats you is like admitting that you are not a man, especially in Latin American societies. Certainly these are perennially male-chauvinist societies, but a woman can still inflict great psychological violence on a man. In my film I feel like the female character is to an extent very violent towards the protagonist. She pushes him to the edge, she tells him he is not good enough, then she divorces him, I believe this is also very real.
Aguilar: Being a Latin American director, how has your experience at international festivals been? Your film has been so well received, and you have won several awards in a short time.
Fernandez Almendras: First, the decision to go to Sundance was taken because we felt that it is a film that can work in the American market, in fact we got distribution at Sundance. The film will be released by Film Movement in the U.S. and Canada in the Fall. It’s a film that has certain genre elements, and there is great tension, which are qualities that I think help the film. Showing it to American audiences will be very helpful for the film, and for myself in the future steps I want to take as a filmmaker.
Aguilar: Would you ever considered making a film in Hollywood? Or perhaps make a film with a greater budget and more exposure?
Fernandez Almendras: I would like to work with perhaps a bigger budget but never at the level of a blockbuster, which is something very “Hollywood”. The obstacles would be too many, and I don’t think Hollywood is interested is something so strange as what I do. Even being something like “To Kill a Man” that connects with audiences, in formal terms, it is not a common film. Hollywood budgets come with many artistic compromises. In Hollywood no one can stand 20 minutes without dialogue. [Laughs)
Aguilar: Are there any American filmmakers that have influenced your work?
Fernandez Almendras: I watched a lot of American films when I started liking cinema, around the 90s. It was mostly American cinema from the 60s and 70s when there was like a re-founding of classic American cinema and the emergence of filmmaker like Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Coppola, or the psychological thrillers of Alan Pakula , those were very important influences at the time.
Aguilar: Why do you think your film has connected with the diverse jurors throughout the film’s festival run?
Fernandez Almendras: Just like with my two previous films, I’ve always thought my films are not cryptic. They are films that the audience won’t understand or that they are going to have a hard time connecting to them. They are films that demand a certain attention. Especially the other two, this one I feel is a bit more open. I think people respond to “To Kill a Man” because in its own way, it’s a film that works. When it needs to create tension there is tension, when it needs to create suspense there is suspense, when it needs a particular emotion it is there. It is a visceral film that works, although the way in which it reaches those emotions is different from what many viewers might be used to.
Aguilar: What are your future projects? What will follow the success of “To Kill a Man”?
Fernandez Almendras: I’m looking into several possibilities. I have two finished scripts, one of them is much more lighthearted, sort of a comedy with a lot of music which I’d like to make in the south of Chile. The other is a tad bigger; it is a political thriller that deals with the crash between the mining industry and environmentalist groups. Both of these are well on their way, I need to find financing this year and see which one of them happens first.
Read the review Here
To Kill a Man has received the following awards:
Sundance Film Festival 2014: World Cinema Grand Jury Prize- Dramatic
Rotterdam Film Festival 2014: Knf Award
Miami Film Festival 2014: Miami Future Cinema Critics Award
Cartagena International Film Festival: Fipresci Award for Best Film/ Official Competition Award for Best Director
Carlos Aguilar: The events that set in motion the plot of “To Kill a Man” can seem simple on the surface, but you embedded the film with many existential concepts. Where did these come from?
Alejandro Fernandez Almendras: Well, the real story on which I based my film was a very simple story. It was terrible for the family that lived it, but it was a very common story, at least in Chile. It was about a family in which the father was a diabetic, and there was a neighborhood criminal known by everybody who one day robes the father. Then when his son tries to recover his blood sugar meter, the thief, who ends up in prison for a brief period of time, shoots him. Once he is out after 1 or 2 years, the criminal starts threatening the family to seek revenge for the time he did in prison, which he thinks he didn’t deserve since the son was the one who went to his house.
The concept of being helpless in front of justice was very interesting to me to start working around it. What pushed me to make this film, and what caught my attention when I heard the story, was that all the events were described from the family’s point of view and the father’s point of view. After the final crime, which was a bit different to how it is portrayed in the film, they ask the father, now in prison himself, if he would do the same again given the circumstances. He answered he wouldn’t under no circumstances because now he knows how it feels to kill someone and he understands how terrible it is. The personal price he had to pay was that the moral guilt was too much for him. I found that very compelling and that’s why I decided to make the film.
Aguilar: The line between the killer and the victim is blurred in the film. The person who starts being victimized takes on the role of the punisher. Although it is a terrifying idea, would you say that anyone is capable of killing given the right circumstances?
Fernandez Almendras: I think so given the context. I believe that the character of Jorge was pushed to commit the crime rather than being something that existed in him naturally. The dangerous thing about crime is that it is sometimes justified when it is seen as the only possible solution. Those are the types of crimes that are hard to explain legally. They are complicated cases, it is not as simple as to say that the guy did it out evilness, but he did it almost justifiably, yet, what he did was worse than what the actual career criminal Kalule was doing or threatening to do. He doesn’t rape his daughter or hurt them physically, it is more about the fear that he imposed on them than anything he actually did. On the other hand, Jorge ends up being crueler and much more violent than what he looked like. The film aims to place the viewer in a situation that is morally uncomfortable. If one defends the protagonist, Jorge, which is what the film does in the first half, you end up justifying a terrible crime in the second half.
Aguilar: Another aspect that is prominent is the questioning of Jorge’s masculinity. It seems as if he feels he has to prove it by defending his family and standing up to this bully, even if this means taking drastic measure. Was that part of your process while creating the character?
Fernandez Almendras: Sure. There is this image in film and the media of a rugged macho man who protects his family. In the film his son, his wife and his daughter they point out that he is not fulfilling that role as a man. He feels forced to be that man. What the film also deals with is the fact that many decisions like this have to do with what is perceived as being the right thing to do, even if it means committing a crime. Morally, many people justify it. They think, “What else is there to do? He has no other choice” However, by saying that you are justifying a crime. It is interesting to explore that and to make the audience face both sides of the same coin.
Aguilar: The family seeks help from the authorities, but it feels like in the midst of al the bureaucracy they are left helpless. Is there are a flaw in the judicial system, not only in Chile, but everywhere, to deal with situations like the one on the film?
Fernandez Almendras: I believe that in terms of the film, the system functions very efficiently given the lack of resources and the circumstances I feel the family gets treated well. It was my intention to not highlight the bureaucracy, but despite my efforts it is still noticeable because there is an institutional inability to deal with a situations like these. There are also issues like these with those situations that involve domestic violence. The husband could threaten the wife in many occasions, but they can’t ask for a restraining order, or to fine him, or even to hold him for some days because you can’t punish a crime before it is committed. One can’t punish a dead threat as if it was a murder. Otherwise we would live in a completely schizophrenic society, one in which thinking of something would be enough to be arrested, and that’s even worse.
The law can reach a certain point, and after that point instead of being left vulnerable by the law, the law leaves it to your own judgment. That’s the interesting part, when there is no judicial, protection, not because the institution doesn’t want to provide it but because it can’t reach that gray area. The family is forced to make very difficult decisions, but perhaps other choices would have been better in the long run. They could have moved apartments, or moved to another city, start again, and maybe admit that they lost to this evil character. But it would be looked down upon by others “Why do they have to leave if they didn’t do anything?” Well sometimes you cross paths with a person like this and you can’t do anything. Justifying a family that doesn’t want to leave the neighborhood because someone is threatening them is the same argument that one could use to ask why a woman doesn’t leave the house when the husband threatens her. In the case of a mistreated woman we assume that against such violence there is nothing to do but to leave. In this case, many people keep on defending the idea that one has to stand his ground, and it has to do with the fact that he is a man.
People think that if you let yourself be undermined by another man you are not man enough. I’m absolutely convinced that domestic violence in which a woman is the abuser towards the man is much more prominent than what we think or find in surveys. Because from the get-go, to say that your woman mistreats you is like admitting that you are not a man, especially in Latin American societies. Certainly these are perennially male-chauvinist societies, but a woman can still inflict great psychological violence on a man. In my film I feel like the female character is to an extent very violent towards the protagonist. She pushes him to the edge, she tells him he is not good enough, then she divorces him, I believe this is also very real.
Aguilar: Being a Latin American director, how has your experience at international festivals been? Your film has been so well received, and you have won several awards in a short time.
Fernandez Almendras: First, the decision to go to Sundance was taken because we felt that it is a film that can work in the American market, in fact we got distribution at Sundance. The film will be released by Film Movement in the U.S. and Canada in the Fall. It’s a film that has certain genre elements, and there is great tension, which are qualities that I think help the film. Showing it to American audiences will be very helpful for the film, and for myself in the future steps I want to take as a filmmaker.
Aguilar: Would you ever considered making a film in Hollywood? Or perhaps make a film with a greater budget and more exposure?
Fernandez Almendras: I would like to work with perhaps a bigger budget but never at the level of a blockbuster, which is something very “Hollywood”. The obstacles would be too many, and I don’t think Hollywood is interested is something so strange as what I do. Even being something like “To Kill a Man” that connects with audiences, in formal terms, it is not a common film. Hollywood budgets come with many artistic compromises. In Hollywood no one can stand 20 minutes without dialogue. [Laughs)
Aguilar: Are there any American filmmakers that have influenced your work?
Fernandez Almendras: I watched a lot of American films when I started liking cinema, around the 90s. It was mostly American cinema from the 60s and 70s when there was like a re-founding of classic American cinema and the emergence of filmmaker like Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Coppola, or the psychological thrillers of Alan Pakula , those were very important influences at the time.
Aguilar: Why do you think your film has connected with the diverse jurors throughout the film’s festival run?
Fernandez Almendras: Just like with my two previous films, I’ve always thought my films are not cryptic. They are films that the audience won’t understand or that they are going to have a hard time connecting to them. They are films that demand a certain attention. Especially the other two, this one I feel is a bit more open. I think people respond to “To Kill a Man” because in its own way, it’s a film that works. When it needs to create tension there is tension, when it needs to create suspense there is suspense, when it needs a particular emotion it is there. It is a visceral film that works, although the way in which it reaches those emotions is different from what many viewers might be used to.
Aguilar: What are your future projects? What will follow the success of “To Kill a Man”?
Fernandez Almendras: I’m looking into several possibilities. I have two finished scripts, one of them is much more lighthearted, sort of a comedy with a lot of music which I’d like to make in the south of Chile. The other is a tad bigger; it is a political thriller that deals with the crash between the mining industry and environmentalist groups. Both of these are well on their way, I need to find financing this year and see which one of them happens first.
- 4/9/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Today I am writing from Cartagena, Colombia where I attended Ficci, the Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias.
This former colonial jewel in the crown of Spain offers a huge array of delights, film-wise, art-wise, food-wise and people-wise. Gorgeous arts and gorgeous people, sweet, polite and proud. As much as I love Havana, Cartagena is how Havana should look.
And as much as I loved Careyes where I was last week, the art and artisanal scope here is so wide; from the Colombian painter and sculptor, Botero to indigenous palm weaving – décor for homes (not cheap!), bags, designer clothing, linen and rubies.
Aside from films, my big discoveries of the day are Ruby Rumie, a Colombian artist who spends much of her time here in her studio in the Getsemaní section of town and in Chile. Coincidentally (again) Gary Meyer (Telluride Film Festival) and his wife Cathy who are here with Gary on the Documentary Competition Jury (I just left them in Careyas!) also just discovered her as well. The other artist, Olga Amaral, works in indigenous styles of weaving and textile production and now is favoring gold leaf displays of woven wall tapestries. Stunning. Both are available at the Nh Gallery, a place I just happened to wander into as I was walking from the theater to my equally stunning hotel Casa Pestagua.
The courteous and helpful people here are a proud mix of white, brown and black. They say the blacks will never follow the orders of a white. They say the blood of slaves is embedded in the wall fortifications of the city. The Inquisition here was very powerful, and they say the Jews (Conversos) coming in the conquistadors’ ships went to settle Medellín and the Catholics to Bogotá. Cartagena was the last city to be free of the Spanish crown and as such, it was extremely conservative.
It would take days to visit all the museums throughout the city. The Art Biennale is now in many of them (free entry) including the Museum of the Inquisition with its torture machines. The Museum of Gold with pre-Colombian gold artworks is astounding. All the gold of Latin America (and emeralds, diamonds and silver) went from here in the Spanish galleons back to Spain until the city declared its independence in 1811. We in the North know this history but from a different perspective. Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America and Gonzalo Arijon’s documentary Eyes Wide Open, an update of Galeano’s ideas are good starting points for understanding this part of the world. Eye opening indeed!
The beauty of the city and its people is matched by the food. There is great food here here and some very haute cuisine restaurants. Ceviches of many kinds, new sweet fruits like the pitaya and the drink mixing limeade and coconut milk delight the palate. The festival invites enough but not too many industry folks so it can host lunches and dinners in wonderful venues along with cocktail hours where we can all meet and talk. Talk among us is of food and film, film and food…even of food film festivals that are cropping up from Berlin, San Sebastian, here and in Northern California…stay tuned.
The Colombian government is aware of the need for the public to rediscover their own stories and to this end all the festival screenings are free, and all are packed Sro. The government also supports filmmakers with a deliberate, well-planned and well executed strategy to increase production and create an infrastructure.
Colombian films’ biggest challenge is to increase their share of their rapidly growing domestic market, worth $182.3 million in box office in 2012. One way forward is international co-production, where Bam (Bogotá Audiovisual Market) July 14-18, 2014 plays a large role. There is a mini version of this here (Encuentros Cartagena), centering on French and Colombian co-production, but not limited to that, with guests like George Goldenstern from Cinefondation (Cannes), producer/ international sales agent Marie-Pierre Masia and and the ever present Thierry Lenouvel of Cine-Sud whose film Tierra en la lengua aka Dust on the Tongue won the Best Picture Award in Competition. Vincenzo Bugno of World Cinema Fund of the Berlinale is always here too as is Jose Maria Riba on the Jury of the Competition and programmer for San Sebastian and Directors Fortnight. Also on the jury are Wendy Mitchel and Pawel Pawlikowski whose film Ida (Isa: Portobello Film Sales) is playing (outside of the Competition). A look at the winning competition films shows the strength of co-productions today.
Best Picture: Dust on the Tongue of Ruben Mendoza (Colombia) Colombia Film of $15,000. Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) which premiered in Competition at the Berlinale, by Celina Murga (Argentina, Netherlands, Germany) (Isa: The Match Factory) Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To kill a man (Matar a un hombre) which premiered in Sundance (Chile, France). Film Factory is selling international rights and Film Movement has U.S. It also won the Fipresci or International Critics’ Award. Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio by El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France), Urban Distribution International is the sales agent.
Cinema in Colombia continues its steep ascent in the international production world. The reasons, according to Bugno, lie in “new political decisions, funding structures, and the developing of a new producing environment that also has to do with new emerging young talent.”
A visit to the festival headquarters proves the point of the extensive government support of film not only for its own sake, but for the sake of all the people, dispossessed, abused, Lgbt, children and women. It is a beautiful sight to see such support, and the people seem to reciprocate; I hear more praise than complaints about the government and everyone seems cautiously optimistic, aware of its current position vis à vis what has thankfully become recent history with the guerillas who had been waging war with the government for the past 40 years and the current elections and competing points of view between the former President Uribe and the current President Juan Manuel Santos.
Aecid , Association Espagnola de Cooperacon Internacional para el Desarrollo (The Spanish Association for International Cooperation for Development), a festival sponsor supports social cohesion, equality of genders, construction of peace, respect for cultural diversity and the reduction of poverty.
Currently in Colombia, national cinema holds a 10% share of the Colombian market and 8% of the box office. In 2012, 213 films were produced in Colombia, a huge increase since 2009 when 19 were produced according to Ocal, the Observotario del Cine f nCl [sic]. In 2012, 23 of the 213 domestic films were released theatrically, a tremendous increase from the 6 Colombian films released in the year 2000. [1],[2] This number surpasses every record in Colombia’s film history
This 10 day spectacular film festival gives free entry to all at 8 theaters and, proving the point that people love the movies, every single screening is packed solid, Sro. More than 135 films come from 27 countries. 48 daily screenings include 14 open air screenings in great locations. There are 40 world premieres and 26 Latin American premieres.
150 invited guests included Abbas Kiarostami, Clive Owen, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Pavel Pawlikowsky with his film Ida, John Sayles with whom I had an interesting talk about U.S. current distribution and of Return of Seacaucus Seven and Sunshine State. The screening of his film Go For Sisters has received an enthusiastic response from the audiences.
Since 2013, coproductions between the U.S. and Colombia with variations on the theme are on the rise. With its 40% cash rebate, Colombia is proving to be a great place to make movies.
Colombians such as Simon Brand are making English language genre films such as this year’s festival debuting Default (Isa: Wild Bunch). For budgets under Us$1 million, action, thrillers and horror genres can cross borders, and can recoup costs and even profit.
The reverse is also notable. Four films screening here are Colombian films made by Americans. The winner to three prizes here for Best Director, Best Documentary and the Audience Prize, Marmato by Marc Grieco was workshopped twice at Sundance where it premiered this January 2014. It is represented internationally by Ro*co and its U.S. representative is Ben Weiss at Paradigm. The other three remarkable debut films are Mambo Cool by Chris Gude,Manos Sucias by Josef Wladyka (a Japanese-Polish American) and Parador Hungaro by Patrick Alexander and Aseneth Suarez Ruiz. Look for upcoming interviews with these four directors who came to Colombia and, because of their experiences here, decided to make these exceptional movies. My next blog will be interviews with each of these films’ directors.
Secundaria , the first film I saw here was not shot here although it too was directed by an American who made 21 trips to Cuba to make it. Documenting the high school ballet training and competitions held by Cuba’s world famous National Ballet School -- Watch the trailer here -- it was not only beautiful but it magically captured the ever-present economic issues of Cuba. I can’t wait to see Primaria about the grade school of the Nbs.
Director and coproducer Mary Jane Doherty has been an Associate Professor of Film at Boston University since 1990. Proud of her lineage as a student of iconic documentarian Ricky Leacock, she developed B.U.’s Narrative Documentary Program: a novel approach to non-fiction storytelling using the building blocks of fiction film. Lyda Kuth , the coproducer, is founding board member and executive director of the Lef Foundation, which supports independent filmmakers through the Lef Moving Image Fund. In 2005, she established Nadita Productions and was producer/director on her first feature documentary, Love and Other Anxieties.
A cocktail party is given daily at the festival where we can all meet up. It was there I met Gail Gendler VP of Acquisitions for AMC/ Sundance Channel Global (international not domestic) and Gus
Dinner one night was with the jury for Nuevos Creadores (New Creators). Cynthia Garcia Calvo, Editor in Chief of LatamCinema.com, a Latino equivalent to Indiewire.com out of Chile and Argentina and I spoke of possible ways to cooperate. The third member of the jury, Javier Mejia, director of Colombia’s best film of 2008 Apocalypsur also has a documentary here, Duni, about a Chilean filmmaker who left Chile during the dictatorship and came to Colombia where he made political films in Medellin but never discussed his reasons for coming or even his Chilean roots. How happy I was that I had seen and enjoyed the films of the third jury member, Daniel Vega, who with his brother Diego made The Mute aka El Mudo (Isa: Urban Media) which played in Toronto and San Sebastian and his earlier film October, both dark comedies or perhaps dramadies dealing with subjective realities in unique environs of Peru we have never seen. He promised to help me with the Peru chapter of my upcoming book. Peru is in the lower middle of countries which support filmmaking. Their film fund is a rather laid back affair administered by the Ministry of Culture who receives money from the Ministry of Finance when they “get around to it”.
Jury for New Creators: Javier Mejía, Cynthia García Calvo and Diego Vega,displaying the winner for the Best Short Film: Alen Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle) who won a Sony video camera, 2,000, 000 pesos of in kind services from Shock Magazin, and a scholarship for graduate Project Management and Film Production at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga
Second prize went to The murmur of the earth Alejandro Daza (National University) - Win a Sony camera, and a Fellowship for Graduate Record Audio and Sound Design of the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga.
Other winners are:
Official Colombian Film Competition
Jurors: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Documentary Competition
Jurors: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Short Film Competition
JurorsOswaldo Osorio -Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Jurors: Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
[1] http://www.cinelatinoamericano.org/ocal/cifras.aspx
[2] http://www.mincultura.gov.co/areas/cinematografia/estadisticas-del-sector/Documents/Anuario%202012.p...
This former colonial jewel in the crown of Spain offers a huge array of delights, film-wise, art-wise, food-wise and people-wise. Gorgeous arts and gorgeous people, sweet, polite and proud. As much as I love Havana, Cartagena is how Havana should look.
And as much as I loved Careyes where I was last week, the art and artisanal scope here is so wide; from the Colombian painter and sculptor, Botero to indigenous palm weaving – décor for homes (not cheap!), bags, designer clothing, linen and rubies.
Aside from films, my big discoveries of the day are Ruby Rumie, a Colombian artist who spends much of her time here in her studio in the Getsemaní section of town and in Chile. Coincidentally (again) Gary Meyer (Telluride Film Festival) and his wife Cathy who are here with Gary on the Documentary Competition Jury (I just left them in Careyas!) also just discovered her as well. The other artist, Olga Amaral, works in indigenous styles of weaving and textile production and now is favoring gold leaf displays of woven wall tapestries. Stunning. Both are available at the Nh Gallery, a place I just happened to wander into as I was walking from the theater to my equally stunning hotel Casa Pestagua.
The courteous and helpful people here are a proud mix of white, brown and black. They say the blacks will never follow the orders of a white. They say the blood of slaves is embedded in the wall fortifications of the city. The Inquisition here was very powerful, and they say the Jews (Conversos) coming in the conquistadors’ ships went to settle Medellín and the Catholics to Bogotá. Cartagena was the last city to be free of the Spanish crown and as such, it was extremely conservative.
It would take days to visit all the museums throughout the city. The Art Biennale is now in many of them (free entry) including the Museum of the Inquisition with its torture machines. The Museum of Gold with pre-Colombian gold artworks is astounding. All the gold of Latin America (and emeralds, diamonds and silver) went from here in the Spanish galleons back to Spain until the city declared its independence in 1811. We in the North know this history but from a different perspective. Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America and Gonzalo Arijon’s documentary Eyes Wide Open, an update of Galeano’s ideas are good starting points for understanding this part of the world. Eye opening indeed!
The beauty of the city and its people is matched by the food. There is great food here here and some very haute cuisine restaurants. Ceviches of many kinds, new sweet fruits like the pitaya and the drink mixing limeade and coconut milk delight the palate. The festival invites enough but not too many industry folks so it can host lunches and dinners in wonderful venues along with cocktail hours where we can all meet and talk. Talk among us is of food and film, film and food…even of food film festivals that are cropping up from Berlin, San Sebastian, here and in Northern California…stay tuned.
The Colombian government is aware of the need for the public to rediscover their own stories and to this end all the festival screenings are free, and all are packed Sro. The government also supports filmmakers with a deliberate, well-planned and well executed strategy to increase production and create an infrastructure.
Colombian films’ biggest challenge is to increase their share of their rapidly growing domestic market, worth $182.3 million in box office in 2012. One way forward is international co-production, where Bam (Bogotá Audiovisual Market) July 14-18, 2014 plays a large role. There is a mini version of this here (Encuentros Cartagena), centering on French and Colombian co-production, but not limited to that, with guests like George Goldenstern from Cinefondation (Cannes), producer/ international sales agent Marie-Pierre Masia and and the ever present Thierry Lenouvel of Cine-Sud whose film Tierra en la lengua aka Dust on the Tongue won the Best Picture Award in Competition. Vincenzo Bugno of World Cinema Fund of the Berlinale is always here too as is Jose Maria Riba on the Jury of the Competition and programmer for San Sebastian and Directors Fortnight. Also on the jury are Wendy Mitchel and Pawel Pawlikowski whose film Ida (Isa: Portobello Film Sales) is playing (outside of the Competition). A look at the winning competition films shows the strength of co-productions today.
Best Picture: Dust on the Tongue of Ruben Mendoza (Colombia) Colombia Film of $15,000. Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) which premiered in Competition at the Berlinale, by Celina Murga (Argentina, Netherlands, Germany) (Isa: The Match Factory) Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To kill a man (Matar a un hombre) which premiered in Sundance (Chile, France). Film Factory is selling international rights and Film Movement has U.S. It also won the Fipresci or International Critics’ Award. Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio by El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France), Urban Distribution International is the sales agent.
Cinema in Colombia continues its steep ascent in the international production world. The reasons, according to Bugno, lie in “new political decisions, funding structures, and the developing of a new producing environment that also has to do with new emerging young talent.”
A visit to the festival headquarters proves the point of the extensive government support of film not only for its own sake, but for the sake of all the people, dispossessed, abused, Lgbt, children and women. It is a beautiful sight to see such support, and the people seem to reciprocate; I hear more praise than complaints about the government and everyone seems cautiously optimistic, aware of its current position vis à vis what has thankfully become recent history with the guerillas who had been waging war with the government for the past 40 years and the current elections and competing points of view between the former President Uribe and the current President Juan Manuel Santos.
Aecid , Association Espagnola de Cooperacon Internacional para el Desarrollo (The Spanish Association for International Cooperation for Development), a festival sponsor supports social cohesion, equality of genders, construction of peace, respect for cultural diversity and the reduction of poverty.
Currently in Colombia, national cinema holds a 10% share of the Colombian market and 8% of the box office. In 2012, 213 films were produced in Colombia, a huge increase since 2009 when 19 were produced according to Ocal, the Observotario del Cine f nCl [sic]. In 2012, 23 of the 213 domestic films were released theatrically, a tremendous increase from the 6 Colombian films released in the year 2000. [1],[2] This number surpasses every record in Colombia’s film history
This 10 day spectacular film festival gives free entry to all at 8 theaters and, proving the point that people love the movies, every single screening is packed solid, Sro. More than 135 films come from 27 countries. 48 daily screenings include 14 open air screenings in great locations. There are 40 world premieres and 26 Latin American premieres.
150 invited guests included Abbas Kiarostami, Clive Owen, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Pavel Pawlikowsky with his film Ida, John Sayles with whom I had an interesting talk about U.S. current distribution and of Return of Seacaucus Seven and Sunshine State. The screening of his film Go For Sisters has received an enthusiastic response from the audiences.
Since 2013, coproductions between the U.S. and Colombia with variations on the theme are on the rise. With its 40% cash rebate, Colombia is proving to be a great place to make movies.
Colombians such as Simon Brand are making English language genre films such as this year’s festival debuting Default (Isa: Wild Bunch). For budgets under Us$1 million, action, thrillers and horror genres can cross borders, and can recoup costs and even profit.
The reverse is also notable. Four films screening here are Colombian films made by Americans. The winner to three prizes here for Best Director, Best Documentary and the Audience Prize, Marmato by Marc Grieco was workshopped twice at Sundance where it premiered this January 2014. It is represented internationally by Ro*co and its U.S. representative is Ben Weiss at Paradigm. The other three remarkable debut films are Mambo Cool by Chris Gude,Manos Sucias by Josef Wladyka (a Japanese-Polish American) and Parador Hungaro by Patrick Alexander and Aseneth Suarez Ruiz. Look for upcoming interviews with these four directors who came to Colombia and, because of their experiences here, decided to make these exceptional movies. My next blog will be interviews with each of these films’ directors.
Secundaria , the first film I saw here was not shot here although it too was directed by an American who made 21 trips to Cuba to make it. Documenting the high school ballet training and competitions held by Cuba’s world famous National Ballet School -- Watch the trailer here -- it was not only beautiful but it magically captured the ever-present economic issues of Cuba. I can’t wait to see Primaria about the grade school of the Nbs.
Director and coproducer Mary Jane Doherty has been an Associate Professor of Film at Boston University since 1990. Proud of her lineage as a student of iconic documentarian Ricky Leacock, she developed B.U.’s Narrative Documentary Program: a novel approach to non-fiction storytelling using the building blocks of fiction film. Lyda Kuth , the coproducer, is founding board member and executive director of the Lef Foundation, which supports independent filmmakers through the Lef Moving Image Fund. In 2005, she established Nadita Productions and was producer/director on her first feature documentary, Love and Other Anxieties.
A cocktail party is given daily at the festival where we can all meet up. It was there I met Gail Gendler VP of Acquisitions for AMC/ Sundance Channel Global (international not domestic) and Gus
Dinner one night was with the jury for Nuevos Creadores (New Creators). Cynthia Garcia Calvo, Editor in Chief of LatamCinema.com, a Latino equivalent to Indiewire.com out of Chile and Argentina and I spoke of possible ways to cooperate. The third member of the jury, Javier Mejia, director of Colombia’s best film of 2008 Apocalypsur also has a documentary here, Duni, about a Chilean filmmaker who left Chile during the dictatorship and came to Colombia where he made political films in Medellin but never discussed his reasons for coming or even his Chilean roots. How happy I was that I had seen and enjoyed the films of the third jury member, Daniel Vega, who with his brother Diego made The Mute aka El Mudo (Isa: Urban Media) which played in Toronto and San Sebastian and his earlier film October, both dark comedies or perhaps dramadies dealing with subjective realities in unique environs of Peru we have never seen. He promised to help me with the Peru chapter of my upcoming book. Peru is in the lower middle of countries which support filmmaking. Their film fund is a rather laid back affair administered by the Ministry of Culture who receives money from the Ministry of Finance when they “get around to it”.
Jury for New Creators: Javier Mejía, Cynthia García Calvo and Diego Vega,displaying the winner for the Best Short Film: Alen Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle) who won a Sony video camera, 2,000, 000 pesos of in kind services from Shock Magazin, and a scholarship for graduate Project Management and Film Production at the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga
Second prize went to The murmur of the earth Alejandro Daza (National University) - Win a Sony camera, and a Fellowship for Graduate Record Audio and Sound Design of the Autonomous University of Bucaramanga.
Other winners are:
Official Colombian Film Competition
Jurors: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Documentary Competition
Jurors: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Short Film Competition
JurorsOswaldo Osorio -Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Jurors: Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
[1] http://www.cinelatinoamericano.org/ocal/cifras.aspx
[2] http://www.mincultura.gov.co/areas/cinematografia/estadisticas-del-sector/Documents/Anuario%202012.p...
- 3/26/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The 54th Edition of the Cartagena Film Festival has come to an end and the winners have been announced. The indisputable protagonists this year were Marmato by Mark Grieco, winning three awards, Rubén Mendoza's Dust on the Tongue, and the Chilean film To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, with two awards each. Surely these three films and several other winners will become important works at other upcoming festivals since many of them have already done well at Sundance, Rotterdam, and Berlin.
Official Competition: Narrative Feature
Members of the Jury: Wendy Mitchell - Jose Maria Riba - Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Film: Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la Lengua) by Rubén Mendoza (Colombia- Winner of $15K
Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La Tercera Orilla) by Celina Murga (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany)
Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) (Chile, France)
Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio for El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France)
Fipresci
Members of the Jury: Carlos Heredero - Hiroaki Saitô - Michal Oleszczyk
Best Film: To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile, France)
Other Awards
Oclacc Award (Catholic Organization of Communications for Latin America and the Caribbean)
Special Mention: Mateo by María Gamboa (Colombia
Official Competition: Colombian Cinema
Members of the Jury: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Competition: Documentary
Members of the Jury: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Competition: Short Film
Members of the Jury: Oswaldo Osorio - Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Members of the Jury:Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
New Creators
Members of the Jury: Javier Mejía- Diego Vega - Cynthia García Calvo
Best Short Film: Alén by Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle).
Runner-up: The Earth's Whisper (El murmullo de la tierra) by Alejandro Daza (Universidad Nacional)...
Official Competition: Narrative Feature
Members of the Jury: Wendy Mitchell - Jose Maria Riba - Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Film: Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la Lengua) by Rubén Mendoza (Colombia- Winner of $15K
Special Jury Prize: The Third Side of the River (La Tercera Orilla) by Celina Murga (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany)
Best Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) (Chile, France)
Best Actor: Fernando Bacilio for El Mudo (Peru, Mexico, France)
Fipresci
Members of the Jury: Carlos Heredero - Hiroaki Saitô - Michal Oleszczyk
Best Film: To Kill a Man by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile, France)
Other Awards
Oclacc Award (Catholic Organization of Communications for Latin America and the Caribbean)
Special Mention: Mateo by María Gamboa (Colombia
Official Competition: Colombian Cinema
Members of the Jury: David Melo - Alissa Simon - Daniela Michel
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA) Winner of the I.Sat Award for $30K and the Cinecolor Award for $11k in deliveries
Special Jury Prize: Mateo by María Gamboa
Best Director: Rubén Mendoza for Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua). Winner of Hangar Films Award for $30K in film equipment to produce his next film.
Additional Awards
Audience Award Colombia: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of $15K
Official Competition: Documentary
Members of the Jury: Gary Meyer- Luis Ospina - Laurie Collyer
Best Film: Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA). Winner of the Cinecolor Award for $13Kin post-production services.
Special Jury Prize: What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-me) by Joaquim Pinto (Portugal)
Best Director: Justin Webster for I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) (Spain, Denmark, U.K.)
Official Competition: Short Film
Members of the Jury: Oswaldo Osorio - Pacho Bottia - Denis de la Roca
Best Short Film: Statues (Estatuas) by Roberto Fiesco (Mexico). Winner of a professional Sony camera and $3K from Cinecolor in post-production services for his next project.
Special Jury Prize: About a Month (Pouco Mais de um Mês) by André Novais Oliveira (Brazil)
Best Director: Manuel Camacho Bustillo for Blackout chapter 4 "A Call to Neverland" (Blackout capítulo 4 "Una llamada a Neverland") (Mexico). Winner of a Sony photographic camera.
Gems
Members of the Jury:Mauricio Reina - Manuel Kalmanowitz - Sofia Gomez Gonzalez
Best Film: Like Father, Like Son by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan). Winner of the Rcn Award for $50 to promote the release of the film in Colombia.
Special Jury Prize: Ilo Ilo by Anthony Chen (Singapore)
New Creators
Members of the Jury: Javier Mejía- Diego Vega - Cynthia García Calvo
Best Short Film: Alén by Natalia Imery (Universidad del Valle).
Runner-up: The Earth's Whisper (El murmullo de la tierra) by Alejandro Daza (Universidad Nacional)...
- 3/22/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Dust On The Tongue [pictured], Marmato, To Kill A Man take home prizes.
The 54th edition of the Cartagena Film Festival wrapped tonight in Colombia, with the festival’s main Latin American competition prize going to a local film, Ruben Mendoza’s Dust On The Tounge (Tierra En La Lengua). The award comes with $15,000.
The film blends fake documentary and fiction in the story of a crude, violent patriarch (Jairo Salcedo) who brings his cityslicker grandchildren to his ranch to help him die.
The jury gave its best director prize to Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill A Man (Matar a un hombre), a Chilean dark dramatic thriller that also took home Cartagena’s Fipresci prize.
Best actor was Fernando Bacilio for The Mute (El Mudo) by Daniel and Diego Vega from Peru. The special jury prize went to Celina Murga’s The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) from Argentina.
Best documentary...
The 54th edition of the Cartagena Film Festival wrapped tonight in Colombia, with the festival’s main Latin American competition prize going to a local film, Ruben Mendoza’s Dust On The Tounge (Tierra En La Lengua). The award comes with $15,000.
The film blends fake documentary and fiction in the story of a crude, violent patriarch (Jairo Salcedo) who brings his cityslicker grandchildren to his ranch to help him die.
The jury gave its best director prize to Alejandro Fernández Almendras for To Kill A Man (Matar a un hombre), a Chilean dark dramatic thriller that also took home Cartagena’s Fipresci prize.
Best actor was Fernando Bacilio for The Mute (El Mudo) by Daniel and Diego Vega from Peru. The special jury prize went to Celina Murga’s The Third Side of the River (La tercera orilla) from Argentina.
Best documentary...
- 3/20/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
A Wolf At The Door, licensed internationally by Mundial, has taken the Knight Grand Jury Prize at the 31st Miami International Film Festival (16).
In the documentary competition there was a tie for the Knight Grand Jury Prize between Finding Vivian Maier and The Overnighters.
Fading Gigolo and The Mountain prevailed in the Lexus Audience Awards for feature narrative and dovumentary.
“We are humbled by the community’s overwhelming response to this year’s film festival,” said Mdc president Dr Eduardo J. Padrón. “It serves to strengthen the college’s commitment to providing quality cultural arts programming for all to enjoy.”
“We hoped that this year’s Festival would provide memories to treasure and it has absolutely delivered,” said Miff executive director Jaie Laplante. “From the magic of Hollywood glamor on opening night to the many superb films and engaging filmmakers that we enjoyed in the nine days that followed, Miff 2014 has inspired and enraptured.”
The festival...
In the documentary competition there was a tie for the Knight Grand Jury Prize between Finding Vivian Maier and The Overnighters.
Fading Gigolo and The Mountain prevailed in the Lexus Audience Awards for feature narrative and dovumentary.
“We are humbled by the community’s overwhelming response to this year’s film festival,” said Mdc president Dr Eduardo J. Padrón. “It serves to strengthen the college’s commitment to providing quality cultural arts programming for all to enjoy.”
“We hoped that this year’s Festival would provide memories to treasure and it has absolutely delivered,” said Miff executive director Jaie Laplante. “From the magic of Hollywood glamor on opening night to the many superb films and engaging filmmakers that we enjoyed in the nine days that followed, Miff 2014 has inspired and enraptured.”
The festival...
- 3/16/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The 54th International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia has invited me to attend March 13 - 19, 2014.
One of Ficci's main goals is supporting the development of Colombian cinema. With that in mind, the festival will open with the world premiere of Ciudad Delirio, inviting the audience to get to know Cali, the only city in Latin America that loves all Latin American music, a center of creative development for Colombia's cinema, splendidly and authentically presented through the passion and flavor of salsa. Ficci is once again betting on the kind of cinema that speaks locally and globally, cinema that invites, seduces and embraces all kinds of audiences.
Starring Carolina Ramírez , Cauca Valley dancer and actress renown for her performance in soap operas such as La hija del mariachiand La Pola and Spaniard Julián Villagrán, winner of a Goya for his performance in Grupo 7, Ciudad Delirio also features Colombian actors of such caliber as Vicky Hernández Jorge Herrera , Margarita Ortega and John Alex Castillo. Thanks to a world-class team lead by Spanish dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Blanca Li, who has worked for The Berlin State Ballet, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé and Daft Punk, and by multiple time Salsa World Champion Viviana Vargas, Cartagena will get to experience the madness of one of the most sensual dances on earth.
Ciudad Delirio was produced by Diego F. Ramírez, head of 64-a Films in Colombia, which has produced such films as Perro come perro,Todos tus muertos, Dr. Alemán, En coma, and180 segundos and Spaniard Elena Manrique, founder of Film Fatal and renown for her production of movies such asEl laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth), El orfanato and Transsiberiano, to name just a few.
For seven weeks during the making of Ciudad delirio, 45 locations in Cali, Colombia and Madrid, Spain were overrun by salsa. More than 3,200 extras from Cauca Valley helped to tell this love story that revolves around the show Delirio, a long-standing cultural tradition in Sultana del Valle.
In Ciudad Delirio, Javier, a shy, reserved Spanish doctor, attends a medical conference in Cali, Colombia. There, through a chance meeting, he shares a magical night with Angie, a dancer and choreographer who dreams of being part of the world's most famous salsa show, Delirio, if only she can pass the audition. Javier and Angie begin an impossible romance full of obstacles, surrounded by salsa, and accompanied by a cast of characters that are as authentic as they are hilarious.
The festival's guest of honor will be the prolific British actor Clive Owen, who is known for his diverse roles in films like Closer Children of Men, and The International . The Latin American premier of his latest film, Guillaume Canet's Blood Ties (2013), will be a highlight of the Friday, March 14th event, taking place at 6:00 pm in the Adolfo Mejía Theater, where, after being presented with the India Catalina prize, the actor will be interviewed by Ficci's director, Monika Wagenberg.
Another special honoree will be Mexican director Alejando Gonazlez Iñárritu, who has garnered international acclaim throughout the years with films such as Amores Perros , 21 Grams , Babel, and Biutiful . Established within the film industry as one of Latin America's most important directors of the new century, Iñárritu is currently in-production for Birdman (2014), a film he wrote and directed starring Emma Stone and Edward Norton . Participants of the 54th Ficci will have the opportunity to attend the Tribute honoring this Academy Award-nominated filmmaker on Sunday, March 16th, as well as his Master class the following day during Salón Ficci – the festival's academic program.
In regards to the festival's line-up, it is interesting to note that several of the filmmakers that will take part in the Dramatic Competition are directors who have participated at Ficci with their previous films and have established themselves in the international festival circuit winning prestigious awards. Others will arrive to Cartagena for the first time with their operas primas.
"2014 promises to be a good year for Iberoamerican cinema and we are proud to feature several of the most recent films of the region in our Official Dramatic Competition, in which half of the chosen movies are Latin American Premieres (movies that come directly to Cartagena after their world premieres at Sundance and Berlin Festivals). Eight of the twelve films in the Colombian Official Competition (known before as Colombia al 100%) are World Premieres. This way, we have managed to achieve the goal we set four years ago: becoming the main national and international launching platform of local films", stated Ficci's Director Monika Wagenberg.
Wagenberg also addressed some chances in the festival's rules that will allow for more experience filmmakers to partake in the event.
"One of the big news of Ficci 54 is that this time we have not limited the Official Dramatic Competition to first, second and third time Ibero-American films. Ending this restriction will make possible for those directors from this region who are producing feature films at a fast pace not, to be excluded from the competition" Wagenberg added.
The Official Dramatic Competition will feature the Latin American premieres The Lock Charmer (El Cerrajero) by Natalia Smirnoff (Argentina), Natural Sciences (Ciencias Naturales) by Matías Lucchesi(Argentina), The Way He Looks (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) by Daniel Ribeiro(Brazil), Celina Murga's Berlin Official Competition, The Three Sides of the River (La tercera orilla) (Argentina), recent Sundance and Rotterdam winner, To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile), Mateo, first film by Maria Gamboa (Colombia), and the world premiere of Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua) by Ruben Mendoza (Colombia).
This section also includes other outstanding films such as Bad Hair (Pelo malo), written and directed by Mariana Rondón (Venezuela) which comes to Ficci after its triumph at the San Sebastián Film Festival; The Mute (El Mudo), directed by brothers Daniel and Diego Vega (Perú), which had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival and are coming back to Ficci after competing winning Best Director award in 2010; premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and awarded the Concha de Plata for Best Director in San Sebastián, comes Club Sándwich by Fernando Eimbcke(México), and the 12th film in this section is Root (Raíz) by Matías Rojas Valencia (Chile), the winner of Best Chilean Film winner at the Valdivia Film Festival.
The Official Documentary Competition will showcase the world premieres of El color que cayó del cielo by Sergio Wolf (Argentina) and Heaven or Hell (Infierno o paraíso) de German Piffano(Colombia); as well as the Latin American premiere of The Silence of the Flies (El silencio de las moscas) by Eliezer Arias (Venezuela), Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA), and Apples, Chickens and Chimeras (Manzanas, pollos y quimeras) de Inés París (España). The rest of the program includes Argentine Street Years (Años de calle) by Alejandra Grinschpun, I Feel Much Better Now (E-agora? Lembra me) by Joaquim Pinto(Portugal), Naomi Campbel by icolas Videla and Camila José Donoso (Chile), Cesar's Grill (El Grill de Cesar) by Dario Aguirre, I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) by Justin Webster (Spain), Mexican documentary, Elevator (Elevador) by Adrián Ortizl and the most recent work by talented Brazilian documentary film director Maria Ramos , Hills of Pleasures (Morro dos Prazeres).
Lastly, in the Colombian Official Competition we will present the world premieres of Banished (Desterrada) by Diego Guerra, Manos sucias by Joseph Wladyka, Memorias del calavero and Tierra en la lengua by Rubén Mendoza, Monte adentro by Nicolás Macario Alonso, Parador Húngaro by Aseneth Suarez and Patrick Alexander, Infierno o paraíso by Germán Piffano; as well as the Latin American premieres of Inés, memorias de una vida by Luisa Sossa; Gente de papel, con el alma en la selva by Andrés Felipe Vásquez, Mateo by Maria Gamboa, Marmato by Mark Grieco and the Colombian premiere of Mambo Cool by Chris Gude.
One of Ficci's main goals is supporting the development of Colombian cinema. With that in mind, the festival will open with the world premiere of Ciudad Delirio, inviting the audience to get to know Cali, the only city in Latin America that loves all Latin American music, a center of creative development for Colombia's cinema, splendidly and authentically presented through the passion and flavor of salsa. Ficci is once again betting on the kind of cinema that speaks locally and globally, cinema that invites, seduces and embraces all kinds of audiences.
Starring Carolina Ramírez , Cauca Valley dancer and actress renown for her performance in soap operas such as La hija del mariachiand La Pola and Spaniard Julián Villagrán, winner of a Goya for his performance in Grupo 7, Ciudad Delirio also features Colombian actors of such caliber as Vicky Hernández Jorge Herrera , Margarita Ortega and John Alex Castillo. Thanks to a world-class team lead by Spanish dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Blanca Li, who has worked for The Berlin State Ballet, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé and Daft Punk, and by multiple time Salsa World Champion Viviana Vargas, Cartagena will get to experience the madness of one of the most sensual dances on earth.
Ciudad Delirio was produced by Diego F. Ramírez, head of 64-a Films in Colombia, which has produced such films as Perro come perro,Todos tus muertos, Dr. Alemán, En coma, and180 segundos and Spaniard Elena Manrique, founder of Film Fatal and renown for her production of movies such asEl laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth), El orfanato and Transsiberiano, to name just a few.
For seven weeks during the making of Ciudad delirio, 45 locations in Cali, Colombia and Madrid, Spain were overrun by salsa. More than 3,200 extras from Cauca Valley helped to tell this love story that revolves around the show Delirio, a long-standing cultural tradition in Sultana del Valle.
In Ciudad Delirio, Javier, a shy, reserved Spanish doctor, attends a medical conference in Cali, Colombia. There, through a chance meeting, he shares a magical night with Angie, a dancer and choreographer who dreams of being part of the world's most famous salsa show, Delirio, if only she can pass the audition. Javier and Angie begin an impossible romance full of obstacles, surrounded by salsa, and accompanied by a cast of characters that are as authentic as they are hilarious.
The festival's guest of honor will be the prolific British actor Clive Owen, who is known for his diverse roles in films like Closer Children of Men, and The International . The Latin American premier of his latest film, Guillaume Canet's Blood Ties (2013), will be a highlight of the Friday, March 14th event, taking place at 6:00 pm in the Adolfo Mejía Theater, where, after being presented with the India Catalina prize, the actor will be interviewed by Ficci's director, Monika Wagenberg.
Another special honoree will be Mexican director Alejando Gonazlez Iñárritu, who has garnered international acclaim throughout the years with films such as Amores Perros , 21 Grams , Babel, and Biutiful . Established within the film industry as one of Latin America's most important directors of the new century, Iñárritu is currently in-production for Birdman (2014), a film he wrote and directed starring Emma Stone and Edward Norton . Participants of the 54th Ficci will have the opportunity to attend the Tribute honoring this Academy Award-nominated filmmaker on Sunday, March 16th, as well as his Master class the following day during Salón Ficci – the festival's academic program.
In regards to the festival's line-up, it is interesting to note that several of the filmmakers that will take part in the Dramatic Competition are directors who have participated at Ficci with their previous films and have established themselves in the international festival circuit winning prestigious awards. Others will arrive to Cartagena for the first time with their operas primas.
"2014 promises to be a good year for Iberoamerican cinema and we are proud to feature several of the most recent films of the region in our Official Dramatic Competition, in which half of the chosen movies are Latin American Premieres (movies that come directly to Cartagena after their world premieres at Sundance and Berlin Festivals). Eight of the twelve films in the Colombian Official Competition (known before as Colombia al 100%) are World Premieres. This way, we have managed to achieve the goal we set four years ago: becoming the main national and international launching platform of local films", stated Ficci's Director Monika Wagenberg.
Wagenberg also addressed some chances in the festival's rules that will allow for more experience filmmakers to partake in the event.
"One of the big news of Ficci 54 is that this time we have not limited the Official Dramatic Competition to first, second and third time Ibero-American films. Ending this restriction will make possible for those directors from this region who are producing feature films at a fast pace not, to be excluded from the competition" Wagenberg added.
The Official Dramatic Competition will feature the Latin American premieres The Lock Charmer (El Cerrajero) by Natalia Smirnoff (Argentina), Natural Sciences (Ciencias Naturales) by Matías Lucchesi(Argentina), The Way He Looks (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho) by Daniel Ribeiro(Brazil), Celina Murga's Berlin Official Competition, The Three Sides of the River (La tercera orilla) (Argentina), recent Sundance and Rotterdam winner, To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile), Mateo, first film by Maria Gamboa (Colombia), and the world premiere of Dust on the Tongue (Tierra en la lengua) by Ruben Mendoza (Colombia).
This section also includes other outstanding films such as Bad Hair (Pelo malo), written and directed by Mariana Rondón (Venezuela) which comes to Ficci after its triumph at the San Sebastián Film Festival; The Mute (El Mudo), directed by brothers Daniel and Diego Vega (Perú), which had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival and are coming back to Ficci after competing winning Best Director award in 2010; premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and awarded the Concha de Plata for Best Director in San Sebastián, comes Club Sándwich by Fernando Eimbcke(México), and the 12th film in this section is Root (Raíz) by Matías Rojas Valencia (Chile), the winner of Best Chilean Film winner at the Valdivia Film Festival.
The Official Documentary Competition will showcase the world premieres of El color que cayó del cielo by Sergio Wolf (Argentina) and Heaven or Hell (Infierno o paraíso) de German Piffano(Colombia); as well as the Latin American premiere of The Silence of the Flies (El silencio de las moscas) by Eliezer Arias (Venezuela), Marmato by Mark Grieco (Colombia, USA), and Apples, Chickens and Chimeras (Manzanas, pollos y quimeras) de Inés París (España). The rest of the program includes Argentine Street Years (Años de calle) by Alejandra Grinschpun, I Feel Much Better Now (E-agora? Lembra me) by Joaquim Pinto(Portugal), Naomi Campbel by icolas Videla and Camila José Donoso (Chile), Cesar's Grill (El Grill de Cesar) by Dario Aguirre, I Will Be Murdered (Seré asesinado) by Justin Webster (Spain), Mexican documentary, Elevator (Elevador) by Adrián Ortizl and the most recent work by talented Brazilian documentary film director Maria Ramos , Hills of Pleasures (Morro dos Prazeres).
Lastly, in the Colombian Official Competition we will present the world premieres of Banished (Desterrada) by Diego Guerra, Manos sucias by Joseph Wladyka, Memorias del calavero and Tierra en la lengua by Rubén Mendoza, Monte adentro by Nicolás Macario Alonso, Parador Húngaro by Aseneth Suarez and Patrick Alexander, Infierno o paraíso by Germán Piffano; as well as the Latin American premieres of Inés, memorias de una vida by Luisa Sossa; Gente de papel, con el alma en la selva by Andrés Felipe Vásquez, Mateo by Maria Gamboa, Marmato by Mark Grieco and the Colombian premiere of Mambo Cool by Chris Gude.
- 2/27/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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