Greg Reitman winner of Sundance Audience Award Documentary with his documentary 'Fuel' returns to Montreal with Rooted in Peace

SEVEN DAYS

2015, B&W, China, World Competition 

Production Team

Director : Xing Jian

Screenwriter : Liu Jinkai, Xing Jian

Cinematographer : Chen Liyang, Gu Shouzhu

Editor : Xing Jian

Cast : Wang Deshun, Wang Shiwenqi, Huang Songbo

Music : Liu Suola

Film production and Sales : Prod.: Xing Jian, Beijing Yijie Film Culture Media Co., tél.: +86 (139) 1141 22 52, xingjian@vip.163.com.

Synopsis

In the early 1990s, in northern China, an old man lived by himself. It was a snowy winter but every day, he would go fishing, bring his catch home alive and then put it back in the river the next day. Then, one day, the old man found an injured bird on his way home from fishing and took it home to heal. A new bond developed between the old man and his feathered friend and the bird quickly became part of the old man’s life. No more fishing. One day, playing with his new pet in the wood, the old man met a young boy who was immediately attracted to the bird. So much so that he followed the man home. One day, while the old man slept, the boy took the the bird out for fun but soon ran into a group of other boys intent on stealing the animal. In a moment of desperation the boy was forced to release the bird. When he returned to the old man’s house... no bird! But relationships are like that. They begin and sometimes they end. But when the young boy entered the old man’s life, something changed forever. 

Director

Born in Liaoning, China in 1984, Xing Jian is a painter, calligrapher and filmmaker. He began studying painting in primary school and majored in cinematography at university. He graduated from the Affiliated Secondary School of the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in Lioaning and the Meishi Film Academy of Chongqing University. SEVEN DAYS marks his directorial debut in features. 

 

Projections

Tuesday September 1, 2015 - 09:00 AM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL
Tuesday September 1, 2015 - 09:30 PM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL

Transporter Refueled, Review: Fuel efficient and fired up

Originally titled The Transporter Legacy, the film’s French title remains Le Transporteur: Héritage, while in American English, it is Transporter Refueled. It is the fourth film in the Transporter franchise, with Ed Skrein replacing three-timer Jason Statham in the title role of Frank Martin, a move that a lot of Statham fans have found hard to digest. The first Transporter movie (2002) was a moderate success. It spawned two sequels and a television series (with Chris Vance portraying Martin). Part 4 is a prequel of sorts.

Having a getaway car driver as its central character, glorified with the moniker of Transporter (imagine being called Chauffer or Driver!), the Fuel in the title adds fire to the project! The film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA, for sequences of violence and action, sexual material (mostly seen as mere blurs in the Indian release), some language, a drug reference, and thematic elements. But two things that Transporter Refueled does not lack are exciting action and breakneck pace, two elements that characterise most Statham films.

Frank Martin (Skrein) is known as The Transporter, because he is the best driver, and mercenary, money can buy. A former special-ops mercenary, Frank is now living a less perilous life--or so he thinks—on the French Riviera, transporting classified packages for questionable people. Frank is engaged by a cunning femme-fatale, Anna (Loan Chabanol), a former street hooker, and her three seductive sidekicks, Gina, Maria and Qiao (Gabriella Wright, Tatiana Pajkovoc and Weng Xia-Yu), all former prostitutes. They initially want him to play his part in an orchestrated bank fraud, and eventually, to help them get even with their prostitution racketeer boss, Arkady Karasov (Radivoje Bukvic) and his former gang-members (all Russians) Yuri (Yuri Kolokolnikov), Leo Imasova (Lenn Kudrjawizki) and Stanislas Turgin (Anatole Taubman). When he turns down the second offer, his father, Frank Senior, a retired British covert operative, is kidnapped and used as bait to convince Frank Jr.

Transporter Refueled is written by Adam Cooper (Accepted, Tower Heist), Bill Collage (Accepted, Tower Heist) and Luc Besson (Taxi, 2-3-4, Taken), based upon characters created by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen (a California wine-maker who also writes films, like Karate Kid, Taken, Fifth Element and Lethal Weapon III). It is set in picturesque Southern France locales, in sharp contrast with the mass destruction of cars and property that dot the narrative. Prostitutes avenging being forced into the trade and accompanying loss of innocence is not a novel theme, but by giving that entire exercise some unusual twists, the writers add some novelty.

Not all of it is smooth going, though! A greedy motive for the female protagonist that demeans the concept of noble revenge, a ex-covert operative father who gets kidnapped twice at the drop of a …wine bottle, and a hard-nosed French Police Inspector who sound like he means business but ends-up without getting even ‘venture capital’, are pot-holes that needed much better writing to avoid. Such smart writing is found in some other scenes in this very film, like the methods used to obtain fingerprints and the climactic surprises. Most of the profound one-liners are of the lofty kind, trying to give the professions, of special operations and amoral mercenary activity, some kind of moral validation.

Assisted by some striking camera angles and a competent stunt team, editor-turned-director Camille Delamarre (Brick Mansion, editor on Taken 2, Transporter 3, Colombiana) manages to keep the audiences engaged. He is the fourth person to wield the megaphone for the series. Action is superfast, which makes it difficult to follow who is doing what to whom. Besides, it is almost always one-sided, and when it is not, it only prolongs or repeats the same moves, before declaring the favourite as winner. Cars are sent crashing by the dozen, mostly police cars at that. Crash-starting the roadside hydrants, the car moving slowly on auto-pilot while Frank Jr. attends to the ‘obstructers’, and a getaway car getting of the tarmac and leaping through an aerobridge, landing inside the airport, are thrills to applaud. The Frank Sr. and Frank Jr. father-son track, replete with a young woman and the old man getting intimate, remind you of Sean Connery and Harrison Ford of Indiana Jones fame, though not quite in the same league.

Ed Skrein (Ill Manors, Goldfish, Tiger House, villain in upcoming Deadpool) is no Jason Statham. He has some similarities in his ruggedness, but none in the facials features of the voice. His voice, in fact, is so full of bass that it could pass off as a hiss (take the ‘rap’, rapper Skrein). As a man interested in just doing his job and refusing to get into anything except the money he would make, he is aptly deadpan. Emotions do register in some scenes with his father. On the other hand, he goes through the start-stop-start-stop mayhem of clobbering man after man, with supreme assurance from the script he’s read, to the effect that he is indestructible.

Loan Chabanol (born in France; of Vietnamese, German, and Italian descent; debut-Fading Gigolo, Third Person) is mechanical, with her age not clearly established. She gets one scene, when she narrates the story of her past, to deliver limited histrionics. Ray Stevenson (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Thor: The Dark World, Divergent) gets to deliver many of the one-liners, both flippant and meaningful, and the conversations between him and his son come across as fairly realistic; if only they had more relevance to the story. He looks unconvincing when getting romantic with one of his captors.

Gabriella Wright, Tatiana Pajkovic and Wen Xia-Yu get almost equal footage, and at least one scene each to perform, with Tatiana as the Basque-born girl, who falls for Frank Sr., striking an emotion-charged chord. Samir Guesmi plays Inspector Bectaoui, a role and an actor that deserved much better than the perfunctory way it/he is treated. The bad guys are played by Radivoje Bukvic, Yuri Kolokolnikov, Lenn Kudrjawizki and Anatole Taubman, with a range of looks that span similarity to Jason Statham (Bukvic) and one baby-face. Noémie Lenoir is cast as Bukvic’s moll.

Swanky and souped-up cars, an aeroplane, a yatch, a speed-boat, a ski-jet, and a dozen motor-cycles …you name it, Transporter’s got it. If you cannot imagine a Transporter film without Jason Statham, don’t bother wasting your time and money. If tales of thrilling sweet vendetta and ‘outta my way’ violent justice give you adrenaline rushes, get into your transport and head for the fuelling…oops…filling station!

Rating: ***

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weqzAM5LCIY

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Dear filmmakers friends do not miss these Festivals in Focus. The next eBlast is may 30 with more festivals to watch.

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival November 6 - 22, 2015

Final Deadline September 15th..Students only  

Celebrating its 30th annual festival in 2015, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) presents American indies and studio films, international films, special tributes and seminars and introduces industry leaders to South Florida audiences. The fall festival runs October-November, and annually screens foreign and independent films in Fort Lauderdale, Weston, Pompano Beach, Sunrise, Hollywood, St Augustine, Amelia Island, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Daytona Beach and The Bahamas. Considered one of the most important regional film festivals in the U.S., the Festival's commitment to first-time filmmakers and innovative programming make it the perfect test market for filmmakers. In partnership with filmfestivals.com

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ENTRY INFORMATION

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ENTRY INFORMATION

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This year, the Sebastiane Award celebrates its 16th year at the San Sebastian Festival; sixteen years of endeavouring to present its award to the production that best reflects the realities, freedoms and social progress made by LGBTI people. 

This collective and its particularities have remained hidden for years in both society and cinema. Today awards such as the Sebastiane at the leading Film Festivals seek to turn the spotlight on films that lend visibility to the LGBTI worlds. Productions of an increasingly excellent cinematic quality every year.

Along with the Sebastiane Award, we will present the 3rd Sebastiane Latino. This award, in keeping with San Sebastian Festival’s line of supporting Latin American cinema, chooses the best Latin LGBTI film of the year. The film by Marco Berger, Mariposa, will receive the Award on September the 20th and can be seen in the Zabaltegi section.

Among the films shortlisted for the XVI Sebastiane Award are hallowed filmmakers alongside new directors. The candidates are:

EL REY DE LA HABANA Official Selection

Director: Agustí Villaronga  Country: Spain – Dominican Rep.

Agustí Villaronga adapts the novel of the same name by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez. Recently escaped from reformatory, young Reinaldo tries to get by in the streets of Havana in the late 90s, one of the worst decades for Cuban society. Hopes, disillusionment, rum, good humour and above all hunger, accompany him in his wanderings until he meets Magda and Yunisleidy, survivors like himself. In one or the other’s arms, he will try to escape the material and moral misery surrounding him, living love, passion, tenderness and uninhibited sex to the limit.

FREEHELD Official Selection Director: Peter Sollett Country: USA

Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carell and Josh Charles star in this film based on true events. The true love story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells, and activist Steven Goldstein, unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defence, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

BARASH New Directors Director: Michal Vinik Country: Israel

17 year old Naama Barash enjoys alcohol, drugs and hanging out with like-minded friends. Her activities are an escape from a home where her parents always fight, and a rebellious, army-enrolled sister, who, one day, disappears. As a new girl shows up at school, Barash falls deep in love for the first time, and the intensity of the experience at once confuses her and gives her life new meaning.

Pablo Larraín won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the last Berlin Festival with this film. Four men share a secluded house in a small beach town, sent there to purge the sins they have committed in the past

DESDE ALLÁ Horizontes Latinos Director: Lorenzo Vigas 

Country: Venezuela

Armando, aged 50, looks for young men in the streets of Caracas and pays them to come back to his house with him. He also regularly spies on an older man with whom he seems to have ties from the past. One day he meets Elder, aged 17, leader of a small band of thugs. Competitor in the Official Selection of the Venice Festival.

MARIPOSA Zabaltegi Director: Marco Berger Country: Argentina 

A butterfly’s flapping wings divides Romino and Germán’s universe into two parallel realities: in one of them they grow as siblings who conceal their desire for one another; while in the other they are two youngsters who have an unusual friendship. Winning film of the Sebastiane Latino 2015 Award.

Winning film of the Sebastiane Latino 2015 Award.

OUT OF COMPETITION (Thematic Retrospective)

PARADE

New Japanese Independent Cinema 200-2015

Director: Isao Yukisada

Country: Japan, 2009

Premiered at the Berlin Festival, this film by Isao Yukisada is a sharp psychological study of four flatmates. Their lives seem to be routine and uneventful until the appearance of a strange boy who highlights the fragility of the system they live in. Who is the fifth occupant of the flat? Could he be the serial killer who has been marauding the neighbourhood?

It's hard to believe, but this month the Toronto International Film Festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Milestones like this always make for a good excuse to pause and reflect, especially for Torontonians of my generation who grew up in the 1970s and 80s. The great thing about being a film fanatic living in Toronto back then was the sheer selection of movies you could see on any day of the week. The city had a huge number of cinema screens relative to its population, equal to, if not greater than cities like New York, London or Paris. Whatever your neighborhood, you were never far from a cinema. And if the prevailing Hollywood fare wasn't to your liking, there was no shortage of repertory cinemas scattered throughout the city, such as the Bloor, the Kingsway, the Revue and the Fox, where you could further your cinematic education and catch up on the back catalogue of classic films that had come before, allowing you to become an overnight expert (or so you thought) on the true meaning of Citizen Kane, Rashomon, or The 400 Blows, to name but a few.

In an era before home video or the internet, the rep cinemas were the only places you could see certain films, and we felt lucky if we had the chance to catch a rare screening of some revered masterpiece, even if it was a battered, scratched and thoroughly spliced 16 millimeter print. We didn't care. And no matter what you watched or where you went, the theaters were usually packed, especially on the weekends. So even before Toronto had established itself as a hub of film production, in the mid-70s it already had an enthusiastic film going population that went frequently, whether alone, as couples, in groups, or as part of a family outing.

Then in 1976 some folks decided it would a good idea to organize a local film festival. Not your typical kind of festival, but rather one that brought together and screened the best of recent films that had already been featured and distinguished themselves at other film festivals around the world. Kind of a “best of” festival, showing films that probably wouldn't be coming soon to your local cinema because they were either obscure, not commercially viable, lacked a Canadian distributor, or just too weird. A novel idea? Sure. But would the public go for it? Perhaps. So they decided to give it a try. And they called it the “Festival of Festivals”.

From the outset, there was no shortage of film submissions, even if the major Hollywood studios did not enthusiastically embrace the festival in its early formative years. But that's another story. The fact is, in its very first year, the Festival of Festival, running from October 18-24, screened 127 films in various genres from 30 countries and racked up attendances of over 35,000. Not bad for a debut performance.

The rest, as they say, is history. Although it proved itself a modest success, the festival took time to grow on the film industry, even if the film fans were onboard from the outset. Incrementally but steadily, through the 1980s the festival seemed to get a bit bigger and better each year, attracting greater numbers of films and celebrities, and in the process providing a boost to the local economy.

Then in 1994 after 18 incarnations as Toronto's “Festival of Festivals”, some people (probably with a background in marketing) decided to re-brand the event as the Toronto International Film Festival, reflecting the extent to which the festival had evolved, having gained international stature and the distinction of being the largest film festival in North America, second only to Cannes.

Aside from the consistently crowd pleasing film fare, another key factor in the festival's success over the years has been its legion of loyal volunteers. Call them them the unsung heros, the boots on the ground, the folks who do the heavy lifting; the fact is, each September there are literally hundreds of people, ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens, who give freely of their time and professional expertise in various areas to make the festival happen. Some will even book time off work or choose their vacation period to coincide with the festival's dates, just so they have the pleasure of volunteering, whether as an usher, driver, interpreter, messenger, or any other number of positions which would normally be considered anything but exciting or glamorous. Ah, but during the film festival it's different. For these folks, it doesn't matter if you answered phones, delivered film prints or tuna fish sandwiches, as long as you were a part of it, working alongside other people who shared a common goal-- making the film festival the best it could be for everyone who attended.

Although I'd been a festival goer since my teens, I didn't actually volunteer until 1998 when, for 10 action packed days, I served as the Photography Office Manager, supporting a team of around a dozen staff photographers, whose job was to cover press conferences, galas, industry events and just about anything film related for the festival's photographic archive. That year we set up our office and portrait studio in a suite at the Park Plaza Hotel. On a typical day, we’d do between 20 and 30 portrait sittings, most of them only lasting around 15 minutes.

My boss who was in charge of the department shot most of the studio portraits, but also gave me the chance to do some sessions. In 1998 the festival included a programme entitled the New Beat of Japan, featuring around 20 films by a variety of emerging and more established directors, most of them not widely known outside their country. Since I'd recently returned from two years working in Japan and spoke some Japanese, I got to shoot most of the directors' portraits, including many who are well known today, such as Kenji Kurosawa (no relation to Akira), Hirokazu Kore-Eda, and Shinya Tsukamoto, among others. Invariably, they would compliment my Japanese, surprised a Canadian film festival photographer could say anything in their language, to which I always replied “Sore hodo demo”, meaning “if only that was true”, which got an even bigger laugh.

Something I quickly learned as Photography Office Manager is that information is power. I was surprised at the the number of calls I'd receive throughout the day from various people asking about when various celebrities would be in town, where they were staying or, most importantly, where they would be hanging out on any particular night.

Invariably, I would plead ignorance, and it was true. 90% of the time, I didn't have the hot info they were looking for, and even if I did, I couldn't divulge it. However, my sincerity was often mistaken for reticence, and more than a few times money was offered in exchange for the coveted piece of info. When I told them I really didn't know, I could feel the consternation of the person on the other end of the line. And more than a few times someone would show up at our suite and ask if and when a certain actor or actress was scheduled for a portrait. At which point I would politely tell them that we did not share that kind of information out of respect for festival guests' privacy. If things got nasty, the phone on my desk had hotel security on speed dial, just in case. Fortunately, it never came to that.

The best part about the job was getting to see what a lot of famous people actually look like in person. I soon discovered that most celebrities generally look a bit older in person that you imagine, and a bit shorter. Of course, on the big screen, they are larger than life, and forever youthful in our memory. But in the flesh, more often than not, unadorned by make-up and ideal lighting, not so.

Sometimes people would arrive early or we'd run behind schedule, so I'd have a chance to have a chat with an actor or director. Of course, it was mostly small talk, but a couple of conversations stand out in my memory. Both Tim Roth and Ewen Bremner were chatty, down to earth and totally unpretentious. And then there were other types, like a well known actress who arrived in rough shape one morning, and, as my boss told me later, didn't want to remove her sunglasses for her portrait sitting.

Then there was the time Claudia Schiffer was booked to come in the next day for a sitting and my boss asked me if I'd like to assist him on the shoot. How could I refuse? I wondered what she looked like in the flesh, I pondered? Unfortunately, the next day she ended up canceling at the last minute, so I never got to find out.

There were also those little chance encounters that could just happen. I went to get a coffee one afternoon and ended up sharing an elevator with Steve Martin, just the two of us, never exchanging a word as we ascended the upper floors of the Park Plaza. After all, what was I going to say? “Steve, I'm your biggest fan!” However, I took some kind of reassurance in the fact that Mr. Martin looked pretty much the same in person as he did on screen and on television. And he was actually taller than I imagined, well over 6 feet. Or perhaps it was just the shoes.

And unforgettably, there was the A-list actor who, by pre-arrangement, showed up not with his agent, publicist or spouse, but just his bodyguard. We were briefed beforehand when the sitting was booked. The conditions were as follows: no one was to enter or exit the suite at any time during the photo shoot. And the body guard would stand outside the door to make sure. Unusual? Sure. Unreasonable, apparently not. Especially by Hollywood standards. Later that afternoon at the designated time the celebrity appeared, bodyguard in tow, who took a quick look around the room, surveying its layout, his narrow eyes darting about furtively, looking for who knows what. I ushered the actor into the photo studio in the adjoining room where my boss was waiting, at which point the bodyguard exited and waited outside. During the shoot, I couldn't resist sneaking a peek through the door's peephole. There across the corridor stood the muscle-bound man, arms folded, staring straight ahead right back at me. He definitely took his job seriously.

Earlier that week, on the morning I photographed Norman Jewison, he didn't bring a body guard, or anybody else. A true professional, he showed up right on time for his portrait sitting. It was just me and him. I made some coffee and we chatted for a moment and got down to business. He was quite amiable, patient and very cooperative.

His latest film at the time was The Hurricane, starring Denzel Washington. Most of it was filmed in Toronto the previous winter, and I’d actually worked on it for a day that January, on a bitterly cold -20C day inside an unheated warehouse where they shot the boxing scenes. But I wasn’t working as a photographer that day. I was an extra, one of hundreds on set, many of them elderly people, all of us dressed in 1960s era costume. At one point, there were problems with the generators and we lost all electricity for a time. People were shivering, huddling together for warmth. The food wasn’t very good, either. Waiting in the line-up for the portable toilets outside was awful. Morale was terrible. It was a long, unpleasant day of shooting, and I was so relieved when it was over.

Of course, I hadn't mentioned any of this to him during the shoot. As we were wrapping up I thanked him and wished him luck with the new film. Then, curious as to how he’d react, I said, “It sure was cold inside that warehouse in January, wasn’t it Mr. Jewison?”

Without skipping a beat, he replied, “It sure was Bob. It sure was.”

As for my personal favorites among my photos, there are two that stand out in my mind, as much for the circumstances under which they were taken, as the quality of the photo itself. Orson Welles once remarked that a director is a person who presides over what he called “happy accidents”. The legendary producer Robert Evans once said that he didn't believe in luck, stating that luck is that moment when opportunity meets preparation. I agree.

At the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival, I was a staff photographer. One evening, I was on my way back from covering an event, and frankly, I was disappointed. It had been boring and I didn’t think I’d gotten anything really interesting. So I made my way back to the Four Seasons Hotel. This was before we’d switched over to digital, so we had a drop box at the front desk where all our staff photographers would leave the film they shot during the day, which would go out to the photo lab for processing later that night or first thing in the morning.

I did my drop and as I was in the lobby, I noticed a figure out of the corner of my eye. Instantly I recognized him. He was talking to a woman. To this day, I don’t know who she was. I knew I had to seize the moment, so I walked over, and as graciously and calmly as I could, introduced myself, held up my festival credentials and asked if I could do a quick portrait.

“A portrait?” said David Lynch in his unmistakable voice, with a tone of feigned surprise, or perhaps he was just being sardonic. For a moment I thought he was going to tell me to go away. The woman with him didn’t look very pleased.

“OK”, he said.

So off came my lens cap. I had a roll of TRI-X in the camera, and was about half way through it. The week before I’d bought a new Nikon flash unit, which I didn’t yet know how to use. But the lighting in the lobby wasn’t very good, so I had no other choice. I’d have to use the flash.

“OK, look into the lens,” I said. Jesus, did I say that? I told David Lynch to look into the lens. Oh shit. OK, focus, focus. So I press the shutter. And nothing happens. What’s going on? This has never happened before. Oh fuck. David Lynch is in front of me, and my camera’s jammed. No it isn’t. It’s something to do with the flash. So I re-focus, re-compose, all the while trying to conceal my inner anxiety.

“OK, hold that,” I say, and press the shutter again. It worked. I think it worked. Did it work? God, I hope it worked. “That’s great, thank you very much. Have a nice evening,” I said.

As I walked past the front desk, the woman behind it said “You’re not allowed to photograph in here”, obviously oblivious to my credentials which were hanging around my neck. “You don’t have permission.”

“Yes, I do,” I said, wondering what the hell she was on about.

“From who?” she said.

“From Mr. Lynch,” I said, pointing in his direction. Then I turned around and walked outside. It was a great night.

But I guess my favorite happy accident of all time was in 2003 when Lost in Translation had its Canadian debut at the festival. The premiere was held at the Elgin Theatre on Yonge Street, and the fans were out in full force. It was a real zoo. I had arrived hours earlier in hopes of staking out a good spot, which was just about impossible. Fans, photographers, media-- we were all clustered together in the small, cramped area in front of the box office. I knew the space well. I’d spent many tedious hours in the same spot over the years at other premieres during previous film festivals. And this was another boring wait.

Then, as is always the case, a limo pulled up, and all hell broke loose. The fans screamed, and flashes erupted in a barrage sufficient to trigger epileptic seizures. “Sofia, Sofia, over here Sofia!” I couldn’t even tell who was yelling. Sofia paused briefly to sign some autographs, or autograph some photos that fans had brought along, gave a couple of sound bites to the TV cameras, then proceeded to make her way into the theatre. I knew I had to act now if I had any hope of getting a decent shot. So I piggybacked behind one of the TV crews and made it into the front of the lobby. More flashes, more chaos.

Security guards blocked some fans from getting any further. I knew I didn’t have much time. And then I did something I’d never done before. “Sofia—over here please,” I said calmly, but loud enough so she could hear me. And to my surprise, Sofia Coppola turned around and looked into my lens. I shot as fast as I could and got a few frames off before she turned back around. Did I get it? Did I get what I thought I got? It looked good, but you never know. Did the flash go? Was it in focus? I think I got it. It all happened so fast. Like it always does. So it was off to the lab to find out. Then when I saw the contact sheet I smiled. Sofia Coppola never looked more beautiful. And she had smiled just for me.

Then came the changeover to digital photography, and suddenly pros weren't shooting film anymore. Soon even cell phones were equipped with cameras, ones with surprisingly good resolution that was unthinkable just a few years earlier. The autograph hounds of yesterday metamorphosed. Magic markers gave way to selfie sticks, the new essential accessory to have, lest you lose your big chance for that magic moment with your favorite celeb that you could instantly post on social media like a safari trophy, a badge of achievement, and bask in the envy and adulation of your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. A new age had arrived and both novice and veteran festival photographers acknowledged not only had the rules of the game changed, the game itself was different. Somehow it just didn't feel the same anymore. The celebrity-fan dynamic at premieres, red carpet galas, or any other festival event had reached a new apotheosis of absurdity even Fellini could not have imagined.

Of course, I still like to have a camera at the ready, but when I go to film festivals now, it's because I'm interested in seeing the films, not photographing the people who make or star in them. I haven't bought a selfie stick yet, but I think it might be a good idea, just in case. Because whether you're a pro or not, you never know when fortune might smile on you. And it would be a shame to miss that perfect shot now, wouldn't it? So happy birthday Toronto. Thanks for all those great films. And the photographic memories.

China Australia Film Collaboration Event 2015

Background: CinéfestOZ is a not-for-profit incorporated organisation that has established strong partnerships with government, sponsors and the community who recognize the value of the event to the cultural fabric of the South West and its contribution to state and national economic growth, tourism and the film industry.

Over the past three years CinéfestOZ programming has included formal and informal China Australia co-productions and has twice held China Australia Discussion Forums as part of its film industry program to broaden Australian film makers understanding of the processes and opportunities available.

For the past 12 months CinéfestOZ has been working in partnership with ScreenWest and the Australia China Business Council (ACBC WA) to build a unique annual event that will forge productive relationships between Australian and Chinese film makers and film financiers.

Together with ScreenWest, representatives of CinéfestOZ traveled to the Ausfilm Australian China Film Industry Forum held in conjunction with Beijing Film Market in April 2015. Personal invitations were offered to appropriate film industry members to attend a film business event in Western Australia in 2015.

What is the purpose of the event?

The China Australia Film Collaboration Event was attended by the China Film Producers Association and representatives of China production companies and film financing companies who met with high-caliber Australian filmmakers.

Panels and key speakers explored knowledge of trends, networks, protocols, government policy, critical pathways, investment drivers and audience expectations for both Australian and China agencies, producers, investors and other film industry professionals.

GOALS: The key outcome being sought is the development of relationships between filmmakers and film financiers in both countries leading to co-productions being undertaken.

These co-productions would be either under a formal treaty or MOU under the framework provided by the Australia China Film Co-Production Treaty or arrangements made between the parties

Foster cultural and creative exchange; allow the risk and cost of film making to be shared and to drive up the quality and output of the film industry.

Good relationships between Australian and China film producers, financiers and government agencies.

Mutual understanding of Australian and China film industries and funding models and exploration of means of interfacing to mutual benefit.

Provision of social events and cultural activities that bring together all those interested in fostering the China Australia relationship. Opportunities for film industry collaboration and investment in Australia and China.

Promotion of the socio-cultural links between Australia and China and strengthen cultural diplomacy ties.

EVENTS HELD: MOU at Parliament House, Perth, Media release issued from ScreenWest, Key dignitaries available for comment including the Hon. What is it? MOU outlining strong relationship between WA and China that will result in working relationships with clear deliverables. What is it? The China Australia Film Collaboration Event was attended by the China Film Producers Association and representatives of China production companies and film financing companies who met with high-caliber Australian filmmakers. Panels and key speakers explored knowledge of trends, networks, protocols, government policy, critical pathways, investment drivers and audience expectations for both Australian and China agencies, producers, investors and other film industry professionals.

Key speakers were: Graeme Mason, Screen Australia Matthew Alderson, Harrison Mourne Michael Werner, Fortissimo Anni Browning, Film Finances, Completion Bonds Matt Deaner, SPA Guests at the 2 day event – from Australian companies: Tim White Owner/Producer Southern Films Pauline Chan Director Producer Dark Room Films Dee Kitcher Producer Filmscope Entertainment Alan Lindsay Managing Director Vue Group Carmelo Musca Director Producer CM Films Productions Ron Saunders Managing Director Beyond Screen Productions Mark Lazarus Head of Creative & Acquisitions ArcLight Joel Pearlman CEO Roadshow Films Domenic Benvenuto Executive Director MARKSX

Chinese guests were: Mr. Wang Fenglin Vice President and Secretary General China Film Producers’ Association Ms .Liang Zhenzhen Director of International Affairs China Film Producers’ Association Ms. An Xiaofen President and Chairman Desen International Media Co., Ltd. Mr. Pang Ming yi President Quingdao Xin Hua Shi Cultural Investment Limited Company Mr.Pang Hong CEO kylin Films

Why create stronger partnerships between Western Australia and China? The worldwide screen industry is undergoing significant and continuous change as a result of new technologies and changing consumer behavior, requiring new ways of doing business. As the State Government agency tasked with developing and supporting the Western Australian screen industry, this has required ScreenWest to address the challenges and support local production companies to seek out and develop international opportunities. In 2009, ScreenWest recognised there was significant growth in the Chinese market and started to look at ways for the local industry to partner with Chinese production companies. The aim was to inject export dollars and finance into the local industry by working with a rapidly expanding market partner, at a time when other segments (especially free-to-air television in the established markets of Australia, UK and US) are decreasing.

ScreenWest works in close partnership with the Department of State Development (DSD) and DSD’s Shanghai Trade and Investment Office in particular. DSD has been a great support in helping ScreenWest to connect Western Australian production companies with companies in China. In addition, DSD provides on-the-ground support to delegations visiting either country, including setting up meetings and providing a translator.

Activities and outcomes so far include: ScreenWest introduced the Vue Group (Bunbury) to the Shanghai Hippo Animation Design Company. In December 2013, the companies signed a contract to develop animated features together.  Two films - Kung Fu Style and Perfect Friends - have been released in China.  Kung Fu Style is currently in cinemas and opened at number one for attendance. ScreenWest provided production investment funding of $200,000 to each, with much of the animation occurring in Bunbury.

Media statement about the signing: https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Default.aspx

Major Chinese-French co-production feature film Mountains May Depart was partially shot in Bunbury, Mandurah and Perth in February 2015. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Perth’s Dee Kitcher established Opal Films International, a joint venture with Pauline Chan, to specialise in film productions between Asia and Australia.  The company hope to be announcing soon an official Australia-Chinese co-production, a romantic comedy. ScreenWest is providing production funding.

WA filmmaker Carmelo Musca worked on the Chinese feature film Deep Sleep No More (2013) in China. The film was produced by Mr Jin Zi Cheng who was part of the first Chinese screen delegation to visit Perth. The film had its world premiere at CinefestOZ 2013. Several other WA companies are currently in negotiations with Chinese companies.

ScreenWest hosted two film delegations from China in 2014-15 and five in 2013-14. The delegations met with potential partners and scouted locations. ScreenWest provided a guest speaker at the Australia China Film Industry Forum in China in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

WA producers supported with ScreenWest travel funding and practical assistance to attend key industry markets: Australia China Film Industry Forum 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 (China) Asia Television Forum & Market 2012, 2013 (Singapore) Asian Animation Summit 2013 (Thailand) Beijing Film Festival Market 2015 (China) Broadcast Asia Conference 2014 (Singapore) CCG Expo, Shanghai Animation Market 2013 and 2015 (China) International Animation Fair of Shijiazhuang 2012 (China) Screen Singapore 2012 (Singapore). WA short films screened at Shanghai Cultural Festival 2013. China Film Forum, CinefestOZ 2014 In August 2014, ScreenWest hosted the China Film Forum as part of CinefestOZ. The China screen economy is the fastest growing in the world with its 2013 box office reaching $3.6billion - up a third on 2012. Co-production opportunities with China are much sought after and the forum brought together producers with substantial experience in this sector. Topics included Live Action and Animation in China. It was an excellent opportunity to hear from special guests including, Patrick Frater (Asia Bureau Chief, Variety Magazine), Andre Morgan (Producer, Ruddy Morgan), Pauline Chan (Producer and Director), Mike Gabrawy (Chief Creative Officer – Arclight Films), Chen Jie (Shanghai Toonmax Expo Co. Ltd) and Alan Lindsay (The Vue Group). CinefestOZ 2015 – exciting plans to be announced soon.

Advantages of making productions in WA for Chinese companies: Supportive Government agencies Huge variety of cinematic locations Great weather with long periods of clear blue skies Ability to double for other locations Highly skilled, professional local crew and creative Easily accessible for China, Singapore and other parts of Asia. The state shares time zones with 60% of the world’s population including Beijing, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei WA is the closest and most accessible Australian capital city to the world’s most dynamic economic growth regions Is Europe, Asia & Africa’s gateway to Australia. Well serviced by international airlines

-Taken from official CinefestOZ press release-

-Edited by Vanessa McMahon-

The China Australia Film Collaboration (CAFC) was launched on August 26th during CinefestOZ 2015 at Parliament House, Perth, Western Australia, with the signing of Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) by event partners the China Film Producers’ Association, Australia China Business Council (WA), ScreenWest and CinefestOZ.

A business-to-business event, the CAFC brought together representatives of China and Australia’s production and film financing companies.

The inaugural two-day event was held in Bunbury on 27-28 August 2015, coinciding with the CinefestOZ Film Festival.

Panels and key speakers explored trends, networks, protocols, government policy, critical pathways, investment drivers and audience expectations for both Australian and China screen industries.

Mr Wang Fenglin, Vice President and Secretary General, China Film Producers Association said the organisation sought to strengthen ties with Australia through the CAFC. “We are delighted to be in Western Australia to help develop relationships between filmmakers and film financiers from both countries. Our ultimate aim is for this to lead to co-productions being undertaken,” he said.

Mr Adam Handley, President WA Branch, Australia China Business Council said “The signing of the MOUs set a strong foundation between Australia and China’s screen industries. We look forward to this being the start of a long, productive partnership.”

Mr Ian Booth, Chief Executive, ScreenWest said the CAFC event would foster cultural and creative exchanges, as well as business outcomes.

“China is a growing market, and Australia has much to offer by way of highly skilled creatives and crew, diverse locations and Government support,” Mr Booth said. "We aim to broaden understanding of the processes and opportunities available in both countries, and our anticipation is that this will lead to production partnerships between Chinese and Western Australian production companies."

Mr David Barton, CinefestOZ Chair, said the film festival had included China – Australia films, seminars and guests for the past three years. “The CAFC will build on what we have done in recent years and provide a formal China Australia focus. We are proud to bring together key players from both countries to help develop and grow the screen industry. We are purposely targeting experienced film producers and financiers as participants and by limiting the number attending are ensuring people will have the maximum opportunity to build fruitful relationships. We look forward to showing our Chinese guests Western Australia’s beautiful South West.”

Following the CAFC event, delegates took part in the CinefestOZ Film Festival in Busselton and tour the region, including looking at the diversity of film locations.

-taken from official CinefestOZ press release- -Edited by Vanessa McMahon-

FLiCKERFEST 2016 – 25th International Short Film Festival
8th- 17th January 2016 - Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 30TH 2015

CALL for ENTRIES NOW OPEN Online at: flickerfest.com.au/entries

Celebrating its landmark 25th year, Flickerfest, Australia’s leading Academy® Award accredited and BAFTA recognised Short Film festival, and its largest short film competition, is now accepting entries from Australia and around the world, for its 2016 Festival. Flickerfest will screen for 10 days under the summer stars at Bondi Beach in January 2015 with selected highlights heading off after the festival around Australia on a 50 venue national tour. Flickerfest remains a platform for celebrating the most entertaining and innovative short film making from around the world, judged by a panel of leading industry experts.

Competitions
* International
* Australian
* Documentary
* GreenFlicks – Films with an environmental focus or theme from across the world
* FlickerUp- National high school and primary school competition.

In 2015 our out of competition showcase  programmes will include Flickerkids short films for children and families, Love Bites – short films about relationships, A Best Of Flickerfest 25th year anniversary programme  and a global comedy short film showcase.

All competitions are open to any short film under 35 minutes completed within 2 years of the entry closing dates.

An international jury will award the following prestigious awards and prizes:

* Award for Best Short Film (Academy®Accredited)
* Award For Best Animation Short Film (Academy® Accredited)
* Award For Best Australian Short Film (Academy®Accredited)
* Award For Best Short Documentary (Academy®Accredited)

Plus a host of other Awards and Industry prizes valued at over $40,000AUD, celebrating excellence across the film making craft.

All films must be in English or have English subtitles. Due to the competitive nature of the Festival, Flickerfest prefers NSW premieres and films that have not been broadcast or made available for download in Australia.

ENTRY DEADLINES:
International and Australian and Documentary competition entries must be received by 5pm, Wednesday 30th September 2015

HOW TO ENTER at: flickerfest.com.au/entries
Like us & keep in touch with festival announcements at: facebook.com/flickerfest

The 64th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg will open with the masterpiece “Une histoire américaine” by the newcomer Armel Hostiou from France

The French newcomer-director Armel Hostiou will be present when the 64th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg opens on Friday, October 9, 2015 with the German premiere of “Une histoire américaine” (“Stubborn”). The film is being screened in the International Competition of the official program.

“Une histoire américaine” (“Stubborn”) tells the story of Vincent, an obstinate but likable dreamer who has traveled to New York to find his ex-girlfriend. “A wonderfully stylized New York-Film, a visual declaration of love to the Big Apple, a very special kind of sight-seeing-tour. So foreign and yet so close, this is a way of experiencing New York that one very rarely experiences in a film,” says Festival Director Dr. Michael Kötz. “We are very happy to be opening the 64th edition of the Festival with this little masterpiece.”

The Grand Opening event traditionally takes place in Heidelberg with invited guests from politics, business and culture.
 

About the film

Vincent is alone in New York. He wants to win back the girlfriend that left him and returned to New York. The only thing is, he has no idea how he is supposed to find here in this haystack of a city. But Vincent is not giving up. He shows strangers pictures of his ex on his smartphone and is blind for everything else that the city has to offer – including the advances of an attractive Danish tourist. Vincent is afraid of another “love accident”. Imperturbable, he plods on, taking some lumps along the way, only to discover that his ex-girlfriend Barbara has long since moved on with another man. And he is very much the opposite of Vincent himself. This wonderful tragicomedy of passion lives on contrasts. This strange Frenchman keeps running into the brick wall of New Yorker’s proverbial aloofness – their practiced detachment. Vincent encounters the city that never sleeps with with the same naiveté with which he continues to hang on to his “amour fou”. He lives like a kind of intellectual “Clouchard” – a homeless person – in this American metropolis and one begins to root for the likable reality denier, hoping that he might find his lost love. Vincent Macaigne is a fantastic leading man (and screenplay coauthor) and has become a star in France and is well on his way to becoming one around the world.
 

About the director

Armel Hostiou was born in Rennes, France in 1976. After earning his degree at La Fémis in Paris he has worked on experimental films and music videos. Many of his short films have been screened at festivals in France and abroad. His feature length debut, “Rives” premiered at the Festival de Cannes in 2011. “Une Histoire Américaine” (2015) is his second feature film.

"Games People Play" has been selected to the 23rd annual Festival Chileno Internacional de Cortometrajes de Santiago for October 19-26, 2015. The festival office received over 2500 entries. "Games People Play" was one of only two US films to be chosen for the international section. Written and helmed by Dawn Westlake, the film stars David Razowsky, Mark Jacobson and Westlake, herself. The film was scored by GC Johnson of Acoustic Labs. Jon Carr filmed on Canon's C500. Carr also edited and did special effects.

The Path of Zarathustra, Review: The temperature of departure

To say that Parsees are a minority community in India, or, for that matter, anywhere in the world, might be an understatement. Official figures put their entire population as 80,000, most of them being Indians. Followers of the prophet Zarathustra (Zoraster) and natives of Iran, they fled an oppressive regime in their parent country to seek refuge in India, and were granted asylum in what is present day Gujarat, along the western coast. This film is a fictional tale addressing the burning issues that have been rocking the community for last few decades, and endorses the controversial views that Parsees should not ex-communicate any of their brethren if they marry outside the faith, and children born out of wedlock and/or adopted by Parsees, should be welcomed into the fold, if they choose to embrace Zorastrianism. It is a bold attempt, not likely to attract wide audiences but quite likely to create ripples in the closely-knit Parsees of India.

Though I went to two schools run by Parsees and had many Parsee friends, who took me to be a Parsee myself, on account of my name, Siraj (real close to Shiraz, a Parsee fore-name), my maternal ancestry being Iranian, and my father being a Persian (Farsi) scholar, I shall let the authoritative Encyclopædia Britannica define the religion (excerpts): Parsis, also spelled Parsees, means Persians, live chiefly in Bombay (now Mumbai) and in a few towns and villages, mostly to the north of Bombay (in South Gujarat, like Surat, Bharuch, Billimora, Udwada and Sanjan, the last one named after their ancestral city in Turkmenistan). The exact date of the Parsi migration is unknown. According to tradition, the Parsis initially settled at Hormuz on the Persian Gulf, but finding themselves still persecuted, they set sail for India, in the 8th century. The migration may, in fact, have taken place as late as the 10th century, or in both. They settled first at Diu, in Kathiawar (in Gujarat, later part of the centrally administered Indian territories of Goa, Daman and Diu), but soon moved to south Gujarāt (in areas listed above), where they remained for about 800 years, as a small agricultural community.

Anthropologists have estimated that by 2020, the world Parsee population will come down to 23,000, making them a species as endangered as the vultures, who the Parsees leave their dead to feed upon. Highlighting this fact, the film also reminds the community that the eternal flame, the Atash Behram, that was brought with them as the symbol of illumination and belief, is kept aflame with sandalwood, might die off, for there is no belief without believers. Incidentally, the claim made in the film, that Zorastrianism is the oldest monotheistic religion, may be debated, for, though Christianity and Islam came after Zoraster, the Jewish faith is much older.

A young woman, Oorvazi (Oorvazi Irani), born into Zoroastrianism, the religion of her forefathers, leaves the isolation of her remote abode, when her grandfather (Tom Alter), with whom she lives alone outside Mumbai, as his caretaker, dies. He leaves her a mysterious message and an even more mysterious book. Oorvazi journeys to Mumbai, and heads for her aunt’s home, the place where she spent her childhood, and where her childhood sweetheart Perseus (Rushad Rana), an out-of-wedlock child born to a Christian mother and a Parsee father, adopted by her aunt, live. She is welcomed there, and Perseus confesses that he still loves her.

Over the next few days, Oorvazi comes across ‘imagined’ figures from the historical past of the Zoroastrians—Kardir, Zurvan and Mazdak--who appear to her as real-life persons, in the shape of a beggar, a professional mourner who is also an antique clock repairer, and an intellectual. She also encounters a reformist making revolutionary suggestions before hostile, orthodox community leaders and disdainful neighbours who still cannot accept Perseus as one of their own. As images begin to appear and disappear on the magic book, and the historical figures engage her in debate, Oorvazi realises that she has the same feelings for Perseus as he does for her.

Written by Pune-born/London-based Farrukh Dhondy, the film could not have been more different from any of his previous forays into Indian cinema: Bandit Queen (Executive writer), Split Wide Open, Kisna and The Rising--Mangal Pandey. It is heavy going, and makes no attempt to make the subject accessible to non-Parsees. Ancient Parsee scriptures are not easy to translate, because the languages they were written in, like Avesta and Pahelwi, are too old and archaic. My father, late Syed Hashim Husain Rizvi, earned tremendous gratitude from a devout Parsee for translating some of these writings into modern Persian and English. Perhaps Dhondy has stuck to the original texts, and that is why they sound so abstract, even in modern English. His screenplay has a dream-like quality, seen in the works of some East European masters directors, during the 1960s and 70s, and the dialogue is an unequal blend of realistic and bookish, tilted in favour of the latter. Humour, though sparse, is welcome. Language-used is mainly English, with a smattering of Parsee Gujarati, just for flavour.

Director-actress Oorvazi Irani, who names her character after herself, is not entirely new to cinema, having made films like The K File (online release, screenplay Farrukh Dhondy) and Mamaiji (Grandmother). She also Researched, Directed, Produced and Presented The Michael Chekhov Acting Technique DVD (2011). She has been the CEO of Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Lab (which has trained many a superstar of the Hindi film industry), South Mumbai Chapter, and taught Film Appreciation there. Her father is Sorab Irani, who worked as General Manager with the famous Anand brothers: Chetan-Dev-Vijay, on three films, Kudrat, Saheb Bahadur and Hum Rahe Na Hum, and incorporated his production company, SBI Impresario, in 1975. Oorvazi is a director of the company, which acts as literary agent for Farrukh Dhondy’s publications.

With such credentials, one would have hardly expected Oorvazi to make a film like The Path of Zarathustra. Shot on 4K using a Canon 1DC camera, with a 2K DCP projection format, it has some arresting visuals and very good sound quality. Acting hovers between pause-filled theatrics, done with a flourish, and fluent, almost casual, realism. While going along with the ‘stream of consciousness’ flow, there is a distinct possibility of viewers being lulled into a trance that won’t take long to turn into 40 winks, which is bad for an 80-minute film.

India-based American actor Tom Alter, often cast as an Englishman, has the unenviable task of delivering a long piece of nebulous dialogue, right in the beginning, in an emotion-charged dying scene. When Oorvazi gets terribly concerned about his body temperature shooting-up, he responds with, “This is the temperature of departure.”  This stilted prose is in sharp contrast with some highly convincing optical and vocal reactions by Oorvazi. She seems to be oozing oceans of love for her dear grandfather, and her speech is full of pauses that seem to go with the scene. It later emerges that this kind of speech and diction is Oorvazi’s persona, at least as evidenced in the film, which gets irritating with repetition. Rushad Rana (Veer Zaara, Dor, Mod, Tasveer) reminds you a lot of Sharman Joshi, and under-acts, though constrained by space and mechanical blocking of scenes. Shishir Sharma (Satya, Talvar) as the clock-repairer as well as Zurvan, impresses, especially with his naughty smile. Darius Shroff, as the Intellectual and Mazdak, delivers his lines with flair, as does theatre veteran Firdausi Jussawalla (Percy-produced by SBI, Such a Long Journey), playing the two roles of Mani and the Beggar. Vivek Tandon is good as Kardir. Special mention must be made of singer, songwriter Vasuda Sharma (Percy, Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu), who has composed really appropriate music for the film.

A must for every Parsee, the film succeeds only partially in universalising the theme.

Rating: **

Trailer: http://www.thepathofzarathustra.com/trailer.html

FLORENCE PELLETIER, student from Concordia University, was awarded for the short: "Fondue chinoise", in the 39th FFM 2015.

Fondue chinoise: by Florence Pelletier, Colour, 6 minutes, Canada, 2014 

Saturday August 29, 2015 - 07:00 PM - CINÉMA QUARTIER LATIN 2
Wednesday September 2, 2015 - 03:00 PM - CINÉMA QUARTIER LATIN 2

MARIANGOLA CASTRO, member of the jury, presented the awards 

2015, Colour, Belgium, World Competition - short films 

Production Team

Director : Frederike Migom

Screenwriter : Frederike Migom

Cinematographer : Laurens de Geyter

Editor : Tom Denoyette

Cast : Nele Vereecken, Kurt Vandendriessche, Awa Sene Sarr, Stella Kitoga, Wivine Ngoy-Mutemba

Music : Jens Bouttery, Fredy Massamba

Film production and Sales : Prod.: Jules Debrick, 2nd to the Right, Baksteenkaai 50, 1000 Bruxelles (Belgique), jules@2ndtotheright.com.

Synopsis

During a fight with her boyfriend on the street in Brussels’ Congolese neighbourhood, Eva escapes into a hair salon. The African women in the salon initially support her, seeing a woman in distress. But when they find out what the fight was about, opinions change… 

Director

-- Frederike Migom was an actress in New York before studying direction in Paris. She now works in Brussels. Filmography: Malakim (2013), a prizewinner in Shanghai, and Adam & Everything (2014). 

 

Projections

Wednesday September 2, 2015 - 09:30 AM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL
Wednesday September 2, 2015 - 04:30 PM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL

Triptych Media et Galafilm (Canada), Marianna Films (Finlande), Starhaus Filmproduktion (Allemagne) et Anagram (Suède) sont heureuses d’annoncer la première mondiale du long-métrage La reine-garçon (The Girl King) au Festival des films du monde les 4 et 6 septembre prochains en présence du réalisateur Mika Kaurismäki, de l’actrice Malin Buska et du scénariste Michel Marc Bouchard.

Le réalisateur Finlandais Mika Kaurismäki (Road North) déclare que « La reine-garçon (The Girl King) n’est pas un film d’époque traditionnel à grand déploiement, mais plutôt un film d’acteurs, un drame psychologique intense, sur un des personnages les plus intéressants et les plus mystérieux de tous les temps».

Tourné en Finlande et en Allemagne, La reine-garçon (The Girl King) provient du scénario original de Michel Marc Bouchard, aussi créateur de la pièce de théâtre Christine, la reine-garçon (The Girl King) présenté en 2012 au Théâtre du Nouveau Monde à Montréal et au Festival de Stratford en 2014. En 2013,  le renommé dramaturge québécois a été finaliste au Grand Prix de littérature dramatique pour cette pièce en plus d’être nommé au Prix Écrans Canadiens en 2014 avec Xavier Dolan pour leur adaptation de l’œuvre Tom à la ferme, basé sur la pièce de Bouchard portant le même nom.

Les Canadiens Sarah Gadon (Enemy), Lucas Bryant (Haven) et François Arnaud (Les Borgias) interprètent les personnages principaux dans le film et Guy Dufaux est le directeur photo. Le film met également en vedette les Suédois Malin Buska (Easy Money) dans le rôle-titre et Michael Nyqvist (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), la Finlandaise Laura Birn (Purge), le Français Hippolyte Girardot, le Belge Patrick Bauchau et les Allemands Peter Lohmeyer (Tom Sawyer) et Martina Gedeck (Train de nuit pour Lisbonne). La version anglaise de La reine-garçon (The Girl King) fut écrite par la lauréate du prix du Gouverneur Général en traduction, la québécoise Linda Gaboriau.

Nous sommes au XVIIe siècle et la reine Kristine est déterminé à faire de la Suède le pays le plus moderne d’Europe. Élevée comme un garçon sous un strict contrôle luthérien, cette souveraine énigmatique, flamboyante et imprévisible fait face à une forte résistance dans son désir d’éduquer ses sujets et de mettre fin à la sanglante guerre de Trente Ans entre les protestants et les catholiques. Kristine a du mal à vivre avec son  irrésistible passion pour sa dame d'honneur, la superbe comtesse Ebba Sparre. Sa découverte de l'amour et de la passion va de pair avec sa quête de comprendre l'humanité et les forces violentes qui conspirent contre elle. Déchirée entre ses aspirations politiques et personnelles, elle choisit de prendre l'une des décisions les plus controversées de l'Histoire.

La reine-garçon (The Girl King) est présenté en compétition officielle au Festival des Films du Monde et sa sortie en salles est prévue au début 2016.  

Projection au FFM : vendredi 4 septembre 19 h au Cinéma Impérial

Projection au FFM dimanche 6 septembre 16 h 30 au Cinéma Impérial

La reine-garçon (The Girl King) est une coproduction Finlande, Canada avec l'Allemagne et la Suède et est produit par la Convention européenne sur la coproduction cinématographique. Il est produit avec la participation financière de la Finnish Film Foundation , Téléfilm Canada , Eurimages , Nordisk Film & TV Fund , West Finland Film Commission, Swedish Film Institute, SODEC - Société de développement des entreprises culturelles - Québec, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmförderungsanstalt, OMDC - Ontario Media Development Corporation, The Harold Greenberg Fund, Movie Central - A Corus Entertainment Company, YLE, The Movie Network, une division de Bell Media Inc. , Super Écran - Une division de Bell Media Inc. , SVT, Technicolor et en coproduction avec BR/ARTE. Les ventes internationales sont assurées par The Yellow Affair.

SHENG MING YONG TAN DIAO / ARIA OF LIFE

2015, Colour & B W, China, World Competition - short films 

Production Team

Director : Ma Mingzhu

Screenwriter : Ma Mingzhu

Cinematographer : Yi Ming

Editor : Ma Mingzhu

Cast : Wang Xian, Han Jingru, Wang Yu, Wang Yi, Yan Fanfan, Liang Jing, Zhang Ye

Film production and Sales : Prod.: Yin Pandong, YM Perle Orientale Films, 16/F, Shimao Tower, No.92 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100022 (Chine), davidbourne@163.com.

Synopsis

Returning to his hometown after his grandfather’s death, Zhiming listens to the emotional stories of his relatives. Back in the city, Zhiming’s family souvenirs remain strong. His life is at peace. 

Director

-- After studying journalism and working at a provincial TV station, Ma Mingzhu enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy and the University of Paris. Filmography: Danse de l’encre (2005), Retour (2008). 

 

Projections

Monday August 31, 2015 - 09:00 AM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL
Monday August 31, 2015 - 07:00 PM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL
Friday September 4, 2015 - 02:00 PM - CINÉMA IMPÉRIAL