The Cairo Film Festival’s Cairo Film Connection co-production platform wrapped Saturday with a glamorous prize ceremony which saw Egyptian first-timer Adhan El-Sherif’s “Ravens of the City” and French-Egyptian filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh’s “Life After Siham” stand out, though awards were widely spread.
“Ravens” of the City,” a gritty drama in development about a reckless hustler named Gharib who desperately needs cash to enter a street car race and falls prey to a money lender, scored four awards worth a total of $60,000 in cash. Produced by Sudan’s Mohammed Alomda (“You Will Die at Twenty”), “Ravens” will be getting consulting from U.S. non-profit Film Independent, which collaborates with Cairo.
Reflecting director Messeeh’s bi-cultural background, “Life After Siham,” is about a French film director conducting a filmmaking workshop in Egypt which turns into a way for him to confront the trauma of his mother’s death. “Siham,...
“Ravens” of the City,” a gritty drama in development about a reckless hustler named Gharib who desperately needs cash to enter a street car race and falls prey to a money lender, scored four awards worth a total of $60,000 in cash. Produced by Sudan’s Mohammed Alomda (“You Will Die at Twenty”), “Ravens” will be getting consulting from U.S. non-profit Film Independent, which collaborates with Cairo.
Reflecting director Messeeh’s bi-cultural background, “Life After Siham,” is about a French film director conducting a filmmaking workshop in Egypt which turns into a way for him to confront the trauma of his mother’s death. “Siham,...
- 12/5/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Franco-Egyptian filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh has teamed with Paris-based production outfit Les Films d’Ici for his next feature, the autobiographical hybrid-doc “Life After Siham.”
Building on themes he developed in his award-winning 2011 doc “The Virgin, the Copts and Me,” a self-reflexive exploration of family and identity that played in Cannes, Berlin and Copenhagen, among others, the filmmaker will once again take center stage in this follow-up, which will find the director grieving his mother’s passing and dealing with a creative impasse as he leads a writing workshop in Egypt.
Currently in pre-production and presented as part of the Visions du Réel project pitch session, the film will follow two parallel tracks, mixing family footage the director shot before and after his mother’s passing against the fictional backdrop of a creative retreat set at the late Egyptian director Youssef Chahine’s one-time residence.
With the spirits of Messeeh’s mother,...
Building on themes he developed in his award-winning 2011 doc “The Virgin, the Copts and Me,” a self-reflexive exploration of family and identity that played in Cannes, Berlin and Copenhagen, among others, the filmmaker will once again take center stage in this follow-up, which will find the director grieving his mother’s passing and dealing with a creative impasse as he leads a writing workshop in Egypt.
Currently in pre-production and presented as part of the Visions du Réel project pitch session, the film will follow two parallel tracks, mixing family footage the director shot before and after his mother’s passing against the fictional backdrop of a creative retreat set at the late Egyptian director Youssef Chahine’s one-time residence.
With the spirits of Messeeh’s mother,...
- 4/15/2021
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
The selections for this exceptional online edition included the upcoming films by Alaa Eddine Aljem, Joel Karekezi, Namir Abdel Messeeh and Hind Meddeb, as well as Sofia Alaoui’s first feature. Unspooling online, between 30 November and 3 December, on account of the health crisis, the 3rd edition of the Atlas Workshops (launched with Netflix’s support) which is the professional arm of the International Film Festival Marrakech (now steered by Rémi Bonhomme), shone a light on a selection of 23 titles - 10 of which are in development while a further 5 are either in the shooting or post-production phase - in a virtual co-production market which gathered together over 300 international professionals. The event proved a fantastic opportunity for identifying emerging talent hailing from the burgeoning film industry of the African continent, and for wrangling a taste of the works which will very likely steal headlines at the bigger festivals...
Chinese platforms Youku and Tudou registered 3.5m screenings for the online film festival.
The fourth edition of Unifrance’s MyFrenchFilmFestival.com — running Jan 17 to Feb 17 — more than quadrupled its viewing figures this year.
French cinema export agency Unifrance, which organises the event, reported that the online film festival generated 4 million screenings, against 750,000 in 2013 and 1.3m in 2012.
The month-long initiative - featuring 10 features and 10 shorts which have not been widely sold internationally - ran on 20 partner platforms as well as the dedicated MyFrenchFilmFestival site, which attracted some 100,000 subscribers this year.
The leap in hits was due in large part to increased viewing in China where online platforms Youku and Tudou reported 3.5m screenings for the event between them.
A surprise drop in MyFrenchFilmFestival.com viewings last year was pinned at the time to ownership changes at Youku just before the 2013 edition which had resulted in less visibility on the site.
Unifrance noted that short film In Seventh Heaven (7ème...
The fourth edition of Unifrance’s MyFrenchFilmFestival.com — running Jan 17 to Feb 17 — more than quadrupled its viewing figures this year.
French cinema export agency Unifrance, which organises the event, reported that the online film festival generated 4 million screenings, against 750,000 in 2013 and 1.3m in 2012.
The month-long initiative - featuring 10 features and 10 shorts which have not been widely sold internationally - ran on 20 partner platforms as well as the dedicated MyFrenchFilmFestival site, which attracted some 100,000 subscribers this year.
The leap in hits was due in large part to increased viewing in China where online platforms Youku and Tudou reported 3.5m screenings for the event between them.
A surprise drop in MyFrenchFilmFestival.com viewings last year was pinned at the time to ownership changes at Youku just before the 2013 edition which had resulted in less visibility on the site.
Unifrance noted that short film In Seventh Heaven (7ème...
- 2/20/2014
- ScreenDaily
Chinese platforms Youku and Tudou registered 3.5m screenings for the online film festival.
The fourth edition of Unifrance’s MyFrenchFilmFestival.com — running Jan 17 to Feb 17 — more than quadrupled its viewing figures this year.
French cinema export agency Unifrance, which organises the event, reported that the online film festival generated 4 million screenings, against 750,000 in 2013 and 1.3m in 2012.
The month-long initiative - featuring 10 features and 10 shorts which have not been widely sold internationally - ran on 20 partner platforms as well as the dedicated MyFrenchFilmFestival site, which attracted some 100,000 subscribers this year.
The leap in hits was due in large part to increased viewing in China where online platforms Youku and Tudou reported 3.5m screenings for the event between them.
A surprise drop in MyFrenchFilmFestival.com viewings last year was pinned at the time to ownership changes at Youku just before the 2013 edition which had resulted in less visibility on the site.
Unifrance noted that short film In Seventh Heaven (7ème...
The fourth edition of Unifrance’s MyFrenchFilmFestival.com — running Jan 17 to Feb 17 — more than quadrupled its viewing figures this year.
French cinema export agency Unifrance, which organises the event, reported that the online film festival generated 4 million screenings, against 750,000 in 2013 and 1.3m in 2012.
The month-long initiative - featuring 10 features and 10 shorts which have not been widely sold internationally - ran on 20 partner platforms as well as the dedicated MyFrenchFilmFestival site, which attracted some 100,000 subscribers this year.
The leap in hits was due in large part to increased viewing in China where online platforms Youku and Tudou reported 3.5m screenings for the event between them.
A surprise drop in MyFrenchFilmFestival.com viewings last year was pinned at the time to ownership changes at Youku just before the 2013 edition which had resulted in less visibility on the site.
Unifrance noted that short film In Seventh Heaven (7ème...
- 2/20/2014
- ScreenDaily
Following the great success of myFrenchFilmFestival.com last year (750,000 film viewings registered in 189 countries, with a 25% increase in paid viewings) the leading worldwide French film festival on the Internet now in its 4th edition returns this coming January 17th.
For one month, Us Internet users will have access to 10 features and 10 shorts in French with English subtitles. A selection of first and second feature films, theatrically released in France during the year, offers worldwide showcasing of a new generation of filmmakers, highlighting the diversity of young French production.
New features of the 2014 edition
- The festival will be accessible in the Us on the website myFrenchFilmFestival.com, iTunes (through Under the Milky Way) and TV5 Monde’s Cinema on Demand during one month (Jan 17-Feb 17 2014).
For more information:
www.tv5.org/cms/USA/Cinema-on-demand/p-22481-lg3-TV5MONDE-Cinema-On-Demand-in-November.htm
www.itunes.com
- La Fille Du 14 Juillet (The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu) will be the closing film of the Museum of Moving Image’s First Look festival on January 19th, with director Antonin Peretjatko in attendance.
- A selection of 9 features will be screened in theatres throughout the Us starting January 2nd, thanks to our partnership with SpectiCast. View full schedule here: http://www.specticast.com/myfff.jsp
- The films will also be proposed to 400 airline companies via our partner Skeye for in-flight viewings.
4 prizes will be awarded at the end of the festival:
The Filmmakers Award , presided by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and composed of foreign directors
Lynne Ramsay (United Kingdom), Marco Bellocchio (Italy), Anurag Kashyap (India) and Frédéric Fonteyne (Belgium).
The International Press Award , with a jury of 11 foreign journalists
The Audience Award , for which Internet users are invited to vote on-line
The Social Networks Award , chosen by 100 film buffs, influential on Facebook and Twitter
The winning films will then be shown on Air France flights during 6 months.
The full pass to watch the 10 features and 10 shorts online will be available for $22, features-only pass for $16.5, shorts-only pass for $8.2, single feature for $2.7 and single short $1.4.
The 2014 Myfff Selection
I – Features
- In a Rush, directed by Louis Do Lencquesaing
- Augustine, directed by Alice Winocour
- Little Lion, directed by Samuel Collardey
- Maddened by His Absence, directed by Sandrine Bonnaire
- The Virgin, the Copts and Me, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh
- The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu, directed by Antonin Peretjako
- The Day of the Crows, directed by Jean-Christophe Dessaint
- Welcome to Argentina, directed by Edouard Deluc
- Mobile Home, directed by François Pirot
- Pauline détective, directed by Marc Fitoussi
II – Shorts
- Just Before Losing Everything, directed by Xavier Legrand
- The Lobster's Cry, directed by Nicolas Guiot
- Clay, directed by Michaël Guerraz
- The Runaway, directed by Jean-Bernard Marlin
- The Lizards, directed by Vincent Mariette
- Mademoiselle Kiki et les Montparnos, directed by Amélie Harrault
- Solitudes, directed by Liova Jedlicki
- In Seventh Heaven, directed by Guillaume Foirest
- A la française, directed by Morrigane Boyer, Julien Hazebroucq, Ren-Hsien Hsu, Emmanuelle Leleu, William Lorton
- Le premier pas, directed by Jonathan Comnène...
For one month, Us Internet users will have access to 10 features and 10 shorts in French with English subtitles. A selection of first and second feature films, theatrically released in France during the year, offers worldwide showcasing of a new generation of filmmakers, highlighting the diversity of young French production.
New features of the 2014 edition
- The festival will be accessible in the Us on the website myFrenchFilmFestival.com, iTunes (through Under the Milky Way) and TV5 Monde’s Cinema on Demand during one month (Jan 17-Feb 17 2014).
For more information:
www.tv5.org/cms/USA/Cinema-on-demand/p-22481-lg3-TV5MONDE-Cinema-On-Demand-in-November.htm
www.itunes.com
- La Fille Du 14 Juillet (The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu) will be the closing film of the Museum of Moving Image’s First Look festival on January 19th, with director Antonin Peretjatko in attendance.
- A selection of 9 features will be screened in theatres throughout the Us starting January 2nd, thanks to our partnership with SpectiCast. View full schedule here: http://www.specticast.com/myfff.jsp
- The films will also be proposed to 400 airline companies via our partner Skeye for in-flight viewings.
4 prizes will be awarded at the end of the festival:
The Filmmakers Award , presided by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and composed of foreign directors
Lynne Ramsay (United Kingdom), Marco Bellocchio (Italy), Anurag Kashyap (India) and Frédéric Fonteyne (Belgium).
The International Press Award , with a jury of 11 foreign journalists
The Audience Award , for which Internet users are invited to vote on-line
The Social Networks Award , chosen by 100 film buffs, influential on Facebook and Twitter
The winning films will then be shown on Air France flights during 6 months.
The full pass to watch the 10 features and 10 shorts online will be available for $22, features-only pass for $16.5, shorts-only pass for $8.2, single feature for $2.7 and single short $1.4.
The 2014 Myfff Selection
I – Features
- In a Rush, directed by Louis Do Lencquesaing
- Augustine, directed by Alice Winocour
- Little Lion, directed by Samuel Collardey
- Maddened by His Absence, directed by Sandrine Bonnaire
- The Virgin, the Copts and Me, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh
- The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu, directed by Antonin Peretjako
- The Day of the Crows, directed by Jean-Christophe Dessaint
- Welcome to Argentina, directed by Edouard Deluc
- Mobile Home, directed by François Pirot
- Pauline détective, directed by Marc Fitoussi
II – Shorts
- Just Before Losing Everything, directed by Xavier Legrand
- The Lobster's Cry, directed by Nicolas Guiot
- Clay, directed by Michaël Guerraz
- The Runaway, directed by Jean-Bernard Marlin
- The Lizards, directed by Vincent Mariette
- Mademoiselle Kiki et les Montparnos, directed by Amélie Harrault
- Solitudes, directed by Liova Jedlicki
- In Seventh Heaven, directed by Guillaume Foirest
- A la française, directed by Morrigane Boyer, Julien Hazebroucq, Ren-Hsien Hsu, Emmanuelle Leleu, William Lorton
- Le premier pas, directed by Jonathan Comnène...
- 12/30/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
10 features and 10 shorts will be on offer.
UniFrance is launching the fourth edition of myFrenchFilmFestival.com, which will run Jan 17 to Feb 17.
Last year’s festival saw 750,000 viewings in 189 countries.
New for the 2014 edition are the addition of platforms including iTunes in 80 territories. SpectiCast will make the selections available to more than 1,000 cinemas worldwide, and 400 airlines will offer the films via partner Skeye.
The festival will showcase 10 first and second features and 10 shorts.
The jury for the filmmakers award will be led by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and also include Lynne Ramsay, Marco Bellocchio and Anurag Kashyap. A press award, audience award and social networks award will also be handed out.
The films are:
Features
In a Rush, directed by Louis Do Lencquesaing
Augustine [pictured], directed by Alice Winocour
Little Lion, directed by Samuel Collardey
Maddened by His Absence, directed by Sandrine Bonnaire
The Virgin, the Copts and Me, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh
The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu, directed by Antonin...
UniFrance is launching the fourth edition of myFrenchFilmFestival.com, which will run Jan 17 to Feb 17.
Last year’s festival saw 750,000 viewings in 189 countries.
New for the 2014 edition are the addition of platforms including iTunes in 80 territories. SpectiCast will make the selections available to more than 1,000 cinemas worldwide, and 400 airlines will offer the films via partner Skeye.
The festival will showcase 10 first and second features and 10 shorts.
The jury for the filmmakers award will be led by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and also include Lynne Ramsay, Marco Bellocchio and Anurag Kashyap. A press award, audience award and social networks award will also be handed out.
The films are:
Features
In a Rush, directed by Louis Do Lencquesaing
Augustine [pictured], directed by Alice Winocour
Little Lion, directed by Samuel Collardey
Maddened by His Absence, directed by Sandrine Bonnaire
The Virgin, the Copts and Me, directed by Namir Abdel Messeeh
The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu, directed by Antonin...
- 12/4/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The Rencontres internationales du documentaires de Montreal (Ridm) was founded in 1998 and every year since has highlighted the very best documentaries from Canada and around the world. With a special focus on documentaries that really test boundary between fiction and reality, while presenting singular and personal perspectives that might change our view of the world around us, this is a truly unique festival. This year Ridm will run from the 7th to the 18th of November.
As this marks the festival’s fifteenth year, in conjunction with its regular programming, they are including a special program called “15 Years and 15 All-Time Favourites” where they asked a variety of film personalities from Quebec and around the world to choose a documentary film that changed their life. This will give people a rare opportunity to see documentary classics like Hotel Terminus, Capturing the Friedmans and The Man with a Movie Camera on the big screen.
As this marks the festival’s fifteenth year, in conjunction with its regular programming, they are including a special program called “15 Years and 15 All-Time Favourites” where they asked a variety of film personalities from Quebec and around the world to choose a documentary film that changed their life. This will give people a rare opportunity to see documentary classics like Hotel Terminus, Capturing the Friedmans and The Man with a Movie Camera on the big screen.
- 11/2/2012
- by Justine
- SoundOnSight
Making films in troubled regions like the Mid East is difficult to say the least. "While aspiring filmmakers all over the world struggle to raise funding and gain recognition, most don’t have to contend with kidnappings, imprisonment and smuggling equipment across borders." The issues facing five such filmmakers was recounted recently at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, as discussed here.
The 16th Annual Arab Film Festival opened October 11 at the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco with the Opening Night film Man Without a Cell Phone in its West Coast Premier (see the trailer here) which is also the Centerpiece film for the Los Angeles festival opening Today: October 19th at 8pm, preceded by a VIP reception at 6:30pm at the Writers Guild Theater of America. The festival runs October 11th-21st in San Francisco, San Jose, Berkeley and Los Angeles.
The Arab Film Festival is North America's largest and longest running exhibitor of independent Arab movies from and about the Arab World. This year’s fest of 40 films from 27 countries offers a full complement of narrative and documentary features, doc and narrative short films with National and West Coast Premieres.
Opening Night film director Sameh Zoabi will be present for Q&A following Man Without A Cell Phone October 11th, a narrative feature that portrays Palestinian-Israeli Jawdat, who just wants to have fun with his friends and talk on his cell phone. His determined way of life is interrupted when his father launches a protest against an Israeli cell phone tower he fears is poisoning the villagers. The film premiered in the U.S. at the New Directors/ New Films, has played in Israel at the Haifa International Ff, Qatar at the Doha Tribeca Ff, Karlovy Vary FFl, Jerusalem Ff, Vancouver Ff, Paris Quinzaine du Cinema Francophone. It is in distribution in France through Eurozoom.
Among films presenting perspectives infrequently aired in mainstream American media is the North American premiere of Karama Has No Walls, which depicts the turning point in Yemen’s revolution. Filmmaker Sara Ishaq will be present for the October 14th screening to discuss documenting the contrast between the festive peaceful protest and its transformation to a warzone.
Premiering on the West Coast, Arab Film Festival veteran Iara Lee explores the Syrian conflict through the humanity of the civilians displaced to the squalor of refugee camps in feature documentary The Suffering Grasses. Hip-Hop artist hailing from the great Nation-State-of-Mind known as "SyrianamericanA" Omar Offendum is special guest for Q&A October 20th at 11am at the Writer’s Guild Theater of America.
From Egypt comes the courageous spirit of a young Egyptian female journalist in documentary Words of Witness (Isa: Films Transit) screening in the Bay Area premiere, and the evocative, "eerily prophetic" narrative feature Lust - Egypt’s 84th Academy Awards submission. As eclectic in its adventures as its title, The Virgin, The Copts and Me (Isa: Doc & Film International) from Egyptian-French filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh provides comic relief via his escapades researching the story behind apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Egypt. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and played at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
North Africa selections include compelling drama Death for Sale (Isa: Urban Distribution International) set in Moroccan port city Tetouan, and North American premiere Papa Hedi: The Search for My Grandfather feature documentary by granddaughter of Tunisian composer Hedi Jouini -the Frank Sinatra of the Arab World in San Jose October 13.
Jess Ghannam, President of the Board of the Arab Film Festival, adds "We're pleased to screen films that illuminate the diversity of the Arab experience, and show the beauty and talent of Arab culture.”
Visit www.arabfilmfestival.orgfor the complete festival schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or at theaters. For ticket information, call 415-564-1100.
San Francisco, Oct 11-14, Castro Theatre and Embarcadero Cinema.
San Jose, Oct 13-14, Camera 12 Cinema
Berkeley, Oct 19-21, Shattuck Cinemas
Los Angeles, Oct 19-21, Writers Guild Theater of America...
The 16th Annual Arab Film Festival opened October 11 at the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco with the Opening Night film Man Without a Cell Phone in its West Coast Premier (see the trailer here) which is also the Centerpiece film for the Los Angeles festival opening Today: October 19th at 8pm, preceded by a VIP reception at 6:30pm at the Writers Guild Theater of America. The festival runs October 11th-21st in San Francisco, San Jose, Berkeley and Los Angeles.
The Arab Film Festival is North America's largest and longest running exhibitor of independent Arab movies from and about the Arab World. This year’s fest of 40 films from 27 countries offers a full complement of narrative and documentary features, doc and narrative short films with National and West Coast Premieres.
Opening Night film director Sameh Zoabi will be present for Q&A following Man Without A Cell Phone October 11th, a narrative feature that portrays Palestinian-Israeli Jawdat, who just wants to have fun with his friends and talk on his cell phone. His determined way of life is interrupted when his father launches a protest against an Israeli cell phone tower he fears is poisoning the villagers. The film premiered in the U.S. at the New Directors/ New Films, has played in Israel at the Haifa International Ff, Qatar at the Doha Tribeca Ff, Karlovy Vary FFl, Jerusalem Ff, Vancouver Ff, Paris Quinzaine du Cinema Francophone. It is in distribution in France through Eurozoom.
Among films presenting perspectives infrequently aired in mainstream American media is the North American premiere of Karama Has No Walls, which depicts the turning point in Yemen’s revolution. Filmmaker Sara Ishaq will be present for the October 14th screening to discuss documenting the contrast between the festive peaceful protest and its transformation to a warzone.
Premiering on the West Coast, Arab Film Festival veteran Iara Lee explores the Syrian conflict through the humanity of the civilians displaced to the squalor of refugee camps in feature documentary The Suffering Grasses. Hip-Hop artist hailing from the great Nation-State-of-Mind known as "SyrianamericanA" Omar Offendum is special guest for Q&A October 20th at 11am at the Writer’s Guild Theater of America.
From Egypt comes the courageous spirit of a young Egyptian female journalist in documentary Words of Witness (Isa: Films Transit) screening in the Bay Area premiere, and the evocative, "eerily prophetic" narrative feature Lust - Egypt’s 84th Academy Awards submission. As eclectic in its adventures as its title, The Virgin, The Copts and Me (Isa: Doc & Film International) from Egyptian-French filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh provides comic relief via his escapades researching the story behind apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Egypt. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and played at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
North Africa selections include compelling drama Death for Sale (Isa: Urban Distribution International) set in Moroccan port city Tetouan, and North American premiere Papa Hedi: The Search for My Grandfather feature documentary by granddaughter of Tunisian composer Hedi Jouini -the Frank Sinatra of the Arab World in San Jose October 13.
Jess Ghannam, President of the Board of the Arab Film Festival, adds "We're pleased to screen films that illuminate the diversity of the Arab experience, and show the beauty and talent of Arab culture.”
Visit www.arabfilmfestival.orgfor the complete festival schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or at theaters. For ticket information, call 415-564-1100.
San Francisco, Oct 11-14, Castro Theatre and Embarcadero Cinema.
San Jose, Oct 13-14, Camera 12 Cinema
Berkeley, Oct 19-21, Shattuck Cinemas
Los Angeles, Oct 19-21, Writers Guild Theater of America...
- 10/18/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Charming, funny, and endearing are not words stereotypically associated with films about conflicts in the Middle East, but as the Tff premiere screening confirmed, Namir Abdel Messeeh's The Virgin, The Copts And Me is no ordinary Middle Eastern film. Instead, Messeeh's 'masterpiece' is a 'smart, simple, fantastic story about a small conflict' and a hysterical family. The film had Tribeca audiences over the moon and raving about Messeeh's new film - accolades they were insistent on sharing at the Tribeca Talks: After the Movie panel on Wednesday, April 25. Following the film, the French-Egyptian Messeeh, accompanied by a translator, took the stage alongside journalist Rula Jebreal, filmmaker and entertainment lawyer Andrew Lund, filmmaker Sameh Zoabi, and the evening's moderator, film critic Glenn Kenny. Kenny kicked off the discussion inquiring about the impetus for the film, which Messeeh described as the combination of wanting 'something very simple, and to film my family,...
- 4/27/2012
- TribecaFilm.com
Namir Abdel Messeeh was born in France to Egyptian Christian parents who hailed from "a very poor village of peasants." As a child he would travel to Egypt each year with his parents, but stopped fifteen years ago and lost contact with his relatives. But then he watched a videotape of the Virgin Mary's apparition in the Egypt village with his mom and decided it was "a wonderful opportunity to travel back to Egypt, and reconnect with my family members, even though I didn't share their religious beliefs anymore." What it's about: It is the story of a French filmmaker, from egyptian origins, who sees an amateur videotape of an apparition of the Virgin Mary in his mother's village in Egypt, and who decides to travel to Egypt to investigate the apparition. Director Messeeh says: "I tried to talk about a serious subject, and about the situation of the Copts in Egypt,...
- 4/5/2012
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
2012 Tribeca Film Festival announced the World Narrative and Documentary Competition film selections
HollywoodNews.com: The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express®, today announced the World Narrative and Documentary Competition film selections, along with selections for the out-of-competition Viewpoints section—the program established last year that highlights personal stories in international and independent cinema. Forty-six of the 90 feature-length films were announced. The 11th edition of the Festival will take place from April 18 to April 29 at locations around New York City.
The Festival was curated by a new programming team this year. Frédéric Boyer has joined Tff as Artistic Director, having most recently served as Artistic Director and Head of Programming for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises, has expanded his role in overseeing the Festival program. Genna Terranova has been promoted to Director of Programming and Cara Cusumano returns as Programmer.
“It’s been so gratifying to watch the new programming...
The Festival was curated by a new programming team this year. Frédéric Boyer has joined Tff as Artistic Director, having most recently served as Artistic Director and Head of Programming for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises, has expanded his role in overseeing the Festival program. Genna Terranova has been promoted to Director of Programming and Cara Cusumano returns as Programmer.
“It’s been so gratifying to watch the new programming...
- 3/6/2012
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Tribeca Film Festival announced half of this year’s movie showcase, the 11th edition of the New York celebration set for April 18-29. James Franco’s behind-the-scenes General Hospital feature, Francophrenia, will have its North American premiere in the Viewpoints section – the program established last year that highlights more personal stories. “He’s kind of constructed this really interesting and well-crafted film about that experience that plays with the boundaries of documentary,” says Genna Terranova, Tribeca’s director of programming. “It’s a bit tongue in cheek, as James himself can be. He’s a bit enigmatic and the film is as well.
- 3/6/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
With The Five-Year Engagement set as the opening title for the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, they’ve announced more of the line-up today with World Narrative & Documentary Features as the Viewpoint titles. We’ve got the next film from The Exploding Girl director Bradley Rust Gray, Jack and Diane (as well as a first look about featuring Juno Temple, thanks to Styd).
There is a new Harmony Korine short as well Kate Bosworth‘s While We Were Here and The Girl, starring Abbie Cornish. James Franco also has his latest film, Francophrenia, featuring footage from his performance on General Hospital. Nothing sticks out too greatly yet, but if I see something as interesting as Beyond the Black Rainbow or Magic Valley like last year, I’ll be a happy man. Check it out below and come back Thursday for the rest of the announcement.
World Narrative Feature Competition
• All In (La Suerte En Tus Manos...
There is a new Harmony Korine short as well Kate Bosworth‘s While We Were Here and The Girl, starring Abbie Cornish. James Franco also has his latest film, Francophrenia, featuring footage from his performance on General Hospital. Nothing sticks out too greatly yet, but if I see something as interesting as Beyond the Black Rainbow or Magic Valley like last year, I’ll be a happy man. Check it out below and come back Thursday for the rest of the announcement.
World Narrative Feature Competition
• All In (La Suerte En Tus Manos...
- 3/6/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
SXSW kicks off later this week, but once your done slurping the BBQ sauce off your fingers, pack your backs and head north to Manhattan as the Tribeca Film Festival is gearing up to unspool in April. To whet cinephile appetites, organizers have dropped the lineup for the World Narrative Feature Competition, World Documentary Feature Competition and Viewpoints lineups and there are plenty of titles to take note of.
Among the narratives, the anticipated "Jack And Diane" from Bradley Rust Gray will make its world premiere. Starring Juno Temple and Riley Keough, the film takes a teenage lesbian love tale and twists the formula, with one of them revealing she's a werewolf. Add to that a cast rounded out by Dane DeHaan, Jena Malone and pop star Kylie Minogue (as a tattooed lesbian, of course) and you can see why this will be one of the hottest tickets at the fest.
Among the narratives, the anticipated "Jack And Diane" from Bradley Rust Gray will make its world premiere. Starring Juno Temple and Riley Keough, the film takes a teenage lesbian love tale and twists the formula, with one of them revealing she's a werewolf. Add to that a cast rounded out by Dane DeHaan, Jena Malone and pop star Kylie Minogue (as a tattooed lesbian, of course) and you can see why this will be one of the hottest tickets at the fest.
- 3/6/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the Berlinale, is one of the world’s leading film festivals and most reputable media events. 2012 marks the first year Sound On Sight was present to attend. Merle has been posting her recaps while the rest of us have been paying close attention to the films receiving the most buzz.
Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978. With 274,000 tickets sold and 487,000 admissions it is considered the largest publicly-attended film festival worldwide. Up to 400 films are shown in several sections, but only a select twenty compete for the awards called the Golden and Silver Bears. This year the Italian film Caesar Must Die took home the Berlin International Film Festival’s top honour as best film. The film is set in Rome’s high-security Rebibbia prison and centres on the rehearsal, staging, and performing of Shakespeare’s...
Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978. With 274,000 tickets sold and 487,000 admissions it is considered the largest publicly-attended film festival worldwide. Up to 400 films are shown in several sections, but only a select twenty compete for the awards called the Golden and Silver Bears. This year the Italian film Caesar Must Die took home the Berlin International Film Festival’s top honour as best film. The film is set in Rome’s high-security Rebibbia prison and centres on the rehearsal, staging, and performing of Shakespeare’s...
- 2/20/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Berlinale is, on the whole, a quieter festival than your really “big” outings — Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, even Nyff or Venice — but my interest is nevertheless piqued by this year’s winners, a list which comes to us from IndieWIRE. The top prize, that being the Golden Bear, went to Paolo and Vittorio Taviani (pictured above) for Caesar Must Die, their “documentary about criminals performing Shakespeare.” Adopt Films will be giving that a United States release later this year; reviews make me think it’s worth some of this early hype, thankfully.
Otherwise Bence Fliegauf‘s Just the Wind was bestowed with a Silver Bear for the Grand Jury Prize, while Barbara brought home a Silver Bear, Best Director for Christian Petzold. As with the main victors, the rest of the selections are far more devoid of “names” (and could more easily be considered esoteric) than any of the winners you...
Otherwise Bence Fliegauf‘s Just the Wind was bestowed with a Silver Bear for the Grand Jury Prize, while Barbara brought home a Silver Bear, Best Director for Christian Petzold. As with the main victors, the rest of the selections are far more devoid of “names” (and could more easily be considered esoteric) than any of the winners you...
- 2/19/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's Caesar Must Die has won the Golden Bear at this year's Berlinale. The other awards, presented by Mike Leigh and his International Jury (Anton Corbijn, Asghar Farhadi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jake Gyllenhaal, François Ozon, Boualem Sansal and Barbara Sukowa):
The first Silver Bear, the Jury Grand Prix, goes to Bence Fliegauf's Just the Wind. (Last year, this prize went to a Hungarian as well, to Béla Tarr for The Turin Horse.)
Silver Bear for Best Director: Christian Petzold for Barbara.
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza for her performance in War Witch.
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Mikkel Følsgaard for A Royal Affair.
The Silver Bear for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution goes to Director of Photography Lutz Reitemeier for his work on White Deer Plain.
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg for A Royal Affair.
The Alfred Bauer Award...
The first Silver Bear, the Jury Grand Prix, goes to Bence Fliegauf's Just the Wind. (Last year, this prize went to a Hungarian as well, to Béla Tarr for The Turin Horse.)
Silver Bear for Best Director: Christian Petzold for Barbara.
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza for her performance in War Witch.
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Mikkel Følsgaard for A Royal Affair.
The Silver Bear for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution goes to Director of Photography Lutz Reitemeier for his work on White Deer Plain.
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg for A Royal Affair.
The Alfred Bauer Award...
- 2/18/2012
- MUBI
Another day, another trio of announcements from the Berlin International Film Festival (February 9 through 19). First off, this year's Berlinale Camera has been presented to Haro Senft, "one of the pioneers of New German Cinema as well as a tireless advocate of German children films... He was the initiator of Doc 59, a group based in Munich at the end of the 1950s; many of its members went on to sign the Oberhausen Manifesto in 1962." His 1961 documentary short Kahl was nominated for an Oscar and Bruno Ganz gave his first performance in a major role in Senft's first narrative feature, Der sanfte Lauf (1967).
"In 1971 he resigned from all his positions related to film policy and devoted himself unlike anyone else to developing a culture of children's films. With his films Ein Tag mit dem Wind (1978) and Jacob hinter der blauen Tür (1987) he set the standard for the genre." Because Senft can no longer travel,...
"In 1971 he resigned from all his positions related to film policy and devoted himself unlike anyone else to developing a culture of children's films. With his films Ein Tag mit dem Wind (1978) and Jacob hinter der blauen Tür (1987) he set the standard for the genre." Because Senft can no longer travel,...
- 1/18/2012
- MUBI
This year's Doha Tribeca Film Festival jury, led by Jury President Nick Broomfield, has announced the winners of the festival's Arab Film Competition. Merzak Allouache's "Normal" and Namir Abdel Messeeh's "The Virgin, The Copts and Me" won for Best Narrative Film and Best Documentary Film, respectively. Rania Stephen was awarded Best Documentary director for "The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni" and Roschdy Zem won Best Narrative Director for "Omar Killed ...
- 11/3/2011
- Indiewire
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