Fantasporto, the Oporto Intl. Film Festival, kicked off Friday in Portugal’s Porto — a city famed for its elegant Romanesque cathedral, a bookstore that inspired “Harry Potter,” and the heady alcoholic drink — with an eclectic mix of titles but an emphasis on fantasy films.
Typifying the broad tastes of the festival chiefs, film critics Beatriz Pacheco Pereira and Mário Dorminsky, Canadian filmmaker Denys Arcand’s satire “Testament” opened the event’s 44th edition at Batalha Centro de Cinema, and Chinese fantasy epic “Creation of Gods I: Kingdom of Storms,” directed by Wuershan, closes it.
Although Pacheco Pereira and Dorminsky, who compete with the Brussels Intl. Fantastic Film Festival and Sitges for fantasy films in Europe, know they can’t please everyone in Porto with their selection “what is really important to us is whether the audiences applaud the films,” Dorminsky says. “This is not a job for us. It is a pleasure.
Typifying the broad tastes of the festival chiefs, film critics Beatriz Pacheco Pereira and Mário Dorminsky, Canadian filmmaker Denys Arcand’s satire “Testament” opened the event’s 44th edition at Batalha Centro de Cinema, and Chinese fantasy epic “Creation of Gods I: Kingdom of Storms,” directed by Wuershan, closes it.
Although Pacheco Pereira and Dorminsky, who compete with the Brussels Intl. Fantastic Film Festival and Sitges for fantasy films in Europe, know they can’t please everyone in Porto with their selection “what is really important to us is whether the audiences applaud the films,” Dorminsky says. “This is not a job for us. It is a pleasure.
- 3/2/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights to thriller “Cold Wallet.”
In the film, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who cheated them But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.
The cast includes Raul Castillo (“Cassandro”), Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) and Zoe Winters (“Succession”).
The film is directed by Cutter Hodierne, who won best director at Sundance in 2014 for Vice Films’ Somali pirate thriller “Fishing Without Nets.”
Winner of Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award, “Cold Wallet” will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section. Soderbergh said of the film: “This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way,...
In the film, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who cheated them But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.
The cast includes Raul Castillo (“Cassandro”), Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) and Zoe Winters (“Succession”).
The film is directed by Cutter Hodierne, who won best director at Sundance in 2014 for Vice Films’ Somali pirate thriller “Fishing Without Nets.”
Winner of Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award, “Cold Wallet” will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section. Soderbergh said of the film: “This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
U.K.-based sales and distribution company Blue Finch Films has boarded international sales for select territories to Shudder original film “Oddity.”
Written and directed by Damian McCarthy (“Caveat”), the supernatural film will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Midnighter section. Blue Finch will introduce the title in advance to buyers at the Berlin European Film Market (EFM).
“Oddity” follows Darcy, a blind medium, who uncovers the sinister truth behind her sister’s death with the help of a frightening wooden mannequin. The cast includes Gwilym Lee (“The Great”), Carolyn Bracken (“The Gone”), Tadhg Murphy (“Brassic”), Caroline Menton (“Altar Boys”), Steve Wall (“The English”), Jonathan French (“The Rock in the Sea”) and Joe Rooney (“Harry Wild”).
The film is produced by Shudder, Keeper Pictures and Nowhere Films and is set for a streaming release this summer.
Shudder original “Destroy All Neighbors” will also join Blue Finch’s slate at EFM.
Written and directed by Damian McCarthy (“Caveat”), the supernatural film will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Midnighter section. Blue Finch will introduce the title in advance to buyers at the Berlin European Film Market (EFM).
“Oddity” follows Darcy, a blind medium, who uncovers the sinister truth behind her sister’s death with the help of a frightening wooden mannequin. The cast includes Gwilym Lee (“The Great”), Carolyn Bracken (“The Gone”), Tadhg Murphy (“Brassic”), Caroline Menton (“Altar Boys”), Steve Wall (“The English”), Jonathan French (“The Rock in the Sea”) and Joe Rooney (“Harry Wild”).
The film is produced by Shudder, Keeper Pictures and Nowhere Films and is set for a streaming release this summer.
Shudder original “Destroy All Neighbors” will also join Blue Finch’s slate at EFM.
- 2/12/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Move Over John Wick: Adilkhan Yerzhanov Unleashes A Bloody Tale Of Vengeance In His Latest Feature
Bleak, bloody, and bullet-riddled, the latest from prolific Kazakh filmmaker Adilkhan Yerzhanov plunges viewers into a godless, barren landscape in which hope is a worthless form of currency. Blending together the scorched earth chaos of Mad Max with the swagger of Golden Age westerns, and dashed with Nicolas Winding Refn styled nihilism, Steppenwolf is an existential genre exercise the probes deeper concerns about humanity below the surface. But despite its gripping execution, Yerzhanov’s philosophical musings struggle to resonate amidst the film’s endless body count.
With a cigarette permanently dangling out of his mouth, Berik Aitzhanov is the film’s Man With No Name.…...
Bleak, bloody, and bullet-riddled, the latest from prolific Kazakh filmmaker Adilkhan Yerzhanov plunges viewers into a godless, barren landscape in which hope is a worthless form of currency. Blending together the scorched earth chaos of Mad Max with the swagger of Golden Age westerns, and dashed with Nicolas Winding Refn styled nihilism, Steppenwolf is an existential genre exercise the probes deeper concerns about humanity below the surface. But despite its gripping execution, Yerzhanov’s philosophical musings struggle to resonate amidst the film’s endless body count.
With a cigarette permanently dangling out of his mouth, Berik Aitzhanov is the film’s Man With No Name.…...
- 2/1/2024
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- IONCINEMA.com
The rather prolific Adilkhan Yerzhanov (15 features in 12 years) has already established his own style, by including elements of US b-movies, Western, action and violence, and a rather bleak sense of humor that make his movies quite entertaining. “Steppenwolf” continues in the same path, in a pure genre film that is inspired by the 1956 John Ford movie, “The Searchers”.
Steppenwolf is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
Tamara, a young woman who seems to suffer from mental issues, is walking around a small town where the police is clashing with some sort of armed groups, in search of her missing son who has been kidnapped by child organ traffickers. Bullets do not seem to touch her, but the fact that she can barely speak does not help her cause, as the people around her mostly ignore her. Eventually, she stumbles upon ‘The Steppenwolf' a man the corrupt police hire to torture convicts into confession,...
Steppenwolf is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
Tamara, a young woman who seems to suffer from mental issues, is walking around a small town where the police is clashing with some sort of armed groups, in search of her missing son who has been kidnapped by child organ traffickers. Bullets do not seem to touch her, but the fact that she can barely speak does not help her cause, as the people around her mostly ignore her. Eventually, she stumbles upon ‘The Steppenwolf' a man the corrupt police hire to torture convicts into confession,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There is a certain inevitability about a film inspired by Hermann Hesse’s novel “Steppenwolf,” first published in German in 1927, and two famous Westerns of the 1950s — John Ford’s “The Searchers,” and Howard Hawks’ “Red River.” The film, also called “Steppenwolf,” has its world premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Big Screen Competition section. Its teaser debuts on Variety exclusively (below).
In acclaimed Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s latest film, two characters who are essentially loners existing outside of the usual moral boundaries of the world come together united in a common task: to save a small boy who has gone missing.
Yerzhanov takes universal themes from Hesse’s novel and the later Hollywood Westerns, to plumb the depths of where man’s spirituality disappears into the depths of his animal origins. To explore what he calls a story of “two different heroes, two opposing characters, who...
In acclaimed Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s latest film, two characters who are essentially loners existing outside of the usual moral boundaries of the world come together united in a common task: to save a small boy who has gone missing.
Yerzhanov takes universal themes from Hesse’s novel and the later Hollywood Westerns, to plumb the depths of where man’s spirituality disappears into the depths of his animal origins. To explore what he calls a story of “two different heroes, two opposing characters, who...
- 1/26/2024
- by Nick Holdsworth
- Variety Film + TV
U.K.-based sales and distribution company Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights to horror film “Mom.”
Blue Finch will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM) in February. “Mom” will have its world premiere at FrightFest Glasgow in March.
The film follows a struggling mother who is abandoned by her family and partner after a horrific incident. As she falls further into isolation, she begins to be haunted by a sinister entity that is determined to make her relive her darkest moments.
“Mom” revolves around a central performance from Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”) and also stars François Arnaud (“Marlowe”) and Christian Convery (“Cocaine Bear”). The film marks the feature debut for director Adam O’Brien, known for his acclaimed horror shorts “Bloodbath,” “Insane” and “Banshee.” O’Brien produced the film alongside Benoit Beaulieu, Albert Melamed and Philip Kalin-Hajdu, who also wrote the screenplay. Hampshire, Arun Aurora,...
Blue Finch will be selling the film at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM) in February. “Mom” will have its world premiere at FrightFest Glasgow in March.
The film follows a struggling mother who is abandoned by her family and partner after a horrific incident. As she falls further into isolation, she begins to be haunted by a sinister entity that is determined to make her relive her darkest moments.
“Mom” revolves around a central performance from Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”) and also stars François Arnaud (“Marlowe”) and Christian Convery (“Cocaine Bear”). The film marks the feature debut for director Adam O’Brien, known for his acclaimed horror shorts “Bloodbath,” “Insane” and “Banshee.” O’Brien produced the film alongside Benoit Beaulieu, Albert Melamed and Philip Kalin-Hajdu, who also wrote the screenplay. Hampshire, Arun Aurora,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights, excluding Australia and New Zealand, to thriller “Birdeater.”
The debut feature from filmmaking duo Jack Clark and Jim Weir follows a bride-to-be who is invited to join her own fiancé’s bachelor party on a remote property in the Australian outback. But as the festivities spiral into beer-soaked chaos, uncomfortable details about their relationship are exposed, and the celebration soon becomes a feral nightmare.
Blue Finch describes the film as “an unapologetic look at how Australia’s iconic masculine identity has become incompatible with contemporary gender politics.” The film stars Shabana Azeez (“Run Rabbit Run”) and Mackenzie Fearnley (“Operation Buffalo”) as the soon-to-be-wedded couple. Written by Clark, the film is produced by Stephanie Troost and Ulysses Oliver of Breathless Films. The Australian and New Zealand rights are with Umbrella Entertainment.
The film screened at the Melbourne International...
The debut feature from filmmaking duo Jack Clark and Jim Weir follows a bride-to-be who is invited to join her own fiancé’s bachelor party on a remote property in the Australian outback. But as the festivities spiral into beer-soaked chaos, uncomfortable details about their relationship are exposed, and the celebration soon becomes a feral nightmare.
Blue Finch describes the film as “an unapologetic look at how Australia’s iconic masculine identity has become incompatible with contemporary gender politics.” The film stars Shabana Azeez (“Run Rabbit Run”) and Mackenzie Fearnley (“Operation Buffalo”) as the soon-to-be-wedded couple. Written by Clark, the film is produced by Stephanie Troost and Ulysses Oliver of Breathless Films. The Australian and New Zealand rights are with Umbrella Entertainment.
The film screened at the Melbourne International...
- 1/11/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
U.K. based sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights to thriller “Steppenwolf” from writer-director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, whose credits include the Cannes selected titles “The Owners” and “The Gentle Indifference of the World.” The film will have its world premiere at next month’s International Film Festival Rotterdam as part of the Big Screen Competition.
“Steppenwolf” is a brutal story of an unlikely duo who will stop at nothing to find what they are looking for. Tamara is searching for her missing son in a small town consumed by violence. In a desperate bid to get him back, she decides to offer a reward to an amoral former investigator whose methods prove to be sadistic. Determined, Tamara decides to complete the mission with the nihilistic detective, no matter what the cost.
Alexander Rodnyansky, who is best known for Oscar nominated “Leviathan” and “Loveless,” serves as producer...
“Steppenwolf” is a brutal story of an unlikely duo who will stop at nothing to find what they are looking for. Tamara is searching for her missing son in a small town consumed by violence. In a desperate bid to get him back, she decides to offer a reward to an amoral former investigator whose methods prove to be sadistic. Determined, Tamara decides to complete the mission with the nihilistic detective, no matter what the cost.
Alexander Rodnyansky, who is best known for Oscar nominated “Leviathan” and “Loveless,” serves as producer...
- 12/19/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
International Film Festival Rotterdam has revealed its lineup for the Tiger, Big Screen and Tiger Short competitions. The festival runs from January 25-February 4. Scroll down for the full lists.
Head South by Jonathan Ogilvie will open the proceedings with M. Raihan Halim’s comedy La Luna on closing duties. The Tiger Competition jury will be comprised of Marco Müller, Ena Sendijarević, Nadia Turincev, Herman Yau and Billy Woodberry.
Also confirmed are the first names for the Talks lineup including Marco Bellocchio, Anne Fontaine, Alexander Kluge and Rachel Maclean.
Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic said today, “For over half a century, IFFR has stood as a haven for diverse voices – a convergence where artists share perspectives. Our program celebrates the resilience and creativity of global filmmakers, a testament to cinema’s power to transcend borders. From Indian to Japanese epics, a Kazakh thriller, Finnish Freudian reinterpretations, Dominican sci-fi and underground Iranian cinema,...
Head South by Jonathan Ogilvie will open the proceedings with M. Raihan Halim’s comedy La Luna on closing duties. The Tiger Competition jury will be comprised of Marco Müller, Ena Sendijarević, Nadia Turincev, Herman Yau and Billy Woodberry.
Also confirmed are the first names for the Talks lineup including Marco Bellocchio, Anne Fontaine, Alexander Kluge and Rachel Maclean.
Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic said today, “For over half a century, IFFR has stood as a haven for diverse voices – a convergence where artists share perspectives. Our program celebrates the resilience and creativity of global filmmakers, a testament to cinema’s power to transcend borders. From Indian to Japanese epics, a Kazakh thriller, Finnish Freudian reinterpretations, Dominican sci-fi and underground Iranian cinema,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Head South.International Film Festival Rotterdam have announced the lineup for their 53rd edition, which will take place between January 25 to February 4. Opening FILMHead South (Jonathan Ogilvie)The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire.Tiger COMPETITIONThe Ballad of Suzanne Césaire (Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich)Flathead (Jaydon Martin)Grey Bees (Dmytro Moiseiev)Kiss Wagon (Midhun Murali)Me, Maryam, the Children and 26 Others (Farshad Hashemi)MosesLa Parra (Alberto Gracia)Praia Formosa (Julia De Simone)Rei (Tanaka Toshihiko)Reise der Schatten (Yves Netzhammer)She Fell to Earth (Susie Au)sr (Lea Hartlaub)Swimming Home (Justin Anderson)Under a Blue Sun (Daniel Mann)Milk Teeth.Big Screen COMPETITIONAire: Just Breathe (Leticia Tonos Paniagua)Children of War and Peace (Ville Suhonen)Confidenza (Daniele Luchetti)Eternal (Ulaa Salim)Milk Teeth (Sophia Bösch)The Old Bachelor (Oktay Baraheni)Portrait of a Certain Orient (Marcelo Gomes)Seven Seas Seven Hills (Ram)Steppenwolf (Adilkhan Yerzhanov)TenementThe Worst Man in London (Rodrigo Areias...
- 12/18/2023
- MUBI
‘Swimming Home’ is directed by Justin Anderson and stars Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed.
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the Tiger and Big Screen programmes for the 3rd edition, taking place January 25 – February 4, 2024 in the Netherlands.
Justin Anderson’s Swimming Home, starring Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed, is among the titles world premiering in the Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for full line-up
The drama is adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel about a woman who implores the help of a naked stranger found floating in her pool. It is produced by Emily Morgan’s UK outfit Quiddity Films,...
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the Tiger and Big Screen programmes for the 3rd edition, taking place January 25 – February 4, 2024 in the Netherlands.
Justin Anderson’s Swimming Home, starring Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed, is among the titles world premiering in the Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for full line-up
The drama is adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel about a woman who implores the help of a naked stranger found floating in her pool. It is produced by Emily Morgan’s UK outfit Quiddity Films,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Three decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, an emerging generation of filmmakers born and raised in the independent countries of Central Asia is giving an exhilarating charge to the region’s cinema and helping to put their unheralded industries on the map.
Leading Kazakh film critic Gulnara Abikeyeva says these “children of independence” are bringing a “new attitude” to the screen and giving a jolt of energy to emerging industries that for decades were under Moscow’s thumb.
“The production of films is growing very fast in all Central Asian countries,” she says. “There have appeared so many young production studios who can make movies with public or private money.”
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, what Abikeyeva describes as the “euphoria of freedom” caught hold across its former Central Asian republics, which include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Filmmakers who previously had to submit their...
Leading Kazakh film critic Gulnara Abikeyeva says these “children of independence” are bringing a “new attitude” to the screen and giving a jolt of energy to emerging industries that for decades were under Moscow’s thumb.
“The production of films is growing very fast in all Central Asian countries,” she says. “There have appeared so many young production studios who can make movies with public or private money.”
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, what Abikeyeva describes as the “euphoria of freedom” caught hold across its former Central Asian republics, which include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Filmmakers who previously had to submit their...
- 12/11/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
While the war in Ukraine has upended global geopolitics and ratcheted up tensions between Russia and the West, the impact has been especially profound across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where many inhabitants have themselves been the victims of Moscow’s aggression in the past.
In Kazakhstan, which shares the world’s longest land border with Putin’s rogue state and was the last of the former Soviet republics to achieve independence, the past two years have not only seen the disruption of traditional political and economic ties but accelerated a process of uncoupling from Russian language and culture.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “the young generation started to be more aware and be more awake and passionate about [Kazakh] culture itself,” says 26-year-old filmmaker Aisultan Seitov, whose feature debut, “Qas” (Hunger), about the brutal Kazakh famine of the 1930s, won best director honors in the Asian New Talent...
In Kazakhstan, which shares the world’s longest land border with Putin’s rogue state and was the last of the former Soviet republics to achieve independence, the past two years have not only seen the disruption of traditional political and economic ties but accelerated a process of uncoupling from Russian language and culture.
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “the young generation started to be more aware and be more awake and passionate about [Kazakh] culture itself,” says 26-year-old filmmaker Aisultan Seitov, whose feature debut, “Qas” (Hunger), about the brutal Kazakh famine of the 1930s, won best director honors in the Asian New Talent...
- 12/11/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The company has also sold historical epic ‘The Diamond Sword’ to major territories.
UK sales agent Jinga Films has added four titles to its slate ahead of the Cannes market, including Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s Venice 2022 Horizons Extra title Goliath.
Goliath follows a grieving husband who becomes an unlikely avenger after a criminal boss executes his wife. It is one of 14 features in the last 13 years from prolific Kazakh filmmaker Yerzhanov, who has previously premiered films at San Sebastian, Tallinn and Rotterdam.
Jinga has also acquired Fabian Forte’s occult fantasy The Witch Game, following a rebellious teenage girl who is...
UK sales agent Jinga Films has added four titles to its slate ahead of the Cannes market, including Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s Venice 2022 Horizons Extra title Goliath.
Goliath follows a grieving husband who becomes an unlikely avenger after a criminal boss executes his wife. It is one of 14 features in the last 13 years from prolific Kazakh filmmaker Yerzhanov, who has previously premiered films at San Sebastian, Tallinn and Rotterdam.
Jinga has also acquired Fabian Forte’s occult fantasy The Witch Game, following a rebellious teenage girl who is...
- 5/5/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
20 of the contributors of Asian Movie Pulse from America, Oceania, Europe and Asia have voted the 25 Best Films of 2021, resulting in what we consider a great selection, particularly since the offer of titles this year was much wider, as Asian cinema seems to take a bigger and bigger percentage of the content offered internationally, in theaters, festivals, and streaming services.
In that regard, the list includes films from S. Korea, Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Taiwan and the Philippines, while crime thrillers, martial arts, arthouse, courtroom and social dramas, comedies and Asian-American films have found a place.
Without further ado, here are the best Asian films of 2022, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2021, but since they mostly circulated in 2021, we decided to include them, in one of the calmer votes in the history of Amp.
25. Hail to Hell
Lim takes the oft repeated subject...
In that regard, the list includes films from S. Korea, Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Taiwan and the Philippines, while crime thrillers, martial arts, arthouse, courtroom and social dramas, comedies and Asian-American films have found a place.
Without further ado, here are the best Asian films of 2022, in reverse order. Some films may have premiered in 2021, but since they mostly circulated in 2021, we decided to include them, in one of the calmer votes in the history of Amp.
25. Hail to Hell
Lim takes the oft repeated subject...
- 12/18/2022
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Click here to read the full article.
Welcoming nearly 200 international guests from film delegations and juries, the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) marked an exuberant return to the hustle and bustle of its pre-pandemic editions. Running from Nov. 24 to Dec. 4, the festival offered 101 films and a first-ever VR short film program, with Singaporean films comprising over a quarter of the lineup.
The tides of change have been stirring since the festival brought in new program director Thong Kay Wee for the 2021 edition, which saw a significant revamp of its program sections. However, this year’s fully-physical format proved to be the first real testing ground for the festival’s new changes.
Here are four takeaways from the 2022 edition of the festival.
Expanded geographical ambitions
There is a significant geographical expansion underway in the festival’s programming and industry labs. For example, the festival’s Producers Network has expanded to include producers across Asia,...
Welcoming nearly 200 international guests from film delegations and juries, the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) marked an exuberant return to the hustle and bustle of its pre-pandemic editions. Running from Nov. 24 to Dec. 4, the festival offered 101 films and a first-ever VR short film program, with Singaporean films comprising over a quarter of the lineup.
The tides of change have been stirring since the festival brought in new program director Thong Kay Wee for the 2021 edition, which saw a significant revamp of its program sections. However, this year’s fully-physical format proved to be the first real testing ground for the festival’s new changes.
Here are four takeaways from the 2022 edition of the festival.
Expanded geographical ambitions
There is a significant geographical expansion underway in the festival’s programming and industry labs. For example, the festival’s Producers Network has expanded to include producers across Asia,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Sara Merican
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 33rd Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) drew to a close on Sunday night after 11 days of film screenings and off-screen programmes that celebrated and showcased the best of independent cinema from across the region. More than 100 film titles from 55 countries were screened across 6 theatres, including a special Double-Bill Fundraiser with a screening of Singapore Panorama feature film ‘Baby Queen’ followed by a live performance by protagonist Opera Tang and her fellow Queens.
“This year marked the full return of the Singapore International Film Festival and it was my privilege to be a part of an event that brought the film community together,” says Emily J. Hoe, Executive Director, Sgiff. “The need to showcase the diversity and richness of Asian storytelling to the world remains essential, and this year’s success would not have been possible without the dedication and tireless commitment of our wonderful team and volunteers as well...
“This year marked the full return of the Singapore International Film Festival and it was my privilege to be a part of an event that brought the film community together,” says Emily J. Hoe, Executive Director, Sgiff. “The need to showcase the diversity and richness of Asian storytelling to the world remains essential, and this year’s success would not have been possible without the dedication and tireless commitment of our wonderful team and volunteers as well...
- 12/6/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Corruption and the way it usually connects the police with the politicians and the “capital” has always been a source of inspiration for filmmakers, with a number of titles presenting its blights in their respective countries, with particularly Korean cinema leaning heavily on the subject.. The result is frequently masterful, with a number of great films of all time having the particular concept as their main theme. 24 of those are amassed in this list, in alphabetical order, as usually, with a focus on diversity.
1. A Dark, Dark Man
The most evident element here is the direct accusation Yerzhanov points towards the Kazakh system, particularly in rural areas, with the ways the police conduct their business in cooperation with politicians essentially deeming them even worse criminals than the ones they are supposed to deal with. At the same time, this comment allows for the two protagonists to stand out, through a rather thorough character analysis,...
1. A Dark, Dark Man
The most evident element here is the direct accusation Yerzhanov points towards the Kazakh system, particularly in rural areas, with the ways the police conduct their business in cooperation with politicians essentially deeming them even worse criminals than the ones they are supposed to deal with. At the same time, this comment allows for the two protagonists to stand out, through a rather thorough character analysis,...
- 11/2/2022
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
After two pandemic-affected editions of the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff), the country’s longest-running film festival is back with a stunning list of 101 independent films from 55 countries. As the world continues adapting to a truly new normal, the 33rd edition of Sgiff focuses on discovering fresh and inclusive perspectives in a bid to demonstrate human connectedness and function as a vehicle of progress.#
Celebrating New Perspectives
Opening this year’s Festival is Assault, a darkly comic, absorbing thriller that depicts the farce and fault lines in a society ruled by the insecurities of men. Directed by Adilkhan Yerzhanov, a major figure in Kazakh cinema, Assault premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Yerzhanov first gained prominence following his breakout feature The Owners (2014), which premiered at Cannes and was nominated for Best Asian...
Celebrating New Perspectives
Opening this year’s Festival is Assault, a darkly comic, absorbing thriller that depicts the farce and fault lines in a society ruled by the insecurities of men. Directed by Adilkhan Yerzhanov, a major figure in Kazakh cinema, Assault premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, and won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Yerzhanov first gained prominence following his breakout feature The Owners (2014), which premiered at Cannes and was nominated for Best Asian...
- 10/28/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Kazakh filmmaker Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s thriller “Assault,” which previously played Rotterdam, will open the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival.
Singaporean film “#LookAtMe,” which was denied certification by local authorities, remains part of the lineup, but will not screen at the festival. “#LookAtMe will not be screened at the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival as it has been refused classification by the Infocomm Media Development Authority,” says a note on the festival website.
Films in competition at the festival’s Asian feature film competition, the Silver Screen Awards, include “Archaeology Of Love” (South Korea) by Lee Wan-min; “Arnold Is A Model Student” (Thailand-Singapore-France-Netherlands-Philippines) by Sorayos Prapapan; “Autobiography” (Indonesia-France-Germany-Poland-Singapore-Philippines-Qatar) by Makbul Mubarak “The Cloud Messenger” (India) by Rahat Mahajan; “Convenience Store” (Russia-Slovenia-Turkey) by Michael Borodin; “Gaga” (Taiwan) by Laha Mebow; “Joyland” (Pakistan) by Saim Sadiq; “Leonor Will Never Die” (Philippines) by Martika Ramirez Escobar; and “Summer With Hope” (Canada-Iran) by Sadaf Foroughi.
Singaporean film “#LookAtMe,” which was denied certification by local authorities, remains part of the lineup, but will not screen at the festival. “#LookAtMe will not be screened at the 33rd Singapore International Film Festival as it has been refused classification by the Infocomm Media Development Authority,” says a note on the festival website.
Films in competition at the festival’s Asian feature film competition, the Silver Screen Awards, include “Archaeology Of Love” (South Korea) by Lee Wan-min; “Arnold Is A Model Student” (Thailand-Singapore-France-Netherlands-Philippines) by Sorayos Prapapan; “Autobiography” (Indonesia-France-Germany-Poland-Singapore-Philippines-Qatar) by Makbul Mubarak “The Cloud Messenger” (India) by Rahat Mahajan; “Convenience Store” (Russia-Slovenia-Turkey) by Michael Borodin; “Gaga” (Taiwan) by Laha Mebow; “Joyland” (Pakistan) by Saim Sadiq; “Leonor Will Never Die” (Philippines) by Martika Ramirez Escobar; and “Summer With Hope” (Canada-Iran) by Sadaf Foroughi.
- 10/27/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Banned feature #LookAtMe remains in the line-up.
Satircal thriller Assault by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov is set to open the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff), marking the first time a film from Central Asia has been selected to lead the event.
The full programme of 101 films from 54 countries – including nine titles for its main competition (see below) – were unveiled today for the festival’s 33rd edition, which will run from November 24 to December 4 and marks Sgiff’s first fully in-person event since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Yerzhanov is a leading figure in Kazakh cinema with several features...
Satircal thriller Assault by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov is set to open the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff), marking the first time a film from Central Asia has been selected to lead the event.
The full programme of 101 films from 54 countries – including nine titles for its main competition (see below) – were unveiled today for the festival’s 33rd edition, which will run from November 24 to December 4 and marks Sgiff’s first fully in-person event since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Yerzhanov is a leading figure in Kazakh cinema with several features...
- 10/26/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
If a local village warlord discovers he’s in a movie titled Goliath, he better watch his back. It doesn’t matter what his origin story is—and Poshaev (Daniyar Alshinov) has a bloody one—when power is never absolute. Yes, the villagers hail him as a hero for using his formidable presence to extort jobs for the community at a foreign investment firm’s tungsten mine. Yes, he works to keep drugs out of his domain by ruthlessly gunning down any rival gangs who dare to bring it across his borders. He’s still just a man, though. Still at the whims of those he trusts to stand by his side with guns in their hands. They’re the ones to worry about. They’re the ones with something to gain.
The first two-thirds of Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s film are interesting precisely because the man everyone fears might seek...
The first two-thirds of Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s film are interesting precisely because the man everyone fears might seek...
- 9/9/2022
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Alexander Rodnyansky, the producer of Oscar nominated films “Leviathan” and “Loveless,” has boarded the next project from Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov (pictured), whose film “Goliath” has its world premiere at Venice Film Festival on Thursday in the Horizons Extra section.
The new project, “Nosorog,” tells a contemporary story of Tamara, a distraught woman on a desperate search for her missing son in a small town consumed by violent riots. To help get her son back, she hires a shady detective, Brayuk, with unexpected consequences.
Rodnyansky joins producers Aliya Mendygozhina and Olga Khlasheva on the project, which is a co-production between the State Center of Support of the National Cinema of Kazakhstan and Kazakh film company Golden Man Media.
Rodnyansky said: “My strategy has always been to work with the best directors from any country and I am very excited to be a part of a new film of Adilkhan Yerzhanov,...
The new project, “Nosorog,” tells a contemporary story of Tamara, a distraught woman on a desperate search for her missing son in a small town consumed by violent riots. To help get her son back, she hires a shady detective, Brayuk, with unexpected consequences.
Rodnyansky joins producers Aliya Mendygozhina and Olga Khlasheva on the project, which is a co-production between the State Center of Support of the National Cinema of Kazakhstan and Kazakh film company Golden Man Media.
Rodnyansky said: “My strategy has always been to work with the best directors from any country and I am very excited to be a part of a new film of Adilkhan Yerzhanov,...
- 9/8/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
White NoiseCOMPETITIONWhite Noise (Noah Baumbach)Il Signore Delle Formiche (Gianni Amelio)The Whale (Darren Aronofsky)L’Immensita (Emanuele Crialese)Saint Omer (Alice Diop)Blonde (Andrew Dominik)Tár (Todd Field)Love Life (Koji Fukada)Bardo, False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths (Alejandro G. Inarritu)Athena (Romain Gavras)Bones & All (Luca Guadagnino)The Eternal Daughter (Joanna Hogg)Beyond The Wall (Vahid Jalilvand)The Banshees Of Inisherin (Martin McDonagh)Argentina, 1985 (Santiago Mitre)Chiara (Susanna Nicchiarelli)Monica (Andrea Pallaoro)No Bears (Jafar Panahi)All The Beauty And The Bloodshed (Laura Poitras)A Couple (Frederick Wiseman)The Son (Florian Zeller)Our Ties (Roschdy Zem)Other People’s Children (Rebecca Zlotowski)Out Of COMPETITIONFictionThe Hanging Sun (Francesco Carrozzini)When The Waves Are Gone (Lav Diaz)Living (Oliver Hermanus)Dead For A Dollar (Walter Hill)Call Of God (Kim Ki-duk)Dreamin’ Wild (Bill Pohlad)Master Gardener (Paul Schrader)Siccità (Paolo Virzi)Pearl (Ti West)Don’t Worry Darling...
- 7/28/2022
- MUBI
The 79th Venice International Film Festival has just announced the line-up for the next edition. The 79th Venice International Film Festival is organised by La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera. It will take place at Venice Lido from 31 August to 10 September 2022. The Festival is officially recognised by the Fiapf (International Federation of Film Producers Association).
The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. The Festival also organises retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema.
Here are all the Asian Titles on the Programme:
Competition:
Love Life
Director Koji Fukada
Main Cast Fumino Kimura, Kento Nagayama, Atom Sunada / Japan, France / 123’
Shab, Dakheli, Divar (Beyond The Wall)
Director Vahid Jalilvand
Main Cast Navid Mohammadzadeh, Diana Habibi,...
The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. The Festival also organises retrospectives and tributes to major figures as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema.
Here are all the Asian Titles on the Programme:
Competition:
Love Life
Director Koji Fukada
Main Cast Fumino Kimura, Kento Nagayama, Atom Sunada / Japan, France / 123’
Shab, Dakheli, Divar (Beyond The Wall)
Director Vahid Jalilvand
Main Cast Navid Mohammadzadeh, Diana Habibi,...
- 7/26/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
With opening night locked in––Noah Baumbach’s highly-anticipated Don DeLillo adaptation White Noise––Venice Film Festival has unveiled the rest of their lineup. Amongst the slate is Todd Field’s TÁR, Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener, Jafar Panahi’s No Bears, Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All, Joanna Hogg’s The Eternal Daughter, Frederick Wiseman’s A Couple, Laura Poitras’ All The Beauty And The Bloodshed, Walter Hill’s Dead for a Dollar, and more.
Check out the lineup below, with a hat tip to Deadline.
Venezia 79 Competiton
Il Signore Delle Formiche, dir: Gianni Amelio
The Whale, dir: Darren Aronofsky
L’Imensita, dir: Emanuel Crialese
Saint Omer, dir: Alice Diop
Blonde, dir: Andrew Dominik
TÁR, dir: Todd Field
Love Life, dir: Koji Fukada
Bardo, False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths, dir: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Athena,...
Check out the lineup below, with a hat tip to Deadline.
Venezia 79 Competiton
Il Signore Delle Formiche, dir: Gianni Amelio
The Whale, dir: Darren Aronofsky
L’Imensita, dir: Emanuel Crialese
Saint Omer, dir: Alice Diop
Blonde, dir: Andrew Dominik
TÁR, dir: Todd Field
Love Life, dir: Koji Fukada
Bardo, False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths, dir: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Athena,...
- 7/26/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Update: The Venice Film Festival has revealed a robust lineup for the 79th edition which runs from August 31-September 10 on the Lido. Scroll down for the full list of Competition titles which include new works from such directors as Darren Aronofsky, Alejandro G Iñárritu, Todd Field, Andrew Dominik, Luca Guadagnino, Alice Diop, Joanna Hogg, Martin McDonagh, Jafar Panahi and Florian Zeller.
In big-ticket Out of Competition berths are Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling from Warner Bros and starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as well as a new documentary from Oliver Stone and TV series The Kingdom Exodus and Copenhagen Cowboy, respectively from Danish auteurs Lars von Trier and Nicolas Winding Refn.
Previous: The Venice Film Festival will unveil its lineup for the 79th edition this morning at 11 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Pt/5 a.m. Et). The press conference is being held at the Library of the...
In big-ticket Out of Competition berths are Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling from Warner Bros and starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as well as a new documentary from Oliver Stone and TV series The Kingdom Exodus and Copenhagen Cowboy, respectively from Danish auteurs Lars von Trier and Nicolas Winding Refn.
Previous: The Venice Film Festival will unveil its lineup for the 79th edition this morning at 11 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Pt/5 a.m. Et). The press conference is being held at the Library of the...
- 7/26/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Includes films by Alejandro G. Inarritu, Joanna Hogg, Olivia Wilde, Darren Aronofsky, Andrew Dominik, Luca Guadagnino and Florian Zeller.
The line-up of the 79th Venice Film Festival (August 31-September 10) has been announced by festival president Roberto Cicutto and artistic director Alberto Barbera.
Scroll down for full line-up
The heavyweight competition line-up includes films by Alejandro G. Inarritu, Joanna Hogg, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Darren Aronofsky, Andrew Dominik, Luca Guadagnino, Martin McDonagh and Florian Zeller. As with last year, five female directors were selected in the main competition. Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling is playing out of competition.
As previously announced, Noah Baumbach...
The line-up of the 79th Venice Film Festival (August 31-September 10) has been announced by festival president Roberto Cicutto and artistic director Alberto Barbera.
Scroll down for full line-up
The heavyweight competition line-up includes films by Alejandro G. Inarritu, Joanna Hogg, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Darren Aronofsky, Andrew Dominik, Luca Guadagnino, Martin McDonagh and Florian Zeller. As with last year, five female directors were selected in the main competition. Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling is playing out of competition.
As previously announced, Noah Baumbach...
- 7/26/2022
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
The line-up will be unveiled this morning at around 11:00 Cest (10:00 BST).
The line-up for the 79th Venice International Film Festival (August 31-September 10) will be unveiled this morning at around 11:00 Cest (10:00 BST) by festival president Roberto Cicutto and artistic director Alberto Barbera.
Scroll down for line-up
The press conference will be live-streamed below, and this page will be updated with the films as they are announced.
As previously announced, Noah Baumbach’s White Noise will open the festival in competition.
Julianne Moore will preside over the competition jury that also includes Audrey Diwan, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Mariano Cohn,...
The line-up for the 79th Venice International Film Festival (August 31-September 10) will be unveiled this morning at around 11:00 Cest (10:00 BST) by festival president Roberto Cicutto and artistic director Alberto Barbera.
Scroll down for line-up
The press conference will be live-streamed below, and this page will be updated with the films as they are announced.
As previously announced, Noah Baumbach’s White Noise will open the festival in competition.
Julianne Moore will preside over the competition jury that also includes Audrey Diwan, Leonardo Di Costanzo, Mariano Cohn,...
- 7/26/2022
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Before he became “famous” with his rather intelligent and humorous genre approach in 2020, with “Yellow Cat” and “Ulbolsyn”, Adilkhan Yerzhanov had directed a number of other movies, with “A Dark, Dark Man” featuring the same traits, but also being darker than his latest efforts. Let us take things from the beginning though.
on Amazon
The introduction sets the tone of the whole movie in the most eloquent fashion. A boy has been killed in an aul (Kazakh village) and a police detective is examining the body in the most amateur way possible, behind a cornfield that seems like the perfect background for a Stephen King novel. After the “examination” is over, the policeman calls the local simpleton Pekuar, bribes him with candy to masturbate in a cup, and then proceeds on placing the semen on the dead body, framing the young man who barely understands what is going on.
on Amazon
The introduction sets the tone of the whole movie in the most eloquent fashion. A boy has been killed in an aul (Kazakh village) and a police detective is examining the body in the most amateur way possible, behind a cornfield that seems like the perfect background for a Stephen King novel. After the “examination” is over, the policeman calls the local simpleton Pekuar, bribes him with candy to masturbate in a cup, and then proceeds on placing the semen on the dead body, framing the young man who barely understands what is going on.
- 7/6/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Utopia has picked up North American rights to “Freakscene: The Story of Dinosaur Jr.,” the feature docu that looks at the legacy of the influential 1990s band. A one-night only special theatrical release is set for May 31 ahead of a June 3 digital release.
A special New York premiere on May 28 will feature a Q&a and solo performance from the band’s J Mascis.
Directed by German filmmaker Philipp Reichenheim, who happens to be Mascis’ brother-in-law, the documentary features interviews with their contemporaries including Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and The Pixies, charting their story from the mid-80s to their 30th anniversary reunion concert.
Emma Thompson Hires a Sex Worker in ‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’ Trailer
Emma Thompson plays Nancy Stokes, a widow, who attempts to have proper sex for the first time in her life and hires a sex worker in the new trailer for “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.
A special New York premiere on May 28 will feature a Q&a and solo performance from the band’s J Mascis.
Directed by German filmmaker Philipp Reichenheim, who happens to be Mascis’ brother-in-law, the documentary features interviews with their contemporaries including Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and The Pixies, charting their story from the mid-80s to their 30th anniversary reunion concert.
Emma Thompson Hires a Sex Worker in ‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’ Trailer
Emma Thompson plays Nancy Stokes, a widow, who attempts to have proper sex for the first time in her life and hires a sex worker in the new trailer for “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.
- 5/18/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay and Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
The thriller is directed by Kazakhstan’s Adilkan Yerzhanov.
Russian-French sales outfit Riverlet Films has sold The Assault, which premiered in competition at Rotterdam this year, to Kinovista for France and all French-speaking countries. A theatrical release is planned for autumn 2022.
The Assault is directed by Kazakh Adilkan Yerzhanov, whose previous credits include Tallinn competition title Herd Immunity and Cannes Un Certain Regard premiere The Gentle Indifference Of The World.
Yerzhanov also wrote the script for the Russian-language title, which follows a group of unidentified people who appear to be terrorists as they seize a village school in Kazakhstan, taking the children hostage,...
Russian-French sales outfit Riverlet Films has sold The Assault, which premiered in competition at Rotterdam this year, to Kinovista for France and all French-speaking countries. A theatrical release is planned for autumn 2022.
The Assault is directed by Kazakh Adilkan Yerzhanov, whose previous credits include Tallinn competition title Herd Immunity and Cannes Un Certain Regard premiere The Gentle Indifference Of The World.
Yerzhanov also wrote the script for the Russian-language title, which follows a group of unidentified people who appear to be terrorists as they seize a village school in Kazakhstan, taking the children hostage,...
- 4/12/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
If endless sequels, prequels, reboots, spin-offs, teamups, callbacks and shout-outs have put you off the idea of the “shared cinematic universe,” you haven’t been spending enough time in Karatas, world cinema’s smallest, wildest, weirdest crossover microcosm. The fictional village in rural Kazakhstan, populated exclusively by the clueless, the cowardly, the comic and the corrupt has provided a stark, absurdist backdrop for most of prolific Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s films, including his newest, the dark, funny, freaky “Assault.”
It may not be the most essential Yerzhanov entry — it’s not the darkest, funniest or freakiest — but “Assault” is a droll refresher on his singular sensibilities, and his borderline miraculous ability to maintain a coherent tone while narrative logic and consistency are highly expendable commodities. Good taste, too, can be as casually tossed out as one of the stuttered insults that make up about 80 percent of the dialogue. Here,...
It may not be the most essential Yerzhanov entry — it’s not the darkest, funniest or freakiest — but “Assault” is a droll refresher on his singular sensibilities, and his borderline miraculous ability to maintain a coherent tone while narrative logic and consistency are highly expendable commodities. Good taste, too, can be as casually tossed out as one of the stuttered insults that make up about 80 percent of the dialogue. Here,...
- 1/28/2022
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Continuing where he left off with “Yellow Cat”, Adilkhan Yerzhanov continues on his intelligent, devilishly funny genre path with another deadpan satire that also manages to make a number of sociopolitical comments.
“Assault” is screening on International Film Festival Rotterdam Nederland, Rotterdam, 11/01/2021, iffr vlaggen op de boompjes, foto Jan de Groen
While the people operating a school in Karatas are completely immersed in their own issues, a group of masked figures with machine guns enter the building completely unbothered, taking the pupils hostage and executing one of them. Math teacher Tazshi, who has just had a fight with his ex-wife who had come to pick their son from their classroom, does not only fail to even try and save his students, but the only thing in his mind is how to save himself. After the rest of the “survivors” learn the truth, and a mild beating, he takes charge of...
“Assault” is screening on International Film Festival Rotterdam Nederland, Rotterdam, 11/01/2021, iffr vlaggen op de boompjes, foto Jan de Groen
While the people operating a school in Karatas are completely immersed in their own issues, a group of masked figures with machine guns enter the building completely unbothered, taking the pupils hostage and executing one of them. Math teacher Tazshi, who has just had a fight with his ex-wife who had come to pick their son from their classroom, does not only fail to even try and save his students, but the only thing in his mind is how to save himself. After the rest of the “survivors” learn the truth, and a mild beating, he takes charge of...
- 1/27/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Answering the SunInternational Film Festival Rotterdam have announced the full lineup for their "scaled-down" 51st edition, which will take place online between January 26 — February 6. As part of a full, nationwide lockdown, cinemas will remain closed in the Netherlands until at least 14 January. Tiger COMPETITIONAchrome (Maria Ignatenko)The Cloud Messenger (Rahat Mahajan)The Child (Marguerite de Hillerin/Félix Dutilloy-Liégeois)Eami (Paz Encina)Excess Will Save Us (Morgane Dziurla-Petit)Kafka for Kids (Roee Rosen)Malintzin 17 (Mara Polgovsky/Eugenio Polgovsky)Met mes (Sam de Jong)The Plains (David Easteal)Proyecto Fantasma (Roberto Doveris)Le rêve et la radio (Renaud Després-Larose/Ana Tapia Rousiouk)Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish (Lei Lei)To Love Again (Gao Linyang)Yamabuki (Juichiro Yamasaki)Big Screen COMPETITIONAssault (Adilkhan Yerzhanov)Broadway (Christos Massalas)Third Grade (Jacques Doillon)Daryn’s Gym (Brett Michael Innes)Drifting Petals (Clara Law)The Harbour (Rajeev Ravi)The Island (Anca Damian)Kung Fu Zohra (Mabrouk El Mechri...
- 1/7/2022
- MUBI
This year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the 14 films selected for its flagship Tiger Competition. Scroll down for the full list.
The selection is typically globe-trotting, with features ranging from Chile to China, Sweden to Israel, and Mexico to India. A jury will grant three prizes: the Tiger Award, plus two special jury awards. On the jury are: Zsuzsi Bánkuti, Gust Van den Berghe, Tatiana Leite, Thekla Reuten and Farid Tabarki.
Last year’s winner of IFFR’s Tiger competition was Indian filmmaker Vinothraj P.S.’s Pebbles, which was the country’s contender for this year’s International Oscar race, though didn’t make the shortlist.
Today, the festival also confirmed the line-ups for its Big Screen Competition, which aims to bridge the gap between popular and arthouse cinema. Titles selected range from Romania to France and South Africa. The Tiger Short Competition was also unveiled.
The selection is typically globe-trotting, with features ranging from Chile to China, Sweden to Israel, and Mexico to India. A jury will grant three prizes: the Tiger Award, plus two special jury awards. On the jury are: Zsuzsi Bánkuti, Gust Van den Berghe, Tatiana Leite, Thekla Reuten and Farid Tabarki.
Last year’s winner of IFFR’s Tiger competition was Indian filmmaker Vinothraj P.S.’s Pebbles, which was the country’s contender for this year’s International Oscar race, though didn’t make the shortlist.
Today, the festival also confirmed the line-ups for its Big Screen Competition, which aims to bridge the gap between popular and arthouse cinema. Titles selected range from Romania to France and South Africa. The Tiger Short Competition was also unveiled.
- 1/7/2022
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s “Assault” and “Kung Fu Zohra” from Mabrouk El Mechri are among the lineup at International Film Festival Rotterdam’s (IFFR) 51st edition.
The films were among 10 features selected for the Big Screen competition, which aims to bridge the gap between popular, classic and arthouse cinema.
IFFR also boasts the Tiger Competition for emerging talent and Ammodo Tiger Short competition for shorts.
Among the 14 titles selected for the Tiger Competition, Roberto Doveris will present “Proyecto Fantasma,” Morgane Dziurla-Petit will deliver “Excess Will Save Us” and David Easteal will show “The Plains.”
The festival, whose full lineup was announced on Friday, will run as a virtual festival on IFFR.com from Jan 26-Feb. 6 for the second year in a row due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic revealed that the lockdown in the Netherlands had enforced some changes in previously announced elements of the program. For example,...
The films were among 10 features selected for the Big Screen competition, which aims to bridge the gap between popular, classic and arthouse cinema.
IFFR also boasts the Tiger Competition for emerging talent and Ammodo Tiger Short competition for shorts.
Among the 14 titles selected for the Tiger Competition, Roberto Doveris will present “Proyecto Fantasma,” Morgane Dziurla-Petit will deliver “Excess Will Save Us” and David Easteal will show “The Plains.”
The festival, whose full lineup was announced on Friday, will run as a virtual festival on IFFR.com from Jan 26-Feb. 6 for the second year in a row due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic revealed that the lockdown in the Netherlands had enforced some changes in previously announced elements of the program. For example,...
- 1/7/2022
- by K.J. Yossman and Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
It was just a matter of time before Kazakhstan’s poet Mukagali Makataev (1931-1976) was finally going to get his biopic. Censored, outcasted and disgraced during his lifetime, he became the symbol of Kazakh’s struggle for independence during the Soviet occupation, post-everything. “Poetry loves freedom” is something that gets repeated in Bolat Kalymbetov’s period drama “Mukagali”, a wisdom ascribed to Pushkin, one of the greatest Russian poets whose verses also inspired the eponymous hero of the film.
30 years after the dream of Kazakh freedom became true, actor/ director Kalymbetov turns to the national hero concentrating on the last three years of his life marked by traumatic events. Mukagali (Aslanbek Zhanbalayev) is introduced through a form of trial about something he had done, probably regarding his now famous poem ‘Raimbek! Raimbek!’ that was considered separatist at the time. During that life-changing event, he is still in Moscow where he...
30 years after the dream of Kazakh freedom became true, actor/ director Kalymbetov turns to the national hero concentrating on the last three years of his life marked by traumatic events. Mukagali (Aslanbek Zhanbalayev) is introduced through a form of trial about something he had done, probably regarding his now famous poem ‘Raimbek! Raimbek!’ that was considered separatist at the time. During that life-changing event, he is still in Moscow where he...
- 12/21/2021
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Every year since its creation in 1956, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) invites the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue and that was released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021. The shortlist of fifteen finalists is scheduled to be announced on 21 December 2021. The final five nominees are scheduled to be announced on 8 February 2022.
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
- 11/28/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
In the past 20 months, we have all learned what an expression “herd immunity” means, for reasons well known. The Covid-19 pandemic has come even to the most remote places of the world, like the village of Karatas in Southern Kazakhstan which serves as the location and the source of inspiration (usually in the form of a metaphor for a hotbed of corruption) for most of the work by Kazakh filmmaker Adilkhan Yerzhanov. Oddly, this not Yerzhanov’s first “epidemic rodeo”, as some could remember “The Plague in Karatas Village” (2016), but “Herd Immunity” still comes at the right time. Like Yerzhanov’s previous film, “Ulbolsyn”, “Herd Immunity” premiered at Black Nights Film Festival where we had the chance to see it.
Our unlikely hero is Selkeu (Yerzhanov’s regular Daniyar Alshinov), one of the two Karatas sheriffs, the other being an ex-police officer Zhamzhysh (Nurbek Mukushev). Selkeu is from somewhere abroad...
Our unlikely hero is Selkeu (Yerzhanov’s regular Daniyar Alshinov), one of the two Karatas sheriffs, the other being an ex-police officer Zhamzhysh (Nurbek Mukushev). Selkeu is from somewhere abroad...
- 11/27/2021
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
The film is one of two Kazakh titles in competition.
Screen can exclusively reveal the first trailer for Mukagali, the latest film from Kazakh director Bolat Kalymbetov, which will have its world premiere in competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on Saturday (November 20).
The film is a biopic of Kazakh poet Mukagali Makataev, who since his death in 1976 has become one of the country’s most celebrated writers.
The film concentrates on three years of his life when he left university after Leonid Brezhnev’s rise to lead the Soviet Union; Makataev opposed communism and worked to preserve the independent Kazakh language.
Screen can exclusively reveal the first trailer for Mukagali, the latest film from Kazakh director Bolat Kalymbetov, which will have its world premiere in competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on Saturday (November 20).
The film is a biopic of Kazakh poet Mukagali Makataev, who since his death in 1976 has become one of the country’s most celebrated writers.
The film concentrates on three years of his life when he left university after Leonid Brezhnev’s rise to lead the Soviet Union; Makataev opposed communism and worked to preserve the independent Kazakh language.
- 11/18/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
UK’s Brilliant Pictures is producing and selling the title.
House Of Gucci star Madalina Ghenea and Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick will lead the cast of Caribbean-set shark survival thriller Deep Fear, which will start production in Malta and the West Indies in January 2022.
The film will follow a round-the-world yachtswoman (Ghenea) who sets out on a solo trip to meet her boyfriend (Westwick) in Grenada; before a storm forces her 47-foot yacht off course. She responds to a distress signal from a sinking vessel; but is soon captured by drug traffickers, whose attempt to get her to retrieve...
House Of Gucci star Madalina Ghenea and Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick will lead the cast of Caribbean-set shark survival thriller Deep Fear, which will start production in Malta and the West Indies in January 2022.
The film will follow a round-the-world yachtswoman (Ghenea) who sets out on a solo trip to meet her boyfriend (Westwick) in Grenada; before a storm forces her 47-foot yacht off course. She responds to a distress signal from a sinking vessel; but is soon captured by drug traffickers, whose attempt to get her to retrieve...
- 11/17/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2022 Academy Awards
Entries for the 2022 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
The 94th Academy Awards will take place on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This is the first time since 2018 that the ceremony will take place in March, having moved to avoid conflicting with the Winter Olympics.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue...
Entries for the 2022 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
The 94th Academy Awards will take place on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This is the first time since 2018 that the ceremony will take place in March, having moved to avoid conflicting with the Winter Olympics.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue...
- 11/11/2021
- by Ben Dalton¬Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
The 25th edition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is about to kick off, and between 12-28 of November the audience will have the oportunity to watch a great number of films from Asia, strewn across festival’s various program sections, including all competition segments. We went through the complete program and counted no more or less than 69 films from the broader Asian region.
Quite surprising is the amount of competition titles in the main selection, with three world premieres, four international. Lu ZHang’s “Yanagawa” will have its European premiere at PÖFF.
Yerzhanov returns to Tallinn a year after he presented two films at the festival, the main competition title “Ulbolsyn” about a woman who comes to a Kazhak village to “steer trouble”, and the oddball comedy “Yellow Cat” screened in the Current Waves program. Kirill Sokolov is also back two years after the premiere of his critically acclaimed...
Quite surprising is the amount of competition titles in the main selection, with three world premieres, four international. Lu ZHang’s “Yanagawa” will have its European premiere at PÖFF.
Yerzhanov returns to Tallinn a year after he presented two films at the festival, the main competition title “Ulbolsyn” about a woman who comes to a Kazhak village to “steer trouble”, and the oddball comedy “Yellow Cat” screened in the Current Waves program. Kirill Sokolov is also back two years after the premiere of his critically acclaimed...
- 11/10/2021
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Strange how it can feel like not a lot happens in a film that features unwanted teen pregnancy, spousal abandonment, mounting debt, a heart attack, a fistfight and a police chase that ends in a car crash. Even stranger that in the case of Aizhana Kassymbek’s “Fire,” the impression of uneventfulness in a story packed with incident is almost entirely a positive thing: Kassymbek’s light, wry touch and her profound affection for the flawed decency of her characters siphon the gloom from what easily could have been a grim, gray social realist Book of Job, leaving behind instead a droll dramedy with a surprisingly tender and even emotional keel.
Bad things have a nasty habit of happening to good people, but cheerfully long-faced family man Tolik (Tulepbergen Baissakalov) is about to get more than his fair share. Pootling down the highway in his little van, delivering bread to small suburban neighborhood stores,...
Bad things have a nasty habit of happening to good people, but cheerfully long-faced family man Tolik (Tulepbergen Baissakalov) is about to get more than his fair share. Pootling down the highway in his little van, delivering bread to small suburban neighborhood stores,...
- 10/13/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
The Asian Film Awards Academy (Afaa) announced today the nominees of the 15th Asian Film Awards (AFA15).
China’s “One Second”, South Korea’s “The Book of Fish”, India’s “The Disciple”, and two Japanese films, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and “Wife of a Spy” are competing for this year’s “Best Film Award.”
World renowned directors, Zhang Yimou, Lee Joon-ik, Kurosawa Kiyoshi and internationally acclaimed Hamaguchi Ryusuke, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov are in a tight race for “Best Director.”
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan, South Korea for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. This year the awards will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival on 8 October 2021 (Friday). The ceremony will commence in a hybrid form, which combines on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker, Lee Chang-dong...
China’s “One Second”, South Korea’s “The Book of Fish”, India’s “The Disciple”, and two Japanese films, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and “Wife of a Spy” are competing for this year’s “Best Film Award.”
World renowned directors, Zhang Yimou, Lee Joon-ik, Kurosawa Kiyoshi and internationally acclaimed Hamaguchi Ryusuke, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov are in a tight race for “Best Director.”
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan, South Korea for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. This year the awards will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival on 8 October 2021 (Friday). The ceremony will commence in a hybrid form, which combines on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker, Lee Chang-dong...
- 9/11/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The Academy (Afaa) revealed the nominees for the 15th Asian Film Awards today. Thirty-six films from eight Asian regions will compete for 16 awards. China’s One Second, South Korea’s The Book of Fish, India’s The Disciple, and two Japanese films, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Wife of a Spy, compete for this year’s “Best Film Award.”
Three Hong Kong films were nominated for this year’s Afa, including Drifting, directed by Jun Li, nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Limbo, directed by Cheang Pou-soi, was nominated for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best sound; Adam Wong’s The Way We Keep Dancing was nominated for Best Original Music.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong will be this year’s Jury President. Lee was the lifetime award recipient at the 13th Asian Film Awards.He won the “Best...
Three Hong Kong films were nominated for this year’s Afa, including Drifting, directed by Jun Li, nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Limbo, directed by Cheang Pou-soi, was nominated for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best sound; Adam Wong’s The Way We Keep Dancing was nominated for Best Original Music.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong will be this year’s Jury President. Lee was the lifetime award recipient at the 13th Asian Film Awards.He won the “Best...
- 9/9/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
China’s “One Second,” South Korea’s “The Book of Fish,” India’s “The Disciple,” and two Japanese films, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” and “Wife of a Spy” will compete for this year’s best film prize at the Asian Film Awards
The awards again will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival. The ceremony, on Oct. 8, 2021, will operate in a hybrid form combining on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. In previous years, the ceremony was held in Hong Kong and Macau.
Those nominated for best director included Zhang Yimou (for “One Second”), Lee Joon-ik (for “The Book of Fish”), Hamaguchi Ryusuke (for “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy”), Kurosawa Kiyoshi (for “Wife of a Spy”) and Kazakhstan’s Adilkhan Yerzhanov (for “Yellow Cat”).
Mainland Chinese thriller “Cliff Walkers,...
The awards again will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival. The ceremony, on Oct. 8, 2021, will operate in a hybrid form combining on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. In previous years, the ceremony was held in Hong Kong and Macau.
Those nominated for best director included Zhang Yimou (for “One Second”), Lee Joon-ik (for “The Book of Fish”), Hamaguchi Ryusuke (for “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy”), Kurosawa Kiyoshi (for “Wife of a Spy”) and Kazakhstan’s Adilkhan Yerzhanov (for “Yellow Cat”).
Mainland Chinese thriller “Cliff Walkers,...
- 9/9/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
It speaks volumes that we get to know the woman’s back, hunched over dishes or laundry, against cracked tiles rimmed in dirty grout, before we get a proper look at her careworn face. And even then, the eyes of this Egyptian housewife (a superbly self-contained Demyana Nassar), the mother of two grimy, wriggling little boys, remain downcast as her husband (Samy Bassiouny) barks a grocery order and carefully metes out dirty banknotes from a meager supply. It seems, briefly, as though Omar El Zohairy’s Cannes Critics’ Week winner “Feathers” will continue in this vein, as a beautifully framed, sharply observed, quiet depiction of social inequity, squalor and the subjugation of women in an Egyptian factory town. But that’s before the husband turns into a chicken.
Strangeness runs through El Zohairy’s tremendously impressive and complete feature debut like an electrical current, but it is treated with absolute,...
Strangeness runs through El Zohairy’s tremendously impressive and complete feature debut like an electrical current, but it is treated with absolute,...
- 8/26/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
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