In light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, millions of their citizens made the complicated decision to leave, moving en masse to destinations such as Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Turkey and Germany. A choice fraught with danger and uncertainty, it requires a great, torturous leap into the unknown. Inspired by his own personal story, Director Pavel Kling makes great use of a single apartment to depict one woman’s choice to exit Russia, carefully cataloguing the small decisions that could have a massive impact on the rest of her life. Employing a variety of immersive sound effects, great lived-in production design, excellent use of space and dry, yet evocative voiceover, Bad Timing soberly counts the cost of leaving everything behind. We had the chance to talk to Kling about his own journey to Kazakhstan and back, working with his brother on the spare yet effective soundtrack and how the...
- 6/12/2023
- by Redmond Bacon
- Directors Notes
Kharkiv, Ukraine — The House of Actors theater was packed on Saturday night in Kharkiv, a Ukrainian city just 33 miles from the Russian border. The crowd spent the evening laughing at stand-up comedy from the Saxalin-ua troupe, who performed in Russian here in the heart of the country’s supposedly pro-Russia east. Most of the bits were the usual jokes about men and women and relationships, but politics arrived for the final act: On the smoke-covered stage, performers stretched out the Ukrainian flag and silently mouthed the words of an obscene popular chant about Vladimir Putin,...
- 1/28/2022
- by Anna Nemtsova
- Rollingstone.com
10 actors will be presented during next year’s Berlinale.
European Film Promotion (Efp) has named the 10 actors for the 2019 edition of its European Shooting Stars, which showcases up-and-coming acting talent from across the continent.
This year’s list includes Aisling Franciosi, a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2014. Franciosi recently had a lead role in Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale, which premiered at Venice in September.
Also included are Milan Marić, who played the title role in Berlinale 2018 title Dovlatov, the biopic of Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov; and Elliott Crosset Hove, who won the best actor award at Locarno and Vilnius...
European Film Promotion (Efp) has named the 10 actors for the 2019 edition of its European Shooting Stars, which showcases up-and-coming acting talent from across the continent.
This year’s list includes Aisling Franciosi, a Screen Star of Tomorrow in 2014. Franciosi recently had a lead role in Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale, which premiered at Venice in September.
Also included are Milan Marić, who played the title role in Berlinale 2018 title Dovlatov, the biopic of Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov; and Elliott Crosset Hove, who won the best actor award at Locarno and Vilnius...
- 12/11/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Author! Author!: German Jr. Tackles a Week in the Life of a Dissident Writer
While it’s Alexey German Jr.’s (son of the equally idiosyncratic Alexey German) most straightforward title to date, Dovlatov, which relays six days in the life of celebrated Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov in early 1970s Leningrad, it’s also his least daring. Coming off his celebrated Under Electric Clouds (2015) a dense, majestic allegorical achievement, his latest is as equally technically assured (this time thanks to Polish Dp Lukasz Zal of Ida and Loving Vincent) but a bit monotonously obsessed with self-reflexivity and Russia’s formidable literary legacy.…...
While it’s Alexey German Jr.’s (son of the equally idiosyncratic Alexey German) most straightforward title to date, Dovlatov, which relays six days in the life of celebrated Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov in early 1970s Leningrad, it’s also his least daring. Coming off his celebrated Under Electric Clouds (2015) a dense, majestic allegorical achievement, his latest is as equally technically assured (this time thanks to Polish Dp Lukasz Zal of Ida and Loving Vincent) but a bit monotonously obsessed with self-reflexivity and Russia’s formidable literary legacy.…...
- 10/27/2018
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Just in time for the Halloween movie-going season, Netflix is bringing out the big guns, offering up Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” as one of its marquee titles new to the service next month. Consider it a peace offering of sorts, as the rest of the month isn’t exactly bursting with other horror picks, beyond Mickey Liddell’s “The Haunting of Molly Hartley,” Jeff Wadlow’s “Truth or Dare,” and the decidedly creepy Dirty Harry feature “The Dead Pool.”
Want something lighter? There are a number of comedies arriving on Netflix in October, including “Billy Madison,” “Blazing Saddles,” plus a pair of Monty Python features — “The Meaning of Life” and “Life of Brian,” which will arrive together on October 2. The streaming giant is also offering up some modern rom-coms to take the edge off a month of thrills and chills, including “Must Love Dogs,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,...
Want something lighter? There are a number of comedies arriving on Netflix in October, including “Billy Madison,” “Blazing Saddles,” plus a pair of Monty Python features — “The Meaning of Life” and “Life of Brian,” which will arrive together on October 2. The streaming giant is also offering up some modern rom-coms to take the edge off a month of thrills and chills, including “Must Love Dogs,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,...
- 9/26/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Film was initially released for just four days in Russian cinemas.
Aleksey German-Jr.’s latest feature Dovlatov (which won a Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the Berlinale) has enjoyed bumper attendances since its release in Russia last week through Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (Wdsspr).
The film was launched on 400 screens across the country last week with a “four day only” event-style release campaign, from 1-4 March. The idea was that it would then be withdrawn.
However, many cinemas are now asking for further bookings. Admissions over the four days were close to 300,000 - a very lofty...
Aleksey German-Jr.’s latest feature Dovlatov (which won a Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at the Berlinale) has enjoyed bumper attendances since its release in Russia last week through Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (Wdsspr).
The film was launched on 400 screens across the country last week with a “four day only” event-style release campaign, from 1-4 March. The idea was that it would then be withdrawn.
However, many cinemas are now asking for further bookings. Admissions over the four days were close to 300,000 - a very lofty...
- 3/6/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
The story of Sergei Dovlatov is the kind of tale we’ve heard before. A writer who grew up in the Ussr, Dovlatov fled his home country in 1979 after failing to achieve much success at his craft. He died of a heart attack in 1990, and in the years since his death he’s been recognized as one of Russia’s best writers of the 20th century. This kind of tragic material has been covered many times before in film (a recent example being the Emily Dickinson biopic A Quiet Passion), a fact that director/co-writer Aleksei German Jr. seems highly aware of. In Dovlatov, German hones in on a brief part of his subject’s life, and by doing so he focuses less on who Dovlatov is and more on how his environment defined him. It makes for an engaging experience, one that tweaks the biopic format to something more unconventional in its approach.
- 3/4/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
by Alex C. DeleonIntroducing here a new (to me, but not to his fans!) reviewer whose voice is clear and decidedly different! Get ready for some new films and new outlooks!“Off the Wall Minireviews from Berlin”
I saw 21 films at Berlin this week at least 18 of which were Ordeals to sit through or so tedious they led to walkouts — It was almost enough to make me give up on film viewing altogether —
An unusually large number of films dwelt on the gathering infirmity of people [of a certain age ]and the uselessness of carrying on — I call them “Why Bother” movies — Ah for the good old days when movies told stories instead of kvetching about the misery of the Human Condition and the impossibility of having any kind of good relationship …other than extremely kinky or totally insane.
The misery of the Human Condition is the Hallmark at Berlin 2018, and here is —
1. Badly.
I saw 21 films at Berlin this week at least 18 of which were Ordeals to sit through or so tedious they led to walkouts — It was almost enough to make me give up on film viewing altogether —
An unusually large number of films dwelt on the gathering infirmity of people [of a certain age ]and the uselessness of carrying on — I call them “Why Bother” movies — Ah for the good old days when movies told stories instead of kvetching about the misery of the Human Condition and the impossibility of having any kind of good relationship …other than extremely kinky or totally insane.
The misery of the Human Condition is the Hallmark at Berlin 2018, and here is —
1. Badly.
- 3/2/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Film sells into 23 territories.
Dovlatov, which was well received at this year’s Berlin Film Festival and took home a Silver Bear for costume designer Elena Okopnaya, has sold into 23 territories.
Sales agent Alpha Violet has inked a significant deal with SVoD giant Netflix covering the Us, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Scandinavia.
It has also locked distribution in France (Paradis Films), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Abordar), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes), Bulgaria (Artfest), Turkey (Bir Film), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Brazil (Imovision), Argentina (Cdi), China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films), the Baltic region (Estin Films) and Romania (Bad Unicorn).
Previous deals were done for China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films) and Estonia and Latvia (Estin Film).
The film will have its release in Russia via Disney on March 1.
Directed by Russian filmmaker Alexey German Jr., Dovlatov covers six days in the life of influential Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov.
The film premiered to strong reviews in Berlin, with Screen’s critic...
Dovlatov, which was well received at this year’s Berlin Film Festival and took home a Silver Bear for costume designer Elena Okopnaya, has sold into 23 territories.
Sales agent Alpha Violet has inked a significant deal with SVoD giant Netflix covering the Us, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Scandinavia.
It has also locked distribution in France (Paradis Films), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Abordar), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes), Bulgaria (Artfest), Turkey (Bir Film), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Brazil (Imovision), Argentina (Cdi), China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films), the Baltic region (Estin Films) and Romania (Bad Unicorn).
Previous deals were done for China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films) and Estonia and Latvia (Estin Film).
The film will have its release in Russia via Disney on March 1.
Directed by Russian filmmaker Alexey German Jr., Dovlatov covers six days in the life of influential Russian writer Sergei Dovlatov.
The film premiered to strong reviews in Berlin, with Screen’s critic...
- 2/26/2018
- by Adam Weddle
- ScreenDaily
Netflix has scored its first pickup of this year's Berlin International Film Festival, nabbing all English-speaking rights to Alexey German Jr.'s Dovlatov, an intimate look at a week in the life of Russian novelist Sergei Dovlatov.
Netflix acquired rights for North America, the U.K., Australia/New Zealand and Scandinavia for the period drama following its world premiere at the Berlinale.
Alpha Violet, which is handling world sales on Dovlatov, also scored deals for 13 other territories. Among the deals closed are ones for France (Paradis Films), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Abordar), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes) and Brazil (Imovision).
Dovlatov, who was unable...
Netflix acquired rights for North America, the U.K., Australia/New Zealand and Scandinavia for the period drama following its world premiere at the Berlinale.
Alpha Violet, which is handling world sales on Dovlatov, also scored deals for 13 other territories. Among the deals closed are ones for France (Paradis Films), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Abordar), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes) and Brazil (Imovision).
Dovlatov, who was unable...
- 2/24/2018
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Artem Vasilyev is putting together new English-language drama Aspiration.
Artem Vasilyev, producer of Aleksey German-Jr.’s Berlinale competition entry Dovlatov which screened this weekend, has confirmed he is putting together new English-language drama Aspiration, which will be shot in Ireland configured as a Russian Irish co-production.
Vasilyev’s Irish partner on the project is Stephen McCormack of Reflektor Media. The film will be directed by novellist, journalist and screenwriter Michail Idov, a former editor of Russian GQ and a regular contributor to Slate and The New York Times.
“I would describe it as a ’hermetic psychological’ thriller, in the vein of early Danny Boyle,” Idov said of Aspiration, which is about a group of successful men whose lives unravel after a suicide.
Idov will make Aspiration after he completes his debut feature, Russian-language drama The Humorist, which is also produced through Vasilyev’s Metrafilms.
Vasilyev also revealed further details of the “blitz...
Artem Vasilyev, producer of Aleksey German-Jr.’s Berlinale competition entry Dovlatov which screened this weekend, has confirmed he is putting together new English-language drama Aspiration, which will be shot in Ireland configured as a Russian Irish co-production.
Vasilyev’s Irish partner on the project is Stephen McCormack of Reflektor Media. The film will be directed by novellist, journalist and screenwriter Michail Idov, a former editor of Russian GQ and a regular contributor to Slate and The New York Times.
“I would describe it as a ’hermetic psychological’ thriller, in the vein of early Danny Boyle,” Idov said of Aspiration, which is about a group of successful men whose lives unravel after a suicide.
Idov will make Aspiration after he completes his debut feature, Russian-language drama The Humorist, which is also produced through Vasilyev’s Metrafilms.
Vasilyev also revealed further details of the “blitz...
- 2/18/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Soviet-era emigre novelist and poet Sergei Dovlatov may not be a household name in the West, but at home he is considered a superstar, a symbol of the U.S.S.R.’s tragic rejection of its greatest artists and talents and, more generally, of reality itself. Pursuing director Alexey German Jr.'s backward glance at his country’s Communist past, Dovlatov poetically evokes a long-lost world in which poetry mattered tremendously, and writers like the hero preferred to starve than write commissioned kitsch and lies. German's forceful presentation of an ever-timely topic could give the film a leg up in Berlin competition.
Outside of festivals,...
Outside of festivals,...
- 2/17/2018
- by Deborah Young
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sales for Leningrad-set pic ahead of Berlinale Competition premiere.
French sales boutique Alpha Violet has unveiled first sales on Russian director Alexey German Jr’s drama Dovlatov ahead of its premiere in Berlin Competition on Saturday.
The picture has sold to China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films) and Estonia and Latvia (Estin Film).
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Leningrad, the feature tells the true story of popular Russian journalist and writer Sergei Dovlatov, whose works were banned by the Soviet authorities.
In other sales news, the company has also sold Argentine director Natalia Garagiola’s Patagonia-set drama Hunting Season to Spain and Portugal (Versus Entertainment), ex-Yugoslavia (Visionary Thinking) and China (Hishow Entertainment). The film won best film at International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Beijing-based Hishow has also acquired Italian directors Silvia Luzi and Luca Bellini’s hybrid documentary Crater which premiered in Venice Critics’ Week and market...
French sales boutique Alpha Violet has unveiled first sales on Russian director Alexey German Jr’s drama Dovlatov ahead of its premiere in Berlin Competition on Saturday.
The picture has sold to China (Times Vision), Greece (Ama Films) and Estonia and Latvia (Estin Film).
Set against the backdrop of 1970s Leningrad, the feature tells the true story of popular Russian journalist and writer Sergei Dovlatov, whose works were banned by the Soviet authorities.
In other sales news, the company has also sold Argentine director Natalia Garagiola’s Patagonia-set drama Hunting Season to Spain and Portugal (Versus Entertainment), ex-Yugoslavia (Visionary Thinking) and China (Hishow Entertainment). The film won best film at International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Beijing-based Hishow has also acquired Italian directors Silvia Luzi and Luca Bellini’s hybrid documentary Crater which premiered in Venice Critics’ Week and market...
- 2/17/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Aleksey German-Jr.’s new feature will be in cinemas for just four days.
Aleksey German-Jr.’s new feature Dovlatov (which premieres in competition in Berlin next month) is to receive an ambitious 800-screen “blitz” release through Disney and Sony’s joint Russian distribution arm in early March.
The news of the unusual campaign was confirmed by Metrafilms’ Artem Vasilyev, the producer of the film, at International Film Festival Rotterdam this week. “We want a really wide release but a really short release,” Vasilyev said of the “Weekend with Dovlatov” strategy, which is to have the film in cinemas for four days. The Russian/Polish/Serbian coproduction tells the story of writer and journalist, Sergei Dovlatov in the period just before he is forced into exile.
Dovlatov is handled internationally by Paris-based international sales company, Alpha Violet.
Metrafilms
Vasilyev is in Rotterdam with Aleksey Fedorchenko’s Anna’s War (picked up for world sales earlier this month by [link=co...
Aleksey German-Jr.’s new feature Dovlatov (which premieres in competition in Berlin next month) is to receive an ambitious 800-screen “blitz” release through Disney and Sony’s joint Russian distribution arm in early March.
The news of the unusual campaign was confirmed by Metrafilms’ Artem Vasilyev, the producer of the film, at International Film Festival Rotterdam this week. “We want a really wide release but a really short release,” Vasilyev said of the “Weekend with Dovlatov” strategy, which is to have the film in cinemas for four days. The Russian/Polish/Serbian coproduction tells the story of writer and journalist, Sergei Dovlatov in the period just before he is forced into exile.
Dovlatov is handled internationally by Paris-based international sales company, Alpha Violet.
Metrafilms
Vasilyev is in Rotterdam with Aleksey Fedorchenko’s Anna’s War (picked up for world sales earlier this month by [link=co...
- 2/1/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
The Berlinale has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Source: Amazon
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot
The Berlin Film Festival (15 - 25 Feb) has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Directors including Benoit Jacquot, Gus Van Sant, Alexey German Jr., Małgorzata Szumowska, Philip Gröning, Thomas Stuber and Laura Bispuri will compete in this year’s Competition while Isabel Coixet and Lars Kraume feature in the Berlinale Special strand.
Alongside the previously announced opening film, Isle of Dogs by Wes Anderson, seven productions and co-productions from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Serbia, the Russian Federation, and the USA are announced for the Competition.
Gus Van Sant’s drama Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far, which will debut at Sundance, is the only film announced today which is not a world premiere. Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill,...
Source: Amazon
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot
The Berlin Film Festival (15 - 25 Feb) has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Directors including Benoit Jacquot, Gus Van Sant, Alexey German Jr., Małgorzata Szumowska, Philip Gröning, Thomas Stuber and Laura Bispuri will compete in this year’s Competition while Isabel Coixet and Lars Kraume feature in the Berlinale Special strand.
Alongside the previously announced opening film, Isle of Dogs by Wes Anderson, seven productions and co-productions from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Serbia, the Russian Federation, and the USA are announced for the Competition.
Gus Van Sant’s drama Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far, which will debut at Sundance, is the only film announced today which is not a world premiere. Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill,...
- 12/18/2017
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Screen Daily Test
The Berlinale has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Source: Amazon
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot
The Berlin Film Festival (15 - 25 Feb) has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Directors including Benoit Jacquot, Gus Van Sant, Alexey German Jr., Małgorzata Szumowska, Philip Gröning, Thomas Stuber and Laura Bispuri will compete in this year’s Competition while Isabel Coixet and Lars Kraume feature in the Berlinale Special strand.
Alongside the previously announced opening film, Isle of Dogs by Wes Anderson, seven productions and co-productions from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Serbia, the Russian Federation, and the USA are announced for the Competition.
Gus Van Sant’s drama Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far, which will debut at Sundance, is the only film announced today which is not a world premiere. Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara and [link...
Source: Amazon
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot
The Berlin Film Festival (15 - 25 Feb) has revealed the first films within its Competition and Berlinale Special lineups.
Directors including Benoit Jacquot, Gus Van Sant, Alexey German Jr., Małgorzata Szumowska, Philip Gröning, Thomas Stuber and Laura Bispuri will compete in this year’s Competition while Isabel Coixet and Lars Kraume feature in the Berlinale Special strand.
Alongside the previously announced opening film, Isle of Dogs by Wes Anderson, seven productions and co-productions from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Serbia, the Russian Federation, and the USA are announced for the Competition.
Gus Van Sant’s drama Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far, which will debut at Sundance, is the only film announced today which is not a world premiere. Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara and [link...
- 12/18/2017
- by Andreas Wiseman
- ScreenDaily
Dovlatov
Director: Aleksey German Jr.
Writer: Aleksey German Jr., Katherine Dovlatov
Since helping to complete his father’s posthumous opus Hard to Be a God, Russian director Aleksey German Jr. revealed his third feature, Under Electric Clouds in competition at Berlin in 2015 (where it won an award for cinematography). He’s just received another round of funding from Eurimages to support his latest project, Dovlatov, a film which explores four days in the life of cult Russian author Sergei Dovlatov in 1971, Leningrad. Collaborating with the author’s daughter Katherine, German is interested in capturing the particular scene of early 70s Leningrad. In May of 2015, German was still finishing up the script, while reports of filming preparation were reported from St. Petersburg in October.
Cast: Na
Production Co./Producer: Na
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic) Tbd (international).
Release Date: German’s first two films played at Venice, with his...
Director: Aleksey German Jr.
Writer: Aleksey German Jr., Katherine Dovlatov
Since helping to complete his father’s posthumous opus Hard to Be a God, Russian director Aleksey German Jr. revealed his third feature, Under Electric Clouds in competition at Berlin in 2015 (where it won an award for cinematography). He’s just received another round of funding from Eurimages to support his latest project, Dovlatov, a film which explores four days in the life of cult Russian author Sergei Dovlatov in 1971, Leningrad. Collaborating with the author’s daughter Katherine, German is interested in capturing the particular scene of early 70s Leningrad. In May of 2015, German was still finishing up the script, while reports of filming preparation were reported from St. Petersburg in October.
Cast: Na
Production Co./Producer: Na
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic) Tbd (international).
Release Date: German’s first two films played at Venice, with his...
- 1/12/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
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