Renowned for his contributions to art-house cinema, Phuttiphong Aroonpheng has garnered acclaim as a screenwriter and cinematographer. Additionally, its directorial efforts, such as the short film “Ferris Wheel” (2015), which received Special Mention at Sgiff, and “Manta Ray” (2018), which earned the prestigious Best Film Award in the Orizzonti section at Venice, are celebrated for their profound depth and intricate layers. “Morrison” is no exception. With echoes of David Lynch's aesthetics, it takes viewers on an enigmatic journey through the trauma of war from a unique perspective.
Jimmy, the son of a Thai singer and an unknown American soldier, returns to the hotel where his parents first met. Nestled in the forest, the once-flamboyant establishment has fallen into disrepair, its narrow corridors now host spectral figures, remnants of its glory days. All characters intersect and interact, seemingly imprisoned in this timeless liminal space. Who are they? What is this place? As...
Jimmy, the son of a Thai singer and an unknown American soldier, returns to the hotel where his parents first met. Nestled in the forest, the once-flamboyant establishment has fallen into disrepair, its narrow corridors now host spectral figures, remnants of its glory days. All characters intersect and interact, seemingly imprisoned in this timeless liminal space. Who are they? What is this place? As...
- 3/29/2024
- by Hugo Hamon
- AsianMoviePulse
Beijing Basks In Festival Return
The Argentina-Chile coproduction “The Punishment,” directed by Matias Bize, was named best feature over the weekend at the close of the Beijing International Film Festival.
Mexico’s Lila Avilés won the Tiantan Award for best director for her film “Totem.” Antonia Zegers and Line Renaud shared the best actress award for “The Punishment” and “Driving Madeleine,” respectively.
The best actor award went to Xin Baiqing for Chinese movie “The Shadowless Tower.” The film, which premiered in February in Berlin, was the numerical winner. With the best screenplay, music, cinematography and artistic contribution awards, it won a total of five prizes.
Chinese actor and director Tian Zhuangzhuang collected the best supporting actor award. Mexican, Montserrat Maranon earned the best supporting actress prize.
The ceremony wrapped up a festival at which organizers claimed to have played 1,488 films. International guests included Israel’s Nadav Lapid, Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck...
The Argentina-Chile coproduction “The Punishment,” directed by Matias Bize, was named best feature over the weekend at the close of the Beijing International Film Festival.
Mexico’s Lila Avilés won the Tiantan Award for best director for her film “Totem.” Antonia Zegers and Line Renaud shared the best actress award for “The Punishment” and “Driving Madeleine,” respectively.
The best actor award went to Xin Baiqing for Chinese movie “The Shadowless Tower.” The film, which premiered in February in Berlin, was the numerical winner. With the best screenplay, music, cinematography and artistic contribution awards, it won a total of five prizes.
Chinese actor and director Tian Zhuangzhuang collected the best supporting actor award. Mexican, Montserrat Maranon earned the best supporting actress prize.
The ceremony wrapped up a festival at which organizers claimed to have played 1,488 films. International guests included Israel’s Nadav Lapid, Germany’s Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck...
- 5/1/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Bangkok Asean Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday evening with the screening of “One Second” Zhang Yimou’s homage to cinema and veiled critique of China’s Cultural Revolution.
The festival runs Dec 8-13 and is one of the first major cultural showcases to take place in person after Thailand has opened its borders to welcome visitors. Fully-vaccinated international visitors to Thailand no longer needs to go through quarantine, though they are required to have a Pcr test upon arrival.
Coincidentally, it is taking place in the week that film trade show and convention CineAsia was to have taken place in the city. CineAsia was canceled due to the uncertainty of Thailand’s Covid response and anticipated travel difficulties.
The non-competitive feature film part of the program includes: the Locarno-winning “Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash” by Indonesian director Edwin; Cambodian Kavich Neang’s Venice entry “White Building...
The festival runs Dec 8-13 and is one of the first major cultural showcases to take place in person after Thailand has opened its borders to welcome visitors. Fully-vaccinated international visitors to Thailand no longer needs to go through quarantine, though they are required to have a Pcr test upon arrival.
Coincidentally, it is taking place in the week that film trade show and convention CineAsia was to have taken place in the city. CineAsia was canceled due to the uncertainty of Thailand’s Covid response and anticipated travel difficulties.
The non-competitive feature film part of the program includes: the Locarno-winning “Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash” by Indonesian director Edwin; Cambodian Kavich Neang’s Venice entry “White Building...
- 12/9/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Edmund Yeo was born in Singapore in 1984, and graduated from Waseda University. His short films “Kingyo” premiered at the Venice Film Festival 2009; “Inhalation” won the Sonje Award at the Busan International Film Festival in 2010. His debut feature “River of Exploding Durians” premiered in competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2014. In 2017, he returned to Tokyo with two films, “Yasmin-san” and “AQÉRAT” (We the Dead), with latter earning him the Best Director Award. “Malu” is his latest film.
On the occasion of “Malu” screening at Tokyo International Film Festival, we talk with him about the story that takes place in both Malaysia and Japan, the cinematography and the editing, working with Masatoshi Nagashe and Sherlyn Seo, and other topics.
The story you present in “Malu” is very interesting. What was the inspiration behind it and why did you choose to have it unfold in both Malaysia and Japan?
The inspiration behind...
On the occasion of “Malu” screening at Tokyo International Film Festival, we talk with him about the story that takes place in both Malaysia and Japan, the cinematography and the editing, working with Masatoshi Nagashe and Sherlyn Seo, and other topics.
The story you present in “Malu” is very interesting. What was the inspiration behind it and why did you choose to have it unfold in both Malaysia and Japan?
The inspiration behind...
- 11/6/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Singapore’s rising star director Anthony Chen, whose second feature film “Wet Season” opened the 30th Singapore International Film Festival, will co-produce Thai film project “Arnold is a Model Student” by first time feature director Sorayos Prapapan. His producing partners are Singapore’s Tan Si En, who also produced “Wet Season” and Thailand’s Donsaron Kovitvanitcha. The project depicts the story of a high school student who is involved in cheating during the entrance exam for a prestigious military school.
“Model Student” was one of the eight feature film projects selected by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority as winners of its inaugural Southeast Asia Co-production Grant. The winners were announced on Monday (Nov. 25) as part of the ongoing Singapore Media Festival.
The Southeast Asia Co-production Grant is a funding program for projects that are directed by a Southeast Asian, but not Singaporean, filmmaker. The production team should involve at...
“Model Student” was one of the eight feature film projects selected by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority as winners of its inaugural Southeast Asia Co-production Grant. The winners were announced on Monday (Nov. 25) as part of the ongoing Singapore Media Festival.
The Southeast Asia Co-production Grant is a funding program for projects that are directed by a Southeast Asian, but not Singaporean, filmmaker. The production team should involve at...
- 11/26/2019
- by Sonia Kil
- Variety Film + TV
Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season” has been set as the opening title of the 30th edition of the Singapore International Film Festival. The Singapore-set title will play at the Capitol Theater on Nov 21.
Having previously competed in Cannes with his 2007 short film “Grandma,” London-based Chen became Singapore’s most talked about director when he won the Camera d’Or at Cannes with 2013 effort “Ilo Ilo.”
“Wet Season” is his second feature, and again adopts very personal themes. “Ilo Ilo” stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler band together once again, this time over an unlikely, blossoming friendship between a woman teacher and a student.
The film was the sole Asian entry in competition at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform competition, and marked the first time a Singaporean film was selected for the section.
The festival, which this year runs Nov. 21- Dec. 1, positions itself as a champion of,...
Having previously competed in Cannes with his 2007 short film “Grandma,” London-based Chen became Singapore’s most talked about director when he won the Camera d’Or at Cannes with 2013 effort “Ilo Ilo.”
“Wet Season” is his second feature, and again adopts very personal themes. “Ilo Ilo” stars Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler band together once again, this time over an unlikely, blossoming friendship between a woman teacher and a student.
The film was the sole Asian entry in competition at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform competition, and marked the first time a Singaporean film was selected for the section.
The festival, which this year runs Nov. 21- Dec. 1, positions itself as a champion of,...
- 10/2/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Rountable event to include panels, workshops and spotlights on Thai studio Gdh and ’Manta Ray’ director Phuttipong Aroonpheng.
Bangkok-based film fund Purin Pictures is launching an industry event, Roundtable (July 4-7), which will run concurrently with the Bangkok Asean Film Festival.
While the festival will focus on screenings, Roundtable will host seminars, workshops and spotlights, with the two events aiming to complement each other by offering a range of activities focused on Southeast Asian cinema.
Highlights include a spotlight on Thai studio Gdh, which has credits including international hit Bad Genius, and Thai director Phuttipong Aroonpheng, whose 2018 drama Manta Ray...
Bangkok-based film fund Purin Pictures is launching an industry event, Roundtable (July 4-7), which will run concurrently with the Bangkok Asean Film Festival.
While the festival will focus on screenings, Roundtable will host seminars, workshops and spotlights, with the two events aiming to complement each other by offering a range of activities focused on Southeast Asian cinema.
Highlights include a spotlight on Thai studio Gdh, which has credits including international hit Bad Genius, and Thai director Phuttipong Aroonpheng, whose 2018 drama Manta Ray...
- 6/18/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The Singapore International Film Festival has appointed Taiwanese film curator, Kuo Ming-Jung, as its new program director alongside executive director, Yuni Hadi.
A previous Consultant of Sgiff, Kuo takes over from Thai filmmaker and critic, Pimpaka Towira, to lead the festival’s film curation and programs. An experienced film industry professional, Kuo was the program director at the Taipei Film Festival from 2014 to 2018. She has also served on several juries and selection panels including at Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, and Locarno Film Festival.
The 30th Sgiff will run from 21 Nov. to 1 Dec. 2019
Festival organizers also announced details of the first edition of the Sgiff Film Academy (Sfa), which it describes as “the region’s first holistic training initiative to support Southeast Asian film talents and nurture film appreciation among the audience.”
Four documentary projects received funding under the new Sgiff Se Asian documentary grant scheme: “Some Women,...
A previous Consultant of Sgiff, Kuo takes over from Thai filmmaker and critic, Pimpaka Towira, to lead the festival’s film curation and programs. An experienced film industry professional, Kuo was the program director at the Taipei Film Festival from 2014 to 2018. She has also served on several juries and selection panels including at Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, and Locarno Film Festival.
The 30th Sgiff will run from 21 Nov. to 1 Dec. 2019
Festival organizers also announced details of the first edition of the Sgiff Film Academy (Sfa), which it describes as “the region’s first holistic training initiative to support Southeast Asian film talents and nurture film appreciation among the audience.”
Four documentary projects received funding under the new Sgiff Se Asian documentary grant scheme: “Some Women,...
- 5/17/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Zhu Shengze’s ’Present.Perfect.’ takes Tiger award.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) has announced the award winners for its 48th edition, with Zhu Shengze’s Present.Perfect. taking the Tiger Award, with €40,000 accompanying prize.
The Tiger jury, comprised of Alfredo Jaar, Daniela Michel, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Katriel Schory and Pimpaka Towira, described it as ”a daring film that takes us to places where we have never been…brings to light characters that want and need to be seen.”
Ena Sendijarević’s Take Me Somewhere Nice received the special jury award in the Tiger competition, praised by the jury as “a...
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) has announced the award winners for its 48th edition, with Zhu Shengze’s Present.Perfect. taking the Tiger Award, with €40,000 accompanying prize.
The Tiger jury, comprised of Alfredo Jaar, Daniela Michel, Susanna Nicchiarelli, Katriel Schory and Pimpaka Towira, described it as ”a daring film that takes us to places where we have never been…brings to light characters that want and need to be seen.”
Ena Sendijarević’s Take Me Somewhere Nice received the special jury award in the Tiger competition, praised by the jury as “a...
- 2/1/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Big Screen Competition line-up also announced.
The 48th International Film Festival Rotterdam (23 Jan – 3 Feb) has revealed the eight films that will compete in its 2018 Hivos Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for the full line-up
The award includes a cash prize of €40,000, to be divided between filmmaker and producer. There is also a special jury award worth €10,000.
This year’s selection includes new feature films by directors including Johannes Nyholm, Ena Sendijarević, Ulaa Salim and Shengze Zhu. There are seven world premieres and one international premiere.
This year’s jury will comprise of Chilean filmmaker and artist Alfredo Jaar; Daniela Michel, festival...
The 48th International Film Festival Rotterdam (23 Jan – 3 Feb) has revealed the eight films that will compete in its 2018 Hivos Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for the full line-up
The award includes a cash prize of €40,000, to be divided between filmmaker and producer. There is also a special jury award worth €10,000.
This year’s selection includes new feature films by directors including Johannes Nyholm, Ena Sendijarević, Ulaa Salim and Shengze Zhu. There are seven world premieres and one international premiere.
This year’s jury will comprise of Chilean filmmaker and artist Alfredo Jaar; Daniela Michel, festival...
- 1/9/2019
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Win marks first time a Singapore film has taken best film since awards launched in 1991.
Yeo Siew Hua’s A Land Imagined was declared best film at the 29th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff), a historic first win for a Singapore film since the launch of the Silver Screen Awards in 1991.
Beating seven other Asian films such as Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night and Emir Baigazin’s The River, the Singapore-set drama, which revolves around the disappearance of a Chinese migrant construction worker at a land reclamation site, has been travelling and picking up awards since...
Yeo Siew Hua’s A Land Imagined was declared best film at the 29th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff), a historic first win for a Singapore film since the launch of the Silver Screen Awards in 1991.
Beating seven other Asian films such as Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night and Emir Baigazin’s The River, the Singapore-set drama, which revolves around the disappearance of a Chinese migrant construction worker at a land reclamation site, has been travelling and picking up awards since...
- 12/10/2018
- ScreenDaily
Award-winning dramas, “A Land Imagined,” and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” are among the Asian films selected for competition at next month’s Singapore International Film Festival.
Also competing for the Silver Screen Award are Indian director Rima Das’ “Bulbul Can Sing” and Sri Lankan Suba Sivakumaran’s “House of My Fathers.” The eight-title competition is open to films by directors making their first, second or third feature.
Announcing its full, 104-title, lineup on Tuesday, the festival unveiled gala slots for “Dear Ex,” by Taiwanese directing pair Mag Hsu and Hsu Chih-yen, and “The Third Wife.” “Ex,” about a jilted widow who must make peace with her late husband’s lover, debuted to acclaim at the Taipei festival in summer and is prominently positioned at the upcoming Golden Horse Awards, where it is nominated for eight prizes. “Wife” is a hot first film by Vietnamese filmmaker Ash Mayfair. It...
Also competing for the Silver Screen Award are Indian director Rima Das’ “Bulbul Can Sing” and Sri Lankan Suba Sivakumaran’s “House of My Fathers.” The eight-title competition is open to films by directors making their first, second or third feature.
Announcing its full, 104-title, lineup on Tuesday, the festival unveiled gala slots for “Dear Ex,” by Taiwanese directing pair Mag Hsu and Hsu Chih-yen, and “The Third Wife.” “Ex,” about a jilted widow who must make peace with her late husband’s lover, debuted to acclaim at the Taipei festival in summer and is prominently positioned at the upcoming Golden Horse Awards, where it is nominated for eight prizes. “Wife” is a hot first film by Vietnamese filmmaker Ash Mayfair. It...
- 10/23/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Silver Screen Awards will have four films by women filmmakers in competition.
The 29th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) announced its full line-up today, with 103 films from 44 countries, and the launch of a new Sgiff Film Fund.
The new funding scheme aims to nurture up-and-coming Southeast Asian filmmakers through two grants. The Tan Ean Kiam Foundation – Sgiff Southeast Asian - Documentary Grant will support four mid-length or feature projects annually, with a cash amount of S$25,000 each, while the Sgiff South East Asian – Short Film Grant will support two short films annually, with a cash amount of S$4,000 and...
The 29th Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) announced its full line-up today, with 103 films from 44 countries, and the launch of a new Sgiff Film Fund.
The new funding scheme aims to nurture up-and-coming Southeast Asian filmmakers through two grants. The Tan Ean Kiam Foundation – Sgiff Southeast Asian - Documentary Grant will support four mid-length or feature projects annually, with a cash amount of S$25,000 each, while the Sgiff South East Asian – Short Film Grant will support two short films annually, with a cash amount of S$4,000 and...
- 10/23/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
“An impossible utopia. A hopeless dream.”
As most artists are aware, it is simply impossible not to make a statement with one’s work. Even though it seems strange to think of mainstream films – the sheer never-ending stream of superhero-movies or romantic comedies, to name two examples – as having some kind of agenda besides the obvious economic interests of production companies, there is not denying the paradox that no message is still some kind of message. Of course, we all know this theory relies on how much emphasis and attention an artist puts on these thematic layers of his or her work, especially since these issues, whether they are political, social or cultural, have become increasingly complex pits of quicksand for those treading carelessly.
Especially when these various layers are met with the panoptic oversight of censorship. After a 12-year-hiatus from narrative films, Thai director Pimpaka Towira chose to talk...
As most artists are aware, it is simply impossible not to make a statement with one’s work. Even though it seems strange to think of mainstream films – the sheer never-ending stream of superhero-movies or romantic comedies, to name two examples – as having some kind of agenda besides the obvious economic interests of production companies, there is not denying the paradox that no message is still some kind of message. Of course, we all know this theory relies on how much emphasis and attention an artist puts on these thematic layers of his or her work, especially since these issues, whether they are political, social or cultural, have become increasingly complex pits of quicksand for those treading carelessly.
Especially when these various layers are met with the panoptic oversight of censorship. After a 12-year-hiatus from narrative films, Thai director Pimpaka Towira chose to talk...
- 9/17/2018
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Two of the projects are Lgbt-themed stories; the third is set in Barcelona.
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture has revealed the three projects that will participate in this year’s Thai Pitch event at Cannes.
Tongpong Chantarangkul, whose first film I Carried You Home (2011) was acquired by France’s Pretty Pictures, has had his long-awaited second film, The Fireflies, selected for the event. Set in Barcelona, the project is a story about a Thai fire juggler who leaves his family behind when he finds a job in Spain.
Prolific filmmaker Tanwarin Sukhaphisit (A Gas Station) is bringing Lgbt-themed project Down To Heaven to Cannes.
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture has revealed the three projects that will participate in this year’s Thai Pitch event at Cannes.
Tongpong Chantarangkul, whose first film I Carried You Home (2011) was acquired by France’s Pretty Pictures, has had his long-awaited second film, The Fireflies, selected for the event. Set in Barcelona, the project is a story about a Thai fire juggler who leaves his family behind when he finds a job in Spain.
Prolific filmmaker Tanwarin Sukhaphisit (A Gas Station) is bringing Lgbt-themed project Down To Heaven to Cannes.
- 3/20/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s Anatomy Of Time will start shooting late 2018/early 2019.
Paris-based production house Damned Films has boarded Thai filmmaker Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s Anatomy Of Time as co-producer alongside Thailand’s Diversion and Mit Out Sound Films.
Nilthamrong previously directed Vanishing Point, which won the Tiger Award at Rotterdam film festival in 2015. His new project follows an old woman looking back at the regrets and disappointments of her life, while caring for her disgraced army general husband, who is lying in a coma.
Damned Films’ Yohann Cornu will produce the film with Diversion’s Mai Meksawan and Mit Out Sound’s Chatchai Chaiyon. Meksawan is also in talks with co-producers from Germany and the Netherlands.
The project has been granted development support from the Hubert Bals Fund and was also selected for Paris Coproduction Village last year. It is expected to start shooting in late 2018 or early 2019.
Cornu previously produced Brazilian filmmaker Fellipe Barbosa’s Gabriel And The Mountain, which premiered...
Paris-based production house Damned Films has boarded Thai filmmaker Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s Anatomy Of Time as co-producer alongside Thailand’s Diversion and Mit Out Sound Films.
Nilthamrong previously directed Vanishing Point, which won the Tiger Award at Rotterdam film festival in 2015. His new project follows an old woman looking back at the regrets and disappointments of her life, while caring for her disgraced army general husband, who is lying in a coma.
Damned Films’ Yohann Cornu will produce the film with Diversion’s Mai Meksawan and Mit Out Sound’s Chatchai Chaiyon. Meksawan is also in talks with co-producers from Germany and the Netherlands.
The project has been granted development support from the Hubert Bals Fund and was also selected for Paris Coproduction Village last year. It is expected to start shooting in late 2018 or early 2019.
Cornu previously produced Brazilian filmmaker Fellipe Barbosa’s Gabriel And The Mountain, which premiered...
- 2/20/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Towira directed One Night Husband and The Island Funeral.
Thai pioneering female filmmaker Pimpaka Towira has been appointed programme director of the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff).
Joining her as new programme consultants are Anderson Le, programme director of Hawaii International Film Festival, Kong Rithdee, Bangkok Post’s film critic and arts editor, and Kuo Ming-jung, programme director of Taipei Film Festival.
Pimpaka takes over from Zhang Wenjie who served as festival director from 2014-2016 since the festival was relaunched in 2014 after a two-year hiatus. Yuni Hadi remains as executive director, along with former Singapore Film Commission assistant director Ang Hwee Sim as general manager.
Pimpaka has her career rooted in both filmmaking and festival programming. She was programme director for Bangkok Film Festival in 2001 before it was rebranded by Tourism Authority of Thailand as the Bangkok International Film Festival. She assumed the same role for the latter festival in 2008 and 2009. More recently, she programmed...
Thai pioneering female filmmaker Pimpaka Towira has been appointed programme director of the Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff).
Joining her as new programme consultants are Anderson Le, programme director of Hawaii International Film Festival, Kong Rithdee, Bangkok Post’s film critic and arts editor, and Kuo Ming-jung, programme director of Taipei Film Festival.
Pimpaka takes over from Zhang Wenjie who served as festival director from 2014-2016 since the festival was relaunched in 2014 after a two-year hiatus. Yuni Hadi remains as executive director, along with former Singapore Film Commission assistant director Ang Hwee Sim as general manager.
Pimpaka has her career rooted in both filmmaking and festival programming. She was programme director for Bangkok Film Festival in 2001 before it was rebranded by Tourism Authority of Thailand as the Bangkok International Film Festival. She assumed the same role for the latter festival in 2008 and 2009. More recently, she programmed...
- 8/7/2017
- by screenasia@yahoo.com (Silvia Wong)
- ScreenDaily
Line-up for first Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab includes debut fiction film from Nontawat Numbenchapol, whose documentary #Bkky is premiering at Busan.
The Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (Seafic) has unveiled the five projects selected for its first edition, including the debut fiction film from Nontawat Numbenchapol, whose documentary #Bkky is currently premiering at Busan.
Nontawat’s first two documentaries, Boundary and By The River, premiered at the Berlinale Forum and Locarno Film Festival in 2013, respectively.
Seafic invites first second and third-time filmmakers to work with a script consultant and international experts for nine months to develop their projects. In total, Seafic received 57 applications from nearly every Southeast Asian country.
The inaugural line-up also includes the debut feature from Pham Ngoc Lan, to be produced by Vietnamese filmmaker Phan Dang Di (Bi, Don’t Be Afraid), and the second film from Sivaroj Kongsakul, to be produced by Thai director-producer Pimpaka Towira (The Island Funeral). See full project...
The Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (Seafic) has unveiled the five projects selected for its first edition, including the debut fiction film from Nontawat Numbenchapol, whose documentary #Bkky is currently premiering at Busan.
Nontawat’s first two documentaries, Boundary and By The River, premiered at the Berlinale Forum and Locarno Film Festival in 2013, respectively.
Seafic invites first second and third-time filmmakers to work with a script consultant and international experts for nine months to develop their projects. In total, Seafic received 57 applications from nearly every Southeast Asian country.
The inaugural line-up also includes the debut feature from Pham Ngoc Lan, to be produced by Vietnamese filmmaker Phan Dang Di (Bi, Don’t Be Afraid), and the second film from Sivaroj Kongsakul, to be produced by Thai director-producer Pimpaka Towira (The Island Funeral). See full project...
- 10/9/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Busan film fest’s Asian Project Market (Apm) has highlighted a “strong presence” of women filmmakers in this year’s line-up.
A total of 27 titles from 16 countries have been selected including projects from names including Yim Soon-rye, Tan Chui Mui and Laila Pakalnina.
In its 19th year, the Apm (formerly called the Pusan Promotion Plan or Ppp) said it tried to go back to its original mission of discovering up-and-coming talent with a selection that includes Pavle Vuckovic - who debuted last year in Cannes with Panama - bringing his Serbian thriller Mountain Eyes and Lei Lei with her debut feature animation Ningdu,which has Isabelle Glachant attached as a producer.
Apm stated it saw “an increased interest and more submissions by female directors and producers” this year. Yim is bringing Project Lee Jung-Seob, based on the legendary Korean artist’s life, while Tan has Malaysian coming-of-age drama All About Yuyu and Pakalnina has Latvia-Estonia...
A total of 27 titles from 16 countries have been selected including projects from names including Yim Soon-rye, Tan Chui Mui and Laila Pakalnina.
In its 19th year, the Apm (formerly called the Pusan Promotion Plan or Ppp) said it tried to go back to its original mission of discovering up-and-coming talent with a selection that includes Pavle Vuckovic - who debuted last year in Cannes with Panama - bringing his Serbian thriller Mountain Eyes and Lei Lei with her debut feature animation Ningdu,which has Isabelle Glachant attached as a producer.
Apm stated it saw “an increased interest and more submissions by female directors and producers” this year. Yim is bringing Project Lee Jung-Seob, based on the legendary Korean artist’s life, while Tan has Malaysian coming-of-age drama All About Yuyu and Pakalnina has Latvia-Estonia...
- 8/23/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Vanishing Point DoP Phuttiphong Aroonphen is making his directorial debut on the film.
The team behind last year’s Rotterdam winner Vanishing Point is reuniting for Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s Departure Day, which starts shooting later this year.
Phuttiphong, the DoP on Vanishing Point, is making his feature directing debut on the film. Thailand’s Diversion and Mit Out Sound Films are co-producing with China’s Heyi Pictures, marking the first Thai-China co-production for independent films.
Heyi, the film arm of Chinese streaming giant Youku Tudou, boarded the project on the strength of Phuttiphong’s short film, Ferris Wheel, which he directed as part of the Colour Of Asia omnibus, backed by Heyi and Busan International Film Festival (Biff).
Departure Day continues the themes that Phuttiphong explored in Ferris Wheel, through the story of a Thai fisherman on the Thailand-Myanmar border who helps save a member of the persecuted Rohingya people when he washes up on the shore...
The team behind last year’s Rotterdam winner Vanishing Point is reuniting for Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s Departure Day, which starts shooting later this year.
Phuttiphong, the DoP on Vanishing Point, is making his feature directing debut on the film. Thailand’s Diversion and Mit Out Sound Films are co-producing with China’s Heyi Pictures, marking the first Thai-China co-production for independent films.
Heyi, the film arm of Chinese streaming giant Youku Tudou, boarded the project on the strength of Phuttiphong’s short film, Ferris Wheel, which he directed as part of the Colour Of Asia omnibus, backed by Heyi and Busan International Film Festival (Biff).
Departure Day continues the themes that Phuttiphong explored in Ferris Wheel, through the story of a Thai fisherman on the Thailand-Myanmar border who helps save a member of the persecuted Rohingya people when he washes up on the shore...
- 5/15/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
We present the winners of the Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff).
Young Cinema Competition
Firebird Award
Life After Life by Zhang Hanyi – Hong Kong | 2016 – 80 min.
The spirit of a deceased mother takes over her son’s body in order to oversee the task of replanting a very important tree, only after which it will be able to leave the earthly limits.
Jury Prize
Tomcat by Händl Klaus – Austria | 2016 – 114 min.
Andreas and Stefan lead a happy life: Together with their beloved tomcat Moses, they live in a beautiful old house in Vienna’s vineyards. They work as a musician and as a scheduler in the same orchestra and they love their large circle of friends. An unexpected and inexplicable outburst of violence suddenly shakes up the relationship and calls everything into question – the blind spot that resides in all of us.
Documentary Competition
Firebird Award
Behemoth by Zhao Liang – Hong Kong | 2015 – 90 min.
Young Cinema Competition
Firebird Award
Life After Life by Zhang Hanyi – Hong Kong | 2016 – 80 min.
The spirit of a deceased mother takes over her son’s body in order to oversee the task of replanting a very important tree, only after which it will be able to leave the earthly limits.
Jury Prize
Tomcat by Händl Klaus – Austria | 2016 – 114 min.
Andreas and Stefan lead a happy life: Together with their beloved tomcat Moses, they live in a beautiful old house in Vienna’s vineyards. They work as a musician and as a scheduler in the same orchestra and they love their large circle of friends. An unexpected and inexplicable outburst of violence suddenly shakes up the relationship and calls everything into question – the blind spot that resides in all of us.
Documentary Competition
Firebird Award
Behemoth by Zhao Liang – Hong Kong | 2015 – 90 min.
- 4/6/2016
- by Sebastian Nadilo
- AsianMoviePulse
Zhang Hanyi’s Life After Life won the top prize in the Young Cinema Competition.
Chinese director Zhang Hanyi’s Life After Life won the Firebird Award in the Young Cinema Competition at the 40th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Mar 21 – Apr 4).
Händl Klaus’ Tomcat received the Jury Prize in the same section, which aims to discover and honour budding filmmakers.
In the Documentary Competition, the Firebird Award went to Zhao Liang’s Behemoth while the Jury Prize was awarded to Vitaly Mansky’s Under The Sun.
In the Short Film Competition, Leonor Teles’ Batrachian’s Ballad won the Firebird Award and Pimpaka Towira’s Prelude To The General took the Jury Prize.
Thai filmmaker Towira also won the Fipresci Prize for her feature film The Island Funeral.
The Signis Award, which pays tribute to films with social and humanitarian concerns, was presented to Martin Zandvliet’s Land Of Mine, while [link=nm...
Chinese director Zhang Hanyi’s Life After Life won the Firebird Award in the Young Cinema Competition at the 40th Hong Kong International Film Festival (Mar 21 – Apr 4).
Händl Klaus’ Tomcat received the Jury Prize in the same section, which aims to discover and honour budding filmmakers.
In the Documentary Competition, the Firebird Award went to Zhao Liang’s Behemoth while the Jury Prize was awarded to Vitaly Mansky’s Under The Sun.
In the Short Film Competition, Leonor Teles’ Batrachian’s Ballad won the Firebird Award and Pimpaka Towira’s Prelude To The General took the Jury Prize.
Thai filmmaker Towira also won the Fipresci Prize for her feature film The Island Funeral.
The Signis Award, which pays tribute to films with social and humanitarian concerns, was presented to Martin Zandvliet’s Land Of Mine, while [link=nm...
- 4/4/2016
- ScreenDaily
Prabda Yoon’s feature debut will play in Rotterdamn’s Hivos Tiger Awards Competition.
Thai sales outfit Mosquito Films Distribution has picked up worldwide rights to Thai writer-director Prabda Yoon’s Motel Mist, the only Asian entry at the upcoming International Film Festival Rotterdam’s (Jan 27 - Feb 7) revamped Hivos Tiger Awards Competition.
The new film marks the feature debut of Yoon, an award-winning author and screenwriter most notably for Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s Last Life In The Universe and Invisible Waves.
His new thriller is set entirely in a ‘love motel’ where five lives connect in unexpected ways and mysterious powers are at play. The characters include two school girls, a motel staff member, a man obsessed with sexual fetish and a former child actor who believes aliens are chasing him.
“In a country where justice and basic human rights are fragile and can be easily violated by ‘higher powers’ with absurd and often comical logic, it seems...
Thai sales outfit Mosquito Films Distribution has picked up worldwide rights to Thai writer-director Prabda Yoon’s Motel Mist, the only Asian entry at the upcoming International Film Festival Rotterdam’s (Jan 27 - Feb 7) revamped Hivos Tiger Awards Competition.
The new film marks the feature debut of Yoon, an award-winning author and screenwriter most notably for Pen-Ek Ratanaruang’s Last Life In The Universe and Invisible Waves.
His new thriller is set entirely in a ‘love motel’ where five lives connect in unexpected ways and mysterious powers are at play. The characters include two school girls, a motel staff member, a man obsessed with sexual fetish and a former child actor who believes aliens are chasing him.
“In a country where justice and basic human rights are fragile and can be easily violated by ‘higher powers’ with absurd and often comical logic, it seems...
- 1/18/2016
- ScreenDaily
The 2016 Berlinale Shorts program will include new films by Pham Ngoc Lan, Wu Linfeng, Leonor Teles, Esteban Arrangoiz, Diego Zon, Ronny Trocker, Gabriel Abrantes, Ben Russell, Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck, Christine Rebet, Chiang Wei Liang, Volker Schlecht and Alexander Lahl, Réka Bucsi, Mahdi Fleifel, Joanna Rytel, Rubén Gámez, Jonathan Vinel in collaboration with Caroline Poggi, Bentley Brown, Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller, Pimpaka Towira, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Ricky D’Ambrose, Rotem Murat, Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann and Paul Spengemann, Siegfried A. Fruhauf, and Akihito Izuhara. » - David Hudson...
- 1/12/2016
- Keyframe
The 2016 Berlinale Shorts program will include new films by Pham Ngoc Lan, Wu Linfeng, Leonor Teles, Esteban Arrangoiz, Diego Zon, Ronny Trocker, Gabriel Abrantes, Ben Russell, Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck, Christine Rebet, Chiang Wei Liang, Volker Schlecht and Alexander Lahl, Réka Bucsi, Mahdi Fleifel, Joanna Rytel, Rubén Gámez, Jonathan Vinel in collaboration with Caroline Poggi, Bentley Brown, Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller, Pimpaka Towira, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Ricky D’Ambrose, Rotem Murat, Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann and Paul Spengemann, Siegfried A. Fruhauf, and Akihito Izuhara. » - David Hudson...
- 1/12/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Notable world premieres include Mads Matthiesen’s Teddy Bear follow-up The Model and Avalon director Axel Petersén’s Under the Pyramid.
Måns Månsson’s The Yard will open the 2016 Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 29 - Feb 8), which will screen some 450 films from 84 countries.
The film, which will have its world premiere at the Swedish festival’s Jan 29 opening, is adapted from Kristian Lundberg’s autobiographical novel about moving from cultural work to becoming a day laborer in Malmo harbour. Anders Mossling stars.
The festival’s closing film will be Henrik Ruben Genz’s Satisfaction 1720, Erlend Loe has written the manuscript for the film, about the post-war exploits of the “rock star of his day”, Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold.
Goteborg, the largest film festival in the Nordics and running for 11 days, is devoting special programmes to Italian cinema, Nigeria’s Nollywood and a new section on TV drama.
The eight films competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic film (which...
Måns Månsson’s The Yard will open the 2016 Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 29 - Feb 8), which will screen some 450 films from 84 countries.
The film, which will have its world premiere at the Swedish festival’s Jan 29 opening, is adapted from Kristian Lundberg’s autobiographical novel about moving from cultural work to becoming a day laborer in Malmo harbour. Anders Mossling stars.
The festival’s closing film will be Henrik Ruben Genz’s Satisfaction 1720, Erlend Loe has written the manuscript for the film, about the post-war exploits of the “rock star of his day”, Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold.
Goteborg, the largest film festival in the Nordics and running for 11 days, is devoting special programmes to Italian cinema, Nigeria’s Nollywood and a new section on TV drama.
The eight films competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic film (which...
- 1/12/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
A total of 25 films selected for competitive programme.
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has unveiled the 25 short films from 21 countries that will compete for the Golden and Silver Bear, a nomination for the European Film Awards and, for the second consecutive year, the Audi Short Film Award worth € 20,000.
The short film jury is comprised of the curator and director of the Sharjah Biennial in the UAE, Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi; Greek curator and writer Katerina Gregos; and Israeli filmmaker Avi Mograbi.
Among others, the competition will include films from Gabriel Abrantes, Pimpaka Towira, Réka Bucsi, Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller, and Siegfried A. Fruhauf.
Ben Russell, who won plaudits at festivals around the world with A Spell To Ward Off The Darkness, will present He Who Eats Children, described as “a speculative portrait of a Dutchman living in the Surinamese jungle fixing canoe motors, accused of eating the locals’ children”.
Also among the line-up is a new documentary by [link...
The Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has unveiled the 25 short films from 21 countries that will compete for the Golden and Silver Bear, a nomination for the European Film Awards and, for the second consecutive year, the Audi Short Film Award worth € 20,000.
The short film jury is comprised of the curator and director of the Sharjah Biennial in the UAE, Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi; Greek curator and writer Katerina Gregos; and Israeli filmmaker Avi Mograbi.
Among others, the competition will include films from Gabriel Abrantes, Pimpaka Towira, Réka Bucsi, Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller, and Siegfried A. Fruhauf.
Ben Russell, who won plaudits at festivals around the world with A Spell To Ward Off The Darkness, will present He Who Eats Children, described as “a speculative portrait of a Dutchman living in the Surinamese jungle fixing canoe motors, accused of eating the locals’ children”.
Also among the line-up is a new documentary by [link...
- 1/12/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Lined up for the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Bright Future program this year are works by Ana Cristina Barragán, Samuele Sestieri, Kaweh Modiri, Lee Seung-won, Jonas Rothlaender, Bernardo Britto, Yi Cui, Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito, Fernanda Romandía, Arun Karthick, Emiliano Rocha Minter, Yosuke Okuda, Pimpaka Towira, Uchida Eiji, Vlado Skafar, Penny Lane, Matt Johnson, Elisa Miller, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Tsubota Yoshifumi, Lucile Hadžihalilovic, Simon Stone, Pietro Marcello, Bi Gan, João Salaviza, Pascale Breton, Svetla Tsotsorkova, Avishai Sivan, Jony Perel, Alex Santiago Pérez and many others. » - David Hudson...
- 1/6/2016
- Keyframe
Lined up for the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Bright Future program this year are works by Ana Cristina Barragán, Samuele Sestieri, Kaweh Modiri, Lee Seung-won, Jonas Rothlaender, Bernardo Britto, Yi Cui, Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito, Fernanda Romandía, Arun Karthick, Emiliano Rocha Minter, Yosuke Okuda, Pimpaka Towira, Uchida Eiji, Vlado Skafar, Penny Lane, Matt Johnson, Elisa Miller, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Tsubota Yoshifumi, Lucile Hadžihalilovic, Simon Stone, Pietro Marcello, Bi Gan, João Salaviza, Pascale Breton, Svetla Tsotsorkova, Avishai Sivan, Jony Perel, Alex Santiago Pérez and many others. » - David Hudson...
- 1/6/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
History's FutureScheduled to open later this month (27 January - 7 Febuary 2016), the 45th International Film Festival Rotterdam has announced the titles included in its competition, which has scaled back the number of films competing to eight this year.Tiger Award COMPETITIONHistory's Future – Fiona Tan (The Netherlands, world premiere)The Land of the Enlightened – Pieter-Jan De Pue (Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, European premiere)Motel Mist – Prabda Yoon (Thailand, world premiere)Oscuro animal – Felipe Guerrero (Colombia, Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany, Greece, world premiere)Radio Dreams – Babak Jalali (USA, world premiere)La última tierra – Pablo Lamar (Paraguay, The Netherlands, Chile, Qatar, world premiere)Where I Grow Old – Marília Rocha (Brazil, Portugal, world premiere)A Woman, a Part – Elisabeth Subrin (USA, world premiere)
Bright FUTUREAlba – Ana Cristina Barragán (Ecuador, Mexico, Greece, world premiere)Alone – Park Hongmin (South Korea, international premiere)Animal político – Tião (Brazil, world premiere)The Bear Tales – Samuele Sestieri, Olmo Amato (Italy,...
Bright FUTUREAlba – Ana Cristina Barragán (Ecuador, Mexico, Greece, world premiere)Alone – Park Hongmin (South Korea, international premiere)Animal político – Tião (Brazil, world premiere)The Bear Tales – Samuele Sestieri, Olmo Amato (Italy,...
- 1/5/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
The 28th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival took place from the 22th until the 31th of October in the great city of Tokyo. This ten day event is the only Japanese film festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (Fiapf). It started in 1985 and since then it became one of the most important festival in the world. The festival offers the audience a great chance to see the very best film from around the world and bring them the best national productions.
Competition Section
Tokyo Grand Prix
Nise – O Coração da Loucura (Nise – The Heart of Madness) by Roberto Berliner – Brazil | 2015 – 109 min.
Special Jury Prize
Nous Trois ou Rien (All Three of Us) by Kheiron – France | 2015 – 102 min.
Award for Best Director
Mustafa Kara for his film Kalandar Soğuğu (Cold of Kalandar) Turkey, Hungary | 2015 – 139 min.
Award for Best Actress
Gloria Pires for the film Nise – O...
Competition Section
Tokyo Grand Prix
Nise – O Coração da Loucura (Nise – The Heart of Madness) by Roberto Berliner – Brazil | 2015 – 109 min.
Special Jury Prize
Nous Trois ou Rien (All Three of Us) by Kheiron – France | 2015 – 102 min.
Award for Best Director
Mustafa Kara for his film Kalandar Soğuğu (Cold of Kalandar) Turkey, Hungary | 2015 – 139 min.
Award for Best Actress
Gloria Pires for the film Nise – O...
- 11/4/2015
- by Sebastian Nadilo
- AsianMoviePulse
Other winners include All Three of Us, Cold of Kalandar, Land Of Mine, God Willing and Family Film.
Roberto Berliner’s Nise - The Heart of Madness, based on the true story of a Brazilian psychiatrist, took the top prize at the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival on Saturday.
The Brazilian film’s Gloria Pires also won the Best Actress award for her performance in the title role as Nise da Silveira, a doctor assigned to a Rio de Janeiro mental hospital in the 1940s.
“We all felt that it was a very believable world full of sadness, of humour and of triumph,” competition jury president Bryan Singer said in presenting the Tokyo Grand Prix, which comes with a cash prize of $50,000.
Berliner described the film as a “cruel job” in that it took 13 years out of his life to make but he never lost his determination to bring Nise da Silveira’s story to the screen...
Roberto Berliner’s Nise - The Heart of Madness, based on the true story of a Brazilian psychiatrist, took the top prize at the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival on Saturday.
The Brazilian film’s Gloria Pires also won the Best Actress award for her performance in the title role as Nise da Silveira, a doctor assigned to a Rio de Janeiro mental hospital in the 1940s.
“We all felt that it was a very believable world full of sadness, of humour and of triumph,” competition jury president Bryan Singer said in presenting the Tokyo Grand Prix, which comes with a cash prize of $50,000.
Berliner described the film as a “cruel job” in that it took 13 years out of his life to make but he never lost his determination to bring Nise da Silveira’s story to the screen...
- 11/1/2015
- ScreenDaily
Competition section features six world premieres including titles from Koji Fukada and Yoshihiro Nakamura.
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
- 9/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
Competition section features six world premieres including titles from Koji Fukada and Yoshihiro Nakamura.
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-31) has unveiled its line-up with six world premieres in the Competition section, including Turkish director Mustafa Kara’s Cold Of Kalandar, Hao Jie’s My Original Dream and Thai film-maker Kongdej Jaturanrasmee’s Snap.
Also world-premiering in Competition are three Japanese titles: Kohei Oguri’s Foujita, Yoshihiro Nakamura’s The Inerasable and Koji Fukada’s Sayonara – the most local films in the main section since 2004.
The other selections are either Asian or international premieres. The topics of war or refugeeism are a common thread among some films, echoing current day headlines. “We were not conscious about choosing those types, it just happened that way and we noticed afterwards,” said Competition programming director Yoshi Yatabe.
“As much as possible we’d like to cover a wide range of geographical areas and genres,” he said of...
- 9/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Thai sales company Mosquito Films Distribution has picked up Singaporean filmmaker Liao Jiekai’s sophomore feature As You Were.
The film premiered in Tokyo International Film Festival’s Asian Future competition in October and screened to a full house at the Singapore International Film Festival this week.
This follows the Thai outfit’s picking up two Malaysian films – previous Cannes director Woo Ming Jin’s The Second Life Of Thieves, which premiered in Busan, and his oft-times producer Edmund Yeo’s feature directorial debut River Of Exploding Durians, which was in Tokyo’s main competition.
As You Were was also in international competition in Torino and Nantes.
Set on an idyllic island south of Singapore, the film follows a couple spending their last moments together as their relationship falls apart, exploring their memories and the oppressive past of St. John’s Island, which was, at various points in history, a quarantine...
The film premiered in Tokyo International Film Festival’s Asian Future competition in October and screened to a full house at the Singapore International Film Festival this week.
This follows the Thai outfit’s picking up two Malaysian films – previous Cannes director Woo Ming Jin’s The Second Life Of Thieves, which premiered in Busan, and his oft-times producer Edmund Yeo’s feature directorial debut River Of Exploding Durians, which was in Tokyo’s main competition.
As You Were was also in international competition in Torino and Nantes.
Set on an idyllic island south of Singapore, the film follows a couple spending their last moments together as their relationship falls apart, exploring their memories and the oppressive past of St. John’s Island, which was, at various points in history, a quarantine...
- 12/11/2014
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Though the market seemed slow on the surface, the usual sales got made: the larger companies selling almost out, the smaller ones busily speaking with others, selling here and there, worrying if this would get better, worse, or stay the same.
Meanwhile fascinating and energizing conversations were carried on with friends, newcomers, keepers of funds, representatives of countries and their needs to internationalize, to join forces with one another to create new models, internationalize, form cross cultural competent and cooperative ways of working together. We know the past model is failing to keep up with the technology and its fast spawning product. Some would say the old model is old and frail, sucking its old teeth as it pretends to carry on, but in reality, it is carrying its own corpse upon its shoulders. I would never go so far as to say this; the model will be changed, refined and redesigned, but it will survive because some people enjoy theatrical settings and that helps further other sales
FBI Casting Director Beatrice Kruger (now working on Fatih Akin¹s The Cut) spoke to us over dinner at Einsteins about her experience on Woody Allen¹s To Rome With Love, how he got involved in the real life politics of Italy as he attempted to cast real newscasters in the roles they play in real life. He didn't want the right wingers. He didn't like them, but he was told he had to hire them if he wanted to access the government monies, ...besides, how could he cast a left wing newscaster into the role off a right wing commentator? The experience of Italian politics did not make him happy.
Frank Cox, the founder of the Australian arthouse distributor Hopscotch which has been sold to eOne Entertainment, was in the Scandinavian Pavilion and told me he is still carrying on though on a smaller scale with his original company, New Vision Distribution. He recently acquired We¹re The Best by Lucas Moodyson, a darling film that showed in Cannes and Toronto and totally endeared me to its 13 year old girls as they searched for ways to get into trouble. (Magnolia has U.S.)
Robbie Little and Elie Mechoulam, Director of Sales and Marketing of The Little Film Company tallying up that $30,000,000 at the box office at $11 per ticket is only 3 million admissions, or 300,000 tickets sold...TV would be failure if it had such numbers. TV makes $46 million in ad sales on one episode of a great series...
Andrea Kaul, the EFM¹s new Co-Director who comes from Rtl TV and ad sales was not at that conversation, but when we spoke after the market was finished, such a topic as episodic content and online ad sales was also on her mind. The Berlinale screening of Netflix¹s second installment of Houses of Cards was a great success in the last days of the Berlinale, which was in itself food for thought. Even Dieter Kosslick, in his interview with Indiewire¹s Eric Kohn (Read Here) said, "We showed, for the first time in history, House of Cards. We have never done such a thing before. Heads were turning last night. Last year, we had [Jane Campion¹s TV series] Top of the Lake (in its entirety),so we are starting this new whole world."
Ted Hope of Fandor pointed out, "Research company Markets and Markets predicts global video-on-demand (VOD) revenue will grow from $21 billion last year to $45 billion in 2018. They define this as the combined revenues of all VOD outlets, worldwide ‹ essentially digital (online) VOD plus cable & satellite VOD. Huge numbers, but actually not a particularly high compound annual growth rate (16%) to get to the $45b number in years. Figure roughly half of this revenue flows to content owners and half to the VOD outlets."
To see the excitement of young people just beginning...everything to gain and little to lose, learning to like what they are doing to further their aims at telling stories their way. When I spoke with Wafa Tajdin, a founding partner and lead producer at Seven Thirty Films, an Africa based indie production company she runs with her sister, artist and film maker Amirah Tajdin. This Arab Indian pair of sisters is working to tell their stories of growing up in Kenya and living in Dubai...I asked which parent was what and was told that each parent was also half Arab, half Indian, the same sexes too...I should have told them about Peter, whose Italian Jewish parents also lived in such a ghetto of mixed marriages in east Harlem in the 1910s and 1920s. These are the stories which are forming in world cinema today. You can see her work Here
True cross-culture creation is taking place in the Talents section of the Efm. Eleven films of former Talent Campus participants are showing in the festival this year
One talent, Sompot Chidgasornpongse has formed a new international sales agency (and distribution company) called Mosquito. Thailand¹s leading independent filmmakers Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband), Aditya Assarat (Hi-So), Soros Sukhum (Wonderful Town), Anocha Suwichakornpong (Mundane History), and Lee Chatametikool have joined hands to open Mosquito Films Distribution. The new company will handle international sales and festival distribution for the partners¹ films as well as upcoming titles from the new generation of Southeast Asian filmmakers. - See more Here
Ben Gibson of London Film School,Ira Deutchman of Colombia Film School, German film school dffb, Frances La Femis, Fescac the Romanian Film and Theater University are continuing their initiative Making Waves, bringing in students to work collaboratively to develop creative campaigns, edit trailers, design posters and plan roll-out packages for actual independent movies in the Efm.
Also exciting was the search for new models, not only in the film world of funding by government organizations, but of society as discussed in such films as Göran Hugo Olsson¹s (Black Mix Tapes) Concerning Violence and Hubert Sauper¹s We Come as Friends , and of women in society. 50% of public funds should be made available for women who not only constitute 50% of the public as moviegoers and should represent 50% of the cinephiles (those working in the film business) but 50% of all societies and therefore should have 50% of the voice of public policy.
In its second year, the Dortmund Women's Film Festival drew even more women to hear and discuss the status of women in the film business and gender parity. Speakers such as Heike Meyer-Döring of the Creative Europe Desk of Film and Medienstiftung Nrw, Bosnian filmmaker and Golden Bear Winner in 2006 Jasmila Zbanic, So-in Hong of the Seoul International Womens Film Festival speaking on aims and projects of the Asian Women Film Network, Melissa Silverstein of the Athena Film Festival and blogger on Women and Hollywood updating on the status of women filmmakers in the U.S., Mariel Macia of Mica/ Cima, Spain speaking of the proposal for the EU Commission regarding gender equality on state aid for film - all these and more, like Claudia Landsberger head of Eye International, Film Institute Netherlands hosting a panel of Susana de la Sierra, General Director of Icaa, Spanish Film Institute noting that 7% of the leading roles were women and the 2007 Law for Gender Equality, Cornelia Hammelmann, Project Director of the German Federal Fund, Sanja Ravlic, President of the Gender Equality Study Group of Eurimages, Croatia -- all spoke of what seems as obvious as the noses on our faces, but which has made little impact on the reality of policies yet... We had so many more conversations, I wish I could put them all here.
With all the ideas circulating, one could hardly say that the Berlinale and the European Film Market were not busy.
Meanwhile fascinating and energizing conversations were carried on with friends, newcomers, keepers of funds, representatives of countries and their needs to internationalize, to join forces with one another to create new models, internationalize, form cross cultural competent and cooperative ways of working together. We know the past model is failing to keep up with the technology and its fast spawning product. Some would say the old model is old and frail, sucking its old teeth as it pretends to carry on, but in reality, it is carrying its own corpse upon its shoulders. I would never go so far as to say this; the model will be changed, refined and redesigned, but it will survive because some people enjoy theatrical settings and that helps further other sales
FBI Casting Director Beatrice Kruger (now working on Fatih Akin¹s The Cut) spoke to us over dinner at Einsteins about her experience on Woody Allen¹s To Rome With Love, how he got involved in the real life politics of Italy as he attempted to cast real newscasters in the roles they play in real life. He didn't want the right wingers. He didn't like them, but he was told he had to hire them if he wanted to access the government monies, ...besides, how could he cast a left wing newscaster into the role off a right wing commentator? The experience of Italian politics did not make him happy.
Frank Cox, the founder of the Australian arthouse distributor Hopscotch which has been sold to eOne Entertainment, was in the Scandinavian Pavilion and told me he is still carrying on though on a smaller scale with his original company, New Vision Distribution. He recently acquired We¹re The Best by Lucas Moodyson, a darling film that showed in Cannes and Toronto and totally endeared me to its 13 year old girls as they searched for ways to get into trouble. (Magnolia has U.S.)
Robbie Little and Elie Mechoulam, Director of Sales and Marketing of The Little Film Company tallying up that $30,000,000 at the box office at $11 per ticket is only 3 million admissions, or 300,000 tickets sold...TV would be failure if it had such numbers. TV makes $46 million in ad sales on one episode of a great series...
Andrea Kaul, the EFM¹s new Co-Director who comes from Rtl TV and ad sales was not at that conversation, but when we spoke after the market was finished, such a topic as episodic content and online ad sales was also on her mind. The Berlinale screening of Netflix¹s second installment of Houses of Cards was a great success in the last days of the Berlinale, which was in itself food for thought. Even Dieter Kosslick, in his interview with Indiewire¹s Eric Kohn (Read Here) said, "We showed, for the first time in history, House of Cards. We have never done such a thing before. Heads were turning last night. Last year, we had [Jane Campion¹s TV series] Top of the Lake (in its entirety),so we are starting this new whole world."
Ted Hope of Fandor pointed out, "Research company Markets and Markets predicts global video-on-demand (VOD) revenue will grow from $21 billion last year to $45 billion in 2018. They define this as the combined revenues of all VOD outlets, worldwide ‹ essentially digital (online) VOD plus cable & satellite VOD. Huge numbers, but actually not a particularly high compound annual growth rate (16%) to get to the $45b number in years. Figure roughly half of this revenue flows to content owners and half to the VOD outlets."
To see the excitement of young people just beginning...everything to gain and little to lose, learning to like what they are doing to further their aims at telling stories their way. When I spoke with Wafa Tajdin, a founding partner and lead producer at Seven Thirty Films, an Africa based indie production company she runs with her sister, artist and film maker Amirah Tajdin. This Arab Indian pair of sisters is working to tell their stories of growing up in Kenya and living in Dubai...I asked which parent was what and was told that each parent was also half Arab, half Indian, the same sexes too...I should have told them about Peter, whose Italian Jewish parents also lived in such a ghetto of mixed marriages in east Harlem in the 1910s and 1920s. These are the stories which are forming in world cinema today. You can see her work Here
True cross-culture creation is taking place in the Talents section of the Efm. Eleven films of former Talent Campus participants are showing in the festival this year
One talent, Sompot Chidgasornpongse has formed a new international sales agency (and distribution company) called Mosquito. Thailand¹s leading independent filmmakers Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband), Aditya Assarat (Hi-So), Soros Sukhum (Wonderful Town), Anocha Suwichakornpong (Mundane History), and Lee Chatametikool have joined hands to open Mosquito Films Distribution. The new company will handle international sales and festival distribution for the partners¹ films as well as upcoming titles from the new generation of Southeast Asian filmmakers. - See more Here
Ben Gibson of London Film School,Ira Deutchman of Colombia Film School, German film school dffb, Frances La Femis, Fescac the Romanian Film and Theater University are continuing their initiative Making Waves, bringing in students to work collaboratively to develop creative campaigns, edit trailers, design posters and plan roll-out packages for actual independent movies in the Efm.
Also exciting was the search for new models, not only in the film world of funding by government organizations, but of society as discussed in such films as Göran Hugo Olsson¹s (Black Mix Tapes) Concerning Violence and Hubert Sauper¹s We Come as Friends , and of women in society. 50% of public funds should be made available for women who not only constitute 50% of the public as moviegoers and should represent 50% of the cinephiles (those working in the film business) but 50% of all societies and therefore should have 50% of the voice of public policy.
In its second year, the Dortmund Women's Film Festival drew even more women to hear and discuss the status of women in the film business and gender parity. Speakers such as Heike Meyer-Döring of the Creative Europe Desk of Film and Medienstiftung Nrw, Bosnian filmmaker and Golden Bear Winner in 2006 Jasmila Zbanic, So-in Hong of the Seoul International Womens Film Festival speaking on aims and projects of the Asian Women Film Network, Melissa Silverstein of the Athena Film Festival and blogger on Women and Hollywood updating on the status of women filmmakers in the U.S., Mariel Macia of Mica/ Cima, Spain speaking of the proposal for the EU Commission regarding gender equality on state aid for film - all these and more, like Claudia Landsberger head of Eye International, Film Institute Netherlands hosting a panel of Susana de la Sierra, General Director of Icaa, Spanish Film Institute noting that 7% of the leading roles were women and the 2007 Law for Gender Equality, Cornelia Hammelmann, Project Director of the German Federal Fund, Sanja Ravlic, President of the Gender Equality Study Group of Eurimages, Croatia -- all spoke of what seems as obvious as the noses on our faces, but which has made little impact on the reality of policies yet... We had so many more conversations, I wish I could put them all here.
With all the ideas circulating, one could hardly say that the Berlinale and the European Film Market were not busy.
- 2/27/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Six of Thailand’s leading independent filmmakers have joined forces to launch an international sales and festival distribution company, Mosquito Films Distribution.
The six filmmakers include Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who won the Cannes Palme d’Or for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, along with Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband), Aditya Assarat (Hi-So), producer Soros Sukhum, Anocha Suwichakornpong (Mundane History) and Lee Chatametikool (Concrete Clouds).
The new company will handle international sales and festival distribution for the six partners’ films, as well as upcoming titles from the new generation of South-East Asian filmmakers. In addition to working on individual films, the new outfit aims to aggregate the content into curated programmes for film festivals and educational institutions.
Mosquito Films Distribution will make its debut at the Rotterdam Film Festival, which starts tomorrow (Jan 22-Feb 2) and also attend the Berlin Film Festival.
The company’s initial slate includes Concrete Clouds, directed by Chatametikool...
The six filmmakers include Apichatpong Weerasethakul, who won the Cannes Palme d’Or for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, along with Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband), Aditya Assarat (Hi-So), producer Soros Sukhum, Anocha Suwichakornpong (Mundane History) and Lee Chatametikool (Concrete Clouds).
The new company will handle international sales and festival distribution for the six partners’ films, as well as upcoming titles from the new generation of South-East Asian filmmakers. In addition to working on individual films, the new outfit aims to aggregate the content into curated programmes for film festivals and educational institutions.
Mosquito Films Distribution will make its debut at the Rotterdam Film Festival, which starts tomorrow (Jan 22-Feb 2) and also attend the Berlin Film Festival.
The company’s initial slate includes Concrete Clouds, directed by Chatametikool...
- 1/21/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Thailand’s Ministry of Culture is once again organizing the Thai Pitch event at this year’s Cannes Film Festival market. Four projects from well-regarded Thai filmmakers have been chosen to take part in this year’s initiative, to be held on Saturday May 18th from 10:00-15:30. The event will take place at the Thailand Pavilion in Cannes’ Village International no. 140. This year, Thai Pitch will be coordinated by producer and film programmer Raymond Phathanavirangoon.
The four projects include:
A Culinary Murder
dir: Somkiat Vithuranich (October Sonata)
prod: Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Headshot, Red Eagle)
Born poor and raised as the kitchen maid to a wealthy, corrupt family, Anoma spends her childhood learning that the secrets to a man’s heart lie in his stomach. When she is made to marry the master of the house, she begins to transform her culinary skills into a deadly weapon. If food could kill, then her food is the deadliest.
The General’S Secret
dir/prod: Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband)
Rian lives alone with her mother who suffers from a chronic back pain. One day, after a trip, she finds that her mother's condition has gotten better after receiving a homeopathic massage from an old masseuse called “auntie”. Rian does not believe in the treatment, but her mother feels otherwise. She decides to find out auntie’s secret by making a massage appointment with her.
The Way Back
dir: Boonsong Nakphoo (Four Stations)
prod: Pantham Thongsang (Tropical Malady, Mid Road Gang)
Sueb decides to leave the capital city Bangkok behind and bring his family to live a humble life in the countryside. Things initially seems to be as joyful as anticipated, until stresses gradually pile up. Unexpectedly, one day his wife takes their only son back to the capital city. Sueb insists on hanging onto his land until he finds the key to a harmonious life.
The White Buffalo
dir: Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, Hi-so)
prod: Aditya Assarat, Soros Sukhum (Mundane History, P-047)
This is the story of Peter, a European, who is married to a Thai woman and living in her village. It is a situation that reflects a colonial past, an age when white men came to the East to exploit and build their own paradise. But today, the balance of power has changed. The European is large only in body. He is no match for the cunning and deceit of the Thais.
For more information about the event and individual projects, as well as inquiries into booking meetings, please go to www.thaipitch.com...
The four projects include:
A Culinary Murder
dir: Somkiat Vithuranich (October Sonata)
prod: Pawas Sawatchaiyamet (Headshot, Red Eagle)
Born poor and raised as the kitchen maid to a wealthy, corrupt family, Anoma spends her childhood learning that the secrets to a man’s heart lie in his stomach. When she is made to marry the master of the house, she begins to transform her culinary skills into a deadly weapon. If food could kill, then her food is the deadliest.
The General’S Secret
dir/prod: Pimpaka Towira (One Night Husband)
Rian lives alone with her mother who suffers from a chronic back pain. One day, after a trip, she finds that her mother's condition has gotten better after receiving a homeopathic massage from an old masseuse called “auntie”. Rian does not believe in the treatment, but her mother feels otherwise. She decides to find out auntie’s secret by making a massage appointment with her.
The Way Back
dir: Boonsong Nakphoo (Four Stations)
prod: Pantham Thongsang (Tropical Malady, Mid Road Gang)
Sueb decides to leave the capital city Bangkok behind and bring his family to live a humble life in the countryside. Things initially seems to be as joyful as anticipated, until stresses gradually pile up. Unexpectedly, one day his wife takes their only son back to the capital city. Sueb insists on hanging onto his land until he finds the key to a harmonious life.
The White Buffalo
dir: Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, Hi-so)
prod: Aditya Assarat, Soros Sukhum (Mundane History, P-047)
This is the story of Peter, a European, who is married to a Thai woman and living in her village. It is a situation that reflects a colonial past, an age when white men came to the East to exploit and build their own paradise. But today, the balance of power has changed. The European is large only in body. He is no match for the cunning and deceit of the Thais.
For more information about the event and individual projects, as well as inquiries into booking meetings, please go to www.thaipitch.com...
- 5/16/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Extra Virgin, a new Thai independent film company created by former officials of the Bangkok International Film Festival, launched Wednesday with the announcement of a documentary about a media activist's clash with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Founders Mai Meksawan and Ruengsang Sripaoraya, both with roots in BIFF, are joined in Bangkok-based Extra Virgin by Pimpaka Towira, director of the 2003 thriller One Night Husband, which played at film festivals including Pusan and Berlin.
Towira will direct two of the four films the company has quickly begun putting together since forming the company in April.
"There's an extreme gap in the film industry in Thailand between big studios and indie filmmakers, with nothing in between," Meksawan said. "We hope to connect these two worlds."
The company's first release is The Truth Be Told, a documentary directed by Towira about Supinya Klangnarong, a well-known media activist in Thailand, who suggested in a 2003 newspaper editorial that then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was creating policies to benefit his telecommunications film.
Founders Mai Meksawan and Ruengsang Sripaoraya, both with roots in BIFF, are joined in Bangkok-based Extra Virgin by Pimpaka Towira, director of the 2003 thriller One Night Husband, which played at film festivals including Pusan and Berlin.
Towira will direct two of the four films the company has quickly begun putting together since forming the company in April.
"There's an extreme gap in the film industry in Thailand between big studios and indie filmmakers, with nothing in between," Meksawan said. "We hope to connect these two worlds."
The company's first release is The Truth Be Told, a documentary directed by Towira about Supinya Klangnarong, a well-known media activist in Thailand, who suggested in a 2003 newspaper editorial that then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was creating policies to benefit his telecommunications film.
- 8/17/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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