Day one on set of your first movie can be extremely nerve-wracking, so why not take some notes about how to get through it from the pros? UniFrance has started a new video series titled “First Movie – Day One” in which the best French filmmakers working today share their personal tips on what’s most important for your first day on set of your first film.
The series includes five short episodes featuring the likes of Olivier Assayas (“Clouds of Sils Maria”), Emmanuelle Bercot (“Standing Tall”), Bruno Dumont (“Slack Bay”), Bertrand Tavernier (“The Princess of Montpensier”), and Anne Fontaine (“The Innocents”).
Read More:The 25 Best French Movies of the 21st Century, From ‘Amélie’ to ‘Cache’
“I get the impression the trap is often that filmmaking is seen as solo act,” Assayas says, warning young directors not to get intimidated by those on set who may have more experience than you. “You...
The series includes five short episodes featuring the likes of Olivier Assayas (“Clouds of Sils Maria”), Emmanuelle Bercot (“Standing Tall”), Bruno Dumont (“Slack Bay”), Bertrand Tavernier (“The Princess of Montpensier”), and Anne Fontaine (“The Innocents”).
Read More:The 25 Best French Movies of the 21st Century, From ‘Amélie’ to ‘Cache’
“I get the impression the trap is often that filmmaking is seen as solo act,” Assayas says, warning young directors not to get intimidated by those on set who may have more experience than you. “You...
- 9/8/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Venice sidebar to screen eleven world premieres; first screening of Ermanno Olmi doc.
The Venice Film Festival’s (Aug 30 - 9) independently run Venice Days section will host 12 competition titles, 11 of which are world premieres, including new films from Kim Nguyen, Chloe Sevigny, Pengfei, and Sara Forestier.
War Witch director Nguyen will show drama Eye On Juliet, starring UK actor Joe Cole, while M marks the directorial debut of Standing Tall actress Forestier.
Pengfei, who was in Venice Days in 2015 with his first film, Underground Fragrance, is returning with followup The Taste of Rice Flower (pictured).
Screening in the special events category will be a never seen before and thought to be lost Ermanno Olmi documentary from the 1960s: Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza (Attempted Suicide In Youths).
The documentary follows the pioneering work of the emergency psychiatric branch of the Policlinico di Milano.
Meanwhile, new short films by Sevigny and Us choreographer-director Celia Rowlson-Hall will screen in Venice...
The Venice Film Festival’s (Aug 30 - 9) independently run Venice Days section will host 12 competition titles, 11 of which are world premieres, including new films from Kim Nguyen, Chloe Sevigny, Pengfei, and Sara Forestier.
War Witch director Nguyen will show drama Eye On Juliet, starring UK actor Joe Cole, while M marks the directorial debut of Standing Tall actress Forestier.
Pengfei, who was in Venice Days in 2015 with his first film, Underground Fragrance, is returning with followup The Taste of Rice Flower (pictured).
Screening in the special events category will be a never seen before and thought to be lost Ermanno Olmi documentary from the 1960s: Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza (Attempted Suicide In Youths).
The documentary follows the pioneering work of the emergency psychiatric branch of the Policlinico di Milano.
Meanwhile, new short films by Sevigny and Us choreographer-director Celia Rowlson-Hall will screen in Venice...
- 7/25/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Venice sidebar to screen eleven world premieres; first screening of Ermanno Olmi doc.
The Venice Film Festival’s (Aug 30 - 9) independently run Venice Days section will host 12 competition titles, 11 of which are world premieres, including new films from Kim Nguyen, Chloe Sevigny, Pengfei, and Sara Forestier.
War Witch director Nguyen will show drama Eye On Juliet, starring UK actor Joe Cole, while M marks the directorial debut of Standing Tall actress Forestier.
Pengfei, who was in Venice Days in 2015 with his first film, Underground Fragrance, is returning with followup The Taste of Rice Flower (pictured).
New short films by Sevigny and Us choreographer-director Celia Rowlson-Hall will screen in Venice Days’ Women’s Tales Project, sponsored by Miu Miu, the women’s fashion brand.
Screening in the special events category will be a never seen before and thought to be lost Ermanno Olmi documentary from the ’60s: Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza.
Iranian director...
The Venice Film Festival’s (Aug 30 - 9) independently run Venice Days section will host 12 competition titles, 11 of which are world premieres, including new films from Kim Nguyen, Chloe Sevigny, Pengfei, and Sara Forestier.
War Witch director Nguyen will show drama Eye On Juliet, starring UK actor Joe Cole, while M marks the directorial debut of Standing Tall actress Forestier.
Pengfei, who was in Venice Days in 2015 with his first film, Underground Fragrance, is returning with followup The Taste of Rice Flower (pictured).
New short films by Sevigny and Us choreographer-director Celia Rowlson-Hall will screen in Venice Days’ Women’s Tales Project, sponsored by Miu Miu, the women’s fashion brand.
Screening in the special events category will be a never seen before and thought to be lost Ermanno Olmi documentary from the ’60s: Il Tentato Suicidio Nell Adolescenza.
Iranian director...
- 7/25/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Emmanuelle Bercot will preside over the Revelation jury.
Michel Hazanavicius, director of The Artist, will preside over the jury at the 43rd Deauville American Film Festival.
The jury will hand out the grand prize and jury prize at the event, which is based in the Normandy seaside resort.
“I’m extremely moved and honoured to preside over this year’s Jury of the Deauville American Film Festival,” said Hazanavicius.
“Like half the planet, I was in part raised on American cinema and I am looking forward to spending these 10 days of binge-watching the latest output. In cinema we trust!”
Hazanavicius’ latest film Redoubtable was in official competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Actress, writer and director Emmanuelle Bercot, whose 2015 film Standing Tall opened the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, will preside over the Revelation jury which honours an up-and-coming director.
She said: “As a great lover of all things American, I am delighted...
Michel Hazanavicius, director of The Artist, will preside over the jury at the 43rd Deauville American Film Festival.
The jury will hand out the grand prize and jury prize at the event, which is based in the Normandy seaside resort.
“I’m extremely moved and honoured to preside over this year’s Jury of the Deauville American Film Festival,” said Hazanavicius.
“Like half the planet, I was in part raised on American cinema and I am looking forward to spending these 10 days of binge-watching the latest output. In cinema we trust!”
Hazanavicius’ latest film Redoubtable was in official competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Actress, writer and director Emmanuelle Bercot, whose 2015 film Standing Tall opened the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, will preside over the Revelation jury which honours an up-and-coming director.
She said: “As a great lover of all things American, I am delighted...
- 6/13/2017
- by orlando.parfitt@screendaily.com (Orlando Parfitt)
- ScreenDaily
The twisty-turny, topsy-turvy circus that is the Trump presidency makes for arguably some of the most compelling television to be found on any given network. The colossal messes the current leader of the free world seems to be making on a daily basis (and the bumbling attempts by his constituents to clean them up) have been leaving people’s jaws on the floor across the country since the orange oaf took office. Perhaps one of the most terrifying, befuddling pieces of footage made the media rounds and set the internet on fire when Trump and the only slightly less controversial Bill O’Reilly shared an on-camera conversation in which the President intimated that, like Vladimir Putin, a known “killer” (O’Reilly’s word), some people in Us Government were no less innocent. Even O’Reilly, a walking lightning rod himself, sat there stunned and speechless.
What’s typically a blessing...
What’s typically a blessing...
- 5/19/2017
- by Bernard Boo
- We Got This Covered
Screen investigates which films from around the world could launch on the Croisette, including on opening night.
With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.
Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.
Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.
Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...
With just over a month to go before the line-up for this year’s Cannes Film Festival is unveiled in Paris, Croisette predictions and wish lists are hitting the web thick and fast.
Screen’s network of correspondents and contributors around the world have been putting out feelers to get a sense of what might or might not make it to the Palais du Cinéma or one of the parallel sections.
Just like the Oscars, this year’s festival is likely to unfold amid a politically-charged atmosphere. Beyond Trump and the rise of populism across the globe, France will be digesting the result of its own presidential election on May 7. Against this background, the festival will be feting its 70th edition.
Below, Screen reveals which titles might - and might not - be in the running for a place at the...
- 3/13/2017
- ScreenDaily
As the film distribution landscape keeps evolving, distributors of foreign language fare in the United States are struggling to keep up with a brave new world. French cinema, a niche favorite of American audiences for decades, is struggling to stay in the game — and right now, its future is uncertain.
“Ten years ago, we had more success at the box office,” Isabelle Giordano, the Executive Director of UniFrance, recently told IndieWire. “We have to admit that the situation is not as good as it was then.”
But it’s not for lack of effort. Thanks to a number of initiatives headed up by UniFrance – a government-supported body that operates with the sole aim of promoting French cinema throughout the world – French films are fighting to find new life at the U.S. box office.
Per Deadline, ticket sales in foreign markets for French titles dipped to $35 million in 2016, down 69% from...
“Ten years ago, we had more success at the box office,” Isabelle Giordano, the Executive Director of UniFrance, recently told IndieWire. “We have to admit that the situation is not as good as it was then.”
But it’s not for lack of effort. Thanks to a number of initiatives headed up by UniFrance – a government-supported body that operates with the sole aim of promoting French cinema throughout the world – French films are fighting to find new life at the U.S. box office.
Per Deadline, ticket sales in foreign markets for French titles dipped to $35 million in 2016, down 69% from...
- 3/9/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
In a brief precursor to Michael Che taking the stage, an offscreen man speaks directly to the performer as the dimly lit streets of New York cut across the screen. The narrator complains that stand-up comedy specials aren’t special anymore, that they don’t say anything relevant, and Che needs to leave it all out there when he records “Michael Che Matters.” The ensuing hour of comedy may not reach the truly special status demanded at the onset, but what the “SNL” star touches on certainly presents an unfiltered glimpse into the comedian’s off-screen beliefs.
Unafraid to turn off, confuse, or challenge his audience, Che covers just about every touchy social subject out there and wastes no time between topics. Starting with the inherent racism of white people using the n-word and transitioning quickly to Black Lives Matter, homophobia, abortion, religion, sexism, and gentrification, Che’s 60-minute set...
Unafraid to turn off, confuse, or challenge his audience, Che covers just about every touchy social subject out there and wastes no time between topics. Starting with the inherent racism of white people using the n-word and transitioning quickly to Black Lives Matter, homophobia, abortion, religion, sexism, and gentrification, Che’s 60-minute set...
- 11/25/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Amour Fou (Jessica Hausner)
An ecstatically original work of film-history-philosophy with a digital-cinema palette of acutely crafted compositions. Amour Fou seamlessly blends together the paintings of Vermeer, the acting of Bresson, and the psychological undercurrents of a Dostoevsky novel. It is an intensely thrilling and often slyly comic work that manages to combine a passionately dispassionate love story of the highest order with a larger socio-historical examination of a new era of freedom,...
Amour Fou (Jessica Hausner)
An ecstatically original work of film-history-philosophy with a digital-cinema palette of acutely crafted compositions. Amour Fou seamlessly blends together the paintings of Vermeer, the acting of Bresson, and the psychological undercurrents of a Dostoevsky novel. It is an intensely thrilling and often slyly comic work that manages to combine a passionately dispassionate love story of the highest order with a larger socio-historical examination of a new era of freedom,...
- 11/18/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Dormant Beauty (Marco Bellocchio)
The newest film by Marco Bellocchio, one of Italy’s most revered directors, Dormant Beauty, initially seems like a risky proposition, being that it intends to marry both the often over-stuffed ensemble drama subgenre and what’s essentially an “issue” film. The exact fear being that the narrative would strain in a series of contrivances while also mass sermonizing. And yet, while the film still...
Dormant Beauty (Marco Bellocchio)
The newest film by Marco Bellocchio, one of Italy’s most revered directors, Dormant Beauty, initially seems like a risky proposition, being that it intends to marry both the often over-stuffed ensemble drama subgenre and what’s essentially an “issue” film. The exact fear being that the narrative would strain in a series of contrivances while also mass sermonizing. And yet, while the film still...
- 9/16/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Double bill of Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot draws buyers to comedy drama
Paris-based Memento Films International (Mfi) has unveiled sales on French director Martin Provost’s upcoming comedy drama The Midwife, co-starring Catherine Deneuve [pictured], Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet. The double bill of two of France’s renowned actresses internationally has gone down well with buyers.
In Europe, the film has sold to Spain (A Contracorriente, Benelux (Lumière), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Denmark (41 Shadows), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Greece (Seven Films), Bulgaria (Bulgaria Film Vision) and ex-Yugoslavia (Demiurg).
As previously announced by Screen, Ascot Elite pre-bought all rights for German-speaking territories during Cannes. Elsewhere, the film has sold to Israel (Lev Cinema), Brazil (Mares Filmes), Mexico (Cinema Nueva Era) Hong Kong (Edko), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Japan Kino Films, as well as to Australia and New Zealand (Palace Films). Skeye have acquired airline rights.
Frot co-stars as Claire, a talented midwife facing a career crisis, who is contacted...
Paris-based Memento Films International (Mfi) has unveiled sales on French director Martin Provost’s upcoming comedy drama The Midwife, co-starring Catherine Deneuve [pictured], Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet. The double bill of two of France’s renowned actresses internationally has gone down well with buyers.
In Europe, the film has sold to Spain (A Contracorriente, Benelux (Lumière), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Denmark (41 Shadows), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Greece (Seven Films), Bulgaria (Bulgaria Film Vision) and ex-Yugoslavia (Demiurg).
As previously announced by Screen, Ascot Elite pre-bought all rights for German-speaking territories during Cannes. Elsewhere, the film has sold to Israel (Lev Cinema), Brazil (Mares Filmes), Mexico (Cinema Nueva Era) Hong Kong (Edko), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Japan Kino Films, as well as to Australia and New Zealand (Palace Films). Skeye have acquired airline rights.
Frot co-stars as Claire, a talented midwife facing a career crisis, who is contacted...
- 9/9/2016
- ScreenDaily
Classic film lovers rejoice. Charles S. Cohen, owner, chairman and CEO of Cohen Media Group has begun re-releasing 30 films by the legendary Merchant Ivory Productions. The remastered library includes 21 feature films and 9 shorts and documentaries.
Merchant Ivory Productions was founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory — together, they produced 44 films. Founder and Oscar-nominated director James Ivory has collaborated with Cohen, and serves as creative director, on the restoration, re-release and promotion of each of the 30 films. Some of the titles set be released include the already-available “Howards End,” “Maurice,” “Shakespeare Wallah” and “Heat and Dust.”
Read More: ‘Howards End’: Emma Thompson and James Ivory Reveal 5 Lessons Hollywood Should Learn From The Classic
Of the re-release plans, Cohen said, “Merchant Ivory has been a peak on the twentieth century cinematic landscape, and we are honored to have James Ivory on our team working on the restoration and re-release of these magnificent films.
Merchant Ivory Productions was founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory — together, they produced 44 films. Founder and Oscar-nominated director James Ivory has collaborated with Cohen, and serves as creative director, on the restoration, re-release and promotion of each of the 30 films. Some of the titles set be released include the already-available “Howards End,” “Maurice,” “Shakespeare Wallah” and “Heat and Dust.”
Read More: ‘Howards End’: Emma Thompson and James Ivory Reveal 5 Lessons Hollywood Should Learn From The Classic
Of the re-release plans, Cohen said, “Merchant Ivory has been a peak on the twentieth century cinematic landscape, and we are honored to have James Ivory on our team working on the restoration and re-release of these magnificent films.
- 9/7/2016
- by Alec Pike
- Indiewire
Bercot to become the first female director to open San Sebastian.
Emmanuelle Bercot’s 150 Milligrams (La fille de Brest) is to receive its European premiere as the opening film of the 64th San Sebastian film festival (Sept 16-24) - making it the first film directed by a woman to open the festival since its launch in 1952.
Based on Irène Frachon’s autobiographical book Mediator 150mg, the film centres on a doctor who discovered the direct relationship between a drug and a number of suspicious deaths, and sets out to reveal the truth.
Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen) and French actor Benoît Magimel (La Haine) star in the film, which will world premiere at Toronto before going on to play in competition for the Golden Shell at San Sebastian.
It marks the fifth feature from French film-maker Bercot, whose Standing Tall (La Tête haute) opened Cannes last year, where she also won best actress for her role...
Emmanuelle Bercot’s 150 Milligrams (La fille de Brest) is to receive its European premiere as the opening film of the 64th San Sebastian film festival (Sept 16-24) - making it the first film directed by a woman to open the festival since its launch in 1952.
Based on Irène Frachon’s autobiographical book Mediator 150mg, the film centres on a doctor who discovered the direct relationship between a drug and a number of suspicious deaths, and sets out to reveal the truth.
Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen (Borgen) and French actor Benoît Magimel (La Haine) star in the film, which will world premiere at Toronto before going on to play in competition for the Golden Shell at San Sebastian.
It marks the fifth feature from French film-maker Bercot, whose Standing Tall (La Tête haute) opened Cannes last year, where she also won best actress for her role...
- 8/24/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Maïwenn on Louis Garrel: "I chose Louis because I wanted him to bring his poetic side, his offbeat side." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
In Maïwenn's My King (Mon Roi), co-written with Etienne Comar (Haute Cuisine), Vincent Cassel, ever more charming, sinister, and unpredictable, as Georgio, morphs before your eyes on screen. And that says a lot when you remember him as Jean-François Richet's shape-shifting Jacques Mesrine or the wild Otto Gross in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method. Standing Tall director Emmanuelle Bercot is Tony, an independent, educated, attractive woman, who falls utterly and completely in love with him.
Louis Garrel: "If I put myself into the skin of Vincent Cassel, as in the skin of John Malkovich …" Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The two have the lighthearted bond of Myrna Loy and William Powell until suspicions cloud the skies as they did for Joan Fontaine when she realizes...
In Maïwenn's My King (Mon Roi), co-written with Etienne Comar (Haute Cuisine), Vincent Cassel, ever more charming, sinister, and unpredictable, as Georgio, morphs before your eyes on screen. And that says a lot when you remember him as Jean-François Richet's shape-shifting Jacques Mesrine or the wild Otto Gross in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method. Standing Tall director Emmanuelle Bercot is Tony, an independent, educated, attractive woman, who falls utterly and completely in love with him.
Louis Garrel: "If I put myself into the skin of Vincent Cassel, as in the skin of John Malkovich …" Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The two have the lighthearted bond of Myrna Loy and William Powell until suspicions cloud the skies as they did for Joan Fontaine when she realizes...
- 8/12/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Alice Winocour on Disorder: "I thought also about Carpenter's films, the sound."
Following her enticing and spirited debut, Augustine, Alice Winocour again proves that she can package troubled states of mind in lush images and strong plots. Disorder (Maryland), written with Jean-Stéphane Bron, stars Matthias Schoenaerts (Jacques Audiard's Rust And Bone) and Diane Kruger with Paul Hamy (Katell Quillévéré's Suzanne, Maïwenn's My King), Zaïd Errougui-Demonsant, and Percy Kemp.
Vincent: "What is frightening for the character is to not have control over his own body."
Pascaline Chavanne's costumes (Jacques Doillon's Rodin, Emmanuelle Bercot's Standing Tall, Christophe Honore's Métamorphoses), Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Michelangelo Antonioni's La Notte, Vincent Lindon, László Nemes's Son Of Saul, Guillaume Nicloux's Valley Of Love, Michel Houellebecq's Submission, Julien Lacheray's editing, Gesaffelstein's sound, John Carpenter, David Lynch's Lost Highway and William Holden -...
Following her enticing and spirited debut, Augustine, Alice Winocour again proves that she can package troubled states of mind in lush images and strong plots. Disorder (Maryland), written with Jean-Stéphane Bron, stars Matthias Schoenaerts (Jacques Audiard's Rust And Bone) and Diane Kruger with Paul Hamy (Katell Quillévéré's Suzanne, Maïwenn's My King), Zaïd Errougui-Demonsant, and Percy Kemp.
Vincent: "What is frightening for the character is to not have control over his own body."
Pascaline Chavanne's costumes (Jacques Doillon's Rodin, Emmanuelle Bercot's Standing Tall, Christophe Honore's Métamorphoses), Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Michelangelo Antonioni's La Notte, Vincent Lindon, László Nemes's Son Of Saul, Guillaume Nicloux's Valley Of Love, Michel Houellebecq's Submission, Julien Lacheray's editing, Gesaffelstein's sound, John Carpenter, David Lynch's Lost Highway and William Holden -...
- 8/11/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Are you hooked on Pokémon Go? While you're walking around trying to catch 'em all, try these moves from celebrity trainer and managing partner of Barry’s Bootcamp Miami Beach and Midtown Miami Derek DeGrazio - and turn your game into an effective workout. "Whether you already exercise or are trying to be healthier, I like that Pokémon Go offers a fun way for people to get moving," DeGrazio tells People. "Incorporate these moves into the game whenever you can, and I promise you'll win a lot more than a game!" Derek's Poké Lunge "Lunge your way to the goal.
- 7/18/2016
- by Gabrielle Olya, @GabyOlya
- PEOPLE.com
Are you hooked on Pokémon Go? While you're walking around trying to catch 'em all, try these moves from celebrity trainer and managing partner of Barry’s Bootcamp Miami Beach and Midtown Miami Derek DeGrazio - and turn your game into an effective workout. "Whether you already exercise or are trying to be healthier, I like that Pokémon Go offers a fun way for people to get moving," DeGrazio tells People. "Incorporate these moves into the game whenever you can, and I promise you'll win a lot more than a game!" Derek's Poké Lunge "Lunge your way to the goal.
- 7/18/2016
- by Gabrielle Olya, @GabyOlya
- PEOPLE.com
Over the past 47 years the Sdcc has grown to become a pop culture behemoth. More than just a grand celebration of fan passion, it’s a driver of serious commerce. Sdcc’s impact now makes waves on a national and international economic scale, far beyond the initial fan-centric puddles of the early days.
Bob “Chappy” Chapman is a fan and business owner who was part of the early days and is still actively involved today. He’s an energetic entrepreneur who’s built his business Graphitti Designs, catering to Geek Culture. Graphitti Designs has been creates fan focused merchandise like T-shirts, statues, action figures, prints, books and more. And Bob has found a way to survive – and thrive – throughout the many iterations of Sdcc over the years.
Bob is likeable, charming, infectiously enthusiastic, and effortlessly employs an extensive vocabulary. You just know he’s a big reader! He’s nostalgic,...
Bob “Chappy” Chapman is a fan and business owner who was part of the early days and is still actively involved today. He’s an energetic entrepreneur who’s built his business Graphitti Designs, catering to Geek Culture. Graphitti Designs has been creates fan focused merchandise like T-shirts, statues, action figures, prints, books and more. And Bob has found a way to survive – and thrive – throughout the many iterations of Sdcc over the years.
Bob is likeable, charming, infectiously enthusiastic, and effortlessly employs an extensive vocabulary. You just know he’s a big reader! He’s nostalgic,...
- 7/11/2016
- by Ed Catto
- Comicmix.com
Last year’s Cannes Film Festival was a banner event for beloved French actress and filmmaker Emmanuelle Bercot, as her “Standing Tall” (which she both wrote and directed) opened the festival and then she walked away from the fest with the Best Actress prize for her stunning turn in Maïwenn’s “My King” (“Mon Roi”).
Read More: ‘Mon roi’ Trailer: Vincent Cassel and Emmanuelle Bercot Fall Apart in Maïwenn’s Cannes-Winning Drama
It’s easy to see why Bercot picked up the award for her work in the film, a daring new take on France’s many tales of amour fou, and one that hinges on her all-timer of a performance, bolstered by a wonderful turn by her co-star Vincent Cassel. The film went on to be nominated for eight César Awards including Best Picture, Actress and Actor, and will soon open in the States.
The film follows Bercot’s Tony,...
Read More: ‘Mon roi’ Trailer: Vincent Cassel and Emmanuelle Bercot Fall Apart in Maïwenn’s Cannes-Winning Drama
It’s easy to see why Bercot picked up the award for her work in the film, a daring new take on France’s many tales of amour fou, and one that hinges on her all-timer of a performance, bolstered by a wonderful turn by her co-star Vincent Cassel. The film went on to be nominated for eight César Awards including Best Picture, Actress and Actor, and will soon open in the States.
The film follows Bercot’s Tony,...
- 6/24/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Standing tall and strong on a pair of prosthetic legs, Chris Van Etten is a symbol of grit and determination in his ad for Jockey. It's a job he never would have imagined for himself a few years ago. But now, the double amputee and former Marine is hoping to motivate others as a model. Almost four years ago to the day, on May 13, 2012, Van Etten was in Afghanistan, when his friend and fellow Marine stepped on an Ied. Van Etten and the rest of his squad ran out to help, and right as they were about to lift up his friend,...
- 6/17/2016
- by Julie Mazziotta, @julietmazz
- PEOPLE.com
Standing tall and strong on a pair of prosthetic legs, Chris Van Etten is a symbol of grit and determination in his ad for Jockey. It's a job he never would have imagined for himself a few years ago. But now, the double amputee and former Marine is hoping to motivate others as a model. Almost four years ago to the day, on May 13, 2012, Van Etten was in Afghanistan, when his friend and fellow Marine stepped on an Ied. Van Etten and the rest of his squad ran out to help, and right as they were about to lift up his friend,...
- 6/17/2016
- by Julie Mazziotta, @julietmazz
- PEOPLE.com
A year on from 2015's famed "Year de la Femme" and Cannes' official selection wouldn't suggest there has been anything approaching a seismic shift in what is still generally considered to be a male-dominated film industry. With Andrea Arnold's American Honey, Mal de Pierres by Nicole Garcia and Maren Ade's Toni Erdman, just three films out of 20, or 15 percent, in competition for the 2016 Palm d'Or were directed by women. That said, this figure is a step up from last year, when there were just two (although the fest opened with Emmanuelle Bercot's Standing Tall), but it's
read more...
read more...
- 4/14/2016
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Standing Tall (La Tête haute) Cohen Media Group Reviewed by: Harvey Karten, Shockya Grade: B+ Director: Emmanuelle Bercot Written by: Emmanuelle Bercot, Marcia Romano Cast: Rod Paradot, Catherine Deneuve, Benoît Magimel, Sara Forestier, Raoul Fernandez, Aurore Broutin Screened at: Review 2, NYC, 3/23/16 Opens: April 1, 2016 Does France deal with troubled youths better than we in the States? You’d have to ask someone who’s acquainted with juvenile detention here. But Emmanuell Berot, whose “On My Way” deals with a woman who hits the road with a grandson she hardly knew, gives us a glowing picture of the Gallic way with wayward youths. The adult prison she describes looks as [ Read More ]
The post Standing Tall Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Standing Tall Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/2/2016
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
'Standing Tall' Director Emmanuelle Bercot on Conveying Truthfulness Via a Newcomer & a Veteran Star
Trouble youth fueled by the poison of resentment, as consequence of neglect, is a social problem ever-present around the world and in turn has been at the center of countless cinematic escapades. Yet, by constructing her study on the subject armed with honest notions of the teal obstacles faced by the affected young people and those desperately working to help them, French director Emmanuelle Bercot attained truthfulness grounded on a brutal and revelatory lead performance in her latest work “Standing Tall.”
By combining the malleable talent of newcomer Rod Paradot, the elegant nuances of veteran star Catherine Deneuve , and a plot that is unafraid to go into the darkest and most unappealing shades of a violent delinquent’s life, Bercot eludes oversimplification and sugarcoated resolutions. She looks at a system that attempts to apply rational rules to matters that are charged with heartbreak, and in doing so questions society as a whole, parents, and the individual himself about the role each plays in shaping a child into the person he or she will become.
“Standing Tall” was the Opening Night Film at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and received 3 Caesar Awards this year all in acting categories, a clear testimony to the work of its accomplished director.
Aguilar: Youth in trouble is a subject that we see recurrently in cinema, but in "Standing Tall," your approach is profoundly raw and realistic. Was there a particular case, story, or idea that you felt personally connected to or that served as catalyst for you to make this film?
Emmanuelle Bercot: Actually there were two main things that really were reunited when I made this film. One is my interest in childhood in general and then also my interest in injustice. In this particular case there was also a more particular link because I have an uncle who works in this field. He works as one of the counselors at one of these camps for juvenile delinquents and it was through him that I really learned about what kind of work these people do, how much time they devote to it, and what their job is like in trying to do something for these kids. He also spoke to me very specifically, which is included in the film, about this idea of the trio. He also had worked with a young man for about ten years, so he had developed a relationship with him, and also, in that particular case, he was working with a woman who was a judge and who was at the point of retiring. Those three characters are the three that are reunited in this trio that appears in the film.
Aguilar: Were you able to interact and speak with people that have been part of this system in order to depict this facet of the French judicial system and how it affects young people? What sort research did you conduct to reach this authenticity?
Emmanuelle Bercot: First of all, it was a subject that I really didn’t know anything about all. Most of what takes place in this particular field takes place behind close doors. It’s something that people don’t generally know about and don’t have any idea of what really takes place there. At first I was just reading tons and tons of books on the subject, and then through my uncle I was able to meet some people who work in the field including a judge and some counselors like himself. Talking to them I was able to develop what was basically the structure for my film. Once I had that idea in my head of what I wanted to do, I realized that in order to portray this world I had to portray it as truthfully as possible, so that somebody who was part of that world would know that this was really a truthful portrayal when they saw it. I did a lot of on-site visits. I spent a lot of time in juvenile courts. I spent time in several judges’ offices. I also visited some of those youth centers like the one portrayed in the film. It was over the course of several months. After that I was able to feel that I would be able to portray it in a way that would be honest.
Aguilar: Tell me about the process of creating the protagonist Malony with your lead actor Rod Paradot. This is an incredibly angry and often violent young men who is erratic, dangerous, but always vibrant.
Emmanuelle Bercot: Normally what I like to do when I work with adolescents and non-professionals is to really choose them as close as possible to the character that they are going to portray. Unfortunately in this case I was not able to do that. I just could not find the kind of young adolescent that I was looking for to portray this person. In fact when I chose Rod Paradot, I was dealing with somebody that in his own personality is really quite different than the character he is playing on the screen. It really required a great deal of work on the set. I worked with him to elicit from him that level of anger and violence that was necessary for the character. It really required me to push him to the point where he went out of himself and beyond himself to become someone else. It’s very unusual to demand from a young actor, particularly a non-professional actor, something like this, to compose a character, to put it together, rather than just play a version of themselves. It was a lot of work on his part so that we could arrive at the character the way I wanted it to be portrayed.
Aguilar: You’ve worked with Catherine Deneuve previously and clearly know how to use her experience well, why did you feel this role as a judge was a fitting role for her? She is a motherly judge who balancers her sympathy towards these kids on an emotional level and her duty to do what is best for them and society.
Emmanuelle Bercot: I wrote this role specifically for Catherine and in many ways it reflects what she is like in reality. She has both the side of her that has a natural authority and at the same time she has another part of her that’s very maternal. I felt that this duality was what I really needed because this was the kind of humanity I wanted her to portray in the role of the judge. The role of the judge is actually rather difficult. In the film we don’t see anything about her personal life. We only see her through the prism of her job, so it’s very difficult to create a character without having any back-story. I knew that Catherine would be able to do that, but what she also then needed to know was how to use the right terminology and the right words so that she would actually sound like the judge that she was playing. Just like I did, she also did some observation in real judges’ offices and the courts so that she would become more familiar with what they sounded like and how they behave in those situations, so that it would give more credibility to her performance.
Aguilar: In your opinion what's the reasoning behind Malony’s behavior and his way of relating to those around him? Is it only the resentment and fear because of the constant abandonment or is there something more?
Emmanuelle Bercot: Yes, most definitely. I certainly thought of both of those things and it’s one of the things that I think its very important to show. That’s why I had the film begin with him where you see him as he is being abandoned at a very young age. I think that most children in this position have come from very difficult backgrounds. They are brought into this system, which is to provide them with educational assistance and also to help raising them because here, as you can see, the mother is incapable of doing her job. She can’t raise him properly and she doesn’t really know how to ground him or to give him the structure that he needs in order to be able to relate to society. No child is born a delinquent. Delinquents are made. They are not born. From what I saw and what I’ve read I think that 95% of them are from families that are difficult families like this one and of those I think 100% of them are cases where the father is absent. There is no father figure present in their life, and as result they grow up with a sense of not having any protection, tools, or grip that is necessary to deal with their everyday life. I think that the fact that Malony in this case resorts to violence is because violence is often the only vocabulary that these young people know how to use in order to express what they are feeling.
Aguilar: Occasionally, it seems as if these children and their mothers who can't take proper care of them feel as if it's a battle between them and the system. Even if the authorities seek to do what's best, they seem to perceive the help as invasive.
Emmanuelle Bercot: What I was trying to portray is not an “us against them” kind of situation between the system against the mothers and children. This is a system that really tries to be there for the child when the parent is unable to do it. I think education is a fundamental right for every child and when parents are unable to give the child that education then it’s the responsibility of society to step in, to take over the role, and to provide it. I think that in this case the system and everything that the system implemented and tried to do for Malony was really something for his own good. Of course he is going to feel like this is not something that’s good for him because it’s almost like a punishment for him. Eventually, he comes to realize that it’s not really a punishment but that what they are trying to do is something that will be helpful for him and will actually benefit him in the long run. It’s really the opposite of “us against them.” It’s the system with the child trying to give him what the parent cannot.
Aguilar: In a film like "Standing Tall" that emanates such a sense of truth and honest performances is there room for improvisation or is it all about an arduous rehearsal process to achieve the gravitas you are after? Every cast members provides an intense humanity.
Emmanuelle Bercot: None of my actors are ever improvising, but also we never do any rehearsals. I prefer to work with them directly on the set. We don’t rehearse but what I do is work individually with them while we are on the set. I’ve already spoken to you about how I worked with Rod to try to get this character out of him, which is very distant from what he is in real life. It’s about working with the actors in the moment and it does put a great deal of pressure on the director. It’s a lot of work because in addition to knowing where the camera is and where everyone is placed on set, you are also trying to direct the actors to get exactly what you want them to give you. I think that’s when your original choice of actors is a very important thing because you have to know that these actors are going to be able to give you what you are looking for. In this particular film for example, Sara Forestier, who plays the mother, plays a character that she pretty much created herself. That’s not the way she is in real life. On the other hand, in the the case of Benoît Magimel, his character is actually much closer to what he is really like in life. It’s less of a composed character or a created character on his part. Again, there is no improvisation, I have a very tightly written script and everything is said exactly the way it’s written, but the process of working during the takes is really one of refining the dialogue as it’s spoken so that it really conveys what it is that I wanted it to convey.
Aguilar: Tess, Malony’s girlfriend played by Diane Rouxel, is not the typical feminine figure that is often seem in films in the same vein. Why was it important to have someone completely opposite in personality be Malony's strongest ally?
Emmanuelle Bercot: She is a rather atypical character, but I think that what we see in her is somebody who is a very balanced person, somebody who is very educated, and you'd look at her and think, “Why was she attracted to a guy like this? What is the attraction? And in many cases it’s inexplicable. That’s often the case. You don’t understand why people are attracted to each other. In this case it’s almost as if she is a person with a mission. She devotes herself to him almost like a saint trying to pull him out of this spiral that he is spinning down in. She really wants it to work. If you think about it she is the one who initiates contact with him. She is the one who wants him. She is the one who wants to keep the baby. She is the one calling the shots here. She is the stronger figure and she works hard to try to bring him out the spiral he is in. Of course, it may also have something to do with her own mother. Maybe on an unconscious level her attraction to him is a subconscious way of provoking her mother, who is one of the counselors at this place, because her mother plays a role in that particular structure.
Aguilar: Following the Cannes Film Festival, what was the reaction of the general French audience towards the film given the difficult and very current themes it deals with? On the other hand, how did people who work in the field and deal with this issues daily felt about it?
Emmanuelle Bercot: The film was very well received in France and I think that for a difficult subject that's really exceptional. I think part of the attraction to the film was that it was showing an unknown world. Most people don’t know what goes on in the world of juvenile delinquency. It was exposure to something that was completely new. I think that by portraying the system as it really is and trying to show how it tries to help these young people, it enables you, as a citizen, to feel that this is something that you are proud that your government or your country is doing. Now you can discover how it works. I went to a lot of places that most people will never have an opportunity to go to, but through the film I was able to show what I saw in these places. I think that for a lot of people who saw the filmit changed the way they see delinquents. They come to understand what’s involved in how these young people become who they are. Also it helps them to understand what the system is trying to do for them. Many people have been affected by the film, especially by the paththat this young man’s life takes from the beginning till the end.
To answer the second part of your question, about how people who work in the film received the film, there have been quite a number of screenings that were done specifically for groups like that. In fact, the Minister of Justice was actually present at a number of them and there were lots of discussions about what takes place in the film and what the system offers to young people. I think that overall they were very happy that finally some light was being shun on the work that’s being done - which for the most part goes unnoticed. It’s really something that people don’t know about, and this gave them a chance to see it. It was important. They were touched in many ways by the recognition that we gave them and their jobs. In many cases these are thankless jobs in which people are never recognized. The film also helped the families of these people that work in the field understand what it is that they do and what their jobs entail. What I’ve also heard is that whether is the judges, the counselors, or the social workers that work in the system, they were all unanimous in feeling that this really did show the daily reality of what they do.
"Standing Tall" opens in L.A. and NY on April 1st from Cohen Media Group...
By combining the malleable talent of newcomer Rod Paradot, the elegant nuances of veteran star Catherine Deneuve , and a plot that is unafraid to go into the darkest and most unappealing shades of a violent delinquent’s life, Bercot eludes oversimplification and sugarcoated resolutions. She looks at a system that attempts to apply rational rules to matters that are charged with heartbreak, and in doing so questions society as a whole, parents, and the individual himself about the role each plays in shaping a child into the person he or she will become.
“Standing Tall” was the Opening Night Film at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and received 3 Caesar Awards this year all in acting categories, a clear testimony to the work of its accomplished director.
Aguilar: Youth in trouble is a subject that we see recurrently in cinema, but in "Standing Tall," your approach is profoundly raw and realistic. Was there a particular case, story, or idea that you felt personally connected to or that served as catalyst for you to make this film?
Emmanuelle Bercot: Actually there were two main things that really were reunited when I made this film. One is my interest in childhood in general and then also my interest in injustice. In this particular case there was also a more particular link because I have an uncle who works in this field. He works as one of the counselors at one of these camps for juvenile delinquents and it was through him that I really learned about what kind of work these people do, how much time they devote to it, and what their job is like in trying to do something for these kids. He also spoke to me very specifically, which is included in the film, about this idea of the trio. He also had worked with a young man for about ten years, so he had developed a relationship with him, and also, in that particular case, he was working with a woman who was a judge and who was at the point of retiring. Those three characters are the three that are reunited in this trio that appears in the film.
Aguilar: Were you able to interact and speak with people that have been part of this system in order to depict this facet of the French judicial system and how it affects young people? What sort research did you conduct to reach this authenticity?
Emmanuelle Bercot: First of all, it was a subject that I really didn’t know anything about all. Most of what takes place in this particular field takes place behind close doors. It’s something that people don’t generally know about and don’t have any idea of what really takes place there. At first I was just reading tons and tons of books on the subject, and then through my uncle I was able to meet some people who work in the field including a judge and some counselors like himself. Talking to them I was able to develop what was basically the structure for my film. Once I had that idea in my head of what I wanted to do, I realized that in order to portray this world I had to portray it as truthfully as possible, so that somebody who was part of that world would know that this was really a truthful portrayal when they saw it. I did a lot of on-site visits. I spent a lot of time in juvenile courts. I spent time in several judges’ offices. I also visited some of those youth centers like the one portrayed in the film. It was over the course of several months. After that I was able to feel that I would be able to portray it in a way that would be honest.
Aguilar: Tell me about the process of creating the protagonist Malony with your lead actor Rod Paradot. This is an incredibly angry and often violent young men who is erratic, dangerous, but always vibrant.
Emmanuelle Bercot: Normally what I like to do when I work with adolescents and non-professionals is to really choose them as close as possible to the character that they are going to portray. Unfortunately in this case I was not able to do that. I just could not find the kind of young adolescent that I was looking for to portray this person. In fact when I chose Rod Paradot, I was dealing with somebody that in his own personality is really quite different than the character he is playing on the screen. It really required a great deal of work on the set. I worked with him to elicit from him that level of anger and violence that was necessary for the character. It really required me to push him to the point where he went out of himself and beyond himself to become someone else. It’s very unusual to demand from a young actor, particularly a non-professional actor, something like this, to compose a character, to put it together, rather than just play a version of themselves. It was a lot of work on his part so that we could arrive at the character the way I wanted it to be portrayed.
Aguilar: You’ve worked with Catherine Deneuve previously and clearly know how to use her experience well, why did you feel this role as a judge was a fitting role for her? She is a motherly judge who balancers her sympathy towards these kids on an emotional level and her duty to do what is best for them and society.
Emmanuelle Bercot: I wrote this role specifically for Catherine and in many ways it reflects what she is like in reality. She has both the side of her that has a natural authority and at the same time she has another part of her that’s very maternal. I felt that this duality was what I really needed because this was the kind of humanity I wanted her to portray in the role of the judge. The role of the judge is actually rather difficult. In the film we don’t see anything about her personal life. We only see her through the prism of her job, so it’s very difficult to create a character without having any back-story. I knew that Catherine would be able to do that, but what she also then needed to know was how to use the right terminology and the right words so that she would actually sound like the judge that she was playing. Just like I did, she also did some observation in real judges’ offices and the courts so that she would become more familiar with what they sounded like and how they behave in those situations, so that it would give more credibility to her performance.
Aguilar: In your opinion what's the reasoning behind Malony’s behavior and his way of relating to those around him? Is it only the resentment and fear because of the constant abandonment or is there something more?
Emmanuelle Bercot: Yes, most definitely. I certainly thought of both of those things and it’s one of the things that I think its very important to show. That’s why I had the film begin with him where you see him as he is being abandoned at a very young age. I think that most children in this position have come from very difficult backgrounds. They are brought into this system, which is to provide them with educational assistance and also to help raising them because here, as you can see, the mother is incapable of doing her job. She can’t raise him properly and she doesn’t really know how to ground him or to give him the structure that he needs in order to be able to relate to society. No child is born a delinquent. Delinquents are made. They are not born. From what I saw and what I’ve read I think that 95% of them are from families that are difficult families like this one and of those I think 100% of them are cases where the father is absent. There is no father figure present in their life, and as result they grow up with a sense of not having any protection, tools, or grip that is necessary to deal with their everyday life. I think that the fact that Malony in this case resorts to violence is because violence is often the only vocabulary that these young people know how to use in order to express what they are feeling.
Aguilar: Occasionally, it seems as if these children and their mothers who can't take proper care of them feel as if it's a battle between them and the system. Even if the authorities seek to do what's best, they seem to perceive the help as invasive.
Emmanuelle Bercot: What I was trying to portray is not an “us against them” kind of situation between the system against the mothers and children. This is a system that really tries to be there for the child when the parent is unable to do it. I think education is a fundamental right for every child and when parents are unable to give the child that education then it’s the responsibility of society to step in, to take over the role, and to provide it. I think that in this case the system and everything that the system implemented and tried to do for Malony was really something for his own good. Of course he is going to feel like this is not something that’s good for him because it’s almost like a punishment for him. Eventually, he comes to realize that it’s not really a punishment but that what they are trying to do is something that will be helpful for him and will actually benefit him in the long run. It’s really the opposite of “us against them.” It’s the system with the child trying to give him what the parent cannot.
Aguilar: In a film like "Standing Tall" that emanates such a sense of truth and honest performances is there room for improvisation or is it all about an arduous rehearsal process to achieve the gravitas you are after? Every cast members provides an intense humanity.
Emmanuelle Bercot: None of my actors are ever improvising, but also we never do any rehearsals. I prefer to work with them directly on the set. We don’t rehearse but what I do is work individually with them while we are on the set. I’ve already spoken to you about how I worked with Rod to try to get this character out of him, which is very distant from what he is in real life. It’s about working with the actors in the moment and it does put a great deal of pressure on the director. It’s a lot of work because in addition to knowing where the camera is and where everyone is placed on set, you are also trying to direct the actors to get exactly what you want them to give you. I think that’s when your original choice of actors is a very important thing because you have to know that these actors are going to be able to give you what you are looking for. In this particular film for example, Sara Forestier, who plays the mother, plays a character that she pretty much created herself. That’s not the way she is in real life. On the other hand, in the the case of Benoît Magimel, his character is actually much closer to what he is really like in life. It’s less of a composed character or a created character on his part. Again, there is no improvisation, I have a very tightly written script and everything is said exactly the way it’s written, but the process of working during the takes is really one of refining the dialogue as it’s spoken so that it really conveys what it is that I wanted it to convey.
Aguilar: Tess, Malony’s girlfriend played by Diane Rouxel, is not the typical feminine figure that is often seem in films in the same vein. Why was it important to have someone completely opposite in personality be Malony's strongest ally?
Emmanuelle Bercot: She is a rather atypical character, but I think that what we see in her is somebody who is a very balanced person, somebody who is very educated, and you'd look at her and think, “Why was she attracted to a guy like this? What is the attraction? And in many cases it’s inexplicable. That’s often the case. You don’t understand why people are attracted to each other. In this case it’s almost as if she is a person with a mission. She devotes herself to him almost like a saint trying to pull him out of this spiral that he is spinning down in. She really wants it to work. If you think about it she is the one who initiates contact with him. She is the one who wants him. She is the one who wants to keep the baby. She is the one calling the shots here. She is the stronger figure and she works hard to try to bring him out the spiral he is in. Of course, it may also have something to do with her own mother. Maybe on an unconscious level her attraction to him is a subconscious way of provoking her mother, who is one of the counselors at this place, because her mother plays a role in that particular structure.
Aguilar: Following the Cannes Film Festival, what was the reaction of the general French audience towards the film given the difficult and very current themes it deals with? On the other hand, how did people who work in the field and deal with this issues daily felt about it?
Emmanuelle Bercot: The film was very well received in France and I think that for a difficult subject that's really exceptional. I think part of the attraction to the film was that it was showing an unknown world. Most people don’t know what goes on in the world of juvenile delinquency. It was exposure to something that was completely new. I think that by portraying the system as it really is and trying to show how it tries to help these young people, it enables you, as a citizen, to feel that this is something that you are proud that your government or your country is doing. Now you can discover how it works. I went to a lot of places that most people will never have an opportunity to go to, but through the film I was able to show what I saw in these places. I think that for a lot of people who saw the filmit changed the way they see delinquents. They come to understand what’s involved in how these young people become who they are. Also it helps them to understand what the system is trying to do for them. Many people have been affected by the film, especially by the paththat this young man’s life takes from the beginning till the end.
To answer the second part of your question, about how people who work in the film received the film, there have been quite a number of screenings that were done specifically for groups like that. In fact, the Minister of Justice was actually present at a number of them and there were lots of discussions about what takes place in the film and what the system offers to young people. I think that overall they were very happy that finally some light was being shun on the work that’s being done - which for the most part goes unnoticed. It’s really something that people don’t know about, and this gave them a chance to see it. It was important. They were touched in many ways by the recognition that we gave them and their jobs. In many cases these are thankless jobs in which people are never recognized. The film also helped the families of these people that work in the field understand what it is that they do and what their jobs entail. What I’ve also heard is that whether is the judges, the counselors, or the social workers that work in the system, they were all unanimous in feeling that this really did show the daily reality of what they do.
"Standing Tall" opens in L.A. and NY on April 1st from Cohen Media Group...
- 4/2/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
This is a reprint of our review from the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Last year, the Cannes Film Festival got off to the worst possible start. The opening night slot has always had ups and downs (read our feature on the best and worst of them here), and for every "Moonrise Kingdom" or "Up," there was a "Da Vinci Code" or "Blindness," but "Grace Of Monaco" was something else: a rotten, ill-conceived biopic of Grace Kelly that hasn't just skipped U.S theaters entirely, it's actually premiering on Lifetime. Festival head Thierry Fremaux clearly had some making up to do with this year's opening night film, and he's eschewed big Hollywood stars for a more modest, homegrown effort in Emmanuelle Bercot's "Standing Tall," which also marks the first time since Diane Kurys' "A Man In Love" in 1987 that a film from a female director has kicked off Cannes. The result is a sturdy,...
- 4/1/2016
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
The calm before the summer storm is here and April brings a number of top-notch films. While we remain curious to see Michael Shannon as Elvis, Tom Tykwer‘s latest feature, and a few others, we pared down what we’re most looking forward to (or can already recommend) into a top 15.
It should be noted that one of our top films to see last month, Midnight Special, will finally get a wide release this Friday, the same day The Witch is re-released to a perfectly numbered 666 theaters. Check out what we’re looking forward to most and let us know what you want to see.
Matinees to See: Miles Ahead (4/1), Standing Tall (4/1), Hardcore Henry (4/8), Wedding Doll (4/8), Rio, I Love You (4/15), A Hologram for the King (4/22), The Meddler (4/22), Sworn Virgin (4/22), and Elvis & Nixon (4/22)
15. Demolition (Jean-Marc Vallée; April 8th)
Synopsis: A successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash.
It should be noted that one of our top films to see last month, Midnight Special, will finally get a wide release this Friday, the same day The Witch is re-released to a perfectly numbered 666 theaters. Check out what we’re looking forward to most and let us know what you want to see.
Matinees to See: Miles Ahead (4/1), Standing Tall (4/1), Hardcore Henry (4/8), Wedding Doll (4/8), Rio, I Love You (4/15), A Hologram for the King (4/22), The Meddler (4/22), Sworn Virgin (4/22), and Elvis & Nixon (4/22)
15. Demolition (Jean-Marc Vallée; April 8th)
Synopsis: A successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash.
- 3/31/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Emmanuelle Bercot's smile Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Emmanuelle Bercot's Cannes Film Festival opener, upright Standing Tall (La Tête Haute) starring Catherine Deneuve, Sara Forestier, with César winning performances by Rod Parodot and Benoît Magimel, co-written by Marcia Romano (Xavier Giannoli's collaborating writer on Marguerite), screened at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York along with Maïwenn's My King (Mon Roi), in which Bercot shines with Vincent Cassel, Two Friends (Deux amis) director Louis Garrel and Isild Le Besco.
Malony with his mother Séverine (Sara Forestier): "He is not protected by the adult in his life…"
Abdellatif Kechiche's L'esquive (Games Of Love And Chance), Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's fairy tales, Sara Forestier in Katell Quillévéré's Suzanne, using a landscape to breathe, writing the story, the actors helping to create their characters, casting baby faces and being given a second chance entered into our conversation.
Emmanuelle Bercot's Cannes Film Festival opener, upright Standing Tall (La Tête Haute) starring Catherine Deneuve, Sara Forestier, with César winning performances by Rod Parodot and Benoît Magimel, co-written by Marcia Romano (Xavier Giannoli's collaborating writer on Marguerite), screened at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in New York along with Maïwenn's My King (Mon Roi), in which Bercot shines with Vincent Cassel, Two Friends (Deux amis) director Louis Garrel and Isild Le Besco.
Malony with his mother Séverine (Sara Forestier): "He is not protected by the adult in his life…"
Abdellatif Kechiche's L'esquive (Games Of Love And Chance), Luc Dardenne and Jean-Pierre Dardenne's fairy tales, Sara Forestier in Katell Quillévéré's Suzanne, using a landscape to breathe, writing the story, the actors helping to create their characters, casting baby faces and being given a second chance entered into our conversation.
- 3/27/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
As we await news on what feature will open the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, last year’s opener will finally make its way to U.S. theaters next month. Standing Tall, which also picked up a few César Awards recently for Best Male Newcomer (Rod Paradot) and Best Supporting Actor (Benoit Magimel), comes from director Emmanuelle Bercot. Also starring Catherine Deneuve, it follows a troubled teen as he navigates life.
We said in our review, “Much like Dolan’s film Mommy, one of the strongest characteristics of La tête haute is its bipolarity of tone. Some may find the sporadic jumps from quiet to impassioned rather jarring, but anyone who has spent time around troubled teens knows how quickly a situation can shift from calm to hostile. Still, it only works so well here because Paradot executes these outbursts with a nuanced understanding of the adolescent mind and what makes teenagers tick.
We said in our review, “Much like Dolan’s film Mommy, one of the strongest characteristics of La tête haute is its bipolarity of tone. Some may find the sporadic jumps from quiet to impassioned rather jarring, but anyone who has spent time around troubled teens knows how quickly a situation can shift from calm to hostile. Still, it only works so well here because Paradot executes these outbursts with a nuanced understanding of the adolescent mind and what makes teenagers tick.
- 3/8/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Last year, the thunder might've been stolen a bit by "Mad Max: Fury Road" which screened around the same time, but the official opening movie of the Cannes Film Festival was Emmanuelle Bercot's "Standing Tall." The picture picked up some good notices, and eventually earned nine César nominations, winning two in the recent awards ceremony for Most Promising Actor and Best Supporting Actor. And now the picture is coming stateside. Read More: Cannes Review: 'Standing Tall' Starring Catherine Deneuve Is An Affecting, Flawed Festival Opener Starring Rod Paradot, Catherine Deneuve, Benoît Magimel and Sara Forestier, the film tells the story of a juvenile delinquent, Malony, and his upbringing from childhood to adulthood, as a children's judge and social worker try to save him. Here's the official synopsis: Abandoned by his mother (Sara Forestier) at the age of 6, Malony (Rod Paradot) is constantly in and out of juvenile court.
- 3/2/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Big winners also included Oscar nominee Mustang and local box office hit Margurite.
Philippe Faucon’s contemporary immigrant drama Fatima won best film at France’s César ceremony in Paris on Friday, beating hot favourites Marguerite, My Golden Years, and Oscar nominee Mustang as well as Palme d’Or winner Dheepan.
The picture — based on the semi-autobiographical works of Fatima Elayoubi about an illiterate North African woman adapting to life in France — also won Césars for best upcoming actress for Zita Hanot and best adaptation for Faucon.
As was the case last year, when Abderrahmane Sissako’s timely exploration of Islamic extremism of Timbuktu swept the board, the votes of 4,276-strong César academy appear to have been influenced in part by events in France, which like many countries across Europe is preoccupied with immigration and the reality of its ethnic minorities.
Other winners on Friday night included foreign language Oscar nominee Mustang and local box office hit [link...
Philippe Faucon’s contemporary immigrant drama Fatima won best film at France’s César ceremony in Paris on Friday, beating hot favourites Marguerite, My Golden Years, and Oscar nominee Mustang as well as Palme d’Or winner Dheepan.
The picture — based on the semi-autobiographical works of Fatima Elayoubi about an illiterate North African woman adapting to life in France — also won Césars for best upcoming actress for Zita Hanot and best adaptation for Faucon.
As was the case last year, when Abderrahmane Sissako’s timely exploration of Islamic extremism of Timbuktu swept the board, the votes of 4,276-strong César academy appear to have been influenced in part by events in France, which like many countries across Europe is preoccupied with immigration and the reality of its ethnic minorities.
Other winners on Friday night included foreign language Oscar nominee Mustang and local box office hit [link...
- 2/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
Three Sisters (Les Trois Soeurs) director and star of Paolo Virzi's Human Capital, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
This year's New York Rendez-Vous with French Cinema opens with Guillaume Nicloux's Valley Of Love, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert. Jacques Audiard's Cannes Palme d’Or winner Dheepan closes the festival. Melvil Poupaud, Julie Delpy, Alice Winocour, Diane Kruger, Maïwenn, Louis Garrel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Eva Husson, Rudi Rosenberg, Emmanuel Finkiel, Danielle Arbid, Nicolas Pariser, Clémence Poésy, Nabil Ayouch, Grégoire Hetzel, Mathieu Lamboley, Alain Resnais' composer Mark Snow, Huppert, Nicloux and Bruni Tedeschi are expected to attend.
Bercot's Standing Tall (Catherine Deneuve, Sara Forestier, Benoît Magimel, Rod Paradot); Winocour’s Disorder (Diane Kruger, Matthias Schoenaerts); Pariser's The Great Game (André Dussollier, Poésy) and Bruni Tedeschi's Three Sisters with cinematographer Simon Beaufils - who also brilliantly shot Paolo Virzi's study of capitalism in crisis Human Capital - are four of the early bird highlights.
This year's New York Rendez-Vous with French Cinema opens with Guillaume Nicloux's Valley Of Love, starring Gérard Depardieu and Isabelle Huppert. Jacques Audiard's Cannes Palme d’Or winner Dheepan closes the festival. Melvil Poupaud, Julie Delpy, Alice Winocour, Diane Kruger, Maïwenn, Louis Garrel, Emmanuelle Bercot, Eva Husson, Rudi Rosenberg, Emmanuel Finkiel, Danielle Arbid, Nicolas Pariser, Clémence Poésy, Nabil Ayouch, Grégoire Hetzel, Mathieu Lamboley, Alain Resnais' composer Mark Snow, Huppert, Nicloux and Bruni Tedeschi are expected to attend.
Bercot's Standing Tall (Catherine Deneuve, Sara Forestier, Benoît Magimel, Rod Paradot); Winocour’s Disorder (Diane Kruger, Matthias Schoenaerts); Pariser's The Great Game (André Dussollier, Poésy) and Bruni Tedeschi's Three Sisters with cinematographer Simon Beaufils - who also brilliantly shot Paolo Virzi's study of capitalism in crisis Human Capital - are four of the early bird highlights.
- 2/26/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Oscar-nominated film also a front-runner in Cesars.
Franco-Turkish director Deniz Gamze Erguven’s debut feature Mustang scored a hat-trick at the Lumière awards — France’s equivalent to the Golden Globes — on Monday evening (Feb 8).
The Oscar-nominated picture clinched prizes for best film and best first film while its young cast – Güneş Nezihe Şensoy, Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu, Elit Işcan, Tuğba Sunguroğlu and Ilayda Akdoğan - shared the best female discovery prize.
The coming-of-age tale about five sisters growing up under the thumb of a strict and conservative grandmother and uncle, is in the foreign language Oscar race and also heavily nominated in France’s upcoming Césars awards [Feb 26].
Some 600 guests from the world of cinema attended the 21st edition of the awards ceremony at the Espace Pierre Cardin at which actress Isabelle Huppert was also honoured.
Arnaud Desplechin won the best director award for My Golden Days (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse).
Like...
Franco-Turkish director Deniz Gamze Erguven’s debut feature Mustang scored a hat-trick at the Lumière awards — France’s equivalent to the Golden Globes — on Monday evening (Feb 8).
The Oscar-nominated picture clinched prizes for best film and best first film while its young cast – Güneş Nezihe Şensoy, Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu, Elit Işcan, Tuğba Sunguroğlu and Ilayda Akdoğan - shared the best female discovery prize.
The coming-of-age tale about five sisters growing up under the thumb of a strict and conservative grandmother and uncle, is in the foreign language Oscar race and also heavily nominated in France’s upcoming Césars awards [Feb 26].
Some 600 guests from the world of cinema attended the 21st edition of the awards ceremony at the Espace Pierre Cardin at which actress Isabelle Huppert was also honoured.
Arnaud Desplechin won the best director award for My Golden Days (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse).
Like...
- 2/9/2016
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German-speaking Europe and Switzerland deal for upcoming Martin Provost title.
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (marking the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (marking the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
- 2/4/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German-speaking Europe and Switzerland deal for upcoming Martin Provost title.
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (marking the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (marking the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
- 2/4/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German-speaking Europe and Switzerland deal for upcoming Martin Provost title.
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
Ascot Elite has pre-bought all rights for German speaking Europe and Switzerland to writer-director Martin Provost’s (Séraphine) upcoming comedy-drama The Midwife (La Sage Femme), set to star Catherine Deneuve, Catherine Frot and Olivier Gourmet.
Ascot Elite inked the deal with Memento Films International (the first collaboration between the two companies), whose anticipated script was among the buzz projects at UniFrance’s Rendez-vous with French Cinema in Paris last month.
The Midwife tells the story of a passionate midwife named Claire (Frot) who one day, after decades of silence, is unexpectedly called upon by her late father’s ex-lover Beatrice (Deneuve), who informs her of some important news. Claire and Beatrice couldn’t be more different from one another but despite their differences, they slowly but surely grow closer and nothing remains, what it once was.
Fidelite/Curiosa Films (Marguerite) produce the film which is due...
- 2/4/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Arnaud Desplechin's "My Golden Years" and Xavier Giannoli's "Marguerite" (which will close this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival) beat out Jacques Audiard's Palme d'Or winner, "Dheepan" (nine nominations) and Deniz Gamze Ergüven's Oscar-nominated "Mustang" (nine). Also competing for Best Film at the 41st César's are Maïwenn's "Mon Roi" (eight), starring Best Actress nominee Emmanuelle Bercot — whose own film, "Standing Tall," also received 8 nominations, including Bercot for Best Director. Among the nominees for Best Foreign Film are last year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, "Birdman," Jafar Panahi's "Taxi," and Ergüven's stiffest competitor in the race for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar, "Son of Saul." Read the full list of nominees below. Read More: "How French Oscar Entry 'Mustang' Finds the 'Orgasmic' Joy of...
- 1/27/2016
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
Kristen Stewart's César win last year for Clouds of Sils Maria was historicThis year's César nominations (i.e. The French Oscars) have been announced. Due to the oddities of release schedules statesides, especially when it comes to subtitled pictures, many of the French films we've been discussing as "best ofs" like Girlhood, Saint Laurent, and Clouds of Sils Maria were 2014 features in France and honored accordingly. The only real crossovers with our current awards season are Denis Gamze Erguven's Oscar nominated Mustang (now playing in very limited release in the States) which is all over their nominations and two of their "Foreign Film Nominees" Hungary's Son of Saul and Italy's Youth which will compete with last year's Us Best Picture winner Birdman.
Their nominations were led by the prestige vehicle Marguerite (which is "loosely based" on the story of Florence Foster Jenkins who is getting her own American biopic...
Their nominations were led by the prestige vehicle Marguerite (which is "loosely based" on the story of Florence Foster Jenkins who is getting her own American biopic...
- 1/27/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
France’s Oscar contender Mustang figures strongly in the César nominations (Photo: Unifrance)
The nominations for the French Oscars, the Césars, which will be bestowed at a ceremony on 26 February, were unveiled today at Fouquet’s Restaurant in Paris by Alain Terzian, the president of the Academy of the Césars.
Among the big hitters for best film and best director are Jacques Audiard (Dheepan); Stephan Brizé (The Measure Of A Man); Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite); Maiwenn (My King); Emmanuelle Bercot (Standing Tall), and Arnaud Desplechin (My Golden Days). France’s Oscar contender for best foreign film Mustang also figures strongly in the nominations.
Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu both picked up acting nominations for Valley Of Love by Guillaume Nicloux.
The complete list is:
Best film
Dheepan Fatima The Measure Of A Man / La Loi Du Marché Marguerite My King / Mon Roi Mustang Standing Tall / La Tête Haute My Golden Days...
The nominations for the French Oscars, the Césars, which will be bestowed at a ceremony on 26 February, were unveiled today at Fouquet’s Restaurant in Paris by Alain Terzian, the president of the Academy of the Césars.
Among the big hitters for best film and best director are Jacques Audiard (Dheepan); Stephan Brizé (The Measure Of A Man); Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite); Maiwenn (My King); Emmanuelle Bercot (Standing Tall), and Arnaud Desplechin (My Golden Days). France’s Oscar contender for best foreign film Mustang also figures strongly in the nominations.
Isabelle Huppert and Gérard Depardieu both picked up acting nominations for Valley Of Love by Guillaume Nicloux.
The complete list is:
Best film
Dheepan Fatima The Measure Of A Man / La Loi Du Marché Marguerite My King / Mon Roi Mustang Standing Tall / La Tête Haute My Golden Days...
- 1/27/2016
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Oscar-nominated Mustang also among nominated titles.Scroll down for list of nominations
Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Days (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse) and Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite topped the nominations list for France’s annual César Awards, announced this morning (Jan 27).
France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for the 41st edition of the awards at its annual news conference at Le Fouquet’s restaurant on the Champs Elysées.
Desplechin’s romantic drama My Golden Days clocked 11 nominations as did Giannoli’s Marguerite, starring Catherine Frot as a society singer with a terrible voice.
Other features picking up multiple nominations included Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan and Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Mustang, which both secured nine nods.
There was widespread consternation last year in some quarters of the French film industry when five times Palme d’Or nominee Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Years was not given a Competition...
Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Days (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse) and Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite topped the nominations list for France’s annual César Awards, announced this morning (Jan 27).
France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for the 41st edition of the awards at its annual news conference at Le Fouquet’s restaurant on the Champs Elysées.
Desplechin’s romantic drama My Golden Days clocked 11 nominations as did Giannoli’s Marguerite, starring Catherine Frot as a society singer with a terrible voice.
Other features picking up multiple nominations included Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan and Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Mustang, which both secured nine nods.
There was widespread consternation last year in some quarters of the French film industry when five times Palme d’Or nominee Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Years was not given a Competition...
- 1/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Oscar-nominated Mustang also among nominated titles.Scroll down for list of nominations
Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Years (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse) and Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite topped the nominations list for France’s annual César Awards, announced this morning (Jan 27).
France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for the 41st edition of the awards at its annual news conference at Le Fouquet’s restaurant on the Champs Elysées.
Desplechin’s romantic drama My Golden Years clocked 11 nominations as did Giannoli’s Marguerite, starring Catherine Frot as a society singer with a terrible voice.
Other features picking up multiple nominations included Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan and Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Mustang, which both secured nine nods, as well as Stéphane Brizé’s The Measure Of A Man.
For the first time in the awards’ history, three female directors are nominated in the best directing and best film categories...
Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Years (Trois Souvenirs De Ma Jeunesse) and Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite topped the nominations list for France’s annual César Awards, announced this morning (Jan 27).
France’s Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences unveiled the nominations for the 41st edition of the awards at its annual news conference at Le Fouquet’s restaurant on the Champs Elysées.
Desplechin’s romantic drama My Golden Years clocked 11 nominations as did Giannoli’s Marguerite, starring Catherine Frot as a society singer with a terrible voice.
Other features picking up multiple nominations included Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan and Deniz Gamze Erguven’s Mustang, which both secured nine nods, as well as Stéphane Brizé’s The Measure Of A Man.
For the first time in the awards’ history, three female directors are nominated in the best directing and best film categories...
- 1/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
Quand on a 17 ans
Director: André Téchiné
Writer(s): Celine Sciamma, André Téchiné
French auteur André Téchiné will be ready with his twenty-first feature in 2016, Quand on a 17 ans (When You’re 17), co-written by director Celine Sciamma. Swiss actor Kacey Mottet Klein of Ursula Meier’s 2012 film Sister and revered French actress Sandrine Kiberlaine headline this tale about adolescent Damien the gay son of a soldier who lives in the barracks with his mother in Southwest France. When his dad is dispatched to Africa, Damien starts to be bullied by Tom, whose own adoptive mother has fallen ill. Tensions rise when Damien’s mom decides to care for Tom due to his own mother’s inability.
Cast: Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Alexis Loret
Production Co./Producers: Fidelite Films’ Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier, France 2 Cinema
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic). Elle Driver (international).
Release...
Director: André Téchiné
Writer(s): Celine Sciamma, André Téchiné
French auteur André Téchiné will be ready with his twenty-first feature in 2016, Quand on a 17 ans (When You’re 17), co-written by director Celine Sciamma. Swiss actor Kacey Mottet Klein of Ursula Meier’s 2012 film Sister and revered French actress Sandrine Kiberlaine headline this tale about adolescent Damien the gay son of a soldier who lives in the barracks with his mother in Southwest France. When his dad is dispatched to Africa, Damien starts to be bullied by Tom, whose own adoptive mother has fallen ill. Tensions rise when Damien’s mom decides to care for Tom due to his own mother’s inability.
Cast: Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Alexis Loret
Production Co./Producers: Fidelite Films’ Olivier Delbosc and Marc Missonnier, France 2 Cinema
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic). Elle Driver (international).
Release...
- 1/7/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
La Fille de Brest
Director: Emmanuelle Bercot
Writers: Emmanuelle Bercot, Severine Bosschem
2015 was an exceptional year for writer/director Emmanuelle Bercot. She was the second woman in the history of the Cannes Film Festival whose film opened the event with her fourth feature Standing Tall, and she won Best Actress for her performance in Maiwenn’s Mon Roi. Bercot dove into her next feature La Fille de Brest (initially titled 150 Milligrams), a reenactment of a famed anti-diabetic drug Mediator health scandal via the story of Irene Frachon’s 2009 revelation. It’s been described as a French Erin Brockovich vehicle and stars excellent Sidse Babett Knudsen (recently of Peter Strickland’s The Duke of Burgundy and Christian Vincent’s Courted). The film also stars notable French actor Benoit Magimel (The Piano Teacher; Little White Lies).
Cast: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Benoit Magimel
Production Co./Producer(s): Haut et Court’sCarole Scott and Caroline Benjo,...
Director: Emmanuelle Bercot
Writers: Emmanuelle Bercot, Severine Bosschem
2015 was an exceptional year for writer/director Emmanuelle Bercot. She was the second woman in the history of the Cannes Film Festival whose film opened the event with her fourth feature Standing Tall, and she won Best Actress for her performance in Maiwenn’s Mon Roi. Bercot dove into her next feature La Fille de Brest (initially titled 150 Milligrams), a reenactment of a famed anti-diabetic drug Mediator health scandal via the story of Irene Frachon’s 2009 revelation. It’s been described as a French Erin Brockovich vehicle and stars excellent Sidse Babett Knudsen (recently of Peter Strickland’s The Duke of Burgundy and Christian Vincent’s Courted). The film also stars notable French actor Benoit Magimel (The Piano Teacher; Little White Lies).
Cast: Sidse Babett Knudsen, Benoit Magimel
Production Co./Producer(s): Haut et Court’sCarole Scott and Caroline Benjo,...
- 1/6/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The Us share of the French market rose to 54.5% in 2015 against 45.4% in 2014.
French cinemas drew 206 million spectators in 2015, according to preliminary data released by the country’s National Cinema Centre (Cnc).
The figure was 1.4% lower than 2014 - a stellar year in which there was a 7.7% hike in entries for a total of 208.97 million – but still remained above the 10-year average annual box office of 199.58 million.
“For the second year running, cinema theatres have attracted more than 200 million spectators,” said Cnc president Frédérique Bredin.
She added the admissions figures were a sign of the vitality of France’s cinephile culture and cinema network, describing the latter as “the biggest in Europe”.
Challenging year
The healthy box office is all the more remarkable when put into the context of the impact of terror attacks on Paris in January and November.
Cinema attendance dropped by 5.4% in January following the deadly assaults on a satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher...
French cinemas drew 206 million spectators in 2015, according to preliminary data released by the country’s National Cinema Centre (Cnc).
The figure was 1.4% lower than 2014 - a stellar year in which there was a 7.7% hike in entries for a total of 208.97 million – but still remained above the 10-year average annual box office of 199.58 million.
“For the second year running, cinema theatres have attracted more than 200 million spectators,” said Cnc president Frédérique Bredin.
She added the admissions figures were a sign of the vitality of France’s cinephile culture and cinema network, describing the latter as “the biggest in Europe”.
Challenging year
The healthy box office is all the more remarkable when put into the context of the impact of terror attacks on Paris in January and November.
Cinema attendance dropped by 5.4% in January following the deadly assaults on a satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher...
- 1/4/2016
- ScreenDaily
Last week’s Captain America: Civil War trailer was our first good look at the movie, but it’s really just the first drop in what’s sure to be a flood of marketing material. Today, we have another new look at the Marvel superhero showdown, in the form of an Entertainment Weekly cover featuring Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron […]
The post New ‘Civil War’ Image Shows Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Panther Standing Tall appeared first on /Film.
The post New ‘Civil War’ Image Shows Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Panther Standing Tall appeared first on /Film.
- 12/2/2015
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
Rod Paradot photographed by Roy McKeag when he presented Standing Tall at Glasgow Film Theatre
Several young actors seen on screen or in person at this year’s 23rd edition of French Film Festival UK are in contention for nominations as best newcomer in the French Oscars, the Césars it was announced today (17 Nov).
Freya Mavor who presented The Lady In The Car with Glasses and a Gun at Edinburgh Filmhouse Photo: Mhairi Bell-Moodie
Among them are: Scots-born Freya Mavor for The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun by Joann Sfar, Rod Paradot for Standing Tall and Félix Moati for All About Them, all of whom attended the Festival to present their films.
Others in the line-up of 32 new talents are: Sara Giraudeau (Les Bêtises), Mathilde Bisson (Au plus près du soleil), Zita Hanrot (Fatima), Baya Medhaffar (A peine j'ouvre les yeux), Georgia Scalliet (L'Odeur de la...
Several young actors seen on screen or in person at this year’s 23rd edition of French Film Festival UK are in contention for nominations as best newcomer in the French Oscars, the Césars it was announced today (17 Nov).
Freya Mavor who presented The Lady In The Car with Glasses and a Gun at Edinburgh Filmhouse Photo: Mhairi Bell-Moodie
Among them are: Scots-born Freya Mavor for The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun by Joann Sfar, Rod Paradot for Standing Tall and Félix Moati for All About Them, all of whom attended the Festival to present their films.
Others in the line-up of 32 new talents are: Sara Giraudeau (Les Bêtises), Mathilde Bisson (Au plus près du soleil), Zita Hanrot (Fatima), Baya Medhaffar (A peine j'ouvre les yeux), Georgia Scalliet (L'Odeur de la...
- 11/17/2015
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Can a Song Save Your Life?: Caton-Jones’ Modest Return to Filmmaking
Scottish film director Michael Caton-Jones had a very prolific filmography in the 1990s thanks to films like Memphis Belle (1990), Rob Roy (1995), and The Jackal (1997). It’s been nearly a decade since he’s tackled a feature film, following the dismally received Basic Instinct 2 in 2006. He’s returned to the UK for Urban Hymn, a modest character study set against the 2011 North London riots. Emotionally effective and featuring a trio of genuinely unfussy performances, the familiar trajectory too often settles for superficial examinations of its characters, hobbling them of the necessary interiority to make them more than one-dimensional archetypes. Despite this, those appreciative of feel-good narratives should take note considering the effortless dynamic of its leading actors.
Jamie (Laetitia Wright) and Leanne (Isabelle Laughland) are two disenfranchised young women in their late teens, orphans with violent histories...
Scottish film director Michael Caton-Jones had a very prolific filmography in the 1990s thanks to films like Memphis Belle (1990), Rob Roy (1995), and The Jackal (1997). It’s been nearly a decade since he’s tackled a feature film, following the dismally received Basic Instinct 2 in 2006. He’s returned to the UK for Urban Hymn, a modest character study set against the 2011 North London riots. Emotionally effective and featuring a trio of genuinely unfussy performances, the familiar trajectory too often settles for superficial examinations of its characters, hobbling them of the necessary interiority to make them more than one-dimensional archetypes. Despite this, those appreciative of feel-good narratives should take note considering the effortless dynamic of its leading actors.
Jamie (Laetitia Wright) and Leanne (Isabelle Laughland) are two disenfranchised young women in their late teens, orphans with violent histories...
- 9/12/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
WWE.com
World Wrestling Entertainment may like to re-write the story somewhat, but the fact of the matter is that Bill Goldberg was a pro wrestling phenomenon. Bursting out of the starting blocks in 1997, Goldberg became one of World Championship Wrestling’s first truly homegrown stars. Certainly, the man was one of the only performers in WCW to emerge from scrutiny and become a major player during the whole ‘Monday Night Wars’ era.
It was that evolution that makes the man such a fascinating case study. Standing tall in nothing but plain black trunks and boots, Goldberg lacked the flash and pizzazz of many of his contemporaries. That was all part of his appeal however, and the no-nonsense approach most certainly worked. Fans were enchanted by the guy’s natural aggression and menacing demeanour, and thrilled by his smash mouth in-ring style.
This list look at 10 pivotal moments in the career of Bill Goldberg.
World Wrestling Entertainment may like to re-write the story somewhat, but the fact of the matter is that Bill Goldberg was a pro wrestling phenomenon. Bursting out of the starting blocks in 1997, Goldberg became one of World Championship Wrestling’s first truly homegrown stars. Certainly, the man was one of the only performers in WCW to emerge from scrutiny and become a major player during the whole ‘Monday Night Wars’ era.
It was that evolution that makes the man such a fascinating case study. Standing tall in nothing but plain black trunks and boots, Goldberg lacked the flash and pizzazz of many of his contemporaries. That was all part of his appeal however, and the no-nonsense approach most certainly worked. Fans were enchanted by the guy’s natural aggression and menacing demeanour, and thrilled by his smash mouth in-ring style.
This list look at 10 pivotal moments in the career of Bill Goldberg.
- 9/3/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
Further expansion plans following Senator merger include creation/acquisition of co-production and direct distribution companies in the UK and Australia.
Recently renamed Wild Bunch Ag has announced a surge in profits and expansion plans into Italy, the UK and Australia in its first six-month financial results report since it merged with Germany’s Senator Entertainment Ag.
The new entity, which is publicly quoted on the Frankfurt bourse, was created earlier this year out of the merger of Paris-based Wild Bunch and Germany’s Senator Entertainment Ag.
It was agreed at an Agm in June to officially rename the new company Wild Bunch Ag from Senator Entertainment Ag, keeping Senator as a brand for production.
The company said first-half revenues for 2015 has multiplied roughly sevenfold to $77m (€68m) compared with Senator’s June 2014 figure of $1.07m (€9.5m).
Gross profit had jumped to $12m (€11m) from a loss of $788k (€700k) for Senator in the same period last year...
Recently renamed Wild Bunch Ag has announced a surge in profits and expansion plans into Italy, the UK and Australia in its first six-month financial results report since it merged with Germany’s Senator Entertainment Ag.
The new entity, which is publicly quoted on the Frankfurt bourse, was created earlier this year out of the merger of Paris-based Wild Bunch and Germany’s Senator Entertainment Ag.
It was agreed at an Agm in June to officially rename the new company Wild Bunch Ag from Senator Entertainment Ag, keeping Senator as a brand for production.
The company said first-half revenues for 2015 has multiplied roughly sevenfold to $77m (€68m) compared with Senator’s June 2014 figure of $1.07m (€9.5m).
Gross profit had jumped to $12m (€11m) from a loss of $788k (€700k) for Senator in the same period last year...
- 9/1/2015
- ScreenDaily
Standing tall at an eye-watering 8,848 metres above sea level, few environments on planet Earth are as hostile to the average human as that found on Everest. With temperatures fluctuating between -20ºC and -35ºC at the summit, it’s little wonder why the famed mount attracts only the bravest of the brave. In 1996, though, an expedition went awry when two groups of explorers were caught in the throes of a relentless blizzard, and it proved to be one of the worst disasters in the mountain’s long and storied history.
Almost a decade on, that event has inspired the release of Baltasar Kormákur’s title drama, charting the real-life events of the doomed mountaineering exercise. Lifting inspiration from Jon Krakauer’s acclaimed book Into Thin Air along with a variety of interviews and records from the ’96 disaster, Kormákur’s Everest is gunning for a frighteningly realistic portrayal of the climb,...
Almost a decade on, that event has inspired the release of Baltasar Kormákur’s title drama, charting the real-life events of the doomed mountaineering exercise. Lifting inspiration from Jon Krakauer’s acclaimed book Into Thin Air along with a variety of interviews and records from the ’96 disaster, Kormákur’s Everest is gunning for a frighteningly realistic portrayal of the climb,...
- 8/27/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
As of this article's publication only five countries have announced their official Oscar entries for the 88th Academy Awards: Hungary ("Son of Saul"), Romania ("Aferim!"), Bosnia & Herzegovina ("Our Everyday Life"), Luxembourg ("Baby(A)lone"), and Kazakhstan ("Stranger"). Taking into account last year's record number of submissions, 83 in total, there are certainly a lot more coming in the next few weeks. Several national film organization have already narrowed the field down to a shortlist of films that qualify to be considered, other countries skip the shortlist and simply announce their participant title without revealing what was being considered.
Trying to predict what a particular nation will enter is a tall order because of the numerous factors that weight in, especially when dealing with countries with a large film industry. In other cases, however, there are usually just a couple standouts that meet the standards to be submitted. Whatever the case, even with the most obvious choices there could be surprises such as Indian choosing not to submitting "The Lunchbox" or Chile choosing another film over Silva's "The Maid."
While there is no sure-fie formula to predict what films will be competing for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, by looking at festivals, release dates, national awards, previous submissions, and with a hefty dose of educated speculation, I've put together a list of 35 titles that, at this point, seem like excellent choices.
Update 08/28: Several countries have announced their official submissions: Croatia ("The High Sun"), Germany ("Labyrinth of Lies"), Guatemala ("Ixcanul"), Switzerland ("Iraqi Odyssey"), and Palestine ("The Wanted 18").
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Argentine Release Date: August 13th, 2015
Coming off the success of this year’s nominee “Wild Tales,” which also did very well at the U.S. box-office for Sony Pictures Classics and became a spectacular hit back home, Argentina seems to have another strong contender this year with Pablo Trapero’s latest work “The Clan” (El Clan). Two of the director’s previous films have been submitted before (“Lion’s Den” and “Carrancho”), and this one about the Puccio family, which was criminal organization that kidnapped and murdered wealthy people, looks more than promising. “The Clan” is also produced by Almodovar’s El Deso, just as Damian Szifron’s “Tales” was. There are several other films that have enough merits to be considered, but might prove insufficient when faced with Trapero’s film. “Refugiado,” “El Patron,” “Two Shots” and, even “Jauaja,” starring Viggo Mortensen, qualify
Brazil
"The Second Mother"
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Brazilian Release Date: August 27, 2015
Undoubtedly the most awarded Brazilian film of the year is also their best bet at the Oscars. Anna Muylaert's “The Second Mother” premiered at Sundance where it won a Special Jury Prize for both of its leading actresses Regina Casé and Camila Márdila. It went on to screen in the Panorama section of the Berlinale and took home the C.I.C.A.E. Award and the Audience Award. The film tells the story of a live-in housekeeper and his daughter as they navigate the class divisions prevalent in Brazilian society. Another factor in its favor is the fact that the film has secured U.S. distribution thanks to Oscilloscope. “The Second Mother” opens in Brazil on August 27 and, in a strange turn of events, on August 28 in the U.S. While there are plenty of other great Brazilian works that qualify to be submitted, it’s unlikely that the selection committee will look elsewhere. Other films that could have a shot at being chosen are “August Winds,” “Casa Grande.” “Blue Blood,” and “White Out, Black In”
Bulgaria
"The Judgement"
Dir. Stephan Komandarev
Isa: Premium Film
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Bulgarian Release Date: October 16, 2014
Following last year’s scandalous selection of “Bulgarian Rhapsody” over the more deserving “Viktoria,” the Eastern European country has a two-way race in which both candidates have almost equal chances at being chosen. Stephan Komandarev’s drama “The Judgement” is the larger production of the two and revolves around a desperate father trying to amend his relationship with his estrange son. At the same time the protagonist is also trying to make ends meet and decides to take on the dangerous job of smuggling illegal immigrant from Syria through a remote area of the Turkish-Greek-Bulgarian border. The other film is Kristina Grozeva & Petar Valchanov's “The Lesson,” about a devoted teacher who is faced with corrupt bureaucracy after her classroom is burglarized. Winning awards at the Sofia International Film Festival, San Sebastian, Thessaloniki, and screening at Tiff and Rotterdam, “The Lesson” should be the frontrunner. However, “The Judgement” might have the edge not only because it sports a larger budget and wider appeal, but because Komandarev is the filmmaker behind “The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner,” which is the one Bulgarian film that has gotten the closest to Oscar glory when it was shortlisted by the Academy in 2010. Less likely to be selected but still viable possibilities are “Adultery,”"Buffer Zone," and "The Petrov File."
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Canadian Release Date: January 30th, 2015
As of now Canada’s ideal representative would be the small, but touching, “Felix & Meir,” about a married woman from the Orthodox Jewish community who falls in love with a secular man, as way to know life beyond the restrictions of her faith. This tiny gem won the Best Canadian Feature award at last year’s Tiff and received four awards at the Whistler Film Festival including Best Film and Best Director. “Felix & Meira” was acquired by Oscilloscope for U.S. distribution and was released last April. To date it has grossed nearly $500,00, which, for a subtle and niche film like this, is a great feat. Giroux’ film should take this easily, unless the new film by Oscar-nominated director Philippe Falardeau decides to push for the opportunity. Falardeau newest film “Guibord Goes to War” (Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre) is a political dark comedy that premiered at Locarno and is scheduled to open in Canada on October 2- just two days after AMPAS’ deadline. If the distributor decides to have a one-week qualifying run ahead of the release, then it would become the new frontrunner to represent Canada. However, it’s still unknown if that is being considered or if the film will just wait till next year. Falardeau was nominated in the category for “Monsieur Lazhar” in 2012. “Chorus,” which premiered at Sundance, Berlin’s “Corbo,” Tiff’s “In Her Place,” and the “Les Loups” also qualify.
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Chilean Release Date: May 28, 2015
With Pablo Larraín’s Silver Bear-winner film, Chile has an easy choice to make. “The Club,” which was recently picked up for U.S. distribution by Music Box Films, has received universal critical acclaimed and has cemented its director as one of the most important figures in Latin American cinema. Larraín’s latest centers on a group of priests and nuns sent to a beach town to purify their sinful pasts involving everything from pedophilia to kidnapping. The only other film that truly stands a chance is Matias Lira's “El Bosque de Karadima,” which deals with similar themes regarding secrecy and crimes against children within the Catholic Church. But even if this film has been well-received at home, “The Club” has had more much more international visibility and it has the distinction of being the newest work from the director behind “No,” Chile’s only Oscar-nominated film to date. Other notable works that will be part of the conversation include historical drama “Allende en su Laberinto” by veteran director Miguel Littin, Rodrigo Sepúlveda’s touching “Aurora," and indie flick “La Voz en Off.”
China
"Mountains May Depart" (山河故人)
Dir. Zhangke Jia
Isa: MK2
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Chinese Release Date: Unknown
Censorship has always played a role in China’s decision-making process when it comes to their Oscar submissions. Some of the best Chinese films in recent years are never considered given their controversial topics or because they were made outside of the state-run system. Under this circumstances patriotic epics or lavish period dramas are often selected even when their quality is subpar. The country’s big production this year is “The Lady of the Dynasty,” which was a box-office disappointment and garnered mostly negative reviews locally. With this in mind, the hope is that they will finally look at more compelling films with greater international exposure, such as Jia Zhangke’s “Mountains May Depart.” Premiering at Cannes to mostly positive responses, the film looks at Chinese society from three perspectives scattered over three decades. The film has passed the censors' revisions and will be allowed to screen in mainland Chine, which means it’s possible one of Zhangke’s film might finally represent his homeland. His previous effort, “A Touch of Sin,” was ignored because of its thematic elements. Jean-Jacques Annaud’s stunning “Wolf Totem” is a close second choice, but given the fact that China submitted a film by a French director last, they might want to highlight a homegrown talent this time. There is also “Red Amnesia,” a thriller about a widow that compulsively needs to take careof those around her until strange incidents shake her life. Er Cheng’s “The Wasted Times,” which appears to be a delirious visual treat, but it opens just a few days after the September 30th deadline. A qualifying run prior to that date is possible, but not likely. “Mountains May Depart” is definitely the strongest candidate.
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Colombian Release Date: May 25th, 2015
The Colombian film industry has had an outstanding year and that has produced an impressive lineup of films from which their strongest Oscar entry to date will emerge. Three films that screened at the Cannes Film Festival - two of which earned prizes – are at the top of the list. Winning the Art Cinema Award at the Directors’ Fortnight Ciro Guerra’s black-and-white “Embrace of the Serpent” is the one to beat among these trio of art house wonders. Guerra’s film is a period piece about the clash between the native people of the Amazon and a European explorer, which has received stellar reviews and was picked up for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope. Two of Guerra’s previous films, “Wandering Shadows” and “The Wind Journey,” also represented Colombia at the Academy Awards. Nevertheless, the other films that screen at the Croisette, Golden Camera-winner “Land and Shade” and war drama “Alias Maria,” shouldn’t be completely counted out of the running. Films like Franco Lolli's “Gente de Bien” (Cannes 2014), Josef Wladyka's “Manos Sucias,” "Todos Se Van," and “Ruido Rosa” qualify and testify of the great moment Colombian filmmaking is experiencing, but they will have a difficult time pulling off an upset.
Croatia
"The High Sun" (Zvizdan)
Dir. Dalibor Matanic
Isa: Cercamon
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Croatian Release Date: Septemeber 2015
It’s not often that a Croatian feature manage to grab Cannes’ attention and take home a prestigious award like the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize. “The High Sun” achieved such feat and should be almost a lock to become the country’s Oscar entry. This intense drama, that expands over three decades and explores the Balkan region’s turbulent history, also won 7 awards at the Pula Film Festival including Best Film, Director, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. If there’s another film with a reasonable shot, it would be Ognjen Svilicic's “These Are the Rules” about a family questioning their moral compass after a violent incident, which did well in the festival circuit winning awards in Venice, Warsaw, Stockholm, and Pula. Svilicic’s 2007 feature “Armin” represented the country at the 80th Academy Awards. “The Bridge at the End of the World,” “Ungiven,” “The Reaper,” “Number 55” are other noteworthy Croatian films released during the past year, but Matanic’s highly praised wok should have no trouble becoming the official entry.
Dominican Republic
"Sand Dollar" (Dólares de Arena)
Dir. Israel Cárdenas & Laura Amelia Guzmán
Isa: FIGa Films
U.S. Distribution: Breaking Glass Pictures
Dominican Release Date: November 13th, 2014
Thanks to a growing film industry, Dominican films have participated every year starting in 2011 after being absent from the race since 1995. Their submissions have included romantic comedies and low-budget crime dramas that weren’t successful at getting AMPAS’ attention. Fortunately, this year they might have their strongest candidate yet with “Sand Dollars.” In Israel Cárdenas & Laura Amelia Guzmán's film starring Geraldine Chaplin, a local girl becomes the object of desire for an older French woman visiting the Caribbean country, influenced by her boyfriend the Dominican beauty decides to take advantage of the foreigner’s interest. “Sand Dollars” has screened at countless festivals around the world winning a handful of awards and has secured U.S. distribution. Guillermo Zouain's road-trip comedy “Algún Lugar” has also been well-received at a couple of international festivals, but is less likely to be picked. “Pueto Pa’ Mí,” a drama about urban music, documentary “Tu y Yo," and biopic “Maria Montez,” might be out of luck. It’s unclear if Agliberto Meléndez political film “Del Color de La Noche,” has premiered yet, so that could a contender next year given that the director was behind the country’s first ever Oscar submission.
Ethiopia
"Lamb"
Dir. Yared Zeleke
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Ethiopian Release Date: Unknown
The East African nation has only sent two films for consideration. Last year it was the Angeline Jolie-supported “Difret,” which was part of the World Cinema competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. This year only two films seem to qualify. “Lamb” is the first-ever Ethiopian film to screen at Cannes, which makes it the unquestionable favorite. It’s a rural story about a boy and his beloved sheep moving in with relatives as his mother goes to work in the city. Reviews were positive praising the film’s cinematography and layered storytelling. The other film that could possibly be selected is Hermon Hailay’s “Prince of Love” about a prostitute and a cab driver struggling to get by in the capital city of Addis Ababa. “Prince of Love” represented the country at Fespaco, one of Africa’s most renowned festivals, and will screen at Tiff in September. Ethiopia might choose to send “Lamb” this time around and save Hailay’s feature for next year depending on release date.
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish Release Date: March 13th, 2015
Peculiar teen drama “They Have Escaped” won four Jussi Awards from the Finnish Academy earlier this year including Best Film and Best Director; however, it will probably face an uphill battle to become Finland’s Oscar entry. Instead, Estonian-language period piece, “The Fencer,” looks like a more feasible alternative because of its classic story, elegant cinematography, and the director behind it: Klaus Härö. The film tells the story of a young Estonian fencer who leaves his homeland to become a Pe teacher and escape persecution by the Russian authorities in the 1950s. Some critics have gone as far as to call it “the best Finnish film in a decade.” Three of Härö’s previous films (“Elina: As If I Wasn’t There,””Mother of Mine, “ and Letter to Father Jacob) were selected as Oscar entries. The only obstacle in its path is the fact that this is an Estonian story with mostly Estonian dialogue. If the selection committee can overlook that, this will be their pick. Antti Jokinen's “Wildeye,” a visually arresting war drama that opens in September is another strong option, particularly because Jokinen’s previous film, “Purge,” represent the country in 2013. “Absolution,” “Head First,” ”Homecoming,” and “Tsamo” are proof a strong year in Finnish cinema but won’t make the cut.
France
"Dheepan"
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Sundance Selects
French Release Date: August 26th, 2015
Given the amount of films produced in France each year, this is the most difficult country to narrow down. However, this year there is a heavyweight contender among the scores of worthy productions. Surprise Palme d’Or-winner “Deephan” by the Academy Award-nominated director of “A Prophet," Jacques Audiard, is a clear favorite. Audiard is a legend and it’s hard to think France won’t support the film that took home one of cinema’s most coveted prizes. Following the relevant immigrant story of a Sri Lankan warrior in France, “Dheepan” is almost a safe bet. If for some unimaginable reason Audiard’s latest is not chosen, the most likely alternative would be well-received “My Golden Days” by Arnaud Desplechin, which has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Magnolia Pictures. While there are dozens of films that could be considered, here are some other important French films that qualify based on their release dates: “Girlhood,” “Standing Tall,” “The Measure of Man,” “The New Girlfriend,” “Valley of Love,” “Eden,”"The Connection."
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
German Release Date: November 6th, 2014
After an 8-film shortlist was released, - which sadly doesn’t include “Phoenix” because it opened late last September – things look pretty clear for the German selection committee. It’s really a 3-film race between “13 Minutes,” Labyrinth of Lies,” and “Victoria.” Unfortunately, and despite incredibly positive reviews, Sebastian Schipper's “Victoria” might be considered a risky choice because a big part of it is in English. That leaves Oliver Hirschbiegel’s “13 Minutes,” about a man who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1939. On the surface this looks like the prime title to send to AMPAS since Hirschbiegel’s “Downfall” earned him a nomination and he has worked in Hollywood for several years now. Yet, reception wasn’t as warm for his first German film in a decade. On the other “Labyrinth of Lies,” which deals with Post-World War II Germany and how the government tried to cover up its recent Nazi past, had better luck. Critical reception has been better for this film and it was a financial success in Germany and France, which gives the edge. Both “13 Minutes” and “Labyrinth of Lies” were acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for U.S. distribution. The complete list of shortlisted films can be found Here
Greece
"Xenia" (Ξενία)
Dir. Panos H. Koutras
Isa: Pyramide International
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Greek Release Date: October 2nd, 2014
Although it’s not an official rule, Greece almost-automatically selects the winner of the Best Film Prize at the Hellenic Film Awards as their Oscar submissions. This year’s winner was the Lgbt dramedy “Xenia,” which follows two Albanian brothers searching for their Greek father after their mother’s death. The film was nominated for 15 Hellenic Film Awards and won a total of six. “Xenia” premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and will be released in the U.S. in October by Strand Releasing. I can’t see any other film being selected other than Koutras’ Almodovar-infused film, but if that were the case the other Best Film nominees – that meet AMPAS requirements- would be the ones to look to: “Electra,” “A Blast,” and “Forever.”
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Guatemalan Release Date: August 27th, 2015
This is a no-brainer. Guatemala has only sent a film once back in 1994, but this year director Jayro Bustamante delivered the most awarded Guatemalan film in history. That should be a good enough reason to enter the race once again. “Ixcanul” won the Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlinale and has screened across the world to great success. Bustamante’s film centers on a Mayan girl who wants to escape the arrange marriage that awaits her to see what’s beyond her village. Another Guatemalan film, which also screened in Berlin, Edgar Sajcabún's “La Casa Más Grande del Mundo,” will probably not open theatrically in time and should be considered next year.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Icelandic Release Date: May 28th, 2015
Two middle-aged brothers in an Icelandic rural town leave their differences behind and come together to save their beloved farm animals in the Un Certain Regard Award-winner “Rams.” With such recognition under its belt and having just been picked for U.S. distribution by Cohen Media Group, Grímur Hákonarson's film is certainly the handsomest choice. Still, “Rams” is not without a strong rival. Crowd-pleaser “Virgin Mountain,” about a lonely man whose life changes when he meets a new friend, had its U.S. premiere at the Tribecca Film Festival where it won three awards: Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. It could go either way, but the Cannes prestige and having found a U.S. distributor give “Rams” the upper hand. Iceland produced several qualifying features this year including “Brave Men’s Blood,” “East of the Mountain, “ and “The Homecoming.”
Iran
"Muhammad: The Messenger of God"
Dir. Majid Majidi
PC: Nourtaban Film Industry
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Iranian Release Date: August 26, 2015
Iran will have to make an incredibly difficult decision that unfortunately may have political repercussions. Majid Majidi’s latest film “Muhammad: The Messenger of God” is the most expense Iranian feature ever made. The historical epic brings to life the early years of the prophet's life with impressive locations, costumes, and cinematography courtesy of Three-time Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro. Majidi himself is no stranger to the Academy having earned Iran’s first-ever Academy Award nomination with “Children of Heaven.” Taking these facts into consideration, “Muhammad” seems to be the obvious selection, but there are many religious and political concerns that could get in its way. Islam prohibits the depiction of the prophet and other sacred figures in any artistic work. Knowing this, Majidi shot the entire film - which is the first part in what’s to become a trilogy – without ever showing the prophet’s face by shooting most scenes from his point of view or showing him with his back to the camera. This was acceptable for Iran’s censors, as the film will open this week in theaters across the Middle Eastern country. However, other Muslim countries, particularly Sunni Muslims, have been outspoken about their discontent with the film. Whether Iran will still choose to submit the film to AMPAS is a mystery, but it will certainly have more to do with outside influences rather than artistic merit. “Muhammad” will have its North American premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival.
“Nahid” by Ida Panahandeh, about a woman’s journey from divorce to remarrying, won the Avenir Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, but - although censors have said the film will be allowed the screen in Iran - it might not open theatrically in time. It also deals with a controversial subject and that might limit it chances. A third, and much safer option, is romantic drama “What’s the Time in Your World?” starring Leila Hatami (“A Speration”) and Ali Mosaffa (“The Past”). Directed by Safi Yazdanian, the film looks beautifully done and sports two of the most talented Iranian actors working today. It could definitely be a good alternative. Other films include “Borderless,” “Track 143,” "Tales” and “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.” Perhaps Iran will ignore the risk and submit their most lavish film to date by one of their most celebrated filmmakers who still works within the state’s parameters.
Israel
"The Kind Words" (Ha'milim ha'tovot )
Dir. Shemi Zarhin
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Israeli Release Date: May 28, 2015
With 12 nominations to Israel’s Ophir Awards, “The Kind Words” including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress Shem Zarhin’s film is the one to beat. Since the winner of the Ophir Award for Best Film automatically becomes Israel’s Oscar submission, “The Kind Words” has a strong shot at both honors. The film follows a group of siblings as they travel abroad to uncover a secret. By default the other contenders are the rest of the films nominated for Best Film: “Wounded Land,” ”Afterthought,” “Wedding Doll,” and “Baba Joon.” Of this Elad Keidan's “Afterthought,” which premiered at Cannes to positive reviews, and Erez Tadmor's intense drama “Wounded Land” appear to be the strongest alternatives. Despite being nominated several times Israel has never won the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award.
Italy
"My Mother" (Mia Madre)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Alchemy
Italian Release Date: April 16th, 2015
Nanni Moretti is back with “Mia Madre,” a new family drama that screened in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and won a few awards at the Italian David di Donatello Awards. Since the big winner at the national awards, “Black Souls,” was considered last year, Moretti’s film is the frontrunner. However, there is a wild card that could change things. Veteran filmmaker Marco Bellocchio will release his newest work “Blood of My Blood,” a historical drama about a 17th century woman accused of being a witch, on September 9 - just in time to qualify. It’s likely that Moretti will have enough support to pull it off, but there is still a chance that might not be set in stone. Besides these two films there is Mario Martone’s “Leopardi,” a biopic about poet Giacomo Leopardi, which won several David di Donatello Awards and was also recognized in Venice. With even less possibilities are Sundance’s “Cloro,” “Greenery Will Bloom Again,” and Albanian-language “Sworn Virgin,”
Ivory Coast
"Run"
Dir. Philippe Lacôte
PC: Banshee Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Ivorian Release Date: December 17th, 2014
The first and only time a film represent Ivory Coast at the Oscars was back in 1977. That film, “Black and White in Color,” won the first and only Academy Award attributed to a Sub-Saharan African country. Nevertheless, that landmark work was directed by a Frenchmen, Jean-Jacques Annaud, and had mostly French talent in the leading roles. Now, almost 40 years later, an actual Ivorian film looks presents a fantastic opportunity for the country to return to the race. Philippe Lacote’s political drama “Run” screened in the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes 2014, Tiff, and AFI Fest, and later opened commercially in Abidjan, the Ivorian Capital, and Paris. Ivory Coast has only one eligible film to submit as their Oscar entry, and fortunately it’s a good one.
Japan
"Our Little Sister" (海街 diary)
Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Japanese Release Date: June 13th, 2015
Japan hasn’t had a successful entry since unexpectedly winning the award in 2009 with “Departures.” Their selections are often baffling because they tend to ignore festival winners and critically acclaimed films to pick obscure titles that rarely connect with voters. In recent years outstanding films such as “Like Father, Like Son” have been overlooked. Having said this, one can only hope that this time around they will chose more wisely. This year another film by Hirokazu Koreeda, “Our Little Sister,” debuted at Cannes and has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Sony Pictures Classic – a powerhouse distributor in the Best Foreign Language Film race. Based on a manga series, the film revolves around a group of young women who decide to adopt their stepsister after their father dies. “Our Little Sister” was also a financial success in its homeland. Even with all these positive qualities on its side, Japan might refuse to submit Koreeda’s film and look elsewhere. Other options from the festival circuit include Naomi Kawase's “An- Sweet Red Bean Paste,” which less positive reviews; “Journey to the Shore,” though it opens on October 1; “Kabukicho Love Hotel,” which screened at Tiff last year, and “Cape Nostalgia.”
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Jordanian Release Date: March 19th, 2015
In 2008 Jordan submitted their first-ever Oscar submission, and the first feature film made in the country in half a century. That film, “Captain Abu Raed,” did very well in festivals like Sundance and Dubai. Since then, Jordanian cinema has been scarce forcing the country to be absent from the race. That could change this year with “Theeb” by UK-born filmmaker Naji Abu Nowar. His period piece about a Bedouin boy during World War I has played at numerous festivals and will have a U.S. theatrical release via Film Movement.
Lithuania
"The Summer of Sangailé" (Sangaile)
Dir. Alanté Kavaïté
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Lithuanian Release Date: August 21st, 2015
The Sundance Film Festival screened its first-ever Lithuanian feature this past January, “The Summer of Sangailé” by Alanté Kavaïté. This Lgbt coming-of-age story showcases captivating cinematography and nuanced performances. “Sangailé” went on to win the Directing Award in the World Cinema Competition at the Park City festival. It will also become one of the very few Lithuanian films to have been distributed in the U.S. when Strand Releasing schedules its theatrical release. Being the most awarded narrative film from the Baltic nation, it should be a shoo-in. "Sangailé" also won three Silver Crane Awards (Lithuanian Oscars): Best Film, Best Actress for Julija Steponaityte and best set design for Ramunas Rastauskas. Its only realistic adversary is the documentary “Master and Tatyana,” which won the Best Documentary, Best Director, and Best Cinematography prizes at the Silver Crane. Lithuania has shown to be fond of submitting documentaries, but one could presume that “Sangaile’s” wider international appeal will help it succeed.
Mexico
"The Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Línea Amarilla)
Dir. Celso R. García
Isa: Latido Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Mexican Release Date: Unknown
Among the 14 films that the Mexican Academy announced as candidates to become the official Oscar submission, only a handful of them have a real chance at representing Mexico. It’s really a three-way race between “600 Miles,” “La Tirisia,” and “The Thin Yellow Line.” Each of these has distinctive assets as well as factors that could play against them. Gabriel Ripstein's “600 Miles” stars Tim Roth, which could be beneficial because Academy voters would see a familiar face on screen. At the same time Roth’s participation means that there is a considerable amount of English dialogue that could make the film feel less authentic when considered as a “foreign language film” representing a country. Then there is Jorge Pérez Solano's art house marvel, “La Tirisia,” about the role of women in a very traditional Mexican community. This is a film that truly showcases an unseen aspect of Mexican culture and has garnered international recognition, but it might be too small in scope to be selected.
Lastly, “The Yellow Thin Line,” which was awarded at the Guadalajara Film Festival but hasn’t travel much. It will screen at the Chicago International Film Festival in October. “The Thin Yellow Line” tells the story of a group of men working on a deserted road as they are forced to come to terms with their yearnings and failures. The premise seems unique; the cast includes some of Mexico’s most recognizable talents, and it’s partly produced my Guillermo del Toro. That last fact is what could set the film apart from the rest because the general public and Academy voters will be intrigued to see what was it about this story that interested Del Toro, who hasn’t been involved in a Mexican project in several years. It’s a tough race, but having someone like the “Pan’s Labyrinth’s” director supporting the film could be a deal breaker.
Peru
"The Vanished Elephant" (El Elefante Desaparecido)
Dir. Javier Fuentes-León
Isa: Mundial
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Peruvian Release Date: October 9th, 2015
Javier Fuentes-Leon’s “The Vanished Elephant” premiered at last year’s Tiff and was also part of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival making it the highest profile Peruvian film of the year. At home, the critical response was very positive and the quality of the film, in comparison to other Peruvian works released in the last 12 months, is undeniable. “The Vanished Elephant” tells the cryptic story of a writer whose girlfriend disappears without a trace. After receiving a series of strange photographs, he delves into deceitful conspiracy that defies the lines between reality and fiction. Fuentes-Leon debut feature “Undertow” was submitted to the Academy back in 2010. Enrica Perez’ “Climas” about three Peruvian women from different walks of life and Héctor Gálvez forensic mystery “Nn” have both screened at several international festivals, and though they are much smaller film’s than “The Vanished Elephant,”either of them could be the next best choice to become Peru’s Oscar entry. Less likely titles include “Videophilia,” “Solos,” and historical drama “Gloria del Pacífico.”
The Philippines
"Trap" (Taklub)
Dir. Brillante Mendoza
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Filipino Release Date: Unknown
Brillante Mendoza is one the Philippines most acclaimed auteurs and yet none of his films have ever been selected to represent the Southeast Asian nation at the Oscars. His latest work, “Trap,” won Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury at Cannes and it’s the prime contender to travel to L.A. this year. “Trap” follows a group of survivors soon after Typhoon Haiyan devastated a great part of the country. The film stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor, who also the lead in Mendoza’s “Thy Womb,” which was the Filipino entry at the Golden Globes a couple years back. Given that Mendoza’s work has never been selected, there is a chance he might miss out once more. If that happens, the film that could benefit is Paul Soriano's Manny Pacquiao biopic titled “Kid Kulafo,” which would evidently ring a bell with Americans. Other films to be considered include “Justice,” also starring Aunor, “Crocodile,” or even lighthearted comedy “English Only, Please.”
Russia
"Sunstroke"
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Russian Release Date: October 4th, 2014
Even after winning the Golden Globe and being nominated for an Academy Awards, Andrey Zvyagintsev “Leviathan” couldn’t get the Best Film award from the Russian Academy. Instead, they decided to bestow that honor on veteran filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov's period piece "Sunstroke.” This is the type of film that Russia loves to submit: patriotic, historical, and epic. Even though last year the Russian selection committee showed they could overlook their political agenda to ensure the best film represented the country, this year they will go back to their old ways. This is not to say “Sunstroke” is a bad film, as hardly anyone outside of Russia has seen, but it does mean that other more daring offers like Yuriy Bykov's festival darling “The Fool” and Aleksey German's “Under Electric Clouds" have little hope at becoming the country’s entry and getting the exposure that comes with it. Mikhalkov won the Oscar in for “Burnt by the Sun” in 1995 and was nominated again for "12" in 2008, which means he will be hard to beat this year. "The Fool" would be a much more interesting selection but its story about a regular citizen fighting the corrupt system might prove too controversial. There is also another war epic titled "Batalion" by Dmitriy Meskhiev, which could pull off a surprise.
Serbia
"Enclave" (Enklava)
Dir. Goran Radovanovic
PC: Nana Filam
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Serbian Eelease Date: March 19, 2015
Serbia’s 6-film shortlist includes worlds that deal with a variety of subjects, from the recurrent tales of war and its aftermath, triumphant sports stories, and even the peculiar case of a boy who grew up wild in the woods. Of all these possibilities, the film that seems to have the most gravitas is Goran Radovanovic's “Enclave,” a film about the ethnic divide in Kosovo and the atrocities that perpetuates. This is definitely not the film with the most international exposure, but the story might be enough to warrant its submission. Films that deal with similar issues like, “Circles,” have been previous selected. But the Serbian committee wants to stay away from both war and sports dramas, they might go with Vuk Rsumovic “No One’s Child” which did very well at a few festivals including Venice and Palm Springs. It could either way. Original comedy "Monument to Michael Jackson" could also be a more lighthearted choice. The shortlist is completed by "We Will Be the World Champions"," The Man Who Defended Gavrilo Princip," and "The Disobedient" (Sundance 2014).
Spain
"Ma Ma"
Dir. Julio Medem
Isa: Seville International
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Spanish Release Date: September 11, 2015
For a long time I had hope that Spain would find a loophole and submit their most honored film at this year’s Goya Awards, “Marshland” (La Isla Minima), but that seems like a farfetched hope now. Luckily, another film that looks like a winner will be released just in time. “Ma Ma” directed by Julio Medem and starring Academy Award-winner Penelope Cruz has Oscar written all over it. Cruz plays a mother diagnosed with cancer and whose ferocious battle with the disease will reinvigorate her love for life. The actress also served as a producer in what has become one of the most anticipated films of the year. The only films that could challenge are coming-of-ager “A Cambio de Nada” and Basque-language drama “Loreak.” The former appears to be feel-good story that might seem slight in comparison to both “Ma Ma” and “Loreak,” which deals with a woman who starts receiving flowers from a mysterious sender. “Magical Girl” is a brilliantly twisty film, but being so edgy it will probably be considered to risky for the Oscar race. Penelope Cruz’ star power will decide this race.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Swedish Release Date: November 14th, 2014
The two previous chapters sin Andersson’s trilogy about being human were submitted to AMPAS, and even if they didn’t get a nomination, it’s hard to imagine them not submitting “A Pigeon.” The film has been critically acclaimed and it won the Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film festival. Furthermore, it has already been released in the U.S. by Magnolia, the company that handled last year’s Swedish submission, “Force Majeure.” While I’d love to see Andersson be selected, there are several other films that could prevent that from happening. Kay Pollack, who earned Sweden’s most recent nomination for “As It Is in Heaven,” has a new film opening in early September titled “Heaven on Earth.” Depending on how that film is received the tables may or may not turn. The third strongest option is the romantic costume drama “Gentlemen,” which won several awards from the Swedish Academy and has already been picked up for U.S. distribution by, of course, Magnolia. Smaller, yet worthy candidates, include “My Skinny Sister” and “Flocking,” both of which premiered in Berlin.
Switzerland
"Vanity" (La Vanité)
Dir. Lionel Baier
Isa: Wide
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Swiss Release Date: September 2, 2015
Out of the 7 films shortlisted by the Swiss, the one that immediately stands out is dark comedy “Vanity.” The film just premiered at Locarno and it stars Spanish actress, and one of Almodovar’s favorites, Carmen Maura, as well as Patrick Lapp. Although the film deals with suicide, the approach seems to be very comedic. In a list of several obscure titles, “Vanity” should come out on top. A second option could be Stina Werenfels' “Dora or the Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents,” which screened in Berlin’s Panorama section and tells the story of a mentally disabled woman discovering her sexuality. “War” by Simon Jaquemet, about a rebellious teenager, had some festival play as well but is less likely to be chosen. The other four titles in the shortlist are: “Pause,” doc “Iraqi Odyssey,” “Chubby,” and “L’oasis des mendiants.”
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Taiwanese Release Date: August 28th, 2015
There is really no race here. “The Assassin” will be Taiwan’s entry almost certainly. Winner of the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival and clearly one of the best reviewed films of the year, this martial arts epic, which is said to showcase marvelous imagery, should be consider a strong contender. I can’t see Taiwan not choosing the film, but there are still other films that could be considered. Of those the most viable, but very distant, second choice could be Tso-chi Chang's “Thanatos, Drunk,” which was awarded in Berlin and received six prizes at the Taipei Film Festival. The film revolves around to brothers in Taipei trying to find jobs.
Thailand
"Cemetery of Splendor" (รักที่ขอนแก่น)
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Thai Release Date: Unknown
It was a great year for Thai art house cinema, which means the country has several prominent titles to choose from. Strangely enough, even when there are films with international recognition, Thailand often decides to submit a quirky romantic comedy or a random horror film. The reasons behind their selections are unknown. Still, assuming that they will pay attention to their most respected filmmakers, the number one choice should be "Cemetery of Splendor." However, Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films are not as well liked in his homeland are they are abroad, but it seems irrational for them not consider the film. It might be too abstract for AMPAS’ taste, but it’s still the most prestigious work. Other possibilities include “How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)," which is partially in English, “The Blue Hours” (Berlin’s Panorama), and Rotterdam’s “Vanishing Point.” Of course, there are scores of more commercial titles from which the committee might pick.
Turkey
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Turkish Release Date: Unknown
Last year Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Palme d’Or-winning film “Winter Sleep” failed to receive a nomination, perhaps due to it’s length and cerebral screenplay. This year another title out of Cannes shows more promise. “Mustang” tells the story of five sisters living in a small village and subjected to the sexist prejudices of the townspeople. With extensive festival play and in the hands of Cohen Media Group - the company behind this year’s nominee “Timbuktu" - Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s film is the ideal pick. Sundance’s “Ivy” by Tolga Karaçelik, about a group of men trapped aboard a ship could definitely be a top contender. Kutlug Ataman's “Kuzu,” winner of the C.I.C.A.E. Award in Berlin’s Panorama section would be the third most likely film to represent Turkey at the Oscars. Lastly, “The Miracle,” a romantic period piece, is a large local production that could be considered, but lacks the festival exposure of the other three.
Venezuela
"Gone With the River" (Dauna, Lo que lleva el río)
Dir. Mario Crespo
Isa: Centro Nacional Autonomo de Cinematografía
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Venezuelan Release Date: March 20, 2015
With Alberto Arvelo’s “The Liberator,” the South American nation got as close as it’s ever been to Oscar glory this year. The biopic about Simón Bolívar starring Edgar Ramírez managed to become one of the 9 shortlisted finalists out of 83 submissions. Venezuela has several options to submit for the 88th Academy Awards, but they are much smaller in magnitude on this occasion. Appearing at the NATIVe sidebar of the Berlinale, “Dauna, lo que lleva el río” or “ Gone with the River” is the most important Venezuelan film of the year and gives voice to the country’s indigenous people by telling story that rarely gets seen on screen. On the other hand, the film “3 Beauties,” about another of Venezuelan’s most well-known obsessions, beauty pageants, has received critical praise at home but it seems to be a lighter satirical comedy. Their Oscar entry could be either one of the two, but I think they will go with the more socially relevant story. A smaller film, “Espejos,” could be part of the conversation but is possibilities are very limited.
Trying to predict what a particular nation will enter is a tall order because of the numerous factors that weight in, especially when dealing with countries with a large film industry. In other cases, however, there are usually just a couple standouts that meet the standards to be submitted. Whatever the case, even with the most obvious choices there could be surprises such as Indian choosing not to submitting "The Lunchbox" or Chile choosing another film over Silva's "The Maid."
While there is no sure-fie formula to predict what films will be competing for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, by looking at festivals, release dates, national awards, previous submissions, and with a hefty dose of educated speculation, I've put together a list of 35 titles that, at this point, seem like excellent choices.
Update 08/28: Several countries have announced their official submissions: Croatia ("The High Sun"), Germany ("Labyrinth of Lies"), Guatemala ("Ixcanul"), Switzerland ("Iraqi Odyssey"), and Palestine ("The Wanted 18").
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Argentine Release Date: August 13th, 2015
Coming off the success of this year’s nominee “Wild Tales,” which also did very well at the U.S. box-office for Sony Pictures Classics and became a spectacular hit back home, Argentina seems to have another strong contender this year with Pablo Trapero’s latest work “The Clan” (El Clan). Two of the director’s previous films have been submitted before (“Lion’s Den” and “Carrancho”), and this one about the Puccio family, which was criminal organization that kidnapped and murdered wealthy people, looks more than promising. “The Clan” is also produced by Almodovar’s El Deso, just as Damian Szifron’s “Tales” was. There are several other films that have enough merits to be considered, but might prove insufficient when faced with Trapero’s film. “Refugiado,” “El Patron,” “Two Shots” and, even “Jauaja,” starring Viggo Mortensen, qualify
Brazil
"The Second Mother"
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Brazilian Release Date: August 27, 2015
Undoubtedly the most awarded Brazilian film of the year is also their best bet at the Oscars. Anna Muylaert's “The Second Mother” premiered at Sundance where it won a Special Jury Prize for both of its leading actresses Regina Casé and Camila Márdila. It went on to screen in the Panorama section of the Berlinale and took home the C.I.C.A.E. Award and the Audience Award. The film tells the story of a live-in housekeeper and his daughter as they navigate the class divisions prevalent in Brazilian society. Another factor in its favor is the fact that the film has secured U.S. distribution thanks to Oscilloscope. “The Second Mother” opens in Brazil on August 27 and, in a strange turn of events, on August 28 in the U.S. While there are plenty of other great Brazilian works that qualify to be submitted, it’s unlikely that the selection committee will look elsewhere. Other films that could have a shot at being chosen are “August Winds,” “Casa Grande.” “Blue Blood,” and “White Out, Black In”
Bulgaria
"The Judgement"
Dir. Stephan Komandarev
Isa: Premium Film
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Bulgarian Release Date: October 16, 2014
Following last year’s scandalous selection of “Bulgarian Rhapsody” over the more deserving “Viktoria,” the Eastern European country has a two-way race in which both candidates have almost equal chances at being chosen. Stephan Komandarev’s drama “The Judgement” is the larger production of the two and revolves around a desperate father trying to amend his relationship with his estrange son. At the same time the protagonist is also trying to make ends meet and decides to take on the dangerous job of smuggling illegal immigrant from Syria through a remote area of the Turkish-Greek-Bulgarian border. The other film is Kristina Grozeva & Petar Valchanov's “The Lesson,” about a devoted teacher who is faced with corrupt bureaucracy after her classroom is burglarized. Winning awards at the Sofia International Film Festival, San Sebastian, Thessaloniki, and screening at Tiff and Rotterdam, “The Lesson” should be the frontrunner. However, “The Judgement” might have the edge not only because it sports a larger budget and wider appeal, but because Komandarev is the filmmaker behind “The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner,” which is the one Bulgarian film that has gotten the closest to Oscar glory when it was shortlisted by the Academy in 2010. Less likely to be selected but still viable possibilities are “Adultery,”"Buffer Zone," and "The Petrov File."
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Canadian Release Date: January 30th, 2015
As of now Canada’s ideal representative would be the small, but touching, “Felix & Meir,” about a married woman from the Orthodox Jewish community who falls in love with a secular man, as way to know life beyond the restrictions of her faith. This tiny gem won the Best Canadian Feature award at last year’s Tiff and received four awards at the Whistler Film Festival including Best Film and Best Director. “Felix & Meira” was acquired by Oscilloscope for U.S. distribution and was released last April. To date it has grossed nearly $500,00, which, for a subtle and niche film like this, is a great feat. Giroux’ film should take this easily, unless the new film by Oscar-nominated director Philippe Falardeau decides to push for the opportunity. Falardeau newest film “Guibord Goes to War” (Guibord s’en va-t-en guerre) is a political dark comedy that premiered at Locarno and is scheduled to open in Canada on October 2- just two days after AMPAS’ deadline. If the distributor decides to have a one-week qualifying run ahead of the release, then it would become the new frontrunner to represent Canada. However, it’s still unknown if that is being considered or if the film will just wait till next year. Falardeau was nominated in the category for “Monsieur Lazhar” in 2012. “Chorus,” which premiered at Sundance, Berlin’s “Corbo,” Tiff’s “In Her Place,” and the “Les Loups” also qualify.
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Chilean Release Date: May 28, 2015
With Pablo Larraín’s Silver Bear-winner film, Chile has an easy choice to make. “The Club,” which was recently picked up for U.S. distribution by Music Box Films, has received universal critical acclaimed and has cemented its director as one of the most important figures in Latin American cinema. Larraín’s latest centers on a group of priests and nuns sent to a beach town to purify their sinful pasts involving everything from pedophilia to kidnapping. The only other film that truly stands a chance is Matias Lira's “El Bosque de Karadima,” which deals with similar themes regarding secrecy and crimes against children within the Catholic Church. But even if this film has been well-received at home, “The Club” has had more much more international visibility and it has the distinction of being the newest work from the director behind “No,” Chile’s only Oscar-nominated film to date. Other notable works that will be part of the conversation include historical drama “Allende en su Laberinto” by veteran director Miguel Littin, Rodrigo Sepúlveda’s touching “Aurora," and indie flick “La Voz en Off.”
China
"Mountains May Depart" (山河故人)
Dir. Zhangke Jia
Isa: MK2
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Chinese Release Date: Unknown
Censorship has always played a role in China’s decision-making process when it comes to their Oscar submissions. Some of the best Chinese films in recent years are never considered given their controversial topics or because they were made outside of the state-run system. Under this circumstances patriotic epics or lavish period dramas are often selected even when their quality is subpar. The country’s big production this year is “The Lady of the Dynasty,” which was a box-office disappointment and garnered mostly negative reviews locally. With this in mind, the hope is that they will finally look at more compelling films with greater international exposure, such as Jia Zhangke’s “Mountains May Depart.” Premiering at Cannes to mostly positive responses, the film looks at Chinese society from three perspectives scattered over three decades. The film has passed the censors' revisions and will be allowed to screen in mainland Chine, which means it’s possible one of Zhangke’s film might finally represent his homeland. His previous effort, “A Touch of Sin,” was ignored because of its thematic elements. Jean-Jacques Annaud’s stunning “Wolf Totem” is a close second choice, but given the fact that China submitted a film by a French director last, they might want to highlight a homegrown talent this time. There is also “Red Amnesia,” a thriller about a widow that compulsively needs to take careof those around her until strange incidents shake her life. Er Cheng’s “The Wasted Times,” which appears to be a delirious visual treat, but it opens just a few days after the September 30th deadline. A qualifying run prior to that date is possible, but not likely. “Mountains May Depart” is definitely the strongest candidate.
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Colombian Release Date: May 25th, 2015
The Colombian film industry has had an outstanding year and that has produced an impressive lineup of films from which their strongest Oscar entry to date will emerge. Three films that screened at the Cannes Film Festival - two of which earned prizes – are at the top of the list. Winning the Art Cinema Award at the Directors’ Fortnight Ciro Guerra’s black-and-white “Embrace of the Serpent” is the one to beat among these trio of art house wonders. Guerra’s film is a period piece about the clash between the native people of the Amazon and a European explorer, which has received stellar reviews and was picked up for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope. Two of Guerra’s previous films, “Wandering Shadows” and “The Wind Journey,” also represented Colombia at the Academy Awards. Nevertheless, the other films that screen at the Croisette, Golden Camera-winner “Land and Shade” and war drama “Alias Maria,” shouldn’t be completely counted out of the running. Films like Franco Lolli's “Gente de Bien” (Cannes 2014), Josef Wladyka's “Manos Sucias,” "Todos Se Van," and “Ruido Rosa” qualify and testify of the great moment Colombian filmmaking is experiencing, but they will have a difficult time pulling off an upset.
Croatia
"The High Sun" (Zvizdan)
Dir. Dalibor Matanic
Isa: Cercamon
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Croatian Release Date: Septemeber 2015
It’s not often that a Croatian feature manage to grab Cannes’ attention and take home a prestigious award like the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize. “The High Sun” achieved such feat and should be almost a lock to become the country’s Oscar entry. This intense drama, that expands over three decades and explores the Balkan region’s turbulent history, also won 7 awards at the Pula Film Festival including Best Film, Director, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. If there’s another film with a reasonable shot, it would be Ognjen Svilicic's “These Are the Rules” about a family questioning their moral compass after a violent incident, which did well in the festival circuit winning awards in Venice, Warsaw, Stockholm, and Pula. Svilicic’s 2007 feature “Armin” represented the country at the 80th Academy Awards. “The Bridge at the End of the World,” “Ungiven,” “The Reaper,” “Number 55” are other noteworthy Croatian films released during the past year, but Matanic’s highly praised wok should have no trouble becoming the official entry.
Dominican Republic
"Sand Dollar" (Dólares de Arena)
Dir. Israel Cárdenas & Laura Amelia Guzmán
Isa: FIGa Films
U.S. Distribution: Breaking Glass Pictures
Dominican Release Date: November 13th, 2014
Thanks to a growing film industry, Dominican films have participated every year starting in 2011 after being absent from the race since 1995. Their submissions have included romantic comedies and low-budget crime dramas that weren’t successful at getting AMPAS’ attention. Fortunately, this year they might have their strongest candidate yet with “Sand Dollars.” In Israel Cárdenas & Laura Amelia Guzmán's film starring Geraldine Chaplin, a local girl becomes the object of desire for an older French woman visiting the Caribbean country, influenced by her boyfriend the Dominican beauty decides to take advantage of the foreigner’s interest. “Sand Dollars” has screened at countless festivals around the world winning a handful of awards and has secured U.S. distribution. Guillermo Zouain's road-trip comedy “Algún Lugar” has also been well-received at a couple of international festivals, but is less likely to be picked. “Pueto Pa’ Mí,” a drama about urban music, documentary “Tu y Yo," and biopic “Maria Montez,” might be out of luck. It’s unclear if Agliberto Meléndez political film “Del Color de La Noche,” has premiered yet, so that could a contender next year given that the director was behind the country’s first ever Oscar submission.
Ethiopia
"Lamb"
Dir. Yared Zeleke
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Ethiopian Release Date: Unknown
The East African nation has only sent two films for consideration. Last year it was the Angeline Jolie-supported “Difret,” which was part of the World Cinema competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. This year only two films seem to qualify. “Lamb” is the first-ever Ethiopian film to screen at Cannes, which makes it the unquestionable favorite. It’s a rural story about a boy and his beloved sheep moving in with relatives as his mother goes to work in the city. Reviews were positive praising the film’s cinematography and layered storytelling. The other film that could possibly be selected is Hermon Hailay’s “Prince of Love” about a prostitute and a cab driver struggling to get by in the capital city of Addis Ababa. “Prince of Love” represented the country at Fespaco, one of Africa’s most renowned festivals, and will screen at Tiff in September. Ethiopia might choose to send “Lamb” this time around and save Hailay’s feature for next year depending on release date.
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish Release Date: March 13th, 2015
Peculiar teen drama “They Have Escaped” won four Jussi Awards from the Finnish Academy earlier this year including Best Film and Best Director; however, it will probably face an uphill battle to become Finland’s Oscar entry. Instead, Estonian-language period piece, “The Fencer,” looks like a more feasible alternative because of its classic story, elegant cinematography, and the director behind it: Klaus Härö. The film tells the story of a young Estonian fencer who leaves his homeland to become a Pe teacher and escape persecution by the Russian authorities in the 1950s. Some critics have gone as far as to call it “the best Finnish film in a decade.” Three of Härö’s previous films (“Elina: As If I Wasn’t There,””Mother of Mine, “ and Letter to Father Jacob) were selected as Oscar entries. The only obstacle in its path is the fact that this is an Estonian story with mostly Estonian dialogue. If the selection committee can overlook that, this will be their pick. Antti Jokinen's “Wildeye,” a visually arresting war drama that opens in September is another strong option, particularly because Jokinen’s previous film, “Purge,” represent the country in 2013. “Absolution,” “Head First,” ”Homecoming,” and “Tsamo” are proof a strong year in Finnish cinema but won’t make the cut.
France
"Dheepan"
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Sundance Selects
French Release Date: August 26th, 2015
Given the amount of films produced in France each year, this is the most difficult country to narrow down. However, this year there is a heavyweight contender among the scores of worthy productions. Surprise Palme d’Or-winner “Deephan” by the Academy Award-nominated director of “A Prophet," Jacques Audiard, is a clear favorite. Audiard is a legend and it’s hard to think France won’t support the film that took home one of cinema’s most coveted prizes. Following the relevant immigrant story of a Sri Lankan warrior in France, “Dheepan” is almost a safe bet. If for some unimaginable reason Audiard’s latest is not chosen, the most likely alternative would be well-received “My Golden Days” by Arnaud Desplechin, which has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Magnolia Pictures. While there are dozens of films that could be considered, here are some other important French films that qualify based on their release dates: “Girlhood,” “Standing Tall,” “The Measure of Man,” “The New Girlfriend,” “Valley of Love,” “Eden,”"The Connection."
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
German Release Date: November 6th, 2014
After an 8-film shortlist was released, - which sadly doesn’t include “Phoenix” because it opened late last September – things look pretty clear for the German selection committee. It’s really a 3-film race between “13 Minutes,” Labyrinth of Lies,” and “Victoria.” Unfortunately, and despite incredibly positive reviews, Sebastian Schipper's “Victoria” might be considered a risky choice because a big part of it is in English. That leaves Oliver Hirschbiegel’s “13 Minutes,” about a man who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1939. On the surface this looks like the prime title to send to AMPAS since Hirschbiegel’s “Downfall” earned him a nomination and he has worked in Hollywood for several years now. Yet, reception wasn’t as warm for his first German film in a decade. On the other “Labyrinth of Lies,” which deals with Post-World War II Germany and how the government tried to cover up its recent Nazi past, had better luck. Critical reception has been better for this film and it was a financial success in Germany and France, which gives the edge. Both “13 Minutes” and “Labyrinth of Lies” were acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for U.S. distribution. The complete list of shortlisted films can be found Here
Greece
"Xenia" (Ξενία)
Dir. Panos H. Koutras
Isa: Pyramide International
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Greek Release Date: October 2nd, 2014
Although it’s not an official rule, Greece almost-automatically selects the winner of the Best Film Prize at the Hellenic Film Awards as their Oscar submissions. This year’s winner was the Lgbt dramedy “Xenia,” which follows two Albanian brothers searching for their Greek father after their mother’s death. The film was nominated for 15 Hellenic Film Awards and won a total of six. “Xenia” premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and will be released in the U.S. in October by Strand Releasing. I can’t see any other film being selected other than Koutras’ Almodovar-infused film, but if that were the case the other Best Film nominees – that meet AMPAS requirements- would be the ones to look to: “Electra,” “A Blast,” and “Forever.”
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Guatemalan Release Date: August 27th, 2015
This is a no-brainer. Guatemala has only sent a film once back in 1994, but this year director Jayro Bustamante delivered the most awarded Guatemalan film in history. That should be a good enough reason to enter the race once again. “Ixcanul” won the Alfred Bauer Award at the Berlinale and has screened across the world to great success. Bustamante’s film centers on a Mayan girl who wants to escape the arrange marriage that awaits her to see what’s beyond her village. Another Guatemalan film, which also screened in Berlin, Edgar Sajcabún's “La Casa Más Grande del Mundo,” will probably not open theatrically in time and should be considered next year.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Icelandic Release Date: May 28th, 2015
Two middle-aged brothers in an Icelandic rural town leave their differences behind and come together to save their beloved farm animals in the Un Certain Regard Award-winner “Rams.” With such recognition under its belt and having just been picked for U.S. distribution by Cohen Media Group, Grímur Hákonarson's film is certainly the handsomest choice. Still, “Rams” is not without a strong rival. Crowd-pleaser “Virgin Mountain,” about a lonely man whose life changes when he meets a new friend, had its U.S. premiere at the Tribecca Film Festival where it won three awards: Best Narrative Feature, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. It could go either way, but the Cannes prestige and having found a U.S. distributor give “Rams” the upper hand. Iceland produced several qualifying features this year including “Brave Men’s Blood,” “East of the Mountain, “ and “The Homecoming.”
Iran
"Muhammad: The Messenger of God"
Dir. Majid Majidi
PC: Nourtaban Film Industry
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Iranian Release Date: August 26, 2015
Iran will have to make an incredibly difficult decision that unfortunately may have political repercussions. Majid Majidi’s latest film “Muhammad: The Messenger of God” is the most expense Iranian feature ever made. The historical epic brings to life the early years of the prophet's life with impressive locations, costumes, and cinematography courtesy of Three-time Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro. Majidi himself is no stranger to the Academy having earned Iran’s first-ever Academy Award nomination with “Children of Heaven.” Taking these facts into consideration, “Muhammad” seems to be the obvious selection, but there are many religious and political concerns that could get in its way. Islam prohibits the depiction of the prophet and other sacred figures in any artistic work. Knowing this, Majidi shot the entire film - which is the first part in what’s to become a trilogy – without ever showing the prophet’s face by shooting most scenes from his point of view or showing him with his back to the camera. This was acceptable for Iran’s censors, as the film will open this week in theaters across the Middle Eastern country. However, other Muslim countries, particularly Sunni Muslims, have been outspoken about their discontent with the film. Whether Iran will still choose to submit the film to AMPAS is a mystery, but it will certainly have more to do with outside influences rather than artistic merit. “Muhammad” will have its North American premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival.
“Nahid” by Ida Panahandeh, about a woman’s journey from divorce to remarrying, won the Avenir Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, but - although censors have said the film will be allowed the screen in Iran - it might not open theatrically in time. It also deals with a controversial subject and that might limit it chances. A third, and much safer option, is romantic drama “What’s the Time in Your World?” starring Leila Hatami (“A Speration”) and Ali Mosaffa (“The Past”). Directed by Safi Yazdanian, the film looks beautifully done and sports two of the most talented Iranian actors working today. It could definitely be a good alternative. Other films include “Borderless,” “Track 143,” "Tales” and “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.” Perhaps Iran will ignore the risk and submit their most lavish film to date by one of their most celebrated filmmakers who still works within the state’s parameters.
Israel
"The Kind Words" (Ha'milim ha'tovot )
Dir. Shemi Zarhin
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Israeli Release Date: May 28, 2015
With 12 nominations to Israel’s Ophir Awards, “The Kind Words” including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress Shem Zarhin’s film is the one to beat. Since the winner of the Ophir Award for Best Film automatically becomes Israel’s Oscar submission, “The Kind Words” has a strong shot at both honors. The film follows a group of siblings as they travel abroad to uncover a secret. By default the other contenders are the rest of the films nominated for Best Film: “Wounded Land,” ”Afterthought,” “Wedding Doll,” and “Baba Joon.” Of this Elad Keidan's “Afterthought,” which premiered at Cannes to positive reviews, and Erez Tadmor's intense drama “Wounded Land” appear to be the strongest alternatives. Despite being nominated several times Israel has never won the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award.
Italy
"My Mother" (Mia Madre)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Alchemy
Italian Release Date: April 16th, 2015
Nanni Moretti is back with “Mia Madre,” a new family drama that screened in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and won a few awards at the Italian David di Donatello Awards. Since the big winner at the national awards, “Black Souls,” was considered last year, Moretti’s film is the frontrunner. However, there is a wild card that could change things. Veteran filmmaker Marco Bellocchio will release his newest work “Blood of My Blood,” a historical drama about a 17th century woman accused of being a witch, on September 9 - just in time to qualify. It’s likely that Moretti will have enough support to pull it off, but there is still a chance that might not be set in stone. Besides these two films there is Mario Martone’s “Leopardi,” a biopic about poet Giacomo Leopardi, which won several David di Donatello Awards and was also recognized in Venice. With even less possibilities are Sundance’s “Cloro,” “Greenery Will Bloom Again,” and Albanian-language “Sworn Virgin,”
Ivory Coast
"Run"
Dir. Philippe Lacôte
PC: Banshee Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Ivorian Release Date: December 17th, 2014
The first and only time a film represent Ivory Coast at the Oscars was back in 1977. That film, “Black and White in Color,” won the first and only Academy Award attributed to a Sub-Saharan African country. Nevertheless, that landmark work was directed by a Frenchmen, Jean-Jacques Annaud, and had mostly French talent in the leading roles. Now, almost 40 years later, an actual Ivorian film looks presents a fantastic opportunity for the country to return to the race. Philippe Lacote’s political drama “Run” screened in the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes 2014, Tiff, and AFI Fest, and later opened commercially in Abidjan, the Ivorian Capital, and Paris. Ivory Coast has only one eligible film to submit as their Oscar entry, and fortunately it’s a good one.
Japan
"Our Little Sister" (海街 diary)
Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
Japanese Release Date: June 13th, 2015
Japan hasn’t had a successful entry since unexpectedly winning the award in 2009 with “Departures.” Their selections are often baffling because they tend to ignore festival winners and critically acclaimed films to pick obscure titles that rarely connect with voters. In recent years outstanding films such as “Like Father, Like Son” have been overlooked. Having said this, one can only hope that this time around they will chose more wisely. This year another film by Hirokazu Koreeda, “Our Little Sister,” debuted at Cannes and has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Sony Pictures Classic – a powerhouse distributor in the Best Foreign Language Film race. Based on a manga series, the film revolves around a group of young women who decide to adopt their stepsister after their father dies. “Our Little Sister” was also a financial success in its homeland. Even with all these positive qualities on its side, Japan might refuse to submit Koreeda’s film and look elsewhere. Other options from the festival circuit include Naomi Kawase's “An- Sweet Red Bean Paste,” which less positive reviews; “Journey to the Shore,” though it opens on October 1; “Kabukicho Love Hotel,” which screened at Tiff last year, and “Cape Nostalgia.”
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Jordanian Release Date: March 19th, 2015
In 2008 Jordan submitted their first-ever Oscar submission, and the first feature film made in the country in half a century. That film, “Captain Abu Raed,” did very well in festivals like Sundance and Dubai. Since then, Jordanian cinema has been scarce forcing the country to be absent from the race. That could change this year with “Theeb” by UK-born filmmaker Naji Abu Nowar. His period piece about a Bedouin boy during World War I has played at numerous festivals and will have a U.S. theatrical release via Film Movement.
Lithuania
"The Summer of Sangailé" (Sangaile)
Dir. Alanté Kavaïté
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Lithuanian Release Date: August 21st, 2015
The Sundance Film Festival screened its first-ever Lithuanian feature this past January, “The Summer of Sangailé” by Alanté Kavaïté. This Lgbt coming-of-age story showcases captivating cinematography and nuanced performances. “Sangailé” went on to win the Directing Award in the World Cinema Competition at the Park City festival. It will also become one of the very few Lithuanian films to have been distributed in the U.S. when Strand Releasing schedules its theatrical release. Being the most awarded narrative film from the Baltic nation, it should be a shoo-in. "Sangailé" also won three Silver Crane Awards (Lithuanian Oscars): Best Film, Best Actress for Julija Steponaityte and best set design for Ramunas Rastauskas. Its only realistic adversary is the documentary “Master and Tatyana,” which won the Best Documentary, Best Director, and Best Cinematography prizes at the Silver Crane. Lithuania has shown to be fond of submitting documentaries, but one could presume that “Sangaile’s” wider international appeal will help it succeed.
Mexico
"The Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Línea Amarilla)
Dir. Celso R. García
Isa: Latido Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Mexican Release Date: Unknown
Among the 14 films that the Mexican Academy announced as candidates to become the official Oscar submission, only a handful of them have a real chance at representing Mexico. It’s really a three-way race between “600 Miles,” “La Tirisia,” and “The Thin Yellow Line.” Each of these has distinctive assets as well as factors that could play against them. Gabriel Ripstein's “600 Miles” stars Tim Roth, which could be beneficial because Academy voters would see a familiar face on screen. At the same time Roth’s participation means that there is a considerable amount of English dialogue that could make the film feel less authentic when considered as a “foreign language film” representing a country. Then there is Jorge Pérez Solano's art house marvel, “La Tirisia,” about the role of women in a very traditional Mexican community. This is a film that truly showcases an unseen aspect of Mexican culture and has garnered international recognition, but it might be too small in scope to be selected.
Lastly, “The Yellow Thin Line,” which was awarded at the Guadalajara Film Festival but hasn’t travel much. It will screen at the Chicago International Film Festival in October. “The Thin Yellow Line” tells the story of a group of men working on a deserted road as they are forced to come to terms with their yearnings and failures. The premise seems unique; the cast includes some of Mexico’s most recognizable talents, and it’s partly produced my Guillermo del Toro. That last fact is what could set the film apart from the rest because the general public and Academy voters will be intrigued to see what was it about this story that interested Del Toro, who hasn’t been involved in a Mexican project in several years. It’s a tough race, but having someone like the “Pan’s Labyrinth’s” director supporting the film could be a deal breaker.
Peru
"The Vanished Elephant" (El Elefante Desaparecido)
Dir. Javier Fuentes-León
Isa: Mundial
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Peruvian Release Date: October 9th, 2015
Javier Fuentes-Leon’s “The Vanished Elephant” premiered at last year’s Tiff and was also part of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival making it the highest profile Peruvian film of the year. At home, the critical response was very positive and the quality of the film, in comparison to other Peruvian works released in the last 12 months, is undeniable. “The Vanished Elephant” tells the cryptic story of a writer whose girlfriend disappears without a trace. After receiving a series of strange photographs, he delves into deceitful conspiracy that defies the lines between reality and fiction. Fuentes-Leon debut feature “Undertow” was submitted to the Academy back in 2010. Enrica Perez’ “Climas” about three Peruvian women from different walks of life and Héctor Gálvez forensic mystery “Nn” have both screened at several international festivals, and though they are much smaller film’s than “The Vanished Elephant,”either of them could be the next best choice to become Peru’s Oscar entry. Less likely titles include “Videophilia,” “Solos,” and historical drama “Gloria del Pacífico.”
The Philippines
"Trap" (Taklub)
Dir. Brillante Mendoza
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Filipino Release Date: Unknown
Brillante Mendoza is one the Philippines most acclaimed auteurs and yet none of his films have ever been selected to represent the Southeast Asian nation at the Oscars. His latest work, “Trap,” won Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury at Cannes and it’s the prime contender to travel to L.A. this year. “Trap” follows a group of survivors soon after Typhoon Haiyan devastated a great part of the country. The film stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor, who also the lead in Mendoza’s “Thy Womb,” which was the Filipino entry at the Golden Globes a couple years back. Given that Mendoza’s work has never been selected, there is a chance he might miss out once more. If that happens, the film that could benefit is Paul Soriano's Manny Pacquiao biopic titled “Kid Kulafo,” which would evidently ring a bell with Americans. Other films to be considered include “Justice,” also starring Aunor, “Crocodile,” or even lighthearted comedy “English Only, Please.”
Russia
"Sunstroke"
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Russian Release Date: October 4th, 2014
Even after winning the Golden Globe and being nominated for an Academy Awards, Andrey Zvyagintsev “Leviathan” couldn’t get the Best Film award from the Russian Academy. Instead, they decided to bestow that honor on veteran filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov's period piece "Sunstroke.” This is the type of film that Russia loves to submit: patriotic, historical, and epic. Even though last year the Russian selection committee showed they could overlook their political agenda to ensure the best film represented the country, this year they will go back to their old ways. This is not to say “Sunstroke” is a bad film, as hardly anyone outside of Russia has seen, but it does mean that other more daring offers like Yuriy Bykov's festival darling “The Fool” and Aleksey German's “Under Electric Clouds" have little hope at becoming the country’s entry and getting the exposure that comes with it. Mikhalkov won the Oscar in for “Burnt by the Sun” in 1995 and was nominated again for "12" in 2008, which means he will be hard to beat this year. "The Fool" would be a much more interesting selection but its story about a regular citizen fighting the corrupt system might prove too controversial. There is also another war epic titled "Batalion" by Dmitriy Meskhiev, which could pull off a surprise.
Serbia
"Enclave" (Enklava)
Dir. Goran Radovanovic
PC: Nana Filam
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Serbian Eelease Date: March 19, 2015
Serbia’s 6-film shortlist includes worlds that deal with a variety of subjects, from the recurrent tales of war and its aftermath, triumphant sports stories, and even the peculiar case of a boy who grew up wild in the woods. Of all these possibilities, the film that seems to have the most gravitas is Goran Radovanovic's “Enclave,” a film about the ethnic divide in Kosovo and the atrocities that perpetuates. This is definitely not the film with the most international exposure, but the story might be enough to warrant its submission. Films that deal with similar issues like, “Circles,” have been previous selected. But the Serbian committee wants to stay away from both war and sports dramas, they might go with Vuk Rsumovic “No One’s Child” which did very well at a few festivals including Venice and Palm Springs. It could either way. Original comedy "Monument to Michael Jackson" could also be a more lighthearted choice. The shortlist is completed by "We Will Be the World Champions"," The Man Who Defended Gavrilo Princip," and "The Disobedient" (Sundance 2014).
Spain
"Ma Ma"
Dir. Julio Medem
Isa: Seville International
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Spanish Release Date: September 11, 2015
For a long time I had hope that Spain would find a loophole and submit their most honored film at this year’s Goya Awards, “Marshland” (La Isla Minima), but that seems like a farfetched hope now. Luckily, another film that looks like a winner will be released just in time. “Ma Ma” directed by Julio Medem and starring Academy Award-winner Penelope Cruz has Oscar written all over it. Cruz plays a mother diagnosed with cancer and whose ferocious battle with the disease will reinvigorate her love for life. The actress also served as a producer in what has become one of the most anticipated films of the year. The only films that could challenge are coming-of-ager “A Cambio de Nada” and Basque-language drama “Loreak.” The former appears to be feel-good story that might seem slight in comparison to both “Ma Ma” and “Loreak,” which deals with a woman who starts receiving flowers from a mysterious sender. “Magical Girl” is a brilliantly twisty film, but being so edgy it will probably be considered to risky for the Oscar race. Penelope Cruz’ star power will decide this race.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Swedish Release Date: November 14th, 2014
The two previous chapters sin Andersson’s trilogy about being human were submitted to AMPAS, and even if they didn’t get a nomination, it’s hard to imagine them not submitting “A Pigeon.” The film has been critically acclaimed and it won the Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film festival. Furthermore, it has already been released in the U.S. by Magnolia, the company that handled last year’s Swedish submission, “Force Majeure.” While I’d love to see Andersson be selected, there are several other films that could prevent that from happening. Kay Pollack, who earned Sweden’s most recent nomination for “As It Is in Heaven,” has a new film opening in early September titled “Heaven on Earth.” Depending on how that film is received the tables may or may not turn. The third strongest option is the romantic costume drama “Gentlemen,” which won several awards from the Swedish Academy and has already been picked up for U.S. distribution by, of course, Magnolia. Smaller, yet worthy candidates, include “My Skinny Sister” and “Flocking,” both of which premiered in Berlin.
Switzerland
"Vanity" (La Vanité)
Dir. Lionel Baier
Isa: Wide
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Swiss Release Date: September 2, 2015
Out of the 7 films shortlisted by the Swiss, the one that immediately stands out is dark comedy “Vanity.” The film just premiered at Locarno and it stars Spanish actress, and one of Almodovar’s favorites, Carmen Maura, as well as Patrick Lapp. Although the film deals with suicide, the approach seems to be very comedic. In a list of several obscure titles, “Vanity” should come out on top. A second option could be Stina Werenfels' “Dora or the Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents,” which screened in Berlin’s Panorama section and tells the story of a mentally disabled woman discovering her sexuality. “War” by Simon Jaquemet, about a rebellious teenager, had some festival play as well but is less likely to be chosen. The other four titles in the shortlist are: “Pause,” doc “Iraqi Odyssey,” “Chubby,” and “L’oasis des mendiants.”
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Taiwanese Release Date: August 28th, 2015
There is really no race here. “The Assassin” will be Taiwan’s entry almost certainly. Winner of the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival and clearly one of the best reviewed films of the year, this martial arts epic, which is said to showcase marvelous imagery, should be consider a strong contender. I can’t see Taiwan not choosing the film, but there are still other films that could be considered. Of those the most viable, but very distant, second choice could be Tso-chi Chang's “Thanatos, Drunk,” which was awarded in Berlin and received six prizes at the Taipei Film Festival. The film revolves around to brothers in Taipei trying to find jobs.
Thailand
"Cemetery of Splendor" (รักที่ขอนแก่น)
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Strand Releasing
Thai Release Date: Unknown
It was a great year for Thai art house cinema, which means the country has several prominent titles to choose from. Strangely enough, even when there are films with international recognition, Thailand often decides to submit a quirky romantic comedy or a random horror film. The reasons behind their selections are unknown. Still, assuming that they will pay attention to their most respected filmmakers, the number one choice should be "Cemetery of Splendor." However, Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films are not as well liked in his homeland are they are abroad, but it seems irrational for them not consider the film. It might be too abstract for AMPAS’ taste, but it’s still the most prestigious work. Other possibilities include “How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)," which is partially in English, “The Blue Hours” (Berlin’s Panorama), and Rotterdam’s “Vanishing Point.” Of course, there are scores of more commercial titles from which the committee might pick.
Turkey
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Turkish Release Date: Unknown
Last year Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Palme d’Or-winning film “Winter Sleep” failed to receive a nomination, perhaps due to it’s length and cerebral screenplay. This year another title out of Cannes shows more promise. “Mustang” tells the story of five sisters living in a small village and subjected to the sexist prejudices of the townspeople. With extensive festival play and in the hands of Cohen Media Group - the company behind this year’s nominee “Timbuktu" - Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s film is the ideal pick. Sundance’s “Ivy” by Tolga Karaçelik, about a group of men trapped aboard a ship could definitely be a top contender. Kutlug Ataman's “Kuzu,” winner of the C.I.C.A.E. Award in Berlin’s Panorama section would be the third most likely film to represent Turkey at the Oscars. Lastly, “The Miracle,” a romantic period piece, is a large local production that could be considered, but lacks the festival exposure of the other three.
Venezuela
"Gone With the River" (Dauna, Lo que lleva el río)
Dir. Mario Crespo
Isa: Centro Nacional Autonomo de Cinematografía
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Venezuelan Release Date: March 20, 2015
With Alberto Arvelo’s “The Liberator,” the South American nation got as close as it’s ever been to Oscar glory this year. The biopic about Simón Bolívar starring Edgar Ramírez managed to become one of the 9 shortlisted finalists out of 83 submissions. Venezuela has several options to submit for the 88th Academy Awards, but they are much smaller in magnitude on this occasion. Appearing at the NATIVe sidebar of the Berlinale, “Dauna, lo que lleva el río” or “ Gone with the River” is the most important Venezuelan film of the year and gives voice to the country’s indigenous people by telling story that rarely gets seen on screen. On the other hand, the film “3 Beauties,” about another of Venezuelan’s most well-known obsessions, beauty pageants, has received critical praise at home but it seems to be a lighter satirical comedy. Their Oscar entry could be either one of the two, but I think they will go with the more socially relevant story. A smaller film, “Espejos,” could be part of the conversation but is possibilities are very limited.
- 8/26/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
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