Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress — at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
New Town Utopia
Logline: What happened when we built Utopia? A documentary about grand utopian dreams, the harsh concrete realities of globalization… and some rather angry puppets.
Elevator Pitch:
Basildon, UK: A town with a terrible reputation, failing economy and unhappy population.
It wasn’t meant to be like this… the British New Towns were designed as social utopias, built to create a ‘new type of citizen’ – with homes by progressive modernist architects, job opportunities, green space and a plethora public art.
The characters are a group of funny, complicated artists who’ve led challenging, and sometimes tragic lives. This includes...
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
New Town Utopia
Logline: What happened when we built Utopia? A documentary about grand utopian dreams, the harsh concrete realities of globalization… and some rather angry puppets.
Elevator Pitch:
Basildon, UK: A town with a terrible reputation, failing economy and unhappy population.
It wasn’t meant to be like this… the British New Towns were designed as social utopias, built to create a ‘new type of citizen’ – with homes by progressive modernist architects, job opportunities, green space and a plethora public art.
The characters are a group of funny, complicated artists who’ve led challenging, and sometimes tragic lives. This includes...
- 9/15/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
We reveal the 10 debut films in the frame, which include a documentary that doubles as a thriller, an urban drama set in east London, and a postmodern horror
Each year, the Guardian does its bit to contribute to the annual hysteria that is the movie awards season; though ours steers clear of glitzy dance routines, on-camera meltdowns and off-colour jokes about interpersonal relationships.
The Guardian first film award is designed to reward debut directors whose films went on release during 2012 in UK cinemas (festival screenings don't count), and the rollcall of previous winners comprises Joanna Hogg's Unrelated, Gideon Koppel's Sleep Furiously, Clio Barnard's The Arbor and, last year, The Guard, directed by John Michael McDonagh. There may have been a preponderance of British films there, but Britishness is certainly not a requirement: we are looking for ambition of theme, originality of vision, and proficiency of achievement. In other words,...
Each year, the Guardian does its bit to contribute to the annual hysteria that is the movie awards season; though ours steers clear of glitzy dance routines, on-camera meltdowns and off-colour jokes about interpersonal relationships.
The Guardian first film award is designed to reward debut directors whose films went on release during 2012 in UK cinemas (festival screenings don't count), and the rollcall of previous winners comprises Joanna Hogg's Unrelated, Gideon Koppel's Sleep Furiously, Clio Barnard's The Arbor and, last year, The Guard, directed by John Michael McDonagh. There may have been a preponderance of British films there, but Britishness is certainly not a requirement: we are looking for ambition of theme, originality of vision, and proficiency of achievement. In other words,...
- 1/22/2013
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Sleep furiously
Sleep is a powerful examination of the stigma faced by rape victims in Japan. After a screening at the Sheffield Showroom, director Katsumi Sakaguchi took questions from the audience with the aid of an interpreter.
Sakaguchi's background is in documentary film making. So far, he has directed more than 200 documentaries and four feature films. When asked how he got into documentary making, he said that he was working on TV productions and found too many restrictions on his creativity.
First he explained...
Sleep is a powerful examination of the stigma faced by rape victims in Japan. After a screening at the Sheffield Showroom, director Katsumi Sakaguchi took questions from the audience with the aid of an interpreter.
Sakaguchi's background is in documentary film making. So far, he has directed more than 200 documentaries and four feature films. When asked how he got into documentary making, he said that he was working on TV productions and found too many restrictions on his creativity.
First he explained...
- 2/18/2012
- by Val Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
John Michael McDonagh's acerbic black comedy beat the competition and became the award's first non-British winner
John Michael McDonagh sounds delighted to win the Guardian first film award. "I'm really chuffed," he says, via telephone from Australia, where he's on holiday. "It's terrific. I read over the longlist and thought there were a lot of very strong films there. Snowtown is one of my favourite films of the year, Attack the Block is probably the best British film of the year – so to come out on top, I'm pretty surprised and very pleased."
McDonagh's black comedy The Guard, which pairs Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle in an acerbically funny film about a wily Irish copper and a straight-arrow FBI agent taking on drug smugglers, defeated all comers, including Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur, Richard Ayoade's Submarine, and David Michôd's Animal Kingdom – becoming, in the process, the first non-British winner of the award.
John Michael McDonagh sounds delighted to win the Guardian first film award. "I'm really chuffed," he says, via telephone from Australia, where he's on holiday. "It's terrific. I read over the longlist and thought there were a lot of very strong films there. Snowtown is one of my favourite films of the year, Attack the Block is probably the best British film of the year – so to come out on top, I'm pretty surprised and very pleased."
McDonagh's black comedy The Guard, which pairs Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle in an acerbically funny film about a wily Irish copper and a straight-arrow FBI agent taking on drug smugglers, defeated all comers, including Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur, Richard Ayoade's Submarine, and David Michôd's Animal Kingdom – becoming, in the process, the first non-British winner of the award.
- 2/10/2012
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
We reveal the 10 debut films jostling for the big prize, ranging from a thriller about aliens in London to a documentary about Danish soldiers in Afghanistan
On Friday, we announced the shortlist for the Guardian first album award; today it's the turn of the first film. Previous winners have included The Arbor, Unrelated and Sleep Furiously; this year, after exhaustive polling of the Guardian's film writing team, the 10 debut films jostling for the big one take in everything from an alien-attack thriller set in London to a Danish Afghan-war documentary. We will lock the judges – who include Guardian film team Peter Bradshaw, Xan Brooks and Catherine Shoard – in a room next week, and hammer out a result. The winner will receive a handsome piece of glass and plastic purchased, as Michael Hann revealed on Friday, from the trophy shop round the corner. Nevertheless, bragging rights will be awesome.
So here's...
On Friday, we announced the shortlist for the Guardian first album award; today it's the turn of the first film. Previous winners have included The Arbor, Unrelated and Sleep Furiously; this year, after exhaustive polling of the Guardian's film writing team, the 10 debut films jostling for the big one take in everything from an alien-attack thriller set in London to a Danish Afghan-war documentary. We will lock the judges – who include Guardian film team Peter Bradshaw, Xan Brooks and Catherine Shoard – in a room next week, and hammer out a result. The winner will receive a handsome piece of glass and plastic purchased, as Michael Hann revealed on Friday, from the trophy shop round the corner. Nevertheless, bragging rights will be awesome.
So here's...
- 1/10/2012
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Sleep Furiously
Directed by Gideon Koppel
Wales, 2011
From movement comes rest, humble beginnings comes fading memories, and from individual stories comes a sense of community. Thus is the subtle tone and slow pace of Gideon Koppel’s Sleep Furiously, telling the unbiased story of a small Welsh farming community making the best of life by surviving one day at a time. Quaint in nature and small in scope, Koppel gives an unprecedented look at the struggling community without any signs of hope or resolution. From the film’s observations, comes a sense of empathy and longing that can only be contrived by the truth extracted innocently from those observations.
Sleep Furiously does not hold back in making an outsider feel at home. Each character introduced immerses the viewer into the life that is this farming community. Whether it be watching a sheep herder fussing and frustrating over getting his flock back into its pen,...
Directed by Gideon Koppel
Wales, 2011
From movement comes rest, humble beginnings comes fading memories, and from individual stories comes a sense of community. Thus is the subtle tone and slow pace of Gideon Koppel’s Sleep Furiously, telling the unbiased story of a small Welsh farming community making the best of life by surviving one day at a time. Quaint in nature and small in scope, Koppel gives an unprecedented look at the struggling community without any signs of hope or resolution. From the film’s observations, comes a sense of empathy and longing that can only be contrived by the truth extracted innocently from those observations.
Sleep Furiously does not hold back in making an outsider feel at home. Each character introduced immerses the viewer into the life that is this farming community. Whether it be watching a sheep herder fussing and frustrating over getting his flock back into its pen,...
- 7/29/2011
- by Christopher Clemente
- SoundOnSight
Sleep Furiously
Directed by Gideon Koppel
Wales, 2011
Is it possible to create an essay film without words? Gideon Koppel may have found the formula in his mostly silent, gorgeously photographed Sleep Furiously. But an essay on what?
Set in a small farming community in Wales, Koppel’s richly textured film basks more in its minutiae than in any particular plot. Baking a cake, children’s music, the rustle of hay, a baby kicking in its sleep in fast-motion, endless horizons, Koppel’s film is an essay on empty spaces, smallness, and the pleasure derived from community. It is rewarding in its slowness and moving in its quietness.
There is drama: a town-hall meeting tells that the village is in danger of abandonment and regression. Four people show up to church.
But Koppel is less interested in producing any reasonable solution (none is given) than in allowing his camera to unobtrusively bear witness.
Directed by Gideon Koppel
Wales, 2011
Is it possible to create an essay film without words? Gideon Koppel may have found the formula in his mostly silent, gorgeously photographed Sleep Furiously. But an essay on what?
Set in a small farming community in Wales, Koppel’s richly textured film basks more in its minutiae than in any particular plot. Baking a cake, children’s music, the rustle of hay, a baby kicking in its sleep in fast-motion, endless horizons, Koppel’s film is an essay on empty spaces, smallness, and the pleasure derived from community. It is rewarding in its slowness and moving in its quietness.
There is drama: a town-hall meeting tells that the village is in danger of abandonment and regression. Four people show up to church.
But Koppel is less interested in producing any reasonable solution (none is given) than in allowing his camera to unobtrusively bear witness.
- 7/21/2011
- by Neal Dhand
- SoundOnSight
Tff '10's Best New Documenary Filmmaker Clio Barnard keeps reeling in the awards for her hybrid-doc, and today The Guardian (UK) announced that The Arbor has won its First Film Award. The doc beat out a medley of acclaimed works - including 2010 Oscar nominee A Single Man and 2011 Oscar doc nominees Restrepo and Exit Through the Gift Shop - to win over the First Film award jury, which included Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw, last year's winner Gideon Koppel (director of Sleep Furiously), and actress Saffron Burrows. The pseudo-doc tells the tragic story of Andrea Dunbar, a British playwright who found fame in her teens during the '80's with works such as Rita Sue and Bob Too (also a film), before her death at age 29. Barnard spent two years conducting audio interviews with Dunbar's family, friends, and neighbors, and then filmed actors lip-synching the interviews, flawlessly interpreting every breath,...
- 1/31/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
Clio Barnard's distinctive documentary on playwright Andrea Dunbar, using verbatim theatre techniques, is the 2010 winner
The conclave is over, the white smoke has appeared … and we can tell you that the winner of the 2010 Guardian First Film award is … The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard. As last year, two films quickly became frontrunners in the judging meeting: The Arbor, the distinctively textured documentary about playwright Andrea Dunbar, and its polar opposite on our shortlist, Monsters, the effects-laden sci-fi parable by Gareth Edwards. Both films, in the judges' view, were brilliant, but The Arbor it was that squeaked home .
One of our judges, Peter Bradshaw described it as an "experimentalist docudrama close to genius", while another, actor Saffron Burrows, said it was "utterly unique and devastating". A third judge, last year's winner Gideon Koppel, of Sleep Furiously renown, called The Arbor "a remarkable and moving portrait that – unusually – describes the internal landscape of a character.
The conclave is over, the white smoke has appeared … and we can tell you that the winner of the 2010 Guardian First Film award is … The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard. As last year, two films quickly became frontrunners in the judging meeting: The Arbor, the distinctively textured documentary about playwright Andrea Dunbar, and its polar opposite on our shortlist, Monsters, the effects-laden sci-fi parable by Gareth Edwards. Both films, in the judges' view, were brilliant, but The Arbor it was that squeaked home .
One of our judges, Peter Bradshaw described it as an "experimentalist docudrama close to genius", while another, actor Saffron Burrows, said it was "utterly unique and devastating". A third judge, last year's winner Gideon Koppel, of Sleep Furiously renown, called The Arbor "a remarkable and moving portrait that – unusually – describes the internal landscape of a character.
- 1/28/2011
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Will A Single Man overcome Monsters? Can Rumer conquer Mount Kimbie? Here are the nominees
An alien invasion movie, a stately adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood story about a man in mourning, a vibrant piece of UK hip-hop and the debut from Burt Bacharach's latest protege are among the contenders for this year's Guardian First Film and First Album awards, the shortlists for which are announced today.
The awards – won last year by Gideon Koppel for Sleep Furiously, his documentary about a dying Welsh hill village, and the xx for their eponymous album – reward the best film made by a first-time director from anywhere in the world, and the best debut album from a British artist. Koppel and the xx will be among the judges for the 2010 awards.
The biggest films on the shortlist are Monsters, the low-budget alien invasion movie directed by the young Briton Gareth Edwards, A Single Man,...
An alien invasion movie, a stately adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood story about a man in mourning, a vibrant piece of UK hip-hop and the debut from Burt Bacharach's latest protege are among the contenders for this year's Guardian First Film and First Album awards, the shortlists for which are announced today.
The awards – won last year by Gideon Koppel for Sleep Furiously, his documentary about a dying Welsh hill village, and the xx for their eponymous album – reward the best film made by a first-time director from anywhere in the world, and the best debut album from a British artist. Koppel and the xx will be among the judges for the 2010 awards.
The biggest films on the shortlist are Monsters, the low-budget alien invasion movie directed by the young Briton Gareth Edwards, A Single Man,...
- 12/24/2010
- by Michael Hann
- The Guardian - Film News
Four Lions, Monsters and The Arbor are among the releases in the running for this year's debut film prize
Six Brits, three Americans, and a Frenchman make up the shortlist for this year's Guardian first film award, and their work spans almost every genre imaginable. Hardcore war doco Restrepo goes head to head with puppet-festooned biopic Gainsbourg; the CGI aliens of Monsters will slug it out with the impeccably tailored grief of A Single Man. You'd be hard pushed to recognise any of the film-makers involved as beginners, so accomplished is their work. But first-timers they are, and it will be a tricky job for our panel of judges, which includes the Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw, last year's winner Gideon Koppel (director of Sleep Furiously), and actor Saffron Burrows – whose decision will be announced on 28 January.
The Arbor
dir: Clio Barnard
What the Guardian said: "Artist and film-maker Clio Barnard...
Six Brits, three Americans, and a Frenchman make up the shortlist for this year's Guardian first film award, and their work spans almost every genre imaginable. Hardcore war doco Restrepo goes head to head with puppet-festooned biopic Gainsbourg; the CGI aliens of Monsters will slug it out with the impeccably tailored grief of A Single Man. You'd be hard pushed to recognise any of the film-makers involved as beginners, so accomplished is their work. But first-timers they are, and it will be a tricky job for our panel of judges, which includes the Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw, last year's winner Gideon Koppel (director of Sleep Furiously), and actor Saffron Burrows – whose decision will be announced on 28 January.
The Arbor
dir: Clio Barnard
What the Guardian said: "Artist and film-maker Clio Barnard...
- 12/24/2010
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Four Lions, Monsters and The Arbor are among the releases in the running for this year's debut film prize
Six Brits, three Americans, and a Frenchman make up the shortlist for this year's Guardian first film award, and their work spans almost every genre imaginable. Hardcore war doco Restrepo goes head to head with puppet-festooned biopic Gainsbourg; the CGI aliens of Monsters will slug it out with the impeccably tailored grief of A Single Man. You'd be hard pushed to recognise any of the film-makers involved as beginners, so accomplished is their work. But first-timers they are, and it will be a tricky job for our panel of judges, which includes the Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw, last year's winner Gideon Koppel (director of Sleep Furiously), and actor Saffron Burrows – whose decision will be announced on 28 January.
The Arbor
dir: Clio Barnard
What the Guardian said: "Artist and film-maker Clio Barnard...
Six Brits, three Americans, and a Frenchman make up the shortlist for this year's Guardian first film award, and their work spans almost every genre imaginable. Hardcore war doco Restrepo goes head to head with puppet-festooned biopic Gainsbourg; the CGI aliens of Monsters will slug it out with the impeccably tailored grief of A Single Man. You'd be hard pushed to recognise any of the film-makers involved as beginners, so accomplished is their work. But first-timers they are, and it will be a tricky job for our panel of judges, which includes the Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw, last year's winner Gideon Koppel (director of Sleep Furiously), and actor Saffron Burrows – whose decision will be announced on 28 January.
The Arbor
dir: Clio Barnard
What the Guardian said: "Artist and film-maker Clio Barnard...
- 12/23/2010
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Gideon Koppel's wistful, elegaic documentary portrait of life in a small Welsh village did not have an easy birth, but the end result was a beautiful, poetic film
Last year, the big face-off was between Control and Unrelated, with the latter squeezing home by a whisker. This time around, the Guardian First Film award promised to be considerably more open. The judging panel consisted of four Guardian film writers – Peter Bradshaw, Catherine Shoard, Xan Brooks and me – plus Unrelated's director, Joanna Hogg, as the external voice. The first round of voting had seen early support for Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York and Neill Blomkamp's District 9, but how would it go down in the judging room?
If we were to end up with one winner, we quickly we realised we had to be cruel; all 10 shortlisted films were great in some way, but we had to mercilessly seize on any weakness.
Last year, the big face-off was between Control and Unrelated, with the latter squeezing home by a whisker. This time around, the Guardian First Film award promised to be considerably more open. The judging panel consisted of four Guardian film writers – Peter Bradshaw, Catherine Shoard, Xan Brooks and me – plus Unrelated's director, Joanna Hogg, as the external voice. The first round of voting had seen early support for Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York and Neill Blomkamp's District 9, but how would it go down in the judging room?
If we were to end up with one winner, we quickly we realised we had to be cruel; all 10 shortlisted films were great in some way, but we had to mercilessly seize on any weakness.
- 2/11/2010
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Here are the 10 films that make up the shortlist for the 2009 Guardian First Film award. Do tell us what you think
Time again for the already legendary First Film award, open – unlike the First Album – to work from all over the world. Last year, the big prize went to Unrelated, by British director Joanna Hogg. This time around, Joanna is part of the judging panel to pick her successor, after the Guardian's film writers sifted through the 110-plus eligible films. Just squeezed out in the final mix were the Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, post-Blair Witch shocker Paranormal Activity, and – one I was especially sad to see miss out – Kazakh sheep-herding epic Tulpan. The suspense must frankly be unbearable, so here is the shortlist of 10, in alphabetical order. Comments can be made below – meanwhile, drumroll please ...
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
dir: Sacha Gervasi
What the Guardian said: "A charming, touching...
Time again for the already legendary First Film award, open – unlike the First Album – to work from all over the world. Last year, the big prize went to Unrelated, by British director Joanna Hogg. This time around, Joanna is part of the judging panel to pick her successor, after the Guardian's film writers sifted through the 110-plus eligible films. Just squeezed out in the final mix were the Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, post-Blair Witch shocker Paranormal Activity, and – one I was especially sad to see miss out – Kazakh sheep-herding epic Tulpan. The suspense must frankly be unbearable, so here is the shortlist of 10, in alphabetical order. Comments can be made below – meanwhile, drumroll please ...
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
dir: Sacha Gervasi
What the Guardian said: "A charming, touching...
- 1/1/2010
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
The re-released cinematic head-trip Forest of Bliss adheres firmly to the purer school of documentary-making
The lowest form of documentary involves a presenter setting off on a journey to discover why he or she didn't yet know something about which we, the audience, were already adequately informed. Near the opposite end of the documentary spectrum are those quiet, almost anonymous films such as Être et Avoir or Sleep Furiously, in which a community is observed and recorded with minimum fuss and no overt manipulation. Beyond those are films – so seldom seen that one could be forgiven for thinking them extinct – with no presenter, no commentary, no characters, no specific setting and no narrative or story. Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi (a Hopi Indian word meaning "life out of balance"), made in 1982, is the classic of its kind: a compilation of ravishing footage of cities and natural wonders, seen at night and in the blaze of day,...
The lowest form of documentary involves a presenter setting off on a journey to discover why he or she didn't yet know something about which we, the audience, were already adequately informed. Near the opposite end of the documentary spectrum are those quiet, almost anonymous films such as Être et Avoir or Sleep Furiously, in which a community is observed and recorded with minimum fuss and no overt manipulation. Beyond those are films – so seldom seen that one could be forgiven for thinking them extinct – with no presenter, no commentary, no characters, no specific setting and no narrative or story. Godfrey Reggio's Koyaanisqatsi (a Hopi Indian word meaning "life out of balance"), made in 1982, is the classic of its kind: a compilation of ravishing footage of cities and natural wonders, seen at night and in the blaze of day,...
- 11/19/2009
- by Geoff Dyer
- The Guardian - Film News
There was a time, not so long ago, when the British film ilm industry was a sickly thing. A few headline-grabbing productions asides, most British films were disdained by critics and shunned by audiences. The industry was routinely said to be in crisis; obituaries were written, last rites administered.
Flash forward to 2009 and the situation is radically different. British film is in robust health, both commercially and artistically . and frequently at the same time.
Looking For Eric is a useful example. Directed by Ken Loach, it is the story of a depressed Mancunian postman who turns his life around with help from the most unlikely of life-coaches: Eric Cantona. True, 'King Eric' may only be a hallucination but he's real enough to get our hero back on track just in time for the year's happiest ending. No wonder it was so acclaimed at the year's Cannes Film Festival, nor that...
Flash forward to 2009 and the situation is radically different. British film is in robust health, both commercially and artistically . and frequently at the same time.
Looking For Eric is a useful example. Directed by Ken Loach, it is the story of a depressed Mancunian postman who turns his life around with help from the most unlikely of life-coaches: Eric Cantona. True, 'King Eric' may only be a hallucination but he's real enough to get our hero back on track just in time for the year's happiest ending. No wonder it was so acclaimed at the year's Cannes Film Festival, nor that...
- 10/12/2009
- Screenrush
- Grabbing the best from Cannes' In Competition titles (A Prophet, Bright Star, Fish Tank, White Ribbon), a sampling of Venice items (Bad Lieutenant, Life During Wartime, The Road) with a bit of Sundance and Berlin thrown in for good measure, Telluride is stealing a little bit of that North American premiere thunder from Tiff. They haven't got many world preems, today's press release only mentions Michael Hoffman's The Last Station, but that could all change – as the festival has some surprises in store for patrons (this would be a good time to bring out All Good Things into the Oscar mix) and everyone is expecting Jason Reitman to show up. We are checking his twitter status. I've never been to Telluride, but Firstshowing.net's Alex Billington and Slashfilm.com's Peter Sciretta often tell me I'd love it there (check out their sites for updates) and judging by the slate this year,
- 9/4/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Rome -- "Parque Via," a drama from Mexican director Enrique Rivero, won the top prize at the 61st Locarno Film Festival, where threatening weather over much of the 11 days prevented the event from surpassing last year's attendance record.
Organizers said the festival attracted a total of 180,000 visitors, a 3% drop compared with last year's levels, mostly because of a 5% drop in attendance at the festival's picturesque outdoor venue the Piazza Grande, where only four of 11 screenings took place under clear skies.
The festival did report record-breaking business for its industry office, where five of 18 in-competition films signed international distribution deals.
"Parque Via," one of only four non-world premieres in the lineup, has been a success in every festival it has screened; the film previously won two awards in February at the Mexico City Film Festival. It is the first Mexican film to win Locarno's prestigious Golden Leopard Award.
It capped a noteworthy festival for Latin American film, which was the focus of Locarno's Open Doors sidebar.
Locarno's jury prize went to "33 Scenes From Life," a Germany-Poland co-production from Malgoska Szumowska. Denis Cote won the best director prize for "Elle veut le chaos." Tayanc Ayaydin ("The Market -- A Tale of Trade") and Illaria Occhini ("Mar Nero") won the best actor and actress awards, respectively.
A complete list of winners can be found on the next page.
Golden Leopard
"Parque Via" by Enrique Rivero, Mexico
Special Jury Prize
"33 Sceny Z Zycia" (33 Scenes from Life) by Malgoska Szumowska, Germany/Poland
Best director
Denis Cote, "Elle Veut le Chaos," Canada
Leopard for best actress
Ilaria Occhini, "Mar Nero" by Federico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
Leopard for best actor
Tayan Ayaydin, "The Market -- A Tale of Trade" by Ben Hopkins, Germany/UK/Turkey/Kazakhstan
C.P. Company Golden Leopard
"La Forteresse" by Fernand Melgar, Switzerland
Cin? Cin?ma Special Jury Prize
"Alicia en el Pais" by Esteban Larran, Chile
Leopard for the best first feature
"Marz" by Hendl Klaus, Austria (International Competition)
Srg Ssr idee suisse Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow Competition
"Dez Elefantes" by Eva Randolph, Brazil
Eastman Kodak Company Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow
"Kaupunkilaisia" by Juho Kuosmanen, Finland
Film and video subtitling prize
"Babin" by Isamu Hirabayashi, Japan
Ikea Prize for the Leopards of Tomorrow Competition
"La Delogeuse" by Julien Rouyet, Switzerland
Eastman Kodak Company Prize Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow
"Un Dia y Nada" by Lorenz Merz, Switzerland
Action Light Prize for the best Swiss newcomer
"Au Caf? Romand" by Richard Szotyori, Switzerland
Prize Cinema e Giovent? -- Leopards of Tomorrow
"Babin" by Isamu Hirabayashi, Japan
For the Swiss National Competition
"Au Caf? Romand" by Richard Szotyori, Switzerland
Youth Jury Prize
First prize
Kirill Serebrennikov for "Yuriev Den" (Yuri’s Day), Germany/Russia
Second prize
Malgoska Szumowska for "33 Sceny Z Zycia" (33 Scenes from Lifes), Poland/Germany
Third prize
Federico Bondi for "Mar Nero," Italy
The environnement is the quality of life prize
Gideon Koppel for "Sleep Furiously," U.K.
The winner of the audience prize
"Son of Rambow" by Garth Jennings, France/Germany/U.K.
Variety Piazza Grande Award
"Back Soon" by S?lveig Anspach, Iceland/France
Netpac Prize
"Daytime Drinking" by Noh Young-Seok, South Korea
Fipresci Prize
"Parque Via" by Enrique Rivero, Mexico
Oecumenical Jury Prize
"Mar Nero" by Frederico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
Ficc / Iffs Prize
"Yuriev Den" (Yuri’s Day) by Kirill Serebrennikov, Germany/Russia
Cicae Prize
"Sonbahar" (Autum) by ?zcan Alper, Turkey/Germany
Critics Week
"Latawce" (Kites) by Beata Dzianowicz, Poland...
Organizers said the festival attracted a total of 180,000 visitors, a 3% drop compared with last year's levels, mostly because of a 5% drop in attendance at the festival's picturesque outdoor venue the Piazza Grande, where only four of 11 screenings took place under clear skies.
The festival did report record-breaking business for its industry office, where five of 18 in-competition films signed international distribution deals.
"Parque Via," one of only four non-world premieres in the lineup, has been a success in every festival it has screened; the film previously won two awards in February at the Mexico City Film Festival. It is the first Mexican film to win Locarno's prestigious Golden Leopard Award.
It capped a noteworthy festival for Latin American film, which was the focus of Locarno's Open Doors sidebar.
Locarno's jury prize went to "33 Scenes From Life," a Germany-Poland co-production from Malgoska Szumowska. Denis Cote won the best director prize for "Elle veut le chaos." Tayanc Ayaydin ("The Market -- A Tale of Trade") and Illaria Occhini ("Mar Nero") won the best actor and actress awards, respectively.
A complete list of winners can be found on the next page.
Golden Leopard
"Parque Via" by Enrique Rivero, Mexico
Special Jury Prize
"33 Sceny Z Zycia" (33 Scenes from Life) by Malgoska Szumowska, Germany/Poland
Best director
Denis Cote, "Elle Veut le Chaos," Canada
Leopard for best actress
Ilaria Occhini, "Mar Nero" by Federico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
Leopard for best actor
Tayan Ayaydin, "The Market -- A Tale of Trade" by Ben Hopkins, Germany/UK/Turkey/Kazakhstan
C.P. Company Golden Leopard
"La Forteresse" by Fernand Melgar, Switzerland
Cin? Cin?ma Special Jury Prize
"Alicia en el Pais" by Esteban Larran, Chile
Leopard for the best first feature
"Marz" by Hendl Klaus, Austria (International Competition)
Srg Ssr idee suisse Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow Competition
"Dez Elefantes" by Eva Randolph, Brazil
Eastman Kodak Company Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow
"Kaupunkilaisia" by Juho Kuosmanen, Finland
Film and video subtitling prize
"Babin" by Isamu Hirabayashi, Japan
Ikea Prize for the Leopards of Tomorrow Competition
"La Delogeuse" by Julien Rouyet, Switzerland
Eastman Kodak Company Prize Prize for the International Leopard of Tomorrow
"Un Dia y Nada" by Lorenz Merz, Switzerland
Action Light Prize for the best Swiss newcomer
"Au Caf? Romand" by Richard Szotyori, Switzerland
Prize Cinema e Giovent? -- Leopards of Tomorrow
"Babin" by Isamu Hirabayashi, Japan
For the Swiss National Competition
"Au Caf? Romand" by Richard Szotyori, Switzerland
Youth Jury Prize
First prize
Kirill Serebrennikov for "Yuriev Den" (Yuri’s Day), Germany/Russia
Second prize
Malgoska Szumowska for "33 Sceny Z Zycia" (33 Scenes from Lifes), Poland/Germany
Third prize
Federico Bondi for "Mar Nero," Italy
The environnement is the quality of life prize
Gideon Koppel for "Sleep Furiously," U.K.
The winner of the audience prize
"Son of Rambow" by Garth Jennings, France/Germany/U.K.
Variety Piazza Grande Award
"Back Soon" by S?lveig Anspach, Iceland/France
Netpac Prize
"Daytime Drinking" by Noh Young-Seok, South Korea
Fipresci Prize
"Parque Via" by Enrique Rivero, Mexico
Oecumenical Jury Prize
"Mar Nero" by Frederico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
Ficc / Iffs Prize
"Yuriev Den" (Yuri’s Day) by Kirill Serebrennikov, Germany/Russia
Cicae Prize
"Sonbahar" (Autum) by ?zcan Alper, Turkey/Germany
Critics Week
"Latawce" (Kites) by Beata Dzianowicz, Poland...
- 8/17/2008
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rome -- Julian Jarrold's "Brideshead Revisited" will open the 61st Locarno Film Festival, highlighting a lineup that will see nearly two dozen world premieres screen in the festival's historic Piazza Grande or in the main competition.
"Brideshead" -- a European premiere -- is a World War II drama based on the Evelyn Waugh novel and starring Matthew Goode as Capt. Charles Ryder. It screens Aug. 6.
The world premiere of Solveig Anspach's Franco-Icelandic comedy "Back Soon" will close the lakeside festival Aug. 16.
In between, the Piazza Grande lineup will unspool Marco Siega's comedic drama "Chaos Theory," Clark Gregg's comedy "Choke," Denis Rabaglia's romantic drama "Marcello, Marcello" and Garth Jennings' "Son of Rambow," which was scheduled to screen in Locarno in 2007 but pulled because of a legal dispute.
The Piazza Grande selection continues the trend of accessible fare screening in Europe's largest outdoor cinema venue under third-year artistic director Frederic Maire, as opposed to the more weighty and cerebral productions that screened there in the past.
The 17-film international competition lineup, meanwhile, is made up entirely of world and international premieres.
The complete competition lineup follows:
Piazza Grande
"Back Soon," Solveig Anspach, Iceland/France
"Berlin Calling," Hannes Stoehr, Germany
"Brideshead Revisited," Julian Jarrold, U.K.
"Chaos Theory," Marcos Siega, U.S.
"Choke," Clark Gregg, U.S.
"In 3 Tagen Bist Du Tot 2," Andreas Prochaska, Austria
"Khamsa," Karim Dridi, France
"La Fille De Monaco," Anne Fontaine, France
"Lesson 21," Alessandro Baricco, Italy/U.K.
"Marcello Marcello," Denis Rabaglia, Switzerland/Germany
"Retouches," Georges Schwizgebel, Switzerland/Canada
"Night and the City," Jules Dassin, U.K.
"Nordwand," Philipp Stolzl, Germany/Austria/Switzerland
"Outlander," Howard McCain, U.S.
"Palombella Rossa," Nanni Moretti, Italy/France
"Plus Tard Tu Comprendras," Amos Gitai, France/ Germany
"Son of Rambow," Garth Jennings, U.K. /France
"The Eternity Man," Julien Temple, Australia/U.K.
"I Know," Jan Cvitkovic, Slovenia/Hungary
International competition
"33 Scenes From Life," Malgorzata Szumowska, Germany/Poland
"Daytime Drinking," Noh Young-seok, South Korea
"Dioses," Josue Mendez, Peru/Argentine/Germany /France
"Elle Veut Le Chaos," Denis Cote, Canada
"Katia's Sister," Mijke de Jong, Netherlands
"Kisses," Lance Daly, Ireland/Sweden
"Feast of Villains," Pan Jian Lin, Chine
"Mar Nero," Federico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
"March," Klaus Handl, Austria
"Nulle Part Terre Promise," Emmanuel Finkiel, France
"Parque Via," Enrique Rivero, Mexico
"Sleep Furiously," Gideon Koppel, U.K.
"Autumn," Ozcan Alper, Turkey/Germany
"The Market -- A Tale of Trade," Ben Hopkins, Germany/U.K./Turkey/Kazakhstan
"Um Amor de Perdicao," Mario Barroso, Portugal/Brazil
"Un Autre Homme," Lionel Baier, Switzerland
"Yuri's Day," Kirill Serebrennikov, Russia/Germany...
"Brideshead" -- a European premiere -- is a World War II drama based on the Evelyn Waugh novel and starring Matthew Goode as Capt. Charles Ryder. It screens Aug. 6.
The world premiere of Solveig Anspach's Franco-Icelandic comedy "Back Soon" will close the lakeside festival Aug. 16.
In between, the Piazza Grande lineup will unspool Marco Siega's comedic drama "Chaos Theory," Clark Gregg's comedy "Choke," Denis Rabaglia's romantic drama "Marcello, Marcello" and Garth Jennings' "Son of Rambow," which was scheduled to screen in Locarno in 2007 but pulled because of a legal dispute.
The Piazza Grande selection continues the trend of accessible fare screening in Europe's largest outdoor cinema venue under third-year artistic director Frederic Maire, as opposed to the more weighty and cerebral productions that screened there in the past.
The 17-film international competition lineup, meanwhile, is made up entirely of world and international premieres.
The complete competition lineup follows:
Piazza Grande
"Back Soon," Solveig Anspach, Iceland/France
"Berlin Calling," Hannes Stoehr, Germany
"Brideshead Revisited," Julian Jarrold, U.K.
"Chaos Theory," Marcos Siega, U.S.
"Choke," Clark Gregg, U.S.
"In 3 Tagen Bist Du Tot 2," Andreas Prochaska, Austria
"Khamsa," Karim Dridi, France
"La Fille De Monaco," Anne Fontaine, France
"Lesson 21," Alessandro Baricco, Italy/U.K.
"Marcello Marcello," Denis Rabaglia, Switzerland/Germany
"Retouches," Georges Schwizgebel, Switzerland/Canada
"Night and the City," Jules Dassin, U.K.
"Nordwand," Philipp Stolzl, Germany/Austria/Switzerland
"Outlander," Howard McCain, U.S.
"Palombella Rossa," Nanni Moretti, Italy/France
"Plus Tard Tu Comprendras," Amos Gitai, France/ Germany
"Son of Rambow," Garth Jennings, U.K. /France
"The Eternity Man," Julien Temple, Australia/U.K.
"I Know," Jan Cvitkovic, Slovenia/Hungary
International competition
"33 Scenes From Life," Malgorzata Szumowska, Germany/Poland
"Daytime Drinking," Noh Young-seok, South Korea
"Dioses," Josue Mendez, Peru/Argentine/Germany /France
"Elle Veut Le Chaos," Denis Cote, Canada
"Katia's Sister," Mijke de Jong, Netherlands
"Kisses," Lance Daly, Ireland/Sweden
"Feast of Villains," Pan Jian Lin, Chine
"Mar Nero," Federico Bondi, Italy/Romania/France
"March," Klaus Handl, Austria
"Nulle Part Terre Promise," Emmanuel Finkiel, France
"Parque Via," Enrique Rivero, Mexico
"Sleep Furiously," Gideon Koppel, U.K.
"Autumn," Ozcan Alper, Turkey/Germany
"The Market -- A Tale of Trade," Ben Hopkins, Germany/U.K./Turkey/Kazakhstan
"Um Amor de Perdicao," Mario Barroso, Portugal/Brazil
"Un Autre Homme," Lionel Baier, Switzerland
"Yuri's Day," Kirill Serebrennikov, Russia/Germany...
- 7/16/2008
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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