”Because the weather has been amazing, I’ve turned the terrace into a workstation.”
Dubai-based distributor Gianluca Chakra is the founding managing director of Middle East distribution company Front Row Filmed Entertainment, which he created in 2003 with his father, the late film industry veteran Michel Chakra.
Alongside its theatrical distribution operations, Front Row is a pioneer in digital distribution in the Middle East as the first distributor in the region to do premium VOD releases, sign exclusive aggregation agreements with iTunes, GooglePlay and YouTube and work with Netflix, when it brokered a worldwide deal for the award-winning Lebanese film Very...
Dubai-based distributor Gianluca Chakra is the founding managing director of Middle East distribution company Front Row Filmed Entertainment, which he created in 2003 with his father, the late film industry veteran Michel Chakra.
Alongside its theatrical distribution operations, Front Row is a pioneer in digital distribution in the Middle East as the first distributor in the region to do premium VOD releases, sign exclusive aggregation agreements with iTunes, GooglePlay and YouTube and work with Netflix, when it brokered a worldwide deal for the award-winning Lebanese film Very...
- 5/6/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired all North American rights to co-writer/directors Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit’s euthanasia comedy The Farewell Party, represented by sales agent Beta Cinema. The film screened to enthusiastic audiences and critics in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the Toronto International Film Festival and had its world premiere this past summer at the Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Venice Days’ People’s Choice award.
“A poignant, provocative dramedy…boasting a dream cast, a finely honed visual sense and superbly ironic comic timing and dialogue…” (Variety)
“Anyone will be moved by this tender, unexpectedly charming tale… an original work of gentle militancy.” (THR)
The Farewell Party also won four Ophir Awards, the Israeli Academy Awards, including in the Best Actor category for acclaimed Israeli actor Ze’ev Revach, and received a total of 14 nominations, including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay,...
“A poignant, provocative dramedy…boasting a dream cast, a finely honed visual sense and superbly ironic comic timing and dialogue…” (Variety)
“Anyone will be moved by this tender, unexpectedly charming tale… an original work of gentle militancy.” (THR)
The Farewell Party also won four Ophir Awards, the Israeli Academy Awards, including in the Best Actor category for acclaimed Israeli actor Ze’ev Revach, and received a total of 14 nominations, including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay,...
- 2/4/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Washington Jewish Film Festival (Wjff) celebrates its 25th year with 11 days of dynamic film programming – accompanied by cultural and educational events – exploring the best of international cinema through a distinctly Jewish lens. February 19 through March 1, audiences will be treated to more than 100 screenings and related events across the Washington area. Hosted by the Washington Dcjcc, this year’s milestone festival features world, East Coast and mid-Atlantic premieres, an exciting roster of filmmaker and cast appearances, and an exquisitely curated line-up of screenings, festivities and other programs including 12 Wjff retrospective film screenings curated by former festival directors in honor of the 25th year.
“For 25 years, this festival has celebrated international cinema in building the single largest Jewish cultural event in Washington,” said Ilya Tovbis, Washington Jewish Film Festival director. “With our most ambitious festival to date, the 25th Wjff will honor a quarter-century of exhibiting the full diversity of the Jewish experience.”
A full festival schedule can be found at www.wjff.org. Highlights are included below.
Among the programs scheduled to take the festival beyond the screen are the 5th Annual Community Education Day on Arab Citizens of Israel, a day of in-depth exploration of the daily lives and challenges of Israel’s Arab population through a keynote address by the president of Al-Qasemi College of Engineering and Science, a panel discussion among Middle East experts, and the D.C. premiere of the film, Dancing Arabs, with its filmmaker Eran Riklis (Sunday, February 22, from 1:30-5 p.m. at the Dcjcc); a state of the cinema address on Israeli documentary film (Tuesday, February 24, at 7 p.m. at the Dcjcc); a pre-festival workshop led by leading Washington and New York film critics for a small group of Washington students; a short film student competition; and the third iteration of Two Jews Walk into a Bar, a cinematic bar event (Sunday, February 8, at 5 p.m.)
Opening Night Film: "Magic Men"
Opening Night will feature "Magic Men," in which a 78-year-old Greek-born atheist (Makram Khouri, Ophir-winner for Best Actor) and his estranged Hasidic rapper son travel from Israel to Greece searching for the magician who saved the father’s life during World War II. Their Adriatic road trip erupts into constant bickering but also has moments of affection, humor, and good will, as father and son reconnect during their adventure. The film is the latest feature from the directors of "Mabul," "A Matter of Size," and "Strangers." Opening Night will be held Thursday, February 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, and The Opening Night Party with Director Guy Nattiv will be held at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza immediately following the screening.
Centerpiece Evening: "Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem"
Wjff’s Centerpiece Evening will take place at the AFI Silver Theatre on Saturday, February 21, at 7 p.m. and feature an extended Q&A session with Theodore Bikel, the unstoppable performer whose career spans more than 150 screen roles (including an Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones) and countless stage and musical productions. In "Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem," portraits of two beloved icons—Sholom Aleichem and Theodore Bikel—are woven together in an enchanting new documentary. The two men have much in common: wit, wisdom and talent, filled with deep humanity and Yiddishkeit. Theodore Bikel, now 90, Bikel has played Tevye the Milkman on stage more than 2,000 times, and has animated Aleichem's work through his two celebrated musical plays about the great Russian author. An additional screening will take place Monday, February 23, at 8:45 p.m. at the Washington Dcjcc.
Wjff Visionary Award: "Hester Street"
The Annual Wjff Visionary Award recognizes creativity and insight in presenting the full diversity of the Jewish experience through the moving image. The 2015 honorees are Carol Kane and Joan Micklin Silver. Carol Kane will be present at a screening of her Oscar-nominated performance in Silver’s humorous and poignant movie, "Hester Street," about a traditional Jewish woman (Carol Kane) who arrives with her son to America in the 1890s, only to discover that her cheating husband has assimilated and resents his wife’s old-fashioned ways. The Wjff Visionary Award will be presented Tuesday, February 24, at 7:15 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre.
Spotlight Evening: "East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem"
Israeli-Palestinian singer Mira Awad and songwriter Steve Earle will join legendary singer-songwriter David Broza for a 45-minute musical set and Q&A following a screening of "East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem" on Thursday, February 26, at 7 p.m. at Sidney Harman Hall of the Shakespeare Theater Company. In the film, Broza journeys to East Jerusalem to record his latest album with Israeli, Palestinian and American musicians.
Closing Night: "Mr. Kaplan"
The 25th Wjff will come to a close at the Dcjcc on March 1, at 7:30 p.m. with a screening of Uruguay’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, "Mr. Kaplan." In Uruguayan director Alvaro Brechner’s 2014 feature film, 76-year-old Jacob Kaplan, fed up with his community and his family’s lack of interest in its own heritage, becomes convinced that his German neighbor is a runaway Nazi and secretly takes on the role of a spy, but he is no match for the forces of age. This heartwarming comedy tells the truth of life that transcends time and ideology. The Closing Night Reception and Audience Award announcements follow the screening.
Additional Films of Note
Nominated for this year’s Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, the 2014 Israeli film "Gett, the Trial of Viviane Amsalem," will be screened Wednesday, February 25, at 8:45 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre. Director Ronit Elkabetz tells the story of Amsalem, who is seeking a Jewish divorce from her estranged husband, who repeatedly refuses over the course of several years, leaving Amsalem locked in a seemingly unending battle created by the rules of Orthodox marriage in Israel. The film is Israel’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award and was the Israeli Film Academy’s 2014 Best Film.
The Hebrew language "The Farewell Party" is a dark comedy about a group of friends at a Jerusalem retirement home who build a machine for self-euthanasia to help a terminally ill friend – and then requests start coming in from more and more fellow retirement home residents interested in such a service. To be screened Saturday, February 28 at 7 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre, and then again on Sunday, March 1, at 5:15 p.m. at the Dcjcc, the film won 2015 Ophir Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Actor.
"Next to Her," also in Hebrew with English subtitles, tells the arresting story of Chelli and her mentally disabled sister, whom she is raising by herself until required by a social worker to place her in a day-care center, only to then meet a man who leads to a relationship triangle between the three. The film was a critically acclaimed selection for the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. It will be screened Monday, February 23 at 7:15 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre; Thursday, February 26 at 8:30 p.m. at the Katzen Arts Center at American University; and Saturday, February 28 at 6:45 p.m. at the Jcc of Greater Washington in Rockville.
Silent Films with Live Original Music: "Breaking Home Ties" and "The Golem"
On Monday, February 23, Wjff will screen the first of two silent films with live original music accompaniment. At 6:30 p.m. at the Dcjcc, pianist Donald Sosin and violinist Joseph Morag will accompany the 1922 silent film, "Breaking Home Ties." Then on Thursday, February 26 at 7:15 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre, Grammy-nominated Gary Lucas will present a reprisal of one of his most beloved original scores, the 1920 German silent horror-fantasy-expressionist film "The Golem," the tale of a 16th-century rabbi who made a man out of clay to save the Jewish community of Prague from annihilation.
Films with Local Ties/Themes
"The Rosenwald Schools"
On Wednesday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m., local filmmaker and former Washington Film Festival Director Aviva Kempner will be present for the world premiere of her new documentary at the Avalon Theater. The film tells the incredible story of how businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald joined with African-American communities in the South to build schools for the black community during the early part of the 20th century.
"My Favorite Neoconservative"
Raised in the Washington suburbs, the film’s director, Yael Luttwak watched inside the Beltway bigwigs walk the halls of her childhood home; her father, Edward Luttwak, is a prominent conservative military strategist who was the architect of the air campaign of the first Iraq war. The documentary reveals the personalities behind the headlines and tells a father-daughter story with a sardonic political twist. The film will be screened Sunday, March 1, at 3:15 p.m. at the Dcjcc.
Ticket Information
Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets online. In addition to $12 single tickets, Wjff will be offering full festival passes for $125 and All Access VIP Passes for $225. More information is available at www.wjff.org and by calling 1-888-718-4253.
About the Washington Jewish Film Festival
The Washington Jewish Film Festival (Wjff) is the centerpiece of the Washington Dcjcc’s comprehensive year-round film program. One of the largest and most respected Jewish film festivals in North America, Wjff is an international exhibition of cinema that celebrates the diversity of Jewish history, culture and experience through the moving image.
The Wjff serves over 15,000 people annually through 80+ screenings, nearly all of which are world, U.S. or regional premieres.
Follow the Washington Jewish Film Festival on Twitter ( @wjff ) for updates with the latest information about the festival and filmmakers who will participate in the Wjff Lounge. Join the conversation using #wjff2015 on social media.
About the Washington Dcjcc
The Washington Dcjcc works to preserve and strengthen Jewish identity, heritage, tradition and values through a wide variety of social, cultural, recreational and educational programs and services. The Dcjcc is committed to welcoming everyone in the community; membership and all activities are open to all. The Dcjcc is a partner agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and a designated agency of the United Way. Follow on Twitter ( @16thstreetj ), like on Facebook , and find more information online at www.washingtondcjcc.org .
The Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts at the Dcjcc, of which the Wjff and the year-round film series are a part, presents fresh, pertinent and provocative Jewish voices that address issues both contemporary and universal. The Center is supported by a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
“For 25 years, this festival has celebrated international cinema in building the single largest Jewish cultural event in Washington,” said Ilya Tovbis, Washington Jewish Film Festival director. “With our most ambitious festival to date, the 25th Wjff will honor a quarter-century of exhibiting the full diversity of the Jewish experience.”
A full festival schedule can be found at www.wjff.org. Highlights are included below.
Among the programs scheduled to take the festival beyond the screen are the 5th Annual Community Education Day on Arab Citizens of Israel, a day of in-depth exploration of the daily lives and challenges of Israel’s Arab population through a keynote address by the president of Al-Qasemi College of Engineering and Science, a panel discussion among Middle East experts, and the D.C. premiere of the film, Dancing Arabs, with its filmmaker Eran Riklis (Sunday, February 22, from 1:30-5 p.m. at the Dcjcc); a state of the cinema address on Israeli documentary film (Tuesday, February 24, at 7 p.m. at the Dcjcc); a pre-festival workshop led by leading Washington and New York film critics for a small group of Washington students; a short film student competition; and the third iteration of Two Jews Walk into a Bar, a cinematic bar event (Sunday, February 8, at 5 p.m.)
Opening Night Film: "Magic Men"
Opening Night will feature "Magic Men," in which a 78-year-old Greek-born atheist (Makram Khouri, Ophir-winner for Best Actor) and his estranged Hasidic rapper son travel from Israel to Greece searching for the magician who saved the father’s life during World War II. Their Adriatic road trip erupts into constant bickering but also has moments of affection, humor, and good will, as father and son reconnect during their adventure. The film is the latest feature from the directors of "Mabul," "A Matter of Size," and "Strangers." Opening Night will be held Thursday, February 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, and The Opening Night Party with Director Guy Nattiv will be held at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza immediately following the screening.
Centerpiece Evening: "Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem"
Wjff’s Centerpiece Evening will take place at the AFI Silver Theatre on Saturday, February 21, at 7 p.m. and feature an extended Q&A session with Theodore Bikel, the unstoppable performer whose career spans more than 150 screen roles (including an Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones) and countless stage and musical productions. In "Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem," portraits of two beloved icons—Sholom Aleichem and Theodore Bikel—are woven together in an enchanting new documentary. The two men have much in common: wit, wisdom and talent, filled with deep humanity and Yiddishkeit. Theodore Bikel, now 90, Bikel has played Tevye the Milkman on stage more than 2,000 times, and has animated Aleichem's work through his two celebrated musical plays about the great Russian author. An additional screening will take place Monday, February 23, at 8:45 p.m. at the Washington Dcjcc.
Wjff Visionary Award: "Hester Street"
The Annual Wjff Visionary Award recognizes creativity and insight in presenting the full diversity of the Jewish experience through the moving image. The 2015 honorees are Carol Kane and Joan Micklin Silver. Carol Kane will be present at a screening of her Oscar-nominated performance in Silver’s humorous and poignant movie, "Hester Street," about a traditional Jewish woman (Carol Kane) who arrives with her son to America in the 1890s, only to discover that her cheating husband has assimilated and resents his wife’s old-fashioned ways. The Wjff Visionary Award will be presented Tuesday, February 24, at 7:15 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre.
Spotlight Evening: "East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem"
Israeli-Palestinian singer Mira Awad and songwriter Steve Earle will join legendary singer-songwriter David Broza for a 45-minute musical set and Q&A following a screening of "East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem" on Thursday, February 26, at 7 p.m. at Sidney Harman Hall of the Shakespeare Theater Company. In the film, Broza journeys to East Jerusalem to record his latest album with Israeli, Palestinian and American musicians.
Closing Night: "Mr. Kaplan"
The 25th Wjff will come to a close at the Dcjcc on March 1, at 7:30 p.m. with a screening of Uruguay’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, "Mr. Kaplan." In Uruguayan director Alvaro Brechner’s 2014 feature film, 76-year-old Jacob Kaplan, fed up with his community and his family’s lack of interest in its own heritage, becomes convinced that his German neighbor is a runaway Nazi and secretly takes on the role of a spy, but he is no match for the forces of age. This heartwarming comedy tells the truth of life that transcends time and ideology. The Closing Night Reception and Audience Award announcements follow the screening.
Additional Films of Note
Nominated for this year’s Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, the 2014 Israeli film "Gett, the Trial of Viviane Amsalem," will be screened Wednesday, February 25, at 8:45 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre. Director Ronit Elkabetz tells the story of Amsalem, who is seeking a Jewish divorce from her estranged husband, who repeatedly refuses over the course of several years, leaving Amsalem locked in a seemingly unending battle created by the rules of Orthodox marriage in Israel. The film is Israel’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award and was the Israeli Film Academy’s 2014 Best Film.
The Hebrew language "The Farewell Party" is a dark comedy about a group of friends at a Jerusalem retirement home who build a machine for self-euthanasia to help a terminally ill friend – and then requests start coming in from more and more fellow retirement home residents interested in such a service. To be screened Saturday, February 28 at 7 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre, and then again on Sunday, March 1, at 5:15 p.m. at the Dcjcc, the film won 2015 Ophir Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Actor.
"Next to Her," also in Hebrew with English subtitles, tells the arresting story of Chelli and her mentally disabled sister, whom she is raising by herself until required by a social worker to place her in a day-care center, only to then meet a man who leads to a relationship triangle between the three. The film was a critically acclaimed selection for the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. It will be screened Monday, February 23 at 7:15 p.m. at AFI Silver Theatre; Thursday, February 26 at 8:30 p.m. at the Katzen Arts Center at American University; and Saturday, February 28 at 6:45 p.m. at the Jcc of Greater Washington in Rockville.
Silent Films with Live Original Music: "Breaking Home Ties" and "The Golem"
On Monday, February 23, Wjff will screen the first of two silent films with live original music accompaniment. At 6:30 p.m. at the Dcjcc, pianist Donald Sosin and violinist Joseph Morag will accompany the 1922 silent film, "Breaking Home Ties." Then on Thursday, February 26 at 7:15 p.m. at the AFI Silver Theatre, Grammy-nominated Gary Lucas will present a reprisal of one of his most beloved original scores, the 1920 German silent horror-fantasy-expressionist film "The Golem," the tale of a 16th-century rabbi who made a man out of clay to save the Jewish community of Prague from annihilation.
Films with Local Ties/Themes
"The Rosenwald Schools"
On Wednesday, February 25, at 6:30 p.m., local filmmaker and former Washington Film Festival Director Aviva Kempner will be present for the world premiere of her new documentary at the Avalon Theater. The film tells the incredible story of how businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald joined with African-American communities in the South to build schools for the black community during the early part of the 20th century.
"My Favorite Neoconservative"
Raised in the Washington suburbs, the film’s director, Yael Luttwak watched inside the Beltway bigwigs walk the halls of her childhood home; her father, Edward Luttwak, is a prominent conservative military strategist who was the architect of the air campaign of the first Iraq war. The documentary reveals the personalities behind the headlines and tells a father-daughter story with a sardonic political twist. The film will be screened Sunday, March 1, at 3:15 p.m. at the Dcjcc.
Ticket Information
Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets online. In addition to $12 single tickets, Wjff will be offering full festival passes for $125 and All Access VIP Passes for $225. More information is available at www.wjff.org and by calling 1-888-718-4253.
About the Washington Jewish Film Festival
The Washington Jewish Film Festival (Wjff) is the centerpiece of the Washington Dcjcc’s comprehensive year-round film program. One of the largest and most respected Jewish film festivals in North America, Wjff is an international exhibition of cinema that celebrates the diversity of Jewish history, culture and experience through the moving image.
The Wjff serves over 15,000 people annually through 80+ screenings, nearly all of which are world, U.S. or regional premieres.
Follow the Washington Jewish Film Festival on Twitter ( @wjff ) for updates with the latest information about the festival and filmmakers who will participate in the Wjff Lounge. Join the conversation using #wjff2015 on social media.
About the Washington Dcjcc
The Washington Dcjcc works to preserve and strengthen Jewish identity, heritage, tradition and values through a wide variety of social, cultural, recreational and educational programs and services. The Dcjcc is committed to welcoming everyone in the community; membership and all activities are open to all. The Dcjcc is a partner agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and a designated agency of the United Way. Follow on Twitter ( @16thstreetj ), like on Facebook , and find more information online at www.washingtondcjcc.org .
The Morris Cafritz Center for the Arts at the Dcjcc, of which the Wjff and the year-round film series are a part, presents fresh, pertinent and provocative Jewish voices that address issues both contemporary and universal. The Center is supported by a grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
- 1/24/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Sam Spiegel Film School is paying tribute to top Israeli producer Micha Shagrir with an event on Thursday night.
Hundreds of Israeli industry figures who have with Shagrir over the decades will attend the event which is sponsored by The Israel Film Fund, The Jerusalem Film and Television Fund, Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, the Israeli Producers Guild, the New Fund for Cinema and TV, the Israeli Film Academy and the Jerusalem Foundation.
The tribute will be held at the Cinematheque as part of the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Shagrir, who was the head of Kastel Productions, was one of the founders of the school and a former chairman of the Israel Film Fund. He is a former recipient of the Jerusalem Film Festival Life Achievement Award and the Israeli Film Academy’s Life Achievement Award.
Shagrir’s credtis include Avanti Popolo, A Matter of Size, Sayarim and The War After This War.
“Micha Shagrir is a true...
Hundreds of Israeli industry figures who have with Shagrir over the decades will attend the event which is sponsored by The Israel Film Fund, The Jerusalem Film and Television Fund, Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, the Israeli Producers Guild, the New Fund for Cinema and TV, the Israeli Film Academy and the Jerusalem Foundation.
The tribute will be held at the Cinematheque as part of the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Shagrir, who was the head of Kastel Productions, was one of the founders of the school and a former chairman of the Israel Film Fund. He is a former recipient of the Jerusalem Film Festival Life Achievement Award and the Israeli Film Academy’s Life Achievement Award.
Shagrir’s credtis include Avanti Popolo, A Matter of Size, Sayarim and The War After This War.
“Micha Shagrir is a true...
- 7/14/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Word comes over on a brand new vampire film from Israeli director, Will Blesch titled: “Requiem for the Night” announcing the initial phases of production
“Requiem for the Night”, an independent film project that has a new and unique take on the vampire mythos, continues to move forward. This past week, producers released a pitch video, which can be seen here:
http://youtu.be/lueGsCB-rSc
Will Blesch cites production letters of interest from:
•Ami Weinberg (Steven Spielberg’s “Munich”)
•Alon Dahan (” A Matter of Size”, and “The Syrian Bride”)
•Oded Menaster (“The Golden Pomegranate“, “Like a Fish Out of Water“)
•Shlomit Mandel (German director, Maria Schrader’s “Liebesleben“)
•Yinon Sapir (Adam Sandler’s “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” )
The project is headed up by Israeli director, Will Blesch, who noted “We plan on our project being one of the top vampire movies, and this pitch video is actually...
“Requiem for the Night”, an independent film project that has a new and unique take on the vampire mythos, continues to move forward. This past week, producers released a pitch video, which can be seen here:
http://youtu.be/lueGsCB-rSc
Will Blesch cites production letters of interest from:
•Ami Weinberg (Steven Spielberg’s “Munich”)
•Alon Dahan (” A Matter of Size”, and “The Syrian Bride”)
•Oded Menaster (“The Golden Pomegranate“, “Like a Fish Out of Water“)
•Shlomit Mandel (German director, Maria Schrader’s “Liebesleben“)
•Yinon Sapir (Adam Sandler’s “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” )
The project is headed up by Israeli director, Will Blesch, who noted “We plan on our project being one of the top vampire movies, and this pitch video is actually...
- 10/23/2012
- by HorrorNews.net
- Horror News
After two National Treasure movies and a big-budget adaptation of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice one would be forgiven for thinking that director Jon Turteltaub about be interested in tackling a small project. However, THR is reporting that Turteltaub‘s next will be just as big as ever – at least insofar as the characters are concerned. It seems that the director is now at the helm of the remake of A Matter of Size, a sumo wrestling comedy that is based on an Israeli film that was making its lap around the festival circuit in 2009 and 2010.
That film followed a group of overweight people who decide to turn their weight into an asset by becoming sumo wrestles, setting them on a path that will lead to all manner of self-actualization and acceptance. This remake will be produced by David Permut, who was recently responsible for producing films like Youth in Revolt and Charlie Bartlett.
That film followed a group of overweight people who decide to turn their weight into an asset by becoming sumo wrestles, setting them on a path that will lead to all manner of self-actualization and acceptance. This remake will be produced by David Permut, who was recently responsible for producing films like Youth in Revolt and Charlie Bartlett.
- 2/1/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
After helming both installments of the National Treasure franchise, director Jon Turteltaub jumped from adventure to fantasy with the underrated live-action Disney flick The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Now he's venturing into a whole new arena as THR reports Turteltaub will now remake the 2009 Israeli sumo wrestling comedy A Matter of Size. It seems strange to have all those words in one sentence, but the original film, which ran the film festival circuit in 2009 and 2010, followed a group of overweight people who decide to become sumo wrestlers and in their journey, begin to accept themselves for who they are. Producer David Permut, who championed films like Youth in Revolt and Charlie Bartlett recently and also older action hits like Face/Off. As for Turteltaub, this won't be his first venture into Asian culture and action as he was also at the helm of 3 Ninjas, a once favorite childhood film of ...
- 2/1/2012
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
National Treasure franchise director Jon Turtletaub is about to jump in the directors chair for a sumo wrestling comedy set up at Paramount Pictures called A Matter of Size. The movie is a remake of a 2009 Israeli comedy, and the script will be written by Howard Franklin (The Man Who Knew Too Little).
The movie is described as a character-driven comedy "about a group of overweight people who become sumo wrestlers." Why the hell not? It sounds like there are a lot of fun comedic elements that can be thrown into a story revolving around this plot. I haven't seen or even heard of the original movie, but this remake could end up being something that audiences might enjoy.
Turtletaub has also directed films such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice, 3 Ninjas, Cool Runnings, and more. It seems like this fits perfectly with the kinds of films he was making earlier in his career.
The movie is described as a character-driven comedy "about a group of overweight people who become sumo wrestlers." Why the hell not? It sounds like there are a lot of fun comedic elements that can be thrown into a story revolving around this plot. I haven't seen or even heard of the original movie, but this remake could end up being something that audiences might enjoy.
Turtletaub has also directed films such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice, 3 Ninjas, Cool Runnings, and more. It seems like this fits perfectly with the kinds of films he was making earlier in his career.
- 2/1/2012
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
"National Treasure" film series director Jon Turteltaub is attached to helm "A Matter of Size", a remake of a sumo-themed 2009 Israeli comedy at Permut Presentations and Paramount Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.
Howard Franklin is penning the character-driven comedy about a group of overweight people who become sumo wrestlers.
David Permut will produce. Permut was previously in talks with Dimension Films about the project but that never happened, so now things are moving at Paramount. Carol Baum and Howard Rosenman are also producing.
Howard Franklin is penning the character-driven comedy about a group of overweight people who become sumo wrestlers.
David Permut will produce. Permut was previously in talks with Dimension Films about the project but that never happened, so now things are moving at Paramount. Carol Baum and Howard Rosenman are also producing.
- 2/1/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Jon Turteltaub has made plans to make his next directing project a remake of the 2009 Israeli film A Matter of Size , according to a story at The Hollywood Reporter . The original film, directed by Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor, told the story of a group of overweight friends who decide to take up Sumo wrestling. Howard Franklin ( The Big Year ) will tackle writing duties on the American version. Turteltaub, best known for both National Treasure films, last directed The Sorcerer's Apprentice at Disney. Size , meanwhile, is housed at Paramount and will be produced by David Permut. You can watch the trailer for the original in the player below:...
- 1/31/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Producer David Permut is setting up A Matter of Size, a remake of a 2009 Israeli comedy, at Paramount. Jon Turteltaub is attached to direct and scribe Howard Franklin is penning the script. Permut's shingle, Permut Presentations, owns remake rights to the character-driven comedy about a group of overweight people who become sumo wrestlers. The original film, which was directed by Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor and starred Itzik Cohen, played at several film festivals in 2009 and 2010. At one point, Permut had been in talks to set up the project with Dimension Films, but the deal was never finalized. Permut's
read more...
read more...
- 10/25/2011
- by Daniel Miller
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Matter of Size
Directed by Erez Tadmor & Sharon Maymon
2009, Israel/France/Germany, 90 mins.
This is the sort of film that will fool you. At first glace, it presents itself as an unlikely fish-out-of-water comedy: an overweight Israeli dishwasher, fed up with dieting, convinces his Japanese boss to help him start a Sumo club. You might be forgiven if you expect this film to devolve into a trite message about ‘just being yourself,’ but you’d also thankfully be wrong. This film is cleverer than that, and to its credit, takes a far more honest approach to being overweight than most comedies dare.
Despite the fact that A Matter of Size is a comedy with a primarily overweight cast, it avoids (for the most part) the pratfalls and hijinks typical otherwise typical to large actors. There are no dinnertime fart scenes in this film. Rather, the comedy is character-driven. Aharon...
Directed by Erez Tadmor & Sharon Maymon
2009, Israel/France/Germany, 90 mins.
This is the sort of film that will fool you. At first glace, it presents itself as an unlikely fish-out-of-water comedy: an overweight Israeli dishwasher, fed up with dieting, convinces his Japanese boss to help him start a Sumo club. You might be forgiven if you expect this film to devolve into a trite message about ‘just being yourself,’ but you’d also thankfully be wrong. This film is cleverer than that, and to its credit, takes a far more honest approach to being overweight than most comedies dare.
Despite the fact that A Matter of Size is a comedy with a primarily overweight cast, it avoids (for the most part) the pratfalls and hijinks typical otherwise typical to large actors. There are no dinnertime fart scenes in this film. Rather, the comedy is character-driven. Aharon...
- 4/4/2011
- by DaveRobson
- SoundOnSight
With nominations being announced tomorrow, here are a pair which I've yet to see, but who should nab some mentions. Nir Bergman's Intimate Grammar Eight years after his hugely successful drama Broken Wings, Nir Bergman return to feature filmmaking comes via the big screen adaptation of David Grossman's novel. It tells of a young boy in 1960's Israel, who's physical growth mysteriously comes to a sudden stop. Starring Orly Zilbershatz Banai (who also appeared in "Broken Wings" and in "Walking the dog", a TV mini-series Bergman directed in 2006), Evelyn Caplon, and a cast of unknowns. Most critics who've seen the film state that Intimate Grammar is a moving drama, with the last 20 minutes of the film elevating it to a masterpiece status. It won Best Picture in this year's Jerusalem Film Festival, and is likely to receive the biggest amount of nominations, making him the frontrunner for an award.
- 7/26/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Today on Flicks on 6 we talk about Sandra Bullock’s influence on the Razzies, the Portland Jewish Film Festival and an odd Star Wars inspired concert at the Mississippi Studios on April 18. At the Portland Jewish Film Festival, check out A Matter of Size also on April 18.
Plus we talk about the new DVDs out this week.
Crazy on the Outside – Tim Allen, Ray Liotta, Carrie-Anne Moss, Julie Bowen, Sigourney Weaver and Kelsey Grammer
Defendor – Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Elias Koteas and Sandra Oh
The Great Mouse Detective (Disney reissue)
My pick of the week — Pirate Radio starring Tom Sturridge, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Rhys Darby, Kenneth Branagh, and Emma Thompson.
Related posts:Pirate Radio Pirate Radio interviews with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Nick Frost'>Pirate Radio interviews with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Nick Frost DVD, Blu-ray and film reviews … Up, Bruno,...
Plus we talk about the new DVDs out this week.
Crazy on the Outside – Tim Allen, Ray Liotta, Carrie-Anne Moss, Julie Bowen, Sigourney Weaver and Kelsey Grammer
Defendor – Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Elias Koteas and Sandra Oh
The Great Mouse Detective (Disney reissue)
My pick of the week — Pirate Radio starring Tom Sturridge, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Rhys Darby, Kenneth Branagh, and Emma Thompson.
Related posts:Pirate Radio Pirate Radio interviews with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Nick Frost'>Pirate Radio interviews with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Nick Frost DVD, Blu-ray and film reviews … Up, Bruno,...
- 4/17/2010
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
1) A Matter of Size
A pack of highly insecure, obese working-class Israeli gents decide to stop dieting and become sumo wrestlers. Yes, The Full Monty goes sabra. Amiably lighthearted and blatantly generic, this crowd-pleaser by Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor has already been bought by the Weinstein Brothers for an American remake. “So, Mr. Richard Gere, if you can gain 200 pounds by sundown, have I got a starring role for you.” A highlight of the forthcoming 14th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, this big-bellied comedy proves once and for all the Jewish proverb “Worries go down better with soup.”
read more...
A pack of highly insecure, obese working-class Israeli gents decide to stop dieting and become sumo wrestlers. Yes, The Full Monty goes sabra. Amiably lighthearted and blatantly generic, this crowd-pleaser by Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor has already been bought by the Weinstein Brothers for an American remake. “So, Mr. Richard Gere, if you can gain 200 pounds by sundown, have I got a starring role for you.” A highlight of the forthcoming 14th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, this big-bellied comedy proves once and for all the Jewish proverb “Worries go down better with soup.”
read more...
- 1/30/2010
- by Brandon Judell
- www.culturecatch.com
Jeff Goldblum attending the 24th Annual Israel Film Festival for "A Matter of Size" screening in New York City. Photo copyright by Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos. Meir Fenigstein attending the 24th Annual Israel Film Festival for "A Matter of Size" screening in New York City. Photo copyright by Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos. Paul Schrader, Jeff Goldblum, Meir Fenigstein and Elliott Gould attending the 24th Annual Israel Film Festival for "A Matter of Size" screening in New York City. Photo copyright by Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos. Don Krim, Meir Fenigstein, Paul Schrader and Elliott Gould attending the 24th Annual Israel Film Festival for "A Matter of Size" screening in New York City. Photo copyright by...
- 12/9/2009
- by James Wray
- Monsters and Critics
Don Krim (President of Kino International), Gabriella Shalev (Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations), Paul Schrader, Elliott Gould, and Israel Film Festival founder/director Meir Fenigstein. The 24th Israel Film Festival Opened at the Sva Theatre in NYC on Saturday night. The opening night presentation, “A Matter Of Size,” described as “a touching, light-hearted new comedy,” - nominated for 14 Ophir Awards - was directed by Erez Tadmor and Sharon Maymon. The …...
- 12/8/2009
- Indiewire
The Miami Jewish Film Festival will be kicking off on January 16 and the festival is sure to have something for everyone. This year's lineup will feature movies ranging from side-splitting comedies to serious dramas.
The 10-day event will open with "A Matter of Size," a comedy that follows an overweight Israeli chef who works in a Japanese restaurant and seeks happiness as a Sumo wrestler.
Other films featured in the festival include romances and true-life adaptations. Stars such as Catherine Deneuve, Lainie Kazan, Gérard Depardieu, Eli Wallach, Patrick Swazye and Carmen Electra will be featured in the various movies.
The festival, which was picked as the Best Film Festival in Miami in 2009 by New Times, will run from January 16 until January 24. It is being presented by the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education. Film fans can go to www.miamijewishfilmfestival.com to view more information on the festival or to purchase tickets.
The 10-day event will open with "A Matter of Size," a comedy that follows an overweight Israeli chef who works in a Japanese restaurant and seeks happiness as a Sumo wrestler.
Other films featured in the festival include romances and true-life adaptations. Stars such as Catherine Deneuve, Lainie Kazan, Gérard Depardieu, Eli Wallach, Patrick Swazye and Carmen Electra will be featured in the various movies.
The festival, which was picked as the Best Film Festival in Miami in 2009 by New Times, will run from January 16 until January 24. It is being presented by the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education. Film fans can go to www.miamijewishfilmfestival.com to view more information on the festival or to purchase tickets.
- 12/7/2009
- icelebz.com
More Afm news
Hideo Nakata, who directed the original Japanese version of "The Ring" and the second English version "The Ring Two," has been tapped to direct Zanuck Independent's supernatural thriller "Voice From the Stone."
Mark Wheaton has written the screenplay for the project, which Dean Zanuck and Stefano Gallini-Durante will produce alongside K5 Film's Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur.
K5's Bill Stephens is handling worldwide sales at Afm for the production, set to begin shooting in the spring or summer.
"Voice," adapted from an Italian novel of the same name, centers on a female child psychologist who takes on the case of a young boy who made a promise to his dying mother to remain silent until her spirit returns.
Zanuck and K5 recently partnered on "Get Low," starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, which screens Friday at Afm.
At Afm, K5 also is repping "Separation City,...
Hideo Nakata, who directed the original Japanese version of "The Ring" and the second English version "The Ring Two," has been tapped to direct Zanuck Independent's supernatural thriller "Voice From the Stone."
Mark Wheaton has written the screenplay for the project, which Dean Zanuck and Stefano Gallini-Durante will produce alongside K5 Film's Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur.
K5's Bill Stephens is handling worldwide sales at Afm for the production, set to begin shooting in the spring or summer.
"Voice," adapted from an Italian novel of the same name, centers on a female child psychologist who takes on the case of a young boy who made a promise to his dying mother to remain silent until her spirit returns.
Zanuck and K5 recently partnered on "Get Low," starring Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek, which screens Friday at Afm.
At Afm, K5 also is repping "Separation City,...
- 11/5/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Since when did precursor season begin in October? Every year it seems to push backwards, earlier into the year, despite Oscar pushing forward, delaying itself until March this year. We've already heard from the Gotham Awards and Bifa and this past week more festival prizes came all the way from Rome and Chicago. None of this is unusual I suppose... I guess I'm just not quite ready for it for 2009. Ready for it emotionally, not physically. That's too much to go over right here (especially considering what's coming in about one months time. Nbr etcetera...)
Since The Film Experience's famously favorite category is Best Actress, it's worth noting the year's wins in that regard thus far. I'm sure I'm missing foreign wins but I'm on tight deadlines. (Help me fill it out in the comments - previous error fixed. I type too fast. 75 wpm, bitches)
Sundance Festival Mo'Nique, Precious (Like Cannes,...
Since The Film Experience's famously favorite category is Best Actress, it's worth noting the year's wins in that regard thus far. I'm sure I'm missing foreign wins but I'm on tight deadlines. (Help me fill it out in the comments - previous error fixed. I type too fast. 75 wpm, bitches)
Sundance Festival Mo'Nique, Precious (Like Cannes,...
- 10/27/2009
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
London -- Neil Friedman's Menemsha Films has taken U.S. and Canadian rights to Erez Tadmor and Sharon Maymon's Israeli comedy "A Matter of Size" in a deal struck with U.K.- and Germany-based sales agency K5 International.
Produced by Ucm Films (Israel), MacT Prods. (France) and K5 Films (Germany), the movie tells the story of an overweight Israeli chef who mutinies from the rigors of his diet support group to set up Israel's first sumo wrestling team.
The remake rights to the comedy, a favorite on the international movie circuit, has already been acquired by the Weinstein Co. in a separate deal previously.
Friedman described the movie as one that "makes you laugh until your sides hurt."
K5 International's Bill Stephens, Daniel Baur and Oliver Simon said Menemsha showed "great passion for the project and a strong distribution plan" for the title.
Produced by Ucm Films (Israel), MacT Prods. (France) and K5 Films (Germany), the movie tells the story of an overweight Israeli chef who mutinies from the rigors of his diet support group to set up Israel's first sumo wrestling team.
The remake rights to the comedy, a favorite on the international movie circuit, has already been acquired by the Weinstein Co. in a separate deal previously.
Friedman described the movie as one that "makes you laugh until your sides hurt."
K5 International's Bill Stephens, Daniel Baur and Oliver Simon said Menemsha showed "great passion for the project and a strong distribution plan" for the title.
- 10/16/2009
- by By Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Movie moguls Harvey and Bob Weinstein have snapped up the rights to an Israeli movie about a chef who becomes a sumo wrestler.
The pair fell for A Matter of Size after catching the Hebrew language movie at this year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and they have started work on a new version in English.
The film follows an overweight dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant who realises he could be a sumo superstar.
Harvey Weinstein says, "A Matter of Size is a feel-good comedy that is really touching and funny. It's a relatable story that will translate for American audiences, who I expect will enjoy it as much as I did."...
The pair fell for A Matter of Size after catching the Hebrew language movie at this year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and they have started work on a new version in English.
The film follows an overweight dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant who realises he could be a sumo superstar.
Harvey Weinstein says, "A Matter of Size is a feel-good comedy that is really touching and funny. It's a relatable story that will translate for American audiences, who I expect will enjoy it as much as I did."...
- 5/20/2009
- WENN
Cannes -- Dimension Films is going sumo.
The company has acquired English-language remake rights to Israeli sumo wrestling pic "A Matter of Size."
The film, which made its debut at Tribeca last month, centers on an overweight Israeli restaurant employee who is turned on to the world of sumo wrestling by several co-workers at the Japanese eatery where he works, and discovers his weight can actually be an advantage.
The comedy-drama was a breakout among attendees and media at the New York fest.
Dimension topper Bob Weinstein called the film "touching and funny" and "a relatable story that will translate for American audiences."
David Permut will produce the remake, with Steve Longi and Neil Cohen co-producing.
The movie continues a renaissance of sorts for Israeli remakes. Miramax will soon release John Madden-directed "The Debt" and Overture is developing dark comedy "92 Minutes;" both projects are based on Israeli pictures.
Erez Tadmor...
The company has acquired English-language remake rights to Israeli sumo wrestling pic "A Matter of Size."
The film, which made its debut at Tribeca last month, centers on an overweight Israeli restaurant employee who is turned on to the world of sumo wrestling by several co-workers at the Japanese eatery where he works, and discovers his weight can actually be an advantage.
The comedy-drama was a breakout among attendees and media at the New York fest.
Dimension topper Bob Weinstein called the film "touching and funny" and "a relatable story that will translate for American audiences."
David Permut will produce the remake, with Steve Longi and Neil Cohen co-producing.
The movie continues a renaissance of sorts for Israeli remakes. Miramax will soon release John Madden-directed "The Debt" and Overture is developing dark comedy "92 Minutes;" both projects are based on Israeli pictures.
Erez Tadmor...
- 5/20/2009
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Editor’s Note: This is one of dozens of interviews, conducted via email, with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival in the narrative and doc competitions as well as the Discovery section. The festival takes place April 22 - May 3. “A Matter of Size”, Feature Narrative, 2009, 92 min., Israel (Discovery section) Directed by: Erez Tadmor, Sharon Maymon Primary Cast: Itzik Cohen, Irit Kaplan, Dvir Benedek, …...
- 4/23/2009
- indieWIRE - People
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