Now that everybody knows why I like film festivals, this is my programme for Durban. As the city is so big and the venues far apart, I have to close my eyes and miss some excellent films such as Baaria, The Concert, Lebanon, Loose cannons, Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll and A woman, gun and noodle shop. Luckily Baaria, The concert and A woman, gun and noodle shop will be released on the SA art film circuit soon.
The films in Durban cover a huge array with themes such as Ecolens, Wavescap...
by Marla Lewin
These “top ten” films were chosen from the total 22 films that were bestowed with the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award in 2009. The award was created by Heartland Truly Moving Pictures as a way to honor theatrically released films that meet Heartland’s mission of emphasizing the best of the human spirit.
Honored films, in order of the top selected, are
1. The Blind Side ...
by Marla LewinFilm Independent announced nominations this morning for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Nominees for Best Feature include (500) Days Of Summer, Amreeka, Precious, Sin Nombre and The Last Station. Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon also announced finalists for the Acura Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award, and the Piaget Producers Award. A Serious Man was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ...
The Hedgehog (Le Herisson) scooped three awards in Cairo last night.
In only her third film as a director, Mona Achache won the Critics' Prize, Best Director and the Special Jury Prize.
The Hedgehog was inspired by the eponymous novel by Muriel Barbery. The screenplay was written by Achache.
The film tells the story of Renée Michel a fifty-something female concierge with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a passion for great works of literature.
Paloma is a 12-year...
With immediate effect, the Berlinale Co-Production Market is again seeking promising feature film projects that it would like to assist to find co-production and co-financing partners at the Berlinale 2010.
Until 29 October 2009, experienced producers may submit projects that have budgets between two and ten million euros; at least 30% of the funding has to be in place. The projects must also be suited to international co-production.
At the 7th Berlinale...
Film Independent's 9th Annual Directors Lab is an intensive eight-week incubator designed to help directors who are prepping their feature films, and is sponsored by Kodak.
Taking place in Los Angeles during the winter, the Lab assists directors with strong, original voices develop new narrative feature films, improve their craft, and advance their filmmaking careers in a nurturing, yet challenging creative environment.
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Film Independent’s 9th Annual Directors Lab is an intensive eight-week incubator designed to help directors who are prepping their feature films, and is sponsored by Kodak. Taking place in Los Angeles during the winter, the Lab assists directors with strong, original voices develop new narrative feature films, improve their craft, and advance their filmmaking careers in a nurturing, yet challenging creative environment. To apply, please visit: http://filmindependent.org/fellowships/filmmake...
The Cannes Critics Prizes
At the Cannes International Film Festival (France, May 13-24, 2009) a jury of FIPRESCI presented three prizes.
Prize to a film in competition:
"The White Ribbon" (Das weisse Band) by Michael Haneke
(Germany, Austria, France, Italy, 2009).
Prize to a film in the section "Un Certain Regard":
"Police, Adjective" (Politist, Adjectiv) ...