Projects by Claire Burger, Kamal Lazraq, Hicham Lasri, Julie Caty and brothers Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi steal focus on the agenda of the co-production market, which is unspooling online 17 - 18 November. Organised in digital form for the very first time, the French-German Film Meetings are set to unspool between 17 – 19 November, with this 18th edition set to tackle the major issues currently impacting the film industry on both sides of the Rhine. But attention will also shift to the co-production market and its 17 featured projects. Standing particularly tall among the 10 projects of French derivation is Langue étrangère, which will be the 3rd feature film by Claire...
- 11/16/2020
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
“The Ballad of Yaya,” “Where is Anne Frank?” and “Musketeers of the Tsar” proved the most-attended of industry presentations among 66 feature projects pitched at this year Cartoon Movie, Europe’s top animated feature co-production forum which ran at the French port city of Bordeaux over March 5-7.
A production of Blue Spirit Productions, the company behind François Laguionie’s César-nominated “The Painting” and Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Ballad of Yaya” is penned by Patrick Marty, Céline Ronté and Antoine Schoumsk. The director is yet to be confirmed.
Set in 1937, in development, and targeting 6-12s, it turns on 9-year-old Chinese girl Yaya, raised in the French Concession in Shanghai, who flees Japanese bombings to join her family in Hong Kong.
Already in production and targeting family audiences “Where is Anne Frank?” is the new project of Ari Folman, a revisitation of the Nazi legacy through the...
A production of Blue Spirit Productions, the company behind François Laguionie’s César-nominated “The Painting” and Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Ballad of Yaya” is penned by Patrick Marty, Céline Ronté and Antoine Schoumsk. The director is yet to be confirmed.
Set in 1937, in development, and targeting 6-12s, it turns on 9-year-old Chinese girl Yaya, raised in the French Concession in Shanghai, who flees Japanese bombings to join her family in Hong Kong.
Already in production and targeting family audiences “Where is Anne Frank?” is the new project of Ari Folman, a revisitation of the Nazi legacy through the...
- 3/11/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Claude Barras’ “Savages!,” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli’s “Tales of the Hedgehog” and Peter Dodd’s “King of the Swamp” are among the sixty-six projects –a 10% increase from last year– to be pitched at the 21st Cartoon Movie, Europe’s leading animated movie co-production event, which will take place in the French port city of Bordeaux, kicking off March 5.
Projects will be offered to buyers and potential partners in different stages: 28 in concept, 24 in development, seven in production and seven sneak previews.
“Savages!” is the much-awaited sophomore project from Switzerland’s Barras, following his multi-awarded and foreign-language Oscar nominated “My Life as a Zucchini.” A stop-motion feature, “Savages!” is produced by France’s Prélude in co-production with Switzerland’s Helium Films. It tells the story of the friendship between 11-year-old Kéria and a Bornean orangutan baby. They will be forced to flee from Kéria’s father who wants to...
Projects will be offered to buyers and potential partners in different stages: 28 in concept, 24 in development, seven in production and seven sneak previews.
“Savages!” is the much-awaited sophomore project from Switzerland’s Barras, following his multi-awarded and foreign-language Oscar nominated “My Life as a Zucchini.” A stop-motion feature, “Savages!” is produced by France’s Prélude in co-production with Switzerland’s Helium Films. It tells the story of the friendship between 11-year-old Kéria and a Bornean orangutan baby. They will be forced to flee from Kéria’s father who wants to...
- 2/3/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Fast-paced modernity acts like deceptive facade that tricks us into thinking we've become something very different from what we've always been. But below the multiple layers of unimportant burdens, pretended indifference, and overflowing cynicism, lies an unalterable human core that rejoices and suffers like it’s done since its genesis. A person navigating the turbulent waters of life today is indeed pondering on the same questions that another did centuries ago. Pain and pleasure, births and deaths, tears and laughter, passion and despair, they all continue to trap us all in their ambivalent choreography that forced us to question if there is meaning to the madness or if the absurdity of the human condition is just an indecipherable codex.
Enlightened thinkers have incessantly taken it upon themselves to interpret our common fears and urges to arrive at somewhat logical conclusions about our puzzling purpose and put these into comprehensible words. Academic and formal the philosopher appeals to rational mind, while the poet delicately arranges his thoughts and aims for the impetuous tenderness of our visceral side. Like preachers of a higher faith that exist about authoritarian religions, poets share their knowledge in ways unrestricted by physicality. Their words travel in the wind and pierce hearts with darts made out of profound realizations. Such sacred gift was granted by the universe to Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese-American poem who would pen The Prophet, one of the most spiritual books ever written unbound by any denomination.
Containing ethereal poems delving into specific facets of our mortal condition, Gibran’s volumes are not quintessential material for a film adaptation. His writing seemed elusive to traditional representations limited by a rigid narrative structure. Conscious of this seemingly obstructive aspect, determined producer Salma Hayek recognized that a much more fluid and unrestrictive medium was required to portray Gibran’s teachings not with literal imagery, but with dreamlike works of moving art that could evoke the essence of each verse. Ambitiously, Hayek set out to expand the accessibility of this book, one that her grandfather of Lebanese origin treasured deeply and which she had grown to appreciate herself, thought an animation project of tremendous magnitude.
Aspiring to effectively turn this lifelong wish into a soulful visual feast, Hayek enlisted nine of the world’s most passionate animators to fabricate magic with color and to take part in an exuberant celebration of creativity. Eight of them would craft individual segments interpreting a specific poem without any parameter other than Gibran’s intricate phrases, while another director was charged with the demanding task of wrapping these delightful fragments in a frame narrative that could cohesively unify them. The product of this phenomenal amalgamation is Roger Allers’ “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Honed during the Disney Renaissance, Allers’ stylistic principles still carry a familiar aesthetic that resembles iconic films from said period. Although better known for directing one the most beloved animated tales of all time, “The Lion King,” his resourceful hand touched several other projects including “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as both a writer and a storyboard artist. That myriad of storytelling abilities is reflected in his approach to this unorthodox venture. While the character design employed in his enveloping storyline will immediately and instinctively remind viewers of the filmmaker’s Disney origins, he manages to tailor he manages to tailor such distinct appearance for this singular undertaking. It’s classically elegant and precisely suitable for the plot-driven portion of the film.
Centered on Mustafa (Liam Neeson), a poet and painter living as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire for what they considered subversive ideas, Allers’ screenplay channels Gibran’s thin fictional account and develops it further so that it blossoms into a full-length fable that relays its own moral, while serving as vehicle for the abstract enclaves to be presented seamlessly. Besides spearheading the entire operation, in this section of the film Hayek also voices Kamila, a hardworking widow paid by the regime to tend to Mustafa and who is out of option when it comes to dealing with her rebellious, yet silent, young daughter, Almitra (Quvenzhané Wallis). It’s only when the girl meets the unassuming wise man that her quiet frustration begins to dissipate.A receptive vessel, Almitra is fascinated by Mustafa’ss tranquil demeanor and fascination by his convictions even if she can’t fully grasp their significance.
Neeson’s virile tone gives the protagonist a regal air without sounding intimidating. His voice emanates tranquility coated with strength, like a fatherly figure at peace with his every step. Alfred Molina appears as the comically villainous Sergeant in charge of escorting Mustafa through the village, but who often gives in to his human impulses on their way to the harbor. Meanwhile John Krasinski plays Halim, a young official romantically pursuing Kamila, and veteran thespian Frank Langella is heard briefly as Pasha, the evil ruler who holds the poet’s fate in his hands. As the events that lead to Mustafa’s final trial unfold each of the stylistically eclectic short sequences finds the right moment to be unveiled.
First comes Michal Socha’s “On Freedom,“ in which an anthropomorphic birdcage prevents its feathered captives from flying into the sunset. Ridding themselves of their shackles holds the promise of fulfillment, but that desire is in fact “the strongest of these chains.” Clever in its use of symbolism and graceful in its execution, Socha’s rendition of Gibran’s piece is sharp and poignant. Then, with kaleidoscopic vividness, Nina Paley uses multiple motifs evocative of both Indian and Greek iconography in “On Children,” to depict the cyclical nature of life and the perennial bond between parents and their descendants. Though this connection is irreproachable, progenitors shouldn't attempt to command the life they’ve brought into the world because it’s not their possession, but a link in a greater continuum. Like bows launching arrows into an uncertain abyss, mothers and fathers must come to terms with letting go. Singer/songwriter Damien Rice rearranges the author’s lines into heartfelt lyrics for a melancholic song that builds up to a captivating finale.
Seductively, Joann Sfar's “On Marriage” shows two lovers dancing tango under the moonlight. Ancient ruins become the battleground for a sensual clash where impeccable choreography is a more of a strategic maneuver than just coordinated movement. Subtly wrestling each other to set the boundaries of their union, husband and wife know their paths advance parallel, yet independently. Similarly exquisite is the manner in which Academy Award-winner Joan Gratz delivers “On Work,” via a painstaking technique known as claypainting. Blending colors with inconspicuous ability, the seasoned artist travels through the numerous notions on the worthiness of labor, whether physical or creative. Exceptionally delicate in nature, her work thoroughly explains why “he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth” is not nobler than “he who makes sandals for our feet.”
Bill Plympton's scratchy and utterly handcrafted frames in "On Eating and Drinking" flow with the uncompromising animator's expected candidness.These elemental joys are held sacred by Gibran as “an act of worship,” and while the cartoonist is respectful of this canon, humor is always a vital quality of his deliberately nonchalant drawings. A man bites an apple and as we follow its journey through the human body we witness nourishment and sustainability by means of Plympton's style. Now, the most unquestionably breathtaking piece of this magnificent puzzle, and perhaps the most beautiful piece of filmmaking to be projected on screens this year, is Tomm Moore’s “On Love.” Its alluring rhythm and detailed Art Nouveau designs flood each frame with spellbinding imagery that speaks of the thorny splendor that falling for another being entails. Elating and devastating at once, “love crowns you” with its intoxicating glory, but just as strongly it can “crucify you” with merciless fury. Moore’s unmistakable enchantment illustrates an ancestral couple ascending from the depths of darkness into the light of redemption propelled by the dazzlingly magic of “love’s ecstasy.”
Silhouetted animals racing for survival personify human ambitions in Mohammed Harib's “On Good and Evil.” Given the broadness of the poem’s subject matter the animator could have taken much more literal routes to relay its lesson, but his metaphorical approach successfully encapsulates Gibran’s stance on benevolence and wickedness. In hi eyes any wrong doings perpetrated have a purpose within the landscape of our collective destiny. All that is evil was once kindness, because, according to the poet, “good tortured by its own hunger and thirst.” Finally, our unavoidable fate is treated with compassion rather than morbid tropes by Gaëtan Brizzi and Paul Brizzi in their transcendent visualization of "On Death." Our soul, comes to life in the form of an incorporeal character who dances swiftly celestial radiance. Sorrow is replaced with the hope that the end is just a transition into an “unencumbered” state. Drinking from the “river of silence” allows our inner divinity to truly sing without restrains. A peaceful rebirth only comes from letting go of carnal necessities, and that’s something both Gibran and Mustafa are convince of.
Musically, “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” was embellished by composer Gabriel Yared’s grand score, which mixes epic sentiments with soothing melodies decorating almost every second of it. Accentuating Tomm Moore’s lovely bit, Irish singers Lisa Hannigan and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard fashion a stirring tune out the scribe’s contemplation on amorous frenzy. Lastly, in addition to providing a song for Paley’s segment, Damien Rice wrote another moving ballad titled “Hypnosis” to play during the final credits. Perfectly reflective of the experiential attributes of the film it caps, Rice’s stanzas put an empowering final touch as it asks us to seek strength from our personal truth.
In this tapestry of lyrical mirages, the eternal endurance of art prevails as testament of the immortality bestowed only on those whose brilliance surpasses time and space. Harnessing wide-ranging techniques, the artists behind “Kahil Gibran’s The Prophet” gifted us one of the most mesmerizing films of the year and a milestone in the history of animation, which brought together the genius of many to spread words of compassion and serenity. Solidarity amongst mankind and the acceptance of our flaws as virtues hidden by unnecessary vanity and greed, are the first steps towards the reconciliation between what we think we are now and what we've always been. Gibran’s message is as relevant as ever today, so let us fill ourselves with the majesty of his wisdom, and become vindicated disciples willing to live beyond merely existing.
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" is now playing in L.A. and NYC and will open in other cities across the country in the upcoming weeks.
Enlightened thinkers have incessantly taken it upon themselves to interpret our common fears and urges to arrive at somewhat logical conclusions about our puzzling purpose and put these into comprehensible words. Academic and formal the philosopher appeals to rational mind, while the poet delicately arranges his thoughts and aims for the impetuous tenderness of our visceral side. Like preachers of a higher faith that exist about authoritarian religions, poets share their knowledge in ways unrestricted by physicality. Their words travel in the wind and pierce hearts with darts made out of profound realizations. Such sacred gift was granted by the universe to Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese-American poem who would pen The Prophet, one of the most spiritual books ever written unbound by any denomination.
Containing ethereal poems delving into specific facets of our mortal condition, Gibran’s volumes are not quintessential material for a film adaptation. His writing seemed elusive to traditional representations limited by a rigid narrative structure. Conscious of this seemingly obstructive aspect, determined producer Salma Hayek recognized that a much more fluid and unrestrictive medium was required to portray Gibran’s teachings not with literal imagery, but with dreamlike works of moving art that could evoke the essence of each verse. Ambitiously, Hayek set out to expand the accessibility of this book, one that her grandfather of Lebanese origin treasured deeply and which she had grown to appreciate herself, thought an animation project of tremendous magnitude.
Aspiring to effectively turn this lifelong wish into a soulful visual feast, Hayek enlisted nine of the world’s most passionate animators to fabricate magic with color and to take part in an exuberant celebration of creativity. Eight of them would craft individual segments interpreting a specific poem without any parameter other than Gibran’s intricate phrases, while another director was charged with the demanding task of wrapping these delightful fragments in a frame narrative that could cohesively unify them. The product of this phenomenal amalgamation is Roger Allers’ “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Honed during the Disney Renaissance, Allers’ stylistic principles still carry a familiar aesthetic that resembles iconic films from said period. Although better known for directing one the most beloved animated tales of all time, “The Lion King,” his resourceful hand touched several other projects including “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as both a writer and a storyboard artist. That myriad of storytelling abilities is reflected in his approach to this unorthodox venture. While the character design employed in his enveloping storyline will immediately and instinctively remind viewers of the filmmaker’s Disney origins, he manages to tailor he manages to tailor such distinct appearance for this singular undertaking. It’s classically elegant and precisely suitable for the plot-driven portion of the film.
Centered on Mustafa (Liam Neeson), a poet and painter living as a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire for what they considered subversive ideas, Allers’ screenplay channels Gibran’s thin fictional account and develops it further so that it blossoms into a full-length fable that relays its own moral, while serving as vehicle for the abstract enclaves to be presented seamlessly. Besides spearheading the entire operation, in this section of the film Hayek also voices Kamila, a hardworking widow paid by the regime to tend to Mustafa and who is out of option when it comes to dealing with her rebellious, yet silent, young daughter, Almitra (Quvenzhané Wallis). It’s only when the girl meets the unassuming wise man that her quiet frustration begins to dissipate.A receptive vessel, Almitra is fascinated by Mustafa’ss tranquil demeanor and fascination by his convictions even if she can’t fully grasp their significance.
Neeson’s virile tone gives the protagonist a regal air without sounding intimidating. His voice emanates tranquility coated with strength, like a fatherly figure at peace with his every step. Alfred Molina appears as the comically villainous Sergeant in charge of escorting Mustafa through the village, but who often gives in to his human impulses on their way to the harbor. Meanwhile John Krasinski plays Halim, a young official romantically pursuing Kamila, and veteran thespian Frank Langella is heard briefly as Pasha, the evil ruler who holds the poet’s fate in his hands. As the events that lead to Mustafa’s final trial unfold each of the stylistically eclectic short sequences finds the right moment to be unveiled.
First comes Michal Socha’s “On Freedom,“ in which an anthropomorphic birdcage prevents its feathered captives from flying into the sunset. Ridding themselves of their shackles holds the promise of fulfillment, but that desire is in fact “the strongest of these chains.” Clever in its use of symbolism and graceful in its execution, Socha’s rendition of Gibran’s piece is sharp and poignant. Then, with kaleidoscopic vividness, Nina Paley uses multiple motifs evocative of both Indian and Greek iconography in “On Children,” to depict the cyclical nature of life and the perennial bond between parents and their descendants. Though this connection is irreproachable, progenitors shouldn't attempt to command the life they’ve brought into the world because it’s not their possession, but a link in a greater continuum. Like bows launching arrows into an uncertain abyss, mothers and fathers must come to terms with letting go. Singer/songwriter Damien Rice rearranges the author’s lines into heartfelt lyrics for a melancholic song that builds up to a captivating finale.
Seductively, Joann Sfar's “On Marriage” shows two lovers dancing tango under the moonlight. Ancient ruins become the battleground for a sensual clash where impeccable choreography is a more of a strategic maneuver than just coordinated movement. Subtly wrestling each other to set the boundaries of their union, husband and wife know their paths advance parallel, yet independently. Similarly exquisite is the manner in which Academy Award-winner Joan Gratz delivers “On Work,” via a painstaking technique known as claypainting. Blending colors with inconspicuous ability, the seasoned artist travels through the numerous notions on the worthiness of labor, whether physical or creative. Exceptionally delicate in nature, her work thoroughly explains why “he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth” is not nobler than “he who makes sandals for our feet.”
Bill Plympton's scratchy and utterly handcrafted frames in "On Eating and Drinking" flow with the uncompromising animator's expected candidness.These elemental joys are held sacred by Gibran as “an act of worship,” and while the cartoonist is respectful of this canon, humor is always a vital quality of his deliberately nonchalant drawings. A man bites an apple and as we follow its journey through the human body we witness nourishment and sustainability by means of Plympton's style. Now, the most unquestionably breathtaking piece of this magnificent puzzle, and perhaps the most beautiful piece of filmmaking to be projected on screens this year, is Tomm Moore’s “On Love.” Its alluring rhythm and detailed Art Nouveau designs flood each frame with spellbinding imagery that speaks of the thorny splendor that falling for another being entails. Elating and devastating at once, “love crowns you” with its intoxicating glory, but just as strongly it can “crucify you” with merciless fury. Moore’s unmistakable enchantment illustrates an ancestral couple ascending from the depths of darkness into the light of redemption propelled by the dazzlingly magic of “love’s ecstasy.”
Silhouetted animals racing for survival personify human ambitions in Mohammed Harib's “On Good and Evil.” Given the broadness of the poem’s subject matter the animator could have taken much more literal routes to relay its lesson, but his metaphorical approach successfully encapsulates Gibran’s stance on benevolence and wickedness. In hi eyes any wrong doings perpetrated have a purpose within the landscape of our collective destiny. All that is evil was once kindness, because, according to the poet, “good tortured by its own hunger and thirst.” Finally, our unavoidable fate is treated with compassion rather than morbid tropes by Gaëtan Brizzi and Paul Brizzi in their transcendent visualization of "On Death." Our soul, comes to life in the form of an incorporeal character who dances swiftly celestial radiance. Sorrow is replaced with the hope that the end is just a transition into an “unencumbered” state. Drinking from the “river of silence” allows our inner divinity to truly sing without restrains. A peaceful rebirth only comes from letting go of carnal necessities, and that’s something both Gibran and Mustafa are convince of.
Musically, “Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet,” was embellished by composer Gabriel Yared’s grand score, which mixes epic sentiments with soothing melodies decorating almost every second of it. Accentuating Tomm Moore’s lovely bit, Irish singers Lisa Hannigan and Oscar-winner Glen Hansard fashion a stirring tune out the scribe’s contemplation on amorous frenzy. Lastly, in addition to providing a song for Paley’s segment, Damien Rice wrote another moving ballad titled “Hypnosis” to play during the final credits. Perfectly reflective of the experiential attributes of the film it caps, Rice’s stanzas put an empowering final touch as it asks us to seek strength from our personal truth.
In this tapestry of lyrical mirages, the eternal endurance of art prevails as testament of the immortality bestowed only on those whose brilliance surpasses time and space. Harnessing wide-ranging techniques, the artists behind “Kahil Gibran’s The Prophet” gifted us one of the most mesmerizing films of the year and a milestone in the history of animation, which brought together the genius of many to spread words of compassion and serenity. Solidarity amongst mankind and the acceptance of our flaws as virtues hidden by unnecessary vanity and greed, are the first steps towards the reconciliation between what we think we are now and what we've always been. Gibran’s message is as relevant as ever today, so let us fill ourselves with the majesty of his wisdom, and become vindicated disciples willing to live beyond merely existing.
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" is now playing in L.A. and NYC and will open in other cities across the country in the upcoming weeks.
- 8/16/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Montreal’s genre film festival to showcase 135 features and almost 300 shorts across its three-week run from July 14-Aug 4.Scroll down for line-up
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for its upcoming 19th edition which kicks off next Tuesday [July 14].
Over its three-week run, the Montreal-based genre film festival will showcase 135 features, including 22 world, 13 international premieres and 21 North American premieres, and almost 300 short films.
Shinji Higuchi’s Attack on Titan will receive its Canadian premiere as the closing film of this year’s edition on Aug 4. The live-action film is based on Hajime Isyama’s steampunk fantasy war opera manga series.
Additional highlights of the final wave of titles include the world premieres of Malik Bader’s thriller Cash Only and Ken Ochiai’s Ninja the Monster, as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion’s horror comedy Cooties starring Elijah Wood.
A trio of Sion Sono films will also be shown at this...
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for its upcoming 19th edition which kicks off next Tuesday [July 14].
Over its three-week run, the Montreal-based genre film festival will showcase 135 features, including 22 world, 13 international premieres and 21 North American premieres, and almost 300 short films.
Shinji Higuchi’s Attack on Titan will receive its Canadian premiere as the closing film of this year’s edition on Aug 4. The live-action film is based on Hajime Isyama’s steampunk fantasy war opera manga series.
Additional highlights of the final wave of titles include the world premieres of Malik Bader’s thriller Cash Only and Ken Ochiai’s Ninja the Monster, as well as the Canadian premiere of Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion’s horror comedy Cooties starring Elijah Wood.
A trio of Sion Sono films will also be shown at this...
- 7/7/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
The 19th Annual Fantasia Film Festival is only a week away, beginning July 14 and running through August 4. And as promised for today, they’ve revealed their full line-up of films screening at 2015’s festival in Montreal.
This year’s line-up boasts 22 World Premieres, 13 International Premieres, and 21 North American Premieres. Both Marvel’s Ant-Man and the animated Miss Hokusai were previously announced, but now they’ve added the much anticipated Attack on Titan movie as their closing night film. Other highlights include the Sundance darlings Cooties, starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson, Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by the upcoming Spider-man director Jon Watts, and a trio of films from horror auteur Sion Sono.
See the full line-up announcement of films below via Fantasia’s Facebook page, and be sure to check out their website at fantasiafestival.com for additional information.
****
Fantasia 2015:
36 Countries, 135 Features, and Nearly 300 Short Films
- Including 22 World Premieres,...
This year’s line-up boasts 22 World Premieres, 13 International Premieres, and 21 North American Premieres. Both Marvel’s Ant-Man and the animated Miss Hokusai were previously announced, but now they’ve added the much anticipated Attack on Titan movie as their closing night film. Other highlights include the Sundance darlings Cooties, starring Elijah Wood and Rainn Wilson, Cop Car, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by the upcoming Spider-man director Jon Watts, and a trio of films from horror auteur Sion Sono.
See the full line-up announcement of films below via Fantasia’s Facebook page, and be sure to check out their website at fantasiafestival.com for additional information.
****
Fantasia 2015:
36 Countries, 135 Features, and Nearly 300 Short Films
- Including 22 World Premieres,...
- 7/7/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
About one month ago, we featured a beautiful international trailer for an animated adaptation of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, a big screen version of the collection of prose and poems known around the world. Now another gorgeous domestic trailer for the film featuring several different kinds of animation has arrived, all connected by an artist (Liam Neeson), his housekeeper (Salma Hayek), and her daughter (voiced by Quvenzhané Wallis). This looks like it'll be a nice break from the blockbuster action extravaganzas late this summer, with wonderful animation to stimulate your eyes and your mind. There's also supposed to be some great new music from Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and Yo-Yo Ma. Watch below! Here's the Us trailer for Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet from Gkids Films: You can still watch the previous international trailer for Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet right here. Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet is directed by Roger Allers,...
- 5/2/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Chicago – Exclusive! Free festival 7-packs! In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of guaranteed festival 7-packs up for grabs to the third-annual Chicago Critics Film Festival at the Music Box Theatre from the Chicago Film Critics Association!
The festival runs from Friday, May 1 to Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Music Box Theatre. The festival will premiere more than two dozen films to Chicago that are hand-selected by Chicago critics. The films, which include the latest works from Joe Swanberg, Bobcat Goldthwait, Andrew Bujalski, James Ponsoldt, Francois Ozon and many more, are recent film festival hits from Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes, Venice and Toronto and more. The full 2015 Chicago Critics Film Festival schedule can be found here. Read a preview of the festival here.
Each HollywoodChicago.com winner will win Two festival 7-packs of guaranteed tickets to experience the following Chicago premieres at the times and dates below...
The festival runs from Friday, May 1 to Thursday, May 7, 2015 at the Music Box Theatre. The festival will premiere more than two dozen films to Chicago that are hand-selected by Chicago critics. The films, which include the latest works from Joe Swanberg, Bobcat Goldthwait, Andrew Bujalski, James Ponsoldt, Francois Ozon and many more, are recent film festival hits from Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes, Venice and Toronto and more. The full 2015 Chicago Critics Film Festival schedule can be found here. Read a preview of the festival here.
Each HollywoodChicago.com winner will win Two festival 7-packs of guaranteed tickets to experience the following Chicago premieres at the times and dates below...
- 4/27/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
"I am a prisoner. My crime? Poetry." After debuting at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the animated drama The Prophet is finally coming to the United States this year. Based on the book of prose and poems of the same name, the film features the voices of Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and more, along with a myriad of animation styles to bring the friendship between a little girl and an imprisoned poet to life. Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar and more lend their animation expertise to the film that looks absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. Watch! Here's the teaser trailer for Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet from Gulf Film (via The Playlist): The Prophet is directed by Roger Allers, Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi, Joan C. Gratz, Mohammed Saeed Harib, Tomm Moore, Nina Paley, Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar, and Michal Socha. Inspired by the...
- 4/1/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Much like back to school sales in mid July, in our books, Tiff’s first announcement wave reminds us that the end of summer is upon us (we heart fall film festival bliss) and it also gets our team of journalists heading to Tiff in Charlie Foxtrot pickle of a situation as the Docs, Midnight Madness, Vanguard & Wavelengths get revealed in the weeks to come making for scheduling overload. Of star-struck, tickets sale friendly list of showy red carpet items mentioned today, we find our usual set of Oscar bait items (how odd that Quebecois helmers Jean-Marc Vallee and Philippe Falardeau both present tear-jerker items with Reese Witherspoon), acquisitions titles, and more importantly, our first look at items that are pretty much guaranteed a showing at this year’s Telluride and Venice Film Festivals. On tap, we have Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden, Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, Noah Baumbach’s While...
- 7/22/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) has fired its awards season opening salvo, announcing a slew of world premieres for the September edition, which will close with Alan Rickman’s A Little Chaos.Scroll down for full list
Not to be outdone by the New York Film Festival, which has staked a claim to the world premieres of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice, and Venice, which will open with Birdman, artistic director Cameron Bailey and his team announced on Tuesday (22) close to 50 galas and special presentations.
Two factors are certain to ratchet up the sense of anticipation heading into September. Most of these titles are without Us distribution and that said, it remains to be seen which films will qualify for a coveted first-weekend slot.
Tiff top brass made it clear earlier this year that any title that sneaks into Telluride will be forced to screen after the first four days of the festival. Tiff runs from...
Not to be outdone by the New York Film Festival, which has staked a claim to the world premieres of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice, and Venice, which will open with Birdman, artistic director Cameron Bailey and his team announced on Tuesday (22) close to 50 galas and special presentations.
Two factors are certain to ratchet up the sense of anticipation heading into September. Most of these titles are without Us distribution and that said, it remains to be seen which films will qualify for a coveted first-weekend slot.
Tiff top brass made it clear earlier this year that any title that sneaks into Telluride will be forced to screen after the first four days of the festival. Tiff runs from...
- 7/22/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The 39th Toronto International Film Festival has announced its initial slate of galas and special presentations, which includes 37 world premieres and several films with Oscar ambitions. The Judge, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as a big-city lawyer who reluctantly returns home and ends up defending his revered father (Robert Duvall) against criminal charges, will have its world premiere in Toronto. His Avengers pal, Chris Evans, will unveil his own directorial debut in Toronto, titled Before We Go.
Also noteworthy: James Gandolfini’s final film, The Drop, which also stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; another Jason Reitman Toronto world premiere,...
Also noteworthy: James Gandolfini’s final film, The Drop, which also stars Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; another Jason Reitman Toronto world premiere,...
- 7/22/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
The Toronto International Film Festival announced its initial wave of 2014 premieres and galas this morning and it features some familiar awards titles, some big stars and some unexpected studio titles. Among the major studio films, David Dobkin's "The Judge" with Robert Downey Jr. and Antoine Fuqua's "The Equalizer" each received gala slots and should premiere over the festival's opening weekend. Other announced galas so far include Bennett Miller's acclaimed "Foxcatcher," which debuted at Cannes, and Mike Binder's "Black and White" starring Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer and Anthony Mackie. Toronto has also scheduled special gala screenings for David Cronenberg's "Map to the Stars" with Julianne Moore and Robert Pattinson, François Ozon's "The New Girlfriend," Ed Zwick's "Pawn Sacrifice" with Tobey Maguire, Lone Scherfig's "The Riot Club," Jean-Marc Vallée's "Wild," Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano's "Samba" and Shawn Levy's "This is Where I Leave You...
- 7/22/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
One of the new year’s resolutions I made for myself this year was to watch more “new to me” films. These films could be new releases or older cinema classics that I somehow have missed along the way through my 25 years of existence. Doing this is meant to expand my knowledge of film as well as my already great love for anything and everything cinema.
For my first month’s journey in cinema I was able to make it through twenty-one films, here they are, in the order I watched them:
(#1) The Abyss – 1989 – Directed by James Cameron
Pretty awesome film, I don’t know why I’ve missed seeing this for such a long time. It had a nice blend of sci-fi, action, & drama.
(#2) Executive Decision – 1996 – Directed by Stuart Baird
Pretty standard mid 90s action flick. Nothing special, but not a bad movie either. That being said, Oceanic Airlines...
For my first month’s journey in cinema I was able to make it through twenty-one films, here they are, in the order I watched them:
(#1) The Abyss – 1989 – Directed by James Cameron
Pretty awesome film, I don’t know why I’ve missed seeing this for such a long time. It had a nice blend of sci-fi, action, & drama.
(#2) Executive Decision – 1996 – Directed by Stuart Baird
Pretty standard mid 90s action flick. Nothing special, but not a bad movie either. That being said, Oceanic Airlines...
- 2/1/2011
- by Marc Vibbert
- FusedFilm
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.