Programme reconfigured to include non-Baltic directors heading Baltic co-productions.
The world premiere of Lithuanian feature The Poet will open the Baltic Competition at this year’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, which will screen 15 features from the region.
Directed by Giedrius Tamosevicius and Vytautas V. Landsbergis, The Poet is the one world premiere in the selection, alongside four international premieres.
Scroll down for the full list of Baltic Competition titles
It is a historical drama in which the titular writer becomes an intermediary between Soviet authorities and rebels, and must choose his allies and words carefully in order to survive.
The world premiere of Lithuanian feature The Poet will open the Baltic Competition at this year’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, which will screen 15 features from the region.
Directed by Giedrius Tamosevicius and Vytautas V. Landsbergis, The Poet is the one world premiere in the selection, alongside four international premieres.
Scroll down for the full list of Baltic Competition titles
It is a historical drama in which the titular writer becomes an intermediary between Soviet authorities and rebels, and must choose his allies and words carefully in order to survive.
- 10/25/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Estonia received a splashy introduction to the limelight in 2019, when it played host to Christopher Nolan’s time-bending sci-fi drama “Tenet.” The biggest production to shoot in the Baltic nation to date, Warner Bros.’ 200 million blockbuster landed Estonia squarely on the map for international film and television productions.
Though the coronavirus pandemic arrived not long after principal photography wrapped, the industry hasn’t skipped a beat since, with both domestic and international production — drawn by a cash rebate of up to 30 —continuing apace. This year, says Estonian Film Institute CEO Edith Sepp, there are no signs of slowing down.
“The Estonian cash rebate has been booming more than ever in the first half of this year,” she says. “In the whole of 2021, we had seven projects using the cash rebate scheme, but by January this year, we already had eight projects lined up for the rebate and the year had barely started.
Though the coronavirus pandemic arrived not long after principal photography wrapped, the industry hasn’t skipped a beat since, with both domestic and international production — drawn by a cash rebate of up to 30 —continuing apace. This year, says Estonian Film Institute CEO Edith Sepp, there are no signs of slowing down.
“The Estonian cash rebate has been booming more than ever in the first half of this year,” she says. “In the whole of 2021, we had seven projects using the cash rebate scheme, but by January this year, we already had eight projects lined up for the rebate and the year had barely started.
- 5/21/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Elmo Nüganen’s historical crime thriller “Melchior the Apothecary” has become the first Estonian film to cross the 50,000 admission mark at the local box office in the two years of the pandemic. The film, which was released by Hea Film on April 11, tops the box office with 57,456 admissions, according to Film New Europe.
The pic is the initial instalment in a trilogy – the first time a movie trilogy has been produced in Estonia. All three films were shot simultaneously in 2020. The second film of the series should reach cinemas on Aug. 19, 2022, and the third on Oct. 14, 2022.
Based on a crime bestseller by Indrek Hargla, “Melchior the Apothecary” tells the story of an apothecary in medieval Tallinn, who has a knack for solving mysteries and is employed by the city to untangle a mysterious murder case.
The film, which stars young Estonian actor Märten Metsaviir, was produced by four Estonian companies: Taska Film,...
The pic is the initial instalment in a trilogy – the first time a movie trilogy has been produced in Estonia. All three films were shot simultaneously in 2020. The second film of the series should reach cinemas on Aug. 19, 2022, and the third on Oct. 14, 2022.
Based on a crime bestseller by Indrek Hargla, “Melchior the Apothecary” tells the story of an apothecary in medieval Tallinn, who has a knack for solving mysteries and is employed by the city to untangle a mysterious murder case.
The film, which stars young Estonian actor Märten Metsaviir, was produced by four Estonian companies: Taska Film,...
- 4/26/2022
- by Tristan Priimägi
- Variety Film + TV
The recipients of the agency’s latest rounds of funding include Tanel Toom’s and Giedre Zickyte’s new projects. The Estonian Film Institute, the country’s film agency, has earmarked €3 million for new productions so far this year. The first slate of funding, announced back in February, awarded over €2 million in production and minority co-production grants. In particular, two projects received the grants of the biggest magnitude – namely, Rainer Sarnet’s comedy The Invisible Fight, produced by Homeless Bob Productions and other Serbian and Taiwanese partners, and Elmo Nüganen’s first instalment in the period-drama trilogy Melchior the Apothecary, staged by local firms Taska Film, Nafta Films and Apollo Film Productions in co-operation with Latvian and German partners Film Angels Productions and Maze Pictures. In the summer, one extraordinary call for funding for the majority production of features was published by the institute, and the entire allocated amount was.
- 11/24/2020
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
A total of 18 films will be showcased, including a €3m historical feature set in medieval Estonia.
The projects selected for Tallinn Black Nights’ industry showcase have been revealed, including a €3m adventure film set in medieval Estonia.
Scroll down for full list of projects
This year’s Industry@Tallinn and Baltic Event will take place entirely online and will spotlight 18 films seeking sales agents or festivals for international premieres. The projects will be presented on November 24.
Both the Baltic Event, showcasing Baltic and Finnish projects, and International Works in Progress compete for the same awards: the Post Production Award worth...
The projects selected for Tallinn Black Nights’ industry showcase have been revealed, including a €3m adventure film set in medieval Estonia.
Scroll down for full list of projects
This year’s Industry@Tallinn and Baltic Event will take place entirely online and will spotlight 18 films seeking sales agents or festivals for international premieres. The projects will be presented on November 24.
Both the Baltic Event, showcasing Baltic and Finnish projects, and International Works in Progress compete for the same awards: the Post Production Award worth...
- 10/30/2020
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The Estonian director's new project, the first instalment of a trilogy, is an Estonian-Latvian-German co-production. Elmo Nüganen is currently filming Melchior the Apothecary, a medieval crime thriller, in Estonia and Latvia. The film will be part of a trilogy which will include Melchior the Apothecary: the Ghost and Melchior the Apothecary: The Executioner’s Daughter. The Jõhvi-born director is best known for his extensive theatrical work and his previous two features, namely 1944 (2015) and Names Engraved in Marble (2002). The script, penned by Olle Mirme, revolves around Melchior Wakenstede (played by Märten Metsaviir), a clever and curious apothecary who, in addition to healing the sick, solves murders that shake the town. In a medieval world where people look for signs of God or the Devil in everything, Melchior’s detective work appears to be truly magical – it’s even believed that he can speak with the dead. Melchior’s actual “secret...
The Baltic country’s film agency has earmarked over €2 million in production and minority co-production grants. The Estonian Film Institute (Efi), the country’s main public film agency, has finally announced the recipients of its 2020 production and minority co-production grants. In total, three feature-length projects with Estonia as a main producing country were selected to receive support. In detail, two grants of the same magnitude were awarded to Homeless Bob Productions for Rainer Sarnet’s comedy The Invisible Fight (co-produced with Serbian and Taiwanese partners) and to Taska Film, Nafta Films and Apollo Film Productions for Elmo Nüganen’s period drama Apothecary Melchior. A third grant of €460,000 was awarded to an Estonian-Lithuanian co-production, namely Jaak Kilmi’s Tagurpidi torn, staged by Tallinn-based Stellar Film. Moreover, the institute awarded a total of €323,000 to seven feature-length fiction and documentary projects in which Estonia is involved as...
Last Friday, we woke up to the tragic news that beloved chef / writer / traveler / movie-lover Anthony Bourdain had died. Among his other notable virtues and accomplishments, no one had ever put so many different meals on screen, or served them to us with such rich context.
In that spirit, we asked our panel of critics to name the most appetite-whetting meal they’ve ever seen in a movie.
In other words, this week’s question is: What’s your favorite “food movie?”
Kyle Turner (@TyleKurner), Paste Magazine
There are times when I return to Ang Lee’s “Eat Drink, Man Woman” just for the opening sequence, featuring a calvacade of delicious food being prepared by the Chu patriarch. It’s a parade of images that indicate the skill it takes to be a great chef, and the intimacy required to make a (large) family dinner. Lee’s framing is unfussy,...
In that spirit, we asked our panel of critics to name the most appetite-whetting meal they’ve ever seen in a movie.
In other words, this week’s question is: What’s your favorite “food movie?”
Kyle Turner (@TyleKurner), Paste Magazine
There are times when I return to Ang Lee’s “Eat Drink, Man Woman” just for the opening sequence, featuring a calvacade of delicious food being prepared by the Chu patriarch. It’s a parade of images that indicate the skill it takes to be a great chef, and the intimacy required to make a (large) family dinner. Lee’s framing is unfussy,...
- 6/11/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Foreign-Language Oscar-shortlisted Labyrinth Of Lies took the Mercedes Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Director Giulio Ricciarelli’s film chronicled the coverup of German war crimes. Runners-up in the category included: Elmo Nüganen’s 1944 (Estonia), Jaco Van Dormael’s The Brand New Testament (Belgium), Gavin Hood’s Eye in the Sky (UK), Klaus Härö’s The Fencer (Finland), Fina Torres’ Liz in September…...
- 1/11/2016
- Deadline
Fascinating is the best way to describe the process by which the final five nominated for the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film are selected. Each year dozens of countries send their Oscar hopeful to Hollywood for AMPAS to consider. This work should, at least in theory, be the best representation of the national cinematic achievements of that year. This usually makes for a crowded field of storytelling marvels.
Since each country, via its national film academy or a special cultural committee, can only submit one candidate, there are always “snubs” even at the selections stage. These often happens because a film doesn’t meet the requirements or simply because the selecting body didn’t regard them as highly. While there are numerous detractors regarding AMPAS rule of only one entry per country, in a sense this helps level the playfield given that smaller territories might have very choices in comparison to European powerhouses. The other perspective argues that because of this process sometimes the real standouts don’t get a chance to compete.
Once a film becomes the official entry the next, and most arduous step, is to get into the 9-film shortlist. Six of them are chosen by popular within the AMPAS’ Foreign Language Film committee and the other three by an executed committee. These nine finalists are then watched by 30 randomly selected members from different Academy branches over one weekend. This is where the five nominees are chosen. This year 80 accepted submissions (noting that Afghanistan’s entry was disqualified) are vying for the trophy, and that means that 75 of the world’s best films will have to cherish the exposure given by process.
Nevertheless, making the shortlist is more than a commendable feat itself. This list will be revealed next week, and though there are always unexpected surprises, there are of course a few favorites and films that have garnered lots of positive attention throughout the season. After watching over three quarters out of the colossal list of entries in contention I’d like to share my observations on the 25 films that seem like the strongest bets to make the coveted shortlist and eventually become Academy Award nominees. Granted, other films could easily sneak in if they manage to impress the right people, but I feel confident that most of those that will advance will come from the least below.
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Fox International
Trapero’s sordid crime drama based on the real life story of the Puccio family, which became national news when authorities discovered they were behind a series of kidnapping and murders, is a compelling work that uses Argentina’s historical context as backdrop. . Almodovar’s El Deseo, the company behind the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales”, produced the film.
Read More: 'The Clan Wins' Audience Award At Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival’s Gems
Austria
"Goodnight Mommy" (Ich seh, ich seh)
Dirs. Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Radius-twc
One of the most daring selections is also one the most acclaimed horror films of the year. This art house chiller confronts a pair of mischievous twin boys with their convalescent mother who recently underwent a facial surgery. The thematic and aesthetic elegance that co-directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz employed elevates “Goodnight Mommy” beyond the usual gruesome fare.
Belgium
"The Brand New Testament" (Le tout nouveau testament)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Isa: Le Pacte
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This fantastical take on religion is yet another unique vision from director Jaco Van Dormael, the filmmaker behind such films as “Mr. Nobody.” With a humorous tone, “The Brand New Testament” explores what would happen if God himself lived in a regular apartment in Brussels pretending to be a mortal and finding pleasure in the little things that annoy human life - all of which are orchestrated by him.
Brazil
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?)
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
A clandestine romance and the yoke of religion are at the center of Maxime Giroux’s delicate debut feature. Meira (Hadas Yaron is a Hasidic woman who feels trapped by the expectations and limitations imposed her, but when she meets Felix (Martin Dubreuil), a secular man who is equally lost, her vision of the world widens.
Rea More: 'Felix and Meira' Director Maxime Giroux on Understanding Hasidim and Quebecois Isolation
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Larrain's latest work follows a group of priests and nuns who live in an isolated beachside town after committing a score of heinous crimes. Though they have the church's protection, there are people out there who are not willing to let impunity prevail. Magnificently written and acted, this dark and piercing drama ranks up there with the director’s best work
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Strikingly beautiful and laced with poetic mysticism, Ciro Guerra’s most accomplished work to date follows the journey of two European explores at particular times in history as they are guided through the Amazon by Karamakate, an imposing local shaman man who is wary of their intentions.
Czech Republic
"Home Care" (Domácí péce)
Dir. Slávek Horák
Isa: M-Appeal
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This very low-key dramedy from first-time director Slávek Horák about a a middle-aged home care nurse, who not only has to look after her patients but also her own family, hasn’t had as much exposure as other films on this list; however, the quality of the performances and the nuanced screenplay have resonated with those who have seen it.
Denmark
"A War" (Krigen)
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Isa: Studiocanal
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Director Tobias Lindholm follow up to “A Hijacking,” blends gritty action with a courtroom drama in a searing study on guilt and the collateral damage of armed conflicts from the point of view of conflicted family man and company commander Claus M. Pedersen (Pilou Asbæk). Subtle observations and intricate moral complexity are once again Lindholm's greatest strengths.
Estonia
"1944"
Dir. Elmo Nüganen
Isa: Eyewell Ab
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
After earning its first-ever Academy Award nomination earlier this year, the Eastern European country returns to the race with an impressive historical epic about Estonian soldiers fighting on different sides against their own. The film was directed, who starred in the Oscar-nominated “Tangerines.”
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish filmmaker Klaus Härö takes on an Estonian story about a professional fencer who becomes a physical education teacher in his homeland after leaving Russia to escape the Kgb. This classically executed and elegant period drama offers uplifting moments, romance, and exquisite cinematography.
France
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Through traditional gender roles and expectations in Turkish society, adults attempt to tame the blossoming womanhood in Deniz Gamze Ergüven's five teenage protagonists. Delicately shot and cast to perfection, this peculiar coming-of-ager is an empowering breath of fresh air that honors freedom and femininity in equal measures.
Read More: 'Mustang' Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven on Femininity in Cinema and French Multiculturalism
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
In the aftermath of WWII German authorities and the majority of the population refused to acknowledge the magnitude of their involvement in the Holocaust until a driven young prosecutor begins uncovering the truth. Ricciarelli film is a compelling historical drama with a fantastic lead performance by Alexander Fehling at its core.
Read More: Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli and Star Alexander Fehling on the Historical Relevance of 'Labyrinth of Lies' and Germany's Open Wound
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Bustamante’s Silver Bear-winning ethereal masterpiece in indigenous language is an intimate look at the lives of the country’s Mayan population. Told through the eyes of a teenage girl destined to an arranged marriage, this marvelously photographed film speaks of tradition, modernity, mysticism, male chauvinism, and cultural isolation.
Read More: 'Ixcanul' Director Jayro Bustamante on the Strength of Mayan Women and Guatemala's Indigenous Majority
Hungary
"Son of Saul" (Saul fia)
Dir. László Nemes
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
By far the most incredible debut of the year and one of the best films about the Holocaust ever made, this year’s Grand Prix winner takes the viewer inside the Nazi killing machine from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of Jewish men chosen to carry out all horrific manual labor within the gas chambers. Immersive and devastating, Nemes' stunner is a powerful cinematic statement.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
A humorous look at brotherhood and pastoral life, this Un Certain Regard-winning dark comedy pays homage to the importance of sheep in the Icelandic cultural identity. When a disease wipes out the entire town’s flock, two estrange siblings, who haven’t spoken to each other in decades, are forced to collaborate in order to save their livelihood.
Ireland
"Viva"
Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Isa: Mongrel International
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Jesus, a young gay man in Havana, only finds relief from his daily struggles when he transforms into a drag performer in front of an eager audience, but when his macho father returns after decades away his dreams are jeopardized. This Irish production set in Cuba is a delightful work that thrives on authenticity and emotionally layered performances.
Read More:'Viva' Director Paddy Breathnach on Making an Irish Film in Cuba and Visceral Transformation
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Adapting the sensibilities of classic Westerns into a uniquely Middle Eastern setting, this period piece touches on the complicated relationship between the region and the colonial powers via the experiences of a young Bedouin boy who embarks on a mission across the desert. Top-notch filmmaking that twists conventions to depict a singular worldview.
Mexico
"600 Miles" (600 Millas)
Dir. Gabriel Ripstein
Isa: Ndm
U.S. Distribution: Pantelion Films
By focusing on two characters from opposite sides of the border, Gabriel Ripstein’s debut Starring Tim Roth delves into the U.S/Mexico conflictive, yet unavoidable codependency and share responsibility in the fight against organized crime. Guns are at the center of this realist tale in which everyone’s morality is tinged with shades of grey.
The Netherlands
"The Paradise Suite"
Dir. Joost van Ginkel
Isa: Media Luna New Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
In this profound multi-narrative film the tumultuous stories of characters from diverse latitudes collide in Amsterdam in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. An Eastern European girl dragged into prostitution, an African man desperate to stay afloat, a war criminal in disguise, a woman seeking revenge, and famous musician and his son struggling to connect, all, in their own way, looking fro redemption.
Norway
"The Wave" (Bølgen)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Isa: TrustNordisk
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Besides its spectacular, Hollywood-worthy visual effects, what sets this Scandinavian disaster movie apart from less sophisticated American efforts is its interesting character development. While the chaos and destruction on screen is an exhilarating feast, the human aspect is never forgotten and it’s crucial to the Norwegian specificity of the plot.
Romania
"Aferim!"
Dir. Radu Jude
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Big World Pictures
Thematically fascinating and visually impeccable, this black-and-white historical adventure set in the early 19th century solidifies Romanian cinema as one of the most exciting and innovative currents in Europe. Radu Jude’s film centers on the mostly unknown history of Gypsy slavery and how this shaped Romanian society by using a tragicomic tone and timeless aesthetics.
Spain
"Flowers" (Loreak)
Dirs. Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
The country’s firs Basque-language entry is a soft-spoken drama that juxtaposes the grieving processes of three women after the tragic death of man that touched their lives directly and indirectly. Unpretentious in its concept, yet unexpectedly philosophical, the power of the narrative lies on the actresses that flourish and decay in varying degrees throughout the film.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
As brilliant as anything Andersson has ever created, the final chapter in his trilogy about the absurdity of what it means to be human is one of the most unconventional cinematic experiences in recent memory. Without the constraints of la traditional plot, this nonlinear treasure uses clever vignettes to talk about death, humor, and the mundane things that define our existence.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Armed with breathtaking cinematography, lavish costumes and production design, and an ancient legend about betrayal and retribution, master Hsiao-hsien Hou obliterates our expectations and delivers a one-of-a-kind martial arts epic that’s more concerned with sensory transcendence than narrative clarity, but is no less of an enthralling experience because of it.
Since each country, via its national film academy or a special cultural committee, can only submit one candidate, there are always “snubs” even at the selections stage. These often happens because a film doesn’t meet the requirements or simply because the selecting body didn’t regard them as highly. While there are numerous detractors regarding AMPAS rule of only one entry per country, in a sense this helps level the playfield given that smaller territories might have very choices in comparison to European powerhouses. The other perspective argues that because of this process sometimes the real standouts don’t get a chance to compete.
Once a film becomes the official entry the next, and most arduous step, is to get into the 9-film shortlist. Six of them are chosen by popular within the AMPAS’ Foreign Language Film committee and the other three by an executed committee. These nine finalists are then watched by 30 randomly selected members from different Academy branches over one weekend. This is where the five nominees are chosen. This year 80 accepted submissions (noting that Afghanistan’s entry was disqualified) are vying for the trophy, and that means that 75 of the world’s best films will have to cherish the exposure given by process.
Nevertheless, making the shortlist is more than a commendable feat itself. This list will be revealed next week, and though there are always unexpected surprises, there are of course a few favorites and films that have garnered lots of positive attention throughout the season. After watching over three quarters out of the colossal list of entries in contention I’d like to share my observations on the 25 films that seem like the strongest bets to make the coveted shortlist and eventually become Academy Award nominees. Granted, other films could easily sneak in if they manage to impress the right people, but I feel confident that most of those that will advance will come from the least below.
Argentina
"The Clan" (El Clan)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Fox International
Trapero’s sordid crime drama based on the real life story of the Puccio family, which became national news when authorities discovered they were behind a series of kidnapping and murders, is a compelling work that uses Argentina’s historical context as backdrop. . Almodovar’s El Deseo, the company behind the Oscar-nominated “Wild Tales”, produced the film.
Read More: 'The Clan Wins' Audience Award At Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival’s Gems
Austria
"Goodnight Mommy" (Ich seh, ich seh)
Dirs. Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Radius-twc
One of the most daring selections is also one the most acclaimed horror films of the year. This art house chiller confronts a pair of mischievous twin boys with their convalescent mother who recently underwent a facial surgery. The thematic and aesthetic elegance that co-directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz employed elevates “Goodnight Mommy” beyond the usual gruesome fare.
Belgium
"The Brand New Testament" (Le tout nouveau testament)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Isa: Le Pacte
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This fantastical take on religion is yet another unique vision from director Jaco Van Dormael, the filmmaker behind such films as “Mr. Nobody.” With a humorous tone, “The Brand New Testament” explores what would happen if God himself lived in a regular apartment in Brussels pretending to be a mortal and finding pleasure in the little things that annoy human life - all of which are orchestrated by him.
Brazil
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?)
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Isa: The Match Factory
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Pictures
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
Canada
"Felix & Meira"
Dir. Maxime Giroux
Isa: Urban Distribution International
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
A clandestine romance and the yoke of religion are at the center of Maxime Giroux’s delicate debut feature. Meira (Hadas Yaron is a Hasidic woman who feels trapped by the expectations and limitations imposed her, but when she meets Felix (Martin Dubreuil), a secular man who is equally lost, her vision of the world widens.
Rea More: 'Felix and Meira' Director Maxime Giroux on Understanding Hasidim and Quebecois Isolation
Chile
"The Club" (El Club)
Dir. Pablo Larraín
Isa: Funny Balloons
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
Larrain's latest work follows a group of priests and nuns who live in an isolated beachside town after committing a score of heinous crimes. Though they have the church's protection, there are people out there who are not willing to let impunity prevail. Magnificently written and acted, this dark and piercing drama ranks up there with the director’s best work
Colombia
"Embrace of the Serpent" (El Abrazo de la Serpiente)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Isa: Films Boutique
U.S. Distribution: Oscilloscope Laboratories
Strikingly beautiful and laced with poetic mysticism, Ciro Guerra’s most accomplished work to date follows the journey of two European explores at particular times in history as they are guided through the Amazon by Karamakate, an imposing local shaman man who is wary of their intentions.
Czech Republic
"Home Care" (Domácí péce)
Dir. Slávek Horák
Isa: M-Appeal
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
This very low-key dramedy from first-time director Slávek Horák about a a middle-aged home care nurse, who not only has to look after her patients but also her own family, hasn’t had as much exposure as other films on this list; however, the quality of the performances and the nuanced screenplay have resonated with those who have seen it.
Denmark
"A War" (Krigen)
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Isa: Studiocanal
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Director Tobias Lindholm follow up to “A Hijacking,” blends gritty action with a courtroom drama in a searing study on guilt and the collateral damage of armed conflicts from the point of view of conflicted family man and company commander Claus M. Pedersen (Pilou Asbæk). Subtle observations and intricate moral complexity are once again Lindholm's greatest strengths.
Estonia
"1944"
Dir. Elmo Nüganen
Isa: Eyewell Ab
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
After earning its first-ever Academy Award nomination earlier this year, the Eastern European country returns to the race with an impressive historical epic about Estonian soldiers fighting on different sides against their own. The film was directed, who starred in the Oscar-nominated “Tangerines.”
Finland
"The Fencer" (Miekkailija)
Dir. Klaus Härö
Isa: The Little Film Company
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
Finnish filmmaker Klaus Härö takes on an Estonian story about a professional fencer who becomes a physical education teacher in his homeland after leaving Russia to escape the Kgb. This classically executed and elegant period drama offers uplifting moments, romance, and exquisite cinematography.
France
"Mustang"
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Isa: Kinology
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
Through traditional gender roles and expectations in Turkish society, adults attempt to tame the blossoming womanhood in Deniz Gamze Ergüven's five teenage protagonists. Delicately shot and cast to perfection, this peculiar coming-of-ager is an empowering breath of fresh air that honors freedom and femininity in equal measures.
Read More: 'Mustang' Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven on Femininity in Cinema and French Multiculturalism
Germany
"Labyrinth of Lies" (Im Labyrinth des Schweigens)
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
In the aftermath of WWII German authorities and the majority of the population refused to acknowledge the magnitude of their involvement in the Holocaust until a driven young prosecutor begins uncovering the truth. Ricciarelli film is a compelling historical drama with a fantastic lead performance by Alexander Fehling at its core.
Read More: Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli and Star Alexander Fehling on the Historical Relevance of 'Labyrinth of Lies' and Germany's Open Wound
Guatemala
"Ixcanul"
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Kino Lorber
Bustamante’s Silver Bear-winning ethereal masterpiece in indigenous language is an intimate look at the lives of the country’s Mayan population. Told through the eyes of a teenage girl destined to an arranged marriage, this marvelously photographed film speaks of tradition, modernity, mysticism, male chauvinism, and cultural isolation.
Read More: 'Ixcanul' Director Jayro Bustamante on the Strength of Mayan Women and Guatemala's Indigenous Majority
Hungary
"Son of Saul" (Saul fia)
Dir. László Nemes
Isa: Films Distribution
U.S. Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics
By far the most incredible debut of the year and one of the best films about the Holocaust ever made, this year’s Grand Prix winner takes the viewer inside the Nazi killing machine from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of Jewish men chosen to carry out all horrific manual labor within the gas chambers. Immersive and devastating, Nemes' stunner is a powerful cinematic statement.
Iceland
"Rams" (Hrútar)
Dir. Grímur Hákonarson
Isa: New Europe Film Sales
U.S. Distribution: Cohen Media Group
A humorous look at brotherhood and pastoral life, this Un Certain Regard-winning dark comedy pays homage to the importance of sheep in the Icelandic cultural identity. When a disease wipes out the entire town’s flock, two estrange siblings, who haven’t spoken to each other in decades, are forced to collaborate in order to save their livelihood.
Ireland
"Viva"
Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Isa: Mongrel International
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Jesus, a young gay man in Havana, only finds relief from his daily struggles when he transforms into a drag performer in front of an eager audience, but when his macho father returns after decades away his dreams are jeopardized. This Irish production set in Cuba is a delightful work that thrives on authenticity and emotionally layered performances.
Read More:'Viva' Director Paddy Breathnach on Making an Irish Film in Cuba and Visceral Transformation
Jordan
"Theeb" (ذيب)
Dir. Naji Abu Nowar
Isa: Fortissimo Films
U.S. Distribution: Film Movement
Adapting the sensibilities of classic Westerns into a uniquely Middle Eastern setting, this period piece touches on the complicated relationship between the region and the colonial powers via the experiences of a young Bedouin boy who embarks on a mission across the desert. Top-notch filmmaking that twists conventions to depict a singular worldview.
Mexico
"600 Miles" (600 Millas)
Dir. Gabriel Ripstein
Isa: Ndm
U.S. Distribution: Pantelion Films
By focusing on two characters from opposite sides of the border, Gabriel Ripstein’s debut Starring Tim Roth delves into the U.S/Mexico conflictive, yet unavoidable codependency and share responsibility in the fight against organized crime. Guns are at the center of this realist tale in which everyone’s morality is tinged with shades of grey.
The Netherlands
"The Paradise Suite"
Dir. Joost van Ginkel
Isa: Media Luna New Films
U.S. Distribution: None Yet
In this profound multi-narrative film the tumultuous stories of characters from diverse latitudes collide in Amsterdam in unexpected and heartbreaking ways. An Eastern European girl dragged into prostitution, an African man desperate to stay afloat, a war criminal in disguise, a woman seeking revenge, and famous musician and his son struggling to connect, all, in their own way, looking fro redemption.
Norway
"The Wave" (Bølgen)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Isa: TrustNordisk
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
Besides its spectacular, Hollywood-worthy visual effects, what sets this Scandinavian disaster movie apart from less sophisticated American efforts is its interesting character development. While the chaos and destruction on screen is an exhilarating feast, the human aspect is never forgotten and it’s crucial to the Norwegian specificity of the plot.
Romania
"Aferim!"
Dir. Radu Jude
Isa: Beta Cinema
U.S. Distribution: Big World Pictures
Thematically fascinating and visually impeccable, this black-and-white historical adventure set in the early 19th century solidifies Romanian cinema as one of the most exciting and innovative currents in Europe. Radu Jude’s film centers on the mostly unknown history of Gypsy slavery and how this shaped Romanian society by using a tragicomic tone and timeless aesthetics.
Spain
"Flowers" (Loreak)
Dirs. Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga
Isa: Film Factory Entertainment
U.S. Distribution: Music Box Films
The country’s firs Basque-language entry is a soft-spoken drama that juxtaposes the grieving processes of three women after the tragic death of man that touched their lives directly and indirectly. Unpretentious in its concept, yet unexpectedly philosophical, the power of the narrative lies on the actresses that flourish and decay in varying degrees throughout the film.
Sweden
"A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Isa: Coproduction Office (Paris)
U.S. Distribution: Magnolia Pictures
As brilliant as anything Andersson has ever created, the final chapter in his trilogy about the absurdity of what it means to be human is one of the most unconventional cinematic experiences in recent memory. Without the constraints of la traditional plot, this nonlinear treasure uses clever vignettes to talk about death, humor, and the mundane things that define our existence.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
Taiwan
"The Assassin" (聶隱娘)
Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou
Isa: Wild Bunch
U.S. Distribution: Well Go USA Entertainment
Armed with breathtaking cinematography, lavish costumes and production design, and an ancient legend about betrayal and retribution, master Hsiao-hsien Hou obliterates our expectations and delivers a one-of-a-kind martial arts epic that’s more concerned with sensory transcendence than narrative clarity, but is no less of an enthralling experience because of it.
- 12/14/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Films from 81 countries have been subitted for this year’s Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The figure is down on last year, when a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016, televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Algeria Twilight of Shadows, Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina
Argentina The Clan, Pablo Trapero
Australia Arrows of the Thunder, Dragon Greg Sneddon
Austria Goodnight Mommy, Veronika Franz, [link...
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The figure is down on last year, when a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016, televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Algeria Twilight of Shadows, Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina
Argentina The Clan, Pablo Trapero
Australia Arrows of the Thunder, Dragon Greg Sneddon
Austria Goodnight Mommy, Veronika Franz, [link...
- 10/8/2015
- ScreenDaily
Films from 81 countries have been subitted for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar, among them Felix and Meira, Under Milk Wood, Labyrinth of Lies and Sunstroke (click through for full list).
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director.
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors.
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director.
Argentina: “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director.
Australia: “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director.
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho...
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director.
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors.
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director.
Argentina: “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director.
Australia: “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director.
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho...
- 10/8/2015
- ScreenDaily
Films from 81 countries have been subitted for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar, among them Felix and Meira, Under Milk Wood, Labyrinth of Lies and Sunstroke (click through for full list).
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director.
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors.
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director.
Argentina: “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director.
Australia: “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director.
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho...
The Us Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that 81 countries have submitted films for consideration for this year’s Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Paraguay is the only first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director.
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors.
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director.
Argentina: “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director.
Australia: “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director.
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho...
- 10/8/2015
- ScreenDaily
Writer-director-producer Greg Sneddon.s Bhutan-set drama Arrows of the Thunder Dragon is Australia.s entry for the best foreign language film Oscar.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows brother and sister Kuenphen and Jamyang who live in a remote Bhutanese village where they learn traditional archery from their old warrior grandfather.
Their mother's sudden sickness gives Kuenphen the opportunity to explore the world outside the village while Jamyang must stay home to weave, cook and get married- a fate she is not willing to accept without a fight.
The self-financed film was shot on location in the Himalayan mountains with a cast of local highland village people and a Bhutanese crew including DoP Leki Dorji, none of whom had worked on a feature. Jill Bilock is the editor.
"I'm thrilled to bits," Sneddon tell If. A former Buddhist monk, he got the idea for the film while on a pilgrimage to the country.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows brother and sister Kuenphen and Jamyang who live in a remote Bhutanese village where they learn traditional archery from their old warrior grandfather.
Their mother's sudden sickness gives Kuenphen the opportunity to explore the world outside the village while Jamyang must stay home to weave, cook and get married- a fate she is not willing to accept without a fight.
The self-financed film was shot on location in the Himalayan mountains with a cast of local highland village people and a Bhutanese crew including DoP Leki Dorji, none of whom had worked on a feature. Jill Bilock is the editor.
"I'm thrilled to bits," Sneddon tell If. A former Buddhist monk, he got the idea for the film while on a pilgrimage to the country.
- 10/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Son Of Saul
The Academy has announced that eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Oscars.
The Holocaust drama, Son Of Saul, won the Grand Prix at Cannes in May.
Paraguay is a first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director;
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors;
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director;
Argentina, “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director;
Australia, “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director;
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director;
Canada, “Félix and Meira,” Maxime Giroux, director;
Chile, “The Club,” Pablo Larraín, director;
China,...
The Academy has announced that eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 88th Oscars.
The Holocaust drama, Son Of Saul, won the Grand Prix at Cannes in May.
Paraguay is a first-time entrant.
The 2015 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director;
Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors;
Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director;
Argentina, “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director;
Australia, “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director;
Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors;
Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director;
Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director;
Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director;
Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director;
Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director;
Canada, “Félix and Meira,” Maxime Giroux, director;
Chile, “The Club,” Pablo Larraín, director;
China,...
- 10/8/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
This year’s nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016.
Afghanistan: Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania: Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Austria: Goodnight Mommy, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Bangladesh: Jalal’s Story, Abu Shahed Emon
Belgium: The Brand New Testament, Jaco Van Dormael
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Our Everyday Life, Ines Tanović
Brazil: The Second Mother, Anna Muylaert
Bulgaria: The Judgement, Stephan Komandarev
Cambodia:...
Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.
Last year, a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
This year’s nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.
Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 14, 2016.
The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016.
Afghanistan: Utopia, Hassan Nazer
Albania: Bota, Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci
Austria: Goodnight Mommy, Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Bangladesh: Jalal’s Story, Abu Shahed Emon
Belgium: The Brand New Testament, Jaco Van Dormael
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Our Everyday Life, Ines Tanović
Brazil: The Second Mother, Anna Muylaert
Bulgaria: The Judgement, Stephan Komandarev
Cambodia:...
- 9/25/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Once I Was A Dragonfly was selected from 10 works in progress presented to the festival’s jury.
Producer-director Elli Toivoniemi’s feature documentary debut Once I Was A Dragonfly received the Best Pitch Award at this year’s Finnish Film Affair (Sept 22-24) in Helsinki.
The new $3,400 (€3,000) award, which was sponsored by the Finnish Film Foundation for use in the film’s international marketing, was decided by a three-person jury made up of Fortissimo Films’ Berenice Fugard, Robert Burke of TenOne Entertainment and La-based critic Barbara Gasser.
Announcing the winner on Wednesday evening, Gasser said that it had been a “tough decision” to make the final choice from the 10 works in progress, but Toivoniemi’s film boasted “stunning visuals” and was “a story we could also relate to”.
The $224,000 (€200,000) Tuffi Films production centres on 24-year-old Miikka Friman’s lifelong fascination with dragonflies from the tender age of six and the decisions he must take as the obligations...
Producer-director Elli Toivoniemi’s feature documentary debut Once I Was A Dragonfly received the Best Pitch Award at this year’s Finnish Film Affair (Sept 22-24) in Helsinki.
The new $3,400 (€3,000) award, which was sponsored by the Finnish Film Foundation for use in the film’s international marketing, was decided by a three-person jury made up of Fortissimo Films’ Berenice Fugard, Robert Burke of TenOne Entertainment and La-based critic Barbara Gasser.
Announcing the winner on Wednesday evening, Gasser said that it had been a “tough decision” to make the final choice from the 10 works in progress, but Toivoniemi’s film boasted “stunning visuals” and was “a story we could also relate to”.
The $224,000 (€200,000) Tuffi Films production centres on 24-year-old Miikka Friman’s lifelong fascination with dragonflies from the tender age of six and the decisions he must take as the obligations...
- 9/24/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Best Foreign Language Film Oscar 2016: 'Viva' with Héctor Medina. Multicultural Best Foreign Language Film Oscar 2016 submissions Nearly ten years ago, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences changed a key rule regarding entries for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar;* since then, things have gotten quite colorful. Just yesterday, Sept. 16, '15, Ireland submitted Paddy Breathnach's Viva – a Cuban-set drama spoken in Spanish. And why not? To name a couple more “multicultural and multinational” entries this year alone: China's submission, with dialogue in Mandarin and Mongolian, is Wolf Totem, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud – a Frenchman. And Germany's entry, Labyrinth of Lies, was directed by Giulio Ricciarelli, who happens to be a German-based, Italian-born stage and TV actor. 'Viva': Sexual identity in 21st-century Cuba Executive produced by Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro (Traffic), Viva tells the story of an 18-year-old Havana drag-club worker,...
- 9/17/2015
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
The Oscar-nominated film about Georgian farmers caught up in a bloody civil war finally gets its much-deserved UK release
This movie from Georgian writer-director Zara Urushadze had an Oscar nomination for best foreign film, losing out to Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida. It more than deserves its UK release now: a tremendous, old-fashioned anti-war film, by turns touching, moving and suspenseful. It’s set in 1992, in the post-Soviet Caucasus, where Georgians are fighting a war with secessionist Abkhazians, backed by Russia. Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) is an elderly ethnic Estonian who, with his friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), is a tangerine farmer; they fear the fighting will destroy their entire crop. Disaster strikes, and Ivo finds himself having to offer tense hospitality to one wounded fighter from each side: Georgian Niko (Misha Meskhi) and Chechen mercenary Ahmed (Giorgi Nakhashidze) who has no great love for his Russian paymasters. Ivo’s house becomes their demilitarised zone,...
This movie from Georgian writer-director Zara Urushadze had an Oscar nomination for best foreign film, losing out to Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida. It more than deserves its UK release now: a tremendous, old-fashioned anti-war film, by turns touching, moving and suspenseful. It’s set in 1992, in the post-Soviet Caucasus, where Georgians are fighting a war with secessionist Abkhazians, backed by Russia. Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) is an elderly ethnic Estonian who, with his friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), is a tangerine farmer; they fear the fighting will destroy their entire crop. Disaster strikes, and Ivo finds himself having to offer tense hospitality to one wounded fighter from each side: Georgian Niko (Misha Meskhi) and Chechen mercenary Ahmed (Giorgi Nakhashidze) who has no great love for his Russian paymasters. Ivo’s house becomes their demilitarised zone,...
- 9/17/2015
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
★★★★★ Fully deserving of its Oscar and Golden Globe award nominations earlier this year, Zaza Urushadze's affecting drama Tangerines (2013) - in UK cinemas this week courtesy of Axiom Films - is a bittersweet portrait of cruelty and compassion in the midst of war. During the bloody conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia that erupted in the wake of the Soviet Union's dissolution, many Estonians living in the region were forced to flee. Tangerines focuses on two immigrant farmers who have remained on their land in order to harvest a tangerine crop. A skilled carpenter, Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak) makes the crates, while Margus (Elmo Nüganen) picks the fruit from his orchard.
- 9/17/2015
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
“Cinema is a fraud,” exclaims Ivo (Lembit Ulfsak), an elderly Estonian man living in the Caucasus Mountains, after one of his last remaining friends expresses his disappointed when an army van they are disposing of doesn’t explode when falling from a cliff. The man expected such occurrence based upon what he had witnessed in movies.
Beneath this statement one could infer that Ivo’s disillusionment with Hollywood has more to do with its depiction of war than with this precise incident, but it undoubtedly asserts that “Tangerines” is not another textbook drama about the atrocities of armed conflicts as the West likes to present them. Instead, Georgian director Zaza Urushadze’s Oscar-nominated gem is witty and heartfelt without stepping on patronizing or condemning territory.
During the War in Abkhazia in the early 90s, most Estonians who lived in the region returned home given that the fighting only involved Georgia and the Russian-backed Abkhazians. Ivo, being an experience carpenter capable of making numerous crates per day, and his caring friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), who owns a sizeable amount of tangerine trees, decided to stay behind in order to sell their harvest.
Inescapably, their peaceful and isolated days come to an end when the gunshots arrive at their doorsteps. Startled by the commotion of warfare so close to him, Ivo searches several damaged vehicles for any sings of life until he finds Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Chechen mercenary still conscious. He recognizes him as the same man that had come asking for food days earlier.
Among the wreckage Ivo, with Margus’ help, also discovers several deceased men from both sides and Niko (Misha Meskhi), a Georgian soldier who has miraculously survived an injury to the head. Hoping to save them both, Ivo must now house the two mortal enemies in recovery under the same roof. He feeds them and takes care of their wounds like a strict, yet affectionate, father would. But the moment the two become aware of the other’s presence, their hatred comes to the surface instantly. Ivo’s efforts to keep them alive might prove too small to counteract their respective preset ideologies.
Ahmed promises to kill Niko as soon as the latter can stand on his feet. Ivo intervenes and requests that if any violence should take place, this should not happen inside his house. Grateful for what he’s done for them, both fighters agree to behave in a civilized manner while at Ivo’s place. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the tension completely subsides.
Urushadze capitalizes on the peculiar living arrangements with humor and casual exchanges between the two perennial adversaries and the diplomatic Ivo, which are at once enjoyable and insightful. War is constantly skulking outside the door throughout the film, yet “Tangerines” consciously focuses far more on the human component and reconciliation than the historical aspects of this specific conflict. Its pacifist message is clear, but wrapped around a cleverly written screenplay.
Occasionally, the minimalist approach might feel slightly theatrical, but this is often quickly rectified by Rein Kotov’s splendid cinematography: A breakfast sequences is transformed into an electrifying confrontation, the breathtaking landscapes sparkle with color, and every action-packed sequence is shot with tremendous effectiveness.
Purposely with a marvelous cinematic quality, “Tangerines” is a departure from other Easter European films that sport a gloomy, documentary-like, visual aesthetic. Here, while not overly stylized, each frame captures glimpses of hope in the form of beauty even in the midst of chaos.
Evidently, as even Niko points out in the film, the film industry of the region is underdeveloped and underfunded. Intelligently, Urushadze chose to ditch a story of epic proportions for something intimate in which whatever resources he had were channeled towards polished images and astounding performances.
Wise and strangely endearing Mr. Ulfsak's Ivo is the heart of this unforgettable story. He is the voice of reason, a skillful countryman, and someone who’s suffered profound losses but can still look at humanity with compassion. His no-nonsense way of doing things is efficient, fair, and often comical. Ulfsak’s performance avoids sentimentalism without being cold. He tells it like it is and it’s brilliant.
In such a contained production, every piece is a crucial element, and though Ulfsak unquestionably carries the action, the rest of the cast delivers equally memorable work. Nakashidze as the stubborn Ahmed experiences a change of heart that feels organic and believable. Meanwhile, Meskhi and his superior demeanor as an educated Tbilisi man expose the great difference between the two men not without highlighting moving similarities like their mutual fondness for music and religious tolerance.
Armed with a mountain of excellently conceived elements, including the exotic and mesmerizing score by Niaz Diasamidze, “Tangerines” is a near perfect work that manages to fully captivate with it’s honesty. Still, as the drama unfolds one can’t help but wonder about the significance of the eponymous citrus fruit. It’s perhaps an insignificant reason for these men to stay and work so hard day after day, but it’s a reason after all.
That’s what Urushadze’s film is about. Is not a philosophical exploration on violence, but a humanistic mediation on the tiny treasures of life that gain even more importance when death is so close in the horizon. “Tangerines” is a powerful achievement both in content and technique that strikes a rare balance between its mission to convey a message of peace and its ability to truly entertain. Not to be missed.
Now playing in L.A. at the Laemmle Royal, Laemmle Playhouse 7, and Laemmle's Town Center 5, and in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas...
Beneath this statement one could infer that Ivo’s disillusionment with Hollywood has more to do with its depiction of war than with this precise incident, but it undoubtedly asserts that “Tangerines” is not another textbook drama about the atrocities of armed conflicts as the West likes to present them. Instead, Georgian director Zaza Urushadze’s Oscar-nominated gem is witty and heartfelt without stepping on patronizing or condemning territory.
During the War in Abkhazia in the early 90s, most Estonians who lived in the region returned home given that the fighting only involved Georgia and the Russian-backed Abkhazians. Ivo, being an experience carpenter capable of making numerous crates per day, and his caring friend Margus (Elmo Nüganen), who owns a sizeable amount of tangerine trees, decided to stay behind in order to sell their harvest.
Inescapably, their peaceful and isolated days come to an end when the gunshots arrive at their doorsteps. Startled by the commotion of warfare so close to him, Ivo searches several damaged vehicles for any sings of life until he finds Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Chechen mercenary still conscious. He recognizes him as the same man that had come asking for food days earlier.
Among the wreckage Ivo, with Margus’ help, also discovers several deceased men from both sides and Niko (Misha Meskhi), a Georgian soldier who has miraculously survived an injury to the head. Hoping to save them both, Ivo must now house the two mortal enemies in recovery under the same roof. He feeds them and takes care of their wounds like a strict, yet affectionate, father would. But the moment the two become aware of the other’s presence, their hatred comes to the surface instantly. Ivo’s efforts to keep them alive might prove too small to counteract their respective preset ideologies.
Ahmed promises to kill Niko as soon as the latter can stand on his feet. Ivo intervenes and requests that if any violence should take place, this should not happen inside his house. Grateful for what he’s done for them, both fighters agree to behave in a civilized manner while at Ivo’s place. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the tension completely subsides.
Urushadze capitalizes on the peculiar living arrangements with humor and casual exchanges between the two perennial adversaries and the diplomatic Ivo, which are at once enjoyable and insightful. War is constantly skulking outside the door throughout the film, yet “Tangerines” consciously focuses far more on the human component and reconciliation than the historical aspects of this specific conflict. Its pacifist message is clear, but wrapped around a cleverly written screenplay.
Occasionally, the minimalist approach might feel slightly theatrical, but this is often quickly rectified by Rein Kotov’s splendid cinematography: A breakfast sequences is transformed into an electrifying confrontation, the breathtaking landscapes sparkle with color, and every action-packed sequence is shot with tremendous effectiveness.
Purposely with a marvelous cinematic quality, “Tangerines” is a departure from other Easter European films that sport a gloomy, documentary-like, visual aesthetic. Here, while not overly stylized, each frame captures glimpses of hope in the form of beauty even in the midst of chaos.
Evidently, as even Niko points out in the film, the film industry of the region is underdeveloped and underfunded. Intelligently, Urushadze chose to ditch a story of epic proportions for something intimate in which whatever resources he had were channeled towards polished images and astounding performances.
Wise and strangely endearing Mr. Ulfsak's Ivo is the heart of this unforgettable story. He is the voice of reason, a skillful countryman, and someone who’s suffered profound losses but can still look at humanity with compassion. His no-nonsense way of doing things is efficient, fair, and often comical. Ulfsak’s performance avoids sentimentalism without being cold. He tells it like it is and it’s brilliant.
In such a contained production, every piece is a crucial element, and though Ulfsak unquestionably carries the action, the rest of the cast delivers equally memorable work. Nakashidze as the stubborn Ahmed experiences a change of heart that feels organic and believable. Meanwhile, Meskhi and his superior demeanor as an educated Tbilisi man expose the great difference between the two men not without highlighting moving similarities like their mutual fondness for music and religious tolerance.
Armed with a mountain of excellently conceived elements, including the exotic and mesmerizing score by Niaz Diasamidze, “Tangerines” is a near perfect work that manages to fully captivate with it’s honesty. Still, as the drama unfolds one can’t help but wonder about the significance of the eponymous citrus fruit. It’s perhaps an insignificant reason for these men to stay and work so hard day after day, but it’s a reason after all.
That’s what Urushadze’s film is about. Is not a philosophical exploration on violence, but a humanistic mediation on the tiny treasures of life that gain even more importance when death is so close in the horizon. “Tangerines” is a powerful achievement both in content and technique that strikes a rare balance between its mission to convey a message of peace and its ability to truly entertain. Not to be missed.
Now playing in L.A. at the Laemmle Royal, Laemmle Playhouse 7, and Laemmle's Town Center 5, and in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas...
- 4/26/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Tangerines
Written & Directed by Zaza Urushadze
Estonia|Georgia, 2013
Tangerines is the type of slow-builder that completely sneaks up on you. It’s like wandering through the fog of a spell until the magician snaps you back to reality. Director Zaza Urushadze has created a powerful anti-war statement without even raising his voice. War may be hell, but these characters call it home. Tangerines is an Oscar-nominated gem that showcases humanity at its horrifying worst and inspirational best.
It’s 1992 and the war is raging in Abkhazia. The rebel Abkhazians are battling to break free of Georgia, and a remote Estonian village is caught in the middle. Only two tangerine farmers remain in the long-deserted village. The first is Ivo (the great Lembit Ulfsak); a gentle old man who lovingly displays photos of his beautiful granddaughter on the mantle. He’s levelheaded, but indomitable. Every day he assembles rickety wooden crates in his “factory,...
Written & Directed by Zaza Urushadze
Estonia|Georgia, 2013
Tangerines is the type of slow-builder that completely sneaks up on you. It’s like wandering through the fog of a spell until the magician snaps you back to reality. Director Zaza Urushadze has created a powerful anti-war statement without even raising his voice. War may be hell, but these characters call it home. Tangerines is an Oscar-nominated gem that showcases humanity at its horrifying worst and inspirational best.
It’s 1992 and the war is raging in Abkhazia. The rebel Abkhazians are battling to break free of Georgia, and a remote Estonian village is caught in the middle. Only two tangerine farmers remain in the long-deserted village. The first is Ivo (the great Lembit Ulfsak); a gentle old man who lovingly displays photos of his beautiful granddaughter on the mantle. He’s levelheaded, but indomitable. Every day he assembles rickety wooden crates in his “factory,...
- 4/16/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Small in scale if huge in heart and scope, Tangerines uses four characters to limn the religio-nationalistic hostilities unleashed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1992. But what a foursome! Or, actually, make that what a one. Tangerines' lead, renowned Estonian actor Lembit Ulfsak, is cool-headed, even witty at times as Ivo, curtailing violence between two wounded, vengeance-driven enemies: Ahmed (Giorgi Nakashidze), a Muslim Chechen mercenary for Abkhazia; and Niko (Mikheil Meskhi), a Christian separatist on the Georgian side. Admonishes Ivo, "No killing in this house." Maybe he should hire on at the U.N. Other ethnic Estonians were driven off the land, but Ivo is sticking it out in his farmhouse, helping a neighbor (Elmo Nüganen) h...
- 4/15/2015
- Village Voice
Tangerines Trailer. Zaza Urushadze‘s Tangerines (2013) movie trailer stars Lembit Ulfsak, Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze, Misha Meskhi, and Raivo Trass. Tangerines‘ plot synopsis: “Set in 1992, during the growing conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists in the wake of the Soviet Union’s dissolution, this compassionate tale focuses on two Estonian immigrant farmers [...]
Continue reading: Tangerines (2013) Movie Trailer: Farmer Promotes Peace to Two Soldiers...
Continue reading: Tangerines (2013) Movie Trailer: Farmer Promotes Peace to Two Soldiers...
- 3/21/2015
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"As soon as the tangerines are sold, I will leave." No, not Georgia the state. This film is from the country Georgia, next to Turkey and Armenia. Samuel Goldwyn has debuted their own trailer for a Georgian film called Tangerines, which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar this year (though it lost to Ida, of course). Starring Lembit Ulfsak as Ivo, the film takes place in 1992 during the conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists. Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines, but encounters two injured soldiers of opposite sides who he takes in. It also stars Elmo Nüganen, Giorgi Nakashidze and Misha Meskhi. This looks solid and got great buzz (a few reviews), so it might be worth checking out. Here's the official Us trailer for Zaza Urushadze's Tangerines, direct from Samuel Goldwyn's YouTube: Set in 1992, during the growing conflict between Georgia and...
- 3/20/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Slaps an honest emotional sincerity and a dry, almost humorous pragmatism in the face of macho posturing and identity tribalism. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s an Enemy Mine sort of scenario in Georgian filmmaker Zaza Urushadze’s Tangerines — Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film — except it’s more kind of Enemy Theirs. Set during the Georgian civil war of the early 1990s, just after the breakup of the Soviet Union, this is the tale of elderly Ivo (the very Christopher Lee-esque Lembit Ulfsak) and his middle-aged neighbor Margus (Elmo Nüganen), ethnic Estonians who’ve stayed behind, while all their friends and family have fled back to Estonia, in order to bring in Margus’s crop of tangerines. One evening a firefight almost on their doorsteps in their rural mountain village...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
It’s an Enemy Mine sort of scenario in Georgian filmmaker Zaza Urushadze’s Tangerines — Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language film — except it’s more kind of Enemy Theirs. Set during the Georgian civil war of the early 1990s, just after the breakup of the Soviet Union, this is the tale of elderly Ivo (the very Christopher Lee-esque Lembit Ulfsak) and his middle-aged neighbor Margus (Elmo Nüganen), ethnic Estonians who’ve stayed behind, while all their friends and family have fled back to Estonia, in order to bring in Margus’s crop of tangerines. One evening a firefight almost on their doorsteps in their rural mountain village...
- 2/17/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has unveiled its 2015 line-up which includes films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The U.S. premiere of Niki Caro’s McFarland USA will close out the 30th fest. Based on the 1987 true story and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello, the film follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. The unlikely band of runners overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
- 1/8/2015
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
A self-acknowledged "showcase for Academy Award frontrunners," the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is often overlooked for the actual films that earn it festival status. An amalgamation of international discoveries and ’merica’s circuit highlights, the Sbiff curates a week of best-of-the-best to pair with their star-praising. The 2015 edition offers another expansive selection, bookended by two films that aren’t on any radars just yet. Sbiff will open with "Desert Dancer," producer Richard Raymond’s directorial debut. Starring Reece Ritchie and Frieda Pinto, the drama follows a group of friends who wave off the harsh political climate of Iran’s 2009 presidential election in favor of forming a dance team, picking up moves from Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev thanks to the magic of YouTube. The festival will close with "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Telling the 1987 true story of a Latino high school’s underdog cross-country team,...
- 1/8/2015
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
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