Writer-director Rainer Sarnet’s deliriously weird The Invisible Fight would be irksome if it weren’t crafted so lovingly and with a charming earnestness. Part wuxia homage, part coming-of-age story, this slice of absurdist historical fiction has little on its mind other than to amuse, which it does regularly enough to stay on the audience’s good side.
The film is set in the Soviet Union circa 1973, with the drabness of life under an authoritarian regime sharply contrasting with the more fulfilling, vibrant existence that our protagonist, Rafael (Ursel Tilk), is chasing after. The young man, who still lives with his mother in a modest apartment, is the only survivor of an attack by three Chinese bandits at the Soviet-Chinese border, where he works as a guard. When his car breaks down one day near a monastery, Rafael, a rebel in search of radicalization, goads the monks and does his...
The film is set in the Soviet Union circa 1973, with the drabness of life under an authoritarian regime sharply contrasting with the more fulfilling, vibrant existence that our protagonist, Rafael (Ursel Tilk), is chasing after. The young man, who still lives with his mother in a modest apartment, is the only survivor of an attack by three Chinese bandits at the Soviet-Chinese border, where he works as a guard. When his car breaks down one day near a monastery, Rafael, a rebel in search of radicalization, goads the monks and does his...
- 2/17/2024
- by Charles Lyons-Burt
- Slant Magazine
"I'm going to be a monk." Kino Lorber has unveiled their official US trailer for the Estonian film known as The Invisible Fight, a martial arts comedy made by Estonian filmmaker Rainer Sarnet (also of the cult hit November). This is finally set to open in US theaters in February, starting at the Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan, with more cities to follow throughout March. It premiered at Locarno and played at Fantastic Fest and Sitges (where I caught up with it). The Invisible Fight is described as a satirical take on the martial arts film, artfully paying tribute to the genre's Chinese wuxia roots. Set in the 1970s, it's about an Estonian guard on the Soviet-Chinese border who, after surviving and watching a deadly attack, decides to become a monk but must continually prove along the way that he's capable of becoming the enlightened man that he set out to be.
- 1/30/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Bring on Estonian kung fu!! There's a badass little film playing on the film festival circuit this fall called The Invisible Fight, the sixth feature directed by Estonian filmmaker Rainer Sarnet. After first premiering at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, it has also played at Fantastic Fest, in Helsinki, and the Sitges Film Festival in Spain - where I was lucky enough to catch up with it. And yep – The Invisible Fight rocks! A kooky martial arts flick meets Estonian comedy set in the Soviet-era past, where a guy decides to go against the communist system and learn kung fu – just because it's cool. Even if this loses steam in the second half, this film is mega enjoyable because it's so boldly original. Where else can you learn about the temptations of black metal kung fu, taught by Orthodox monks with long beards, who insist on the importance of humility over dexterity.
- 10/17/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"The demons are your own thoughts. You must fight against them!" There's a must see early festival trailer available online for an Estonian film called The Invisible Fight, a martial arts comedy made by filmmaker Rainer Sarnet (also of the cult hit November). This first premiered at the 2023 Locarno Film Festival, and just played at Fantastic Fest, with a stop at the Sitges Film Festival next. Kino Lorber in the US has already picked up distribution rights, with plans to release it in early 2024. Add it to your watchlist!! The Invisible Fight is described as a satirical take on the martial arts film, artfully paying tribute to the genre’s Chinese wuxia roots through a Northern European story. Set in the 1970s, it's about a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border who, after surviving a deadly attack, decides to become a monk but must continually prove along the way that he's...
- 9/28/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Kino Lorber has acquired North American distribution rights to Fantastic Fest and Sitges 2023 movie The Invisible Fight from LevelK. Above is a new international teaser for the movie.
The Estonian heavy metal kung fu comedy is written and directed by Rainer Sarnet (November) and got its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. Kino Lorber is lining up a theatrical, digital, and home video release in 2024.
The Invisible Fight is a satirical take on the martial arts film, paying tribute to the genre’s Chinese wuxia roots through a Northern European story. In the movie, a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border survives a deadly attack but then decides to become a monk and must continually prove along the way that he’s capable of becoming the enlightened man he set out to be.
The deal was negotiated by Kino Lorber Senior Vice President Wendy Lidell and Tine Klint of LevelK.
The Estonian heavy metal kung fu comedy is written and directed by Rainer Sarnet (November) and got its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. Kino Lorber is lining up a theatrical, digital, and home video release in 2024.
The Invisible Fight is a satirical take on the martial arts film, paying tribute to the genre’s Chinese wuxia roots through a Northern European story. In the movie, a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border survives a deadly attack but then decides to become a monk and must continually prove along the way that he’s capable of becoming the enlightened man he set out to be.
The deal was negotiated by Kino Lorber Senior Vice President Wendy Lidell and Tine Klint of LevelK.
- 9/27/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
In out-there Estonian comedy “The Invisible Fight,” a clueless Russian border guard somehow escapes a surprise attack by three formidable Chinese action figures — gravity-defying kung fu warriors who swoop in out of nowhere, blasting Black Sabbath on their bright red boombox — so he does what anyone in his position would do: He resolves to become an Orthodox monk. Huh? “I guess God has other plans for you,” a less-fortunate comrade wheezes with his dying breath, setting up one of the oddest plots audiences are likely to find on the art-house circuit this year.
After attracting international attention with 2017 festival discovery “November” —a hyper-stylized, black-and-white folk horror novelty involving pagan stick monsters known as “kratts” — writer-director Rainer Sarnet swings to the color-saturated opposite extreme to make a genre-splicing martial arts satire. Set in the highly repressive, mid-’70s Soviet Union and shot like a vintage drive-in movie, “The Invisible Fight” treats kung fu as comedy,...
After attracting international attention with 2017 festival discovery “November” —a hyper-stylized, black-and-white folk horror novelty involving pagan stick monsters known as “kratts” — writer-director Rainer Sarnet swings to the color-saturated opposite extreme to make a genre-splicing martial arts satire. Set in the highly repressive, mid-’70s Soviet Union and shot like a vintage drive-in movie, “The Invisible Fight” treats kung fu as comedy,...
- 8/23/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The hype is real: Ali Ahmadzadeh’s “Critical Zone” (“Mantagheye bohrani”) has picked up the top Golden Leopard at Locarno.
It has been a bumpy ride for the film, set in Tehran over the course of one lonely night and described by the fest as “a hymn to freedom and resistance.”
As reported by Variety, Iranian authorities have been pressuring Ahmadzadeh to pull it from the Swiss festival – arguing it was shot without permission – and with the director himself banned from leaving the country.
“Instead of actors, I worked with real people. In most situations, we had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations. Making this film was a big rebellion. Showing it means an even bigger victory for us,” said Ahmadzadeh in a statement, with Locarno’s artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro calling for his release.
“It means a lot. Not only for Ali,...
It has been a bumpy ride for the film, set in Tehran over the course of one lonely night and described by the fest as “a hymn to freedom and resistance.”
As reported by Variety, Iranian authorities have been pressuring Ahmadzadeh to pull it from the Swiss festival – arguing it was shot without permission – and with the director himself banned from leaving the country.
“Instead of actors, I worked with real people. In most situations, we had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations. Making this film was a big rebellion. Showing it means an even bigger victory for us,” said Ahmadzadeh in a statement, with Locarno’s artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro calling for his release.
“It means a lot. Not only for Ali,...
- 8/12/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
LevelK has boarded “The Invisible Fight,” Estonian director Rainer Sarnet’s kung fu comedy set in an Orthodox monastery in the former Soviet Union. The film world premieres Aug. 11 in the main competition of the Locarno Film Festival.
“The Invisible Fight” is set in 1973 on the Soviet-Chinese border, where Private Rafael is on guard duty when his border post is attacked by a band of Chinese warriors schooled in the ancient art of kung fu. The only one to miraculously survive, Rafael, is fascinated by the long-haired, black-clad, kung fu hippies flying through the treetops while blasting forbidden Black Sabbath music from their portable radio. He’s suddenly struck by a revelation: he, too, wants to become a kung fu warrior.
Faith leads Rafael to an Orthodox monastery where the black-clad monks do their training, but his road to achieving the almighty power of humility required is long, winding and full of adventures.
“The Invisible Fight” is set in 1973 on the Soviet-Chinese border, where Private Rafael is on guard duty when his border post is attacked by a band of Chinese warriors schooled in the ancient art of kung fu. The only one to miraculously survive, Rafael, is fascinated by the long-haired, black-clad, kung fu hippies flying through the treetops while blasting forbidden Black Sabbath music from their portable radio. He’s suddenly struck by a revelation: he, too, wants to become a kung fu warrior.
Faith leads Rafael to an Orthodox monastery where the black-clad monks do their training, but his road to achieving the almighty power of humility required is long, winding and full of adventures.
- 8/9/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias and Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World (Radu Jude).The lineup for the 76th edition of the festival has been announced, including new films by Eduardo Williams, Leonor Teles, Lav Diaz, Radu Jude, and others.Concorso INTERNAZIONALEAnimal (Sofia Exarchou)Critical Zone (Ali Ahmadzadeh)Essential Truths of the Lake (Lav Diaz)Home (Leonor Teles)The Human Surge 3 (Eduardo Williams)The Invisible Fight (Rainer Sarnet)Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World (Radu Jude)Lousy Carter (Bob Byington)Manga D’Terra (Basil Da Cunha)Nuit Obscure – Au Revoir Ici, N’Importe Où (Sylvain George)Patagonia (Simone Bozzelli)The Permanent Picture (Laura Ferrés)Rossosperanza (Annarita Zambrano)Stepne (Maryna Vroda)Sweet Dreams (Ena Sendijarević)The Vanishing Soldier (Dani Rosenberg)Yannick (Quentin Dupieux)Excursion (Una Gunjak).Concorso Cineasti Del PRESENTECamping du Lac (Eléonore Saintagnan)Ein Schöner Ort (Katharina Huber)Excursion (Una Gunjak)Family Portrait (Lucy Kerr)Dreaming...
- 7/6/2023
- MUBI
For his third edition at the helm, Locarno Film Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro has assembled a wide spectrum of films that “do not resemble each other in terms of tone or form” while reflecting “the world in all its expressions and manifestations,” he tells Variety.
This boundless range is best exemplified by the fact that starkly surrealist Filipino arthouse star Lav Díaz’s latest work, “Essential Truths of the Lake,” will be vying for the fest’s Golden Leopard alongside fare that, at least on paper, appears much lighter. This includes U.S. director Bob Byington’s indie comedy “Lousy Carter” and Estonian helmer Rainer Sarnet’s “The Invisible Flight,” which Nazzaro says “mixes Kung Fu, hard rock and the Orthodox Church.”
There are also lots of titles at Locarno that can broadly be described as “political,” like Ukrainian director Maryna Vroda’s “Stepne” — which marks a rare...
This boundless range is best exemplified by the fact that starkly surrealist Filipino arthouse star Lav Díaz’s latest work, “Essential Truths of the Lake,” will be vying for the fest’s Golden Leopard alongside fare that, at least on paper, appears much lighter. This includes U.S. director Bob Byington’s indie comedy “Lousy Carter” and Estonian helmer Rainer Sarnet’s “The Invisible Flight,” which Nazzaro says “mixes Kung Fu, hard rock and the Orthodox Church.”
There are also lots of titles at Locarno that can broadly be described as “political,” like Ukrainian director Maryna Vroda’s “Stepne” — which marks a rare...
- 7/6/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
A stellar precursor to the busy fall film festival season, Locarno Film Festival annually premieres some of the year’s most exciting cinema and 2023 looks to be no different. Taking place from August 2-12 in the Swiss town, the festival has now unveiled its lineup for the 76th edition. Highlights include Eduardo Williams’ The Human Surge 3 (brilliantly forgoing a second film), Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World, Lav Diaz’s Essential Truths of the Lake, Sylvain George’s Nuit Obscure – Au Revoir Ici, N’Importe Où, and Quentin Dupieux’s Yannick.
Speaking to its main section, Giona A. Nazzaro, artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival, said, “From Quentin Dupieux and his edgy surrealism to Lav Diaz. From the sarcastic humor of Radu Jude to the night poetry of Sylvain Georges. From the mad inventions of Rainer Sarnet to the abstract psychedelia of Eduardo Williams.
Speaking to its main section, Giona A. Nazzaro, artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival, said, “From Quentin Dupieux and his edgy surrealism to Lav Diaz. From the sarcastic humor of Radu Jude to the night poetry of Sylvain Georges. From the mad inventions of Rainer Sarnet to the abstract psychedelia of Eduardo Williams.
- 7/5/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival, Europe’s biggest mid-Summer movie event, has announced its lineup, welcoming recognizable names to its main competition, from Filipino auteur Lav Diaz (“Essential Truths of the Lake”) to Romanian powerhouse Radu Jude, who will show “Do Not Expect Too Much of the End of the World.”
As already announced, Cate Blanchett and Zar Amir Ebrahimi are set to attend the Locarno Film Festival’s closing night to promote the European launch of Iranian-Australian director Noora Niasari’s debut film “Shayda.”
Among the titles selected for Locarno’s more broad-audience-friendly Piazza Grande lineup, Justine Triet will attend with her Cannes Palme’ d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” along with Ken Loach and his “The Old Oak.”
The festival will also celebrate the careers of Harmony Korine, producer Marianne Slot, editor Pietro Scalia, Tsai Ming-liang and present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Italian producer Renzo Rossellini.
As already announced, Cate Blanchett and Zar Amir Ebrahimi are set to attend the Locarno Film Festival’s closing night to promote the European launch of Iranian-Australian director Noora Niasari’s debut film “Shayda.”
Among the titles selected for Locarno’s more broad-audience-friendly Piazza Grande lineup, Justine Triet will attend with her Cannes Palme’ d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” along with Ken Loach and his “The Old Oak.”
The festival will also celebrate the careers of Harmony Korine, producer Marianne Slot, editor Pietro Scalia, Tsai Ming-liang and present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Italian producer Renzo Rossellini.
- 7/5/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
UK star Riz Ahmed will be feted with a career achievement award at the upcoming 76th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, running August 2 and 12.
The Sound Of Metal actor will be presented with the Excellence Award Davide Campari at the opening night ceremony on the festival’s landmark Piazza Grande open-air cinema.
The ceremony will premiere Yann Mounir Demange’s semi-autobiographical short film Dammi, in which Ahmed participated alongside Isabelle Adjani, Souheila Yacoub, Sandor Funtek and Suzy Bemba.
The tribute will also screen Bassam Tariq’s 2020 rapper drama Mughal Mowgli, which Ahmed starred in and also produced and co-wrote, as part of it program.
Locarno announced the tribute during its announcement on Wednesday of its full 2023 line-up.
French directorial duo Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel’s The Falling Star will open the festival as part of the Piazza Grande program, which also features Justine Triet’s 2023 Cannes d’Or Winner Anatomy of a Fall,...
The Sound Of Metal actor will be presented with the Excellence Award Davide Campari at the opening night ceremony on the festival’s landmark Piazza Grande open-air cinema.
The ceremony will premiere Yann Mounir Demange’s semi-autobiographical short film Dammi, in which Ahmed participated alongside Isabelle Adjani, Souheila Yacoub, Sandor Funtek and Suzy Bemba.
The tribute will also screen Bassam Tariq’s 2020 rapper drama Mughal Mowgli, which Ahmed starred in and also produced and co-wrote, as part of it program.
Locarno announced the tribute during its announcement on Wednesday of its full 2023 line-up.
French directorial duo Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel’s The Falling Star will open the festival as part of the Piazza Grande program, which also features Justine Triet’s 2023 Cannes d’Or Winner Anatomy of a Fall,...
- 7/5/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
International competition features 16 world premieres.
The Locarno Film Festival (August 2-12) has revealed the line-up for its 76th edition, which includes the world premiere of Romanian director Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World.
Locarno’s international competition will comprise 17 films, including 16 world premieres, which will vie for the coveted Golden Leopard awards.
Scroll down for full list of titles
These titles include Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World, his first feature since winning the Berlinale Golden Bear for Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn in...
The Locarno Film Festival (August 2-12) has revealed the line-up for its 76th edition, which includes the world premiere of Romanian director Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World.
Locarno’s international competition will comprise 17 films, including 16 world premieres, which will vie for the coveted Golden Leopard awards.
Scroll down for full list of titles
These titles include Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much Of The End Of The World, his first feature since winning the Berlinale Golden Bear for Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn in...
- 7/5/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
The Locarno International Film Festival unveiled the full program for 2023 on Wednesday, with dozens of world premieres set to screen in the 76th edition of the Swiss festival.
Locarno’s main Piazza Grande section will include several of this season’s festival favorites, among them Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall from French director Justine Triet starring Sandra Hüller; Ken Loach’s latest (and possibly last) feature, The Old Oak; Noora Niasari’s Sundance audience award winner Shayda, featuring Holy Spider star Zar Amir Ebrahimi; and Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s comedy Theater Camp, which won a special jury prize at Sundance. Other highlights include U.S. horror feature Falling Stars by directors Richard Karpala and Gabriel Bienczycki; Dammi from 71′ and White Boy Rick-helmer Yann Demange; and Magnetic Continent, the new nature documentary from March of the Penguins‘ filmmaker Luc Jacquet about the continent of Antarctica.
Locarno’s main Piazza Grande section will include several of this season’s festival favorites, among them Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall from French director Justine Triet starring Sandra Hüller; Ken Loach’s latest (and possibly last) feature, The Old Oak; Noora Niasari’s Sundance audience award winner Shayda, featuring Holy Spider star Zar Amir Ebrahimi; and Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s comedy Theater Camp, which won a special jury prize at Sundance. Other highlights include U.S. horror feature Falling Stars by directors Richard Karpala and Gabriel Bienczycki; Dammi from 71′ and White Boy Rick-helmer Yann Demange; and Magnetic Continent, the new nature documentary from March of the Penguins‘ filmmaker Luc Jacquet about the continent of Antarctica.
- 7/5/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Walpurgisnacht, also known as Walpurgis Night or Hexennacht, is a pagan holiday celebrated on the night of April 30th. It is named after Saint Walpurga, an eighth-century nun who Christianized parts of Germany. However, the holiday has roots in pagan traditions that celebrate the coming of spring and the triumph of life over death. It is also associated with witchcraft and supernatural phenomena, making it a perfect occasion to indulge in some spine-chilling horror films.
So, grab some popcorn and get ready for a night of scares with these ten chilling recommendations for Walpurgisnacht.
1. Dracula (1931)
What better way to kick off Walpurgisnacht than with the most iconic vampire movie of all time? Dracula (1931) stars Bela Lugosi as the titular count who travels from Transylvania to England to spread his curse of the undead. The beginning of the film is actually set on Walpurgisnacht, as Renfield (Dwight Frye) arrives at Dracula...
So, grab some popcorn and get ready for a night of scares with these ten chilling recommendations for Walpurgisnacht.
1. Dracula (1931)
What better way to kick off Walpurgisnacht than with the most iconic vampire movie of all time? Dracula (1931) stars Bela Lugosi as the titular count who travels from Transylvania to England to spread his curse of the undead. The beginning of the film is actually set on Walpurgisnacht, as Renfield (Dwight Frye) arrives at Dracula...
- 4/30/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
France’s Les Arcs Film Festival has unveiled the 14 European feature film projects that will be presented in its Works in Progress showcase as part of its industry program, running December 1-10.
The selected projects were picked out of 160 submissions this year.
The line-up includes Rossa Speranza, the second film from Italian director Annarita Zambrano, whose debut feature After The War world premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2017.
Set in the 1980s, the dark comedy revolves around a group of teenagers who meet in an institution for wayward rich kids.
Other projects in the mix include the Peruvian feature Fuga by directorial duo Mary Jiménez and Bénédicte Liénard, whose previous collaborations include the award-winning documentary By The Name Of Tania.
The Work in Progress showcase is aimed at connecting features in post-production with sales agents, distributors and festival programmers.
Twelve of the projects will compete for a €10,000 post-production prize,...
The selected projects were picked out of 160 submissions this year.
The line-up includes Rossa Speranza, the second film from Italian director Annarita Zambrano, whose debut feature After The War world premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2017.
Set in the 1980s, the dark comedy revolves around a group of teenagers who meet in an institution for wayward rich kids.
Other projects in the mix include the Peruvian feature Fuga by directorial duo Mary Jiménez and Bénédicte Liénard, whose previous collaborations include the award-winning documentary By The Name Of Tania.
The Work in Progress showcase is aimed at connecting features in post-production with sales agents, distributors and festival programmers.
Twelve of the projects will compete for a €10,000 post-production prize,...
- 12/1/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Riding the high of a production-servicing boom, Estonia’s domestic industry has likewise shown no signs of slowing down. Here’s a roundup of top local productions in the pipeline, from producers who are searching for international partners in Cannes:
The Invisible Fight
Director: Rainer Sarnet
Producers: Katrin Kissa, Homeless Bob Production (Estonia), Alise Gelze, White Picture (Latvia), Amanda Livanou, Neda Film (Greece), Helen Vinogradov, Helsinki-filmi (Finland)
Sarnet, whose fantasy-drama “November” played at Tribeca in 2017, returns with a ‘70s-set kung-fu comedy about a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border who, after surviving a deadly attack, decides to become a monk but must continually prove along the way that he’s capable of becoming the enlightened man he set out to be.
Lioness
Director: Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo
Producers: Ivo Felt (Estonia), Guntis Trekteris (Latvia)
The sophomore feature from Trishkina-Vanhatalo, whose debut “Take It or Leave It” was Estonia’s submission for the international feature Oscar,...
The Invisible Fight
Director: Rainer Sarnet
Producers: Katrin Kissa, Homeless Bob Production (Estonia), Alise Gelze, White Picture (Latvia), Amanda Livanou, Neda Film (Greece), Helen Vinogradov, Helsinki-filmi (Finland)
Sarnet, whose fantasy-drama “November” played at Tribeca in 2017, returns with a ‘70s-set kung-fu comedy about a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border who, after surviving a deadly attack, decides to become a monk but must continually prove along the way that he’s capable of becoming the enlightened man he set out to be.
Lioness
Director: Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo
Producers: Ivo Felt (Estonia), Guntis Trekteris (Latvia)
The sophomore feature from Trishkina-Vanhatalo, whose debut “Take It or Leave It” was Estonia’s submission for the international feature Oscar,...
- 5/21/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The fund will make at least 15 film investments over four years.
Tallifornia Film Fund, Estonia’s first private film investment fund, has launched at the country’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, with three initial investments including Estonia-Germany-uk co-production Sentinel.
The fund has been established by Estonian production company Tallifornia, and was announced at the European Film Forum industry event this week.
It will make a minimum of 15 equity investments in both Estonian and international film projects across four years.
The fund, which is financed entirely through private capital with participation from several Estonian investors, is managed by Tallifornia’s Rain Rannu and Tonu Hiielaid.
Tallifornia Film Fund, Estonia’s first private film investment fund, has launched at the country’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, with three initial investments including Estonia-Germany-uk co-production Sentinel.
The fund has been established by Estonian production company Tallifornia, and was announced at the European Film Forum industry event this week.
It will make a minimum of 15 equity investments in both Estonian and international film projects across four years.
The fund, which is financed entirely through private capital with participation from several Estonian investors, is managed by Tallifornia’s Rain Rannu and Tonu Hiielaid.
- 11/25/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The strand showcases films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The Baltic competition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will screen 12 films, including five world premieres, at the festival’s 25th edition.
The competition showcases films from the three Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. There will be five Estonian films, with four from Lithuania and three from Latvia.
Scroll down for the full line-up
The five world premieres are Ivar Murd’s u.Q., which tells the story of Estonian funk-soul-jazz producer Uku Kuut’s; Emilis Vėlyvis’ Lithuanian crime thriller The Generation Of Evil, set in a small Latvian...
The Baltic competition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will screen 12 films, including five world premieres, at the festival’s 25th edition.
The competition showcases films from the three Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. There will be five Estonian films, with four from Lithuania and three from Latvia.
Scroll down for the full line-up
The five world premieres are Ivar Murd’s u.Q., which tells the story of Estonian funk-soul-jazz producer Uku Kuut’s; Emilis Vėlyvis’ Lithuanian crime thriller The Generation Of Evil, set in a small Latvian...
- 10/26/2021
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Nora Merivoo, Harri Merivoo, Mari Lill, Elise Tekko, Roland Teima, Ivo Uukkivi | Written and Directed by Rasmus Merivoo
In Estonian mythology a Kratt is a creature made out of hay and old household implements and brought to life with a soul purchased from the devil. Once animated it was bound to do whatever tasks it was given. The problem was, if it ran out of things to do it became bored, and murderous. I first encountered a Kratt in Rainer Sarnet’s Estonian folk horror film November. Now his countryman Rasmus Merivoo has written and directed a much less serious take on these creatures, simply entitled Kratt.
Mia (Nora Merivoo) and Kevin (Harri Merivoo) have been dropped off with Grandma (Mari Lill) while their parents attend a retreat. Given chores and denied internet access the kids are not happy. They eventually wind up at the library in the company...
In Estonian mythology a Kratt is a creature made out of hay and old household implements and brought to life with a soul purchased from the devil. Once animated it was bound to do whatever tasks it was given. The problem was, if it ran out of things to do it became bored, and murderous. I first encountered a Kratt in Rainer Sarnet’s Estonian folk horror film November. Now his countryman Rasmus Merivoo has written and directed a much less serious take on these creatures, simply entitled Kratt.
Mia (Nora Merivoo) and Kevin (Harri Merivoo) have been dropped off with Grandma (Mari Lill) while their parents attend a retreat. Given chores and denied internet access the kids are not happy. They eventually wind up at the library in the company...
- 8/9/2021
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Upcoming features from Margarethe Von Trotta and Fernando Trueba also receive support.
Co-productions from Belgian director Lukas Dhont, Canada’s Brandon Cronenberg and UK filmmaker Fyzal Boulifa are among 49 selected for support in the latest Eurimages funding round.
Dhont, whose transgender dancer drama Girl won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2018, received €300,000 toward his anticipated second feature, Close.
The Belgium-France-Netherlands co-production centres on two 13-year-old boys who have always been incredibly close but drift apart after their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. When tragedy strikes, one is forced to confront why he distanced himself from his closest friend.
German...
Co-productions from Belgian director Lukas Dhont, Canada’s Brandon Cronenberg and UK filmmaker Fyzal Boulifa are among 49 selected for support in the latest Eurimages funding round.
Dhont, whose transgender dancer drama Girl won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2018, received €300,000 toward his anticipated second feature, Close.
The Belgium-France-Netherlands co-production centres on two 13-year-old boys who have always been incredibly close but drift apart after their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. When tragedy strikes, one is forced to confront why he distanced himself from his closest friend.
German...
- 6/29/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Upcoming features from Margarethe Von Trotta and Fernando Trueba also receive support.
Co-productions from Belgian director Lukas Dhont, Canada’s Brandon Cronenberg and UK filmmaker Fyzal Boulifa are among 49 selected for support in the latest Eurimages funding round.
Dhont, whose transgender dancer drama Girl won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2018, received €300,000 toward his anticipated second feature, Close.
The Belgium-France-Netherlands co-production centres on two 13-year-old boys who have always been incredibly close but drift apart after their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. When tragedy strikes, one is forced to confront why he distanced himself from his closest friend.
German...
Co-productions from Belgian director Lukas Dhont, Canada’s Brandon Cronenberg and UK filmmaker Fyzal Boulifa are among 49 selected for support in the latest Eurimages funding round.
Dhont, whose transgender dancer drama Girl won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2018, received €300,000 toward his anticipated second feature, Close.
The Belgium-France-Netherlands co-production centres on two 13-year-old boys who have always been incredibly close but drift apart after their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. When tragedy strikes, one is forced to confront why he distanced himself from his closest friend.
German...
- 6/29/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
A parasitologist fighting a pandemic finds herself trapped in Tin Can Photo: Fantasia International Film Festival
Following the announcement last month that this year's Fantasia International Film Festival will open with Julien Knafo’s Brain Freeze, the first tranche of titles for the popular Montreal-based event has been revealed. They include Richard Bates' King Knight, which focuses on witchcraft in sunny California, and Mark O'Brien's The Righteous, which charts the impact of a stranger's arrival on a small Newfoundland community.
as usual, there are some treats in store for fans of Japanese cinema, including stylish sequel Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette, Masashi Yamamoto's inventively surreal Wonderful Paradise and Shunji Iwai’s tale of kaiju versus Covid, The 12 Day Tale Of The Monster That Died In 8. Spanish-Basque fable All The Moons brings a touch of class to the vampire genre and those who were seriously creeped out by Rainer Sarnet...
Following the announcement last month that this year's Fantasia International Film Festival will open with Julien Knafo’s Brain Freeze, the first tranche of titles for the popular Montreal-based event has been revealed. They include Richard Bates' King Knight, which focuses on witchcraft in sunny California, and Mark O'Brien's The Righteous, which charts the impact of a stranger's arrival on a small Newfoundland community.
as usual, there are some treats in store for fans of Japanese cinema, including stylish sequel Kakegurui 2: Ultimate Russian Roulette, Masashi Yamamoto's inventively surreal Wonderful Paradise and Shunji Iwai’s tale of kaiju versus Covid, The 12 Day Tale Of The Monster That Died In 8. Spanish-Basque fable All The Moons brings a touch of class to the vampire genre and those who were seriously creeped out by Rainer Sarnet...
- 5/19/2021
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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
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...
Directors shining bright in the spotlight include Jonas Alexander Arnby, Agnieszka Smoczyńska, Juris Kursietis, Ágnes Kocsis, Marian Crisan and Rainer Sarnet. Whilst unveiling the programme (read our article) for its 11th edition, running 14 – 21 December 2019), Les Arcs Film Festival also revealed one particular segment of its highly dynamic Industry Village sidebar, announcing a list of 22 projects in development which have been selected for the Co-Productions Village, as well as the eight individuals who have won themselves a place on the Talent Village scheme. The Work in Progress selection, meanwhile, is set to be announced soon. Standing out among the projects selected for the Co-Productions Village is In The Eyes of God, which will be the 3rd feature film by Denmark’s Jonas Alexander Arnby following on from When Animals Dream (Cannes’ Critics’ Week 2014) and...
Each year at the Berlin Film Festival the brightest young talent from across Europe gather to celebrate becoming part of the select group of European Shooting Stars. Spearheaded by the European Film Promotion the initiative spotlights ten of the most promising talents from across the continent, and we had the chance to sit down with each of the ten Shooting Stars this week.
Stefan Pape was our man in Berlin and spoke to each of them about their careers so far, their hopes for the future and what it means to be heralded as a European Shooting Star.
You can find each of the interviews below, along with a brief biography, selected film and TV works and a commendation from the jury about what makes them so promising.
Ardalan Esmaili (Sweden)
Raised in Sweden by Iranian parents, Ardalan Esmaili studied at Stockholm’s University of Dramatic Arts. Upon graduating he...
Stefan Pape was our man in Berlin and spoke to each of them about their careers so far, their hopes for the future and what it means to be heralded as a European Shooting Star.
You can find each of the interviews below, along with a brief biography, selected film and TV works and a commendation from the jury about what makes them so promising.
Ardalan Esmaili (Sweden)
Raised in Sweden by Iranian parents, Ardalan Esmaili studied at Stockholm’s University of Dramatic Arts. Upon graduating he...
- 2/12/2019
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Plzen winnners also announced.
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
Rainer Sarnet’s dark folklore fairytale November received the €10,000 Golden Lily award for best film at goEast’s closing ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany on Tuesday (24 April).
The International Jury headed by Golden Bear winner Ildikó Enyedi praised the Estonian filmmaker’s third feature ”for the powerful vision, the true poetry, the free humour” as well as “the courage of the producer [Katrin Kissa] to fight for this vision.”
Produced by Homeless Bob Production, November is handled internationally by the UK-based sales company One Eyed Films.
Meanwhile, the City of Wiesbaden’s Best Director Award went to...
- 4/26/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
MaryAnn’s quick take… An all-style and very-little-substance exercise in random oddity and weird imagery. Dispenses with engaging characters and revels in its own meaninglessness as if emptiness were deep and significant. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto) women’s participation in this film
(learn more about this)
I recently said, after seeing the terrific joint Finnish-Estonian production The Fencer, that I was curious to see more of what is coming out of Estonia’s newly revitalized film culture. I may have spoken too soon. November — Estonia’s official submission to this year’s Oscars (it was not nominated) — is an all-style and very-little-substance exercise in random oddity and weird imagery, mind-fuckery for mind-fuckery’s sake, except it doesn’t actually fuck with your mind, or with anything at all,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto) women’s participation in this film
(learn more about this)
I recently said, after seeing the terrific joint Finnish-Estonian production The Fencer, that I was curious to see more of what is coming out of Estonia’s newly revitalized film culture. I may have spoken too soon. November — Estonia’s official submission to this year’s Oscars (it was not nominated) — is an all-style and very-little-substance exercise in random oddity and weird imagery, mind-fuckery for mind-fuckery’s sake, except it doesn’t actually fuck with your mind, or with anything at all,...
- 2/23/2018
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Thomas Hobbes' famous saying that the life of man is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" could have been the mantra for the life of the characters in Rainer Sarnet's November. Luckily, the film itself is fantastical, strange, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, and just the right amount of weird to give us this strange fairy tale that we feel it's a world we might have inhabited in a past life. Based on a bestselling Estonian novel, November is set in the 19th century, in a small rural community. Liina, a teenage girl, lives her with her father and their 'kratt', a sentient creature made of spare tools, rags, and bones, which can perform simple tasks and has been given a soul by the devil. Liina...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/22/2018
- Screen Anarchy
A marvelously strange film from Estonian writer-director Rainer Sarnet, November uses ancient folk tales from the region to deconstruct a love triangle that turns the familiar into something shockingly unexpected. It's both gravely serious and a demonically funny, a blend meant to catch audiences off balance. Mission accomplished.
Based on an Estonian bestseller by Andrus Kivirähk, this ravishing movie tells the story of Liina (Rea Lest), a young village girl; she pines for Hans (Jörgen Liik), a peasant who yearns for a visiting German baroness (Jette Loona Hermanis) far above his rural,...
Based on an Estonian bestseller by Andrus Kivirähk, this ravishing movie tells the story of Liina (Rea Lest), a young village girl; she pines for Hans (Jörgen Liik), a peasant who yearns for a visiting German baroness (Jette Loona Hermanis) far above his rural,...
- 2/22/2018
- Rollingstone.com
What is the point of having a soul if everyone around you doesn’t? That’s the central question asked by Rainer Sarnet’s November, a bleakly told Estonian fairy tale tragedy adapted from Andrus Kivirähk’s novel Rehepapp. At its core is romance — the kind based in unrequited love that will never bear fruit. Liina (Rea Lest) is a peasant girl trying to catch Hans’ (Jörgen Liik) eye while his sights are affixed well above his social stature upon the German Baron’s (Dieter Laser) visiting daughter (Jette Loona Hermanis). They each leave their homes at night to watch the objection of their affection, the latter hiding in the shadows behind the Baroness as she sleepwalks and the former transformed into a wolf so she may spy in plain sight.
These two are seemingly the last young children in a town ravaged by the black plague. Many believed them...
These two are seemingly the last young children in a town ravaged by the black plague. Many believed them...
- 2/20/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Rainer Sarnet’s November is a werewolf movie with a mixture of magic, black humour and romantic love, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival where it won “best cinematagraphy”. Based on the best-selling novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk, it opens in New York on February 23 and Los Angeles on March 2 through Oscilloscope Laboratories. Set in a pagan Estonian village where […]...
- 2/19/2018
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
You've gotta watch this wildly weird trailer for the upcoming supernatural horror/fantasy film November. This movie is filled with unsettling dream-fueled folklore that seriously looks so freakin' odd. But just wait until you see the black and white cinematography of this thing! This movie may be strange, but it's visually stunning. This synopsis will give you a little tease of what to expect, but it's the trailer that will give you the full effect of this blend of movie genre madness.
In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German baroness that possesses all that he longs for. For Liina, winning Hans’ requited love proves incredibly complicated in this dark, harsh landscape where spirits, werewolves, plagues, and the devil himself converge, where thievery is rampant, and where souls are highly regarded,...
In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German baroness that possesses all that he longs for. For Liina, winning Hans’ requited love proves incredibly complicated in this dark, harsh landscape where spirits, werewolves, plagues, and the devil himself converge, where thievery is rampant, and where souls are highly regarded,...
- 2/5/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
If a folklorist drank an entire bottle of cough syrup, passed out and had their fever dreams somehow captured on film, the result might look something like November. This gorgeous Estonian fantasy-drama-horror-something from director Rainer Sarnet defies classification, and must be seen to be believed. Feast your eyes on the visually stunning November trailer below. What is November? It’s a lot of things: […]
The post ‘November’ Trailer: A Gorgeous, Feverish Blend of Fantasy and Horror appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘November’ Trailer: A Gorgeous, Feverish Blend of Fantasy and Horror appeared first on /Film.
- 2/2/2018
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Since releasing it in November would have been too obvious, later this month the Estonian black-and-white fantasy horror you’ve been waiting for will arrive. November, which was the country’s entry for the 90th Academy Awards, comes from director Rainer Sarnet (The Idiot, Where Souls Go), and Oscilloscope Films have now released the first trailer.
Based on Andrus Kivirähk’s hit novel “Rehepapp,” the story follows a twisted love story in the dark, creature-filled landscape of 19th century Estonia. Winner of Best Cinematography at last year’s 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, the starkly gorgeous vision comes through in this beautiful preview and it looks like The Witch fans should keep it on their radar. Check it out below, along with the trailer.
In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German...
Based on Andrus Kivirähk’s hit novel “Rehepapp,” the story follows a twisted love story in the dark, creature-filled landscape of 19th century Estonia. Winner of Best Cinematography at last year’s 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, the starkly gorgeous vision comes through in this beautiful preview and it looks like The Witch fans should keep it on their radar. Check it out below, along with the trailer.
In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German...
- 2/2/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
November Trailer Rainer Sarnet‘s November (2017) movie trailer stars Rea Lest, Jörgen Liik, Arvo Kukumägi, Arvo Kukumägi, Taavi Eelmaa, and Dieter Laser. November’s plot synopsis: based on the novel by Andrus Kivirähk, “The story is set in a pagan Estonian village where werewolves, the plague, and spirits roam. The villagers’ main problem is how to survive [...]
Continue reading: November (2017) Movie Trailer: Peasants & the Supernatural Co-mingle in a 19th Century Village...
Continue reading: November (2017) Movie Trailer: Peasants & the Supernatural Co-mingle in a 19th Century Village...
- 2/2/2018
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Unrequited love leads to dark corners of the soul in the eerie new trailer for November, Estonia's official entry to the 90th Academy Awards.
Directed by Rainer Sarnet and based on the novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk, November opens in New York on February 23rd and Los Angeles on March 2nd from Oscilloscope Laboratories. We have a look at the official trailer and poster below:
Synopsis: "In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German baroness that possesses all that he longs for. For Liina, winning Hans’ requited love proves incredibly complicated in this dark, harsh landscape where spirits, werewolves, plagues, and the devil himself converge, where thievery is rampant, and where souls are highly regarded, but come quite cheap. With alluring black and white cinematography, Rainer Sarnet vividly captures these...
Directed by Rainer Sarnet and based on the novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk, November opens in New York on February 23rd and Los Angeles on March 2nd from Oscilloscope Laboratories. We have a look at the official trailer and poster below:
Synopsis: "In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German baroness that possesses all that he longs for. For Liina, winning Hans’ requited love proves incredibly complicated in this dark, harsh landscape where spirits, werewolves, plagues, and the devil himself converge, where thievery is rampant, and where souls are highly regarded, but come quite cheap. With alluring black and white cinematography, Rainer Sarnet vividly captures these...
- 2/1/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"Take your pants off and put them on your head." Oscilloscope Labs has debuted the official Us trailer for an insane fantasy horror romance film from Estonia titled November, which first premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. Adapted from the best-selling novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk, the film is set in a 19th century village, where the peasant girl Liina longs for the simple boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by a visiting German baroness who possesses all that he longs for. Rea Lest stars as Liina, and Jörgen Liik as Hans, with a full cast including Arvo Kukumägi, Katariina Unt, Taavi Eelmaa, Heino Kalm, Meelis Rämmeld, and Dieter Laser. This film won Best Cinematography at Tribeca last year, and stopped by a bunch of other festivals. It certainly looks great, also seems weird and twisted and dark as hell. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Rainer Sarnet's November,...
- 2/1/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Oscilloscope Laboratories announced today the release of Rainer Sarnet’s November, a werewolf movie with a mixture of magic, black humour and romantic love, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival where it won “best cinematagraphy”. Based on the best-selling novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk, it opens in New York on February 23 and Los Angeles on March 2. Set […]...
- 2/1/2018
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Rainer Sarnet's wonderful and weird dark fable November will arrive in U.S. cinemas later this month, thanks to Oscilliscope Pictures. Based on the best-selling novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirähk the strange little film from Estonia captured the hearts and imaginations of everyone during its festival run last year. It is so wonderful that Estonia submitted it as their entry for this year's Academy Awards. A brand new trailer has been released today, as well as this new poster. Watch the new trailer below. In this tale of love and survival in 19th century Estonia, peasant girl Liina longs for village boy Hans, but Hans is inexplicably infatuated by the visiting German baroness that possesses all that he longs for. For Liina,...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/1/2018
- Screen Anarchy
European Film Promotion highlights 28 European films for the 90th Academy AwardsPutting a spotlight on a record number of 28 European Oscar® entries, Efp (European Film Promotion) offers additional screenings of the films in L.A. for Academy members, journalists, U.S. distributors and international buyers. With the special support of the Efp member organizations, the event helps the productions to stand out among a record number of 92 submissions for the 90th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.
Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...
This year the Efp Screenings Of Oscar® Entries From Europe were held from November 2–15 at the state of the art Dick Clark Screening Room. The campaign is financially supported by the Creative Europe — Media Programme of the European Union and the participating Efp member organizations.
Many of the European Oscar submissions feature European Shooting Stars or were made by Efp-related filmmakers. Notably four films were realized by participants of this year’s edition...
- 11/17/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The final deadline for submitting each country’s film for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar was October 2. Last year 85 were finally deemed eligible by the Academy; this year the number is a record 92. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants. These films are vying for the initial shortlist of 9, and final five nominations to be announced on January 23. See the final list below.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
- 10/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The final deadline for submitting each country’s film for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar was October 2. Last year 85 were finally deemed eligible by the Academy; this year the number is a record 92. Haiti, Honduras, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mozambique, Senegal and Syria are first-time entrants. These films are vying for the initial shortlist of 9, and final five nominations to be announced on January 23. See the final list below.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
Read More:Oscar Announces Changes for Foreign-Film Voting: Now Simpler! (Sort Of.)
The frontrunners include Sweden selected Ruben Östlund’s hilarious Palme d’Or-winner “The Square” (October 27, Magnolia Pictures), an art-world satire shot in majority Swedish with some English from stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, and Dominic West, thus giving Östlund another shot after “Force Majeure” was a surprise 2015 Oscar omission.
Germany’s choice, Fatih Akin’s “In the Fade” (December 27, Magnolia Pictures), won Best Actress for Diane Kruger at Cannes.
- 10/5/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Estonia has selected November, directed by Rainer Sarnet, for the best foreign-language film race at the Oscars.
Based on the bestselling novel by Andrus Kivirahk, the film is set in an impoverished Estonian hamlet, mixing magic, black humor and romantic love and drawing on Estonian pagan and European Christian mythologies.
November was co-produced by Estonia's Homeless Bob Production, Poland's Opus Film and the Netherlands' Prpl and had its Estonian premiere in January.
The movie premiered internationally at this year's Tribeca Film Festival where it won the best cinematography award in the international narrative feature film category.
Independent U.S. distributor...
Based on the bestselling novel by Andrus Kivirahk, the film is set in an impoverished Estonian hamlet, mixing magic, black humor and romantic love and drawing on Estonian pagan and European Christian mythologies.
November was co-produced by Estonia's Homeless Bob Production, Poland's Opus Film and the Netherlands' Prpl and had its Estonian premiere in January.
The movie premiered internationally at this year's Tribeca Film Festival where it won the best cinematography award in the international narrative feature film category.
Independent U.S. distributor...
- 9/8/2017
- by Vladimir Kozlov
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Thomas Hobbes' famous saying that the life of man is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" could have been the mantra for the life of the characters in Rainer Sarnet's November. Luckily, the film itself is fantastical, strange, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, and just the right amount of weird to give us this strange fairy tale that we feel it's a world we might have inhabited in a past life. Based on a bestselling Estonian novel, November is set in the 19th century, in a small rural community. Liina, a teenage girl, lives her with her father and their 'kratt', a sentient creature made of spare tools, rags, and bones, which can perform simple tasks and has been given a soul by the devil. Liina...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/27/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Films by Rainer Sernet, Jun Geng, Pat Collins and Miransha Naik to play at Czech festival.
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (30 June – 8 July) has announced the four films in its official selection - out of competition section.
The titles will be presented for the first time to European audiences at the event.
The films are: Estonian coproduction November, directed by Rainer Sernet and winner of the best cinematography award at this year’s Tribeca; Free And Easy (pictured) directed by Jun Geng, which won the Special jury prize at Sundance; Pat Collins’ Joe Heaney biopic Song Of Granite, which had its premiere at SXSW and Juze from director Miransha Naik, first seen at the Hong Kong Film festival.
Films competing at Karlovy Vary this year include Boris Khlebnikov’s Arrhythmia, Václav Kadrnka’s Little Crusader, Giorgi Ovashvili’s Georgian historical drama Khibula and Birds Are Singing In Kigali from Polish director Krzysztof Krauze. The latter...
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (30 June – 8 July) has announced the four films in its official selection - out of competition section.
The titles will be presented for the first time to European audiences at the event.
The films are: Estonian coproduction November, directed by Rainer Sernet and winner of the best cinematography award at this year’s Tribeca; Free And Easy (pictured) directed by Jun Geng, which won the Special jury prize at Sundance; Pat Collins’ Joe Heaney biopic Song Of Granite, which had its premiere at SXSW and Juze from director Miransha Naik, first seen at the Hong Kong Film festival.
Films competing at Karlovy Vary this year include Boris Khlebnikov’s Arrhythmia, Václav Kadrnka’s Little Crusader, Giorgi Ovashvili’s Georgian historical drama Khibula and Birds Are Singing In Kigali from Polish director Krzysztof Krauze. The latter...
- 6/9/2017
- by orlando.parfitt@screendaily.com (Orlando Parfitt)
- ScreenDaily
A deeply peculiar folklore-informed picture in which unrequited love is more troubling than the plague, the Devil and a forest full of ghosts, Rainer Sarnet's November upends any expectations moviegoers may have when they hear the words "black-and-white film from Estonia." Its stranger notes may initially put viewers in mind of early Guy Maddin or even Czech animator Jan Svankmajer, but November (adapting Andrus Kivirahk’s novel Rehepapp) proves a bit more accessible than either, ultimately boiling down to a universal story of yearning. Winner of a deserved cinematography prize at Tribeca, the film should do well for the eclectic and...
- 5/10/2017
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Elvira Lind with her and Oscar Isaac's newborn child - Bobbi Jene won three Tribeca Film Festival Awards - Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing for Adam Nielsen. Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The Tribeca Film Festival juried award-winning films - Elvira Lind's Bobbi Jene, Rachel Israel's Keep The Change, Elina Psykou's Son Of Sofia, Petra Volpe's The Divine Order, Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra's A Suitable Girl, Angus MacLachlan's Abundant Acreage Available, Liz W Garcia's One Percent More Humid, Quinn Shephard's Blame, Russell Harbaugh's Love After Love, Julia Solomonoff's Nobody's Watching, Bohdan Sláma's Ice Mother, and Rainer Sarnet's November - will have additional screenings starting on Sunday afternoon, April 30.
Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and The Godfather: Part ll with Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and the director participating in a...
The Tribeca Film Festival juried award-winning films - Elvira Lind's Bobbi Jene, Rachel Israel's Keep The Change, Elina Psykou's Son Of Sofia, Petra Volpe's The Divine Order, Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra's A Suitable Girl, Angus MacLachlan's Abundant Acreage Available, Liz W Garcia's One Percent More Humid, Quinn Shephard's Blame, Russell Harbaugh's Love After Love, Julia Solomonoff's Nobody's Watching, Bohdan Sláma's Ice Mother, and Rainer Sarnet's November - will have additional screenings starting on Sunday afternoon, April 30.
Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and The Godfather: Part ll with Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and the director participating in a...
- 4/29/2017
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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