Tempestad has been selected as Mexico’s official entry to the 90th Academy Awards in the foreign-language film category, and was also recently nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Documentary. It was also the winner of the Best Documentary at the last edition of the Cinema Tropical Awards, and its Dp Ernesto Pardo was nominated for an American Society of Cinematographers Award.
Its U.S. theatrical premiere is October 20 at Anthology Film Archives who is co-presenting with Cinema Tropical, its distributor.
Utilizing the direct testimony of two women whose lives have been torn apart by the cartel-fueled terror racking Mexico in the 21st century, Tempestad is an impressionistic portrait — at once lyrical and shattering — of the human cost of the country’s lawlessness.
This extraordinary film by Salvadorian filmmaker Tatiana Huezo, whose Ariel Award (among others) winning doc was The Tiniest Place/ El lugar más pequeño, will shake...
Its U.S. theatrical premiere is October 20 at Anthology Film Archives who is co-presenting with Cinema Tropical, its distributor.
Utilizing the direct testimony of two women whose lives have been torn apart by the cartel-fueled terror racking Mexico in the 21st century, Tempestad is an impressionistic portrait — at once lyrical and shattering — of the human cost of the country’s lawlessness.
This extraordinary film by Salvadorian filmmaker Tatiana Huezo, whose Ariel Award (among others) winning doc was The Tiniest Place/ El lugar más pequeño, will shake...
- 10/4/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Tempestad, Tatiana Huezo's hard-hitting documentary about victims of the human-trafficking trade, has been chosen as Mexico's submission for foreign-language film Oscar consideration.
Mexico's film academy on Wednesday announced it will also submit Tempestad to vie for best foreign picture for Spain's 32nd Goya Awards in February.
The pic follows two loosely connected narratives of women who have suffered the brutal consequences of human trafficking in Mexico.
Jim Jarmusch collaborator Jim Stark (Down by Law) executive produced Tempestad alongside brothers Nicolas and Sebastian Celis, producers of Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron's latest picture, Roma.
Salvadoran-born writer-director Huezo won high praise on the festival circuit for her first work, The Tiniest Place (El Lugar Mas Pequeno), a powerful documentary that reflects on...
Mexico's film academy on Wednesday announced it will also submit Tempestad to vie for best foreign picture for Spain's 32nd Goya Awards in February.
The pic follows two loosely connected narratives of women who have suffered the brutal consequences of human trafficking in Mexico.
Jim Jarmusch collaborator Jim Stark (Down by Law) executive produced Tempestad alongside brothers Nicolas and Sebastian Celis, producers of Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron's latest picture, Roma.
Salvadoran-born writer-director Huezo won high praise on the festival circuit for her first work, The Tiniest Place (El Lugar Mas Pequeno), a powerful documentary that reflects on...
- 9/13/2017
- by John Hecht
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Could there be a more perfect moment than this? Sitting in the garden behind the Hotel Nacional, looking at the Cuban flag so proudly waving over the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The same site where the defense was built during the Cuban Missile Crisis, this moment of time marks a particularly precarious balance between peaceful coexistence and military aggression as we contemplate the recent death of Castro and election of Trump, wondering how it will play out in 2017.Hotel Nacional, Headquarters of Festival de Cine Nuevo Iberoamericano, Havana, Cuba
Cuba, ten days after the death of Fidel Castro, head of state for 52 years,may be a bit more subdued, but life here goes on, even with the influx of American tourists (other tourists have always been here); there is a sense of harmony. And in spite of the scarcity of luxuries for its people, the people...
Cuba, ten days after the death of Fidel Castro, head of state for 52 years,may be a bit more subdued, but life here goes on, even with the influx of American tourists (other tourists have always been here); there is a sense of harmony. And in spite of the scarcity of luxuries for its people, the people...
- 12/29/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Tatiana Huezo's Mexican documentary Tempestad topped the international competition at the fifth edition of the Costa Rica Film Festival. Jurgen Urena's Abrazame Como Antes won both the Central American and Costa Rican competitions.
The competition and audience award winners in each of the festival’s three categories were announced Sunday at a closing ceremony at the Magaly Theater, in San Jose
Premiered at Berlinale, Tempestad is Salvadorian Tatiana Huezo's follow-up to The Tiniest Place and addresses the topic of human trafficking in Mexico through the experiences of two young women.
Jurgen Urena's second feature and follow-up to Munecas Rusas, Abrazame Como Puedas...
The competition and audience award winners in each of the festival’s three categories were announced Sunday at a closing ceremony at the Magaly Theater, in San Jose
Premiered at Berlinale, Tempestad is Salvadorian Tatiana Huezo's follow-up to The Tiniest Place and addresses the topic of human trafficking in Mexico through the experiences of two young women.
Jurgen Urena's second feature and follow-up to Munecas Rusas, Abrazame Como Puedas...
- 12/19/2016
- by Agustin Mango
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Projects previously presented at the market include Laszlo Nemes’s Oscar-winning Son Of Saul.
The 14th CineLink Co-Production Market (Aug 18-20), the backbone of Sarajevo Film Festival’s industry section, will this year present 15 projects from South-East Europe, and three guest projects from Qatar and Mexico.
CineLink boasts an impressive track record. An average of 60% of the projects that have taken part at the market in the last 13 years went all the way from development to production.
The most recent success is Laszlo Nemes’ Son Of Saul which won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2015 and Oscar for Best Foreign Language Films.
Other titles developed at the market include two winners of Venice’s Lion of the Future: White Shadow by Noaz Deshe, and Mold by Ali Aydin; two Berlinale Silver Bear winners: Harmony Lessons by Emir Baigazin and If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle by Florin Serban; and Semih Kaplanoglu’s 2010 Golden Bear winner Honey.
The...
The 14th CineLink Co-Production Market (Aug 18-20), the backbone of Sarajevo Film Festival’s industry section, will this year present 15 projects from South-East Europe, and three guest projects from Qatar and Mexico.
CineLink boasts an impressive track record. An average of 60% of the projects that have taken part at the market in the last 13 years went all the way from development to production.
The most recent success is Laszlo Nemes’ Son Of Saul which won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2015 and Oscar for Best Foreign Language Films.
Other titles developed at the market include two winners of Venice’s Lion of the Future: White Shadow by Noaz Deshe, and Mold by Ali Aydin; two Berlinale Silver Bear winners: Harmony Lessons by Emir Baigazin and If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle by Florin Serban; and Semih Kaplanoglu’s 2010 Golden Bear winner Honey.
The...
- 8/17/2016
- ScreenDaily
Of all the upcoming talent in the recent weeks in Mexico at the writers residency "Pueblo Magico", at Flicc, the Latin American Forum for Coproduction and New Talent, in Morelia and at Los Cabos, producer Nicolás Celis ("Heli", "We Are What We Are") stands out on many fronts.
Nico : At 29 years of age, I have worked on 20 to 25 movies. I have learned my craft from the directors I have worked with like Tatiana Huezo and Amat Escalante, to name just two.
I have created my own unique creative process and have learned about financing and distribution as well as production.
Sl: I noticed you work with Sebastian Celis. Who is that?
When our father died, my older brother who was a physicist wanted to do something with me. It was easier for him to go into film than for me to go into physics. We like spending time together. Really he is the perfect partner -- 100% trustworthy: we won't let each other down. We like the the same movies and both work a lot. Working with him brings us very close and we are more attached than ever and more interested in making long term plans. Working with my brother is very interesting. He can work well with the abstract and can understand ideas before they are totally conceived and then put those ideas onto paper. What's beautiful about film is your background is irrelevant.
Sl: What is your approach to producing films?
We always try to budget carefully. We aim to make the films for a reasonable cost which can actually be recouped. With low budgets, you can shoot quickly. We believe now is a very good time to make movies in Mexico. There is a lot of money available here through the various funding schemes, even if there is a lot of competition for that funding. With more and more people coming out of film schools that competition is only going to increase. So we are aggressively looking for private equity as well.
Sl: How did you get into film?
I was never formally schooled in filmmaking. I was rejected twice by Ccc (one of the top film schools in Mexico). In time though by helping to make shorts, I realized that I had skills that directors needed. My first short, "Ver llover" (2006)--I was unit production manager---was directed by Elisa Miller who did study at Ccc. The film went to Cannes and her second short—which I produced – went to Critics Week in Cannes and won the Palme d'Or She has returned to work with me on our upcoming feature "Skin Deep" which is now being presented as a project in development in Los Cabos. I came to realize I did not have to go to film school to be sought after. Directors seek me out now because we enjoy collaboration and they value my ability to work with them.
Sl: What are your most recent and upcoming films?
I have a number of films that are in post production or just completed.
A private screening of the documentary "Tempestad" was held in Morelia just weeks ago in its first edition of Impulso, which is only for works-in-progress. The audience for those screenings is exclusively sales agents, distributors, financiers and festival programmers who want to see films that are currently in post-production. We have big expectations for that film . We are aiming at Berlin or Cannes. This is the second documentary film by Tatiana Huezo whose first doc, “El Lugar Mas Pequeno"/ "The Tiniest Place” (which I also produced) won numerous Best Picture prizes at festivals around the world.
"Soy Negro" now is also in post. It is by Rafi Pitts from Iran and tells a story of migration to the USA from a different point of view with a Mexican touch. It has received support from the French Cnc, funds from Eurimages, Ffa in Germany, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenberg support, and Zdf/ Arte support. The Match Factory will represent the film internationally.
"Desierto" directed by Jonás Cuarón premiered in Toronto where it was acquired from Im Global for the U.S. by Stx, the new China-backed company headed by Robert Simonds and Cathy Schulman. "All of Me", the emotionally touching doc about Las Patronas, premiered in Los Cabos festival last year, won a top prize and was picked up for U.S. by Outsider Films from the new Berlin-based boutique international sales agent for award-winning docs, Rise and Shine.
"Semana Santa" whose international sales agent is Mundial was coproduced with Jim Stark, our new partner. He is the U.S. indie producer of the early Jarmusch films, Icelandic director Fridrik Thor Fridrikson, Bent Hamer and many others.
Sl: How did you join up with Jim Stark? I used to buy his films for the U.S. so I am very interested in what he is doing these days.
Jim was giving a workshop in Morelia four years ago that I attended. Later, he introduced me to Rafi Pitts in Guadalajara. And now he and I are working together on a lot of projects.
Jim makes the same sort of movies we do and is also good at raising money and making international connections. He shoots everywhere and has a couple of projects in Turkey, is still working with Icelanders and even has a project in Africa in Ivory Coast.
We're now working together on a Georgian doc and talking about other coproductions with international co-producers.
We just finished "Semana Santa" together and are finishing Tatania Huezo's new film "Tempestad".
We enjoy the process of working together. We're developing a couple of scripts based on novels we like and on our own ideas. We never know if the film will be a success or failure but we would rather have three years of a good experience working with directors we enjoy on projects we believe in than making "sure hits" or commercial films with directors we don't get along with.
Sl: You've done very well so far.
This is the most important year for us. We have finally established ourselves as an important Mexican production company involved with good directors. There are interesting voices in Mexico. We're now expanding into minority coproductions to do post and at the same time looking at foreign projects at the script stage. It's cheaper to work in Mexico than in Europe and Mexico is ready for coproductions.
It is a way to widen our reach. That's why we're working on Colombian Ciro Guerra's next film. His last film, "Embrace of the Serpent" (Colombia's submission for Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film) is a Colombian-Argentinean-Venezuelan coproduction being sold by Films Boutique, a French-German international sales company. Its U.S. distributor is Oscilloscope. Its French distributor, Diaphana, is a producer as well as a distributor.
Our long range goal is to grow our slate of coproductions. We think it is our best strategy for beating the competition which is quickly escalating here in Mexico.
From our side we can offer all the opportunities we have for financing and the high quality of Mexican services and crew. Also the low costs here mean shooting in Mexico is not a big risk. But having access to international partners and getting additional funding from Norway or Denmark is very prestigious and increases the chances that our films will be seen and appreciated outside of Mexico.
When I can, I like to participate in international workshops, coproduction meetings and even residencies like the new one in Tepoztlan where I met you. I went to an Eave workshop with ten other producers. We still keep in touch, we work together and try to spend some quality time together and when links with these other international producers are strong it increases the likelihood we can collaborate in the future.
Nico : At 29 years of age, I have worked on 20 to 25 movies. I have learned my craft from the directors I have worked with like Tatiana Huezo and Amat Escalante, to name just two.
I have created my own unique creative process and have learned about financing and distribution as well as production.
Sl: I noticed you work with Sebastian Celis. Who is that?
When our father died, my older brother who was a physicist wanted to do something with me. It was easier for him to go into film than for me to go into physics. We like spending time together. Really he is the perfect partner -- 100% trustworthy: we won't let each other down. We like the the same movies and both work a lot. Working with him brings us very close and we are more attached than ever and more interested in making long term plans. Working with my brother is very interesting. He can work well with the abstract and can understand ideas before they are totally conceived and then put those ideas onto paper. What's beautiful about film is your background is irrelevant.
Sl: What is your approach to producing films?
We always try to budget carefully. We aim to make the films for a reasonable cost which can actually be recouped. With low budgets, you can shoot quickly. We believe now is a very good time to make movies in Mexico. There is a lot of money available here through the various funding schemes, even if there is a lot of competition for that funding. With more and more people coming out of film schools that competition is only going to increase. So we are aggressively looking for private equity as well.
Sl: How did you get into film?
I was never formally schooled in filmmaking. I was rejected twice by Ccc (one of the top film schools in Mexico). In time though by helping to make shorts, I realized that I had skills that directors needed. My first short, "Ver llover" (2006)--I was unit production manager---was directed by Elisa Miller who did study at Ccc. The film went to Cannes and her second short—which I produced – went to Critics Week in Cannes and won the Palme d'Or She has returned to work with me on our upcoming feature "Skin Deep" which is now being presented as a project in development in Los Cabos. I came to realize I did not have to go to film school to be sought after. Directors seek me out now because we enjoy collaboration and they value my ability to work with them.
Sl: What are your most recent and upcoming films?
I have a number of films that are in post production or just completed.
A private screening of the documentary "Tempestad" was held in Morelia just weeks ago in its first edition of Impulso, which is only for works-in-progress. The audience for those screenings is exclusively sales agents, distributors, financiers and festival programmers who want to see films that are currently in post-production. We have big expectations for that film . We are aiming at Berlin or Cannes. This is the second documentary film by Tatiana Huezo whose first doc, “El Lugar Mas Pequeno"/ "The Tiniest Place” (which I also produced) won numerous Best Picture prizes at festivals around the world.
"Soy Negro" now is also in post. It is by Rafi Pitts from Iran and tells a story of migration to the USA from a different point of view with a Mexican touch. It has received support from the French Cnc, funds from Eurimages, Ffa in Germany, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenberg support, and Zdf/ Arte support. The Match Factory will represent the film internationally.
"Desierto" directed by Jonás Cuarón premiered in Toronto where it was acquired from Im Global for the U.S. by Stx, the new China-backed company headed by Robert Simonds and Cathy Schulman. "All of Me", the emotionally touching doc about Las Patronas, premiered in Los Cabos festival last year, won a top prize and was picked up for U.S. by Outsider Films from the new Berlin-based boutique international sales agent for award-winning docs, Rise and Shine.
"Semana Santa" whose international sales agent is Mundial was coproduced with Jim Stark, our new partner. He is the U.S. indie producer of the early Jarmusch films, Icelandic director Fridrik Thor Fridrikson, Bent Hamer and many others.
Sl: How did you join up with Jim Stark? I used to buy his films for the U.S. so I am very interested in what he is doing these days.
Jim was giving a workshop in Morelia four years ago that I attended. Later, he introduced me to Rafi Pitts in Guadalajara. And now he and I are working together on a lot of projects.
Jim makes the same sort of movies we do and is also good at raising money and making international connections. He shoots everywhere and has a couple of projects in Turkey, is still working with Icelanders and even has a project in Africa in Ivory Coast.
We're now working together on a Georgian doc and talking about other coproductions with international co-producers.
We just finished "Semana Santa" together and are finishing Tatania Huezo's new film "Tempestad".
We enjoy the process of working together. We're developing a couple of scripts based on novels we like and on our own ideas. We never know if the film will be a success or failure but we would rather have three years of a good experience working with directors we enjoy on projects we believe in than making "sure hits" or commercial films with directors we don't get along with.
Sl: You've done very well so far.
This is the most important year for us. We have finally established ourselves as an important Mexican production company involved with good directors. There are interesting voices in Mexico. We're now expanding into minority coproductions to do post and at the same time looking at foreign projects at the script stage. It's cheaper to work in Mexico than in Europe and Mexico is ready for coproductions.
It is a way to widen our reach. That's why we're working on Colombian Ciro Guerra's next film. His last film, "Embrace of the Serpent" (Colombia's submission for Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film) is a Colombian-Argentinean-Venezuelan coproduction being sold by Films Boutique, a French-German international sales company. Its U.S. distributor is Oscilloscope. Its French distributor, Diaphana, is a producer as well as a distributor.
Our long range goal is to grow our slate of coproductions. We think it is our best strategy for beating the competition which is quickly escalating here in Mexico.
From our side we can offer all the opportunities we have for financing and the high quality of Mexican services and crew. Also the low costs here mean shooting in Mexico is not a big risk. But having access to international partners and getting additional funding from Norway or Denmark is very prestigious and increases the chances that our films will be seen and appreciated outside of Mexico.
When I can, I like to participate in international workshops, coproduction meetings and even residencies like the new one in Tepoztlan where I met you. I went to an Eave workshop with ten other producers. We still keep in touch, we work together and try to spend some quality time together and when links with these other international producers are strong it increases the likelihood we can collaborate in the future.
- 11/15/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
A look back at 2012 reveals an undeniable fact, it has been a great year for Latino film. Sundance started the year off strong with films like Aurora Guerrero’s sweet and tender Mosquita y Mari and Marialy Rivas’ rambunctious Joven y Alocada (Young & Wild). Gina Rodriguez broke out in Filly Brown, as a rapper who needs to make it big so she can raise money to get her mom out of jail. In the film, Jenni Rivera played the part of Filly’s mom in her first, and sadly last, movie role.
There was also a strong Latin American presence at Cannes this past summer, boasting films from Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It might as well have been called Mexi-Cannes, with Mexican films winning awards across all main sections of the festival. Carlos Reygadas was honored as the Best Director for his controversial film Post Tenebras Lux, despite having received boos at its premiere screening. The prize for the Critics’ Week section went to Aquí y Allá (Here and There) and Después de Lucía (After Lucia) won the top prize for Un Certain Regard.
It’s been an especially favorable year for Chilean cinema. The New York Film Festival, in its 50th edition this past Fall, included three highly anticipated films by Pablo Larraín, Valeria Sarmiento, and the late Raúl Ruiz. And Chile continued to outshine the rest of the region by winning two top spots at the Festival Internacional de Nuevo Cine Latino de La Habana (the Havana Film Festival) just a few days ago. Pablo Larraín’s No, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, won the First Coral Prize. It’s a brilliant take on the real life story of an advertising campaign that ousted General Pinochet from power during a shining moment in Chilean politics. Violeta se fue a los cielos (Violeta Went To Heaven), a biopic about internationally famous Violeta de la Parra, a Chilean singer, songwriter, and poet won the Second Prize.
Whether it was at Cannes, Sundance, or countless other festivals, Latino films were winning award after award this year and even getting distribution (albeit usually in limited release). With the flurry of activity surrounding the region’s filmmaking, it can be hard to keep up with it all. Thankfully, there are professionals who get paid to keep track of what movies are receiving accolades, have the most buzz, and got picked up for distribution. LatinoBuzz went straight to the experts, film programmers, to ask, “What’s your top 5 Latino films of 2012?”
Carlos Gutierrez, Co-Founder and Director of Cinema Tropical
In no particular order, a list of five Latin American films that made it to Us screens in the past year (some of them are a couple of years old), which I highly recommend.
De Jueves a Domingo (Thursday Till Sunday), Director: Dominga Sotomayor, Chile
O Som ao Redor (Neighboring Sounds), Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil
El Estudiante, Director: Santiago Mitre, Argentina
El Velador, Director: Natalia Almada, Mexico
El Lugar Más Pequeño (The Tiniest Place), Director: Tatiana Huezo, Mexico/El Salvador
Juan Caceres, Director of Programming at the New York International Latino Film Festival
Mosquita y Mari is a gorgeous film full of heart. Marialy Rivas (Director of Joven y Alocada) is an incredibly exciting new voice in Latin American cinema. She's fearless and full of love. I'm a huge fan of Lucy Mulloy (Director of Una Noche). She draws these wonderful performances from non-professional actors. A natural at using the lens to tell a story. In Las Malas Intenciones Fatima Buntinx plays the lead perfectly. Andres Wood made a beautiful film called 'Machuca', that captured the soul of Chile in the 70's and he does the same with a bio-pic of Violeta Parra, a folk singer who was a part of 'La Nueva Canción Chilena'.
Mosquita y Mari, Director: Aurora Guerrero, USA
Joven y Alocada (Young and Wild), Director: Marialy Rivas, Chile
Una Noche, Director: Lucy Mulloy, Cuba
Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos (Violeta Went to Heaven), Director: Andrés Wood, Chile
Las Malas Intenciones (The Bad Intentions), Director: Rosario García-Montero, Perú
Christine Davila, Programming Associate at Sundance Film Festival
There are way too many Latino films and not enough coverage on American Latino films so with that -- mine are going to be strictly American Latino films.
Los Chidos, Director: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, USA/Mexico
Mosquita y Mari, Director: Aurora Guerrero, USA
Elliot Loves, Director: Terracino, USA
Aquí y Allá (Here and There), Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza, USA/Spain/Mexico
Love, Concord, Director: Gustavo Guardado, USA
Lisa Franek, Artistic Director at the San Diego Latino Film Festival
Just 5?? That's tough! In Filly Brown, Gina Rodriguez turns in a great performance, and I expect to see more great things from her very soon. No, I saw at Cannes, and it was fascinating, especially in contrast to Larraín's previous (amazing) films. La Hora Cero has unforgettable scenes and characters! La Mujer de Ivan has amazing acting, and I believe Maria de Los Angeles Garcia is definitely a talent to watch. Reportero is also fantastic.
La Mujer de Iván, Director: Francisca Silva, Chile
No, Director: Pablo Larraín, Chile/France/USA
La Hora Cero, Director: Diego Velasco, Venezuela
Reportero, Director: Bernardo Ruiz, USA/Mexico
Filly Brown, Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos, USA
Marcela Goglio, Programmer for Latinbeat at The Film Society of Lincoln Center
Las Acacias, Director: Pablo Giorgelli, Argentina
As Cançoes (Songs), Director: Eduardo Coutinho, Brazil
Unfinished Spaces, Directors: Alyssa Nahmias & Benjamin Murray, USA
O Som ao Redor (Neighboring Sounds), Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil
Aquí y Allá (Here and There), Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza, USA/Spain/Mexico
Pepe Vargas, Executive Director of the International Latino Cultural Center and Chicago Latino Film Festival
Not an easy task to come up with 5 titles - there are so many good movies.
La Piel que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
Director: Pedro Almodóvar, Spain
Salvando al Soldado Pérez, (Saving Private Perez)
Director: Beto Gómez, Mexico
Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out)
Director: Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina/Spain
Lobos de Arga (Game of Werewolves)
Director: Juan Martínez Moreno, Spain
Mariachi Gringo
Director: Tom Gustafson, USA/Mexico
Amalia Cordova, Coordinator of the Latin American Program at the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
Granito, Director: Pamela Yates, USA/Guatemala/Spain
Desterro Guarani, Directors: Patricia Ferreira y Ariel Duarte Ortega, Brazil
Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos (Violeta Went to Heaven), Director: Andrés Wood, Chile
5 x Favela – Agora por nós Mesmos (5 x Favela, Now by Ourselves), Directors: Manaíra Carneiro, Wagner Novais, Cacau Amaral, Rodrigo Felha, Luciano Vidigal, Cadu Barcelos, and Luciana Bezerra, Brazil
Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out), Director: Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina/Spain
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
There was also a strong Latin American presence at Cannes this past summer, boasting films from Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. It might as well have been called Mexi-Cannes, with Mexican films winning awards across all main sections of the festival. Carlos Reygadas was honored as the Best Director for his controversial film Post Tenebras Lux, despite having received boos at its premiere screening. The prize for the Critics’ Week section went to Aquí y Allá (Here and There) and Después de Lucía (After Lucia) won the top prize for Un Certain Regard.
It’s been an especially favorable year for Chilean cinema. The New York Film Festival, in its 50th edition this past Fall, included three highly anticipated films by Pablo Larraín, Valeria Sarmiento, and the late Raúl Ruiz. And Chile continued to outshine the rest of the region by winning two top spots at the Festival Internacional de Nuevo Cine Latino de La Habana (the Havana Film Festival) just a few days ago. Pablo Larraín’s No, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, won the First Coral Prize. It’s a brilliant take on the real life story of an advertising campaign that ousted General Pinochet from power during a shining moment in Chilean politics. Violeta se fue a los cielos (Violeta Went To Heaven), a biopic about internationally famous Violeta de la Parra, a Chilean singer, songwriter, and poet won the Second Prize.
Whether it was at Cannes, Sundance, or countless other festivals, Latino films were winning award after award this year and even getting distribution (albeit usually in limited release). With the flurry of activity surrounding the region’s filmmaking, it can be hard to keep up with it all. Thankfully, there are professionals who get paid to keep track of what movies are receiving accolades, have the most buzz, and got picked up for distribution. LatinoBuzz went straight to the experts, film programmers, to ask, “What’s your top 5 Latino films of 2012?”
Carlos Gutierrez, Co-Founder and Director of Cinema Tropical
In no particular order, a list of five Latin American films that made it to Us screens in the past year (some of them are a couple of years old), which I highly recommend.
De Jueves a Domingo (Thursday Till Sunday), Director: Dominga Sotomayor, Chile
O Som ao Redor (Neighboring Sounds), Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil
El Estudiante, Director: Santiago Mitre, Argentina
El Velador, Director: Natalia Almada, Mexico
El Lugar Más Pequeño (The Tiniest Place), Director: Tatiana Huezo, Mexico/El Salvador
Juan Caceres, Director of Programming at the New York International Latino Film Festival
Mosquita y Mari is a gorgeous film full of heart. Marialy Rivas (Director of Joven y Alocada) is an incredibly exciting new voice in Latin American cinema. She's fearless and full of love. I'm a huge fan of Lucy Mulloy (Director of Una Noche). She draws these wonderful performances from non-professional actors. A natural at using the lens to tell a story. In Las Malas Intenciones Fatima Buntinx plays the lead perfectly. Andres Wood made a beautiful film called 'Machuca', that captured the soul of Chile in the 70's and he does the same with a bio-pic of Violeta Parra, a folk singer who was a part of 'La Nueva Canción Chilena'.
Mosquita y Mari, Director: Aurora Guerrero, USA
Joven y Alocada (Young and Wild), Director: Marialy Rivas, Chile
Una Noche, Director: Lucy Mulloy, Cuba
Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos (Violeta Went to Heaven), Director: Andrés Wood, Chile
Las Malas Intenciones (The Bad Intentions), Director: Rosario García-Montero, Perú
Christine Davila, Programming Associate at Sundance Film Festival
There are way too many Latino films and not enough coverage on American Latino films so with that -- mine are going to be strictly American Latino films.
Los Chidos, Director: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, USA/Mexico
Mosquita y Mari, Director: Aurora Guerrero, USA
Elliot Loves, Director: Terracino, USA
Aquí y Allá (Here and There), Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza, USA/Spain/Mexico
Love, Concord, Director: Gustavo Guardado, USA
Lisa Franek, Artistic Director at the San Diego Latino Film Festival
Just 5?? That's tough! In Filly Brown, Gina Rodriguez turns in a great performance, and I expect to see more great things from her very soon. No, I saw at Cannes, and it was fascinating, especially in contrast to Larraín's previous (amazing) films. La Hora Cero has unforgettable scenes and characters! La Mujer de Ivan has amazing acting, and I believe Maria de Los Angeles Garcia is definitely a talent to watch. Reportero is also fantastic.
La Mujer de Iván, Director: Francisca Silva, Chile
No, Director: Pablo Larraín, Chile/France/USA
La Hora Cero, Director: Diego Velasco, Venezuela
Reportero, Director: Bernardo Ruiz, USA/Mexico
Filly Brown, Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos, USA
Marcela Goglio, Programmer for Latinbeat at The Film Society of Lincoln Center
Las Acacias, Director: Pablo Giorgelli, Argentina
As Cançoes (Songs), Director: Eduardo Coutinho, Brazil
Unfinished Spaces, Directors: Alyssa Nahmias & Benjamin Murray, USA
O Som ao Redor (Neighboring Sounds), Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil
Aquí y Allá (Here and There), Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza, USA/Spain/Mexico
Pepe Vargas, Executive Director of the International Latino Cultural Center and Chicago Latino Film Festival
Not an easy task to come up with 5 titles - there are so many good movies.
La Piel que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
Director: Pedro Almodóvar, Spain
Salvando al Soldado Pérez, (Saving Private Perez)
Director: Beto Gómez, Mexico
Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out)
Director: Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina/Spain
Lobos de Arga (Game of Werewolves)
Director: Juan Martínez Moreno, Spain
Mariachi Gringo
Director: Tom Gustafson, USA/Mexico
Amalia Cordova, Coordinator of the Latin American Program at the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
Granito, Director: Pamela Yates, USA/Guatemala/Spain
Desterro Guarani, Directors: Patricia Ferreira y Ariel Duarte Ortega, Brazil
Violeta Se Fue A Los Cielos (Violeta Went to Heaven), Director: Andrés Wood, Chile
5 x Favela – Agora por nós Mesmos (5 x Favela, Now by Ourselves), Directors: Manaíra Carneiro, Wagner Novais, Cacau Amaral, Rodrigo Felha, Luciano Vidigal, Cadu Barcelos, and Luciana Bezerra, Brazil
Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out), Director: Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina/Spain
Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzz on twitter.
- 12/19/2012
- by Vanessa Erazo
- Sydney's Buzz
Finally a way to track festival winners that eliminates our need to track all festivals separately. Festival Scope, the online platform known for providing film professionals with online screening of films from more than 60 of the most prestigious international film festivals (including Berlinale, Rotterdam, Locarno, Venice, Cannes' Directors' Fortnight and Critics' Week, Toronto and San Sebastian) has developed a new section. The section is called "Labels" and is aimed at providing additional visibility to the films awarded in festivals or selected by partner organizations. The "Labels" has been launched with a special partnership with Fipresci, the International Federation of Film Critics. On the Fipresci page Festival Scope presents a selection of films that have been awarded the Fipresci Award. About 30 titles are already available for screening, including recently awarded Salesman (Isa: EOne) (awarded in Torino), The Tiniest Place (Mar del Plata), Eighty Letters (Thessaloniki), Yatasto (Viennale). More will be added throughout the year. Klaus Eder, General Secretary of Fipresci says: "Our aim is not only to present, at festivals, the critics' prize to the films we like. We also wish to help them [get a larger audience]. Festival Scope offers a wonderful chance to make our engagement better known to the professionals of cinema and to provoke the interest of other festivals and of buyers.
One of my first reactions on reading thus far was that this seems more self serving on Fipresci's part than inclusive of winners in general. I realize that I have absorbed an industry criticism of Fipresci itself which deserves further investigation. My criticism is that, in creating a label of its own prizes on a general platform, it is furthering its own mission. Fipresci, a critics' organization, chooses one festival per country to put their labeled prize upon, and to the outsider their endorsement automatically carries a sort of prestige. However, I have heard from one top festival director that they then impose certain rules upon that festival and to this festival director, they represent a sort of mafia. As I said, this merits greater investigation, perhaps I or another reader will write a blog upon Fipresci itself.
As I read further, I realize that the Festival Scope "Labels" extends beyond Fipresci itself, and as such is a boon to people seeking certain types of films. One of the labels presents the Global Lens 2012, Global Film Initiative’s critically acclaimed independent world cinema exhibition and distribution platform. The line-up includes ten award-winning narrative feature films from around the world including Morteza Farshbaf's darkly comic road trip, Mourning (Iran, Isa: Wide) (Fipresci Prize and New Currents Award, Pusan Iff) , Paula Markovitch's The Prize (Mexico, Isa: Urban Media) (Silver Bear, Berlin Iff and Best Film, Morelia Iff) and Toll Booth, Tolga Karaçelik's acclaimed Turkish "everyman" story.
Santhosh Daniel from Global Film Initiative says “We’re honored that Global Lens is one of three inaugural “labels” on Festival Scope, as the distinction not only reflects a recognition of quality, but also a mutual respect for the impact our two organizations can create by working together.” I stand with Santhosh here. The Global Film Initiative is a great platform honoring seldom heard voices from countries upon which the camera rarely focuses.
Last but not least, Festival Scope dedicates a showcase to Binger Filmlab, the Amsterdam-based organization welcoming the best and brightest filmmakers providing them intensive series of labs, workshops and events. Selected filmmakers are presented to the international film community together with their previous work. Already highlighted the films by Darius Devas from Australia, Caroline Kamya from Uganda, Jonathan Ostos Yaber from Mexico and Kevin Meul from Belgium. The Binger is very dear to me, as Jeanne Wikler, a longtime American resident of The Netherlands and a documentary filmmaker herself, invited us for many years to be coaches. She created a warm and welcoming environment ("Gezellig") which to this day retains this atmosphere, even at their Cannes Reception Days where we are always warmly greeted by Greetje Schuring, Assistant to the Directors and by former Binger participant, now Artistic Director, Marten Rabarts and by the beautiful longtime film event organizer Daan Gielis Head of Talent & Communications. In raising startup funds for this event from the government she was aided by former parliament member Gamila Ylstra who is now CEO of Binger. Jeanne herself is now the Director of the Institute of The Netherlands in Paris. Gamila Ylstra states, “Festival Scope is the perfect partner for Binger Filmlab: a unique platform for film professionals that enables us to showcase previous work and contextualize the projects and filmmakers in our Writers and Directors Labs. We are honored to be part of this!” I find this use of Festival Scope especially appealing in light of current government moves to cut cultural events; Festival Scope helps prove that such organizations as Binger contribute to the world's well-being in the context of cultural freedom is very important. Alessandro Raja, founder of Festival Scope, says: "We are thrilled to widen the scope of our activities with the creation of the "Labels". It’s an additional way for us to contribute to the promotion of the films we like and that play a significant role in today’s and tomorrow’s cinema".
I think Festival Scope should go further in award posting; let Fipresci have its and let others have their own pages if they merit it. Certainly Binger and The Global Film Initiative merit pages of their own.
One of my first reactions on reading thus far was that this seems more self serving on Fipresci's part than inclusive of winners in general. I realize that I have absorbed an industry criticism of Fipresci itself which deserves further investigation. My criticism is that, in creating a label of its own prizes on a general platform, it is furthering its own mission. Fipresci, a critics' organization, chooses one festival per country to put their labeled prize upon, and to the outsider their endorsement automatically carries a sort of prestige. However, I have heard from one top festival director that they then impose certain rules upon that festival and to this festival director, they represent a sort of mafia. As I said, this merits greater investigation, perhaps I or another reader will write a blog upon Fipresci itself.
As I read further, I realize that the Festival Scope "Labels" extends beyond Fipresci itself, and as such is a boon to people seeking certain types of films. One of the labels presents the Global Lens 2012, Global Film Initiative’s critically acclaimed independent world cinema exhibition and distribution platform. The line-up includes ten award-winning narrative feature films from around the world including Morteza Farshbaf's darkly comic road trip, Mourning (Iran, Isa: Wide) (Fipresci Prize and New Currents Award, Pusan Iff) , Paula Markovitch's The Prize (Mexico, Isa: Urban Media) (Silver Bear, Berlin Iff and Best Film, Morelia Iff) and Toll Booth, Tolga Karaçelik's acclaimed Turkish "everyman" story.
Santhosh Daniel from Global Film Initiative says “We’re honored that Global Lens is one of three inaugural “labels” on Festival Scope, as the distinction not only reflects a recognition of quality, but also a mutual respect for the impact our two organizations can create by working together.” I stand with Santhosh here. The Global Film Initiative is a great platform honoring seldom heard voices from countries upon which the camera rarely focuses.
Last but not least, Festival Scope dedicates a showcase to Binger Filmlab, the Amsterdam-based organization welcoming the best and brightest filmmakers providing them intensive series of labs, workshops and events. Selected filmmakers are presented to the international film community together with their previous work. Already highlighted the films by Darius Devas from Australia, Caroline Kamya from Uganda, Jonathan Ostos Yaber from Mexico and Kevin Meul from Belgium. The Binger is very dear to me, as Jeanne Wikler, a longtime American resident of The Netherlands and a documentary filmmaker herself, invited us for many years to be coaches. She created a warm and welcoming environment ("Gezellig") which to this day retains this atmosphere, even at their Cannes Reception Days where we are always warmly greeted by Greetje Schuring, Assistant to the Directors and by former Binger participant, now Artistic Director, Marten Rabarts and by the beautiful longtime film event organizer Daan Gielis Head of Talent & Communications. In raising startup funds for this event from the government she was aided by former parliament member Gamila Ylstra who is now CEO of Binger. Jeanne herself is now the Director of the Institute of The Netherlands in Paris. Gamila Ylstra states, “Festival Scope is the perfect partner for Binger Filmlab: a unique platform for film professionals that enables us to showcase previous work and contextualize the projects and filmmakers in our Writers and Directors Labs. We are honored to be part of this!” I find this use of Festival Scope especially appealing in light of current government moves to cut cultural events; Festival Scope helps prove that such organizations as Binger contribute to the world's well-being in the context of cultural freedom is very important. Alessandro Raja, founder of Festival Scope, says: "We are thrilled to widen the scope of our activities with the creation of the "Labels". It’s an additional way for us to contribute to the promotion of the films we like and that play a significant role in today’s and tomorrow’s cinema".
I think Festival Scope should go further in award posting; let Fipresci have its and let others have their own pages if they merit it. Certainly Binger and The Global Film Initiative merit pages of their own.
- 2/3/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Steve James' The Interrupters Steve James' The Interrupters, Frederick Wiseman's Harrowing Expose Titicut Follies Win Cinema Eye Honors Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking: The Interrupters directed by Steve James; produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James Outstanding Achievement in Direction: Steve James, The Interrupters Audience Choice Prize: Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film: Clio Barnard, The Arbor Outstanding Achievement in Production: Gian-Piero Ringel and Wim Wenders, Pina Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Gregers Sall and Chris King, Senna Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Danfung Dennis, Hell and Back Again Outstanding Achievement in an Original Music Score: John Kusiak, Tabloid Spotlight Award: The Tiniest Place, directed by Tatiana Huezo Sánchez Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Animation: Rob Feng and Jeremy Landman, Tabloid Heterodox Award: Beginners, directed by Mike Mills Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking: Diary, directed by Tim Hetherington Hell Yeah Prize: Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky,...
- 1/12/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Well, hello, 2012 — and a new issue of the multilingual film journal La Furia Umana. At its center are two substantial packages, one featuring Brazilian filmmaker Júlio Bressane (image above), the other, more or less introduced by Jonathan Rosenbaum, on Joe Dante. Interviews, essays by and about, the works. Also, from David Phelps, "Visions of the Blind. Raúl Ruiz: A Users Guide and Pedagogy." Ken Jacobs on Dziga Vertov. The Celluloid Liberation Front on "Science-Fictional Realism in the Virtual Age." Claudio Mazzatenta on Nicholas Ray's We Can't Go Home Again (1973). Steve Mayhew on John Ford and Harry Carey's Universal years (1917 - 1921). And Noel Lawrence: "The complicated friendship of Terry Southern of Jx Williams goes way back, back to the salt-and-pepper pompadour, the black briefcase, and beyond…"
Lists. "The most startling cut I saw in a movie last year occurred not in a high-tech action or horror film, but...
Lists. "The most startling cut I saw in a movie last year occurred not in a high-tech action or horror film, but...
- 1/1/2012
- MUBI
Top 10 Movies of 2011 from TribecaFilm.com's Web Producer. He imagined an all-Gosling movie landscape. Can you blame him? Mark Sikes Web Producer, TribecaFilm.com 1. Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn) In a tour de force performance, Ryan Gosling smashes his pretty-boy type cast to reinvent himself as a hollywood badass. The performance was so good I split up with my wife two weeks after seeing it partly due to the fact that she didn't think I had the capacity to stomp someone's skull into jagged little pieces to protect her. 2. The Tiniest Place / El Lugar Mas Pequeno (hypothetically starring Ryan Gosling) If this were a documentary about Ryan Gosling backpacking through El Salvador instead of a war movie, it would have totally been number 2 on my list. 3. Hugo (hypothetically starring Ryan Gosling) Because the only thing better than Ryan Gosling would be an animated 3D Ryan Gosling. 4. Blue Crush 2 (hypothetically starring...
- 12/15/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
As we walk down towards the Super Bowl of the movie awards season aka the Academy Awards aka the Oscars, all the various critics associations and guilds release their own kudofest. It can get confusing and beguiling, so I created a nifty package for you -- I compiled all the nominees, winners of various award-giving bodies so you can make informed decision when it comes to predicting the Oscars.
Come and take the Awards Avenue with me!
And here we go (click on each link):
AFI Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
British Independent Film Awards
Cinema Eye Honors
Critics' Choice (Broadcast Film Critics Association)
Detroit Film Critics
European Film Awards
Gotham Awards
Houston Film Critics Awards
Ida Awards
Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Indiana Film Critics
Las Vegas Film Critics
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York...
Come and take the Awards Avenue with me!
And here we go (click on each link):
AFI Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
British Independent Film Awards
Cinema Eye Honors
Critics' Choice (Broadcast Film Critics Association)
Detroit Film Critics
European Film Awards
Gotham Awards
Houston Film Critics Awards
Ida Awards
Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Indiana Film Critics
Las Vegas Film Critics
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
National Board of Review
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York...
- 12/12/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The Cinema Eye Honors revealed the nominees for the 5th Annual Awards honoring Non-Fiction Filmmaking. Winners will be announced on January 11. Here's the list of the 2012 Cinema Eye Honors:
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking:
"The Arbor," Directed by Clio Barnard, Produced by Tracy O.Riordan
"Senna," Directed by Asif Kapadia; Produced by James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
"Project Nim," Directed by James Marsh, Produced by Simon Chinn
"Position Among the Stars," Directed by Leonard Retel Helmrich, Produced by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich
"Nostalgia for the Light," Directed by Patricio Guzmán, Produced by Renate Sachse
"The Interrupters," Directed by Steve James, Produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James
Outstanding Achievement in Direction:
Clio Barnard for "The Arbor"
Leonard Retel Helmrich for "Position Among the Stars"
Patricio Guzmán for "Nostalgia for the Light"
Steve James for "The Interrupters"
Danfung Dennis for "Hell and Back Again"
Outstanding Achievement in Production:
Erik Nelson...
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking:
"The Arbor," Directed by Clio Barnard, Produced by Tracy O.Riordan
"Senna," Directed by Asif Kapadia; Produced by James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
"Project Nim," Directed by James Marsh, Produced by Simon Chinn
"Position Among the Stars," Directed by Leonard Retel Helmrich, Produced by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich
"Nostalgia for the Light," Directed by Patricio Guzmán, Produced by Renate Sachse
"The Interrupters," Directed by Steve James, Produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James
Outstanding Achievement in Direction:
Clio Barnard for "The Arbor"
Leonard Retel Helmrich for "Position Among the Stars"
Patricio Guzmán for "Nostalgia for the Light"
Steve James for "The Interrupters"
Danfung Dennis for "Hell and Back Again"
Outstanding Achievement in Production:
Erik Nelson...
- 12/11/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Patricio Guzmán's Nostalgia for the Light won Best Feature at the International Documentary Association's Awards ceremony in Los Angeles last night. The La Times' Susan King: "Set in northern Chile's Atacama Desert, the documentary juxtaposes scenes of astronomers in observatories scanning the galaxies, while nearby, archaeologists and elderly women dig through the sand searching for the human remains of pre-Columbian mummies, 19th century miners who labored in slave conditions and the bodies of victims of Gen Augusto Pinochet's regime who were taken to the Atacama as political prisoners and dumped there." Michael Guillén interviewed Guzmán in October 2010.
TheWrap's Steve Pond notes that neither Nostalgia nor any of the other docs nominated for the Ida's top award — Better This World, How to Die in Oregon, The Redemption of General Butt Naked and The Tiniest Place — have made the Academy's shortlist of 15 films left in the race for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
TheWrap's Steve Pond notes that neither Nostalgia nor any of the other docs nominated for the Ida's top award — Better This World, How to Die in Oregon, The Redemption of General Butt Naked and The Tiniest Place — have made the Academy's shortlist of 15 films left in the race for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
- 12/3/2011
- MUBI
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