2011 Cannes (Probable) Selection

With ONLY 14 days to the Paris press conference at which the Cannes official selection will be announced and because all the fuzz and buzz about the possible contenders decided to do a list here (especially for my photographer friend) with some of the movies that most likely could end up being part of the Selection either In or Out of competition.

From France
Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud’s Poulet aux Prunes (Chicken with Plums), France and Germany (wow! Must be seen, of course)
Christophe Honore’s Les bien-aimés (The Beloved), France (Ludivine Sagnier, Catherine Denueve, Louis Garrel… must be seen!)
Mia Hanse Løve’s Un Amour de Jeunesse (Goodbye First Love), France and Germany
Dominik Moll’s The Monk, Spain and France (Vincent Cassel, Sergi Lopez, hmm, yes must be seen)
Bruno Dumont’s Hors Satan (aka L’Empire), France
Mathieu Kassovitz’s L'Ordre et la Morale (Rebellion), France
Pierre Schoeller’s L'exercice de l'État (The Excersice of State), France

From Europe/Asia
Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany and Italy (of course must be seen)
Dardene Bros Le Gamin au vélo (The Kid With a Bike), Belgium, France and Italy (with Cecile de France, must be seen)
Nanni Moretti’s Habemus Papam (We Have a Pope), Italy and France (yes will watch)
Paolo Sorrentino This Must Be the Place, Italy, France and Ireland (with Sean Penn??? Hmm, will watch)
Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre, Finland, France and Germany (of course must be seen)
Ruben Östlund’s Play, Sweden (of course must be seen)
Ulrich Seidl’s Paradies, Germany, France and Austria
Chantal Akerman’s La folie Almayer (Almayer’s Folly), France and Belgium (interesting)
Radu Mihaileanu’s La Source des Femmes (The Source), Belgium, Italy and France
Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin, UK
Yorgos Lanthimos Alps, Greece (I know didn’t liked Dogtooth, but of course will watch his next)
Andrei Zvyagintsev’s Elena, Russia (wonder if will be ready but OF COURSE is must be seen for me)
Alexandr Sokurov’s Faust, Russia (the fourth and last film about corruption, of course: must be seen)
Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Bir Zamanlar Anadolu (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia), Turkey (must be seen for me)
Brillante Mendoza’s Captured, France and Philippines (What??? With Isabelle Huppert!!! Must be seen)
Eric Khoo’s Tatsumi, Singapore and Japan (Very interesting animation)
Nadine Labaki’s Wo Hallah La Wen? (Where Do We Go Now?), Lebanon (release date May 2011, hmm that’s Cannes, isn’t? of course, must be seen for me – follow up to Caramel…)

From the Americas
Carlos Reygadas’s Post Tenebras Lux (After Dark), Mexico and France (“Dying” to watch, but wonder if will be ready for Cannes…)
Juan Solanas’s Upside Down, Canada and France (very interesting posters… lol!)
Gus Van Sant’s Restless, USA (will watch)
Terrence Malick Tree of Life, USA (will watch)

Some still consider that Almodovar’s La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I live In) could make it, but release date is set for September 2, 2011 in Spain, so who knows if will make it to Cannes. Of course is must be seen for me and yes, “dying” to watch it. If you feel like reading about film and Cannes check article here available only in Spanish; says that film is NOT ready for Cannes.

No matter if none, some or many of the above films make it to the selection what it’s a fact is that 2011 will bring movies by excellent directors, many of my dearest favorites, so it’s going to be one of those years when the “wait” will be unbearable. Sigh.

5th Gopo Awards Winners

Exactly the day of my birthday organizers had their award ceremony and in *BLUE are some of the winners. If you wish to check winners in all categories go here available in English.

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2/22/11
Yesterday organizers announced the nominations for the annual awards and here they are.

Best Film
Autobiografia lui Nicolae Ceauşescu (The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu), Andrei Ujică, Romania
*Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle), Florin Şerban, Romania, Sweden and Germany
Marţi, după Crăciun (Tuesday, After Christmas), Radu Muntean, Romania
Medalia de onoare (Medal of Honor), Peter Călin Netzer, Romania and Germany
Morgen, Marian Crişan, Romania, Hungary and France

Best Debut Film
*Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle), Florin Şerban, Romania, Sweden and Germany
Felicia, înainte de tóate (First of All, Felicia), Răzvan Rădulescu and Melissa de Raaf, Romania and Croatia
Morgen, Marian Crişan, Romania, Hungary and France

Best Director
Peter Călin Netzer for Medalia de onoare (Medal of Honor)
*Florin Şerban for Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle)
Marian Crişan for Morgen
Radu Muntean for Marţi, după Crăciun (Tuesday, After Christmas)
Răzvan Rădulescu and Melissa de Raaf for Felicia, înainte de tóate (First of All, Felicia), Romania and Croatia

Best Actress
Ada Condeescu in Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle)
Adriana Trandafir in Europolis, Corneliu Gheorghita, Romania and France
Maria Popistasu in Marţi, după Crăciun (Tuesday, After Christmas)
*Mirela Oprisor in Marţi, după Crăciun (Tuesday, After Christmas)
Ozana Oancea in Felicia, înainte de tóate (First of All, Felicia)

Best Actor
Andras Hathazi in Morgen
George Pistereanu in Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier (If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle)
Mimi Branescu in Marţi, după Crăciun (Tuesday, After Christmas)
*Victor Rebengiuc in Medalia de onoare (Medal of Honor)
Yilmaz Yalcin in Morgen

To check nominees in all categories go here available only in Romanian. If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle is the film with more nominations, a record number: 13; followed by Morgen with 11, Tuesday, After Christmas with 10 and with 7 each First of All Felicia, Medal of Honor and Kino Caravan by Titus Muntean.

Now becomes very important to soon have my own Romanian cinema cycle with many, if not all, of the above movies as awards ceremony will be on March 28 and will be streamed live at awards official site and the ProCinema site as well as will be broadcast live in TV of ProCinema and ProTV International.

Celda 211

Impressive movie by director Daniel Monzón, this Spanish/French co-production has won several awards including several Goya awards, and I can promise it will keep you interested from beginning to end. 

What does it take to turn you from a law-abiding citizen into a murderer?

How far would you go to protect yourself and those you love?

How do you react when your life is in danger and you lose all that is precious to you?

Juan Oliver has a new job as a prison officer and reports to work a day early determined to cause a good impression. He is filled with hope and happiness as he kisses his pregnant wife, Elena, goodbye. During his tour of the prison an accident occurs and he ends up in cell 211 during a riot; trying to survive, he decides to convince the others that he is also a prisoner. He ends up by establishing a deep connection with the prison leader, Malamadre.

The movie is served by an excellent cast, with special relevance to the amazing Luis Tosar and and also Alberto Ammann.

The story unfolds offering you a deep analysis of human psyche without been boring or pretentious. If you think you have seen enough movies about inmates and prisons, you are wrong.

As so many times happens, soon we realize that a criminal is not necessarily striped of a heart or feelings, and that the “good guys” (the guards) are not always nice people.

I warn right now it does not offer a happy ending, nor it should. It is as real life is, harsh and tender, unpredictable and multi-layered.

One of the best movies I’ve seen this year.

Green light!

Watch trailer @MOC

5th Asian Film Awards Winners

Last night award winners were announced and here they are in *BLUE for some categories. To check winners in all categories go here.

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1/21/11
Today AFA announced the nominations for these awards and Jury President this year is none other than renowned writer, director, producer and art connoisseur, Yonfan. As we know awards ceremony will be within the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival and will take place on March 21st. These are the nominations for some of the 14 categories.

Best Film
唐山大地震 Tangshan dadizhen (Aftershock), Feng Xiaogang, China
告白 Kokuhaku (Confessions), Tetsuya Makashima, Japan
让子弹飞 Let The Bullets Fly, Wen Jiang, China
पीपली [लाइव] Peepli [Live] (Peepli Live), Anusha Rizvi and Mahmood Farooqui, India
시 Shi (Poetry), Lee Chang-dong, South Korea
*ลุงบุญมีระลึกชาติ Loong Boonmee raleuk chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand

Best Director
Feng Xiaogang for 唐山大地震 Tangshan dadizhen (Aftershock), China
Jiang Wen for 让子弹飞 Let The Bullets Fly, China
*Lee Chang-dong for 시 Shi (Poetry), South Korea
Miike Takashi for 十三人の刺客 Juusan-nin no shikaku (13 Assassins), Japan
Na Hong-jin for 황해 Hwang Hae (The Yellow Sea), South Korea
Nakashima Tetsuya for 告白 Kokuhaku (Confessions), Japan

Best Actress
Jeon Do-yeon in 하녀 Hanyeo (The Housemaid), Im Sang-soo, South Korea
Kikuchi Rinko in ノルウェイの森 Noruwei no mori (Norwegian Wood), Japan
Matsu Takako in 告白 Kokuhaku (Confessions), Tetsuya Makashima, Japan
*Xu Fan in 唐山大地震 Tangshan dadizhen (Aftershock), Feng Xiaogang, China
Michelle Yeoh in 剑雨 Jianyu (Reign of Assassins), China, Hong Kong and Taiwan

Best Actor
Chow Yun-fat in 让子弹飞 Let The Bullets Fly, Jian Wen, China
Ge You in 赵氏孤儿 Sacrifice, Chen Kaige, China
*Ha Jung-woo in 황해 Hwang Hae (The Yellow Sea), Na Hong-jin, South Korea
Ethan Ruan Jin-Tian in 艋舺 Báng-kah (Monga), Doze Niu, Taiwan
Yakusho Koji in 十三人の刺客 Juusan-nin no shikaku (13 Assassins), Miike Takashi, Japan

Best Newcomer
*Mark Chao You-Ting in 艋舺 Báng-kah (Monga), Doze Niu, Taiwan
Aarif Lee in 歲月神偷 Sui yuet san tau (Echoes of the Rainbow),Alex Law, Hong Kong
Omkar Das Manikpuri in पीपली [लाइव] Peepli [Live] (Peepli Live), Anusha Rizvi and Mahmood Farooqui, India
T.O.P. in 포화속으로 Pohwa Sokeuro (71: Into The Fire), John H. Lee, South Korea
Zhou Dongyu in 山楂树之恋 Shan zha shu zhi lian (Under The Hawthorn Tree), Yimou Zhang, China

To check nominees in other categories please go here. Have seen some of these movies, but there are a few that been doubting watching but now will give them a try; then of course I’m dying to watch Confessions, even when story must be hard to watch, but I also know that Japanese cinema does extraordinary narrative and visuals that make film a lot easier to watch and enjoy.  From those that haven't watch there are too many war movies, but definitively will watch Let The Bullets Fly that's a comedy (!) Chinese style of course.

15th Sofia International Film Festival Awards Winners

The main program of the fest ended on March 13th with a gala screening of Aleksei Uchitel’s КРАЙ (The Edge); to check films in the festival please go here.

International Competition

Grand Prix for Best Film: ПОДСЛОН Podslon (Shelter), Dragomir Sholev, Bulgaria
Jury Special Award: Kar Beyaz (White as Snow), Selim Güneş, Turkey

Best Director: João Nuno Pinto for America, Brazil, Spain, Portugal and Russia

FIPRESCI Award: Sound of Noise, Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson, Sweden, Denmark and France

To check winners in all categories go here.

2011 Miami International Film Festival Award Winners

From March 4 to 13 the fest was held in Miami and to check films in competition please go here. Yesterday they had the closing ceremony and here are some of the award winners.

Knight Foundation Ibero-American Competition Grand Jury Prize: Las Marimbas del Infierno (Marimbas From Hell), Julio Hernández Cordón, Guatemala, France and Mexico
Honorable Mention: La Mitad de Oscar (Half of Oscar), Manuel Martín Cuenca, Spain and Cuba

Knight Foundation World Competition Grand Jury Prize: Gang de qin (The Pinao in a Factory), Zhang Meng, China
Honorable Mention: If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Marshall Curry, USA

To check all awards winners go here.