First Your Film Festival Award Winner

Today the winner was announced and is the entry from Spain. Michael Fassbinder gave the award.

La Culpa (The Guilt), David Victori Blaya, Spain

We know that eventually his new film will be at the festival YouTube channel for us to enjoy.

Congratulations to organizers for a great initiative.

Cheers!

The award winner short.



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8/7
A few days ago (August 1st) YouTube and Emirates in partnership with Scott Free Productions and the Venice Film Festival announced the ten (10) finalists that will attend the Biennale to compete for a US$500,000 prize towards producing more content with the help from Riddley Scott, Michael Fassbender and a world class crew.

Ridley Scott and Michael Fassbender are part of the jury that will select the grand prizewinner after the films are screened at the fest on September 2.

The ten finalists are market in *BLUE. To watch the finalists go here.

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6/12
If you like to watch short films this is your opportunity to see 50 semi-finalists in this festival where you can vote for your favorite. I just started watching and because the quality of the films decided to invite you all to this festival.

This is a copy of today's press release.

On June 11, YouTube and Emirates, in partnership with La Biennale di Venezia (the Venice Film Festival) and Scott Free, announced the 50 semi-finalists in the Your Film Festival competition - a global search to find the world's best storytellers. Scott Free had the difficult task of narrowing down more than 15,000 submissions from more than 160 countries across the globe. It is now up to the YouTube community to view and vote on the semi-finalists at youtube.com/yourfilmfestival thus helping decide which 10 filmmakers will attend the Venice Film Festival and compete for the $500,000 grand-prize.

These are the 50 semi-finalist short films.

*88:88, Joey Ciccoline, USA
Aisha's Song, Orlando von Einsiedel, UK
*Bat Eyes, Damien Power, Australia
Befetach Beity (On My Doorstep), Anat Costi, Israel
Bench Seat, Anna Mastro, USA
Biondina, Laura Bispuri, Italy
Boot, Damien Power, Australia
Café Turco (Turkish Coffee), Thiago Luciano, Brazil
Camino Al Cementerio, Mijael Milies and Carla Pastén, Chile
La Carta, Angel Manuel Soto Vazquez, Puerto Rico
*Cine Rincao, Fernando Grostein Andrade& Fernanda Fernandes, Brazil
Cortometraje Teta y Sopa, Alberto Gómez, Spain
*La Culpa (The Guilt), David Victori Blaya, Spain
Das Tub, James Cunningham, New Zealand
The Debt Collector, Alan David Morgan, USA
Dr Grordbort presents: the Deadliest Game, James Cunningham, New Zealand
*The Drought, Kevin Slack, USA
Ebony Society, Tammy Davis, New Zealand
La Guagua (The Child), Sebastian Mantilla, Spain
*El General, Diego Pino Zamora, Bolivia
Fish, Shaun Escayg, USA
Good Pretender, Maziar Lahooti, Australia
I'll Keep an Eye on You, Torben Bech, Denmark
Kiss, Alex Murawski, USA
Learning Spanish the Hard Way, Eric Stolze, USA
Letting Go, Daniel McCauley, South Africa
No Exit, Jesper Isaksen, Denmark
*North Atlantic, Bernardo Nascimento, UK
Перешкода (The Obstacle), Maxim Neafit Bujnicki, Ukraine
Photo For Baba, Harel Yana and Moti Malka, Israel
Picnic, Gerardo Herrero, Spain
El Porvenir- Episodio 1 Hermanos, Manuel Alejandro Anell, Mexico
Reflexiones de un Picaporte (Doorhandle Thoughts), Carlos Crespo Arnold, Spain
The Return Address, Abi Varghese, USA
*Scruples, Adrian Powers, Australia
Secular Quater #3, David Gidali, USA
Skatesistan: To live and skate in Kabul, Orlando von Einsiedel, UK
Skin of Glass, Lukas Dhont, Belgium
Sold, John Irwin, USA
Включи мотор и сдай назад (Start the Engine and reverse), Andrey Zagidullin, Russia
Stop. Watch. Love, Brad Herbert, USA
*Super.Full., Niam Itani, Lebanon
The Telegram Man, James Francis Khehtie, Australia
Tempestade (Storm), Cesar Cabral, Brazil
Ter Ter, David Lucchini & Fabien Carrabin, France
Then and Now, Paul Johannessen, Japan
هذا الزمان *(This Time), Ramy EL-Gabry, Egypt
Vi Ska Plocka Pascal I Natt (Our Mission: Pascal), Johanna Pyykkö, Sweden
Wickate, Niralji Ravishanker, Malaysia
Wylacznosc (An Exclusive), Krzysztof Szot, Poland

There are some directors that have excellent credentials like for example, short being at Cannes 2012 or being Bigas Luna assistant, which I share just to confirm the quality of the shorts. Among the jurors that helped to select the semi-finalist we have Ridley Scott and none other than Michael Fassbender.

To watch shorts please go here and VOTE - you have until July 13th- after all is OUR festival. According to rules, you can vote for 1 short each day, so if you have several favorites, you can vote for them but remember that is only one vote per voting day. Cheers!

Enjoy!!!

Avé

A film by Konstantin Bojanov that looks and feels like the work of an accomplished director, but is only his second film. I don't think will see his first film, a documentary called Invisible-This Is Your Life on Heroin as tells the story of six heroin addicts, but surely I want to see more from him.

A typical road movie that uses the many times visited film structure; but Bojanov uses it like if it was his own with a fresh unusual story that engages us slowly, very slowly while telling the story of a young man, Kamen, travelling to his best friend funeral and a young woman, Avé, who seems to be a lost soul travelling the roads but that later we learn that she is not and indeed, she's far from being one. You can predict that they are heading into falling for each other and they do, but I believe that's about all you can predict in this movie as how and why the fall for each other is unpredictable. But you have to see movie to learn what story is really all about as will not tell you more.

I'm sure that because the story co written by Bojanov uses his life experiences, becomes very credible and easily you get inside, like the third person in the story, the voyeur that see everything but is invisible. Also no doubt that his nomad life, he has traveled all over the world, allowed him to so successfully and very credible use the road movie genre. But what marveled me is his impressive use of light and color palettes. When Kamen and Avé meet and for a long while he uses cold colors palette that as his characters start to open to themselves and to each other, the palette changes to warmer tones. He tells his story with words, with images, with silences but most of all with colors. This is impressive.

We know that road movies commonly are used as metaphors of life and this is no exception as what we see in the screen with two strangers meeting, travelling together, fantasizing to avoid accepting/telling truth, opening, tell truth, fall for each other and discovering/accepting each other as they are or will be from now on, is a great tale that represents life as it is in its very raw way with not much melodrama or drama, just like it happens in real life. All these plus director's ability as a visual storyteller makes movie must be seen for many that enjoy great European cinema.

Performances are incredibly good for actors that do not have that much experience, as for Anjela Nedyalkova (Avé) this is her second film while for Ovanes Torosian (Kamen) this was his third film, noteworthy is to note that both worked in Kamen Kalev's Eastern Plays. To complete the picture will share that film as a film has above average production values, was premiered in 2011 Cannes at the Semaine de la Critique and got awards as well as honors while traveling the fest circuit.

Last, I believe that film has all the right credentials to be the 2012 Bulgaria submission to Oscar, let's hope whoever selects the film in that country, will chose wisely and send this film.

Enjoy!!!

Wattch trailer @MOC

DARK SHADOWS

Dated Released : 11 May 2012
Quality : BRRip 720p
Info : imdb.com/title/tt1077368
IMDB Rating : 6.5 (19,395 users)
Star : Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green
Genre : Comedy | Fantasy
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By: icinema3satu.com


Download Link

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* Join (gabung) filenya dg hjsplit, caranya baca tutorial di menu panduan

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Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) adalah seorang vampir bangsawan yang terbangun dari ‘tidur panjang’ dan mendapati lingkungan di sekitarnya telah berubah drastis. Barnabas Collins harus menghabiskan waktu dua dekade terkubur karena mematahkan hati seorang penyihir, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), sosok dari masa lalu yang mengutuknya menjadi makhluk penghisap darah. Tak cukup perubahan menjadi sosok makhluk aneh, vampir, Barnabas pun dikubur hidup-hidup oleh sang penyihir.

Setelah bebas dari hukumannya, Barnabas harus kembali ke rumah lamanya, Collinwood Manor yang kini telah dihuni oleh keturunannya. Tak jauh beda dengan kondisinya sebagai vampir, keluarga baru Barnabas adalah kumpulan orang eksentrik. Belum cukup dengan misinya untuk beradaptasi dengan keluarga baru, bayang-bayang Angelique pun muncul kembali

AWESOME SUMMER!!!

Hi Friends Sorry for beying away all this time,,I'm starting using Facebook and I was putting all the news there,but its time to refresh my blog. By The way if you want to be part of it in Facebook just have to Look for my name and add friend....Many thanks. I almost made it to the RedBull Storm, was close to make it happening!!! At the moment Here the summer has been realy good, wind almost everyday,someting awesome. Here a picture of Dani Miquel from the last day of good conditions!! 2 days ago!! Hope you like it.. Saludos Jonas Ceballos e-40

Let's Talk Telluride 2012

On Labor weekend every year what I consider to be the best festival in USA takes place. You have to buy your passes before knowing what films you'll be able to see, as the festival lineup is a secret (very well kept) that's unveiled a few hours before the festival starts. But fest has so much prestige that passes are sold out days before the opening day.

Then every major USA critics has to go and they do, I follow in twitter some of them and today's news where about Ben Affleck's Argo, with many considering film as good Oscar contender. Good is to mention that none included Argo in their predictions before Telluride. Festival gives many the opportunity to see films they haven't seen and allows them to generate buzz about films that were not considered before. So know that more tweets will come that will tells us about other possible Oscar contenders as if something Telluride truly has is: very good movies.

Most films come from Cannes, Berlin and even Venice festivals but there are a few American movies that suddenly appear in the lineup that none of us have paid much attention. So let's take a look at how the lineup looks for this year.

The Show

The Act of Killing, Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark (documentary)
Amour (Love), Michael Haneke, Austria, France and Germany
At Any Price, Ramin Bahrani, USA
The Attack, Ziad Doueiri, Lebanon, France, Qatar, Belgium
Barbara, Christian Petzold, Germany
The Central Park Five, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon, USA (documentary)
De rouille et d'os (Rust & Bone), Jacques Audiard, France and Belgium
En kongelig affære (A Royal Affair), Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark, Sweden and Czech Republic
Everyday, Michael Winterbottom, UK
Frances Ha, Noah Baumbach, USA
The Gatekeepers, Dror Moreh, Israel, France, Germany, Belgium (documentary)
Ginger & Rosa, Sally Potter, UK
Hyde Park on Hudson, Roger Michell, UK
Jagten (The Hunt), Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark
The Iceman, Ariel Vromen, USA
Love, Marilyn, Liz Garbus, USA (documentary)
Midnight's Children, Deepa Mehta, Canada and UK
No, Pablo Larraín, Chile, France and USA
Paradies: Liebe (Paradise: Love), Ulrich Seidl, Austria, Germany and France
Romanzo di una Strange (Piazza Fontana), Marco Tullio Giordana, Italy and France
The Sapphires, Wayne Blair, Australia
Stories We Tell, Sarah Polley, Canada (documentary)
Superstar, Xavier Giannoli, France and Belgium
Wadja, Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia and Germany
What is this Film Called Love?, Mark Cousins, UK, Mexico, USA, Canada and Germany (documentary)

But there is more, as one Sneak Preview has been already screened: Argo, Ben Affleck, USA. Additional Sneak Previews may play outside the main program and will be announced on the website over the course of the four-day weekend, so fest attendees have to check the site to see what's up.

As you can notice we know about many films in above list, more if you follow Movie On facebook page; but still there are a few that I had no idea they were around and yes, will check them as soon as possible. From the ones I was unaware all are documentaries, worth noting that the last film in the list was shot over three days and on a budget of 10 English Pounds.

Known since a few days ago, Guest Director is Geoff Dyer who will present six films that span from 1974 to 2007. One of the six films in this program is none other than Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky. The film list continues with more films in different sections plus a short films program. Go here if you wish to read about them.

The 2012 Silver Medallion Awards, given to recognize an artist’s significant contribution to the world of cinema, go to director and producer Roger Corman, Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen.

One of the critics I follow said in a tweet "Love listening to people in line at #telluride; they're the target art house audience. Smart sharp cinephiles from all over the country". The brief tweet gives us an idea of who the "other" festival audience it is; but also, after reading the above list again makes me realize that for me there are not many "art house" movies up there, as matter of fact, none are. The list has very good movies, many must be seen for me, but "art house"? I believe that not all foreign language films are "art house", much less the English language films and as I said, before watching any of them, none of those films seem to be "art". Then maybe some can be labeled Auteur Films. Indeed, I'm describing the problem with labels but, what do you think? In the list and even if you haven't seen the films, do you find possible "art house" films?

The 39th Telluride Film Festival started yesterday, August 31st, today is in full swing mode and for two more days, until September 3, the great films party will continue. The good news is that next year instead of the usual four-days festival and to celebrate the 40th anniversary the fest will add one more day, making room for a five-day bounty of special programming and festivities. If you wish to attend you will have to hurry as passes fly, but at least passes purchases will begin in March 2013, almost 6 months before the festival starts on August 29, 2013.

Cheers!!!

Day 4 - 69th Venice International Film Festival

To be blunt, I'm starting to feel what most media seems to have been feeling since the beginning of the festival. We are one day short of half the fest and yes, I'm losing interest. So today I'll be talking only about the films that I wish to see.

Venezia 69

The Master by Paul Thomas Anderson

Not everything that Paul Thomas Anderson has done appeals to me but his latest film with the amazing cast and puzzling story and after his great There Will Be Blood definitively is must be seen for me. Already press tweets are praising movie but directly or indirectly admit that for many will not be easy to "get it"(even my favorite film critic is asking to see it twice and he has a deadline), which for me means that movie has to be very good. Great.

Joaquin Phoenix is in Venice and saw excerpts of the press conference video as I gave up and won't listen any more to the annoying voice of the Italian translator. Still was nice to see him as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman and Anderson. Didn't pay much attention to what they were talking as this is one movie that I don't want spoilers beyond the basic movie info. So, let's check the synopsis.

A striking portrait of drifters and seekers in post World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master unfolds the journey of a Naval veteran who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future—until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader.

Exactly the kind of synopsis that I like as tells nothing about film and at the same time tells everything. So I deduce that if film is or is not about Scientology is up to us viewers to conclude after we watch film. Good. Not surprisingly there is no director's statement at the fest official site.

What do I expect from this movie? Outstanding performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman, also from Amy Adams; a complex, brainy, not-easy-to-crack, story; a masterful creation by Anderson. High expectations, isn't? But I had them before today, before reading the very short tweets, these only confirm what I was already expecting. Good.

Movie reviews started to crowd the net and if you wish to know more about movie suggest to check them. News mostly from Italian media: Joaquin Phoenix strong contender for Copa Volpi Best Actor.

È stato il figlio by Daniele Ciprì

Highly enjoy Toni Servillo performances and from what I have seen in trailer I believe this could not be the exception. Trailer and story synopsis suggests that film seems like what I call "regular Italian movie" which doesn't mean is bad, just that is not outstanding cinema. Check the synopsis.

The Ciraulo family lives on the outskirts of Palermo. Nicola, the father, manages to support everyone by selling scrap iron from disused ships. Although their life is tough, it’s peaceful. One day a stray bullet, fired by a mafia hit man, kills the youngest daughter. The family’s desperation is immeasurable. There is a glimmer of at least some economic hope when the Ciraulo’s neighbour Giacalone advises Nicola to apply for compensation for mafia victims. Assuming that the money will soon arrive, the family starts spending it before they have even received it, getting into debt with everyone. Nicola falls into the hands of a moneylender, a friend of Giacalone’s. When the money finally arrives, there is not much left once they have paid off their debts. The Ciraulo family do not have a bank account. The money sits on the table with the whole family sitting around it while they decide how they should invest it. Each idea receives short shrift from Nicola, who finally comes up with his own: to buy a Mercedes. A Mercedes is a symbol of wealth, for many people the only real sign that you have escaped poverty. But for the Ciraulo family the Mercedes becomes the symbol of the Misery of Wealth, a tool of defeat and ruin.

Can't deny that story could be an interesting exploration if director goes beyond what has already been said about sudden wealth, but definitively is Servillo performance what makes film must be seen for me. For your reference, the following is the director's statement.

In this film I rediscovered something of the characters who had inspired me in the past and who will always be dear to me. For example, Busu is a lot like Tirone (the cyclist in Cinico tv) who does a bit of wheeling and dealing to scrape together a bit of cash and does not have relationships with women. This helped me to feel that this was “my” story without betraying Alajmo’s novel. È stato il figlio is the result of my own experiences and the complicity of everyone who accompanied me on this journey. The Ciraulo family could be our family and is the projection of the breakdown in human relations and cultural limitations.

Out of Competition

Cherchez Hortense by Pascal Bonitzer

I see everything with Kristin Scott Thomas, an actress that I have highly enjoyed in English roles but adore her in French films, thus this film is must be seen for me. Not really familiar with director but have seen a few movies with male lead, Jean-Pierre Bacri and enjoyed some of his performances. So film seems like one that I will enjoy besides watching the lead actress. The synopsis.

Damien is a professor of Chinese civilization who lives with his wife, Iva, a theater director, and their son Noé. Their love is mired in a mountain of routine and disenchantment. To help keep Zorica from getting deported, Iva gets Damien to promise he’ll go to his father, a state department official, for help. But Damien and his father have a distant and cool relationship. And this mission is a risky business which will send Damien spiraling downward and over the edge...

Film is competing for the Queer Lion because seems from what I read that Damien's father is gay, which unravels more the story told in the synopsis. The director's statement explains better what film is about.

Illegal immigration is not the subject of Cherchez Hortense. If I had to put a word to it, I would say it’s about identity, or the visible portion thereof (which explains the title). My movie is a comedy, which means hopefully it will get some laughs and also that it ends well. Still, as in any comedy, the characters go through some very dramatic stuff—particularly the hero, Damien, who is being pulled in many directions at once. When Damien finally sees that the abstract commitment to an unknown person which is demanded of him actually coincides with the actual interest he has taken in a young woman encountered by chance, he realizes just how wrong he has been and finally swings into action. What Agnès and I have tried to achieve through this comedy is an exploration of self-confidence, which isn’t given but earned, or conquered. It’s about identity, an identity crisis, which for Damien spells an impossible confrontation with his father. But two other characters—who never meet and who are at first glance very different—both deal with this issue—Sebastien, the aforementioned father, and Aurore/Zorica, the young woman who’s on Damien’s mind. So to sum up the story that Agnès de Sacy and I have tried to tell here, let’s say it’s about a guy (Damien) who has to become visible so that a girl (Aurore) can remain invisible and, conversely, about giving up invisibility in order to finally live life to its fullest.

Yes film is a comedy and I really don't like French comedies, so let's hope the drama in film keeps my attention and allows me to enjoy film.

Photo of the Day

Beautiful photo of Nadine Labaki at last night 2012 Gucci Award for Women in Cinema ceremony.

2012 European Film Awards - People's Choice Award

From today, September 1st, and up to October 31st, my European friends will be able to vote for their favorite film and have a chance to win a trip to the European Film Awards ceremony that this year will be in Malta.

The following are the nominated films and you can VOTE HERE.

The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius, France

Barbara, Christian Petzold, Germany

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, John Madden, UK and USA

Cesare deve Morire (Caesar Must Die), Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, Italy

Hasta La Vista (Come As You Are), Geoffrey Enthoven, Belgium

Hodejegerne (Headhunters), Morten Tyldum, Norway

In Darkness, Agnieszka Holland, Poland, Germany and Canada

Intouchables (Untouchable), Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano, France

The Iron Lady, Phyllida Lloyd, UK

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Lasse Hallström, UK

Shame, Steve McQueen, UK

Thinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tomas Alfredson, France, UK and Germany

Haven't seen four films but from the ones I have seen, my vote goes to Shame but I know is not mainstream; so Salmon Fishing in the Yemen also gets my vote, if I could vote twice. There is one movie here that has been a huge success around the world and I'm not talking about the French 2012 Oscar winner, but the other French movie in the list; I'm really curious to see if European audiences give the award to Untouchable.

Hope my European friends and blog readers will VOTE.

Cheers!