Openers included Taiwanese sci-fi drama The Soul and animated feature Wish Dragon.
Despite two new local releases, melodrama A Little Red Flower and action title Shock Wave 2 stayed atop the China box office over the weekend January 15-17, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway.
A Little Red Flower grossed a further $11.7m, for a cumulative total of $182.8m since its December 31 release, while Shock Wave 2, which opened December 24, took a further $7.8m for a cume of $163.2m.
Two new releases, which both opened on Friday January 15, took third and fourth position in the weekend chart. Taiwanese...
Despite two new local releases, melodrama A Little Red Flower and action title Shock Wave 2 stayed atop the China box office over the weekend January 15-17, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway.
A Little Red Flower grossed a further $11.7m, for a cumulative total of $182.8m since its December 31 release, while Shock Wave 2, which opened December 24, took a further $7.8m for a cume of $163.2m.
Two new releases, which both opened on Friday January 15, took third and fourth position in the weekend chart. Taiwanese...
- 1/18/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Splendid chief Eric Engelen sees production as the logical next step for indie distributors. And he gets to take advantage of the 30% tax rebate offered by Netherlands…does he also get to take advantage of the Belgian rebate…and how about the German rebate?Maria Peters, Diretor of “The Conductor” Winner of 20 international film awards
The first female conductor in the world, Dutch-born, U.S.-raised Antonia Brico will be the subject of “The Conductor”/ “De Dirigent” to be directed by Maria Peters of the Netherlands and produced by Splendid, the Benelux arm of the German distributor.
Erlwin van den Eshof
Splendid’s second Dutch production begins this month. “Misfits” starring some of the Netherlands’ most popular YouTube stars, will be directed by Erlwin van den Eshof.
Dutch Distributor Goes Solo was originally published in SydneysBuzz The Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The first female conductor in the world, Dutch-born, U.S.-raised Antonia Brico will be the subject of “The Conductor”/ “De Dirigent” to be directed by Maria Peters of the Netherlands and produced by Splendid, the Benelux arm of the German distributor.
Erlwin van den Eshof
Splendid’s second Dutch production begins this month. “Misfits” starring some of the Netherlands’ most popular YouTube stars, will be directed by Erlwin van den Eshof.
Dutch Distributor Goes Solo was originally published in SydneysBuzz The Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
- 6/12/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Exclusive: Based on the true story of Dutch-born, Us-raised Antonia Brico who was the world’s first female conductor.
The Benelux arm of German outfit Splendid is taking the plunge into production. Splendid has just boarded new feature The Conductor (De Dirigent) from leading Dutch director Maria Peters (Pietje Bel 1 & 2, Sonny Boy) and producer Dave Schram.
The film is based on the true story of Dutch-born, Us-raised Antonia Brico who was the world’s first female conductor (pictured).
The film has a 4.6m euro budget and will shoot this fall throughout Europe. Another new Splendid Dutch production starts shooting this month. Directed by Erwin van den Eshof, teen drama Misfits stars some of the Netherlands’ most popular YouTube stars. The cast includes Niek Roozen, Donny Roelvink, Gio Latooy, Défano Holwijn, Jill Schirnhofer, Chris Tates, Eddy Zoëy, Bente Fokkens, Jolijn Henneman, Fenna Ramos, Sara Ras and boyband 4U.
The project was developed with Amsterdam-based company NewBe, with a quick...
The Benelux arm of German outfit Splendid is taking the plunge into production. Splendid has just boarded new feature The Conductor (De Dirigent) from leading Dutch director Maria Peters (Pietje Bel 1 & 2, Sonny Boy) and producer Dave Schram.
The film is based on the true story of Dutch-born, Us-raised Antonia Brico who was the world’s first female conductor (pictured).
The film has a 4.6m euro budget and will shoot this fall throughout Europe. Another new Splendid Dutch production starts shooting this month. Directed by Erwin van den Eshof, teen drama Misfits stars some of the Netherlands’ most popular YouTube stars. The cast includes Niek Roozen, Donny Roelvink, Gio Latooy, Défano Holwijn, Jill Schirnhofer, Chris Tates, Eddy Zoëy, Bente Fokkens, Jolijn Henneman, Fenna Ramos, Sara Ras and boyband 4U.
The project was developed with Amsterdam-based company NewBe, with a quick...
- 5/20/2017
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Beneficiaries include team behind children’s fantasy film Admiral.Scroll down for full list of projects
The Netherlands Film Production Incentive scheme has backed 21 film projects to the tune of €6.1m in its latest funding round, including 15 feature films, five documentaries and one animated feature.
The average investment was €291,185, with the smallest being €40,000 and the largest sum, €900,000, going to the team behind 2015 fantasy film Admiral [pictured] for their new project Redbad 754 A.D.
Currently in pre-production, Redbad 754 A.D. will be directed by Rob Reiné (who is attached to direct episdoes of Marvel’s upcoming TV series Inhumans) from a script by Alex van Galen. Dutch producers will be Farmhouse TV en Film, with Belgian outfit Bulletproof Cupid co-producing.
The Conductor, directed and written by Maria Peters and produced by Shooting Star Filmcompany, received the second largest grant with €898,111. Peters’ previous credits include romantic drama Sonny Boy and family film Mike Says Goodbye!.
Projects also receiving...
The Netherlands Film Production Incentive scheme has backed 21 film projects to the tune of €6.1m in its latest funding round, including 15 feature films, five documentaries and one animated feature.
The average investment was €291,185, with the smallest being €40,000 and the largest sum, €900,000, going to the team behind 2015 fantasy film Admiral [pictured] for their new project Redbad 754 A.D.
Currently in pre-production, Redbad 754 A.D. will be directed by Rob Reiné (who is attached to direct episdoes of Marvel’s upcoming TV series Inhumans) from a script by Alex van Galen. Dutch producers will be Farmhouse TV en Film, with Belgian outfit Bulletproof Cupid co-producing.
The Conductor, directed and written by Maria Peters and produced by Shooting Star Filmcompany, received the second largest grant with €898,111. Peters’ previous credits include romantic drama Sonny Boy and family film Mike Says Goodbye!.
Projects also receiving...
- 3/28/2017
- ScreenDaily
Doha’s youth festival to showcase Qatari filmmakers; unveils competition titles.
Films shot by Qatari nationals and those who call Qatar their home are to be showcased at the inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival (Nov 26-30), presented by the Doha Film Institute, in a Made in Qatar strand.
The programme will highglight the works of filmmakers across three segments.
The first will feature the works of winners from the Doha Film Institute’s 48-Hour online Family Film Challenge; the second from the 7-Day Filmmaking Challenge, both of which were open to filmmakers from across Qatar; and the third which will include the screening of Batal Wa Resalah (The Hero and the Message), from Al Rayyan Productions.
Ajyal festival director Fatma Al Remaihi said the Qatar strand would “honour the dedication, creativity and unique voice of our homegrown talent in front of a wide audience”.
She added that the festival is “dedicated to supporting local filmmakers and to...
Films shot by Qatari nationals and those who call Qatar their home are to be showcased at the inaugural Ajyal Youth Film Festival (Nov 26-30), presented by the Doha Film Institute, in a Made in Qatar strand.
The programme will highglight the works of filmmakers across three segments.
The first will feature the works of winners from the Doha Film Institute’s 48-Hour online Family Film Challenge; the second from the 7-Day Filmmaking Challenge, both of which were open to filmmakers from across Qatar; and the third which will include the screening of Batal Wa Resalah (The Hero and the Message), from Al Rayyan Productions.
Ajyal festival director Fatma Al Remaihi said the Qatar strand would “honour the dedication, creativity and unique voice of our homegrown talent in front of a wide audience”.
She added that the festival is “dedicated to supporting local filmmakers and to...
- 11/11/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The complete list of submissions for the nomination for Best Foreign Language Academy Award, has been announced. 63 countries' selections have been accepted. Last year there were 65 selections. I have added the international sales agents and when there is one, the U.S. distributor. The Female Factor: 8 of 63 films or 13%. Last year, of the 65 films submitted, 9 were directed by women — that’s 14%. The films by women are Leticia Tonos' Love Child ♀ (the Dominican Republic), Valerie Donzelli's Declaration of War ♀ (France), Ann Hui's A Simple Life ♀ (Hong Kong), Juanita Wilson's As If I Am Not There ♀ (Ireland), Nadine Labaki's Where Do We Go Now? ♀ (Lebanon), Maria Peters' Sonny Boy ♀ (the Netherlands), Anne Sewitzky's Happy, Happy (Norway) ♀ and Pernilla August's Beyond ♀ (Sweden).
- 10/19/2011
- Sydney's Buzz
From Albania to Vietnam, 63 countries are hoping that their film entry will get picked to fill one of the five slots for Best Foreign Language Film for the 84th Annual Academy Awards.
Five slots, 63 countries, the competition is fierce! Is your country of choice one of the 63 hopefuls?
I'm happy that my home country, the Philippines, has an entry, the dramedy "The Woman in the Septic Tank" from director Marlon N. Rivera. Released in the Philippines on August 3rd, the film became the highest grossing independent movie in my country's cinema history. So keeping my fingers crossed for this movie!
The shortlist will be released in January and then it will be whittled down to five contenders when the nominations are announced on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. The winner will be announced on Oscar night on Sunday, February 26, 2012.
Take a look at the complete list of Best Foreign Language hopefuls:
Albania, "Amnesty,...
Five slots, 63 countries, the competition is fierce! Is your country of choice one of the 63 hopefuls?
I'm happy that my home country, the Philippines, has an entry, the dramedy "The Woman in the Septic Tank" from director Marlon N. Rivera. Released in the Philippines on August 3rd, the film became the highest grossing independent movie in my country's cinema history. So keeping my fingers crossed for this movie!
The shortlist will be released in January and then it will be whittled down to five contenders when the nominations are announced on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. The winner will be announced on Oscar night on Sunday, February 26, 2012.
Take a look at the complete list of Best Foreign Language hopefuls:
Albania, "Amnesty,...
- 10/17/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Yesterday the Academy finally released the full list of 2012 Foreign Language Oscar contenders adding four films I did not have on my previous list from the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, United Kingdom and a mysterious title I can't find anything about from Kazakhstan and now that the short list has been announced and everyone has posted the Academy's press release it's like searching for a needle in a haystack if you go looking for more information on it. That said, if anyone has a link to any information on Egor Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky's Returning to the 'A' I would love to share it as I have links and information for all other 62 films submitted for consideration. As I said in my last post addressing the category, I haven't seen any of these films, a rarity for me, but based on buzz the top contenders would seem to include Zhang Yimou's The War of Flowers,...
- 10/14/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Nadine Labaki, Where Do We Go Now? Today it was announced that Patty Jenkins, whose Monster earned Charlize Theron a Best Actress Oscar in early 2004, will be directing Thor 2. Officially, Perkins is the first woman director at the helm of a big-budget, Hollywood superhero movie. Below you'll find ten movies directed by female filmmakers that are among the 63 contenders for nominations for the 2012 Academy Awards' Best Foreign Language Film category. Seven of those hail from Europe; one is from the Americas, one from East Asia, and one from West Asia (or the Middle East). They are: the Dominican Republic's Leticia Tonos for Love Child, France's Valérie Donzelli for the semi-autobiographical Declaration of War, Greece's Athina Rachel Tsangari for Attenberg, Hong Kong's Ann Hui for A Simple Life, and Ireland's Juanita Wilson for As If I Am Not There. Also: Lebanon's Nadine Labaki for Toronto Film Festival Audience Award winner Where Do We Go Now?...
- 10/14/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Oscar 2012: New Zealand/First Samoan Feature Among Best Foreign Language Film Contenders Albania, Amnesty, Bujar Alimani, director; Argentina, Aballay, Fernando Spiner, director; Austria, Breathing, Karl Markovics, director; Belgium, Bullhead, Michael R. Roskam, director; Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belvedere, Ahmed Imamovic, director; Brazil, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, José Padilha, director; Bulgaria, Tilt, Viktor Chouchkov, Jr., director; Canada, Monsieur Lazhar, Philippe Falardeau, director; Chile, Violeta Went to Heaven, Andrés Wood, director; China, The Flowers of War, Zhang Yimou, director; Colombia, The Colors of the Mountain, Carlos César Arbeláez, director; Croatia, 72 Days, Danilo Serbedzija, director; Cuba, Havanastation, Ian Padrón, director; Czech Republic, Alois Nebel, Tomás Lunák, director; Denmark, Superclásico, Ole Christian Madsen, director; Dominican Republic, Love Child, Leticia Tonos, director; Egypt, Lust, Khaled el Hagar, director; Estonia, Letters to Angel, Sulev Keedus, director; Finland, Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki, director; France, Declaration of War,...
- 10/13/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
We gave you an update a few weeks ago, but The Academy now has its final list of the 63 films competing for Best Foreign Film Oscar. This list will get cut down as films screen and the committee decides on a final five when the nominations get announced late January. The notable films include Iran’s A Separation, which we adored and China’s massive budget The Flowers of War starring Christian Bale (which isn’t even complete to my knowledge).
Mexico’s Miss Bala (read our Cannes and Vancouver reviews) and Finland’s Le Havre (our Cannes and Toronto reviews) are also contenders. Lebanon’s Where Do We Go Now? is also in the mix, a drama that won the top prize at Toronto. There are many others we’ve seen at festivals, so follow that coverage here as we head into Oscar season. Check out the press release below.
Mexico’s Miss Bala (read our Cannes and Vancouver reviews) and Finland’s Le Havre (our Cannes and Toronto reviews) are also contenders. Lebanon’s Where Do We Go Now? is also in the mix, a drama that won the top prize at Toronto. There are many others we’ve seen at festivals, so follow that coverage here as we head into Oscar season. Check out the press release below.
- 10/13/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Press Release:
Beverly Hills, CA - Sixty-three countries, including first-time entrant New Zealand, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®.
The 2011 submissions are:
Albania, “Amnesty,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Argentina, “Aballay,” Fernando Spiner, director;
Austria, “Breathing,” Karl Markovics, director;
Belgium, “Bullhead,” Michael R. Roskam, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina,”Belvedere,” Ahmed Imamovic, director;
Brazil, “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within,” José Padilha, director;
Bulgaria, “Tilt,” Viktor Chouchkov, Jr., director;
Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar,” Philippe Falardeau, director;
Chile, “Violeta Went to Heaven,” Andrés Wood, director;
China, “The Flowers of War,” Zhang Yimou, director;
Colombia, “The Colors of the Mountain,” Carlos César Arbeláez, director;
Croatia, “72 Days,” Danilo Serbedzija, director;
Cuba, “Havanastation,” Ian Padrón, director;
Czech Republic,”Alois Nebel,” Tomás Lunák, director;
Denmark, “Superclásico,” Ole Christian Madsen, director;
Dominican Republic,”Love Child,” Leticia Tonos, director;
Egypt, “Lust,” Khaled el Hagar, director;
Estonia, “Letters to Angel,” Sulev Keedus, director;
Finland,...
Beverly Hills, CA - Sixty-three countries, including first-time entrant New Zealand, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 84th Academy Awards®.
The 2011 submissions are:
Albania, “Amnesty,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Argentina, “Aballay,” Fernando Spiner, director;
Austria, “Breathing,” Karl Markovics, director;
Belgium, “Bullhead,” Michael R. Roskam, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina,”Belvedere,” Ahmed Imamovic, director;
Brazil, “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within,” José Padilha, director;
Bulgaria, “Tilt,” Viktor Chouchkov, Jr., director;
Canada, “Monsieur Lazhar,” Philippe Falardeau, director;
Chile, “Violeta Went to Heaven,” Andrés Wood, director;
China, “The Flowers of War,” Zhang Yimou, director;
Colombia, “The Colors of the Mountain,” Carlos César Arbeláez, director;
Croatia, “72 Days,” Danilo Serbedzija, director;
Cuba, “Havanastation,” Ian Padrón, director;
Czech Republic,”Alois Nebel,” Tomás Lunák, director;
Denmark, “Superclásico,” Ole Christian Madsen, director;
Dominican Republic,”Love Child,” Leticia Tonos, director;
Egypt, “Lust,” Khaled el Hagar, director;
Estonia, “Letters to Angel,” Sulev Keedus, director;
Finland,...
- 10/13/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Update: The total is now 60 films as Steve Pond at The Wrap informs us the Domenican Republic's submission La hija natural has been accepted. He also says we should expect four or five more films to be added to the list by the time things are said and done. My original post follows...
The deadline for countries to submit films for consideration at this year's Oscars was Monday, October 3 and this year's list is a little lighter than last (so far) as 60 countries have offered up submissions compared to 66 last year and 67 the year before that. Looking over the complete list, which I have included directly below and can always be viewed in my "The Contenders" section right here, there are a few that stand out based on what I've heard, but then again, this is the first year I can ever remember where I haven't seen a single one of the entries.
The deadline for countries to submit films for consideration at this year's Oscars was Monday, October 3 and this year's list is a little lighter than last (so far) as 60 countries have offered up submissions compared to 66 last year and 67 the year before that. Looking over the complete list, which I have included directly below and can always be viewed in my "The Contenders" section right here, there are a few that stand out based on what I've heard, but then again, this is the first year I can ever remember where I haven't seen a single one of the entries.
- 10/7/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Earlier in the month we celebrated with Happy Happy director Anne Sewitsky when her dulcet dogme dramedy was selected as Norway’s submission for the 84th Annual Academy Awards’ foreign-language category. Since then a bevy of other countries have chosen their entries, many of which will be screened at part of the New York Film Festival in a few weeks including: Wim Wenders’s Pina, Aki Kaurismaki’s Le Havre, Béla Tarr’s The Turin Horse, Joseph Cedar’s Footnote, Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation and Gerardo Naranjo’s Miss Bala. {Look for reviews in the coming weeks here.}
Among other notable entries is China’s submission The Flowers of War, a historical drama that reveals the invasion of the Japanese Imperial Army in 1937 Nanking. The film’s director Zhang Yimou has twice earned Oscar nods in this category (for Raise the Red Lantern and Ju Dou) and notably directed...
Among other notable entries is China’s submission The Flowers of War, a historical drama that reveals the invasion of the Japanese Imperial Army in 1937 Nanking. The film’s director Zhang Yimou has twice earned Oscar nods in this category (for Raise the Red Lantern and Ju Dou) and notably directed...
- 9/24/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
We are looking for upwards of 65 total submissions for Oscar's list of Foreign Language contenders and we are inching closer as I have just added 18 more titles to the list bringing the total up to 40. Today I added submissions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Israel, Peru, Slovakia, South Africa and Vietnam along with China's submission of Zhang Yimou's The Flowers of War starring Christian Bale.
Yimou, as I'm sure most of you know, is best known for helming House of Flying Daggers and Hero and with Flowers of War he's working from an adaptation of Geling Yan's novel "13 Flowers of Nanjing," centering on the Nanjing Massacre, when Japanese troops killed thousands of Chinese citizens in what was then the nation's capital in 1937. Bale plays John Haufman, an American trapped amidst the chaos of battle and the ensuing occupation takes shelter,...
Yimou, as I'm sure most of you know, is best known for helming House of Flying Daggers and Hero and with Flowers of War he's working from an adaptation of Geling Yan's novel "13 Flowers of Nanjing," centering on the Nanjing Massacre, when Japanese troops killed thousands of Chinese citizens in what was then the nation's capital in 1937. Bale plays John Haufman, an American trapped amidst the chaos of battle and the ensuing occupation takes shelter,...
- 9/23/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
I haven't talked much if at all about this year's foreign language Oscar race, primarily because I have only seen one of the 24 films submitted so far and that is Russia's entry, Burnt by the Sun 2: Citadel, which I saw at Cannes last year and didn't particularly enjoy. There are several I've heard of including Wim Wenders' 3D documentary Pina, Bela Tarr's The Turin Horse, Where Do We Go Now? which just won the Toronto Film Festival Audience Award, Asghar Farhadi's Nader and Simin, A Separation which people seem to either love or hate, Agnieszka Holland's Polish-set Ww II feature In Darkness and Aki Kaurismaki's Le Havre, which was just picked up for distribution by Janus Films and will hit Los Angeles theaters on October 21.
Le Havre was a big hit at Cannes earlier this year where I also missed it and had too much...
Le Havre was a big hit at Cannes earlier this year where I also missed it and had too much...
- 9/19/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway and Serbia have become the latest countries to choose their 2011 submissions for the Academy's Best Foreign-Language Film competition. The four countries announced their choices this week. Hungary chose Bela Tarr's "The Turin Horse," the Netherlands Maria Peters' "Sonny Boy," Norway Anne Sewitsky's "Happy, Happy" and Serbia Dragan Bjelogrlic's "Montevideo, God Bless You!" "Happy, Happy" (left) will be released in New York and Los Angeles by Magnolia Pictures on Sept. 16, while "The Turin Horse" is screening this month at both the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals. Other recent...
- 9/2/2011
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The annual Stony Brook Film Festival released their full lineup for the 16th edition of their event. Kicking off the festival will be U.S. premiere of Maria Peters "Sonny Boy." Closing night will feature the East Coast premiere of "Almanya," a German film directed by Yasemin Samdereli. Highlights among the 34 films locked down include: the U.S. premieres of "Silence is Golden," "Don't Touch My Children" and "With Love from ...
- 6/1/2011
- Indiewire
The film is called Sonny Boy – a Dutch film that tells the true story of the “forbidden” relationship between Waldemar Nods, a 19-year-old student from Suriname, and Rika van der Lans, a married Dutch woman in her 40s, and mother of 4 children. The pair meet in the 1920s, fall in love, and Rika becomes pregnant soon thereafter, causing a scandal with far-reaching consequences, leading up to the World War II.
The film, directed by Dutch director Maria Peters, is based on a novel of the same name, written by Annejet van der Zijl.
Released in The Netherlands late last month, Sonny Boy hasn’t played outside that country since its debut. And I have no idea if it will…
It’s worth noting that the name “Sonny Boy” is a nickname the couple gave to their son, who’s till alive today, at 81 years old; they got the name from...
The film, directed by Dutch director Maria Peters, is based on a novel of the same name, written by Annejet van der Zijl.
Released in The Netherlands late last month, Sonny Boy hasn’t played outside that country since its debut. And I have no idea if it will…
It’s worth noting that the name “Sonny Boy” is a nickname the couple gave to their son, who’s till alive today, at 81 years old; they got the name from...
- 2/14/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
"Left Luggage" is clumsily made, but that doesn't hurt its potential for good boxoffice results in specialty markets in the United States and Europe. Female audiences especially should easily identify with the charming main character, a modern teenage girl who grows up while baby-sitting a troubled Chasidic child.
First the bad news: This English-language directorial debut of Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe ("Immortal Beloved") is badly timed and jerkily cut. Too many scenes should have been truncated just before the actors could speak one melodramatic line too many, and either director Krabbe or the poorly motivated script by Edwin de Vries seem to have encouraged the actors to ham it up instead of concentrating on creating credible characters. The technical credits are good, though unpolished.
Here's the good news: Women should like this film. In her first leading role, young Briton Laura Fraser plays Chaja, a "modern" Jewish teenager in 1970s Amsterdam. She's sexually emancipated, has no awareness of any racial discrimination and no patience with her air-headed, cake-baking mother (Marianne Saegebrecht) or with her father (Maximilian Schell), who is obsessed with the past. (He spends the film looking for two suitcases he buried somewhere while fleeing the Nazis.)
Needing money, Chaja gets a job as a nanny for a Chasidic family with their repressive rules, funny clothes and general backwardness. But before she can quit, she falls for the 5-year-old son Simcha (Adam Monty) who, frightened by his overbearing father, refuses to speak. Chaja's relationship with Simcha is warm and funny, and young Monty is even cuter than Fraser, if that's possible.
While Simcha learns to speak, Chaja learns to respect both this unusual family and her Jewish heritage. In the end, Chaja also learns about loss, which brings her full circle -- to an understanding of the Jewish past that formed her family and herself.
Fraser's performance is unfortunately anything but subtle -- she loves rolling those big eyes, grinning, goofing, hamming and generally looking cute.
But what she lacks in accomplishment she makes up for with sheer energy and an impressive big-screen charisma.
Women should be able to put themselves in Chaja's shoes easily, and because the movie is well-meaning, if flawed, the audience will not feel embarrassed about pulling out the handkerchiefs.
LEFT LUGGAGE
A Flying Dutchman/Shooting Star production
in association with Favourite Films and Greystone Films
Credits: Director: Jeroen Krabbe; Producers: Ate de Jong, Hans Pos, Dave Schram; Executive producers: Craig Haffner, Brad Wilson; Co-producers: Dirk Impens, Rudy Verzyck; Associate producers: Maria Peters, Edwin de Vries, Jeroen Krabbe; Screenplay: Edwin de Vries; Based on the novel "The Shovel and the Loom" by: Carl Friedman; Director of photography: Walther van den Ende; Art director: Hemmo Sportel; Editor: Edgar Burcksen; Music: Henny Vrienten; Costume designer: Yan Tax, Bernadette Corstens; Casting: Susie Figgis. Cast: Mrs. Kalman: Isabella Rossellini; Chaja's Father: Maximilian Schell; Chaja's Mother: Marianne Saegebrecht; Mr. Kalman: Jeroen Krabbe; Chaja: Laura Fraser; Simcha: Adam Monty; Concierge: David Bradley; Herr Apfelschnitt: Chaim Topol; Sofie: Heather Weeks. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 96 minutes. Color/stereo.
First the bad news: This English-language directorial debut of Dutch actor Jeroen Krabbe ("Immortal Beloved") is badly timed and jerkily cut. Too many scenes should have been truncated just before the actors could speak one melodramatic line too many, and either director Krabbe or the poorly motivated script by Edwin de Vries seem to have encouraged the actors to ham it up instead of concentrating on creating credible characters. The technical credits are good, though unpolished.
Here's the good news: Women should like this film. In her first leading role, young Briton Laura Fraser plays Chaja, a "modern" Jewish teenager in 1970s Amsterdam. She's sexually emancipated, has no awareness of any racial discrimination and no patience with her air-headed, cake-baking mother (Marianne Saegebrecht) or with her father (Maximilian Schell), who is obsessed with the past. (He spends the film looking for two suitcases he buried somewhere while fleeing the Nazis.)
Needing money, Chaja gets a job as a nanny for a Chasidic family with their repressive rules, funny clothes and general backwardness. But before she can quit, she falls for the 5-year-old son Simcha (Adam Monty) who, frightened by his overbearing father, refuses to speak. Chaja's relationship with Simcha is warm and funny, and young Monty is even cuter than Fraser, if that's possible.
While Simcha learns to speak, Chaja learns to respect both this unusual family and her Jewish heritage. In the end, Chaja also learns about loss, which brings her full circle -- to an understanding of the Jewish past that formed her family and herself.
Fraser's performance is unfortunately anything but subtle -- she loves rolling those big eyes, grinning, goofing, hamming and generally looking cute.
But what she lacks in accomplishment she makes up for with sheer energy and an impressive big-screen charisma.
Women should be able to put themselves in Chaja's shoes easily, and because the movie is well-meaning, if flawed, the audience will not feel embarrassed about pulling out the handkerchiefs.
LEFT LUGGAGE
A Flying Dutchman/Shooting Star production
in association with Favourite Films and Greystone Films
Credits: Director: Jeroen Krabbe; Producers: Ate de Jong, Hans Pos, Dave Schram; Executive producers: Craig Haffner, Brad Wilson; Co-producers: Dirk Impens, Rudy Verzyck; Associate producers: Maria Peters, Edwin de Vries, Jeroen Krabbe; Screenplay: Edwin de Vries; Based on the novel "The Shovel and the Loom" by: Carl Friedman; Director of photography: Walther van den Ende; Art director: Hemmo Sportel; Editor: Edgar Burcksen; Music: Henny Vrienten; Costume designer: Yan Tax, Bernadette Corstens; Casting: Susie Figgis. Cast: Mrs. Kalman: Isabella Rossellini; Chaja's Father: Maximilian Schell; Chaja's Mother: Marianne Saegebrecht; Mr. Kalman: Jeroen Krabbe; Chaja: Laura Fraser; Simcha: Adam Monty; Concierge: David Bradley; Herr Apfelschnitt: Chaim Topol; Sofie: Heather Weeks. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 96 minutes. Color/stereo.
- 2/17/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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