Saudi Arabia Launches First Cinema Guild Six Year After Lifting Of Ban
Saudi Arabia has launched its first official film industry guild six years after the lifting of its 35-year cinema ban in 2017. The initiative overseen by Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al-Saud, was announced during the Red Sea International Film Festival. “Having a professional association is fundamental for the development of the sector,” inaugural board member and director Hana Al Omair told a conference discussing the objectives of the new body. She said the association’s key role would be to establish legislation for the sector as well as labor rights for cinema professionals. Al Omair was joined in the discussion by the association’s president, the artist and producer Mishal Al Mutairi; veteran acting star Abdulmohsen Al-Nimr; director Tawfik Alzaidi, whose first feature Norah world premiered at the festival on Tuesday evening as well as Alaa Faden,...
Saudi Arabia has launched its first official film industry guild six years after the lifting of its 35-year cinema ban in 2017. The initiative overseen by Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al-Saud, was announced during the Red Sea International Film Festival. “Having a professional association is fundamental for the development of the sector,” inaugural board member and director Hana Al Omair told a conference discussing the objectives of the new body. She said the association’s key role would be to establish legislation for the sector as well as labor rights for cinema professionals. Al Omair was joined in the discussion by the association’s president, the artist and producer Mishal Al Mutairi; veteran acting star Abdulmohsen Al-Nimr; director Tawfik Alzaidi, whose first feature Norah world premiered at the festival on Tuesday evening as well as Alaa Faden,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The third edition of the Red Sea Souk, the market arm of the Red Sea Film Festival, awarded its top prize of $100,000 to “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rani Massalha. Another eight feature projects and two TV series were awarded cash and in-kind prizes as part of the Red Souk Awards.
Massalha’s film, a co-production between Egypt, Tunisia and France, tells the story of Salem, a pig farmer in Egypt who is a Copt — a native Christian community in the country, often persecuted — amidst a breakout of the swine flu in 2009 that sends Egypt into a spiral of psychosis, leading the Mubarak government to pass a law to slaughter all the pigs.
In a statement, the writer-director said: “The pigs of Egypt were ‘sacrificed’ under political pressure and hysterical media coverage organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, crystalizing the structural violence of Egyptian social relations between communities.”
“Isn...
Massalha’s film, a co-production between Egypt, Tunisia and France, tells the story of Salem, a pig farmer in Egypt who is a Copt — a native Christian community in the country, often persecuted — amidst a breakout of the swine flu in 2009 that sends Egypt into a spiral of psychosis, leading the Mubarak government to pass a law to slaughter all the pigs.
In a statement, the writer-director said: “The pigs of Egypt were ‘sacrificed’ under political pressure and hysterical media coverage organized by the Muslim Brotherhood, crystalizing the structural violence of Egyptian social relations between communities.”
“Isn...
- 12/5/2023
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
It’s a busy year for the Red Sea Souk, the market arm of the Red Sea Film Festival dedicated to discovering new Arab and African talent. The same could have been said of every year of the market’s three-year history, however, with Saudi Arabia’s lightning-fast film industry solidifying the Souk as the principal film market for the Middle East and North Africa.
The third edition of the Souk, taking place between Dec. 2-5, marks the first time the market held an open call for submissions. Previously, selection happened directly or through the Red Sea Fund. According to Red Sea Souk manager Zain Zedan, the response to the open call was overwhelmingly positive.
“We had over 300 submissions, a great number for our first call. It also gives us an indication that there is a lot of interest as people are seeing what the Souk has done in the previous two years.
The third edition of the Souk, taking place between Dec. 2-5, marks the first time the market held an open call for submissions. Previously, selection happened directly or through the Red Sea Fund. According to Red Sea Souk manager Zain Zedan, the response to the open call was overwhelmingly positive.
“We had over 300 submissions, a great number for our first call. It also gives us an indication that there is a lot of interest as people are seeing what the Souk has done in the previous two years.
- 12/2/2023
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Industry speakers at festival include ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ director Jasmila Zbanic, former Marvel exec Karim Zreik.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) has selected 26 feature film projects for its Red Sea Souk Project Market; plus a Work-in-Progress showcase, and speakers for its 360° industry events programme.
The 26 Souk projects hail from Africa and the Arab region. Titles include Djeliya, Memory Of Manding, a documentary from Burkinabe filmmaker Boubacar Sangare, whose third film A Golden Life played at the Berlinale earlier this year.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Also included is Scandar Copti’s animated documentary A Childhood,...
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) has selected 26 feature film projects for its Red Sea Souk Project Market; plus a Work-in-Progress showcase, and speakers for its 360° industry events programme.
The 26 Souk projects hail from Africa and the Arab region. Titles include Djeliya, Memory Of Manding, a documentary from Burkinabe filmmaker Boubacar Sangare, whose third film A Golden Life played at the Berlinale earlier this year.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
Also included is Scandar Copti’s animated documentary A Childhood,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has revealed details of the Red Sea Souk, the fest’s industry market that will offer meeting and networking opportunities revolving around new Arab and African product.
The Souk will take place Dec. 2-5 alongside the Nov. 30-Dec. 9 fest in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore. The fest’s industry side will also comprise the Red Sea Talent Days on Dec. 6-7, which will give regional talents and young filmmakers a chance to connect with industry experts.
The Red Sea Souk Project Market will showcase 26 feature-length projects from across the Arab and African region. Of these, 12 are Red Sea Lodge projects that were developed in-house during the year through workshops and labs in partnership with Italy’s Torino Film Lab.
Four of these projects will be awarded the annual Red Sea Lodge production prizes of $50,000 each.
All 26 selected projects in the...
The Souk will take place Dec. 2-5 alongside the Nov. 30-Dec. 9 fest in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore. The fest’s industry side will also comprise the Red Sea Talent Days on Dec. 6-7, which will give regional talents and young filmmakers a chance to connect with industry experts.
The Red Sea Souk Project Market will showcase 26 feature-length projects from across the Arab and African region. Of these, 12 are Red Sea Lodge projects that were developed in-house during the year through workshops and labs in partnership with Italy’s Torino Film Lab.
Four of these projects will be awarded the annual Red Sea Lodge production prizes of $50,000 each.
All 26 selected projects in the...
- 11/7/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The Red Sea International Film Festival, has unveiled the 26 projects selected as part of its industry-focused Red Sea Souk Market, running from December 2 to 5.
Projects in development include Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s A Childhood, Lebanese-French filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s Love Conquers All and Madness And Honey Days by Iraq’s Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji.
Within the Market selection are twelve Red Sea Lodge projects which were developed during the year through intensive workshops and in partnership with the Torino Film Lab. Four of these projects will be awarded the annual Red Sea Lodge production prizes of $50,000 each.
All 26 selected projects will compete for cash prizes offered by the Red Sea Fund, to be awarded by an international jury of producers: $35,000 for development, $25,000 for the Jury Special Mention Award and $100,000 for production
Another six projects will be showcased in Works-In-Progress section including Men In The Sun by Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel,...
Projects in development include Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s A Childhood, Lebanese-French filmmaker Danielle Arbid’s Love Conquers All and Madness And Honey Days by Iraq’s Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji.
Within the Market selection are twelve Red Sea Lodge projects which were developed during the year through intensive workshops and in partnership with the Torino Film Lab. Four of these projects will be awarded the annual Red Sea Lodge production prizes of $50,000 each.
All 26 selected projects will compete for cash prizes offered by the Red Sea Fund, to be awarded by an international jury of producers: $35,000 for development, $25,000 for the Jury Special Mention Award and $100,000 for production
Another six projects will be showcased in Works-In-Progress section including Men In The Sun by Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Not to be confused with Haider Rashid’s 2021 thriller of the same name, drama Europa (2023) from Iranian-Austrian writer-director Sudabeh Mortezai was nominated for Best Film in Official Competition at Lff 2023. A slow-burn thriller of corporate defiance and corruption set in rural Albania, it stars German actor Lilith Stangenberg in the lead role of Beate Winter, an ambitious executive of a mysterious corporation called ‘Europa’ that must persuade locals to part with land and livelihoods for unclear, nefarious reasons – all for the euro and not the environment.
The term ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ aptly fits here, as a compelling, stoic and quite ambiguous Stangenberg as Beate ‘hunts’ around stunning countryside, targeting her prey, befriending them and then spinning stories of woe or enlightenment to make the kill and get the contracts signed. With her male assistant Lasse (Tobias Winter) in tow, there is a sense that both are ‘stuck’ in...
The term ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ aptly fits here, as a compelling, stoic and quite ambiguous Stangenberg as Beate ‘hunts’ around stunning countryside, targeting her prey, befriending them and then spinning stories of woe or enlightenment to make the kill and get the contracts signed. With her male assistant Lasse (Tobias Winter) in tow, there is a sense that both are ‘stuck’ in...
- 10/20/2023
- by Lisa Giles-Keddie
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Haider Rashid, who was awarded the best director prize at last year’s Red Sea Film Festival for his Cannes selected film “Europa,” was back at the event this week to pitch his new project, the coming-of-age thriller “Tigris.” The Italian-Iraqi filmmaker plans to explore themes of resistance and identity through a love story between two breakdancers in Baghdad’s underground hip-hop scene.
He hopes to build a “thematic trilogy” around “Europa,” in which a young Iraqi man tries to cross the border between Turkey and Bulgaria, but finds himself hunted by militias.
“It’s not necessarily a prequel as it’s not the same character, but it’s the same generation. This was the inception of ‘Tigris.’ How can we talk about this young generation in Iraq who were born just before or just after the 2003 war [with the U.S.]? What is their life like? How can we narrate their story in a way that becomes universal?...
He hopes to build a “thematic trilogy” around “Europa,” in which a young Iraqi man tries to cross the border between Turkey and Bulgaria, but finds himself hunted by militias.
“It’s not necessarily a prequel as it’s not the same character, but it’s the same generation. This was the inception of ‘Tigris.’ How can we talk about this young generation in Iraq who were born just before or just after the 2003 war [with the U.S.]? What is their life like? How can we narrate their story in a way that becomes universal?...
- 12/10/2022
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
The festival runs December 1-10
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its International and Arab Spectacular programmes.
Scroll down for full line-ups
Among the nine-strong international selection is Luca Guadagnino’s Bones And All and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
Guadagnino’s cannibal romance starring Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell had its world premiere at Venice where it won best director and best young actor for Russell.
Pinocchio, co-directed by Mark Gustafson, world premiered at BFI London Film Festival last month and will be released globally by Netflix in December.
Other International Spectacular titles include Martin McDonagh...
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its International and Arab Spectacular programmes.
Scroll down for full line-ups
Among the nine-strong international selection is Luca Guadagnino’s Bones And All and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
Guadagnino’s cannibal romance starring Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell had its world premiere at Venice where it won best director and best young actor for Russell.
Pinocchio, co-directed by Mark Gustafson, world premiered at BFI London Film Festival last month and will be released globally by Netflix in December.
Other International Spectacular titles include Martin McDonagh...
- 11/9/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The second edition of the industry platform also includes a Work-In-Progress showcase.
Projects from US filmmaker Lotfy Nathan and Italian-Iraqi director Haider Rashid are among the 23 titles selected for the project market of the Red Sea Souk, the industry platform of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The project market is split into two sections: 12 projects in the market alone, with a further 11 market projects that have been developed in the Red Sea Lodge throughout the year, in workshops in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
All market projects will compete for three cash prizes,...
Projects from US filmmaker Lotfy Nathan and Italian-Iraqi director Haider Rashid are among the 23 titles selected for the project market of the Red Sea Souk, the industry platform of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The project market is split into two sections: 12 projects in the market alone, with a further 11 market projects that have been developed in the Red Sea Lodge throughout the year, in workshops in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
All market projects will compete for three cash prizes,...
- 10/27/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The second edition of the industry platform also includes a Work-In-Progress showcase.
Projects from US filmmaker Lofty Nathan and Italian-Iraqi director Haider Rashid are among the 23 titles selected for the project market of the Red Sea Souk, the industry platform of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The project market is split into two sections: 12 projects in the market alone, with a further 11 market projects that have been developed in the Red Sea Lodge throughout the year, in workshops in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
All market projects will compete for three cash prizes,...
Projects from US filmmaker Lofty Nathan and Italian-Iraqi director Haider Rashid are among the 23 titles selected for the project market of the Red Sea Souk, the industry platform of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The project market is split into two sections: 12 projects in the market alone, with a further 11 market projects that have been developed in the Red Sea Lodge throughout the year, in workshops in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab.
Scroll down for the full list of projects
All market projects will compete for three cash prizes,...
- 10/27/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Project incubator is part of the Cairo International Film Festival.
Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has appointed Lynda Belkhiria as manager of its Cairo Film Connection (Cfc) co-production market.
She replaces Chadi Zeneddine, who oversaw last year’s edition of the project incubator.
Belkhiria is a festival programmer who has been head of Tunesia’s Pro Carthage Film Festival industry platform since 2016. She also had a short stint as an industry event coordinator at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
The 44th edition of Ciff is due to take place from November 13-22.
The Cfc is a major component of the Cairo Industry Days,...
Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has appointed Lynda Belkhiria as manager of its Cairo Film Connection (Cfc) co-production market.
She replaces Chadi Zeneddine, who oversaw last year’s edition of the project incubator.
Belkhiria is a festival programmer who has been head of Tunesia’s Pro Carthage Film Festival industry platform since 2016. She also had a short stint as an industry event coordinator at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.
The 44th edition of Ciff is due to take place from November 13-22.
The Cfc is a major component of the Cairo Industry Days,...
- 5/31/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The Red Sea International Film Festival in partnership with Vox Cinemas, Mbc Group, and Saudia Airlines announced the winners of the Red Sea competition sections. The 16 feature, 18 shorts selection and 21 ground-breaking global virtual reality experiences are a celebration of the most exciting, innovative new films and cinematic storytelling from established and emerging filmmakers from the Arab world and Africa.
This year’s jury included: President of the Red Sea Features Competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore, Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director, writer, actress, and producer Cherien Dabis, Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei.
Competition Jury Prize went to the Cannes Directors Fortnight premiering Hit the Road by Panah Panahi from Iran.
Competition Best Film went to Brighton 4th by Levan Koguashvili a coproduction of Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria, USA, Monaco. This is Georgia’s submission for Oscar Nomination for Best International Film and the winner of the Asian World Film Festival, Los Angeles for Best Picture. This film about the Georgian emigrants living in Brighton Beach, USA today captures the heart of the viewers with its open sharing of the Georgians today. Its director Levan Koguashvili graduated NYU Film school. The film is the winner of three prizes at Cottbus Film Festival and three awards at Tribeca as well.
Competition Best Actor and Best Director for Europa went to Amal Ali and Haider Rashid respectively, a coproduction of Iraq, Italy, and Kuwait:
Haider Rashid says, “Regarding the main role, Kamal, I was set on finding an actor who could understand the sense of displacement that we wanted to portray on an emotional level. My colleague Daniele Bernabei ran into a trailer for a short film while at the Short Film Corner in Cannes and sent it to me, as the cast was composed of several Arab actors. As soon as I saw Adam Ali I felt there was something interesting about him, a silent movie face in a way. That made me want to find out more, since we were going to make a film in which dialogue is at a minimum and most of the film is on the protagonist’s shoulders.
While he was in Canada shooting Apple+’s Little America, we had a very interesting conversation and found some common grounds on certain issues like the misrepresentation of certain ethnicities in film and TV and what it feels like to be sometimes torn between two cultures. Adam is of Libyan origins and moved with his family to Manchester when he was a child, so the issue of identity was also a common ground between us.
Of course this film is pretty different as it is so physical and it was clear that we were going to do many things that not every actor would be willing to do. While speaking to Adam, it seemed to me that there was a certain pride about him that would help me in pushing him in certain directions both physically and emotionally by sometimes provoking him. He was great in being determined to do what was necessary and I have to say he was really brave in how he faced the physical and emotional challenges that the story entailed.”
Competition Best Actress Award went to Arawinda Kirana for her role in Yuni a production of Indonesia, Singapore, France, Australia. She also won for best actress in the Asian World Film Festival, Los Angeles. This is a beautifully shot story of the feisy rebellion of a young woman in Indonesia today, a place we have not seen in its contemporary feminine aspects until now.
Best Saudi Film Rupture by Hamzah K. Jamjoom — Saudi Arabia
Audience Award You Resemble Me by Dina Amer — Egypt, France, USA
Immersive Silver Yusr Samsara by Hsin-Chien Huang — Taiwan
Immersive Gold Yusr End of Night by David Adler — Denmark, France
Short Competition Golden Yusr Tala’vision by Murad Abu Eisheh — Jordan, Germany
Competition Special Mention Farha by Darin J. Sallam — Jordan
Competition Best Cinematic Contribution went to Amin Jafari for Hit the Road — Iran
Competition Best Screenplay Neighbours by Mano Khalil — Syria, Switzerland...
This year’s jury included: President of the Red Sea Features Competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore, Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director, writer, actress, and producer Cherien Dabis, Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei.
Competition Jury Prize went to the Cannes Directors Fortnight premiering Hit the Road by Panah Panahi from Iran.
Competition Best Film went to Brighton 4th by Levan Koguashvili a coproduction of Georgia, Russia, Bulgaria, USA, Monaco. This is Georgia’s submission for Oscar Nomination for Best International Film and the winner of the Asian World Film Festival, Los Angeles for Best Picture. This film about the Georgian emigrants living in Brighton Beach, USA today captures the heart of the viewers with its open sharing of the Georgians today. Its director Levan Koguashvili graduated NYU Film school. The film is the winner of three prizes at Cottbus Film Festival and three awards at Tribeca as well.
Competition Best Actor and Best Director for Europa went to Amal Ali and Haider Rashid respectively, a coproduction of Iraq, Italy, and Kuwait:
Haider Rashid says, “Regarding the main role, Kamal, I was set on finding an actor who could understand the sense of displacement that we wanted to portray on an emotional level. My colleague Daniele Bernabei ran into a trailer for a short film while at the Short Film Corner in Cannes and sent it to me, as the cast was composed of several Arab actors. As soon as I saw Adam Ali I felt there was something interesting about him, a silent movie face in a way. That made me want to find out more, since we were going to make a film in which dialogue is at a minimum and most of the film is on the protagonist’s shoulders.
While he was in Canada shooting Apple+’s Little America, we had a very interesting conversation and found some common grounds on certain issues like the misrepresentation of certain ethnicities in film and TV and what it feels like to be sometimes torn between two cultures. Adam is of Libyan origins and moved with his family to Manchester when he was a child, so the issue of identity was also a common ground between us.
Of course this film is pretty different as it is so physical and it was clear that we were going to do many things that not every actor would be willing to do. While speaking to Adam, it seemed to me that there was a certain pride about him that would help me in pushing him in certain directions both physically and emotionally by sometimes provoking him. He was great in being determined to do what was necessary and I have to say he was really brave in how he faced the physical and emotional challenges that the story entailed.”
Competition Best Actress Award went to Arawinda Kirana for her role in Yuni a production of Indonesia, Singapore, France, Australia. She also won for best actress in the Asian World Film Festival, Los Angeles. This is a beautifully shot story of the feisy rebellion of a young woman in Indonesia today, a place we have not seen in its contemporary feminine aspects until now.
Best Saudi Film Rupture by Hamzah K. Jamjoom — Saudi Arabia
Audience Award You Resemble Me by Dina Amer — Egypt, France, USA
Immersive Silver Yusr Samsara by Hsin-Chien Huang — Taiwan
Immersive Gold Yusr End of Night by David Adler — Denmark, France
Short Competition Golden Yusr Tala’vision by Murad Abu Eisheh — Jordan, Germany
Competition Special Mention Farha by Darin J. Sallam — Jordan
Competition Best Cinematic Contribution went to Amin Jafari for Hit the Road — Iran
Competition Best Screenplay Neighbours by Mano Khalil — Syria, Switzerland...
- 5/8/2022
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
Although Haider Rashid’s drama tells us frustratingly little about its Iraqi protagonist, this expertly-made film demands to be seen
Not to be confused with the half-dozen or so other films with the same (or similar) name, this brisk but effective drama offers a timely reminder of just how hard it is to cross borders, especially into countries that might not want you there. This Europa premiered last year, when the conversation about immigration focused mainly on those fleeing war-ravaged or even just unstable places in the Middle East or Africa. Such immigrants were far more likely to be met with hostility at Europe’s edges than the compassion the west is currently extending to refugees from Ukraine, so that sheer accident of the release schedule throws this film into a whole new light. Viewers can’t but fail to be aware of the discrepancy between how two different sets...
Not to be confused with the half-dozen or so other films with the same (or similar) name, this brisk but effective drama offers a timely reminder of just how hard it is to cross borders, especially into countries that might not want you there. This Europa premiered last year, when the conversation about immigration focused mainly on those fleeing war-ravaged or even just unstable places in the Middle East or Africa. Such immigrants were far more likely to be met with hostility at Europe’s edges than the compassion the west is currently extending to refugees from Ukraine, so that sheer accident of the release schedule throws this film into a whole new light. Viewers can’t but fail to be aware of the discrepancy between how two different sets...
- 3/15/2022
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
"Brave, bold, brilliant." Bulldog Distr. in the UK has revealed the trailer for a film called Europa, which originally premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival last year in the Directors' Fortnight sidebar. This film is essentially Son of Saul but for Middle Eastern refugees in Europe today. It has the same intense, non-stop focus on just one Iraqi refugee on the run on the Turkey-Bulgaria border. Europa is based on real events happening on the dangerous 'Balkan Route' where migrants are smuggled into Europe across the Turkish border and are often subject to violence, intimidation and illegal pushback. Iraqi-Italian filmmaker Haider Rashid's goal was to create an immersive experience to allow the audience to be with the character, close to him, sometimes breathing with him, and to create questions in the audience's mind, testing their definition of empathy, as this character of whom they know very little, tries to survive and remain a human.
- 2/25/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A young Iraqi refugee attempts to cross the dangerous border between Turkey and Bulgaria in “Europa,” a gripping drama that takes viewers as close as they would ever want to come to the real-life experiences of those willing to risk everything in the quest for safety and security. Using the conventions of a survivalist thriller to tell , Iraqi-Italian filmmaker Haider Rashid packs enormous punch into the lean running time. Following its debut in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, “Europa” received limited release in Italy in September and is Iraq’s official submission in the Oscar international feature category.
Rashid uses almost no dialogue. Everything willing audiences need to know is laid out in opening text information stating that migrants attempting to enter Europe are routinely abused and intimidated by law enforcement officials and gangs of nationalist civilians calling themselves “Migrant Hunters.”
Carrying nothing but his passport, Kamal comes face to face with...
Rashid uses almost no dialogue. Everything willing audiences need to know is laid out in opening text information stating that migrants attempting to enter Europe are routinely abused and intimidated by law enforcement officials and gangs of nationalist civilians calling themselves “Migrant Hunters.”
Carrying nothing but his passport, Kamal comes face to face with...
- 12/21/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has scooped up the Best Film prize at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival. The title is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards international feature category this year.
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
- 12/14/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
With last year’s surprise nominee “The Man Who Sold His Skin” hailing from Tunisia, Oscar handicappers should be sure to give West Asia and North Africa titles close scrutiny this time around.
Among the 11 submissions are several titles likely to be highly competitive in the international feature category. These include Iran’s social media critique “A Hero” from previous two-time winner Asghar Farhadi; Israel’s “Let It Be Morning”, a wry satire helmed by Eran Kolirin, about a Palestinian village put under military lockdown by the Israeli army; and Lebanon’s “Costa Brava, Lebanon,” a darkly comic commentary on the realities of modern-day Lebanon from feature debutant Mounia Akl.
Although “A Hero” may not be prime Farhadi, it already boasts the Grand Prix from Cannes. The narrative focuses on one of life’s losers, a likeable working-class man who, while on a short furlough from debtors prison, engineers events...
Among the 11 submissions are several titles likely to be highly competitive in the international feature category. These include Iran’s social media critique “A Hero” from previous two-time winner Asghar Farhadi; Israel’s “Let It Be Morning”, a wry satire helmed by Eran Kolirin, about a Palestinian village put under military lockdown by the Israeli army; and Lebanon’s “Costa Brava, Lebanon,” a darkly comic commentary on the realities of modern-day Lebanon from feature debutant Mounia Akl.
Although “A Hero” may not be prime Farhadi, it already boasts the Grand Prix from Cannes. The narrative focuses on one of life’s losers, a likeable working-class man who, while on a short furlough from debtors prison, engineers events...
- 12/13/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” has won best film at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival, while Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s “Rupture” won best Saudi film.
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
- 12/13/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Every year since its creation in 1956, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) invites the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue and that was released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021. The shortlist of fifteen finalists is scheduled to be announced on 21 December 2021. The final five nominees are scheduled to be announced on 8 February 2022.
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
- 11/28/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Red Sea International Film Festival has set the lineup for its inaugural edition which runs from December 6-15 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The roster includes 138 titles from 67 countries and will open with MGM’s Joe Wright-directed musical romance Cyrano. The film previously played Telluride and Rome among others and releases domestically on December 31. Among highlights are also Netflix’s Venice Film Festival drama The Lost Daughter. Closing the Red Sea Fest is the world premiere of Egyptian director Amr Salama’s Bara El Manhag.
Sixteen films will run in the competition which is focused on films from Asia, Africa and the Arab world (see full list below). They will vie for the Golden Yusr Award as well as in individual directing, acting and writing categories. Among the titles screening are Hany Abu-Assad’s Huda’s Salon, Georgian Oscar submission Brighton 4th and Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road.
Kaleem Aftab,...
The roster includes 138 titles from 67 countries and will open with MGM’s Joe Wright-directed musical romance Cyrano. The film previously played Telluride and Rome among others and releases domestically on December 31. Among highlights are also Netflix’s Venice Film Festival drama The Lost Daughter. Closing the Red Sea Fest is the world premiere of Egyptian director Amr Salama’s Bara El Manhag.
Sixteen films will run in the competition which is focused on films from Asia, Africa and the Arab world (see full list below). They will vie for the Golden Yusr Award as well as in individual directing, acting and writing categories. Among the titles screening are Hany Abu-Assad’s Huda’s Salon, Georgian Oscar submission Brighton 4th and Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road.
Kaleem Aftab,...
- 11/9/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Project incubator will take place during Cairo International Film Festival.
Upcoming features by Tunisian director Mehdi Barsaoui and Saudi filmmaker Ahd Kamel will be among 15 projects showcased at the eighth edition of the Cairo Film Connection (Cfc).
The project incubator will take place at the 43rd edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff), which runs from November 26 to December 5 this year.
It is at the heart of the festival’s Cairo Industry Days programme, which is organised in partnership with the Arab Cinema Center.
Barsaoui will present Aicha about a thirtysomething woman, caught between social dictates, family pressures and disillusionment,...
Upcoming features by Tunisian director Mehdi Barsaoui and Saudi filmmaker Ahd Kamel will be among 15 projects showcased at the eighth edition of the Cairo Film Connection (Cfc).
The project incubator will take place at the 43rd edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff), which runs from November 26 to December 5 this year.
It is at the heart of the festival’s Cairo Industry Days programme, which is organised in partnership with the Arab Cinema Center.
Barsaoui will present Aicha about a thirtysomething woman, caught between social dictates, family pressures and disillusionment,...
- 10/12/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
“Europa” director Haider Rashid was shocked when he first read about the dangers encountered by migrants on the Balkan route, a well-trod passage from Turkey to Eastern Europe undertaken by many thousands of people hoping to reach the West each year. That shock became the genesis for “Europa,” which offers a glimpse into the life of a young, nameless migrant (played by British actor Adam Ali) fighting for his life in the unforgiving forests of Bulgaria.
The themes of the film, which, Variety can exclusively reveal, is being distributed in the U.K. by Bulldog Film Distribution following its British premiere at the Edinburgh Intl. Film Festival, resonate for Rashid in terms of both the past and the future. Not only did Rashid’s own father find himself on the Balkan route while fleeing Iraq in 1978 but, as he points out, the current crisis in Afghanistan will drive many more...
The themes of the film, which, Variety can exclusively reveal, is being distributed in the U.K. by Bulldog Film Distribution following its British premiere at the Edinburgh Intl. Film Festival, resonate for Rashid in terms of both the past and the future. Not only did Rashid’s own father find himself on the Balkan route while fleeing Iraq in 1978 but, as he points out, the current crisis in Afghanistan will drive many more...
- 8/19/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Features world premieres of Cindy Jansen’s documentary Prince Of Muck and Richie Adams’ The Road Dance.
The 74th Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has announced the full programme for its 2021 edition, which will run August 18-25 as a combination of in-person and online screenings.
It includes world premieres of Cindy Jansen’s documentary Prince Of Muck, about the retired patriarch of an Inner Hebridean island; and Richie Adams’ The Road Dance based on Stv News presenter John MacKay’s book. MacKay also stars in the film.
Further titles include the UK premieres of Leos Carax’s Cannes opening film...
The 74th Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has announced the full programme for its 2021 edition, which will run August 18-25 as a combination of in-person and online screenings.
It includes world premieres of Cindy Jansen’s documentary Prince Of Muck, about the retired patriarch of an Inner Hebridean island; and Richie Adams’ The Road Dance based on Stv News presenter John MacKay’s book. MacKay also stars in the film.
Further titles include the UK premieres of Leos Carax’s Cannes opening film...
- 7/28/2021
- by Melissa Kasule
- ScreenDaily
Writer-director Jonas Carpignano has scored at Cannes with “A Chiara,” winning the Europa Cinemas Cannes Label nod for best European film at Directors’ Fortnight, the festival’s biggest independent parallel section. Carpignano took the same prize for his previous film, “A Ciambra,” which was exec produced by Martin Scorsese, in 2017.
In the second big Directors’ Fortnight prize announcement, Vincent Maël Cardona’s feature debut “Magnetic Beats (“Les Magnétiques”) won the section’s Sacd Prize, awarded by France’s Writers’ Guild. Cardona’s short, “Anywhere Out of the World,” featured at the 2010’s Cannes Cinefondation student short competition.
“A Chiara” focuses on a family’s 16-year-old daughter and her growing realization that her beloved father may be part of the local criminal organization. Set in what the Variety review describes as the “hardscrabble underside” of the Calabrian city of Gioia Tauro, “A Chiara” delivers “a complex and ultimately realistic picture,” it said.
In the second big Directors’ Fortnight prize announcement, Vincent Maël Cardona’s feature debut “Magnetic Beats (“Les Magnétiques”) won the section’s Sacd Prize, awarded by France’s Writers’ Guild. Cardona’s short, “Anywhere Out of the World,” featured at the 2010’s Cannes Cinefondation student short competition.
“A Chiara” focuses on a family’s 16-year-old daughter and her growing realization that her beloved father may be part of the local criminal organization. Set in what the Variety review describes as the “hardscrabble underside” of the Calabrian city of Gioia Tauro, “A Chiara” delivers “a complex and ultimately realistic picture,” it said.
- 7/15/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Un Certain Regard looks set to be hailed as The section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Cannes has sailed over the half-way mark, with hopes high it won’t be scuttled by another wave entirely. Initially assailed by Covid-19 tests and overcome by sheer delight to be back on the Croisette, critics and buyers are now beginning to realise that while Cannes 74 is a landmark event in many ways, thus far the 24-film Competition itself, stuffed with auteurs and old friends of the festival, is not shaping up to be a vintage year (such as 2019).
Eleven films have yet to show,...
Cannes has sailed over the half-way mark, with hopes high it won’t be scuttled by another wave entirely. Initially assailed by Covid-19 tests and overcome by sheer delight to be back on the Croisette, critics and buyers are now beginning to realise that while Cannes 74 is a landmark event in many ways, thus far the 24-film Competition itself, stuffed with auteurs and old friends of the festival, is not shaping up to be a vintage year (such as 2019).
Eleven films have yet to show,...
- 7/12/2021
- by Fionnuala Halligan
- ScreenDaily
The Italian film industry, which did not pause during the pandemic, is clearly a top priority within the country’s post Covid-19 recovery plan. The plan sees Rome’s Cinecittà Studios set for a €300 million ($358 million) cash injection earmarked by the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund for a radical overhaul of the famed facilities.
In June European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Italian premier Mario Draghi jointly visited the Cinecittà lot and held a press conference in its vast Studio 5, known as the late, great Federico Fellini’s second home. Italian culture minister Dario Franceschini announced still undeveloped plans to upgrade and expand the iconic studios “in order to adequately meet the growing international demand” for studio space.
Meanwhile Cinema Italiano will be out in full force at Cannes. Veteran auteur Marco Bellocchio will present his personal doc “Marx Can Wait” out-of-competition and be feted with an...
In June European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Italian premier Mario Draghi jointly visited the Cinecittà lot and held a press conference in its vast Studio 5, known as the late, great Federico Fellini’s second home. Italian culture minister Dario Franceschini announced still undeveloped plans to upgrade and expand the iconic studios “in order to adequately meet the growing international demand” for studio space.
Meanwhile Cinema Italiano will be out in full force at Cannes. Veteran auteur Marco Bellocchio will present his personal doc “Marx Can Wait” out-of-competition and be feted with an...
- 7/9/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Chadi Zeneddine, one of the core team that created the Doha Film Institute’s talent incubator Qumra, has taken charge as manager of the Cairo International Film Festival’s (Ciff) co-production market Cairo Film Connection (Cfc).
Zeneddine’s predecessor Meriame Deghedi is now head of Cairo Industry Days.
The Cfc is open for submissions through Aug. 5, 2021.
Ciff recently confirmed that it will hold its 43rd edition Dec. 1-10. Now in its 8th year, the Cfc (Dec. 4-6) has supported more than 120 Arab filmmakers including Yousry Nasrallah, Kaouther Ben Hania, Sameh Alaa, Mehdi Barsaoui, Bassel Ghandour, Haider Rashid and Mayye Zayed.
To be eligible for submission to the Cfc, projects must be directed by filmmakers of Arab nationality or origin. The project must be a work of feature-length fiction or non-fiction in development or at post-production stage. The director of the project must have previously directed a minimum of one film,...
Zeneddine’s predecessor Meriame Deghedi is now head of Cairo Industry Days.
The Cfc is open for submissions through Aug. 5, 2021.
Ciff recently confirmed that it will hold its 43rd edition Dec. 1-10. Now in its 8th year, the Cfc (Dec. 4-6) has supported more than 120 Arab filmmakers including Yousry Nasrallah, Kaouther Ben Hania, Sameh Alaa, Mehdi Barsaoui, Bassel Ghandour, Haider Rashid and Mayye Zayed.
To be eligible for submission to the Cfc, projects must be directed by filmmakers of Arab nationality or origin. The project must be a work of feature-length fiction or non-fiction in development or at post-production stage. The director of the project must have previously directed a minimum of one film,...
- 6/30/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Zeneddine will head up the festival’s Cairo Film Connection project market.
The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has bolstered its industry team with the appointment of Chadi Zeneddine as head of its Cairo Film Connection (Cfc) co-production market.
His predecessor Meriame Deghedi has been promoted to the role of head of the festival’s industry programme, the Cairo Industry Days, taking over from Aliaa Zaky.
Zeneddine is a well-known figure on the Middle East film festival and industry event circuit thanks to his previous role as a senior programmer at the Doha Film Institute (Dfi). During his eight years at the institute,...
The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has bolstered its industry team with the appointment of Chadi Zeneddine as head of its Cairo Film Connection (Cfc) co-production market.
His predecessor Meriame Deghedi has been promoted to the role of head of the festival’s industry programme, the Cairo Industry Days, taking over from Aliaa Zaky.
Zeneddine is a well-known figure on the Middle East film festival and industry event circuit thanks to his previous role as a senior programmer at the Doha Film Institute (Dfi). During his eight years at the institute,...
- 6/29/2021
- ScreenDaily
"This is their story." ScreenDaily has released an early festival promo trailer for a film premiering at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival in the Director' Fortnight sidebar section. This Iraq-Italy-Kuwait co-production is a film about an Iraqi refugee chased through the wilderness by "migrant hunters" on a border in Europe. Adam Ali stars as Kamal, a migrant trying to get to Europe. At the border between Turkey and Bulgaria, local mercenaries are ruthlessly hunting down migrants. Alone in the forest, Kamal has three days to escape. The cast includes Svetlana Yantcheva, Pietro Ciciriello, Gassid Mohammed, Mohamed Zouaoui, and Erfan Rashid. My first impression is that this looks like that jaw-dropping Holocaust film Son of Saul, but for refugees trying to make it safely into Europe. I definitely need to watch this - it looks intense as hell. Here's the first promo trailer for Haider Rashid's Europa, direct from YouTube (via...
- 6/28/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
An Iraqi man is tracked by migrant hunters in Haider Rashid’s thriller.
Screen can exclusively reveal the first trailer for Haider Rashid’s Europa, which is set to world premiere at Cannes in Directors’ Fortnight (July 7-17).
Paris-based MPM Premium is handling world sales on the Iraq-Italy-Kuwait co-production, in which a young Iraqi man a chased through the wilderness by “migrant hunters”.
It marks the third feature by Iraqi-Italian filmmaker Rashid after Tangled Up In Blue and It’s About To Train.
Rashid wrote the script with Sonia Giannetto and produces under his Radical Plans banner, in association with...
Screen can exclusively reveal the first trailer for Haider Rashid’s Europa, which is set to world premiere at Cannes in Directors’ Fortnight (July 7-17).
Paris-based MPM Premium is handling world sales on the Iraq-Italy-Kuwait co-production, in which a young Iraqi man a chased through the wilderness by “migrant hunters”.
It marks the third feature by Iraqi-Italian filmmaker Rashid after Tangled Up In Blue and It’s About To Train.
Rashid wrote the script with Sonia Giannetto and produces under his Radical Plans banner, in association with...
- 6/28/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The lineup for the 2021 Directors' Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) at Cannes has been announced. See also the full lineups of the Official Selection and Critics’ Week.Our MenFEATURE Films A Chiara (Jonas Carpignano): The story of 15-year-old Chiara whose close-knit family falls apart after her father abandons them in Calabria. Chiara starts to investigate to understand why her father disappeared and as she gets closer to the truth, she is forced to decide what kind of future she wants for herself.Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard): Both lonely for different reasons, Ali and Ava meet through their shared affection for Sofia—the child of Ali’s Slovakian tenants, whom Ava teaches. Over a lunar month, sparks fly and a deep connection begins to grow.Between Two Worlds (Emmanuel Carrère)The Braves (Anaïs Volpé)A Brighter Tomorrow (Yassine Qnia)Clara Sola (Nathalie Álvarez Mesen)The Employer and the Employee (Manuel...
- 6/9/2021
- MUBI
The lineup for the Cannes Directors Fortnight was revealed on Tuesday, featuring new films by Clio Barnard, Joanna Hogg and Alice Rohrwacher. Of the 24 films selected for the lineup, exactly half have at least one woman director.
The 12 of 24 films in the Cannes Directors Fortnight, which is the independent arm of the Cannes Film Festival kicking off next month, dwarfs the number of female directors in the Cannes main competition lineup, in which only four of the 24 selected movies were directed by women. However, some of the movies for the Directors Fortnight feature women as co-directors, so 12 of 29 of the total directors are women.
The Directors Fortnight will host a special screening of Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part 1,” as “Part 2” will be playing in competition. Other notable films include “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” the first feature by actress Payal Kapadia, and “Hit the Road,” another debut feature by Panah Panahi,...
The 12 of 24 films in the Cannes Directors Fortnight, which is the independent arm of the Cannes Film Festival kicking off next month, dwarfs the number of female directors in the Cannes main competition lineup, in which only four of the 24 selected movies were directed by women. However, some of the movies for the Directors Fortnight feature women as co-directors, so 12 of 29 of the total directors are women.
The Directors Fortnight will host a special screening of Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part 1,” as “Part 2” will be playing in competition. Other notable films include “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” the first feature by actress Payal Kapadia, and “Hit the Road,” another debut feature by Panah Panahi,...
- 6/8/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
On the heels of yesterday’s announcement of the Cannes Critics’ Week lineup, now comes confirmation of the 25 movies that will screen in the festival’s other prestigious sidebar section, Directors’ Fortnight. The lineup includes eight debut features, including “Hit the Road” by Jafar Panahi’s son, Panah Panahi. Directors’ Fortnight 2021 opens with Emmanuel Carrère’s “Between Two Worlds,” starring Juliette Binoche as an author experiencing job insecurity. Other notable titles include “A Chiara,” the latest movie from “Mediterranea” and “A Ciambra” director Jonas Carpignano.
Perhaps the biggest draw for U.S. audiences will be the world premiere of Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part II,” starring Honor Swinton Byrne, Tilda Swinton, Charlie Heaton, Harris Dickinson, and Joe Alwyn. The film is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, who is also an executive producer on Fortnight title “Murina” (directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović). Hogg’s original “The Souvenir” was one...
Perhaps the biggest draw for U.S. audiences will be the world premiere of Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir Part II,” starring Honor Swinton Byrne, Tilda Swinton, Charlie Heaton, Harris Dickinson, and Joe Alwyn. The film is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, who is also an executive producer on Fortnight title “Murina” (directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović). Hogg’s original “The Souvenir” was one...
- 6/8/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
A full picture of the Cannes Film Festival is now coming into focus with the unveiling of the Directors’ Fortnight lineup. Following the Official Selection and the Critics’ Week lineups, this sidebar features Joanna Hogg’s highly-anticipated sequel The Souvenir Part II, as well as new films by Miguel Gomes, Jonas Carpignano, Clio Barnard, Pietro Marcello, Alice Rohrwacher, Matías Piñeiro, and more.
See below.
Features
A Chiara (Jonas Carpignano)
Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard)
Between Two Worlds (Emmanuel Carrère)
The Braves (Anaïs Volpé)
A Brighter Tomorrow (Yassine Qnia)
Clara Sola (Nathalie Álvarez Mesen)
The Employer and the Employee (Manuel Nieto)
Europa (Haider Rashid)
Futura
Întregalde (Radu Muntean)
The Hill where Lionesses Roar (Luàna Bajrami)
Hit the Road (Panah Panahi)
Magnetic Beats (Vincent Cardona)
Medusa (Anita Rocha da Silveira)
Murina (Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović)
Neptune Frost
A Night of Knowing Nothing (Payal Kapadia)
Our Men (Rachel Lang)
Returning to Reims (Fragments) (Jean-Gabriel Périot...
See below.
Features
A Chiara (Jonas Carpignano)
Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard)
Between Two Worlds (Emmanuel Carrère)
The Braves (Anaïs Volpé)
A Brighter Tomorrow (Yassine Qnia)
Clara Sola (Nathalie Álvarez Mesen)
The Employer and the Employee (Manuel Nieto)
Europa (Haider Rashid)
Futura
Întregalde (Radu Muntean)
The Hill where Lionesses Roar (Luàna Bajrami)
Hit the Road (Panah Panahi)
Magnetic Beats (Vincent Cardona)
Medusa (Anita Rocha da Silveira)
Murina (Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović)
Neptune Frost
A Night of Knowing Nothing (Payal Kapadia)
Our Men (Rachel Lang)
Returning to Reims (Fragments) (Jean-Gabriel Périot...
- 6/8/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Directors’ Fortnight parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival has unveiled its lineup for the 2021 edition which runs from July 7-17. Scroll down for the full list.
Fortnight chief Paolo Moretti, who took over the reins in 2019, presented the roster from the Forum des Images in Paris, saying, “After a very painful year for everyone, we are happy to present a selection of discovery.” Out of 24 features, 22 filmmakers are showing their films for first time at Cannes. Half of the films this year are directed or co-directed by women including Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava; documentary Futura from Alice Rohrwacher, Pietro Marcello and Francesco Munzi; and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir: Part II with Tilda Swinton and Richard Ayoade.
There are eight debut features in the lineup, including Jadde Khaki (Hit the Road), the first film from Jafar Panahi’s son Panah Panahi, and Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s Murina...
Fortnight chief Paolo Moretti, who took over the reins in 2019, presented the roster from the Forum des Images in Paris, saying, “After a very painful year for everyone, we are happy to present a selection of discovery.” Out of 24 features, 22 filmmakers are showing their films for first time at Cannes. Half of the films this year are directed or co-directed by women including Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava; documentary Futura from Alice Rohrwacher, Pietro Marcello and Francesco Munzi; and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir: Part II with Tilda Swinton and Richard Ayoade.
There are eight debut features in the lineup, including Jadde Khaki (Hit the Road), the first film from Jafar Panahi’s son Panah Panahi, and Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović’s Murina...
- 6/8/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Joanna Hogg, Clio Barnard, Jonas Carpignano titles among Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2021 selection
Parallel Cannes section will unveil 24 new films.
Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II will be among the 24 features world premiering in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, running July 7-17 this year.
The non-competitive Cannes parallel section, overseen by French directors guild the Société des Réalisateurs (Srf), has unveiled an eclectic 2021 line-up of new films by established directors and emerging talent at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (June 8).
Scroll down for the full selection
UK directors Barnard and Hogg were hotly tipped for Cannes 2020 until the main festival and parallel selections were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II will be among the 24 features world premiering in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, running July 7-17 this year.
The non-competitive Cannes parallel section, overseen by French directors guild the Société des Réalisateurs (Srf), has unveiled an eclectic 2021 line-up of new films by established directors and emerging talent at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (June 8).
Scroll down for the full selection
UK directors Barnard and Hogg were hotly tipped for Cannes 2020 until the main festival and parallel selections were cancelled due to the pandemic.
- 6/8/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Parallel Cannes section will unveil 24 new films.
Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II will be among the 24 features world premiering in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, running July 7 to 17 this year.
The non-competitive Cannes parallel section, overseen by the French directors guild the Société des Réalisateurs (Srf), has unveiled an eclectic 2021 line-up of new films by established directors and emerging talent at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (June 8).
Scroll down for the full selection
UK directors Barnard and Hogg were hotly tipped for Cannes 2020 until the main festival and parallel selections were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II will be among the 24 features world premiering in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, running July 7 to 17 this year.
The non-competitive Cannes parallel section, overseen by the French directors guild the Société des Réalisateurs (Srf), has unveiled an eclectic 2021 line-up of new films by established directors and emerging talent at a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (June 8).
Scroll down for the full selection
UK directors Barnard and Hogg were hotly tipped for Cannes 2020 until the main festival and parallel selections were cancelled due to the pandemic.
- 6/8/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
After canceling its last edition due to the pandemic, Directors’ Fortnight, a section running alongside the Cannes Film Festival, will be back with a stylish and eclectic international lineup, including Joanna Hogg’s highly anticipated “The Souvenir Part II,” Clio Barnard’s “Ali & Ava,” Jonas Carpignano’s “A Chiara,” Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman’s Rwanda-set sci-fi film “Neptune Frost,” and Alice Rohrwacher, Pietro Marcello and Francesco Munzi’s “Futura.”
The highlight of this edition will likely be the world premiere of “The Souvenir Part II,” which will mark the first presence of Hogg, an acclaimed British writer-director, at Cannes. The romance-drama is headlined by Tilda Swinton — who will also be in Cannes for “The French Dispatch” and “Memoria” competing in the festival’s Official Selection — as well as Richard Ayoade, Charlie Heaton and Harris Dickinson. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the film revolves around a student who begins to...
The highlight of this edition will likely be the world premiere of “The Souvenir Part II,” which will mark the first presence of Hogg, an acclaimed British writer-director, at Cannes. The romance-drama is headlined by Tilda Swinton — who will also be in Cannes for “The French Dispatch” and “Memoria” competing in the festival’s Official Selection — as well as Richard Ayoade, Charlie Heaton and Harris Dickinson. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the film revolves around a student who begins to...
- 6/8/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Virtual edition of the festival drew 3,000 accredited pass-holders from 45 countries.
Derek Tsang’s China-set youth drama Better Days won the top prize, the Golden Mulberry, at the conclusion of Italy’s Far East Film Festival (Feff) in Udine, which took place as a virtual event (June 26-July 4).
The film, which also won eight prizes including best film at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, also won Feff’s Black Mulberry Award, selected by Shogun pass-holders.
Feff’s Silver Mulberry went to Malaysian director Layla Ji’s debut film Victim(s), while the Crystal Mulberry went to Taiwanese filmmaker Liao Ming-yi’s I-Weirdo,...
Derek Tsang’s China-set youth drama Better Days won the top prize, the Golden Mulberry, at the conclusion of Italy’s Far East Film Festival (Feff) in Udine, which took place as a virtual event (June 26-July 4).
The film, which also won eight prizes including best film at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, also won Feff’s Black Mulberry Award, selected by Shogun pass-holders.
Feff’s Silver Mulberry went to Malaysian director Layla Ji’s debut film Victim(s), while the Crystal Mulberry went to Taiwanese filmmaker Liao Ming-yi’s I-Weirdo,...
- 7/6/2020
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Fresh sales acquisitions include Karim Aïnouz’s Algerian revolution documentary Nardjes A.
Paris-based arthouse sales outfit Mpm Premium is widening the scope of its slate with the arrival of a new sales team and the launch of a specialist auteur label, bannered New Visions.
The move follows the recent appointment of Quentin Worthington as head of sales and acquisitions and Natsuki Lambert as head of festivals.
Mpm Premium was co-founded in 2018 by Marie-Pierre Macia and Claire Gadéa at production company Mpm Film and Jean-Charles Mille at shorts-focused agency Premium Films to pool their international sales efforts around feature films.
Up...
Paris-based arthouse sales outfit Mpm Premium is widening the scope of its slate with the arrival of a new sales team and the launch of a specialist auteur label, bannered New Visions.
The move follows the recent appointment of Quentin Worthington as head of sales and acquisitions and Natsuki Lambert as head of festivals.
Mpm Premium was co-founded in 2018 by Marie-Pierre Macia and Claire Gadéa at production company Mpm Film and Jean-Charles Mille at shorts-focused agency Premium Films to pool their international sales efforts around feature films.
Up...
- 2/6/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The Cairo Film Festival’s Industry Days wrapped Tuesday on a high note, with several Arabic film projects emerging as standouts of its co-production platform.
The informal market component of the rebooted Cairo fest entailed five days of networking, deal-making, and mentoring, and had a greater focus on TV. Attending were such high-level execs as Agc Studios topper Stuart Ford, AMC Networks’ VP of productions Kristin Jones, and Netflix director of international originals Ahmed Sharkawi. There was also a clutch of CAA agents, plenty of European buyers, and producers and financiers from India and China.
They came to mingle with the Middle East industry at a time when the region’s market is increasingly perceived as having potential that can be unlocked despite turbulence in territories such as Lebanon, an Arabic film industry hotbed, where banks have currently blocked money transfers outside the country until unrest subsides.
“We are just...
The informal market component of the rebooted Cairo fest entailed five days of networking, deal-making, and mentoring, and had a greater focus on TV. Attending were such high-level execs as Agc Studios topper Stuart Ford, AMC Networks’ VP of productions Kristin Jones, and Netflix director of international originals Ahmed Sharkawi. There was also a clutch of CAA agents, plenty of European buyers, and producers and financiers from India and China.
They came to mingle with the Middle East industry at a time when the region’s market is increasingly perceived as having potential that can be unlocked despite turbulence in territories such as Lebanon, an Arabic film industry hotbed, where banks have currently blocked money transfers outside the country until unrest subsides.
“We are just...
- 11/27/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Cairo co-production platform metes out $200,000 worth of prizes.
Lebanese director Karim Rahbani has won a place at the Rotterdam Lab next January after his feature project Shameem clinched one of the top prizes at the Cairo Film Connection (Cfc).
The co-production platform, running November 24-26 within the framework of the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff), awarded 16 prizes worth a combined $200,000.
Shameem revolves around a young Bangladeshi man who travels to Lebanon to work in an industrial laundry.
It will be Rahbani’s debut feature after award-winning shorts Why Thy Spirit and Cargo.
It received the Arab Cinema Center award offering the film’s producer,...
Lebanese director Karim Rahbani has won a place at the Rotterdam Lab next January after his feature project Shameem clinched one of the top prizes at the Cairo Film Connection (Cfc).
The co-production platform, running November 24-26 within the framework of the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff), awarded 16 prizes worth a combined $200,000.
Shameem revolves around a young Bangladeshi man who travels to Lebanon to work in an industrial laundry.
It will be Rahbani’s debut feature after award-winning shorts Why Thy Spirit and Cargo.
It received the Arab Cinema Center award offering the film’s producer,...
- 11/27/2019
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
It is Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy’s second year at the helm.
The Cairo International Film Festival opens Wednesday evening (November 20) with the Middle East and North Africa premiere of Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, one week ahead of its global release on Netflix.
The mobster drama is among 150 films due to screen at the festival across 11 sections, including the International Competition, the Horizons of Arab Cinema and Focus on Mexico.
UK director Terry Gilliam attended the glitzy opening ceremony to receive the festival’s Faten Hamama Excellence Award for his lifetime contribution to the cinematic arts.
Other honourees included Egyptian director Sherif Arafa,...
The Cairo International Film Festival opens Wednesday evening (November 20) with the Middle East and North Africa premiere of Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, one week ahead of its global release on Netflix.
The mobster drama is among 150 films due to screen at the festival across 11 sections, including the International Competition, the Horizons of Arab Cinema and Focus on Mexico.
UK director Terry Gilliam attended the glitzy opening ceremony to receive the festival’s Faten Hamama Excellence Award for his lifetime contribution to the cinematic arts.
Other honourees included Egyptian director Sherif Arafa,...
- 11/20/2019
- by 1100380¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Vr is shaping up to be a combination of cinema, theatre and gaming, says the director of the UAE’s first Vr narrative short Flash.
Virtual reality (Vr) is shaping up to be a combination of cinema, theatre and gaming, according to Hassan Kiyany, Vr filmmaker and programmer of Diff sidebar DIFFerent Reality, which kicks off today (Dec 8).
“It definitely requires a different way of thinking – it looks like in the future it will add elements of live theatre and gaming to the cinematic experience,” said Kiyany, whose Vr work Flash is also screening in DIFFerent Reality. “Even now, people who have made Vr films say the experience is closer to directing theatre than traditional filmmaking.
Kiyany worked with Diff to select ten Vr works from all over the world to screen in DIFFerent Reality. The line-up includes Indian director Faiza Ahmad Khan’s When All Land Is Lost, about the polluted land of Korba; Italian director...
Virtual reality (Vr) is shaping up to be a combination of cinema, theatre and gaming, according to Hassan Kiyany, Vr filmmaker and programmer of Diff sidebar DIFFerent Reality, which kicks off today (Dec 8).
“It definitely requires a different way of thinking – it looks like in the future it will add elements of live theatre and gaming to the cinematic experience,” said Kiyany, whose Vr work Flash is also screening in DIFFerent Reality. “Even now, people who have made Vr films say the experience is closer to directing theatre than traditional filmmaking.
Kiyany worked with Diff to select ten Vr works from all over the world to screen in DIFFerent Reality. The line-up includes Indian director Faiza Ahmad Khan’s When All Land Is Lost, about the polluted land of Korba; Italian director...
- 12/8/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar won best film in the Muhr Arab feature competition at this year’s Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), while Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo won best film in the Muhr AsiaAfrica section.
Abu-Assad also won best director in the Arab feature section, while Yasmine Raees won best actress for Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl. Best actor went to Hassan Badida for Moroccan filmmaker Hicham Lasri’s They Are The Dogs, which also picked up the Special Jury Prize.
Special Mentions went to Mohamed Amin Benamraoui for Adios Carmen and to Moroccan actress Raouia for her roles in Rock The Casbah and Pillow Secrets.
Ilo Ilo was also a multiple prize-winner, adding to an already weighty awards stash, by taking best actress for Yeo Yann Yann’s performance. Best actor in the AsiaAfrica section went to Irrfan Khan for his role in Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, which also won...
Abu-Assad also won best director in the Arab feature section, while Yasmine Raees won best actress for Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl. Best actor went to Hassan Badida for Moroccan filmmaker Hicham Lasri’s They Are The Dogs, which also picked up the Special Jury Prize.
Special Mentions went to Mohamed Amin Benamraoui for Adios Carmen and to Moroccan actress Raouia for her roles in Rock The Casbah and Pillow Secrets.
Ilo Ilo was also a multiple prize-winner, adding to an already weighty awards stash, by taking best actress for Yeo Yann Yann’s performance. Best actor in the AsiaAfrica section went to Irrfan Khan for his role in Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, which also won...
- 12/13/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Sandeep Ray won best director award for his short Shirno Bahu (Thin Arms)
Irrfan Khan won best actor award for his role in Ritesh Batra’s “The Lunchbox”. The film also won the writer-director a special mention for screenplay in the Muhr Asia Africa category. The jury was headed by Shekhar Kapoor.
Sandeep Ray’s short film “Shirno Bahu” (Thin Arms) won him the best director award in the Muhr Asia Africa shorts category.
“Shirno Bahu” tells the story of an octogenarian woman who undergoes treatment for a debilitating medical condition. The 10 minute film is in Bengali language.
Actor-producer Sanjay Suri was a part of Arab competition jury.
“The Lunchbox” also won two Asia Pacific Screen Awards recently.
Full list of awards at Dubai International Film Festival:
Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature:
Special Mention: Souleymane Démé for his role in Grigris(France, Chad)
Special Mention: Ritesh Batra for the screenplay of The Lunchbox...
Irrfan Khan won best actor award for his role in Ritesh Batra’s “The Lunchbox”. The film also won the writer-director a special mention for screenplay in the Muhr Asia Africa category. The jury was headed by Shekhar Kapoor.
Sandeep Ray’s short film “Shirno Bahu” (Thin Arms) won him the best director award in the Muhr Asia Africa shorts category.
“Shirno Bahu” tells the story of an octogenarian woman who undergoes treatment for a debilitating medical condition. The 10 minute film is in Bengali language.
Actor-producer Sanjay Suri was a part of Arab competition jury.
“The Lunchbox” also won two Asia Pacific Screen Awards recently.
Full list of awards at Dubai International Film Festival:
Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature:
Special Mention: Souleymane Démé for his role in Grigris(France, Chad)
Special Mention: Ritesh Batra for the screenplay of The Lunchbox...
- 12/13/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
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