Ever since seeing his stellar performance in Philippe Lesage’s Genesis, it’s been great to see Théodore Pellerin expand his resume with films by Eliza Hittman and Ari Aster. One of his most acclaimed films yet has now arrived with Sophie Dupuis’ Solo, which premiered at TIFF last fall while also picking up the award for Best Canadian Feature Film. Picked up by Music Box Films, it’ll now arrive in New York at IFC Center on May 24 and in Los Angeles at Laemmle Glendale on May 31. Ahead of the release, the new U.S. trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “Simon (Théodore Pellerin) is a rising star in Montreal’s drag scene performing lively disco pop numbers weekly at his local club. Friendly with his fellow drag queens and supported by his sister, who delights in designing increasingly elaborate and beautiful costumes for his act, Simon vibrates...
Here’s the synopsis: “Simon (Théodore Pellerin) is a rising star in Montreal’s drag scene performing lively disco pop numbers weekly at his local club. Friendly with his fellow drag queens and supported by his sister, who delights in designing increasingly elaborate and beautiful costumes for his act, Simon vibrates...
- 4/16/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Alex Russell, whose writing credits include FX’s “Dave” and “The Bear” and Netflix’s “Beef,” is making his directorial debut with the upcoming thriller “Lurker,” starring and Théodore Pellerin (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”) and Archie Madekwe (“Saltburn”).
Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox round out the cast of “Lurker,” which follows a retail employee (Pellerin) who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom (Madekwe). As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.
WME Independent will represent worldwide sales for the film, which begins shooting this spring.
Pellerin’s credits include Philippe Lesage’s “Genesis,” Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” and Joel Edgerton’s “Boy Erased.”
Last year Madekwe starred as Farleigh Start in Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” and as Jann Mardenborough in Sony’s “Gran Turismo.” His...
Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox round out the cast of “Lurker,” which follows a retail employee (Pellerin) who infiltrates the inner circle of an artist on the verge of stardom (Madekwe). As he gets closer to the budding music star, access and proximity become a matter of life and death.
WME Independent will represent worldwide sales for the film, which begins shooting this spring.
Pellerin’s credits include Philippe Lesage’s “Genesis,” Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” and Joel Edgerton’s “Boy Erased.”
Last year Madekwe starred as Farleigh Start in Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” and as Jann Mardenborough in Sony’s “Gran Turismo.” His...
- 3/25/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
As a general movie rule, when a group of happy weekenders head to a woodland cottage for a bit of rest and relaxation, the great outdoors has some grisly surprises in store for them. In “Who By Fire,” however, the horrors all come from inside the house — or more specifically from the people themselves, many of whose worst impulses and insecurities are unleashed by their tranquil surroundings. Dramatizing a curious case of cabin fever with keen human observation and patient wrangling of intangible dread, the third narrative feature from Quebecois director Philippe Lesage underlines his ability to carve a semblance of a horror movie from everyday domestic drama — confirming him as a filmmaker of considerable grace and daring.
It’s been six years since Lesage’s last film, “Genesis” — a long wait for his admirers, a select club still largely confined to the festival circuit, notwithstanding the polish and rigor of the director’s work.
It’s been six years since Lesage’s last film, “Genesis” — a long wait for his admirers, a select club still largely confined to the festival circuit, notwithstanding the polish and rigor of the director’s work.
- 3/25/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Into the Woods: Lesage Explores Wounded Masculinities
In Vincent Sherman’s 1943 Bette Davis-led melodrama Old Acquaintance, the complex relationship between a pair of female frenemies becomes increasingly complicated throughout their lifetime. Resignedly, they rely on a metaphorical phrase to explain their relationship – “There’s always what’s left of the icing.” The same wistful sentiment cannot be said for the troubled relationship between two men in Philippe Lesage’s latest agonizing, unpredictable melodrama Who by Fire, which focuses on a pair of artists whose notable professional relationship dissolved years ago, now reuniting at a log cabin along with a handful of related guests.…...
In Vincent Sherman’s 1943 Bette Davis-led melodrama Old Acquaintance, the complex relationship between a pair of female frenemies becomes increasingly complicated throughout their lifetime. Resignedly, they rely on a metaphorical phrase to explain their relationship – “There’s always what’s left of the icing.” The same wistful sentiment cannot be said for the troubled relationship between two men in Philippe Lesage’s latest agonizing, unpredictable melodrama Who by Fire, which focuses on a pair of artists whose notable professional relationship dissolved years ago, now reuniting at a log cabin along with a handful of related guests.…...
- 2/29/2024
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
It’s been almost a decade now that French-Canadian director Philippe Lesage’s intense, intricate dramas have been premiering in top festivals and receiving rave reviews from critics. And yet he unfortunately remains more or less unknown to general arthouse audiences.
Lesage began his career shooting documentaries, including the 2010 hospital chronicle The Heart That Beats, then made his first fictional feature, The Demons, in 2015, following it up in 2018 with Genesis. Both movies were coming-of-age stories — or more like cruel stories of youth, to cite the Nagisa Oshima film — helmed with laser-sharp precision and backed by formidable turns from a young cast. Fine-tuned and freewheeling at the same time, his narratives keep bubbling up until they boil over, in explosive sequences where the characters let it all out or start bellowing pop songs at will.
He’s a gifted and original filmmaker who should be getting more attention — which is why...
Lesage began his career shooting documentaries, including the 2010 hospital chronicle The Heart That Beats, then made his first fictional feature, The Demons, in 2015, following it up in 2018 with Genesis. Both movies were coming-of-age stories — or more like cruel stories of youth, to cite the Nagisa Oshima film — helmed with laser-sharp precision and backed by formidable turns from a young cast. Fine-tuned and freewheeling at the same time, his narratives keep bubbling up until they boil over, in explosive sequences where the characters let it all out or start bellowing pop songs at will.
He’s a gifted and original filmmaker who should be getting more attention — which is why...
- 2/27/2024
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You’d expect the pivotal music cue in Philippe Lesage’s Who by Fire to be its namesake by Leonard Cohen, a beautiful and plaintive prayer of a song. But instead it’s The B-52s’ infectious slice of bubblegum “Rock Lobster,” initially seeded through a dialogue reference, then heard fully in an eccentric sequence I won’t further detail. The funny, noteworthy quirk of “Rock Lobster,” though, is its structurally well-earned length of just under seven minutes. Who by Fire, running 161 minutes itself, also seems to be up to something, committing to that runtime as such a contained, semi-domestic drama: a provocation through duration.
A rising Québécois filmmaker making his second coproduction with France, Lesage thus far in his career has tinkered around the edges of familiar genres and subject matter, embedding these into his personal sensibility if never quite reinventing them. The camera styles of his two prior...
A rising Québécois filmmaker making his second coproduction with France, Lesage thus far in his career has tinkered around the edges of familiar genres and subject matter, embedding these into his personal sensibility if never quite reinventing them. The camera styles of his two prior...
- 2/26/2024
- by David Katz
- The Film Stage
Generation, the Berlin Film Festival sidebar for children and youth films, has announced this year’s winners unveiling the picks from both the Generation 14plus (for teen and older viewers) and the youth jury for the Generation Kplus (kids and tweens) sections.
Sasha Nathwani’s coming-of-age drama Last Swim, about an Iranian-British teen confronting a major life decision, took the Crystal Bear for best film in the Generation 14plus section, with Kim Hye-young’s It’s Okay!, about an orphaned young dancer, winning the top prize for Generation Kplus. Both prizes were awarded by youth juries of young filmgoers.
In its statement, the 14plus jury called Last Swim “a story about the beauty of life and of things coming to an end. It is a film that does not shy away from portraying the messy and consuming feelings that can arise when you know your dreams may not be fulfilled. However,...
Sasha Nathwani’s coming-of-age drama Last Swim, about an Iranian-British teen confronting a major life decision, took the Crystal Bear for best film in the Generation 14plus section, with Kim Hye-young’s It’s Okay!, about an orphaned young dancer, winning the top prize for Generation Kplus. Both prizes were awarded by youth juries of young filmgoers.
In its statement, the 14plus jury called Last Swim “a story about the beauty of life and of things coming to an end. It is a film that does not shy away from portraying the messy and consuming feelings that can arise when you know your dreams may not be fulfilled. However,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ukrainian drama project Screaming Girl has scooped the top prize at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
The feature won the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, which went to Kyiv-based producers Forefilms.
Director Antonio Lukich is known for comedy-drama Luxembourg, Luxembourg, which screened in the Horizons strand of the Venice Film Festival in 2022. His debut was My Thoughts Are Silent, which won a special jury prize at Karlovy Vary in 2019.
Screaming Girl centres on a girl who, after the invasion of Ukraine, finds herself in Ireland and pursues her dream of becoming an actress. However, she begins to experience strange and fantastical events that disrupt her life,...
The feature won the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, which went to Kyiv-based producers Forefilms.
Director Antonio Lukich is known for comedy-drama Luxembourg, Luxembourg, which screened in the Horizons strand of the Venice Film Festival in 2022. His debut was My Thoughts Are Silent, which won a special jury prize at Karlovy Vary in 2019.
Screaming Girl centres on a girl who, after the invasion of Ukraine, finds herself in Ireland and pursues her dream of becoming an actress. However, she begins to experience strange and fantastical events that disrupt her life,...
- 2/19/2024
- ScreenDaily
A Different Man.The Berlinale have begun to announce the first few titles selected for the 74th edition of their festival, set to take place from February 15 through 21, 2024. This page will be updated as further sections are announced.COMPETITIONAnother End (Piero Messina)Architecton (Victor Kossakovsky)Black Tea (Abderrahmane Sissako)La Cocina (Alonso Ruiz Palacios) Dahomey (Mati Diop)A Different Man (Aaron Schimberg)The Empire (Bruno Dumont)Gloria! (Margherita Vicario)Suspended Time (Olivier Assayas)From Hilde, With Love (Andreas Dresen)My Favourite CakeLangue Etrangère (Claire Berger)Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants)Who Do I Belong To (Meryam Joobeur)Pepe (Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias)Shambhala (Min Bahadur Bham)Sterben (Matthias Glasner)Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants)A Traveler’s Needs (Hong Sang-soo)Sleep With Your Eyes Open. ENCOUNTERSArcadia (Yorgos Zois)Cidade; Campo (Juliana Rojas)Demba (Mamadou Dia)Direct ActionSleep With Your Eyes Open (Nele Wohlatz)The Fable (Raam Reddy...
- 1/23/2024
- MUBI
Berlinale topper Carlo Chatrian is slowly unveiling titles for his final line-up and this morning we’ve got some stocking stuffers with the first batch of titles from the Berlinale Special, Generation and Forum Expanded sections. Among the headliners, we have the world premiere screenings for Julia von Heinz‘s Treasure and Tilman Singer‘s Cuckoo) while Johan Renck’s Spaceman (which Netflix dropped the assets for yesterday) will be showcased will also launch here. Another noteworthy Sundance-Berlin title is Zellner brothers with Sasquatch Sunset which features Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg. Among our most anticipated films for ’24, Philippe Lesage‘s Comme le feu will launch from the Generation section.…...
- 12/20/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
New films featuring Carey Mulligan, Adam Sandler, Amanda Seyfried, Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough are among 2024 Berlinale Specials lineup, the out-of-competition gala presentations at next year’s Berlin International Film Festival.
Spaceman, a Netflix sci-fi drama from Chernobyl director Johan Renck, starring Sandler, Mulligan, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella Rossellini and Paul Dano, will have its world premiere in the Berlinale Special gala sidebar. Sasquatch Sunset, an adventure comedy from the Zellner brothers which stars Keough, Eisenberg, Nathan Zellner, and Christophe Zajac-Denek, will screen in Berlin after its Sundance debut. Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils, which had its world premiere in Toronto, and stars Seyfried alongside Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Ambur Braid, and Michael Kupfer-Radecky, will also have its international premiere in the Berlinale Specials gala section.
Treasure (aka Iron Box), the 90-set English-language feature from German director Julia von Heinz (And Tomorrow The Entire World), which stars Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry...
Spaceman, a Netflix sci-fi drama from Chernobyl director Johan Renck, starring Sandler, Mulligan, Kunal Nayyar, Isabella Rossellini and Paul Dano, will have its world premiere in the Berlinale Special gala sidebar. Sasquatch Sunset, an adventure comedy from the Zellner brothers which stars Keough, Eisenberg, Nathan Zellner, and Christophe Zajac-Denek, will screen in Berlin after its Sundance debut. Atom Egoyan’s Seven Veils, which had its world premiere in Toronto, and stars Seyfried alongside Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Ambur Braid, and Michael Kupfer-Radecky, will also have its international premiere in the Berlinale Specials gala section.
Treasure (aka Iron Box), the 90-set English-language feature from German director Julia von Heinz (And Tomorrow The Entire World), which stars Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry...
- 12/20/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The highest-ranked Canadian filmmaker on this year’s list moved into production on his fourth feature film back in August of last year. After 2015’s Les démons, 2016’s Copenhague – A Love Story and the Locarno preemed Genèse (2018), Philippe Lesage moves into (and returns) to the woods just outside Montreal with what is another young adult-orientated narrative but in a maze that includes the power dynamics of adults and where masculinity might take on an uppercut. Sometimes you should not meet your idols. Formerly titled “Un grand homme,” this Canadian-France production mixes recognizable players from both sides of the Atlantic and Olla (check out our interview) and 2022 Critics’ Week La jauría cinematographer Balthazar Lab is onboard here.…...
- 1/17/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Crimson Gold (Jafar Panahi)
Following his early days of being an assistant for Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi’s career soon blossomed, leading to a few collaborations between the two monumental figures of Iranian cinemas––one of which, Crimson Gold, is now available on The Criterion Channel. The masterful 2003 character study, scripted by Kiarostami after he told the tenets of the story to Panahi while sitting in traffic, stars unprofessional actor Hossain Emadeddin in his sole performance. Following a pizza delivery driver who witnesses the sharp class divide and political terror playing out in his society, Kiarostami and Panahi brilliantly preview the brutal ending from the start as the pieces then cogently and subtly fall into place as to why a man would...
Crimson Gold (Jafar Panahi)
Following his early days of being an assistant for Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi’s career soon blossomed, leading to a few collaborations between the two monumental figures of Iranian cinemas––one of which, Crimson Gold, is now available on The Criterion Channel. The masterful 2003 character study, scripted by Kiarostami after he told the tenets of the story to Panahi while sitting in traffic, stars unprofessional actor Hossain Emadeddin in his sole performance. Following a pizza delivery driver who witnesses the sharp class divide and political terror playing out in his society, Kiarostami and Panahi brilliantly preview the brutal ending from the start as the pieces then cogently and subtly fall into place as to why a man would...
- 9/24/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The U.S. lineup for films coming to Mubi this September has been announced, featuring some of my personal favorites of the last few years, notably Philippe Lesage’s severely overlooked coming-of-age drama Genesis, John Gianvito’s Helen Keller documentary Her Socialist Smile, Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten’s formally thrilling Slow Machine, and Robert Greene’s documentary Bisbee ’17, as well as Jia Zhangke’s latest release Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue.
Also in the lineup is Bill Forsyth’s delightful Gregory’s Girl, Ari Folman’s hybrid feature The Congress, and Manoel de Oliveira’s Visit, or Memories and Confession, which was made in 1982, and only allowed to screen after his death.
See the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 | Yellow Cat | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Festival Focus: Venice
September 2 | Visit, or Memories and Confessions | Manoel de Oliveira | Rediscovered
September 3 | Slow Machine | Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten | Mubi Spotlight
September...
Also in the lineup is Bill Forsyth’s delightful Gregory’s Girl, Ari Folman’s hybrid feature The Congress, and Manoel de Oliveira’s Visit, or Memories and Confession, which was made in 1982, and only allowed to screen after his death.
See the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 | Yellow Cat | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Festival Focus: Venice
September 2 | Visit, or Memories and Confessions | Manoel de Oliveira | Rediscovered
September 3 | Slow Machine | Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten | Mubi Spotlight
September...
- 8/21/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A chilling, controlled pressure cooker of a film, Charlène Favier’s Slalom brings attentive nuance to a story of psychological and sexual abuse. Set amongst the slopes of the French alps, the Cannes-selected drama centers on Lyz Lopez (Noée Abita), a 15-year-old skiing prodigy whose life is more or less controlled by her callous instructor Fred (Jérémie Renier). With his predatory advances shrouded and twisted in the mutual desire for competitive success and filtered through the young girl’s initial intrigue, Favier expertly delves into the psychological prison that soon becomes her daily existence. Far from a one-note #MeToo message movie, Slalom brings a poignant sense of restraint with fleshed-out characters for a thoroughly unnerving experience.
Clearly Fred’s favorite student, Lyz becomes ostracized by her fellow pupils in this high-stakes training program, with no one wanting to date her much less befriend her. Leaving only room in her life for skiing,...
Clearly Fred’s favorite student, Lyz becomes ostracized by her fellow pupils in this high-stakes training program, with no one wanting to date her much less befriend her. Leaving only room in her life for skiing,...
- 4/8/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
New films from Pepa San Martín and Golden Bear winner Adina Pintilie among the line up.
The films selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 22-26) have been revealed and top 50% by female directors in the official project selection for the first time.
Scroll down for full list of titles
A total of 36 features from 34 countries will be showcased by producers seeking co-production partners through one-to-one meetings with distributors, financiers and sales agents.
For the official project selection, 21 projects with budgets ranging from €750,000 to €5m were selected from more than 300 submissions. With 11 projects by female directors, the proportion here has exceeded 50% for the first time.
The films selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market (February 22-26) have been revealed and top 50% by female directors in the official project selection for the first time.
Scroll down for full list of titles
A total of 36 features from 34 countries will be showcased by producers seeking co-production partners through one-to-one meetings with distributors, financiers and sales agents.
For the official project selection, 21 projects with budgets ranging from €750,000 to €5m were selected from more than 300 submissions. With 11 projects by female directors, the proportion here has exceeded 50% for the first time.
- 1/15/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Following our top 50 films of 2019, we’re sharing personal top 10 lists from our contributors. Check out the latest below and see our complete year-end coverage here.
The end of the decade has spurred reflection on what defined the last ten years in cinema as streaming wars commenced and the future of the theatrical experience was further questioned. It’s still too early to deduce such matters with any long-lasting clarity, so for now, I’ll take a look back at my perspective on the previous year in cinema.
Before we get to new films, my favorite few days inside a cinema in 2019 was at The Nitrate Picture Show at the George Eastman Museum and one can see my 100 favorite new-to-me films throughout the year. After the staggering first viewings of the sprawling masterpieces Berlin Alexanderplatz, Sátántangó, War and Peace, Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler, Les Vampires, and Celine and Julie Go Boating,...
The end of the decade has spurred reflection on what defined the last ten years in cinema as streaming wars commenced and the future of the theatrical experience was further questioned. It’s still too early to deduce such matters with any long-lasting clarity, so for now, I’ll take a look back at my perspective on the previous year in cinema.
Before we get to new films, my favorite few days inside a cinema in 2019 was at The Nitrate Picture Show at the George Eastman Museum and one can see my 100 favorite new-to-me films throughout the year. After the staggering first viewings of the sprawling masterpieces Berlin Alexanderplatz, Sátántangó, War and Peace, Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler, Les Vampires, and Celine and Julie Go Boating,...
- 1/5/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Sundance Film Festival favorite Eliza Hittman has been steadily crafting intimate, shot-on-film, coming-of-age stories for more than a decade. Her first feature, “A Lot Like Love,” stormed Park City in 2013, followed by 2017’s coming-out drama “Beach Rats” with Harris Dickinson. She’s since directed episodes of the HBO series “High Maintenance,” and for Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why.” Now, Hittman is finally coming back to the Sundance Film Festival with a new feature as writer/director, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always.” Focus Features will open the movie Friday, March 13, following its January 24 bow in Park City. Watch the first trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis: “The film is an intimate portrayal of two teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania. Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) embark across state lines to New York City on a fraught journey of friendship,...
Here’s the synopsis: “The film is an intimate portrayal of two teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania. Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) embark across state lines to New York City on a fraught journey of friendship,...
- 12/19/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Adam (Rhys Ernst)
There’s a specific kind of warm, crowd-pleasing aesthetic–often in the coming-of-age subgenre–that seems to find a home among the Sundance programming more so than any other festival. A few years ago, Sean Baker’s Tangerine heralded a major breakthrough for transgender representation in cinema and broke this mold in formally compelling ways. For better or worse, Adam has now arrived to fit more in the aforementioned lighthearted, simplistic, but ultimately empathetic dramedy conceit. – Jordan R. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes
Age Out (A.J. Edwards)
The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it...
Adam (Rhys Ernst)
There’s a specific kind of warm, crowd-pleasing aesthetic–often in the coming-of-age subgenre–that seems to find a home among the Sundance programming more so than any other festival. A few years ago, Sean Baker’s Tangerine heralded a major breakthrough for transgender representation in cinema and broke this mold in formally compelling ways. For better or worse, Adam has now arrived to fit more in the aforementioned lighthearted, simplistic, but ultimately empathetic dramedy conceit. – Jordan R. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes
Age Out (A.J. Edwards)
The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it...
- 11/22/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Valladolid, Spain – The Valladolid Intl. Film Festival (Seminci), the truest event dedicated to international arthouse cinema on Spain’s festival calendar, capped off eight days of screenings, press conferences and roundtables by handing out awards on Saturday evening at the Spanish city’s historic Calderon Theater. The evening’s big winners: Wang Quan’an’s “Öndög” and Karim Aïnouz’s “The Invisible Life.”
After premiering in competition at February’s Berlinale, Quan’an’s Mongolian dramedy “Öndög” has hit its stride eight months later scoring a best film award at last week’s Ghent Intl. Film Festival before repeating the feat at last night’s closing gala along with a best cinematography award for its Beijing-based French cinematographer Aymerick Pilarski.
Set on the seemingly endless planes of Mongolia, the film follows a rookie officer and a veteran shepard tasked with protecting a crime scene from harsh elements and harsher wolves.
After premiering in competition at February’s Berlinale, Quan’an’s Mongolian dramedy “Öndög” has hit its stride eight months later scoring a best film award at last week’s Ghent Intl. Film Festival before repeating the feat at last night’s closing gala along with a best cinematography award for its Beijing-based French cinematographer Aymerick Pilarski.
Set on the seemingly endless planes of Mongolia, the film follows a rookie officer and a veteran shepard tasked with protecting a crime scene from harsh elements and harsher wolves.
- 10/27/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
A thematic follow-up to his fiction debut The Demons (2015), Genèse is linked to Philippe Lesage’s earlier film in more ways than one – from a further exploration of the same generational themes, to the re-working of some crucial educational milestones and the role they play in shaping a person, to even a surprising appearance of some old characters. There’s a distinctive and original inter-filmography exchange between the two, which speaks volumes of the Montreal-based director’s supremely insightful and personal screenwriting after his documentary work earlier in his career.
Well-received in Locarno last summer, thanks to nuanced, convincing performances from young stars Théodore Pellerin and Noée Abita (here playing half-siblings undergoing parallel journeys of sentimental education), the award-winning film is wrapping up its festival-circuit tour with a stop in Rotterdam for Iffr, where I caught up with filmmaker to discuss teenagehood, the perils of love, and the genesis of his own storytelling style.
Well-received in Locarno last summer, thanks to nuanced, convincing performances from young stars Théodore Pellerin and Noée Abita (here playing half-siblings undergoing parallel journeys of sentimental education), the award-winning film is wrapping up its festival-circuit tour with a stop in Rotterdam for Iffr, where I caught up with filmmaker to discuss teenagehood, the perils of love, and the genesis of his own storytelling style.
- 8/23/2019
- by Tommaso Tocci
- IONCINEMA.com
Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of visionary filmmakers? With this month’s Ioncinephile we look back at the incredible twelve months that was for Philippe Lesage‘s third fiction feature, Genesis (Genèse). Selected as a Competition film at the 2018 Locarno Film Festival, the Film Movement release Genèse at Film at Lincoln Center on August 23rd. We asked Philippe to identify his top ten films of all time and he was up for the challenge. Here is a preamble from the filmmaker and his top ten films as of August 2019.…...
- 8/8/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Ioncinema.com’s Ioncinephile of the Month feature focuses on an emerging creator from the world of cinema. This month, we feature Canadian filmmaker Philippe Lesage who saw his third fiction film Genesis (Genèse) land a coveted competition slot at the 2018 edition of Locarno Film Festival and then taking the festival circuit by storm with 2019 showcases at Rotterdam (where we had the chance to interview the filmmaker) and more recently, New Directors/New Films. The Film Movement folks release Genèse at Film at Lincoln Center on August 23rd. Make sure to check out Part 2 of our profile – where Philippe Lesage shares his Top Ten Films of All Time list.…...
- 8/8/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
We’ve been singing the praises of Philippe Lesage’s stunning coming-of-age film Genesis since last fall, where Zhuo-Ning Su caught it at Hamburg Film Festival. The Canadian drama follows the lives of half-siblings Guillaume (Théodore Pellerin) and Charlotte (Noée Abita) as they traverse first love, desire, and danger. Both actors give genuine breakthrough performances, with Pellerin on the rise, starring in the next film from Eliza Hittman. Film Movement picked up the film for an August release and now a new trailer has arrived.
Zhuo-Ning Su said in his review, “In the grand scheme of things, teenage love affairs–together with all the raptures, jitters, devastations associated with them–probably don’t count that much. But then again probably everyone can relate to the sheer groundbreaking force of that first quickening of the heart, of that blinding rush of hormones that compels us to act with a recklessness that...
Zhuo-Ning Su said in his review, “In the grand scheme of things, teenage love affairs–together with all the raptures, jitters, devastations associated with them–probably don’t count that much. But then again probably everyone can relate to the sheer groundbreaking force of that first quickening of the heart, of that blinding rush of hormones that compels us to act with a recklessness that...
- 7/19/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
True to her previous pair of films and casting process, Eliza Hittman has once again unearthed first time acting talents for her third feature, Never Rarely Sometimes Always. In today’s surprise announcement (Deadline) we learn that newbies Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder (who play the young leads) will be surrounded be a supporting cast comprised of Théodore Pellerin (Philippe Lesage’s Genèse), Ryan Eggold, and Sharon Van Etten while Focus Features is onboard as a backer landing world rights to the drama. Producers Adele Romanski and Sara Murphy joined forces with Executive producers Rose Garnett for BBC Films, Tim Headington and Lia Buman for Tango Entertainment, Elika Portnoy and Alex Orlovsky for Mutressa Movies.…...
- 4/16/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Clément Cogitore’s “Braguino,” Meryem Benm’Barek’s (pictured) “Sofia” and Marie Losier’s “Cassandro the Exotico!” are among the 12 recent French movies which will play as part of the Young French Cinema Program organized by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S. and UniFrance.
“Braguino” is a documentary feature about two feuding families living isolated in the middle of the Siberian taiga. Cogitore’s last feature film “Neither Heaven Nor Earth” opened at Cannes’s Critics Week in 2015.
Set in Casablanca, “Sofia” follows a young woman who has 24 hours to provide the identification papers of her child’s father before the authorities are alerted that she broke the law by having a child out of wedlock. The film world premiered at Cannes’s Un Certain Regard and won best screenplay.
“Cassandro the Exotico!” follows the leader of a group of gender-bending, cross-dressing wrestlers known...
“Braguino” is a documentary feature about two feuding families living isolated in the middle of the Siberian taiga. Cogitore’s last feature film “Neither Heaven Nor Earth” opened at Cannes’s Critics Week in 2015.
Set in Casablanca, “Sofia” follows a young woman who has 24 hours to provide the identification papers of her child’s father before the authorities are alerted that she broke the law by having a child out of wedlock. The film world premiered at Cannes’s Un Certain Regard and won best screenplay.
“Cassandro the Exotico!” follows the leader of a group of gender-bending, cross-dressing wrestlers known...
- 12/19/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The Toronto Film Festival has revealed its annual list of top ten Canadian films. Compiled by Tiff’s team of programmers in collaboration with Canadian critics, the ‘Canada’s Top Ten’ list includes Tiff titles Freaks, which scored a significant deal with Well Go, and Giant Little Ones. Scroll down for the full list.
The feature list was curated by Cameron Bailey, Kerri Craddock, Steve Gravestock, Danis Goulet, Ming-Jenn Lim, and Kathleen Drumm, in collaboration with the Vancouver Film Critics Circle and the Association Québécoise des Critiques de Cinéma.
“Tiff is thrilled to present its uniquely Canadian list that offers a richness of voices, perspectives, and insights into adolescent identity,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of Tiff. “These films expertly examine heritage, family, the fragility of friendships, and the importance of challenging the current state of our world, and are testament to the fact that our Canadian filmmakers...
The feature list was curated by Cameron Bailey, Kerri Craddock, Steve Gravestock, Danis Goulet, Ming-Jenn Lim, and Kathleen Drumm, in collaboration with the Vancouver Film Critics Circle and the Association Québécoise des Critiques de Cinéma.
“Tiff is thrilled to present its uniquely Canadian list that offers a richness of voices, perspectives, and insights into adolescent identity,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director and Co-Head of Tiff. “These films expertly examine heritage, family, the fragility of friendships, and the importance of challenging the current state of our world, and are testament to the fact that our Canadian filmmakers...
- 12/5/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Spike Lee, Adam Driver collect tribute awards.
Andrés Kaiser’s Feral claimed the Cinemex – México Primero Award and several others at the seventh annual Los Cabos International Film Festival closing night gala ceremony at the weekend.
Spike Lee collected the Exceptional Contribution to Cinema History Tribute before presenting the Mexican premiere of BlacKkKlansman on Saturday (10), while one of the film’s stars Adam Driver received the Outstanding Work In Cinema from Terry Gilliam, who described him as “without a doubt, the best actor of his generation.”
Besides Feral’s triumph in the Cinemex – México Primero Award, the Los Cabos Competition...
Andrés Kaiser’s Feral claimed the Cinemex – México Primero Award and several others at the seventh annual Los Cabos International Film Festival closing night gala ceremony at the weekend.
Spike Lee collected the Exceptional Contribution to Cinema History Tribute before presenting the Mexican premiere of BlacKkKlansman on Saturday (10), while one of the film’s stars Adam Driver received the Outstanding Work In Cinema from Terry Gilliam, who described him as “without a doubt, the best actor of his generation.”
Besides Feral’s triumph in the Cinemex – México Primero Award, the Los Cabos Competition...
- 11/11/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Los Cabos, Mexico — Adding to its burgeoning best picture trophies, “Genesis,” the consecration of Quebec’s Philippe Lesage, won Los Cabos Competition Award Saturday night.
“Genesis” scored at a busy Los Cabos Intl. Film Festival, given star gravitas by Spike Lee, Adam Driver and Terry Gilliam and whose hard-driving industry news flow, especially from the robust young Mexican industry belied Los Cabos initial positioning as a post-afm chill out.
Following on Lesage’s debut, “The Demons,” “Genesis” marks “Another rewardingly complex reflection on the emotional trials of youth,” Variety announced in its Locarno review. Superbly acted by Théodore Pellerin and Noe Abita, the chronicle of an ebullient brother and sister’s suffering from machista disdain and aggression was always a frontrunner at Los Cabos.
Otherwise, the other big competition winner – and doing its foreign-language Oscar nomination credentials no harm at all – was Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra’s Colombian thriller...
“Genesis” scored at a busy Los Cabos Intl. Film Festival, given star gravitas by Spike Lee, Adam Driver and Terry Gilliam and whose hard-driving industry news flow, especially from the robust young Mexican industry belied Los Cabos initial positioning as a post-afm chill out.
Following on Lesage’s debut, “The Demons,” “Genesis” marks “Another rewardingly complex reflection on the emotional trials of youth,” Variety announced in its Locarno review. Superbly acted by Théodore Pellerin and Noe Abita, the chronicle of an ebullient brother and sister’s suffering from machista disdain and aggression was always a frontrunner at Los Cabos.
Otherwise, the other big competition winner – and doing its foreign-language Oscar nomination credentials no harm at all – was Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra’s Colombian thriller...
- 11/11/2018
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Before Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” – the acclaimed period-piece centering on the rivalry of two female courtiers, vying for the attention of England’s queen – closes the Stockholm Intl. Film Festival on Nov. 18, the event will have offered its audience 150 films, 39% of which are directed by women, a higher percentage than most international festivals.
The festival opens on Nov. 7 with the world premiere of Anna Odell’s “X&Y,” a film that playfully explores notions of gender identity. It is highly anticipated after the success of the director’s debut, “The Reunion,” which won the Fipresci Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and the best film and script awards at the Guldbagges, Sweden’s top movie contest.
“X&Y” is one of 22 titles competing for the Bronze Horse, the fest’s top prize, restricted to directors with no more than three films. Ten of these are helmed by women, among which are Nadine Labaki’s “Capernaum,...
The festival opens on Nov. 7 with the world premiere of Anna Odell’s “X&Y,” a film that playfully explores notions of gender identity. It is highly anticipated after the success of the director’s debut, “The Reunion,” which won the Fipresci Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and the best film and script awards at the Guldbagges, Sweden’s top movie contest.
“X&Y” is one of 22 titles competing for the Bronze Horse, the fest’s top prize, restricted to directors with no more than three films. Ten of these are helmed by women, among which are Nadine Labaki’s “Capernaum,...
- 10/29/2018
- by Jon Asp
- Variety Film + TV
Honorees to include Asghar Farhadi, Mary Harron and Gunnell Lindblom.
The Stockholm International Film Festival has revealed its 2018 programme, with the festival kicking off Nov 7 with the anticipated world premiere of Anna Odell’s X&Y, in competition.
Odell, the Swedish artist and filmmaker who last directed 2013’s award-winning The Reunion, returns starring as a fictionalized version of herself, collaborating with the celebrated actor Mikael Persbrandt to deconstruct themselves. The cast also features Trine Dyrholm, Sofie Gråbøl, Vera Vitali, Shanti Roney, Jens Albinus and Thure Lindhardt. New Europe handles sales.
Stockholm will close Nov 18 with The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, from the Open Zone section.
The Stockholm International Film Festival has revealed its 2018 programme, with the festival kicking off Nov 7 with the anticipated world premiere of Anna Odell’s X&Y, in competition.
Odell, the Swedish artist and filmmaker who last directed 2013’s award-winning The Reunion, returns starring as a fictionalized version of herself, collaborating with the celebrated actor Mikael Persbrandt to deconstruct themselves. The cast also features Trine Dyrholm, Sofie Gråbøl, Vera Vitali, Shanti Roney, Jens Albinus and Thure Lindhardt. New Europe handles sales.
Stockholm will close Nov 18 with The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, from the Open Zone section.
- 10/16/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
In the grand scheme of things, teenage love affairs–together with all the raptures, jitters, devastations associated with them–probably don’t count that much. But then again probably everyone can relate to the sheer groundbreaking force of that first quickening of the heart, of that blinding rush of hormones that compels us to act with a recklessness that we’ll later learn to forever suppress. Quebecois filmmaker Philippe Lesage’s Genesis is an ode to that time in our lives when we still paid more attention to impulses than consequences. Trifling perhaps in terms of subject matter and scope, but it absolutely mesmerizes.
Set sometime during the flip-phone era, the movie centers on stepsiblings Guillaume (Théodore Pellerin), the prodigious, wisecracking class clown at an all-boys Canadian boarding school, and Charlotte (Noée Abita), a fresh-faced high-school graduate who seems not to have figured out her next step yet.
When we...
Set sometime during the flip-phone era, the movie centers on stepsiblings Guillaume (Théodore Pellerin), the prodigious, wisecracking class clown at an all-boys Canadian boarding school, and Charlotte (Noée Abita), a fresh-faced high-school graduate who seems not to have figured out her next step yet.
When we...
- 10/5/2018
- by Zhuo-Ning Su
- The Film Stage
Lars von Trier’s The House That Jack Built will open event.
Cph Pix’s 10th edition will open with Lars von Trier in the house to present The House That Jack Built and will close with Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma: it will mark the Netflix project’s only planned theatrical screening in Denmark.
The 10th edition of the festival runs Sept 27 to Oct 10, presenting 191 features including 19 new Danish films. The Buster schools and family programme will show 44 of those features, such as I Kill Giants and The Breadwinner.
Festival hits set to screen include Cold War, Shoplifters, Capernaum, Touch Me Not,...
Cph Pix’s 10th edition will open with Lars von Trier in the house to present The House That Jack Built and will close with Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma: it will mark the Netflix project’s only planned theatrical screening in Denmark.
The 10th edition of the festival runs Sept 27 to Oct 10, presenting 191 features including 19 new Danish films. The Buster schools and family programme will show 44 of those features, such as I Kill Giants and The Breadwinner.
Festival hits set to screen include Cold War, Shoplifters, Capernaum, Touch Me Not,...
- 9/7/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
When you first fall in love, everything else around you seems to melt away and pretty much nothing or no one else seems to exist. In the French-Canadian film Genesis (Genese), about adolescent love, director Philippe Lesage weaves this idea of full-on immediacy and a very blinkered view into the fabric of his storytelling, delivering a film that feels intensely alive and in the moment.
Even though the movie barely provides any backstory or other details, the characters’ emotions are always immediately accessible in this vivid depiction of the all-consuming nature of nascent amour, as well as the pain, heartbreak ...
Even though the movie barely provides any backstory or other details, the characters’ emotions are always immediately accessible in this vivid depiction of the all-consuming nature of nascent amour, as well as the pain, heartbreak ...
- 8/28/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
When you first fall in love, everything else around you seems to melt away and pretty much nothing or no one else seems to exist. In the French-Canadian film Genesis (Genese), about adolescent love, director Philippe Lesage weaves this idea of full-on immediacy and a very blinkered view into the fabric of his storytelling, delivering a film that feels intensely alive and in the moment.
Even though the movie barely provides any backstory or other details, the characters’ emotions are always immediately accessible in this vivid depiction of the all-consuming nature of nascent amour, as well as the pain, heartbreak ...
Even though the movie barely provides any backstory or other details, the characters’ emotions are always immediately accessible in this vivid depiction of the all-consuming nature of nascent amour, as well as the pain, heartbreak ...
- 8/28/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Québécois filmmaker Philippe Lesage quietly made one of the decade’s great narrative debuts with 2015’s “The Demons,” and distributors largely slept on it: A poised, perceptive study of childhood terrors both real and imagined, it made some waves on the festival circuit, but its discomfiting subject matter and stark structural breaks most likely held it back from the exposure it deserved. Undaunted, Lesage has doubled down on that film’s most challenging virtues to extraordinary effect in “Genesis,” a more diffuse but intricately emotive follow-up that extends the autobiographical focus of his debut into a yearning, bruising vision of unpracticed adolescent desire.
Though it’s partially an oblique sequel to “The Demons,” resuming its portrait of Lesage’s young alter ego Felix (Édouard Tremblay-Grenier) in the latter stretch of its luxuriant running time, the bulk of “Genesis” — a freestanding work, albeit enhanced by knowledge of its predecessor — is concerned with the respectively thorny,...
Though it’s partially an oblique sequel to “The Demons,” resuming its portrait of Lesage’s young alter ego Felix (Édouard Tremblay-Grenier) in the latter stretch of its luxuriant running time, the bulk of “Genesis” — a freestanding work, albeit enhanced by knowledge of its predecessor — is concerned with the respectively thorny,...
- 8/8/2018
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Locarno, Switzerland — Brit Richard Billingham’s “Ray & Liz,” “A Family Tour,” from Chinese exile Ying Liang, Chilean Dominga Sotomayor’s “Too Late to Die Young” made some of the very early running in main competition at the 71st Locarno Festival, which saw a slew of negotiations kick off, and some deals go down, at its packed Industry Days which wrapped Monday.
The films world premiered at Europe’s biggest mid-summer film meet as Meg Ryan, Antoine Fuqua, Ethan Hawke and France’s Bruno Dumont rolled into town. Ryan talked of her new career as a director, producer, announcing a new project, half-hour comedy “The Obsolescents”: Fuqua, at Locarno for “The Equaliser 2,” talked intelligently about how to empower black filmmakers in Hollywood; Hawke, here to present “Blaze,” will receive the 2018 Excellence Award; Dumont, world premiering feature/series “Coincoin and the Extra Humans,” maybe the best received of Piazza Grande offerings to date,...
The films world premiered at Europe’s biggest mid-summer film meet as Meg Ryan, Antoine Fuqua, Ethan Hawke and France’s Bruno Dumont rolled into town. Ryan talked of her new career as a director, producer, announcing a new project, half-hour comedy “The Obsolescents”: Fuqua, at Locarno for “The Equaliser 2,” talked intelligently about how to empower black filmmakers in Hollywood; Hawke, here to present “Blaze,” will receive the 2018 Excellence Award; Dumont, world premiering feature/series “Coincoin and the Extra Humans,” maybe the best received of Piazza Grande offerings to date,...
- 8/8/2018
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Handling more films than any other international sales agent at this year’s Locarno Festival, Europe’s biggest mid-summer film event, Brussels-based B For Films will represent new films by Bettina Oberli, one of Switzerland’s most popular cineasts, Canadian Philippe Lesage’s return to A-fest international competition after debut “The Demons” dazzled at San Sebastian, and Antoine Russbach’s first feature, the highest-profile Swiss debut this year at the Swiss festival.
The two Swiss titles are for “no special reason,” said B For Films Pamela Lau, who set up the sales company with pan-European sales-financing-production company Playtime.
But Lau recognized that Be For Films has been approached by Swiss producers since the success of Lisa Brühlmann’s “Blue My Mind,”which sold 15 territories off a San Sebastian Festival world premiere last year.
Only about half B For Films’ titles are Belgian, and often minority co-productions. Reteaming Lesage with producer...
The two Swiss titles are for “no special reason,” said B For Films Pamela Lau, who set up the sales company with pan-European sales-financing-production company Playtime.
But Lau recognized that Be For Films has been approached by Swiss producers since the success of Lisa Brühlmann’s “Blue My Mind,”which sold 15 territories off a San Sebastian Festival world premiere last year.
Only about half B For Films’ titles are Belgian, and often minority co-productions. Reteaming Lesage with producer...
- 7/18/2018
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Before Telluride, before Venice, before TIFF, there is the last great festival of the summer season: Locarno Festival, a singular Swiss event that typically features a strong mix of fest favorites from Sundance and Cannes, along with their own batch of returning favorites.
This year’s lineup is no exception, including films from Spike Lee, Ethan Hawke, Kent Jones, Aneesh Chaganty, Cristina Gallego, and Ciro Guerra that have premiered elsewhere, along with new films from Hong Sangsoo, Vianney Lebasque, and Yolande Zauberman. Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming sequel “The Equalizer 2″ will also screen, along with the second season of Bruno Dumont’s series “Coincoin and the Extra Humans.”
This morning’s lineup announcement includes the Piazza Grande section and the International Competition.
Check out the full lineup for this year’s Locarno Festival below.
Piazza Grande
“The Guest,” Duccio Chiarini, Italy Switzerland, France
“Coincoin and the Extra-Humans,” Bruno Dumont, France
“Liberty,...
This year’s lineup is no exception, including films from Spike Lee, Ethan Hawke, Kent Jones, Aneesh Chaganty, Cristina Gallego, and Ciro Guerra that have premiered elsewhere, along with new films from Hong Sangsoo, Vianney Lebasque, and Yolande Zauberman. Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming sequel “The Equalizer 2″ will also screen, along with the second season of Bruno Dumont’s series “Coincoin and the Extra Humans.”
This morning’s lineup announcement includes the Piazza Grande section and the International Competition.
Check out the full lineup for this year’s Locarno Festival below.
Piazza Grande
“The Guest,” Duccio Chiarini, Italy Switzerland, France
“Coincoin and the Extra-Humans,” Bruno Dumont, France
“Liberty,...
- 7/11/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Bruno Dumont's CoinCoin et les Z'inhumainsThe lineup for the 2018 festival has been revealed, including new films by Hong Sang-soo, Radu Muntean, Mariano Llinás and others, alongside retrospectives and tributes, and much more.
Piazza GRANDEBlacKkKlansmanBlazeCoincoin et les Z'inhumainsI Feel GoodLe vent tourneLes Beaux EspritsLibertyL'ordre des medecinsL'ospiteManila in the Claws of LightBirds of PassageRuben Brandt, Collector (Milorad Krstic, Hungary)Se7enSearchingThe Equalizer 2Un nemico che ti vuole bene (Denis Rabaglia, Italy/Switzerland)What Doesn't Kill Us
Concorso INTERNAZIONALEGlaubenbergA Family TourDianeLa FlorYaraMenocchioToo Late To Die YoungRay & LizHotel By the RiverA Land ImaginedMSibelGenèseWintermärchenAlice T.
Concorso Cineasti Del PRESENTEAll GoodThose Who WorkChaosClosing TimeImmersed FamilyFaust The Dive Suburban BirdsYoung and AliveLikemebackDead Horse NebulaWe Are ThankfulSophia AntipolisHierLong Way HomeTrot
Signs Of Lifea Room with a Coconut ViewCommunion Los AngelesHow Fernando Pessoa Saved PortugalDulcineaGulyabaniThe Fragile HouseMan in the WellJulio Iglesias's HouseThe Glorious Acceptance of Nicolas ChauvinSedução da CarneAnything And AllThe Grand BizarreErased,...
Piazza GRANDEBlacKkKlansmanBlazeCoincoin et les Z'inhumainsI Feel GoodLe vent tourneLes Beaux EspritsLibertyL'ordre des medecinsL'ospiteManila in the Claws of LightBirds of PassageRuben Brandt, Collector (Milorad Krstic, Hungary)Se7enSearchingThe Equalizer 2Un nemico che ti vuole bene (Denis Rabaglia, Italy/Switzerland)What Doesn't Kill Us
Concorso INTERNAZIONALEGlaubenbergA Family TourDianeLa FlorYaraMenocchioToo Late To Die YoungRay & LizHotel By the RiverA Land ImaginedMSibelGenèseWintermärchenAlice T.
Concorso Cineasti Del PRESENTEAll GoodThose Who WorkChaosClosing TimeImmersed FamilyFaust The Dive Suburban BirdsYoung and AliveLikemebackDead Horse NebulaWe Are ThankfulSophia AntipolisHierLong Way HomeTrot
Signs Of Lifea Room with a Coconut ViewCommunion Los AngelesHow Fernando Pessoa Saved PortugalDulcineaGulyabaniThe Fragile HouseMan in the WellJulio Iglesias's HouseThe Glorious Acceptance of Nicolas ChauvinSedução da CarneAnything And AllThe Grand BizarreErased,...
- 7/11/2018
- MUBI
The lineup for this year’s Locarno International Film Festival, which celebrates its 71st edition, has arrived. Among the most-anticipated titles in the lineup there’s a new feature from Hong Sang-soo titled Hotel by the River and the latest film from Tuesday, After Christmas director Radu Muntean, Alice T. Also in the slate is Man in the Well, a short film from Hu Bo, made before his first and final feature An Elephant Sitting Still. Ahead of our coverage, check out the full lineup below (via Mubi), also featuring previously premiered films from Spike Lee, Kent Jones, Ethan Hawke, Ciro Guerra & Cristtina Gallego, Aneesh Chaganty, and more.
Piazza Grande
BlackKkansman
Blaze
Coincoin et les Z’inhumains
I Feel Good
Le vent tourne
Les Beaux Esprits
Liberty
L’ordre des medecins
L’ospite
Manila in the Claws of Light
Birds of Passage
Ruben Brandt, Collector
Se7en
Searching
The Equalizer 2...
Piazza Grande
BlackKkansman
Blaze
Coincoin et les Z’inhumains
I Feel Good
Le vent tourne
Les Beaux Esprits
Liberty
L’ordre des medecins
L’ospite
Manila in the Claws of Light
Birds of Passage
Ruben Brandt, Collector
Se7en
Searching
The Equalizer 2...
- 7/11/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Locarno Film Festival has unveiled the official lineup for its 71st edition, including 13 world premieres in the main competition, which is characterized by films with women at their center.
Artistic director Carlo Chatrian – who moves to the Berlin Film Festival next year – noted that, although only three of the 15 titles competing for the Golden Leopard are directed by women, “a large number of the films are portraits of women.”
That applies to U.S. first-time director Kent Jones’ drama “Diane,” which stars Mary Kay Place and made a splash at Tribeca; Romanian auteur Radu Muntean’s teenage pregnancy drama “Alice T”; Turkey’s “Sibel,” by Cagla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti, whose protagonist is a young, rebellious mute woman; and Iraqi director Abbas Fahdel’s “Yara,” about a young woman who lives with her grandmother in an idyllic Lebanese village “where politics and the female condition in the Arab world come crashing in.
Artistic director Carlo Chatrian – who moves to the Berlin Film Festival next year – noted that, although only three of the 15 titles competing for the Golden Leopard are directed by women, “a large number of the films are portraits of women.”
That applies to U.S. first-time director Kent Jones’ drama “Diane,” which stars Mary Kay Place and made a splash at Tribeca; Romanian auteur Radu Muntean’s teenage pregnancy drama “Alice T”; Turkey’s “Sibel,” by Cagla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti, whose protagonist is a young, rebellious mute woman; and Iraqi director Abbas Fahdel’s “Yara,” about a young woman who lives with her grandmother in an idyllic Lebanese village “where politics and the female condition in the Arab world come crashing in.
- 7/11/2018
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Following yesterday’s announcement of more than 60 new titles, AFI Fest has named the 30-plus films in its World Cinema section. Cristian Mungiu’s “Graduation,” Betrand Bonello’s “Nocturama” and Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or–winning “I, Daniel Blake” are among the more notable selections, most of them culled from Cannes, Venice and other festivals.
The weeklong event, which begins in Hollywood with the world premiere of Warren Beatty’s “Rules Don’t Apply” on November 10, also announced that Raoul Peck and Lav Diaz will present their films “I Am Not Your Negro” and “The Woman Who Left,” respectively, as part of the Masters in Conversation program.
Read More: AFI Fest Announces New Auteurs, American Independents, Midnight and Shorts Sections
“After Love” (dir. Joachim Lafosse)
“Albüm” (dir. Mehmet Can Mertoğlu)
“Boris Without Beatrice” (dir. Denis Côté)
“The Commune” (dir. Thomas Vinterberg)
“Crosscurrent” (dir. Yang Chao)
“Death in Sarajevo” (dir.
The weeklong event, which begins in Hollywood with the world premiere of Warren Beatty’s “Rules Don’t Apply” on November 10, also announced that Raoul Peck and Lav Diaz will present their films “I Am Not Your Negro” and “The Woman Who Left,” respectively, as part of the Masters in Conversation program.
Read More: AFI Fest Announces New Auteurs, American Independents, Midnight and Shorts Sections
“After Love” (dir. Joachim Lafosse)
“Albüm” (dir. Mehmet Can Mertoğlu)
“Boris Without Beatrice” (dir. Denis Côté)
“The Commune” (dir. Thomas Vinterberg)
“Crosscurrent” (dir. Yang Chao)
“Death in Sarajevo” (dir.
- 10/19/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Copenhagen’s festival, in new autumn dates, will show a record 226 features kicking off with Doctor Strange.
Copenhagen’s Cph Pix festival, now in its new autumn dates, has revealed a record 226 feature films in its lineup.
The 14-day festival (Oct 27 - Nov 9), which now also includes kids and family festival Buster, will show 46 features for young people in its daytime programmes and 180 films for teenagers and adults in the evenings.
As previously reported, the eighth edition of festival will open with a gala premiere of Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Mads Mikkelsen will attend).
There will be four main awards at Pix: the New Talent Grand Pix for a debut feature (with $11,200 (€10,000)); the Politiken Audience Award that comes with Danish distribution support, and the Nordisk Film Fond prizes for best children’s feature and best children’s short.
Terence Davies [pictured] will be given a full retrospective as well as showing his latest film A Quiet Passion and participating...
Copenhagen’s Cph Pix festival, now in its new autumn dates, has revealed a record 226 feature films in its lineup.
The 14-day festival (Oct 27 - Nov 9), which now also includes kids and family festival Buster, will show 46 features for young people in its daytime programmes and 180 films for teenagers and adults in the evenings.
As previously reported, the eighth edition of festival will open with a gala premiere of Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Mads Mikkelsen will attend).
There will be four main awards at Pix: the New Talent Grand Pix for a debut feature (with $11,200 (€10,000)); the Politiken Audience Award that comes with Danish distribution support, and the Nordisk Film Fond prizes for best children’s feature and best children’s short.
Terence Davies [pictured] will be given a full retrospective as well as showing his latest film A Quiet Passion and participating...
- 10/3/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: The festival will show eight films directed by Young under the name Bernard Shakey.
After Cph Pix revealed last week that it will open with Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the Copenhagen festival has unveiled that it will host world premieres of eight Danish films as well as hosting a retrospective of works by musician and film-maker Neil Young.
The eighth edition of Cph Pix, which is now in new autumn dates (Oct 27 – Nov 9), will offer world premieres of Morten Bh’s Anti, Mads Erichsen’s Vindmøllernes Sus, Frederik Barington’s Nar Solen Skinner, Anders Fløe’s Afskaret, Philippe Lesage’s Copenhague, A Love Story, David Noel Bourke’s Bakerman and Dariusz Steiness’s De Vildfarne.
The other Danish offerings are all debut features: Christian Tafdrup’s Parents, Ulrich Thomsen’s In Embryo, Ali Abassi’s Shelley and Puk Grasten’s 37.
“We’re excited to present such a diverse roster of Danish films this year,” festival director...
After Cph Pix revealed last week that it will open with Marvel’s Doctor Strange, the Copenhagen festival has unveiled that it will host world premieres of eight Danish films as well as hosting a retrospective of works by musician and film-maker Neil Young.
The eighth edition of Cph Pix, which is now in new autumn dates (Oct 27 – Nov 9), will offer world premieres of Morten Bh’s Anti, Mads Erichsen’s Vindmøllernes Sus, Frederik Barington’s Nar Solen Skinner, Anders Fløe’s Afskaret, Philippe Lesage’s Copenhague, A Love Story, David Noel Bourke’s Bakerman and Dariusz Steiness’s De Vildfarne.
The other Danish offerings are all debut features: Christian Tafdrup’s Parents, Ulrich Thomsen’s In Embryo, Ali Abassi’s Shelley and Puk Grasten’s 37.
“We’re excited to present such a diverse roster of Danish films this year,” festival director...
- 9/12/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
This weekend New Yorkers will have a change to dive into a selection of the best recent Canadian cinema thanks to a showcase created by Tiff and Telefilm Canada appropriately called "See the North." On April 1, 2 and 3 2016, audiences at the IFC Center in New York City will be treated to this curated program of Canada’s finest creative talent, with directors in attendance for intros and Q+A’s.
The series includes the most recent work my Oscar-nominated filmmaker Philippe Falardeau ("Monsieur Lazhar"), an Lgbt-themed debut, and a drama starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood.
Here is the full lineup:
"Closet Monster" – Ontario/Newfoundland
A film by Stephen Dunn
Starring Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams, Joanne Kelly, Aliocha Schneider, Sofia Banzhaf, Jack Fulton, Mary Walsh, Isabella Rossellini
Rt: 90min
U.S. Distributor: Strand Releasing
Screening: 4/1 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A from director Stephen Dunn
Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival
An East Coast teenager and aspiring special-effects makeup artist (Connor Jessup, Blackbird, 2012 Tiff Rising Star) struggles with both his sexuality and his fear of his macho father, in this imaginative twist on the coming-of-age tale from first-time feature director Stephen Dunn.
"The Demons" (Les démons) – Quebec
A film by Philippe Lesage
Starring: Edouard Tremblay-Grenier, Pier-Luc Funk, Pascale Buissière
Rt: 118min
Sales Agent: FunFilm Distribution
Screening: 4/2 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A with director Philippe Lesage
While Montreal is in the throes of a string of kidnappings targeting young boys, 10-year-old Felix is finishing his school year in the seemingly quiet suburb where he lives. A sensitive boy with a vivid imagination, Felix is afraid of everything. Little by little, his imaginary demons begin to mirror those of the increasingly disturbing world around him.
"Into the Fores" – British Columbia/Ontario
A film by Patricia Rozema
Starring Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie, Michael Eklund, Wendy Crewson
Rt: 101min
U.S. Distributor: A24 Films
Screening: 4/1 at 7:00pm with intro and Q + A from director Patricia Rozema
Two sisters (Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood) struggle to survive in a remote country house after a continent-wide power outage, in this gripping apocalyptic drama by one of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers.
"My Internship in Canda" (Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre) – Quebec
A film by Philippe Falardeau
Starring Patrick Huard, Irdens Exantus, Clémence Dufresne-Deslières and Suzanne Clément
Produced by Luc Déry, Kim Mccraw
Rt: 108min
Sales Agent: Film Distribution
Screening: 4/2 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Philippe Falardeau
Guibord is an independent Member of Parliament representing a vast county in Northern Quebec who unwillingly finds himself in the awkward position of determining whether Canada will go to war. Accompanied by his wife, daughter and Souverain (Sovereign) Pascal, an idealistic intern from Haiti, Guibord travels across his district in order to consult his constituents and face his own conscience. This film is a sharp political satire in which politicians, citizens and lobbyists go head-to-head while tearing democracy to shreds.
"Our Loved Ones" (Les Êtres Chers) – Quebec
A film by Anne Émond
Starring: Maxim Gaudette, Karelle Tremblay, Valérie Cadieux, Mickaël Gouin
Rt: 102min
Sales Agent: Wide Management
Screening: 4/3 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Anne Émond
The story begins in 1978 in a small town on the Lower St.-Lawrence where the Leblanc family is rocked by the tragic death of Guy, found dead in the basement of the family home. For many years, the real cause of his death is hidden from certain members of the family, his son David among them. David starts his own family with his wife Marie and lovingly raises his children, Laurence and Frédéric, but deep down he still carries with him a kind of unhappiness. Our Loved Ones is a film of filial love, family secrets, redemption and inherited fate. Featuring 2015 Tiff Rising Star Karelle Tremblay.
"Sleeping Giant" (Le géant endormi) – Ontario
A film by Andrew Cividino
Starring: Jackson Martin, Nick Serino, Reece Moffett, David Disher, Erika Brodzky, Katelyn McKerracher, Lorraine Philp
Rt: 90min
U.S. Distributor: FilmBuff
Screening: 4/3 at 9:30pm with intro and Q+A from director Andrew Cividino
City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival
Spending his summer vacation on rugged Lake Superior, teenager Adam befriends Riley and Nate, smart-aleck cousins who pass their ample free time with pranks, vandalism and reckless cliff jumping. The revelation of a hurtful secret sets in motion a series of irreversible events that test the bonds of friendship and change the boys forever.
The series includes the most recent work my Oscar-nominated filmmaker Philippe Falardeau ("Monsieur Lazhar"), an Lgbt-themed debut, and a drama starring Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood.
Here is the full lineup:
"Closet Monster" – Ontario/Newfoundland
A film by Stephen Dunn
Starring Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams, Joanne Kelly, Aliocha Schneider, Sofia Banzhaf, Jack Fulton, Mary Walsh, Isabella Rossellini
Rt: 90min
U.S. Distributor: Strand Releasing
Screening: 4/1 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A from director Stephen Dunn
Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival
An East Coast teenager and aspiring special-effects makeup artist (Connor Jessup, Blackbird, 2012 Tiff Rising Star) struggles with both his sexuality and his fear of his macho father, in this imaginative twist on the coming-of-age tale from first-time feature director Stephen Dunn.
"The Demons" (Les démons) – Quebec
A film by Philippe Lesage
Starring: Edouard Tremblay-Grenier, Pier-Luc Funk, Pascale Buissière
Rt: 118min
Sales Agent: FunFilm Distribution
Screening: 4/2 at 9:30pm with intro and Q + A with director Philippe Lesage
While Montreal is in the throes of a string of kidnappings targeting young boys, 10-year-old Felix is finishing his school year in the seemingly quiet suburb where he lives. A sensitive boy with a vivid imagination, Felix is afraid of everything. Little by little, his imaginary demons begin to mirror those of the increasingly disturbing world around him.
"Into the Fores" – British Columbia/Ontario
A film by Patricia Rozema
Starring Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Max Minghella, Callum Keith Rennie, Michael Eklund, Wendy Crewson
Rt: 101min
U.S. Distributor: A24 Films
Screening: 4/1 at 7:00pm with intro and Q + A from director Patricia Rozema
Two sisters (Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood) struggle to survive in a remote country house after a continent-wide power outage, in this gripping apocalyptic drama by one of Canada’s most celebrated filmmakers.
"My Internship in Canda" (Guibord s'en va-t-en guerre) – Quebec
A film by Philippe Falardeau
Starring Patrick Huard, Irdens Exantus, Clémence Dufresne-Deslières and Suzanne Clément
Produced by Luc Déry, Kim Mccraw
Rt: 108min
Sales Agent: Film Distribution
Screening: 4/2 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Philippe Falardeau
Guibord is an independent Member of Parliament representing a vast county in Northern Quebec who unwillingly finds himself in the awkward position of determining whether Canada will go to war. Accompanied by his wife, daughter and Souverain (Sovereign) Pascal, an idealistic intern from Haiti, Guibord travels across his district in order to consult his constituents and face his own conscience. This film is a sharp political satire in which politicians, citizens and lobbyists go head-to-head while tearing democracy to shreds.
"Our Loved Ones" (Les Êtres Chers) – Quebec
A film by Anne Émond
Starring: Maxim Gaudette, Karelle Tremblay, Valérie Cadieux, Mickaël Gouin
Rt: 102min
Sales Agent: Wide Management
Screening: 4/3 at 7:00pm with intro and Q+A from director Anne Émond
The story begins in 1978 in a small town on the Lower St.-Lawrence where the Leblanc family is rocked by the tragic death of Guy, found dead in the basement of the family home. For many years, the real cause of his death is hidden from certain members of the family, his son David among them. David starts his own family with his wife Marie and lovingly raises his children, Laurence and Frédéric, but deep down he still carries with him a kind of unhappiness. Our Loved Ones is a film of filial love, family secrets, redemption and inherited fate. Featuring 2015 Tiff Rising Star Karelle Tremblay.
"Sleeping Giant" (Le géant endormi) – Ontario
A film by Andrew Cividino
Starring: Jackson Martin, Nick Serino, Reece Moffett, David Disher, Erika Brodzky, Katelyn McKerracher, Lorraine Philp
Rt: 90min
U.S. Distributor: FilmBuff
Screening: 4/3 at 9:30pm with intro and Q+A from director Andrew Cividino
City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film, 2015 Toronto International Film Festival
Spending his summer vacation on rugged Lake Superior, teenager Adam befriends Riley and Nate, smart-aleck cousins who pass their ample free time with pranks, vandalism and reckless cliff jumping. The revelation of a hurtful secret sets in motion a series of irreversible events that test the bonds of friendship and change the boys forever.
- 4/1/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Notable world premieres include Mads Matthiesen’s Teddy Bear follow-up The Model and Avalon director Axel Petersén’s Under the Pyramid.
Måns Månsson’s The Yard will open the 2016 Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 29 - Feb 8), which will screen some 450 films from 84 countries.
The film, which will have its world premiere at the Swedish festival’s Jan 29 opening, is adapted from Kristian Lundberg’s autobiographical novel about moving from cultural work to becoming a day laborer in Malmo harbour. Anders Mossling stars.
The festival’s closing film will be Henrik Ruben Genz’s Satisfaction 1720, Erlend Loe has written the manuscript for the film, about the post-war exploits of the “rock star of his day”, Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold.
Goteborg, the largest film festival in the Nordics and running for 11 days, is devoting special programmes to Italian cinema, Nigeria’s Nollywood and a new section on TV drama.
The eight films competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic film (which...
Måns Månsson’s The Yard will open the 2016 Goteborg Film Festival (Jan 29 - Feb 8), which will screen some 450 films from 84 countries.
The film, which will have its world premiere at the Swedish festival’s Jan 29 opening, is adapted from Kristian Lundberg’s autobiographical novel about moving from cultural work to becoming a day laborer in Malmo harbour. Anders Mossling stars.
The festival’s closing film will be Henrik Ruben Genz’s Satisfaction 1720, Erlend Loe has written the manuscript for the film, about the post-war exploits of the “rock star of his day”, Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold.
Goteborg, the largest film festival in the Nordics and running for 11 days, is devoting special programmes to Italian cinema, Nigeria’s Nollywood and a new section on TV drama.
The eight films competing for the Dragon Award for Best Nordic film (which...
- 1/12/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Philippe Lesage's second feature film The Demons opens with a movement from Jean Sibelius' "Finlandia" which is a rather great encapsulation of the movie which begins with a beautiful easy going introduction which crescendos carefully before exploding and then concluding as quietly as it began.
The Demons starts with an introduction to a group of children in an early summer setting. We are lulled into the normalcy of life with observations of school activities, first crushes, bullying (some instances of this more dramatic than others) and afternoons at the pool. Lesage captures all of this with the keen eye of a documentarian; observations of events that are generally overlooked by most filmmakers but which are essential to Lesage's storytelling.
This picturesque l [Continued ...]...
The Demons starts with an introduction to a group of children in an early summer setting. We are lulled into the normalcy of life with observations of school activities, first crushes, bullying (some instances of this more dramatic than others) and afternoons at the pool. Lesage captures all of this with the keen eye of a documentarian; observations of events that are generally overlooked by most filmmakers but which are essential to Lesage's storytelling.
This picturesque l [Continued ...]...
- 12/9/2015
- QuietEarth.us
The 15th anniversary celebration of the Whistler Film Festival wrapped Sunday night, living up to its title as ‘Canada’s coolest film fest’ by hosting more premieres, filmmakers, industry executives, and celebrities than ever before, including unique experiences from films, music and parties to high adrenaline races.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
The Whistler Film Festival’s Pandora Audience Award went to British-American romantic drama "Carol," directed by Todd Haynes from the screenplay by Phyllis Nagy (Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch class of 2014) starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which received its Canadian premiere at Whistler. The Wff Audience Award runner-ups were "The Legend of Barney Thomson," character-actor Robert Carlyle's first theatrical feature and directorial debut, which received its North American premiere at the festival, followed by Ricardo Trogi’s mid-life crisis dramedy, Quebec film "Le Mirage," the highest grossing and most popular Canadian film of the year so far. The Wff Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.
Paul Gratton, Director of Programming had this to say about this year’s event: "We were very fortunate to open this year's fest with the Canadian premiere of "Carol," a film we are convinced will be a major contender in this year's awards season race. The festival took off from there, with many sold out screenings, packed and newsworthy industry sessions, and over 450 guests who made a point of trekking out to beautiful Whistler to support their films and talk business with the high-level movers and shakers also in attendance. 2015 represented another step forward towards making Wff the coolest festival in the world. Can't wait 'til next year.”
Total attendance for this year’s fest was 13,233 attendees (a 18% increase over 11,273 in 2014) . This included 7,740 film-screening attendees and 3,533 special event attendees (Signature Series, Music Café, ShortWork Showcase, R-Rated Party, Awards Brunch, L’Oreal Men Expert Bobsleigh Race and Celebrity Challenge Ski Race), in addition to 2,530 Summit attendees. Several of the feature films were at or near capacity, including: "Born to be Blue," "Chasing Bansky," "Forsaken," "How to Plan and Orgy in a Small Town," "Legend,""Legend of Barney Thomson," "Numb," "The Lady in the Van," "the Steps," and "Trumbo."
Designed to facilitate international alliances and financial partnerships, Wff’s industry Summit program presented 30 interactive sessions that addressed a range of issues affecting the film, television, and digital media industry. Overall Summit attendance was at 86% capacity with 2,530 attendees (a 13% increase over 2,231 in 2014) including 855 delegates (on par with 2014). The Whistler Summit directly connects to Wff’s slate of project development programs designed to provide creative and business immersion experiences for 42 Canadian artists including its Feature Project Lab, Praxis Screenwriters Lab, Aboriginal Filmmaker Fellowship, and Music Café. Wff also collaborates with several industry organizations by hosting specific third party initiatives at the Whistler Summit including the Women in the Director’s Chair Industry Immersion, Women in Film & Television Film Market Preparation Mentorship, and the Mppia Short Film Award Pitch with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association and Creative BC. In addition to the
204 scheduled meetings (a 10% increase over 186 in 2014) that took place during the Summit, there was again a notable increase in unscheduled meetings that took place outside of scheduled blocks proving the festival remains an important place for the industry to meet and do business. Industry guests came from Canada, USA, UK, India, and China to participate, and included some of the top talent and executives in the business.
Film met music when Morning Show, one of the ten-featured BC artists from Wff’s Music Café, performed the live score for "He Hated Pigeons." Wff’s Music Café, which expanded to include two showcases over two days and featured five music supervisors, was well received with several deals in the works and over 526 guests in attendance.
Toronto’s first-time feature director Jamie M. Dagg’s "River" dominated Whistler prize-giving, winning for best Canadian feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature presented by the Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia. The jury also awarded French-Canadian actor Paul Savoie with Best Performance in a Borsos Film for his performance in "The Diary of an Old Man," as well as provided honorable mention for Rossif Sutherland’s work in "River" and Laura Abramsen’s roles in "Basic human Needs" and "The Sabbatical." Lastly, Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film, presented by I.A.T.S.E. Local 669, went to cinematographer Dylan Macleod for "He Hated Pigeons," directed by Ingrid Veninger. The Borsos Jury was comprised of three accomplished film industry artists that included the highly versatile director and screenwriter and WFF15 Alumni Carl Bessai ("Rehearsal), beloved actor and director Marc-André Grondin , and award-winning producer extraordinaire, Kim McCraw.
Other Whistler award winners included "Last Harvest" by first-time female director Hui (Jane) Wang that won the World Documentary Award presented by Tribute.ca with honorable mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." The Best Mountain Culture Film presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to Anthony Bonello’s "Eclipse." The Canadian ShortWork Award went to "Withheld" directed by Johnathan Sousa, with an honorable mention to Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett’s Mia’. The International ShortWork Award was awarded to "Dissonance" by Germany filmmaker Till Nowak, with Langara College’s Canadian ShortWork Award for Best Screenplay given to Jem Garrard’s "The World Who Came to Dinner." Emily Carr University of Art and Design’s Lawrence Lam won the ShortWork Student Award presented by Capilano University Film Centre for "The Blue Jet," and Maja Aro won the Mppia Short Film Award for "Hoods" presented by Mppia and Creative BC, which consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (Awfj) Eda Awards gave Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature to Valerie Weiss’ "A Light Beneath Their Feet," Best Female-Directed Documentary to Hui (Jane) Wang’s "Last Harvest," with a special mention for Brian D. Johnson’s "Al Purdy Was Here." In addition, Céline Devaux’s "Sunday Lunch" took home the Best Female-Directed Short Award.
Receiving Wff’s Trailblazer Award and Tribute presented by Pandora, British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director Kiefer Sutherland discussed his extensive acting career spanning film, stage and television, with CTV Film Critic Jim Gordon , followed by the Western Canadian Premiere of his latest film, "Forsaken." Scottish-born Robert Carlyle , one of the most recognizable actors today, graced the Festival’s red carpet at this year’s Spotlight event as Wff’s Maverick Award honoree and sat down with Jim Gordon to discuss his bold choices that have led to the creation of some of the most dynamic, memorable, and beloved characters of our time before the North American Premiere of his directorial debut, "The Legend the Barny Thomson." One of Canada's hardest working and most accomplished character actors, Bruce Greenwood was the recipient of Wff’s Career Achievement Award, at the World Premiere of his latest film "Rehearsal," directed by admired Wff Alumni Carl Bessai.
The Whistler Film Festival proudly hosted the Variety 10 Screenwriters to Watch for the fourth consecutive year hosted by Variety Vice President and Executive Editor, Steven Gaydos . This year’s slate of screenwriters in attendance included Bryan Sipe ("Demolition"), John Scott III ("Maggie"), Meg LeFauve ("Inside Out"), Mike Le ("Patient Zero"), and Emma Donoghue ("Room"), who also delivered a Master Class for the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab participants.
To top it all off, Lauren Lee Smith ("How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town"), Jakob Davies ("The Birdwatcher"), Taylor Russell and Rustin Gresiuk ("Suspension") were recognized as Wff’s Rising Stars sponsored by Ubcp/Actra at this year’s Keynote Filmmaker Luncheon presented by Pacific Northwest Pictures, and all had films premiering at the fest.
Over 400 guests attended the fest with other notable talent in attendance with films premiering at the fest including: actor Rossif Sutherland ("River"), director Jon Cassar ("Forsaken"), actor Callum Keith Rennie ("Born to Be Blue"), director/writer Sandy Wilson ("My American Cousin), actors Aleks Paunovic, Stefanie von Pfetten, Marie Avgeropoulos and Colin Cunningham ("Numb"), actors Chelah Horsdal and Alex Zahara ("Patterson's Wager"), actor Sage Brocklebank ("Suspension"), actors Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan ("The Birdwatcher"), actor Rebecca Dalton ("The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship"), actor Paul Savoie ("The Diary of an Old Man"), director and founder of the Toronto Film Critics Association Brian D. Johnson ("Al Purdy Was Here"), director and co-founder of World Elephant Day Patricia Sims and co-director Michael Clark ("When Elephants Were Young"), "The Steps" director Andrew Currie and actor Steven McCarthy , and award-winning directors Philippe Lesage ("The Demons") and Ricardo Trogi ("The Miracle"). Veteran director Bruce McDonald attended as a mentor of the Wff Praxis Screenwriters Lab, as well as Canadian actress, writer, filmmaker, comedian, and social activist Mary Walsh , who participated in the Women In The Director’s Chair program and got a standing ovation as Wff’s Keynote Speaker at the Filmmaker Luncheon.
- 12/9/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
This much-buzzed French Canadian thriller from director Philippe Lesage is a contender for the Whistler Film Festival's Borsos Competition For Best Canadian Feature in the Canadian Vanguard section and the first French-language trailer certainly makes a case that The Demons is one to watch out for.
Here's what the official Whistler description has to say about the film: "Lesage does wonders working with a cast of mostly children, but his approach to the darker material is truly original and frightening. This is the director's second non-documentary feature, but the keen observational eye that he has developed in his documentary work serves him well here.
The Demons marks the arrival of a fiercely original new directorial talent. The film won the Quebec Critics Associati [Continued ...]...
Here's what the official Whistler description has to say about the film: "Lesage does wonders working with a cast of mostly children, but his approach to the darker material is truly original and frightening. This is the director's second non-documentary feature, but the keen observational eye that he has developed in his documentary work serves him well here.
The Demons marks the arrival of a fiercely original new directorial talent. The film won the Quebec Critics Associati [Continued ...]...
- 11/25/2015
- QuietEarth.us
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