Sally Potter To Re-Release 2009 Feature ‘Rage’ As Series Of Instagram Posts To Mark 15th Anniversary
British filmmaker Sally Potter has set plans to re-release her 2009 feature Rage, starring Riz Ahmed, Lily Cole, Jude Law, and Judi Dench, as a series of posts on Instagram, to mark the film’s 15th anniversary.
Potter has said the movie will unravel over several “real-time” posts across seven days, starting February 23.
The film also stars Patrick J Adams, Jacob Cedergren, John Leguizamo, Eddie Izzard, David Oyelowo, Dianne Wiest, Steve Buscemi, Adriana Barraza, Simon Abkarian and Bob Balaban. The original concept in 2009 was for the film to be watched on smartphones. The synopsis reads: Michelangelo, an unseen schoolboy armed only with a mobile phone, goes behind the scenes at a New York fashion show for seven days in which an accident on the catwalk turns into a murder investigation, and his interviews with key players become a bitterly funny expose of an industry in crisis.
The story unfolds shot by shot,...
Potter has said the movie will unravel over several “real-time” posts across seven days, starting February 23.
The film also stars Patrick J Adams, Jacob Cedergren, John Leguizamo, Eddie Izzard, David Oyelowo, Dianne Wiest, Steve Buscemi, Adriana Barraza, Simon Abkarian and Bob Balaban. The original concept in 2009 was for the film to be watched on smartphones. The synopsis reads: Michelangelo, an unseen schoolboy armed only with a mobile phone, goes behind the scenes at a New York fashion show for seven days in which an accident on the catwalk turns into a murder investigation, and his interviews with key players become a bitterly funny expose of an industry in crisis.
The story unfolds shot by shot,...
- 2/20/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Sally Potter is taking her “Rage” to Instagram. IndieWire can exclusively reveal that the lauded British filmmaker will release her iconic 2009 film in a series of Instagram posts beginning on February 23.
“Rage” was the first full-length feature film specifically designed to be watched on mobile phones. Shot in a vertical format as a series of to-camera monologues, the Instagram release will feature a new shot being posted daily, leading up to the March 8 theatrical release from Abramorama to mark the 15th anniversary of the film’s Berlinale debut. “Rage” will screen with anniversary theatrical and non-theatrical engagements across North America and land on a Direct-to-Consumer digital and VOD placements later.
The film first premiered at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, and follows an unseen student named Michelangelo who goes behind the scenes at a New York fashion show. However, over the course of a week, Michelangelo is thrust into the center...
“Rage” was the first full-length feature film specifically designed to be watched on mobile phones. Shot in a vertical format as a series of to-camera monologues, the Instagram release will feature a new shot being posted daily, leading up to the March 8 theatrical release from Abramorama to mark the 15th anniversary of the film’s Berlinale debut. “Rage” will screen with anniversary theatrical and non-theatrical engagements across North America and land on a Direct-to-Consumer digital and VOD placements later.
The film first premiered at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, and follows an unseen student named Michelangelo who goes behind the scenes at a New York fashion show. However, over the course of a week, Michelangelo is thrust into the center...
- 2/20/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
How Ken Loach’s Sixteen Films Is Charting a New Course Without Its Iconic ‘I, Daniel Blake’ Director
If there was one puzzle from the 2023 Venice Film Festival, it concerned Caleb Landry Jones and the actor’s curious decision to conduct all his press arrangements for the Luc Besson thriller “Dogman” with a Scottish accent. As was later revealed, the Australian had taken a quick break from shooting U.K. drama “Harvest” on location in Scotland and was staying in character for the duration of his brief Italian detour.
Alongside honing Landry Jones’ vocal abilities, “Harvest,” being directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari (the Greek director’s first English-language film) and based on the book by Jim Crace, also marks the beginning of a new chapter for one of the U.K.’s best-known indie production companies.
Sixteen Films, co-founded by Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O’Brien in 2002, has been behind every film by the beloved and iconoclastic director over the last two decades, including “The Wind That Shakes the Barley,...
Alongside honing Landry Jones’ vocal abilities, “Harvest,” being directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari (the Greek director’s first English-language film) and based on the book by Jim Crace, also marks the beginning of a new chapter for one of the U.K.’s best-known indie production companies.
Sixteen Films, co-founded by Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O’Brien in 2002, has been behind every film by the beloved and iconoclastic director over the last two decades, including “The Wind That Shakes the Barley,...
- 2/18/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Co-Production Market will support 34 feature film projects from around the world.
The 2024 Berlinale has selected 34 feature film projects for its Co-Production Market, including Sally Potter’s Alma.
The festival has also chosen 202 Berlinale Talents, and 14 titles for its Forum Special strand.
Scroll down for the full list of Co-Production Market projects
The 34 feature projects in the Co-Production Market hail from 27 countries, and were selected from 318 submissions – a slight increase on 2023.
Potter’s Alma follows a family battling survivor guilt and sibling rivalries while on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist. It will be produced by Christopher Sheppard...
The 2024 Berlinale has selected 34 feature film projects for its Co-Production Market, including Sally Potter’s Alma.
The festival has also chosen 202 Berlinale Talents, and 14 titles for its Forum Special strand.
Scroll down for the full list of Co-Production Market projects
The 34 feature projects in the Co-Production Market hail from 27 countries, and were selected from 318 submissions – a slight increase on 2023.
Potter’s Alma follows a family battling survivor guilt and sibling rivalries while on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist. It will be produced by Christopher Sheppard...
- 1/9/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Potter is teaming with debut producers Joanna Vymeris and Solomon Golding for a retelling of her Oscar-nominated 1992 film.
UK director Sally Potter is teaming up with debut producers Joanna Vymeris and Solomon Golding for Orlando, Now, a retelling of her Oscar-nominated 1992 film Orlando.
Orlando, Now is a re-framing both of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando, and of Potter’s film of the same name. Through song and dance, the new film will explore Orlando’s 400 year journey, with questions of class, race, sex, Britain’s imperialist history and what it means to be British now.
In a departure from the original novel and film,...
UK director Sally Potter is teaming up with debut producers Joanna Vymeris and Solomon Golding for Orlando, Now, a retelling of her Oscar-nominated 1992 film Orlando.
Orlando, Now is a re-framing both of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando, and of Potter’s film of the same name. Through song and dance, the new film will explore Orlando’s 400 year journey, with questions of class, race, sex, Britain’s imperialist history and what it means to be British now.
In a departure from the original novel and film,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Chris Rock makes a stop at the 2022 Venice Film Festival thanks to Sally Potter’s short film, “Look at Me.”
The 16-minute film stars Rock as a gala organizer who tries to rein in a stubborn drummer (Javier Bardem) ahead of the on-stage performance. Tap dancer Savion Glover also stars. “Look at Me” premieres Out of Competition at Venice.
Director Potter originally conceived the concept of the film as a short story to be featured in her 2020 film “The Roads Not Taken,” starring Bardem as a writer in the early stages of dementia. “Look at Me” was filmed in 2019 over the course of five days in London and New York. The short film is produced by Christopher Sheppard.
“When I got into the cutting room, I saw how dynamic these titans of the entertainment world are together, their volatile, fiery on-screen relationship offset by the rhythms of the brilliant tap dancer Savion Glover,...
The 16-minute film stars Rock as a gala organizer who tries to rein in a stubborn drummer (Javier Bardem) ahead of the on-stage performance. Tap dancer Savion Glover also stars. “Look at Me” premieres Out of Competition at Venice.
Director Potter originally conceived the concept of the film as a short story to be featured in her 2020 film “The Roads Not Taken,” starring Bardem as a writer in the early stages of dementia. “Look at Me” was filmed in 2019 over the course of five days in London and New York. The short film is produced by Christopher Sheppard.
“When I got into the cutting room, I saw how dynamic these titans of the entertainment world are together, their volatile, fiery on-screen relationship offset by the rhythms of the brilliant tap dancer Savion Glover,...
- 8/31/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Roads Not Taken
Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be The Roads Not Taken (formerly titled Molly), a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party.…...
Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be The Roads Not Taken (formerly titled Molly), a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party.…...
- 1/1/2020
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: Focus has pre-bought a handful of key international territories on Sally Potter (The Party) feature Molly, starring Elle Fanning, Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Laura Linney and Salma Hayek.
Universal Pictures International will release the film for Focus next year in a collection of territories we understand includes UK, France, Germany, Italy and Australia/Nz. Bleecker Street has U.S. rights.
HanWay Films handles international sales and has all-but sold out on the film. Additional deals have closed with Sun Diamond for Latin America and Spain, Volga for Cis and Baltics, Hakuhodo for Japan, Film Coopi for Switzerland, Odeon for Greece, Fabula for Turkey, Discovery for Ex-Yugoslavia, Shoval for Israel, Front Row for Middle East and Shaw for Singapore.
The film will chart a wild day in the life of a man (Bardem) on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter (Fanning). Bardem’s character has...
Universal Pictures International will release the film for Focus next year in a collection of territories we understand includes UK, France, Germany, Italy and Australia/Nz. Bleecker Street has U.S. rights.
HanWay Films handles international sales and has all-but sold out on the film. Additional deals have closed with Sun Diamond for Latin America and Spain, Volga for Cis and Baltics, Hakuhodo for Japan, Film Coopi for Switzerland, Odeon for Greece, Fabula for Turkey, Discovery for Ex-Yugoslavia, Shoval for Israel, Front Row for Middle East and Shaw for Singapore.
The film will chart a wild day in the life of a man (Bardem) on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter (Fanning). Bardem’s character has...
- 9/18/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
British auteur Sally Potter is at work on Alba, a Brexit-inspired comedy to be shopped to potential co-production partners at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The $4.6 million indie from Adventure Pictures, the production shingle led by Potter and Christopher Sheppard, will be part of the International Financing Forum at Tiff.
Alba is about a family, on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist, who battle survivor guilt and sibling rivalries. As they pitch camp at one of the archaeologist's sites, buried tensions surface, a debate over English identity is unleashed and arguments escalate into a pitched battle ...
The $4.6 million indie from Adventure Pictures, the production shingle led by Potter and Christopher Sheppard, will be part of the International Financing Forum at Tiff.
Alba is about a family, on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist, who battle survivor guilt and sibling rivalries. As they pitch camp at one of the archaeologist's sites, buried tensions surface, a debate over English identity is unleashed and arguments escalate into a pitched battle ...
British auteur Sally Potter is at work on Alba, a Brexit-inspired comedy to be shopped to potential co-production partners at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The $4.6 million indie from Adventure Pictures, the production shingle led by Potter and Christopher Sheppard, will be part of the International Financing Forum at Tiff.
Alba is about a family, on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist, who battle survivor guilt and sibling rivalries. As they pitch camp at one of the archaeologist's sites, buried tensions surface, a debate over English identity is unleashed and arguments escalate into a pitched battle ...
The $4.6 million indie from Adventure Pictures, the production shingle led by Potter and Christopher Sheppard, will be part of the International Financing Forum at Tiff.
Alba is about a family, on an expedition to scatter the ashes of an archaeologist, who battle survivor guilt and sibling rivalries. As they pitch camp at one of the archaeologist's sites, buried tensions surface, a debate over English identity is unleashed and arguments escalate into a pitched battle ...
Rock documentaries about the likes of Sinead O’Connor, The Happy Mondays and The Towers of London as well as films about boxer Frank Bruno and Murakami Haruki make up the line-up of the Sheffield Doc/Fest’s pitch scheme MeetMarket.
The event runs in the northern British city from 6-11 June with execs from broadcasters and platforms including Netflix, A+E, BBC, Channel 4 and ESPN set to attend. Films that have previously found funding at the MeetMarket include Searching for Sugarman and The Act of Killing.
Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is producing Nothing Compares, a doc about controversial pop star Sinead O’Connor, that looks at her rise to worldwide fame, and how her iconoclastic personality resulted in exile from the mainstream. Focusing on her prophetic behaviour between 1987 and 1992, the film contemporaneously reflects on the legacy of this feminist trailblazer. It is directed by Kathryn Ferguson, who previously...
The event runs in the northern British city from 6-11 June with execs from broadcasters and platforms including Netflix, A+E, BBC, Channel 4 and ESPN set to attend. Films that have previously found funding at the MeetMarket include Searching for Sugarman and The Act of Killing.
Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is producing Nothing Compares, a doc about controversial pop star Sinead O’Connor, that looks at her rise to worldwide fame, and how her iconoclastic personality resulted in exile from the mainstream. Focusing on her prophetic behaviour between 1987 and 1992, the film contemporaneously reflects on the legacy of this feminist trailblazer. It is directed by Kathryn Ferguson, who previously...
- 4/10/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Projects include ’The Real Truman Show’, Sally Potter’s ’Oh Moscow’ and docs about Frank Bruno and Sinead O’Connor.
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 6-11) has revealed the titles that will pitch for funding at the 15th edition of its MeetMarket initiative.
Among the line-up are films by Sally Potter and Mark Cousins, and docs about Frank Bruno and Sinead O’Connor.
62 project teams from 27 countries will pitch to international and UK decision makers for research, development and production funding. Over 300 delegates from 30 countries will attend the market, including executives from Netflix, BBC, Channel 4 and ESPN.
The festival has...
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 6-11) has revealed the titles that will pitch for funding at the 15th edition of its MeetMarket initiative.
Among the line-up are films by Sally Potter and Mark Cousins, and docs about Frank Bruno and Sinead O’Connor.
62 project teams from 27 countries will pitch to international and UK decision makers for research, development and production funding. Over 300 delegates from 30 countries will attend the market, including executives from Netflix, BBC, Channel 4 and ESPN.
The festival has...
- 4/10/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Shot in Spain in December and New York in January.
Screen can unveil a first look at Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning in The Party filmmaker Sally Potter’s upcoming untitled drama.
The film began shooting in Spain in December before moving to New York in January. Further cast include Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, and Laura Linney. The story follows 24 turbulent hours in the life of a father and daughter as the latter grapples with the challenges of dealing with her father’s apparently chaotic mental state.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street are partnering on the project, with HanWay handling international sales,...
Screen can unveil a first look at Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning in The Party filmmaker Sally Potter’s upcoming untitled drama.
The film began shooting in Spain in December before moving to New York in January. Further cast include Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, and Laura Linney. The story follows 24 turbulent hours in the life of a father and daughter as the latter grapples with the challenges of dealing with her father’s apparently chaotic mental state.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street are partnering on the project, with HanWay handling international sales,...
- 2/7/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Molly
Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be Molly, a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party. Potter’s Tilda Swinton headlined breakthrough, the fascinating adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando competed in Venice, where she would return in 2000 with The Man Who Cried.…...
Sally Potter’s ninth feature will be Molly, a narrative taking place across three continents featuring a stellar cast. The project is produced by Christopher Sheppard, Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, and Josh Penn and stars Elle Fanning, (returning to work for Potter after 2012’s Ginger and Rosa – read review), Javier Bardem, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney and Savion Glover. Potter’s exceptional debut, the experimental Julie Christie headlined The Gold Diggers (1983), played in Berlin’s Forum program. Since then, Potter entered Berlin’s competition in 2009 with Rage and again in 2017 with The Party. Potter’s Tilda Swinton headlined breakthrough, the fascinating adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando competed in Venice, where she would return in 2000 with The Man Who Cried.…...
- 1/3/2019
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
New movies from Sally Potter, Sarah Gavron and Hong Khaou were among the BFI’s top ten Film Fund recipients in 2018. Potter’s untitled drama, starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Laura Linney, received the year’s biggest production grant of £1.1M. Scroll down for the top ten.
In 2017, the BFI — the UK’s lead organization for film — awarded seven movies £1M or more from its Film Fund. This year, Potter’s feature was the only one to cross the £1M mark. Other leading recipients in 2018 included Liam Neeson starrer Normal People and Keira Knightley pic Misbehaviour.
There is a healthy gender balance to the top ten awards this year with five male and five female directors in the mix. Two are feature debuts. Of course, different films will receive different amounts of money from different BFI funding strands, but this list gives a snapshot of...
In 2017, the BFI — the UK’s lead organization for film — awarded seven movies £1M or more from its Film Fund. This year, Potter’s feature was the only one to cross the £1M mark. Other leading recipients in 2018 included Liam Neeson starrer Normal People and Keira Knightley pic Misbehaviour.
There is a healthy gender balance to the top ten awards this year with five male and five female directors in the mix. Two are feature debuts. Of course, different films will receive different amounts of money from different BFI funding strands, but this list gives a snapshot of...
- 12/21/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Production has begun in Spain on Sally Potter’s untitled family drama, starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, and Laura Linney.
The story is described as a chronicle of a wild day in the life of a man on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter with Bardem and Fanning in those roles. Hayek will portray Bardem’s spouse and childhood sweetheart. The film will also shoot on location in New York in January.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street have partnered to jointly acquire worldwide rights. HanWay Films will handle the international sales and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming European Film Market at the Berlin Film Festival. Bleecker Street will distribute the film in the U.S.
Potter’s long-time collaborator Christopher Sheppard — whose credits include “The Party,” “Ginger & Rosa,” and “Orlando” — is producing through Adventure Pictures. The film...
The story is described as a chronicle of a wild day in the life of a man on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter with Bardem and Fanning in those roles. Hayek will portray Bardem’s spouse and childhood sweetheart. The film will also shoot on location in New York in January.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street have partnered to jointly acquire worldwide rights. HanWay Films will handle the international sales and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming European Film Market at the Berlin Film Festival. Bleecker Street will distribute the film in the U.S.
Potter’s long-time collaborator Christopher Sheppard — whose credits include “The Party,” “Ginger & Rosa,” and “Orlando” — is producing through Adventure Pictures. The film...
- 12/10/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Laura Linney lead an impressive cast for The Party and Orlando writer-director Sally Potter’s latest film. Production is underway in Spain on the untitled feature, which is being repped worldwide by HanWay and Bleecker Street.
The pic will chart a wild day in the life of a man on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter. It will also shoot on location in New York in January.
HanWay Films will handle the international sales and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming European Film Market. Bleecker Street will distribute the film in the U.S. Potter’s long-time producing partner Christopher Sheppard is making the film through banner Adventure Pictures.
The film was co-developed by BBC Films and the BFI and is funded by HanWay Films, Bleecker Street, Ingenious Media, BBC Films, the BFI, Chimney...
The pic will chart a wild day in the life of a man on the edge, held together by the unconditional love of his daughter. It will also shoot on location in New York in January.
HanWay Films will handle the international sales and distribution and will commence sales at the upcoming European Film Market. Bleecker Street will distribute the film in the U.S. Potter’s long-time producing partner Christopher Sheppard is making the film through banner Adventure Pictures.
The film was co-developed by BBC Films and the BFI and is funded by HanWay Films, Bleecker Street, Ingenious Media, BBC Films, the BFI, Chimney...
- 12/10/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Laura Linney also boards project from The Party director.
Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Laura Linney have all boarded the cast of an untitled drama from The Party director Sally Potter, which is now shooting in Spain.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street have partnered to jointly acquire worldwide rights to the project, which is being produced by Potter’s regular collaborator Christopher Sheppard through his Adventure Pictures.
The film will follow a turbulent 24 hours in the life of a father (Bardem) and daughter (Fanning) as the latter grapples with the challenges of dealing with her father’s apparently chaotic mental state.
Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock and Laura Linney have all boarded the cast of an untitled drama from The Party director Sally Potter, which is now shooting in Spain.
HanWay Films and Bleecker Street have partnered to jointly acquire worldwide rights to the project, which is being produced by Potter’s regular collaborator Christopher Sheppard through his Adventure Pictures.
The film will follow a turbulent 24 hours in the life of a father (Bardem) and daughter (Fanning) as the latter grapples with the challenges of dealing with her father’s apparently chaotic mental state.
- 12/10/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Released in 1992 to critical acclaim, Sally Potter’s sophomore feature film Orlando follows the life of an eponymous, time traveling, androgynous nobleman who transforms from a man to a woman over the course of the film. An adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel of the same name, Potter’s stunning film is a sumptuous take on Woolf’s stream of consciousness writing; a fleshing-out of the “viable skeleton” of the novel.1 For a film with such an unusual conceit, it was important that there to be a unifying element to tie the film’s different time periods together, and this cohesion was attained through the film’s ruminative, near-constant musical score. In addition to writing and directing Orlando, Potter, a trained musician and improviser, also took on the task of composing music for the film. Whilst lamenting to producer Christopher Sheppard that the film had gone over budget and they couldn’t afford a composer,...
- 4/25/2018
- MUBI
Exclusive: Berlin competition title gets UK deal.
Sally Potter’s The Party, which premiered in competition at the Berlin Film Festival this year, has secured a UK distribution deal.
Picturehouse Entertainment has reached a deal for the title with sales representative Great Point Media and is plotting a release in Autumn this year.
The film features an ensemble cast including Patricia Clarkson (The Maze Runner), Bruno Ganz (Downfall), Cherry Jones (Whisky Tango Foxtrot), Emily Mortimer (Hugo), Cillian Murphy (The Dark Knight Rises), Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) And Timothy Spall (Mr Turner).
The comedy-drama focuses on a celebratory gathering of friends that goes violently wrong.
Screen’s review at Berlin described it as Potter’s “most enjoyable film to date”.
Backed by Great Point Media, the film was produced by Adventure Pictures, Sally Potter’s production company with her long-term producer Christopher Sheppard together with Kurban Kassam (20,000 Days on Earth, Ginger & Rosa...
Sally Potter’s The Party, which premiered in competition at the Berlin Film Festival this year, has secured a UK distribution deal.
Picturehouse Entertainment has reached a deal for the title with sales representative Great Point Media and is plotting a release in Autumn this year.
The film features an ensemble cast including Patricia Clarkson (The Maze Runner), Bruno Ganz (Downfall), Cherry Jones (Whisky Tango Foxtrot), Emily Mortimer (Hugo), Cillian Murphy (The Dark Knight Rises), Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) And Timothy Spall (Mr Turner).
The comedy-drama focuses on a celebratory gathering of friends that goes violently wrong.
Screen’s review at Berlin described it as Potter’s “most enjoyable film to date”.
Backed by Great Point Media, the film was produced by Adventure Pictures, Sally Potter’s production company with her long-term producer Christopher Sheppard together with Kurban Kassam (20,000 Days on Earth, Ginger & Rosa...
- 5/2/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Iniative kicks off as film festivals continue to asses the merits of co-production markets.
Boost Nl, the new collaborative project between the Holland Film Meeting (Hfm, Sept 22-25) and the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s CineMart, is launching officially this week at the Hfm, which began today at the Nederlands Film Festival in Utrecht
The idea behind the initiative, which will continue at the Iffr’s Cinemart next January, is not just to help Dutch projects but to assist further a number of projects that have already received support from Iffr’s Hubert Bals Fund or have been presented at CineMart.
Speaking to Screen, Hfm chief Vanja Kaludjercic gave further details of the “enhanced coproduction experience” offered to the selected projects.
“Some things cannot be achieved in only three days of the event itself so what we have created is an extended trajectory,” Kaludjercic said of the new Utrecht/Rotterdam axis. The intention...
Boost Nl, the new collaborative project between the Holland Film Meeting (Hfm, Sept 22-25) and the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s CineMart, is launching officially this week at the Hfm, which began today at the Nederlands Film Festival in Utrecht
The idea behind the initiative, which will continue at the Iffr’s Cinemart next January, is not just to help Dutch projects but to assist further a number of projects that have already received support from Iffr’s Hubert Bals Fund or have been presented at CineMart.
Speaking to Screen, Hfm chief Vanja Kaludjercic gave further details of the “enhanced coproduction experience” offered to the selected projects.
“Some things cannot be achieved in only three days of the event itself so what we have created is an extended trajectory,” Kaludjercic said of the new Utrecht/Rotterdam axis. The intention...
- 9/22/2016
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Indigo Film crime series, Vr firsts, Sally Potter multimedia musical and Dilma Rousseff drama among projects heading to the Lido.
As Venice seeks to ramp up its industry profile, the festival’s market head Pascal Diot has revealed further details of how this year’s inaugural ‘Venice Production Bridge’ (September 1-5) will work.
Extra funds have been set aside by the Biennale for the initiative which, as reported earlier this year, will incorproate the existing market strands, among them Final Cut and the Gap Financing Programme.
“What we want to do with the Production Bridge is to offer as many services as possible to producers,” Diot explained. “(Paolo) Baratta [president of la Biennale di Venezia] was keen on the market. He has been a great support. That’s why when, for the 5th anniversary, we decided to propose something more, he said ‘yes’ right away.
More than 1700 accredited industry delegates are due to attend the festival. High-profile Us delegates...
As Venice seeks to ramp up its industry profile, the festival’s market head Pascal Diot has revealed further details of how this year’s inaugural ‘Venice Production Bridge’ (September 1-5) will work.
Extra funds have been set aside by the Biennale for the initiative which, as reported earlier this year, will incorproate the existing market strands, among them Final Cut and the Gap Financing Programme.
“What we want to do with the Production Bridge is to offer as many services as possible to producers,” Diot explained. “(Paolo) Baratta [president of la Biennale di Venezia] was keen on the market. He has been a great support. That’s why when, for the 5th anniversary, we decided to propose something more, he said ‘yes’ right away.
More than 1700 accredited industry delegates are due to attend the festival. High-profile Us delegates...
- 8/31/2016
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Titles include Molly from British director Sally Potter (Ginger & Rosa) [pictured].Scroll down for full line-up
The 12 projects that will make up this year’s Holland Film Meeting Co-Production Platform (Sept 22-25) have been revealed and include titles from the UK, France and Germany among others.
Filmmakers this year include British filmmaker Sally Potter who will present her latest project, Molly.
Potter’s films include Oscar-nominated Orlando (1992), starring Tilda Swinton; Rage, which competed for Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2009; and her most recent feature, Ginger & Rosa (2012), which screened at Toronto and Iffr among other festivals.
Bulgaria’s Maya Vitkova is back at Hfm with upcoming project Love, following the success of her previous film Viktoria, which played in competition at Sundance and Iffr.
Serbian director Nikola Ležaić will present The Religion of Night Walks, his second feature length work after Tilva Ros, which was selected for Locarno and won the top prize at Sarajevo in 2010.
From Sweden, [link...
The 12 projects that will make up this year’s Holland Film Meeting Co-Production Platform (Sept 22-25) have been revealed and include titles from the UK, France and Germany among others.
Filmmakers this year include British filmmaker Sally Potter who will present her latest project, Molly.
Potter’s films include Oscar-nominated Orlando (1992), starring Tilda Swinton; Rage, which competed for Berlin’s Golden Bear in 2009; and her most recent feature, Ginger & Rosa (2012), which screened at Toronto and Iffr among other festivals.
Bulgaria’s Maya Vitkova is back at Hfm with upcoming project Love, following the success of her previous film Viktoria, which played in competition at Sundance and Iffr.
Serbian director Nikola Ležaić will present The Religion of Night Walks, his second feature length work after Tilva Ros, which was selected for Locarno and won the top prize at Sarajevo in 2010.
From Sweden, [link...
- 8/29/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Timothy Spall and Cherry Jones are all set to star in "Orlando" director Sally Potter's film "The Party" for Adventure Pictures.
Set in a house in contemporary London, the comic tragedy starts as a celebration and ends with blood on the floor.
Christopher Sheppard and Kurban Kassam will produce and a fourteen-day shoot has just kicked off in the United Kingdom.
Source: Variety...
Set in a house in contemporary London, the comic tragedy starts as a celebration and ends with blood on the floor.
Christopher Sheppard and Kurban Kassam will produce and a fourteen-day shoot has just kicked off in the United Kingdom.
Source: Variety...
- 6/15/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Multi-platform project was presented at the Power to the Pixel Finance Forum.
British director Sally Potter has unveiled plans for a multi-platform reboot of the Cold War song cycle Oh Moscow, which she co-wrote with experimental musician Lindsay Cooper in 1987.
The ambitious project will feature a concert tour, a feature-length montage of archive images from the Cold War overlaid with the music and an interactive platform, linking past humanitarian crises with the consequences of contemporary conflicts.
The director and her long-time producer Christopher Sheppard, who collaborate under the Adventure Pictures banner, presented the project at the Power to the Pixel Finance Forum on Wednesday (Oct 14).
Potter and Cooper co-created the original work in response to the Cold War and the impact that it was having on ordinary people.
“We set out to write a song cycle which would evoke through its layering of sounds, words, melodies and harmonies a map of longing for a world without borders...
British director Sally Potter has unveiled plans for a multi-platform reboot of the Cold War song cycle Oh Moscow, which she co-wrote with experimental musician Lindsay Cooper in 1987.
The ambitious project will feature a concert tour, a feature-length montage of archive images from the Cold War overlaid with the music and an interactive platform, linking past humanitarian crises with the consequences of contemporary conflicts.
The director and her long-time producer Christopher Sheppard, who collaborate under the Adventure Pictures banner, presented the project at the Power to the Pixel Finance Forum on Wednesday (Oct 14).
Potter and Cooper co-created the original work in response to the Cold War and the impact that it was having on ordinary people.
“We set out to write a song cycle which would evoke through its layering of sounds, words, melodies and harmonies a map of longing for a world without borders...
- 10/15/2015
- ScreenDaily
The two-day finance and co-production market will take place on October 14 and 15.Scroll Down For The Full List Of Projects
Power to the Pixel has announced the 35 cross-platform projects from Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and South America set to participate in this year’s The Pixel Market, a two-day finance and co-production market taking place during this year’s BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18).
Presenters at this year’s Pixel Market Finance Forum include Guy Gadney, from the Project Factory, whose digital productions include Sherlock: The Network, Alexandre Brachet of Upian, who worked on Do Not Track And Alma – A Tale Of Violence, and Christopher Sheppard from Adventure Pictures, the British company that produced Ginger & Rosa and Orlando.
From the 35 projects included, eight will compete for the Arte International Prize for The Pixel Market, which comes with a $4,500 (€4,000) award. Those involved will present to a panel of commissioning executives and financiers, with the winner...
Power to the Pixel has announced the 35 cross-platform projects from Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and South America set to participate in this year’s The Pixel Market, a two-day finance and co-production market taking place during this year’s BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18).
Presenters at this year’s Pixel Market Finance Forum include Guy Gadney, from the Project Factory, whose digital productions include Sherlock: The Network, Alexandre Brachet of Upian, who worked on Do Not Track And Alma – A Tale Of Violence, and Christopher Sheppard from Adventure Pictures, the British company that produced Ginger & Rosa and Orlando.
From the 35 projects included, eight will compete for the Arte International Prize for The Pixel Market, which comes with a $4,500 (€4,000) award. Those involved will present to a panel of commissioning executives and financiers, with the winner...
- 9/9/2015
- ScreenDaily
Sunray Films MD and former Focus Features International co-president to give address.
Alison Thompson, managing director of Sunray Films, is to deliver this year’s keynote address at the Film London Production Finance Market (Pfm) (Oct 15-16).
Opening the eighth Pfm in London on 15 October, Thompson will provide the 200 plus delegates and industry guests an insight into successfully financing, packaging, selling and positioning a diverse range of independent feature films across low and high budget ranges.
Thompson will also share her experience of spotting and nurturing talent and her move from indie sales companies to working for a studio-owned company.
As a sales agent, Thompson has represented films such as The Crying Game, The Motorcycle Diaries and Blue Jasmine. Recently formed sales-production company Sunray Films launched its first feature film production, Alone In Berlin starring Emma Thompson and Daniel Brühl, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and is also representing Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner.
Pfm...
Alison Thompson, managing director of Sunray Films, is to deliver this year’s keynote address at the Film London Production Finance Market (Pfm) (Oct 15-16).
Opening the eighth Pfm in London on 15 October, Thompson will provide the 200 plus delegates and industry guests an insight into successfully financing, packaging, selling and positioning a diverse range of independent feature films across low and high budget ranges.
Thompson will also share her experience of spotting and nurturing talent and her move from indie sales companies to working for a studio-owned company.
As a sales agent, Thompson has represented films such as The Crying Game, The Motorcycle Diaries and Blue Jasmine. Recently formed sales-production company Sunray Films launched its first feature film production, Alone In Berlin starring Emma Thompson and Daniel Brühl, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and is also representing Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner.
Pfm...
- 10/2/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
A24 has given "Ginger & Rosa" a March 15th limited release. The Sally Potter film stars Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Christina Hendricks and Annette Bening and had it's world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, reports Variety. Set in 1960s London, the story follows the lifelong friendship of two teenage girls (Elle Fanning, Alice Englert) which is shattered by ideological differences and personal betrayals. "Ginger & Rosa" was produced by Andrew Litvin and Christopher Sheppard and Scripted by director Sally Potter, the film which also includes Alessandro Nivola...
- 1/4/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
A24 has given "Ginger & Rosa" a March 15th limited release. The Sally Potter film stars Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Christina Hendricks and Annette Bening and had it's world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, reports Variety. Set in 1960s London, the story follows the lifelong friendship of two teenage girls (Elle Fanning, Alice Englert) which is shattered by ideological differences and personal betrayals. "Ginger & Rosa" was produced by Andrew Litvin and Christopher Sheppard and Scripted by director Sally Potter, the film which also includes Alessandro Nivola...
- 1/4/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The London Film Festival is in full swing and this weekend saw a slew of premieres and over the next two days we’ll be bringing you our interivews.
A new film from Sally Potter is always worth taking notice of and with the ’60s set coming of age drama Ginger and Rosa playing at this year’s festival we had the opportunity to speak with the director and the actresses playing the two eponymous leads, Elle Fanning and Alice Englert.
Our guys Ben Mortimer and Colin Hart were on the red carpet at the Lff Premiere this weekend and you can see their interviews below.
Elle Fanning
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Alice Englert
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Director Sally Potter
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Producers Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Litvin
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The post HeyUGuys Lff Premiere Interviews: Elle Fanning, Alice Englert & Sally Potter for Ginger and...
A new film from Sally Potter is always worth taking notice of and with the ’60s set coming of age drama Ginger and Rosa playing at this year’s festival we had the opportunity to speak with the director and the actresses playing the two eponymous leads, Elle Fanning and Alice Englert.
Our guys Ben Mortimer and Colin Hart were on the red carpet at the Lff Premiere this weekend and you can see their interviews below.
Elle Fanning
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Alice Englert
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Director Sally Potter
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Producers Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Litvin
Iframe Embed for Youtube
The post HeyUGuys Lff Premiere Interviews: Elle Fanning, Alice Englert & Sally Potter for Ginger and...
- 10/15/2012
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
A24 has snapped up domestic distribution rights to Sally Potter’s drama Ginger & Rosa. The film, which stars Elle Fanning, made its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, followed by a Toronto International Film Festival screening. Newcomer Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt and Annette Bening round out the cast. Particularly impressed by Fanning’s performance, A24 plans on releasing the film for a qualifying run in 2012 for awards consideration, followed by a theatrical release in early 2013. Photos: Toronto Film Festival Day 7 Ginger & Rosa, which was produced by Christopher Sheppard and
read more...
read more...
- 9/25/2012
- by Tatiana Siegel
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A24 has acquired Ginger & Rosa, the Sally Potter-directed film that stars Elle Fanning. A story about friendship and betrayal, the film premiered at Telluride and Toronto and plays the New York Film Festival on October 8. Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt, and Annette Bening also star. A24 plans on a qualifying run of the film in 2012 for awards consideration followed by a theatrical release in early 2013. A24 said in a statement: “We fell in love with Ginger & Rosa. We’ve been fans of Sally’s for a long time. She has crafted a touching, heartfelt, and extraordinary work anchored by an absolutely incredible performance by Elle Fanning which already has a tremendous amount of love from audiences and journalists alike. We look forward to bringing the film to a wide audience and showing the world one of the best performances of the year.” Ginger & Rosa...
- 9/25/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Sally Potter's coming-of-age drama Ginger & Rosa starring Elle Fanning lands at new distributor A24 The film which made its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, followed by the Toronto International Film Festival, also stars Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt and Annette Bening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, A24 will send this out for a qualifying run for awards consideration, and then the film will make its theatrical debut in early 2013. Pic is directed by Potter (Yes, Rage) and produced by Andrew Litvin of Adventure Pictures and Christopher Sheppard.
- 9/25/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Sally Potter's coming-of-age drama Ginger & Rosa starring Elle Fanning lands at new distributor A24 The film which made its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, followed by the Toronto International Film Festival, also stars Alice Englert, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt and Annette Bening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, A24 will send this out for a qualifying run for awards consideration, and then the film will make its theatrical debut in early 2013. Pic is directed by Potter (Yes, Rage) and produced by Andrew Litvin of Adventure Pictures and Christopher Sheppard.
- 9/25/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
British auteur Sally Potter has been absent for a while, but in an interview with Screen Daily, she and producer Christopher Sheppard talk about their new film Ginger and Rosa, which she recently finished shooting in London.Potter's work has always stretched boundaries, both narratively and aesthetically. Orlando (1992), which introduced the wider world to the acting genius that is Tilda Swinton, turned the traditional costume drama on its head. The Tango Lesson (1997) is a gorgeous black-and-white documentary that saw the filmmaker herself step in front of the camera for record a personal journey through dance and love. Yes (2004) showed that, indeed, contemporary films can use iambic pentameter dialogue and have it be rich and sexy. Her last work, Rage (2009) is arguably her...
- 7/23/2012
- Screen Anarchy
As we reported about a month ago, We Bought a Zoo‘s Elle Fanning and Alessandro Nivola have already signed onto star in Sally Potter‘s drama Bomb. Now, according to DailyMail, Mad Men star Christina Hendricks has joined the cast.
The film centers on the lives of two teenage rebels, played Fanning and Alice Englart, “who become involved in the Ban the Bomb movement and the sexual revolution” in the 1960s. Nivola is set to play Fanning‘s father, a charismatic writer who has an affair with her best friend, which leads to a fallout. Oscar-nominated Annette Bening has also been rumored to be joining the cast. Potter will produce alongside Christopher Sheppard, with plans to shoot next February in London and the Southeast coast.
We’re not what role Hendricks will be playing, but, nevertheless, I’m starting to get a little worried she’ll be typecast as...
The film centers on the lives of two teenage rebels, played Fanning and Alice Englart, “who become involved in the Ban the Bomb movement and the sexual revolution” in the 1960s. Nivola is set to play Fanning‘s father, a charismatic writer who has an affair with her best friend, which leads to a fallout. Oscar-nominated Annette Bening has also been rumored to be joining the cast. Potter will produce alongside Christopher Sheppard, with plans to shoot next February in London and the Southeast coast.
We’re not what role Hendricks will be playing, but, nevertheless, I’m starting to get a little worried she’ll be typecast as...
- 12/23/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Despite holding an online casting call to try and find a British or Irish girl to play the lead in Sally Potter's latest film Bomb with over 1500 applications, the producers have played it safe and cast American starlet Elle Fanning, as reported by Deadline.
Bomb, written and directed by Sally Potter, is about two young rebels at the forefront of political, social and sexual change, and is set in London in the early Sixties.
13 year old Elle will take the lead role of Ginger, described as the ‘brainy’ one who wants to get involved with the anti-nuclear movement in 1960s London, but as the cold war meets the sexual revolution, it’s her family that threatens to explode. She appeared in this summer’s blockbuster Super 8 and will shortly be seen in Cameron Crowe's forthcoming drama We Bought A Zoo.
Joining her will be 17 year old New Zealander Alice Englert,...
Bomb, written and directed by Sally Potter, is about two young rebels at the forefront of political, social and sexual change, and is set in London in the early Sixties.
13 year old Elle will take the lead role of Ginger, described as the ‘brainy’ one who wants to get involved with the anti-nuclear movement in 1960s London, but as the cold war meets the sexual revolution, it’s her family that threatens to explode. She appeared in this summer’s blockbuster Super 8 and will shortly be seen in Cameron Crowe's forthcoming drama We Bought A Zoo.
Joining her will be 17 year old New Zealander Alice Englert,...
- 11/18/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
Sally Potter's new film "Rage" will premiere on mobile phones when Babelgum offers one episode from the film per day for seven days via its free mobile application for iPhone and iPod devices, beginning on Sept. 21.
The episodic mobile release will be available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
"Rage" tells the behind-the-scenes story of a New York fashion show through a series of interviews, as if shot by a schoolboy on his mobile phone over a seven-day period. The film, which features Simon Abkarian, Steve Buscemi, Lily Cole, Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard, Jude Law, John Leguizamo and Dianne Wiest, premiered at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival. Written and directed by Potter, it was produced by Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Fierberg.
In a statement, Potter, Sheppard and Fierberg said, "We always wanted to incorporate new-media platforms into our release strategy and to find a...
The episodic mobile release will be available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
"Rage" tells the behind-the-scenes story of a New York fashion show through a series of interviews, as if shot by a schoolboy on his mobile phone over a seven-day period. The film, which features Simon Abkarian, Steve Buscemi, Lily Cole, Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard, Jude Law, John Leguizamo and Dianne Wiest, premiered at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival. Written and directed by Potter, it was produced by Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Fierberg.
In a statement, Potter, Sheppard and Fierberg said, "We always wanted to incorporate new-media platforms into our release strategy and to find a...
Cannes -- Cinetic's digital arm, Cinetic Rights Management, is partnering with digital-media company Babelgum to distribute "Rage," Sally Potter's narrative feature set in the fashion world.
The pic, which screened at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, stars an ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Judi Dench, Jude Law and Eddie Izzard.
The scripted feature is structured as a series of cell phone interviews of New York fashion figures, with mayhem ensuing in the wake of a murder, a fashion crisis and other misadventures.
Potter ("Yes," "The Man Who Cried") directed "Rage," and Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Fierberg produced.
The companies are planning a day-and-date online, mobile and theatrical release in September, with Babelgum releasing the film in episodic form on its Web site as well as a mobile platform in the U.S., U.K. and Italy.
Alternative distribution has become increasingly appealing for indie productions as new...
The pic, which screened at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, stars an ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Judi Dench, Jude Law and Eddie Izzard.
The scripted feature is structured as a series of cell phone interviews of New York fashion figures, with mayhem ensuing in the wake of a murder, a fashion crisis and other misadventures.
Potter ("Yes," "The Man Who Cried") directed "Rage," and Christopher Sheppard and Andrew Fierberg produced.
The companies are planning a day-and-date online, mobile and theatrical release in September, with Babelgum releasing the film in episodic form on its Web site as well as a mobile platform in the U.S., U.K. and Italy.
Alternative distribution has become increasingly appealing for indie productions as new...
- 5/11/2009
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO -- Sally Potter (The Tango Lesson, The Man Who Cried) makes films about women liberating themselves, and often that involves them dancing. The tango in her newest film is the dance of relationship politics, in all its forms, shapes, sizes and colors.
Thematically, Yes is certainly her most ambitious work to date. Joan Allen is an Irish-American biogeneticist unhappily married to an English politician (Sam Neill). Escaping this stifling home life, she accepts the amorous advances of a handsome Lebanese man, played with grace and dignity by Paris stage actor Simon Abkarian. Their initial adulterous happiness, though, gets complicated by social-political-racial factors.
She's a privileged, white married woman, he's a Middle Eastern former surgeon reduced to working as a chef ("Where once I picked shrapnel out of people's bodies and cut their flesh to save their lives, now I cut the flesh of animals"). Her elegant circle of family is filled with pretense and vanity; he is shoved by prejudice and conflict into a lonely, claustrophobic corner of lower-class London. Out of this dynamic of interracial attraction, Potter spins a chamber epic of class, values and social justice.
If it all sounds very heavy, it is, even though there are scenes of lyrical wit and wry absurdity. To top it off, Potter has written all the dialogue in iambic pentameter, making the piece a linguistic treat. The performances also are unanimously supreme, from Allen's usual nice work to British comedian Shirley Henderson performing the Greek chorus role as the family maid to Neill's complex and empathetic husband, who likes to play air guitar to B.B. King's blues.
Despite many interesting mise-en-scene moments, the film disappointingly feels as sterile as the family's immaculately clean house. In a sense, the movie is too ambitious. Drawing on issues as far-ranging as Middle East politics, career vs. family, classicism, racism, God and even the morality and ethics of scientific research, Potter stretches the canvas too wide for the audience to get a firm grasp of the gritty personal, intimate struggle of two very appealing adult characters.
Even as the words are splendid and poetic, Potter visually tries a little too hard. The elaborate camera movements, CCTV texturing and stilted frames offer much style without adding that much substance. Like Allen's main character, "Yes" is suffocated by its own self-importance.
As the affair drifts into an emotionally draining abyss, Allen decides to escape to Cuba, hoping her lover will join her there. By this point, we're not clinging to the mystery of whether he will go to her or return to his native Beirut. We're wondering what is the political and symbolic significance of the final act being set in a communist, atheist, anti-capitalist country like Cuba?
YES
Greenstreet Films and U.K. Film Council present
An Adventure Pictures Production in association with Studio Fierberg
Credits:
Writer/Director: Sally Potter
Producers: Christopher Sheppard, Andrew Fierberg
Director of Cinematography: Alexei Rodionov
Production designer: Carlos Conti
Costume Designer: Jacqueline Durran
Sound: Jean-Paul Mugel, Vincent Tulli
Editor: Daniel Goddard
Music: Sally Potter, Fred Frith
Cast:
Cleaner: Shirley Henderson
She: Joan Allen
Anthony: Sam Neill
He: Simon Abkarian
Kate: Samantha Bond
Grace: Stephanie Leonidas
Aunt: Sheila Hancock
Running time: 95 minutes
No MPAA rating...
TORONTO -- Sally Potter (The Tango Lesson, The Man Who Cried) makes films about women liberating themselves, and often that involves them dancing. The tango in her newest film is the dance of relationship politics, in all its forms, shapes, sizes and colors.
Thematically, Yes is certainly her most ambitious work to date. Joan Allen is an Irish-American biogeneticist unhappily married to an English politician (Sam Neill). Escaping this stifling home life, she accepts the amorous advances of a handsome Lebanese man, played with grace and dignity by Paris stage actor Simon Abkarian. Their initial adulterous happiness, though, gets complicated by social-political-racial factors.
She's a privileged, white married woman, he's a Middle Eastern former surgeon reduced to working as a chef ("Where once I picked shrapnel out of people's bodies and cut their flesh to save their lives, now I cut the flesh of animals"). Her elegant circle of family is filled with pretense and vanity; he is shoved by prejudice and conflict into a lonely, claustrophobic corner of lower-class London. Out of this dynamic of interracial attraction, Potter spins a chamber epic of class, values and social justice.
If it all sounds very heavy, it is, even though there are scenes of lyrical wit and wry absurdity. To top it off, Potter has written all the dialogue in iambic pentameter, making the piece a linguistic treat. The performances also are unanimously supreme, from Allen's usual nice work to British comedian Shirley Henderson performing the Greek chorus role as the family maid to Neill's complex and empathetic husband, who likes to play air guitar to B.B. King's blues.
Despite many interesting mise-en-scene moments, the film disappointingly feels as sterile as the family's immaculately clean house. In a sense, the movie is too ambitious. Drawing on issues as far-ranging as Middle East politics, career vs. family, classicism, racism, God and even the morality and ethics of scientific research, Potter stretches the canvas too wide for the audience to get a firm grasp of the gritty personal, intimate struggle of two very appealing adult characters.
Even as the words are splendid and poetic, Potter visually tries a little too hard. The elaborate camera movements, CCTV texturing and stilted frames offer much style without adding that much substance. Like Allen's main character, "Yes" is suffocated by its own self-importance.
As the affair drifts into an emotionally draining abyss, Allen decides to escape to Cuba, hoping her lover will join her there. By this point, we're not clinging to the mystery of whether he will go to her or return to his native Beirut. We're wondering what is the political and symbolic significance of the final act being set in a communist, atheist, anti-capitalist country like Cuba?
YES
Greenstreet Films and U.K. Film Council present
An Adventure Pictures Production in association with Studio Fierberg
Credits:
Writer/Director: Sally Potter
Producers: Christopher Sheppard, Andrew Fierberg
Director of Cinematography: Alexei Rodionov
Production designer: Carlos Conti
Costume Designer: Jacqueline Durran
Sound: Jean-Paul Mugel, Vincent Tulli
Editor: Daniel Goddard
Music: Sally Potter, Fred Frith
Cast:
Cleaner: Shirley Henderson
She: Joan Allen
Anthony: Sam Neill
He: Simon Abkarian
Kate: Samantha Bond
Grace: Stephanie Leonidas
Aunt: Sheila Hancock
Running time: 95 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 9/16/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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