Mediawan Rights has boarded “Kabul,” a highly anticipated thriller series produced by France’s 24 25 Films and Cinétévé.
Shervin Alenabi (“Tehran”) and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane (in a small role) have joined the international cast of the show, which already comprises Jonathan Zaccaï (“Le bureau des legendes”), Thibault Evrard (“The Night of the 12th”), Vassilis Kukalawi (“Kandahar”), Jeanne Goursaud (“Pax Massilia”), Gianmarco Saurino (“L’estate piu Calda”) and Valentina Cervi (“Medici: Masters of Florence”).
The series, set against the backdrop of U.S. troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban’s sweep to power, just started filming on April 1. Mediawan Rights will introduce the gripping series project to international buyers at upcoming markets, and is handling worldwide distribution with the participation of Entourage.
“Kabul” explores the chaotic evacuation of various characters, from diplomats to soldiers to civilians, who desperately seek refuge and solidarity in a country in crisis, with the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul.
Shervin Alenabi (“Tehran”) and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane (in a small role) have joined the international cast of the show, which already comprises Jonathan Zaccaï (“Le bureau des legendes”), Thibault Evrard (“The Night of the 12th”), Vassilis Kukalawi (“Kandahar”), Jeanne Goursaud (“Pax Massilia”), Gianmarco Saurino (“L’estate piu Calda”) and Valentina Cervi (“Medici: Masters of Florence”).
The series, set against the backdrop of U.S. troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan and Taliban’s sweep to power, just started filming on April 1. Mediawan Rights will introduce the gripping series project to international buyers at upcoming markets, and is handling worldwide distribution with the participation of Entourage.
“Kabul” explores the chaotic evacuation of various characters, from diplomats to soldiers to civilians, who desperately seek refuge and solidarity in a country in crisis, with the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul.
- 4/4/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Hanway Films will represent worldwide sales at next month’s EFM on Winter Of The Crow, a Cold War thriller starring Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville. The film is currently shooting in Warsaw.
Based on a short story by Nobel Prize and International Booker-winning Polish author Olga Tokarczuk, the feature is set in what is described as “the surreal and cinematic world of 1981 Warsaw.” The full synopsis reads: Warsaw, Poland – December 13th, 1981 – martial law is imposed and overnight shuts down the country just as British psychiatry professor Dr. Joan Andrews (Manville) arrives in Warsaw as a guest lecturer at the University. Taxis have been replaced by tanks; citizens are treated like criminals. But as chaos engulfs the city, armed with her camera she witnesses a brutal murder by the secret police.
In mortal danger and trapped as Poland is closed down, Joan becomes a hunted fugitive running for her life. Using...
Based on a short story by Nobel Prize and International Booker-winning Polish author Olga Tokarczuk, the feature is set in what is described as “the surreal and cinematic world of 1981 Warsaw.” The full synopsis reads: Warsaw, Poland – December 13th, 1981 – martial law is imposed and overnight shuts down the country just as British psychiatry professor Dr. Joan Andrews (Manville) arrives in Warsaw as a guest lecturer at the University. Taxis have been replaced by tanks; citizens are treated like criminals. But as chaos engulfs the city, armed with her camera she witnesses a brutal murder by the secret police.
In mortal danger and trapped as Poland is closed down, Joan becomes a hunted fugitive running for her life. Using...
- 1/30/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Lesley Manville, most recently seen as Princess Margaret in the final seasons of “The Crown,” is to lead “Winter of the Crow,” now shooting in Warsaw, Poland.
Ahead of the European Film Market in Berlin, HanWay is launching worldwide sales on the feature, based on the short story by Olga Tokarczuk, a Nobel Literature Prize and International Booker Prize winner and one of the most critically acclaimed and successful authors of her generation in Poland.
Alongside Manville, soon to be seen in “Back to Black,” the sporting cast includes Tom Burke, Zofia Wichłacz (“World on Fire” and a European Shooting Star winner at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017) and Andrzej Konopka.
From award-winning director and storyboard artist Kasia Adamik (winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017 for “Spoor”), “Winter of the Crow” is a Cold War thriller set in the surreal and cinematic world of 1981 Warsaw.
Ahead of the European Film Market in Berlin, HanWay is launching worldwide sales on the feature, based on the short story by Olga Tokarczuk, a Nobel Literature Prize and International Booker Prize winner and one of the most critically acclaimed and successful authors of her generation in Poland.
Alongside Manville, soon to be seen in “Back to Black,” the sporting cast includes Tom Burke, Zofia Wichłacz (“World on Fire” and a European Shooting Star winner at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017) and Andrzej Konopka.
From award-winning director and storyboard artist Kasia Adamik (winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017 for “Spoor”), “Winter of the Crow” is a Cold War thriller set in the surreal and cinematic world of 1981 Warsaw.
- 1/30/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
The 57th edition includes new films by directors Pascal Plante, Stephan Komandarev, Tinatin Kajrishvili and Babak Jalali.
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has unveiled the official selection for its 57th edition, including new features by Pascal Plante, Stephan Komandarev and Tinatin Kajrishvili.
The festival, which runs from June 30-July 8 in the Czech spa town, has nine world premieres and two international premieres in its main Crystal Globe Competition.
Canadian director Plante, whose Nadia Butterfly was in Cannes’ Official Selection in 2020 and Fake Tattoos played in the Berlinale’s Generation strand in 2018, world premieres arthouse thriller Red Rooms about a woman...
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has unveiled the official selection for its 57th edition, including new features by Pascal Plante, Stephan Komandarev and Tinatin Kajrishvili.
The festival, which runs from June 30-July 8 in the Czech spa town, has nine world premieres and two international premieres in its main Crystal Globe Competition.
Canadian director Plante, whose Nadia Butterfly was in Cannes’ Official Selection in 2020 and Fake Tattoos played in the Berlinale’s Generation strand in 2018, world premieres arthouse thriller Red Rooms about a woman...
- 5/30/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
The Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival, Eastern and Central Europe’s leading cinema event, has unveiled its lineup, which includes new works by Pascal Plante, Stephan Komandarev, Tinatin Kajrishvili and Babak Jalali in the Crystal Globes Competition. They will vie against films by up-and-comers Ernst De Geer, Itsaso Arana and Cyril Aris. The section has nine world and two international premieres. Oscar-nominated actor Patricia Clarkson is one of the jury members.
The Proxima Competition, which made its debut at last year’s Kviff, presents what the festival defines as “bold works,” directed by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike. The section comprises of 10 world and two international premieres. The festival says “playfulness, courage and freshness can be found” in the new films by Swiss auteur Thomas Imbach, Poland’s Olga Chajdas, Cyprus-born Kyros Papavassiliou, French filmmaker Émilie Brisavoine and Romanian documentarist Alexandru Solomon, among others.
Eight films will play in the Special Screenings section,...
The Proxima Competition, which made its debut at last year’s Kviff, presents what the festival defines as “bold works,” directed by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike. The section comprises of 10 world and two international premieres. The festival says “playfulness, courage and freshness can be found” in the new films by Swiss auteur Thomas Imbach, Poland’s Olga Chajdas, Cyprus-born Kyros Papavassiliou, French filmmaker Émilie Brisavoine and Romanian documentarist Alexandru Solomon, among others.
Eight films will play in the Special Screenings section,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Slovak director Robert Kirchhoff is in postproduction with his documentary “All Men Become Brothers,” which follows the life of Czechoslovak politician Alexander Dubček (1921-1992), Film New Europe reports.
Dubček was leader of Czechoslovakia from January 1968 to April 1969. He attempted to reform the communist government during the Prague Spring, but was forced to resign following the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968.
The film is produced by Kirchhoff’s Atelier.doc and coproduced by Radio and Television Slovakia, Czech Republic’s Endorfilm and Czech Television.
Kirchhoff’s past titles include “Normalization,” which received a Special Mention from the Between the Seas jury at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival.
Production took place from 2018 to 2021 on locations in Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey and Slovakia. Well-known figures from Czechoslovak and international politics and culture, such as Italian politician Romano Prodi, Italian novelist Umberto Eco, Czech novelist and playwright Pavel Kohout, and Czech director...
Dubček was leader of Czechoslovakia from January 1968 to April 1969. He attempted to reform the communist government during the Prague Spring, but was forced to resign following the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968.
The film is produced by Kirchhoff’s Atelier.doc and coproduced by Radio and Television Slovakia, Czech Republic’s Endorfilm and Czech Television.
Kirchhoff’s past titles include “Normalization,” which received a Special Mention from the Between the Seas jury at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival.
Production took place from 2018 to 2021 on locations in Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey and Slovakia. Well-known figures from Czechoslovak and international politics and culture, such as Italian politician Romano Prodi, Italian novelist Umberto Eco, Czech novelist and playwright Pavel Kohout, and Czech director...
- 7/10/2022
- by Zuzana Točíková Vojteková
- Variety Film + TV
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
Programme includes five completed films, six works-in-progress, nine development.
The programme for the 2021 edition of Polish Days industry event includes Lipstick On The Glass, the latest film from Polish director Kuba Czekaj.
Czekaj’s film, which is currently in post-production, is participating as one of six works-in-progress, alongside nine titles in development and five completed films.
The film follows a woman who is induced to abandon her gangster husband to join a feminist sect.
It is produced by Paweł Kosuń and Agnieszka Janowska for Poland’s Centrala Film, and Arek Gielnik for Germany’s Indi Film.
The film will be...
The programme for the 2021 edition of Polish Days industry event includes Lipstick On The Glass, the latest film from Polish director Kuba Czekaj.
Czekaj’s film, which is currently in post-production, is participating as one of six works-in-progress, alongside nine titles in development and five completed films.
The film follows a woman who is induced to abandon her gangster husband to join a feminist sect.
It is produced by Paweł Kosuń and Agnieszka Janowska for Poland’s Centrala Film, and Arek Gielnik for Germany’s Indi Film.
The film will be...
- 7/28/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
A host of anticipated upcoming titles from the growing Polish industry have hit the Cannes Film Market.
Fools
Director: Tomasz Wasilewski
Producer: Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions)
Logline: Marlena (62) and Tomasz (42), hidden away from the world in a small seaside town, have been in a happy relationship for many years. Their intricately woven everyday life slowly begins to crumble when, against Tomasz’s will, Marlena allows her son to move in with them. As the past comes back to them in full force, they’ll have to redefine their love, choices and life.
Sales: New Europe Film Sales
Leave No Traces
Director: Jan P. Matuszyński
Producers: Leszek Bodzak and Aneta Hickinbotham (Aurum Film)
Logline: Poland, 1983. The country is shaken by the case of Grzegorz Przemyk, a high school student beaten to death by a militia. Based on true events, the film follows the story of Jurek, the only witness to the beating,...
Fools
Director: Tomasz Wasilewski
Producer: Ewa Puszczyńska (Extreme Emotions)
Logline: Marlena (62) and Tomasz (42), hidden away from the world in a small seaside town, have been in a happy relationship for many years. Their intricately woven everyday life slowly begins to crumble when, against Tomasz’s will, Marlena allows her son to move in with them. As the past comes back to them in full force, they’ll have to redefine their love, choices and life.
Sales: New Europe Film Sales
Leave No Traces
Director: Jan P. Matuszyński
Producers: Leszek Bodzak and Aneta Hickinbotham (Aurum Film)
Logline: Poland, 1983. The country is shaken by the case of Grzegorz Przemyk, a high school student beaten to death by a militia. Based on true events, the film follows the story of Jurek, the only witness to the beating,...
- 7/10/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
New Projects by Paulo Miranda Maria, Delphine Girard, Mans Mansson are in the line-up.
The 12th edition of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival is moving its industry component to January 2021 but keeping the festival itself in December.
Les Arcs Industry Village will run as a hybrid online-physical event and will be based in Paris. The programme, which is headlined by the Co-production Village and Works-in-Progress events, will take place physically in Paris, from January 17-18, and online from January 20-21.
The festival component will retain its previously announced dates of December 12-19. It is expected to go ahead mainly online,...
The 12th edition of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival is moving its industry component to January 2021 but keeping the festival itself in December.
Les Arcs Industry Village will run as a hybrid online-physical event and will be based in Paris. The programme, which is headlined by the Co-production Village and Works-in-Progress events, will take place physically in Paris, from January 17-18, and online from January 20-21.
The festival component will retain its previously announced dates of December 12-19. It is expected to go ahead mainly online,...
- 11/10/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
New Projects by Paulo Miranda Maria, Delphine Girard, Mans Mansson are in the line-up.
The 12th edition of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival is moving its industy component to January 2021 but keeping the festival itself in December.
Les Arcs Industry Village will run as a hybrid online-physical event and will be based in Paris. The programme, which is headlined by the Co-production Village and Works-in-Progress events, will take place physically in Paris, from January 17-18, and online from January 20-21.
The festival component will retain its previouly announced dates of December 12-19. It is expected to go ahead mainly online,...
The 12th edition of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival is moving its industy component to January 2021 but keeping the festival itself in December.
Les Arcs Industry Village will run as a hybrid online-physical event and will be based in Paris. The programme, which is headlined by the Co-production Village and Works-in-Progress events, will take place physically in Paris, from January 17-18, and online from January 20-21.
The festival component will retain its previouly announced dates of December 12-19. It is expected to go ahead mainly online,...
- 11/10/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
After years of frustration with the course of the country’s politics, Poland’s labor minister has all but thrown in the towel. An idealist at heart, she’s ready to resign when an unexpected controversy opens the door for her to rise to the very top of the political establishment. The only thing standing in her way? A fiery, rebellious, openly gay chef who’s suddenly captured the minister’s heart. With her political fortunes hanging in the balance, she has to choose between her career and love—even though she manages to win at both in the end.
“Politics of Love” is perhaps not the most conventional romantic comedy to come from Poland, a country whose president, Andrzej Duda, has in recent years decried homosexuality as an “ideology” and made anti-lgbtq rhetoric a central tenet of his ruling Law and Justice Party.
But Joanna Szymanska (pictured), who is...
“Politics of Love” is perhaps not the most conventional romantic comedy to come from Poland, a country whose president, Andrzej Duda, has in recent years decried homosexuality as an “ideology” and made anti-lgbtq rhetoric a central tenet of his ruling Law and Justice Party.
But Joanna Szymanska (pictured), who is...
- 9/10/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The Ugc Writers Campus by Series Mania, an immersive week-long writing workshop for 20 emerging TV drama writers throughout Europe, will run from March 20-27. Now in its third year, Ugc has selected 20 screenwriters from more than 100 candidates and 30 different countries.
The Series Mania Festival runs from March 20-28 in Lille, France, and will include a program of world premieres and series selected for competition.
Under the editorial supervision of Lorraine Sullivan, this year’s president of the Ugc campus will be Eli Horowitz, the creator and showrunner of the Amazon series Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts (the series’ Season 2 is set for this Spring.)
The 20 selected screenwriters also will be tutored by screenwriter Jeppe Gjervig Gram (Follow the Money) and screenwriter and story consultant Nicola Lusuardi (Bulletproof Heart), through masterclasses, writing workshops and meetings with industry professionals.
The selected participants include:
Richard Brabin – At Sea – UK (London Film School) Marta Irene...
The Series Mania Festival runs from March 20-28 in Lille, France, and will include a program of world premieres and series selected for competition.
Under the editorial supervision of Lorraine Sullivan, this year’s president of the Ugc campus will be Eli Horowitz, the creator and showrunner of the Amazon series Homecoming, starring Julia Roberts (the series’ Season 2 is set for this Spring.)
The 20 selected screenwriters also will be tutored by screenwriter Jeppe Gjervig Gram (Follow the Money) and screenwriter and story consultant Nicola Lusuardi (Bulletproof Heart), through masterclasses, writing workshops and meetings with industry professionals.
The selected participants include:
Richard Brabin – At Sea – UK (London Film School) Marta Irene...
- 2/17/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Eli Horowitz, creator and showrunner of the Julia Roberts-led Amazon series “Homecoming,” will be the president of the Ugc Writers Campus at annual series showcase Series Mania.
The Campus is a week-long writing workshop for emerging TV drama writers from Europe. Twenty screenwriters were chosen from more than 100 applicants. The workshop will be run under the editorial supervision of Series Mania founder Laurence Herszberg. Screenwriter Jeppe Gjervig Gram (“Borgen”) and screenwriter and story editor Nicola Lusuardi (“1994”) are the other tutors.
The selected screenwriters and projects include: Richard Brabin’s “At Sea” (U.K.); Marta Irene Rosato’s “Bad Reputation” (Italy); Judit Anna Banhazi’s “Christabel” (Hungary); Bar Farjun and Shachar Rosenfeld’s “The Instructors” (Israel); Alain Moreau’s “Agnes & Luis” (France); Daniela Luciani and Ilaria Coppolecchia’s “Lamb of God” (Italy); Elena Lyubarskaya and Katerina Gerothanasi’s “Moving On” (Russia and Greece); Thomas Lehout and Juliette Barry’s...
The Campus is a week-long writing workshop for emerging TV drama writers from Europe. Twenty screenwriters were chosen from more than 100 applicants. The workshop will be run under the editorial supervision of Series Mania founder Laurence Herszberg. Screenwriter Jeppe Gjervig Gram (“Borgen”) and screenwriter and story editor Nicola Lusuardi (“1994”) are the other tutors.
The selected screenwriters and projects include: Richard Brabin’s “At Sea” (U.K.); Marta Irene Rosato’s “Bad Reputation” (Italy); Judit Anna Banhazi’s “Christabel” (Hungary); Bar Farjun and Shachar Rosenfeld’s “The Instructors” (Israel); Alain Moreau’s “Agnes & Luis” (France); Daniela Luciani and Ilaria Coppolecchia’s “Lamb of God” (Italy); Elena Lyubarskaya and Katerina Gerothanasi’s “Moving On” (Russia and Greece); Thomas Lehout and Juliette Barry’s...
- 2/17/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Four Polish female filmmakers have partnered with four top female Polish authors on film project “Erotica 2022.” The producer Marta Lewandowska is in Cannes seeking financing.
The pic, set in the near future in Poland, is composed of four stories about women’s issues, loosely connected, and all with an erotic element.
The film is directed by Olga Chajdas, Katarzyna Adamik, Anna Kazejak and Anna Jadowska. The writers are Joanna Bator, Olga Tokarczuk, Gaja Grzegorzewska and Grażyna Plebanek.
In a statement, the filmmakers said: “In a world where women are products, motherhood is an obligation, sexuality is oppressed and men are as primal as ever, four female characters face the world of absurdity, sick encounters, lack of true emotions and loneliness. The film depicts a fake world – yet very believable.”
Chajdas’ debut feature “Nina” premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival, winning the Big Screen Award, and won best Polish film at the Camerimage Film Festival.
The pic, set in the near future in Poland, is composed of four stories about women’s issues, loosely connected, and all with an erotic element.
The film is directed by Olga Chajdas, Katarzyna Adamik, Anna Kazejak and Anna Jadowska. The writers are Joanna Bator, Olga Tokarczuk, Gaja Grzegorzewska and Grażyna Plebanek.
In a statement, the filmmakers said: “In a world where women are products, motherhood is an obligation, sexuality is oppressed and men are as primal as ever, four female characters face the world of absurdity, sick encounters, lack of true emotions and loneliness. The film depicts a fake world – yet very believable.”
Chajdas’ debut feature “Nina” premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival, winning the Big Screen Award, and won best Polish film at the Camerimage Film Festival.
- 5/21/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Radoslaw Śmigulski(left), general director of the Polish Film Institute, hosted Friday’s Polish Party at Plage du Goéland in Cannes, where the guests included Marche du Film director Jérôme Paillard.
“It was a pleasure to host great filmmakers and film industry representatives at the Polish Party in Cannes, which was one of the many events promoting the talents, locations and the funding possibilities in Poland, including the 30% cash rebate,” said the Pfi’s Smigulski.
Among those in attendance were Berlinale artistic director Carlo Chatrian, Locarno Film Festival programming head Mark Peranson, and Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival program coordinator Anna Purkrabkova, programmer Martin Horyna, and programmer Lenka Tyrpakova.
“There is a lot of interest in Polish cinema right now,” said producer Klaudia Smieja of Madants, gesturing around the packed terrace where guests huddled, danced and downed Polish vodka to stay warm on a cold, soggy night.
Smieja, who produced...
“It was a pleasure to host great filmmakers and film industry representatives at the Polish Party in Cannes, which was one of the many events promoting the talents, locations and the funding possibilities in Poland, including the 30% cash rebate,” said the Pfi’s Smigulski.
Among those in attendance were Berlinale artistic director Carlo Chatrian, Locarno Film Festival programming head Mark Peranson, and Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival program coordinator Anna Purkrabkova, programmer Martin Horyna, and programmer Lenka Tyrpakova.
“There is a lot of interest in Polish cinema right now,” said producer Klaudia Smieja of Madants, gesturing around the packed terrace where guests huddled, danced and downed Polish vodka to stay warm on a cold, soggy night.
Smieja, who produced...
- 5/18/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
“Charlatan”
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Producers: Marlene Film Production, Film & Music Entertainment, Madants
Logline: Inspired by the real-life figure of Jan Mikolášek, Holland’s latest follows an herbalist who devotes his life to care for the sick, despite the challenges.
Sales: Films Boutique
“The Coldest Game”
Director: Lukasz Kosmicki
Producer: Watchout Studio, K5 Intl.
Logline: Bill Pullman stars in this spy thriller, set against the backdrop of the Cuban missile crisis, as an American chess master whisked off to Warsaw to square off against a Russian champion.
Sales: Hyde Park Entertainment
“Corpus Christi”
Director: Jan Komasa
Producers: Aurum Film, Les Contes Modernes
Logline: Inspired by real events, the third feature from Komasa (Berlin player “Suicide Room”) follows a teenage delinquent who dreams of becoming a priest, only to find himself mistakenly taking over a village parish and transforming the local community.
Sales: New Europe Film Sales
“Fools”
Director: Tomasz Wasilewski
Producers: Extreme Emotions,...
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Producers: Marlene Film Production, Film & Music Entertainment, Madants
Logline: Inspired by the real-life figure of Jan Mikolášek, Holland’s latest follows an herbalist who devotes his life to care for the sick, despite the challenges.
Sales: Films Boutique
“The Coldest Game”
Director: Lukasz Kosmicki
Producer: Watchout Studio, K5 Intl.
Logline: Bill Pullman stars in this spy thriller, set against the backdrop of the Cuban missile crisis, as an American chess master whisked off to Warsaw to square off against a Russian champion.
Sales: Hyde Park Entertainment
“Corpus Christi”
Director: Jan Komasa
Producers: Aurum Film, Les Contes Modernes
Logline: Inspired by real events, the third feature from Komasa (Berlin player “Suicide Room”) follows a teenage delinquent who dreams of becoming a priest, only to find himself mistakenly taking over a village parish and transforming the local community.
Sales: New Europe Film Sales
“Fools”
Director: Tomasz Wasilewski
Producers: Extreme Emotions,...
- 5/16/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Radoslaw Smigulski (right), general director of the Polish Film Institute, hosted Friday’s Polish Party at Berlin’s Ewerk, where the guests included Agnieszka Holland (left), director of Berlin competition film “Mr. Jones,” and European Film Academy chairwoman.
Among the guests were filmmakers Sergei Loznitsa and Olga Chajdas, Antoine le Bos, founder of Groupe Ouest, Philip Ilienko, director of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Mercedes Fernandez Alonso, the managing director of TorinoFilmLab, Rolandas Kvietkauskas, director of the Lithuanian Film Center, Marketa Šantrochová, head of the Czech Film Center, and Meinolf Zurhorst, head of the Arte film department at Zdf.
Other guests included Bernd Buder, artistic director of the Cottbus Film Festival, Marjorie Bendeck, director of Connecting Cottbus, Jeremy Zelnik, head of industry at Les Arcs Film Festival, Marge Liiske, managing director of Baltic Event, Nikolaj Nikitin, the Berlinale’s delegate for Central and Eastern Europe, and Guillaume Calop, general manager of Les Arcs Film Festival.
Among the guests were filmmakers Sergei Loznitsa and Olga Chajdas, Antoine le Bos, founder of Groupe Ouest, Philip Ilienko, director of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Mercedes Fernandez Alonso, the managing director of TorinoFilmLab, Rolandas Kvietkauskas, director of the Lithuanian Film Center, Marketa Šantrochová, head of the Czech Film Center, and Meinolf Zurhorst, head of the Arte film department at Zdf.
Other guests included Bernd Buder, artistic director of the Cottbus Film Festival, Marjorie Bendeck, director of Connecting Cottbus, Jeremy Zelnik, head of industry at Les Arcs Film Festival, Marge Liiske, managing director of Baltic Event, Nikolaj Nikitin, the Berlinale’s delegate for Central and Eastern Europe, and Guillaume Calop, general manager of Les Arcs Film Festival.
- 2/11/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Eurimages prize goes to ’Stillborn’.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) held the awards ceremony for its Pro industry section on Wednesday January 30, with Days Of Cannibalism and Lotus Position winning the inaugural Dutch post-production awards of €50,000 each to be spent in the Netherlands.
The new awards, launched in November last year and delivered with an additional €5,000 each in kind, are a collaboration between the Hubert Bals Fund, the Netherlands Film Fund and the Netherlands post-production Alliance.
Jury members programmer Sandro Fiorin, filmmaker Gurvinder Singh and head of industry at TorinoFilmLab Jane Williams described Teboho Edkins’ Days Of Cannibalism as a ‘smart,...
International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) held the awards ceremony for its Pro industry section on Wednesday January 30, with Days Of Cannibalism and Lotus Position winning the inaugural Dutch post-production awards of €50,000 each to be spent in the Netherlands.
The new awards, launched in November last year and delivered with an additional €5,000 each in kind, are a collaboration between the Hubert Bals Fund, the Netherlands Film Fund and the Netherlands post-production Alliance.
Jury members programmer Sandro Fiorin, filmmaker Gurvinder Singh and head of industry at TorinoFilmLab Jane Williams described Teboho Edkins’ Days Of Cannibalism as a ‘smart,...
- 1/31/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Also opening this week is Karyn Kusama’s Destroyer.
This week’s new releases in UK cinemas include Entertainment One’s Dick Cheney biopic Vice.
The film stars Christian Bale as the former vice president to George W. Bush. Amy Adams, Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell co-star.
It scored eight Oscar nominations this week, including for best picture, director and original screenplay for Adam McKay, leading actor for Bale, supporting actor for Rockwell, supporting actress for Adams, as well as editing and makeup/hairstyling.
Vice has taken $40m (£30.5m) in the Us so far after a $7.8m (£6m) opening weekend.
This week’s new releases in UK cinemas include Entertainment One’s Dick Cheney biopic Vice.
The film stars Christian Bale as the former vice president to George W. Bush. Amy Adams, Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell co-star.
It scored eight Oscar nominations this week, including for best picture, director and original screenplay for Adam McKay, leading actor for Bale, supporting actor for Rockwell, supporting actress for Adams, as well as editing and makeup/hairstyling.
Vice has taken $40m (£30.5m) in the Us so far after a $7.8m (£6m) opening weekend.
- 1/25/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Olga Chajdas’s story of a couple seducing a surrogate is a preposterous exercise in erotic intensity
First-time Polish film-maker Olga Chajdas gives us a movie acted and shot with confidence. But no amount of confidence can disguise how deeply silly this adventure in softcore lesbian sexiness is in terms of credible drama and human motivation – a silliness that escalates into something a little crass.
Nina (Julia Kijowska) and Wojtek (Andrzej Konopka) are a thirtysomething couple, a schoolteacher and a garage owner, who are supposedly desperate for a baby. They’ve tried fertility treatment and surrogacy, and nothing works. Then they come across Magda (Eliza Rycembel), a young gay woman who works in airport security, and who is initially shown having a frisson while frisking a female passenger – because, of course, that obviously happens with gay security officials at airports.
First-time Polish film-maker Olga Chajdas gives us a movie acted and shot with confidence. But no amount of confidence can disguise how deeply silly this adventure in softcore lesbian sexiness is in terms of credible drama and human motivation – a silliness that escalates into something a little crass.
Nina (Julia Kijowska) and Wojtek (Andrzej Konopka) are a thirtysomething couple, a schoolteacher and a garage owner, who are supposedly desperate for a baby. They’ve tried fertility treatment and surrogacy, and nothing works. Then they come across Magda (Eliza Rycembel), a young gay woman who works in airport security, and who is initially shown having a frisson while frisking a female passenger – because, of course, that obviously happens with gay security officials at airports.
- 1/24/2019
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Total of 37 feature film projects headed to Berlin.
The Berlin International Film Festival’s annual co-production market has unveiled the 37 feature film projects that will form this year’s selection.
There are 22 projects taking part in the Official Selection, including new films from Boo Junfeng, whose The Apprentice premiered at Cannes in 2016, and Uberto Pasolini, whose credits as a director include Still Life and Machan, and as a producer include The Full Monty.
Also attending with a new project is Carla Simón, the director of Summer 1993, which was a hit at the Berlinale in 2017, and brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser,...
The Berlin International Film Festival’s annual co-production market has unveiled the 37 feature film projects that will form this year’s selection.
There are 22 projects taking part in the Official Selection, including new films from Boo Junfeng, whose The Apprentice premiered at Cannes in 2016, and Uberto Pasolini, whose credits as a director include Still Life and Machan, and as a producer include The Full Monty.
Also attending with a new project is Carla Simón, the director of Summer 1993, which was a hit at the Berlinale in 2017, and brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser,...
- 1/10/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Films from Nsu German History X director Christian Schwochow, BeTipul star Shira Geffen, 7 Days in Havana director Santiago Mitre and The Full Monty producer Uberto Pasolini are among the titles set for this year’s Berlinale Co-Production Market.
The co-pro market, which will see 600 international producers and financiers to come together to explore new partnerships, will host 37 feature film projects. Notably, 20 female filmmaker, 49% of selected titles, are represented.
Schwochow is hosting Je Suis Karl, which is produced by Germany’s Pandora Film Produktion; Geffen has A Responsible Adult, a family drama set against the backdrop of Israel’s mythical Masada plateau with Israel’s Marker Films; Mitre is shopping Petite Fleur from France’s Maneki Films and Argentina’s La Uniòn de los Rìos, and Pasolini is directing Nowhere Special from UK’s Red Wave Films.
The 20 female filmmakers include Marcela Said from Chile, Elina Psykou from Greece, Júlia Murat from Brazil,...
The co-pro market, which will see 600 international producers and financiers to come together to explore new partnerships, will host 37 feature film projects. Notably, 20 female filmmaker, 49% of selected titles, are represented.
Schwochow is hosting Je Suis Karl, which is produced by Germany’s Pandora Film Produktion; Geffen has A Responsible Adult, a family drama set against the backdrop of Israel’s mythical Masada plateau with Israel’s Marker Films; Mitre is shopping Petite Fleur from France’s Maneki Films and Argentina’s La Uniòn de los Rìos, and Pasolini is directing Nowhere Special from UK’s Red Wave Films.
The 20 female filmmakers include Marcela Said from Chile, Elina Psykou from Greece, Júlia Murat from Brazil,...
- 1/10/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A total of 16 projects selected for Rotterdam industry event.
CineMart, the co-production market held during the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), has named the 16 feature projects to be showcased at next year’s edition.
Held January 27-30 during the festival (which runs Jan 23 – Feb 3), the event invites filmmakers to pitch their projects to a host of attending film professionals in tailored one-to-one meetings, as well as presentations that are open to all CineMart guests.
This year’s selection features one returning filmmaker, Nathalie Teirlinck, who previously presented her project Past Imperfect at CineMart in 2015 – that film went on to play...
CineMart, the co-production market held during the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), has named the 16 feature projects to be showcased at next year’s edition.
Held January 27-30 during the festival (which runs Jan 23 – Feb 3), the event invites filmmakers to pitch their projects to a host of attending film professionals in tailored one-to-one meetings, as well as presentations that are open to all CineMart guests.
This year’s selection features one returning filmmaker, Nathalie Teirlinck, who previously presented her project Past Imperfect at CineMart in 2015 – that film went on to play...
- 12/11/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Cold War, Roma also win awards.
The Fortress cinematographer Ji-yong Kim won the Golden Frog in main competition at Camerimage, the international film festival for the art of cinematography.
Scroll down for full list of winners
The 26th edition was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland from November 10 - 17.
The Fortress, directed by Dong-hyuk Hwang, tells the story of the second Manchu invasion of Korea in 1636. Ji-yong Kim was also awarded the best cinematographer award at this year’s Asian Film Awards.
Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal won the Silver Frog for Pawel Pawlikowski’s black-and-white drama Cold War, Poland’s official foreign language Oscar entry.
The Fortress cinematographer Ji-yong Kim won the Golden Frog in main competition at Camerimage, the international film festival for the art of cinematography.
Scroll down for full list of winners
The 26th edition was held in Bydgoszcz, Poland from November 10 - 17.
The Fortress, directed by Dong-hyuk Hwang, tells the story of the second Manchu invasion of Korea in 1636. Ji-yong Kim was also awarded the best cinematographer award at this year’s Asian Film Awards.
Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal won the Silver Frog for Pawel Pawlikowski’s black-and-white drama Cold War, Poland’s official foreign language Oscar entry.
- 11/18/2018
- by Tiffany Pritchard
- ScreenDaily
South Korean cinematographer Kim Ji-yong won the EnergaCamerimage fest top prize, the Golden Frog, on Saturday for the sweeping imagery of his Renaissance-era war story “The Fortress” by director Hwang Dong-Hyuk. Juror David Gropman, a production designer, praised the film’s “staggering beauty and epic scale.”
Poland’s own rising-star Dp Lukasz Zal won the Silver Frog for the crisp, monochrome look of period love story “Cold War” by Pawel Pawlikowski while Alfonso Cuaron, who wrote, directed and filmed the richly atmospheric black-and-white film “Roma,” named for the Mexico City neighborhood where he grew up, scored the Bronze Frog.
The prizes, handed out at the Opera Nova music hall in Bydgoszcz, Poland, capped a week of top cinematography work in 10 competitions, an experience fest director Marek Zydowicz described as a great success despite “crisis situations” during the week, which included the brief arrest of cinematographer Matthew Libatique on suspicion of assault.
Poland’s own rising-star Dp Lukasz Zal won the Silver Frog for the crisp, monochrome look of period love story “Cold War” by Pawel Pawlikowski while Alfonso Cuaron, who wrote, directed and filmed the richly atmospheric black-and-white film “Roma,” named for the Mexico City neighborhood where he grew up, scored the Bronze Frog.
The prizes, handed out at the Opera Nova music hall in Bydgoszcz, Poland, capped a week of top cinematography work in 10 competitions, an experience fest director Marek Zydowicz described as a great success despite “crisis situations” during the week, which included the brief arrest of cinematographer Matthew Libatique on suspicion of assault.
- 11/17/2018
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Camerimage, the weeklong celebration of cinematography in Bydgoszcz, Poland, comes to a close today by handing out its prestigious Frog prizes. The big winner was South Korean drama “The Fortress,” which won the top prize, the Golden Frog, in the Main Competition. The film directed by Dong-Hyuk Hwang and lensed by Ji Yong Kim was a massive hit in its home country in late 2017 and has since been released in 28 countries, including the U.S., reaching 3.8 million viewers worldwide.
The competition jury gave the Silver Frog to cinematographer Łukasz Żal for “Cold War” and the Bronze Frog to director-cinematographer Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma.” With over 900 cinematographers from around the world in attendance, many voting members of the Asc, Camerimage is an important bellwether for the Oscar race for Best Cinematography. The silver and bronze prizes should be a big boost for the two black-and-white films angling for Oscar nominations.
Five years ago,...
The competition jury gave the Silver Frog to cinematographer Łukasz Żal for “Cold War” and the Bronze Frog to director-cinematographer Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma.” With over 900 cinematographers from around the world in attendance, many voting members of the Asc, Camerimage is an important bellwether for the Oscar race for Best Cinematography. The silver and bronze prizes should be a big boost for the two black-and-white films angling for Oscar nominations.
Five years ago,...
- 11/17/2018
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
The Widowed Witch by Cai ChengjieHivos Tiger AwardThe Widowed Witch (Cai Chengjie)Special Jury Award (Screenplay)The Reports on Sarah and Saleem (written by Rami Alayan, dir. Muayad Alayan)Bright Future Award Azougue Nazaré (Tiago Melo)Vpro Big Screen AwardNina (Olga Chajdas)Iffr Audience AwardThe Guilty (Gustav Möller)Hubert Bals Fund Audience AwardThe Reports on Sarah and Saleem (Muayad Alayan)Voices Short Audience AwardJoy in People (Oscar Hudson)Fipresci AwardBalekempa (Ere Gowda)Knf AwardZama (Lucrecia Martel)Netpac AwardNervous Translation (Shireen Seno)Iffr Youth Jury AwardThe Guilty (Gustav Möller)Found Footage AwardNewsreel 63 — The Train of Shadows (Nika Autor)Ammodo Tiger Short CompetitionMountain Plain Mountain (Araki Yu & Daniel Jacoby)Rose Gold (Sara Cwynar)With History in a Room Filled with People with Funny Names 4 (Korakrit Arunanondchai)...
- 2/2/2018
- MUBI
Winners include The Widowed Witch, The Reports On Sarah And Saleem, The Guilty and Nina.
Source: Iffr
‘The Widowed Witch’
The winners at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam (24 Jan 2018 – 4 Feb) have been announced.
The Widowed Witch by Cai Chengjie won the Hivos Tiger competition, which comes with a $40,000 cash prize.
The jury said it was “a film of epic dimensions with a narrative that is greater than one person or moment. It takes a feminist viewpoint with a strong central character, who refuses to be a victim.”
The plot centres on a widowed woman who embarks on a quest through rural China after a series of tragedies. An earlier version of the film was screened at the Xining First Film Festival.
The $10,000 special jury award went to Rami Alayan’s screenplay for Muayad Alayan’s The Reports On Sarah And Saleem. The film won also won the Hubert Bals Fund audience award, also worth €10,000.
This...
Source: Iffr
‘The Widowed Witch’
The winners at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam (24 Jan 2018 – 4 Feb) have been announced.
The Widowed Witch by Cai Chengjie won the Hivos Tiger competition, which comes with a $40,000 cash prize.
The jury said it was “a film of epic dimensions with a narrative that is greater than one person or moment. It takes a feminist viewpoint with a strong central character, who refuses to be a victim.”
The plot centres on a widowed woman who embarks on a quest through rural China after a series of tragedies. An earlier version of the film was screened at the Xining First Film Festival.
The $10,000 special jury award went to Rami Alayan’s screenplay for Muayad Alayan’s The Reports On Sarah And Saleem. The film won also won the Hubert Bals Fund audience award, also worth €10,000.
This...
- 2/2/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Bero Beyer speech kicks off 47th edition.
Source: Iffr
Iffr director Bero Beyer
The International Film Festival Rotterdam kicked off its 47th edition last night (Jan 24) with an impassioned speech from festival director Bero Beyer.
Beyer addressed what he described as the “pattern of widespread abuse and often quite criminal sexual misconduct, committed almost exclusively by white middle-aged heterosexual men of power or status in the film industry.”
“It’s hard to say what’s more disturbing: The fact that anyone ever considered this behaviour to be acceptable, that so many were willing to look the other way and pretend it wasn’t going on,” Bero commented of the recent spate of industry scandals.
“It matters who tells the story and it matters who we see on our many screens. Too often history is written by the so-called winners, but mostly by bullies and mostly by men. So, if Iffr is part of the film industry: Who should...
Source: Iffr
Iffr director Bero Beyer
The International Film Festival Rotterdam kicked off its 47th edition last night (Jan 24) with an impassioned speech from festival director Bero Beyer.
Beyer addressed what he described as the “pattern of widespread abuse and often quite criminal sexual misconduct, committed almost exclusively by white middle-aged heterosexual men of power or status in the film industry.”
“It’s hard to say what’s more disturbing: The fact that anyone ever considered this behaviour to be acceptable, that so many were willing to look the other way and pretend it wasn’t going on,” Bero commented of the recent spate of industry scandals.
“It matters who tells the story and it matters who we see on our many screens. Too often history is written by the so-called winners, but mostly by bullies and mostly by men. So, if Iffr is part of the film industry: Who should...
- 1/25/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
InsectThe upcoming 47th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (January 24 – February 4) is going to be the third with Dutch independent producer Bero Beyer as festival director. “To be honest, it is exhilarating,” said Beyer to the Notebookwhen asked how it feels to lead the festival for the third time. He began his tenure with an enthusiasm that he still harbors and he is determined to usher Iffr into a new era. Beyer had a clear vision he wanted to pursue and steer the industry and programming to. “There were three main goals,” Beyer said regarding his vision, “one was to be more coherent in our professional approach. To really be a partner to a film project than to be just a short-term platform.” The festival integrates funding, development, production and distribution into more a tightknit operation, revising the film market CineMart and moving it with the Hubert Bals Fund “under one roof,...
- 1/24/2018
- MUBI
Polish showcase to highlight 26 movies.
Polish Days (August 8 - 10), the showcase of national films at the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival (August 3 - 13) in Wroclaw, Poland, has announced twenty-six titles this year.
Among six completed films are Andrzej Jakimowski’s Once Upon a Time in November and Maciej Sobieszczański’s The Reconciliation.
Eleven films will be presented at the pitchings event while nine films will be presented in the work-in-progress section.
Around 150 guests from Poland and abroad are expected to attend the event in Wrocław, which has been organized since 2013 in co-operation with the Polish Film Institute.
Projects presented in past years include Spoor, The Last Family, The Birds Are Singing in Kigali and All These Sleepless Nights.
New Horizons is being held two weeks later in the calendar this year to accomodate incoming sporting event The World Games, meaning the Polish festival coincides with the Locarno Film Festival for the first time.
Full list of...
Polish Days (August 8 - 10), the showcase of national films at the T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival (August 3 - 13) in Wroclaw, Poland, has announced twenty-six titles this year.
Among six completed films are Andrzej Jakimowski’s Once Upon a Time in November and Maciej Sobieszczański’s The Reconciliation.
Eleven films will be presented at the pitchings event while nine films will be presented in the work-in-progress section.
Around 150 guests from Poland and abroad are expected to attend the event in Wrocław, which has been organized since 2013 in co-operation with the Polish Film Institute.
Projects presented in past years include Spoor, The Last Family, The Birds Are Singing in Kigali and All These Sleepless Nights.
New Horizons is being held two weeks later in the calendar this year to accomodate incoming sporting event The World Games, meaning the Polish festival coincides with the Locarno Film Festival for the first time.
Full list of...
- 7/14/2017
- ScreenDaily
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