The Arab Cinema Center is launching the Critics Awards to promote and support Arab cinema internationally. The winners will be for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Actor.
The 26 member jury includes prominent Arab and foreign critics from 15 countries from around the world. Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky is serving as manager of the Critics Awards.
Film analyst Alaa Karkouti, CEO of Mad Solutions, the company in charge of organizing the Arab Cinema Center’s events and also the first Pan Arab independent distributor and PR company of Arabic content to and from the Arab world, said: “The Critics Awards marks a first-time initiative that encompasses film critics from all over the world dedicated to Arab films within the strategy of Arab Cinema Center to add initiatives and events to every large-scale international film festival around the world.”
He added: “This is the first new addition...
The 26 member jury includes prominent Arab and foreign critics from 15 countries from around the world. Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky is serving as manager of the Critics Awards.
Film analyst Alaa Karkouti, CEO of Mad Solutions, the company in charge of organizing the Arab Cinema Center’s events and also the first Pan Arab independent distributor and PR company of Arabic content to and from the Arab world, said: “The Critics Awards marks a first-time initiative that encompasses film critics from all over the world dedicated to Arab films within the strategy of Arab Cinema Center to add initiatives and events to every large-scale international film festival around the world.”
He added: “This is the first new addition...
- 4/16/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Karim Amer, producer of the Oscar-nominated documentary “The Square,” says the film is sparking controversy in his home country, where former president Mohamed Morsi is on trial for a series of alleged crimes against the nation. “Some people are saying we’re secret members of the (Muslim) Brotherhood, army loyalists – I don’t know how that’s possible – that we’re CIA,” said Amer. “But ordinary people are very excited, and the tweets and messages are fantastic.” The film about the Egyptian revolution has not been released in Egypt, and as a result is being pirated from Netflix to the tune of more.
- 2/6/2014
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Jehane Noujaim's "The Square," which had its theatrical release and played Doc NYC last fall, is in contention for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. It's racked up impressive wins including audience awards from Toronto and Sundance and Best Doc wins from the International Documentary Film Association and the Directors Guild of America. The movie is ripped from the headlines of the revolution in Egypt and takes you into the middle of the action. Noujaim admitted to me that managing this constantly evolving film with multiple passionate voices and participants was a challenge indeed. Here's our Toh! interview with Noujaim on the film's updated ending. Netflix picked up "The Square" and made it available for streaming on January 17--the day after the nominations--which will be followed by a theatrical release in some cities in March. They're even buying billboards around Los Angeles for the film--it's hard to imagine the usual distribution suspects doing that.
- 1/31/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
It's a well-worn cliché for filmmakers to say that they're thrilled just to be nominated for an Oscar, but it's the truth for Jehane Noujaim, considering how much becoming part of the Academy's final five has done for her documentary "The Square."
Noujaim's film, a powerful cinema vérité account from inside the ongoing Egyptian Revolution, has already made a huge impact on international audiences. A work-in-progress version won the Audience Award at Sundance in 2013. Then, as the real-world events continued to progress, Noujaim went back and added more footage, along with another award: the People's Choice at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now it's off the festival circuit and out in the world, being released on Netflix and in select theatres, and earning Egypt's first Oscar nomination in the same week.
Up until now, the movie hasn't been available in Egypt. But according to Noujaim, the Oscar nomination and Netflix...
Noujaim's film, a powerful cinema vérité account from inside the ongoing Egyptian Revolution, has already made a huge impact on international audiences. A work-in-progress version won the Audience Award at Sundance in 2013. Then, as the real-world events continued to progress, Noujaim went back and added more footage, along with another award: the People's Choice at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now it's off the festival circuit and out in the world, being released on Netflix and in select theatres, and earning Egypt's first Oscar nomination in the same week.
Up until now, the movie hasn't been available in Egypt. But according to Noujaim, the Oscar nomination and Netflix...
- 1/29/2014
- by Rick Mele
- Moviefone
Woot woot! My pick to win Best Director at the Oscars took home the Feature Film trophy at the recently concluded Directors Guild of America awards. And it's truly deserving! Cuaron defied gravity, yes pun intended, to create "Gravity," a movie grounded in sci-fi realism that many directors before him (including James Cameron) were saying that it would be hard to do. But Cuaron did it, and did it extremely well! So hats off to "Gravity" and Cuaron's direction!
Here's the complete list of winners of the DGA awards and right after the jump, check out my interview with Cuaron for "Gravity" that we conducted back in October. Oh, and take a look at my interview with the lovely Sandra Bullock as well.
Feature Film:
Winner: Alfonso Cuaron ("Gravity")
Paul Greengrass ("Captain Phillips")
Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave")
David O. Russell ("American Hustle")
Martin Scorsese ("The Wolf of Wall Street...
Here's the complete list of winners of the DGA awards and right after the jump, check out my interview with Cuaron for "Gravity" that we conducted back in October. Oh, and take a look at my interview with the lovely Sandra Bullock as well.
Feature Film:
Winner: Alfonso Cuaron ("Gravity")
Paul Greengrass ("Captain Phillips")
Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave")
David O. Russell ("American Hustle")
Martin Scorsese ("The Wolf of Wall Street...
- 1/27/2014
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The Kes-like Selfish Giant retains its astonishing power on the small screen, while Formula One drama Rush takes a pit stop
It wouldn't be film awards season without a critical chorus of complaint following every major announcement – none louder than the one that greeted the best British film Bafta nod for Gravity, that quintessentially English ode to keeping calm and carrying on.
Two of its rivals in the category, as it happens, hit DVD shelves tomorrow; one deserves a lot more than puny secondary prizes. That'd be The Selfish Giant (Artificial Eye, 15), Clio Barnard's astonishing northern morality tale of unguarded children in the industrial wilds of Bradford. A somewhat oblique evocation of the Oscar Wilde fable, it stars ferocious 13-year-old newcomer Conner Chapman as a young terror whose aptitude for scrap metal collection takes him into dangerous adult realms of corruption, compromising his friendship with sweet-natured pal Swifty...
It wouldn't be film awards season without a critical chorus of complaint following every major announcement – none louder than the one that greeted the best British film Bafta nod for Gravity, that quintessentially English ode to keeping calm and carrying on.
Two of its rivals in the category, as it happens, hit DVD shelves tomorrow; one deserves a lot more than puny secondary prizes. That'd be The Selfish Giant (Artificial Eye, 15), Clio Barnard's astonishing northern morality tale of unguarded children in the industrial wilds of Bradford. A somewhat oblique evocation of the Oscar Wilde fable, it stars ferocious 13-year-old newcomer Conner Chapman as a young terror whose aptitude for scrap metal collection takes him into dangerous adult realms of corruption, compromising his friendship with sweet-natured pal Swifty...
- 1/27/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Alfonso Cuarón wins 2014 DGA Award for ‘Gravity’ (photo: Directors Guild of America Award winner Alfonso Cuarón and last year’s DGA Award winner Ben Affleck) As expected, Alfonso Cuarón won the 2014 Directors Guild of America Award for the blockbuster Gravity at a January 25, 2014, ceremony held at Los Angeles’ Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. “We saw all these photographs of earth from space, and it’s absolutely beautiful; hues of greens and blues,” Cuarón told the crowd after receiving his award from last year’s DGA winner, Ben Affleck. “Everything seems so organic [from space]. Those silly lines and boundaries we put on political maps, you can’t see that from space. It’s a bizarre experiment of nature, that is the human experience. And it’s what we as directors try to sort out as filmmakers.” A mix of space thriller and inspirational soap opera that has just about nothing to do with...
- 1/26/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Honoring the behind-the-scenes folks that shape our viewing experience, the 66th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards were held on Saturday night (January 25).
The big winner this year was Alfonso Cuarón, whose film "Gravity" won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film prize.
After accepting the honor from presenter Ben Affleck, he spoke about the movie, saying, "We saw all these photographs of earth from space, and it’s absolutely beautiful; hues of greens and blues. Everything seems so organic. Those silly lines and boundaries we put on political maps, you can’t see that from space. It’s a bizarre experiment of nature, that is the human experience. And it’s what we as directors try to sort out as filmmakers."
Notable winners include Vince Gilligan for "Breaking Bad," Beth McCarthy-Miller for "30 Rock," and Steven Soderbergh for "Behind the Candelabra," who also nabbed the Robert B. Aldrich Service Award.
The big winner this year was Alfonso Cuarón, whose film "Gravity" won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film prize.
After accepting the honor from presenter Ben Affleck, he spoke about the movie, saying, "We saw all these photographs of earth from space, and it’s absolutely beautiful; hues of greens and blues. Everything seems so organic. Those silly lines and boundaries we put on political maps, you can’t see that from space. It’s a bizarre experiment of nature, that is the human experience. And it’s what we as directors try to sort out as filmmakers."
Notable winners include Vince Gilligan for "Breaking Bad," Beth McCarthy-Miller for "30 Rock," and Steven Soderbergh for "Behind the Candelabra," who also nabbed the Robert B. Aldrich Service Award.
- 1/26/2014
- GossipCenter
Another Oscar pre-cursor award was handed out Saturday night.
Director Alfonso Cuarón won the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Gravity. This top honor puts him in a good spot to win the Academy Award for Best Director on Oscar Sunday, March 2. The awards for 2013 were announced during the 66th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Other DGA nominees were Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips); Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave); David O. Russell (American Hustle); and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street).
With just five weeks until the Oscars are announced from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, 12 Years A Slave, which tied with Gravity last Saturday to earn the top award at the Producers Guild, seems to be in a three-way race with American Hustle which took home the Screen Actors Guild award last weekend.
As Oscar pundit...
Director Alfonso Cuarón won the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for Gravity. This top honor puts him in a good spot to win the Academy Award for Best Director on Oscar Sunday, March 2. The awards for 2013 were announced during the 66th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Other DGA nominees were Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips); Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave); David O. Russell (American Hustle); and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street).
With just five weeks until the Oscars are announced from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, 12 Years A Slave, which tied with Gravity last Saturday to earn the top award at the Producers Guild, seems to be in a three-way race with American Hustle which took home the Screen Actors Guild award last weekend.
As Oscar pundit...
- 1/26/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Director's Guild Of America announced its award winners last night with Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron taking the top prize for "Gravity".
Cuaron beat out the likes of Martin Scorsese for "The Wolf Of Wall Street," David O. Russell for "American Hustle," Steve McQueen for "12 Years A Slave" and Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips".
Despite the discrepancy last year over "Argo," the DGA winner is usually seen as the strongest indicator for the likely winner in the Best Director category at the Oscars.
Jehane Noujaim took the prize for best director of a documentary with "The Square", while Steven Soderbergh won an award for his telemovie "Behind the Candelabra". Beth McCarthy-Miller and Vince Gilligan took the directing awards for comedy series ("30 Rock") and drama series ("Breaking Bad") respectively.
Source: Variety...
Cuaron beat out the likes of Martin Scorsese for "The Wolf Of Wall Street," David O. Russell for "American Hustle," Steve McQueen for "12 Years A Slave" and Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips".
Despite the discrepancy last year over "Argo," the DGA winner is usually seen as the strongest indicator for the likely winner in the Best Director category at the Oscars.
Jehane Noujaim took the prize for best director of a documentary with "The Square", while Steven Soderbergh won an award for his telemovie "Behind the Candelabra". Beth McCarthy-Miller and Vince Gilligan took the directing awards for comedy series ("30 Rock") and drama series ("Breaking Bad") respectively.
Source: Variety...
- 1/26/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Best picture win for Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity suggests 12 Years A Slave may be edged out at Academy Awards
• Full coverage of the Oscars 2014 race
Alfonso Cuarón was awarded the top film honour from the Directors Guild of America for Gravity on Saturday night.
In the recent bustle of Hollywood shows, Gravity, David O Russell's con caper American Hustle, and Steve McQueen's historical epic 12 Years a Slave were competing in the tightest three-way Oscar race in years. But the win gives Cuaron's lost-in-space-saga an edge on the journey to the Academy Awards.
With 10 Oscar nominations, Cuarón's film is likely to gain the most Academy Awards this year. American Hustle also has 10 nominations, while 12 Years a Slave has nine. The early momentum of 12 Years a Slave has begun to deflate following this evening's upset and the results of the Golden Globes. McQueen's film was nominated for seven Globes, but only...
• Full coverage of the Oscars 2014 race
Alfonso Cuarón was awarded the top film honour from the Directors Guild of America for Gravity on Saturday night.
In the recent bustle of Hollywood shows, Gravity, David O Russell's con caper American Hustle, and Steve McQueen's historical epic 12 Years a Slave were competing in the tightest three-way Oscar race in years. But the win gives Cuaron's lost-in-space-saga an edge on the journey to the Academy Awards.
With 10 Oscar nominations, Cuarón's film is likely to gain the most Academy Awards this year. American Hustle also has 10 nominations, while 12 Years a Slave has nine. The early momentum of 12 Years a Slave has begun to deflate following this evening's upset and the results of the Golden Globes. McQueen's film was nominated for seven Globes, but only...
- 1/26/2014
- The Guardian - Film News
The Gravity director put himself into pole position for the best directing Academy Award with his DGA win on January 25.
Cuaron prevailed over the other nominees for outstanding directorial achievement in feature film: Paul Greengrass for Captain Phillips, Steve McQueen for 12 Years A Slave, David O Russell for American Hustle and Martin Scorsese for The Wolf Of Wall Street.
Cuaron’s triumph stems from his first DGA nomination and means he becomes odds-on favourite to win the Oscar, although the DGA is not a cast-iron guarantee of success.
Last year Ben Affleck won the DGA for Argo and was famously not even nominated for an Academy Award, which eventually went to Ang Lee for Life Of Pi.
Jehane Noujaim won documentary honours for The Square and Steven Soderbergh won the movies for television and miniseries category for Behind The Candelabra.
Cuaron prevailed over the other nominees for outstanding directorial achievement in feature film: Paul Greengrass for Captain Phillips, Steve McQueen for 12 Years A Slave, David O Russell for American Hustle and Martin Scorsese for The Wolf Of Wall Street.
Cuaron’s triumph stems from his first DGA nomination and means he becomes odds-on favourite to win the Oscar, although the DGA is not a cast-iron guarantee of success.
Last year Ben Affleck won the DGA for Argo and was famously not even nominated for an Academy Award, which eventually went to Ang Lee for Life Of Pi.
Jehane Noujaim won documentary honours for The Square and Steven Soderbergh won the movies for television and miniseries category for Behind The Candelabra.
- 1/26/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Big news from Hollywood tonight. Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón has won the prestigious Directors Guild Award, lining him up to win the Best Director Oscar at the Academy Awards coming up in a month. The 66th Annual DGA Awards were announced at a dinner at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in La. In addition to Cuarón winning for Gravity, director Jehane Noujaim of the Egyptian revolution doc The Square also won, as did Steven Sodebergh for his made-for-tv movie Behind the Candelabra. These aren't unexpected wins, but they are key wins for each of the films/filmmakers. Congrats to all - more below. The other nominees for the DGA Award include: Paul Greengrass for Captain Phillips, Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave, David O. Russell for American Hustle + Martin Scorsese for Wolf of Wall Street. The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2013 were announced on Saturday,...
- 1/26/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron walked away with the top honor at the 66th annual Directors Guild of America Awards, held Saturday. Steven Soderbergh nabbed an award for his HBO Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra, while Jehane Noujaim was honored for her doc The Square. On the TV series front, Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan won honors for directing the series finale of the AMC hit, and Beth McCarthy-Miller took the first award of the night for her work on 30 Rock. Photos: 6 Top Directors on Rookie Mistakes, Studio Notes and Biggest Frustrations The ceremony, hosted by Jane Lynch, took
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- 1/26/2014
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tonight, the Directors Guild of America unveiled their choices for outstanding directorial achievement in 2013, and as expected, Alfonso Cuarón took home their top prize for his brilliant work on Gravity, making him the most likely winner of the Best Director Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards.
The question now becomes: Will this be enough to tip Best Picture in Gravity‘s favor? After all, how could you give a film so many Oscars (including Best Director and Best Film Editing) and Not give it Best Picture? Granted, it’s happened before, but rarely to a film receiving this many awards. If the Academy should pass the film over for the top honor, it would become the most honored film not to win the big prize since Cabaret (1972), which won eight Oscars (including Best Director and Best Film Editing) before losing Best Picture to The Godfather.
You also have to...
The question now becomes: Will this be enough to tip Best Picture in Gravity‘s favor? After all, how could you give a film so many Oscars (including Best Director and Best Film Editing) and Not give it Best Picture? Granted, it’s happened before, but rarely to a film receiving this many awards. If the Academy should pass the film over for the top honor, it would become the most honored film not to win the big prize since Cabaret (1972), which won eight Oscars (including Best Director and Best Film Editing) before losing Best Picture to The Godfather.
You also have to...
- 1/26/2014
- by Jeff Beck
- We Got This Covered
Updated: Gravity does not seem to be falling on the awards circuit. Alfonso Cuarón walked away with the top honor at the Directors Guild of America Awards Saturday night in Los Angeles, beating out Martin Scorsese, David O. Russell, Paul Greengrass, and Steve McQueen.
“This is truly an honor and I am humbled by it,” Cuarón said to the audience of his peers after last year’s winner Ben Affleck presented him with the award. But Gravity was not the work of just one mind, and no one knows that more keenly than Cuarón. “Directing is about the work of your collaborators,...
“This is truly an honor and I am humbled by it,” Cuarón said to the audience of his peers after last year’s winner Ben Affleck presented him with the award. But Gravity was not the work of just one mind, and no one knows that more keenly than Cuarón. “Directing is about the work of your collaborators,...
- 1/26/2014
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
The 66th edition of these kudos took place on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. Jane Lynch ("Glee") once again hosted and the following prevailed. Film Awards Feature Film X -- Alfonso Cuarón – "Gravity" Paul Greengrass – "Captain Phillips" Steve McQueen – "12 Years a Slave" David O. Russell – "American Hustle" Martin Scorsese – "The Wolf of Wall Street" Documentary Feature Zachary Heinzerling – "Cutie and the Boxer" X -- Jehane Noujaim – "The Square" Joshua Oppenheimer – "The Act of Killing" Sarah Polley -–"Stories We Tell" Lucy Walker – "The Crash Reel" Television Awards Drama Series Bryan Cranston – "Breaking Bad" ("Blood Money") David Fincher – "House of Cards"...
- 1/25/2014
- Gold Derby
Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi action thriller helps complete the Forum section of the Berlinale.
The Forum strand of the Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has completed its 2014 programme with a series of special screenings.
These include Snowpiercer, Bong Joon-ho’s adaptation of a French comic by Jean-Marc Rochette, starring Chris Evans, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton.
The Korean production, known there as Seolguk-yeolcha, is set during an impending ice age, whose last survivors are left circling the earth in a non-stop express train.
Producer Park Chan-wook, director Bong Joon-ho, actors Song Kang-ho, Ko Asung, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton and author Rochette will attend the screening.
Interview: Bong Joon-ho, Snowpiercer
Other new additions to the Forum special screenings include two documentaries about the recent upheavals in Egypt. These include the world premiere of Viola Shafik’s Arij (Scent of Revolution) and Jehane Noujaim’s recently Oscar-nominated documentary Al midan (The Square).
Forum Special Screenings
Wp = World...
The Forum strand of the Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has completed its 2014 programme with a series of special screenings.
These include Snowpiercer, Bong Joon-ho’s adaptation of a French comic by Jean-Marc Rochette, starring Chris Evans, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton.
The Korean production, known there as Seolguk-yeolcha, is set during an impending ice age, whose last survivors are left circling the earth in a non-stop express train.
Producer Park Chan-wook, director Bong Joon-ho, actors Song Kang-ho, Ko Asung, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton and author Rochette will attend the screening.
Interview: Bong Joon-ho, Snowpiercer
Other new additions to the Forum special screenings include two documentaries about the recent upheavals in Egypt. These include the world premiere of Viola Shafik’s Arij (Scent of Revolution) and Jehane Noujaim’s recently Oscar-nominated documentary Al midan (The Square).
Forum Special Screenings
Wp = World...
- 1/23/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
After successful screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, The Square (Al Midan) from director Jehane Noujaim, opened theatrically at the Film Forum theaters here in NYC and in La in the last months (a self-financed Oscar-qualifying run), and was soon after, albeit unexpectedly, picked up by Netflix, with potential plans to crash the Oscars with the critically-acclaimed documentary. And it's well on its way, given that it was recently shortlisted by the Academy, as one of 5 documentaries nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar. A recipient of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program and Fund (Dfp) and...
- 1/18/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
After successful screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, The Square (Al Midan) from director Jehane Noujaim, opened theatrically at the Film Forum theaters here in NYC and in La in the last months (a self-financed Oscar-qualifying run), and was soon after, albeit unexpectedly, picked up by Netflix, with potential plans to crash the Oscars with the critically-acclaimed documentary. And it's well on its way, given that it was recently shortlisted by the Academy, as one of 15 documentaries in nomination contention. The final nominees will be announced next month, right around the time Netflix plans to release it via its...
- 12/17/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Throughout the year, Indiewire updates a master list of the highest-rated indie films released in 2013 according to members of our Criticwire Network. The following supplementary list singles out the top-rated documentaries that have an average of B+ or higher. In order to be eligible for this list, a film must have received grades from at least ten critics in the network. Head to a film page to browse reviews and other information pertaining to each film. (Grade totals that have changed since the last update are listed in italics.) 1. The Act of Killing (Film Page), directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (2012 Telluride Film Festival; July 2013 theatrical release) Average Criticwire Rating: A (48 grades) 2. The Square (Al Midan) (Film Page), directed by Jehane Noujaim (2013 Sundance Film Festival; October 2013 theatrical release) Average Criticwire Rating: A (12 grades) 3. Stories We Tell (Film Page), directed by Sarah Polley (2012 Venice Film Festival;...
- 11/15/2013
- by Steve Greene and Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
After successful screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, The Square (Al Midan) from director Jehane Noujaim, opened theatrically at the Film Forum theaters here in NYC and in La in the last 2 weeks (a self-financed Oscar-qualifying run), and has now, unexpectedly, been picked up by Netflix, with potential plans to crash the Oscars with the critically-acclaimed documentary. So says that La Times, who reported that the popular streaming service is in negotiations to acquire exclusive rights to the film. A recipient of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program and Fund (Dfp) and a grant...
- 11/4/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
It last screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, and will next screen at the New York Film Festival. After its Nyff premiere, The Square (Al Midan) from director Jehane Noujaim, will open theatrically at the Film Forum theaters here in NYC, on October 25, for a limited run. A recipient of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program and Fund (Dfp) and a grant from Chicken and Egg Pictures, Jehane Noujaim's The Square, follows a short line of recent documentaries (that we know of and have covered) that center on the ongoing Egyptian Revolution, through the fall of Morsi recently. It follows its young protagonists on...
- 9/20/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
It last screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, and will next screen at the New York Film Festival. After its Nyff premiere, The Square (Al Midan) from director Jehane Noujaim, will open theatrically at the Film Forum theaters here in NYC, on October 25, for a limited run. A recipient of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program and Fund (Dfp) and a grant from Chicken and Egg Pictures, Jehane Noujaim's The Square, follows a short line of recent documentaries (that we know of and have covered) that center on the ongoing Egyptian Revolution, through the fall of Morsi recently. It follows its young protagonists on...
- 9/19/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Steve McQueen’s highly anticipated 12 Years a Slave made its unofficial debut out in Telluride before its official bow at Tiff, and the reviews have been nothing but impressive so far – you can read our own review from Toronto here.
With the festival wrapping last night, it was of course time for the annual awards to be handed out, with the top three categories put to the vote from festivalgoers for the Blackberry’s People Choice Awards. And it should come as no surprise that 12 Years a Slave, which is based on a true story, has walked away as the People’s Choice Award winner.
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in the lead, with a terrific ensemble led by Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Michael Kenneth Williams, Garrett Dillahunt, Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Ruth Negga, Alfre Woodard, and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o.
Sion...
With the festival wrapping last night, it was of course time for the annual awards to be handed out, with the top three categories put to the vote from festivalgoers for the Blackberry’s People Choice Awards. And it should come as no surprise that 12 Years a Slave, which is based on a true story, has walked away as the People’s Choice Award winner.
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in the lead, with a terrific ensemble led by Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Michael Kenneth Williams, Garrett Dillahunt, Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Ruth Negga, Alfre Woodard, and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o.
Sion...
- 9/16/2013
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Brits prove victorious in Canada, with Steve McQueen's hotly-tipped drama taking top prize, and Stephen Frears's Philomena named as runner up
• More on 12 Years a Slave
• Full coverage of Toronto 2013
It's bleak, barbaric and brutally unsparing about the part played by almost every white person in perpetuating injustice in 1840s America. Yet 12 Years a Slave, the drama by British director Steve McQueen, has proved the popular choice at the Toronto film festival, winning its People's Choice award.
The festival, which ended today, is unlike rivals such as Cannes and Venice in that it hands out only a small set of awards voted for by the public, rather than elected juries. Yet its top honour has proved increasingly unrivaled as an indicator of how Oscar members will vote. Slumdog Millionaire and The King's Speech both won Toronto then the best picture Oscar; last year Silver Linings Playbook (eight Oscar nominations,...
• More on 12 Years a Slave
• Full coverage of Toronto 2013
It's bleak, barbaric and brutally unsparing about the part played by almost every white person in perpetuating injustice in 1840s America. Yet 12 Years a Slave, the drama by British director Steve McQueen, has proved the popular choice at the Toronto film festival, winning its People's Choice award.
The festival, which ended today, is unlike rivals such as Cannes and Venice in that it hands out only a small set of awards voted for by the public, rather than elected juries. Yet its top honour has proved increasingly unrivaled as an indicator of how Oscar members will vote. Slumdog Millionaire and The King's Speech both won Toronto then the best picture Oscar; last year Silver Linings Playbook (eight Oscar nominations,...
- 9/16/2013
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave won the Toronto International Film Festival’s (Tiff) Blackberry People’s Choice Award in a significant development that places the hard-hitting drama among an elite club.
While McQueen’s film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender includes brutal sequences that may upset Academy voters, the imminent Fox Searchlight release (Oct 18) is already among the vanguard of what is shaping up to be a season of rare quality.
Gravity, Prisoners, Rush, Dallas Buyers Club and Philomena have all drawn strong to exceptional reviews and two of these films — Philomena and Prisoners — were runners-up in this year’s category.
Captain Phillips has also excited passions in advance of its Sept 27 world premiere screening as opening night film of the New York Film Festival, yet few will overlook the significance of the Tiff prize.
The festival’s recent audience award winners that have gone on to claim the best picture Oscar include The King...
While McQueen’s film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender includes brutal sequences that may upset Academy voters, the imminent Fox Searchlight release (Oct 18) is already among the vanguard of what is shaping up to be a season of rare quality.
Gravity, Prisoners, Rush, Dallas Buyers Club and Philomena have all drawn strong to exceptional reviews and two of these films — Philomena and Prisoners — were runners-up in this year’s category.
Captain Phillips has also excited passions in advance of its Sept 27 world premiere screening as opening night film of the New York Film Festival, yet few will overlook the significance of the Tiff prize.
The festival’s recent audience award winners that have gone on to claim the best picture Oscar include The King...
- 9/16/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Anup Singh’s Qissa won the Netpac (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere at the 38th Toronto International Film Festival that concluded recently.
The Netpac jury included Jay Jeon (Korea), Intishal Al Timimi (Abu Dhabi) and Freddie Wong (Hong Kong).
The jury remarked: “The Netpac Award for the best Asian film at Festival 2013 goes to Qissa, directed by Anup Singh, for its sensitive portrayal of the issues of identity and displacement that affect people not only in India, but in all parts of the world and for brilliance of cinematic craft and the choice of metaphor that has been employed to tell a moving story that is bound to provoke thoughts, spark debate and give its viewers an intense experience.”
Qissa, a co-production between India/Germany/The Netherlands/France, is represented by sales agent The Match Factory.
Set in post-colonial India,...
The Netpac jury included Jay Jeon (Korea), Intishal Al Timimi (Abu Dhabi) and Freddie Wong (Hong Kong).
The jury remarked: “The Netpac Award for the best Asian film at Festival 2013 goes to Qissa, directed by Anup Singh, for its sensitive portrayal of the issues of identity and displacement that affect people not only in India, but in all parts of the world and for brilliance of cinematic craft and the choice of metaphor that has been employed to tell a moving story that is bound to provoke thoughts, spark debate and give its viewers an intense experience.”
Qissa, a co-production between India/Germany/The Netherlands/France, is represented by sales agent The Match Factory.
Set in post-colonial India,...
- 9/16/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
’12 Years a Slave’: 2013 Toronto Film Festival People’s Choice Award winner (photo: Chiwetel Ejiofor in ’12 Years a Slave’) 12 Years a Slave, already touted as a top contender for the 2014 Best Picture Academy Award, was the not unexpected People’s Choice Award winner at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival. Steve McQueen’s biopic tells the story of Solomon Northup, a freeborn 19th-century black man from Upstate New York who is kidnapped and sold as a slave in the American South. Twelve years later, he succeeds in regaining his freedom. Fox Searchlight will be releasing 12 Years a Slave, surely to be plugged as a people- and Oscar-friendly Triumph of the Human Spirit tale, on October 18 in North America. The prestigious 12 Years a Slave cast features Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup, in addition to Michael Fassbender (Steve McQueen’s lead in both Hunger and Shame), Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson, Paul Dano,...
- 9/15/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the most high-profile events on the festival circuit, with numerous anticipated films making their World and North American debut in the festival’s 10 days. Thus, the awards given out at the festival are often seen as an early indicator of critical favourites, with movies such as Slumdog Millionaire and Silver Linings Playbook getting their initial accolades at Tiff, and going on to win big at the Academy Awards in their respective years. The Film Festival has now announced the 2013 winners.
The Blackberry People’s Choice Award for most popular film at the festival goes to Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave.
The Blackberry People’s Choice Documentary Award for most popular documentary at the festival goes to Jehane Noujaim’s The Square.
The Blackberry People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award for most popular film at the Midnight Madness Programme goes to Sion...
The Blackberry People’s Choice Award for most popular film at the festival goes to Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave.
The Blackberry People’s Choice Documentary Award for most popular documentary at the festival goes to Jehane Noujaim’s The Square.
The Blackberry People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award for most popular film at the Midnight Madness Programme goes to Sion...
- 9/15/2013
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Apparently Toronto audiences agree that 12 Years a Slave is the one to watch this awards season: The Steve McQueen-directed film, starring Brad Pitt and Chiwetel Ejiofor, won the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
After seeing 12 Years in Toronto, EW film critic Owen Glieberman called it a “landmark of cruelty and transcendence,” while our awards expert Anthony Breznican declared Oscar nominations a “certainty.” The movie hits theaters Oct. 18.
Among the other Tiff awards:
• The People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Sion Sono’s Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
• Jehane Noujaim won...
After seeing 12 Years in Toronto, EW film critic Owen Glieberman called it a “landmark of cruelty and transcendence,” while our awards expert Anthony Breznican declared Oscar nominations a “certainty.” The movie hits theaters Oct. 18.
Among the other Tiff awards:
• The People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award went to Sion Sono’s Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
• Jehane Noujaim won...
- 9/15/2013
- by Katie Atkinson
- EW - Inside Movies
Let's cut right to the chase - Jehane Noujaim's epic, astonishing documentary The Square is easily one of the most complex, most nuanced, and frankly most important documentaries made about the ongoing political developments in Egypt. Heck, I'll go further, it's one of the finer historical documentaries I think that's ever been made, period.I have a little mantra that I say about what I feel makes a documentary truly engaging. I despise docs that play to pre-existing notions to sate sedate audiences, relying entirely on its affect by proverbially preaching to the converted. Even the most sophisticated of docs, particularly those that deal with recent events, sometimes lack any kind of multifaceted narrative, as the complexities of capturing a tale from many sides while remaining...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/7/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Not unlike previous years, Nyff programming team with Kent Jones as the top curator have gone with an auteur friendly, Croisette heavy line-up with some of the best Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin, Claire Denis’ Bastards, Coen Bros.’ Inside Llewyn Davis and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue is the Warmest Color) and worst (Desplechin’s Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian and James Gray’s The Immigrant) from Cannes. With the exception of the showcased titles (examples Her, Captain Phillips and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), NYFF51 (09.27-10.13) is pretty much a carbon copy of the Tiff with the likes of Locarno and Venice preemed films from Tsai Ming-liang, Catherine Breillat, Corneliu Porumboiu and Hayao Miyazaki being top filmmakers to keep an eye out for. Here’s the complete Main Slate line-up:
About Time (2013) 123min – Director: Richard Curtis
Abuse Of Weakness (Abus de Faiblesse) (2013) 105min – Director: Catherine Breillat...
About Time (2013) 123min – Director: Richard Curtis
Abuse Of Weakness (Abus de Faiblesse) (2013) 105min – Director: Catherine Breillat...
- 8/19/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The fall film festival circuit has grown by leaps and bounds as we scrutinize the likes of the Toronto, Venice and Telluride Film Festival selections and New York has just upped the ante even further. The fest already set Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips as its opener, Spike Jonze's Her as its closer and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as its centerpiece selection. With the secret screening still a question mark (will it be Martin Scorese's The Wolf of Wall Streetc) the fest has just announced 51 more titles that will be making an appearance and many are standouts from this year's Cannes Film Festival that had so far avoided Toronto and Venice. Among the titles that premiered at Cannes you have Joel and Ethan Coen's Inside Llewyn Davis (read my "A+" review here), J.C. Chandor's All is Lost starring Robert Redford (read my "A+" review here...
- 8/19/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
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