The Rough Cut Presentations section has expanded, including five additional projects from Ukraine.
IDFA Forum (November 12-15), the co-production and co-financing market of International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), has selected its 2023 edition titles, with the likes of Aboozar Amini, Asmae El Moudir and Michael Madsen returning with their latest projects to Forum Pitch, while the Rough Cut Presentations section has expanded.
Afghanistan-born, Netherlands-based filmmaker Amini’s Kabul, City In The Wind screened at IDFA in 2018, and is now pitching Kabul, Year Zero, which threads together four vivid coming-of-age stories against the backdrop of war.
After presenting The Postcard at IDFA...
IDFA Forum (November 12-15), the co-production and co-financing market of International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), has selected its 2023 edition titles, with the likes of Aboozar Amini, Asmae El Moudir and Michael Madsen returning with their latest projects to Forum Pitch, while the Rough Cut Presentations section has expanded.
Afghanistan-born, Netherlands-based filmmaker Amini’s Kabul, City In The Wind screened at IDFA in 2018, and is now pitching Kabul, Year Zero, which threads together four vivid coming-of-age stories against the backdrop of war.
After presenting The Postcard at IDFA...
- 10/5/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Hot Docs has wrapped its 30th anniversary edition, handing out its top cash prize and announcing the audience top picks after an 11-day festival, which presented 214 films from 72 countries at 308 live screenings at venues across Toronto.
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
Last year, during an online panel at Hot Docs film festival featuring Ukrainian documentary filmmakers who were staying in place, Oksana Karpovych told attendees how she’d gained knowledge working alongside foreign media crews covering the war, and was now applying that to her own creative documentary projects.
This year, at the festival’s 30th anniversary edition, Karpovych attended the in-person Forum market event to pitch “Intercepted” — her observational doc exploring the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — which ended up winning the 2023 Cmf-Hot Docs Canadian Pitch Prize.
With Ukraine in the spotlight at Hot Docs this year, both audiences and industry attendees are getting wide exposure to the films and ideas of leading Ukrainian documentary creators. The timing of this programming is perfect, said Hot Docs programmer Myrocia Watamaniuk, not only for the obvious reason.
“Ukrainian documentary cinema has grown in lockstep with the documentary community around the world,...
This year, at the festival’s 30th anniversary edition, Karpovych attended the in-person Forum market event to pitch “Intercepted” — her observational doc exploring the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — which ended up winning the 2023 Cmf-Hot Docs Canadian Pitch Prize.
With Ukraine in the spotlight at Hot Docs this year, both audiences and industry attendees are getting wide exposure to the films and ideas of leading Ukrainian documentary creators. The timing of this programming is perfect, said Hot Docs programmer Myrocia Watamaniuk, not only for the obvious reason.
“Ukrainian documentary cinema has grown in lockstep with the documentary community around the world,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
“Seven Winters in Tehran,” about a 19-year-old Iranian woman sentenced to death for killing the man who tried to rape her, will open the 34th annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival on May 31 in New York City.
The festival, co-presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center, will feature 10 documentaries about humanitarian challenges around the world. This year’s edition spotlights themes and topics including the Ukraine conflict (“When Spring Came to Bucha”), climate gentrification and justice (“Razing Liberty Square”), women’s rights (“Draw Me Egypt”) transgender rights (“Into My Name”) freedom of the press (“The Etilaat Roz”) and access to health care in the United States (“Pay or Die”).
“From the war in Ukraine to women’s rights and bodily autonomy, to environmental gentrification and freedom of the press, these films span some of the most pressing human rights issues of our time,” says John Biaggi,...
The festival, co-presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center, will feature 10 documentaries about humanitarian challenges around the world. This year’s edition spotlights themes and topics including the Ukraine conflict (“When Spring Came to Bucha”), climate gentrification and justice (“Razing Liberty Square”), women’s rights (“Draw Me Egypt”) transgender rights (“Into My Name”) freedom of the press (“The Etilaat Roz”) and access to health care in the United States (“Pay or Die”).
“From the war in Ukraine to women’s rights and bodily autonomy, to environmental gentrification and freedom of the press, these films span some of the most pressing human rights issues of our time,” says John Biaggi,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Swiss documentary film festival Visions du Réel has revealed the first titles of its 54th edition, which runs April 21 to 30. The event will open with the world premiere of “Nightwatchers” by Juliette de Marcillac, which was filmed at night in an idyllic Alpine resort a stone’s throw from the French-Italian border. As night falls family ski days give way to a game of chase between the police and the volunteers who help migrants.
Mostly doctors, they roam the mountain slopes at night, watching for the arrival of migrants who have just completed long, life-risking journeys. Police surveillance is permanent and denunciation is commonplace, pushing the exiles ever higher up the mountain.
“Nightwatchers”
“It is a cinematic experience in a breathtaking twilight setting, bringing to light a vital and powerful closely-knit network,” the festival said.
Twelve feature films will compete for the Audience Award in the Grand Angle section, including three world premieres.
Mostly doctors, they roam the mountain slopes at night, watching for the arrival of migrants who have just completed long, life-risking journeys. Police surveillance is permanent and denunciation is commonplace, pushing the exiles ever higher up the mountain.
“Nightwatchers”
“It is a cinematic experience in a breathtaking twilight setting, bringing to light a vital and powerful closely-knit network,” the festival said.
Twelve feature films will compete for the Audience Award in the Grand Angle section, including three world premieres.
- 3/14/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The Swiss documentary festival is set to run April 21-30
The Visions du Reel film festival has unveiled the first titles for its 2023 edition, set to run April 21-30.
The documentary festival, based in Nyon, Switzerland, will open with the world premiere of French director Juliette de Marcillac’s feature debut Nightwatchers. Filmed at high-end ski resort Montgenèvre on the French-Italian border, it tells the story of volunteers trying to help migrants, and the authorities trying to catch them.
The film is part of the Grand Angle competition, with 12 titles competing for the audience award worth Chf 10,000.
The section includes...
The Visions du Reel film festival has unveiled the first titles for its 2023 edition, set to run April 21-30.
The documentary festival, based in Nyon, Switzerland, will open with the world premiere of French director Juliette de Marcillac’s feature debut Nightwatchers. Filmed at high-end ski resort Montgenèvre on the French-Italian border, it tells the story of volunteers trying to help migrants, and the authorities trying to catch them.
The film is part of the Grand Angle competition, with 12 titles competing for the audience award worth Chf 10,000.
The section includes...
- 3/14/2023
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
IDFA is one of many festivals to have strong Ukrainian line-up - but can this continue?
While hundreds of filmmakers, sales agents and distributors were descending on Amsterdam for IDFA’s industry event The Forum over the weekend, another documentary festival was taking place far away in war-torn Ukraine.
The Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival was held in Kyiv, lasting only from 11-13 November, with few international guests in attendance and no industry events.
Films screening included Oleksiy Radynski’s Infinity: According To Florian, Pawel Lozinski’s The Balcony and Theo Anthony’s All Light, Everywhere.
The...
While hundreds of filmmakers, sales agents and distributors were descending on Amsterdam for IDFA’s industry event The Forum over the weekend, another documentary festival was taking place far away in war-torn Ukraine.
The Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival was held in Kyiv, lasting only from 11-13 November, with few international guests in attendance and no industry events.
Films screening included Oleksiy Radynski’s Infinity: According To Florian, Pawel Lozinski’s The Balcony and Theo Anthony’s All Light, Everywhere.
The...
- 11/17/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
81 more titles have been added to the festival programme.
Bella Ciao, a documentary about the anthem that symbolized the Italian partisans’ fight against facism in the Second World War, is one of 81 new titles added to the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) programme.
Directed by Giulia Giapponesi, Bella Ciao will have its international premiere at IDFA, having first played at Italy’s Bari International Film Festival in March.
Scroll down for the Luminous, Frontlight feature additions
Adapted from Italian folk tune ‘Mondine’, the song ‘Bella Ciao’ has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent weeks, partly as a show of...
Bella Ciao, a documentary about the anthem that symbolized the Italian partisans’ fight against facism in the Second World War, is one of 81 new titles added to the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) programme.
Directed by Giulia Giapponesi, Bella Ciao will have its international premiere at IDFA, having first played at Italy’s Bari International Film Festival in March.
Scroll down for the Luminous, Frontlight feature additions
Adapted from Italian folk tune ‘Mondine’, the song ‘Bella Ciao’ has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent weeks, partly as a show of...
- 10/11/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Launched in 2004 in Kawaguchi City of Saitama Prefecture as a film festival to discover and nurture new talent, the 18th edition of Skip City International D-Cinema Festival was held virtually from September 25 to October 3. Jury and Audience award winners were announced at the Closing Ceremony on October 3.
Luzzu (Malta), directed by Alex Camilleri, received the Grand Prize in the International Competition. The film is about a man who agonises over his decision to choose the family fishery business or a better life for his family. Naoto Takenaka, the President of the Jury commented, “The director’s perspective is not icky, but cool and hot. I think it is irresistible. Luzzu is a great film.” This is the first film from Malta to be nominated for, and to have received, this award.
In addition Rival, directed by Marcus Lenz, won the Best Director award. The film is about the lonely battle...
Luzzu (Malta), directed by Alex Camilleri, received the Grand Prize in the International Competition. The film is about a man who agonises over his decision to choose the family fishery business or a better life for his family. Naoto Takenaka, the President of the Jury commented, “The director’s perspective is not icky, but cool and hot. I think it is irresistible. Luzzu is a great film.” This is the first film from Malta to be nominated for, and to have received, this award.
In addition Rival, directed by Marcus Lenz, won the Best Director award. The film is about the lonely battle...
- 10/5/2021
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
The festival will run online from September 25-October 3.
World premieres of seven local titles head the line-up of Japan’s Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, which runs fully online from September 25-October 3.
Six of the world premieres are in the Japanese feature competition, and include Battlecry, the first animation to compete in the section, directed by Japanese filmmaker Yanakaya. Set in a fictitious 1980s Japan, the film centres a soldier on furlough who returns to his country, where he finds himself on a mission to investigate the circumstances of a drug called Golden Monkey which is running through society.
Also...
World premieres of seven local titles head the line-up of Japan’s Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, which runs fully online from September 25-October 3.
Six of the world premieres are in the Japanese feature competition, and include Battlecry, the first animation to compete in the section, directed by Japanese filmmaker Yanakaya. Set in a fictitious 1980s Japan, the film centres a soldier on furlough who returns to his country, where he finds himself on a mission to investigate the circumstances of a drug called Golden Monkey which is running through society.
Also...
- 9/1/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Exploring wide-ranging global themes, from poverty, migration, political strife and fascism to art and romance, German sales companies are presenting an eclectic offering of local and international cinematic works at this year’s AFM.
Social dramas and political thrillers reflect both the current zeitgeist and historical parallels of similarly troubled times.
In Marcus Lenz’s “Rival,” a 9-year-old Ukrainian boy travels to Germany to be with his mother, who has been forced to leave her country to work as an undocumented caretaker for an old man.
Producers Gunter Hanfgarn and Andrea Ufer of Berlin-based Hanfgarn & Ufer say they were intrigued by Lenz’s story from the start, noting that it is “set against the backdrop of two problems we see in a lot of Western countries — the nursing crisis and poverty emigration.” Sold internationally by Pluto Film, “Rival” is screening at AFM following its world premiere at this year’s Busan Film Festival.
Social dramas and political thrillers reflect both the current zeitgeist and historical parallels of similarly troubled times.
In Marcus Lenz’s “Rival,” a 9-year-old Ukrainian boy travels to Germany to be with his mother, who has been forced to leave her country to work as an undocumented caretaker for an old man.
Producers Gunter Hanfgarn and Andrea Ufer of Berlin-based Hanfgarn & Ufer say they were intrigued by Lenz’s story from the start, noting that it is “set against the backdrop of two problems we see in a lot of Western countries — the nursing crisis and poverty emigration.” Sold internationally by Pluto Film, “Rival” is screening at AFM following its world premiere at this year’s Busan Film Festival.
- 11/9/2020
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market has gone wholly online this year, but European producers remain actively involved. At least two European support organizations are participating, helping sales companies and facilitating East-West production meetings.
The European Film Promotion organization is operating a virtual umbrella stand (Oct. 26 -28) that is host to 14 European film sales companies: Best Friend Forever from Belgium; LevelK from Denmark; Films Boutique, M-Appeal, Picture Tree International, Pluto Film and Sola Media from Germany; Intramovies, Fandango and True Colours from Italy; Media Move from Poland/Germany; Filmax and Latido from Spain; and WestEnd Films from the UK.
Companies and their contents are displayed on the Acfm home page. And, ahead of the market, on Oct. 22, Efp and Unifrance held a warm-up event with online presentations by 20 sellers from Europe. More than 30 Asia-based distributors were in attendance.
The companies offerings include several films selected for the, largely virtual, Busan...
The European Film Promotion organization is operating a virtual umbrella stand (Oct. 26 -28) that is host to 14 European film sales companies: Best Friend Forever from Belgium; LevelK from Denmark; Films Boutique, M-Appeal, Picture Tree International, Pluto Film and Sola Media from Germany; Intramovies, Fandango and True Colours from Italy; Media Move from Poland/Germany; Filmax and Latido from Spain; and WestEnd Films from the UK.
Companies and their contents are displayed on the Acfm home page. And, ahead of the market, on Oct. 22, Efp and Unifrance held a warm-up event with online presentations by 20 sellers from Europe. More than 30 Asia-based distributors were in attendance.
The companies offerings include several films selected for the, largely virtual, Busan...
- 10/27/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
‘Numbers’ will be produced by Anna Palenchuk and directed by Tamara Trunova.
Plans for a film adaptation of jailed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov’s play Numbers are to be presented at Odesa International Film Festival’s Film Industry Office’s (Fio) pitching forum next week.
Kiev-based producer Anna Palenchuk of 435 Films said she has been in regular correspondence with the imprisoned director to ask for instructions and remarks about both a new stage production and a film version of Numbers.
Sentsov is presently on hunger strike in a remote Arctic prison camp for eight weeks in protest at his...
Plans for a film adaptation of jailed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov’s play Numbers are to be presented at Odesa International Film Festival’s Film Industry Office’s (Fio) pitching forum next week.
Kiev-based producer Anna Palenchuk of 435 Films said she has been in regular correspondence with the imprisoned director to ask for instructions and remarks about both a new stage production and a film version of Numbers.
Sentsov is presently on hunger strike in a remote Arctic prison camp for eight weeks in protest at his...
- 7/10/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
BERLIN -- Hans Weingartner, the director of Cannes Competition entry The Edukators, has won the newcomer award, Foederpreis Deutsche Film, at this year's Munich Film Festival, the festival said Thursday. The three-person jury -- directors Hans-Christian Schmid and Michael Althen, and actress Sophie von Kessel -- chose Weingartner's entry over Marco Kreuzpaintner's Summer Storm and Marcus Lenz's Close. Edukators star Stipe Erceg won the best actor award, while Marie-Luise Schramm beat out Julia Jentsch (The Edukators) for the best actress prize for her role in Kathrin Feistl's Am I Sexy? Now in its third year, the Foederpreis is Germany's top prize for up-and-coming talent. The award is presented by Munich-based film company Bavaria Film, state pubcaster Bayerischen Rundfunk and bank HypoVereinsbank.
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