Malaga-based sales house Agencia Freak has picked up worldwide festival distribution rights to two new Spanish documentaries, “An Elephant on a Spider Web” by Cuban director Rolando Díaz, and Marcos Cabotá’s “Sonic Fantasy,” on legendary music engineer Bruce Swedien.
Both acquisitions were unveiled at the eve of the 2021 edition of the Spanish Screenings-Málaga de Cine, which runs October 20-22, and where Agencia Freak-handled Emma Tusell doc “Video Blues” is being shown to international buyers.
Produced by Alejandra Mora at Valencia-based company Quatre Films (“Tehran Blues”), “An Elephant on a Spider Web” follows a film director in his 70s who senses that sly death is approaching.
Since the helmer decides to make fun of life in what will be his last film, he will use a 109-year-old quixotic old woman, with a desire to die, and three young artists.
“Sonic Fantasy” revolves around five-time Grammy award winning sound engineer Bruce Swedien,...
Both acquisitions were unveiled at the eve of the 2021 edition of the Spanish Screenings-Málaga de Cine, which runs October 20-22, and where Agencia Freak-handled Emma Tusell doc “Video Blues” is being shown to international buyers.
Produced by Alejandra Mora at Valencia-based company Quatre Films (“Tehran Blues”), “An Elephant on a Spider Web” follows a film director in his 70s who senses that sly death is approaching.
Since the helmer decides to make fun of life in what will be his last film, he will use a 109-year-old quixotic old woman, with a desire to die, and three young artists.
“Sonic Fantasy” revolves around five-time Grammy award winning sound engineer Bruce Swedien,...
- 10/20/2021
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
Georgian-French drama Beginning (Dasatskisi) was the big winner at the San Sebastian Film Festival, winning the top prize Golden Shell at last night’s awards ceremony.
The buzzed-about arthouse film from first-timer Dea Kulumbegashvili also won Best Director, Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards. We debuted first footage for the film earlier this month.
Kulumbegashvili wrote the script with Rati Oneli. Starring are Ia sukhitashvili (best actress winner), Rati Oneli and Kakha Kintsurashvili. Producers are Ilan Amouyal, Rati Oneli and David Zerat. Music comes from Dheepan and Ema composer Nicolas Jaar. Wild Bunch handles sales.
The film charts the story of a persecuted family of Jehovah’s Witness missionaries from the perspective of a wife and mother. Following a shocking act of arson on the place of worship she and her husband have established in a remote village outside of Tbilisi, Yana (Sukhitashvili) finds herself descending into a spiral of confusion and doubt,...
The buzzed-about arthouse film from first-timer Dea Kulumbegashvili also won Best Director, Best Actress and Best Screenplay awards. We debuted first footage for the film earlier this month.
Kulumbegashvili wrote the script with Rati Oneli. Starring are Ia sukhitashvili (best actress winner), Rati Oneli and Kakha Kintsurashvili. Producers are Ilan Amouyal, Rati Oneli and David Zerat. Music comes from Dheepan and Ema composer Nicolas Jaar. Wild Bunch handles sales.
The film charts the story of a persecuted family of Jehovah’s Witness missionaries from the perspective of a wife and mother. Following a shocking act of arson on the place of worship she and her husband have established in a remote village outside of Tbilisi, Yana (Sukhitashvili) finds herself descending into a spiral of confusion and doubt,...
- 9/27/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The 68th San Sebastián Film Festival helped revive the global festival circuit this season with a physical event held September 18-26 in Spain. The lineup, which kicked off with Woody Allen’s “Rifkin’s Festival,” concluded with the annual awards September 26.
The festival’s big winner was Georgian writer/director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s debut feature “Beginning,” taking four of the jury prizes including Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress, and the Golden Shell for Best Film. A psychological portrait of the effects of an extremist attack on a rural place of worship, “Beginning” was originally slotted for a Cannes competition premiere, and also played the Toronto International Film Festival. Next, it will head to the ongoing New York Film Festival.
Other highlights included Florian Zeller’s Oscar hopeful “The Father,” winner of the Audience Award — and a likely Best Actor nominee next year for Anthony Hopkins’ devastating turn as a man wrestling with dementia.
The festival’s big winner was Georgian writer/director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s debut feature “Beginning,” taking four of the jury prizes including Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress, and the Golden Shell for Best Film. A psychological portrait of the effects of an extremist attack on a rural place of worship, “Beginning” was originally slotted for a Cannes competition premiere, and also played the Toronto International Film Festival. Next, it will head to the ongoing New York Film Festival.
Other highlights included Florian Zeller’s Oscar hopeful “The Father,” winner of the Audience Award — and a likely Best Actor nominee next year for Anthony Hopkins’ devastating turn as a man wrestling with dementia.
- 9/26/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The film also won best director, best actress and best screenplay.
Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Beginning has won the Golden Shell for best film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. The film has also been awarded the prizes for best director, best actress for Ia Sukhitashvili, and best screenplay for Kulumbegashvili and co-writer Rati Oneli by a competition jury headed by Luca Guadagnino.
It is the first time a Georgian film has won the Golden Shell.
The Silver Shell for best actor was shared by the four stars of Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round - Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen,...
Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Beginning has won the Golden Shell for best film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. The film has also been awarded the prizes for best director, best actress for Ia Sukhitashvili, and best screenplay for Kulumbegashvili and co-writer Rati Oneli by a competition jury headed by Luca Guadagnino.
It is the first time a Georgian film has won the Golden Shell.
The Silver Shell for best actor was shared by the four stars of Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round - Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen,...
- 9/26/2020
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
The film also won best director, best actress and best screenplay.
Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Beginning has won the Golden Shell for best film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. The film has also been awarded the prizes for best director, best actress for Ia Sukhitashvili, and best screenplay for Kulumbegashvili and co-writer Rati Oneli by a competition jury headed by Luca Guadagnino.
It is the first time a Georgian film has won the Golden Shell.
The Silver Shell for best actor was shared by the four stars of Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round - Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen,...
Georgian director Dea Kulumbegashvili’s Beginning has won the Golden Shell for best film at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. The film has also been awarded the prizes for best director, best actress for Ia Sukhitashvili, and best screenplay for Kulumbegashvili and co-writer Rati Oneli by a competition jury headed by Luca Guadagnino.
It is the first time a Georgian film has won the Golden Shell.
The Silver Shell for best actor was shared by the four stars of Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round - Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen,...
- 9/26/2020
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
An emerging generation of new Basque filmmakers is making its mark in the San Sebastian Festival, building on the foundations of now consolidated creative and industrial infrastructures.
Only time will tell if the Basque Country can follow in the footsteps of Catalonia, another richer region of Spain, and launch a modern day new wave. Expectations however, remain high.
The new generation is widely represented at this year’s San Sebastian.
A prominent member of the group is David Pérez Sañudo, whose highly anticipated feature debut, mother-daughter social drama “Ane,” plays at the festival’s New Directors sidebar. Handled by Latido Films, “Ane” was developed at the Madrid Film School Ecam Incubator, then won three prizes at Málaga’s Wip in April.
Imanol Rayo, winner of the Zinemira Award with “Bi anai” in 2011, presents in New Directors his rural tale “Hil Kanpaiak” (“Death Knell”), produced by Bilbao-based Abra Prod.
Six of the 11 features at Zinemira,...
Only time will tell if the Basque Country can follow in the footsteps of Catalonia, another richer region of Spain, and launch a modern day new wave. Expectations however, remain high.
The new generation is widely represented at this year’s San Sebastian.
A prominent member of the group is David Pérez Sañudo, whose highly anticipated feature debut, mother-daughter social drama “Ane,” plays at the festival’s New Directors sidebar. Handled by Latido Films, “Ane” was developed at the Madrid Film School Ecam Incubator, then won three prizes at Málaga’s Wip in April.
Imanol Rayo, winner of the Zinemira Award with “Bi anai” in 2011, presents in New Directors his rural tale “Hil Kanpaiak” (“Death Knell”), produced by Bilbao-based Abra Prod.
Six of the 11 features at Zinemira,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
San Sebastian — Basque Audiovisual, it’s all there in the name.
A comprehensive brand encompassing companies from across the audiovisual sector of the Basque Country, Basque Audiovisual represents the international interests of local productions from the northern Spanish community.
As some of Europe’s growth is driven not by its biggest markets, but far smaller territories still growing their cinema industries, there are strong indicators that their agenda is paying off.
According to the organization’s head of communication Jara Ayucar, Basque films are not only finding homes in cinemas and on platforms abroad, but featuring in prominent positions at Europe’s most prestigious festivals.
“What we see is that more and more Basque films are competing at international festivals such as Cannes, the Berlinale, Karlovy Vary or Locarno,” she told Variety, adding: “We are showing up on the international map; the stories that our filmmakers tell are increasingly universal and exportable.
A comprehensive brand encompassing companies from across the audiovisual sector of the Basque Country, Basque Audiovisual represents the international interests of local productions from the northern Spanish community.
As some of Europe’s growth is driven not by its biggest markets, but far smaller territories still growing their cinema industries, there are strong indicators that their agenda is paying off.
According to the organization’s head of communication Jara Ayucar, Basque films are not only finding homes in cinemas and on platforms abroad, but featuring in prominent positions at Europe’s most prestigious festivals.
“What we see is that more and more Basque films are competing at international festivals such as Cannes, the Berlinale, Karlovy Vary or Locarno,” she told Variety, adding: “We are showing up on the international map; the stories that our filmmakers tell are increasingly universal and exportable.
- 9/25/2018
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
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