A fervid supporter of new directors, Paris-based sales house Celluloid Dreams has dropped two clips and the poster of Brazilian João Paulo Miranda Maria’s “Memory House” (“La Casa de Antiguedades”), a first feature, but also the only Latin American title to be included in this year’s Cannes Official Selection.
“Memory House” will now world premiere in early September as one of 50 features at a slimmed-down Toronto. It was also confirmed on Tuesday for San Sebastian’s New Directors lineup, an influential new talent showcase.
Written by Miranda Maria, “Memory House” adds to Brazil’s fast-burgeoning canon of movies examining its urgent racial and social issues.
A first sequence catches Cristovam as he trudges down a lane taunted by local teens. An aged but still stout Black worker from Brazil’s often still dirt-poor rural North, Cristovam has relocated to Brazil’s rich South to work at a milk...
“Memory House” will now world premiere in early September as one of 50 features at a slimmed-down Toronto. It was also confirmed on Tuesday for San Sebastian’s New Directors lineup, an influential new talent showcase.
Written by Miranda Maria, “Memory House” adds to Brazil’s fast-burgeoning canon of movies examining its urgent racial and social issues.
A first sequence catches Cristovam as he trudges down a lane taunted by local teens. An aged but still stout Black worker from Brazil’s often still dirt-poor rural North, Cristovam has relocated to Brazil’s rich South to work at a milk...
- 8/5/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Cinema do Brasil’s seventh International Distribution Support Prize has opened for applications at the Efm.
Eligible companies must have signed distribution agreements with Brazilian producers associated with the promotional body and submit international distribution plans.
Applicants must invest at least $25,000 – the amount of the award – in their distribution plans.
Cinema do Brasil is promoting six films in Berlin, five of which screen in official selection.
Festival entries include Drama Filmes’ Panorama opener Blue Blood by Lírio Ferreira and two other selections from that section: Bossa Nova Films’ Absence by Chico Teixeira and Gullane’s The Second Mother (pictured) from Anna Muylaert.
The roster includes Simio Filmes’ Forum selection Brazilian Dream by Marcelo Pedroso and Avante Filmes / FiGa’s Seashore by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon.
The Pilgrim: Paulo Coelho’s Best History screens in the market.
“We are very happy to see the Brazilian cinema in one more relevant participation in a festival as important as the...
Eligible companies must have signed distribution agreements with Brazilian producers associated with the promotional body and submit international distribution plans.
Applicants must invest at least $25,000 – the amount of the award – in their distribution plans.
Cinema do Brasil is promoting six films in Berlin, five of which screen in official selection.
Festival entries include Drama Filmes’ Panorama opener Blue Blood by Lírio Ferreira and two other selections from that section: Bossa Nova Films’ Absence by Chico Teixeira and Gullane’s The Second Mother (pictured) from Anna Muylaert.
The roster includes Simio Filmes’ Forum selection Brazilian Dream by Marcelo Pedroso and Avante Filmes / FiGa’s Seashore by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon.
The Pilgrim: Paulo Coelho’s Best History screens in the market.
“We are very happy to see the Brazilian cinema in one more relevant participation in a festival as important as the...
- 2/11/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The story of a circus bullet man who visits his home town in Sangue Azul (Blue Blood) emerged as the big winner as the 16th Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival came to a close on October 8.
The drama, shot by Lírio Ferreira – best known for Árido Movie – took three prizes for best feature, best director and best supporting actor for Romulo Braga.
The Redentors, the awards inspired by the statue of Christ The Redeemer, were handed out for the Premiere Brasil category at a ceremony held at the festival’s downtown Armazem 6 dockland pavillion.
Among the fiction features, Chico Teixeira’s Ausencia (Absence) and Gregorio Graziosi’s Obra took two prizes each. A drama about a boy in transition to adulthood, Ausencia earned best actor for Matheus Fagundes and special jury prize.
Obra, which follows the path of a man in search of his dark origins, won prizes for best cinematography for Andre Brandao and for...
The drama, shot by Lírio Ferreira – best known for Árido Movie – took three prizes for best feature, best director and best supporting actor for Romulo Braga.
The Redentors, the awards inspired by the statue of Christ The Redeemer, were handed out for the Premiere Brasil category at a ceremony held at the festival’s downtown Armazem 6 dockland pavillion.
Among the fiction features, Chico Teixeira’s Ausencia (Absence) and Gregorio Graziosi’s Obra took two prizes each. A drama about a boy in transition to adulthood, Ausencia earned best actor for Matheus Fagundes and special jury prize.
Obra, which follows the path of a man in search of his dark origins, won prizes for best cinematography for Andre Brandao and for...
- 10/9/2014
- by elaineguerini@terra.com.br (Elaine Guerini)
- ScreenDaily
Highlights of the main competitive strand that showcases top new Brazilian cinema.
The heart of Rio International Film Festival (Sept 24 - Oct 8) has always been the Première Brasil programme, that has kicked off today at the Cinepolis Lagoon.
One of the most prestigious sections of the festival and the main competitive one, Première Brasil has served as the leading local showcase of contemporary Brazilian cinema for the last 16 years.
Over 40 features and documentaries will be screened until October 8, when the jury awards will be presented. The programme often anticipates what will be seen in terms of Brazilian cinema in the international film festivals to come. The most striking example was Elite Squad, which opened Rio in 2007, winning the Golden Bear in Berlin the following year.
This edition includes the latest work from established veterans, such as Murilo Salles, who will present Means to An End, alongside promising new talents, such as Gregorio Graziosi and Daniel Aragão.
Graziosi...
The heart of Rio International Film Festival (Sept 24 - Oct 8) has always been the Première Brasil programme, that has kicked off today at the Cinepolis Lagoon.
One of the most prestigious sections of the festival and the main competitive one, Première Brasil has served as the leading local showcase of contemporary Brazilian cinema for the last 16 years.
Over 40 features and documentaries will be screened until October 8, when the jury awards will be presented. The programme often anticipates what will be seen in terms of Brazilian cinema in the international film festivals to come. The most striking example was Elite Squad, which opened Rio in 2007, winning the Golden Bear in Berlin the following year.
This edition includes the latest work from established veterans, such as Murilo Salles, who will present Means to An End, alongside promising new talents, such as Gregorio Graziosi and Daniel Aragão.
Graziosi...
- 9/25/2014
- by elaineguerini@terra.com.br (Elaine Guerini)
- ScreenDaily
Ciné-Sud has two films selected for Toronto: the Iranian feature “ Red Rose” (handled internationally by Udi – Urban Distribution International) and the Vietnam-France-Norway-Germany co-production “Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere” by Nguyen Hoang Diep which will premiere September 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Venice/ Critics Week before moving to Toronto And with no international sales agent to date.
In Locarno, "Los ausentes" (“The Absent Ones) by Nicolas Pereda, a Mèxico-Spain-France coproduction is screening out of competition on August 11! The international sales agent is Caravan Pass, a former production company formed in 2005 in Paris by Natalie Dana. In 2014 founder Natalie and industry celeb-acquisitions persona, Elizabeth Dreyer, turned the company to international sales as well. They are actively seeking completed/ unlaunched films and projects at the financing stage.
Natalie Dana worked in sales at some of the industry’s most recognizable sales agencies, including Mercure and Celluloid Dreams. She also headed distribution for various film distributors and selected films for the prestigious Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for five years. Under her guidance, Caravan Pass has produced or co-produced four feature films and two documentaries, partnering with notable production companies in several countries including Brazil and Italy.
Elizabeth Dreyer began her career in acquisitions, acquiring completed films and projects for North America for Miramax Films and Focus Features. As an independent consultant she has since sourced and sold remakes to international producers, advised renowned distributors around the world on pre-buys and completed film pickups, and developed feature films for proven French film producers looking to access the international market. She most recently handled sales and acquisitions for Celluloid Dreams.
Ciné-Sud Promotion itself started in 1993 as a company designed to promote art house films (Rachid Bouchareb, Wang Chao, Guillermo Del Toro, Raymond Depardon, Djibril Diop Mambety, Julio Medem, Jafar Panahi, Manuel Poirier, Arturo Ripstein, Paulo Rocha, Carlos Saura, Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, Jean-Philippe Toussaint… amongst others). There is still the press promotion department which is now under the leadership of Claire Viroulaud, publicist for many art house movies.
In 2001 Thierry Lenouvel, the founder, created a production arm and has thus far produced or co-produced 30 films which have won more 150 international awards.
The mission remains constant: Quality, without frontiers, without constraints of form, style or genre, researching emerging talents and supporting already acclaimed directors with projects whch deliver a singular and important message for and about humanity and our society utilizing strong cinematic forms.
This is only a part of all Thierry has created. Read on, dear reader, read on.
Amiens International Film Festival
Although many festivals now have competitions for cash prizes and forums for pitching and co-production meetings, Amiens stands out with its Fund for Aid for the Development of Feature Film Script and its ties to its creator, Ciné Sud, that privately owned feature film production company transformed by prolific producer Thierry Lenouvel created the Fund in 1996.
The Screenplay Development Fund (Fonds d'aide au développment du scénario or Fads) is awarded during the Amiens Film Festival to a project at one of the most critical stages in the life of a movie, that is at script stage. In its 19 years of existence it has supported 79 feature film scripts of which 39 were completed, 9 are shooting now, 21 are in development. More than 632,600 Euros have been granted. Cnac, the Venezuelan film organization has given a grant of 10,000 € for the past five years.
Fads partners: National Film Centre and Moving • International Organization of la Francophonie • Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs • Moroccan National Center for Cinema (Ccm) • Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema • Regional Council of Picardy • Central Fund for Social Activities picture • Independent National Film Centre (Cnac - Venezuela)
In 2014, four scholarships of € 10,000 each were granted to directors of the following projects:
Family Gustavo Cordova Rondon (Venezuela) which has also won:
Cnac Script Development Fund (Venezuela)
Amiens Script Development Fund 2013
Ibermedia Development Fund 2013
And it has been selected to participate at:
Produire Au Sud Andean Workshop 2013
Ibermedia Project Development Workshop 2013
Oaxaca Screenwriters Lab 2014
Berlinale Talent Project Market 2014
The Court Of My Mother Idriss Diabaté (Côte d'Ivoire)
My Favorite Fabric Gaya Jiji (Syria)
Territoria Nora Martirosyan (Armenia)
And an additional grant of € 7,000 was awarded to the French project Dance Silent of Pradeepan Raveendran.
The rules and the application form of the next Script Fund of Amiens (due August 18!) that he created is available online or on request…from Thierry or even from me!
And, last but not least, Thierry brings "Cinema in Motion" from San Sebastian (who decided to stop the program in 2013) to Venice where it's now called " Final Cut in Venice", a workshop to help six works in progress from Africa and Arabic World toward completion with the support of French and Italian technical industries.
For more information contact:
Thierry Lenouvel
thierry [At] cinesudpromotion.com
Some films produced by Ciné-Sud:
Tirana. Year Zero by Fatmir Koci (France/Albania/ Belgium), Competition/Venice 2001, Golden Alexander/Thessaloniki
Rachida by Yamina Bachir Chouikh (France/Algeria), Official Selection/Cannes 2002
Fuse ! (Gori Vatra) by Pjer Zalica (Bosnia/Austria/Turkey/France), Silver Leopard/Locarno 2003
Wall by Simone Bitton (France/Israel), Directors Fortnight/Cannes 2004, Special Jury Prize/Sundance, Grand Prix/Marseille, Pesaro, Montreal, Jerusalem
Moolaade by Sembene Ousmane (Sénégal/France/Burkina/Maroc), Grand Prix Un Certain Regard/Cannes 2004, Best Foreign Film/American Critics Awards
Falafel by Michel Kammoun (Lebanon/France), Bayard d’Or/Namur 2006, Silver Muhr/Dubai, Bronze Palm/Valencia
Pomegranates And Myrrh by Najwa Najjar (Palestine/Germany/France), Competition/Sundance 2009, Rotterdam, 1st price in Doha
Rachel by Simone Bitton (France/Belgium), Forum/Berlin 2009, Competition/Cinema du Réel 2009
Every Day Is A Holliday by Dima El Horr (France/Lebanon/Germany),Toronto 2009, Roma, Dubai, Rotterdam, New York 2010
Mothers by Milcho Manchevski (Macedonia/Bulgaria/France),Toronto 2010, Berlin (Panorama) 2011
The Stoplight Society by Ruben Mendoza (Colombia/France/Spain/ Germany), best Colombian film of the year/Cartagena 2011, Best Director/Amiens 2010, Best 1st film/Huelva 2010
El Campo by Hernan Belon (Argentina/Italy/France) – Venice 2011/Critics Week
Fat, Bald, Short Man (Colombia/France) – more than 20 selections in 2011/2012
La Playa by Juan Andres Arango (Colombia/Brazil/France) – Cannes 2012/Official Selection, Un Certain Regard
Villegas by Gonzalo Tobal (Argentina/France) – Cannes 2012/Official Selection
La Sirga by William Vega (Colombia/Mexico/France) – Cannes 2012/Directors Fortnight
Qissa by Anup Singh (India/Germany/France/Holland) – Toronto 2013/Netpac award, Rotterdam 2014/Audience Award
Dust On The Tongue by Ruben Mendoza (Columbia/France) – Cartagena 2014/Best film, best director
Mateo by Maria Gamboa (Colombia/France) – Cartagena 2014/Jury Special award
Run, Boy, Run by Pepe Danquart (Germany/France) – Cannes Junior 2014
In post-production :
Red Rose by Sepideh Farsi (Iran/France/Grèce)
Los Ausentes by Nicolas Pereda (Mexico/Spain/France)
Ausencia by Chico Teixeira (Brazil/France)
Flapping In The Middle Of Nowhere by Nguyen Hiang Diep (Vietnam/France/Norvège/Allemagne)
In development :
Kill Two Birds With One Stone by Fejria Deliba (France)
Embrace Of The Serpent by Ciro Guerra (Colombie/Vénézuela/France)
Mantra, Song Of Scorpions by Anup Singh (Inde/Suisse/France)
Sal by William Vega (Colombie/Allemagne/France)
Parable Of A Blind Christ (Chili/France)
Land And Shade by Cesar Acevedo (Colombie/France)
D’Une Rive L’Autre by Sepideh Farsi (France)...
In Locarno, "Los ausentes" (“The Absent Ones) by Nicolas Pereda, a Mèxico-Spain-France coproduction is screening out of competition on August 11! The international sales agent is Caravan Pass, a former production company formed in 2005 in Paris by Natalie Dana. In 2014 founder Natalie and industry celeb-acquisitions persona, Elizabeth Dreyer, turned the company to international sales as well. They are actively seeking completed/ unlaunched films and projects at the financing stage.
Natalie Dana worked in sales at some of the industry’s most recognizable sales agencies, including Mercure and Celluloid Dreams. She also headed distribution for various film distributors and selected films for the prestigious Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival for five years. Under her guidance, Caravan Pass has produced or co-produced four feature films and two documentaries, partnering with notable production companies in several countries including Brazil and Italy.
Elizabeth Dreyer began her career in acquisitions, acquiring completed films and projects for North America for Miramax Films and Focus Features. As an independent consultant she has since sourced and sold remakes to international producers, advised renowned distributors around the world on pre-buys and completed film pickups, and developed feature films for proven French film producers looking to access the international market. She most recently handled sales and acquisitions for Celluloid Dreams.
Ciné-Sud Promotion itself started in 1993 as a company designed to promote art house films (Rachid Bouchareb, Wang Chao, Guillermo Del Toro, Raymond Depardon, Djibril Diop Mambety, Julio Medem, Jafar Panahi, Manuel Poirier, Arturo Ripstein, Paulo Rocha, Carlos Saura, Paolo & Vittorio Taviani, Jean-Philippe Toussaint… amongst others). There is still the press promotion department which is now under the leadership of Claire Viroulaud, publicist for many art house movies.
In 2001 Thierry Lenouvel, the founder, created a production arm and has thus far produced or co-produced 30 films which have won more 150 international awards.
The mission remains constant: Quality, without frontiers, without constraints of form, style or genre, researching emerging talents and supporting already acclaimed directors with projects whch deliver a singular and important message for and about humanity and our society utilizing strong cinematic forms.
This is only a part of all Thierry has created. Read on, dear reader, read on.
Amiens International Film Festival
Although many festivals now have competitions for cash prizes and forums for pitching and co-production meetings, Amiens stands out with its Fund for Aid for the Development of Feature Film Script and its ties to its creator, Ciné Sud, that privately owned feature film production company transformed by prolific producer Thierry Lenouvel created the Fund in 1996.
The Screenplay Development Fund (Fonds d'aide au développment du scénario or Fads) is awarded during the Amiens Film Festival to a project at one of the most critical stages in the life of a movie, that is at script stage. In its 19 years of existence it has supported 79 feature film scripts of which 39 were completed, 9 are shooting now, 21 are in development. More than 632,600 Euros have been granted. Cnac, the Venezuelan film organization has given a grant of 10,000 € for the past five years.
Fads partners: National Film Centre and Moving • International Organization of la Francophonie • Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs • Moroccan National Center for Cinema (Ccm) • Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema • Regional Council of Picardy • Central Fund for Social Activities picture • Independent National Film Centre (Cnac - Venezuela)
In 2014, four scholarships of € 10,000 each were granted to directors of the following projects:
Family Gustavo Cordova Rondon (Venezuela) which has also won:
Cnac Script Development Fund (Venezuela)
Amiens Script Development Fund 2013
Ibermedia Development Fund 2013
And it has been selected to participate at:
Produire Au Sud Andean Workshop 2013
Ibermedia Project Development Workshop 2013
Oaxaca Screenwriters Lab 2014
Berlinale Talent Project Market 2014
The Court Of My Mother Idriss Diabaté (Côte d'Ivoire)
My Favorite Fabric Gaya Jiji (Syria)
Territoria Nora Martirosyan (Armenia)
And an additional grant of € 7,000 was awarded to the French project Dance Silent of Pradeepan Raveendran.
The rules and the application form of the next Script Fund of Amiens (due August 18!) that he created is available online or on request…from Thierry or even from me!
And, last but not least, Thierry brings "Cinema in Motion" from San Sebastian (who decided to stop the program in 2013) to Venice where it's now called " Final Cut in Venice", a workshop to help six works in progress from Africa and Arabic World toward completion with the support of French and Italian technical industries.
For more information contact:
Thierry Lenouvel
thierry [At] cinesudpromotion.com
Some films produced by Ciné-Sud:
Tirana. Year Zero by Fatmir Koci (France/Albania/ Belgium), Competition/Venice 2001, Golden Alexander/Thessaloniki
Rachida by Yamina Bachir Chouikh (France/Algeria), Official Selection/Cannes 2002
Fuse ! (Gori Vatra) by Pjer Zalica (Bosnia/Austria/Turkey/France), Silver Leopard/Locarno 2003
Wall by Simone Bitton (France/Israel), Directors Fortnight/Cannes 2004, Special Jury Prize/Sundance, Grand Prix/Marseille, Pesaro, Montreal, Jerusalem
Moolaade by Sembene Ousmane (Sénégal/France/Burkina/Maroc), Grand Prix Un Certain Regard/Cannes 2004, Best Foreign Film/American Critics Awards
Falafel by Michel Kammoun (Lebanon/France), Bayard d’Or/Namur 2006, Silver Muhr/Dubai, Bronze Palm/Valencia
Pomegranates And Myrrh by Najwa Najjar (Palestine/Germany/France), Competition/Sundance 2009, Rotterdam, 1st price in Doha
Rachel by Simone Bitton (France/Belgium), Forum/Berlin 2009, Competition/Cinema du Réel 2009
Every Day Is A Holliday by Dima El Horr (France/Lebanon/Germany),Toronto 2009, Roma, Dubai, Rotterdam, New York 2010
Mothers by Milcho Manchevski (Macedonia/Bulgaria/France),Toronto 2010, Berlin (Panorama) 2011
The Stoplight Society by Ruben Mendoza (Colombia/France/Spain/ Germany), best Colombian film of the year/Cartagena 2011, Best Director/Amiens 2010, Best 1st film/Huelva 2010
El Campo by Hernan Belon (Argentina/Italy/France) – Venice 2011/Critics Week
Fat, Bald, Short Man (Colombia/France) – more than 20 selections in 2011/2012
La Playa by Juan Andres Arango (Colombia/Brazil/France) – Cannes 2012/Official Selection, Un Certain Regard
Villegas by Gonzalo Tobal (Argentina/France) – Cannes 2012/Official Selection
La Sirga by William Vega (Colombia/Mexico/France) – Cannes 2012/Directors Fortnight
Qissa by Anup Singh (India/Germany/France/Holland) – Toronto 2013/Netpac award, Rotterdam 2014/Audience Award
Dust On The Tongue by Ruben Mendoza (Columbia/France) – Cartagena 2014/Best film, best director
Mateo by Maria Gamboa (Colombia/France) – Cartagena 2014/Jury Special award
Run, Boy, Run by Pepe Danquart (Germany/France) – Cannes Junior 2014
In post-production :
Red Rose by Sepideh Farsi (Iran/France/Grèce)
Los Ausentes by Nicolas Pereda (Mexico/Spain/France)
Ausencia by Chico Teixeira (Brazil/France)
Flapping In The Middle Of Nowhere by Nguyen Hiang Diep (Vietnam/France/Norvège/Allemagne)
In development :
Kill Two Birds With One Stone by Fejria Deliba (France)
Embrace Of The Serpent by Ciro Guerra (Colombie/Vénézuela/France)
Mantra, Song Of Scorpions by Anup Singh (Inde/Suisse/France)
Sal by William Vega (Colombie/Allemagne/France)
Parable Of A Blind Christ (Chili/France)
Land And Shade by Cesar Acevedo (Colombie/France)
D’Une Rive L’Autre by Sepideh Farsi (France)...
- 8/8/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Berlinale Co-Production Market
Kutch, a project to be directed by Bobby Bedi and produced by his company Kaleidoscope Entertainment made it to the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2012 as the first Indian project in the official selection. Bobby Bedi who has produced films like Maqbool, Saathiya and Bandit Queen and directed a documentary series called Kehta Hai Joker, will make his foray into feature film direction with Kutch, which is said to be based on female infanticide.
Berlinale announced 39 projects that will participate at the 9th Berlinale Co-Production Market to be held from February 12-14, 2012.
Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox has been selected for Talent Project Market. He was a participant of the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2011.
The official section for the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2012
- Odyssea (director: Pascal Deux), Alliance de Production Cinématographique, France
- Heirs of the Night (director: Marco Kreuzpaintner, tbc), Bavaria Pictures & Hamster Film, Germany
- The Santo...
Kutch, a project to be directed by Bobby Bedi and produced by his company Kaleidoscope Entertainment made it to the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2012 as the first Indian project in the official selection. Bobby Bedi who has produced films like Maqbool, Saathiya and Bandit Queen and directed a documentary series called Kehta Hai Joker, will make his foray into feature film direction with Kutch, which is said to be based on female infanticide.
Berlinale announced 39 projects that will participate at the 9th Berlinale Co-Production Market to be held from February 12-14, 2012.
Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox has been selected for Talent Project Market. He was a participant of the Berlinale Talent Campus in 2011.
The official section for the Berlinale Co-Production Market 2012
- Odyssea (director: Pascal Deux), Alliance de Production Cinématographique, France
- Heirs of the Night (director: Marco Kreuzpaintner, tbc), Bavaria Pictures & Hamster Film, Germany
- The Santo...
- 1/18/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
- Tuesday June 23rd sees Criterion put out a pair from influential French filmmakers, Spc's acclaimed animated documentary makes an intro on homevid market and a small offering film from Brazil is perhaps worth renting. For those who've been stuck with a very standard edition of Last Year at Marienbad can trade in for the deluxe edition approved by a filmmaker who just presented Les Herbes Folles in Cannes this May. This may be a great collector's piece for those whose curiosity is larger than the match stick equation. One of Criterion's favorite auteurs in Louis Malle receives another release - this time his "food for thought" table conversation 1981 film My Dinner with Andre. Newer titles worth considering: Ari Folman (who we interviewed last year) sees his Waltz with Bashir which comes packed with extras that obviously include the technological aspects of the film. Finally, Chico Teixeira (who we also
- 6/23/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Alice's House
While domestic dissatisfaction has long been a staple of European film (notably British) the stylistic explosion of Brazilian cinema has left a distinct impression that the Latin American nation is all about fighting and favelas, seemingly ignoring the large urban centers where people live out their lives in relative normalcy. Taking us inside the titular Sao Paulo dwelling, helmer Chico Tiexeira drifts amidst a humid air of simmering resentment, raging hormones and boorish male entitlement that illustrates how it can indeed be grim down south, too.
Mother to three lay-about teenage boys and neglected wife to a skirt-chasing hubby, Alice (Carla Ribas) is a portrait of ruined passion and quiet melancholy. Toiling as a manicurist at a local beauty parlor, her day is typically spent buffing the feet of women like stuck-up regular Carmen (Renata Zhaneta) who delights in embellishing every detail of an infinitely more interesting romantic life.
While domestic dissatisfaction has long been a staple of European film (notably British) the stylistic explosion of Brazilian cinema has left a distinct impression that the Latin American nation is all about fighting and favelas, seemingly ignoring the large urban centers where people live out their lives in relative normalcy. Taking us inside the titular Sao Paulo dwelling, helmer Chico Tiexeira drifts amidst a humid air of simmering resentment, raging hormones and boorish male entitlement that illustrates how it can indeed be grim down south, too.
Mother to three lay-about teenage boys and neglected wife to a skirt-chasing hubby, Alice (Carla Ribas) is a portrait of ruined passion and quiet melancholy. Toiling as a manicurist at a local beauty parlor, her day is typically spent buffing the feet of women like stuck-up regular Carmen (Renata Zhaneta) who delights in embellishing every detail of an infinitely more interesting romantic life.
- 6/22/2009
- by Neil Pedley
- JustPressPlay.net
PARIS -- Love was in the air as Chico Teixeira's Brazilian film "A casa de Alice" won the Golden Swann prize for best film at the 22nd Cabourg Romantic Film Festival, which wrapped Sunday night in the French seaside town.
A jury presided by filmmaker Jean-Pierre Denis named Patrick Bruel best actor for his role in Claude Miller's Holocaust drama "A Secret". Gallic actress Laetitia Casta took home the best actress award for her performance in Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau's dramatic comedy "Nes en 68" (Born in '68).
Other members of the fest's jury included director-actresses Anne Le Ny and Maiwenn, actresses Claire Nebout, Lolita Chammah and Hafsia Herzi, actor Clement Sibony and writer Emmanuelle Cosso-Merad.
Emmanuel Mouret won the best director award for "Un baiser, s'il vous plait" (A kiss, please). "Welcome to the Sticks" star Anne Marivin was named most promising actress and Yannick Renier was given the most promising actor prize for his role in "Nes en 68".
Local High School students gave their young jury prize to Doris Dorrie's German title "Cherry Blossoms".
A jury presided by filmmaker Jean-Pierre Denis named Patrick Bruel best actor for his role in Claude Miller's Holocaust drama "A Secret". Gallic actress Laetitia Casta took home the best actress award for her performance in Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau's dramatic comedy "Nes en 68" (Born in '68).
Other members of the fest's jury included director-actresses Anne Le Ny and Maiwenn, actresses Claire Nebout, Lolita Chammah and Hafsia Herzi, actor Clement Sibony and writer Emmanuelle Cosso-Merad.
Emmanuel Mouret won the best director award for "Un baiser, s'il vous plait" (A kiss, please). "Welcome to the Sticks" star Anne Marivin was named most promising actress and Yannick Renier was given the most promising actor prize for his role in "Nes en 68".
Local High School students gave their young jury prize to Doris Dorrie's German title "Cherry Blossoms".
- 6/16/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Alice's House tells the story of a midde class family living in Sao Paulo. Alice (Carla Ribas), the matriarch of the family, is an unhappy wife and mother who works as a manicurist. She is married to Lindomar (Zé Carlos Machado), with whom has a decaying relationship and they have three children, all of them male and teenagers and if that wasn't difficult enough there is a sixth member: Alice’s mother Dona Jacira (Berta Zemel). While the apartment is filled with physical beings it is also filled with secrets.In the first scene, a rat is found living in the family’s apartment. Jacinda immediately tries to combat its presence with poison. Unlike the French comedy “Sitcom” (François Ozon – 1998) and perhaps the pesky fellow in Dominick Moll's Lemming (2004), the presence of the rat isn’t going to become the main source for the family’s problems. Actually, it
- 1/30/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
FiGa Films is a new distribution company specializing in films from Latin America. The company's mandate is intriguing, designed to appeal to a niche audience that is underserved in the U.S.
Unfortunately, their debut offering, Alice's House, is too undernourished dramatically to make much of a splash. While it should earn some respectful reviews, audiences won't come away satisfied.
Director Chico Teixeira has made a number of acclaimed documentaries in Brazil. This is his first dramatic feature, and he tries to apply the same unvarnished, naturalistic style to a fictional story.
The film is set in a working-class neighborhood in Sao Paulo, mainly in the home of Alice Carla Ribas), a manicurist who lives with her philandering husband, her aging mother, and her three sons. A number of crises explode at the same time. First, Alice learns about her husband's affair with a girl half his age. Then, Alice rekindles a romance with an old flame who turns up in the neighborhood. Her mother is gradually losing her eyesight, and her husband wants to ship her off to a nursing home.
The three sons have their own problems. The oldest son is in the army, but he moonlights as a hustler servicing older men. The middle son is a petty thief, and the youngest son is going through typical adolescent confusion.
While any one of these stories might have made for a compelling drama, or at least a juicy soap opera, Teixeira underplays everything. As a result, nothing takes on a sense of urgency. In fact, the director seems so terrified of melodrama that many of the plot points are thrown away or treated so obliquely that they barely register. While the director's rigorous approach might seem admirable to some critics, it's self-defeating because viewers are unlikely to become deeply involved in events treated so haphazardly.
The director's shooting style is also irritating. Much of the film unfolds in extreme close-ups that become maddeningly claustrophobic. While this might have been intended to suggest that the characters are trapped, we feel equally confined, longing for an opportunity to see a bit of the city beyond the four walls of the apartment. The spare approach extends to the soundtrack: There is no music in the film.
Performances are persuasive. Ribas brings a womanly dignity to her role, and the young actors who play her sons have definite magnetism. Perhaps the most affecting performance is given by Berta Zemel as Alice's mother, a woman who doesn't want to acknowledge her own infirmity. And yet the most dramatic moments seem to take place off camera. Despite all the crises brewing in this family, we never feel there's anything at stake.
ALICE'S HOUSE
FiGa Films
Superfilmes Prods.
Credits:
Director: Chico Teixeira
Screenwriters: Chico Teixeira, Julio Pessoa, Sabina Anzuategui, Marcelo Gomes
Producers: Patrick Leblanc, Zita Carvalhosa
Director of photography: Mauro Pinheiro Jr.
Production designer: Marcos Pedroso
Costume designer: Andre Simonetti
Editor: Vania Debs
Cast:
Alice: Carla Ribas
Lucas: Vinicius Zinn
Edinho: Ricardo Vilaca
Junior: Felipe Massuia
Dona Jacira: Berta Zemel
Lindomar: Zecarlos Machado
Carmen: Renata Zhaneta
Nilson: Luciano Quirino
Thais: Mariana Leighton
Vanessinha: Talita Craveiro
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Unfortunately, their debut offering, Alice's House, is too undernourished dramatically to make much of a splash. While it should earn some respectful reviews, audiences won't come away satisfied.
Director Chico Teixeira has made a number of acclaimed documentaries in Brazil. This is his first dramatic feature, and he tries to apply the same unvarnished, naturalistic style to a fictional story.
The film is set in a working-class neighborhood in Sao Paulo, mainly in the home of Alice Carla Ribas), a manicurist who lives with her philandering husband, her aging mother, and her three sons. A number of crises explode at the same time. First, Alice learns about her husband's affair with a girl half his age. Then, Alice rekindles a romance with an old flame who turns up in the neighborhood. Her mother is gradually losing her eyesight, and her husband wants to ship her off to a nursing home.
The three sons have their own problems. The oldest son is in the army, but he moonlights as a hustler servicing older men. The middle son is a petty thief, and the youngest son is going through typical adolescent confusion.
While any one of these stories might have made for a compelling drama, or at least a juicy soap opera, Teixeira underplays everything. As a result, nothing takes on a sense of urgency. In fact, the director seems so terrified of melodrama that many of the plot points are thrown away or treated so obliquely that they barely register. While the director's rigorous approach might seem admirable to some critics, it's self-defeating because viewers are unlikely to become deeply involved in events treated so haphazardly.
The director's shooting style is also irritating. Much of the film unfolds in extreme close-ups that become maddeningly claustrophobic. While this might have been intended to suggest that the characters are trapped, we feel equally confined, longing for an opportunity to see a bit of the city beyond the four walls of the apartment. The spare approach extends to the soundtrack: There is no music in the film.
Performances are persuasive. Ribas brings a womanly dignity to her role, and the young actors who play her sons have definite magnetism. Perhaps the most affecting performance is given by Berta Zemel as Alice's mother, a woman who doesn't want to acknowledge her own infirmity. And yet the most dramatic moments seem to take place off camera. Despite all the crises brewing in this family, we never feel there's anything at stake.
ALICE'S HOUSE
FiGa Films
Superfilmes Prods.
Credits:
Director: Chico Teixeira
Screenwriters: Chico Teixeira, Julio Pessoa, Sabina Anzuategui, Marcelo Gomes
Producers: Patrick Leblanc, Zita Carvalhosa
Director of photography: Mauro Pinheiro Jr.
Production designer: Marcos Pedroso
Costume designer: Andre Simonetti
Editor: Vania Debs
Cast:
Alice: Carla Ribas
Lucas: Vinicius Zinn
Edinho: Ricardo Vilaca
Junior: Felipe Massuia
Dona Jacira: Berta Zemel
Lindomar: Zecarlos Machado
Carmen: Renata Zhaneta
Nilson: Luciano Quirino
Thais: Mariana Leighton
Vanessinha: Talita Craveiro
Running time -- 90 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/24/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
MUNICH, Germany -- The latest efforts from actor-directors Antonio Banderas, Steve Buscemi and Julie Delpy as well as new films from Hal Hartley and E.J. Yong highlight the arthouse-focused Panorama section at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, sidebar organizers said Thursday.
All the films screening in the Panorama's Main Program, Panorama Special and the Panorama Dokumente will be either European or world premieres, according to organizers.
The selection committee viewed a record number of entries and visited Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe to search for films for the sidebar. More than half of the works for the three subsections of the Panorama have been chosen. The full program will be announced at the end of the month, and a partial slate for the Panorama Dokumente will be announced soon.
The films confirmed thus far for the Main Program and the Panorama Special are "La Leon" by Santiago Otheguy (Argentina/France); "A casa de Alice" (Alice's House) by Chico Teixeira (Brazil); "Ferien" (Vacation) by Thomas Arslan (Germany); "Fay Grim" by Hartley (Germany/USA); "Anna M". by Michel Spinosa (France); "Lady Chatterley" by Pascale Ferran (France/Belgium); "Deux jours a Paris" (Two Days in Paris) by Delpy (France/Germany); "The Bubble" by Eytan Fox (Israel); "Dasepo Sonyeo" (Dasepo Naughty Girls) by Yong (South Korea); "Haebyuneui Yoein" (Woman on the Beach) by Hong Sangsoo (South Korea); "Hu-hwae-ha-ji An-ah" (No Regret) Leesong Hee-il (South Korea); "Nar Morkret Faller" (When Darkness Falls) by Anders Nilsson (Sweden/Germany); "El Camino de los Ingleses" (Summer Rain) by Banderas (Spain/U.K.); "Ci-Qing" (Spider Lilies) by Zero Chou (Taiwan); "Takva" (Takva -- A Man's Fear of God) by Ozer Kiziltan (Turkey/Germany); "Teeth" by Mitchell Lichtenstein (USA); and "Interview" by Buscemi (USA/Netherlands).
All the films screening in the Panorama's Main Program, Panorama Special and the Panorama Dokumente will be either European or world premieres, according to organizers.
The selection committee viewed a record number of entries and visited Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe to search for films for the sidebar. More than half of the works for the three subsections of the Panorama have been chosen. The full program will be announced at the end of the month, and a partial slate for the Panorama Dokumente will be announced soon.
The films confirmed thus far for the Main Program and the Panorama Special are "La Leon" by Santiago Otheguy (Argentina/France); "A casa de Alice" (Alice's House) by Chico Teixeira (Brazil); "Ferien" (Vacation) by Thomas Arslan (Germany); "Fay Grim" by Hartley (Germany/USA); "Anna M". by Michel Spinosa (France); "Lady Chatterley" by Pascale Ferran (France/Belgium); "Deux jours a Paris" (Two Days in Paris) by Delpy (France/Germany); "The Bubble" by Eytan Fox (Israel); "Dasepo Sonyeo" (Dasepo Naughty Girls) by Yong (South Korea); "Haebyuneui Yoein" (Woman on the Beach) by Hong Sangsoo (South Korea); "Hu-hwae-ha-ji An-ah" (No Regret) Leesong Hee-il (South Korea); "Nar Morkret Faller" (When Darkness Falls) by Anders Nilsson (Sweden/Germany); "El Camino de los Ingleses" (Summer Rain) by Banderas (Spain/U.K.); "Ci-Qing" (Spider Lilies) by Zero Chou (Taiwan); "Takva" (Takva -- A Man's Fear of God) by Ozer Kiziltan (Turkey/Germany); "Teeth" by Mitchell Lichtenstein (USA); and "Interview" by Buscemi (USA/Netherlands).
- 1/11/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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