![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmViMzE2ZmYtMjU2Mi00OTZhLTkzYTQtZGY3OWFlMGYyMjcyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
On Tuesday, Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing” opened the 2nd Evia Film Project, in the presence of the two-time Oscar-winning director.
The green initiative was launched by the Thessaloniki Film Festival last year to offer support to Northern Evia following the devastating 2021 wildfires. The event runs to June 24 with an enhanced program.
The films of this year’s edition are a mix of both classics and recent hits, feature films and documentaries. They have been selected to raise awareness, inform, incite to action, bring to light the repercussions of human-driven activities and mankind’s relation to the environment and, last but not least, praise nature’s magic.
Ten films play at this year’s Evia Film Project, which are as follows:
The previously mentioned “Downsizing”; “We Come as Friends” by Hubert Sauper; Dimitris Trompoukis’ “Roots”; “White Plastic Sky” by Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó; Juliana Penaranda-Loftus, Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley...
The green initiative was launched by the Thessaloniki Film Festival last year to offer support to Northern Evia following the devastating 2021 wildfires. The event runs to June 24 with an enhanced program.
The films of this year’s edition are a mix of both classics and recent hits, feature films and documentaries. They have been selected to raise awareness, inform, incite to action, bring to light the repercussions of human-driven activities and mankind’s relation to the environment and, last but not least, praise nature’s magic.
Ten films play at this year’s Evia Film Project, which are as follows:
The previously mentioned “Downsizing”; “We Come as Friends” by Hubert Sauper; Dimitris Trompoukis’ “Roots”; “White Plastic Sky” by Tibor Bánóczki and Sarolta Szabó; Juliana Penaranda-Loftus, Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley...
- 6/21/2023
- by Tara Karajica
- Variety Film + TV
Tower co-executive producers Amy Rapp and Meredith Vieira (also with Steve Eckelman, Pamela Colloff, Luke Wilson, Sally Jo Fifer, Lois Vossen) Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Keith Maitland's Tower joins Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson's The Ivory Game, Barbara Kopple's Miss Sharon Jones!; Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky's Defying The Nazis: The Sharps’ War; Ava Duvernay's 13th; Dawn Porter's Trapped; Andrew Rossi's The First Monday In May; Roger Ross Williams' Life, Animated; Gianfranco Rosi's Fire At Sea (Fuocoammare); Jim Jarmusch's Gimme Danger; Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic; Steven Cantor's Dancer; Morgan Neville's The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma And The Silk Road Ensemble; Ron Howard's The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years as a key contender for the 89th Academy Awards Oscar shortlist.
University of Texas Austin tower: "We are really immersing you in that day.
Keith Maitland's Tower joins Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson's The Ivory Game, Barbara Kopple's Miss Sharon Jones!; Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky's Defying The Nazis: The Sharps’ War; Ava Duvernay's 13th; Dawn Porter's Trapped; Andrew Rossi's The First Monday In May; Roger Ross Williams' Life, Animated; Gianfranco Rosi's Fire At Sea (Fuocoammare); Jim Jarmusch's Gimme Danger; Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic; Steven Cantor's Dancer; Morgan Neville's The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma And The Silk Road Ensemble; Ron Howard's The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years as a key contender for the 89th Academy Awards Oscar shortlist.
University of Texas Austin tower: "We are really immersing you in that day.
- 11/20/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
![Antes que cante el gallo (2016)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmUxMDkxYWYtZGJlNC00NzYxLTk1MmYtYjc5ZjI0MzI1MWU1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxMDIwNDE@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Antes que cante el gallo (2016)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmUxMDkxYWYtZGJlNC00NzYxLTk1MmYtYjc5ZjI0MzI1MWU1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxMDIwNDE@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
The Winners of Trinidad + Tobago Film Festival 2016
“Before The Rooster Crows” (“Antes que cante el gallo”) (trailer here) of Puerto Rico won top prize for Best Feature Narrative, and “The Cutlass” from Trinidad + Tobago won People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Narrative. Port of Spain, Trinidad was the place where the ttff awards prizes were granted Tuesday 27 September.
Watch the ttff trailer here.
People’S Choice Awards
TT$5,000 each / Sponsored by Flow
Best Feature Film — Narrative: “The Cutlass” — Darisha Beresford
Best Feature Film–Documentary: “Landfill Harmonic” — Brad Allgood + Graham Townsley...
“Before The Rooster Crows” (“Antes que cante el gallo”) (trailer here) of Puerto Rico won top prize for Best Feature Narrative, and “The Cutlass” from Trinidad + Tobago won People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Narrative. Port of Spain, Trinidad was the place where the ttff awards prizes were granted Tuesday 27 September.
Watch the ttff trailer here.
People’S Choice Awards
TT$5,000 each / Sponsored by Flow
Best Feature Film — Narrative: “The Cutlass” — Darisha Beresford
Best Feature Film–Documentary: “Landfill Harmonic” — Brad Allgood + Graham Townsley...
- 9/28/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Anne-Katrin Titze with Recycled Orchestra Director Favio Chávez at Cinema Village Photo: Ed Bahlman
Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, co-directed by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus and co-produced with Alejandra Amarilla, tells the story of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay and the members' voyage into the world of music. Ada Ríos and her sister Noelia Ríos, along with Azucena Azcona shared with me their adventures and what it has meant for them to be a part of the growth happening in their hometown.
Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus with Anne-Katrin Titze in a Landfill Harmonic conversation at Cinema Village Photo: Ed Bahlman
The musicians play on instruments built from material gleaned from the Cateura landfill, the large dumping ground for garbage from Asunción, the capital city of Paraguay. Ada in the film shows that she is a big fan of Megadeth and we see a dream for her come true...
Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, co-directed by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus and co-produced with Alejandra Amarilla, tells the story of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay and the members' voyage into the world of music. Ada Ríos and her sister Noelia Ríos, along with Azucena Azcona shared with me their adventures and what it has meant for them to be a part of the growth happening in their hometown.
Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus with Anne-Katrin Titze in a Landfill Harmonic conversation at Cinema Village Photo: Ed Bahlman
The musicians play on instruments built from material gleaned from the Cateura landfill, the large dumping ground for garbage from Asunción, the capital city of Paraguay. Ada in the film shows that she is a big fan of Megadeth and we see a dream for her come true...
- 9/11/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura at the United Nations Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
In Robert Altman's The Player, Tim Robbins (as Griffin Mill) walks on the street at night, in Pasadena, past Megadeth posters pasted on the wall signalling a significant event to come in the film. In Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, co-directed by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus and co-produced with Alejandra Amarilla, we see the flag of Paraguay painted with the name Megadeth by members of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura doing the trick to bring David Ellefson, Dave Mustaine, Shawn Drover, and Chris Broderick to perform with them Symphony Of Destruction.
Favio Chávez: "There are events that happen that build a story." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest, Nicole Kidman in Sydney Pollack's The Interpreter, and Audrey Hepburn in Stanley Donen's Charade as a Un interpreter came to...
In Robert Altman's The Player, Tim Robbins (as Griffin Mill) walks on the street at night, in Pasadena, past Megadeth posters pasted on the wall signalling a significant event to come in the film. In Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, co-directed by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus and co-produced with Alejandra Amarilla, we see the flag of Paraguay painted with the name Megadeth by members of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura doing the trick to bring David Ellefson, Dave Mustaine, Shawn Drover, and Chris Broderick to perform with them Symphony Of Destruction.
Favio Chávez: "There are events that happen that build a story." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest, Nicole Kidman in Sydney Pollack's The Interpreter, and Audrey Hepburn in Stanley Donen's Charade as a Un interpreter came to...
- 9/9/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Alejandra Amarilla with Recycled Orchestra members Noelia Ríos, Azucena Azcona and Ada Ríos Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
There is Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth's buoyant 20,000 Days On Earth on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Kylie Minogue, Warren Ellis, Blixa Bargeld and Ray Winstone, and Morgan Neville's far-reaching The Music Of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. Now comes the Landfill Harmonic, directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley, co-directed and co-produced by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus, where the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, conducted by Favio Chávez, meet Megadeth's David Ellefson, Dave Mustaine, Shawn Drover, and Chris Broderick to perform with them Symphony Of Destruction.
Producer and co-director Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus on Favio Chávez: "I saw the potential in Favio." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus, co-producer Alejandra Amarilla, musical director Favio Chávez and members of the Recycled Orchestra met with me for a conversation...
There is Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth's buoyant 20,000 Days On Earth on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Kylie Minogue, Warren Ellis, Blixa Bargeld and Ray Winstone, and Morgan Neville's far-reaching The Music Of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. Now comes the Landfill Harmonic, directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley, co-directed and co-produced by Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus, where the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, conducted by Favio Chávez, meet Megadeth's David Ellefson, Dave Mustaine, Shawn Drover, and Chris Broderick to perform with them Symphony Of Destruction.
Producer and co-director Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus on Favio Chávez: "I saw the potential in Favio." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Juliana Peñaranda-Loftus, co-producer Alejandra Amarilla, musical director Favio Chávez and members of the Recycled Orchestra met with me for a conversation...
- 9/8/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
![Landfill Harmonic (2015)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWM3YzEwYTctMDY4Zi00NGU5LTlmOWEtNWQxZTViY2E2OTMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUyMjQwOTQ@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,2,140,207_.jpg)
![Landfill Harmonic (2015)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWM3YzEwYTctMDY4Zi00NGU5LTlmOWEtNWQxZTViY2E2OTMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUyMjQwOTQ@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,2,140,207_.jpg)
The award-winning documentary about a Paraguayan youth musical group will go theatrical in September, with VOD, DVD and TV launches to follow.
Award-winning documentary Landfill Harmonic has been set for a multi-platform North American release, starting with a theatrical launch in New York on September 9.
The Film Collaborative and Emerging Pictures will handle theatrical distribution, Tugg Inc educational distribution and Vimeo the VOD launch. FilmRise will release on DVD/BluRay and HBO Latino will give the film its TV premiere.
After launching in New York, the film will open at several Los Angeles venues on September 23 and then expand into between 25 and 45 markets across North America.
The Humanitas Prize-winning documentary, which has also won audience awards at AFI Fest and SXSW, is about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group consisting of kids who live next to one of South America’s largest landfills.
Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley directed and Cinephil is handling foreign...
Award-winning documentary Landfill Harmonic has been set for a multi-platform North American release, starting with a theatrical launch in New York on September 9.
The Film Collaborative and Emerging Pictures will handle theatrical distribution, Tugg Inc educational distribution and Vimeo the VOD launch. FilmRise will release on DVD/BluRay and HBO Latino will give the film its TV premiere.
After launching in New York, the film will open at several Los Angeles venues on September 23 and then expand into between 25 and 45 markets across North America.
The Humanitas Prize-winning documentary, which has also won audience awards at AFI Fest and SXSW, is about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group consisting of kids who live next to one of South America’s largest landfills.
Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley directed and Cinephil is handling foreign...
- 7/1/2016
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – It’s Week Two of the 32nd Edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, and the films, programs and filmmakers are creating a big buzz over at the AMC River East 21 Theatre, where all the festival films are being shown. The huge variety of movies from Latino countries all over the world has brought in the film buffs and fans, making Chicago again the place to be for film.
The week culminates with the Closing Night film and festivities at the Chicago History Museum. For specific details regarding that night and to purchase tickets click here.
’No Kids’ (Argentina) is the Closing Night Film at the 32ndst Chicago Latino Film Festival
Photo credit: Chicago Latino Film Festival
The highlights of Week Two films are as follows…
”Landfill Harmonic”
Hundreds were inspired and amazed by their performance last year at the Closing Night concert of the 10th Annual Chicago Latino Music Festival.
The week culminates with the Closing Night film and festivities at the Chicago History Museum. For specific details regarding that night and to purchase tickets click here.
’No Kids’ (Argentina) is the Closing Night Film at the 32ndst Chicago Latino Film Festival
Photo credit: Chicago Latino Film Festival
The highlights of Week Two films are as follows…
”Landfill Harmonic”
Hundreds were inspired and amazed by their performance last year at the Closing Night concert of the 10th Annual Chicago Latino Music Festival.
- 4/15/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The refugee crisis, the departure of festival director Dimitri Eipides and the appointment of a new general director dominated the 18th Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival.Scroll down for full list of winners
The Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival (March 11-20) will be largely remembered for three important events: the resignation of its director ahead of the festival, the refugee crisis dominating the programme and the appointment of a new general director.
This was the last year director Dimitri Eipides was at the helm of the event he founded 18 years ago. The executive had simultaneously held the post of general and artistic director of the March documentary event and the November Thessaloniki international film festival (Tiff) now in its 57th year.
The decision of the festival board to attribute the post of general director to French producer Elise Jalladeau, pending her confirmation by the Culture Ministry, was welcome by the local cinema community.
Previous to her...
The Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival (March 11-20) will be largely remembered for three important events: the resignation of its director ahead of the festival, the refugee crisis dominating the programme and the appointment of a new general director.
This was the last year director Dimitri Eipides was at the helm of the event he founded 18 years ago. The executive had simultaneously held the post of general and artistic director of the March documentary event and the November Thessaloniki international film festival (Tiff) now in its 57th year.
The decision of the festival board to attribute the post of general director to French producer Elise Jalladeau, pending her confirmation by the Culture Ministry, was welcome by the local cinema community.
Previous to her...
- 3/22/2016
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Farmington-Hills based nonprofit organization kickstART farmington announced the film lineup and schedule for the 2016 Greater Farmington Film Festival earlier this month and it looks like they will be offering a great selection of films this year. The Greater Farmington Film Festival takes place March 3-6, 2016 with a selection of recently released feature films and documentaries that engage the heart and mind, explore important contemporary issues, and inspire action: good films for a better world.
You can find the full film line up and schedule for the 2016 Greater Farmington Film Festival below. Overall, the festival provides a unique opportunity for audiences to enjoy these inspiring films as none of these films have been released widely in Michigan, and several will enjoy their Michigan debut.
In addition, the Greater Farmington Film Festival invites the public to attend the 2016 Festival Preview Party on Thursday evening, February 18th, from 7:00-10:00 Pm at...
You can find the full film line up and schedule for the 2016 Greater Farmington Film Festival below. Overall, the festival provides a unique opportunity for audiences to enjoy these inspiring films as none of these films have been released widely in Michigan, and several will enjoy their Michigan debut.
In addition, the Greater Farmington Film Festival invites the public to attend the 2016 Festival Preview Party on Thursday evening, February 18th, from 7:00-10:00 Pm at...
- 2/17/2016
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
Doha, Qatar is taking the lead in bringing children’s films to the public with 80 features and shorts from 20 countries among which Russia, U.S., Spain, Germany, Lebanon, France and Brazil took prizes. The winners of Ajyal, chosen by children’s juries were honored at a colorful closing ceremony.
In Competition this year were some fine examples of children’s films, an area not widely discussed in our “sophisticated” international film business world, and yet an area you would suppose most cineastes would find extremely important for their own children’s growth. This contradiction --between the lack of conversation about children’s films in the international film business and the importance of youth’s audience share and the personal, ultimate importance in our future civilization -- was apparent to me as I discovered a world previously unexplored by me myself and not widely covered in trade press.
For full details on all films, read here.
And the winners were:
“Paper Planes” (Australia; 2014) directed by Robert Connolly, Australian Film Academy Winner for Best Film and Best Original Screenplay is an endearing Australian movie about an 11 year old boy who must come up with funds to enter a world paper plane championship competition. Winner in the Mohaq (New Moon) section of jurors aged 8 to 12 who watched four feature-length films and one program of short films.
“Scarecrow” (The Philippines, 2015), so new that it Is not even listed in IMDb, directed by multi award winning Zig Madamba Dulay is a deeply moving Tagalog film on the life of a widowed, illiterate woman in a rural Philippine province. Judged Winner of Best Film in the Hilal (Half Moon) section of jurors aged 13 to 17 who evaluated five feature films and a program of shorts.
“Walls” (Spain; 2015) is a creatively constructed Spanish doc that takes a compelling look on lives on either side of the world’s border walls.
When the Berlin Wall fell the end of History was proclaimed, we shelved the idea of separation walls as part of the past. Reality is exactly the opposite. Never in the history of humanity have we built so many walls. There have never been so many fences, barbed wire, ditches and walls. There are miles of kilometres, in the most far off and different parts of the world.
This film narrates real stories of people who live on both sides of very different walls. The one that divides South Africa and Zimbabwe, the separation wall between the United States and Mexico, the fence that in Melilla is used as a border between Spain and Morocco.
Watch the trailer Here.
Basque directors Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina have travelled the world making and showing their documentaries for 20 years. This non-judgemental, simple statement about walls and exclusion humanizes those seeking to breach walls whose stories we read or ignore everyday. “That wall is my obstacle. My kids are on the other side,” says Caren Hernández who treks miles along the wall to find an opening in order to leave Mexico. ”Wars and walls are the same thing,” says Meza Weza from Zimbabwe seeking to cross into South Africa. ”We would have to build a new big and tall wall. And I would electrify it” says the border guard Izak Nel in South Africa. ”We try to keep them out. We can’t let them in, it’s the law,” Jaime Mimún of Spain. A review has been published recently at the Latin version of The Washington Post entitled “Which Side of the Wall Are You On?
That jurors aged 18 to 21 judged this the Best Film in the Bader section of the five feature films and two programs of short films they saw proves its power in creating compassion. We hope we will see this film nominated for the upcoming Goyas in Spain and that it instills compassion in all who see it…and that many get the chance to see it. http://www.wallsmuros.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/wallsmuros
In the Made in Qatar section, the observational documentary “ The Palm Tree”, charting the life story of a palm tree, and the short fiction work “Asfoora” won the top awards.
In the Bariq section where parents with their children below the age of eight judged films, the Parent’s Choice Award went to the six minute short “The Law of the Jungle” by Pascale Hecquet (Belgium). Vimeo
Fatma Al Remaihi, Festival Director and CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said: “I would like to commend our Ajyal Jurors for the dedication and enthusiasm they have brought to the task of determining the competition winners this year – their enthusiasm and insight is an inspiration to us all. I congratulate all of our 2015 winners and sincerely thank all of the filmmakers who have joined us in Doha this week for sharing their stories and creative talents. Their presence has brought a depth and richness to the experience of our audiences and jurors that will live on in their hearts and minds long into the future.”
The 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Competition Winners are:
Mohaq
Best Feature Film
“ Paper Planes” by Robert Connolly (Australia)
Special Mention
"Celestial Camel (Nebesnyy verblyud) by Yury Feting (Russia)
Best Short Film
"The Red Thunder" by Alvaro Ron (Spain, USA)
Hilal
Best Feature Film
"Scarecrow" (Bambanti) by Zig Madamba Dulay (The Philippines)
Special Mention
"Landfill Harmonic" by Graham Townsley and Brad Allgood (USA)
Best Short Film
"wHole" by Robert Banning and Verena Klinger (Germany)
Special Mention
"That Day in September" by Karim Jaafar (Lebanon)
Bader
Best Feature Film
"Walls (Muros)" by Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina (Spain)
Special Mention
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?) by Anna Muylaert (Brazil)
Best Short Film
"By Mutual Agreement" by Rémy Cayuela (France)
Bariq
Parent’s Choice Award
“The Law of the Jungle” by Pascale Hecquet (Belgium)
The competition line-up at Ajyal 2015 comprised feature films from 20 countries and a series of short film programs. More than 500 young people watched and analyzed the dynamic program of films under the three competitive sections.
The Jury included a delegation of 24 international jurors who travelled to Doha for the event from 12 countries including Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Serbia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Made in Qatar
‘Made in Qatar’ included 17 films by Qatari filmmakers and those who call Qatar home. The films highlight the support of the Doha Film Institute in honing their skills.
Presented with the support of Tarsheed, the Made in Qatar films are evaluated by a jury comprising: Ahd, an actor (“Wadjda”) and filmmaker from Saudi Arabia; Marcel Ghanem, a multi-award winning current affairs journalist from Lebanon; and Bassam Al Ibrahim, a Qatari producer of several award-winning films.
The winners were:
Documentary Category
Best Documentary Film: “ The Palm Tree” by Jassim Al-Rumaihi Jury Award: “ Heart of the House” by Gabrielle Sol Special Mention: “The Notebook” by Amna Al-Binali Narrative Category
Best Narrative Film: “ Asfoora” by Mayar Hamdan Jury Award: “ Man of the House” by Khalifa AlMarri The directors who are showcasing their films in the Made in Qatar program underline the success of the Institute’s founding mission – to supporting the next generation in filmmaking talent.
Sana Al-Ansari, the young director of “If Only They Knew” (Qatar, 2014), for example, was a young juror of the festival for two consecutive years. Turning director, therefore, was a logical progression that was supported by the Doha Film Institute.
Inspired by the movies she had watched as a juror, she wanted to make a film that would resonate with the Qatari community. The result was “If Only They Knew” that addresses the issue of reckless driving. “Ask anyone, and they would all know of somebody who has been the victim of reckless driving. My own film was sparked by a similar incident in which a young man lost his life,” says Sana.
She says the team at the Doha Film Institute supported her in fine-tuning the script as well as in editing the footage she shot over two-and-a-half days. A Communications student at Northwestern University, she hopes that her film, which has already won the award for Best National Picture at Northwestern’s Thimun Film Festival and screened at Rota’s Empower Conference, will strengthen awareness on a social issue and lead to positive change.
Jassim Al Rumaihi is another talent supported by the Doha Film Institute. He had screened his first short, co-directed when he was still a student, at the festival five years ago. It went on to win an award in the ‘Made in Qatar’ segment.
Now, working as a reporter at Al Jazeera News channel, he says that in making his second short, “The Palm Tree”, produced by the Doha Film Institute, he approached it with greater professionalism with “no room for mistakes that I could make when I was a student.”
With support from the Institute, including cinematography by Thomas Hines, he has ventured into making what he describes as a “poetic/observational documentary.” Without dialogues or other sound props, his film charts the life-cycle of a palm tree. Jassim depicts the story of the palm tree from various angles – right from its seedling stage to how the dates are marketed.
“The palm tree is very majestic; it is part of our heritage. It features in the logo of many Arab nations and yet you see its value diminishing in popular perception and is not so celebrated,” says Jassim. He shot the film over five days, and thanks the Doha Film Institute for the support he has received along the journey.
He has now secured funding for a documentary on Arabian horses. “I do not go into a generic documentary; it is about one specific horse,” much like how he has narrowed down the subject of the ubiquitous palm trees into one 14 minute short.
Jassim says that since he made his first short five years ago, the filmmaking scene in Qatar has changed. “Now there is better technology, better experience and international skills in filmmaking. I think the efforts of the Doha Film Institute have paid off well.”
Amina Ahmed Al Bloshi, director of “To My Mother” highlights a story that she hopes will resonate with every woman in the Arab world. The film, made with the support of the Doha Film Institute, is about the value of education, underlined by the true story of Amina’s mother, who decided to start her education at the age of 40.
“She cried when she watched the film,” says Amina, “and told me that she had several photographs of hers as a child but never felt its value until she saw herself on screen and how people reacted to it.” For Amina, therefore the movie is a visual tribute that she passes on to the next generation. But more importantly, it is about telling all women anywhere in the world who were denied the opportunity to study for whatever reason that “it is never too late to learn.”
Amina says that unlike old days, there is ample opportunity to pursue education today in Qatar. “The doors are open and there is so much support from the government. Regardless of your nationality or age, if you have missed the chance to learn, do it now –not for a job but for the value it brings to your life.”
Writer-producer Ali Ali’s film Charlie further illustrates how film can make positive change. His eponymous protagonist is imaginative and precocious but was struggling in school and falling behind his peers. He was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. His family, after watching the Bollywood movie “Tare Zameen Par”, almost followed the film’s message to the core to make a positive impact on Charlie. Ali’s documentary shows how Charlie and his family cope with the challenge. Ali says it is a “happy film,” and although he does not want to convey any direct message, he believes it will make audiences think.
And if you need further evidence on how film not only helps one to find one’s inner voice, here is “Light Sounds”, written and directed by Karem Kamal. Inspired by the lives of two janitors at a mosque in Qatar, he wrote a powerful script that talks about how every face might hide an unrecognised talent. Producer Rasha Mkachar, who found the story endearing, says when they did a casting call to make the film, no one turned up. They couldn’t use the real protagonists for technical reasons. And that is how two staff at the Doha Film Institute, Roshan Sanjeewa and Sampath Dasanyaka, turned actors, thus proving in real life and reel life that there is more to people in everyday life than meets the eye.
Seventeen films are being screened in the ‘Made in Qatar’ programme featuring home-grown series of films highlighting the talent of Qatari filmmakers and those who call Qatar home.
In Competition this year were some fine examples of children’s films, an area not widely discussed in our “sophisticated” international film business world, and yet an area you would suppose most cineastes would find extremely important for their own children’s growth. This contradiction --between the lack of conversation about children’s films in the international film business and the importance of youth’s audience share and the personal, ultimate importance in our future civilization -- was apparent to me as I discovered a world previously unexplored by me myself and not widely covered in trade press.
For full details on all films, read here.
And the winners were:
“Paper Planes” (Australia; 2014) directed by Robert Connolly, Australian Film Academy Winner for Best Film and Best Original Screenplay is an endearing Australian movie about an 11 year old boy who must come up with funds to enter a world paper plane championship competition. Winner in the Mohaq (New Moon) section of jurors aged 8 to 12 who watched four feature-length films and one program of short films.
“Scarecrow” (The Philippines, 2015), so new that it Is not even listed in IMDb, directed by multi award winning Zig Madamba Dulay is a deeply moving Tagalog film on the life of a widowed, illiterate woman in a rural Philippine province. Judged Winner of Best Film in the Hilal (Half Moon) section of jurors aged 13 to 17 who evaluated five feature films and a program of shorts.
“Walls” (Spain; 2015) is a creatively constructed Spanish doc that takes a compelling look on lives on either side of the world’s border walls.
When the Berlin Wall fell the end of History was proclaimed, we shelved the idea of separation walls as part of the past. Reality is exactly the opposite. Never in the history of humanity have we built so many walls. There have never been so many fences, barbed wire, ditches and walls. There are miles of kilometres, in the most far off and different parts of the world.
This film narrates real stories of people who live on both sides of very different walls. The one that divides South Africa and Zimbabwe, the separation wall between the United States and Mexico, the fence that in Melilla is used as a border between Spain and Morocco.
Watch the trailer Here.
Basque directors Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina have travelled the world making and showing their documentaries for 20 years. This non-judgemental, simple statement about walls and exclusion humanizes those seeking to breach walls whose stories we read or ignore everyday. “That wall is my obstacle. My kids are on the other side,” says Caren Hernández who treks miles along the wall to find an opening in order to leave Mexico. ”Wars and walls are the same thing,” says Meza Weza from Zimbabwe seeking to cross into South Africa. ”We would have to build a new big and tall wall. And I would electrify it” says the border guard Izak Nel in South Africa. ”We try to keep them out. We can’t let them in, it’s the law,” Jaime Mimún of Spain. A review has been published recently at the Latin version of The Washington Post entitled “Which Side of the Wall Are You On?
That jurors aged 18 to 21 judged this the Best Film in the Bader section of the five feature films and two programs of short films they saw proves its power in creating compassion. We hope we will see this film nominated for the upcoming Goyas in Spain and that it instills compassion in all who see it…and that many get the chance to see it. http://www.wallsmuros.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/wallsmuros
In the Made in Qatar section, the observational documentary “ The Palm Tree”, charting the life story of a palm tree, and the short fiction work “Asfoora” won the top awards.
In the Bariq section where parents with their children below the age of eight judged films, the Parent’s Choice Award went to the six minute short “The Law of the Jungle” by Pascale Hecquet (Belgium). Vimeo
Fatma Al Remaihi, Festival Director and CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said: “I would like to commend our Ajyal Jurors for the dedication and enthusiasm they have brought to the task of determining the competition winners this year – their enthusiasm and insight is an inspiration to us all. I congratulate all of our 2015 winners and sincerely thank all of the filmmakers who have joined us in Doha this week for sharing their stories and creative talents. Their presence has brought a depth and richness to the experience of our audiences and jurors that will live on in their hearts and minds long into the future.”
The 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Competition Winners are:
Mohaq
Best Feature Film
“ Paper Planes” by Robert Connolly (Australia)
Special Mention
"Celestial Camel (Nebesnyy verblyud) by Yury Feting (Russia)
Best Short Film
"The Red Thunder" by Alvaro Ron (Spain, USA)
Hilal
Best Feature Film
"Scarecrow" (Bambanti) by Zig Madamba Dulay (The Philippines)
Special Mention
"Landfill Harmonic" by Graham Townsley and Brad Allgood (USA)
Best Short Film
"wHole" by Robert Banning and Verena Klinger (Germany)
Special Mention
"That Day in September" by Karim Jaafar (Lebanon)
Bader
Best Feature Film
"Walls (Muros)" by Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina (Spain)
Special Mention
"The Second Mother" (Que Horas Ela Volta?) by Anna Muylaert (Brazil)
Best Short Film
"By Mutual Agreement" by Rémy Cayuela (France)
Bariq
Parent’s Choice Award
“The Law of the Jungle” by Pascale Hecquet (Belgium)
The competition line-up at Ajyal 2015 comprised feature films from 20 countries and a series of short film programs. More than 500 young people watched and analyzed the dynamic program of films under the three competitive sections.
The Jury included a delegation of 24 international jurors who travelled to Doha for the event from 12 countries including Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Serbia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Made in Qatar
‘Made in Qatar’ included 17 films by Qatari filmmakers and those who call Qatar home. The films highlight the support of the Doha Film Institute in honing their skills.
Presented with the support of Tarsheed, the Made in Qatar films are evaluated by a jury comprising: Ahd, an actor (“Wadjda”) and filmmaker from Saudi Arabia; Marcel Ghanem, a multi-award winning current affairs journalist from Lebanon; and Bassam Al Ibrahim, a Qatari producer of several award-winning films.
The winners were:
Documentary Category
Best Documentary Film: “ The Palm Tree” by Jassim Al-Rumaihi Jury Award: “ Heart of the House” by Gabrielle Sol Special Mention: “The Notebook” by Amna Al-Binali Narrative Category
Best Narrative Film: “ Asfoora” by Mayar Hamdan Jury Award: “ Man of the House” by Khalifa AlMarri The directors who are showcasing their films in the Made in Qatar program underline the success of the Institute’s founding mission – to supporting the next generation in filmmaking talent.
Sana Al-Ansari, the young director of “If Only They Knew” (Qatar, 2014), for example, was a young juror of the festival for two consecutive years. Turning director, therefore, was a logical progression that was supported by the Doha Film Institute.
Inspired by the movies she had watched as a juror, she wanted to make a film that would resonate with the Qatari community. The result was “If Only They Knew” that addresses the issue of reckless driving. “Ask anyone, and they would all know of somebody who has been the victim of reckless driving. My own film was sparked by a similar incident in which a young man lost his life,” says Sana.
She says the team at the Doha Film Institute supported her in fine-tuning the script as well as in editing the footage she shot over two-and-a-half days. A Communications student at Northwestern University, she hopes that her film, which has already won the award for Best National Picture at Northwestern’s Thimun Film Festival and screened at Rota’s Empower Conference, will strengthen awareness on a social issue and lead to positive change.
Jassim Al Rumaihi is another talent supported by the Doha Film Institute. He had screened his first short, co-directed when he was still a student, at the festival five years ago. It went on to win an award in the ‘Made in Qatar’ segment.
Now, working as a reporter at Al Jazeera News channel, he says that in making his second short, “The Palm Tree”, produced by the Doha Film Institute, he approached it with greater professionalism with “no room for mistakes that I could make when I was a student.”
With support from the Institute, including cinematography by Thomas Hines, he has ventured into making what he describes as a “poetic/observational documentary.” Without dialogues or other sound props, his film charts the life-cycle of a palm tree. Jassim depicts the story of the palm tree from various angles – right from its seedling stage to how the dates are marketed.
“The palm tree is very majestic; it is part of our heritage. It features in the logo of many Arab nations and yet you see its value diminishing in popular perception and is not so celebrated,” says Jassim. He shot the film over five days, and thanks the Doha Film Institute for the support he has received along the journey.
He has now secured funding for a documentary on Arabian horses. “I do not go into a generic documentary; it is about one specific horse,” much like how he has narrowed down the subject of the ubiquitous palm trees into one 14 minute short.
Jassim says that since he made his first short five years ago, the filmmaking scene in Qatar has changed. “Now there is better technology, better experience and international skills in filmmaking. I think the efforts of the Doha Film Institute have paid off well.”
Amina Ahmed Al Bloshi, director of “To My Mother” highlights a story that she hopes will resonate with every woman in the Arab world. The film, made with the support of the Doha Film Institute, is about the value of education, underlined by the true story of Amina’s mother, who decided to start her education at the age of 40.
“She cried when she watched the film,” says Amina, “and told me that she had several photographs of hers as a child but never felt its value until she saw herself on screen and how people reacted to it.” For Amina, therefore the movie is a visual tribute that she passes on to the next generation. But more importantly, it is about telling all women anywhere in the world who were denied the opportunity to study for whatever reason that “it is never too late to learn.”
Amina says that unlike old days, there is ample opportunity to pursue education today in Qatar. “The doors are open and there is so much support from the government. Regardless of your nationality or age, if you have missed the chance to learn, do it now –not for a job but for the value it brings to your life.”
Writer-producer Ali Ali’s film Charlie further illustrates how film can make positive change. His eponymous protagonist is imaginative and precocious but was struggling in school and falling behind his peers. He was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. His family, after watching the Bollywood movie “Tare Zameen Par”, almost followed the film’s message to the core to make a positive impact on Charlie. Ali’s documentary shows how Charlie and his family cope with the challenge. Ali says it is a “happy film,” and although he does not want to convey any direct message, he believes it will make audiences think.
And if you need further evidence on how film not only helps one to find one’s inner voice, here is “Light Sounds”, written and directed by Karem Kamal. Inspired by the lives of two janitors at a mosque in Qatar, he wrote a powerful script that talks about how every face might hide an unrecognised talent. Producer Rasha Mkachar, who found the story endearing, says when they did a casting call to make the film, no one turned up. They couldn’t use the real protagonists for technical reasons. And that is how two staff at the Doha Film Institute, Roshan Sanjeewa and Sampath Dasanyaka, turned actors, thus proving in real life and reel life that there is more to people in everyday life than meets the eye.
Seventeen films are being screened in the ‘Made in Qatar’ programme featuring home-grown series of films highlighting the talent of Qatari filmmakers and those who call Qatar home.
- 12/9/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The third annual Ajyal Youth Film Festival presented by the Doha Film Institute (November 29 to December 5) showcases feature films from 20 countries and a series of short film programs in Katara, Qatar.
Fatma Al Remaihi, Festival Director and CEO of the Doha Film Institute, says: “By providing young people with access to international cinema, filmmakers from around the world, and the space to discuss their ideas and develop critical thinking, Ajyal empowers the youngest members of our community and develops their understanding of the world around them.”
Academy Award nominated director, Hany Abu-Assad and Arab Idol champion Mohammed Assaf, whose life story "The Idol" is based on, will attend the Opening Night and will participate in a special ‘In Conversation’ session about bringing Assaf’s life story to the big screen and highlight the power of combining music and cinema and the challenges facing Arab artists today.
Read more about "The Idol" and an interview with Hany Abu-Assad at its debut at Tiff 2015.
Aside from the daily public screenings of local and international films other events are the popular "Made in Qatar"; Sony Cinema Under the Stars; Family Weekend; the Doha Giffoni Youth Media Summit ; special events and exhibitions; the Sandbox interactive digital playground; school screenings; and the Ajyal Competition, where hundreds of young jurors between the ages of 8 and 21 will watch and discuss shorts and features and decide on the winning films. competition line-up.
The popular "Made in Qatar" section features 17 films -- nine narrative shorts and eight documentaries by local talent.
More than 500 young people from the ages of 8 to 21 make up the Ajyal Competition Jury which will watch and analyze a dynamic program of films in three competitive sections followed by discussions and events including panels, workshops and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
Each of the three Ajyal Juries are made of 24 international jurors from 12 countries including Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Serbia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The jury awards a Best Film prize to their favorite short and feature-length film, for a total of six awards. The directors of the winning films are awarded funding toward their next film, so jurors are empowered to support and promote future content that is relevant and important to them in a proactive way.
Mohaq means ‘New Moon’ in Arabic, and these are Ajyal’s youngest jurors, aged 8 to 12. These jurors will watch one program of short films and four feature-length films, marking the first year that competitive feature films are included in this category. They are: "Celestial Camel" (Russia) by Yury Feting about a young sheepherder living in the desolate Kalmyk Steppe, who sets off on an epic journey after his father is forced to sell the family’s beloved camel calf; "The Greatest House in the World" (Guatemala, Mexico) by Ana V. Bojórquez and Lucía Carreras - a film about the never-ending circle of life told through the story of a young girl in the isolated highlands of Guatemala; "Paper Planes"(Australia) by Robert Connolly - a tale of friendship, creativity and the bonds of family which centers around an 11-year-old boy with an exceptional talent for creating paper airplanes; and "Phantom Boy" by Jean-Loup Felicioli, Alain Gagnol (France, Belgium) an animated film about an 11-year-old boy whose illness allows him to have out-of-body experiences and mysterious powers.
Ajyal’s jurors aged 13 to 17 are the Hilal jury – the term means ‘Crescent Moon’ in Arabic. Five feature films and a program of shorts make up this jury’s film selection. The feature films competing in this section are: "Lamb" (France, Ethiopia, Germany, Norway, Qatar) by Yared Zeleke, a portrait of a young Ethiopian boy trying to find his way in the world; "Landfill Harmonic" (U.S.) directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley and recent audience award winning documentary at Napa Valley Film Festival, that tracks the astounding rise of a Paraguayan youth orchestra whose members live next to one of South America's largest landfills and make their instruments from recycled materials; "Mina Walking" (Canada, Afghanistan), a multiple award winning documentary by Yosef Baraki, a powerful tale of a 12-year-old girl in war-torn Afghanistan struggling to make ends meet for her family; "Scarecrow " (The Philippines) by Zig Madamba Dulay which explores the complicated relationship of social injustice and familial expectations through the story of a young mother in a rural town; and " Wolf Totem" (China, France) by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Set against the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution 1967, it is the story of a two young Chinese students who are sent on a research assignment with the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia and become fascinated by the wolves that roam the plains.
The most mature of Ajyal’s juries, Bader (Arabic for ‘Full Moon’) jurors are aged 18 to 21 and will select their favorite films from five features and two programs of short films. The feature films vying for top honors in this section are: "An" (Japan, France, Germany) by Naomi Kawase is a drama about a lonely baker whose life is reinvigorated when he hires an elderly woman with a special culinary skill; "The Second Mother " (Brazil's submission for Oscar nomination) by Anna Muylaert which is an exploration of the bond between mothers and their children told through the story of a housekeeper in Sao Paulo (Read review and interview with director Anna Muylaert here); "Taxi" (Iran), winner of Fipresci and Golden Bear Awards in Berlin 2015, by Jafar Panahi in which the celebrated Iranian director places himself in the driver’s seat of a cab, taking fares to their destinations in a wonderful portrait of contemporary Iran; "Very Big Shot" (Lebanon, Qatar), a bold and insightful dark comedy by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya that skewers political corruption and the media circus that goes with it; and "Walls" (Spain) - a documentary by Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina that follows several subjects on both sides of three contemporary international borders, demonstrating that the people on each side of the barriers are not as different as they may believe.
In addition to the three competitive sections, the Festival’s youngest audiences under the age of 8 years will also vote for their favorite film with the help of their parents who will determine the Parents’ Choice Award in the Bariq program. Bariq films are selected to satisfy the excitement and curiosity of young children and are suitable for the whole family. This year’s program features a collection of eight short films and will also include a special outdoor cine-concert on the Katara esplanade by the Festival Tout-Petits Cinéma from Paris, with four films accompanied by live music by pianist Anthony Boulc’h and saxophonist Fanch Minous.
A senior jury of three eminent figures from the local and regional industry will determine the winners of the competitive section comprising feature films from 20 countries and a series of short film program with two awards being presented for Best Short Narrative Film and Best Short Documentary Film. The 2015 jury members are film producer Bassam Al Ibrahim (Qatar), who is the CEO of Innovation Films and co-founder of ILoveQatar.net; film actress, director and producer, Ahd (Saudi Arabia), internationally renowned for her performance in Haifaa al-Mansour’s " Wadjda;" and respected veteran journalist and media personality, Marcel Ghanem (Lebanon).
Fatma Al Remaihi said: “It has been another productive and inspiring year for filmmaking in Qatar and this year’s Made in Qatar selection indicates the rapid growth and diversity that we are witnessing in the Qatari film industry."
The films in the 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Made in Qatar section are:
Made in Qatar Program 1, Wednesday 2nd December
"To My Mother" by Amina Al Bloshi
"Light Sounds" by Karem Kamel
"Her Majlis" by Najla Al Khulaifi, Dana Al Mesnad and Nayla Al Thani
"The Palm Tree" by Jassim Al-Rumaihi
"Yellow Nights" by Abdulla al Mulla
"If They Only Knew" by Sana Al-Ansari
"Heart of the House" by Gabrielle Sol
"The Notebook" by Amna Albinali
Made in Qatar Program 2, Friday 4th December
"Charlie" by Ali Ali
"Immortalizing Memories" by Mostafa Sheshtawy
"Asfoora" by Mayar Hamdan
"Good as New" by Jaser Alagha
"I Choose Islam" by Noor Al-Tamimi, Silma Suba and Zac J. Hollo
"Mariam" by Zainab Ayon
"Time" by Yassine Ouahrani
"Man of the House" by Khalifa AlMarri
"Veganize It!" by Khalid Salim
Closing night will be the world premiere of animated feature film "Bilal" (UAE/2015), a new animated feature film made with funding from the Doha Film Institute and produced by Dubai-based Barajoun Studios. Involving creative talents from 22 countries, "Bilal " by Directors Ayman Jamal and Khurram Alavi is an inspiring adventure story of faith, hope and self-discovery. Inspired by the real-life story of Bilal Bin Rabah, the film's cutting edge animation technology, impeccable research and high production values will resonate with audiences across generations. The cast and crew of the film will be in attendance for the premiere including the directors of the film and cast members Andre Robinson ("Despicable Me 2") and Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje ("Lost", "The Bourne Identity", "Game of Thrones") who voice the young and adult Bilal respectively.
The Ajyal Family Weekend will feature the regional premiere of Marking the Un International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Ajyal 2015 will present in a regional first, an inclusive cinema experience specially ‘transadapted’ to suit audiences with different abilities, a special screening of Al Rayyan Productions animated short "Hero and the Message" (Qatar/2012). Guests will be able to view the film through sound alone, with special subtitles for people who have difficulty understanding speech. This inclusive version of the film has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and is the result of a collaboration between the Doha Film Institute and the Translation and Interpreting Institute at Hamad Bin Khalifa University who are spearheading the development of transadapted content in the Gulf region.
Fatma Al Remaihi, “Since our first edition, animated films have formed a core part of the Ajyal program and I am delighted that this year, we will premiere three incredibly diverse examples of the artform... from three corners of the globe.”
"Bilal" (UAE/2015) In a dreamlike vision, mysterious dark riders mounted on demonic black horses bear down upon a village. Nearby, little Bilal dreams of being a great warrior as he gallops along on his hobbyhorse. The riders come closer – are they real? Or are they just a figment of the youngster’s extraordinary imagination? Suddenly, Bilal’s dream becomes a nightmare. The men on horseback kill his mother and take him captive along with Ghufaira, his sister, and they are soon sold as slaves to Umayya, the wealthiest merchant in all of Arabia. Bilal never forgets this terrible day, which haunts his sleep for years to come. But the echoes of his mother’s gentle voice stay with him, a constant reminder that to break free of the chains that enslave him, he must forge his own destiny.
"The Good Dinosaur" (USA/2015), the latest feature from the award-winning Pixar Animation Studios and the team behind beloved Pixar classics "Finding Nemo" and "Inside Out" and will feature a special ‘kids red carpet’ for all families and young people from the community to participate and to be transported to a world where dinosaurs walk the Earth. Directed by Peter Sohn, the film screens on December 4th and presents an alternate history where the asteroids that wiped out these ancient reptiles never hit our planet.
"Hero and the Message" (Qatar/2012) tells the fantastic tale of a Qatari brother and sister who travel back in time to witness the founding events of the State of Qatar. Produced by Al Rayyan Productions, the top-notch animated short directed by Pawel Borowski was created to celebrate Qatar’s National Day in 2012, and screens on December 3rd.
"When Marnie Was There" (Japan/2014), screening on December 4 is one of the final anime sensations from Ghibli Studios and is based on the novel When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the film is about a young girl Anna who explores a long- abandoned villa and meets a mysterious blonde girl only she can see.
Fatma Al Remaihi, Festival Director and CEO of the Doha Film Institute, says: “By providing young people with access to international cinema, filmmakers from around the world, and the space to discuss their ideas and develop critical thinking, Ajyal empowers the youngest members of our community and develops their understanding of the world around them.”
Academy Award nominated director, Hany Abu-Assad and Arab Idol champion Mohammed Assaf, whose life story "The Idol" is based on, will attend the Opening Night and will participate in a special ‘In Conversation’ session about bringing Assaf’s life story to the big screen and highlight the power of combining music and cinema and the challenges facing Arab artists today.
Read more about "The Idol" and an interview with Hany Abu-Assad at its debut at Tiff 2015.
Aside from the daily public screenings of local and international films other events are the popular "Made in Qatar"; Sony Cinema Under the Stars; Family Weekend; the Doha Giffoni Youth Media Summit ; special events and exhibitions; the Sandbox interactive digital playground; school screenings; and the Ajyal Competition, where hundreds of young jurors between the ages of 8 and 21 will watch and discuss shorts and features and decide on the winning films. competition line-up.
The popular "Made in Qatar" section features 17 films -- nine narrative shorts and eight documentaries by local talent.
More than 500 young people from the ages of 8 to 21 make up the Ajyal Competition Jury which will watch and analyze a dynamic program of films in three competitive sections followed by discussions and events including panels, workshops and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
Each of the three Ajyal Juries are made of 24 international jurors from 12 countries including Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Serbia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The jury awards a Best Film prize to their favorite short and feature-length film, for a total of six awards. The directors of the winning films are awarded funding toward their next film, so jurors are empowered to support and promote future content that is relevant and important to them in a proactive way.
Mohaq means ‘New Moon’ in Arabic, and these are Ajyal’s youngest jurors, aged 8 to 12. These jurors will watch one program of short films and four feature-length films, marking the first year that competitive feature films are included in this category. They are: "Celestial Camel" (Russia) by Yury Feting about a young sheepherder living in the desolate Kalmyk Steppe, who sets off on an epic journey after his father is forced to sell the family’s beloved camel calf; "The Greatest House in the World" (Guatemala, Mexico) by Ana V. Bojórquez and Lucía Carreras - a film about the never-ending circle of life told through the story of a young girl in the isolated highlands of Guatemala; "Paper Planes"(Australia) by Robert Connolly - a tale of friendship, creativity and the bonds of family which centers around an 11-year-old boy with an exceptional talent for creating paper airplanes; and "Phantom Boy" by Jean-Loup Felicioli, Alain Gagnol (France, Belgium) an animated film about an 11-year-old boy whose illness allows him to have out-of-body experiences and mysterious powers.
Ajyal’s jurors aged 13 to 17 are the Hilal jury – the term means ‘Crescent Moon’ in Arabic. Five feature films and a program of shorts make up this jury’s film selection. The feature films competing in this section are: "Lamb" (France, Ethiopia, Germany, Norway, Qatar) by Yared Zeleke, a portrait of a young Ethiopian boy trying to find his way in the world; "Landfill Harmonic" (U.S.) directed by Brad Allgood and Graham Townsley and recent audience award winning documentary at Napa Valley Film Festival, that tracks the astounding rise of a Paraguayan youth orchestra whose members live next to one of South America's largest landfills and make their instruments from recycled materials; "Mina Walking" (Canada, Afghanistan), a multiple award winning documentary by Yosef Baraki, a powerful tale of a 12-year-old girl in war-torn Afghanistan struggling to make ends meet for her family; "Scarecrow " (The Philippines) by Zig Madamba Dulay which explores the complicated relationship of social injustice and familial expectations through the story of a young mother in a rural town; and " Wolf Totem" (China, France) by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Set against the backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution 1967, it is the story of a two young Chinese students who are sent on a research assignment with the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Mongolia and become fascinated by the wolves that roam the plains.
The most mature of Ajyal’s juries, Bader (Arabic for ‘Full Moon’) jurors are aged 18 to 21 and will select their favorite films from five features and two programs of short films. The feature films vying for top honors in this section are: "An" (Japan, France, Germany) by Naomi Kawase is a drama about a lonely baker whose life is reinvigorated when he hires an elderly woman with a special culinary skill; "The Second Mother " (Brazil's submission for Oscar nomination) by Anna Muylaert which is an exploration of the bond between mothers and their children told through the story of a housekeeper in Sao Paulo (Read review and interview with director Anna Muylaert here); "Taxi" (Iran), winner of Fipresci and Golden Bear Awards in Berlin 2015, by Jafar Panahi in which the celebrated Iranian director places himself in the driver’s seat of a cab, taking fares to their destinations in a wonderful portrait of contemporary Iran; "Very Big Shot" (Lebanon, Qatar), a bold and insightful dark comedy by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya that skewers political corruption and the media circus that goes with it; and "Walls" (Spain) - a documentary by Pablo Iraburu and Migueltxo Molina that follows several subjects on both sides of three contemporary international borders, demonstrating that the people on each side of the barriers are not as different as they may believe.
In addition to the three competitive sections, the Festival’s youngest audiences under the age of 8 years will also vote for their favorite film with the help of their parents who will determine the Parents’ Choice Award in the Bariq program. Bariq films are selected to satisfy the excitement and curiosity of young children and are suitable for the whole family. This year’s program features a collection of eight short films and will also include a special outdoor cine-concert on the Katara esplanade by the Festival Tout-Petits Cinéma from Paris, with four films accompanied by live music by pianist Anthony Boulc’h and saxophonist Fanch Minous.
A senior jury of three eminent figures from the local and regional industry will determine the winners of the competitive section comprising feature films from 20 countries and a series of short film program with two awards being presented for Best Short Narrative Film and Best Short Documentary Film. The 2015 jury members are film producer Bassam Al Ibrahim (Qatar), who is the CEO of Innovation Films and co-founder of ILoveQatar.net; film actress, director and producer, Ahd (Saudi Arabia), internationally renowned for her performance in Haifaa al-Mansour’s " Wadjda;" and respected veteran journalist and media personality, Marcel Ghanem (Lebanon).
Fatma Al Remaihi said: “It has been another productive and inspiring year for filmmaking in Qatar and this year’s Made in Qatar selection indicates the rapid growth and diversity that we are witnessing in the Qatari film industry."
The films in the 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Made in Qatar section are:
Made in Qatar Program 1, Wednesday 2nd December
"To My Mother" by Amina Al Bloshi
"Light Sounds" by Karem Kamel
"Her Majlis" by Najla Al Khulaifi, Dana Al Mesnad and Nayla Al Thani
"The Palm Tree" by Jassim Al-Rumaihi
"Yellow Nights" by Abdulla al Mulla
"If They Only Knew" by Sana Al-Ansari
"Heart of the House" by Gabrielle Sol
"The Notebook" by Amna Albinali
Made in Qatar Program 2, Friday 4th December
"Charlie" by Ali Ali
"Immortalizing Memories" by Mostafa Sheshtawy
"Asfoora" by Mayar Hamdan
"Good as New" by Jaser Alagha
"I Choose Islam" by Noor Al-Tamimi, Silma Suba and Zac J. Hollo
"Mariam" by Zainab Ayon
"Time" by Yassine Ouahrani
"Man of the House" by Khalifa AlMarri
"Veganize It!" by Khalid Salim
Closing night will be the world premiere of animated feature film "Bilal" (UAE/2015), a new animated feature film made with funding from the Doha Film Institute and produced by Dubai-based Barajoun Studios. Involving creative talents from 22 countries, "Bilal " by Directors Ayman Jamal and Khurram Alavi is an inspiring adventure story of faith, hope and self-discovery. Inspired by the real-life story of Bilal Bin Rabah, the film's cutting edge animation technology, impeccable research and high production values will resonate with audiences across generations. The cast and crew of the film will be in attendance for the premiere including the directors of the film and cast members Andre Robinson ("Despicable Me 2") and Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje ("Lost", "The Bourne Identity", "Game of Thrones") who voice the young and adult Bilal respectively.
The Ajyal Family Weekend will feature the regional premiere of Marking the Un International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Ajyal 2015 will present in a regional first, an inclusive cinema experience specially ‘transadapted’ to suit audiences with different abilities, a special screening of Al Rayyan Productions animated short "Hero and the Message" (Qatar/2012). Guests will be able to view the film through sound alone, with special subtitles for people who have difficulty understanding speech. This inclusive version of the film has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and is the result of a collaboration between the Doha Film Institute and the Translation and Interpreting Institute at Hamad Bin Khalifa University who are spearheading the development of transadapted content in the Gulf region.
Fatma Al Remaihi, “Since our first edition, animated films have formed a core part of the Ajyal program and I am delighted that this year, we will premiere three incredibly diverse examples of the artform... from three corners of the globe.”
"Bilal" (UAE/2015) In a dreamlike vision, mysterious dark riders mounted on demonic black horses bear down upon a village. Nearby, little Bilal dreams of being a great warrior as he gallops along on his hobbyhorse. The riders come closer – are they real? Or are they just a figment of the youngster’s extraordinary imagination? Suddenly, Bilal’s dream becomes a nightmare. The men on horseback kill his mother and take him captive along with Ghufaira, his sister, and they are soon sold as slaves to Umayya, the wealthiest merchant in all of Arabia. Bilal never forgets this terrible day, which haunts his sleep for years to come. But the echoes of his mother’s gentle voice stay with him, a constant reminder that to break free of the chains that enslave him, he must forge his own destiny.
"The Good Dinosaur" (USA/2015), the latest feature from the award-winning Pixar Animation Studios and the team behind beloved Pixar classics "Finding Nemo" and "Inside Out" and will feature a special ‘kids red carpet’ for all families and young people from the community to participate and to be transported to a world where dinosaurs walk the Earth. Directed by Peter Sohn, the film screens on December 4th and presents an alternate history where the asteroids that wiped out these ancient reptiles never hit our planet.
"Hero and the Message" (Qatar/2012) tells the fantastic tale of a Qatari brother and sister who travel back in time to witness the founding events of the State of Qatar. Produced by Al Rayyan Productions, the top-notch animated short directed by Pawel Borowski was created to celebrate Qatar’s National Day in 2012, and screens on December 3rd.
"When Marnie Was There" (Japan/2014), screening on December 4 is one of the final anime sensations from Ghibli Studios and is based on the novel When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, the film is about a young girl Anna who explores a long- abandoned villa and meets a mysterious blonde girl only she can see.
- 11/21/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
![Deniz Gamze Ergüven](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjlkNWIxZjgtODJlYS00NzJhLTk1ZjAtYTk2MzdlZTg3YjBjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTc4MzI2NQ@@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,26,500,281_.jpg)
Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s French foreign-language Oscar submission won the New Auteurs Audience Award, announced on Thursday evening.
César Augusto Acevedo’s Colombian film Land And Shade, winner of the France 4 Visionary Award in Critics’ Week in Cannes, claimed the New Auteurs Grand Jury Award.
Alice Winocour’s Disorder received a special jury mention for direction and Lorenzo Vigas’ Venice Golden Lion winner Desde Allá earned a special jury mention for screenplay.
Boys received the grand jury award for live-action short, and World Of Tomorrow received the grand jury award for animated short.
New Auteurs Awards
New Auteurs Grand Jury Award:
Land And Shade, dir Augusto Acevedo
Special jury mention for direction:
Disorder, dir Alice Winocour
Special Jury Mention for Screenplay:
Desde Allá, dir Lorenzo Vigas
Grand Jury Award for Live Action Short:
Boys, dir Isabella Carbonell
Grand Jury Award for Animated Short:
World Of Tomorrow, dir Don Hertzfeldt
Live Action Short Special Mention for Nonfiction Filmmaking:...
César Augusto Acevedo’s Colombian film Land And Shade, winner of the France 4 Visionary Award in Critics’ Week in Cannes, claimed the New Auteurs Grand Jury Award.
Alice Winocour’s Disorder received a special jury mention for direction and Lorenzo Vigas’ Venice Golden Lion winner Desde Allá earned a special jury mention for screenplay.
Boys received the grand jury award for live-action short, and World Of Tomorrow received the grand jury award for animated short.
New Auteurs Awards
New Auteurs Grand Jury Award:
Land And Shade, dir Augusto Acevedo
Special jury mention for direction:
Disorder, dir Alice Winocour
Special Jury Mention for Screenplay:
Desde Allá, dir Lorenzo Vigas
Grand Jury Award for Live Action Short:
Boys, dir Isabella Carbonell
Grand Jury Award for Animated Short:
World Of Tomorrow, dir Don Hertzfeldt
Live Action Short Special Mention for Nonfiction Filmmaking:...
- 11/12/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
![Andre Robinson in Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmEyY2IxYTktMzIxMS00MzNmLTlmMjEtZGE1YzZkMDVjYzdiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTYxMzQzNTU@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,7,140,207_.jpg)
![Andre Robinson in Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmEyY2IxYTktMzIxMS00MzNmLTlmMjEtZGE1YzZkMDVjYzdiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTYxMzQzNTU@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,7,140,207_.jpg)
Titles in competition include animation Phantom Boy [pictured], Ethiopian drama Lamb, Brazilian Oscar submission The Second Mother and Jafar Panahi’s Berlinale winner Taxi Tehran.
The Doha Film Institute has announced the competition line-up for the third edition of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival (Nov 29 - Dec 5), comprising feature films from 20 countries as well as a series of short film programmes.
The jury will be made up of more than 500 young people, aged 8-21, who will watch a programme of films under three competitive sections - Mohaq, Hilal, and Bader - followed by discussions and events including panels, workshops and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
Each of the three Ajyal Juries will award a Best Film prize to their favourite short and feature-length films, for a total of six awards. The directors of the winning films are awarded funding toward their next film.
The jury includes 24 international jurors who will travel to Doha for the event from 12 countries...
The Doha Film Institute has announced the competition line-up for the third edition of the Ajyal Youth Film Festival (Nov 29 - Dec 5), comprising feature films from 20 countries as well as a series of short film programmes.
The jury will be made up of more than 500 young people, aged 8-21, who will watch a programme of films under three competitive sections - Mohaq, Hilal, and Bader - followed by discussions and events including panels, workshops and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
Each of the three Ajyal Juries will award a Best Film prize to their favourite short and feature-length films, for a total of six awards. The directors of the winning films are awarded funding toward their next film.
The jury includes 24 international jurors who will travel to Doha for the event from 12 countries...
- 11/9/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
![Tim Hetherington](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA4ODA1NjI3OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzA0MDEwNQ@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR3,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Tim Hetherington](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjA4ODA1NjI3OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzA0MDEwNQ@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR3,0,140,207_.jpg)
Other winners include a film about the early years of Greenpeace and Us documentary 3½ Minutes, 10 Bullets.
Sean McAllister’s A Syrian Love Story has won the Grand Jury prize at Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10).
Acclaimed British documentary filmmaker McAllister, whose credits include The Liberace in Baghdad and The Reluctant Revolutionary, shot the feature over four years.
It follows the plight of one Syrian family as they are forced to leave the war torn country and the impact it has on the family’s relationships. During the filming process, McAllister himself spent time in a Syrian jail when the authorities seized his camera.
On behalf of the jury, Ruby Chen of Cnex China said: “The jury were enamoured by this Bergmanesque portrait of a relationship and love, taking place against an ever-changing and tumultuous backdrop.
“Delivering unusual gender portraits it explores vulnerabilities, looking at the concept of belonging, providing a unique and intimate portrait of disillusionment.”
The...
Sean McAllister’s A Syrian Love Story has won the Grand Jury prize at Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10).
Acclaimed British documentary filmmaker McAllister, whose credits include The Liberace in Baghdad and The Reluctant Revolutionary, shot the feature over four years.
It follows the plight of one Syrian family as they are forced to leave the war torn country and the impact it has on the family’s relationships. During the filming process, McAllister himself spent time in a Syrian jail when the authorities seized his camera.
On behalf of the jury, Ruby Chen of Cnex China said: “The jury were enamoured by this Bergmanesque portrait of a relationship and love, taking place against an ever-changing and tumultuous backdrop.
“Delivering unusual gender portraits it explores vulnerabilities, looking at the concept of belonging, providing a unique and intimate portrait of disillusionment.”
The...
- 6/10/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
![Inong in The Look of Silence (2014)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTMwMjI4MjQ3MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjkwOTM2NTE@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Inong in The Look of Silence (2014)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTMwMjI4MjQ3MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMjkwOTM2NTE@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR1,0,140,207_.jpg)
The Look of Silence and new music from members of Sigur Ros to open festival; Monty Python documentary to close.
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10) has revealed the line-up of its 2015 edition, which will open with two events.
The first is the UK premiere of Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Look of Silence, the follow-up to critically acclaimed The Act of Killing, in which a family that survives the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
The second is the world premiere of Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson’s The Greatest Shows on Earth: A Century of Funfairs, Circuses and Carnivals – a music and archive film that will feature a new score by Georg Hólm and Orri Páll Dýrason of Sigur Rós and the head of the Pagan Church in Iceland, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson.
The film centres on the lives of travelling showpeople and has been created with exclusive access to the University of Sheffield...
Sheffield Doc/Fest (June 5-10) has revealed the line-up of its 2015 edition, which will open with two events.
The first is the UK premiere of Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Look of Silence, the follow-up to critically acclaimed The Act of Killing, in which a family that survives the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
The second is the world premiere of Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson’s The Greatest Shows on Earth: A Century of Funfairs, Circuses and Carnivals – a music and archive film that will feature a new score by Georg Hólm and Orri Páll Dýrason of Sigur Rós and the head of the Pagan Church in Iceland, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson.
The film centres on the lives of travelling showpeople and has been created with exclusive access to the University of Sheffield...
- 5/7/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
![Krisha (2014)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmVjZmJiMzItNzM5NS00NmJkLWJkOGMtMzNlOTg5YjhhODIwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzc0NzU2MTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
![Krisha (2014)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmVjZmJiMzItNzM5NS00NmJkLWJkOGMtMzNlOTg5YjhhODIwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzc0NzU2MTY@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,1,140,207_.jpg)
The winners of South By Southwest festival's Audience Awards have been revealed.
A total of 13 projects were announced as winners in categories such as Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Headliners and Narrative Spotlight.
The Hollywood Reporter states that Krisha by Trey Edward Shults won Narrative Feature Competition, while Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber's Peace Officer was awarded Documentary Feature Competition.
Hello, My Name is Doris (Michael Showalter) took home the Headliners title, as Josh Lawson's The Little Death won Narrative Spotlight.
Documentary Spotlight went to A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo, and Uncle Kent 2 by Todd Rohal was awarded the Visions category.
Turbo Kid directed by Rkss Collective was awarded Midnighters, while Episodic went to director Niels Arden Oplev and Mr Robot.
The 24 Beats Per Second category went to Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, as Kings of Nowhere took home the SXGlobal award.
A total of 13 projects were announced as winners in categories such as Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Headliners and Narrative Spotlight.
The Hollywood Reporter states that Krisha by Trey Edward Shults won Narrative Feature Competition, while Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber's Peace Officer was awarded Documentary Feature Competition.
Hello, My Name is Doris (Michael Showalter) took home the Headliners title, as Josh Lawson's The Little Death won Narrative Spotlight.
Documentary Spotlight went to A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo, and Uncle Kent 2 by Todd Rohal was awarded the Visions category.
Turbo Kid directed by Rkss Collective was awarded Midnighters, while Episodic went to director Niels Arden Oplev and Mr Robot.
The 24 Beats Per Second category went to Graham Townsley's Landfill Harmonic, as Kings of Nowhere took home the SXGlobal award.
- 3/22/2015
- Digital Spy
![Trey Edward Shults](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjU3N2MwODMtMTk4Mi00ZjIwLTljN2EtYWU2ZDIyNWM1MmY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODE2OTYwNTg@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
![Trey Edward Shults](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjU3N2MwODMtMTk4Mi00ZjIwLTljN2EtYWU2ZDIyNWM1MmY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODE2OTYwNTg@._V1_QL75_UX140_CR0,3,140,207_.jpg)
This year’s festival saw over 150 features screened, including 102 world premieres and 14 North American premieres.
SXSW has unveiled the winners of this year’s Audience Awards.
Trey Edward Shults’ Krisha and Scott Christopherson & Brad Barber’s Peace Officer repeated their Jury Award wins in Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature, respectively, while Rkss Collective’s Turbo Kid (Midnighters) and Joshua Oppenheimer The Look of Silence (Festival Favourites) took the Audience Award in their categories.
Other winners included Josh Lawson’s The Little Death in Narrative Spotlight, Michael Showalter’s Hello, My Name is Doris in Headliners and Todd Rohal’s Uncle Kent 2 in Visions.
All Audience Award results were certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter.
This year’s SXSW screened over 150 features, consisting of 102 world premieres, 14 North American premieres and 11 Us premieres. 106 shorts screened as part of ten curated shorts programmes.
Full list of Audience Award winners
Narrative Feature Competition - Krisha, Director: [link=nm...
SXSW has unveiled the winners of this year’s Audience Awards.
Trey Edward Shults’ Krisha and Scott Christopherson & Brad Barber’s Peace Officer repeated their Jury Award wins in Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature, respectively, while Rkss Collective’s Turbo Kid (Midnighters) and Joshua Oppenheimer The Look of Silence (Festival Favourites) took the Audience Award in their categories.
Other winners included Josh Lawson’s The Little Death in Narrative Spotlight, Michael Showalter’s Hello, My Name is Doris in Headliners and Todd Rohal’s Uncle Kent 2 in Visions.
All Audience Award results were certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter.
This year’s SXSW screened over 150 features, consisting of 102 world premieres, 14 North American premieres and 11 Us premieres. 106 shorts screened as part of ten curated shorts programmes.
Full list of Audience Award winners
Narrative Feature Competition - Krisha, Director: [link=nm...
- 3/22/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Youngsters and oldsters alike…here is the reel deal: The New York International Children’s Film Festival (Nyicff) will be making its presence known in the upcoming days. On tap for the 18th annual event will be a noted variety of creative animated films and shorts for all ages to enjoy and relish. The New York International Children’s Film Festival promises to serve up an array of animated showcases that boasts all styles and formats that should prove imaginative and appealing to our past and present childhood memories.
Please note that the Nyicff will run its operation from February 27, 2015 to March 22, 2015. Additionally, the majority of these impressive feature-length and short films have experienced critical acclaim overseas. Therefore, the impact of the Nyicff’s cinematic selections should be rewarding for ardent fans of animated film fodder designed to capture the spirit of its enthusiastic viewers.
Among the films being displayed...
Please note that the Nyicff will run its operation from February 27, 2015 to March 22, 2015. Additionally, the majority of these impressive feature-length and short films have experienced critical acclaim overseas. Therefore, the impact of the Nyicff’s cinematic selections should be rewarding for ardent fans of animated film fodder designed to capture the spirit of its enthusiastic viewers.
Among the films being displayed...
- 2/11/2015
- by Frank Ochieng
- SoundOnSight
Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in TrainwreckPhoto: Universal Pictures With Sundance just wrapping up and Berlin starting up in a few days, we are now immersed in the year-long barrage of film festivals. One such festival in South By Southwest. A few weeks back they announced the first seven films of their program, including the opening night film Brand: A Second Coming. Today, they have revealed the rest of the features to be shown in March (except for the midnight program), and some of it has me very excited. The bigger titles announced do not do much for me. Paul Feig's Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, and the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart starrer Get Hard leave a lot to be desired in terms of anticipation, as does a work in progress cut of Judd Apatow's latest film Trainwreck. I'm guessing an Apatow work in progress is probably around three and a half hours.
- 2/3/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
South by Southwest, the multi-faceted film, music and technology festival held annually in Austin, TX will feature such upcoming films as Paul Feig’s Spy, David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn, Alex Gibney’s documentary Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, and Ondi Timoner’s Russell Brand profile Brand: A Second Coming as headliners in this year’s film festival lineup.
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
- 2/3/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
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