Projects from Bhutan to Brazil to receive production and distribution funding.
The Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund (Wcf) has revealed 13 features it will support with a share of $380,000 in production and distribution funding.
Projects include Nothing In Its Place by Turkish filmmaker Burak Çevik, whose features The Pillar Of Salt, Belonging and Forms Of Forgetting each premiered at the Berlinale Forum.
His latest focuses on one of Turkey’s most bloody political massacres, which took place in the country’s capital of Ankara in 1978, and focuses on the night when a group of leftist youths who believed in unarmed revolution...
The Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund (Wcf) has revealed 13 features it will support with a share of $380,000 in production and distribution funding.
Projects include Nothing In Its Place by Turkish filmmaker Burak Çevik, whose features The Pillar Of Salt, Belonging and Forms Of Forgetting each premiered at the Berlinale Forum.
His latest focuses on one of Turkey’s most bloody political massacres, which took place in the country’s capital of Ankara in 1978, and focuses on the night when a group of leftist youths who believed in unarmed revolution...
- 8/7/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Selections include new projects from directors Farkhat Sharipov and Ash Mayfair.
The 3rd Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (Tgfm) has unveiled 20 projects selected for financing and development at Tiffcom, the affiliated content market of Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).
Selections include new projects by known directors such as recent Berlinale Generation 14plus prize-winner Farkhat Sharipov (Scheme), Ash Mayfair (The Third Wife) and Tom Waller (The Cave).
Hong Kong’s Toe Yuen, known for Annecy prize-winner My Life As McDull (2001), also has a new animation in the lineup.
Organised by UniJapan, Tgfm will run as part of Tiffcom online October 25-27. The 35th...
The 3rd Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (Tgfm) has unveiled 20 projects selected for financing and development at Tiffcom, the affiliated content market of Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).
Selections include new projects by known directors such as recent Berlinale Generation 14plus prize-winner Farkhat Sharipov (Scheme), Ash Mayfair (The Third Wife) and Tom Waller (The Cave).
Hong Kong’s Toe Yuen, known for Annecy prize-winner My Life As McDull (2001), also has a new animation in the lineup.
Organised by UniJapan, Tgfm will run as part of Tiffcom online October 25-27. The 35th...
- 9/20/2022
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Bhutanese filmmaker Dechen Roder’s new film, “I, The Song,” which is selected at the Venice Production Bridge’s gap financing market, will commence principal photography in December.
Roder’s debut feature “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” premiered at Busan in 2016, and went on to have a successful festival run including at Berlin, Locarno, Hong Kong, Taipei and Fribourg, where it won three major awards.
“I, The Song” was born when two friends of Roder experienced the horror of being in non-consensual pornographic videos and photos in Bhutan, where in both cases it was recorded and shared without their knowledge or consent.
Roder also wanted to make a film to explore the story where a remote community in Bhutan claimed that the capital city Thimphu had stolen a sacred song of theirs, performing it on TV, over the radio, on stage, and for entertainment. The community felt that this song was sung out of context,...
Roder’s debut feature “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” premiered at Busan in 2016, and went on to have a successful festival run including at Berlin, Locarno, Hong Kong, Taipei and Fribourg, where it won three major awards.
“I, The Song” was born when two friends of Roder experienced the horror of being in non-consensual pornographic videos and photos in Bhutan, where in both cases it was recorded and shared without their knowledge or consent.
Roder also wanted to make a film to explore the story where a remote community in Bhutan claimed that the capital city Thimphu had stolen a sacred song of theirs, performing it on TV, over the radio, on stage, and for entertainment. The community felt that this song was sung out of context,...
- 9/3/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
International projects already have at least 70 of funding in place.
The Venice Film Festival’s Gap-Financing Market has selected 33 international feature and documentary projects for its ninth edition this year, which runs from September 2-4.
The international projects nearing completion will have the chance to close their financing through one-to-one meetings at the Market, which is part of the Venice Production Bridge.
Each of the feature and documentary projects has at least 70 of its funding in place.
The countries in focus at this year’s event are France and Taiwan, with a number of projects from each country receiving a special invite to the Market.
The Venice Film Festival’s Gap-Financing Market has selected 33 international feature and documentary projects for its ninth edition this year, which runs from September 2-4.
The international projects nearing completion will have the chance to close their financing through one-to-one meetings at the Market, which is part of the Venice Production Bridge.
Each of the feature and documentary projects has at least 70 of its funding in place.
The countries in focus at this year’s event are France and Taiwan, with a number of projects from each country receiving a special invite to the Market.
- 7/1/2022
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Speakers on the Knowledge Series panels discussed the precarious position of South Asian independent filmmaking following the pandemic.
While India’s economy is recovering, cinemas reopening and the streaming business booming, as the devastating second wave of the pandemic recedes, this year’s edition of Film Bazaar Online (November 20-25) highlighted the precarious position of Indian and South Asian independent cinema in the post-Covid landscape.
Speakers on several panels during Film Bazaar’s Knowledge Series talked about the usual indie filmmaker headaches of accessing funding and distribution, as well as the need for further training in areas such as animation and VFX,...
While India’s economy is recovering, cinemas reopening and the streaming business booming, as the devastating second wave of the pandemic recedes, this year’s edition of Film Bazaar Online (November 20-25) highlighted the precarious position of Indian and South Asian independent cinema in the post-Covid landscape.
Speakers on several panels during Film Bazaar’s Knowledge Series talked about the usual indie filmmaker headaches of accessing funding and distribution, as well as the need for further training in areas such as animation and VFX,...
- 11/25/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
For a short runtime of just under 40 minutes, “Heart In The Mandala” covers an impressive amount of philosophical perspective, a feat that elevates it from a basic, almost soap-opera level drama to a not-too-subtle, but profound meditation on the nature of suffering, the burden and spiritual significance of responsibility, and the questionable legitimacy of the concept of “destiny”, set to a backdrop of rural Bhutan. The sweet and surface-level romance that drives the narrative ultimately becomes a vehicle for themes that are hefty enough for even a feature-length to break down on the side of the road, but carries them surprisingly well.
“Heart in the Mandala” is screening on Beskop
The film follows Tsomo, a young orphan who was forced to drop out of high school and sacrifice her future to care for her elder brother, Neten, after losing the use of his legs in an accident 8 years prior. Becoming...
“Heart in the Mandala” is screening on Beskop
The film follows Tsomo, a young orphan who was forced to drop out of high school and sacrifice her future to care for her elder brother, Neten, after losing the use of his legs in an accident 8 years prior. Becoming...
- 3/19/2021
- by Luke Georgiades
- AsianMoviePulse
A new documentary from Bhutan will share the Himalayan Buddhist kingdom’s unique philosophy of Gross National Happiness (Gnh) with the world.
Bhutan’s King Jigme Singye Wangchuk came up with the phrase in 1972 when he said that Gnh is more important than Gross Domestic Product. The landlocked country with fractious giants China and India as its only neighbors, takes this philosophy seriously and there is an index to measure the populace’s collective well-being.
Sound Pictures’ documentary “Gross National Happiness,” directed by Arun Bhattarai (“The Next Guardian”) and produced by Noemi Szakonyi (“Her Mothers”), follows Happiness Agents Amar and Gunaraj, who work for the Ministry of Gross National Happiness and collect data for the Happiness Survey. In the process, the film will explore the social fabric of Bhutan and what happiness means to a nation.
The philosophy is something that Bhattarai grew up with and when he left the...
Bhutan’s King Jigme Singye Wangchuk came up with the phrase in 1972 when he said that Gnh is more important than Gross Domestic Product. The landlocked country with fractious giants China and India as its only neighbors, takes this philosophy seriously and there is an index to measure the populace’s collective well-being.
Sound Pictures’ documentary “Gross National Happiness,” directed by Arun Bhattarai (“The Next Guardian”) and produced by Noemi Szakonyi (“Her Mothers”), follows Happiness Agents Amar and Gunaraj, who work for the Ministry of Gross National Happiness and collect data for the Happiness Survey. In the process, the film will explore the social fabric of Bhutan and what happiness means to a nation.
The philosophy is something that Bhattarai grew up with and when he left the...
- 3/17/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Pema Tshering is an eclectic visual artist from Bhutan who likes pursuing his ideas and projects with whatever technique most suits them. Painting, sculpture, comic books, films and animations are some of the fields he has explored. “In The Realm of The Gods” is one of his detours in the film-making.
“In The Realm of The Gods” is screening on Beskop
Kaka has been a mask dancer and a teacher of the same art for 9 years and he is rather good at what he does. In fact, the film opens at the dance institute where someone is congratulating highly with him. It is only later though, when he stops at a convenience shop on his way home that we start to understand a bit more of his life. Kaka cannot pay what he buys and kindly asks the shopkeeper to add it to his long to-pay list. Once at home...
“In The Realm of The Gods” is screening on Beskop
Kaka has been a mask dancer and a teacher of the same art for 9 years and he is rather good at what he does. In fact, the film opens at the dance institute where someone is congratulating highly with him. It is only later though, when he stops at a convenience shop on his way home that we start to understand a bit more of his life. Kaka cannot pay what he buys and kindly asks the shopkeeper to add it to his long to-pay list. Once at home...
- 3/15/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
New streaming platform Beskop has recently launched, offering the first service to focus solely on Bhutanese cinema. The site features such films as Dechen Roder’s “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” and Ugyen Wangdi’s “Price of Letter”, along with a selection of short films. With a growing library of curated films, you can check out the official site for full catalogue and future news/releases.
To celebrate the beginning of the streaming service and our cooperation with Beskop, we offer 10 lucky viewers the opportunity to watch the (already quite affordable) titles with a 50% price off.
Just comment with your name and country on the website or the corresponding articles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and win 10 codes to watch any of the films with a 50% price off. The first 10 will receive the codes. The codes are just for the “rent” option.
To help you with your selection, here are four...
To celebrate the beginning of the streaming service and our cooperation with Beskop, we offer 10 lucky viewers the opportunity to watch the (already quite affordable) titles with a 50% price off.
Just comment with your name and country on the website or the corresponding articles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and win 10 codes to watch any of the films with a 50% price off. The first 10 will receive the codes. The codes are just for the “rent” option.
To help you with your selection, here are four...
- 12/13/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
New streaming platform Beskop has recently launched, offering the first service to focus solely on Bhutanese cinema. The site features such films as Dechen Roder’s “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” and Ugyen Wangdi’s “Price of Letter”, along with a selection of short films. With a growing library of curated films, you can check out the official site for full catalogue and future news/releases.
From the official site:
As the first site for streaming films from Bhutan we are excited to not only share films with the world, but to also unravel and share the story of Bhutanese cinema.
Bhutan’s cinema started in 1989 with the film “Gasa Lama Singye”…
It was made by Bhutan’s first filmmaker Ugyen Wangdi. His documentaries are available here for streaming (currently Price of Education and soon Price of Letter). The first film of Bhutan had a very small release, as at the...
From the official site:
As the first site for streaming films from Bhutan we are excited to not only share films with the world, but to also unravel and share the story of Bhutanese cinema.
Bhutan’s cinema started in 1989 with the film “Gasa Lama Singye”…
It was made by Bhutan’s first filmmaker Ugyen Wangdi. His documentaries are available here for streaming (currently Price of Education and soon Price of Letter). The first film of Bhutan had a very small release, as at the...
- 11/8/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Kantemir Balagov’s ‘Beanpole’ picked up two prizes.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d’Or winner Parasite won the best feature film prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) which were held in Brisbane, Australian on November 21.
It is the first time a South Korean film has won the best film award since Lee Chang-dong’s Sunshine at the inaugural ceremony in 2007.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole was the only film to pick up two awards. Ksenia Sereda became the first woman to win best cinematography, while Balagov and Terekhov received best screenplay.
- 11/21/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which earlier this year won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, on Thursday added the Asia Pacific Screen Award for best film to its burgeoning trophy cabinet. “Parasite” producer Jang Young-hwan was on hand to accept the award at the end of a ritzy ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
- 11/21/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Even though each south Asian country has its own richly textured film production at times, especially within the realms of independent filmmaking collaboration between the film industries can prove quite fruitful, resulting in works of great art and entertainment. The Arthouse Produire au Sud of Kolkata workshop is one of those events supporting such collaborations. According to its founders it “aims to familiarize young producers with a variety of important tools and international co-production techniques by coaching individual projects in development.” Within the range of productions it features and supports we find projects from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan and Maledives.
Here is a list of the features of its selection in 2020:
A Hidden Tale Behind The Mist (Kuhiro Pariko Sahar) – Nepal
by Pasang Dawa Sherpa and produced by Prem Prasad Adhikary
A New Sweetness (Notun Gur) – India
by Deyali Mukherjee and produced by Sriram Raja
Heli...
Here is a list of the features of its selection in 2020:
A Hidden Tale Behind The Mist (Kuhiro Pariko Sahar) – Nepal
by Pasang Dawa Sherpa and produced by Prem Prasad Adhikary
A New Sweetness (Notun Gur) – India
by Deyali Mukherjee and produced by Sriram Raja
Heli...
- 11/21/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Diverse selection will present projects from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, France, Nepal, Singapore and the Us.
Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc), has announced the 14 projects that will take part in the Co-production Market at this year’s edition of the annual Goa-based event (November 20-24).
The diverse selection will present projects from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, France, Nepal, Singapore and the Us. Languages involved in the projects include Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese, Nepali, Dzongkha (Bhutanese) and Gujarati.
The line-up also includes projects from newcomers and more established talents, such as Indian director Alka Raghuram (Burqa...
Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc), has announced the 14 projects that will take part in the Co-production Market at this year’s edition of the annual Goa-based event (November 20-24).
The diverse selection will present projects from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, France, Nepal, Singapore and the Us. Languages involved in the projects include Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese, Nepali, Dzongkha (Bhutanese) and Gujarati.
The line-up also includes projects from newcomers and more established talents, such as Indian director Alka Raghuram (Burqa...
- 10/29/2019
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
India’s Film Bazaar, South Asia’s leading film project market, has revealed a 14-strong slate spanning Asia, Europe and the U.S. for its annual co-production jamboree in Goa. It is a diverse mix of festival favorites and debutants.
From India, producer Shaji Mathew’s Niv Art Movies, whose credits include 2017 Rotterdam winner “Sexy Durga”, returns with the Malayalam-language “The Deathplace” by Jiju Antory (“The Forsaken”). Also in Malayalam is “All Our Loves” by Mehdi Jahan, whose short “Jyoti and Joymoti” has won numerous awards. Heer Ganjwala will produce for Human Trail Pictures. Saurav Rai, winner of Mumbai’s 2019 grand jury prize for “Invitation,” reunites with Sanjay Gulati’s Crawling Angel Films for Nepali-language “Eternity.”
The international projects are also robust. Alka Raghuram (“Burqa Boxers”) will co-produce Hindi-language “The Mirror” via her U.S. outfit Junoon Pictures, alongside Celine Loop’s Traveling Light Productions.
Rubaiyat Hossain, whose directorial venture...
From India, producer Shaji Mathew’s Niv Art Movies, whose credits include 2017 Rotterdam winner “Sexy Durga”, returns with the Malayalam-language “The Deathplace” by Jiju Antory (“The Forsaken”). Also in Malayalam is “All Our Loves” by Mehdi Jahan, whose short “Jyoti and Joymoti” has won numerous awards. Heer Ganjwala will produce for Human Trail Pictures. Saurav Rai, winner of Mumbai’s 2019 grand jury prize for “Invitation,” reunites with Sanjay Gulati’s Crawling Angel Films for Nepali-language “Eternity.”
The international projects are also robust. Alka Raghuram (“Burqa Boxers”) will co-produce Hindi-language “The Mirror” via her U.S. outfit Junoon Pictures, alongside Celine Loop’s Traveling Light Productions.
Rubaiyat Hossain, whose directorial venture...
- 10/28/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Pema “Tintin” Tshering is the director of the short feature “In the Realm of Gods”, visual artist using traditional and modern graphic techniques, author of paintings and comic books. His works were shown at individual and collective exhibitions in Bhutan and abroad, including in Taiwan, Japan, Bangladesh, Thailand and the Us.
On the occasion of “In the Realm of Gods” screening at Five Flavours, we speak to him about his different capacities, the film, the movie/art scene of Bhutan and many other topics.
You deal with comics, design, animation, illustration, sculpture and painting, and now you are also shooting movies. Where do you find the time, and which one do you prefer doing?
I do not have a preference. Depending on the idea, I choose which of the above suits it better. For example, I may feel that an idea of mine will make a good sculpture, so I...
On the occasion of “In the Realm of Gods” screening at Five Flavours, we speak to him about his different capacities, the film, the movie/art scene of Bhutan and many other topics.
You deal with comics, design, animation, illustration, sculpture and painting, and now you are also shooting movies. Where do you find the time, and which one do you prefer doing?
I do not have a preference. Depending on the idea, I choose which of the above suits it better. For example, I may feel that an idea of mine will make a good sculpture, so I...
- 9/23/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Director Dechen Roder was born in Bhutan in 1980. Since 2004, she has been directing short films and documentaries, broadcast in Bhutanese public television. Her short features were shown at film festivals in Hong Kong, Brussels, Berlin, Melbourne, and Palm Springs. She is a co-founder of the first Bhutanese documentary and short film festival Beskop Tshechu. “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” (2016) is her feature debut.
On the occasion of her film, “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” screening at Five Flavours, we talk with her about a handy cam, setting an example for women in Bhutanese film industry and the hell of multitasking.
“Honeygiver Among the Dogs” screened at Five Flavours 2017
Can you tell us about your first experiences in movie making?
I started in 2004, I was 24 at the time, I was interested in movies and I had lived in New York for a bit, but I was only working in restaurants because I needed...
On the occasion of her film, “Honeygiver Among the Dogs” screening at Five Flavours, we talk with her about a handy cam, setting an example for women in Bhutanese film industry and the hell of multitasking.
“Honeygiver Among the Dogs” screened at Five Flavours 2017
Can you tell us about your first experiences in movie making?
I started in 2004, I was 24 at the time, I was interested in movies and I had lived in New York for a bit, but I was only working in restaurants because I needed...
- 9/20/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Since 2017, and the tribute Five Flavours did to Bhutanese cinema, the country’s films have found a number of ways to reach audiences outside the nation, letting the world stage get to know the work of directors like Dechen Roder and Khyentse Norbu. This time it was Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk’s turn (an actor who appeared in “Seven Years in Tibet” and “Honeygiver Among the Dogs)” to present his second directorial work after “Gyalsey: Legacy of a Prince”.
“The Open Door” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival
The 15 minutes short is split in four acts following the life of Pema from birth to old age, each one representing a different phase in her life and in essence, of Bhutan. In the first part, she is a baby during the time of Bhutan’s bartering trade with Tibet; in the second, she is a bit older and we have...
“The Open Door” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival
The 15 minutes short is split in four acts following the life of Pema from birth to old age, each one representing a different phase in her life and in essence, of Bhutan. In the first part, she is a baby during the time of Bhutan’s bartering trade with Tibet; in the second, she is a bit older and we have...
- 6/4/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
401 projects applied this year, an increase of 30 percent on 2017.
The Asian Project Market, Asia’s biggest investment and co-production market, has announced its 29 projects for 2018.
The selected titles were chosen from 401 submissions from 69 countries, an increase of 30% on 2017.
Amongst the titles are Gong Wen’s Without End, Without Doubt, produced by China’s Jia Zhangke, and Japanese director Yukisado Isao’s Soundtrack Of An Eternal Day.
Seven of the 29 projects are produced or co-produced in Korea. These include Yanagawa from Zhang Lu, whose film A Quiet Dream opened Busan Film Festival in 2016; and In The Water from Shin Dongseok, whose...
The Asian Project Market, Asia’s biggest investment and co-production market, has announced its 29 projects for 2018.
The selected titles were chosen from 401 submissions from 69 countries, an increase of 30% on 2017.
Amongst the titles are Gong Wen’s Without End, Without Doubt, produced by China’s Jia Zhangke, and Japanese director Yukisado Isao’s Soundtrack Of An Eternal Day.
Seven of the 29 projects are produced or co-produced in Korea. These include Yanagawa from Zhang Lu, whose film A Quiet Dream opened Busan Film Festival in 2016; and In The Water from Shin Dongseok, whose...
- 8/3/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
“Honeygiver Among the Dogs” is definitely a unique entry in international cinema. Aside from the fact that it is actually a noir film from Bhutan, what sets the movie apart is its aesthetics, which combine elements of thriller and road movie with Buddhism and the supernatural, all of which are used to present a number of social comments. Let us take things from the beginning though.
“Honeygiver Among the Dogs” is distributed by Premium Films
The title of the film is a reference to the story from the life of Yeshe Tsogyal, the mother of Tibetan Buddhism, also known as the Wisdom Lake Queen. She was the closest disciple of Padmasambhawa, the founder of this religious school and the first person in Tibet who achieved full enlightenment. The repeated concept of the daikini refers to enlightened women and female Buddhas, personifications of female sexual energy, who convey the wisdom and the traditions of past generations,...
“Honeygiver Among the Dogs” is distributed by Premium Films
The title of the film is a reference to the story from the life of Yeshe Tsogyal, the mother of Tibetan Buddhism, also known as the Wisdom Lake Queen. She was the closest disciple of Padmasambhawa, the founder of this religious school and the first person in Tibet who achieved full enlightenment. The repeated concept of the daikini refers to enlightened women and female Buddhas, personifications of female sexual energy, who convey the wisdom and the traditions of past generations,...
- 7/18/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The first edition of Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival also features a number of very interesting shorts. Here are three great samples.
Lo Sum Choe Sum by Dechen Roder (20.51 minutes Bhutan)
Before “Honeygiver Among The Dogs”, Bhutanese Dechen Roder directed this short, which deals with the traditional “3 Year 3 Month Retreat” or “Lo-Sum-Choe-Sum” which is practiced by Buddhist monks, nuns and other devout practitioners. 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days is calculated as the time needed to achieve a higher state of clarity and motivation. By cutting oneself off from the world, and delving into the inner mind, the retreat is supposed to transform the practitioner.
In this case, the ritual takes a metaphoric form as Lhamo, a young woman abandons the place she used to live for three years, experiences a number of events, and then returns back to face her past.
As we watch her spending time in prison, working in...
Lo Sum Choe Sum by Dechen Roder (20.51 minutes Bhutan)
Before “Honeygiver Among The Dogs”, Bhutanese Dechen Roder directed this short, which deals with the traditional “3 Year 3 Month Retreat” or “Lo-Sum-Choe-Sum” which is practiced by Buddhist monks, nuns and other devout practitioners. 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days is calculated as the time needed to achieve a higher state of clarity and motivation. By cutting oneself off from the world, and delving into the inner mind, the retreat is supposed to transform the practitioner.
In this case, the ritual takes a metaphoric form as Lhamo, a young woman abandons the place she used to live for three years, experiences a number of events, and then returns back to face her past.
As we watch her spending time in prison, working in...
- 6/28/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Quirky road trip comedy follows journey from Italy to small village in Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine.
Paris-based sales company Premium Films has announced first deals on Italian director Andrea Magnani’s road trip comedy Easy (pictured) ahead of its premiere in the Filmmakers of the Present competition at Locarno.
The debut feature has sold to China (Lemon Tree), Turkey (Fabula) and Ukraine (Multi Media Distribution) ahead of the screening. Tucker Film will release the picture in Italy on August 31.
Rising Italian comedy actor Nicola Nocella stars as a Isidoro, a former teenage go-cart champion going by the nickname of Easy, who has fallen prey to depression and obesity in adulthood.
His dynamic, ultra-successful brother Filo gives Easy a challenge that will get him behind the wheel again: to drive a coffin from Italy to a small village in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine.
It is an Italian-Ukrainian co-production involving Kiev-based Fresh Production Group alongside Italy’s Pilgrim...
Paris-based sales company Premium Films has announced first deals on Italian director Andrea Magnani’s road trip comedy Easy (pictured) ahead of its premiere in the Filmmakers of the Present competition at Locarno.
The debut feature has sold to China (Lemon Tree), Turkey (Fabula) and Ukraine (Multi Media Distribution) ahead of the screening. Tucker Film will release the picture in Italy on August 31.
Rising Italian comedy actor Nicola Nocella stars as a Isidoro, a former teenage go-cart champion going by the nickname of Easy, who has fallen prey to depression and obesity in adulthood.
His dynamic, ultra-successful brother Filo gives Easy a challenge that will get him behind the wheel again: to drive a coffin from Italy to a small village in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine.
It is an Italian-Ukrainian co-production involving Kiev-based Fresh Production Group alongside Italy’s Pilgrim...
- 8/4/2017
- ScreenDaily
Berlin’s Panorama lineup also includes new films from Us, China and Brazil.
Berlin’s Panorama strand is now complete following the addition of 24 additional titles.
A total of 51 works from 43 countries have been chosen for screening in the section, including 21 in Panorama Dokumente and 29 feature films in the main programme and Panorama Special. 36 of these films will be getting their world premieres at the Berlinale.
The German production Tiger Girl by Jakob Lass will open this year’s edition of Panorama Special at Berlin’s Zoo Palast cinema, along with the previously announced Brazilian production Vazante.
Among newly confirmed films are UK Sundance title God’s Own Country, Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name, Cate Shortland’s Berlin Syndrome, feminist fairy tale The Misandrists by Berlinale regular Bruce Labruce, Erik Poppe’s The King’s Choice and Belgian-French-Lebanese co-production Insyriated which stars Hiam Abbass as a woman trapped in an apartment during war.[p...
Berlin’s Panorama strand is now complete following the addition of 24 additional titles.
A total of 51 works from 43 countries have been chosen for screening in the section, including 21 in Panorama Dokumente and 29 feature films in the main programme and Panorama Special. 36 of these films will be getting their world premieres at the Berlinale.
The German production Tiger Girl by Jakob Lass will open this year’s edition of Panorama Special at Berlin’s Zoo Palast cinema, along with the previously announced Brazilian production Vazante.
Among newly confirmed films are UK Sundance title God’s Own Country, Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name, Cate Shortland’s Berlin Syndrome, feminist fairy tale The Misandrists by Berlinale regular Bruce Labruce, Erik Poppe’s The King’s Choice and Belgian-French-Lebanese co-production Insyriated which stars Hiam Abbass as a woman trapped in an apartment during war.[p...
- 1/25/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Sally Potter's The PartyThe titles for the 67th Berlin International Film Festival are being announced in anticipation of the event running February 9 - 19, 2017. We will update the program as new films are revealed.COMPETITIONOn Body and Soul (Ildiko Enyedi, Hungary)Ana, mon amour (Călin Peter Netzer, Romania / Germany France)Beuys (Andres Veiel, Germany)Colo (Teresa Villaverde, Portugal / France)The Dinner (Oren Moverman, USA)Félicité (Alain Gomis, France / Senegal / Belgium / Germany / Lebanon)The Party (Sally Potter, UK)Spoor (Agnieszka Holland, Poland / Germany/ Czech Republic / Sweden / Slovak Republic)The Other Side of Hope (Aki Kaurismäki, Finland)A Fantastic Woman (Sebastián Lelio, Chile / German / USA / Spain)Berlinale SPECIALThe Queen of Spain (Fernando Trueba, Spain)The Young Karl Marx (Raoul Peck, France / Germany / Belgium)Last Days in Havana (Fernando Pérez, Cuba / Spain)PANORAMAVazante (Daniela Thomas, Brazil/Portugal)I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck, France/USA/Belgium/Switzerland)The Wound (John Trengove, South Africa/Germany/Netherlands/France)Politics,...
- 12/22/2016
- MUBI
The Berlin International Film Festival has revealed the first 11 titles in its Panorama section, including Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro,” the James Schamus-produced “Casting JonBenet” and Daniela Thomas’ “Vazante.” John Trengrove’s “The Wound” will open the section.
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The festival says two prominent themes have emerged among the films. The first involves “Reclaiming Black History” or “a fresh historically reflective approach to the history of black people in North America, South America and Africa”; and the second is “Europa Europa,” or “how progressive forces might best defend themselves in light of a zeitgeist that makes it seem as if yesterday never went away.”
The Panorama titles are listed below with synopses and divided by theme. The festival will run from February 9 through 17.
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
“Vazante” (Daniela Thomas, Brazil/Portugal); with Adriano Carvalho,...
Read More: 5 Exciting Films in the 2017 Berlin Film Festival Competition Lineup
The festival says two prominent themes have emerged among the films. The first involves “Reclaiming Black History” or “a fresh historically reflective approach to the history of black people in North America, South America and Africa”; and the second is “Europa Europa,” or “how progressive forces might best defend themselves in light of a zeitgeist that makes it seem as if yesterday never went away.”
The Panorama titles are listed below with synopses and divided by theme. The festival will run from February 9 through 17.
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
“Vazante” (Daniela Thomas, Brazil/Portugal); with Adriano Carvalho,...
- 12/20/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
South African-set The Wound, directed by John Trengove, set to kick off this year’s Panorama main programme.
The Berlin Film Festival (9-19 February) has announced the first 11 films for its Panorama strand.
The films have been grouped according to two themes - ‘Reclaiming Black History’ and ‘Europa Europa’.
The Wound, directed by John Trengove, opens this year’s Panorama main programme. Set in South Africa, it revolves around a Johannesburg businessman who takes his 17-year-old son to the circumcision ceremony of his old tribe.
The complete list of films announced so far are:
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
The Wound (South Africa/Germany/Netherlands/France)
Dir. John Trengove
European premiere
I Am Not Your Negro (France / USA / Belgium / Switzerland)
Dir. Raoul Peck
European premiere
Vazante (Brazil / Portugal)
Dir. Daniela Thomas
World premiere
Europa Europa
Politics, Instructions Manual (Spain)
Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa
European premiere
Fighting Through the Night (Canada)
Dir. Sylvain L’Espérance...
The Berlin Film Festival (9-19 February) has announced the first 11 films for its Panorama strand.
The films have been grouped according to two themes - ‘Reclaiming Black History’ and ‘Europa Europa’.
The Wound, directed by John Trengove, opens this year’s Panorama main programme. Set in South Africa, it revolves around a Johannesburg businessman who takes his 17-year-old son to the circumcision ceremony of his old tribe.
The complete list of films announced so far are:
In Focus: Reclaiming Black History
The Wound (South Africa/Germany/Netherlands/France)
Dir. John Trengove
European premiere
I Am Not Your Negro (France / USA / Belgium / Switzerland)
Dir. Raoul Peck
European premiere
Vazante (Brazil / Portugal)
Dir. Daniela Thomas
World premiere
Europa Europa
Politics, Instructions Manual (Spain)
Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa
European premiere
Fighting Through the Night (Canada)
Dir. Sylvain L’Espérance...
- 12/20/2016
- ScreenDaily
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has announced 22 projects to receive Asian Cinema Fund support this year, including Park Kyoung Tae’s Ne Me Quitte Pas and Venice Biennale College project Hotel Salvation.
“Although this year’s number of submissions went down, in comparison, we had a lot of good documentary projects from Korea. We also have our first project from Bhutan selected for post-production support,” said Acf director Hong Hyosook.
Park previously co-directed, with Kim Dong-ryeong, the documentary Tour Of Duty, also an earlier Acf recipient that went on to win the Jury’s Special Prize at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival in 2013.
Continuing his exploration of filmmaking through collaboration with women working around Us military bases in Korea, Ne Me Quitte Pas delves into the past while looking into the disappearance of a prostitute who in 1972 wrote a bestseller about her life and loves around an army base.
Post-production Fund[p...
“Although this year’s number of submissions went down, in comparison, we had a lot of good documentary projects from Korea. We also have our first project from Bhutan selected for post-production support,” said Acf director Hong Hyosook.
Park previously co-directed, with Kim Dong-ryeong, the documentary Tour Of Duty, also an earlier Acf recipient that went on to win the Jury’s Special Prize at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival in 2013.
Continuing his exploration of filmmaking through collaboration with women working around Us military bases in Korea, Ne Me Quitte Pas delves into the past while looking into the disappearance of a prostitute who in 1972 wrote a bestseller about her life and loves around an army base.
Post-production Fund[p...
- 8/17/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Includes short films from Nadav Lapid, Amit Dutta and Jennifer Reeder.Scroll down for full line-up
The 65th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 5-15) has unveiled its line-up of shorts, comprising 27 films from 18 countries.
The titles will compete for a Golden and a Silver Bear, as well as the nomination for best short film at the European Film Awards and the first-ever €20,000 Audio Short Film Award.
This year’s members of the International Short Film Jury are documentary filmmaker and curator Madhusree Dutta from India, Turkish artist Halil Altındere, and producer and festival director Wahyuni A. Hadi from Singapore.
Screening in competition are the latest works of Nadav Lapid, Amit Dutta, Jennifer Reeder, Matt Porterfield, artist duos Daniel Schmidt & Alexander Carver, Mischa Leinkauf & Matthias Wermke in collaboration with Lutz Henke, Billy Roisz & Dieter Kovačič, among others.
A special programme, titled The Golden Night of the Short Bears, with a selection of films from 60 years of shorts at the...
The 65th Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 5-15) has unveiled its line-up of shorts, comprising 27 films from 18 countries.
The titles will compete for a Golden and a Silver Bear, as well as the nomination for best short film at the European Film Awards and the first-ever €20,000 Audio Short Film Award.
This year’s members of the International Short Film Jury are documentary filmmaker and curator Madhusree Dutta from India, Turkish artist Halil Altındere, and producer and festival director Wahyuni A. Hadi from Singapore.
Screening in competition are the latest works of Nadav Lapid, Amit Dutta, Jennifer Reeder, Matt Porterfield, artist duos Daniel Schmidt & Alexander Carver, Mischa Leinkauf & Matthias Wermke in collaboration with Lutz Henke, Billy Roisz & Dieter Kovačič, among others.
A special programme, titled The Golden Night of the Short Bears, with a selection of films from 60 years of shorts at the...
- 1/13/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has unveiled this year’s line-up of 29 projects, including two from the Philippines’ Brillante Mendoza.
The line-up includes four projects under the third annual Haf/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, which aims to support scripts from up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers (see full line-up below).
Mendoza is bringing feature film project The Embroiderer, about undying love, along with documentary Gay Messiah, which questions religion and belief. The Philippines’ Jun Robles Lana also returns to Haf this year with his project Our Father, after winning the 2013 Haf award for Barber’s Tales.
Hong Kong filmmakers are also strongly represented in the line-up, with five projects, including comedian Lam Tze-chung’s Game and actress-turned-director Carrie Ng’s Angel Whispers.
Hong Kong projects also include Jason Kwan’s A Nail Clipper Romance, produced by acclaimed director Pang Ho-cheung; Philip Yung’s The Sea, produced by Jia Zhang-ke’s regular producer Chow Keung; and Simon Chung...
The line-up includes four projects under the third annual Haf/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, which aims to support scripts from up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers (see full line-up below).
Mendoza is bringing feature film project The Embroiderer, about undying love, along with documentary Gay Messiah, which questions religion and belief. The Philippines’ Jun Robles Lana also returns to Haf this year with his project Our Father, after winning the 2013 Haf award for Barber’s Tales.
Hong Kong filmmakers are also strongly represented in the line-up, with five projects, including comedian Lam Tze-chung’s Game and actress-turned-director Carrie Ng’s Angel Whispers.
Hong Kong projects also include Jason Kwan’s A Nail Clipper Romance, produced by acclaimed director Pang Ho-cheung; Philip Yung’s The Sea, produced by Jia Zhang-ke’s regular producer Chow Keung; and Simon Chung...
- 1/27/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
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