High time to round up the films at this year's Cannes Film Festival that never saw entries of their own and send them on their way. Today: Un Certain Regard.
"Bakur Bakuradze's The Hunter seems like a ficticious version of Raymond Depardon's Modern Life, a trilogy on farming that was screened in Cannes in 2008," finds Moritz Pfeifer, who also interviews the director for the East European Film Bulletin. "With no soundtrack, no professional actors, little dialogue and a minimalist plot, the film depicts the daily life of Ivan (Mikhail Barskovich) as he peacefully runs his pig farm in one of the less populous areas of northwestern Russia…. Clearly, Bakuradze wants to depict an alternative world, and the spirit of his film is more utopian than its hyper-realistic images suggest."
Grumbles the Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt: "There is maybe 10 to 15 minutes of actual story located within this 124 minute slog,...
"Bakur Bakuradze's The Hunter seems like a ficticious version of Raymond Depardon's Modern Life, a trilogy on farming that was screened in Cannes in 2008," finds Moritz Pfeifer, who also interviews the director for the East European Film Bulletin. "With no soundtrack, no professional actors, little dialogue and a minimalist plot, the film depicts the daily life of Ivan (Mikhail Barskovich) as he peacefully runs his pig farm in one of the less populous areas of northwestern Russia…. Clearly, Bakuradze wants to depict an alternative world, and the spirit of his film is more utopian than its hyper-realistic images suggest."
Grumbles the Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt: "There is maybe 10 to 15 minutes of actual story located within this 124 minute slog,...
- 5/31/2011
- MUBI
With his sophomore feature, which Cineuropa reports has began lensing up until the first week of January, Pierre Schoeller is moving from a portrait of extreme poverty in his directing debut to extreme callousness in what appears to be current day politico France. L’Exercice de l’Etat will see veteran actors Olivier Gourmet and Michel Blanc will topline the pic while actors Zabou Breitman and Laurent Stocker are the supporting players. Gist: Scripted by Schoeller, the film centres on Transport Minister Bertrand Saint-Jean (Gourmet) and his private secretary (Blanc). It opens with the latter waking the former in the middle of the night to tell him that a coach has left the road in an accident. "How many fatalities? Any children? Let’s go. We have no choice." Thus begins the odyssey of a statesman in an increasingly complex and hostile world. Fast pace, power struggles, chaos, economic crisis…...
- 11/11/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
If you don't know the names mentioned in the headline above then its perhaps time to familiarize yourself with French cinema. Actually, I'm fairly sure all three filmmakers showed their last films at the Cannes Film Festival either a year or two years back. - If you don't know the names mentioned in the headline above then its perhaps time to familiarize yourself with French cinema. Actually, I'm fairly sure all three filmmakers showed their last films at the Cannes Film Festival either a year or two years back. In the case of Mia Hansen-Love, who was recently named one of Variety's Top 10 filmmakers, her Father of My Children is one of those effortless French dramas that takes a series of snap shots of your typical family in a moment of reflection. IFC Films picked up the film and will release it shortly. The National Film and...
- 3/13/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Paris -- The recent love affair between U.S. filmgoers and French movies will be reignited Thursday evening as Unifrance's 14th annual Rendez-Vous with French cinema kicks off in New York.
The event launches in Alice Tully Hall with the U.S. premiere of Christophe Barratier's musical period piece "Paris 36," the director's follow-up to international hit "The Chorus," about a Depression-era music hall in Paris. Sony Classics will release the film stateside April 3.
"The fact that we were sold out before the fest even began says that, while French films might be scrambling for a small little bit of the U.S. boxoffice, there's an enduring appetite in the U.S. for French movies," Unifrance's N.Y. bureau chief John Kochman told The Hollywood Reporter.
Organized in partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this year's Rendez-Vous lineup of 18 titles reads like the nominees list at Friday's Cesar Awards ceremony.
The event launches in Alice Tully Hall with the U.S. premiere of Christophe Barratier's musical period piece "Paris 36," the director's follow-up to international hit "The Chorus," about a Depression-era music hall in Paris. Sony Classics will release the film stateside April 3.
"The fact that we were sold out before the fest even began says that, while French films might be scrambling for a small little bit of the U.S. boxoffice, there's an enduring appetite in the U.S. for French movies," Unifrance's N.Y. bureau chief John Kochman told The Hollywood Reporter.
Organized in partnership with the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this year's Rendez-Vous lineup of 18 titles reads like the nominees list at Friday's Cesar Awards ceremony.
- 3/5/2009
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- A biopic about an unknown painter cleaned up the 34th edition of the Cesar awards (France's equivalent to the Oscars). You would have thought that it was an homage to Sean Penn (the actor was in attendance, first row ticket) and the dearly departed Claude Berri, but this was Martin Provost's night upsetting favorites Jean-François Richet and Mesrine (who won for Best Director and Best Actor) and the Palme d'Or winner The Class from Laurent Cantet winner went home with only the Best Adapted Film. Séraphine won a total of seven awards. Kristin Scott Thomas didn't claim the top prize for Best Actress for I've Loved You So Long (the prize went to Yolande Moreau in Séraphine) but Philippe Claudel won for Best First Film and a very emotional Elsa Zylberstein grabbed the Best Supporting Actress nod. Finally, a little bit of redemption here for Best Foreign Picture,
- 2/27/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Paris -- Laurent Cantet's "The Class" made the grade once again as the docu-drama took the prize for best French film of the year at the Etoiles d'or de la presse (Golden Star Awards) Monday night in Paris.
After winning the Lumiere award, the awards season and critic favorite will be a competitive contender for the best film Cesar award and the best foreign film Oscar later this month.
Vincent Cassel was once again named best actor for his role in "Mesrine" and Yolande Moreau continued her awards season streak, taking the prize for best actress for "Seraphine."
Arnaud Desplechin was named best director for "A Christmas Tale," and Remi Bezancon took the best screenplay prize for "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life."
Samuel Collardey's "L'apprenti" and Pierre Schoeller's "Versailles" shared the award for best first film, and Agnes Varda's "Les Plages d'Agnes" was named best documentary.
After winning the Lumiere award, the awards season and critic favorite will be a competitive contender for the best film Cesar award and the best foreign film Oscar later this month.
Vincent Cassel was once again named best actor for his role in "Mesrine" and Yolande Moreau continued her awards season streak, taking the prize for best actress for "Seraphine."
Arnaud Desplechin was named best director for "A Christmas Tale," and Remi Bezancon took the best screenplay prize for "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life."
Samuel Collardey's "L'apprenti" and Pierre Schoeller's "Versailles" shared the award for best first film, and Agnes Varda's "Les Plages d'Agnes" was named best documentary.
- 2/10/2009
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A day following the announcement of the 81st Academy Awards' nominees, the French Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have uncovered their official selections for the 34th Cesar Awards. On Friday, January 23, gangster movie "Mesrine" has been given ten nominations for the France's top awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Jean-Francois Richet.
Apart from the two mentioned gongs, "Mesrine", which is the third highest grossing French film in 2008, also garnered a Best Actor nod for leading actor Vincent Cassel. It also collected two more counts in the category of Adapted Screenplay for Abdel Raouf Dafri and Jean-Francois Richet, and of Cinematography for Robert Gantz.
In the foreign film nominations, Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" and Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" were put in competition with Bouli Lanners' "Eldorado", Matteo Garrone's "Gomorra", Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's "Lorna's Silence", James Gray...
Apart from the two mentioned gongs, "Mesrine", which is the third highest grossing French film in 2008, also garnered a Best Actor nod for leading actor Vincent Cassel. It also collected two more counts in the category of Adapted Screenplay for Abdel Raouf Dafri and Jean-Francois Richet, and of Cinematography for Robert Gantz.
In the foreign film nominations, Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" and Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" were put in competition with Bouli Lanners' "Eldorado", Matteo Garrone's "Gomorra", Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's "Lorna's Silence", James Gray...
- 1/24/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Paris -- A legendary bandit will battle it out with a forgotten painter for France's top film honors the Cesar Awards with Jean-Francois Richet's "Mesrine" and Martin Provost's "Seraphine" leading the list of nominees for the 34th annual ceremony announced Friday in Paris.
The two biopics will compete for the title of best French film of the year alongside Remi Bezancon's "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life," Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale," Cedric Klapisch's "Paris" and Laurent Cantet's Oscar for best foreign film contender "The Class."
Desplechin, Richet, Provost, Cantet and Bezancon will compete for the title of best director.
"Mesrine," a two-part biopic about France's infamous 1970s public enemy number one starring Vincent Cassel, scored 10 nominations. "Seraphine" followed with nine, just ahead of "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" and "A Christmas Tale" with eight nominations each.
Philippe Claudel's...
The two biopics will compete for the title of best French film of the year alongside Remi Bezancon's "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life," Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale," Cedric Klapisch's "Paris" and Laurent Cantet's Oscar for best foreign film contender "The Class."
Desplechin, Richet, Provost, Cantet and Bezancon will compete for the title of best director.
"Mesrine," a two-part biopic about France's infamous 1970s public enemy number one starring Vincent Cassel, scored 10 nominations. "Seraphine" followed with nine, just ahead of "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" and "A Christmas Tale" with eight nominations each.
Philippe Claudel's...
- 1/23/2009
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- The Louis Delluc prize which I thought was going to be bestowed on Laurent Cantet’s Palme D’or winner has actually gone to another Cannes-selected title in Raymond Depardon's La Vie Moderne. The prestigious award is given to the best French film of the year (and in an Ioncinema.com interview with Cantet we got a feel for what that awards represents in France) and I imagine in the award's history that it's a rare sight to see a docu claim the prize. The film is a sort of self-portrait of Depardon, who hails from an agricultural background, and focuses on the old countryside villagers of Cervennes. The Louis Delluc prize for best first film went to Samuel Collardey's L'Apprenti although it did not originally figure on the short list of nominated which you can see below. Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) by Arnaud Desplechin
- 12/15/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy currently unites 1,850 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. Their annual awards will be December 8 in Copenhagen. ACE (Ateliers de Cinema Europeanne) which operates out of France and is a network of producers in the process of developing scripts, which become the films everyone loves at festivals, has 12 producers in the network who have received European Film Awards Nominations. Congratulations to ACE producers for their nominations at the 2008 European Film Awards and… good luck! WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (ACE producer / Razor Film Produktion): Nominated for European Film, European Director, European Screenwriter & European Composer categories. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta (ACE producer / Haut & Court) & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court): Nominated for European Film & European Director categories. LEMON TREE by Eran Riklis, produced by Bettina Brokemper (ACE producer / Heimatfilm GmbH): Nominated for European Actress & European Screenwriter categories. WOLKE 9 by Andreas Dresen, produced by Peter Rommel (ACE producer / Rommel Film e.K): Nominated for European Director & European Actress categories. MOSCOW, BELGIUM by Christophe Van Rompaey, produced by Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (ACE producer / A Private view): Nominated for European Composer category. DELTA by Kornel Mundruzco, produced by Viktoria Petranyi (ACE producer / Evolution Films): Nominated for European Film Academy Prix d’Excellence 2008
Also 10 ACE producers’ films are among the 67 vying for the 2008 nominations for 2007 Best Foreign Language Oscar. ALGERIA: MASQUERADES by Lyes Salem, produced by Isabelle Madelaine (Dharamsala, FR) BELGIUM: ELDORADO by Bouli Lanners, produced by Jacques-Henri Bronckart (Versus Production, BE) and Jerôme Vidal (Noodles Production, FR) ESTONIA: I WAS HERE by René Vilbre, produced by Riina Sildos (Amrion Oü, EST) and Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki Filmi, FI) FRANCE: THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court, FR) ISRAEL: WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (Razor Film Produktion, DE) KAZAKHSTAN: TULPAN by Sergey Dvortsevoy, co-produced by Thanassis Karathanos (Twenty Twenty Vision / Pallas Film, DE) LATVIA: DEFENDERS OF RIGA by Aigars Grauba, produced by Andrejs Ekis (Plat Forma Filma, LET) - Developed at the ACE Workshop! MACEDONIA: I’M FROM TITOV VELES by Teona Strugar Mitevska, co-produced by Diana Elbaum (Entre Chien et Loup, BE) THE NETHERLANDS: DUNYA & DESIE by Dana Nechushtan, co-produced by Joost de Vries (Lemming Film, NL) and Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (A Private View, BE) SWEDEN: EVERLASTING MOMENTS by Jan Troell, co-produced by Christer Nilson (GötaFilm, SE), Sigve Endresen, (Motlys AS, NO) and Tero Kaukomaa (Blind Spot Pictures, FI)
3 ACE producers’ films have been nominated for France’s prestigious Louis Delluc Award. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, Palme d’Or 2008, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut et Court, FR), SERAPHINE by Martin Provost, produced by Milena Poylo and Gille Sacuto (TS Productions, FR) and VERSAILLES by Pierre Schoeller, produced by Philippe Martin (Les Films Pelléas, FR) are nominated for the 2008 Louis Delluc Prize.
And finally The Class by Laurent Cantet has hit a record 1.5+ admissions in France.
Also 10 ACE producers’ films are among the 67 vying for the 2008 nominations for 2007 Best Foreign Language Oscar. ALGERIA: MASQUERADES by Lyes Salem, produced by Isabelle Madelaine (Dharamsala, FR) BELGIUM: ELDORADO by Bouli Lanners, produced by Jacques-Henri Bronckart (Versus Production, BE) and Jerôme Vidal (Noodles Production, FR) ESTONIA: I WAS HERE by René Vilbre, produced by Riina Sildos (Amrion Oü, EST) and Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki Filmi, FI) FRANCE: THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court, FR) ISRAEL: WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (Razor Film Produktion, DE) KAZAKHSTAN: TULPAN by Sergey Dvortsevoy, co-produced by Thanassis Karathanos (Twenty Twenty Vision / Pallas Film, DE) LATVIA: DEFENDERS OF RIGA by Aigars Grauba, produced by Andrejs Ekis (Plat Forma Filma, LET) - Developed at the ACE Workshop! MACEDONIA: I’M FROM TITOV VELES by Teona Strugar Mitevska, co-produced by Diana Elbaum (Entre Chien et Loup, BE) THE NETHERLANDS: DUNYA & DESIE by Dana Nechushtan, co-produced by Joost de Vries (Lemming Film, NL) and Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (A Private View, BE) SWEDEN: EVERLASTING MOMENTS by Jan Troell, co-produced by Christer Nilson (GötaFilm, SE), Sigve Endresen, (Motlys AS, NO) and Tero Kaukomaa (Blind Spot Pictures, FI)
3 ACE producers’ films have been nominated for France’s prestigious Louis Delluc Award. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, Palme d’Or 2008, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut et Court, FR), SERAPHINE by Martin Provost, produced by Milena Poylo and Gille Sacuto (TS Productions, FR) and VERSAILLES by Pierre Schoeller, produced by Philippe Martin (Les Films Pelléas, FR) are nominated for the 2008 Louis Delluc Prize.
And finally The Class by Laurent Cantet has hit a record 1.5+ admissions in France.
- 11/30/2008
- Sydney's Buzz
- It is one of those years where the competition doesn’t stand a chance. The prestigious, 70th year-old Louis Delluc prize is annually bestowed on France’s best film and with a rare Palme D’or win this year, it's safe to say that the odds are better than 2 to 1 for Laurent Cantet’s The Class. Arnaud Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale stands as a distant second best choice. Here is the complete list from what the jury of leading critics will have to choose from, with winners will be announced in a month from now on the 12th of December. Titles with asterisks will have a U.S theatrical release in 2009 or have had a fall 2008 release. Click here for previous winners. Un Conte de Noel (A Christmas Tale) by Arnaud Desplechin*Dernier maquis (Adhen) by Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche Entre Les Murs (The Class) by Laurent Cantet* L'Heure d'ete
- 11/12/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Cannes -- French actor Guillaume Depardieu, son of Gerard Depardieu, died Monday. He was 37.
Guillaume Depardieu died of pneumonia contracted days earlier in Paris' Raymond Poincare hospital. He continued the family theatrical tradition with roles in numerous French films including recent Gallic releases "Versailles" and "De la Guerre," the November release "Stella" and 1995's "Les Apprentis," which earned him a Cesar award for Most Promising Newcomer.
Guillaume Depardieu is survived by his father; his mother, Elisabeth; sister Julie; half-sister, Roxane; and daughter, Louise.
Guillaume Depardieu died of pneumonia contracted days earlier in Paris' Raymond Poincare hospital. He continued the family theatrical tradition with roles in numerous French films including recent Gallic releases "Versailles" and "De la Guerre," the November release "Stella" and 1995's "Les Apprentis," which earned him a Cesar award for Most Promising Newcomer.
Guillaume Depardieu is survived by his father; his mother, Elisabeth; sister Julie; half-sister, Roxane; and daughter, Louise.
- 10/13/2008
- by By Rebecca Leffler
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ruben Östlund’s Swedish drama “De Ofrivilliga” (“Involuntary”) took home the Iris Award for best film Sunday at the 6th edition of the Brussels European Film Festival.
Written by Ruben Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff, the film examines several individuals’ behavior in a group. Among the characters are a young man who needs to be the center of attention among his friends, two girls who plan to drink large quantities of alcohol, and a bus driver who wants to show off his authority.
The prize for best performance went to Polina Philonenko, Agnia Kuznetsova and Olga Shuvalova in Valeriya Gai Germanika’s “Everybody Dies But Me,” which also recently won the CineVision Award at the 25th edition of the Munich Film Festival.
Germanika’s coming-of-age drama follows three teenagers as they gear up for a party held at their high school. Alexander Rodionov and Juri Klavdiev wrote the script.
Hany Tamba...
Written by Ruben Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff, the film examines several individuals’ behavior in a group. Among the characters are a young man who needs to be the center of attention among his friends, two girls who plan to drink large quantities of alcohol, and a bus driver who wants to show off his authority.
The prize for best performance went to Polina Philonenko, Agnia Kuznetsova and Olga Shuvalova in Valeriya Gai Germanika’s “Everybody Dies But Me,” which also recently won the CineVision Award at the 25th edition of the Munich Film Festival.
Germanika’s coming-of-age drama follows three teenagers as they gear up for a party held at their high school. Alexander Rodionov and Juri Klavdiev wrote the script.
Hany Tamba...
- 7/9/2008
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
- I’m guessing that with one third of the films representing first time efforts, this year’s Un Certain Regard section will be a crapshoot for buyers and critics alike. Those that stick out among the pack come from promising directors with sophomore features such as…: Milh Hadha Al-Bahr (Salt of this Sea) (Annemarie Jacir)We often see stories about the immigrant struggle in a country that is not theirs…this is the flipside Pov a former Palestinian finding it difficult to find her footing in her native land. Jacir’s debut looks like a sure bet for a healthy film festival circuit. Los Bastardos (Amat Esclante)Crossing the line for a pair of Mexican immigrants appears to take on a whole new meaning with Amat Esclante’s 2nd feature. His debut, Sangre belongs to the contemporary, art-house bunch of films that portrays a dismal life. Los Bastardos
- 5/14/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
- Here is the complete 2008 Cannes Line Up. Main Competition: Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Three Monkeys (Turkey-France-Italy) Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne - Le Silence De Lorna (France-Belgium)Arnaud Desplechin - A Christmas Story (France) Clint Eastwood - Changeling (Us)Atom Egoyan - Adoration (Canada) Ari Folman - Waltz With Bashir (Israel) Philippe Garrel - La Frontiere De L'Aube (France) Matteo Garrone - Gomorra (Italy)Charlie Kaufman - Synecdoche, New York (Us) Eric Khoo - My Magic (Singapore) Lucretia Martel - La Mujer Sin Cabeza (Argentina-Spain) Brillante Mendoza - Serbis (The Philippines) Kornel Mondruczo - Delta (Hungary-Germany) Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas - Linha de Passe (Brazil) Paolo Sorrentino - Il Divo (Italy) Pablo Trapero - Lion's Den (Argentina-South Korea) Wim Wenders - The Palermo Shooting (Germany) Jia Zhangke - 24 City (China)Steven Soderbergh - Che (Us-Spain-France) -- one four-hour competion title comprised of The Argentine and Guerrilla Out of competitionSteven Spielberg -
- 5/14/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
- Apart from film examples such as The Band's Visit, Munyurangabo (Liberation Day) and Terror's Advocate, last year’s Un Certain Regard Section had its share of misfires – films that took the experimental route but felt more like - old bath tub water. This year’s batch of twenty titles includes another mix of veteran and first time filmmakers with perhaps the James Toback's bio-docu on friend (Iron Mike) Tyson, Abel Ferrara’s latest work Chelsea On The Rocks and finally Bong Joon Ho, Leos Carax and Michel Gondry collab Tokyo! to garner the most attention from buyers and critic crowds. The five films I’m most looking forward to are Germany’s Wolke 9 by Andreas Dresen, Los Bastardos by Amat Escalante (he is the was the Dop for Carlos Reygadas’ first two films and a couple of years back he released another dismal portrait of Mexico with Sangre.
- 4/23/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
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