A stellar cast, fascinating historical setting and novel structure can’t prevent this Soviet-era misfire from succumbing to cliche and a distracting sense of cheapness
Well, so much for elevated expectations. I liked the look of Closer To The Moon when I read about its background. It recounts the story of a real Soviet-era Romanian propaganda movie from 1959, which was interesting in that it was a bank-truck hold-up movie, based on real recent events and starring the very people who had held up the truck. Indeed, it was filmed after the robbers had already been sentenced to death.
All the robbers were Jewish, members of a wartime partisan group that had fought alongside the Red Army against the Nazi occupation of Romania. As successful partisans, they were rewarded under the post-1947 Soviet takeover with positions among the country’s political elite, but by the late 1950s, resurgent Romanian and Soviet...
Well, so much for elevated expectations. I liked the look of Closer To The Moon when I read about its background. It recounts the story of a real Soviet-era Romanian propaganda movie from 1959, which was interesting in that it was a bank-truck hold-up movie, based on real recent events and starring the very people who had held up the truck. Indeed, it was filmed after the robbers had already been sentenced to death.
All the robbers were Jewish, members of a wartime partisan group that had fought alongside the Red Army against the Nazi occupation of Romania. As successful partisans, they were rewarded under the post-1947 Soviet takeover with positions among the country’s political elite, but by the late 1950s, resurgent Romanian and Soviet...
- 11/9/2015
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
Jewish Film Festival launches inaugural best debut feature prize; competition titles include Son Of Saul and Labyrinth Of Lies.
The 19th UK Jewish Film Festival (Nov 7-22) is to present a best debut feature award for the first time.
The jury, headed by Nfts (National Film and Television School) director Nik Powell, comprises actor Jason Isaacs (The Patriot), director Mike Newell (Donnie Brasco), producer Michael Kuhn (Being John Malkovich), actress Kerry Fox (The Dressmaker) and actress Sarah Solemani (Mrs Henderson Presents).
The winner, which will be announced at the festival’s closing gala on Nov 21, will be selected from a shortlist of five films: Son of Saul; Orthodox; The Farewell Party; Labyrinth Of Lies; and 5 To 7.
This year’s festival programme has also been revealed.
The opening film will be Nae Caranfil’s Closer To The Moon, the comedy drama starring Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong that won multiple prizes at this year’s Gopo Awards, Romania...
The 19th UK Jewish Film Festival (Nov 7-22) is to present a best debut feature award for the first time.
The jury, headed by Nfts (National Film and Television School) director Nik Powell, comprises actor Jason Isaacs (The Patriot), director Mike Newell (Donnie Brasco), producer Michael Kuhn (Being John Malkovich), actress Kerry Fox (The Dressmaker) and actress Sarah Solemani (Mrs Henderson Presents).
The winner, which will be announced at the festival’s closing gala on Nov 21, will be selected from a shortlist of five films: Son of Saul; Orthodox; The Farewell Party; Labyrinth Of Lies; and 5 To 7.
This year’s festival programme has also been revealed.
The opening film will be Nae Caranfil’s Closer To The Moon, the comedy drama starring Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong that won multiple prizes at this year’s Gopo Awards, Romania...
- 9/25/2015
- ScreenDaily
It’s almost September and that means Netflix is about to refresh their content, for better or worse. Some of the notable titles leaving include: High Fidelity, Anchorman 2, and The Skeleton Twins. So if you haven’t seen some of these titles, plan your nights accordingly. We of course can look forward more than a few new titles including The Monster Squad, Moonrise Kingdom (pictured above), and The Walking Dead: Season 5.
Available 9/1
72 Dangerous Animals: Australia: Season 1
Arthur: Season 17
Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014)
Battle Creek: Season 1
Blackbird (2014)
Capital C (2014)
Combustion (2013)
Da Jammies: Season 1
Divorce Corp. (2014)
Giggle and Hoot’s Best Ever! (2014)
Hamlet (1990)
Hardball (2001)
Heather McDonald: I Don’t Mean To Brag (2014)
Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version (1962)
Los hombres también lloran: Season 1
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Mississippi Damned (2009)
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Volume 1
Mouk: Season 1
Our Man in Tehran (2013)
Pandas: The Journey Home (2014)
Person of Interest:...
Available 9/1
72 Dangerous Animals: Australia: Season 1
Arthur: Season 17
Avengers Confidential: Black Widow & Punisher (2014)
Battle Creek: Season 1
Blackbird (2014)
Capital C (2014)
Combustion (2013)
Da Jammies: Season 1
Divorce Corp. (2014)
Giggle and Hoot’s Best Ever! (2014)
Hamlet (1990)
Hardball (2001)
Heather McDonald: I Don’t Mean To Brag (2014)
Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version (1962)
Los hombres también lloran: Season 1
Masters of the Universe (1987)
Mississippi Damned (2009)
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Volume 1
Mouk: Season 1
Our Man in Tehran (2013)
Pandas: The Journey Home (2014)
Person of Interest:...
- 9/2/2015
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
UK, international, Israeli and documentary titles revealed.
The UK Jewish Film Festival (Nov 7-22) has revealed its line-up for the 19th edition, which will take place across London and cities in England and Scotland.
A screening of Suffragette, from British-Jewish director Sarah Gavron, will follow the film’s European premiere as the opening film of the BFI London Film Festival on Oct 7. The period drama about women’s fight for the vote stars Carey Mulligan.
The programme also includes László Nemes’ Holocaust drama Son Of Saul, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in May.
Other international titles set to play at the festival include Sarah Silverman starrer I Smile Back, Sundance title Experimenter with Winona Ryder and Peter Sarsgaard, and Romanian production Closer to the Moon, starring Mark Strong and Vera Farmiga.
The festival will also highlight a range of UK talent. Besides the aforementioned Suffragette, actor turned writer director David Leon will screen his debut...
The UK Jewish Film Festival (Nov 7-22) has revealed its line-up for the 19th edition, which will take place across London and cities in England and Scotland.
A screening of Suffragette, from British-Jewish director Sarah Gavron, will follow the film’s European premiere as the opening film of the BFI London Film Festival on Oct 7. The period drama about women’s fight for the vote stars Carey Mulligan.
The programme also includes László Nemes’ Holocaust drama Son Of Saul, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes in May.
Other international titles set to play at the festival include Sarah Silverman starrer I Smile Back, Sundance title Experimenter with Winona Ryder and Peter Sarsgaard, and Romanian production Closer to the Moon, starring Mark Strong and Vera Farmiga.
The festival will also highlight a range of UK talent. Besides the aforementioned Suffragette, actor turned writer director David Leon will screen his debut...
- 8/12/2015
- ScreenDaily
The saying goes that the punishment should fit the crime, but what if the punishment involves recreating the crime? That's the surreal angle behind the based on a true story drama "Closer To The Moon," and today we have the exclusive U.S. trailer and poster for the film. Starring Vera Farmiga, Mark Strong, and Jack Huston, and written and directed by Nae Caranfil, the story is set in 1959 Bucharest where a group of WWII Jewish resistance fighters pull off the robbery of the Romanian National Bank under the guise of filming a movie. Having, things take a strange twist when the group is arrested and forced to re-enact the heist for a propaganda film before being executed. Yes, this actually happened, and it looks like one to watch for those intrigued by history's stranger chapters. "Closer To TheMoon" opens in theaters and VOD April 17th via IFC Films. Watch below.
- 4/3/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, but there's no need to wait until then to see a great movie. April brings us a wide variety of women-centric projects, as well as quite a few films helmed and/or written by women. The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's Story" is another period piece, centering around the efforts of a 19th-century nun to help a girl born blind and deaf. There are a few more...
- 4/1/2015
- by Tory Kamen and Becca Rose
- Thompson on Hollywood
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, but there's no need to wait until then to see a great movie. April brings us a wide variety of women-centric projects, as well as quite a few films helmed and/or written by women. The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's Story" is another period piece, centering around the efforts of a 19th-century nun to help a girl born blind and deaf. There are a few more...
- 4/1/2015
- by Tory Kamen and Becca Rose
- The Playlist
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, but there's no need to wait until then to see a great movie. April brings us a wide variety of women-centric projects, as well as quite a few films helmed and/or written by women. The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's...
- 4/1/2015
- by Tory Kamen and Becca Rose
- ShadowAndAct
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, but there's no need to wait until then to see a great movie. April brings us a wide variety of women-centric projects, as well as quite a few films helmed and/or written by women.
The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's Story" is another period piece, centering around the efforts of a 19th-century nun to help a girl born blind and deaf.
There are a few more women-focused dramas being released in April, including the much-buzzed "Clouds of Sils Maria," which garnered Kristen Stewart the prestigious Cesar Award for supporting actress. Stewart has made waves for being the first American actress to win the French award, and the film looks to capitalize on that with its American release. “Félix & Meira" is another award-winner coming out this month. The Best Canadian Feature from the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival aims to make its mark with the story of an unconventional and radical love affair, one that reaches across racial and religious lines. "About Elly" also confronts cultural biases with its depiction of Iran's upper middle class.
"Effie Gray" tackles the sexual politics of the Victorian era, and with a screenplay from Emma Thompson, it's sure to be intriguing as well as quick-witted. Speaking of intriguing, "The Age of Adaline" follows a woman who mysteriously stopped aging eight decades ago. Blake Lively centers the film as Adaline, struggling with love and trust and all the other things that might follow when one lives seemingly forever.
Courteney Cox makes her big-screen directorial debut (the actress has previously directed episodes of "Cougar Town," which she stars in) with "Just Before I Go," and screenwiter Gren Wells makes hers as well with "The Road Within." Director Mia Hansen-løve ("Goodbye First Love") directs Greta Gerwig in "Eden," a look at the rise of French electronic music in the 90s.
The month will also see the release of a few very different documentaries. "The Hand That Feeds" focuses on undocumented immigrants struggling to form an independent union, while "Iris" follows 93-year-old Iris Apfel, a flamboyant New York City fashion icon. "Antarctic Edge: 70° South" is focused on the changing climate of the Antarctic's Peninsula and was made with the collaboration of Rutgers University students and scientists.
We'll also see comedic projects featuring Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Alex of Venice") and Rose Byrne ("Adult Beginners"). Nia Vardalos returns to the screen with a role in "Helicopter Mom," which promises an outrageous performance from the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" star. "Sweet Lorraine" and "Farah Goes Bang" round out the women-centric comedy offerings of the month.
Here are all the women-centric films opening in the month of April. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
April 1
Woman in Gold
"Woman in Gold" is the remarkable true story of one woman’s journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt’s famous painting "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I." Together with her inexperienced but plucky young lawyer Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), she embarks upon a major battle, which takes them all the way to the heart of the Austrian establishment and the U.S. Supreme Court, and forces her to confront difficult truths about the past along the way.
April 3
The Hand That Feeds (doc) - Co-Written and Co-Directed by Rachel Lears
At a popular bakery café, residents of New York’s Upper East Side get bagels and coffee served with a smile 24 hours a day. But behind the scenes, undocumented immigrant workers face sub-legal wages, dangerous machinery, and abusive managers who will fire them for calling in sick. Mild-mannered sandwich maker Mahoma López has never been interested in politics, but in January 2012 he convinces a small group of his co-workers to fight back.
Risking deportation and the loss of their livelihood, the workers team up with a diverse crew of innovative young organizers and take the unusual step of forming their own independent union, launching themselves on a journey that will test the limits of their resolve. In one roller-coaster year, they must overcome a shocking betrayal and a two-month lockout. Lawyers will battle in back rooms, Occupy Wall Street protesters will take over the restaurant, and a picket line will divide the neighborhood. If they can win a contract, it will set a historic precedent for low-wage workers across the country. But whatever happens, Mahoma and his coworkers will never be exploited again.
Effie Gray - Written by Emma Thompson
In her original screenplay “Effie Gray,” Emma Thompson takes a bold look at the real-life story of the Effie Gray-John Ruskin marriage, while courageously exposing what was truly hiding behind the veil of their public life. Set in a time when neither divorce nor gay marriage were an option, “Effie Gray” is the story of a young woman (Dakota Fanning) coming of age and finding her own voice in a world where women were expected to be seen but not heard. “Effie Gray” explores the roots of sexual intolerance, which continue to have a stronghold today, while shedding light on the marital politics of the Victorian era.
April 8
About Elly
As with director Asghar Farhadi's better-known films, “About Elly” concerns the affluent, well-educated, cultured, and only marginally religious members of Iran's upper-middle class. Elly (Taraneh Alidoosti), a pretty young woman invited as a possible romantic interest for one of the newly single men among this group, disappears suddenly without a trace. The festive atmosphere quickly turns frantic as friends accuse one another of responsibility. Plot-wise, Farhadi's drama has been compared to “L’Avventura”; but the film is less concerned with Elly's disappearance per se than with exploring the intricate mechanisms of deceit, brutality, and betrayal which come into play when ordinary circumstances take a tragic turn.
April 10
Clouds of Sils Maria
At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then, she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant (Kristen Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Chloë Grace Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.
The Sisterhood of Night - Directed by Caryn Waechter and Written by Marilyn Fu
Based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser, "The Sisterhood of Night" is a story of friendship and loyalty set against the backdrop of a modern-day Salem witch trial. Shot on location in Kingston, NY, the film chronicles a group of girls who have slipped out of the world of social media into a mysterious world deep in the woods. The tale begins when Emily Parris (Kara Hayward) exposes a secret society of teenage girls. Accusing them of committing sexually deviant acts, Emily’s allegations throw their small American town into the national media spotlight. The mystery deepens when each of the accused takes a vow of silence. What follows is a chronicle of three girls’ unique and provocative alternative to the loneliness of adolescence, revealing the tragedy and humor of teenage years changed forever by the Internet age.
Farah Goes Bang - Directed by Meera Menon, Written by Laura Goode and Meera Menon
A road-trip comedy that centers on Farah (Nikohl Boosheri), a twenty-something woman who tries to lose her virginity while campaigning for John Kerry in 2004. Farah and her friends K.J. and Roopa follow the campaign trail to Ohio, seizing this charged moment in their lives and the life of their country.
April 17
Closer to the Moon
Set in 1959 Bucharest, “Closer to the Moon” opens as the crime is hatched and executed by old friends from the WWII Jewish Resistance, who seek to recapture the excitement of their glory days. Led by a chief police inspector (Mark Strong) and a political academic (Vera Farmiga), the quintet also includes a respected history professor (Christian McKay), a hotshot reporter (Joe Armstrong), and a space scientist (Tim Plester). Their postwar influence fading amid an ongoing Stalinist purge of Jews and intellectuals, the disillusioned gang retaliates by hijacking a van delivering cash to the Romanian National Bank, staging the robbery to make it look like a movie shoot. Caught and convicted in a kangaroo court, the culprits, with help from an eyewitness (Harry Lloyd) to the robbery, are forced to reenact their crime in a devious anti-Semitic propaganda film.
Felix & Meira
Winner of Best Canadian Feature at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, “Félix & Meira” is the story of an unconventional romance between two people living vastly different realities mere blocks away from one another. Each lost in their everyday lives, Meira (Hadas Yaron), a Hasidic Jewish wife and mother, and Félix (Martin Dubreuil), a Secular loner mourning the recent death of his estranged father, unexpectedly meet in a local bakery in Montreal's Mile End district. What starts as an innocent friendship becomes more serious as the two wayward strangers find comfort in one another. As Felix opens Meira's eyes to the world outside of her tight-knit Orthodox community, her desire for change becomes harder for her to ignore, ultimately forcing her to choose: remain in the life that she knows or give it all up to be with Félix.
Alex of Venice - Co-Written by Jessica Goldberg and Katie Nehra
In “Alex of Venice,” workaholic environmental attorney Alex Vedder (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is forced to reinvent herself after her husband (Chris Messina) suddenly leaves the family. Dealing with an aging father (Don Johnson) who still aspires to succeed as an actor, an eccentric sister (Katie Nehra), and an extremely shy son (Skylar Gaertner), Alex is bombarded with everything from the mundane to hilariously catastrophic events without a shoulder to lean on. Realizing she will thrive with or without her husband, Alex discovers her hidden vulnerability as well as her inner strength as she fights to keep her family intact in the midst of the most demanding and important case of her career.
Cas & Dylan - Written by Jessie Gabe
When 61-year-old self-proclaimed loner and terminally ill Dr. Cas Pepper (Richard Dreyfuss) reluctantly agrees to give 22-year-old social misfit Dyland Morgan (Tatiana Maslany) a very short lift home, the last thing he anticipates is that he will strike her angry boyfriend with his car, find himself on the lam, and ultimately drive across the country with an aspiring young writer determined to help him overcome his own bizarre case of suicide-note writer's block. But as fate would have it, that is exactly what happens. Suddenly Cas's solo one-way trip out West isn't so solo. With Dylan at his side, the two take off on an adventure that will open their eyes to some of life's lessons -- both big and small.
Antarctic Edge: 70° South (doc) - Directed by Dena Seidel
Dena Seidel’s documentary not only offers rare, beautifully shot footage of West Antarctic Pennisula's rapidly changing environment, studying the connections that reveal the concrete impact of climate change; it is also a one-of-a-kind collaboration between the Rutgers University Film Bureau and the Rutgers Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences and contains interviews and insights from some of the world’s leading ocean researchers. It is a fascinating look at their life’s work trying to understand how to maintain our planet.
The Road Within - Written and Directed by Gren Wells
Vincent (Robert Sheehan), a young man with Tourette's syndrome, faces drastic changes after his mother dies. Because his politician father is too ashamed of the disorder to have Vincent accompany him on the campaign, Vincent is shuttled off to an unconventional clinic. There he finds unexpected community with an obsessive-compulsive roommate and an anorexic young woman, and romance eventually -- and uneasily -- follows.
One of Variety's "10 Directors to Watch," screenwriter Gren Wells makes her directorial debut with this ambitious yet light-hearted coming-of-age tale about the potent medicine we all carry within ourselves. The film is packed with a talented ensemble, from emerging talents Zoë Kravitz, Dev Patel, and Sheehan to beloved veterans Kyra Sedgwick and Robert Patrick.
April 23
Sweet Lorraine
The double life of a Methodist minister's wife (played by Tatum O'Neal) catches up to her, as her husband campaigns for mayor in a small New Jersey town.
April 24
Just Before I Go - Directed by Courtney Cox
Ted Morgan (Seann William Scott) has been treading water for most of his life. After his wife leaves him, Ted realizes he has nothing left to live for. Summoning the courage for one last act, Ted decides to go home and face the people he feels are responsible for creating the shell of a person he has become. But life is tricky. The more determined Ted is to confront his demons, to get closure, and to withdraw from his family, the more Ted is yanked into the chaos of their lives. So, when Ted Morgan decides to kill himself, he finds a reason to live.
The Age of Adaline
After miraculously remaining 29-years-old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.
Adult Beginners - Co-Written by Liz Flahive (Simultaneously releasing to VOD)
A young, hipster entrepreneur (Nick Kroll) crashes and burns on the eve of his company’s big launch. With his entire life in disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged pregnant sister (Rose Byrne), brother-in-law (Bobby Cannavale), and three-year-old nephew in the suburbs – only to become their manny. Faced with real responsibility, he may finally have to grow up – but not without some bad behavior first.
Eden - Directed and Co-Written by Mia Hansen-løve
The film follows the life of a French DJ who's credited with inventing "French house" or the "French touch," a type of French electronic music that became popular in the 1990s. Greta Gerwig costars. (IMDb)
24 Days - Co-Written by Emilie Frèche
January 20, 2006: After dinner with his family, Ilan Halimi (Syrus Shahidi) gets a call from a beautiful girl who had approached him at work and makes plans to meet her for coffee. Ilan didn't suspect a thing. He was 23 and had his whole life ahead of him. The next time Ilan's family heard from him was through a cryptic online message from kidnappers demanding a ransom in exchange for their son's life. (IMDb)
Helicopter Mom - Directed by Salomé Breziner
An overbearing mom (Nia Vardalos) decides that college would be more affordable if her son were to win an Lgbt scholarship, so she outs him to his entire high school. However, he might not be gay. (Rotten Tomatoes)
April 29
Iris (doc) (Opening in New York City)
"Iris" pairs legendary 87-year-old documentarian Albert Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even in Iris' dotage, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. "Iris" portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art, and people are life's sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment. Despite the abundance of glamour in her current life, she continues to embrace the values and work ethic established during a middle-class Queens upbringing during the Great Depression.
April 30
Marie’s Story
At the turn of the 19th century, a humble artisan and his wife have a daughter, Marie (Ariana Rivoire), who is born deaf and blind and unable to communicate with the world around her. Desperate to find a connection to their daughter and avoid sending her to an asylum, the Heurtins send fourteen-year-old Marie to the Larnay Institute in central France, where an order of Catholic nuns manage a school for deaf girls. There, the idealistic Sister Marguerite (Isabelle Carré) sees in Marie a unique potential, and despite her Mother Superior's (Brigitte Catillon) skepticism, vows to bring the wild young thing out of the darkness into which she was born. Based on true events, “Marie's Story” recounts the courageous journey of a young nun and the lives she would change forever, confronting failures and discouragement with joyous faith and love. (Film Movement)...
The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's Story" is another period piece, centering around the efforts of a 19th-century nun to help a girl born blind and deaf.
There are a few more women-focused dramas being released in April, including the much-buzzed "Clouds of Sils Maria," which garnered Kristen Stewart the prestigious Cesar Award for supporting actress. Stewart has made waves for being the first American actress to win the French award, and the film looks to capitalize on that with its American release. “Félix & Meira" is another award-winner coming out this month. The Best Canadian Feature from the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival aims to make its mark with the story of an unconventional and radical love affair, one that reaches across racial and religious lines. "About Elly" also confronts cultural biases with its depiction of Iran's upper middle class.
"Effie Gray" tackles the sexual politics of the Victorian era, and with a screenplay from Emma Thompson, it's sure to be intriguing as well as quick-witted. Speaking of intriguing, "The Age of Adaline" follows a woman who mysteriously stopped aging eight decades ago. Blake Lively centers the film as Adaline, struggling with love and trust and all the other things that might follow when one lives seemingly forever.
Courteney Cox makes her big-screen directorial debut (the actress has previously directed episodes of "Cougar Town," which she stars in) with "Just Before I Go," and screenwiter Gren Wells makes hers as well with "The Road Within." Director Mia Hansen-løve ("Goodbye First Love") directs Greta Gerwig in "Eden," a look at the rise of French electronic music in the 90s.
The month will also see the release of a few very different documentaries. "The Hand That Feeds" focuses on undocumented immigrants struggling to form an independent union, while "Iris" follows 93-year-old Iris Apfel, a flamboyant New York City fashion icon. "Antarctic Edge: 70° South" is focused on the changing climate of the Antarctic's Peninsula and was made with the collaboration of Rutgers University students and scientists.
We'll also see comedic projects featuring Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Alex of Venice") and Rose Byrne ("Adult Beginners"). Nia Vardalos returns to the screen with a role in "Helicopter Mom," which promises an outrageous performance from the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" star. "Sweet Lorraine" and "Farah Goes Bang" round out the women-centric comedy offerings of the month.
Here are all the women-centric films opening in the month of April. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
April 1
Woman in Gold
"Woman in Gold" is the remarkable true story of one woman’s journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt’s famous painting "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I." Together with her inexperienced but plucky young lawyer Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), she embarks upon a major battle, which takes them all the way to the heart of the Austrian establishment and the U.S. Supreme Court, and forces her to confront difficult truths about the past along the way.
April 3
The Hand That Feeds (doc) - Co-Written and Co-Directed by Rachel Lears
At a popular bakery café, residents of New York’s Upper East Side get bagels and coffee served with a smile 24 hours a day. But behind the scenes, undocumented immigrant workers face sub-legal wages, dangerous machinery, and abusive managers who will fire them for calling in sick. Mild-mannered sandwich maker Mahoma López has never been interested in politics, but in January 2012 he convinces a small group of his co-workers to fight back.
Risking deportation and the loss of their livelihood, the workers team up with a diverse crew of innovative young organizers and take the unusual step of forming their own independent union, launching themselves on a journey that will test the limits of their resolve. In one roller-coaster year, they must overcome a shocking betrayal and a two-month lockout. Lawyers will battle in back rooms, Occupy Wall Street protesters will take over the restaurant, and a picket line will divide the neighborhood. If they can win a contract, it will set a historic precedent for low-wage workers across the country. But whatever happens, Mahoma and his coworkers will never be exploited again.
Effie Gray - Written by Emma Thompson
In her original screenplay “Effie Gray,” Emma Thompson takes a bold look at the real-life story of the Effie Gray-John Ruskin marriage, while courageously exposing what was truly hiding behind the veil of their public life. Set in a time when neither divorce nor gay marriage were an option, “Effie Gray” is the story of a young woman (Dakota Fanning) coming of age and finding her own voice in a world where women were expected to be seen but not heard. “Effie Gray” explores the roots of sexual intolerance, which continue to have a stronghold today, while shedding light on the marital politics of the Victorian era.
April 8
About Elly
As with director Asghar Farhadi's better-known films, “About Elly” concerns the affluent, well-educated, cultured, and only marginally religious members of Iran's upper-middle class. Elly (Taraneh Alidoosti), a pretty young woman invited as a possible romantic interest for one of the newly single men among this group, disappears suddenly without a trace. The festive atmosphere quickly turns frantic as friends accuse one another of responsibility. Plot-wise, Farhadi's drama has been compared to “L’Avventura”; but the film is less concerned with Elly's disappearance per se than with exploring the intricate mechanisms of deceit, brutality, and betrayal which come into play when ordinary circumstances take a tragic turn.
April 10
Clouds of Sils Maria
At the peak of her international career, Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) is asked to perform in a revival of the play that made her famous twenty years ago. But back then, she played the role of Sigrid, an alluring young girl who disarms and eventually drives her boss Helena to suicide. Now she is being asked to step into the other role, that of the older Helena. She departs with her assistant (Kristen Stewart) to rehearse in Sils Maria; a remote region of the Alps. A young Hollywood starlet with a penchant for scandal (Chloë Grace Moretz) is to take on the role of Sigrid, and Maria finds herself on the other side of the mirror, face to face with an ambiguously charming woman who is, in essence, an unsettling reflection of herself.
The Sisterhood of Night - Directed by Caryn Waechter and Written by Marilyn Fu
Based on the short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steven Millhauser, "The Sisterhood of Night" is a story of friendship and loyalty set against the backdrop of a modern-day Salem witch trial. Shot on location in Kingston, NY, the film chronicles a group of girls who have slipped out of the world of social media into a mysterious world deep in the woods. The tale begins when Emily Parris (Kara Hayward) exposes a secret society of teenage girls. Accusing them of committing sexually deviant acts, Emily’s allegations throw their small American town into the national media spotlight. The mystery deepens when each of the accused takes a vow of silence. What follows is a chronicle of three girls’ unique and provocative alternative to the loneliness of adolescence, revealing the tragedy and humor of teenage years changed forever by the Internet age.
Farah Goes Bang - Directed by Meera Menon, Written by Laura Goode and Meera Menon
A road-trip comedy that centers on Farah (Nikohl Boosheri), a twenty-something woman who tries to lose her virginity while campaigning for John Kerry in 2004. Farah and her friends K.J. and Roopa follow the campaign trail to Ohio, seizing this charged moment in their lives and the life of their country.
April 17
Closer to the Moon
Set in 1959 Bucharest, “Closer to the Moon” opens as the crime is hatched and executed by old friends from the WWII Jewish Resistance, who seek to recapture the excitement of their glory days. Led by a chief police inspector (Mark Strong) and a political academic (Vera Farmiga), the quintet also includes a respected history professor (Christian McKay), a hotshot reporter (Joe Armstrong), and a space scientist (Tim Plester). Their postwar influence fading amid an ongoing Stalinist purge of Jews and intellectuals, the disillusioned gang retaliates by hijacking a van delivering cash to the Romanian National Bank, staging the robbery to make it look like a movie shoot. Caught and convicted in a kangaroo court, the culprits, with help from an eyewitness (Harry Lloyd) to the robbery, are forced to reenact their crime in a devious anti-Semitic propaganda film.
Felix & Meira
Winner of Best Canadian Feature at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, “Félix & Meira” is the story of an unconventional romance between two people living vastly different realities mere blocks away from one another. Each lost in their everyday lives, Meira (Hadas Yaron), a Hasidic Jewish wife and mother, and Félix (Martin Dubreuil), a Secular loner mourning the recent death of his estranged father, unexpectedly meet in a local bakery in Montreal's Mile End district. What starts as an innocent friendship becomes more serious as the two wayward strangers find comfort in one another. As Felix opens Meira's eyes to the world outside of her tight-knit Orthodox community, her desire for change becomes harder for her to ignore, ultimately forcing her to choose: remain in the life that she knows or give it all up to be with Félix.
Alex of Venice - Co-Written by Jessica Goldberg and Katie Nehra
In “Alex of Venice,” workaholic environmental attorney Alex Vedder (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is forced to reinvent herself after her husband (Chris Messina) suddenly leaves the family. Dealing with an aging father (Don Johnson) who still aspires to succeed as an actor, an eccentric sister (Katie Nehra), and an extremely shy son (Skylar Gaertner), Alex is bombarded with everything from the mundane to hilariously catastrophic events without a shoulder to lean on. Realizing she will thrive with or without her husband, Alex discovers her hidden vulnerability as well as her inner strength as she fights to keep her family intact in the midst of the most demanding and important case of her career.
Cas & Dylan - Written by Jessie Gabe
When 61-year-old self-proclaimed loner and terminally ill Dr. Cas Pepper (Richard Dreyfuss) reluctantly agrees to give 22-year-old social misfit Dyland Morgan (Tatiana Maslany) a very short lift home, the last thing he anticipates is that he will strike her angry boyfriend with his car, find himself on the lam, and ultimately drive across the country with an aspiring young writer determined to help him overcome his own bizarre case of suicide-note writer's block. But as fate would have it, that is exactly what happens. Suddenly Cas's solo one-way trip out West isn't so solo. With Dylan at his side, the two take off on an adventure that will open their eyes to some of life's lessons -- both big and small.
Antarctic Edge: 70° South (doc) - Directed by Dena Seidel
Dena Seidel’s documentary not only offers rare, beautifully shot footage of West Antarctic Pennisula's rapidly changing environment, studying the connections that reveal the concrete impact of climate change; it is also a one-of-a-kind collaboration between the Rutgers University Film Bureau and the Rutgers Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences and contains interviews and insights from some of the world’s leading ocean researchers. It is a fascinating look at their life’s work trying to understand how to maintain our planet.
The Road Within - Written and Directed by Gren Wells
Vincent (Robert Sheehan), a young man with Tourette's syndrome, faces drastic changes after his mother dies. Because his politician father is too ashamed of the disorder to have Vincent accompany him on the campaign, Vincent is shuttled off to an unconventional clinic. There he finds unexpected community with an obsessive-compulsive roommate and an anorexic young woman, and romance eventually -- and uneasily -- follows.
One of Variety's "10 Directors to Watch," screenwriter Gren Wells makes her directorial debut with this ambitious yet light-hearted coming-of-age tale about the potent medicine we all carry within ourselves. The film is packed with a talented ensemble, from emerging talents Zoë Kravitz, Dev Patel, and Sheehan to beloved veterans Kyra Sedgwick and Robert Patrick.
April 23
Sweet Lorraine
The double life of a Methodist minister's wife (played by Tatum O'Neal) catches up to her, as her husband campaigns for mayor in a small New Jersey town.
April 24
Just Before I Go - Directed by Courtney Cox
Ted Morgan (Seann William Scott) has been treading water for most of his life. After his wife leaves him, Ted realizes he has nothing left to live for. Summoning the courage for one last act, Ted decides to go home and face the people he feels are responsible for creating the shell of a person he has become. But life is tricky. The more determined Ted is to confront his demons, to get closure, and to withdraw from his family, the more Ted is yanked into the chaos of their lives. So, when Ted Morgan decides to kill himself, he finds a reason to live.
The Age of Adaline
After miraculously remaining 29-years-old for almost eight decades, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has lived a solitary existence, never allowing herself to get close to anyone who might reveal her secret. But a chance encounter with charismatic philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) reignites her passion for life and romance. When a weekend with his parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) threatens to uncover the truth, Adaline makes a decision that will change her life forever.
Adult Beginners - Co-Written by Liz Flahive (Simultaneously releasing to VOD)
A young, hipster entrepreneur (Nick Kroll) crashes and burns on the eve of his company’s big launch. With his entire life in disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged pregnant sister (Rose Byrne), brother-in-law (Bobby Cannavale), and three-year-old nephew in the suburbs – only to become their manny. Faced with real responsibility, he may finally have to grow up – but not without some bad behavior first.
Eden - Directed and Co-Written by Mia Hansen-løve
The film follows the life of a French DJ who's credited with inventing "French house" or the "French touch," a type of French electronic music that became popular in the 1990s. Greta Gerwig costars. (IMDb)
24 Days - Co-Written by Emilie Frèche
January 20, 2006: After dinner with his family, Ilan Halimi (Syrus Shahidi) gets a call from a beautiful girl who had approached him at work and makes plans to meet her for coffee. Ilan didn't suspect a thing. He was 23 and had his whole life ahead of him. The next time Ilan's family heard from him was through a cryptic online message from kidnappers demanding a ransom in exchange for their son's life. (IMDb)
Helicopter Mom - Directed by Salomé Breziner
An overbearing mom (Nia Vardalos) decides that college would be more affordable if her son were to win an Lgbt scholarship, so she outs him to his entire high school. However, he might not be gay. (Rotten Tomatoes)
April 29
Iris (doc) (Opening in New York City)
"Iris" pairs legendary 87-year-old documentarian Albert Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even in Iris' dotage, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. "Iris" portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art, and people are life's sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment. Despite the abundance of glamour in her current life, she continues to embrace the values and work ethic established during a middle-class Queens upbringing during the Great Depression.
April 30
Marie’s Story
At the turn of the 19th century, a humble artisan and his wife have a daughter, Marie (Ariana Rivoire), who is born deaf and blind and unable to communicate with the world around her. Desperate to find a connection to their daughter and avoid sending her to an asylum, the Heurtins send fourteen-year-old Marie to the Larnay Institute in central France, where an order of Catholic nuns manage a school for deaf girls. There, the idealistic Sister Marguerite (Isabelle Carré) sees in Marie a unique potential, and despite her Mother Superior's (Brigitte Catillon) skepticism, vows to bring the wild young thing out of the darkness into which she was born. Based on true events, “Marie's Story” recounts the courageous journey of a young nun and the lives she would change forever, confronting failures and discouragement with joyous faith and love. (Film Movement)...
- 4/1/2015
- by Tory Kamen and Becca Rose
- Sydney's Buzz
Summer blockbuster season is just around the corner, but there's no need to wait until then to see a great movie. April brings us a wide variety of women-centric projects, as well as quite a few films helmed and/or written by women. The month starts off with "Woman in Gold," starring Helen Mirren as a Jewish woman on a journey to recover her family's heirlooms, which was stolen by the Nazis. It's based on a true story, and Mirren roots the film with her powerful presence. "Closer to the Moon" is another WWII-era drama set for an April release, this one based on the crime capers of a group of Jewish resistance fighters a few years after the end of the war. "Marie's...
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[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 4/1/2015
- by Tory Kamen and Becca Rose
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Hot projects new to Screenbase include Nicolas Winding Refn feature The Neon Demon, Pope Francis biopic Francisco, Brady Corbet’s directorial debut The Childhood Of A Leader and a new adaptation by Wim Wenders.Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon
Elle Fanning, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote and Jena Malone have signed on to co-star in Nicolas Winding Refn’s next feature.
“After making Drive and falling madly in love with the electricity of Los Angeles, I knew I had to return to tell the story of The Neon Demon,” Winding Refn said.
Principal photography will begin in Los Angeles on March 30. Gaumont and Wild Bunch are co-selling the title.
Wim Wenders’ Les Beaux Jours D’Aranjuez
This adaptation of the play by Peter Handke was announced by Alfama’s Paulo Branco during the Efm. It will star Reda Kateb and Sophie Semin. Wenders is expected to shoot in June.
Brady Corbet’s [link...
Elle Fanning, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote and Jena Malone have signed on to co-star in Nicolas Winding Refn’s next feature.
“After making Drive and falling madly in love with the electricity of Los Angeles, I knew I had to return to tell the story of The Neon Demon,” Winding Refn said.
Principal photography will begin in Los Angeles on March 30. Gaumont and Wild Bunch are co-selling the title.
Wim Wenders’ Les Beaux Jours D’Aranjuez
This adaptation of the play by Peter Handke was announced by Alfama’s Paulo Branco during the Efm. It will star Reda Kateb and Sophie Semin. Wenders is expected to shoot in June.
Brady Corbet’s [link...
- 2/18/2015
- by maud.le-rest@sciencespo-toulouse.net (Maud Le Rest)
- ScreenDaily
New UK distribution company Neo has made its first two acquisitions in Berlin.
At the Efm, Neo (New Entertainment Organisation) has acquired Closer To the Moon from Celluloid Dreams and producer Michael Fitzgerald.
The English-language comedy drama from Nae Carafil stars Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong. It is a co-production with Italy’s Ugo Tucci; Poland’s Alessandro Leone; and Romania’s Bobby Paulescu.
It has been picked up for Us release by IFC for release in June and Poland’s Ultra+Monolith.
The second pick up, from Media Luna, is Perfect Obedience (Obediencia Perfecta), the controversial Mexican winner of the 2014 World Film Festival Montreal (Ffm).
The film, written and directed by Luis Urquiza, is a biopic about disgraced priest Marcial Maciel who used drugs, abused boys, and fathered numerous children, who he also allegedly abused. The movie sparked controversy when released in Mexico.
Neo plans
Neo will handle quality foreign and indie fare in the UK...
At the Efm, Neo (New Entertainment Organisation) has acquired Closer To the Moon from Celluloid Dreams and producer Michael Fitzgerald.
The English-language comedy drama from Nae Carafil stars Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong. It is a co-production with Italy’s Ugo Tucci; Poland’s Alessandro Leone; and Romania’s Bobby Paulescu.
It has been picked up for Us release by IFC for release in June and Poland’s Ultra+Monolith.
The second pick up, from Media Luna, is Perfect Obedience (Obediencia Perfecta), the controversial Mexican winner of the 2014 World Film Festival Montreal (Ffm).
The film, written and directed by Luis Urquiza, is a biopic about disgraced priest Marcial Maciel who used drugs, abused boys, and fathered numerous children, who he also allegedly abused. The movie sparked controversy when released in Mexico.
Neo plans
Neo will handle quality foreign and indie fare in the UK...
- 2/11/2015
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
During the Transylvania International Film Festival, Twitch sat down with a major figure in Romanian cinema, Nae Caranfil, whose films are zealously expected events in Romania. The director's latest film, Closer to the Moon, was part of the Romanian Days selection. It's the most expensive Romanian film to date and features an international cast. Twitch: How has the Romanian industry changed over the last couple of years? At the beginning of the 90s, we could still talk about film industry in Romania because there was a certain number of films produced every year. Now, we can talk only about film agriculture. You just plant a film into the ground and awards grow. I mean the industry changed a lot. I was privileged enough to start by making...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/18/2014
- Screen Anarchy
A gala open-air screening of Stephen Frears’ Philomena will tonight (May 30) launch the Transilvania International Film Festival (Tiff) which is expanding its industry dimension for its 13th edition.
This weekend will see the festival focusing its attention on the ¨Save The Big Screen¨ campaign, launched under the auspices of Romania Film Promotion, which aims to halt the disappearance of cinemas outside of the main centres of population and create a network of digital cinemas throughout the country.
A conference will be held on May 31 bringing together officials from the Ministry of Culture, local authorities, Romania Film, cinema managers, film-makers and foreign guests such as Marta Materska-Samek, from Poland’s Cinema Development Foundation Bard, Ivo Andrle of Czech exhibitor Aero Films, and Tina Hajon, Head of Exhibition at the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.
Debate will centre, for example, on the foreign guests’ experiences of accessing European funds for cinema renovation and digitisation programmes, as well as...
This weekend will see the festival focusing its attention on the ¨Save The Big Screen¨ campaign, launched under the auspices of Romania Film Promotion, which aims to halt the disappearance of cinemas outside of the main centres of population and create a network of digital cinemas throughout the country.
A conference will be held on May 31 bringing together officials from the Ministry of Culture, local authorities, Romania Film, cinema managers, film-makers and foreign guests such as Marta Materska-Samek, from Poland’s Cinema Development Foundation Bard, Ivo Andrle of Czech exhibitor Aero Films, and Tina Hajon, Head of Exhibition at the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.
Debate will centre, for example, on the foreign guests’ experiences of accessing European funds for cinema renovation and digitisation programmes, as well as...
- 5/30/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Two of Us producer Michael Fitzgerald’s productions to be sold by Celluloid Dreams.
Celluloid Dreams is teaming with Us The Homesman producer Michael Fitzgerald to sell two of his productions.
They comprise Australian director Bruce Beresford’s upcoming romantic comedy Cooking with Fernet Branca and Nae Caranfil’s English-language bank robbery comedy Closer To The Moon [pictured] starring Vera Faminga and Harry Lloyd. Celluloid is market premiering the latter.
Based on the novel by James Hamilton-Paterson, Cooking with Fernat Branca revolves around Gerald and Marta, two holidaymakers renting adjacent villas in a small hillside town in Tuscany and plays on how misperceptions men and women have of one another.
“It’s generating a lot of interest from buyers,” said Celluloid’s founding chief Hengameh Panahi.
Through her Celluloid Nightmares genre label, Panahi is also selling Zak Hilditch’s critically acclaimed apocalyptic These Final Hours which is screening in Directors’ Fortnight.
Upcoming productions...
Celluloid Dreams is teaming with Us The Homesman producer Michael Fitzgerald to sell two of his productions.
They comprise Australian director Bruce Beresford’s upcoming romantic comedy Cooking with Fernet Branca and Nae Caranfil’s English-language bank robbery comedy Closer To The Moon [pictured] starring Vera Faminga and Harry Lloyd. Celluloid is market premiering the latter.
Based on the novel by James Hamilton-Paterson, Cooking with Fernat Branca revolves around Gerald and Marta, two holidaymakers renting adjacent villas in a small hillside town in Tuscany and plays on how misperceptions men and women have of one another.
“It’s generating a lot of interest from buyers,” said Celluloid’s founding chief Hengameh Panahi.
Through her Celluloid Nightmares genre label, Panahi is also selling Zak Hilditch’s critically acclaimed apocalyptic These Final Hours which is screening in Directors’ Fortnight.
Upcoming productions...
- 5/16/2014
- ScreenDaily
Two of Us producer Michael Fitzgerald’s productions to be sold by Celluloid Dreams.
Celluloid Dreams is teaming with Us The Homesman producer Michael Fitzgerald to sell two of his productions.
They comprise Australian director Bruce Beresford’s upcoming romantic comedy Cooking with Fernet Branca and Nae Caranfil’s English-language bank robbery comedy Closer To The Moon [pictured] starring Vera Faminga and Harry Lloyd. Celluloid is market premiering the latter.
Based on the novel by James Hamilton-Paterson, Cooking with Fernat Branca revolves around Gerald and Marta, two holidaymakers renting adjacent villas in a small hillside town in Tuscany and plays on how misperceptions men and women have of one another.
“It’s generating a lot of interest from buyers,” said Celluloid’s founding chief Hengameh Panahi.
Through her Celluloid Nightmares genre label, Panahi is also selling Zak Hilditch’s critically acclaimed apocalyptic These Final Hours which is screening in Directors’ Fortnight.
Upcoming productions...
Celluloid Dreams is teaming with Us The Homesman producer Michael Fitzgerald to sell two of his productions.
They comprise Australian director Bruce Beresford’s upcoming romantic comedy Cooking with Fernet Branca and Nae Caranfil’s English-language bank robbery comedy Closer To The Moon [pictured] starring Vera Faminga and Harry Lloyd. Celluloid is market premiering the latter.
Based on the novel by James Hamilton-Paterson, Cooking with Fernat Branca revolves around Gerald and Marta, two holidaymakers renting adjacent villas in a small hillside town in Tuscany and plays on how misperceptions men and women have of one another.
“It’s generating a lot of interest from buyers,” said Celluloid’s founding chief Hengameh Panahi.
Through her Celluloid Nightmares genre label, Panahi is also selling Zak Hilditch’s critically acclaimed apocalyptic These Final Hours which is screening in Directors’ Fortnight.
Upcoming productions...
- 5/16/2014
- ScreenDaily
New films by Krzysztof Zanussi, Merab Kokochashvili and Jan Cvitkovic are among the projects from Eastern Europe being presented at platforms in Warsaw, Brindisi and Cottbus in the coming weeks.
The CentEast Warsaw-Moscow initiative will be presenting nine ‘works in progress’ from Eastern Europe on October 18 as part of Warsaw Film Festival’s CentEast Market.
The showcase will then be repeated two days later on October 20 in Moscow as part of Project For Tomorrow and, in a new development, during the Beijing Film Market next April.
The nine ‘works in progress’ include:
veteran Polish film-maker Krzysztof Zanussi’s new feature the Polish-Italian-Russian co-production Foreign Body;
Ukrainian Oles Sanin’s $2m historical drama The Guide, previously presented at Odessa’s industry platform in July;
Alexander Mitta’s art film Chagall-Malevich, which is being handled internationally by Intercinema and was given a special promo-reel screening in Venice;
Romanian Dan Chisu’s sixth feature Bucharest Nonstop about four interconnected stories...
The CentEast Warsaw-Moscow initiative will be presenting nine ‘works in progress’ from Eastern Europe on October 18 as part of Warsaw Film Festival’s CentEast Market.
The showcase will then be repeated two days later on October 20 in Moscow as part of Project For Tomorrow and, in a new development, during the Beijing Film Market next April.
The nine ‘works in progress’ include:
veteran Polish film-maker Krzysztof Zanussi’s new feature the Polish-Italian-Russian co-production Foreign Body;
Ukrainian Oles Sanin’s $2m historical drama The Guide, previously presented at Odessa’s industry platform in July;
Alexander Mitta’s art film Chagall-Malevich, which is being handled internationally by Intercinema and was given a special promo-reel screening in Venice;
Romanian Dan Chisu’s sixth feature Bucharest Nonstop about four interconnected stories...
- 9/26/2013
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Mark Strong -- who can be seen this weekend as betrayed spy Jim Prideaux in "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" -- already has another book adaption and another Cold War piece in his orbit for next year, with "John Carter" (formerly "John Carter of Mars") and "Closer to the Moon." While in New York to promote 'Tinker, Tailor,' Strong updated The Playlist about both projects, starting with 'Moon,' which he just wrapped in Romania with Vera Farmiga. "'Tinker Tailor' is about the English experience of the Cold War in the '70s, so it's very drab and beige and grey," he explained, "where 'Closer to the Moon' is brash, comedic, and almost Italian." "Closer To The Moon" is based on a true story, about a group of five intellectuals who, as a political statement against Communism, pull off a bank heist by telling the crowd that they are part of a film crew.
- 12/8/2011
- The Playlist
Disney's dance with "The Lone Ranger" just keeps getting trickier.
Deadline reports that Disney must accept the $215 million-ish budget that director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are presenting, or move forward without Verbinski... and, by extension, without Johnny Depp, who reportedly won't shoot the film without Verbinski behind the camera. Disney originally pulled the plug on "The Lone Ranger" because the budget got a bit too out of control, though last we heard they were negotiating. We'll keep you posted with further updates as soon as we have them.
Check out the rest of today's casting news after the jump!
Amy Adams To Run "The Orphanage"?
File this under rumors we'd love to see happen. Bloody Disgusting has learned that New Line is in talks with Amy Adams to play the lead role of Laura in their remake of "The Orphanage." "The Mothman Prophecies" director Mark Pellington is set to helm the project.
Deadline reports that Disney must accept the $215 million-ish budget that director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are presenting, or move forward without Verbinski... and, by extension, without Johnny Depp, who reportedly won't shoot the film without Verbinski behind the camera. Disney originally pulled the plug on "The Lone Ranger" because the budget got a bit too out of control, though last we heard they were negotiating. We'll keep you posted with further updates as soon as we have them.
Check out the rest of today's casting news after the jump!
Amy Adams To Run "The Orphanage"?
File this under rumors we'd love to see happen. Bloody Disgusting has learned that New Line is in talks with Amy Adams to play the lead role of Laura in their remake of "The Orphanage." "The Mothman Prophecies" director Mark Pellington is set to helm the project.
- 9/1/2011
- by Terri Schwartz
- MTV Movies Blog
With the popularity and critical acclaim of HBO's "Game of Thrones," David Benioff and D. B. Weiss' adaptation of George R. R. Martin's "Fire And Ice" series of novels, it was only a matter time before we started seeing the vast array of acting talent on that show moving on to film projects during the production downtime, or after their stints have ended (we'll politely overlook Jason Momoa's "performance" in "Conan"). One of 'Thrones''s other stars, Harry Lloyd (Viserys Targaryen on the show) has now scored a leading role in Nae Caranfil's period drama "Closer To The Moon" and will…...
- 9/1/2011
- The Playlist
I don't know much about British actor Harry Lloyd, but I do know that his Viserys Targaryen on HBO's excellent "Game of Thrones" is one of The best sniveling little asshole characters I've seen in any medium. It's a terrific (and hilarious) performance. Now, according to Deadline, Lloyd will be bringing those thespian skills to the lead role in Closer To The Moon. He'll play opposite Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong in the period drama "where a Jewish group of former anti-Nazi...
- 9/1/2011
- by George Merchan
- JoBlo.com
British actor Harry Lloyd, best known for playing white-haired Viserys Targaryen in HBO's "Game of Thrones" and Will Scarlett in the BBC's "Robin Hood", has scored the lead role in Nae Caranfil's period drama "Closer To The Moon" says Deadline.
Set in 1959 Bucharest, the story follows a group of Jewish former revolutionaries who're now united against the communists. After being sentenced to death for robbing a bank under the guise of staging a film shoot, they're first forced to reenact the caper for a propaganda film.
Lloyd plays a cameraman recruited to shoot that film and falls in love with Vera Farmiga's character who has a child with one of the men sentenced to die (Mark Strong).
Shooting kicks off early fall in Bucharest and Michael Fitzgerald is producing.
Set in 1959 Bucharest, the story follows a group of Jewish former revolutionaries who're now united against the communists. After being sentenced to death for robbing a bank under the guise of staging a film shoot, they're first forced to reenact the caper for a propaganda film.
Lloyd plays a cameraman recruited to shoot that film and falls in love with Vera Farmiga's character who has a child with one of the men sentenced to die (Mark Strong).
Shooting kicks off early fall in Bucharest and Michael Fitzgerald is producing.
- 8/31/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Here are a few interesting and/or noteworthy projects that were recently added to IMDbPro's database of development titles:
Closer to the Moon – Vera Farminga teams up with Mark Strong in this eastern European-set heist drama from Romanian director Nae Caranfil. Farminga plays the ex-girlfriend of Strong's corrupt cop character who stages a phony film shoot at a bank as a cover to rob the place.
Man of Tai Chi – Whoa, guess what Keanu Reeves really wants to do, dude? The Matrix star is stepping behind the camera for the first time in this U.S.-Chinese co-production set up at China Film Group and Village Roadshow. Reeves will direct and star in the project opposite established stunt guy Tiger Hu Chen.
Quantum Hoops – Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films has optioned this 2007 documentary about the losingest team in college basketball – The CalTech Beavers, who went 21 seasons without winning a single game. Moneyball scribe Stan Chervin is adapting the screenplay.
Guardians of the Galaxy – As if the all-star superhero line-up of The Avengers wasn't enough for comics giant Marvel, the studio is also prepping a feature film based on their stable of lesser-known stars, a team originally made-up of such out-of-this-world characters like Vance Astro, Charlie-27, Aleta Ogord, Martinex and Yondu, who never quite reached the level of fame that, say, Captain America, The Hulk or Thor did.
Motor City – Albert Hughes directs this jailhouse revenge thriller written by Chad St. John. Joel Silver produces.
If you know of something in the works, you can submit it via our online submission form.
Closer to the Moon – Vera Farminga teams up with Mark Strong in this eastern European-set heist drama from Romanian director Nae Caranfil. Farminga plays the ex-girlfriend of Strong's corrupt cop character who stages a phony film shoot at a bank as a cover to rob the place.
Man of Tai Chi – Whoa, guess what Keanu Reeves really wants to do, dude? The Matrix star is stepping behind the camera for the first time in this U.S.-Chinese co-production set up at China Film Group and Village Roadshow. Reeves will direct and star in the project opposite established stunt guy Tiger Hu Chen.
Quantum Hoops – Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films has optioned this 2007 documentary about the losingest team in college basketball – The CalTech Beavers, who went 21 seasons without winning a single game. Moneyball scribe Stan Chervin is adapting the screenplay.
Guardians of the Galaxy – As if the all-star superhero line-up of The Avengers wasn't enough for comics giant Marvel, the studio is also prepping a feature film based on their stable of lesser-known stars, a team originally made-up of such out-of-this-world characters like Vance Astro, Charlie-27, Aleta Ogord, Martinex and Yondu, who never quite reached the level of fame that, say, Captain America, The Hulk or Thor did.
Motor City – Albert Hughes directs this jailhouse revenge thriller written by Chad St. John. Joel Silver produces.
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- 8/12/2011
- by Eric Greene
- IMDbPro News
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