Born December 10, 1960 · Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Birth name Kenneth Charles Branagh
Spouses Lindsay Brunnock(May 24, 2003 – present) Emma Thompson(August 20, 1989 – October 1, 1995) (divorced)
QUOTES:
I think the best actors are the most generous, the kindest, the greatest people and at their worst they are vain, greedy and insecure.
I’m just a foul-mouthed Brit.
My definition of success is control.
Friendship is one of the most tangible things in a world which offers fewer and fewer supports.
It’s very strange that the people you love are often the people you’re most cruel with.
There is some mysterious thing that goes on whereby, in the process of playing Shakespeare continuously, actors are surprised by the way the language actually acts on them.
Variety is very, very good. Going from medium to medium – if you get the chance to do it – from theater to television to film, which are all distinctly different, keeps me sharp. What works in one doesn’t work in the other, and you have to be looking for the truth of the performance, whatever way that medium might demand.
[on being told he is to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth II] I was very, very, very surprised and I was very touched. Michael Caine and Roger Moore, both of whom I’ve worked with, offered only the insight that it’s handy to have the ‘kneeling stool with the handle’. Roger Moore, who has a dodgy knee, was terrified on the way to the ceremony that, having knelt down, he wouldn’t be kneeling back up again. You don’t want to move suddenly while that sword’s being wielded, I’m sure. I haven’t read of [Her Majesty] having knicked someone on the ear just yet, but perhaps I’ll be the first.
(On Judaism) You know I grew up with the same holidays and such, in an Orthodox manner, in a Kosher home, and all of that. And those are strict rules to live by that I think really shape your personality and discipline. I think they definitely, whether I knew it at the time or not, subconsciously it definitely seeped in to just create a good balance. I have a theory that most people in Hollywood are from Texas.
My career has been successful, but it’s been a grind of hard work.
We have this idea of perfection that is so unrealistic. We are our own worst enemy. No one is noticing that little scar.
Never reveal your insecurities to a man, because nine times out of 10 they have no idea they even exist.
I always describe my career as something where nothing ever popped overnight.
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PERFORMING LAND, 24min., France Directed by Marielle Gonier Performing Land aims to bear witness to a human experience, deeply nourished and influenced by the energy of Nature. Through processes of exploration and experimentation, the performer will be taken on a sensory and reflexive journey.
REVENGE OF THE BLACK WIDOW, 4min., USA Directed by Joseph Le A maidservant turned psycho leads a bloody rebellion against Tong gangsters in 1950s Chinatown, San Francisco ????
NEW WORLD, 3min,. USA Directed by Kevin Brayant Osorio New World is a chaotic and bizarre song, featuring a stop motion music video just as chaotic and just as bizarre. New World has an angular dark burn and a certain obliqueness. New World is the kind of chaos we all get
TAINTED, 11min,. Singapore Directed by Ian Wee In a world driven by corporate greed and unethical genetic experimentation, Darien, the pioneering human clone, finds himself obsolete against a superior 2nd Generation Clone, leading to his and his mentor’s targeting. Following his mentor’s death, Darien’s hidden hybrid nature—combining human and vampire DNA—surfaces during a critical confrontation, granting him unexpected survival. Marked as a “Tainted” failure yet possessing newfound powers, Darien faces an ambiguous future, embodying the narrative’s critique of ambition’s perils and the poignant fallout of manipulative sciences.
STRING HEAD, 7min., USA Directed by Matthew Vargas A man in bed, after failing to fall asleep, is forcefully kept awake by String Head – an entity made of string that psychologically tortures him by wrapping him in a cocoon made from the deepest, darkest thoughts of his mind.
PART ONE OF THE COWBOY TRILOGY, 3min., Mexico Directed by Baruq Gibran In the old west, a cowboy and a cowgirl are intertwined in a love/hate relationship, where one can´t live without the other in life and in death.
JEFF HILLIARD – MY FACE, 4min., USA Directd by Jeff Hilliard Powerful executive who has an interesting way to relieve stress through creative role-play.
DARK CIRCLES, 4min., USA Directed by Suswana Chowdhury “Dark Circles” is a surrealist short poetry film directed and produced by Suswana Chowdhury, and written by Jean-Sebastien Surena.
Get to know the writer Jean-Sebastien Surena & director Suswana Chowdhury:
What motivated you to make this film?
Jean: Sometimes I write poems that I feel beg to be consumed in a different medium. This is a piece I’ve very seldom read out loud, and have never published anywhere. The moment it was written, I knew I wanted to visualize it in some way. I sat on it for a long time, as I don’t like to rush into projects that extend to mediums I’m not as well versed in. But once I started collaborating with Suswana on other projects, and saw the care with which she handles my work, I knew it was only a matter of time until I’d finally be able to bring this work onto the screen.
Suswana: After Jean and I made our first poetry film together, “Unbroken,” we were ready to make more. I’ve always been interested in creating interdisciplinary art as I grew up creating in all these separate mediums – theater, film, poetry, dance, photography – and I wanted to explore where and how these forms can intersect. “Dark Circles” was an opportunity to translate Jean’s beautiful poetic language into cinematic language and push the visual and sonic artistry further than we did with our first project.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Jean: My first thought upon hearing the feedback was “they get it.” Which was so important to me, because I know my words will always make more sense in my head than on paper. One of the challenges of a poet is conveying at least some of what you’re thinking to a reader/listener. And I’m grateful to have had an audience that gets it, and was moved by not just the words, but the entirety of our presentation.
Suswana: To be completely honest, I started tearing up after hearing the first person speak about the film. To know that the intentions of the project really came through and resonated with the audience made me feel like okay, I’m not crazy. Well, I am crazy, but it’s good crazy.
“I made the film “Trans” knowing it would probably not be well accepted but it HAD to be made. Thank you so much for including our film. What you do is amazing and tireless. Everyone should support your efforts.”
Submit your CONTEMPORARY FICTION Book by the deadline.
A contemporary fiction novel is a work of prose that is set in the present or recent past and tells a story that could happen to real people.
Watch Novel Performance Readings:
Get FULL FEEDBACK on either the 1st chapter or entire novel book from our committee of Professional Writers, and Writing Consultants. Get your novel performed by a professional actor at the festival.
NEW OPTION: Or, just submit for an actor performance reading transcript of your novel (any 5 pages of your book). Great way to promote the sales of your book if you’re already published. (see examples on the video playlist below)
SUBMIT your novel now (both your 1st chapter or full novel accepted) To be eligible for our Writing Festival Events. Submissions take 3-5 weeks for evaluation
Submit a novel book and get it seen by the world.
A great way to get your words out there, obtain the Agent you’re looking for or just get your story seen by more people. If you win, your story will be seen by 100,000s of people when it’s read online using a top professional actor. It’s a rush you’ll never experience in your life seeing it come to life that way.
The RULES are simple:
1. Write a story. Edit the heck out of it. We accept novels in all genres.
NEW: All submissions to this contest also get a FREE LOGLINE listing on the Writing Festival site. Go to the LOGLINE submission page at http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html and submit your logline information.
In the body in the email please add your: – FULL NAME – CITY AND COUNTRY – TITLE OF STORY – TYPE OF STORY (genre, length) – (optional) and a 1-2 line synopsis of your story.
3a. FOR 1st CHAPTER of your novel – Pay the $35 submission fee (Save $15 off regular fee) via the button here:
3b. FOR the ENTIRE NOVEL feedback – Pay the $170 submission fee ($50 off regular fee) via the button below. Please put your full contact info (name, email address) on a title page:
3c. FOR Transcript Novel Video Performance Reading – Pay the $35 submission fee (Save $15 off regular fee) via the button here:
ALL SUBMITTED STORIES and FILMS GET FULL FEEDBACK – The goal of the Novel Writing Festival is to help everyone involved grow as an artist, so we will offer some kind of constructive criticism whether or not we accept your entry for the formal festival.
Watch Novels Made into a Movie:
Watch Poetry Made into a Movie:
There is no festival like this!
Mainly what this contest does is give exposure to the writer. They will be able to obtain a solid agent, plus get notice by producers looking for writers like yourself. NOTE: The writer will always own 100% rights to their story. The only thing we do is help the writer. Either with notes on their next draft, or gain exposure by having their story showcased at our festival.
Erotica is a genre of written works or art that focuses on sexual feelings and is intended to arouse similar feelings in readers:
Submit your screenplay that’s an erotica genre and/or plot line to the festival.
FULL FEEDBACK on your screenplay from our committee of Professional Screenwriters, Production Heads and Script Consultants. Get your entire script performed at the writing festival.
SUBMIT your FEATURE, TV PILOT or SHORT SCREENPLAY.
Submissions take 3-5 weeks for evaluation. Looking for screenplays from all over the world.
This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.)
1st Tier: FULL FEEDBACK on your screenplay (all submissions)
2nd Tier: Accepted scripts (25% on average of submitted entries) get a best scene of their screenplay performed by professional actors and made into a promotional video.
3rd Tier: We will send you a list of questions to answer for our blog interview that will promote you and your film.
4th Tier: Then we will set up a podcast interview on our popular ITunes show where will we will promote the winning writer and script.
(BONUS: 5th Tier. A winning screenwriter’s WhatsApp group has just been formed. Over 50 writers to date. Great way to share ideas and contacts with people in the industry.)
What this festival does is give the writer exposure. With our best scene video reading, plus the 2 interviews, this festival simply makes the screenwriter’s name and script searchable and out there to the world. Plus, submissions receive full feedback on their script no matter what.
SUBMIT your FEATURE or SHORT Screenplay TODAY You will receive feedback on your script in 3-5 weeks
The RULES are simple:
1. Write a script. Edit the heck out of it. We accept features and shorts of any genre.
In the body in the email please add your: – FULL NAME – CITY AND COUNTRY – TITLE OF SCRIPT – TYPE OF SCRIPT (feature, TV, short) – (optional) and a 1-2 line synopsis of your screenplay.
OR if you like to mail us your script with a check, please email us and we’ll make arrangements.
PLEASE ADD YOUR FULL CONTACT INFO (especially email address) on the title page of your script!
3. Pay the $50 submission fee ( via the button below or include a cheque payable to WILDsound Film Festival. Please put your full contact info (name, email address) on a title page
Also submit via FilmFreeway:
4. OR, if you like extra full feedback, make your payment here for only $100. With this, the committee points out all grammatical and structural errors in your story. Plus, it sends you an extra 2 pages of notes to enhance your rewrite. (best deal in town!)
Watch Recent Screenplay Winners
More Recent Testimonials:
WILDsound is a screenwriter’s treasure! They take enormous time to provide the most expert, detailed feedback, even allowing my choice to incorporate all the committee’s ideas or stay with my draft. With caring support, they’ve honored each deadline and every award they promised, and I’m forever grateful for their right-on insightful niggles to enhance my story. WILDsound provides everything a screenwriter needs to find the way to a story’s successful completion. I’m forever grateful! – Elan Carlton, Cahoots, Feature Script
I have taken the time to review your feedback and have found your comments and suggested invaluable. As an amateur writer, with this being my first attempt at a screenplay, it’s feedback like this that will help mold me into a stronger writer. I am taking your suggestions and comments into consideration and heading back to the drawing board. My time is limited and I do not want to rush myself. – Sarah Kochan, Feature Screenplay “Infected Romance”
Thank you for your incisive feedback on my submission. I especially appreciate the specificity with which you address areas that need improvement, and I can see how revising them will make my resubmission better. – Edythe Wise, Feature Screenplay “Orpheus Takes a Detour”
Thank you for your excellent feedback! This is my first ever script / writing attempt, so I really did need the valued advice you so clearly pointed out. – Ben Browne, Feature Screenplay “Sinjar”
Thank you very much for your email and taking the time to write such a good feedback. I really appreciate all your comments and I will definitely take them on board. No worries about being harsh – the harder the better as it helps me to improve my writing. – Andrew Chaos, Feature Screenplay “Release the Chaos”
A note from the CEO of WILDsound:
When I officially took over the Writing Festival in May 2013 from the old majority ownership, the new mandate was to showcase as many scripts, novels, plays, poems, and stories as possible. No more finalists or waiting for a reading for anyone who submitted. If your story is ready, we’ll perform it no questions asked. It’s that simple. As you can see since that time, we have showcased over 1000 stories/scripts at our festival and will continue to showcase 1000s more by the end of the decade. SEE HERE recent winning readings.
Our mandate first and foremost for all the submitters is to receive professional feedback from people in your industry, and we have an excellent rotation of talent who read and give you notes on your work. And they’ll tell you what stage your writing piece is at. If it’s not ready, you can re-submit your new draft anytime. If it’s ready, then we’ll make sure thousands of people see your reading online and you will obtain an agent if you do not yet have one.
When your work is ready, it benefits everyone. The festival, the people who approved your work, and of course the writer who wrote the piece. If we feel it is not ready, there is a reason as we try to find as much ready work as possible. Some months you’ll see us performing over 40 reading videos, and no matter what we always perform at least 20 stories/scripts a month at the festival.
We have the platform on our popular network and YouTube channel to showcase many writers using our large database of professional actors always excited to perform your work.
All of the submission fees go to the writer’s feedback, and the winning videos.
Sincerely, Matthew Toffolo, WILDsound
WATCH past and recent script winning readings! CLICK HERE and see what happens when your script wins.
History is a narrative that describes, analyzes, and questions past events, and examines the patterns of cause and effect. It’s a collection of stories told by many different people, and is subject to constant revision and reinterpretation.
Accept only stories that fit into the HISTORY genre.
In the body in the email please add your: – FULL NAME – TITLE OF STORY – TYPE OF STORY (genre, length) – A 1-2 line synopsis of your story.
Feel free to email us for any questions. We will have the video completed for you in under 4 weeks.
For short stories 2000 words or less, pay only $25 (limited time only):
For short stories 2000 to 4000 words, pay only $40 (limited time only):
For short stories 4000 to 6000 words, pay only $55 (limited time only):
For short stories 6000 to 8000 words, pay only $70 (limited time only):
There is no festival like this!
Mainly what this contest does is give exposure to the writer. They will be able to obtain a solid agent, plus get notice by producers looking for writers like yourself. NOTE: The writer will always own 100% rights to their story. The only thing we do is help the writer. Either with notes on their next draft, or gain exposure by having their story showcased at our festival.
Festival Reviews 