festival reviews

European Union Film Festival (from Nov 10 to Nov 24, 2016) – FREE!

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European Union Film Festival ventures into new programming territory with exhibitions, short films and a round table discussion

The 2016 edition of the festival will take place November 10 to 24 at the Royal Cinema euffto.com

TORONTO – The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) is thrilled to announce that for 2016 it’s venturing into new programming territory. In addition to showing 28 feature films from each of the 28 EU member countries, this year EUFF will include a round table discussion with award-winning filmmakers from the region, be part of two cinema-focused exhibitions, and showcase a selection of short films, all firsts for the Festival.

On November 12, during the EUFF’s first weekend, audiences will be able to enjoy a round table discussion on what makes a film European. Participants include Greek film industry veteran and founding member of the Hellenic Film Academy Panos Karkanevatos, the Netherlands’ multi-award-winning director Joram Lürsen, who has received both critical acclaim and great box office success with his films, and German-born, Montreal-based filmmaker Wiebke von Carolsfeld, best known for her feature Marion Bridge, which introduced a very young Ellen Page. Her latest, The Saver, has already earned her countless international nominations and will be distributed in the US in the winter.

Opening on November 16 at the Alliance Française de Toronto, the exhibition CINEMA FACES will showcase the work of Toronto-based photographer Jean-Baptiste Le Mercier, whose portrait sessions at TIFF captured the highlights of the presence of French cinema at the Festival. It will run until December 16, 2016.

EUFF is also co-presenting an exhibition, with the Goethe Institut and TIFF, celebrating New German Cinema Director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, which will feature film posters and statements from prominent international directors, including Atom Egoyan and François Ozon.  FASSBINDER 1945-1982 will run October 21 to December 20, 2016 at Toronto’s Goethe Institut.

Showcasing short films for the first time at the Festival, EUFF will be showing six student shorts from the EU, each screening in front of a feature. The titles and pairings for this selection will be announced with the Festival’s full film line-up on October 13.

About the European Union Film Festival

The European Union Film Festival (EUFF), a not-for-profit organization, strives to reflect the excellence, innovation, and diversity of European cinema in Toronto, the world’s most multicultural city. Founded in 2004 as a salve to Hollywood monotony, this free festival has grown to now showcase 28 contemporary films drawn from each of the EU’s member countries. The EUFF is a unique festival and the only one in the world to bring together disparate EU Consulates and local cultural institutes for collaboration. Represented countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. EUFFTO.COM

General Admission to EUFF events is FREE. Availability works on a first-come, first-served basis.

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 CAPSULE REVIEWS of selected Films:

CLOSING NIGHT FILM:

EVA NOVA (Slovakia 2015)  ***

Directed by Marko Skop

EVA NOVA is the closing night film for the EUFF.  The film title is also the name of the protagonist of Marko Skop’s film of redemption.   Eva was at the peak of her career as an actress when her drinking caused a downward spiral in both her family life and career. Now, at the age of 62, she is dead set on staying sober and determined to reconcile with those whose confidence she lost during the worst years of her addiction.  More than anything else, she wants to regain the love of the person she values most in life, her son Dodo.  At one point in the film, Eva complains about young directors not having enough emotion in their films.  Well, there are lots of emotion in this film, that’s for sure, particularly Eva’s.  Emília Vásáryová delivers an impressive performance as the distraught Eva.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BaWGVaslcQ

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KAISA’S ENCHANTED FOREST (FINLAND 2016) ***
Directed by Katja Gauriloff

A weird documentary about the wilderness nomadic people in Finland called Skots, the film traces the tales told to the protagonist Robert Crottet (1908-1987) by an old Skots lady called Kaisa.  One of her fairly tale sessions is enough to fill two books.  The film is shot partly in black and white with grainy scratches, reminiscent of the typical Guy Maddin film.  And just as odd too.  An additional bonus is the animation added into the storytelling.  The film is a period piece that spans the second world war and celebrates land and nature.  It also pays homage to the first settlers in Finland, displaying their way of life in term of reading reindeer, cooking and storytelling.  Never mind the loose narrative – just sit back and enjoy the story telling and wonderful black and white cinematography.  The director is Kaisa’s great grandson

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X_o1cQd5oA

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OPENING NIGHT FILM:

A NOBLE INTENTION (Publieke Werken) (Netherlands 2015) ***1/2

Directed by Joram Lürsen 

This Dutch period piece that celebrates the toil of the poor Dutch people who stand for their principles is the perfect selection for the opening film at the European Union Film Festival.  There are several stories on display, the main one being the building of the historic Victorian Hotel near the new Central Station in Amsterdam.  Old Vedder has to step aside and sell his shop making violins as it is part of the site of the planned Victoria Hotel.   Meanwhile, his cousin Anijs, pharmacist, has gotten into a fix after illegal medical practices and is looking for a way out.  For himself and his wife but also for some peat cutters whom he promises a future in the United States.   Vedder is to use the sale of his shop to finance the emigrants.  But he is too stubborn to come down in the price with the result that the Hotel builders decide to build around his who instead.  The film is quite a downer with hopelessness always in the atmosphere, despite the tacked unhappy ending.  I checked the history of the Victoria Hotel and it says that the hotel built around two ships that the owners of the hotel could to agree with.  

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/161025449 

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WHILE AYA WAS SLEEPING (Bulgaria 2015) **
Directed by Tsvetodar Markov

Seven year old Aya spends a lot of time in the theatre because her father, Asen, is an actor.   One night Aya falls asleep in the control room.  After the end of the show, intrigue, betrayal and tension in the theatre group gradually escalate all of which occur WHILE AYA WAS ASLEEP.  Asen’s illusions collapse, when he finds out that the television star, Boyan, will replace him in an upcoming premiere. Aya’s father provokes a scandal, which turns into a drunken brawl.  Will Asen succeed to rediscover himself with the unreserved support of his wife and the selfless love of his daughter?  It does not help that Ansen is depicted as a drunken hopeless has-been.  The film clearly wants the audience to side with him, but unfortunately the film does not do him justice with no redeeming qualities.  A sad, boring film about the ins and outs of theatre life that no one really cares for.  The climax of the brawl is funny but not enough to save the movie.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMZqco81AC0

Interview with the Executive Director of VanChan (The Vancouver Channel)

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vanchan_2.jpgVanChan or “The Vancouver Channel” is a North American, MONTHLY, webisode festival in where the contestants create a pilot WEB SERIES. Comedy, Drama, Cooking show? Anything goes and any genre is allowed as long as it has a Series Title, is 5 minute’s or less in length and it’s an episode 1 to a larger story you want to tell.

For more information go to: www.vanchan.ca/

Interview with Executive Director Zia Marashi

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Zia Marashi: Our festival connects emerging artists with the community of filmmakers (and film lovers) of Vancouver. Together we are shaping the film culture in our city.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend your festival?

ZM: VanChan is the best way to spend 3 hours every month. We are a budding community that supports emerging filmmakers by providing a space where ‘stretch their creative muscles’.

As an audience member, you can expect a playlist of amazing short films and night full of mingling, networking and drinks.

As a filmmaker, you can expect to meet fellow passionate filmmakers and connect face-to-face with your audience and experience.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

ZM: To qualify for VanChan we only have three rules:

1) Must be under 5 minutes
2) Must be intended to be a web series
3) Must have the Web-Series title featured on-screen at some point.

And that’s it. Oh and it has to be good. We get a lot of good stuff and we only select 5 films every month.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

ZM: I’d have to say the #1 reason for films not to be considered for film festivals is for “breaking Festival rules” – the only films VanChan.ca have immediately disqualified are those that did not follow the our 3-rule instructions (listed above).

With everyone and their mom making movies nowadays, the other main reason films don’t get ‘their fair shake’ in film festival is because of the film’s quality and creativeness. (e.g. boring / redundant story (or lack there of), poor sound quality and bad casting choices, to name a few.)

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

ZM: We at VanChan.ca were all at one point unemployed, starving artists, who grew up in the art vacuum that was Vancouver, Canada.

We love making our film festival a reality every month because our city struggles to support its local artists.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

ZM: Its only been 18 months, but our film festival has reported increases in attendance, increase in quality films and increase in brand recognition.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

ZM: To become a live streaming subscription based website.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

ZM: Me? Thats tough. Probably the LOTR triolgy. It never gets old.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

ZM: A great film is a form of ‘translation’ – great artists see the world differently and a film is how they communicate that world to us.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

ZM: Good, the BCFilm Industry is booming with work pouring in from the US – we help shoot popular TV/Film like ‘Once upon a time’, ‘Star Trek: Beyond’ and ‘A series of Unfortunate events’ – there is also a lot of support for local artists from Telus StoryHive, Crazy8s Film Society and Vancouver International Film Festival.

Our festival hopes to add onto our cities growing set of ‘wins’

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Ian Skorodin (Los Angeles Skins Festival)

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laskinsfest.jpgLA SKINS FEST annually showcases works by independent Native American filmmakers that provide insight into the beauty, complexity and diversity of Native American people. The festival helps filmmakers show their work so audiences of all ages and interests can enrich their experience and understanding of Native American cultures.

Interview with Festival Director Ian Skorodin 

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

We offer great venues, a great audience and, most importantly, we offer great support for our filmmakers. Our support system includes additional programming that includes development initiatives that offer career opportunities at the network and studio level.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival next year (2017)?

Attendees can expect to see the best movies from Native America as well as meet several talented filmmakers. This year, we are having an opening night event at the comedy central stage featuring a sketch comedy showcase of native american actors. We have several development workshops for adults and youth in partnership with networks and studios. Our mixers host the largest urban collection of Native Americans in the US located here in Los Angeles.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The LA SKINS FEST requires that films be by Native filmmakers or about Native America.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

Film festivals are a competitive field and not every film fits into the festival circuit.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

We are motivated to showcase Native American writers, directors, actors, and producers. We feel there is incredible talent that has not entered the mainstream marketplace. We want to address that absence and offer a genuine opportunity to be a part of the entertainment industry.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

The festival has grown in the amount of films we show and the level of our venue. This year we are opening at Barnsdall Art Park Gallery Theater and continue through the weekend at the Mann Chinese Theater. These are great venues with a long history in Los Angeles.

Our sponsors have also grown to include numerous studios, networks, art organizations, the City of Los Angeles and Native American tribes. This has been crucial in growing our festival and offering the best showcase for Native American filmmakers.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

in 2020, the festival will offer genuine distribution opportunities for Native American cinema. The LA SKINS FEST will showcase new Native American movies that can be used to find distribution and new opportunities for its participants.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Once Upon A Time In America.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

Strong characters with purpose offer the strongest cinematic experience.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world and is very much on the minds of everyone here.

laskinsfest_2.jpg

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Ginger Marisa Tontaveetong (ASIFA International Animation Society)

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asifa.pngTheir aim is to put the spotlight on artist and animators locally and globally. Their signature event ASIFA-South RYO Animation Festival has been running for 14 years. With local panels involving professional locally as well as a monthly online panel with professionals in the industry around the world from Canada to the West Coast to Asia, they seek to provide our members and local community with the latest update of know-how.

URL: http://www.asifa-south.com

Interview with Ginger Marisa Tontaveetong

 Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Ginger Marisa Tontaveetong: Our film festival has succeeded in extending exposures for our filmmakers/animators beyond the life of the festival to worldwide locations. With our screening selection from RYO (Southern Spotlights), the block is shared with ASIFA (International Animation Society) chapters around the world in which content is selected to screen around the world with participating locations such as Colorado, Australia, China, and more.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival next year (2017)?

GMT: In 2017, we are planning to increase the size of our screening and really focus on spotlighting our filmmakers. As we have two annual signature screenings each year: RYO animation and International Animation Day screenings, we will be consolidating the two screenings into two different blocks. These blocks are competitive. As with 2016 RYO, the judges were industry professionals based in Atlanta ranging from Directors to Producer from the Emmy award animated series Archer to Bento Box Entertainment’s HULU web series The Awesome. We will also be arranging a Animation VERSUS Puppetry Smackdown event along with other professional industry panels. But perhaps most of all, at heart, we keep our filmmakers our top priority and aim for visibility and promotions. We are planning to have a platform for filmmakers in attendance to be able to showcase and talk more about their work and introduce them to the natives and local artists/ animators in Atlanta. Our RYO screening is held in the landmark Plaza Theatre and in addition to our Atlanta location for International Animation Day this year, we also are screening our International Animation Day selection in Savannah’s Trustee Theater.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

GMT: Films selected for 2017 may fall under two different categories:
For Southern Spotlights: Qualifications are for animation that are created by animators in South US or have southern ties (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, etc. Maryland included) These films will be selected for trade and showcase on International Animation Day screenings with other ASIFA chapters (50+) around the world. They must not be longer than 15 mins. and have 70% animated content. Puppetry entries are also accepted. This is a competitive category with a Best in Show and Audience Choice Award.

For International category, all animated shorts are accepted with a special attention to animation that addresses diversity, issues, and relevant world contents. This category is a showcase with one award called Animation for All that focuses on best entry for its content.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

GMT: This is true. Film festivals are very subjective and sometimes filmmakers may not realize why their entries do no qualify as festivals rarely provide feedback as to why a film is rejected. Our screening is focused on Animation so while there are content that are great that are life action, they are disqualified right away because those do not fit our qualifications. Another criteria is based on length of content and sound quality. If an animation is too long and content is not strong throughout, it may be brushed over in favor for two shorter animated shorts. From my experience, a lot of things are also very subjective to the taste of the juries and committees involved. In other cases, I’ve also seen some animation picked because of the names they are attached to as opposed to the quality because some festivals believe a bigger name will get them more audiences. We have actually passed over some big-named entries because we didn’t believe the content this round was as strong as their other works or the works submitted by other filmmakers.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

GMT: ASIFA-SOUTH as an organization hangs on four main goals, two directly related to the festival are promotion of artist visibility and diversity in animation. In order to make sure filmmakers have a platform to showcase their film and encourage animators to produce independent work, we aim to make sure their work gets as much exposure as possible around the world. We also strongly are conscious in our choices to make sure our picks are diverse not only in technique but in narrative and have content that promotes LGBT themes, politics, and functionality diversity. We want not just diversity in content but to showcase the stories directly from representational filmmakers as we believe it is important to hear directly from minority groups their stories in their own vision.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

GMT: ASIFA-SOUTH was established about two decades ago as ASIFA-Atlanta. Our path as an organization and the screenings have changed alot since a turnover change of committee members in 2014 with a stronger and more urgent vision of what animation can be for the world and how it can influence the coming generation. We have started to focus more on diversity as a core message, with a very diverse committee with all representation of gender and race (Of our 15 committee members, we have representation in LGBT, equal parts gender, Asian, Blacks, Caucasians, Latino, etc)

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

GMT: By 2020, we will move into expansion of becoming an Animation Conference with the animation screenings as part of the hi-light. We aim to become a professional hub which caters to the advancement of the animation industry in the South. We also see ourselves working with more of our other festival partners to maximize exposure for animators so expect to see a screening of our programs not only in Atlanta but neighboring states as well so that filmmakers, especially those in the South, will be able to conveniently visit their closest location to see their films and engage with the audiences better.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

GMT: This would be a tie-in with Jurassic Park chronicles, Deep Blue Sea, and Tremors…I love animation but I also really love creature features.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

GMT: Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder but if you are making a film you are passionate about, be it narrative or abstract, that makes it a great film.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

GMT: Atlanta is a great hub for filmmakers and is booming. Due to the tax incentive here, it is one of the top locations for the film industry with lots of activities. We also have a lot of supporting organization and an amazing art/film community such as Film Bar Monday, where industry professionals gather each Monday to mingle without business cards, Atlanta Film Society that really pushes out filmmaker works with year round programs and support, as well as support groups and agency such as My Animation Life that does recruitment for animators, Art is King which supports entrepreneurial skills for artists, Georgia Production Partnership that protects the film tax incentive (up to 30%), and Georgia Game Development Association that hosts the biggest Game and Interactive Development conference in the South East (SIEGE). As a community, this is really the rising backbone of indie films and what we are working to support. We also have the Puppetry Center of Art here that support puppeteers and filmmakers with grants to create their own performance and films.

asifa_2.png

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival

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by Gilbert Seah

The fifth annual Evolution! Mallorca Int’l Film Festival will be held from November 3 – 12  It is one of the fastest growing film festivals in the Mediterranean. 

The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF) attracts over 2000 attendees from over 20 countries worldwide.  In 2016, EMIFF aims to expand the presence of international filmmakers and strengthen its position within the worldwide film festival calendar.  Since it’s 2012 inception, the number of films screened has tripled, counting over 70 movies from 22 countries during the 2015 festival program.  Ticket sales have continuously increased, selling out 90% of all EMIFF screenings and events.  In conjunction with its sister-screening event in Hollywood, CA, EMIFF is becoming an international launching pad for promising new talent in all film genres. 

EMIFF is proud to partner with sponsors who support the arts and emerging artists.

2016 EMIFF Gold Sponsors include: Premier FX. Silver Sponsors include First Mallorca Real Estate. Additional sponsors include: Rialto Living, Finca Hotel Can Coll, Perrier Jouet, Port Adriano, Govern de las Islas Baleares, Ajuntamiento de Palma, Consell de Mallorca, Islas Baleares Film Commission, Mallorca Film Commission, Mercedes AutoVidal and Museum of Contemporary Art Es Baluard.

The EMIFF is also a true destination event, with spectacular scenery in which to show high quality international films amidst the natural beauty of the island of Mallorca.  It has has quickly become a hot destination, popular with locals and film goers around the world who come in for the festival’s screenings, celebrity attendees, and numerous industry and special events. 

This year, the festival will honour Danny DeVito with a special tribute award in-person.

More information on the festival is here:

http://www.evolutionfilmfestival.com/eiff-contact

The festival was founded and is directed by a talented young festival director German actress Sandra Seeling Lipski.  Sandra is a buzzed about festival director on the international scene, and her multifaceted career as a successful festival director / actress / filmmaker, with an unusual international background, marks her as someone truly unique.

Events include Opening and Closing Night Galas

Gala Tribute to Iconic Actor/Director Danny DeVito

Spotlight Screenings of acclaimed feature films WILD and HEAVY HEART – festival spotlight on New German Cinema

Screening of Documentary OASIS SUPERSONIC and Spanish premiere of TOUR DE FRANCE with Gerard Depardieu.

The festival will present 17 films in Narrative feature and 6 in Documentary feature Competition, 18 short films, as well as additional events and special screenings.  Special events include the Opening Night Screening of El Destierro, produced by local Goya nominated filmmakers Toni Bestard, Marcos Cabotá and Diana de la Cuadra. Centerpiece is the Evolution Honorary Award Presentation to iconic filmmaker Danny DeVito, Spotlight Screening of acclaimed narrative film A Heavy Heart (Winner for Best Actor in a leading role at 2015 German Film Awards), a Closing Night Screening of Tour de France, starring Gerard Depardieu, and an Awards gala at Mercado Gastronómico San Juan.

Festival passes and individual tickets are available at present.

Ticket sales and additional festival information can be found at: 

www.evolutionfilmfestival.com

FESTIVAL FILM SLATE BELOW:

 

OPENING NIGHT FILM

El Destierro, Director: Arturo Rui (Spain) Spanish Premiere. 

Two soldiers are forced to live together in a small bunker. The intense war outside will soon erupt between them.

Cast and Crew will be in attendance

 

SPOTLIGHT GALA SCREENING

Sky, Director: Fabienne Berthaud (France) 

Romy is on holiday in the USA with her French husband, Richard, the journey wears out the couple. After an ultimate fight, Romy decides to break free. Actors: Diane Krüger (Troy, Inglorious Bastards), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead). 

Director will be in attendance. 

 

CENTERPIECE GALA TRIBUTE & SCREENING – HONORING Danny DeVito

Legendary actor/director Danny DeVito will be honored with the inaugural Evolution Honorary Award. The Evolution Honorary Award is given to an iconic and visionary filmmaker who inspires audiences, breaks boundaries, and has created visionary entertainment that has touched generations. Danny DeVito’s tremendous body of work exemplifies storytelling passion and skill. We are proud to present a screening of Mr. DeVito’s classic 1989 film The War of the Roses, followed by a conversation with Mr. DeVito.

 

CLOSING NIGHT GALA SCREENING & AWARDS PARTY

Tour de France, Director: Rachid Djaidani (France)

A young Muslim rapper is forced to spend some time with a crotchety white racist. Enemies become friends, and learn a little something about the banality of their ignorance.

 

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Luca Tanzt Leise, Director: Philipp Eichholtz (Germany) 

After years of depression Luca reinvents herself with the help of new friends. 

 

Nirgendwo, Director: Matthias Starte (Germany) 

A stranger in his own life, Danny reluctantly returns to his childhood home after his father’s sudden passing. He rediscovers his hometown as a summery paradise.

 

Anna’s Life, Director: Nino Basilia (Georgia)

Anna a single mom is forced to take four jobs to support herself and her autistic son, she decides to leave Georgia but it’s easier said than done. Director will be in attendance. 

 

A Heavy Heart, Director: Thomas Stuber (Germany) 

A former East German boxing champion working as a bouncer and debt collector reflects on life when he is diagnosed with ALS. 

 

Pura Vida (After Words), Director: Juan Feldman (US)

A librarian facing a mid-life crisis travels to Costa Rica in search of enjoying life to the fullest. 

 

Kiss Me Kill Me, Director: Casper Andreas (US)

While confronting his unfaithful boyfriend, Dusty blacks-out. When he comes to, his boyfriend has been murdered and he’s the prime suspect. Director will be in attendance. 

 

Parasol, Director: Valéry Rosier (Belgium)

Holiday time, a Mediterranean island. The determination, no matter the cost, to make things change. Nostalgia for a past that never existed.

 

Bittersweet Days, Director: Marga Melià (Spain)

Julia rents a room to Luuk. Their cohabitation will make them rethink their lives: are they living the way they really want to? Director will be in attendance. 

 

Where to Miss?, Director: Manuela Bastian (Germany) 

We follow Devki’s story, as it tell us why Indian women find it difficult to free themselves from their traditional roles.

 

Dusky Paradise, Director: Gregory Kirchhoff, (Germany – Made in Baleares)

After the death of his parents a young man travels to Mallorca to live in their house and look after their turtle. 

Director in attendance. 

 

Autumn Fall, Director: Jan Vardøen (Norway)

Ingvld entangles herself with two men, it is a very dangerous journey.

 

Buddymoon, Director: Alex Simmons (US)

Jilted groom David is convinced by his best man Flula to continue with his planned honeymoon. Lead actress Lilith Stangenberg in attendance. 

 

Hotel Problemski, Director: Manu Riche (Belgium)

For the refugees of the multinational residential centre somewhere in Europe, this black comedy reveals their daily stuggles and laughs.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

Oasis: Supersonic, Director: Mat Whitecross (UK)

An in-depth look at the life and music of Manchester-based rock band, Oasis. 

 

The Karamazoffs (A walk on the SoHo years), Director: Juan Gamero (Spain)

In the 1960s, New York’s SoHo was occupied by artists from around the world, The Karamazoffs, a group of Barcelona artists relive their experience during those wild years in SoHo.

 

In Europe’s shadow, Director: Florian Schnell (Germany) 

Human rights activist Elias Bierdel commentates throughout the film and meets refugees from different countries and activists. 

 

De Lola à Laila, Director: Milena Bochet (Spain) 

From mother to daughter the film shifts to a reflection about female emancipation, fight, movement and cinema.

 

The Key to Dalí, Director: David Fernández (Spain) 

Tomeu L’Amo, a Majorcan scientist and artist bought an unknown painting in an antique shop 25 years later, he tries everything to get it certified as a real Dalí. Cast&Crew will be in attendance. 

 

CAPSULE REVIEWS for the opening and closing night films will be added during the weekend.

OPENING NIGHT FILM:


EL DESTIERRO (THE EXILE) (Spain 2015) ***1/2
Directed by Arturo Ruiz Serrano

The film’s intriguing plot sees two Spanish soldiers are guarding an outpost during wartime and discover a polish woman, hurt and unconscious.  Writer/director Serrano leaves the audience to figure which war it is, not that it matters.  When Teo (Chani Martin), the religious one is first sent to the deserted outpost in the midst of a harsh winter, his beliefs run heard to head with the more animalistic Silverio (Eric Frances).  Things get worse when a beautiful Polish girl Monika Kowalska shows up wounded.   Silverio aims at satisfying his sexual urges while Teo wants her delivered as an enemy to the army.   They nurse her back to health.  The film serves as both a thriller and a character study of the three characters.  Each one is given due importance thoughSerrano gives the film a bias towards Teo’s point of view.  One thing about the film is that one can never guess what is going to happen next – both in terms of incident or character development.   An overall absorbing film.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/152586406

SPOTLIGHT GALA:

SKY (France/Germany 2015) ***
Directed by Fabienne Berthaud

A runaway movie in which the runaway is a female fed up with her marriage.  Romy (Diane Kruger) and Richard (Gilles Lellouche) are a French couple on vacation in America. They play at being free and wild in the California desert, but can’t escape the shadow hanging over their relationship. A drunken night in a bar leads to a violent confrontation. Romy sees a chance to remake her life.  She accidentally bashes Richard’s head with a lamp and flees the scene.  In the process, she undergoes a series of adventures, finding her true love at the same time.  It is a female flick with a lot of segments offering a woman’s point of view.  Just like WILD, the female seems to encounter friendly harmless males.  The film is called SKY because it is always changing.  And so do the events in the story.  They keep changing so that nothing is expected, which could be a good thing and bad as well.  The film is an ok watch but stretches the audience’s credibility.  At least Kruger and Lellouche are totally watchable.

Interview with Festival Director Daniel Hoyos (Seattle Shorts Film Festival)

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seattle_shorts.jpgSeattle Shorts Film Festival may feature short films, but big things are in the works for the sixth year. This year the festival will be three days, Friday November 11th to Sunday the 13th, with new program elements. Seattle Shorts once again received over 1,000 films from Pacific Northwest, national, and international filmmakers. Seattle audiences should be ready to watch a wide variety of films this year, from music videos to shorts to even a full feature film.

http://www.seattleshort.org/

Interview with Daniel Hoyos

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Daniel Hoyos: The Seattle Shorts Film Festival succeeds at giving filmmakers a one of a kind experience where they can interact with Hollywood stars, and indie filmmakers at the same event while watching each other’s work on the big screen.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

DH: We’re very excited to announce Fatima Ptacek the voice of Dora the Explorer will be joining us for a special screening of Before I Disappear Friday November 11th 7:00pm at the SIFF Film Center. Also this year we’re throwing a dance party at the Seattle Center pavilion, and we’re excited to host two awesome panels focusing on learning more about how to navigate film festivals, and young actors in the business.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

DH: Each year we get about 13,000 submissions roughly so, selecting the best shorts is not always such an easy task. The Seattle Shorts Film Festival accepts films from 5 minutes to 30 minute in length in the following categories Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Music Video, and College Student.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

DH: As a filmmaker myself I do believe that some films don’t get a fare shake at the film festival, but also in defense of programmers it can be very difficult to program shorts just based on quality alone. When selecting films we also have to take into account the length, which is very essential because, of our limited time slots.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

DH: The Seattle Shorts staff has always takes great pride in being able to help independent filmmakers reach a wider audience, and provide a unique venue to showcase their short films. Being able to see filmmakers, actors, and producers go on to bigger and more exciting heights is the most rewarding experience working at Seattle Shorts Film Festival.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

DH: Since 2009 the founding year of the Seattle Shorts Film Festival, we’ve grown in size from a single day event to a full two-day festival at the SIFF Film Center. The festival has also grown to include panels, discussions, and more parties for filmmakers during the weekend long event.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

DH: We’re very excited to announce the Seattle Shorts Film Festival, will be moving to the Uptown Theater in Queen Anne for 2017 which, is a bigger theater owned by SIFF by moving to a larger venue this will allow us to grow our audience even more.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

DH: That’s a tough question, but I will probably say “Back to the Future” which is a fantastic film that has stood the test of time because, of the rich characters and the way Robert Zemeckis was able to make the film very relatable.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

DH: The acting is always the first thing that draws me into any type of film.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

DH: The film scene is Seattle has grown quite a bit over the last 5 years; in fact we have double the number of film festivals that I sometime lose count of just how many we have in the area. The main part of the Seattle Shorts mission is always to help grow the Seattle film community.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Directors Nicolas Iordanou & Sylvia Nicolaides (Paphos International Film Festival)

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The Paphos International Film Festival (PIFF) is an annual festival held every June in Paphos in the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. PIFF is an independent not-for-profit organization committed to supporting authentically independent films and it aims to research, promote and develop the art of independent filmmaking. We support low (or no) budget films because we strongly believe that they are worth a chance. PIFF is a platform giving a voice to directors and filmmakers who work with very little, but have a lot to give.

Facebook | Website  (Open for submissions until April 21st, 2017)

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers? 

Nicolas Iordanou & Sylvia Nicolaides: Paphos International Film Festival is the only film festival of the city of Paphos, which is also the European Capital of Culture in 2017. Our aim is to support, promote and develop the art of independent cinema. We want to support films that were produced with a low (or sometimes zero) budget, because we believe that they are worth a chance. PIFF is a platform giving a voice to directors and filmmakers who work with very little, but have a lot to give. We, the directors of the festival, understand this because we are also independent filmmakers and we recognize the difficulties.

Each year, in each category, there is an Audience Award, where the audience gets to vote for the films that were the most inspiring to them. We believe that it is a great honor to receive an award given by the audience.

We also arrange a ‘meet and greet’ get-together with the directors and producers/distributors that attend the festival, and encourage them to exchange ideas, interests and create possible new collaborations.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)? 

NI & SN: Three days of open-air cinema, with ice cold drinks with friends and of course a great selection of independent films from all over the world.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films? 

NI & SN: We appreciate and value independent films that were made from directors and filmmakers who have something to say that is essential and genuine. We look for filmmakers that manage to connect themselves in a personal way with their film and at the same time reflect the issues that concern today’s society.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why? 

NI & SN: Some films get lost due to the large number of submissions that the festival receives and that’s where we come in: because we want to take on the films that did not make it in other film festivals, just because they have not been filmed with the best cameras, the best lighting, etc. We support these productions that despite the difficulties, they have strong and essential ideas, they have quality, and we can see their potential.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival? 

NI & SN: Our own personal experiences as independent filmmakers. We also have to work sometimes with very little, and we would like to show our support and give a voice to all the filmmakers out there who have a vision, a passion, and want to tell compelling and inspirational stories.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception? 

NI & SN: It is only our second year, but we are determined to keep improving and keep this festival growing and becoming part of the city. PIFF has four categories: International short films, Cypriot short films, Student short films and a Special Category. The Special Category’s thematic is changing every year: last year we dedicated this category to films about refugees and immigrants and we had many powerful films and documentaries on that subject. The most moving part was that because of this, we had many Syrian refugees in our audience who came especially to watch them and this brought them closer to the locals who were attending the festival. This year, we dedicate the festival to our dear friend and a great Cypriot artist Costas Economou (1925 – 2016), so our Special Category is devoted to films about art, artists and art forms.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020? 

NI & SN: We hope to start a tradition of cinema in our city, a film festival that will inspire people and that will bring people together. Our aim is to make this festival part of the city. We are working on growing and evolving our network, bringing together different elements of the industry, like filmmakers, distributors, producers, actors, artists, and start a constructive dialogue about social, environmental, political and personal issues that are essential to us, through new collaborations between us.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life? 

NI & SN: Darren Aronofsky’s Pi (Π). We love its thematic and the fact that he produced it with such a low budget by asking friends and relatives to support him with small amounts of money. We appreciate the spirit of making a film possible without having a budget. What is admirable, and that is what we would like to pass to the emerging filmmakers, that no matter the difficulties, there are always ways to make a film and share it with the world.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film? 

NI & SN: A great script and the desire to translate it in the best possible visual way.

MT: How is the film scene in your city? 

NI & SN: Unfortunately it is very limited and almost nonexistent. That is why both of us, as filmmakers and as the directors of this festival, we are now creating the environment through filmmaking courses, workshops, lectures and through the festival itself and everything is encompasses. Our mission statement is that instead of complaining of all the things that do not exist in our city, we ourselves with our community, are trying to cultivate the film culture here with our vision and actions.

THE DIRECTORS:

Sylvia Nicolaides studied Fine Arts in Chelsea College of Art and Design (University of the Arts) London and received a Master’s Degree in Audio-Visual Studies in the Academy of Performing Arts, in the Film and Television department (FAMU) in Prague, Czech Republic. She participated in several group art exhibitions and her films were awarded and screened at several film festivals both in Cyprus and internationally. In 2013 she participated in the exhibition ‘Catharsis/Rebirth’ in Paphos, Cyprus and co-directed a short film presentation from it, which was selected and presented in the Louvre Museum in Paris as part of the Michelangelo Pistoletto’s exhibition ‘Annee Un – Le Paradis Sur Terre’. She is the co-founder of Kimonos Art Center in Paphos, and the co-founder and co-director of the Paphos International Film Festival (PIFF).

Nicolas Iordanou studied Photography at Columbia College Chicago. From 2001 until 2006 he worked as a photojournalist, dealing with conflict and postwar photography in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Palestine/Israel, Uganda, Lebanon and also covered the September 11 attacks in New York City. He also collaborates pro bono with the United Nations (UNHCR). In 2005 he was invited by the Goethe Institut as a reviewer in the 1st Photography Festival of Berlin. In 2007, he was assigned to photograph an international project called ‘Challenging Walls’ in collaboration with Akademie der Künste – Berlin and Sibylle Bergmann, whose goal was to bring conflicted communities closer, having a common vision of peace and coexistence. In 2013 he participates in the exhibition ‘Catharsis/Rebirth’ in Paphos, Cyprus and co-directs a short film presentation from it, which was selected and presented in the Louvre Museum in Paris as part of the Michelangelo Pistoletto’s exhibition ‘Annee Un – Le Paradis Sur Terre’. He directed documentaries and short films that were awarded and screened around the world. He is the co-founder of Kimonos Art Center in Paphos and co-director of Paphos International Film Festival in

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Danny MAlin (YES! Let’s make a Movie Film Festival)

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yes_logoThis festival aims to bring together all corners of the globe to share passion of filmmakers.

Interview with Festival Director Danny MAlin 

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

-We are a platform geared towards our local community getting an opportunity to share their work infront of their peers. We are also an international festival offering the chance for international works to get recognized in a market with diverse talents.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

-The Festival this year will have tones of glamor and exposure and a chance for many to get connected and network heavily within our Montreal market.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

A wide variety of categories are allowing films to be selected, including best actors, directors, quality cinematography, humor and above all great work.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

-Some films do not stand a chance, and as a filmmaker myself, we understand it can be disappointing to not receive recognition, however, rejection is a good way for a filmmaker to take a good look at their work and ask themselves how they can step it up.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

-Pro activity. Monkey See-Monkey Do. When people such as myself (Danny MAlin-Festival Director) lead by example of doing and creating works, others get fired up and inspired to make their own works.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

-The Festival started out as a film race, and turned into an international festival. Branching worldwide and seeing what the rest of the world is doing allows artists to broaden their subject matter.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

-5 times greater than the awesome it is already.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

– Myself(Danny MAlin), I watched Beetlejuice more than 60 times when I was a child, one of my latest films SWEET AS was heavily influenced by that film.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

-Good sound quality, unique storyline and tolerable actors.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

-We are a passionate film city with immense potential of superstar actors, waiting for a break.

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Danny MAlin, a studied actor at various institutions in Montreal, LA, and NYC, grew up playing and winning many championships in baseball and hockey. He took his leadership skills and eased his way into Directing, having created more than 200 original works since 2010.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Jon Mercurio Knight (Wasteland Film Festival)

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wasteland_logo.jpgThe Wasteland Film Festival is entering its fifth year and only growing bigger. The highlight short films with especially post-apocalyptic subject matter and, in addition, alternative films displaying a certain character right at home in the post nuke society. Films meeting certain criteria will be screened as part of the competition, others will simply be for exhibition.

http://wastelandweekend.com/wasteland-film-festival

Interview with Festival Director Jon Mercurio Knight

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Jon Mercurio Knight: We’re building exposure and bringing films from across the world into the hands of those who wouldn’t normally have access to many of these films. Also, many regular attendees to Wasteland Weekend, the event the Wasteland Film Festival takes place at, come from the LA area as well as from across the United States (and some from overseas). All tickets to Wasteland Weekend have already sold out, so we’re talking thousands of people.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

JMK: A 4 day, post apocalyptic party in the desert with mandatory costume. The main area is built like something out of Mad Max.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

JMK: To fit in any of our categories. Post Apocalyptic. Sci-fi. Horror. Atmospheric/Weird. Music Videos. Animated.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

JMK: I think Post Apocalyptic is an often overlooked genre, that our festival showcases in addition to our other categories. There are a lot of fans of post apocalyptic films, but until the new Mad Max came out, the bigger studios had little to no interest in such films. Here and there, we’d see something, but I think it was adopted far more by independent cinema than maintream cinema.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

JMK: The love of films and showcasing really solid work that meet our standards of excellence.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

JMK: Our first year started with two queen bed sheets tied to the back of a trailer. Our next year, Wasteland Weekend built us a theater space and a nice sized post apocalyptic screen. Each year has seen some kind of new progression. Last year was our first having dedicated prize support money and we upped the money we’re awarding this year.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

JMK: We will have a fully enclosed, air conditioned daytime theater (actually, we’re planning on that for next year), which will allow us to show films during the day rather than wait for the night. We’ll also have encore based shows in LA with Wasteland Weekend support and possibly Sacramento. We’ll just keep getting bigger and better!

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

JMK: So many, hard to count them all. But the fundamental core films would have to be the original Star Wars trilogy.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

JMK: A film that takes you along a journey without anything to pull you out, that moves you, that thrills you, that gets you involved in its characters, that makes you invest in it until the credits roll.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

My city is Sacramento, which is not where the film festival takes place at. LA, the nearest big city to the festival speaks for itself.

Picture: https://www.facebook.com/202104576555906/photos/a.202121123220918.31863.202104576555906/449138335185861/?type=1&theater

Our Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wasteland-Film-Festival-202104576555906/

Our Filmfreeway link: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/WastelandFilmFestival

About Jon Mercurio Knight: A filmmaker, writer, and graphic designer. I have always had a passion for films and have always wanted to present and showcase films to others. That’s why I started up the Wasteland Film Festival, earned the respect of the WW staff by creating a professional end result, with quality films submitted from around the world. Each year presents new challenges, technical challenges, and stresses, and each year, the festival happens thanks to my unyielding determination to create the best possible film festival.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Fesival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to http://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Movie Review: WALK, 1min, Netherlands, Dance/Experimental (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERWALK, 1min, Netherlands, Dance/Experimental
Directed by Nicola Balhuizen Hepp

“The day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.” Jean Cocteau

Seen at the July 2016 Under 5min. FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Clear your mind of any conventional cinema and open it to the world of experiential and interactive dance and you have a foundation for WALK by Nicola Balhuizon Hepp. The sound design is reminiscent of the low-hum of industrial white noise, and the lighting is highly stylistic, the ultimately affect being something almost other-worldly. This is appropriate for a film like WALK because it offers no clear questions, and no easy answers.

It showcases two unnamed men, dancers Aimar Perez Gali and Rolf Hepp, who may actually be portraying the same character at different stages in life. Both performers, clearly skilled in modern dance, artistically move themselves through a dark void space using what appears to be every creative movement except walking. A metaphor it seems for fluid, but often aimless, movement through life.

If you enjoy the interpretive and the avant-garde, then WALK will be an enjoyable experience. It has interesting imagery, powerful spectacle and indeed, beautiful movement of the human body. Perhaps one way WALK is more powerful as a piece of cinema than it would be a live dance performance, is that the audience is privileged by the means of the camera to look more intimately on the performer. One frame in particular is a close up on the dancer’s bare foot, a detail given emphasis that may have been missed in a live performance.

WALK is an intimate experience, and yet it leaves you with no real answers as to how it wants you to feel. Some may argue in this way it is a perfect metaphor for life itself- captivating, intriguing and coming to an end in what seems like far to short a time.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film: