Dissident Iranian film professionals are calling on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to consider an alternative film to represent Iran in 2024 Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category rather than the one submitted this week as the country’s official entry.
Iran’s government-controlled Farabi Cinema Foundation said Tuesday that it had selected Reza Mirkarimi’s The Night Guardian as the country’s submission to the 96th Academy Awards.
The announcement comes just days after the first anniversary of the beginning of the Woman Life Freedom protests, provoked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022, after her police detention for not wearing her veil correctly.
More than 500 protestors have been killed by Iranian security forces over the past year and thousands have been injured. A number of directors including Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and most recently Saeed Roustayi have wound up in jail in a related...
Iran’s government-controlled Farabi Cinema Foundation said Tuesday that it had selected Reza Mirkarimi’s The Night Guardian as the country’s submission to the 96th Academy Awards.
The announcement comes just days after the first anniversary of the beginning of the Woman Life Freedom protests, provoked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022, after her police detention for not wearing her veil correctly.
More than 500 protestors have been killed by Iranian security forces over the past year and thousands have been injured. A number of directors including Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and most recently Saeed Roustayi have wound up in jail in a related...
- 9/20/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s ‘Drive My Car’ secures eight nods.
Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave leads the nominations for this year’s Asian Film Awards (Afa) with 10 nods including best film and best director.
Korean films have secured nominations in every category for the 16th edition of the awards, which will return to Hong Kong for the first time in three years, having been hosted in Busan for two years and not held in 2022.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Korean romantic noir Decision To Leave premiered in Competition at Cannes last May, where Park won best director. As...
Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave leads the nominations for this year’s Asian Film Awards (Afa) with 10 nods including best film and best director.
Korean films have secured nominations in every category for the 16th edition of the awards, which will return to Hong Kong for the first time in three years, having been hosted in Busan for two years and not held in 2022.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
Korean romantic noir Decision To Leave premiered in Competition at Cannes last May, where Park won best director. As...
- 1/6/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Park Chan-wook’s stylish crime drama Decision to Leave leads the nominations for this year’s Asian Film Awards with a sweeping 10 nods, including Best Director and Best Film.
The film’s impressive nominations haul also includes a Best Screenplay nod and acting nominations for leads Park Hae-il and Tang Wei, as well as below-the-line recognition for Cinematography, Editing, Music, and Production Design.
Decision to Leave follows a detective (Park Hae-il) investigating a man’s death in the mountains when he meets the dead man’s mysterious wife, a suspect in the case, and begins a tangled affair. The film debuted at Cannes where Park won the Best Director prize. Korea has also submitted the film as its entry for the international feature Oscar race.
Japanese filmmaker Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Drive My Car trails with eight nominations. The epic road movie also debuted at Cannes, but in 2021. Elsewhere, Hirokazu Koreeda...
The film’s impressive nominations haul also includes a Best Screenplay nod and acting nominations for leads Park Hae-il and Tang Wei, as well as below-the-line recognition for Cinematography, Editing, Music, and Production Design.
Decision to Leave follows a detective (Park Hae-il) investigating a man’s death in the mountains when he meets the dead man’s mysterious wife, a suspect in the case, and begins a tangled affair. The film debuted at Cannes where Park won the Best Director prize. Korea has also submitted the film as its entry for the international feature Oscar race.
Japanese filmmaker Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Drive My Car trails with eight nominations. The epic road movie also debuted at Cannes, but in 2021. Elsewhere, Hirokazu Koreeda...
- 1/6/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
An Iranian government official has warned that action will be taken against celebrities who publicly show support for anti-government protests, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
These demonstrations have garnered an unprecedented level of public support from a number of prominent figures in Iran’s cultural, media and sporting spheres, who previously have not openly commented on the political situation in their country.
Mohsen Mansouri, governor of the province of Tehran, said the authorities would be dealing with “celebrities who fanned the flames of riots and with those who sign [lucrative] contracts with radio and television, but in a time of riots take a stand against security and order.”
“Of course, we may not deal with some cases immediately due to material reasons, but without a doubt we will deal with them after a few days and at the right time,” he was reported as...
These demonstrations have garnered an unprecedented level of public support from a number of prominent figures in Iran’s cultural, media and sporting spheres, who previously have not openly commented on the political situation in their country.
Mohsen Mansouri, governor of the province of Tehran, said the authorities would be dealing with “celebrities who fanned the flames of riots and with those who sign [lucrative] contracts with radio and television, but in a time of riots take a stand against security and order.”
“Of course, we may not deal with some cases immediately due to material reasons, but without a doubt we will deal with them after a few days and at the right time,” he was reported as...
- 9/29/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmakers including Shirin Neshat, Bahman Ghobadi, Ali Abbasi and Asghar Farhadi have spoken out in the wake of the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman Masha Amini.
Iranian filmmakers and actors have spoken out in defiance against the Iranian government in an open letter, calling on “every filmmaker in the world” to support the protests against the government following the death of Iranian woman Masha Amini while in police custody.
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, was arrested in Tehran for wearing her hijab too loosely. It has been reported that she was tortured by officers before dying in police custody...
Iranian filmmakers and actors have spoken out in defiance against the Iranian government in an open letter, calling on “every filmmaker in the world” to support the protests against the government following the death of Iranian woman Masha Amini while in police custody.
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, was arrested in Tehran for wearing her hijab too loosely. It has been reported that she was tortured by officers before dying in police custody...
- 9/26/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Iranian filmmakers have united in penning an open letter to their friends and colleagues across the film industry, requesting their support in defending the rights of Iran’s people.
The letter comes after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody, allegedly by police brutality, after her arrest for not wearing her hijab in accordance with government standards.
Their letter reads:
Dear Friends and Colleagues
Brave Iranians have taken to the streets across the country shouting “woman, life, liberty” for an entire week now while facing persistent, violent, and often deadly attacks from the oppressive forces.
The Iranian government has restricted internet usage and blocked access to social media platforms in order to further suppress people’s voices. Last time such measures were implemented in 2019, the Iranian government murdered 1500 people. Independent Iranian filmmakers are standing by these fearless Iranian women and men and are trying hard to capture...
The letter comes after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody, allegedly by police brutality, after her arrest for not wearing her hijab in accordance with government standards.
Their letter reads:
Dear Friends and Colleagues
Brave Iranians have taken to the streets across the country shouting “woman, life, liberty” for an entire week now while facing persistent, violent, and often deadly attacks from the oppressive forces.
The Iranian government has restricted internet usage and blocked access to social media platforms in order to further suppress people’s voices. Last time such measures were implemented in 2019, the Iranian government murdered 1500 people. Independent Iranian filmmakers are standing by these fearless Iranian women and men and are trying hard to capture...
- 9/25/2022
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Thousands of protestors have taken to the streets of Iran to demand justice for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was killed by Iran’s “morality police” after being arrested for failing to cover her hair. Her death, which her father claims was a the result of a beating in police custody, has prompted outrage across the country, with many Iranian women cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in protest. To date 17 people have died in the protests, which continue to rage in more than a dozen cities across the nation.
Now, one of Iran’s top filmmakers is using his platform to draw attention to the issue. Bahman Ghobadi, the acclaimed director of Iranian New Wave films such as “Turtles Can Fly” and “A Time for Drunken Horses” has published an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences encouraging the institution to promote the...
Now, one of Iran’s top filmmakers is using his platform to draw attention to the issue. Bahman Ghobadi, the acclaimed director of Iranian New Wave films such as “Turtles Can Fly” and “A Time for Drunken Horses” has published an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences encouraging the institution to promote the...
- 9/24/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Bahman Ghobadi, the Kurdish-Iranian director whose “The Four Walls” has its world premiere this week at the Tokyo International Film Festival, wants people to watch his film on a big screen.
“If you watch it on a computer you might think that ‘The Four Walls’ is about a building,” he says. “But watching in the cinema you will be able to understand that it is a metaphor, to feel the different forces pressing in.”
The story, loosely based on Ghobadi’s own experiences, involves a man who works for years to buy a small home with a sea view and to have his family move in with him. But, when he returns after a period of enforced absence, he finds that a developer is building a new property that will block his cherished vista. The man’s fight to reclaim what he has lost is humorous, tragic and enraging.
The film is set in Istanbul,...
“If you watch it on a computer you might think that ‘The Four Walls’ is about a building,” he says. “But watching in the cinema you will be able to understand that it is a metaphor, to feel the different forces pressing in.”
The story, loosely based on Ghobadi’s own experiences, involves a man who works for years to buy a small home with a sea view and to have his family move in with him. But, when he returns after a period of enforced absence, he finds that a developer is building a new property that will block his cherished vista. The man’s fight to reclaim what he has lost is humorous, tragic and enraging.
The film is set in Istanbul,...
- 11/5/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Chilean star writer José Ignacio “Chascas” Valenzuela, creator, showrunner and executive producer of hit Netflix series “Who Killed Sara?” has formed a production company with L.A.-based Argentine producer Lucas Akoskin of Aliwen Entertainment.
The new bi-coastal production company, called Malule Entertainment, will be based out of Los Angeles and Miami, where Valenzuela resides. Both partners have lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years.
Hinting at the type of films and TV series they’ll be producing, Valenzuela said: “I’m most interested in exploring the chance to collaborate with first-rate screenwriters and, at the same time, give emerging Latin American writers the opportunity to write hybrid stories that mix genres and formats.”
“Who said that a thriller cannot be written as if it were a melodrama? Why can’t a romantic comedy have, in addition to a powerful love story, a layer of suspense?” he pointed out.
The new bi-coastal production company, called Malule Entertainment, will be based out of Los Angeles and Miami, where Valenzuela resides. Both partners have lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years.
Hinting at the type of films and TV series they’ll be producing, Valenzuela said: “I’m most interested in exploring the chance to collaborate with first-rate screenwriters and, at the same time, give emerging Latin American writers the opportunity to write hybrid stories that mix genres and formats.”
“Who said that a thriller cannot be written as if it were a melodrama? Why can’t a romantic comedy have, in addition to a powerful love story, a layer of suspense?” he pointed out.
- 11/4/2021
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Here’s your first trailer for Bahman Ghobadi’s new feature The Four Walls, which launched today at the Tokyo International Film Festival as part of its Main Competition.
The film, produced by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, follows Boran, a musician working in Istanbul away from his family. His wife has never seen the sea and he has worked for years to buy a small home overlooking it so he can bring his family to live with him. One day he returns home to find a building blocking his sea view. Now begins his fight to reclaim his lost view in the most tragic of circumstances, a fight which gets progressively harder as time goes by.
Festival favourite Ghobadi (Turtles Can Fly) directs. Starring are Amir Aghaee, Funda Eryiğit, Fatih Al, Bariş Yildiz and Onur Buldu. The film is produced by Waters, Ghobadi and Gökçe Isil Tuna, with...
The film, produced by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, follows Boran, a musician working in Istanbul away from his family. His wife has never seen the sea and he has worked for years to buy a small home overlooking it so he can bring his family to live with him. One day he returns home to find a building blocking his sea view. Now begins his fight to reclaim his lost view in the most tragic of circumstances, a fight which gets progressively harder as time goes by.
Festival favourite Ghobadi (Turtles Can Fly) directs. Starring are Amir Aghaee, Funda Eryiğit, Fatih Al, Bariş Yildiz and Onur Buldu. The film is produced by Waters, Ghobadi and Gökçe Isil Tuna, with...
- 11/2/2021
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Happy Friday International Insiders, Tom Grater here with your news rundown. It was the week of Bond, can Daniel Craig’s final outing as the globe-trotting spy breathe new life into the beleaguered exhibition sector? To get this sent to your inbox every Friday, sign up here.
‘No Time To Die’ Comes Alive
Bond is back: After what has been the most dramatic will-they-won’t-they since Ross and Rachel in Friends, MGM/Eon/Universal finally took the plunge and released Bond 25 this week, a move that will be salve to the wounds of exhibitors all around the globe. No Time To Die started rolling out on Wednesday in Korea before adding majors including Germany, Brazil and Italy on Thursday. Also opening yesterday was Bond’s homeland the UK, traditionally a box office haven for the spy. A first glance at the numbers, collated here by Nancy, look promising – the...
‘No Time To Die’ Comes Alive
Bond is back: After what has been the most dramatic will-they-won’t-they since Ross and Rachel in Friends, MGM/Eon/Universal finally took the plunge and released Bond 25 this week, a move that will be salve to the wounds of exhibitors all around the globe. No Time To Die started rolling out on Wednesday in Korea before adding majors including Germany, Brazil and Italy on Thursday. Also opening yesterday was Bond’s homeland the UK, traditionally a box office haven for the spy. A first glance at the numbers, collated here by Nancy, look promising – the...
- 10/1/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
The Arche lab is part of Doclisboa’s Nebulae industry programme.
Twelve Ibero-American projects in different stages of production have been selected as part of the Arché project development lab to be held onsite again during Doclisboa’s industry programme Nebulae, running October 21 – 31, 2021.
2021’s line-up includes projects by cinematographer Ana Mariz (All The Roses), and directors Natalia Garyalde (Bea VII), Fernanda Pessoa and Adriana Barbosa (Swing and Sway) and Miguel de Jesus (Ultimate Bliss).
Mariz has served in the past as DoP on documentaries by directors including Ruben Goncalves, Ico Costa (Timkat) and Lucía Pires (Harvest Queen). All The Roses...
Twelve Ibero-American projects in different stages of production have been selected as part of the Arché project development lab to be held onsite again during Doclisboa’s industry programme Nebulae, running October 21 – 31, 2021.
2021’s line-up includes projects by cinematographer Ana Mariz (All The Roses), and directors Natalia Garyalde (Bea VII), Fernanda Pessoa and Adriana Barbosa (Swing and Sway) and Miguel de Jesus (Ultimate Bliss).
Mariz has served in the past as DoP on documentaries by directors including Ruben Goncalves, Ico Costa (Timkat) and Lucía Pires (Harvest Queen). All The Roses...
- 10/1/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Other contenders include Avi Nesher’s Image Of Victory and Nadav Lapid’s Cannes Jury Prize winner Ahed’s Knee.
Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin’s new film Let It Be Morning had a contentious festival launch in Cannes this July after its mainly Palestinian cast led by Alex Bakri, Juna Suleiman and Salim Daw refused to attend the world premiere in Un Certain Regard.
They explained in a collective statement that their non-appearance was aimed at highlighting the “decades-long colonial campaign of ethnic cleansing… against the Palestinian people” and the “latest wave of violence and dispossession.”
Three months later, in an unexpected turn of events,...
Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin’s new film Let It Be Morning had a contentious festival launch in Cannes this July after its mainly Palestinian cast led by Alex Bakri, Juna Suleiman and Salim Daw refused to attend the world premiere in Un Certain Regard.
They explained in a collective statement that their non-appearance was aimed at highlighting the “decades-long colonial campaign of ethnic cleansing… against the Palestinian people” and the “latest wave of violence and dispossession.”
Three months later, in an unexpected turn of events,...
- 9/30/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Olla has been at Eurimages since 2008.
In a surprise move, Eurimages’ veteran executive director Roberto Olla has confirmed he is to leave his post next month.
Olla will take up a new job as head of the human dignity and gender equality department at the Council of Europe at the start of November.
Based in Strasbourg, Eurimages is the Council of Europe fund for cinema co-production, theatrical distribution and exhibition.
It is not yet clear when Olla’s successor will be appointed. However, even if there is a delay in replacing him, the fund is expected to continue running smoothly...
In a surprise move, Eurimages’ veteran executive director Roberto Olla has confirmed he is to leave his post next month.
Olla will take up a new job as head of the human dignity and gender equality department at the Council of Europe at the start of November.
Based in Strasbourg, Eurimages is the Council of Europe fund for cinema co-production, theatrical distribution and exhibition.
It is not yet clear when Olla’s successor will be appointed. However, even if there is a delay in replacing him, the fund is expected to continue running smoothly...
- 9/30/2021
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Award-winning Iranian-Kurdish filmmaker’s features include A Time For Drunken Horses and Rhino Season.
Exiled Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi has written an open letter to the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (Ampas) suggesting a new initiative under which directors in exile would be given a chance to submit their films to the best international film category.
His idea takes inspiration from the Refugee Olympic Team (Eor) which participated at the Tokyo games this summer with 29 athletes hailing from 11 different territories, including Iran, Syria and South Sudan but living in 13 host countries.
“I would like to address the concern...
Exiled Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi has written an open letter to the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (Ampas) suggesting a new initiative under which directors in exile would be given a chance to submit their films to the best international film category.
His idea takes inspiration from the Refugee Olympic Team (Eor) which participated at the Tokyo games this summer with 29 athletes hailing from 11 different territories, including Iran, Syria and South Sudan but living in 13 host countries.
“I would like to address the concern...
- 9/29/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbove: Melvin Van Peebles. (Courtesy of Shadow & Act)We're deeply saddened by the news that the great Melvin Van Peebles has died. A filmmaker, director, novelist, playwright, and composer, Van Peebles was a pioneer of independent cinema, best known for his films Watermelon Man (1970) and Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971). In an official statement, Van Peebles' son, filmmaker Mario Van Peebles, states: "He was a pioneer, a maverick and one cool cat." Exiled Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi has published an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, discussing the struggles faced by refugees whose films are censored, banned, and restricted from being shown to the Academy. Ghobadi proposes "a refugee team of filmmakers; they can have their works viewed by a jury and eventually one movie can be chosen from the refugee team.
- 9/29/2021
- MUBI
Bahman Ghobadi, the exiled Iranian filmmaker who has won prizes at Cannes, Berlin, San Sebastian and many other international festivals, has penned a letter to the Film Academy saying, “It would be great if we could have one representative from exiled artists.”
Read his missive in full below.
Ghobadi, who has been in exile for the past 13 years, joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2017. In his letter to Academy CEO Dawn Hudson, he talks about exiled artists and suggests that every year one of their movies should be presented to the Academy for Oscar consideration. He notes that the same thing happened for the Tokyo Olympics, where a team of refugee athletes was able to join the competition.
Iran is a country with a complicated filmmaking legacy. One the one hand, it has spawned some of the world’s great directors — Abbas Kiarostami comes to mind...
Read his missive in full below.
Ghobadi, who has been in exile for the past 13 years, joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2017. In his letter to Academy CEO Dawn Hudson, he talks about exiled artists and suggests that every year one of their movies should be presented to the Academy for Oscar consideration. He notes that the same thing happened for the Tokyo Olympics, where a team of refugee athletes was able to join the competition.
Iran is a country with a complicated filmmaking legacy. One the one hand, it has spawned some of the world’s great directors — Abbas Kiarostami comes to mind...
- 9/28/2021
- by Erik Pedersen and Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
World premieres include debut from Happy Hour co-writer Tadashi Nohara and new works from Brillante Mendoza and Mikhail Red.
Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the full line-up for its 34th edition, including the main competition section of 15 films, among which 10 titles are world premieres. Other sections include Asian Future, Gala Selection, World Focus, Nippon Cinema Now and Japanese Animation.
The competition section includes the world premieres of two Japanese films – Third Time Lucky, the debut feature of Tadashi Nohara, who co-wrote Happy Hour and Wife Of A Spy; and Just Remembering from Daigo Matsui (Ice Cream And The...
Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the full line-up for its 34th edition, including the main competition section of 15 films, among which 10 titles are world premieres. Other sections include Asian Future, Gala Selection, World Focus, Nippon Cinema Now and Japanese Animation.
The competition section includes the world premieres of two Japanese films – Third Time Lucky, the debut feature of Tadashi Nohara, who co-wrote Happy Hour and Wife Of A Spy; and Just Remembering from Daigo Matsui (Ice Cream And The...
- 9/28/2021
- by Matt Schley
- ScreenDaily
Past winners of the first feature prize include Jim Jarmusch, Mira Nair, Naomi Kawase, Steve McQueen, Houda Benyamina and Lukas Dhont.
The Cannes Film Festival has named French actress Mélanie Thierry as jury president for the 2021 Caméra d’Or award reserved for all first features premiering across Official Selection and the parallel sections of Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week.
”Nothing is as fragile or as miraculous as a first movie. This testifies to the courage and the faith of all the directors who, after such a long period of seclusion, succeeded in providing us with a window on the outside world,...
The Cannes Film Festival has named French actress Mélanie Thierry as jury president for the 2021 Caméra d’Or award reserved for all first features premiering across Official Selection and the parallel sections of Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week.
”Nothing is as fragile or as miraculous as a first movie. This testifies to the courage and the faith of all the directors who, after such a long period of seclusion, succeeded in providing us with a window on the outside world,...
- 6/30/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Amongst Abbas Kiarostami’s most critically acclaimed works is his end-of-the-millennium release “The Wind Will Carry Us”. A contemplative piece on existence, it garnered significant festival coverage and awards, including triple glory at Venice, with the Grand Special Jury Prize, the Fipresci Prize and the CinemAvvenire Award.
Four journalists, Keyvan, Ali, Jahan, and Behzad, reach a Kurdish village in Iran. They are not letting their real profession out though, as they pose as production engineers. The real reason of their visit is to record a unique ceremony and report it back to their office at Tehran. Their focus in upon the locals’ mourning rituals that anticipate the death of old people, in this specific case, that of an extremely old woman, probably a centurion and then some. As she refuses to eat food and cannot manage to speak to anyone, the four journalists live idly, awaiting her death.
Four journalists, Keyvan, Ali, Jahan, and Behzad, reach a Kurdish village in Iran. They are not letting their real profession out though, as they pose as production engineers. The real reason of their visit is to record a unique ceremony and report it back to their office at Tehran. Their focus in upon the locals’ mourning rituals that anticipate the death of old people, in this specific case, that of an extremely old woman, probably a centurion and then some. As she refuses to eat food and cannot manage to speak to anyone, the four journalists live idly, awaiting her death.
- 12/18/2020
- by Raktim Nandi
- AsianMoviePulse
Natural Selection: Shawky Shackled by Straight Story
Tackling notions of identity in both a figurative and transfigurative sense, Yomeddine teeters ever so lightly into fable terrain with a spirit akin to Miracle in Milan (1951) and proportionally Tod Browning’s Freaks. The antithesis of throw the baby out bleakness of a Bahman Ghobadi’s Turtles Can Fly, under the guise of the roadtrip buddy comedy (donkey is the favored mode of transportation here), we could coin Abu Bakr Shawky‘s feature debut has “hopeful” miserablism, a sincere, well-intention film with an attached quasi cathartic denounement that is simply too rough around-the-edges, formulaic to…...
Tackling notions of identity in both a figurative and transfigurative sense, Yomeddine teeters ever so lightly into fable terrain with a spirit akin to Miracle in Milan (1951) and proportionally Tod Browning’s Freaks. The antithesis of throw the baby out bleakness of a Bahman Ghobadi’s Turtles Can Fly, under the guise of the roadtrip buddy comedy (donkey is the favored mode of transportation here), we could coin Abu Bakr Shawky‘s feature debut has “hopeful” miserablism, a sincere, well-intention film with an attached quasi cathartic denounement that is simply too rough around-the-edges, formulaic to…...
- 5/10/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
As has become commonplace for the annual event, the Cannes Film Festival’s competition slate continues to be dominated by male directors. Announced yesterday, the 2018 competition lineup includes the highest number of films from female filmmakers since 2011, and the festival will play home to new works from Nadine Labaki, Eva Husson, and Alice Rohrwacher. At the festival’s announcement press conference, artistic director Thierry Frémaux hinted that another work from a woman could be added to the lineup in the coming days.
In years past, Frémaux has blamed the lack of female directors on the Cannes slate on the discrepancy between how many male and female directors are working today, and yet Cannes has often programmed and championed a number of the film world’s best female filmmakers. The lack of many of them from this year’s lineup is jarring — though, to be fair, this year’s lineup is...
In years past, Frémaux has blamed the lack of female directors on the Cannes slate on the discrepancy between how many male and female directors are working today, and yet Cannes has often programmed and championed a number of the film world’s best female filmmakers. The lack of many of them from this year’s lineup is jarring — though, to be fair, this year’s lineup is...
- 4/13/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Jury also includes Bahman Ghobadi, Agnès Godard, Lav Diaz and Jang Sun-woo.
Award-winning Us filmmaker Oliver Stone is set to head the 22nd Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s jury for New Currents, the competition section for up-and-coming Asian directors.
The winner of Oscars, Golden Globes and a Berlinale Silver Bear for directing films such as Platoon and Born On The Fourth of July, Stone was recently at the Sarajevo film festival to receive an honorary award and screen a showcase including his latest documentary, The Putin Interviews.
Speaking with Screen there, he expressed concerns about the Us stance on North Korea and the possibility of doing a project focused on the hermetic country.
Stone will be joined on the Biff jury by Kurdish-Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi, whose films include Cannes Camera d’or winner A Time For Drunken Horses and No One Knows About Persian Cats, which won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize...
Award-winning Us filmmaker Oliver Stone is set to head the 22nd Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s jury for New Currents, the competition section for up-and-coming Asian directors.
The winner of Oscars, Golden Globes and a Berlinale Silver Bear for directing films such as Platoon and Born On The Fourth of July, Stone was recently at the Sarajevo film festival to receive an honorary award and screen a showcase including his latest documentary, The Putin Interviews.
Speaking with Screen there, he expressed concerns about the Us stance on North Korea and the possibility of doing a project focused on the hermetic country.
Stone will be joined on the Biff jury by Kurdish-Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi, whose films include Cannes Camera d’or winner A Time For Drunken Horses and No One Knows About Persian Cats, which won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize...
- 8/21/2017
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Director Oliver Stone will lead the jury of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival's main competition, New Currents, organizers of the South Korean event announced Monday. The 22nd edition of the festival is set to run Oct. 12-21 in the port city of Busan.
New Currents is a competition that is designed to introduce up-and-coming Asian directors. Other members of this year's jury include Bahman Ghobadi, the Iranian filmmaker known for Cannes-winning No One Knows About Persian Cats, among others; Agnes Godard, the French cinematographer who has long collaborated with filmmakers such as Claire Denis and Wim Wenders; Lav Diaz,...
New Currents is a competition that is designed to introduce up-and-coming Asian directors. Other members of this year's jury include Bahman Ghobadi, the Iranian filmmaker known for Cannes-winning No One Knows About Persian Cats, among others; Agnes Godard, the French cinematographer who has long collaborated with filmmakers such as Claire Denis and Wim Wenders; Lav Diaz,...
- 8/21/2017
- by Lee Hyo-won
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Using the proprietary powers of the Metascore, everyone’s favorite review aggregator (sorry, Rotten Tomatoes) has ranked the 25 best directors of the 21st century. The results were found by averaging the reviews of filmmakers who have released at least four movies since January 1, 2000, and thus represent more of a number crunch than a subjective list.
Read MoreThe 25 Best Documentaries of the 21st Century, from ‘Amy’ to ‘The Act of Killing’
As the two lowest-ranked auteurs are tied with an average Metascore of 78.4, essentially anyone who’s released at least one movie that received middling reviews didn’t make the cut — meaning that everyone from Quentin Tarantino and Terrence Malick to Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson won’t be found here.
Topping the list is Alfonso Cuarón, whose average score of 87.5 comes from four highly acclaimed movies: “Gravity” (96), “Y Tu Mamá También” (88), “Children of Men” (84), and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...
Read MoreThe 25 Best Documentaries of the 21st Century, from ‘Amy’ to ‘The Act of Killing’
As the two lowest-ranked auteurs are tied with an average Metascore of 78.4, essentially anyone who’s released at least one movie that received middling reviews didn’t make the cut — meaning that everyone from Quentin Tarantino and Terrence Malick to Sofia Coppola and Wes Anderson won’t be found here.
Topping the list is Alfonso Cuarón, whose average score of 87.5 comes from four highly acclaimed movies: “Gravity” (96), “Y Tu Mamá También” (88), “Children of Men” (84), and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...
- 7/22/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Lucas Akoskin’s new venture lines up story of Hasidic musician superstar.
Santa Monica-based Aliwen Entertainment has signed Holy Rollers director Kevin Asch to King Without A Crown, based on the story of the Jewish American reggae singer, rapper and beatbox performer Matisyahu.
Aliwen Entertainment founder Lukas Akoskin is producing with Bonnie Timmerman and Jonathan Gray. The project is a collaboration between Aliwen, Bonnie Timmerman Productions and Big Jack Productions.
Tommy Swerdlow, whose screenplay credits include Cool Runnings, wrote the script that recounts key episodes in the life of Matisyahu from the ages of 17 to 27.
The film will chronicle Matisyahu’s remarkable transformation from his secular origins as Matthew Miller to becoming a rabbi and Hasidic Jewish rock star. Matisyahu himself is creatively and musically involved in the project.
The producers anticipate an autumn start in New York and Israel and are out to casting for a star capable of portraying a “spiritually transformative one-of-a-kind...
Santa Monica-based Aliwen Entertainment has signed Holy Rollers director Kevin Asch to King Without A Crown, based on the story of the Jewish American reggae singer, rapper and beatbox performer Matisyahu.
Aliwen Entertainment founder Lukas Akoskin is producing with Bonnie Timmerman and Jonathan Gray. The project is a collaboration between Aliwen, Bonnie Timmerman Productions and Big Jack Productions.
Tommy Swerdlow, whose screenplay credits include Cool Runnings, wrote the script that recounts key episodes in the life of Matisyahu from the ages of 17 to 27.
The film will chronicle Matisyahu’s remarkable transformation from his secular origins as Matthew Miller to becoming a rabbi and Hasidic Jewish rock star. Matisyahu himself is creatively and musically involved in the project.
The producers anticipate an autumn start in New York and Israel and are out to casting for a star capable of portraying a “spiritually transformative one-of-a-kind...
- 5/9/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Dear President Trump,
On a recent Saturday, as you were watching your first movie in the White House, an unprecedented wave of protests swept across the country in opposition to your decision to impose a ban on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
I am not going to focus on the striking irony of foreign travelers being detained in the U.S. airports as you were enjoying Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” the story of a migrant fish detained in this country and aided by aquatic friends of different colors to find her parents.
Instead, I would like to bring to your attention an event of a smaller scale that was eclipsed by the news of the national uproar over your travel ban: the limited opening of an Iranian film, “The Salesman,” inspired by an American play to rave reviews and strong box office numbers.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong...
On a recent Saturday, as you were watching your first movie in the White House, an unprecedented wave of protests swept across the country in opposition to your decision to impose a ban on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
I am not going to focus on the striking irony of foreign travelers being detained in the U.S. airports as you were enjoying Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” the story of a migrant fish detained in this country and aided by aquatic friends of different colors to find her parents.
Instead, I would like to bring to your attention an event of a smaller scale that was eclipsed by the news of the national uproar over your travel ban: the limited opening of an Iranian film, “The Salesman,” inspired by an American play to rave reviews and strong box office numbers.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong...
- 2/7/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The Busan film fest’s Asian Project Market (Apm) has highlighted a “strong presence” of women filmmakers in this year’s line-up.
A total of 27 titles from 16 countries have been selected including projects from names including Yim Soon-rye, Tan Chui Mui and Laila Pakalnina.
In its 19th year, the Apm (formerly called the Pusan Promotion Plan or Ppp) said it tried to go back to its original mission of discovering up-and-coming talent with a selection that includes Pavle Vuckovic - who debuted last year in Cannes with Panama - bringing his Serbian thriller Mountain Eyes and Lei Lei with her debut feature animation Ningdu,which has Isabelle Glachant attached as a producer.
Apm stated it saw “an increased interest and more submissions by female directors and producers” this year. Yim is bringing Project Lee Jung-Seob, based on the legendary Korean artist’s life, while Tan has Malaysian coming-of-age drama All About Yuyu and Pakalnina has Latvia-Estonia...
A total of 27 titles from 16 countries have been selected including projects from names including Yim Soon-rye, Tan Chui Mui and Laila Pakalnina.
In its 19th year, the Apm (formerly called the Pusan Promotion Plan or Ppp) said it tried to go back to its original mission of discovering up-and-coming talent with a selection that includes Pavle Vuckovic - who debuted last year in Cannes with Panama - bringing his Serbian thriller Mountain Eyes and Lei Lei with her debut feature animation Ningdu,which has Isabelle Glachant attached as a producer.
Apm stated it saw “an increased interest and more submissions by female directors and producers” this year. Yim is bringing Project Lee Jung-Seob, based on the legendary Korean artist’s life, while Tan has Malaysian coming-of-age drama All About Yuyu and Pakalnina has Latvia-Estonia...
- 8/23/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Eichinger’s Hands Of A Mother won three prizes at the German Cinema New Talent Awards.
Florian Eichinger’s third feature Hands Of A Mother (Die Hände meiner Mutter) was the big winner at this year’s German Cinema New Talent Awards held during the 34th edition of Filmfest München (23 June - 2 July) which ended at the weekend with the international premiere of Matt Ross’ Captain Fantastic.
Eichinger received the £33k (€30k) award for Best Direction, while his lead actor Andreas Döhler was named Best Actor for his performance as a man who breaks his self-denial to recall having been sexually abused as a child by his mother.
The co-production by Kinescope Film and Bergfilm with Zdf’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel unit, which is the final part of Eichinger’s trilogy about violence within the family after 2008’s Bergfest and 2013’s Nordstrand, will be released theatrically in German cinemas by Farbfilm Verleih on 1 December. International sales are...
Florian Eichinger’s third feature Hands Of A Mother (Die Hände meiner Mutter) was the big winner at this year’s German Cinema New Talent Awards held during the 34th edition of Filmfest München (23 June - 2 July) which ended at the weekend with the international premiere of Matt Ross’ Captain Fantastic.
Eichinger received the £33k (€30k) award for Best Direction, while his lead actor Andreas Döhler was named Best Actor for his performance as a man who breaks his self-denial to recall having been sexually abused as a child by his mother.
The co-production by Kinescope Film and Bergfilm with Zdf’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel unit, which is the final part of Eichinger’s trilogy about violence within the family after 2008’s Bergfest and 2013’s Nordstrand, will be released theatrically in German cinemas by Farbfilm Verleih on 1 December. International sales are...
- 7/4/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
The event will host 19 world premieres in its New German Cinema strand.
This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann, the Cannes Competition title that topped Screen’s Jury Grid last month.
The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.
Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.
Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.
This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second...
This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann, the Cannes Competition title that topped Screen’s Jury Grid last month.
The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.
Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.
Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.
This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second...
- 6/2/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
The event will host 19 world premieres in its New German Cinema strand.
This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Cannes competition title Toni Erdmann.
The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.
Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.
Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.
This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second collaboration with Germany’s Wiedemann Bros., Romanian-born [link=nm...
This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Cannes competition title Toni Erdmann.
The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.
Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.
Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.
This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second collaboration with Germany’s Wiedemann Bros., Romanian-born [link=nm...
- 6/2/2016
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
March 30, 2016 Tales from Refugee Camp: ‘Life on the Border’ Offers a Kids-Eye View
This year's Berlin International Film Festival presented a special screening of Life on the Border, a gripping project initiated and produced by Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. Over the past years Ghobadi has tirelessly narrated stories of the Kurds, the largest ethnic group without a state; their population spans from southeastern Turkey to northwestern Iran, northern Iraq and northern Syria.
Read more...
This year's Berlin International Film Festival presented a special screening of Life on the Border, a gripping project initiated and produced by Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. Over the past years Ghobadi has tirelessly narrated stories of the Kurds, the largest ethnic group without a state; their population spans from southeastern Turkey to northwestern Iran, northern Iraq and northern Syria.
Read more...
- 3/30/2016
- by Sevara Pan
- International Documentary Association
Staff and industry attending the CineMart co-production market sent a public message of support to the beleaguered Busan International Film Festival (Biff)
Joining in a worldwide photo campaign, International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) festival director Bero Beyer, programmer Gerwin Tamsma (who oversees the selection of Korean titles) and scores of industry professionals posed on the steps of Iffr festival hub de Doelen for a group photo, holding banners proclaiming “We Support Busan”.
Lee Yong-Kwan has come under unrelenting pressure to step down as Biff director from Busan City Council officials angered by his decision to screen controversial ferry-sinking documentary The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol in 2014, against their wishes.
He has thus far refused to leave, but is gearing up to fight charges filed against him by the city, accusing him of mismanagement of festival sponsorship fees, on the basis of an audit of Biff’s books carried out last year following the documentary dispute.
“There...
Joining in a worldwide photo campaign, International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr) festival director Bero Beyer, programmer Gerwin Tamsma (who oversees the selection of Korean titles) and scores of industry professionals posed on the steps of Iffr festival hub de Doelen for a group photo, holding banners proclaiming “We Support Busan”.
Lee Yong-Kwan has come under unrelenting pressure to step down as Biff director from Busan City Council officials angered by his decision to screen controversial ferry-sinking documentary The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol in 2014, against their wishes.
He has thus far refused to leave, but is gearing up to fight charges filed against him by the city, accusing him of mismanagement of festival sponsorship fees, on the basis of an audit of Biff’s books carried out last year following the documentary dispute.
“There...
- 2/3/2016
- ScreenDaily
A Flag Without a Country comes across less as a documentary than a based-on-a-true-story movie in which everyone plays themselves. Indeed, protagonists Nariman Anwar and Helly Luv are credited as “cast.” Watching Anwar walk up to an apartment building to call upon an inhabitant and getting into an argument with an old woman is shot in (and bears “the feel of”) an independent drama. And then there are the obvious reenactments, such as when Anwar or Luv recount their youths. The so-called line between fact and fiction isn’t blurred — it’s gently set aside because director Bahman Ghobadi has no need for it.
Anwar and Luv are both Kurds on a mission to recruit children. Anwar, a pilot, needs students for his flying school. Luv, a singer, needs actors for a music video she’s putting together. Both of them find what they need in the population of Syrian...
Anwar and Luv are both Kurds on a mission to recruit children. Anwar, a pilot, needs students for his flying school. Luv, a singer, needs actors for a music video she’s putting together. Both of them find what they need in the population of Syrian...
- 1/24/2016
- by Daniel Schindel
- The Film Stage
Bahman Ghobadi’s Life On The Border, Hans Steinbichler’s The Diary Of Anne Frank join Generation special screenings.
Hans Steinbichler’s The Diary Of Anne Frank is among two special screenings added to the Berlin Film Festival’s (Feb 11-21) Generation strand, aimed at teenagers and children.
The film, which will be distributed by co-producers Universal Pictures International in Germany and gets its world premiere in the strand, stars Lea van Acken (Heil) as Anne Frank, alongside Martina Gedeck (The Lives Of Others) and Ulrich Noethen (Downfall).
The latest project from Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi (Turtles Can Fly) will have its European premiere in the strand.
The documentary, produced by Ghobadi, sees eight children from Syrian refugee camps handed cameras and given the encouragement to tell their personal stories.
The juries for the Generation programme’s two sections - Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus – have also been revealed.
The Generation 14plus International Jury - which presents...
Hans Steinbichler’s The Diary Of Anne Frank is among two special screenings added to the Berlin Film Festival’s (Feb 11-21) Generation strand, aimed at teenagers and children.
The film, which will be distributed by co-producers Universal Pictures International in Germany and gets its world premiere in the strand, stars Lea van Acken (Heil) as Anne Frank, alongside Martina Gedeck (The Lives Of Others) and Ulrich Noethen (Downfall).
The latest project from Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi (Turtles Can Fly) will have its European premiere in the strand.
The documentary, produced by Ghobadi, sees eight children from Syrian refugee camps handed cameras and given the encouragement to tell their personal stories.
The juries for the Generation programme’s two sections - Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus – have also been revealed.
The Generation 14plus International Jury - which presents...
- 1/22/2016
- ScreenDaily
Kate Plays ChristineThe lineup for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 21 -31, has been announced.U.S. Dramatic COMPETITIONAs You Are (Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA): As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere The Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker, USA): Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World PremiereChristine (Antonio Campos,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
In 2015 it was Chad Gracia’s The Russian Woodpecker that walked away with the top World Cinema honors landing the coveted World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary. In this year’s twelve pack we have Turtles Can Fly director Bahman Ghobadi making a more docu carbon footprint with A Flag Without a Country, we have The Last King of Scotland‘s Kevin Macdonald and his fiction-non-fiction balancing act continue with Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang) and finally a Sundance Lab participant we have the crazy kidnapping/escape story of The Lovers and the Despot by docu-helmers Robert Cannan and Ross Adam. Here is the eleven of the future dozen.
All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point...
All These Sleepless Nights / Poland (Director: Michal Marczak) — What does it mean to be truly awake in a world that seems satisfied to be asleep? Kris and Michal push their experiences of life and love to a breaking point...
- 12/2/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Following last week's announcement of the first nine titles lined up for its Midnight program, the Sundance Film Festival now presents 65 films slated for the Us Dramatic and Documentary Competitions, the World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions and the out-of-competition Next program, featuring new work from So Yong Kim, Chad Hartigan, Antonio Campos, Robert Greene, Bahman Ghobadi, Penny Lane, Tim Sutton… Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “From diverse backgrounds, places and perspectives, these independent artists are united by the power of their stories and vision." We've got synopses and more. » - David Hudson...
- 12/2/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
Following last week's announcement of the first nine titles lined up for its Midnight program, the Sundance Film Festival now presents 65 films slated for the Us Dramatic and Documentary Competitions, the World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions and the out-of-competition Next program, featuring new work from So Yong Kim, Chad Hartigan, Antonio Campos, Robert Greene, Bahman Ghobadi, Penny Lane, Tim Sutton… Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “From diverse backgrounds, places and perspectives, these independent artists are united by the power of their stories and vision." We've got synopses and more. » - David Hudson...
- 12/2/2015
- Keyframe
What will be the movies to break out and grab headlines in 2016? It seems like a silly question to ask but that's just what will be on the lips of many when they flock to Park City next month for the Sundance Film Festival. And organizers have unveiled a big chunk of their slate today with U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition, and Next lineups. And as always, there's lots of promise. Read More: 2016 Slamdance Film Festival Unveils Narrative And Documentary Competition Lineup New pictures by Antonio Campos ("Christine"), So Yong Kim ("Lovesong"), Felix van Groeningen ("Belgica"), and Bahman Ghobadi ("A Flag Without A Country") are slated to unspool. Meanwhile, the stars will be out in force too. Ellen Page leads "Tallulah"; Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, and Jackie Earle Haley are among those for "The Birth Of A...
- 12/2/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Titles include Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney, and Chad Hartigan’s Morris From America (pictured); Next strand also announced.Scroll down for full list
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
- 12/2/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World: Levinson’s Afghan Exploration Prizes Diversion
After a unique pit stop in found footage horror with 2012’s The Bay and an underrated Philip Roth adaptation in 2014 with The Humbling, Barry Levinson returns to his particular predilection for boundary pushing, politically topical subject matters in Rock the Kasbah. It’s a very loosely based version of the true account of Setara Hussainzada, a woman who sang on national television in Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol,” known as “Afghan Star,” even though it’s illegal for women to sing.
More along the lines of Levinson’s Man of the Year (2006) than Wag the Dog (1997), as scripted by Mitch Glazer (his first excursion since 2010’s appalling Passion Play), the title seems as woefully out-of-touch as it is unwarranted. Oddly unsympathetic, even as it depicts a subversive act of rebellion within a ruthlessly patriarchal and misogynistic culture,...
After a unique pit stop in found footage horror with 2012’s The Bay and an underrated Philip Roth adaptation in 2014 with The Humbling, Barry Levinson returns to his particular predilection for boundary pushing, politically topical subject matters in Rock the Kasbah. It’s a very loosely based version of the true account of Setara Hussainzada, a woman who sang on national television in Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol,” known as “Afghan Star,” even though it’s illegal for women to sing.
More along the lines of Levinson’s Man of the Year (2006) than Wag the Dog (1997), as scripted by Mitch Glazer (his first excursion since 2010’s appalling Passion Play), the title seems as woefully out-of-touch as it is unwarranted. Oddly unsympathetic, even as it depicts a subversive act of rebellion within a ruthlessly patriarchal and misogynistic culture,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards today announced the nominees in the youth, animation and documentary feature film categories for the 9th annual awards.
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
Also announced was the international jury who will determine the winners in these three categories before the November 26 ceremony at Brisbane.s City Hall.
The Australian contenders are Deane Taylor's Blinky Bill: The Movie and Molly Reynold's feature documentary Another Country,. in which David Gulpili. attempts to make sense of the contradictions of the modern Aboriginal experience. The nominees for best youth feature are Mina Walking (Afghanistan, Canada), Set Me Free (Geo-in, Republic of Korea), A Corner of Heaven (Tiantang jiaoluo, People.s Republic of China, France), Mustang (Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany), and River (Gtsngbo, People.s Republic of China), a recipient of the Apsa Academy Children.s Film Fund, written and directed by Apsa Academy member Songtaijia. Vying for best documentary feature are The Look of Silence (Indonesia,...
- 9/29/2015
- by Staff writer
- IF.com.au
The 20th Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has announced its line-up of 304 films from 75 countries with 121 world and international premieres.
The fest in South Korea will open Oct 1 with the world premiere of Indian film Zubaan, the feature directorial debut of independent film producer Mozez Singh (White Noise, Peddlers).
Produced by Guneet Monga (The Lunchbox), Zubaan is about a young man’s search for values and self.
Biff will close Oct 10 with the world premiere of Chinese film Mountain Cry, directed by Larry Yang, based on Ge Shui-ping’s award-winning novel.
Gala Presentations will include Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin, Jia Zhangke’s Mountains May Depart, Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash and the world premiere of previously announced Busan-Youku collaboration project Color Of Asia - Masters, directed by Im Sang-soo, Naomi Kawase, Wang Xiaoshuai and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Other Asian masters set to attend include Eric Khoo with Singaporean 50th anniversary omnibus 7 Letters, Bahman Ghobadi with the...
The fest in South Korea will open Oct 1 with the world premiere of Indian film Zubaan, the feature directorial debut of independent film producer Mozez Singh (White Noise, Peddlers).
Produced by Guneet Monga (The Lunchbox), Zubaan is about a young man’s search for values and self.
Biff will close Oct 10 with the world premiere of Chinese film Mountain Cry, directed by Larry Yang, based on Ge Shui-ping’s award-winning novel.
Gala Presentations will include Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin, Jia Zhangke’s Mountains May Depart, Luca Guadagnino’s A Bigger Splash and the world premiere of previously announced Busan-Youku collaboration project Color Of Asia - Masters, directed by Im Sang-soo, Naomi Kawase, Wang Xiaoshuai and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Other Asian masters set to attend include Eric Khoo with Singaporean 50th anniversary omnibus 7 Letters, Bahman Ghobadi with the...
- 8/25/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
South Korean festival grows focus on alternative, experimental and “adventurous” cinema.
Held in a sunny Southern city with traditional houses and some of the hands-down most delicious food you’ll find in Korea, the Jeonju International Film Festival (Jiff) is celebrating its 16th edition with multiple sold out cinemas.
The fest has always been focused on supporting and promoting alternative, experimental and “adventurous” cinema. From its inception, Jiff put its money where its mouth is - producing a different triptych of digital films every year. Directors such as Jia Zhang-ke, Pedro Costa, Bong Joon Ho, Eric Khoo, Claire Denis and Bahman Ghobadi have participated.
Last year, Jiff went from producing three shorts annually to three features with an aim to help get them more festival play and theatrical releases.
“We wanted to heighten out rate of involvement and let the directors unfold their creativity as much as they wanted,” said Jiff programmer...
Held in a sunny Southern city with traditional houses and some of the hands-down most delicious food you’ll find in Korea, the Jeonju International Film Festival (Jiff) is celebrating its 16th edition with multiple sold out cinemas.
The fest has always been focused on supporting and promoting alternative, experimental and “adventurous” cinema. From its inception, Jiff put its money where its mouth is - producing a different triptych of digital films every year. Directors such as Jia Zhang-ke, Pedro Costa, Bong Joon Ho, Eric Khoo, Claire Denis and Bahman Ghobadi have participated.
Last year, Jiff went from producing three shorts annually to three features with an aim to help get them more festival play and theatrical releases.
“We wanted to heighten out rate of involvement and let the directors unfold their creativity as much as they wanted,” said Jiff programmer...
- 5/5/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
French actress and long-time Alain Resnais collaborator to preside over jury to select the best first film presented at the 68th Cannes Film Festival.
Sabine Azema has been named president of the Caméra d’or Jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).
The jury selects the best directorial debut presented in Official Selection (In Competition, Out of Competition and Un Certain Regard), Critics’ Week or Directors’ Fortnight, which this year represents 26 films.
French actress Azema, who won her first César in 1985 for Bertrand Tavernier’s Cannes Competition title A Sunday in the Country, follows in the footsteps of Bong Joon-Ho, Gael García Bernal, Carlos Diegues and Nicole Garcia.
Azema is known for her nearly three-decade collaboration with director Alain Resnais for whom she has performed as the tragic heroine in Love Unto Death (1984), then in Mélo (1986) for which she was awarded her second César.
Other Resnais films in which she has performed include Smoking...
Sabine Azema has been named president of the Caméra d’or Jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24).
The jury selects the best directorial debut presented in Official Selection (In Competition, Out of Competition and Un Certain Regard), Critics’ Week or Directors’ Fortnight, which this year represents 26 films.
French actress Azema, who won her first César in 1985 for Bertrand Tavernier’s Cannes Competition title A Sunday in the Country, follows in the footsteps of Bong Joon-Ho, Gael García Bernal, Carlos Diegues and Nicole Garcia.
Azema is known for her nearly three-decade collaboration with director Alain Resnais for whom she has performed as the tragic heroine in Love Unto Death (1984), then in Mélo (1986) for which she was awarded her second César.
Other Resnais films in which she has performed include Smoking...
- 5/5/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
In the political discourse, when a country addresses another, whether in positive or negative terms, such statements often fail to differentiate between said country’s government and its people, between the government’s policies and the people’s unheard sentiment towards these.
While useful in the theoretical realm in which politics take place, these generalizations create a distorted image of the foreign nation fed by assumptions and dangerously insensitive stereotypes. It’s much easier for rulers to justify their actions if the adversary is made out to look like an irredeemable villain. Sensationalism and ignorance are weapons far more destructive than missiles, because once the smoke dissipates hatred remains.
On that note, it should be clear that the Iranian people are not the Iranian government. Their rich cultural history is not reflected in the actions of those in power, but in the prevailing elegance and allure of their artwork. Remarkable poets, musicians, painters, and, what we are mostly concerned with here, filmmakers.
The history of Iranian cinema is vast and has survived the many transitions and troubling periods the country has experienced. Even more impressive is the fact that as masterfully as Iranian filmmakers and actors understand the medium, they have never watered down their individuality for the sake of mainstream international success. Instead, they’ve managed to create their unique cinematic language that aligns with their idiosyncrasies and that is not silenced despite the hardships they face, but finds a way around censorship or defies it altogether.
Certainly not a definitive list, the following collection of films aims to be an introduction to the compelling and diverse voices within this captivating national cinema and to encourage you to seek out other films in the future. There are films here that are concerned with rural and working class lifestyles, others that focus on the traditions of ethnic minorities, those that deal with the modern middle class, and also several works denouncing the country’s political situation and the oppression that comes with it.
There are also some films that are note worthy even if they don’t easily fit within the parameters of what an Iranian film is.
Special Mentions:
-Iranian-American director Ana Lily Amirpour and her outstanding Farsi-language debut “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” a visually striking vampire story set in a fictional Iranian town.
-American filmmaker Till Schauder and his documentary “The Iran Job,” which follows Kevin Sheppard, an American professional basketball player in Iran, and uses his experience to build cultural bridges between the two countries.
-Farhadi’s “The Past,” which though is not precisely an Iranian story, continues to show the director’s specific talent for greatly written, puzzling narratives both in his home country and abroad.
-Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's “Chicken with Plums,” a gorgeously whimsical and darkly comedic love story set in pre-revolutionary Tehran starring Mathieu Amalric.
Lastly, in honor of Nowruz or Persian New Year, which is a peaceful celebration of renewal and rebirth that takes place from March 20-24 in Iran and Iranian communities around the world, let’s remember the deeply moving and wise words that Asghar Farhadi gifted us during his acceptance speech on Oscar night a few years back. No one could have said it better than him.
“At this time many Iranians all over the world are watching us, and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award, or a film, or a filmmaker, but because at a time in which talk of war, intimidation, and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture, a rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics. I proudly offer this award to the people of my country, a people that respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment. Thank you so much.” –Director Asghar Farhadi after winning the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award for “A Separation” on February 26, 2012
1. "About Elly" (2009)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
In Farhadi's tense psychological drama a casual trip to the sea evolves into a subtly plotted mystery. The director's depiction of the Iranian middle class in such a fascinatingly unexpected story connected with both local and international audiences earning him awards at home and abroad, among them Berlin's Silver Bear.
*The Cinema Guild will release the film theatrically on April 17, 2015
2. "Baran" (2001)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Taking a look at the diverse ethnic groups that coexist in Iran, the film follows a love story between a man and a young Afghan woman who must pretend to be a man in order to work. Eliciting truly naturalistic performance from his cast Majidi gives voice to his almost silent protagonist, a woman caught up in a system designed by men.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch
3. "Children of Heaven" (1997)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Iran's first ever Academy Award nominated film is also Majidi's most renowned work. Innocence permeates this sweet story about two siblings from a working class family trying to find a pair of missing shoes. Their adventure delivers valuable life lessons that are at once heartwarming and profound. Unquestionably a classic.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Lionsgate
4. "Closed Curtain" (2013)
Dir. Jafar Panahi & Kambuzia Partovi
In this enigmatic observation on repression and surveillance an anonymous screenwriter, played by co-director Kambuzia Partovi, hides with his dog in a secluded location. Eventually, as other surprising characters appear, the film becomes a complex dance between reality and fabrication. Both filmmakers had their passports confiscated by the Iranian government due to the subversive content of the film.
*Available on Amazon Instant Video
5. "Close-Up" (1990)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
In one of the greatest examples of reality and fiction blending in almost seamless ways, Abbas Kiarostami's masterwork poses complex questions about identity. When a film buff impersonates his favorite director, who happens to Mohsen Makhmalbaf , a series of events unravel as he plans his next, fake, film. Surreally enough the film is based on a true story and stars the actual people involved. It's all brilliantly meta.
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Criterion
6. "The Color of Paradise" (1999)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Though rejected by his father, a young blind boy rejoices in nature’s beauty and tries to understand the meaning of his struggles with the help of a mentor with the same condition. Showcasing Iran’s visually stunning rural landscapes and delicately embedding with philosophical concerns, Majidi’s poetic film delivers wisdom in wondrously unassuming ways.
*Available on DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
7. "The Cow" (1969)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Considered a turning point in the nation’s cinematic history, this black-and-white work revolves around a man’s devotion for his cow and how its disappearance drives him into madness. While seemingly simple in its conception, Mehrjui manages to compellingly highlight the country’s traditional lifestyles.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
8. "Fireworks Wednesday" (2006)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Intimate conflicts in the Iranian middle class are Farhadi’s expertise and this domestic drama, set fittingly during the celebrations prior to the Persian New Year, is no exception. When a soon-to-be bride in need of money for her wedding gets a job cleaning a family’s house, their secrets begin to unravel through their interaction and confrontations.
*Available on DVD from Facets
9. "Gabbeh" (1996)
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Taking its name from a type of Persian carpet, this stunningly evocative fable is adorned with mysticism and magical realist elements that shine through its colorful visual palette. Gabbeh, a young nomadic woman who is likely the incarnation of one of these traditional rugs, falls in love with horseman, but her community follows beliefs that hinder her desire.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Video
10. "The Green Wave" (2010)
Dir. Ali Samadi Ahadi
Told through striking animated sequences, interviews and footage from the protests, this documentary constructs a bold portrait of the 2009 Green Movement following Ahmadinejad’s reelection. The regime's strong grip over its citizens is exposed, but the spirit of the Iranian people demanding change is even stronger.
*Available on DVD from Strand Releasing
11. "Hamoun" (1990)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Underscored by subdued comedy and poignant dream sequences, Mehrjui’s visionary drama centers on the decaying relationship between Hamoun, a businessman with hopes of becoming a writer, and his wife Mahshid, a painter. Insanity takes over him when she decides to divorce him because of his angry outbursts. A series of drastic occurrences ensue.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
12. "Kandahar" (2001)
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Despite being set in Afghanistan, this Iranian production is a powerful achievement that unveils the unjust treatment of women, not only under the Taliban’s control, but also in the entire region. Nafas, an Afghan women living in Canada, decides to return to her homeland to find her depressed sister. Through this dangerous journey she discovers much more about life in the war-torn country than she expected.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Video
13. "Leila" (1997)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Starting famous Iranian actress Leila Hatami in one her earliest roles as a married woman unable to have children, this conjugal drama explores the role of women within Iranian society. Leila’s husband, Reza (played by “The Past” star Ali Mosaffa), loves her, but his mother wants him to get another wife that can give him a son. The title character is divided between her happiness and what others think is best for her marriage.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
14. "Manuscripts Don't Burn" (2013)
Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof
Rasoulof’s brave and searing political statement was shot illegally going against the20-year-ban from filmmaking imposed on him by the Iranian government. It denounces the terrifying lack of freedom of expression via the thrilling story a pair of writers risking it all to protect an incendiary manuscript that authorities are eager to destroy.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Kino Lorber
15. "Marooned in Iraq" (2002)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Highlighting the rich Kurdish culture, both in Iran and Iraq, Ghobadi’s film is set in the aftermath of the ravaging Gulf War. Marooned is an elderly man who must travel across the mountainous landscape that divides the two countries to find his ex-wife. While portraying the horrors of war in an affecting manner, the film is also a life-affirming work that finds hope in the most surprising places.
*Available on DVD from Wellspring
16. "My Tehran for Sale"
Dir. Granaz Moussavi
Devastating and current, this debut feature from renowned poet turned filmmaker Granaz Moussavi is a hard-hitting critique on the blatant criminalization of artists in Iran. An actress banned from her profession questions whether she should remain in the country or flee. Getting to safety means leaving everything she knows behind. There are no easy options for her.
*Available on DVD from Global Lens
17. "No One Knows About Persian Cats" (2009)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Music as the banner of freedom is the focus of Ghobadi’s film about the underground rock scene in Tehran. Secular music is essentially forbidden, and playing in public is considered a criminal act punished with prison. Crafted between reality and fiction, this quasi-documentary takes a look at a group of young musicians desperate to express themselves through their art.
*Available on DVD from Mpi Home Video
18. "Offside" (2006)
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Attending sporting events is prohibited for women in Iran, but that doesn’t stop many of them who go as far as to dress like men to get in. Panahi’s touching and insightful film takes place during the 2006 World Cup Qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain, and follows several girls who despite being excluded cheer for their team as joyfully as any fan would.
*Available on DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
19. "Persepolis" (2007)
Dir. Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud
Nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, this French-language marvel is based on Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel by the same name. With eye-popping hand-drawn animation, the film revisits the director’s childhood and teenage years in Iran during the events leading up to the Islamic Revolution. It’s a love letter to the bittersweet memories of the Iran Satrapi knew.
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
20. "A Separation" (2011)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Dealing with a marriage in turmoil facing the country's peculiar judicial system, Farhadi’s masterpiece is the most acclaimed film in the history of Iranian cinema and earned the country's first Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay for its enthralling thriller-like narrative that grips the audience until its unnerving conclusion. A must see!
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
21. "The Song of Sparrows" (2008)
Dir. Majid Majidi
When Karim (played by Berlin’s Silver Bear Winner Reza Naji), an ostrich farm worker, is forced to find a new job in the city to pay for his daughter’s hearing aid, Iran’s rural and urban realms collide. Thanks to the captivating grace that characterizes Majidi’s films, poverty and misfortune are observed here not with pity but with an optimistic and undefeated perspective.
*Available on DVD from E1 Entertainment
22." Taste of Cherry" (1997)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
This quiet and minimalist meditation on death and the simple joys of its antithesis is the first and only Iranian film to have won the coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes. Kiarostami follows a man who has decided to commit suicide and is looking for someone to help him achieve this. However, those he recruits along the way come with their own views on the meaning of our existence and attempt to persuade him to reconsider.
*Available on DVD from Criterion
23. "Ten" (2002)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
A female cabbie drives through the streets of Tehran picking up an array of characters that via their casual conversations shine a light on the Iranian society’s expectations of women. Constructed of ten individual scenes in which the only constant is the driver, this heavily improvised and peculiarly shot cinematic experiment is a work of fiction embedded with truth in every frame.
*Available on DVD from Zeitgeist Films
24. "This is Not a Film" (2011)
Dir. Mojtaba Mirtahmasb & Jafar Panahi
In an effort to tell his story despite being banned from filmmaking and under house arrest, filmmaker Jafar Panahi takes his frustration and ingeniously turns it into a courageous visual statement. Whether is shooting video with his cell phone or blocking an imaginary scene in his living room, his passion for storytelling is resilient even when confronting such suffocating censorship.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Palisades Tartan
25. "A Time for Drunken Horses" (2000)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
With the snow-covered Zagros Mountains as backdrop, Ghobadi’s debut feature tells the story of Ayoub, a young Kurdish boy who must provide for his siblings after their mother’s death. Added to the already difficult circumstances, his handicapped brother desperately needs a surgery. This pushes the heroic kid to persevere against all odds in the hostile environment.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Kino Lorber
26. "Turtles Can Fly" (2004)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Commanding a cast made almost entirely of children Ghobadi sets his film in an Iraqi Kurdish refugee camp just before the American occupation of 2003. Making a living by clearing the hazardous minefields that surround them, a group of orphan children create a small community to survive. The atrocities of war are ever-present, but like in most of the director’s works, the triumph of the human spirit is at the film's core.
*Available on Amazon Instant Video
27. "The White Balloon" (1995)
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Written by Kiarostami and directed by Panahi this is another film set during the important Persian New Year celebrations. It centers on a little girl trying to convince her parents to buy her a goldfish and who gets in a couple mishaps along the way. With utmost innocence, the seemingly simple premise manages to be a charming delight that showcases family values and ancient virtues with a nice dose of humor. It’s an uplifting gem.
*Sadly the film is not curently availble in any format in the U.S. Hopefully Criterion or another distributor will fix this soon.
28. "The White Meadows" (2009)
Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof
While ethereal, almost otherworldly imagery achieved by cinematographer Ebrahim Ghafori is reason enough to see this film, Rasoulof’s poetic storytelling elevates it to even greater intellectual heights. By using a barren coastal land and its inhabitant as a metaphor for the intolerance and injustice that many of his compatriots -creative people in particular - confront everyday, the filmmaker denounces these evils through melancholic beauty.
*Available on DVD from Global Lens
29. "The Willow Tree" (2005)
Dir. Majid Majidi
A writer, who had been blinded in an accident as a child, regains his vision as a middle aged adult only to be challenged by a world that has become foreign to him. At first, his miraculous new situation appears to be an answer to a prayer, but Majidi soon shows us how vision can become a curse in this spiritual drama about fate and regret. Exquisitely shot and sporting visceral performances, the film is both heart-rending and though provoking.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Films
30. "The Wind Will Carry Us" (1999)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Taking the audience on a trip to an untainted region of Iran where tradition hasn’t yet been disrupted by modernity, the acclaimed director crafted another unforgettable experience. Sublimely executed, the film joins four journalists pretending to be engineers as they document the funerary rituals of the local Kurdish people. More than learning about them as researchers, their interactions force them to engage on a much more human level.
*Availble on Blu-ray and DVD from Cohen Media Group...
While useful in the theoretical realm in which politics take place, these generalizations create a distorted image of the foreign nation fed by assumptions and dangerously insensitive stereotypes. It’s much easier for rulers to justify their actions if the adversary is made out to look like an irredeemable villain. Sensationalism and ignorance are weapons far more destructive than missiles, because once the smoke dissipates hatred remains.
On that note, it should be clear that the Iranian people are not the Iranian government. Their rich cultural history is not reflected in the actions of those in power, but in the prevailing elegance and allure of their artwork. Remarkable poets, musicians, painters, and, what we are mostly concerned with here, filmmakers.
The history of Iranian cinema is vast and has survived the many transitions and troubling periods the country has experienced. Even more impressive is the fact that as masterfully as Iranian filmmakers and actors understand the medium, they have never watered down their individuality for the sake of mainstream international success. Instead, they’ve managed to create their unique cinematic language that aligns with their idiosyncrasies and that is not silenced despite the hardships they face, but finds a way around censorship or defies it altogether.
Certainly not a definitive list, the following collection of films aims to be an introduction to the compelling and diverse voices within this captivating national cinema and to encourage you to seek out other films in the future. There are films here that are concerned with rural and working class lifestyles, others that focus on the traditions of ethnic minorities, those that deal with the modern middle class, and also several works denouncing the country’s political situation and the oppression that comes with it.
There are also some films that are note worthy even if they don’t easily fit within the parameters of what an Iranian film is.
Special Mentions:
-Iranian-American director Ana Lily Amirpour and her outstanding Farsi-language debut “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” a visually striking vampire story set in a fictional Iranian town.
-American filmmaker Till Schauder and his documentary “The Iran Job,” which follows Kevin Sheppard, an American professional basketball player in Iran, and uses his experience to build cultural bridges between the two countries.
-Farhadi’s “The Past,” which though is not precisely an Iranian story, continues to show the director’s specific talent for greatly written, puzzling narratives both in his home country and abroad.
-Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's “Chicken with Plums,” a gorgeously whimsical and darkly comedic love story set in pre-revolutionary Tehran starring Mathieu Amalric.
Lastly, in honor of Nowruz or Persian New Year, which is a peaceful celebration of renewal and rebirth that takes place from March 20-24 in Iran and Iranian communities around the world, let’s remember the deeply moving and wise words that Asghar Farhadi gifted us during his acceptance speech on Oscar night a few years back. No one could have said it better than him.
“At this time many Iranians all over the world are watching us, and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award, or a film, or a filmmaker, but because at a time in which talk of war, intimidation, and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture, a rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics. I proudly offer this award to the people of my country, a people that respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment. Thank you so much.” –Director Asghar Farhadi after winning the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award for “A Separation” on February 26, 2012
1. "About Elly" (2009)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
In Farhadi's tense psychological drama a casual trip to the sea evolves into a subtly plotted mystery. The director's depiction of the Iranian middle class in such a fascinatingly unexpected story connected with both local and international audiences earning him awards at home and abroad, among them Berlin's Silver Bear.
*The Cinema Guild will release the film theatrically on April 17, 2015
2. "Baran" (2001)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Taking a look at the diverse ethnic groups that coexist in Iran, the film follows a love story between a man and a young Afghan woman who must pretend to be a man in order to work. Eliciting truly naturalistic performance from his cast Majidi gives voice to his almost silent protagonist, a woman caught up in a system designed by men.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch
3. "Children of Heaven" (1997)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Iran's first ever Academy Award nominated film is also Majidi's most renowned work. Innocence permeates this sweet story about two siblings from a working class family trying to find a pair of missing shoes. Their adventure delivers valuable life lessons that are at once heartwarming and profound. Unquestionably a classic.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Lionsgate
4. "Closed Curtain" (2013)
Dir. Jafar Panahi & Kambuzia Partovi
In this enigmatic observation on repression and surveillance an anonymous screenwriter, played by co-director Kambuzia Partovi, hides with his dog in a secluded location. Eventually, as other surprising characters appear, the film becomes a complex dance between reality and fabrication. Both filmmakers had their passports confiscated by the Iranian government due to the subversive content of the film.
*Available on Amazon Instant Video
5. "Close-Up" (1990)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
In one of the greatest examples of reality and fiction blending in almost seamless ways, Abbas Kiarostami's masterwork poses complex questions about identity. When a film buff impersonates his favorite director, who happens to Mohsen Makhmalbaf , a series of events unravel as he plans his next, fake, film. Surreally enough the film is based on a true story and stars the actual people involved. It's all brilliantly meta.
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Criterion
6. "The Color of Paradise" (1999)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Though rejected by his father, a young blind boy rejoices in nature’s beauty and tries to understand the meaning of his struggles with the help of a mentor with the same condition. Showcasing Iran’s visually stunning rural landscapes and delicately embedding with philosophical concerns, Majidi’s poetic film delivers wisdom in wondrously unassuming ways.
*Available on DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
7. "The Cow" (1969)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Considered a turning point in the nation’s cinematic history, this black-and-white work revolves around a man’s devotion for his cow and how its disappearance drives him into madness. While seemingly simple in its conception, Mehrjui manages to compellingly highlight the country’s traditional lifestyles.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
8. "Fireworks Wednesday" (2006)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Intimate conflicts in the Iranian middle class are Farhadi’s expertise and this domestic drama, set fittingly during the celebrations prior to the Persian New Year, is no exception. When a soon-to-be bride in need of money for her wedding gets a job cleaning a family’s house, their secrets begin to unravel through their interaction and confrontations.
*Available on DVD from Facets
9. "Gabbeh" (1996)
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Taking its name from a type of Persian carpet, this stunningly evocative fable is adorned with mysticism and magical realist elements that shine through its colorful visual palette. Gabbeh, a young nomadic woman who is likely the incarnation of one of these traditional rugs, falls in love with horseman, but her community follows beliefs that hinder her desire.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Video
10. "The Green Wave" (2010)
Dir. Ali Samadi Ahadi
Told through striking animated sequences, interviews and footage from the protests, this documentary constructs a bold portrait of the 2009 Green Movement following Ahmadinejad’s reelection. The regime's strong grip over its citizens is exposed, but the spirit of the Iranian people demanding change is even stronger.
*Available on DVD from Strand Releasing
11. "Hamoun" (1990)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Underscored by subdued comedy and poignant dream sequences, Mehrjui’s visionary drama centers on the decaying relationship between Hamoun, a businessman with hopes of becoming a writer, and his wife Mahshid, a painter. Insanity takes over him when she decides to divorce him because of his angry outbursts. A series of drastic occurrences ensue.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
12. "Kandahar" (2001)
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Despite being set in Afghanistan, this Iranian production is a powerful achievement that unveils the unjust treatment of women, not only under the Taliban’s control, but also in the entire region. Nafas, an Afghan women living in Canada, decides to return to her homeland to find her depressed sister. Through this dangerous journey she discovers much more about life in the war-torn country than she expected.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Video
13. "Leila" (1997)
Dir. Dariush Mehrjui
Starting famous Iranian actress Leila Hatami in one her earliest roles as a married woman unable to have children, this conjugal drama explores the role of women within Iranian society. Leila’s husband, Reza (played by “The Past” star Ali Mosaffa), loves her, but his mother wants him to get another wife that can give him a son. The title character is divided between her happiness and what others think is best for her marriage.
*Available on DVD from First Run Features
14. "Manuscripts Don't Burn" (2013)
Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof
Rasoulof’s brave and searing political statement was shot illegally going against the20-year-ban from filmmaking imposed on him by the Iranian government. It denounces the terrifying lack of freedom of expression via the thrilling story a pair of writers risking it all to protect an incendiary manuscript that authorities are eager to destroy.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Kino Lorber
15. "Marooned in Iraq" (2002)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Highlighting the rich Kurdish culture, both in Iran and Iraq, Ghobadi’s film is set in the aftermath of the ravaging Gulf War. Marooned is an elderly man who must travel across the mountainous landscape that divides the two countries to find his ex-wife. While portraying the horrors of war in an affecting manner, the film is also a life-affirming work that finds hope in the most surprising places.
*Available on DVD from Wellspring
16. "My Tehran for Sale"
Dir. Granaz Moussavi
Devastating and current, this debut feature from renowned poet turned filmmaker Granaz Moussavi is a hard-hitting critique on the blatant criminalization of artists in Iran. An actress banned from her profession questions whether she should remain in the country or flee. Getting to safety means leaving everything she knows behind. There are no easy options for her.
*Available on DVD from Global Lens
17. "No One Knows About Persian Cats" (2009)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Music as the banner of freedom is the focus of Ghobadi’s film about the underground rock scene in Tehran. Secular music is essentially forbidden, and playing in public is considered a criminal act punished with prison. Crafted between reality and fiction, this quasi-documentary takes a look at a group of young musicians desperate to express themselves through their art.
*Available on DVD from Mpi Home Video
18. "Offside" (2006)
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Attending sporting events is prohibited for women in Iran, but that doesn’t stop many of them who go as far as to dress like men to get in. Panahi’s touching and insightful film takes place during the 2006 World Cup Qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain, and follows several girls who despite being excluded cheer for their team as joyfully as any fan would.
*Available on DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
19. "Persepolis" (2007)
Dir. Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud
Nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, this French-language marvel is based on Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel by the same name. With eye-popping hand-drawn animation, the film revisits the director’s childhood and teenage years in Iran during the events leading up to the Islamic Revolution. It’s a love letter to the bittersweet memories of the Iran Satrapi knew.
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
20. "A Separation" (2011)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Dealing with a marriage in turmoil facing the country's peculiar judicial system, Farhadi’s masterpiece is the most acclaimed film in the history of Iranian cinema and earned the country's first Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay for its enthralling thriller-like narrative that grips the audience until its unnerving conclusion. A must see!
*Available on Blu-ray & DVD from Sony Pictures Classics
21. "The Song of Sparrows" (2008)
Dir. Majid Majidi
When Karim (played by Berlin’s Silver Bear Winner Reza Naji), an ostrich farm worker, is forced to find a new job in the city to pay for his daughter’s hearing aid, Iran’s rural and urban realms collide. Thanks to the captivating grace that characterizes Majidi’s films, poverty and misfortune are observed here not with pity but with an optimistic and undefeated perspective.
*Available on DVD from E1 Entertainment
22." Taste of Cherry" (1997)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
This quiet and minimalist meditation on death and the simple joys of its antithesis is the first and only Iranian film to have won the coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes. Kiarostami follows a man who has decided to commit suicide and is looking for someone to help him achieve this. However, those he recruits along the way come with their own views on the meaning of our existence and attempt to persuade him to reconsider.
*Available on DVD from Criterion
23. "Ten" (2002)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
A female cabbie drives through the streets of Tehran picking up an array of characters that via their casual conversations shine a light on the Iranian society’s expectations of women. Constructed of ten individual scenes in which the only constant is the driver, this heavily improvised and peculiarly shot cinematic experiment is a work of fiction embedded with truth in every frame.
*Available on DVD from Zeitgeist Films
24. "This is Not a Film" (2011)
Dir. Mojtaba Mirtahmasb & Jafar Panahi
In an effort to tell his story despite being banned from filmmaking and under house arrest, filmmaker Jafar Panahi takes his frustration and ingeniously turns it into a courageous visual statement. Whether is shooting video with his cell phone or blocking an imaginary scene in his living room, his passion for storytelling is resilient even when confronting such suffocating censorship.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Palisades Tartan
25. "A Time for Drunken Horses" (2000)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
With the snow-covered Zagros Mountains as backdrop, Ghobadi’s debut feature tells the story of Ayoub, a young Kurdish boy who must provide for his siblings after their mother’s death. Added to the already difficult circumstances, his handicapped brother desperately needs a surgery. This pushes the heroic kid to persevere against all odds in the hostile environment.
*Available on Netflix Instant Watch and on DVD from Kino Lorber
26. "Turtles Can Fly" (2004)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Commanding a cast made almost entirely of children Ghobadi sets his film in an Iraqi Kurdish refugee camp just before the American occupation of 2003. Making a living by clearing the hazardous minefields that surround them, a group of orphan children create a small community to survive. The atrocities of war are ever-present, but like in most of the director’s works, the triumph of the human spirit is at the film's core.
*Available on Amazon Instant Video
27. "The White Balloon" (1995)
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Written by Kiarostami and directed by Panahi this is another film set during the important Persian New Year celebrations. It centers on a little girl trying to convince her parents to buy her a goldfish and who gets in a couple mishaps along the way. With utmost innocence, the seemingly simple premise manages to be a charming delight that showcases family values and ancient virtues with a nice dose of humor. It’s an uplifting gem.
*Sadly the film is not curently availble in any format in the U.S. Hopefully Criterion or another distributor will fix this soon.
28. "The White Meadows" (2009)
Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof
While ethereal, almost otherworldly imagery achieved by cinematographer Ebrahim Ghafori is reason enough to see this film, Rasoulof’s poetic storytelling elevates it to even greater intellectual heights. By using a barren coastal land and its inhabitant as a metaphor for the intolerance and injustice that many of his compatriots -creative people in particular - confront everyday, the filmmaker denounces these evils through melancholic beauty.
*Available on DVD from Global Lens
29. "The Willow Tree" (2005)
Dir. Majid Majidi
A writer, who had been blinded in an accident as a child, regains his vision as a middle aged adult only to be challenged by a world that has become foreign to him. At first, his miraculous new situation appears to be an answer to a prayer, but Majidi soon shows us how vision can become a curse in this spiritual drama about fate and regret. Exquisitely shot and sporting visceral performances, the film is both heart-rending and though provoking.
*Available on DVD from New Yorker Films
30. "The Wind Will Carry Us" (1999)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Taking the audience on a trip to an untainted region of Iran where tradition hasn’t yet been disrupted by modernity, the acclaimed director crafted another unforgettable experience. Sublimely executed, the film joins four journalists pretending to be engineers as they document the funerary rituals of the local Kurdish people. More than learning about them as researchers, their interactions force them to engage on a much more human level.
*Availble on Blu-ray and DVD from Cohen Media Group...
- 3/23/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Taking place April 4-19, the festival will feature over 200 films, including recent world premieres from Sundance and Berlin.
Istanbul Film Festival has unveiled the lineup to its upcoming edition, taking place from April 4-19.
This year will feature over 200 films from 62 countries, as well as free talks and workshops by film-makers and masterclasses. New sections at this year’s festival include a special focus on cinema of the Balkans and a focus on German animation.
The festival’s international competition includes the likes of Cédric Kahn’s Wild Life, Quentin Dupieux’s Reality, Francesco Munzi’s Black Souls and Thomas Vinterberg’s Far from the Madding Crowd, while the national competition will screen Ali Atay’s Lemonade, Selim Evci’s Secret and Mehmet Eryılmaz’s The Visitor, among others.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, Jc Chandor’s A Most Violent Year, Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years and Matthew Warchus’ Pride are among this year’s Akbank Gala screenings...
Istanbul Film Festival has unveiled the lineup to its upcoming edition, taking place from April 4-19.
This year will feature over 200 films from 62 countries, as well as free talks and workshops by film-makers and masterclasses. New sections at this year’s festival include a special focus on cinema of the Balkans and a focus on German animation.
The festival’s international competition includes the likes of Cédric Kahn’s Wild Life, Quentin Dupieux’s Reality, Francesco Munzi’s Black Souls and Thomas Vinterberg’s Far from the Madding Crowd, while the national competition will screen Ali Atay’s Lemonade, Selim Evci’s Secret and Mehmet Eryılmaz’s The Visitor, among others.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, Jc Chandor’s A Most Violent Year, Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years and Matthew Warchus’ Pride are among this year’s Akbank Gala screenings...
- 3/13/2015
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Mardan
Written and directed by Batin Ghobadi
Iraq, 2014
Batin Ghobadi’s debut feature is an elusive crime drama that unfolds in the mountainous borderland of Iraqi Kurdistan. The younger brother of Bahman Ghobadi, best known for A Time for Drunken Horses, the writer-director was born in the region, albeit on the Iranian side of the border, and its troubled history resonates obliquely throughout the film. It is suggested that the region is engaged in a period of modernisation, through major construction projects and crackdowns on corruption, but its landscape remains rugged and primal, its men desolate and wracked with guilt.
The title character (Hossein Hasan) is a troubled police officer, suffering from a secret illness and haunted by a traumatic childhood memory. He is called on to investigate the sudden disappearance of a site worker, Morad (Feyyaz Duman) who was travelling home after completing a short-term contract, carrying his earnings with him.
Written and directed by Batin Ghobadi
Iraq, 2014
Batin Ghobadi’s debut feature is an elusive crime drama that unfolds in the mountainous borderland of Iraqi Kurdistan. The younger brother of Bahman Ghobadi, best known for A Time for Drunken Horses, the writer-director was born in the region, albeit on the Iranian side of the border, and its troubled history resonates obliquely throughout the film. It is suggested that the region is engaged in a period of modernisation, through major construction projects and crackdowns on corruption, but its landscape remains rugged and primal, its men desolate and wracked with guilt.
The title character (Hossein Hasan) is a troubled police officer, suffering from a secret illness and haunted by a traumatic childhood memory. He is called on to investigate the sudden disappearance of a site worker, Morad (Feyyaz Duman) who was travelling home after completing a short-term contract, carrying his earnings with him.
- 2/24/2015
- by Rob Dickie
- SoundOnSight
Irrfan Khan continues to do Indian cinema proud all over the world.
Just when he is covering himself with another round of high encomium for his performance in Anup Singh's Qissa, news comes that Irrfan is all set to do another international project to be directed by the very talented Qissa director Anup Kumar.
In the film, Irrfan Khan will be paired opposite the stunning Iranian beauty Golshifteh Farahani.
Apart from her mesmerizing looks, the rebellious actress is known for her presence in internationally celebrated movies including Dariush Mehrjui's Santouri (The Santoor Player), Bahman Ghobadi's Half Moon (winner of the Golden Shell at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival), and the late Rasool Mollagholipoor's M for Mother (Iran's nominee for the 2008 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category)
After posing nude for a French magazine Farahani was apparently banned from entering her home-land Iran.
Her coming...
Just when he is covering himself with another round of high encomium for his performance in Anup Singh's Qissa, news comes that Irrfan is all set to do another international project to be directed by the very talented Qissa director Anup Kumar.
In the film, Irrfan Khan will be paired opposite the stunning Iranian beauty Golshifteh Farahani.
Apart from her mesmerizing looks, the rebellious actress is known for her presence in internationally celebrated movies including Dariush Mehrjui's Santouri (The Santoor Player), Bahman Ghobadi's Half Moon (winner of the Golden Shell at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival), and the late Rasool Mollagholipoor's M for Mother (Iran's nominee for the 2008 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category)
After posing nude for a French magazine Farahani was apparently banned from entering her home-land Iran.
Her coming...
- 2/20/2015
- by Subhash K. Jha
- BollywoodHungama
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.