![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDE3YzNmN2QtZjliNC00YTBkLTk4ZmYtMThkNTlhN2Q2ZWJlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
The Greek hotel where Sofia Exarchou’s jittery, melancholic “Animal” takes place doesn’t seem to be anyone’s first-choice holiday destination. The beach is gritty rather than golden. The skies are low and gray. The guests are older couples and noisy families — pragmatic souls seeking a couple of weeks of undemanding pleasure on a budget that doesn’t stretch to luxury. Setting foot inside the Hotel Mirage, a “White Lotus” guest would turn on her heel so abruptly she’d be in danger of breaking a Manolo.
But so much for the guests, who come and go. The unromanced gaze of Monika Lenczewska’s mobile, handheld camera is firmly fixed on the seasonal entertainment staff. Shacking up in tatty digs on the premises, the men and women who provide daily diversions for the all-inclusive package tourists have the self-organizing camaraderie of a circus troupe. They practise their dance routines...
But so much for the guests, who come and go. The unromanced gaze of Monika Lenczewska’s mobile, handheld camera is firmly fixed on the seasonal entertainment staff. Shacking up in tatty digs on the premises, the men and women who provide daily diversions for the all-inclusive package tourists have the self-organizing camaraderie of a circus troupe. They practise their dance routines...
- 8/17/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWYyMDAyYmYtNTZjMC00YjgzLThiOTQtYmE3MDRkM2Y3OTczXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
Greek filmmaker Sofia Exarchou’s drama “Animal,” which world premieres Aug. 3 in competition at the Locarno Film Festival, has secured its first distribution deals and released a teaser (see below).
The anticipated follow-up to Exarchou’s first feature, “Park,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and won the New Directors Award in San Sebastian, “Animal” will be distributed in France by Shellac and in Austria by Filmgarten. Shellac is repping the film’s world rights.
“Animal” takes place under the scorching Greek sun as a group of entertainers at an all-inclusive island resort prepares for the busy tourist season. As the summer intensifies and the pressure builds, the sultry Mediterranean nights turn violent; in the darkness, the struggles of the group’s leader, Kalia (Dimitra Vlagopoulou), are revealed. But when the spotlights again turn on, the entertainers learn that the show must go on.
“Animal” is produced by Maria Drandaki...
The anticipated follow-up to Exarchou’s first feature, “Park,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and won the New Directors Award in San Sebastian, “Animal” will be distributed in France by Shellac and in Austria by Filmgarten. Shellac is repping the film’s world rights.
“Animal” takes place under the scorching Greek sun as a group of entertainers at an all-inclusive island resort prepares for the busy tourist season. As the summer intensifies and the pressure builds, the sultry Mediterranean nights turn violent; in the darkness, the struggles of the group’s leader, Kalia (Dimitra Vlagopoulou), are revealed. But when the spotlights again turn on, the entertainers learn that the show must go on.
“Animal” is produced by Maria Drandaki...
- 8/1/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzAyYmZmZmMtNzc2My00ODA0LTkzZDMtOGNjMTdjMjY1NzBjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE0MzQwMjgz._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
France’s Manny Films, Austria’s Nabis Filmgroup and Bulgaria’s Ars Digital have boarded Sofia Exarchou’s “Animal,” the follow-up to the Greek director’s San Sebastian prize winner “Park.”
“Animal” takes place under the hot Greek sun and amidst the sweaty nights of an eternal summer. The story of a group of entertainers who work at an all-inclusive island resort unfolds amid games, dance shows and nightly encounters that take place quietly behind the scenes.
The film is produced by Maria Drandaki and Maria Kontagianni for Homemade Films, with the support of the Greek Film Center, Ert and Ekome. Exarchou’s first feature, “Park,” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and won the New Directors Award in San Sebastian.
Speaking to Variety at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, Exarchou said that Greece’s rapidly growing mass-tourism industry was her initial inspiration for “Animal.”
“Against the backdrop of this huge tourist ‘machine,...
“Animal” takes place under the hot Greek sun and amidst the sweaty nights of an eternal summer. The story of a group of entertainers who work at an all-inclusive island resort unfolds amid games, dance shows and nightly encounters that take place quietly behind the scenes.
The film is produced by Maria Drandaki and Maria Kontagianni for Homemade Films, with the support of the Greek Film Center, Ert and Ekome. Exarchou’s first feature, “Park,” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and won the New Directors Award in San Sebastian.
Speaking to Variety at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, Exarchou said that Greece’s rapidly growing mass-tourism industry was her initial inspiration for “Animal.”
“Against the backdrop of this huge tourist ‘machine,...
- 11/15/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
![Mia Mullarkey at X-Pollinator Director's Residency](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTdlOWMwYTctMjRiNC00NjA5LWE2MGYtNTVmYjU2MWIwMzEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR7,0,140,207_.jpg)
![Mia Mullarkey at X-Pollinator Director's Residency](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTdlOWMwYTctMjRiNC00NjA5LWE2MGYtNTVmYjU2MWIwMzEwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQwMDg0Ng@@._V1_QL75_UY207_CR7,0,140,207_.jpg)
Meanwhile The Lonely Battle Of Thomas Reid wins best Irish film from Dublin Film Critics Circle.
The 2018 Dublin International Film Festival braved heavy snowfall this weekend to hand out its annual Discovery Award to four rising stars in the Irish film industry.
This year’s Discovery Awards went to director Mia Mullarkey for her documentary Mother & Baby, Rua Meegan and Trevor Whelan for their work on Bordalo II: A Life of Waste, and Tj O’Grady Peyton for directing and starring in Wave.
Despite going ahead with the awards ceremony at Dublin’s Light House Cinema on March 5, many of...
The 2018 Dublin International Film Festival braved heavy snowfall this weekend to hand out its annual Discovery Award to four rising stars in the Irish film industry.
This year’s Discovery Awards went to director Mia Mullarkey for her documentary Mother & Baby, Rua Meegan and Trevor Whelan for their work on Bordalo II: A Life of Waste, and Tj O’Grady Peyton for directing and starring in Wave.
Despite going ahead with the awards ceremony at Dublin’s Light House Cinema on March 5, many of...
- 3/6/2018
- by Adam Weddle
- ScreenDaily
This Ethiopian docudrama recreates the game-changing legal case involving a 14-year-old who shot her kidnapper
Ethiopian director Zeresenay Mehari’s docudrama recounts a game-changing legal case from the mid-90s that involved a 14-year-old girl named Hirut (played by Tizita Hagere) who tried to plead self-defence after fatally shooting the man who abducted and raped her. Local star Meron Getnet, who’s terrific, co-stars as Hirut’s pro-bono lawyer Meaza Ashenafi, a feisty modern woman who won’t give up the fight against patriarchal tradition. It’s tempting to give this more of a pass because the subject is so noble and so few African-made films make it over here, but it has to be admitted that the some of the acting is a bit ropey and the script is a little too on-the-nose at times. There really is a scene where our heroine Meaza goes to a bar to...
Ethiopian director Zeresenay Mehari’s docudrama recounts a game-changing legal case from the mid-90s that involved a 14-year-old girl named Hirut (played by Tizita Hagere) who tried to plead self-defence after fatally shooting the man who abducted and raped her. Local star Meron Getnet, who’s terrific, co-stars as Hirut’s pro-bono lawyer Meaza Ashenafi, a feisty modern woman who won’t give up the fight against patriarchal tradition. It’s tempting to give this more of a pass because the subject is so noble and so few African-made films make it over here, but it has to be admitted that the some of the acting is a bit ropey and the script is a little too on-the-nose at times. There really is a scene where our heroine Meaza goes to a bar to...
- 3/5/2015
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Debut competition titles at cinematography festival unveiled.
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22), has revealed the line-up of films screening in three of the festival’s competition sections including Cinematographers’ Debut, Directors’ Debut and Student Etudes.
The entries are:
Cinematographers’ Debut Competition
Duane Hopkins’ Bypass;
UK, 2014; Cinematographer: David Procter
Sidney Lexy Plaut’s Dark Samurai;
Denmark, 2014; Cinematographer: Sidney Lexy Plaut
Zeresenay Berhane Mehari’s Difret;
Ethiopia, USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Monika Lenczewska
Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Hardkor Disko;
Poland, 2014; Cinematographer: Kacper Fertacz
Arild Østin Ommundsen’s It’s Only Make Believe;
Norway, 2013; Cinematographer: Arild Østin Ommundsen
Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson’s Ruin;
Australia, 2013; Cinematographer: Ari Wegner
Ester Martin Bergsmark’s Something Must Break;
Sweden, 2014; Cinematographers: Lisabi Fridell and Minka Jakerson
David Pablos’ The Life After;
Mexico, 2013; Cinematographer: José De- La-Torre
Saar Klein’s Things People Do;
USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Matthias Koenigswieser
Jonas Alexander Arnby’s When Animals Dream;
Denmark, 2013; Cinematographer: [link=nm...
- 10/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
On August 9, Sundance-winning drama "Imperial Dreams" will have its La premiere at Next Fest, the festival's summer film and music showcase. John Boyega gives an impressive performance in the movie as Bambi, a 21-year-old newly released from prison and trying to turn his life around by becoming a writer. With a 4-year-old son to care for, Bambi struggles to find work, food and shelter without turning back to a life of crime, which proves next to impossible as an ex-con in the poverty-stricken Imperial Courts housing projects of Watts, Los Angeles. The heartfelt storytelling is accompanied by slick photography by Dp Monika Lenczewska and a spellbinding soundtrack by...
- 7/25/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
★★★☆☆ Umut Dağ's Kuma (2013) brought the unconventional marital arrangement of second wives into UK cinemas earlier this year to impressive effect, and the practice appears again in Chika Anadu's B for Boy (2013). A markedly differing scenario to Kuma, this potential successor is in place to take over spousal duties should the current wife fail in her familial responsibilities. It's just one aspect of Anadu's heartfelt maternal drama that tackles the considerable pressures placed on Nigerian women to bare sons. Amaka (Uche Nwadili) has a loving husband in Nonso (Nonso Odogwu) as well as an adorable daughter.
Female offspring do not, however, make suitable heirs and there is a great sense of expectation that the heavily pregnant Amaka's second child will be the much-desired boy. The couple's relative maturity has put Nonso's traditional family - specifically his overbearing Mama (Ngozi Nwaneto) - on edge. As a precaution, a new young wife has been arranged for Nonso,...
Female offspring do not, however, make suitable heirs and there is a great sense of expectation that the heavily pregnant Amaka's second child will be the much-desired boy. The couple's relative maturity has put Nonso's traditional family - specifically his overbearing Mama (Ngozi Nwaneto) - on edge. As a precaution, a new young wife has been arranged for Nonso,...
- 10/13/2013
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
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