News

An excerpt of the sci-fi drama will be showcased at Cannes’ virtual Marché du Film next month.

Rome-based sales company Coccinelle Film Sales has acquired international rights to Beniamino Catena’s Vera De Verdad, ahead of its showcase at Cannes’ virtual Marché du Film next month.

The Italy-Chile co-production is a sci-fi drama that begins when 10-year-old Vera disappears without a trace. She returns two years later but instead of being a teenager, she is a woman in her mid-20s. Vera then starts to recall how she has been living the life of a man who was clinically dead...

Anomalisa wins Grand Jury Prize; Robert Pattinson-starrer The Childhood Of A Leader wins best debut.Scroll down for full list of winners

From Afar (Desde Alla), the first Venezuelan production to appear in Competition at the Venice Film Festival, has won the Golden Lion for Best Film.

The directorial debut of Lorenzo Vigas concerns a middle-aged man (Alfredo Castro) who pays young boys to spend time with him. One day he befriends an 18-year-old delinquent (Luis Silva), a development that affects both profoundly.

The film, sold by Celluloid Dreams, is produced by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, who co-wrote the script.

The Silver Lion for Best Director went to Argentinian film-maker Pablo Trapero for kidnap drama The Clan (El Clan).

Trapero has a good relationship with Venice, having won two prizes for his 1999 debut, Crane World, returning in 2004 with Rolling Family and sitting on the Golden Lion jury in 2012.

The Clan is based on the real-life exploits...

'Everest' 2015, with Jake Gyllenhaal at the Venice Film Festival. What global warming? Venice Film Festival 2015 jury: Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón president The 2015 Venice Film Festival, to be held Sept. 2–12, has announced the members of its three main juries: Venezia 72, Horizons, and the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film. In case you're wondering, “Why Venezia 72”? Well, the simple answer is that this is the 72nd edition of the festival. Looking at the lists below, you'll notice that, as usual, Europeans dominate the award juries. The only two countries from the Americas represented are the U.S. and Mexico, and here and there you'll find a sprinkling of Asian film talent. Golden Lion jury The Golden Lion – Venezia 72 Competition – jury is comprised by the following: Jury President Alfonso Cuarón, the first Mexican national to take home the Best Director Academy Award (for the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney...

We knew that Alfonso Cuarón would be presiding over the competition jury at the 72nd Venice Film Festival (September 2 through 12); as of today, we know that the other members are Elizabeth Banks, Emmanuel Carrère, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Diane Kruger, Francesco Munzi, Pawel Pawlikowski and Lynne Ramsay. On the Orizonti (Horizons) jury: Jonathan Demme (President), Anita Caprioli, Fruit Chan, Alix Delaporte and Paz Vega. And awarding a debut film will be Saverio Costanzo (President), Charles Burnett, Roger Garcia, Natacha Laurent and Daniela Michel. Also in today's news: Josephine Decker, Miguel Arteta and Heinz Emigholz. » - David Hudson...

We knew that Alfonso Cuarón would be presiding over the competition jury at the 72nd Venice Film Festival (September 2 through 12); as of today, we know that the other members are Elizabeth Banks, Emmanuel Carrère, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Diane Kruger, Francesco Munzi, Pawel Pawlikowski and Lynne Ramsay. On the Orizonti (Horizons) jury: Jonathan Demme (President), Anita Caprioli, Fruit Chan, Alix Delaporte and Paz Vega. And awarding a debut film will be Saverio Costanzo (President), Charles Burnett, Roger Garcia, Natacha Laurent and Daniela Michel. Also in today's news: Josephine Decker, Miguel Arteta and Heinz Emigholz. » - David Hudson...

Competition jury includes Elizabeth Banks, Lynne Ramsay, Diane Kruger and Hou Hsiao-hsien.

The Venice Film Festival (Sept 2-12) has revealed the members of its three international juries - Venezia 72, Orizzonti (Horizons) and ‘Luigi De Laurentiis’ Venice Award for Best Debut Film.

The Venezia 72 Competition jury, headed by Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón, will comprise:

French author, screenwriter and director Emmanuel Carrère, author of bestsellers Limonov (2011) and Le Royaume (2015);

Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival for Winter Sleep;

Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski, director of Ida, winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film earlier this year;

Italian director Francesco Munzi, in competition at last year’s Venice with Black Souls, winner of nine David di Donatello awards from the Italian Academy;

Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice 1989 for A City of Sadness, and in competition at this year’s Cannes...

Following up their initial competition announcement the folks at the Sundance Film Festival have released the names of thirty additional 2012 selections, in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next, and New Frontiers sections.

Although these sections tend to focus more on young and up-and-coming filmmakers (particularly the Next sidebar, which was created just a few years ago with that specific mandate), you might find a few names you recognize in the full list of invited films below. Next is where you'll find the new film from "Great World of Sound" director Craig Zobel; it's called "Compliance" and it's described as the (based-on-a-)true story of what happens "when a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee." Lynn Shelton, director of "Humpday," will premiere "Your Sister's Sister" starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and "Humpday"s Mark Duplass. Duplass also wrote his wife Katie Aselton...

Sundance continues to announce their lineups for each program and now we have the list of movies featured in the Spotlight section – the non-competition section where the festival screens some of their favourite films from other fests. Here is the lineup for 2012.

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After moving back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister, 13-year-old Marta struggles to find her place, restlessly testing the boundaries of an unfamiliar city and the catechism of the Catholic church. Cast: Yle Vianello, Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli, Renato Carpentiere.

Declaration Of War / Belgium (Director: Valérie Donzelli, Screenwriters: Jérémie Elkaïm, Valérie Donzelli) — A young couple embark upon a painful, enlightening journey when they discover that their newborn child is very ill. Cast: Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm, César Desseix. North American Premiere.

Elena / Russia (Director: Andrei Zvyagintsev, Screenwriter: Oleg Negin) — A meditative, modern-noir tale about an older woman,...

Yesterday Sundance released their films up for competition for the 2012 festival. But that was only one half of the festival slate. Now Sundance has released the second half of films that will be released as part of the festivities. Films in competition are just as interesting as those not in competition and with titles The Raid and Wuthering Heights are all on the list, it will be a fun watch this year.

Check out the list for the Out of Competition film that can be seen at the Sundance Film Festival 2012 below.

Spotlight

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After moving back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister, 13-year-old Marta struggles to find her place, restlessly testing the boundaries of an unfamiliar city and the catechism of the Catholic church.Cast: Yle Vianello, Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli, Renato Carpentiere.

Declaration Of War / Belgium (Director: Valérie Donzelli,...

Yesterday The Sundance Film Festival released their list of In-Competition films, today they have released their line-up of Non-Competition films. I've had a blast every year that I've attended The Sundance Film Festival, it's always a surprise! You never know what movie you are going to see until you see it. If you ever get a chance to go I highly recommend that you do. Each film on the list has a little description next to it. The festival will take place January 19th to the 29th.

Check out the list of movies below and let us know of any that you are interested in watching or hearing about so that we can get it covered for you. Some of the films might look familiar to you such as The Raid, Grabbers and Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, and Wuthering Heights. The Raid is at the top of...

Welcome to Day Two of Kate Christmas. Yesterday, the 2012 Sundance Film Festival announced their first wave of programming, featuring twenty-six titles that will be screening in competition. While the arrival of those titles was enough to send me into a tizzy I have still not recovered from, today the festival has only piled on the pre-holiday goodies with the announcement of their Spotlight, Next, Park City at Midnight, and New Frontiers films. A few titles of note to get your juices flowing - Gareth Evans‘ The Raid (also known round these parts as “oh, hell yeah”), Andrea Arnold‘s take on Wuthering Heights, Katie Aselton‘s second directorial outing Black Rock (scripted by her husband Mark Duplass), Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish‘s Sleepwalk With Me (based on Birbiglia’s hilarious book), and Lynn Shelton‘s Your Sister’s Sister. Again, that’s just a taste, so...

Yesterday the Sundance Film Festival announced the core lineup of films [1] that will be spotlit in the Competition slates at the 2012 festival. Now we've got a lineup of films that will play out of competition in the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier schedules. There are a few films in here with which you might be nominally familiar, like The Raid, Grabbers and Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, not to mention Andrea Arnold's new version of Wuthering Heights. But many are new announcements. While the competition lineups are always a good place to look for some of the films that will be the most talked-about in the year following each Sundance fest, these schedules are where some of the more unique and provocative films live. There are still some big premieres to be announced next week, but if I was making a big Sundance wishlist,...

Yesterday, Sundance announced the line-ups for the in-competition categories. Today, we're moving into the out-of-competition films and just because they're not competing for an award, doesn't mean they won't be great. Sundance has announced their line-ups for the Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=>, and New Frontier categories. There are a lot of exciting films in these categories, but I'm over the moon that Sundance will be getting The Raid. The movie got massive love coming out of Tiff this year, Sony Pictures Classics picked up the distribution rights, and I'm going to make sure there's a spot for it in my Sundance schedule. Other noteworthy movies include Monsieur Lazhar, Wuthering Heights, and Black Rock (a horror film from The Freebie director Katie Aselton and her husband/Cyrus co-writer-director Mark Duplass). Hit the jump for the line-ups. The 2012 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 19 – 29th. Spotlight Regardless of where these...

Sundance continues to roll out the lineup announcements with the Spotlight section. The non-competition section where the festival screens favorites from other festivals around the world this is a great way to catch up on the best of what you may have missed elsewhere:Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) -- After moving back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister, 13-year-old Marta struggles to find her place, restlessly testing the boundaries of an unfamiliar city and the catechism of the Catholic church. Cast: Yle Vianello, Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli, Renato Carpentiere. Declaration Of War / Belgium (Director: Valérie Donzelli, Screenwriters: Jérémie Elkaïm, Valérie Donzelli) -- A young couple embark upon a painful, enlightening journey when they discover that their...

Getty Images The marquee of the Egyptian Theater announces the Sundance Film Festival

Yesterday, the Sundance Institute announced its in-competition narrative and documentary films for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Today, they announced their out-of-competition film in the Spotlight, Midnight, Next and New Frontier sections. The full list is below:

Spotlight

Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After...

Following yesterday's announcement of the titles lined up for the four programs of the Competition, the Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the lineups of its out-of-competition sections: Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier. This time, I'm going to go ahead and copy-n-paste the release nearly in full because, well, these are, potentially at least, the more interesting batches.

We'll cut in just as Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, is saying, “In many ways, the extremes of the Festival’s program are most readily apparent in our out-of-competition sections, which showcase the wildest comedies, the most terrifying horror films and uncompromised visions from singular voices springing up from around the country and the world. We hope audiences experiment with their film selections to an equal degree as these filmmakers have experimented with their storytelling.”

Spotlight

Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world,...

It'll be a Tiff does Sundance this year in the Spotlight Program as the majority of the films programmed in the section (which staffers state, "regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love") are films that moved from Cannes to Tiff en route to Sundance or had their world premieres at Tiff and are moving into Park City. Among the highlights we have have several Foreign Oscar submissions in Declaration Of War (France), Monsieur Lazhar (Canada) and Where Do We Go Now? (Lebanon), we have heavyweight audience favorites from Tiff in Lynn Shelton's Your Sister's Sister and Gareth Evans' The Raid and Andrea Arnold will have her U.S premiere for Wuthering Heights in Park City. Among the "must see" titles in the batch of nine is Andrei Zvyagintsev's Elena - (see pic above...

Following yesterday’s announcement of competition titles, Sundance Film Festival 2012 have announced the line-up for a few more sections today. In their Spotlight section we have a few of my favorite Tiff titles, including Wuthering Heights (pictured above), Your Sister’s Sister, as well as audience-winners The Raid and Where Do We Go Now? We also get the insane-looking Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie in the midnight section. Check out the list below.

Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, Next <=> and New Frontier. The Festival takes place from January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.

Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In many ways, the extremes of the...

2012 Sundance Film Festival Sets Competition Slate The Sundance Institute has added to the 2012 Sundance Film Festival program by announcing the films for its out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Midnight, Next and New Frontier categories. There are surely more films to come — rumors are that titles including the Stephen Frears-directed Lay The Favorite are expected to premiere in Park City. The festival program is shaping up nicely, with a ton of films that don’t have distribution deals and have a decidedly independent flavor. “In many ways, the extremes of thefFestival’s program are most readily apparent in our out-of-competition sections, which showcase the wildest comedies, the most terrifying horror films and uncompromised visions from singular voices spring up from around the country and the world,” said festival programming director Trevor Groth. Here are the program additions: Spotlight Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After moving back to southern Italy...

Today the out-of-competition films were announced for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

The complete list of titles are below. See the films in competition here.

Some of the highlights here include the U.S. premiere of Lynn Shelton‘s Your Sister’s Sister, which received a lot of buzz at Toronto; Katie Aselton‘s thriller Black Rock starring Lake Bell and Kate Bosworth; found footage horror V/H/S directed by Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg and Radio Silence; and Craig Zobel‘s follow-up to The Great World of Sound, Compliance and Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (no further description needed).

Films in the Premieres sections will be announced Dec. 5. The 2012 Sundance Film Festival takes place Jan. 19-29.

Spotlight

Corpo Celeste / Italy (Director and screenwriter: Alice Rohrwacher) — After moving back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister, 13-year-old Marta struggles to find her place,...

After programming Le Quattro Volte in last year's Directors' Fortnight line-up, Frederic Boyer has turned towards Calabria (the toe portion of Italy) once again - confirming to Variety that Alice Rohrwacher's debut narrative film "Corpo Celeste," will be among the films included in the sidebar and which also means that it will also be up for the Camera d'or award for Best First Feature (the only award that includes all the Cannes sections). If the name rings a bell, it's because doc-filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher is the sister of Alba Rohrwacher -- the actress who played the adult daughter role in Luca Guadagnino's I Am Love (she was also in his 2005 film Melissa P.). The Rohrwacher family are German-Italians -- and certainly some of their displaced DNA is carried over into this drama which when literally translated means "Celestial Body". The Calabria-set drama is about a 13-year-old girl (Yle...

ROME -- Nine months, two distributors, several prizes and much positive word-of-mouth later, Gianni Zanasi's 2007 Venice hit comedy "Don't Think About It" has finally made it to Italian screens. Zanasi's last film was 1999's "Beside Myself", a much smaller and more intimate effort. Bubbly and smart, the new film was branded the first worthy "commedia all'italiana" in years. It has sold to 17 territories and the appeal of its broadly recognizable theme and humor could push it beyond the arthouse niche in some venues.

Failed 35-year-old punk rock musician Stefano (Valerio Mastandrea) returns to his small hometown from Rome after catching his girlfriend cheating on him. Seeking refuge, the prodigal son nevertheless freely criticizes his family and their "bourgeois facades." But things are never as simple as they seem: His older brother is running the family business into the ground and falling for a call girl, his sister has dropped out of college to work with dolphins, his mother does nothing but frequent New Age classes and his father plays golf all day long.

When skeletons start popping out of closets (even about the identity of his real father) and the house is foreclosed upon, Stefano is the least equipped of all to handle it. With a tinge of melancholy, he realizes he craves the safety nets he fled, which the others, however, have outgrown.

Zanasi shoots in bright, sunny colors with a style that is classic yet loose. He allows his actors to perform with naturalistic ease. They are fun to watch -- from the ever-dependent Mastandrea to stars Giuseppe Battiston and Anita Caprioli, as well as Gisella Burinato and Teco Celio as Stefano's parents.

While the subject matter may not be entirely original -- and The New Age and golf touches smack more of American than Italian families -- the film is solidly entertaining and features a great soundtrack with songs by Merci Miss Monroe, Les Fauves and Atomik Dog.

DON'T THINK ABOUT IT

ITC Movie, Pupkin Production in collaboration with La7

International sales: Pyramide International

Credits:

Director: Gianni Zanasi

Writers: Zanasi, Michele Pellegrini

Producers: Beppe Caschetto, Rita Rognoni

Director of photography: Giulio Pietromarchi

Production designer: Roberto De Angelis

Music: Merci Miss Monroe, Les Fauves and Atomik Dog

Costume designer: Valentina Tavia

Editor: Rognoni

Cast:

Stefano: Valerio Mastandrea

Michela: Anita Caprioli

Alberto: Giuseppe Battiston

Mamma Nardini: Gisella Burinato

Walter: Teco Celio

Nadine: Caterina Murino

Paolo: Paolo Briguglia

Stefano: Dino Abbrescia

Running time -- 105 minutes

No MPAA rating...

OTTAWA -- French filmmaker Claude Zidi on Thursday was named head of the eight-member international jury for the 28th Montreal World Film Festival, set to run Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Zidi will be joined on the jury by U.S. director Jerry Schatzberg, Czech animator Bretislav Pojar, Quebec producer Denise Robert, Indian director Goutam Ghose, Mexican actress Diana Bracho, Italian star Anita Caprioli and Spanish director Jaime Camino.