By Alex Deleon, Miskolc

September 19, 2013 

As befits an international film festival, Cinefest Miskolc offers a mixed bag of new international features in conpetition, a cache of old classics, non-competition information films, a strong slate of docs and shorts, a goodly turnout of international directors here to present their films, and seminars withh prominent visiting professionals.   The media presence is still primarily from within Hungary but can be expected to expand in the future as this ten year old festival becomes better known. 

A listing of films viewed so far with directors, country and basic themes: 

Halima's Way, Anton Ostojic, Croatia;  Jugoslav war.

Krugovi,  (Circles)' Serbia, Sedan Golubovic; Jugoslav war.

Young and Beautiful,  (Jeune et Belle) François 0zon, France: 

   sex  between young female and older men,  pornography.

Floating Skyscrapers, (Plynace Wiezowce), Tomasz Wasilewski, Poland; 

   sex, gayness between males, bisexuality, pornography.

Il Futuro, (the future) Alice Scherson (Italy) / sex, young female and much older man, (Rutger Hauer!), pornography => [Note: pornography plays a role in all of these sex-oriented fiĺms ...pointing up one of the accepted ills of contemporary society]

Iron Sky, Tino Vuorensala, Finland;  Sci-fi, Nazis (A highly imaginative comedy to say the least -- surviving Nazis now live on the dark side of the moon ! -- (Shook many people out of the doldrums at Berlin last year)

Glorious Deserters, (Deserteurs), Gabriele Neudecker, Austria;

     The Nazis in retrospect, from an Austrian perspective, told as first-person narratives by young men who were ostracized after the war.

You and the night,  (Les rencontres d'après), Yann Gonzalez, France;    

         Avant garde experimentalism, sex, surrealism, weirdness

        with - Alain Fabien Delon, son of a famous father! (as its principal  

         saving grace)

Sugar, Ryan Fleck/Anna Boden, USA; [Info] Immigration, race relations, and baseball ... after a fashion.  xlnt non-professional black cast.

Ex-Jugoslav Directors go Head to Head in friendly competition: 

Two strong dramas from neighboring former Jugoslavia dealt with the aftermath of the war that made that multi-ethnic country break up into half a dozen descendant states.

"Halima's Way", by Croatian director Arsen Anton Ostojic, takes up the question of the proper reburial of Bosnian war massacre victims in mass graves and was previously viewed at the Southeast European film festival in Los Angeles. The film was accorded a standing ovation here and director Ostojic informed me that he has now traveled to over a dozen festivals with Halima where it has picked up no less than 17 awards. "Halima" will be the Croatian entry in the 2014 Oscars in Hollywood.

The Serbian drama "Krugovi" (Circles) is so named because of the ripple of after effects permeating the lives of people now widely scattered, who witnessed or participated in the murder of a Serbian soldier by his own comrades when he tried to save an innocent Moslem storekeeper from being beaten to death in the public square of a peaceful country town twelve years earlier. An extremely complex story that is structured like a whodonewhat thriller because the key evidence of the public square brutality is not revealed until the very end.  Director Srban Golubovic,  is one of the leading new directors in Belgrade and this picture shows why.

Both of the above films are based on actual events that took place in a horrible civil war whose memories still all too fresh in the minds of those who went through it.  Interestingly Srdan and Arsen are competing against each other both here and again in the next Oscars.  My feeling is that "Circles" will grab the honors here, but I may be slightly prejudiced because I have old friends from the Montenegran town of Trebinje where Circles is centered, and have always wondered what that far away place looked like.  Trebinje and the surrounding area is very much a character in "Krugovi".

International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary between 04 –11th October 2013.

Sponsored by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and organized by the Antalya Culture and Arts Foundation, the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival is one of the longest established film festivals in Europe and Asia, as well as being the oldest and longest running film festival in Turkey.

For the past 50 years, we have been hosting many precious guests and jury members in Antalya. This year, we are very proud to welcome Oscar winning director Asghar Farhadi to attend the gala of his latest work ‘The Past’ and the greatest film musician the Eleni Karaindrou as a member the ‘National Competion’ jury.

The festival includes an International Film Competition and a National Film Competition, as well as National Short Film and Documentary Film Competition, informative sections including tributes and new trends in world Cinema. The festival will also be celebrating the 100th years of the Indian Cinema with a best selection of its films such as; The Lunchbox, Ritesh Batra, Ship of Theseus, Anand Gandhi and Lonely Wife, Satyajit Ray.

The 50th festival will be bigger and the most exciting than ever.  We would be glad to welcome you or a representative of your organization during our festival; 4-11 October 2013. 

The 50th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival has announced ten awe-inspiring films for its International Feature Film Competition.
 

The festival will be held from 4th to 11th October 2013 and will be celebrating its 50th edition bigger than ever before. The festival is organized by the Antalya Culture and Art Foundation (AKSAV) and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. The event is held annually since 1963 and it is the most prestigious international film festival in Turkey.

International Feature Film Competition aims to discover new talents and names those of which have managed to develop a unique language and brought a different perspective to cinema in Asia, Europe, and Middle Eastern countries. Ten films have been selected for this year’s Golden Orange Film Awards as follows;

•  Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s first feature film, “36” – (Thailand, 2012, 68min.)

36 is the number of shots on an analogue roll of film. It's also the number of shots in this film. It's the playful quest of a young photographer for the photos that disappeared on her computer: a whole year's worth, including one of a challenging encounter. In a playful way, this film tackles the issue of changing memory. These days a lot is remembered for us, but what do we still remember ourselves? Thamrongrattanarit's first feature film 36 competed in International Film Festival Rotterdam for the Hivos Tiger.

• Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu’s, “When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism. The film had its world premiere in Locarno Film Festival. (Romania & France, 2013, 89’)

It’s the middle of a film shoot and Paul, the director, is having an affair with Alina, an actress playing a supporting role. With Alina’s last day on set imminent, Paul decides to rewrite the script in order to shoot a nude scene with her. But tomorrow is always another day. Paul wakes up in the morning and decides not to shoot the scene after all. Instead, he calls the producer and tells her he’s having problems with his ulcer. “When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism” is Corneliu Porumboiu’s fourth film. The film made its world premiere at Locarno Film Festival in International Competition section. Porumboiu also won Critics Awards at Golden Orange International Film Festival in 2006 with his film 12:08 East of Bucharest.

• Polish director Tomasz Wasilewski’s, Floating Skyscrapers (Best Film - Karlovy Vary East of the West Film Festival) (Poland, 2013, 93’)

Strong and disciplined Kuba lives with his girlfriend and his mother. He is sideswiped by the feelings unearthed when he meets Mikal. Their connection is instantaneous and intoxicating, leaving Kuba to grapple with conflicting emotions. Suddenly his comfortable life with his girlfriend Sylwie is less interesting. Unable to deny himself any longer,   Kuba begins a relationship with Mikal. As Sylwie’s dreams of a life with Kuba slip away, Kuba accepts who he is and what he wants, only to find himself drowning in the destruction of his desires. Tomasz Wasilewski's second film, Floating Skyscrapers, won Karlovy Vary's East of the West competition this year and participated to the Tribeca IFF’13.
 

• Israeli director Tom Shoval’s, “Youth”.  (Best Film – Jerusalem Film Festival) (Israel & Germany, 2013, 107’)

Brothers Yaki and Shaul live with their parents in Petah Tikva, a satellite town of Tel Aviv. Yaki is doing military service. As for all other 18-year old Israelis, this means he is allowed to carry a gun. This weapon gives the brothers the power to change their lives and that of their family – or so they believe.The debut film of Tom Shoval has been screened in many international film festivals like Berlin, Durban, Hong Kong, Karlovy Vary, CPH:PIX and among many prizes from the Jerusalem Film Festival the director won The New Talent Grand Prix in Taipei Film Festival.

• Egyptian director Hala Lotfy’s,  Abu- Dhabi Film Festival winning debut, “Coming Forth by Day”. The film was screened at Berlinale’s Forum section.  (Egypy & UAE, 2012, 96’)

One day in the life of Soad, who lives with her mother andbed-ridden father on the outskirts of Cairo. While bright sunlight and the sounds of the city can be made out behind the half-closed shutters, everything in the flat exudes the smell of old age, and sickness. Her mother works nights in a hospital and has barely any energy to spare during the day. Soad too is no longer young, having resigned herself to caring for her incapacitated father and putting her own life on hold. Hala Lotfy’s impressive debut focuses on the relationship between light and shadow, within and without, life and death.

• French director David Perrault’s, “Our Heroes Died Tonight”. The film made its world premiere at Cannes’ Critics Week. (France, 2013, 97’)

Paris, the early sixties. Wrestling is a prosperous business. Simon, known as “The Specter”, recruits Victor to play “the Bucher”, a villain everybody hates. Lonely and insecure Victor finds it hard to play the bad guy, fearing that he will actually become one. Simon offers him an exchange. Victor will enter the ring as “The Specter”, and receive all the cheers for once. The match starts and nobody notices the difference. But something goes wrong… Writer-director David Perrault’s minimalist, semi-experimental throwback to early 60s filmmaking had his world  premiere in Critics Week at Cannes.

• Austrian director, Barbara Albert’s, “The Dead and The Living”.  The film competed at San Sebastián Film Festival 2012. (Austria & Poland & Germany, 2013, 112’)

What did you do in the war, grand-daddy?” is the question that drives the heroine of The Dead and the Living (Die Lebenden), the fourth feature from Austrian writer/director Barbara Albert and her first since 2006’s ensemble-piece Falling. The Dead and the Living tells the journey of 25-year-old Sita into the dark and loaded past of her family during World War II. The journey leads Sita from Berlin to Vienna, to Warsaw and to Romania The Dead and the Living is a film about losing your homeland, a film about self-discovery and identity about responsibility and hope. The film is nominated for Golden Seashell in San Sebastián International Film Festival and won the best editing prize in Austrian Film Awards at the Viennale’13.

·Israeli director Ari Folman’s animated film “The Congress”. The director’s “Waltz with Bashir“ (2008) was nominated for the Oscar and the film won many awards at the international festivals. (Israel & Germany & Poland & France & Luxembourg, 2013, 122’)

The Congress is an adaptation of Polish writer Stanislaw Lem’s sci-fi novel The Futurological Congress about a Hollywood star -who wants to withdraw from the limelight - who sells her scanned image to a studio for use in future films. The actress agrees to a large payment to have a full body imaging that will be digitized and utilized to create a digital actress. As part of the agreement, she will no longer control her likeness and the studio will then utilize the new virtual thespian in any manner they see fit. Folman’s last film The Congress is screened at Cannes this year and won critics’ praise.

• German director Ramon Zürcher’s, “TheStrange Little Cat”. The film was screened at Cannes and Berlinale. It was also awarded with new talent Grand at CPH PIX-Copenhagen. (Germany, 2013, 72’)

An ordinary day, Karin and Simon are visiting their parents. That evening, other relatives will be joining them for dinner. Over the course of the day, domestic chores are done and people sit together at the kitchen table, The characters living in a hermetic universe, the film illustrates the human quality of being ‘thrown’ into an absurd existence, behind seemingly everyday activities and conversations. As the director’s statement, The Strange Little Cat is a minimalistic production that delivers no shock revelations, offers no resolutions, and reveals almost  nothing about its characters. This debut feature of Ramon Zürcher met the spectators in Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals and won New Talent Grand PIX at CPH PIX in Copenhagen.

• Turkish director,  Deniz Akçay’s“Nobody’s Home”. The film was competed for the ‘Lion of the Future Award’ in Venice this year. (Turkey, 2013, 81’)

Nobody's Home is the story of four people who cannot manage to become a family again after a loss and who destroy each other with each passing day. After her husband's death, Nurcan is left alone with her grown-up daughter Feride and two younger children, İlker and Özge. Little by little, the eldest child, Feride, is forced by her mother to become the head of the family and shoulder all the responsibilities that entails. As the only son, devoted to his father ́s memory, İlker reacts fiercely when his sister Feride takes charge, and feels alienated from the family. As a teenager in need of her family more than ever, Özge is unable to reach out to her mother or her sister, both of whom are wrapped up in their own grief. She tries, in vain, to attract attention, to feel a part of the family, to "belong".

The Mayor of Antalya City and Honorary President of AKSAV; Prof. Mustafa Akaydın said “The excitement of the 50th festival has already begun to be felt throughout Antalya. We are going to mark the festival with a cinematic feast to celebrate its 50 astonishing years.”

-End-

Ms. Müge Çetinkaya – International Press Coordinator

About AKSAV:

The Antalya Kültür Sanat Vakfı (AKSAV) was founded in 1995 in order to establish a corporate identity for the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival which had been taking place under the guidance of the Municipality of Antalya from 1964 to 1985. The Trust was founded in 1995 under the leadership of the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, took the name of the Altın Portakal Kültür ve Sanat Vakfı, and was constituted of 52 members. It has been serving as the Antalya Kültür Sanat Vakfı (AKSAV) since September 2002. The founding committee of the Trust includes important names from the world of business, politics, the media and culture and arts in Antalya, and consists of a total of 113 people.  The fundamental aim of the Trust is "to evaluate the cultural, artistic, historical, folkloric, and touristic potential, values and riches of Antalya to the highest extent; to support and develop film, music and other areas of art; and to promote the place of Antalya and our country, together with our national culture and artistic values, in an international platform, amongst global public opinion.

http://www.altinportakal.org.tr/

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Submit to the North Hollywood CineFest before the end of the next deadline.  This festival will take place in the heart of the NoHo Arts District and will host numerous industry professionals and a great film watching atmosphere.  Get your film to Hollywood!  Numerous awards up for grabs!

80 guests, among them up and coming actresses and actors, promising new directors and even Academy Award winners, will come to Wiesbaden to present their work in person to the audiences of exground filmfest 26. This Friday, November 15, exground filmfest will be opened. For ten days the festival will show 200 feature-length and short films at Caligari FilmBühne, Kulturpalast and  Murnau Filmtheater, until November 24.

Among the festival guests is French director Sophie Blondy, presenting her mystical drama MORNING STAR, starring Iggy Pop, Béatrice Dalle and Denis Lavant, in the section International. Also in this section exground filmfest premieres two Philippine  films, in the directors' presence: for the world premiere of her documentary  MAGDALENA about the lives of a traditionally working midwife director Anna Isabelle Matutina will come to Wiesbaden. Director Joseph Israel Laban will be present for the German premiere of his feature film TERMITARIA about the shattering fate of a pregnant nine-year-old.

For the exground youth days young and old can look forward to talks with several guests. 14 year-old lead actress of the US film IT FELT LIKE LOVE, Gina Piersanti, can talk about her role and the shooting. Director Axel Ranisch will talk about his coming out-comedy ICH FÜHL MICH DISCO, and Jason Buxton will present his  mobbing drama BLACKBIRD.

In the section News from Germany director Florian Eichinger together with his lead actor Martin Schleiß will talk about his family drama NORDSTRAND. The directors Lena Müller and Dragan von Petrovic will answer the Wiesbaden audience's questions about their documentary DRAGAN WENDE – WEST BERLIN about the life of the former king of West Berlin's underworld.

The New Zealand first-time director Alyx Duncan together with her DOP Francisco Rodriguez will present the drama THE RED HOUSE about the changes of a deeply connected couple beyond their sixties in the country in focus New Zealand. Both will also attend the PANEL: MADE IN NEW ZEALAND together with director Renae Maihi, producer Catherine Fitzgerald and the New Zealand experts Dr. Claudia Heydolph (editor online journal NZdeutschland) and Simone Bühler (head of guest of honour program, Frankfurt Book Fair).

Also among our guests is Thomas Stellmach, the Academy Award winner for best animated short film in 1997. Together with co-director Maja Oschmann he attends the German Short Film Award with his new animated film VIRTUOS VIRTUELL.

A list with all guests of exground filmfest 26 is attached. Photos and material on the films are available on our press server http://exground.com/ex26_presseserver. User name: ExgroundPresse, password: ex26pressedl.


exground filmfest is an international film festival, organized and presented since 1990 on a honorary basis by the association Wiesbadener Kinofestival e. V. With 14,500 viewers attending in 2012, among them 250 professionals (press, guests, directors, producers, actors etc.), exground filmfest belongs to the film festivals with the highest attendance in Hesse

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), celebrating its 10th anniversary and taking place December 5-13, today revealed the complete lineup of films screening in the festival’s competition and sidebar sections. The program was announced by BIFF Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool.

This year, the Festival will showcase 108 films from 32 different countries, including four features of which are world premieres and all Bahamian premieres. The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Documentary; New Visions; Short Film and other categories are Panorama Narrative; Documentary and Short Films out of competition. Special sections include the Youth Film Workshop films made by five schools as well as a World Cinema showcase spotlighting Chinese films provided by the Chinese Embassy in The Bahamas.

Andrew Melby and Reggie Henderson’s drama “Bahamian Son” has been selected as this year’s Opening Night Film and will kick off the Festival on December 5th, while Travolta Cooper’s documentary “The Black Moses” will have the honor of closing the 10th edition of the Festival on December 13th.

“As the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) celebrates its 10th Anniversary and The Bahamas celebrates its 40th year of independence, what better way to recognize these milestones then by having Bahamian films open and close the festival,” said BIFF founder & executive director, Leslie Vanderpool. “Film Festivals were created for the independent filmmakers and once again I am proud to present a Bahamian film as the Opening Night Film. ‘Bahamian Son’ is that story that shares a taste of the Bahamian culture through the lens of a true son of The Bahamas.”

Vanderpool adds "BIFF showcasing a documentary as the Closing Night Film is a first. As always, BIFF features quality films that tell stories dealing with current issues with global application. ‘The Black Moses’ is one of those films, providing a subjective commentary for people to derive their own opinion."

The official BIFF feature lineup is comprised of the following films:

PANORAMA DOCUMENTARY

In addition, a list of the 58 short films screening at the festival can be found online at http://bintlfilmfest.com/the_festival/film_guide/program/59.

"We are ecstatic that our film ‘Bahamian Son’ will be headlining BIFF this year.  Shooting a semi audio-biographical film was not easy and it had its challenges, but we had wonderful support from the Bahamian community during the making of this film,” said writer and producer of “Bahamian Son,” Reggie Henderson.  “’Bahamian Son’ may be a small indie film, but it's big in heart and content.  The Bahamas is not just a resort destination and it gives us great pleasure to share with the rest of the world what we've learned, which is The Bahamas is a beautiful island, rich in culture, history and tradition.  What a great honor to be a part of BIFF!" adds Henderson.

"It's been quite a journey producing ‘The Black Moses’ and for our little movie to be bestowed such an honor is encouraging and inspiring. Our production team is ecstatic. And I am personally overjoyed because BIFF has undoubtedly played a role in my career as a filmmaker giving me opportunities and lifelong mentors like filmmaker Malcolm Lee and producer Jane Schoettle,” said director of “The Black Moses,” Travolta Cooper.  “And now to be afforded such an honor in the same tradition of films such as ‘The King's Speech,’ ‘Juno,’ or ‘Precious,’ which have closed this festival in the past, means more than I can express."

Celebrating its 10th year, the Bahamas International Film Festival has established itself as a marquee international Festival in the Caribbean region, discovering and promoting independent voices and talent from around the world and showcasing a diverse array of international films.

BIFF 2013 kicks off on Thursday, December 5th and will run through Sunday, December 13th. For the second consecutive year, BIFF will be coming to Harbour Island (December 9-11) and Governor’s Harbour December (11-13), showcasing a diverse presentation of films from around the world accompanied by a group of local and international filmmakers. Additional announcements pertaining to the Festival will be made in the coming weeks.  For additional information, please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.

About the Opening and Closing Night Films:

“Bahamian Son” stars Constance Anderson (“Prodigal,” “Profile of a Killer,” “Gods’ Green Earth”), Fatima Cocci (“Gods’ Green Earth”) and Leah Eneas (“Beneath the Blue”). The film is based on true events, from the life of the film’s writer Reggie Henderson. The story follows Kevin as he sets out to find his father, whom he hasn't seen in more than thirty years. During his journey, Kevin examines his own life and the family he has built for himself, during his childhood, having growns up in the projects of North Minneapolis. After Kevin tracks down his father, he travels to The Bahamas to meet him. What happens in The, opens Kevin's eyes to a world and a history he never knew existed. It is also another test of Kevin's beliefs regarding family, loyalty, and what it means to be a son, a father, and a man.

Written and directed by Travolta Cooper (“Children of God,” “A Miami Trail”), “The Black Moses” takes a look at Was L.O Pindling, first black Prime Minister of The Bahamas, one of history's greatest national Liberators, or was he one of history's greatest national Drug Dealers? The film follows the popular folk 'moses mythology' as it was manifested through the life and times of Sir Lynden Pindling. It focuses on L.O Pindling as he sets on a course to bring about social, political, and economic revolution to the British Bahama Islands. The film features Golden Globe nominee Dennis Haysbert (“The Unit,” “24,” “Wreck-It Ralph”) as Black Moses and commentary from the 18th Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, and many others.

About the Bahamas International Film Festival

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and international festival-goers with a diverse presentation of films from The Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout The Bahamas and the world. For additional information, please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.

At the final ceremony of Ljubljana International Film Festival LIFe in Slovenia, Italian film director VALERIA GOLINO triumphs with all its perfection in Miele just as the Italian film triumph on the festival in general.

THE KINGFISHER Best Director Award from the movie set of Perspectives Film Section of Ljubljana International Film Festival LIFe selected by the international jury (Tiziana Finzi, Nejc Gazvoda and Lordan Zafranovic) goes to a film Miele directed by she- director Valeria Golino. According to a jury of 24th International Film Festival LIFe in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Miele shows the birth of the ordinary, tragic friendship through the fundamental questions of contemporary ethics and morality, while perpetual in dogma film language and an intimate direction of intelligent atmosphere, which gives the viewer a key question – what does it mean to be human at the end of their path.

While, KINGFISHER – SPECIAL MENTION Award of the International jury of LIFe 2013 goes to a film
Odbrana i zaštita/ A Stranger directed by Bobo Jelčić for the defense and protection of the human tragedy is a subtle helplessness, which locks the Viewer as the life of the main character. In addition, with every smile activated with perfect absurdity of everyday situations, directed movie us almost seamlessly put into the cage, where the protagonists eventually leave us – and thus achieve more than if we left the door open.

FIPRESCI The international jury of film critics of LIFe 2013 (Gorazd Trusnovec, Alberto Castellano and Radmila Djurica)  is awarding another Italian film Salvo directed By Antonio Piazza and Fabio Grassadonia for aesthetic feature début of impressive and minimalist narration of different genre play with noir mise-en-scene and spaghetti western.

The Award for the BEST SHORT FILM (with the jury Miha Knific, Andrej Korovljev and Wictoria Pelzer) of festival LIFe goes to Terrarium directed by Hana Jušić for the extremely delicate topic of growing up, of the first tastes of sexuality and desire for acceptance. The author manages to describe the atmosphere, which is so hermetically sealed that character his own loneliness and alienation closes in, trapped in Grandma's House, boredom and idleness. Director of exceptional expressive provides a new perspective on human curiosity.

SHORT FILM-SPECIAL MENTION goes to a Hasty/Prematur/Premature directed by Gunhild Enger for the film that is brilliant in simplicity and immediacy. The scene of a family reunion in the car where microscopically the spectator gets involved in an uncomfortable meeting with the parents. The naturalistic and witty dialogue outlines the relevance of intercultural differences, linguistic issues and parental expectations.

And the Audience DRAGON Award goes to A call girl directed by Mikael Marcimain due to the highest grade point average score given by the audience.

More about this wonderful festival tomorrow.

Bold New Festival calling !

The most outstanding recent Spanish films will be shown at the Olympic Theater in Miami, November 21-24, 2013. This Seventh Art showcase will feature appearances by leading figures in the Spanish film industry, who have contributed significantly to putting "Made in Spain" productions at the vanguard of filmmaking worldwide.

A GUN IN EACH HAND, Goya winner for Best Supporting Actress (Candela Peña) directed by Cesc Gay is the film chosen to open this Spanish showcase. Amaia Salamanca, Javier Camara and Jesus Monllao will be attending the opening gala on Thursday 21.

SON OF CAIN, COMBUSTION, THE BODYy THE LAST DAYS, and HOLD UP!! are the other films in the program.

RECENT CINEMA FROM SPAIN was set up in Miami in 2011 as an initiative of the Spanish Audiovisual Producers' Rights Management Association (using the Spanish acronym "EGEDA"), aiming to provide a new outlet for promotion of Spanish cinema in the United States, boosting its circulation to the public in general, and the international audiovisual industry.

The Recent Cinema from Spain Series is produced by EGEDA and the Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts with the collaboration and support from the Spanish Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), under the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, which is dedicated to the preservation, development and promotion of the film and audiovisual industries. And, also the American Cinematheque of Hollywood for the selection process of the participating films.

See more information http://www.miami.recentcinemafromspain.com/default.asp

I am extremely proud to be a member of the European Film Academy which some describe as the Oscars of Europe and I feel extremely honoured that my fellow members have voted me to their Board two years ago.

Your support will be much appreciated for the next election which will renew nine positions including Chairman, Deputy Chairperson and six board members.

Thank you!

Bruno Chatelin

News from the EFA

November 22, 23, 24 – Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg

The AFDA Annual Film Festival, which showcases 3rd year, 4th year and master's graduation films, will take place in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg next weekend.

The festival is also a platform to promote the young professionals who will soon enter into the mainstream film and television industry. Students are required to conceptualize and produce their graduation films that, while of an artistically high standard, are also commercially viable. At the festival a panel of industry professionals assess the films and there are also opportunities for audiences to give feedback. The festival sees many industry professionals; alumni and general public gathering to celebrate the exhibition and promotion of these young film makers and their films at Ster-Kinekor in their commercial cinemas and other venues.

Last year student films such as ‘Kanye Kanye’ directed by Miklas Manneke, ‘Jean Pant’ directed by Rowen Smith, ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ directed by Thea Small and ‘The Brave Unseen’ co directed by Duan Myburgh attracted attention from major festivals such as the 34th Durban International Film Festival,  the New York City Picture Start Film Festival and others.

In addition the Cape Town AFDA campus will also showcase the work of the third and fourth year School of Television students on November 18 at 17:00 for 18:00 until 22:30. (Food and beverages will be available). Working within the genre of the “telenovela”, third year students have written, produced and edited two stories. These projects are also entirely the students’ own work: from conceptualizing the storyline, creating characters, set building and design, to the final product. Guests will have the opportunity to view a live broadcast of these two offerings on Cape Community TV Channel 263 on DSTV.(Tickets are R15 on a first come first served basis).

“This year’s festival will be just as exciting as in previous years,” says Garth Holmes, AFDA Chairman and co-founder, “Students have really put everything into their projects and I look forward to seeing their work on the big screen in a formal cinema and with a willing audience.”

The Film Festival takes place in Johannesburg at the Rosebank Cinema Nouveau on Friday and Saturday 22 and 23 November, in Cape Town at the V & A Cinema Nouveau on Saturday and Sunday 23 and 24 November and at the AFDA Durban Campus at 2A Highdale Road, Glen Anil in Glenashley on Saturday, 23 November. Tickets are R20 per screening in  Cape Town, R25 in Johannesburg and R20 once-off festival entry in Durban.

For more information contact AFDA Johannesburg on (011) 482-8345, AFDA Durban on (031) 569-2252, AFDA Cape Town on (021) 448-7600 or log onto www.afda.co.za. The student films will be available on line on the website after the festival at www.afdafestival.com

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), celebrating its 10th anniversary, today announced the members of the jury that will preside over the competition categories at the Festival, which takes place December 5th– 13th. The jury was revealed today by BIFF Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool.

The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Spirit of Freedom: Documentary; New Visions; and Short Film. Jury members are:

New Visions: First Look

Dr. Nathaniel Kohn – Professor at the University of Georgia/ Associate Director of the George Foster Peabody Awards/ Producer (“Zulu Dawn,” “Rain,” “Somebodies”)

Attila Feszt – Visual Artist and Designer

Toni Silveri – Actress/Voice Actor/Singer

Spirit of Freedom: Narrative & Documentary

Kelly Amber Moore – Writer and former Creative Executive at Nicholas Cage’s Saturn Films (“National Treasure: Book of Secrets,” “Ghost Rider,” “Knowing”)

Patty Roker – Writer and Broadcaster

Dan Shannon – Director/Producer (“Haiti Untold,” “Sweet 16”)

Short Film

Tatiana Siegal – Journalist/Film Reporter at The Hollywood Reporter

Theodore Elyett – Fashion Designer

Leslie Tynes – Actress/Voice Actor/Radio and TV personality (“Crazy Love,” “James Catalyn & Friends”)

Non-competition categories at BIFF include Panorama Narrative; Panorama Documentary and Short Films out of competition. Special sections include the signature Youth Film Workshop films made by five local Bahamian schools, as well as a World Cinema showcase spotlighting Chinese films provided by the Chinese Embassy in The Bahamas.

The Festival will be hosting a variety of panels covering a number of topics including Acting, Films, Festivals and Fundraising and Filmmaking in The Bahamas, sponsored by RBC Royal Bank. Among the participating panelists are:

Acting

Rob Adler – Director/Writer/Producer (“iVOTE”)

Films, Festivals and Fundraising

Ivan Clements – Producer (“Little Deaths,” “January 2nd”)

Lisa Cortes – Producer (“Precious,” “The Woodsman,” “Shadowboxer”)

Dr. Nathaniel Kohn – Professor at the University of Georgia/ Associate Director of the George Foster Peabody Awards/ Producer (“Zulu Dawn,” “Rain,” “Somebodies”)

Filmmaking in The Bahamas

Lance Knowles – Cinematographer/Owner of Sky High Media

Travon Patton – Producer

Vijay Subramanian – Doctor/Photographer/Independent Filmmaker

The 10th anniversary of BIFF will kick off on December 5th with a gala screening of Andrew Melby and Reggie Henderson’s drama “Bahamian Son,” at the Atlantis Theater.

The following night, Festival guests will be treated to a Career Achievement Tribute ceremony at the Atlantis honoring Danny Glover, who will be in attendance.

The festival will close with Travolta Cooper’s documentary “The Black Moses,” on December 8th in Nassau at the Atlantis Theater.

Celebrating its 10th year, the Bahamas International Film Festival has established itself as a marquee international Festival in the Caribbean region, discovering and promoting independent voices and talent from around the world and showcasing a diverse array of international films.

For additional information, including screening listings, events and ticket pricing, please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.

About the Bahamas International Film Festival

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and international festival-goers with a diverse presentation of films from The Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout The Bahamas and the world. For additional information, please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.