Want to learn more about some of our selected films from the 9th Annual NYC Independent Film Festival? All interviews are now available to watch on our website! Visit: https://www.nycindieff.com/interviews/2018

You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for interviews, panel discussions, and award ceremony clips! To subscribe, visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/nycindieff/featured

Thank you for all your support! If you'd like to submit to the 10th Annual festival, remember that the Early Bird Deadline is August 31, 2018! For more information check out: https://filmfreeway.com/NYCIndieFF

On July 13, the Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater saw the solemn opening ceremony of the OIFF-2018, during which the films of the competition programs, the jury members and other famous guests were presented

The opening ceremony of the OIFF-2018 united film professionals from all over the world. Janina Sokolova and Oleh Panyuta were the hosts at the event. This year, OIFF received 1011 applications, and out of them, 108 films from 95 countries will be presented at the festival.

The ceremony started with an incredible performance by Apache Crew dance crew.

Pavel Rozenko, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, gave the introductory remarks urging everyone to support Oleg Sentsov, since that day the illegally imprisoned director turned 42 years old. Throughout the days of the Festival there will be a special place reserved for Oleg for each screening. And a short video telling about his decision to announce an indefinite hunger strike since May 14 will precede every film.

Pylyp Illenko, the head of Ukrainian State Film Agency, said: "The Odessa Film Festival and Ukrainian cinema are united in the process of revival of Ukrainian cinema that we are seeing today". Besides, he noted, that the number of Ukrainian films is increasing each year and this year OIFF has 49 of them. Then the floor went to Maxim Stepanov, the head of the Odesa Regional State Administration; to Anatoliy Urbansky the chairman of the Odesa Regional Council and to Gennadiy Trukhanov, the mayor of Odessa.

Victoria Tigipko, the OIFF President, greeted the guests of the film festival and said: "The OIFF program is unique. But unfortunately, 90% of the pictures that will be shown here, at the Odesa Film Festival, will not join Ukrainian film distribution. Therefore, coming to Odesa in summer gives you a chance to see them on a big screen. Today we are observing the renaissance of cinema in Ukraine. And we can judge not only by festival films - commercial cinema is also gaining momentum. The box office of such films as "Kiborgs", "The Stolen Princess", "Dzidzio contrabass" has amounted to 20-35 million hryvnias. And this is with only 520 cinema halls. Fair enough, we need at least twice as many. But even now we can talk about the prospects of high-quality cinema".

The first award of the 9th Odesa International Film Festival – the Golden Duke for the contribution to the cinema – was given by a special OIFF guest – Eric Roberts. "Truthiness is what we, actors, want to achieve. And only a few of us succeed", he noted. The first prize was awarded to Ada Rogovtseva. "You can hardly imagine what I'm feeling right now," said the legendary actress. “At the age of only two months I was brought to Odesa. Here I grew up and enjoyed my happy life when the war began. My childhood was burned down by that terrible war. After that I have been living, living, living for quite a long time (because I’m getting 81 in 3 days) and now it’s war again. And again we are talking about a boy who is like a son to me. We are talking about Sentsov. And about those guys who are now at war. But we all do have enough strength, inspiration, kindness and mercy to create and to come to such important events as today"

The films of competitive programs were announced: 12 films are presented in the International Competition Program of OIFF-2018, 6 films take part in the European Documentary program, and the National Program includes 5 full-length and 13 short films.

The jury of the 9^th OIFF was also announced. The President of the Jury is Ewa Puszczynska, producer (Poland). Together with her, the films of the International Competition will be evaluated by Rites Batra, film director (India), Igor Minaev, theater and film director, screenwriter (Ukraine / France), Arnaud des Pallieres, director and scriptwriter (France) and Ia Shugliashvili, actress (Georgia). The works of Ukrainian cinematographers will be evaluated by Kate Molchanova, actress (Ukraine), Levan Koguashvili, film director and screenwriter (Georgia), Martina Bleis, co-head and project curator of the Berlinale Co-Production Market (Germany) and Marianne Slot, producer (France). The curator of the European Documentary Films is Serhiy Bukovsky, the winner of the last year's OIFF Award for Best Documentary. Ostap Kostyuk, film director (Ukraine), Dorota Lech, Programming Associate (Poland) and Galia Bador (Israel) will evaluate the films of the European Documentary Contest at the 9th OIFF. This year, the FIPRESCI jury include film critics Sergii Vasyliev Jr., (Ukraine), Robert Gorton (USA) and Sanjin Pejkovic (Sweden).

The Erling Band Trio from the Opening film “The Woman at War” marked the end of the official part of the Ceremony with a musical performance. After that the opening film was presented by Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, the leading actress, Carine Leblanc,producer, Serge Lavrenyuk, co-producer, and Aliona Lavrenyuk, actress.

At the end of the ceremony, “Figaro“, the official catering partner of the Odesa Film Festival, invited the guests to the Marie Antoinette Opening Party at the Literature Museum yard. “ARARAT”, the official alcohol sponsor of the festival, treated the guests with the legendary Armenian brandy.

The first day marked the start of the screenings at Green Theater. The viewers had a chance to watch the films of non-competitive program which included “Dummy” and “Brief Encounters” – special screenings and works dedicated to the memory of Kira Muratova, a famous director, screenwriter and actress. This section will also screen the restored 4k version of Stanley Kubrick's movie "2001: The Space Odyssey", "The Night Eats the World" (directed by Dominique Rocher), presented by a well-known actor Dennis Lavant and other films.

The after-party took place at Caleton Festival Club, where the exclusive set from BNRTM was waiting for the guests.

The guests were driven to the red carpet by the official Renault Auto Partner, and the beauty looks were created by Oh My Look, the Red Carpet official partner. “ARARAT” treated the guests at Palais Royal and at Elissa - BAR & RESTAURANT, the Official Restaurant Partner of the Festival’s opening and closing ceremonies. The innovative Samsung partner presented its brand zone there.

March 16, 2019  Regular Deadline I April 15, 2019 Late Deadline I April 16, 2019 Notification Date I June 1 – 5, 2019 Event Date

OPEN CALL for SHORT FILM SUBMISSIONS TO:

LOST WORLD FILM FESTIVAL - PALEOCHORA

Submit Here (All genres considered)

https://filmfreeway.com/PaleochoraLostWorldShortFilmFestival

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Entries Opened August 15th.

The 2019 Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video Festival is now open for entries! Info on All Winners info is submitted to Seoul, Korea ~ Concorto, Italy & the USAFilmFestival, Dallas at no extra cost!

WorldFest does not get down with Without-A-Box. We remain fiercely independent! We do support, recommend and use FilmFreeway.com & FestHome.com, however.

One WorldFest Entry Form per entry please. Complete the form below, then double-check it before submitting to WorldFest. After submitting your entry, you'll be given further instructions, and the option to submit another entry, or submit your payment. Once you've submitted all your entries, you can choose to pay once via Credit Card or PayPal, or send us a check / money order. If you're in the neighborhood, you can also come on into the office and pay with cash. We might give you some fine WorldFest Swag if you do!

If you'd like to fill out the traditional paper entry form instead, you can download it here, and mail it in with your entry, or Email or Fax it if your entry is Online via Vimeo.

We can't wait to see your work!

Houston Worldfest team

Filmfestivals.com Bruno Chatelin partnered again with the festival and will be covering live from Houston next April.

The festival will run April 24 – 28, 2019

We are now accepting submissions for the 2019 Julien Dubuque Film Festival and awarding over $25,000! You can submit your film via Withoutabox, or contact us for more information.

October 8, 2018 : Earlybird Deadline  / January 14, 2019 Regular Deadline / February 3, 2019 Late Deadline / February 23, 2019 Extended Deadline /

Email I  467 Bluff Street Dubuque, IA 52001 United States I Website I Profile on filmfestivals.com I Facebook I Twitter I SUBMIT

Known for it's quaint location, friendly staff/volunteers, inquisitive audience, consistent communication, multiple screening opportunities, workshops, panels and other amazing networking opportunities and parties; it's no wonder JDIFF was voted one of the coolest film festivals and one of the top 50 worth the submission fee by MovieMaker Magazine (2016 & 2017). JDIFF also ranks as one of the top 100 reviewed festivals by FilmFreeway. JDIFF is ALL about the independent filmmaker!

Dubuque, Iowa is a quaint city on the Mississippi and a perfect place to host the festival. As quoted in Filmmaker Magazine "The festival is smartly situated downtown, with an assortment of handsome venues all within walking distance" from the Festival Headquarters, located in the grand HOTEL JULIEN, the same hotel where Al Capone used to hide out from the Chicago Feds.

Majority of events and venues are located on Main Street downtown Dubuque, allowing Filmmakers, Attendees and Special Guests to attend numerous screenings and events all within walking distance. We offer opportunities for radio, print and social media promotion, full shuttle service, home stay program and much more. We take care of our filmmakers and guests.

Our final nominees are judged by our Jury members of Film professionals, such as Directors, Producers, Critics, Director of Photography, etc and choose the final winner of each category.

Awards & Prizes

$ 3,000 Best Documentary
$ 3,000 Best Narrative Feature 

$ 2,000 Best Short (3 - 20 min length) 
$ 2,000 Best Short (21 - 49 min length)

WE ALSO PAY FOR THE TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE TOP 3 NOMINEES OF EACH CATEGORY. *Some restrictions apply.

We award over $25,000 in cash and benefits.

Additional categories to be awarded (such as Best Actress, Best Actor, etc) but are trophy only. No cash and limited travel benefits.

Rules & Terms1) All decisions of programmers and jurors are final. All entries will be viewed and given equal consideration. 

2) NO ENTRIES AND OR FINAL SELECTIONS WILL BE RETURNED. 
3) All submitted materials must include the FilmFreeway tracking number and additional information as listed in the General Rules. 
4). Press Kit materials as listed above will be sent only upon notification of Officially Selected. The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY of marketing and promotion if proper press kit materials are not sent after notification as deemed in the General Rules. It is the sole responsibility of the Filmmaker to send all materials listed. 
5) Notification date is on or around March 15, 2019. 
6). If selected as an Official Selection, projects are to be uploaded to the designated JDIFF FTP site. One (1) screening copy must be sent on a DVD/Bluray and/or thumb-drive (thumb-drive preferred). 
7) JDIFF reserves the right to select films from the entire pool of submissions. 
8) There are no restrictions on premiere or distribution status, but films may not have been completed prior to January 1, 2017. 
10) JDIFF does consider works in progress. 
11) All entered films grant the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival a non exclusive limited use agreement to use selected portions of films chosen for competition, and or use film promotional materials to promote the festival including the rights to utilize any excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at JDIFF for promotional purposes and/or on JDIFF's website. Filmmakers fully retain all rights, title and interest in their films and all intellectual Property. 
12) JDIFF does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of materials. Please do not send us any original copies, master copies, the only copy you have, etc. 
13). By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you certify that you hold all necessary rights for the submission of this film and have read the regulations. 
14). Dates and guidelines subject to change without prior notice. 
15). JDIFF pays for the top 3 nominees in each category to attend the festival. Nominee flights are booked 3 - 4 weeks in advance of festival. You will be given a deadline to send requested information to JDIFF for booking. If requested information is not received by cut-off, you will need to book your own flight and JDIFF will reimburse you up to $500.00. If you choose to book your own flight, JDIFF will reimburse you up to $500.00 for domestic, $600.00 for International. 
16). It is preferred that nominees are in attendance. If you are unable to attend, you forfeit your flight reimbursement/booked trip.

Thank you and happy submitting!

French Riviera Film Festival  
May 18 -19, 2018
 

PARTNER FESTIVAL WITH FILMFESTIVALS.COM

November 30, 2018, early bird deadline

The first annual French Riviera Film Festival will recognize and celebrate short form content created for film, television, Web and all digital platforms. In the glamorous South of France setting, FRFF invites filmmakers from around the globe to participate in the two day festival that includes screenings, VIP receptions, awards ceremony and closing gala party. FRFF will place the spotlight on the best short form filmed content during the time period of the annual Festival de Cannes. A prestigious jury panel will select Best Drama Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Animation Short, Best Experimental Short, Audience Favorite Award, Best Director Award, Best Actor Award, Best Actress Award, as well as special Industry Awards. Attendees and participants will include filmmakers, industry executives, celebrities, media and influencers.  https://filmfreeway.com/FrenchRivieraFilmFestival

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15 Years of celebration, 4 GREAT FESTIVALS

We are now accepting submissions for the 2019 festivals, You can submit your film via Withoutabox, or enter direct at our web site

www.filmfestinternational.com/submit

London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema Feb 16th - 23rd 2019

Nice International Film Festival on the French Riviera just before the Cannes film festival. May 11th-18th 2019

Madrid International Film Festival 

Milan World Cinema

Email:info@filmfestinternational.com

WHAT WE OFFER

Welcome to Film Festival International. We are a group of 6 European festivals with a specialisation in helping filmmakers, from emerging artists to seasoned creators, find a market for their film. After 15 immensely successful years, our events have attracted a wealth of talent from around the world.

We have been helping filmmakers find distribution and funding for their next filmmaking venture. Year after year, we are praised by filmmakers for the opportunities that unlock upon entering and participating in our festival.

There is ample opportunity to attend networking events, industry professional talk panels, workshops, guest speaker events, film premieres, financing talks, director Q&A's, film screenings and to socialize with like-minded creatives from all walks of life. All of this is neatly wrapped in a week-long showcasing of films where our strong community supports every film.

Our prestigious awards ceremonies conclude each festival in high fashion with a 5-course gala dinner to celebrate our nominees and winners. Our festivals are unique events that provides a real platform for filmmakers to meet, network and do business during the festival week.

We have built a small but exceptional network of industry professionals that will look at all films entered and will give business and commercial advice. There are countless success stories of filmmakers securing distribution for their films, launching them and their work into the marketplace. We have the people and skills in our professional team to make this happen.

We can create a ripple for your movie to be seen around Germany, Europe and beyond. It all starts here by entering today.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sponsored by Doval Bacall Films

The Entry period for the competition begins November 1, 2018 at 12AM Pacific Standard Time and ends June 15, 2019 at 11:59PM Pacific Standard Time.

Introducing the first annual inaugural debut for “Your Script Produced!” Worldwide Screenwriting Competition sponsored by Doval Bacall Films.

The sponsor will fully fund, develop, package and produce the Grand Prize Winning Film script. Also, Sponsor will purchase the Grand Prize Winning TV script to fund the development, package and potentially produce the Grand Prize Winning TV script. Open to anyone 18 years old or older. No cap on income earned as a writer. Open to all non-union members.

Sponsor plans to launch development / pre-production to the Grand Prize winning film script in September 2019. $250,000.00 USD Production budget fully financed by our sponsor(s).

WE DON’T SET YOU UP WITH MEETING AFTER MEETING. WE DON’T SELL YOU DREAMS. WE DON’T SELL YOU HOPE.

WE PRODUCE YOUR SCRIPT!

PERIOD.

Feature Film Screenplay Grand Prize Winner (1) will receive

Variety Magazine World Premier of “Your Script Produced!” Worldwide Screenwriting Competition October 30, and November 2, 2018 during AFM Launch

Cloud21 International (www.cloud21.com) and Kultura PR International (www.kulturapr.com) are pleased to announce the preliminary judges panel for the first annual French Riviera Film Festival www.frenchrivierafilmfestival.com (FRFF) that will be held on May 18 and 19, 2019 in Cannes, France at Eden Hôtel & Spa (www.eden-hotel-cannes.com).

The jury for the inaugural festival includes:

Lena Basse, journalist, Hollywood Foreign Press

Michael Benaroya, founder, Independent Film Trust

Claude Brickell, filmmaker/screenwriter/educator
Bruno Chatelin, filmfestivals.com co founder, curator of the Best for Fests

Paul Cruz, director, Palm Springs International Comedy Festival

Anna Marie de la Fuente, journalist, Variety

Ana Remos, publisher/co-founder www.azureazure.com

Eileen Tasca, founder, Alien Pictures

Dr. Laura Wilhelm, journalist, The Hollywood Times

Additional judges to be announced soon.

“Gotham Chandna and I are honored to have such an esteemed group of industry professionals serving on our jury in its inaugural year,” commented Nicole Muj, FRFF co-founder. “Our jury members all recognize the growing importance of short form content for all platforms, and we’re delighted that our filmmakers will have a chance to showcase their works to them.”

FRFF will recognize and celebrate short form content created for film, television, Web and all digital platforms. In the glamorous South of France setting, FRFF invites filmmakers from around the globe to participate in the two day festival that includes screenings, VIP receptions, awards ceremony and closing gala party. FRFF will place the spotlight on the best short form filmed content during the time period of the annual Festival de Cannes. The prestigious jury panel will select Best Drama Short, Best Comedy Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Animation Short, Best Experimental Short, Best Lifestyle Programming, Audience Favorite Award, Best Director Award, Best Actor Award, Best Actress Award, as well as special Industry Awards. Attendees and participants will include filmmakers, industry executives, celebrities, media and influencers.

Filmmakers and content creators can submit their films now at: https://filmfreeway.com/FrenchRivieraFilmFestival

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FRFF’s Advisory Board includes Michael Benoraya, Founder, International Film Trust (www.iftsales.com), Bruno Chatelin (www.filmfestivals.com), Larry Namer (www.metanglobal.com), president/CEO,  Metan Global Entertainment Group, Ana B. Remos, vice president, editorial director & founder, (www.azureazure.com), and Daphna Edwards Ziman, president, Cinémoi USA (www.cinemoi.tv).  

Cloud 21 PR International and Kultura PR International have produced numerous successful industry special events, including the “Global Film Showcase” in partnership with ROSKINO during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and Marché du Film, the  “Indie Film Showcase at Park City” and “A Salute to Akira Kurosawa” with China’s Jinke Entertainment in Cannes in 2017.

The partners are also producting a special "Production Without Borders" special event (no badge required) on November 5, 2018 at the Laemmle Film Center in Santa Monica, CA, featuring top names in the international film industry. 

https://filmfestivals.com/blog/nicole_goesseringer_muj/production_without_borders_featuring_top_international_entertainment_executives_set_for_santa

The companies have co-produced events and worked with top entertainment and technology brands, including E! Entertainment Television, Eurocinema, Metan Global Entertainment Group, 8K Miles Media Group, Maverick Entertainment, Sony Interactive, Oculus, Cinando, Euromed, ECU Film Festival, Creative Coalition, plus many others.

Damah International Film Festival  (May 10 – 11, 2019) is calling for your entry.

March 1, 2019 Final Deadline

Damah looks to create unique events that foster a true sense of community. Our past events have featured Panel Discussions, Workshops, Interactive Screenings and Q&A sessions all designed to stimulate discussion and provide a platform for artistic expression. 
We feature films from any genre and they can be submitted in any acquisition format. The only requirement is that films must be no longer than 30 minutes. Our next Festival & Awards Ceremony will be held in Tokyo, Japan on May 10th & 11th, 2019. We are currently taking submissions for this event. 

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January 25, 2019 Regular Deadline I February 22, 2019 Late Deadline I March 11, 2019 Notification Date I April 9 – 24, 2019 Event Date

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The Filmmaker Final Four is an innovative competitive festival program that will provide an an opportunity for filmmakers across the country to produce short films and have them presented to live audiences and industry professionals.

Filmmakers will assemble a team to conceive, cast, produce and edit a short film. They will have 16 days to complete the project, based on one of two application deadlines. The program will roll out across 4 separate regions (West, Midwest, Northeast, South).

Filmmakers will be able to choose from a variety of genres and must demonstrate proof that project began according to rules and requirements (see next section). There will be Finalists in Narrative and Documentary categories.

All projects from each respective community, within one of the 4 regions, will have an opportunity to screen their film for audiences, friends and family. While some regions will have multiple screenings, there will ultimately be 4 winners from each region, as voted on by separate juries and online audience polling.

The 4 films from each respective region will be announced at the end of their quarterly competition. At the end of the year, the Sweet 16 will be announce will be announced and have additional screenings take place in Hollywood.

While there is a time restriction applied to this contest, we do allow for “creative” work to be done in pre-production. This may include screenwriting, casting rehearsals, location scouting and design work. Many film projects have achieved high levels of storytelling, performances and production value, even with intense time or budget constraints.

The Executive Director, Jon Fitzgerald, has directed numerous film festivals, including AFI, Santa Barbara and Naples, and is a co-founder of Slamdance. He remains committed to supporting the discovery of emerging talent and creating avenues of exposure for aspiring filmmakers.

Awards & Prizes

Rules & Terms

(Charlotte Rampling, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER

Ms. Charlotte Rampling was beyond charming during her talk with Peter Cowie and while answering at least a dozen questions from a mixed bag of audience members. The audience was treated to a number of memorable scenes from her eclectic and impressive array of films. The first scene was the moment from Stardust Memories when Woody Allen's director character approaches Rampling's character, admiring how interesting she is after having watched her all morning. It's a playful and light scene that unfolds between Rampling and Allen. The best moment was as soon as the lights came back on after the clip Ms. Rampling revealed a fun, playful smirk with a slight laugh that really made me wonder how lovely it must have been, her experience working that film.

(Still from Stardust Memories. Charlotte Rampling, Woody Allen, © 1980 Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

The other scenes from her films did not earn such a noticeable reaction, which lead me to believe that there really must have been something special about working on that film with Woody Allen and his film team. Afterwards, we continued to see scenes from The Nightporter and Georgie Girl which was her first role on film. The discussion was quite frank and she laughed easily, as did the audience. It was really a very special evening listening to Ms. Rampling discuss her long and illustrious career in film and television. 

(Charlotte Rampling, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

The crowd did not disperse easily, as so many fans waiting patiently for autographs and photos of the extraordinary Golden Bear Homage recipient Charlotte Rampling. 

Marie Kreuzer is an Austrian writer director and producer. Her latest film, The Ground beneath my feet (Den Boden unter den Fußen) is in official completion at the 69th Berlinale. It tells the story of Lola, a successful consultant who struggles between finding her identity, sexuality and freedom, while being divided between a comfortable lifestyle and her past and her schizophrenic sister. 

What was your starting point for the script? 

There were many starting points. My aunt was schizophrenic and I used to spend a lot of time with her as a kid, and later when I was a student and we used to live in the same city. And it was quite difficult every time we met, she would become obsessive and wouldn’t let me go. Then I would distance myself and it would go like that time after time for a while. So I was doing research throughout my childhood and teenage hood without consciously knowing it. And I guess I was scared I would get the illness as well, especially because everyone was telling us we look so much alike. 

The second stepping stone for the story was my step sister who was a consultant in a big company and the character, Lola, is inspired by her. I was still very young at the time, an artist, with no money and stable position and our worlds were so different. I did a documentary about her earlier but it wasn’t easy as most information on her work is confidential. So I was still fascinated to make a film and include this world of business and the image of our society it represents. 

You do a one-woman show here. Was it a struggle writing and creating Lola? 

Writing is hard for me, you are alone and you try to bring the project to the next level and get yourself going. And after that, I almost never remember how I did it, it’s like a closed chapter. And also it took me so long to make this film - I wrote it, then made two other films, had a baby and then came back to it. But I think Lola was always there, first as my step sister and later she became a person with other problems and a more rounded character with an emotional structure. 

When you begin working with the actresses, there is a lot to discuss, it’s like testing your script again. Also, we initially thought of making the story for TV, and later we dropped it cause they would have wanted a more clear version of it, with a very transparent ending, and with Lola being a heroine, an only positive character, which she definitely is not in the film. But that’s what drew me in the first place anyway, that she was meant to be a normal person, not a heroine. 

Do you find it harder for people who are in similar situation to Lola’s to identify with her, or the opposite? 

It’s very hard to know who will like her and who won’t. There were people who worked with me, knew the story and yet said they cannot connect to the character. On the other hand there were those, whose emotions I have never seen openly expressed. They came to me and said that Lola touched them so much. It’s alway a gamble and very unpredictable, it depends on people’s situation at that particular time and place. 

The film is about the alienation of the work system and the character is a bit caricaturesque. Was this important to you? 

Very much. I did not want the consultants to seem cynical about their approach to life. I wanted people to understand that the way they see life and business is because they believe it’s for the better, for the greater good. It’s more about how over-working ourselves affects all of us. We feel we can never be enough, that we always need to push harder. Everyone can relate to that, I think. 

Do you find there is stigma in Austria in regards to mental health? And even more today when we live in the era of over-labelling ourselves and having to justify everything we go though or choose to do. 

I think there is stigma everywhere. But the fact that today sometimes we say ‘Oh, I’m so depressed’ without thinking that for people around us is a reality, I think has two sides. It might be dangerous but also the positive side is that we talk more, so if you are really depressed you can also say it. Mental health is obviously very broad and schizophrenia that we deal with in the film is on the more serious side. The reason I think people are always more scared of mental health issues, is because they are so unpredictable, maybe even more than cancer at times. The fear of losing control over yourself is what fascinated me as well so much in these characters.

Foziye’s husband, an employee in the regional oil company, has vanished into thin air. Although her questions remain unanswered about his whereabouts, her faith prevails that he is still alive. During her visit at the local pension centre, she still replies “married” when her marital status is requested. Her life has metamorphosed into an arduous journey, considering her financial hardship and lack of work. Her mother incriminates her inertia, whilst her daughter incessantly howls about the intricacies of life in Iran and her upcoming exodus to Germany, where she suspects her dad has relocated.

Nevertheless, the other family members are unaware that something is tormenting Foziye at a more profound level. Her stomach aches are gradually aggravating. The root cause of the pain, supernatural and obscure; crude oil is relentlessly pouring out of her body, soiling her vestments and the bed linen. Susan Iravanian impeccably reveals the enigma to the spectator through a down shot, accompanied by a classical music score, generating thus the antithetical emotions of disorientation and harmony.

Inasmuch as Foziye tries to bury her secret, consuming her days washing the bedlinen, it is not long before her mother discovers the stains. When the doctor announces that the discharge is not blood and that Foziye is perfectly healthy, the family acknowledges the legitimacy of her outcries. The plot thickens as we enter part two of the story; the displacement of the family in view of Foziye’s condition.

As they relocate to unknown territory, the paranoia intensifies; not only hers, but also Saeed’s, the poverty-stricken family servant. Her bodily malfunction is another man’s epiphany, who identifies a feasible profitability. Disbelief around the community, late-night crashes with forest animals, as well as the monotony of their isolated life, exacerbate the lunacy. Their lives whirl around the malady and the vision of an exodus is gradually drifting away. 

Although the plot may cause disorientation at times, the overall result is admirable and demonstrates Iravanian’s stimulating fantasy and talent. Watch this when you’re feeling mystical.

There will be two filmmaker panels this year. These panels are designed to actually deliver some useful, actionable info and not just be talking for panel participants’ talking sake. And the second panel will be done in a “town-hall” format which means if you come, then you are a part of it. 

Indie Film PR and Distribution: A Crash Course

WHEN: Saturday, March 16 at 9:00AM-10:15AM

LOCATION: Filmmaker Lounge

Moderator: John Wildman

Panelists: Don Lewis (Editor, Hammer to Nail, and Producer, WORST IN SHOW, THE VIOLENT KIND, HOLY GHOST PEOPLE), Collette Freedman (Writer/Producer, MILES UNDERWATER, AND THEN THERE WAS EVE, SISTER CITIES), Jennifer Webberley (Editor/Producer, MILES UNDERWATER, QUALITY PROBLEMS), Robin Hauser (Director, BIAS, TINO)

Get ready to take notes…. This panel will discuss and give filmmakers some concrete tips on how to create a financially savvy and realistic PR plan and approach for you and your film, as well as discuss the current landscape on the distribution front. Hear from some people that have gone through it, have had successes and faced challenges, yet came out on the other side.

Indie Filmmaking Today – Making movies, making a living, getting your movies seen (rinse and repeat)

WHEN: Sunday, March 17 at 10:30AM-11:45AM

Location: Filmmaker Lounge

Moderator: John Wildman

The attending SLO Film Fest filmmakers will take part in a roundtable discussion about what it means to make their films today. Topics will include; “How do filmmakers balance their day jobs to pay the rent and eat while making and finishing their films?”, “How are relationships kept healthy during that process from script to the first screening?”, “What is the point of doing the film festival circuit – and what criteria do you use to decide which ones to submit to?” , and in the current landscape, “What qualifies as success when it comes to making films now?”