IFFI 51, 16-24 January, 2021, 13: Ratings of films seen

My ranking, out of five stars

A Common Crime ** ½        

Into The Darkness ***

Under Construction ** ½     

Roland Reber’s Cabaret of Death ** ½

An Old Lady ***

Sonar Kella***          

Light for The Youth *** ½   

Green Blackberries ***

Kalira Atita ***

Jaadoo (Short) * ½     

One on One ***         

Basant Bahar ***

Long Time No See *** ½

Sweetie, You Won't Believe It*** ½           

Palmyra***

Moral Order ***

The Domain ** ½

Only Human***

Karnawal ** ½

The Dogs Didn’t Sleep Last Night *** ½    

I Never Cry ***

Mehrunisa ** ½         

Spiral...Fear Is Everywhere **           

Another Round ***

I saw some more films, but walked out of them, because they were not interesting.

Overview

Not a single film that I saw rated more than *** ½ on my scale. Just my bad luck, I guess.

I was very disappointed that The Dogs Didn’t Sleep Last Night did not bag any awards, and that a rank amateurish short film like Jaadoo, and a few more, found their way into the festival. Since there were only film shows on the agenda, and no other activities at Panaji, I had a disappointing IFFI 51.

The 23rd edition of Mecal Pro returns with presential format, establishing and ensuring the pertinent security measures in all its activities.

The 23rd edition of Mecal , Barcelona International Short Film and Animation Festival, opts to organize the event in a hybrid way from March 11 to 28, after a last edition online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Much of the festival will be held so face , complied with the relevant safety measures in Arts Santa Monica . Likewise, we will have virtual support in this edition.

The organization of Mecal Pro 2021 begins with the animation week from March 11 to 14; then comes the week of fiction from March 18 to 21, and finally, the festival ends with the documentary week from March 25 to 28. Each week has sections for competition; international, oblique, animation and documentary , where different juries will award prizes to the selected short films.

Mecal continues to be a space for protest, debate, especially in its parallel sections focused on the female universe ( Womart ), ecology ( Go Green ) or Immigration . Likewise, Mecal continues to position itself in favor of freedoms and rejects extreme right-wing movements. In addition, the LGBTI + section is maintained , in which this group is the protagonist. In the different sections, we will enjoy a great variety of short films from different countries , as well as many other parallel activities.

Early Bird Deadline: February 1, 2021

Because we just can’t wait til the October San Diego International Film Festival, we’ve created the San Diego International ShortsFest to debut this May 21-23!

We need your voice now more than ever, and we want you to be a part of the first-ever San Diego International ShortsFest!

What’s your story?

The mission of the San Diego International ShortsFest is to use film to start conversations on important topics affecting our world and our shared humanity. We believe short films tell powerful stories. What’s going on in your part of the world? What are you passionate about? Who are your local heroes? What are you thinking about these days? What’s your dream for the future?

Share your short film with a global audience of your fellow Filmmakers, Film Lovers and the Film Industry and be a part of what San Diego is creating in the virtual film world. We’ll gather online in the Festival Virtual Village for three days of international short films, networking, panels and presentations representing the very best in short cinematic storytelling.    

Avignon, France
Sep 10, 2021 au Sep 12, 2021

SoundTrack_Cologne (June 9 - 12, 2021) and its sister event SoundTrack_Zurich (September 28 -30, 2021) are happy to bring German and Swiss composers to the Film Music House during Sundance Film Festival. Composers Dascha Dauenhauer (German Film Award 2020, European Film Award 2021) and Olivia Pedroli (Swiss Film Award 2020) will talk with host and fellow composer Hanna Sophie Lüke about their work experiences. The panel will be available from January 29, 2021 at https://village.festival.sundance.org/panel-view/60077d2805f3bd9c04343717.
Film Music House is the destination for the intersection of Film and Music at Sundance Film Festival 2021.

Dascha Dauenhauer is a multi-award-winning German composer for film. 
At the age of five she began an intense music education with lessons in composing, music theory and piano before moving on to study film music at the film university in Babelsberg. Since then she has composed film music for many different award-winning films which have run on A-Festivals around the world. 
Her most recent works are „Berlin Alexanderplatz“, for which she received the German Film Academy Award as well as the European Film Award, and „Lovemobil“ which was also awarded at the Moscow International Documentary Film Festival for Best Sound.

Olivia Pedroli is a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist from Switzerland. She has released four studio albums, which have enabled her to explore different musical directions, tour extensively and collaborate with international artists, thereby defining a very personal style. She has also written scores for cinema and the theatre and has created several audiovisual installations.
Pedroli composed the soundtrack of Immer und Ewig (The Journey – a story of love) by Fanny Braüning (Prix de Soleure 2019, Zürcher Filmpreis 2019, Swiss Film Award 2020). She was nominated for the German Documentary Film Music Award at the DOK of Münich 2019 and won the Swiss Film Award 2020, Best Music Score.

For the full program visit: https://village.festival.sundance.org/mainstreet-detail/5ff516711279c146211941f4.

______________________________

SoundTrack_Cologne 2021

www.soundtrackcologne.de

www.facebook.com/soundtrackcologne
www.twitter.com/soundtrack_c
www.instagram.com/soundtrackcologne

www.facebook.com/seethesoundfestival
www.instagram.com/see.the.sound

______________________________

SoundTrack_Zurich 2021

www.soundtrackzurich.com
https://www.facebook.com/soundtrackzurich
www.instagram.com/soundtrackzurich

______________________________

SoundTrack_Cologne 18 wird gefördert von // is supported by (Stand / as per January 22, 2021)
Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien / Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie des Landes NRW / Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes NRW / Kulturamt der Stadt Köln / Film- und Medienstiftung NRW / KölnBusiness

wird unterstützt von // is sponsored by:
WDR Funkhausorchester / GEMA / ECSA / Composers Club e.V. / DEFKOM / mediamusic e.V.  / Nordic Film Music Days / WIFT Germany / cinema musica / DataKal Starbase


Contact:
SoundTrack_Cologne | Trajanstr. 27 | 50678 Köln
fon +49 221 931844 0 | fax +49 221 931844 9
PR contact: Julia Rutkovska | julia.rutkovska@televisor.de
www.soundtrackcologne.de

Organiser SoundTrack_Cologne:
TELEVISOR TROIKA GmbH | Trajanstr. 27 | 50678 Köln | HRB 27204 AG Köln
Geschäftsführer // CEO: Michael P. Aust 
presse@televisor.de
www.televisor.de

______________________________


SoundTrack_Zurich 02 is organised by SMECA in cooperation with:
Zurich Film Festival | SoundTrack_Cologne | IMMSANE International Media Music and Sound Arts Network in Education | ZHdK Zurich University of the Arts | Forum Filmmusik

SoundTrack_Zurich is supported by (as per January 22, 2021):
MediaDesk Suisse | Bundesamt für Kultur BAK | | SUISA Genossenschaft der Urheber und Verleger von Musik | Montreux Jazz Festival

Organiser SoundTrack_Zurich:
Swiss Media Composers Association (SMECA)
Pfeffingerstrasse 65 | CH-4053 Basel | Switzerland
President: Marcel Vaid
fon: +41-77-934 45 61
sekretariat@smeca.ch

Contact:
Televisor Troika GmbH
SoundTrack_Zurich
Trajanstraße 27 | D-50678 Köln | HRB 27204 AG Köln | Germany
CEO: Michael P. Aust
fon: +49-221-931 84 40 | fax: +49-221-931 84 49
PR Contact: Julia Rutkovska | julia.rutkovska@televisor.de
www.soundtrackzurich.com
www.televisor.de

Coming to you live wherever you are, it’s Day One at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. While we’ll miss seeing your faces along Main Street in Park City, we’re so glad you’ve joined us for this reimagined online experience that’s been nearly a year in the making—and there are so many ways to connect and explore together, even before the features begin. Dive into all of the events and offers in Festival Village, or use your pass to access our Indie Series and Short Film programs on demand all day. (Our immersive New Frontier platform takes flight at 7:00 p.m. MT!)

Don’t miss Festival director Tabitha Jackson’s official kickoff at our Opening Night Welcome tonight at 5:00 p.m. MT. (This is also a great opportunity to make sure your tech is all set up!) Then we have an exciting night of  premieres—from Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary Summer of Soul to Prano Bailey-Pond’s chilling Censor—and it won’t end when the closing credits roll. There’s a live Q&A after every premiere, so don’t go anywhere, and don’t be shy; this is your chance to ask one of our artists a question through our live chat function. 

Opening Night Welcome, Awards Night, Conversations & More, Available Free & Worldwide Sponsors, Foundations Host Virtual Main Street Venues

The lineup for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, taking place on a Sundance-built and feature-rich online platform, goes well beyond feature and short films, episodic work and the VR/XR of New Frontier -- it also encompasses a curated program of free special events, conversations and activations available to the global public. These Talks and Events, presented on the Sundance platform, include our new Opening Ceremony, Sundance Dailies, and The Big Conversation series, trademark gatherings at Cinema Café and the Power of Story, Awards Night and the concluding “It’s A Wrap” session. Additional partner programming will take place in a bustling digital Festival Village, which includes Main Street, Satellite Screens and the Artist Lounge.
 
SCHEDULED TALKS & EVENTS
All talks and events are free to view globally. Sign up for an account at Festival.Sundance.org to access. All times are U.S. Mountain time.
 
2021 Sundance Film Festival Opening Night Welcome
Thursday, January 28, 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
 
Audiences all over the world are invited to join us as we kick off the reimagined 2021 Sundance Film Festival and connect with the Sundance community in advance of experiencing the Festival program. During the Opening Ceremony, you can expect to hear from Festival Director Tabitha Jackson,  celebrate Utah — our spiritual home — and see plenty of familiar faces from our Festival family.
 
The Sundance Dailies
#SundanceDailies
Friday, January 29–Tuesday, February 2, 9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
 
Your guided tour through the festival’s myriad happenings, The Sundance Dailies will roll out each morning with host Tabitha Jackson, Utah correspondent John Cooper, and an assortment of special guests. The Sundance Dailies is a fun and informal download of the day ahead and what you missed the day before. Guests include: Eugenio Derbez (CODA), Rebecca Hall (Passing), Ed Helms (Together Together), Zoe Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein (How It Ends), and more.
Presented by Acura
 
Cinema Café
#CinemaCafe
Friday, January 29–Monday, February 1, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.

The doors are open again at Cinema Café. Here, the culture of conversation is reinvigorated. Our series of informal chats brings together special guests for thought-provoking encounters. Sometimes, the most fascinating conversations are the ones you didn’t expect. Presented by Audible

2021 Cinema Café guests will include:
 
Shaka King & Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Friday, January 29, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Sonia Manzano & Rita Moreno
Saturday, January 30, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Rebecca Hall & Robin Wright
Sunday, January 31, 10:30 a.m.–11:15 a.m.
 
Tyson Brown, Patti Harrison & Emilia Jones
Monday, February 1, 10:30 a.m.–11:15am
 
The Big Conversation
#SundanceBigConversation
Friday, January 29–Monday, February 1, 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m., individual slots TBA


The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture, and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists. A compelling selection of speakers discuss topics centered on the themes of this year’s program and explore broader trends in art and culture around the world. In considering how artists—through their practice and their work—make meaning of the world, we’re reminded that it’s the big conversation that connects us to the big ideas.
 
Barbed Wire Kisses Redux
The year 1992 was a watershed one for LGBTQ+ film, giving birth to the term “New Queer Cinema” and introducing a revolutionary generation of films and filmmakers with energetic irreverence and disruptive aesthetics. At the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, B. Ruby Rich convened and moderated a panel of preeminent artists (including the late Derek Jarman) to discuss their work and the historic moment of its emergence. This year, Rich and other LGBTQ+ titans gather 30 years later to look back and imagine forward in this contemporary edition of Barbed Wire Kisses.
 
Moderator B. Ruby Rich (Editor, Film Quarterly; Author, New Queer Cinema: The Director’s Cut); guests Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), Gregg Araki (The Living End), Lisa Cholodenko (High Art), Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman), Silas Howard (By Hook or By Crook), Isaac Julien (Young Soul Rebels) and Rose Troche (Go Fish).
 
Come Together
That the first image of a black hole was achieved through a global network of synchronized radio observatories shows what humans can accomplish when we come together. Beyond astronomy and across a myriad of fields—from space exploration and climatology to bioscience and virology (as the pandemic plainly illustrates)—science and technology are propelled by collaboration, cooperation, and the breaking of barriers. We explore, through the lens of film and television, what that cooperation means for human knowledge and our mutual survival.
 
Moderator Janna Levin (Tow Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College); guests Scott Z. Burns (writer, Contagion; writer & director, The Report), Leland Melvin (engineer and retired NASA astronaut), and more TBA. Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Past In the Present: A Personal Journey through Race, History, and Filmmaking
“History is not the past, it’s the present.” James Baldwin’s words reverberate throughout Raoul Peck’s work, his activism, and his remarkable filmmaking career. Peck joins Festival director Tabitha Jackson in a conversation about white supremacy, history, creative expression, and his personal journey from the Academy Award–nominated I Am Not Your Negro to his upcoming work Exterminate All the Brutes, which interrogates over 600 years of history, from the Native American genocide, to the systemized enslavement of Africans, to Hitler’s extermination of the European Jews—a history to which our present is inextricably bound.
 
Power of Story
#PowerOfStory
Timing TBA

The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story looks to deepen public engagement with storytelling, delve into cinema culture, and celebrate artists whose work propels the form and reinvents storytelling as we know it. As we contemplate this futurescape of storytelling, we explore how revolutionary narrative experiences will reshape culture through the transformations in artistic discovery, emerging media, and the reassertion of independence.
Presented by Netflix
 
Power of Story: Speculative Fiction Is the Place
 
"Speculative thought is important, and unless you are doing speculative thought, you are not doing any thought at all."—C.L.R. James
 
Black speculative fiction and historiography, Afrofuturism, and utopian/dystopian visions speak to an enduring, evolving, and vibrant storytelling sensibility. They also speak to the many generations of Black artists whose practice and work—across music, cinema, literature, design, fashion and other arts—re-envision the future. A group of artists reflects on storytelling forms that reframe Black experiences through imagined or alternative narratives connecting the people, technology, culture, and collective memory of the African diaspora.
 
Moderator Jacqueline Stewart (Chief Artistic and Programming Officer, Academy Museum and TCM Host); guests TBA.
 
Conjuring the Collective: Womxn at Sundance Speakeasy
Saturday, Jan 30, 2021, 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
 
Join us for an evening of dynamic performance and energizing conversation. Continuing our tradition of gathering and celebrating the womxn in our Festival community, this year’s event will reclaim the idea of a coven as a source of magic, healing, and power.

We’ve devised a virtual speakeasy featuring performances from an array of talented womxn from the Festival and beyond, honoring a multiplicity of perspectives through our myths and stories, dance, art, music, and culture. Theater directors nicHi douglas and Annie Tippe collaborate to create unique ways to bring womxn together to creatively respond to an intentional prompt for 2021. So light a candle, prepare a nightcap, and settle into Conjuring the Collective!
 
Guests include:
Poet Apiorkor, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison (Ailey), actor Marlee Matlin and director Siân Heder (CODA), actor Rita Moreno (Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided to Go For It), actor SOKO (Mayday, The Blazing World), and more TBA.
 
Awards Night
Tuesday, February 2, 6:00 p.m. 
 
Tune in to the 2021 Sundance Film Festival’s Awards Night Ceremony to see which projects were selected for juried and audience awards. Free and open to all, the event will be live-streamed on our online screening platform—join us (and some very special presenters) to see who takes home top prizes in the Festival’s competition categories.
 
It’s A Wrap
#SundanceWrap
Wednesday, February 3, 9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
 
Before feasting your eyes on the award-winning films from this season, finish off your Sundance Film Festival experience by looking back on the Festival that was. Festival director Tabitha Jackson leads a ceremonial end to this all-new Sundance experience by bringing audiences together for one last moment together in the virtual space.
 
FESTIVAL VILLAGE
 
Festival Village is at the epicenter of our community. Along our bustling Main Street and inside our Satellite Screens, you can catch the latest events and offerings from our partners and collaborators. And in the Artist Lounge, we’ll serve up a daily dose of creative inspiration as well as special events for filmmakers and independent storytellers of all stripes—open to all, no badge required.
 
MAIN STREET: Park City’s Main Street has always been the beating heart of the Festival. As we’ve reimagined the Festival with 2021 in mind, Main Street is as vital as ever in providing our online audience with the chance to experience exciting conversations, events, and other unexpected surprises together. We are grateful to our incredible community of Festival sponsors, nonprofit partners, foundations, and host state, Utah, for helping to recreate and preserve the magic of Main Street in this new format. We encourage you to explore our partners’ activities as they bring new programming to the Festival each day. See all confirmed partner programming here, and select programs below.
 
ASCAP Music Café
Friday, January 29–Monday, February 1, 3 p.m. onward, daily
 
ASCAP Music Café returns to a new virtual venue in the Festival Village, marking its 23rd year celebrating the union of music and film. From January 29 - February 1, the Café will feature two days of musical performances from acclaimed talent and rising stars; another dedicated to VERSED: The ASCAP Podcast/ Screen Time conversations with top ASCAP composers and collaborators from around the globe; and a final day showcasing a handpicked selection of unforgettable performances from the Sundance ASCAP Music Café archives. More information can be found here.
 
Ignite Day, Presented by Adobe
Monday, February 1st
 
A day of free events for young artists and Festival attendees hosted by Sundance Ignite, Sundance Institute’s program for Artist and Audiences 18-25 years-old. Ignite Day will include:

• A morning panel exploring storytelling traditions from historically marginalized communities as manifested through film and television and the business and craft of preserving narrative sovereignty in practice, especially among younger storytellers.
• A screening of short films from this year’s Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellows, followed by a brief Q&A with the filmmakers.
• Networking events exclusive to audiences 18-25 years old. 

SATELLITE SCREENS: This year, audiences are invited to join us via our Satellite Screens, a constellation of mission-driven arthouse cinemas, arts organizations, drive-ins, and pop-ups. Through online experiences and in-person programming (as local health and safety guidelines allow), Satellite Screens will introduce our 2021 Festival features as well as locally curated presentations.
 
ARTIST LOUNGE: In the Artist Lounge, we’re serving up a daily dose of creative inspiration for independent filmmakers and storytellers. Join the creative community for talks and events, daily meet-and-greets, Q&As with 2021 Festival artists, and so much more. Schedule to follow.
 
 
The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs and sex, lies, and videotape. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute. 2021 Festival sponsors to date include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire, Adobe; Leadership Sponsors – Amazon Studios, AT&T, DoorDash, Dropbox, Netflix, Omnicom Group, Southwest Airlines® , WarnerMedia; Sustaining Sponsors – AMC, Audible, Canada Goose, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dell Technologies, Documentary Plus, GEICO, IMDbPro, Stella Artois®, Unity Technologies, University of Utah Health, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Zoom; Media Sponsors – The Atlantic, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, NPR, The New York Times, Variety, Vulture, The Wall Street Journal. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute's year-round programs for independent artists. sundance.org/festival
 
Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories for the stage and screen, Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, film composing, and digital media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. Sundance Co//ab, a digital community platform, brings artists together to learn from each other and Sundance Advisors and connect in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On The Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, City So Real, Top of the Lake, Between the World & Me, Wild Goose Dreams and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

# # #

Cease the earlybird entry fees until the end of January. Submit your film at Film Freeway.

IFFI 51, 16-24 January 2021, 15: Terms and conditions applied

Media accreditation came on the 29^th of December, a mere 18 days before the festival. Those who had not booked travel tickets and not made hotel reservations must have been severely inconvenienced. Luckily, I had made my bookings in anticipation, and that was a bonus.

This is the email we received on the 16^th of January, the day the festival was inaugurated:

“Welcome to the 51st International Film Festival of India, Goa.

We are pleased to inform you that the online ticket sale for the 51st IFFI will start at 00.00 hours of 16th January 2021. Requesting all the delegates to adhere to the Festival Policy as detailed below:

Ticketing Policy:

Delegates can book their tickets ONLY through online mode by logging into their profiles at my.iffigoa.org (Film Guide).

No physical/paper ticket will be issued during the 51st IFFI, however, an e-ticket will be sent on the delegate’s registered email ID along with an SMS confirming the booking (E-ticket is mandatory to gain entry into the theatre).

Delegates can also view their tickets by logging into my.iffigoa.org.

In case a delegate does not receive an SMS or email, there is no need to panic and shall approach the nearest help desk.

Interestingly, the same ticket would also reflect on the delegate’s Bar-Coded/ RFID    enabled accreditation card which they would need to produce for scanning when entering a theatre to view their movie of choice.

E-tickets will be issued/ sent only to valid accreditation. Every e-ticket will be visible at my.iffigoa.org.

Sharing accreditation cards is strictly prohibited. All delegates should adhere to the rules. In case of misuse of accreditation card, the accreditation card shall be blocked / terminated.

Every card holder is entitled for a certain quota of tickets per day depending on the card type such as:

Delegate Professional: 5 tickets per day

Cine Enthusiast and Student Delegate: 4 tickets per day

Media Camera Person: 4 tickets per day

Media Correspondent: 5 tickets per day

Online ESG Guest: 2 tickets per Day

Tickets can be booked only two days prior to the screening. For example, Online sale will start at 00.00 hours of 16th January 2021 for the movie to be screened on 17th January 2021 and so on.

All Accreditation cards are Barcoded / RFID chip based and will be scanned at the auditorium entrance. It is in the delegate’s interest to scan the accreditation card or else the e-ticket will be considered as un-used and thereby liable for cancellation against the delegate’s daily ticket quota.

Delegates should cancel tickets for shows that they have booked but would not be able to attend, at least 30 minutes prior to the show start time. Failure to do so will result in reduction of the delegate’s daily ticket quota, if the ticket is un-used.

Delegates will be able to book tickets till the movie start time.

If a ticketed delegate makes a “no show”, their ticket stands cancelled and will result in reduction of the delegate’s daily ticket quota.

Certain ‘reserved seats’ may be released for ticketing, only one hour prior to the show start time and the same will be available for ticketing online.

Delegates are not allowed to book tickets for screenings in the same time slot (i.e. booking for parallel screenings not allowed)

Each E-ticket is valid for a single screening only.

Only delegates with a valid e-ticket will have access to the theatre.

Theatre Policy & Admittance

Persons with disabilities can contact the help desk at the venues for assistance.

Sitting on the aisle/ non-designated seating area inside the theatre is strictly prohibited and anyone found doing so will be barred from further screenings of the 51st IFFI.”

All these measures did cause some confusion. Most significantly, they limited your choice of film, unless you were up at midnight, and among the first to make online bookings. Since late night shows were not held this time, one was often free by 9-10 pm. Cinemas were closed during the slot 2.30-4 pm for complete sanitisation, which was a welcome step, but resulted in one film less per day. Moreover, to stay up till midnight just to book tickets was an issue. Although the number of delegates who turned-up were less than 2,400 (the registration figure, down from a high of 12,000 and an average of 8,000; quite a few do not come even after registering), the seats were limited to 920, all seven screens combined: four at INOX, two at Maquinez Palace and one at Kala Academy. Add to that the restriction that no more than 200 persons were to be allowed admittance in any one auditorium, and your chances for catching a popular film, or a competition film, were slim. I must have missed out on five films of my choice.

Conversely, I could see at least three films after booking last minute seats, possibly due to cancellations. It was difficult to gauge how many persons turned up at particular shows, because of the alternate seat vacant rule. My guess is that many films played to very small audiences. There were no late night shows, though it was never said why. In the past, we have had shows starting as late as 11 pm. Also, there were no repeat screenings. Occasionally, two or three films in the International Competition section had parallel screenings, making it impossible for you to catch more than one. Only Mehrunisa (Austrian production of an Indian film, shot entirely in India) was repeated, and it was a bad selection to bend the “no repeat screenings” routine. I could cite at least five other, better, films, that deserved a second screening.

Some generosity was on display at the Media Centre, in the shape of a generous supply of tea, coffee and biscuit packets (not loose biscuits, as was the earlier norm). Not a single dinner or reception of any kind was held during the festival. That was strange, since festivities could still be held, with at least a limited number of delegates and guests invited, respecting the rules. Q&A in the auditorium, after screenings, a norm, was dispensed with, due to Covid 19 Corona Virus pandemic, which prompted many of the above measures as well.

The Open Forum, organised by the Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) and the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association (IDPA), usually from 1.30 to 2.30 pm, for six days, was dropped, and missed, at IFFI 51. Delegates from Kerala and Maharashtra topped the roll-call, while many of my fellow scribes from West Bengal were missing from the scene. Almost all the stalls were allotted to the Radisson Hotel, which served various varieties of food, snacks and desserts, at three-star hotel prices. The familiar sight of the Kingfisher beer stall, which also served draught, was a missing landmark to many a guzzler.

A couple of delegates told me that they tried to register for the ‘only online’ Master Classes, but were denied the privilege, probably because that would mean dual registration, granting them both physical and virtual access. There were times when I walked out of a film that did not engage me and felt that attending a Master Class would have been an antidote, but that was not to be. Some 1,000 persons logged on for the virtual platform, a shockingly low figure, considering the stature of the festival.

Bags were scanned at entry points, a cloak-room provided and sanitising sprays were aplenty. I carried a small bottle of the wonder liquid in my bag, but found no occasion to use it. Come November, and, praying all goes well, we will have a regular festival, IFFI 52.

The OIFF will be held in Odesa 14-21 August 2021

The dates of the 12th Odesa International Film Festival have been announced - this year it is scheduled to take place in Odesa from 14 to 21 August.

At the beginning of the year, the Odesa International Film Festival changed its management. Anna Machukh became the Executive Director of the Festival. During 2011-2016, Anna worked as Marketing Director of the OIFF, in 2017 she was the OIFF Film Market Director, and from 2018 to 2020 she held the position of the Strategic Development Director of the Festival. Anna Machukh is also the Executive Director of the Ukrainian Film Academy and co-founder of the online platform for the audiovisual sector DzygaMDB.

Kateryna Zvezdina is now the OIFF's Chief Operating Officer. She has been working at the film festival since 2016, until 2018 she was the PR director of the OIFF, and in 2018-2020 held the position of the Film Market Director.

Oleksandr Kholodenko, who has been a member of the OIFF Board of Directors since 2011, has become the Strategic Development Director of the Odesa International Film Festival.

An independent selection committee will be headed by Alik Shpilyuk. Until 2014, he was the Programme Director of the OIFF, since 2015 he has been working as the Programme Advisor. Alik Shpyliuk is also the Art Director of the Ukrainian Film Academy.

Tetyana Vlasova retains the PR Director position.

“Each Odesa International Film Festival is special in its own way. Last year, due to obvious circumstances, we successfully experimented with the online format and we already knew that the festival was in need of drastic changes. Thus we started this year elaborating a completely new development strategy for the Odessa International Film Festival. The 12th OIFF will definitely be different, but the main thing remains untouched - it is the best films of Ukraine and from around the globe, and, of course, our unique atmosphere, which this year we will all be able to feel again in summer in Odesa", - the President of the Odesa International Film Festival Viktoriya Tigipko said.

“Last year convinced everyone that we need to look for new forms and formats of existence, quickly adapting to the circumstances. Despite the fact that the online format in which the 11th OIFF took place was a very interesting experience for all of us, the audience still lacks a festival atmosphere. Therefore, this year the Odesa International Film Festival will be held offline, but in a changed format and with a new team to optimize all organizational moments", OIFF Executive Director Anna Machukh noted.

This year's programme details and call for entries will be  announced later on.

The public will be able to see the various visuals created by the successive graphic designers of the FICA, Fabien Bigotte and Marie Melcore, artists from Haut-Saôn, to illustrate each edition.

This exhibition was produced to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas in Vesoul, the 27th edition of which was to take place from January 26 to February 2, 2021, and which is postponed to February 1 - 8, 2022, due to the epidemic of Covid-19. It can be seen every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Cora Vesoul exhibition hall. It will close on February 12, 2021, Chinese New Year's Day, Year of the Ox.

By Siraj Syed, our Indian corrrespondent.

IFFI 51, 16-24 January 2021, 15: Terms and conditions applied

IFFI 51, 16-24 January 2021, 15: Terms and conditions applied Media accreditation came on the 29th of December, a mere 18 days before the festival. Those who had not booked travel tickets and not made hotel reservations must have been severely inconvenienced. Luckily, I had made my bookings in anticipation, and that was a bonus. This is the email we received on the 16th of January, the day the festival was inaugurated: “Welcome to the 51st International Film Festival of India, Goa. W...

 

 

IFFI 51, 16-24 January 2021, 14: Into the Darkness won the Golden Peacock

IFFI 51, 16-24 January 2021, 14: Into the Darkness won the Golden Peacock The epic World War II film Into the Darkness (De forbandede år) which portrays the story of a Danish electronics factory owner who is forced to produce for the occupying Nazi forces, has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award at the just-concluded 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India. The Golden Peacock Award consists of a cash prize of Rs. 40 lakhs (Rs. 4 million) to be shared equ...

 

 

IFFI 51, 16-24 January, 2021, 13: Ratings of films seen

IFFI 51, 16-24 January, 2021, 13: Ratings of films seen My ranking, out of five stars A Common Crime ** ½          Into The Darkness *** Under Construction ** ½       Roland Reber’s Cabaret of Death ** ½ An Old Lady *** Sonar Kella***           Light for The Youth *** ½    Green Blackberries *** Kalira Atita *** Jaadoo (Short)...

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 12: Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro to get Lifetime Achievement award

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January 2021, 11: OTT to serve highlights and varied fare

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January 2021, 11: OTT to serve highlights and varied fare The 51st Edition of Asia’s oldest and India’s biggest festival, The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which is to be held in Goa from 16th January to 24th January 2021, has announced a line-up of programmes that will be showcased on the OTT platform during the festival. Taking into account the ongoing Covid 19 Corona Pandemic, the International Film Festival of India...

 

CLICK ANY OF THE TITLES FOR FULL REPORT

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 10: Much-awaited list of World Panorama films is out

  IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 10: Much-awaited list of World Panorama films is out The 51st Edition of International Film Festival of India has yesterday unveiled the list of films under the World Panorama section. The line-up consists of fifty films, from across the world. Savour this. Film Name Director Country Only Human Igor Ivanov Macedonia ...

 

 

IFFI 51, January 16-24, 2021, Goa, 09: Khisa is a tale about loss of innocence and coming-of-age

IFFI 51, January 16-24, 2021, Goa, 09: Khisa is a tale about loss of innocence and coming-of-age India's Marathi short film Khisa (Pocket) is now making its way to India, after winning international awardsso many international awards. ''Khisa''short film has been Officially Selected in the Indian Panorama, for 51st International Film Festival of India, Goa 2021.  The film is Directed by Raj More, under the Banner of PP Cine Production, Mumbai and Laaltippa Film...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 08: The kaleidoscope dozen

  IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 08: The kaleidoscope dozen International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has today announced the line-up of films for its Festival Kaleidoscope. The section will feature 12 films from across the world. The line-up consists of the following movies: We Still Have the Deep Black Night by Gustavo Galvão (Brazil, Germany)     Window Boy Would also Like to Have a Submarine by Alex Piperno (Uruguay)       ...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 07: South Indian component of the Indian Panorama

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 07: South Indian component of the Indian Panorama The glad tidings for the South Indian fans is that nine remarkable and appreciated South Indian films are selected to be featured at the Indian Panorama of IFFI, in which six feature, two mainstream cinema and one non-feature will be showcased. Here is a list of selected South Indian Movies FEATURED FILMS: Safe (Malayalam) Director – Pradeep Kalipurayath Synopsis – A social activist called Ar...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 06: Treat of choice Marathi films, features and shorts

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 06: Treat of choice Marathi films, features and shorts The 51st Edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is all-set to be held in Goa from 16th January to 24th January, 2021. It’s time to rejoice for Marathi film lovers, as six powerful and thought-provoking Marathi movies, 3 feature and 3 non-feature films, have been selected to be showcased in the Indian Panorama section of the prestigious event. With an aim of providing a common p...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 05: Line up of movies for international competition

IFFI 51, Goa, January 16-24, 2021, 05: Line up of movies for international competition 51st International Film Festival of India has released the line-up of international movies for competition during the festival. The best feature length fiction films from all over the world are selected to compete in the section. It is one of the most important sections of the festival that features some of the most outstanding films of the year, and these 15 films compete for the Golden Peacock, and other...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January 2021, 04: Pablo Cesar to Chair International Jury

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January 2021, 04: Pablo Cesar to Chair International Jury The 51st edition of International Film Festival of India announced its five-member International Jury today, with eminent film-makers from across the world. The Jury will comprise Pablo Céésar (Argentina) as Chairman, Prasanna Vithanage (Sri Lanka), Abu Bakr Shawky (Austria), Priyadarshan (India) and Ms. Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh). Pablo César is an Argentinian film-maker. He has the critica...

 

 

IFFI 51, 2021, Goa, 16-24 January, 03: Minister Javadekar announces the selection of films in the Indian Panorama

IFFI 51, 2021, Goa, 16-24 January, 03: Minister Javadekar announces the selection of films in the Indian Panorama Information and Broadcasting Minister of the Government of India, Prakash Javadekar has announced the selection of 23 Feature and 20 non-feature films in Indian Panorama for the 51st International Film Festival of India, IFFI. The I&B Ministry organises the annual festival, through its Directorate of Film Festivals, along with the Government of Goa, in Panaji Goa. The annual ...

 

 

51st IFFI, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 02: Opening, closing and mid-fest films announced

51st IFFI, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 02: Opening, closing and mid-fest films announced Another Round, by Thomas Vinterberg, will be opening film. The movie, starring Cannes Best Actor Award winner Mads Mikkelsen, is among a star-studded line up of movies being showcased at IFFI. The movie is also Denmark’s official entry to the Oscars. The festival will also witness the World Première of Mehrunisa. The film, by Sandeep Kumar, will première mid-fest. Starring formidable ...

 

 

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 01: Eagerly-awaited cinema fest coming-up soon, in testing times

IFFI 51, Goa, 16-24 January, 2021, 01: India's eagerly-awaited cinema fest coming-up soon, in testing times 51st IFFI, scheduled for 16th -24th January 2021, is coming-up in less than two weeks. It is organised, as usual, by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, through the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Goa, through the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), and the Indian Film Industry. International Film Fe...

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival : SDFF 2021 June 10 – 13

Shuttered and battered and sheltering in place

We’re reading tea leaves, the Times and the trades.

The calendar said that April would be much too soon

So, we’ve hauled cables, mics & programs forward into June.

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival is moving to June. In light of ever changing COVID-19 conditions, and the impact on our industry, audience and bottom line we’re moving forward on the 2021 calendar.

We all miss the interaction of being together to make a memorable event ... the energy of gathering for shared experience. Already in the works are plans for our hybrid SDFF 2021 festival. If regulations at that time permit, there will be live screenings. Some exciting opportunities for program partnership are being explored. Ticketed events are in development to fill the gap between now and the Festival. The website is evolving into a robust hub for you: our audience, fans, filmmakers and sponsors.

Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival #15 intends to resume its March dates in 2022. Thank you for all your enthusiastic support during this chaotic time.

THE TEAM AT SEBASTOPOL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL - SDFF 2021 

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

216 W Main Street Studio 7, Missoula, MT 59802

The Gotham EDU Virtual Summit

The Gotham EDU is a consortium of academic communities and non-profit organizations that share The Gotham’s goal of establishing transparency relating to career progression, the necessary skills and accessible entry points needed in order to create a more diverse and equitable ecosystem within the entertainment industry. The Gotham EDU Virtual Summit will take place over the course of three days and will include panels and roundtable discussions with administrators and faculty from partnered institutions who share our vision and are excited to collaborate with The Gotham. 
 
We cordially invite you to the Gotham EDU virtual Summit keynote event, The Power of Narrative in Creating Social Change taking place on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 2:15pm – 3:15pm EST. Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute will moderate a discussion with Stephen Friedman exploring EDU programming opportunities that will support social impact campaigns that harness the power of “effective” stories, engage audiences, and prompt action. Keynote speaker Stephen Friedman is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning creator of social impact campaigns and former President of MTV. He currently is an advisor for SY Partners and Viacom CBS Entertainment. Please RSVP by Friday, February 5, 2021 to Cait Carvalho, Director, Gotham EDU (ccarvalho@thegotham.org).
 
 Presented by The MTV Entertainment Group Gotham EDU Joel Schumacher and Sonia Cranshaw Scholarship Program.

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Rise and shine—it’s Day Two. Start things off with The Sundance Dailies, presented by Acura, where you can share a virtual coffee with Festival director Tabitha Jackson and special guests every morning at 9:00 a.m. MT. If you slept in and missed today’s show featuring writer-director Rebecca Hall (Passing) and actor Eugenio Derbez (CODA), not to worry—you can catch up whenever you’d like here, no pass or ticket required.

The first full day of the Festival’s world premieres include Alexis Gambis’s Son of Monarchs, a transformative drama starring Tenoch Huerta; Mariem Pérez Riera’s Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It, a loving cinematic portrait of a living legend; and Christopher Makoto Yogi’s I Was a Simple Man, an achingly intimate family drama that was incubated in our summer labs.

At Cinema Café, presented by Audible, tune in for a thought-provoking conversation between directors Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah) and Questlove (Summer of Soul …Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised). And you’re also invited to this year’s Native Forum Celebration, where we’ll be honoring the Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program fellows, grantees, and alumni. During the event, we’ll announce the latest recipient of our Merata Mita Fellowship, named in honor of the late Māori filmmaker.

All of our Talks & Events are free and open to attendees all over the world, so make sure to pop these into your schedule.

Plan Your Day

WHAT’S NEW IN NEW FRONTIER

Since its launch, the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier has served as a showcase for dynamic, innovative work at the crossroads of film, art, and technology—but this year, as with the rest of the Fest, we’re doing things a bit differently.

We’ve reimagined New Frontier to not only bring the visionary, ground-breaking projects online, but to also create an interactive, immersive space where passholders can gather and celebrate the class of 2021. Teleport over and join us—in avatar form!—after every world premiere for an out-of-this-world Film Party, where you can chat with fellow Festivalgoers and the artists themselves about the projects you just watched.

This year’s New Frontier program was made possible by the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Unity Technologies, Adobe, Dell Technologies, The Walt Disney Studios StudioLAB, and Oculus from Facebook.

Explore New Frontier