Ongoing protests in Berlin against the war in Gaza — a conflict triggered by the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 — reached former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and attendees of the Berlin Film Festival’s European Film Market this week following concerted efforts by some international cultural workers to boycott and target German cultural institutions.
Clinton, in town for the Feb. 19 World Forum event organized by Cinema for Peace, was met by loud protests, criticizing U.S. support for Israel, as she began speaking on stage. Cinema for Peace organizers dismissed the action, saying: “Seven out of 1,000 guests expressed a different opinion, not a special occurrence to comment on in a democracy with free speech.”
The event followed a Feb. 18 protest at the EFM, where activists laid down on the front steps of the Gropius Bau drenched in mock blood with a sign reading, “Welcome to the Red Carpet.
Clinton, in town for the Feb. 19 World Forum event organized by Cinema for Peace, was met by loud protests, criticizing U.S. support for Israel, as she began speaking on stage. Cinema for Peace organizers dismissed the action, saying: “Seven out of 1,000 guests expressed a different opinion, not a special occurrence to comment on in a democracy with free speech.”
The event followed a Feb. 18 protest at the EFM, where activists laid down on the front steps of the Gropius Bau drenched in mock blood with a sign reading, “Welcome to the Red Carpet.
- 2/24/2024
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
As the Israel-Hamas war continues to rage in Gaza, repercussions are being felt at the Berlinale, which looks to be one of the most politically charged editions in recent history.
Several filmmakers have already canceled their participation to the festival in protest of Germany’s attitude towards Palestinian voices, while more than 50 Berlinale workers have signed an open letter this week demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and asking that the festival leadership take a “stronger institutional stance” on what the statement calls “the current assault on Palestinian life” and calling on the festival to take a stance that is “consistent with those taken in response to other events that have struck the international community in recent years.”
The war in Gaza followed Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken. As the death toll continues to rise, with nearly 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza...
Several filmmakers have already canceled their participation to the festival in protest of Germany’s attitude towards Palestinian voices, while more than 50 Berlinale workers have signed an open letter this week demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and asking that the festival leadership take a “stronger institutional stance” on what the statement calls “the current assault on Palestinian life” and calling on the festival to take a stance that is “consistent with those taken in response to other events that have struck the international community in recent years.”
The war in Gaza followed Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken. As the death toll continues to rise, with nearly 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza...
- 2/16/2024
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Sometimes it’s like they read your mind—or just notice upcoming releases as you do. Whatever the case, I’m thrilled that the release of Terence Davies’ Benediction played (I assume!) some part in a full retro on the Criterion Channel this June, sad as I know that package will make me and anybody else who comes within ten feet of it. It’s among a handful of career retrospectives: they’ve also set a 12-film Judy Garland series populated by Berkeley and Minnelli, ten from Ulrike Ottinger, and four by Billy Wilder. But maybe their most adventurous idea in some time is a huge microbudget collection ranging from Ulmer’s Detour to Joel Potrykus’ Buzzard, fellow success stories—Nolan, Linklater, Jarmusch, Jia Zhangke—spread about.
Criterion Editions continue with Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight, Double Indemnity, and Seconds, while Chameleon Street, Karen Dalton: In My Own Time,...
Criterion Editions continue with Bertrand Tavernier’s Round Midnight, Double Indemnity, and Seconds, while Chameleon Street, Karen Dalton: In My Own Time,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the lineup of 20 shorts from 17 countries which will compete for the Golden and Silver Bear awards for short films.
The festival said the films “daringly confront the present and rewrite the past,” while imagining “a new tomorrow” in many different ways. “There is longing to understand and to be understood (running) through the selection,” said the fest.
Among the films selected, some explore colonial history, such as “Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit,” “Strange Object,” “One Hundred Steps;” others tackle political violence, such as “International Dawn Chorus Day,” and right-wing terror, like “Your Street.”
“A Love Song in Spanish” and “My Uncle Tudor,” meanwhile, confront trauma within people and their families. “Vadim on a Walk,” “Glittering Barbieblood,” “One Thousand and One Attempts to Be an Ocean” look at society; or “Rehearsal” looks at institutions.
Some of the more philosophical and spiritual...
The festival said the films “daringly confront the present and rewrite the past,” while imagining “a new tomorrow” in many different ways. “There is longing to understand and to be understood (running) through the selection,” said the fest.
Among the films selected, some explore colonial history, such as “Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit,” “Strange Object,” “One Hundred Steps;” others tackle political violence, such as “International Dawn Chorus Day,” and right-wing terror, like “Your Street.”
“A Love Song in Spanish” and “My Uncle Tudor,” meanwhile, confront trauma within people and their families. “Vadim on a Walk,” “Glittering Barbieblood,” “One Thousand and One Attempts to Be an Ocean” look at society; or “Rehearsal” looks at institutions.
Some of the more philosophical and spiritual...
- 2/9/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Toronto — Veteran Toronto director Laurie Lynd taps into the myth-busting 2017 book “Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic” for a documentary feature that reframes the legacy of Quebec flight attendant Gaetan Dugas, a promiscuous gay man who was incorrectly identified as patient zero by investigators from the U.S. Center for Disease Control in the early years of the AIDS epidemic.
“Killing Patient Zero,” which had its world premiere at Hot Docs in Toronto, explores how the idea of a patient zero was amplified – and how Dugas was vilified – via the publisher’s strategy for promoting the groundbreaking book “And The Band Played On,” by serializing and sensationalizing its patient-zero chapter.
In Lynd’s film, author Randy Shilts is a key supporting character whose crusade to effect change through his writing had complex repercussions.
In a traditional but lively style, Lynd and editor Trevor Ambrose take viewers from...
“Killing Patient Zero,” which had its world premiere at Hot Docs in Toronto, explores how the idea of a patient zero was amplified – and how Dugas was vilified – via the publisher’s strategy for promoting the groundbreaking book “And The Band Played On,” by serializing and sensationalizing its patient-zero chapter.
In Lynd’s film, author Randy Shilts is a key supporting character whose crusade to effect change through his writing had complex repercussions.
In a traditional but lively style, Lynd and editor Trevor Ambrose take viewers from...
- 5/3/2019
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
The 9th annual Wndx Festival of Moving Image will showcase new experimental media from all over the world — including short films, installations and live cinematic performances — at several locations across the city of Winnipeg on September 24-28.
Special events at Wndx this year include the fest’s annual One Take Super 8 Event, where 30 filmmakers will screen their in-camera edited masterpieces for the first time along with the audience. Plus, there’s a two-part celebration of the work of Denis Côté, featuring his two films Joy of Man’s Desiring and Bestiaire, with the filmmaker in attendance.
There will also be a live film performance by filmamker Karl Lemieux with sound artists Roger Tellier-Craig and Alexandre St-Onge; and Freya Björg Olafson’s dance/film hybrid HYPER_.
Short films to be on the lookout throughout the fest include Mike Olenick‘s Red Luck, which won the Best Looking Film award at the...
Special events at Wndx this year include the fest’s annual One Take Super 8 Event, where 30 filmmakers will screen their in-camera edited masterpieces for the first time along with the audience. Plus, there’s a two-part celebration of the work of Denis Côté, featuring his two films Joy of Man’s Desiring and Bestiaire, with the filmmaker in attendance.
There will also be a live film performance by filmamker Karl Lemieux with sound artists Roger Tellier-Craig and Alexandre St-Onge; and Freya Björg Olafson’s dance/film hybrid HYPER_.
Short films to be on the lookout throughout the fest include Mike Olenick‘s Red Luck, which won the Best Looking Film award at the...
- 9/23/2014
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Once again, Happy Pride Month! Last week we featured a list of the 10 Best Documentary Portraits of Lgbt Culture, films that celebrate the lives and loves of their diverse subjects. Today’s list is entitled “The Best Documentaries About Lgbt History.” What’s the difference? The distinction is, in a word, politics. Obviously when dealing with something like Lgbt civil rights, culture and politics are often very closely connected. Yet the following 10 films are more consciously political, narratives of the struggle for freedom and equality over the course of history. It might be a misnomer to call all of them “activist” documentaries, and the “issue film” moniker seems reductive. Therefore, we’ll call them history films, built from a century-long struggle against discrimination. They feature the earliest days of the Gay Liberation movement in the United States, the fight to respond to the AIDS epidemic, and the international scope of the pursuit Lgbt civil rights around the...
- 6/27/2014
- by Nonfics.com
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Last night in a packed theatre at the Tiff Bell Lightbox an eclectic group of film critics, the who’s who of top local film producers and filmmakers, and Tiff executives gathered to hear the unveiling of the 13th annual Canada’s Top Ten films of the year. The room buzzed with excitement with many discussing the Nyfcc winners, predicting the Board of Review winners and, of course, noting which filmmakers were in attendance (assuming that was a clear cut sign of who made the list).
A hushed silence came over the crowd when Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of Tiff, took to the podium on stage to introduce the evening’s host, beloved local comedian Steve Patterson. “As a 15 year veteran of comedy, I know what it’s like not to be recognized”, Patterson cracked, making light of Canadian gems often going overlooked on the world stage. This year, however,...
A hushed silence came over the crowd when Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of Tiff, took to the podium on stage to introduce the evening’s host, beloved local comedian Steve Patterson. “As a 15 year veteran of comedy, I know what it’s like not to be recognized”, Patterson cracked, making light of Canadian gems often going overlooked on the world stage. This year, however,...
- 12/4/2013
- by Leora Heilbronn
- IONCINEMA.com
The selections for the 13th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival were announced last night in Toronto. Selected by panels of filmmakers and industry professionals from across Canada, the films intend to reflect the best in Canadian cinema in the previous year. They will screen January 3 to 12, 2014 at Tiff Bell Lightbox, accompanied by introductions and Q&A sessions with filmmakers. The festival will conclude on January 12 with an onstage conversation between Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and Toronto International Film Festival Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. "Canadian movies are global movies now, and Tiff's Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival is the best opportunity to see our country's creativity on the big screen," said Bailey. "In addition to 20 terrific films, we will kick off 2014 with exclusive onstage conversations with Denis Villeneuve, Jake Gyllenhaal and John Greyson — conversations that will capture the ideas that power Canadian filmmaking." Established...
- 12/4/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
Enemy, The F-Word, Sarah Prefers To Run make it on to annual list.
Enemy, The F-Word, Sarah Prefers To Run have made it on to Tiff’s annual list.
The Tiff hierarchy announced on December 3 its feature and short film selections for the 13th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival.
The 10-day festival is scheduled to run from January 3-12 2014 at Tiff Bell Lightbox and features public screenings of selected films accompanied by introductions and Q&A sessions with film-makers.
Director Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal will appear at Tiff Bell Lightbox on January 5 to discuss their recent collaborations on Prisoners and Enemy (pictured).
The festival will conclude on January 12 with an on-stage conversation between Canadian film-maker John Greyson and Toronto International Film Festival artistic director Cameron Bailey.
“Canadian movies are global movies now, and Tiff’s Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival is the best opportunity to see our country’s creativity on the big...
Enemy, The F-Word, Sarah Prefers To Run have made it on to Tiff’s annual list.
The Tiff hierarchy announced on December 3 its feature and short film selections for the 13th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival.
The 10-day festival is scheduled to run from January 3-12 2014 at Tiff Bell Lightbox and features public screenings of selected films accompanied by introductions and Q&A sessions with film-makers.
Director Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal will appear at Tiff Bell Lightbox on January 5 to discuss their recent collaborations on Prisoners and Enemy (pictured).
The festival will conclude on January 12 with an on-stage conversation between Canadian film-maker John Greyson and Toronto International Film Festival artistic director Cameron Bailey.
“Canadian movies are global movies now, and Tiff’s Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival is the best opportunity to see our country’s creativity on the big...
- 12/3/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Toronto – Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and physician Dr. Tarek Loubani are on their way home to Canada from Egypt after being freed from a Cairo prison last week. The pair, who are expected to reach Toronto on Friday evening, were only cleared yesterday to fly out of the country after being imprisoned for seven weeks, after they were seized on Aug. 16. Story: Hollywood to Egypt: Release Filmmaker John Greyson, Physician Tarek Loubani ”It’s over. At 9:40 a.m., Cairo local time, we took off from Cairo international airport on a flight back home. We will arrive at Toronto’s Pearson
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- 10/11/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cannes -- Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and physician Dr. Tarek Loubani have been freed by Egyptian authorities following their imprisonment in Cairo since Aug. 16. "Christmas comes early this year! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to #freejohnand tarek," Cecilia Greyson, sister of the Canadian filmmaker, said on her Twitter account Sunday. Minister of state for foreign affairs Lynne Yelich in a statement Sunday said she welcomed the release of Greyson and Loubani. Story: Canadian Filmmaker John Greyson Starts Hunger Strike in Egyptian Prison “I look forward to Dr. Loubani and Mr. Greyson being reunited with their families and
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- 10/6/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Egyptian authorities have released filmmaker John Greyson and doctor Tarek Loubani after nearly 50 days in a Cairo prison.
The “Free Tarek & John” movement confirmed the news.
They had been arrested by Egyptian police in Cairo on August 16.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They are currently in a Toronto hotel and their travel plans will be confirmed in coming days.
“They just came to their cell and said, ‘Come with us,’ ” Loubani’s brother Mohammed told the Toronto Star. “They had no idea what was happening until they arrived at the police station. They were stunned.”
For Screen’s previous stories about their arrests, see:
Greyson on hunger strikeTIFF supports Greyson release efforts...
The “Free Tarek & John” movement confirmed the news.
They had been arrested by Egyptian police in Cairo on August 16.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They are currently in a Toronto hotel and their travel plans will be confirmed in coming days.
“They just came to their cell and said, ‘Come with us,’ ” Loubani’s brother Mohammed told the Toronto Star. “They had no idea what was happening until they arrived at the police station. They were stunned.”
For Screen’s previous stories about their arrests, see:
Greyson on hunger strikeTIFF supports Greyson release efforts...
- 10/6/2013
- ScreenDaily
It's been 45 days since Canadian director and activist John Greyson and emergency room doctor Tarek Loubani were detained by Egyptian police and placed in Cairo's Tora prison, and unfortunately new fears have been raised. It was reported yesterday that their detention has been extended 45 days amidst a hunger strike that Greyson and Loubani began two weeks ago. There were also recent indications that the pair have been targeted by authorities seeking to lay serious charges against them. The Toronto Star is reporting that the charges include “terrorizing citizens,” weapons possession and attempting to burn down a police station. Greyson and Loubani said that they did none of the above, and never planned to stay in Egypt longer than overnight. They arrived in Cairo on August 15th with transit visas and all the necessary paperwork to proceed to their planned destination of Gaza, where Tarek volunteers at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza,...
- 9/30/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
Conner Habib reviews Unstoppable, Cher doesn’t hate Madonna, Jason Collins throws out first pitch for Dodgers
Our NewNowNext SexPert Conner Habib is writing for Vice now, and in his first column he reviews the Kirk Cameron movie Unstoppable, where Kirk whines about how Hollywood is trying to silence Christians. It’s a funny read, and Conner stresses he has no problem with faith, just how faith is presented here, which he sums up as “Unstoppable is the full frontal display of an egomaniac who has somehow found his way into a position of power.”
Guido Barilla is apologizing again for the comments he made about gay families. I know he’s mostly just in damage control, as his rivals have taken the opportunity to shout their support for gay families and the world is calling for a boycott, but he’s taking the standard steps that GLAAD proscribes for foot in mouth syndrome.
Our NewNowNext SexPert Conner Habib is writing for Vice now, and in his first column he reviews the Kirk Cameron movie Unstoppable, where Kirk whines about how Hollywood is trying to silence Christians. It’s a funny read, and Conner stresses he has no problem with faith, just how faith is presented here, which he sums up as “Unstoppable is the full frontal display of an egomaniac who has somehow found his way into a position of power.”
Guido Barilla is apologizing again for the comments he made about gay families. I know he’s mostly just in damage control, as his rivals have taken the opportunity to shout their support for gay families and the world is calling for a boycott, but he’s taking the standard steps that GLAAD proscribes for foot in mouth syndrome.
- 9/30/2013
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
Toronto -- Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and physician Dr. Tarek Loubani now face another 45 days in detention and possible charges from Egyptian authorities as they insist they are "sleeping like sardines on concrete" in a Cairo prison. The two Canadians, who are on a hunger strike to protest their imprisonment in Egypt since their arrest on Aug. 16, issued a statement that they dictated to their lawyers in which they insisted "we deserve due process, not cockroaches on concrete. We demand to be released." Story: Canadian Filmmaker John Greyson Starts Hunger Strike in Egyptian Prison It turns they may
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- 9/29/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Toronto – Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and physician Dr. Tarek Loubani have begun a hunger strike to protest their imprisonment in Egypt since their arrest on Aug. 16. A campaign of friends and supporters reported both men, who remain jailed without charges, were told through their lawyers that Greyson and Loubani "will be refusing food beginning on Sept. 16 to protest the arbitrary nature of their detention by Egyptian authorities." Story: Hollywood to Egypt: Release Filmmaker John Greyson, Physician Tarek Loubani The legal escalation follows directors Atom Egoyan and Alex Gibney and actress Sarah Polley addressing the media at the
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- 9/18/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Canadian filmmaker and doctor Tarek Loubani refuse food to protest their detention in a Cairo jail.
Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and emergency room physician Tarek Loubani have informed friends and supporters through their Egyptian lawyers that they will be refusing food beginning this week [Sept 16] to protest the “arbitrary nature” of their detention by Egyptian authorities.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They have been held there for more than 30 days, during which time Egyptian officials have not provided any reason for their ongoing detention.
Greyson and Loubani’s detention could be extended up to two years without formal charges being laid according to new emergency measures put in place in Egypt.
The filmmaker’s sister said in a statement: “We know that they did not take the...
Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and emergency room physician Tarek Loubani have informed friends and supporters through their Egyptian lawyers that they will be refusing food beginning this week [Sept 16] to protest the “arbitrary nature” of their detention by Egyptian authorities.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They have been held there for more than 30 days, during which time Egyptian officials have not provided any reason for their ongoing detention.
Greyson and Loubani’s detention could be extended up to two years without formal charges being laid according to new emergency measures put in place in Egypt.
The filmmaker’s sister said in a statement: “We know that they did not take the...
- 9/17/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Canadian filmmaker and doctor Tarek Loubani refuse food to protest their detention in a Cairo jail.
Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and emergency room physician Tarek Loubani have informed friends and supporters through their Egyptian lawyers that they will be refusing food beginning this week [Sept 16] to protest the “arbitrary nature” of their detention by Egyptian authorities.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They have been held there for more than 30 days, during which time Egyptian officials have not provided any reason for their ongoing detention.
Greyson and Loubani’s detention could be extended up to two years without formal charges being laid according to new emergency measures put in place in Egypt.
The filmmaker’s sister said in a statement: “We know that they did not take the...
Canadian filmmaker John Greyson and emergency room physician Tarek Loubani have informed friends and supporters through their Egyptian lawyers that they will be refusing food beginning this week [Sept 16] to protest the “arbitrary nature” of their detention by Egyptian authorities.
Greyson and Loubani were travelling through Cairo on their way to Gaza - Greyson prepping a film project and Loubani working on a medical aid project - when they were detained in Cairo’s Tora prison.
They have been held there for more than 30 days, during which time Egyptian officials have not provided any reason for their ongoing detention.
Greyson and Loubani’s detention could be extended up to two years without formal charges being laid according to new emergency measures put in place in Egypt.
The filmmaker’s sister said in a statement: “We know that they did not take the...
- 9/17/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
On Aug. 16, 2013, Canadian physician Dr. Tarek Loubani and Canadian filmmaker John Greyson were arrested by Egyptian police. Today, they remain detained, without clear reason for their incarceration. Hoping to rally voices and force the Canadian and Egyptian governments to take action, actors, filmmakers, and members of the cultural and academic communities have penned an open letter calling for the release of Loubani and Greyson. Story: Canadian Filmmaker Jailed in Egypt Could Be Release (Report) Names like Ben Affleck, Atom Egoyan, Charlize Theron, Jafar Panahi, Mira Nair, Alex Gibney, Alec Baldwin and Sarah Polley have signed the letter, which details Greyson
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- 9/10/2013
- by Matt Patches
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Filmmakers Atom Egoyan, Alex Gibney, and Sarah Polley joined John Greyson's sister, Cecilia Greyson, Tiff Lightbox head Noah Cowan and the writer Michael Ondaatje to represent the arts and filmmaking community's plea to release filmmaker John Greyson and his friend Dr. Tarek Loubani from their holding cell in Egypt. While Greyson and Loubani were taking a trip to the Gaza Strip, Greyson was to document Loubani's work as a doctor in the region, the pair was kept out of the region because of activity on the strip. They stayed in Egypt (traveling via Egypt is how Loubani always travelled to the Gaza Strip), and Loubani performed work as unrest continued in Cairo. Greyson is a Canadian filmmaker behind such seminal films as "Lilies" and "Zero Patience." Though his was one of the loudest voices in the film community for a radical politics, Greyson is also known as one of the most caring,...
- 9/10/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
Supporters include Atom Egoyan, Sarah Polley and Alex Gibney.
Tiff will host a press conference Tuesday to announce the growing list of names calling for the immediate release of filmmaker and professor John Greyson and Dr. Tarek Loubani, who are being detained in a Cairo prison without formal charges since Aug 16.
Filmmakers like Atom Egoyan, Sarah Polley, Alex Gibney are among the group that will join Tiff Bell Lightbox Artistic Director Noah Cowan and Greyson’s sister Cecilia at the conference.
More than 100,000 people have signed the global petition, being organized via #FreeTarekandJohn on Twitter and tarekandjohn.com.
Tiff will host a press conference Tuesday to announce the growing list of names calling for the immediate release of filmmaker and professor John Greyson and Dr. Tarek Loubani, who are being detained in a Cairo prison without formal charges since Aug 16.
Filmmakers like Atom Egoyan, Sarah Polley, Alex Gibney are among the group that will join Tiff Bell Lightbox Artistic Director Noah Cowan and Greyson’s sister Cecilia at the conference.
More than 100,000 people have signed the global petition, being organized via #FreeTarekandJohn on Twitter and tarekandjohn.com.
- 9/8/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Toronto -- Directors Atom Egoyan and Alex Gibney and actress Sarah Polley are to headline a Tuesday press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival to help free Canadian director John Greyson and his traveling partner, Tarek Loubani, from a Cairo prison. Canadian author Michael Ondaatje, Bell Lightbox artistic director Noah Cowan and Cecilia Greyson, (Greyson's sister) hope to draw media attention back to the duo. Photos: The Films at Toronto Greyson and Loubani have been held without formal charges since August 16, despite an international campaign to secure their release. A court date last week in Cairo to possibly free the duo failed to go forward because the prosecutor
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- 9/8/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Last night, the Toronto Film Festival celebrated the fall of print journalism by opening its 2013 edition with the Julian Assange–deifying WikiLeaks drama The Fifth Estate. Wednesday night, though, was the provenance of the fourth estate, the bloggers and journalists stumbling off planes in rumpled khakis and fortifying themselves for the week ahead with free guacamole and margaritas at media welcome parties. The only star to be seen was great daughter of Canada, actress-director Sarah Polley, who was, curiously, not just mingling with the schlubby ink-stained masses at a Toronto Film Critics Association shindig, but also handing out homemade buttons.The buttons read #FreeTarekAndJohn and refer to two Canadians, award-winning filmmaker John Greyson and ER doctor and professor Tarek Loubani, who’ve been imprisoned in Egypt since August 16. They had stopped in Cairo on their way to the Gaza Strip, where Loubani (who’s of Palestinian origin and has been...
- 9/6/2013
- by Jada Yuan
- Vulture
Acclaimed Canadian director John Greyson and Dr. Tarek Loubani remain in a Cairo, Egypt prison following yesterday’s no-show by a prosecutor scheduled to meet with lawyers for the two men. Greyson and Loubani were arrested on August 16 on their way to Gaza City, where Loubani runs a program training doctors at a local hospital. Greyson was reportedly planning a documentary project. Due to strife in the region, the two extended their stay in Cairo an extra day when they were arrested and held for a 15-day detention period, a stay which ended yesterday. Now, they are being held indefinitely […]...
- 8/30/2013
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Acclaimed Canadian director John Greyson and Dr. Tarek Loubani remain in a Cairo, Egypt prison following yesterday’s no-show by a prosecutor scheduled to meet with lawyers for the two men. Greyson and Loubani were arrested on August 16 on their way to Gaza City, where Loubani runs a program training doctors at a local hospital. Greyson was reportedly planning a documentary project. Due to strife in the region, the two extended their stay in Cairo an extra day when they were arrested and held for a 15-day detention period, a stay which ended yesterday. Now, they are being held indefinitely […]...
- 8/30/2013
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Toronto – Canadian director John Greyson and his traveling partner, arrested in Cairo two weeks ago, could be released from jail as early as today. The Canadian Press newswire reports a lawyer for Greyson and doctor Tarek Loubani will appear in a Cairo courtroom on Thursday and make the case for their release. The two Canadians have not been heard from since August 16, when they were arrested by Egyptian police amid an upsurge in rioting across the country. Greyson and Loubani were reportedly on their way to Gaza, where Loubani was set to do volunteer medical work and Greyson
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- 8/29/2013
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Canadian director and activist John Greyson has been detained by the Egyptian police after traveling to the country with London, Ontario-based emergency room doctor Tarek Loubani, who was also arrested. Both men were on their way to Gaza. Loubani was helping to care for people injured by the clashes taking place in Cairo as the area sees more violence following the country's recent months, democratic elections and the consequent overthrow of the elected leader Muhammad Morsi, who is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. Loubani and Greyson were set to go to Gaza so that Loubani could provide medical services there.As of August 27th, this Change.org petition states that Greyson and Loubani are currently being held in Cairo's Tora prison. Egyptian officials have so far given no clear reason for their arrest. In fact, a press release by a Cairo district prosecution states that 9 foreigners, including Greyson and Loubani,...
- 8/27/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger and Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
The following letter was emailed from the Ida to John Baird, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of detained documentary filmmaker John Greyson this morning. He is being held in Cairo, Egypt, where civil unrest and protests are rampant. Greyson has been held since Friday, August 16.
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Dear Minister Baird,
The International Documentary Association (Ida) represents over 1,800 filmmakers in North America and around the world. We are dedicated to defending the rights and freedoms of documentary artists, activists, and storytellers, which is why we are reaching out to ...
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Dear Minister Baird,
The International Documentary Association (Ida) represents over 1,800 filmmakers in North America and around the world. We are dedicated to defending the rights and freedoms of documentary artists, activists, and storytellers, which is why we are reaching out to ...
- 8/21/2013
- by MLumpkin
- International Documentary Association
Skinny-fat in the gay community, Sochi roundup, New Zealand marriage equality begins
Lady Gaga revealed that she and Perez Hilton haven’t been BFFs since two days after her accident, when he texted her a picture of herself in a wheelchair with “Karma” written across it with Madonna pointing a gun at her.
The plot then thickened when a fan tweeted that Perez was in the lobby of her apartment building, allegedly trying to rent an apartment there. Security was dispatched while Gaga tweeted “Do I Need To Be Shot It In The Head For People To Understand That Him And Everyone Else That Harasses Me Has Gone Too Far? Im A Human Being.” For his part, Perez says she’s spreading lies about him [warning: link to his site] and he’s receiving death threats online.
The Butler dominated the box office this weekend with $25 million, with We’re the Millers taking second with $17.7 million,...
Lady Gaga revealed that she and Perez Hilton haven’t been BFFs since two days after her accident, when he texted her a picture of herself in a wheelchair with “Karma” written across it with Madonna pointing a gun at her.
The plot then thickened when a fan tweeted that Perez was in the lobby of her apartment building, allegedly trying to rent an apartment there. Security was dispatched while Gaga tweeted “Do I Need To Be Shot It In The Head For People To Understand That Him And Everyone Else That Harasses Me Has Gone Too Far? Im A Human Being.” For his part, Perez says she’s spreading lies about him [warning: link to his site] and he’s receiving death threats online.
The Butler dominated the box office this weekend with $25 million, with We’re the Millers taking second with $17.7 million,...
- 8/19/2013
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
Canadian filmmaker and activist John Greyson has been detained by Egyptian police in Cairo, according to the director’s family and friends. At around 4pm on Friday (Toronto time), which is 10pm in Cairo, Loubani reportedly called a friend in Canada, Justin Podur, to tell him that he and his traveling companion, Tarek Loubani, an emergency room doctor from London, were being arrested for reasons unspecified. “He basically said ‘We’re being arrested by Egyptian police,’” Podur told the Toronto Star newspaper, noting that the conversation was hurried. “I don’t know where they were arrested and I don’t know where they are
read more...
read more...
- 8/19/2013
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Young director Xavier Dolan continually provokes a divisive stance with his lush, personal films, but even his detractors must admit he knows how to stay insanely prolific. With his third directorial effort, “Laurence Anyways” readying for its Cannes Film Festival premiere next week, Dolan seeks to maintain that reputation with news of his follow-up film already in the pipeline.
Dolan has announced plans to adapt Michel Marc Bouchard's play, “Tom à la Ferme,” which marks the second film adaptation for Bouchard, following 1996's “Lilies” (helmed by John Greyson), and the first for Dolan. The director fell in love with the play after he attended a Montreal staging last year, and approached the internationally renowned Bouchard about who would be directing the film version. When Bouchard said he had no idea, Dolan kindly notified him that he'd be doing it then, actually. Cheeky. Evidently his forthrightness paid off though, because...
Dolan has announced plans to adapt Michel Marc Bouchard's play, “Tom à la Ferme,” which marks the second film adaptation for Bouchard, following 1996's “Lilies” (helmed by John Greyson), and the first for Dolan. The director fell in love with the play after he attended a Montreal staging last year, and approached the internationally renowned Bouchard about who would be directing the film version. When Bouchard said he had no idea, Dolan kindly notified him that he'd be doing it then, actually. Cheeky. Evidently his forthrightness paid off though, because...
- 5/7/2012
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
As we roll into Berlin where War Witch (aka Rebelle) (Isa: Films Distribution) by Kim Nguyen is in Competition. While it’s Kim’s 4th feature, this is the first of his films to have a world premiere at an international festival. This is exceptional as well because the last time the Canadians had a Canadian director in Competition at the Berlinale was in 1999 with Emporte-Moi ! Guy Madden’s Keyhole holds a Berlinale Special slot. Guy is Canada’s cultural ambassador in Berlin and a regular at the Festival and sat on the Berlinale’s Official Jury last year – with Isabella Rossellini.
Sheldon Larry’s Leave It on the Floor (Isa: Arrow) is a U.S.-Canadian Co-pro which has played Laff, Tiff and is now in the Panorama.
Films in the Forum include Green Laser by another Berlinale favorite, John Greyson. Green Laser is his 8th film at the festival. His first was Urinal in 1989. Denis Côté’s Bestiary, straight from Sundance, and Francine, the first narrative feature by Melanie Shatzky (Canada) and Brian M. Cassidy (U.S.) the team that directed Patron Saints (Tiff 2011, Rotterdam 2012) are are all in the Forum.
4 films are in the Forum Expanded:
Chris Kennedy’s 349 (For Sol LeWitt)(1min long!) in Tiff 2011 Wavelength Program: Schedule
American Colour, Tiff 2011 Wavelength Program: Schedule
Road Movie by Elle Flanders and Tamira Sawatzkystarring Melissa Leo (Frozen River) Tiff 2011 Future Projections: Schedule, a 6-channel installation produced by The National Film Board of Canada. Elle Flanders’ documentary Zero Degrees of Separation was screened in the Forum section of the Berlin Festival in 2005.
The Tiny Ventriloquist by Steve Reinke, (with contribution from James Richards). The installation will be presented at the McLuhan Salon of the Canadian Embassy
In Berlinale Shorts Competition, The Man That Got Away by Trevor Anderson is his second film in this section (2009 The Island). His doc short The High Leve Bridge was in Sundance in 2010.
All we have to do now is wait to see which prizes go to them! Last year Canadian productions came away with three.
Perspective Canada will present 16 titles at the Market:
Café de Flore - Jean-Marc Vallée, Films Distribution, France
China Heavyweight (Straight from Sundance) - doc - Yung Chang Cat & Docs, France & EyeSteelFilms
Décharge (Trash) - Benoit Pilon, eOne
Edwin Boyd - Nathan Morlando, Myriad Pictures, USA
French Kiss - Sylvain Archambault ,Delphis
Goon - Michael Dowse, Myriad Pictures, USA
La Peur de l'eau - Gabriel Pelletier, eOne
Marécages - Guy Édoin, Fortissimo Films
Monsieur Lazhar - Philippe Falardeau, Films Distribution, France
Nuit #1 - Anne Émond, Wide Management, France
Payback (Straight from Sundance) - doc- Jennifer Baichwal, National Film Board of Canada
Pink Ribbons - doc - Léa Pool, National Film Board of Canada
Pour l'amour de dieu - Micheline Lanctôt, Filmoption
Roméo onze - Ivan Grbovic, Reprise Films
Surviving Progress - doc- Mathieu Roy + Harold Crooks, National Film Board of Canada
Take this Waltz - Sarah Polley, TF1 International, France...
Sheldon Larry’s Leave It on the Floor (Isa: Arrow) is a U.S.-Canadian Co-pro which has played Laff, Tiff and is now in the Panorama.
Films in the Forum include Green Laser by another Berlinale favorite, John Greyson. Green Laser is his 8th film at the festival. His first was Urinal in 1989. Denis Côté’s Bestiary, straight from Sundance, and Francine, the first narrative feature by Melanie Shatzky (Canada) and Brian M. Cassidy (U.S.) the team that directed Patron Saints (Tiff 2011, Rotterdam 2012) are are all in the Forum.
4 films are in the Forum Expanded:
Chris Kennedy’s 349 (For Sol LeWitt)(1min long!) in Tiff 2011 Wavelength Program: Schedule
American Colour, Tiff 2011 Wavelength Program: Schedule
Road Movie by Elle Flanders and Tamira Sawatzkystarring Melissa Leo (Frozen River) Tiff 2011 Future Projections: Schedule, a 6-channel installation produced by The National Film Board of Canada. Elle Flanders’ documentary Zero Degrees of Separation was screened in the Forum section of the Berlin Festival in 2005.
The Tiny Ventriloquist by Steve Reinke, (with contribution from James Richards). The installation will be presented at the McLuhan Salon of the Canadian Embassy
In Berlinale Shorts Competition, The Man That Got Away by Trevor Anderson is his second film in this section (2009 The Island). His doc short The High Leve Bridge was in Sundance in 2010.
All we have to do now is wait to see which prizes go to them! Last year Canadian productions came away with three.
Perspective Canada will present 16 titles at the Market:
Café de Flore - Jean-Marc Vallée, Films Distribution, France
China Heavyweight (Straight from Sundance) - doc - Yung Chang Cat & Docs, France & EyeSteelFilms
Décharge (Trash) - Benoit Pilon, eOne
Edwin Boyd - Nathan Morlando, Myriad Pictures, USA
French Kiss - Sylvain Archambault ,Delphis
Goon - Michael Dowse, Myriad Pictures, USA
La Peur de l'eau - Gabriel Pelletier, eOne
Marécages - Guy Édoin, Fortissimo Films
Monsieur Lazhar - Philippe Falardeau, Films Distribution, France
Nuit #1 - Anne Émond, Wide Management, France
Payback (Straight from Sundance) - doc- Jennifer Baichwal, National Film Board of Canada
Pink Ribbons - doc - Léa Pool, National Film Board of Canada
Pour l'amour de dieu - Micheline Lanctôt, Filmoption
Roméo onze - Ivan Grbovic, Reprise Films
Surviving Progress - doc- Mathieu Roy + Harold Crooks, National Film Board of Canada
Take this Waltz - Sarah Polley, TF1 International, France...
- 2/11/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Adding just over a dozen features and four shorts to the lists of previously announced titles (first round and Dokumente), the Berlinale announces that the Panorama program for this year's edition (February 9 through 19) is now complete. The breakdown: "53 feature films: 18 in the main program, 15 in Panorama Special and 20 in Panorama Dokumente.... 34 productions from 37 countries are screening as world premieres. Seven fictional films are directorial debuts. There are 12 German productions, and 24 women filmmakers presenting 16 films."
New narrative features:
Bugis Street Redux by Yonfan, Hong Kong. With Hiep Thi Le, Michael Lam, Greg-O and Ernest Seah.
Cherry by Stephen Elliott, USA. With Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel and Lili Taylor. World Premiere. The site.
Chocó by Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Columbia. With Karent Hinestroza, Esteban Copete, Fabio García, Daniela Mosquera, Jesús Benavides. Wp.
Glaube, Liebe, Tod (Belief, Love, Death) by Peter Kern, Austria. With Traute Furthner, Peter Kern, Joao Moreira Pedrosa.
New narrative features:
Bugis Street Redux by Yonfan, Hong Kong. With Hiep Thi Le, Michael Lam, Greg-O and Ernest Seah.
Cherry by Stephen Elliott, USA. With Ashley Hinshaw, James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel and Lili Taylor. World Premiere. The site.
Chocó by Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Columbia. With Karent Hinestroza, Esteban Copete, Fabio García, Daniela Mosquera, Jesús Benavides. Wp.
Glaube, Liebe, Tod (Belief, Love, Death) by Peter Kern, Austria. With Traute Furthner, Peter Kern, Joao Moreira Pedrosa.
- 1/25/2012
- MUBI
The 14th annual Antimatter Film Festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada is an epic 9-day event of expanded cinema performances, feature-length documentaries an a ton of experimental short films and festivals.
There are seven feature documentaries screening including Marie Losier‘s hit The Ballad of Genesis & Lady Jaye, a profile of the pandrogenous entity, Breyer P-Orridge; and Chris Metzler & Lev Kalman’s popular Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, about the legendary ska punk band. Plus, there’s Adele Horne’s And Again and more.
On the expanded cinema front, Antimatter welcomes retrospectives of Kerry Laitala, who will be presenting a selection of her 3D light and motion experiments; and Roger Beebe will screen a series of multi-projector performances.
As for the short films, the real highlight of the fest is a screening of Jaimz Asmundson‘s trippy and powerful The Magus, a fictional/documentary hybrid of his father’s Satanic painting process.
There are seven feature documentaries screening including Marie Losier‘s hit The Ballad of Genesis & Lady Jaye, a profile of the pandrogenous entity, Breyer P-Orridge; and Chris Metzler & Lev Kalman’s popular Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, about the legendary ska punk band. Plus, there’s Adele Horne’s And Again and more.
On the expanded cinema front, Antimatter welcomes retrospectives of Kerry Laitala, who will be presenting a selection of her 3D light and motion experiments; and Roger Beebe will screen a series of multi-projector performances.
As for the short films, the real highlight of the fest is a screening of Jaimz Asmundson‘s trippy and powerful The Magus, a fictional/documentary hybrid of his father’s Satanic painting process.
- 10/12/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
A couple of years ago, the Toronto International Film Festival launched a new sidebar called City-to-City, devoted to focusing attention on a specific nation's cinema. They drew much criticism and protest over their inaugural selection of Tel Aviv, sparked by Toronto filmmaker John Greyson's withdrawal of his film from the short film competition. Tiff defended its decision, claiming it was an innocent selection based purely on cinema, rejecting that their were ill-advised political undertones with the choice. Cannes is starting up its own like-minded section this year, albeit smaller, simply calling their selected country a "Guest Country". They've picked Egypt to jumpstart this to-be annual feature. The selection of Egypt is politically motivated, for sure, but for obvious reasons it's unlikely to draw the same level of ire as Tiff's Tel Aviv pick. The January 25 uprising that led to a national revolution arose from a strenuous world-wide battle that...
- 4/29/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
The 49th annual Ann Arbor Film Festival, which ran for six days on March 22-27, has given awards to 27 experimental and avant-garde filmmakers. Among the winners are notable names such as Deborah Stratman, Ben Russell and Michael Robinson.
The full list of winners is below. All awards were picked by this year’s Aaff jury, which consisted of filmmakers Stephen Connolly, Rebecca Meyers and Vanessa Renwick, all of whom had non-competitive screenings at the fest, as well. The list is broken into two sections, the first being awards named by the fest while the second section are open-ended awards and given names by the jury.
All winners also received a cash prize, the most significant of which — $3,000 — went to the Ken Burns Award Best of the Festival winner Natasha Mendonca for her film Jan Villa, a 20-minute experimental documentary in which the filmmaker returns to Bombay after severe flooding in...
The full list of winners is below. All awards were picked by this year’s Aaff jury, which consisted of filmmakers Stephen Connolly, Rebecca Meyers and Vanessa Renwick, all of whom had non-competitive screenings at the fest, as well. The list is broken into two sections, the first being awards named by the fest while the second section are open-ended awards and given names by the jury.
All winners also received a cash prize, the most significant of which — $3,000 — went to the Ken Burns Award Best of the Festival winner Natasha Mendonca for her film Jan Villa, a 20-minute experimental documentary in which the filmmaker returns to Bombay after severe flooding in...
- 3/29/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The 49th annual Ann Arbor Film Festival is an epic celebration of experimental media that runs for six days on March 22-27. There’s so much great stuff screening this year, it makes one wonder what they’ll have left for their 50th anniversary next year!
A couple of the highlights include the highly anticipated feature-length documentary The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier, which chronicles the pandrogynous love story between industrial music pioneer Genesis P-Orridge and his late wife. The film already made a big splash at the Berlinale earlier in the year and looks to be a major hit on the festival circuit this year.
Also not to be missed is a special retrospective of one of this year’s festival jury members, Vanessa Renwick, a longtime favorite on Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film. Renwick will screen 10 of her quirky and artistic documentary portraits,...
A couple of the highlights include the highly anticipated feature-length documentary The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier, which chronicles the pandrogynous love story between industrial music pioneer Genesis P-Orridge and his late wife. The film already made a big splash at the Berlinale earlier in the year and looks to be a major hit on the festival circuit this year.
Also not to be missed is a special retrospective of one of this year’s festival jury members, Vanessa Renwick, a longtime favorite on Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film. Renwick will screen 10 of her quirky and artistic documentary portraits,...
- 3/7/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Leading up to our 18th birthday, I’ll be revisiting on the blog one issue of Filmmaker a day. Today’s is Summer, 1993. Summer, 1993 is another issue whose content didn’t make it over to WordPress. Our cover story was Alison Maclean’s Crush. Sande Zeig interviewed Sally Potter about her Orlando, which was just reissued by Sony Pictures Classics. John Woo, John Greyson, and Ross McElwee were all in the book along with an article tracking the development status of several beloved cult novels’ film adaptations. We also ran a great how-to by Strand Releasing’s Marcus Hu on guerilla marketing your no-budget film. Our director interview was between Ang Lee, whose The Wedding Banquet had taken Berlin by storm,...
- 8/5/2010
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The latest edition of Toronto’s mighty Images Festival will unspool on April 1-10. The full lineup of films screening at this event is listed below and, even though that looks quite extensive as it is, it’s only a small portion of everything that’s going on during the entire event.
In addition to film screenings, Images has partnered with 15 galleries and museums across the greater Toronto area to display 32 media art installations by both Canadian and international artists. Plus, there will be eight live performances that blur the edges of cinema, sound, music and installations. And, on top of all that, there will be several panel discussions with artists and other media folk, parties, award ceremonies, tours and more. This is more art and film than should be allowed in any one city, yet Images manages to squeeze it all in into just 10 days somehow.
The film lineup...
In addition to film screenings, Images has partnered with 15 galleries and museums across the greater Toronto area to display 32 media art installations by both Canadian and international artists. Plus, there will be eight live performances that blur the edges of cinema, sound, music and installations. And, on top of all that, there will be several panel discussions with artists and other media folk, parties, award ceremonies, tours and more. This is more art and film than should be allowed in any one city, yet Images manages to squeeze it all in into just 10 days somehow.
The film lineup...
- 3/30/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Too much or too little mental freedom - uncertainty. Too many or too few choices. Criticism of self and others can be harsh and inaccurate. A sharp tongue. A sense of mental loss rather than gain. The general is concentrating on his plan of retreat.
—Five of Swords (Reversed)
Berlin, 9:37am Thursday
Films attempted (feature length) so far: 21.
Notably worthwhile: 4 (The Wolf's Mouth, Red Hill, Congo In Four Acts, In the Shadows).
Walkouts: 3 (The Counting of the Damages, Crossing the Mountain, 108).
Yesterday was a total nachtmahr of a day film-wise, as for various reasons too tedious to relate I only ended up with two features on my schedule —Crossing the Mountain and 108 and I walked out of both at the 20-minute mark. The latter was a particularly unfortunate Berlinale experience, as it involved an uncomfortable crush of bodies outside the sold-out screening in the subterranean multiplex Cinestar (never an...
—Five of Swords (Reversed)
Berlin, 9:37am Thursday
Films attempted (feature length) so far: 21.
Notably worthwhile: 4 (The Wolf's Mouth, Red Hill, Congo In Four Acts, In the Shadows).
Walkouts: 3 (The Counting of the Damages, Crossing the Mountain, 108).
Yesterday was a total nachtmahr of a day film-wise, as for various reasons too tedious to relate I only ended up with two features on my schedule —Crossing the Mountain and 108 and I walked out of both at the 20-minute mark. The latter was a particularly unfortunate Berlinale experience, as it involved an uncomfortable crush of bodies outside the sold-out screening in the subterranean multiplex Cinestar (never an...
- 2/21/2010
- MUBI
Berlin -- The Berlin film festival's Panorama sidebar is coming back loud and proud this year with a lineup packed with films examining gender identity and the gay movement.
The 2010 Panorama opens Feb. 11 with the Russian film "Jolly Fellows," director Felix Mikhailov's look at the drag queen subculture of a Moscow club.
This year's lineup also features Cheryl Dunye's thriller "The Owls," in which aging lesbians try to get away with murder; and Jake Yuzna's "Open," a series of intertwined love stories featuring gay and trans-gendered partners.
Several of Panorama's documentary selections explores related themes -- such as Crayton Robery's "Making The Boys" about Matt Crowley's ground breaking gay play "The Boys in the Band;" "Cuchillo de Palo," Renate Costa's expose of persecution of homosexuals during the Paraguayan dictatorship and the German doc "Rock Hudson – Dark and Handsome Stranger" from directors Andrew Davies and Andre Schaefer.
The 2010 Panorama opens Feb. 11 with the Russian film "Jolly Fellows," director Felix Mikhailov's look at the drag queen subculture of a Moscow club.
This year's lineup also features Cheryl Dunye's thriller "The Owls," in which aging lesbians try to get away with murder; and Jake Yuzna's "Open," a series of intertwined love stories featuring gay and trans-gendered partners.
Several of Panorama's documentary selections explores related themes -- such as Crayton Robery's "Making The Boys" about Matt Crowley's ground breaking gay play "The Boys in the Band;" "Cuchillo de Palo," Renate Costa's expose of persecution of homosexuals during the Paraguayan dictatorship and the German doc "Rock Hudson – Dark and Handsome Stranger" from directors Andrew Davies and Andre Schaefer.
- 1/22/2010
- by By Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
MattCanada here with a bit of an overview and Best-Of Gay films for the last decade.
Gay cinema over the last ten years has been intrinsically tied to both the political gains made by gay activists and the intense battles surrounding everything from the worldwide fight for gay marriage to nationally specific issues like America's Dadt and Doma, and Britain's repeal of Section 28. The relationship between the political and the cinematic is always most pronounced in the medium's relationship to minority groups and their texts.
The Aughts have seen gay-rights become the most visible"social values" issue in America, and this has been reflected in a number of high profile American films dealing frankly, sexually, and politically with what it means to be gay in America. Milk, Far From Heaven, and Mysterious Skin employ gay filmmaking traditions, like those of Affirmation Documentaries (Richard Dyer's term), Sirkian melodrama, and New Queer Cinema,...
Gay cinema over the last ten years has been intrinsically tied to both the political gains made by gay activists and the intense battles surrounding everything from the worldwide fight for gay marriage to nationally specific issues like America's Dadt and Doma, and Britain's repeal of Section 28. The relationship between the political and the cinematic is always most pronounced in the medium's relationship to minority groups and their texts.
The Aughts have seen gay-rights become the most visible"social values" issue in America, and this has been reflected in a number of high profile American films dealing frankly, sexually, and politically with what it means to be gay in America. Milk, Far From Heaven, and Mysterious Skin employ gay filmmaking traditions, like those of Affirmation Documentaries (Richard Dyer's term), Sirkian melodrama, and New Queer Cinema,...
- 12/22/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
Intriguing concept… a documentary-opera… watch the clip below first and read underneath:
In 1999, South African AIDS activist Zackie Achmat went on a treatment strike, refusing to take his pills until they were widely available to all South Africans. This symbolic act became a cause celebre, helping build his group Treatment Action Campaign into a national movement – yet with each passing month, Zackie grew sicker…
Fig Trees is labeled a documentary-opera directed by Canadian filmmaker John Greyson, about AIDS activists Tim McCaskell in Toronto and Zackie Achmat in Capetown, as narrated by an albino squirrel, an amputee busker and St. Teresa of Avila. Telling the story of Zackie’s treatment strike in song, and the larger story of the fight for pills on two continents, and across two decades, Fig Trees performs musical and political inversion on the music and words of Gertrude Stein’s 1934 avant-garde classic Four Saints in Three Acts.
In 1999, South African AIDS activist Zackie Achmat went on a treatment strike, refusing to take his pills until they were widely available to all South Africans. This symbolic act became a cause celebre, helping build his group Treatment Action Campaign into a national movement – yet with each passing month, Zackie grew sicker…
Fig Trees is labeled a documentary-opera directed by Canadian filmmaker John Greyson, about AIDS activists Tim McCaskell in Toronto and Zackie Achmat in Capetown, as narrated by an albino squirrel, an amputee busker and St. Teresa of Avila. Telling the story of Zackie’s treatment strike in song, and the larger story of the fight for pills on two continents, and across two decades, Fig Trees performs musical and political inversion on the music and words of Gertrude Stein’s 1934 avant-garde classic Four Saints in Three Acts.
- 12/17/2009
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Hi everyone, MattCanada here with another weekly dose of gay cinema. This week we're looking at Philadelphia, the Oscar winning courtroom drama, essentially the defining Hollywood response to the AIDS epidemic.
I first saw this film as a kid. I must have been about seven when I watched it with my parents and it was definitely my, and probably many other people's, introduction to AIDS. For me it continues to shape how I think about the virus, the stigma, and the epidemic. Longtime Companion opened a few years earlier but this was the first mainstream prestige film to deal with AIDS and homophobia. Having two big stars in Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington must have seemed like a big step for Hollywood. All of this is well and good, but rewatching the film for the first time in over a decade, I had serious problems with its filmic construction and especially its politics.
I first saw this film as a kid. I must have been about seven when I watched it with my parents and it was definitely my, and probably many other people's, introduction to AIDS. For me it continues to shape how I think about the virus, the stigma, and the epidemic. Longtime Companion opened a few years earlier but this was the first mainstream prestige film to deal with AIDS and homophobia. Having two big stars in Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington must have seemed like a big step for Hollywood. All of this is well and good, but rewatching the film for the first time in over a decade, I had serious problems with its filmic construction and especially its politics.
- 11/22/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
Managed to catch Were The World Mine on Logo over the weekend. If you aren't familiar with it it, it's a queer spin on Shakespeare's A Midsummers Night's Dream, the classic tale of lovers, love and fairies. In this gay update, it's boy meets boy, boy isn't sure if boy is gay, boy gets magic flower that makes people gay and choses to turn the whole town queer. Magic ensues.
Mine won a slew of award at festivals around the world, including best Narrative, Audience Favorite and Best Music. I'm not a huge musical fan, but some of the production numbers in the film were really inspired. Adapting Shakespeare's awesome dialogue to music, as in the scene below, was really cool. I've found myself humming parts of the score as I wandered through my weekends.
What I had a lot of problem with was the story. For me, it just never jelled.
Mine won a slew of award at festivals around the world, including best Narrative, Audience Favorite and Best Music. I'm not a huge musical fan, but some of the production numbers in the film were really inspired. Adapting Shakespeare's awesome dialogue to music, as in the scene below, was really cool. I've found myself humming parts of the score as I wandered through my weekends.
What I had a lot of problem with was the story. For me, it just never jelled.
- 9/28/2009
- doorQ.com
MattCanada reporting from the Toronto International Film Festival
Two nights ago I saw J'ai tué ma mère (I Killed My Mother), the Cannes hit from 20 year old Québécois director Xavier Dolan. The film was shown in the University of Toronto's Isabel Bader Theatre, which is hands down my favorite venue for Tiff films. It is like a Frank Gehry version of an Opera House, which always makes me feel like I am about to view a classic in the making. I think for the first time the movie matched up to the theatre's atmosphere. Present at the screening for its North American premiere were director/producer/writer/star Xavier Dolan, the titular mother Anne Dorval, and the shockingly pretty François Arnaud, who plays Dolan's boyfriend. Dolan introduced the film in the most unusual way - by raving about Jacques Audiard's Un prophète, and telling the audience he hopes to...
Two nights ago I saw J'ai tué ma mère (I Killed My Mother), the Cannes hit from 20 year old Québécois director Xavier Dolan. The film was shown in the University of Toronto's Isabel Bader Theatre, which is hands down my favorite venue for Tiff films. It is like a Frank Gehry version of an Opera House, which always makes me feel like I am about to view a classic in the making. I think for the first time the movie matched up to the theatre's atmosphere. Present at the screening for its North American premiere were director/producer/writer/star Xavier Dolan, the titular mother Anne Dorval, and the shockingly pretty François Arnaud, who plays Dolan's boyfriend. Dolan introduced the film in the most unusual way - by raving about Jacques Audiard's Un prophète, and telling the audience he hopes to...
- 9/18/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
The Toronto International Film Festival is definitely starting off with a bang this year. First,we learned that Tiff was ignoring the tradition of opening the fest with a Canadian film when Jon Amiel's Creation was selected to kick things off. (Even though there are a few free screenings earlier on Thursday's Day One, plus Lone Scherfig's An Education, which is starting a half hour before Creation around the corner from the opening-night Elgin Theatre.) But at least, while not official, the first Tiff film is actually a screening of Lian Lunson's Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, so some Can-Con informally starts things off.
But this twist was only step one. Next came the protests.
See, the festival is starting a new program this year called City to City, which showcases a group of films that are focused on a particular locale. The inaugural location: Tel Aviv.
But this twist was only step one. Next came the protests.
See, the festival is starting a new program this year called City to City, which showcases a group of films that are focused on a particular locale. The inaugural location: Tel Aviv.
- 9/10/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
Sandra Bullock: Is it a bad thing we're opening Labor Day Weekend?
Bradley Cooper: Whatever. It's not like we were ever an Oscar contender.
An editor of mine recently observed how odd it is that Memorial Day weekend is such a big-deal launching pad for summer movies while the three-day Labor Day holiday is generally where the mediocre (and the downright awful) go to die.
Let it be known that 2009 doesn't deviate from that formula with this weekend's big nationwide releases.
If you thought Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and The Ugly Truth were as witless and inane as movies were going to get this summer, you clearly haven't seen All About Steve, a ramshackle rom-com so blisteringly stupid and off-the-rails that you find yourself wondering if anyone in the production has ever met a human being.
Sandra Bullock (who also produced, so she can't blame anyone else) stars as Mary Magdalene Horowitz,...
Bradley Cooper: Whatever. It's not like we were ever an Oscar contender.
An editor of mine recently observed how odd it is that Memorial Day weekend is such a big-deal launching pad for summer movies while the three-day Labor Day holiday is generally where the mediocre (and the downright awful) go to die.
Let it be known that 2009 doesn't deviate from that formula with this weekend's big nationwide releases.
If you thought Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and The Ugly Truth were as witless and inane as movies were going to get this summer, you clearly haven't seen All About Steve, a ramshackle rom-com so blisteringly stupid and off-the-rails that you find yourself wondering if anyone in the production has ever met a human being.
Sandra Bullock (who also produced, so she can't blame anyone else) stars as Mary Magdalene Horowitz,...
- 9/3/2009
- by ADuralde
- The Backlot
Toronto -- Now it's getting personal. Canadian filmmaker John Greyson's decision to pull his short film from the Toronto International Film Festival has provoked a growing feud among Canadian filmmakers.
Veteran Canadian documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici, who was born in Israel, said Greyson should test his sympathy for the Palestinians by screening his short film about the 2008 Sarajevo Queer Festival in Tel Aviv and on the West Bank.
"He will be invited to screen the film at the local (Tel Aviv) cinematheque. He can then walk around with the same sign down the streets of Palestinian Ramallah. He should document the experience on video and then enter it into next year's Tiff -- posthumously," Jacobovici said.
Veteran Canadian film producer Robert Lantos ("Sunshine," "Being Julia") was equally dismissive Thursday of Greyson's protest as he defended the Toronto festival's decision to spotlight Tel Aviv and Israeli filmmakers.
"I have no...
Veteran Canadian documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici, who was born in Israel, said Greyson should test his sympathy for the Palestinians by screening his short film about the 2008 Sarajevo Queer Festival in Tel Aviv and on the West Bank.
"He will be invited to screen the film at the local (Tel Aviv) cinematheque. He can then walk around with the same sign down the streets of Palestinian Ramallah. He should document the experience on video and then enter it into next year's Tiff -- posthumously," Jacobovici said.
Veteran Canadian film producer Robert Lantos ("Sunshine," "Being Julia") was equally dismissive Thursday of Greyson's protest as he defended the Toronto festival's decision to spotlight Tel Aviv and Israeli filmmakers.
"I have no...
- 9/3/2009
- by By Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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