Lebanese director and actress, Myrna Maakaron, will launch the new Samsung Small Art Film (Samsung Smartfilm) competition at the 63rd Berlinale International Film Festival . To win, the film needs the highest record of online votes.
Samsung wishes to promote the fresh take on competition as a modern blend of ambitious short films and web clips. Six renowned directing talents have been nominated by the Berlinale's section directors. Their efforts explore the theme "Discover Berlin in Motion" and give surprising and touching views of Berlin.
The Samsung Award offers the six nominated directors the opportunity to showcase their skills internationally. The six participants Döndü Kilic, Jan Kruger, Claudia Lehmann, Myrna Maakaron, Meggie Schneider and Jan Soldat have already achieved considerable success as filmmakers and won several awards. Since mid-December, they have been busy around the capital, equipped with a Samsung Galaxy Camera, in search of their own personal interpretation of the theme "Discover Berlin in Motion" and looking to explore the new Smartfilm genre in a no more five minutes length films.
On her participation in the Samsung SmartfilmAward, Myrna Makaaron commented "I am extremely happy to be selected for that competition or initiative. And moreover, extremely touched that the Berlinale considers me a filmmaker from Berlin; as we were selected by the Berlinale sections for the Samsung Smartfilm Award. That made me feel that I belong here as well... it gives a warm feeling beside the joy of creating a film again".
Myrna Maakaron was born in 1974, shortly before the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in Beirut, and was a drama enthusiast from an early age. She studied communication and film at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and dramatics at the Sorbonne in Paris. Maakaron received the 2004 Berlin Today Award for her film BerlinBeirut. Today she is the director of the children's section of the Beirut Film Festival and the children's program of the International Dubai Film Festival. Her debut feature film Pink is currently in development stage.
The finished works premiere at the legendary Babylon Cinema in Berlin-Mitte. Anyone will be able to judge the entries for the Samsung Smartfilm Award at samsung.de/berlinale until 17 February. The audience votes will decide which Smartfilm deserves the award. The online voting will last for a week, the winner will be revealed on 17 February, and his/her contribution will be screened in selected cinemas across Germany.
Samsung wishes to promote the fresh take on competition as a modern blend of ambitious short films and web clips. Six renowned directing talents have been nominated by the Berlinale's section directors. Their efforts explore the theme "Discover Berlin in Motion" and give surprising and touching views of Berlin.
The Samsung Award offers the six nominated directors the opportunity to showcase their skills internationally. The six participants Döndü Kilic, Jan Kruger, Claudia Lehmann, Myrna Maakaron, Meggie Schneider and Jan Soldat have already achieved considerable success as filmmakers and won several awards. Since mid-December, they have been busy around the capital, equipped with a Samsung Galaxy Camera, in search of their own personal interpretation of the theme "Discover Berlin in Motion" and looking to explore the new Smartfilm genre in a no more five minutes length films.
On her participation in the Samsung SmartfilmAward, Myrna Makaaron commented "I am extremely happy to be selected for that competition or initiative. And moreover, extremely touched that the Berlinale considers me a filmmaker from Berlin; as we were selected by the Berlinale sections for the Samsung Smartfilm Award. That made me feel that I belong here as well... it gives a warm feeling beside the joy of creating a film again".
Myrna Maakaron was born in 1974, shortly before the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in Beirut, and was a drama enthusiast from an early age. She studied communication and film at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts and dramatics at the Sorbonne in Paris. Maakaron received the 2004 Berlin Today Award for her film BerlinBeirut. Today she is the director of the children's section of the Beirut Film Festival and the children's program of the International Dubai Film Festival. Her debut feature film Pink is currently in development stage.
The finished works premiere at the legendary Babylon Cinema in Berlin-Mitte. Anyone will be able to judge the entries for the Samsung Smartfilm Award at samsung.de/berlinale until 17 February. The audience votes will decide which Smartfilm deserves the award. The online voting will last for a week, the winner will be revealed on 17 February, and his/her contribution will be screened in selected cinemas across Germany.
- 2/6/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
COLOGNE, Germany -- Sex, politics and rock 'n' roll are the themes running through this year's Panorama, the Berlin International Film Festival's main sidebar.
Parvez Sharma's A Jihad For Love, which will open Panorama's documentary section, Dokumente, looks at the conflict between sexuality and religion by examining the lives of devout Muslims who are homosexual. The film was produced by Sandi Dubowski, who looked at similar issues among gay orthodox Jews in Trembling Before G-d. That film debuted in Panorama in 2001 and won Berlin's Teddy award for the best film with a homosexual theme.
Sexual politics are at the core of several Dokumente entries including Dondu Kilic's The Other Istanbul, Suddenly, Last Winter from Italian directors Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi, Jochen Hick's East/West and "Dead Gay Men and Living Lesbians" by Berlin's own Rosa von Praunheim.
Middle East politics is the focus of Eran Riklis' Lemon Tree, the drama that opens the Panorama Special section. The film looks at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of a Palestinian woman who inherits a lemon grove bordering on Israeli territory.
Other high-profile Panorama Special screenings include Brad Anderson's Transsiberian, featuring Woody Harrelson, Thomas Kretschmann and Ben Kingsley, and the world premiere of Madonna's directorial debut, Filth & Wisdom starring Richard E. Grant.
Madonna won't be the only pop star featured on this year's Panorama. Legendary punk princess Patti Smith will give a concert in the German capital to support the Panorama debut of Steven Sebring's documentary Patti Smith: Dream of Life. Ceri Levy's Bananaz follows Britpop regulars Damon Alban and Jamie Hewlett, creators of the virtual band Gorillaz.
Parvez Sharma's A Jihad For Love, which will open Panorama's documentary section, Dokumente, looks at the conflict between sexuality and religion by examining the lives of devout Muslims who are homosexual. The film was produced by Sandi Dubowski, who looked at similar issues among gay orthodox Jews in Trembling Before G-d. That film debuted in Panorama in 2001 and won Berlin's Teddy award for the best film with a homosexual theme.
Sexual politics are at the core of several Dokumente entries including Dondu Kilic's The Other Istanbul, Suddenly, Last Winter from Italian directors Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi, Jochen Hick's East/West and "Dead Gay Men and Living Lesbians" by Berlin's own Rosa von Praunheim.
Middle East politics is the focus of Eran Riklis' Lemon Tree, the drama that opens the Panorama Special section. The film looks at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the eyes of a Palestinian woman who inherits a lemon grove bordering on Israeli territory.
Other high-profile Panorama Special screenings include Brad Anderson's Transsiberian, featuring Woody Harrelson, Thomas Kretschmann and Ben Kingsley, and the world premiere of Madonna's directorial debut, Filth & Wisdom starring Richard E. Grant.
Madonna won't be the only pop star featured on this year's Panorama. Legendary punk princess Patti Smith will give a concert in the German capital to support the Panorama debut of Steven Sebring's documentary Patti Smith: Dream of Life. Ceri Levy's Bananaz follows Britpop regulars Damon Alban and Jamie Hewlett, creators of the virtual band Gorillaz.
- 1/24/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.