The concept of the art-house erotic film is quite new, in Asian cinema at least, as in the moment there are very few entries in the category, if one could even call it that. Titles like “It Feels so Good” by Haruhiko Arai and “White River” by Ma Xue are the first that come to mind, with “In the Morning of La Petite Mort” also moving towards the same, quite unusual direction.
“In the Morning of La Petite Mort” will premiere on VOD & Digital on January 19, 2024, courtesy of Film Movement
Ching is a beautiful young prostitute who lives in a stylish apartment where she “services” mostly elderly men, essentially just for the money since she seems not to enjoy herself at all. Matsui is a homeless food delivery driver, who spends his days from destination to destination to deliver goods and his nights to find a place to stay. Eventually,...
“In the Morning of La Petite Mort” will premiere on VOD & Digital on January 19, 2024, courtesy of Film Movement
Ching is a beautiful young prostitute who lives in a stylish apartment where she “services” mostly elderly men, essentially just for the money since she seems not to enjoy herself at all. Matsui is a homeless food delivery driver, who spends his days from destination to destination to deliver goods and his nights to find a place to stay. Eventually,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
LGBT films are more in quantity and better in quality during the last few years, with Asia paving the way in a number of ways. However, I do not think that any of the films has been as daring, both in cinematic approach and its presentation of the particular theme, than Whammy Alcazaren's “Bold Eagle”, a 20-minutes short that has already had a successful festival run around the world, and will screen in Sundance in 2024.
Bold Eagle is screening at Qcinema
A man is sitting naked by the door of his cramped apartment, while a talking cat appears and disappears around him. Soon he starts licking himself and crawling on the floor, just a like a cat himself. A Pov sequence seems to mirror the gaze of the cat, while the next scene has the man lying on his bed, with his naked back side (including his genitalia) in full view.
Bold Eagle is screening at Qcinema
A man is sitting naked by the door of his cramped apartment, while a talking cat appears and disappears around him. Soon he starts licking himself and crawling on the floor, just a like a cat himself. A Pov sequence seems to mirror the gaze of the cat, while the next scene has the man lying on his bed, with his naked back side (including his genitalia) in full view.
- 12/23/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sam Manacsa worked as Art Director on award-winning films such as Carlo Francisco Manatad's “Whether the Weather Is Fine”. Her short film, “If People Such as We Cease to Exist” (2016), was selected at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Competition. “Cross My Heart and Hope To Die”was selected to premiere at the 80th La Biennale Venice International Film Festival in the official Orizzonti Short Films Competition and was later screened in Qcinema. The short has already received a number of awards from all over the world, while it is also worth mentioning that a number of filmmakers are also involved in an all-star production that also includes Yov Moor as colorist.
Cross My Heart and Hope to Die screened at Qcinema
The movie begins with a scene that would be laughably absurd if it was not so shockingly dramatic, essentially setting the tone for the film and justifying a number of...
Cross My Heart and Hope to Die screened at Qcinema
The movie begins with a scene that would be laughably absurd if it was not so shockingly dramatic, essentially setting the tone for the film and justifying a number of...
- 12/21/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Third member of a trio that also includes filmmakers and producers Sheron Dayoc and Arden Rod Condez, Sonny Calvento is the director of “Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss” the first Filipino short to screen in Sundance. His latest work, “Primetime Mother” has already screened in Toronto, Singapore and the Red Sea.
Primetime Mother screened at Red Sea Film Festival
The 15 minute short begins with an audition of a game show titled “My Amazing Mama” showing a number of women dressed in flowery clothes and wearing something like a garland on their heads. A woman's voice from a speaker informs the women, who have been waiting for days, to get ready, as only three of them will be chosen as contestants for the episode of the day, among the first seven that manage to reach the audition set. The protagonist barely makes it, and founds herself completely out of place, as...
Primetime Mother screened at Red Sea Film Festival
The 15 minute short begins with an audition of a game show titled “My Amazing Mama” showing a number of women dressed in flowery clothes and wearing something like a garland on their heads. A woman's voice from a speaker informs the women, who have been waiting for days, to get ready, as only three of them will be chosen as contestants for the episode of the day, among the first seven that manage to reach the audition set. The protagonist barely makes it, and founds herself completely out of place, as...
- 12/13/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
A first trailer has been unveiled for Indonesian filmmaker Yosep Anggi Noen’s “24 Hours With Gaspar.”
The film world premieres at the Busan International Film Festival where it is in the prestigious Jiseok competition. Set in 2032 and based on the novel of the same name by Indonesian author Sabda Armandio, the film follows Gaspar, a private detective with 24 hours to live, who finds clues about the mysterious disappearance of Kirana, his childhood friend. The clues lead to a human trafficking syndicate.
“24 Hours With Gaspar” features a stellar Indonesian cast including Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon (“Dear David”), Laura Basuki (“Before Now And Then”), Kristo Imanuell (“Big Four”), Sal Priadi, Dewi Irawan (“Anwar: The Untold Story”) and Iswadi Pratama.
The film is a collaboration between KawanKawan Media, Visinema and Legacy Pictures and produced by Yulia Evina Bhara for KawanKawan Media and Cristian Imanuell for Visinema Pictures.
Noen and KawanKawan previously...
The film world premieres at the Busan International Film Festival where it is in the prestigious Jiseok competition. Set in 2032 and based on the novel of the same name by Indonesian author Sabda Armandio, the film follows Gaspar, a private detective with 24 hours to live, who finds clues about the mysterious disappearance of Kirana, his childhood friend. The clues lead to a human trafficking syndicate.
“24 Hours With Gaspar” features a stellar Indonesian cast including Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon (“Dear David”), Laura Basuki (“Before Now And Then”), Kristo Imanuell (“Big Four”), Sal Priadi, Dewi Irawan (“Anwar: The Untold Story”) and Iswadi Pratama.
The film is a collaboration between KawanKawan Media, Visinema and Legacy Pictures and produced by Yulia Evina Bhara for KawanKawan Media and Cristian Imanuell for Visinema Pictures.
Noen and KawanKawan previously...
- 9/26/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Winner of the Critics' Week Grand Prize in Cannes this year, “Tiger Stripes” is a multinational production and Amanda Nell Eu's first feature. The film incorporates the new style of horror movies coming out of Asean countries, where the social commentary is at least as intense as the genre aspect, in an approach that seems to appeal particularly to film festivals.
“Tiger Stripes” is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
The movie opens with 12-year-old Zaffan discarding her burga while dancing wildly in the school bathroom, while being recorded on a mobile phone. It is then, however, that her ‘frenemy', Farah, the third member of a ‘gang' also including Mariam, arrives and starts criticizing her in the most intense way, particularly for the fact that Zaffan is also wearing a bra. This scene actually sets the tone for the whole movie, with Zaffan almost constantly being on the...
“Tiger Stripes” is screening at Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
The movie opens with 12-year-old Zaffan discarding her burga while dancing wildly in the school bathroom, while being recorded on a mobile phone. It is then, however, that her ‘frenemy', Farah, the third member of a ‘gang' also including Mariam, arrives and starts criticizing her in the most intense way, particularly for the fact that Zaffan is also wearing a bra. This scene actually sets the tone for the whole movie, with Zaffan almost constantly being on the...
- 7/6/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The dawn of the new decade seems to bring a reconnaissance to Filipino cinema, resulting from both the picking of movies from international festivals, including Sundance, and the always excellent work of Metro Manila Film Festival, locally. In Asian Movie Pulse, we have been following intently the movies of the country these 3,5 years, and we have come up with a list of some of the best movies we saw during this time.
Without further ado, check out some of the best Filipino films of the current decade so far.
1. Fan Girl (2020) by Antoinette Jadaone
Although pretty standard regarding its core premise, “Fan Girl” is an emotional, rather unpleasant and sometimes even shocking viewing experience thanks to the filmmaker's clear vision transformed into the script and directing. Antoinette Jadaone is still a relatively young auteur, but quite a prolific one over the course of the current decade, with more than a dozen titles under her belt.
Without further ado, check out some of the best Filipino films of the current decade so far.
1. Fan Girl (2020) by Antoinette Jadaone
Although pretty standard regarding its core premise, “Fan Girl” is an emotional, rather unpleasant and sometimes even shocking viewing experience thanks to the filmmaker's clear vision transformed into the script and directing. Antoinette Jadaone is still a relatively young auteur, but quite a prolific one over the course of the current decade, with more than a dozen titles under her belt.
- 5/20/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There is a particular focus on comedies.
TorinoFilmLab (Tfl) has selected 20 projects for its ScriptLab 2023, plus five story editors, in what it describes as the first ‘fully international’ iteration of the annual development scheme.
The 20 projects come from 20 writer-directors and eight co-writers, and have been selected from 550 submissions.
Scroll down for the full list of participants
Those selected will take part in three week-long residential modules in April, June and November; with two online modules in September and October. The participants will be divided into five groups, and tutored by script consultants Philippe Barriere, Severine Cornamusaz, Aleksandra Swierk, Marietta von Hausswolff and Gino Ventriglia.
TorinoFilmLab (Tfl) has selected 20 projects for its ScriptLab 2023, plus five story editors, in what it describes as the first ‘fully international’ iteration of the annual development scheme.
The 20 projects come from 20 writer-directors and eight co-writers, and have been selected from 550 submissions.
Scroll down for the full list of participants
Those selected will take part in three week-long residential modules in April, June and November; with two online modules in September and October. The participants will be divided into five groups, and tutored by script consultants Philippe Barriere, Severine Cornamusaz, Aleksandra Swierk, Marietta von Hausswolff and Gino Ventriglia.
- 3/27/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
As we mentioned in Brillante Mendoza’s “Mindanao” the homonymous island has been a place of violent conflict since the 60s, when President Marcos’s tactics that promoted Christian settling in the area, resulted in the displacement of the local Muslim population. The Maguindanao massacre (2009), the Mamasapano clash (2015) and the Battle of Marawi (2017) are the latest in a series of bloody events, and the area is still under martial law, following the orders of President Duterte. Three years before Mendoza’s effort, Sheron Dayoc shot another movie that focuses on the troubled area, with his approach being quite realistic, as dictated by the story, but also the fact that the cast is comprised completely of local non-actors who use the Tausug dialect throughout the film.
“Women of the Weeping River” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The movie focuses on the story of Satra, a young...
“Women of the Weeping River” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The movie focuses on the story of Satra, a young...
- 3/4/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Makbul Mubarak is a former film critic turned filmmaker, who has shot several acclaimed shorts before “Autobiography”, his feature debut which is premiering today in the Orrizonti section of Venice. Mubarak grew up in Indonesia during the latter days of the dictatorship, which lasted from 1966-1998, and describes the film as an“emotional investigation” into his childhood.
“Autobiography” is screening at Across Asia Film Festival
Rakib, a young man, is living on his own, as his father is in prison and his brother abroad for work. Eventually, Purna, a retired general whose family Rakib’s clan have served for centuries in a rural Indonesian town, comes to him and essentially forces him to be his assistant, living with him in his mansion, driving him around as he is campaigning for the next election, and doing whatever deed the older man assigns. An initially reluctant Rakim finds himself more and more attached to Purna,...
“Autobiography” is screening at Across Asia Film Festival
Rakib, a young man, is living on his own, as his father is in prison and his brother abroad for work. Eventually, Purna, a retired general whose family Rakib’s clan have served for centuries in a rural Indonesian town, comes to him and essentially forces him to be his assistant, living with him in his mansion, driving him around as he is campaigning for the next election, and doing whatever deed the older man assigns. An initially reluctant Rakim finds himself more and more attached to Purna,...
- 12/7/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The annual film event in Laos that was for the past 12 years known as the Luang Prabang Film Festival has given up its name in order to go ahead with next month’s edition.
“Organizers have recently acquiesced to a name change in order to continue to produce this year’s event, scheduled for Dec. 8- 11, and will move forward using only the iconic blue chair to identify the festival,” they said in a statement that also unveiled the festival’s film selection.
Contacted by Variety, organizers had no additional comment beyond their published statement.
The festival has been operated on a non-profit basis with the backing of private sector and local government sponsors in the Unesco Heritage town of Luang Prabang. It has supported the Laos local film industry, operated talent development workshops and provided free-of-charge screenings of recent Southeast Asian films to the Laos public.
The 2022 selection includes...
“Organizers have recently acquiesced to a name change in order to continue to produce this year’s event, scheduled for Dec. 8- 11, and will move forward using only the iconic blue chair to identify the festival,” they said in a statement that also unveiled the festival’s film selection.
Contacted by Variety, organizers had no additional comment beyond their published statement.
The festival has been operated on a non-profit basis with the backing of private sector and local government sponsors in the Unesco Heritage town of Luang Prabang. It has supported the Laos local film industry, operated talent development workshops and provided free-of-charge screenings of recent Southeast Asian films to the Laos public.
The 2022 selection includes...
- 11/22/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Interfilm International Short Film Festival Berlin is back with its 38th edition, running from the 15th to the 20th of November 2022. This year the regional focus will be on the cinematography of the Philippines, while the thematic focus Ghosts of Europe looks towards the EU. Interfilm dedicates also a spotlight program to Belarusian filmmaking, which courageously takes on the current regime.
To use the organisers’ words: “The competitions present themselves as usual politically, combative and at the same time empathetic and full of confidence. Great stories meet abstract animation, essayistic forms meet concrete narration. (…) Interforum is the place to discuss and learn, and various special programs and events round off the week dedicated to short film.“
You can find the full programme on the official website here.
Here are all the Asian titles:
International Competition
Anxious Body by Yoriko Mizushiri // France – Japan 2021
A Guitar in the Bucket by Boyoung Kim...
To use the organisers’ words: “The competitions present themselves as usual politically, combative and at the same time empathetic and full of confidence. Great stories meet abstract animation, essayistic forms meet concrete narration. (…) Interforum is the place to discuss and learn, and various special programs and events round off the week dedicated to short film.“
You can find the full programme on the official website here.
Here are all the Asian titles:
International Competition
Anxious Body by Yoriko Mizushiri // France – Japan 2021
A Guitar in the Bucket by Boyoung Kim...
- 11/4/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Filipino production house Daluyong Studios, founded by Alemberg Ang, a co-producer on Japan’s Best International Feature Oscars submission Plan 75, is partnering with Tan Si En’s Singapore-based Momo Film Co to co-produce a slate of features and documentaries.
The joint slate includes feature films Don’t Cry, Butterfly, from rising Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh; and Tropical Rain, Death-Scented Kiss, directed by US-Singapore animation filmmaker Charlotte Hong Bee Her; as well as short film and feature Bold Eagle, directed by the Philippines’ Whammy Alcazaren; and documentary feature Tens Across The Borders, from Sze-Wei Chan.
Daluyong previously partnered with Tan Si En and Anthony Chen’s Giraffe Pictures on Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, from Filipino filmmaker Petersen Vargas, which is currently in pre-production. The project, about a teenage runaway who falls in with a group of hustlers, won the Seafic Award at the 2019 Southeast Asia Fiction...
The joint slate includes feature films Don’t Cry, Butterfly, from rising Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh; and Tropical Rain, Death-Scented Kiss, directed by US-Singapore animation filmmaker Charlotte Hong Bee Her; as well as short film and feature Bold Eagle, directed by the Philippines’ Whammy Alcazaren; and documentary feature Tens Across The Borders, from Sze-Wei Chan.
Daluyong previously partnered with Tan Si En and Anthony Chen’s Giraffe Pictures on Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, from Filipino filmmaker Petersen Vargas, which is currently in pre-production. The project, about a teenage runaway who falls in with a group of hustlers, won the Seafic Award at the 2019 Southeast Asia Fiction...
- 9/19/2022
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Prolific Indonesian producer KawanKawan Media, which has Makbul Mubarak’s “Autobiography” in competition at the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons strand, has a raft of projects on its slate.
The company, led by Yulia Evina Bhara, scored a hat trick of wins at Locarno over the last few years with Yosep Anggi Noen’s “The Science of Fictions” (2019), Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather Is Fine” (2021) and Ming Jin Woo’s “Stone Turtle” (2022), and won an award at Cph:dox for Fanny Chotimah’s documentary “You and I” in 2020.
Noen’s “Gaspar,” which is set in the Javanese city Semarang in 2032 and is an adaptation of Sabda Armandio’s novel “24 Hours of Gaspar,” has just wrapped production. It stars Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon, Laura Basuki, Sal Priadi, Kristo Immanuel and Dewi Irawan.
Gaspar (Rahadian) is a dilettante detective working on a mass slaughter case involving the government, in which he...
The company, led by Yulia Evina Bhara, scored a hat trick of wins at Locarno over the last few years with Yosep Anggi Noen’s “The Science of Fictions” (2019), Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather Is Fine” (2021) and Ming Jin Woo’s “Stone Turtle” (2022), and won an award at Cph:dox for Fanny Chotimah’s documentary “You and I” in 2020.
Noen’s “Gaspar,” which is set in the Javanese city Semarang in 2032 and is an adaptation of Sabda Armandio’s novel “24 Hours of Gaspar,” has just wrapped production. It stars Reza Rahadian, Shenina Cinnamon, Laura Basuki, Sal Priadi, Kristo Immanuel and Dewi Irawan.
Gaspar (Rahadian) is a dilettante detective working on a mass slaughter case involving the government, in which he...
- 9/5/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Makbul Mubarak is a former film critic turned filmmaker, who has shot several acclaimed shorts before “Autobiography”, his feature debut which is premiering today in the Orrizonti section of Venice. Mubarak grew up in Indonesia during the latter days of the dictatorship, which lasted from 1966-1998, and describes the film as an“emotional investigation” into his childhood.
Autobiogarphy is screening at Venice International Film Festival
Rakib, a young man, is living on his own, as his father is in prison and his brother abroad for work. Eventually, Purna, a retired general whose family Rakib’s clan have served for centuries in a rural Indonesian town, comes to him and essentially forces him to be his assistant, living with him in his mansion, driving him around as he is campaigning for the next election, and doing whatever deed the older man assigns. An initially reluctant Rakim finds himself more and more attached to Purna,...
Autobiogarphy is screening at Venice International Film Festival
Rakib, a young man, is living on his own, as his father is in prison and his brother abroad for work. Eventually, Purna, a retired general whose family Rakib’s clan have served for centuries in a rural Indonesian town, comes to him and essentially forces him to be his assistant, living with him in his mansion, driving him around as he is campaigning for the next election, and doing whatever deed the older man assigns. An initially reluctant Rakim finds himself more and more attached to Purna,...
- 9/3/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Feature debutant Makbul Mubarak’s “Autobiography,” which premieres in Venice’s Horizons strand on Saturday, is a deeply personal tale informed by his own experiences.
The film, which is being sold by Alpha Violet, follows young Rakib (Kevin Ardilova), whose father is in prison and whose brother works abroad. He works as the housekeeper in a mansion in a rural Indonesian town belonging to retired general Purna (Arswendy Bening Swara). Purna returns to the town to start his mayoral election campaign and Rakib, whose clan has worked for the general’s family for centuries, serves as his assistant. An act of vandalism during the campaign triggers an escalating chain of violence.
Mubarak, formerly a film critic, made several acclaimed shorts before embarking on the aptly titled “Autobiography,” which he describes an “emotional investigation” into his childhood. He grew up in Indonesia during the latter days of the dictatorship, which lasted...
The film, which is being sold by Alpha Violet, follows young Rakib (Kevin Ardilova), whose father is in prison and whose brother works abroad. He works as the housekeeper in a mansion in a rural Indonesian town belonging to retired general Purna (Arswendy Bening Swara). Purna returns to the town to start his mayoral election campaign and Rakib, whose clan has worked for the general’s family for centuries, serves as his assistant. An act of vandalism during the campaign triggers an escalating chain of violence.
Mubarak, formerly a film critic, made several acclaimed shorts before embarking on the aptly titled “Autobiography,” which he describes an “emotional investigation” into his childhood. He grew up in Indonesia during the latter days of the dictatorship, which lasted...
- 9/3/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak is making quite a splash with his debut feature “Autobiography,” which is world premiering at Venice’s Horizons strand and then playing at Toronto’s Contemporary World Cinema section.
The film, which examines the effects of Indonesia’s military dictatorship on the country’s youth, follows a young man torn between loyalty and justice who confronts the truth of his father figure — a retired general — that may destroy them both.
Mubarak, film critic-turned-filmmaker and a Berlinale Talents and Asian Film Academy alumni, previously directed acclaimed short films “The Dog’s Lullaby” (2016), “Malediction” (2017) and “A Plastic Cup of Tea Before Her” (2018).
The cast includes Kevin Ardilova, Arswendy Bening Swara, Yusuf Mahardika, Lukman Sardi and Haru Sandra.
” ‘Autobiography’ is a story very specific to Indonesia because it addresses the legacy of our history, but at the same time, it also addresses the world we are co-existing in now: the heavy price of ignorance,...
The film, which examines the effects of Indonesia’s military dictatorship on the country’s youth, follows a young man torn between loyalty and justice who confronts the truth of his father figure — a retired general — that may destroy them both.
Mubarak, film critic-turned-filmmaker and a Berlinale Talents and Asian Film Academy alumni, previously directed acclaimed short films “The Dog’s Lullaby” (2016), “Malediction” (2017) and “A Plastic Cup of Tea Before Her” (2018).
The cast includes Kevin Ardilova, Arswendy Bening Swara, Yusuf Mahardika, Lukman Sardi and Haru Sandra.
” ‘Autobiography’ is a story very specific to Indonesia because it addresses the legacy of our history, but at the same time, it also addresses the world we are co-existing in now: the heavy price of ignorance,...
- 8/26/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The prize is connected to the parallel section’s Next Step programme helping directors move from shorts to features.
Lithuanian director Vytautas Katkus has won the fourth Cannes Critics’ Week €5,000 Next Step prize for upcoming feature The Visitor.
It follows a young man as he tries to make a new life for himself in a foreign land where he does not speak the language or know anyone.
The prize was launched in 2019 as an extension of Critics’ Week’s Next Step initiative.
The programme, which is in its eighth edition, is aimed at supporting filmmakers who have debuted shorts in...
Lithuanian director Vytautas Katkus has won the fourth Cannes Critics’ Week €5,000 Next Step prize for upcoming feature The Visitor.
It follows a young man as he tries to make a new life for himself in a foreign land where he does not speak the language or know anyone.
The prize was launched in 2019 as an extension of Critics’ Week’s Next Step initiative.
The programme, which is in its eighth edition, is aimed at supporting filmmakers who have debuted shorts in...
- 5/23/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The Osaka Asian Film Festival has unveiled its biggest ever program – a total of 76 films – to unspool next month.
Its competition section includes the acclaimed Korean debut film “Aloners,” which offers an exacting critique of the alienating effects upon life of modern capitalist economies; Hong Kong biopic “Anita”; the world premiere of “Angry Son,” which combines LGBT and mixed race themes in a heartwarming comedy; Kong Dashan’s new take on “Journey to the West,” as a ragtag group of people on a UFO hunt; “Mama’s Affair,” the second film by Kearen Pang, whose 2017 debut “29+1” won Osaka’s audience award, “No Land’s Man” from Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and festival circuit hit “Barbarian Invasion.”
The spotlight section includes ten titles. Among them are “The Ground Beneath her Feet” from Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rabby Mridha; “A Room of Her own” from China’s Xie Yiran; and Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather is Fine.
Its competition section includes the acclaimed Korean debut film “Aloners,” which offers an exacting critique of the alienating effects upon life of modern capitalist economies; Hong Kong biopic “Anita”; the world premiere of “Angry Son,” which combines LGBT and mixed race themes in a heartwarming comedy; Kong Dashan’s new take on “Journey to the West,” as a ragtag group of people on a UFO hunt; “Mama’s Affair,” the second film by Kearen Pang, whose 2017 debut “29+1” won Osaka’s audience award, “No Land’s Man” from Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and festival circuit hit “Barbarian Invasion.”
The spotlight section includes ten titles. Among them are “The Ground Beneath her Feet” from Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rabby Mridha; “A Room of Her own” from China’s Xie Yiran; and Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather is Fine.
- 2/17/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Screen gets the lowdown on this year’s eight projects.
Eight projects have been pitched to international festival directors, sales agents, distributors and producers during the Coming Soon night at TorinoFilmLab’s (Tfl) 2021 Meeting Event this week.
The films are all at the final stages of production and have either been developed through one of the TorinoFilmLab’s programmes or been the recipients of one of Tfl’s awards.
The event was held in-person at the Scuola Holden school in Turin.
Previous Coming Soon selections of recent years have included Carlo Francisco Manatad’s Whether The Weather Is Fine (Featurelab...
Eight projects have been pitched to international festival directors, sales agents, distributors and producers during the Coming Soon night at TorinoFilmLab’s (Tfl) 2021 Meeting Event this week.
The films are all at the final stages of production and have either been developed through one of the TorinoFilmLab’s programmes or been the recipients of one of Tfl’s awards.
The event was held in-person at the Scuola Holden school in Turin.
Previous Coming Soon selections of recent years have included Carlo Francisco Manatad’s Whether The Weather Is Fine (Featurelab...
- 12/2/2021
- by Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
A sold out official Closing Gala ceremony featuring body-swapping action-packed Korean film ‘Spiritwalker’ made for an energetic, rapturously received eleventh and final day of the London East Asia Film Festival.
Thirty three films from across East Asia played all over London from 21st to 31st October with online industry talks, a young critics programme, Q+A events and more complimenting a diverse, cultural festival selection.
Award Winners
The festival jury was chaired by Nick James (former editor Sight & Sound) with Hannah McGill (former Artistic Director of Edinburgh International Film Festival) and Damon Wise (BFI Festival advisor) joining. Having viewed all eleven festival Competition titles and being pleased to view diverse, stimulating cinema, the jury were in attendance for the Closing Gala ceremony to announce the winners.
A Special Mention was afforded to Ricky Ko for action-drama ‘Time’’s cinephilic opening sequence. The jury were impressed with its joyous tribute to...
Thirty three films from across East Asia played all over London from 21st to 31st October with online industry talks, a young critics programme, Q+A events and more complimenting a diverse, cultural festival selection.
Award Winners
The festival jury was chaired by Nick James (former editor Sight & Sound) with Hannah McGill (former Artistic Director of Edinburgh International Film Festival) and Damon Wise (BFI Festival advisor) joining. Having viewed all eleven festival Competition titles and being pleased to view diverse, stimulating cinema, the jury were in attendance for the Closing Gala ceremony to announce the winners.
A Special Mention was afforded to Ricky Ko for action-drama ‘Time’’s cinephilic opening sequence. The jury were impressed with its joyous tribute to...
- 11/2/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Singapore International Film Festival is to be held as an in-person event this year, after operating as an online-offline hybrid in 2020. It will open with Indonesian filmmaker Edwin’s “Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash” and run Nov. 25- Dec. 5, 2021.
With a new program director, Thong Kay Wee the festival will be aligned as five new thematic strands: Foreground, Milestone, Standpoint, Undercurrent and Domain. It will also maintain its Singapore Panorama section dedicated to local works and its familiar Asian feature competition and Southeast Asian short film competition.
The competition includes: Palestinian director Mohamed Diab’s “Amira”; Thai director Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s “Anatomy of Time”; Aizhan Kassymbek’s “Fire”; Panah Panahi’s ”Hit The Road”; Chinese director Qiu Jiongjiong’s “A New Old Play”; Indian Oscar-contender “Pebbles,” by P.S. Vinothraj; Bangladesh’s Oscar contender “Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad; “Whether the Weather is Fine,” by Filipino director Carlo Francisco Manatad...
With a new program director, Thong Kay Wee the festival will be aligned as five new thematic strands: Foreground, Milestone, Standpoint, Undercurrent and Domain. It will also maintain its Singapore Panorama section dedicated to local works and its familiar Asian feature competition and Southeast Asian short film competition.
The competition includes: Palestinian director Mohamed Diab’s “Amira”; Thai director Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s “Anatomy of Time”; Aizhan Kassymbek’s “Fire”; Panah Panahi’s ”Hit The Road”; Chinese director Qiu Jiongjiong’s “A New Old Play”; Indian Oscar-contender “Pebbles,” by P.S. Vinothraj; Bangladesh’s Oscar contender “Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad; “Whether the Weather is Fine,” by Filipino director Carlo Francisco Manatad...
- 10/26/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
China’s Pingyao International Film Festival got under way on Tuesday with the gala screening of Zhang Lu’s new drama film “Yanagawa.” The festival will unspool Oct. 12-19 with a familiar package of competition screenings a work in progress section, a film lab, a project market and a tribute section dedicated to Tsui Hark.
Organizers announced an ambitious twelve-title competition section (“Crouching Tigers”) for first second and third films from around the world.
These include: “Amparo,” directed by Simón Mesa Soto; “As Far As I Can Walk,” directed by Strahinja Banovic; “Feathers,” directed by Omar El Zohairy; “Mama, I’m Home” directed by Vladimir Bitokov (Russia); “Pedro” directed by Natesh Hegde (India); “Playground” (Un Monde) directed by Laura Wandel (Belgium); “Prayers for the Stolen” (Noche de Fuego) directed by Tatiana Huezo; “Rehana” (Rehana Maryam Noor) directed by Abdullah Mohammad Saad; “The Tale of King Crab” (Re Granchio) directed by...
Organizers announced an ambitious twelve-title competition section (“Crouching Tigers”) for first second and third films from around the world.
These include: “Amparo,” directed by Simón Mesa Soto; “As Far As I Can Walk,” directed by Strahinja Banovic; “Feathers,” directed by Omar El Zohairy; “Mama, I’m Home” directed by Vladimir Bitokov (Russia); “Pedro” directed by Natesh Hegde (India); “Playground” (Un Monde) directed by Laura Wandel (Belgium); “Prayers for the Stolen” (Noche de Fuego) directed by Tatiana Huezo; “Rehana” (Rehana Maryam Noor) directed by Abdullah Mohammad Saad; “The Tale of King Crab” (Re Granchio) directed by...
- 10/13/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Festival, which opens today, also annouced its Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons competition sections.
This year’s Pingyao International Film Festival (Octobner 12-19) will open with Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu’s Yanagawa and close with Xu Lei’s The Great Director.
Starring Ni Ni, Zhang Luyi and Xin Baiqing, Yanagawa revolves around two brothers who travel to Japan in search of the woman they both loved in their youth. The film, which is receiving its world premiere at Busan in the Icons section, is produced by Midnight Blur Films and sold internationally by Hishow Entertainment. The Great Director is described...
This year’s Pingyao International Film Festival (Octobner 12-19) will open with Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu’s Yanagawa and close with Xu Lei’s The Great Director.
Starring Ni Ni, Zhang Luyi and Xin Baiqing, Yanagawa revolves around two brothers who travel to Japan in search of the woman they both loved in their youth. The film, which is receiving its world premiere at Busan in the Icons section, is produced by Midnight Blur Films and sold internationally by Hishow Entertainment. The Great Director is described...
- 10/12/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The London East Asia Film Festival (Leaff) celebrates its sixth edition in 2021 with a commitment to diverse, culturally impactful cinema entertainment. After a year of shut cinema doors, Leaff is returning home to London’s big screens with an expanded catalogue to help stimulate the renaissance of cinema and promote cultural empathy.
With cinematic offerings from eight regions – China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam – this year’s programme is an ode to the quiet and independent voices from East Asia. Two international premieres, five European premieres and 18 UK premieres will take place at our state-art-of-the-art venues, Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, The Cinema at Selfridges, as well as the newly opened Odeon Luxe West End and The Chiswick Cinema. The festival is divided into five strands: Official Selection, Competition, Hong Kong Focus, Documentary, and Retrospective.
Opening Gala
The festival opens with a memorial to the late Benny Chan...
With cinematic offerings from eight regions – China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam – this year’s programme is an ode to the quiet and independent voices from East Asia. Two international premieres, five European premieres and 18 UK premieres will take place at our state-art-of-the-art venues, Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, The Cinema at Selfridges, as well as the newly opened Odeon Luxe West End and The Chiswick Cinema. The festival is divided into five strands: Official Selection, Competition, Hong Kong Focus, Documentary, and Retrospective.
Opening Gala
The festival opens with a memorial to the late Benny Chan...
- 9/25/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The ambition behind Carlo Francisco Manatad’s Whether the Weather Is Fine is undeniable. Set in the aftermath of 2013’s Typhoon Haiyan (aka Super Typhoon Yolanda), the film opens on Miguel (Daniel Padilla) waking to the fact that there’s no longer a house surrounding him and his couch. More sleepwalking in disbelief than searching with desperation, he moves to find his mother (Charo Santos-Concio’s Norma) just as his girlfriend (Rans Rifol’s Andrea) finds him. Everywhere they go has been shattered to pieces architecturally, emotionally, and morally—altruism flying out the window as a dog-eat-dog mentality sinks in. And no one can move an inch without running into someone else thanks to an extras list so expansive, their continuous end credit blocks are blindingly dense.
While the plot’s as simple as “trying to find direction” when none can seemingly be found, it doesn’t make it any...
While the plot’s as simple as “trying to find direction” when none can seemingly be found, it doesn’t make it any...
- 9/18/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Documentary Exposure from The Babushkas Of Chernobyl director Morris gets its world premiere.
The 57th Chicago International Film Festival has unveiled its international competitions line-up, a roster that includes Venice Silver Lion winner The Power Of The Dog, Tatiana Huezo’s Prayers For The Stolen, and the world premiere of Holly Morris’s documentary Exposure.
The programme includes the international premiere of Franziska Stünkel’s The Last Execution. The festival runs October 13-24 and is the longest running competitive festival in North America.
The International Feature Competition line-up comprises: Péter Kerekes’s 107 Mothers (Slo-Czech-Ukr); Mohammed Diab’s Amira (Egy-Jor-uae-Saud...
The 57th Chicago International Film Festival has unveiled its international competitions line-up, a roster that includes Venice Silver Lion winner The Power Of The Dog, Tatiana Huezo’s Prayers For The Stolen, and the world premiere of Holly Morris’s documentary Exposure.
The programme includes the international premiere of Franziska Stünkel’s The Last Execution. The festival runs October 13-24 and is the longest running competitive festival in North America.
The International Feature Competition line-up comprises: Péter Kerekes’s 107 Mothers (Slo-Czech-Ukr); Mohammed Diab’s Amira (Egy-Jor-uae-Saud...
- 9/16/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Carlo Francisco Manatad is a Filipino film director and editor based in Manila. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines Film Institute. His short film, “Junilyn Has”, competed at the Festival del film Locarno and went on to screen at several international film festivals such as Clermont Ferrand, Uppsala, Winterthur and Busan to name a few. “Sandra and Fatima Marie Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25” has won awards in Russia, Romania and the USA, most notably winning the Best Comedy Short at the Aspenshorts Fest – an Oscar qualifying film festival. A Philippine and Singaporean co-production, “Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month”, his last short film was selected in competition at the 56th Semaine de la Critique at the 70th Cannes International Film Festival. One of the most prolific editors in the Philippines today, he has collaborated with numerous filmmakers for independent and mainstream scene.
- 9/7/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
BenedictionThe lineup has been unveiled for the 2021 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, which will take place over 10 days (September 9-18) both in-person and physically in Toronto, and digitally across Canada. Wavelengths - FEATURESFutura (Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher)The Girl and the Spider (Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher)Neptune Frost (Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman)A Night of Knowing Nothing (Payal Kapadia)Ste. Anne (Rhayne Vermette)The Tsugua Diaries (Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes)Wavelengths - SHORTSThe Capacity for Adequate Anger (Vika Kirchenbauer)Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) (Nicolás Pereda)earthearthearth (Daïchi Saïto)Inner Outer Space (Laida Lertxundi)Polycephaly in D (Michael Robinson)“The red filter is withdrawn.” (Minjung Kim)Train Again (Peter Tscherkassky)Midnight Madness After Blue (Dirty Paradise) (Bertrand Mandico)Dashcam (Rob Savage)Saloum (Jean Luc Herbulot)Titane (Julia Ducournau)You Are Not My Mother (Kate Dolan)Zalava (Arsalan Amiri)TIFF DOCSAttica (Stanley Nelson)Beba (Rebeca Huntt)Becoming Cousteau...
- 8/4/2021
- MUBI
The Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday unveiled its lineups for the Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery programs as it ramps up toward the kickoff of its 46th edition September 9-18. The festival also solidified additional Gala and Special Presentation titles and took the wraps off TIFF Rewind, a new block that highlights memorable films from previous TIFF editions along with conversations and Q&As with directors and casts.
This comes after the festival last week announced that Dear Evan Hansen will be the opening-night film, while Zhang Yimou’s One Second will close it. It also revealed a portion of the Gala and Special presentation titles that featured films from directors Edgar Wright, Melanie Laurent, Barry Levinson, Antoine Fuqua, Jacques Audiard and Ted Melfi.
Today, TIFF added world premieres for Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky’s The Good House and Camille Griffin’s Silent Night to its Gala lineup, and...
This comes after the festival last week announced that Dear Evan Hansen will be the opening-night film, while Zhang Yimou’s One Second will close it. It also revealed a portion of the Gala and Special presentation titles that featured films from directors Edgar Wright, Melanie Laurent, Barry Levinson, Antoine Fuqua, Jacques Audiard and Ted Melfi.
Today, TIFF added world premieres for Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky’s The Good House and Camille Griffin’s Silent Night to its Gala lineup, and...
- 7/28/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
New TIFF Rewind features filmmakers in conversation about memorable selections from the past.
World premieres of Ruth Paxton’s UK horror A Banquet, Agustina San Martín’s Argentinian genre tale To Kill The Beast and Sébastien Pilote’s Canadian period drama Maria Chapdelaine are among Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery selections announced by Toronto International Film festival.
Scroll down for full list of new titles
The festival also unveiled additional Gala and Special Presentations titles, and introduced TIFF Rewind featuring filmmakers in conversation about memorable selections from the past.
Gala screenings include the world premiere of Camille Griffin’s UK...
World premieres of Ruth Paxton’s UK horror A Banquet, Agustina San Martín’s Argentinian genre tale To Kill The Beast and Sébastien Pilote’s Canadian period drama Maria Chapdelaine are among Contemporary World Cinema and Discovery selections announced by Toronto International Film festival.
Scroll down for full list of new titles
The festival also unveiled additional Gala and Special Presentations titles, and introduced TIFF Rewind featuring filmmakers in conversation about memorable selections from the past.
Gala screenings include the world premiere of Camille Griffin’s UK...
- 7/28/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Whether The Weather Is Fine is directed by Philippines filmmaker Carlo Francisco Manatad.
Beijing-based sales agent Rediance has picked up international rights to Whether The Weather Is Fine, from Philippines filmmaker Carlo Francisco Manatad, which will receive its world premiere at the upcoming Locarno film festival (August 4-14).
Based on the director’s own experiences, the film is set in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated coastal regions in the Central Philippines in November 2013. The story follows a young man searching for missing loved ones as another storm approaches.
The film, which will screen in Locarno’s Concorso Cineasti del presente section,...
Beijing-based sales agent Rediance has picked up international rights to Whether The Weather Is Fine, from Philippines filmmaker Carlo Francisco Manatad, which will receive its world premiere at the upcoming Locarno film festival (August 4-14).
Based on the director’s own experiences, the film is set in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated coastal regions in the Central Philippines in November 2013. The story follows a young man searching for missing loved ones as another storm approaches.
The film, which will screen in Locarno’s Concorso Cineasti del presente section,...
- 7/12/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
The FilmPhilippines Office of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (Fdcp) has trebled its annual filming incentives budget from $1 million to $3 million, effective from 2022.
The Philippines offers a range of incentives, including rebate schemes for local and international projects.
“Electric Child” by Swiss Simon Jaquemet, produced by Switzerland’s 8horses GmbH with local production company Epicmedia Productions, was recently approved to receive a 20% cash rebate on its eligible expenses in the Philippines under the Location Incentive Program. The fund requires a minimum qualified production spending of Php 8 million in the Philippines in order to receive a 20% cash rebate that is capped at Php 10 million.
The Fdcp also recently launched CreatePHFilms, a production fund worth $600,000 that supports local films from script through distribution. Production costs are low in the Philippines, compared to the West. “It’s still substantial knowing that the median production cost average production is around Php 8 million in the Philippines,...
The Philippines offers a range of incentives, including rebate schemes for local and international projects.
“Electric Child” by Swiss Simon Jaquemet, produced by Switzerland’s 8horses GmbH with local production company Epicmedia Productions, was recently approved to receive a 20% cash rebate on its eligible expenses in the Philippines under the Location Incentive Program. The fund requires a minimum qualified production spending of Php 8 million in the Philippines in order to receive a 20% cash rebate that is capped at Php 10 million.
The Fdcp also recently launched CreatePHFilms, a production fund worth $600,000 that supports local films from script through distribution. Production costs are low in the Philippines, compared to the West. “It’s still substantial knowing that the median production cost average production is around Php 8 million in the Philippines,...
- 7/11/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
After Blue (Paradis sale)The lineup for the 2021 festival has been revealed, including new films by Bertrand Mandico, Axelle Ropert, Abel Ferrara and others, alongside retrospectives and tributes, and much more.Piazza GRANDEBeckett (Ferdinando Cito Filomarino)Free Guy (Shawn Levy)Heat (Michael Mann)Hinterland (Stefan Ruzowitzky)Ida Red (John Swab)Monte Verità (Stefan Jäger)National Lampoon's Animal House (John Landis)Respect (Liesl Tommy)Rose (Aurélie Saada)Sinkhole (Kim Ji-hoon)The Alleys (Bassel Ghandour)The Terminator (James Cameron)Vortex (Gaspar Noé)Yaya e Lennie — The Walking Liberty (Alessandro Rak)Tomorrow My Love (Gitanjali Rao)Lynx (Laurent Geslin)Zeros and OnesCONCORSO INTERNAZIONALEAfter Blue (Paradis sale) (Bertrand Mandico)Al Naher (The River) (Ghassan Salhab)Espíritu sagrado (The Sacred Spirit) (Chema García Ibarra)Gerda (Natalya Kudryashova)I giganti (The Giants) (Bonifacio Angius)Jiao ma teng hui (A New Old Play) (Jiongjiong Qiu)Juju StoriesLa Place d'une autre (Secret Name) (Aurélia Georges)Leynilögga (Cop Secret...
- 7/1/2021
- MUBI
Abel Ferrara’s contemporary thriller ’Zeros And Ones’ stars Ethan Hawke.
Abel Ferrara’s contemporary thriller Zeros And Ones and Srdjan Dragojević’s dark comedy Heavens Above are among 17 films from 12 countries having their world premiere in the international competition at the 74th Locarno Film Festival (August 4-14) under the new artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro.
Scroll down for full line-up
In his first collaboration with Ferrara, Zeros And Ones sees Ethan Hawke plays an American soldier stationed in Rome who pursues an unknown enemy threatening the entire world after the Vatican gets blown up.
Ahead of shooting in Italy...
Abel Ferrara’s contemporary thriller Zeros And Ones and Srdjan Dragojević’s dark comedy Heavens Above are among 17 films from 12 countries having their world premiere in the international competition at the 74th Locarno Film Festival (August 4-14) under the new artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro.
Scroll down for full line-up
In his first collaboration with Ferrara, Zeros And Ones sees Ethan Hawke plays an American soldier stationed in Rome who pursues an unknown enemy threatening the entire world after the Vatican gets blown up.
Ahead of shooting in Italy...
- 7/1/2021
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Fanny Chotimah’s Indonesian documentary “You and I,” which won the Asian Perspective Award at Korea’s Dmz Docs Festival, is one of the highlights of the Singapore International Film Festival’s Asian Vision strand.
The film tells the story of the friendship between Kaminah and Kusdalini, which existed for more than 50 years since they met as political prisoners in 1965.
The 1965-66 period was a fraught one for Indonesia where the mass killings of Communists and several ethnic groups eventually led to the overthrow of President Sukarno’s government.
The film is produced by Yulia Evina Bhara, Amerta Kusuma and Tazia Teresa Darryanto under the banner KawanKawan Media (Yosep Anggi Noen’s Locarno-winner “The Science of Fictions”), in collaboration with Partisipasi Indonesia. It is a product of several project labs and grants including Festival Film Dokumenter, Docs By The Sea, Dmz Docs Fund, the Akatara Financing Forum and the Super8mm Studio Foundation.
The film tells the story of the friendship between Kaminah and Kusdalini, which existed for more than 50 years since they met as political prisoners in 1965.
The 1965-66 period was a fraught one for Indonesia where the mass killings of Communists and several ethnic groups eventually led to the overthrow of President Sukarno’s government.
The film is produced by Yulia Evina Bhara, Amerta Kusuma and Tazia Teresa Darryanto under the banner KawanKawan Media (Yosep Anggi Noen’s Locarno-winner “The Science of Fictions”), in collaboration with Partisipasi Indonesia. It is a product of several project labs and grants including Festival Film Dokumenter, Docs By The Sea, Dmz Docs Fund, the Akatara Financing Forum and the Super8mm Studio Foundation.
- 11/26/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
As we mentioned in Brillante Mendoza’s “Mindanao” the homonymous island has been a place of violent conflict since the 60s, when President Marcos’s tactics that promoted Christian settling in the area, resulted in the displacement of the local Muslim population. The Maguindanao massacre (2009), the Mamasapano clash (2015) and the Battle of Marawi (2017) are the latest in a series of bloody events, and the area is still under martial law, following the orders of President Duterte. Three years before Mendoza’s effort, Sheron Dayoc shot another movie that focuses on the troubled area, with his approach being quite realistic, as dictated by the story, but also the fact that the cast is comprised completely of local non-actors who use the Tausug dialect throughout the film.
The movie focuses on the story of Satra, a young widow whose family feud with the Ishmaels that started over stolen land some generations ago,...
The movie focuses on the story of Satra, a young widow whose family feud with the Ishmaels that started over stolen land some generations ago,...
- 7/15/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Manila Film Center is one of the most notorious buildings of the Philippines, particularly due to the accident that occurred during its construction on November 17, 1981, due to the rush to complete it in time for the 1st International Manila Film Festival. An entire floor and six giant beams collapsed and crashed down to the main theater, burying 169 workers in newly dried cement and a tangle of wood and steel. Marcos’s regime tried to conceal the magnitude of the disaster, with the rescue operations starting after nine hours and ending rather briefly in order for the construction to continue, with the festival actually happening in the building from the 18th to the 29th of January 1982.
In “Pilak: The Manila Film Center Invasion” Khavn narrates the story through text on black screen in silent film style, before introducing his trademark absurdity, by suggesting that one of the workers was an alien,...
In “Pilak: The Manila Film Center Invasion” Khavn narrates the story through text on black screen in silent film style, before introducing his trademark absurdity, by suggesting that one of the workers was an alien,...
- 7/13/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Creating a film where irony is the main ingredient and mocking the main purpose sounds like a very dangerous business in these ridiculously politically correct times. Carlo Francisco Manatad, who is mostly known for his editing work with directors like Khavn and Chito S. Rono, but has also been directing movies for more than a decade, manages to pull off this “dangerous” endeavour, which actually starts with the title.
Most of the short takes place in a gas station, where Jodilerks, a middle aged woman, and a young man are working the night shift. Jodilerks tries to sell bottles with gas on the side while smoking, but when that does not work, she and her colleague decide to get drunk. As expected in the particular hours, their customers are also drunk, and furthermore, weird, not willing to pay and even dangerous. When her colleague is knocked out due to their drinking,...
Most of the short takes place in a gas station, where Jodilerks, a middle aged woman, and a young man are working the night shift. Jodilerks tries to sell bottles with gas on the side while smoking, but when that does not work, she and her colleague decide to get drunk. As expected in the particular hours, their customers are also drunk, and furthermore, weird, not willing to pay and even dangerous. When her colleague is knocked out due to their drinking,...
- 6/17/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
After extensive travels across Asia, internships and junior positions in Paris and Los Angeles at companies such as Anonymous Content, Wild Bunch, Endgame and Ad Vitam among others, Nathan decided it was high time to start his own business and launched Stray Dogs in a couple of weeks with a small bank loan in early 2015.
Stray Dogs is dedicated to bringing international, director driven, edgy films to worldwide audiences, and is very proud to work closely with its filmmakers. During its first year, Stray Dogs films got around 30 prizes in international film festivals, and did quite well. Stray Dogs now has a team of four people making sure promising international talent is discovered and their gems are distributed worldwide.
On the occasion of our #TheKhavnProject, we speak with him about his career, Stray Dogs, Asian cinema, the French market, the Indian movie industry and of course, Khavn.
Can you give...
Stray Dogs is dedicated to bringing international, director driven, edgy films to worldwide audiences, and is very proud to work closely with its filmmakers. During its first year, Stray Dogs films got around 30 prizes in international film festivals, and did quite well. Stray Dogs now has a team of four people making sure promising international talent is discovered and their gems are distributed worldwide.
On the occasion of our #TheKhavnProject, we speak with him about his career, Stray Dogs, Asian cinema, the French market, the Indian movie industry and of course, Khavn.
Can you give...
- 6/7/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Camille Degeye’s feature debut “Sphynx” won the Next Step Award as part of the program launched by Cannes’ Critics’ Week to help the directors of the 10 shorts which played during the last edition make their feature debut.
Degeye, who developed the script of “Sphynx” during the sixth session of Next Step in December, received the €5000 cash ($5616) prize from a jury comprising Michèle Halberstadt, co-founder of distribution banner Arp, Bérénice Vincent, co-founder of sales outfit Totem Films and Mathieu Robinet, a French distributor.
Along with receiving the cash prize, Degeve will also be invited to next year’s Cannes festival to promote her project. “Sphynx,” produced by Acéphale, was co-written by the journalist Luc Chessel. It tells the story of Eden, a young medical intern who stars working as a nurse for a trendy Parisian nightclub and falls in love with the Nidhal, a mysterious figure of Paris’s queer and underground world.
Degeye, who developed the script of “Sphynx” during the sixth session of Next Step in December, received the €5000 cash ($5616) prize from a jury comprising Michèle Halberstadt, co-founder of distribution banner Arp, Bérénice Vincent, co-founder of sales outfit Totem Films and Mathieu Robinet, a French distributor.
Along with receiving the cash prize, Degeve will also be invited to next year’s Cannes festival to promote her project. “Sphynx,” produced by Acéphale, was co-written by the journalist Luc Chessel. It tells the story of Eden, a young medical intern who stars working as a nurse for a trendy Parisian nightclub and falls in love with the Nidhal, a mysterious figure of Paris’s queer and underground world.
- 6/4/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Next Step programme helps directors make move from shorts to first feature.
French director Camille Degeye has won the second €5,000 Cannes Critics’ Week Next Step prize, for her debut feature project Sphinx.
The drama is about a young medical intern who is excluded from the neurosurgery department where she works. She finds a job as a medic for a trendy Paris nightclub, where she embarks on a passionate love affair with an enigmatic figure on the Paris drag queen cabaret scene.
Spearheaded by outgoing Critics’ Week manager Rémi Bonhomme, the Next Step initiative was launched in 2014 to help directors of...
French director Camille Degeye has won the second €5,000 Cannes Critics’ Week Next Step prize, for her debut feature project Sphinx.
The drama is about a young medical intern who is excluded from the neurosurgery department where she works. She finds a job as a medic for a trendy Paris nightclub, where she embarks on a passionate love affair with an enigmatic figure on the Paris drag queen cabaret scene.
Spearheaded by outgoing Critics’ Week manager Rémi Bonhomme, the Next Step initiative was launched in 2014 to help directors of...
- 6/4/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Carlo Francisco Manatad is a Filipino film director and editor based in Manila. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines Film Institute. His short film, “Junilyn Has”, competed at the Festival del film Locarno and went on to screen at several international film festivals such as Clermont Ferrand, Uppsala, Winterthur and Busan to name a few. “Sandra and Fatima Marie Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25” has won awards in Russia, Romania and the USA, most notably winning the Best Comedy Short at the Aspenshorts Fest – an Oscar qualifying film festival. A Philippine and Singaporean co-production, “Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month”, his last short film was selected in competition at the 56th Semaine de la Critique at the 70th Cannes International Film Festival.
One of the most prolific editors in the Philippines today, he has collaborated with numerous filmmakers for independent and mainstream scene.
One of the most prolific editors in the Philippines today, he has collaborated with numerous filmmakers for independent and mainstream scene.
- 5/27/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Khavn’s opinion about the police force has always been quite eloquent, as for example in the following segment of the interview he gave to Amp for Alipato: The Very Brief Life of an Ember” :
[Is the fact that the policemen frequent a bar in a pigsty a clear comment on the police in general? What is your opinion of the way police functions in the Philippines?
Khavn: “Let’s not insult pigs—I like them a lot. But yes, the non-pigsty-wallowing police is the exception rather than the rule. The police is the corrupt muscle of politicians and the ruling class. This is the subject of my next film, “Bamboo Dogs”.”]
“Bamboo Dogs” deals with an incident revolving around the Kuratong Baleleng gang, an organized crime syndicate in the Philippines that once was an anti-communist vigilante group.
On May 18, 1995 at around 5 a.m., 11 persons were shot and killed on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Hours later, Pnp Chief Supts. Panfilo Lacson, Jewel Canson and Romeo Acop, and Sr. Supt. Francisco Zubia held a press conference. With then-pnp boss Recaredo Sarmiento, they...
[Is the fact that the policemen frequent a bar in a pigsty a clear comment on the police in general? What is your opinion of the way police functions in the Philippines?
Khavn: “Let’s not insult pigs—I like them a lot. But yes, the non-pigsty-wallowing police is the exception rather than the rule. The police is the corrupt muscle of politicians and the ruling class. This is the subject of my next film, “Bamboo Dogs”.”]
“Bamboo Dogs” deals with an incident revolving around the Kuratong Baleleng gang, an organized crime syndicate in the Philippines that once was an anti-communist vigilante group.
On May 18, 1995 at around 5 a.m., 11 persons were shot and killed on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Hours later, Pnp Chief Supts. Panfilo Lacson, Jewel Canson and Romeo Acop, and Sr. Supt. Francisco Zubia held a press conference. With then-pnp boss Recaredo Sarmiento, they...
- 8/29/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In 2025, the Kostka gang, a group of kids with nicknames like Pork Chop, Bull Dog, Snowman, McAbnormal and J. Blo, aged from 5 to 15, terrorize Manila, robbing and killing everyone in their path. After a shootout with the police, one of their members dies, and their leader, nicknamed Boss, decides that they should rob a bank, in order to change their lives. The robbery however, goes horribly wrong, with a number of the gang’s members ending up dead and Boss in prison.
After a kind of comic strip, that shows his time in prison, the story jumps forward to 2053, when he is released and reunites with the remaining members. However, the money from the robbery were never found, and the members expect him to have it. Furthermore, someone seems to kill the remaining ones, one by one.
Khavn directs and pens a truly chaotic film, that seems more like a...
After a kind of comic strip, that shows his time in prison, the story jumps forward to 2053, when he is released and reunites with the remaining members. However, the money from the robbery were never found, and the members expect him to have it. Furthermore, someone seems to kill the remaining ones, one by one.
Khavn directs and pens a truly chaotic film, that seems more like a...
- 11/27/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In “Alipato”, Khavn’s previous feature, the Filipino director presented children as the victims and perpetrators of violence to highlight the consequences of violence in the urban setting. This time, he uses a child and an infant in a similar, but much more toned down way, to highlight the consequences of war and particularly the aftermath of the battle of Balangiga in 1901, when Brigadier General Robert P. Hughes, in order to retaliate for the death of about 48 members of the Us army, gave orders in the style of “Take no prisoners” and “burn them all”. What followed is considered as one of the first genocides of the 20th century, and was the first time that American officers and troops were officially charged with what we would now call war crimes.
Balangiga: Howling Wilderness is screening at the exground filmfest
The story starts just after the aforementioned orders, as an 8-year-old...
Balangiga: Howling Wilderness is screening at the exground filmfest
The story starts just after the aforementioned orders, as an 8-year-old...
- 11/26/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The following article was produced as part of the 2018 Locarno Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring film critics that took place during the Locarno Film Festival.
The annual Filmmakers Academy at the Locarno Festival in Switzerland selects some of the most promising talents in contemporary film from around the world, offering them vital networking opportunities, screenings at the festival for their existing short films, and masterclasses with a line-up of guest directors. This year’s talks from established filmmakers included musings from Bruno Dumont and festival jurors Jia Zhangke and Sean Baker.
During the festival, five participants spoke about their work to date, their aspirations, how the conditions for filmmaking in their home countries have informed their career progress so far, and what they expect to do next.
Carolina Markowicz
Based in and originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Carolina Markowicz has written and directed five short films to date. “Tatuapé...
The annual Filmmakers Academy at the Locarno Festival in Switzerland selects some of the most promising talents in contemporary film from around the world, offering them vital networking opportunities, screenings at the festival for their existing short films, and masterclasses with a line-up of guest directors. This year’s talks from established filmmakers included musings from Bruno Dumont and festival jurors Jia Zhangke and Sean Baker.
During the festival, five participants spoke about their work to date, their aspirations, how the conditions for filmmaking in their home countries have informed their career progress so far, and what they expect to do next.
Carolina Markowicz
Based in and originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Carolina Markowicz has written and directed five short films to date. “Tatuapé...
- 8/18/2018
- by Josh Slater-Williams
- Indiewire
15 directors will present their projects to the industry from May 10 to May 16.
The 14th edition of the Cannes Cinéfondation Atelier has announced the 15 directors who will be invited to bring their projects in development to the Cannes Film Festival (8-19 May).
The event, which runs from May 10-16, will give directors and producers the chance to showcase their projects to potential funding partners.
L’Atelier was created in 2005 to stimulate creative filmmaking and encourage the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers. Of the 202 projects to have attended so far, 145 have been released in theatres and 28 are currently in preproduction.
The 14th edition of the Cannes Cinéfondation Atelier has announced the 15 directors who will be invited to bring their projects in development to the Cannes Film Festival (8-19 May).
The event, which runs from May 10-16, will give directors and producers the chance to showcase their projects to potential funding partners.
L’Atelier was created in 2005 to stimulate creative filmmaking and encourage the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers. Of the 202 projects to have attended so far, 145 have been released in theatres and 28 are currently in preproduction.
- 3/2/2018
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
ThelmaA selection of films from the 2017 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival has been unveiled, with new films by Sebastián Lelio, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Darren Aronofsky, Greta Gerwig, Guillermo Del Toro, Joachim Trier, Wim Wenders, and many more.Special PRESENTATIONSOpening Night: Ladybird (Greta Gerwig)Closing Night: Sheikh Jackson (Amr Salama)Battle of the Sexes (Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton)Bpm (Beats Per Minute) (Robin Campillo)The Brawler (Anurag Kashyap)The Breadwinner (Nora Twomey)Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagnino)Catch the Wind (Gaël Morel)The Children Act (Richard Eyre)The Current War (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)Disobedience (Sebastián Lelio)Downsizing (Alexander Payne)A Fantastic Woman (Sebastián Lelio)First They Killed My Father (Angelina Jolie)The Guardians (Xavier Beauvois)Hostiles (Scott Cooper)The Hungry (Bornila Chatterjee)I, Tonya (Craig Gillespie)Mother! (Darren Aronofsky)Novitiate (Maggie Betts)Omerta (Hansal Mehta)Plonger (Mélanie Laurent)The Price of Success (Teddy Lussi-Modeste)Professor Marston & the Wonder Women...
- 8/3/2017
- MUBI
Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Cannes Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival
The 2017 Cannes Film Festival is underway, and IndieWire is partnering with Festival Scope for a second year in a row to give readers the chance to bring a part of the event straight to their own homes. This year, our Critics’ Week sweepstakes features 9 short films and one feature in competition. If you aren’t in Cannes, this is your only chance to watch them all.
Now through Thursday, May 25, IndieWire readers have an exclusive opportunity to register for a chance to win an online Festival Pass to screen the 9 short films and one feature in competition. Click Here for the registration form — all you need to enter is your first and last name and a valid email address — and make sure to enter by May 25 for a chance to win. Festival Scope has...
The 2017 Cannes Film Festival is underway, and IndieWire is partnering with Festival Scope for a second year in a row to give readers the chance to bring a part of the event straight to their own homes. This year, our Critics’ Week sweepstakes features 9 short films and one feature in competition. If you aren’t in Cannes, this is your only chance to watch them all.
Now through Thursday, May 25, IndieWire readers have an exclusive opportunity to register for a chance to win an online Festival Pass to screen the 9 short films and one feature in competition. Click Here for the registration form — all you need to enter is your first and last name and a valid email address — and make sure to enter by May 25 for a chance to win. Festival Scope has...
- 5/22/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
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