You could call the 40 executives on THR‘s inaugural International Women in Entertainment — Film list “the survivors.” As seismic disruptions rocked the indie world, from Covid shutdowns to the decimation of the special cinema market, these women have found a way to secure the money and the partners to keep making the stories they care about — often told by filmmakers from ignored or underrepresented groups — and get them out to the audiences that love them, worldwide. In a business that lionizes ego, these bosses — some who run pan-national mini-studios, others who oversee boutique operations with a handful of employees — have made an art out of collaboration, understanding that only by pooling their resources, by co-producing, co-financing or distributing one another’s movies, and by mentoring and encouraging young (often female) filmmakers, can the polyglot world of international indie cinema survive.
Mo Abudu
CEO, EbonyLife Media (Nigeria)
Mo Abudu
Abudu got...
Mo Abudu
CEO, EbonyLife Media (Nigeria)
Mo Abudu
Abudu got...
- 5/15/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski, Alex Ritman, Scott Roxborough and Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"If you can't go out to have fun, you have to go inwards." High Octane Pictures has released an official trailer for an indie "sci-fi" thriller titled Buoyancy, the feature directorial debut of Dutch filmmaker Roel Leijten. The film tells the story of an ambitious young woman who is invited on a submarine by an eccentric entrepreneur. This is very clearly a fictional version of the horrifying true story of eccentric entrepreneur Peter Madsen, who murdered a young woman on his submarine. This was also turned into a doc last year called Into the Deep. Buoyancy stars Rebecca Finch, Michael Wagner, Portia Booroff, and Simon Rhys-Jones. Alas, this film looks super cheesy with so many elements of the story excessively exaggerated. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Roel Leijten's Buoyancy, direct from YouTube: When an overly ambitious student (Rebecca Finch) gets invited for a submarine journey by an eccentric entrepreneur,...
- 2/18/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Neil Young has sold 50 percent of the worldwide copyright and income interests in his 1,180 song catalogue to Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, the U.K. investment firm founded by manager-turned-investor Merck Mercuriadis. The move comes days after Hipgnosis, which has spent the last year snapping up music catalogs left and right, announced it had acquired 100% of Lindsey Buckingham’s publishings rights as well as Jimmy Iovine’s producing royalties.
“I bought my first Neil Young album aged seven,” Mercuriadis said in a statement. “Harvest was my companion and I know every note,...
“I bought my first Neil Young album aged seven,” Mercuriadis said in a statement. “Harvest was my companion and I know every note,...
- 1/6/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Five top film documentary directors will reveal details behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with key 2021 guild and Oscar contenders this month. Each person will participate in two video discussions to be published on Tuesday, January 12, at 5:00 p.m. Pt; 8:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Joyce Eng and a group chat with Joyce and all of the group together.
RSVP today to this specific event by clicking here to book your reservation. Or click here to RSVP for our entire ongoing panel series. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2021 guild and Oscar contenders:
“Disclosure” (Netflix): Sam Feder
Feder’s career has included “Kate Bornstein is a Queer and Pleasant Danger,” “House Devil, Street Angel” and “Boy I Am.
RSVP today to this specific event by clicking here to book your reservation. Or click here to RSVP for our entire ongoing panel series. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2021 guild and Oscar contenders:
“Disclosure” (Netflix): Sam Feder
Feder’s career has included “Kate Bornstein is a Queer and Pleasant Danger,” “House Devil, Street Angel” and “Boy I Am.
- 1/5/2021
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The Luang Prabang Film Festival, a Laos-based boutique event showcasing emerging cinematic voices from Southeast Asia, has unveiled an ambitious lineup despite being forced to shift its activities entirely online in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, will screen 24 features and 10 shorts, including the critically acclaimed human trafficking thriller Buoyancy and Thai drama Manta Ray, about the plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The festival runs Dec. 4-Dec. 10.
Regular Luang Prabang festival attendees will no doubt be missing the event’s unique atmospherics this year — held in the Unesco World ...
The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, will screen 24 features and 10 shorts, including the critically acclaimed human trafficking thriller Buoyancy and Thai drama Manta Ray, about the plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The festival runs Dec. 4-Dec. 10.
Regular Luang Prabang festival attendees will no doubt be missing the event’s unique atmospherics this year — held in the Unesco World ...
- 11/25/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Luang Prabang Film Festival, a Laos-based boutique event showcasing emerging cinematic voices from Southeast Asia, has unveiled an ambitious lineup despite being forced to shift its activities entirely online in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, will screen 24 features and 10 shorts, including the critically acclaimed human trafficking thriller Buoyancy and Thai drama Manta Ray, about the plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The festival runs Dec. 4-Dec. 10.
Regular Luang Prabang festival attendees will no doubt be missing the event’s unique atmospherics this year — held in the Unesco World ...
The festival, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, will screen 24 features and 10 shorts, including the critically acclaimed human trafficking thriller Buoyancy and Thai drama Manta Ray, about the plight of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The festival runs Dec. 4-Dec. 10.
Regular Luang Prabang festival attendees will no doubt be missing the event’s unique atmospherics this year — held in the Unesco World ...
- 11/25/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Laos-based Luang Prabang Film Festival has set out a selection that focuses strongly on films from South East Asia, or were made in or about the region. Now entering its tenth edition, the independent festival will be held fully online this year and run Dec. 4-10, 2020.
All films will be screened free of charge, with streaming access opened to viewers in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The lineup of 24 feature films and 10 shorts includes “Buoyancy,” a Cambodia-Australia fictionalized account of the human trafficking in the region’s commercial fishing industry, and mystical Thai film “Manta Ray” which touches on the Rohinga problem, identity and displacement.
The festival also gives Indonesian animated documentary “kOsOng” its Southeast Asian premiere. The film follows five women from Java and the pressures and revelations they face in living a childless life. Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season” drama...
All films will be screened free of charge, with streaming access opened to viewers in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The lineup of 24 feature films and 10 shorts includes “Buoyancy,” a Cambodia-Australia fictionalized account of the human trafficking in the region’s commercial fishing industry, and mystical Thai film “Manta Ray” which touches on the Rohinga problem, identity and displacement.
The festival also gives Indonesian animated documentary “kOsOng” its Southeast Asian premiere. The film follows five women from Java and the pressures and revelations they face in living a childless life. Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season” drama...
- 11/25/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Scorsese In Stockholm
Martin Scorsese made an appearance at Sweden’s Stockholm International Film Festival this weekend to receive the event’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented with the prize remotely due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, the filmmaker said that he had always had a “real love” for the country’s films. “I want to thank the Stockholm International Film Festival for this because the Swedish cinema has been such an extraordinary factor in world cinema going back to the silent period and until today. And it continues with wonderful filmmakers, restorations that keeps coming out from the 1930s and 40s so it’s quite extraordinary and I’ve always felt more than a connection, a real love for the Swedish cinema and the Swedish filmmakers. So this is very special to me. I thank you so much and as I say maybe one day I can finally get there,” he said.
Martin Scorsese made an appearance at Sweden’s Stockholm International Film Festival this weekend to receive the event’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented with the prize remotely due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, the filmmaker said that he had always had a “real love” for the country’s films. “I want to thank the Stockholm International Film Festival for this because the Swedish cinema has been such an extraordinary factor in world cinema going back to the silent period and until today. And it continues with wonderful filmmakers, restorations that keeps coming out from the 1930s and 40s so it’s quite extraordinary and I’ve always felt more than a connection, a real love for the Swedish cinema and the Swedish filmmakers. So this is very special to me. I thank you so much and as I say maybe one day I can finally get there,” he said.
- 11/23/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Helen Garner.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington plan to turn Helen Garner’s novel The Spare Room, a drama about a woman who cares for her cancer-stricken friend, into a feature film.
Eamon Flack, the artistic director of Sydney’s Belvoir, will make his screen directing debut on the project.
Published in 2008, the novel follows the relationship between two women, Nicola, who has advanced bowel cancer, and her friend Helen.
When Sydney-based Nicola goes to Melbourne for the treatment she hopes will cure her, Helen becomes her nurse, protector, guardian angel and judge.
Garner’s literary agent sent the tome to Waddington in 2009 when he was raising the finance for Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm and he has wanted to turn it into a film ever since.
Last year the producers met the author and optioned the screen rights. “We are both enormously encouraged that...
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington plan to turn Helen Garner’s novel The Spare Room, a drama about a woman who cares for her cancer-stricken friend, into a feature film.
Eamon Flack, the artistic director of Sydney’s Belvoir, will make his screen directing debut on the project.
Published in 2008, the novel follows the relationship between two women, Nicola, who has advanced bowel cancer, and her friend Helen.
When Sydney-based Nicola goes to Melbourne for the treatment she hopes will cure her, Helen becomes her nurse, protector, guardian angel and judge.
Garner’s literary agent sent the tome to Waddington in 2009 when he was raising the finance for Fred Schepisi’s The Eye of the Storm and he has wanted to turn it into a film ever since.
Last year the producers met the author and optioned the screen rights. “We are both enormously encouraged that...
- 10/27/2020
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Notorious B.I.G. is the only solo male artist being inducted into the delayed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony next month. In fact, he is the only solo male to be chosen for the past three induction ceremonies. This astounding fact follows several years of voters catching up on such artists as Neil Diamond (2011), Donovan (2012), Randy Newman (2013), Peter Gabriel (2014), Cat Stevens (2014), Lou Reed (2015), Bill Withers (2015), Steve Miller (2016), Nile Rodgers (2017) and Tupac Shakur (2017) with none for 2018 and 2019.
It’s not for a lack of choices, however. Our new poll below offers 12 male artists who have been ignored for years despite being eligible for induction. Vote for the one man you feel most deserves to be selected for the 2021 ceremony.
We also recently offered very popular polls about which rock group you wanted next (won by The Go-Go’s) and which female artist you would choose (won by...
It’s not for a lack of choices, however. Our new poll below offers 12 male artists who have been ignored for years despite being eligible for induction. Vote for the one man you feel most deserves to be selected for the 2021 ceremony.
We also recently offered very popular polls about which rock group you wanted next (won by The Go-Go’s) and which female artist you would choose (won by...
- 10/13/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Jimi Hendrix rips through “Foxey Lady” in a new clip from the upcoming documentary, Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix in Maui, set to arrive November 20th.
The film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1970 trip to Hawaii, which coincided with the filming of the infamous hippie film flop, Rainbow Bridge, produced by the Experience’s manager, Michael Jeffrey. The Experience was already set to play a show in Honolulu during the trip, but because Rainbow Bridge director Chuck Wein wanted to feature Hendrix in the movie, he cooked up a...
The film chronicles the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1970 trip to Hawaii, which coincided with the filming of the infamous hippie film flop, Rainbow Bridge, produced by the Experience’s manager, Michael Jeffrey. The Experience was already set to play a show in Honolulu during the trip, but because Rainbow Bridge director Chuck Wein wanted to feature Hendrix in the movie, he cooked up a...
- 10/2/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The Ott screen is the new cinema hall -- at least for now till cinemas remain shut. So, when it comes to original film releases, streaming platforms are going all out with fresh options in the festive months.
While the influx of direct-to-ott film releases continues, Ott platforms have also lined up own original films. Here's the content you can look forward over the next few months.
Tribhanga
Kajol enters the digital space with the film, which is a Mumbai-set drama for global streaming giant, Netflix. The film will weave a complex story of a family while going back and forth through three generations, from the late 1980s to present day. The film, directed and written by veteran actress Renuka Shahane, also stars Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar. Release date is yet to be announced.
Ak Vs Ak
Featuring Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, it is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.
While the influx of direct-to-ott film releases continues, Ott platforms have also lined up own original films. Here's the content you can look forward over the next few months.
Tribhanga
Kajol enters the digital space with the film, which is a Mumbai-set drama for global streaming giant, Netflix. The film will weave a complex story of a family while going back and forth through three generations, from the late 1980s to present day. The film, directed and written by veteran actress Renuka Shahane, also stars Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar. Release date is yet to be announced.
Ak Vs Ak
Featuring Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, it is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.
- 9/22/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Sales agent Luxbox has closed deals for multiple European territories on Sharunas Bartas’s Cannes official selection “In The Dusk,” which will have its world premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival Sept. 22. (Check out an exclusive clip from the film above)
Vitrine has acquired the film for Spain, while HBO Europe has taken rights for Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Set in Lithuania in 1948 after the conclusion of World War 2, the film follows a 19-year-old who is a member of the Partisan movement resisting Soviet occupation. Discovering violence and treachery at a young age, the lines blur between the passion of his youth and the cause for which he is fighting.
The cast includes Arvydas Dapsys, Marius Povilas, Elijas Martinenko, Alina Zaliukaite-Ramanauskiene, Valdas Virgailis and Vita Siauciunaite.
Describing the relevance of the film in today’s world,...
Vitrine has acquired the film for Spain, while HBO Europe has taken rights for Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Set in Lithuania in 1948 after the conclusion of World War 2, the film follows a 19-year-old who is a member of the Partisan movement resisting Soviet occupation. Discovering violence and treachery at a young age, the lines blur between the passion of his youth and the cause for which he is fighting.
The cast includes Arvydas Dapsys, Marius Povilas, Elijas Martinenko, Alina Zaliukaite-Ramanauskiene, Valdas Virgailis and Vita Siauciunaite.
Describing the relevance of the film in today’s world,...
- 9/16/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The origin of the drama Buoyancy can be traced back to when Australian filmmaker Rodd Rathjen came across an article a few years ago about Cambodian workers and their life on a Thai fishing trawler. He became riveted by the unbelievable story and upon more research, he said in a statement: “The scale of modern slavery and exploitation in Thailand is vast and hard to grasp.”
Written and directed by Rathjen, Buoyancy follows a spirited Cambodian teenager Chakra (Sarm Heng) who works the rice fields with his family but is looking for independence. He seeks the help of a local broker who said that they can get him paid work in a Thai factory. He heads to Thailand in hopes to find his fortuitous independence but when he gets there, he and his newfound friend Kea (Mony Ros), discover they’ve been duped. Along with other Cambodians and Burmese, they...
Written and directed by Rathjen, Buoyancy follows a spirited Cambodian teenager Chakra (Sarm Heng) who works the rice fields with his family but is looking for independence. He seeks the help of a local broker who said that they can get him paid work in a Thai factory. He heads to Thailand in hopes to find his fortuitous independence but when he gets there, he and his newfound friend Kea (Mony Ros), discover they’ve been duped. Along with other Cambodians and Burmese, they...
- 9/11/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Buoyancy Kino Lorber Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Rodd Rathjien Writer: Rodd Rathjien Cast: Sarm Heng, Thanawut Kasro, Mony Ros, Saichia Wongwirot, Yothin Udomsanti, Chan Visal Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 9/2/20 Opens: September 11, 2020 Watching this movie, I couldn’t help thinking of the line from […]
The post Buoyancy Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Buoyancy Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/6/2020
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Behrouz Boochani (R) (Photo credit: David Collins).
Director Rodd Rathjen showed his mettle in his debut feature, human trafficking saga Buoyancy, so he is an obvious choice to direct an asylum seeker drama based on the harrowing experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani.
Rathjen will collaborate with Boochani, who will serve as story consultant and associate producer, on No Friend But The Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, developed with Screen Australia’s support.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington, who optioned Boochani’s 2018 novel, are producing with Hoodlum Entertainment and Sweetshop & Green’s Sharlene George and Gal Greenspan.
The project will be pitched at the Toronto International Film Festival’s International Financing Forum (TIFF) this month.
Boochani fled Iran in 2012 after the newspaper he co-founded was raided by the Iranian government. He attempted to travel to Australia by boat from Indonesia but the vessel was intercepted and he ended up on Manus Island,...
Director Rodd Rathjen showed his mettle in his debut feature, human trafficking saga Buoyancy, so he is an obvious choice to direct an asylum seeker drama based on the harrowing experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani.
Rathjen will collaborate with Boochani, who will serve as story consultant and associate producer, on No Friend But The Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, developed with Screen Australia’s support.
Aurora Films’ Ákos Armont and Antony Waddington, who optioned Boochani’s 2018 novel, are producing with Hoodlum Entertainment and Sweetshop & Green’s Sharlene George and Gal Greenspan.
The project will be pitched at the Toronto International Film Festival’s International Financing Forum (TIFF) this month.
Boochani fled Iran in 2012 after the newspaper he co-founded was raided by the Iranian government. He attempted to travel to Australia by boat from Indonesia but the vessel was intercepted and he ended up on Manus Island,...
- 9/1/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Story based on experiences of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani on Australia’s notorious Manus Island asylum seeker camp.
Australian director Rodd Rathjen has signed to direct the upcoming feature adaptation of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning book No Friend But The Mountains: Writing From Manus Prison.
The production was announced on Tuesday (Sept 1) as one of the projects selected for the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff), which is due to run September 13-14 in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Rathjen garnered critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature Buoyancy, which explored the topic of human-trafficking...
Australian director Rodd Rathjen has signed to direct the upcoming feature adaptation of Kurdish-Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning book No Friend But The Mountains: Writing From Manus Prison.
The production was announced on Tuesday (Sept 1) as one of the projects selected for the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff), which is due to run September 13-14 in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Rathjen garnered critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature Buoyancy, which explored the topic of human-trafficking...
- 9/1/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Roster of participants includes 44 female producers out of 73 in total.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
The latest projects from producers of French Exit and The Babadook are among the roster at the virtual 15th Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) set to run from September 13-14.
The co-financing and co-production market takes place in association with Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and serves international and Canadian producers developing mostly English-language projects.
The two-day schedule includes networking opportunities for producers with international sales agents, financiers, distributors, agents, and executive producers, as well as an exclusive state-of-the-industry panel discussion, producer drop-in sessions, and access to a TIFF case study on co-productions.
- 9/1/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
“The Prey” takes the classic “The Most Dangerous Game” scenario for a spin in the Cambodian jungle. Centered on a wrongly jailed cop being stalked by cashed-up creeps who get their kicks by hunting humans, this survival thriller doesn’t bring anything significantly new to the table but the frequency and quality of its gunplay and martial arts combat should keep most action fans happy. Directed, edited and co-written by Italian expat Jimmy Henderson, whose 2017 prison smackdown “Jailbreak” marked him as a talent to watch and was snapped up by Netflix, “The Prey” debuted at the Busan Film Fetival in 2018 and will open in select North American virtual cinemas on Aug. 21. VOD streaming commences on August 25.
Trumpeted as Cambodia’s first million-dollar action movie, “The Prey” can’t match “Jailbreak” for sheer excitement but does suggest that with more original and ambitious material Henderson could become a real force in Asian genre cinema.
Trumpeted as Cambodia’s first million-dollar action movie, “The Prey” can’t match “Jailbreak” for sheer excitement but does suggest that with more original and ambitious material Henderson could become a real force in Asian genre cinema.
- 8/19/2020
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
"When will our debt be paid?" Kino Lorber has released an official US trailer for an acclaimed indie thriller titled Buoyancy, marking the feature directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Rodd Rathjen. This was Australia's submission to the Academy Awards for 2019, after premiering at the Berlin Film Festival earlier in the year. Buoyancy tells the story of 14-year-old Cambodian boy named Chakra who is sold as a slave laborer to the captain of a Thai fishing vessel. The captain's rule is cruel and arbitrary, and eventually he realizes the only way to truly survive is to fight back. "This story of a Cambodian teenager sold into forced labor on a Thai fishing boat is a passionate testimony against social injustice and a moving coming-of-age tale about a boy whose humanity is put to the test." The film stars Sarm Heng as Chakra, with Thanawut Ketsaro, Mony Ros, Saichia Wongwirot, Yothin Udomsanti,...
- 8/14/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Neil Young is still months away from releasing Homegrown — the legendary lost LP he shelved in 1975 and recently decided to resurrect — but he’s already plotting out his next archival releases. The newest one to enter the picture is a hodgepodge of work he recorded with Crazy Horse in 1986 and a short-lived band he assembled for a 1989 Saturday Night Live appearance. He’s calling it Road of Plenty and is eyeing 2021 release.
The title track is an early version of “Eldorado” from 1989’s Freedom. Young first attempted it during a...
The title track is an early version of “Eldorado” from 1989’s Freedom. Young first attempted it during a...
- 4/24/2020
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
This post is sponsored by Tor Books.
The publication of John Scalzi’s The Last Emperox doesn’t just conclude the Interdependency series (which began with 2017’s The Collapsing Empire and continued with 2018’s The Consuming Fire), it also marks the completion of the first trilogy of the landmark deal that Scalzi signed with Tor Books in 2015: 13 books over a decade, for $3.4 million.
The space opera series, set 1,500 years in the future and far from Earth, takes place within an Interdependency of planetary systems linked by the extradimensional, river-like Flow. But when the Flow threatens to disappear and isolate these systems from one another, it’s up to Emperox Grayland II (a.k.a. Cardenia Wu-Patrick), scientist Marce Claremont, and guild merchant Kiva Lagos to convince the Interdependency to get past their denial to acknowledge the threat and figure out how to reform their entire culture… all while fending...
The publication of John Scalzi’s The Last Emperox doesn’t just conclude the Interdependency series (which began with 2017’s The Collapsing Empire and continued with 2018’s The Consuming Fire), it also marks the completion of the first trilogy of the landmark deal that Scalzi signed with Tor Books in 2015: 13 books over a decade, for $3.4 million.
The space opera series, set 1,500 years in the future and far from Earth, takes place within an Interdependency of planetary systems linked by the extradimensional, river-like Flow. But when the Flow threatens to disappear and isolate these systems from one another, it’s up to Emperox Grayland II (a.k.a. Cardenia Wu-Patrick), scientist Marce Claremont, and guild merchant Kiva Lagos to convince the Interdependency to get past their denial to acknowledge the threat and figure out how to reform their entire culture… all while fending...
- 4/14/2020
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
Cambodia’S Largest International Cultural Event Celebrates 10 Years!
The 10th Ciff presents film from 44 countries through a selection of 157 films, including short and feature films, documentaries, and animation.
From March 13 to 22nd, Ciff offers 150+ screenings in all major cinemas of Phnom Penh; venues included this year are Legend Cinemas, Major Cineplex, Bophana Center, Chaktomuk Theater, Rosewood Hotel & The Ciff Village @ Echange Square.
Ciff Is Possible Thanks to all partners and industry supporters and we are glad to announce Cellcard as Presenting Partner of the Festival.
Opening Ceremony On March 13th will host Cellcard’s Ambassador Suzanna Reth.
Cambodian Cinema – Films made-in and About Cambodia
Buoyancy
– Stories In Cambodia includes fictions related to Cambodia including the recent feature films shot in the Kingdom such as Buoyancy (multi Awarded Film in Festivals around the word) dealing with the topic of human trafficking in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Also The Clock: Spirits Awakening...
The 10th Ciff presents film from 44 countries through a selection of 157 films, including short and feature films, documentaries, and animation.
From March 13 to 22nd, Ciff offers 150+ screenings in all major cinemas of Phnom Penh; venues included this year are Legend Cinemas, Major Cineplex, Bophana Center, Chaktomuk Theater, Rosewood Hotel & The Ciff Village @ Echange Square.
Ciff Is Possible Thanks to all partners and industry supporters and we are glad to announce Cellcard as Presenting Partner of the Festival.
Opening Ceremony On March 13th will host Cellcard’s Ambassador Suzanna Reth.
Cambodian Cinema – Films made-in and About Cambodia
Buoyancy
– Stories In Cambodia includes fictions related to Cambodia including the recent feature films shot in the Kingdom such as Buoyancy (multi Awarded Film in Festivals around the word) dealing with the topic of human trafficking in Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Also The Clock: Spirits Awakening...
- 3/12/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Madrid — Beta Film has acquired international distribution rights to “Libertad,” the newly-titled banner Movistar Plus series, which encapsulates many of the original series production ambitions of Telefonica’s pay TV/Svod service.
According to Fran Araujo, head of content for Movistar Plus, “Beta is there for all our series from the beginning, nowadays, we’ve got a really extensive deal with them.”
Producers Lazona Productions, Spanish director Enrique Urbizu and Movistar have finalized production on “Libertad” and will begin post-production. Urbizu has previously directed “Gigantes,” another original series for Movistar Plus produced by Lazona.
In high-profile series like “Hierro,” “La Unidad” and “Antidisturbios,” women hold center stage in Movistar Plus series, and “Libertad” is no different.
Set in the 19th century, the series tracks a mother and her son following their release after spending the first seventeen years of the boy’s life in prison together. Having been granted their freedom,...
According to Fran Araujo, head of content for Movistar Plus, “Beta is there for all our series from the beginning, nowadays, we’ve got a really extensive deal with them.”
Producers Lazona Productions, Spanish director Enrique Urbizu and Movistar have finalized production on “Libertad” and will begin post-production. Urbizu has previously directed “Gigantes,” another original series for Movistar Plus produced by Lazona.
In high-profile series like “Hierro,” “La Unidad” and “Antidisturbios,” women hold center stage in Movistar Plus series, and “Libertad” is no different.
Set in the 19th century, the series tracks a mother and her son following their release after spending the first seventeen years of the boy’s life in prison together. Having been granted their freedom,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Pablo Sandoval
- Variety Film + TV
Afca Awards host Adam Ross.
Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale dominated the Australian Film Critics Association’s annual awards, winning all eight prizes for local narrative features, while The Australian Dream was named best documentary.
The 1825 revenge drama produced by Kristina Ceyton, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Kent was voted best film, shading fellow nominees Buoyancy, Hotel Mumbai, Judy and Punch and The King.
King took the director and screenplay awards and Aisling Franciosi was named best actress, mirroring the film’s success at the Aacta Awards.
The other accolades went to Baykali Ganambarr (best actor), Sam Claflin (supporting actor), Magnolia Maymuru (supporting actress) and Radek Ladczuk (cinematography).
The win for Daniel Gordon’s The Australian Dream, produced by Good Thing Productions’ Nick Batzias and Virginia Whitwell and Passion Pictures’ John Battsek, followed its Aacta award.
In the international categories Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman was judged best English language film,...
Jennifer Kent’s The Nightingale dominated the Australian Film Critics Association’s annual awards, winning all eight prizes for local narrative features, while The Australian Dream was named best documentary.
The 1825 revenge drama produced by Kristina Ceyton, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Kent was voted best film, shading fellow nominees Buoyancy, Hotel Mumbai, Judy and Punch and The King.
King took the director and screenplay awards and Aisling Franciosi was named best actress, mirroring the film’s success at the Aacta Awards.
The other accolades went to Baykali Ganambarr (best actor), Sam Claflin (supporting actor), Magnolia Maymuru (supporting actress) and Radek Ladczuk (cinematography).
The win for Daniel Gordon’s The Australian Dream, produced by Good Thing Productions’ Nick Batzias and Virginia Whitwell and Passion Pictures’ John Battsek, followed its Aacta award.
In the international categories Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman was judged best English language film,...
- 2/9/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
“A Handwritten Sign That Says: ‘Fearless, Revolutionary, Optimism'”: Fernando Villena | Giving Voice
Whether capturing or creating a world, the objects onscreen tell as much of a story as the people within it. Whether sourced or accidental, insert shot or background detail, what prop or piece of set decoration do you find particularly integral to your film? What story does it tell? The object that stands out the most for me is a sign that one of our students featured in the documentary, Freedom Martin, had taped up on his wall. It’s a handwritten sign that says: “Fearless, Revolutionary, Optimism.” Freedom goes on to explain that it’s a quote from Stephen McKinley Henderson’s […]...
- 1/26/2020
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“A Handwritten Sign That Says: ‘Fearless, Revolutionary, Optimism'”: Fernando Villena | Giving Voice
Whether capturing or creating a world, the objects onscreen tell as much of a story as the people within it. Whether sourced or accidental, insert shot or background detail, what prop or piece of set decoration do you find particularly integral to your film? What story does it tell? The object that stands out the most for me is a sign that one of our students featured in the documentary, Freedom Martin, had taped up on his wall. It’s a handwritten sign that says: “Fearless, Revolutionary, Optimism.” Freedom goes on to explain that it’s a quote from Stephen McKinley Henderson’s […]...
- 1/26/2020
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
If “Crip Camp” strikes you as a politically incorrect name for a movie about a summer camp where kids on crutches, in wheelchairs, and otherwise living with disabilities found it possible to feel included rather than ostracized, consider this: The irreverent, stereotype-busting documentary was co-directed by Berkeley-based sound designer Jim LeBrecht, a spina bifida survivor who attended Camp Jened (as the institution was really called) in the early ’70s, and who sees the place as a source of empowerment for a generation who went on to lead the disabled rights crusade in the decades to follow.
As the first competition entry to screen at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival — and the second to be supported by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production deal with Netflix — this raucous doc is bound to get attention, and also makes a nice complement to “American Factory” in showing the range of projects the...
As the first competition entry to screen at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival — and the second to be supported by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production deal with Netflix — this raucous doc is bound to get attention, and also makes a nice complement to “American Factory” in showing the range of projects the...
- 1/24/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
“Buoyancy,” the Australian-made story that has gathered momentum as a powerhouse depiction of human trafficking, is set to be released in North American theaters. Rights were acquired by specialty distributor Kino Lorber, which will give it a cinema opening in Spring 2020 ahead of video on demand and home video outings.
The rights sale was handled by Paris-based sales agent Charades.
The film portrays the desperate journey of two Cambodian teenagers who are unwittingly signed up to join Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet. There the labor is forced, and the trawlers only rarely return to port.
“Buoyancy” had its premiere nearly a year ago as part of the Berlin film festival, and has since played at the Mumbai, Melbourne and Macao festivals. It has picked up multiple accolades including the best youth feature prize from the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
It was directed by documentary maker Rodd Rathjen as his first feature-length fiction film.
The rights sale was handled by Paris-based sales agent Charades.
The film portrays the desperate journey of two Cambodian teenagers who are unwittingly signed up to join Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet. There the labor is forced, and the trawlers only rarely return to port.
“Buoyancy” had its premiere nearly a year ago as part of the Berlin film festival, and has since played at the Mumbai, Melbourne and Macao festivals. It has picked up multiple accolades including the best youth feature prize from the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
It was directed by documentary maker Rodd Rathjen as his first feature-length fiction film.
- 1/16/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Distributors has acquired last two Golden Bear winners.
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to Australian director Rodd Rathjen’s trafficking and slavery drama Buoyancy, which premiered at the Berlinale last year.
Buoyancy won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as an Amnesty International nomination in Germany and was Australia’s official Oscar submission.
The feature directorial debut tells the story of a 14-year-old Cambodian rural worked who gets sold to a psychopathic Thai fishing captain. Sarm Heng and Thanawut Kasro star.
Screen described Buoyancy as a “brutal, powerful drama” that “draws upon true tales and...
Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to Australian director Rodd Rathjen’s trafficking and slavery drama Buoyancy, which premiered at the Berlinale last year.
Buoyancy won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as an Amnesty International nomination in Germany and was Australia’s official Oscar submission.
The feature directorial debut tells the story of a 14-year-old Cambodian rural worked who gets sold to a psychopathic Thai fishing captain. Sarm Heng and Thanawut Kasro star.
Screen described Buoyancy as a “brutal, powerful drama” that “draws upon true tales and...
- 1/15/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie in Bombshell.
Margot Robbie’s performance as Kayla Pospisil, an associate producer at Fox News, in Bombshell has been nominated for the Academy Award for best supporting actress – her second nod after I,Tonya last year.
Charlize Theron is up for best lead actress for Bombshell but her co-star Nicole Kidman missed out. Another notable omission is Australian film editor Lee Smith, whose exceptional work on Sam Mendes’ 1917 was overlooked; Smith won last year for Dunkirk.
As Deadline commented: “But seriously, nothing for editing and Lee Smith for a harrowing film that appeared as one continuous shot? Seriously?”
Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Australia’s submission for best international film, didn’t make the cut. The nominees in that category are Jan Komasa’s Corpus Christi (Poland), Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s Honeyland (North Macedonia), Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables (France), Pedro Almodóvar...
Margot Robbie’s performance as Kayla Pospisil, an associate producer at Fox News, in Bombshell has been nominated for the Academy Award for best supporting actress – her second nod after I,Tonya last year.
Charlize Theron is up for best lead actress for Bombshell but her co-star Nicole Kidman missed out. Another notable omission is Australian film editor Lee Smith, whose exceptional work on Sam Mendes’ 1917 was overlooked; Smith won last year for Dunkirk.
As Deadline commented: “But seriously, nothing for editing and Lee Smith for a harrowing film that appeared as one continuous shot? Seriously?”
Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy, Australia’s submission for best international film, didn’t make the cut. The nominees in that category are Jan Komasa’s Corpus Christi (Poland), Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov’s Honeyland (North Macedonia), Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables (France), Pedro Almodóvar...
- 1/13/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Fyzal Boulifa’s Lynn + Lucy, Hamish Bennett’s Bellbird and Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy were also among the winners at the Asian gathering. Us-based Russian writer-director Kirill Mikhanovsky’s feature Give Me Liberty has emerged as the big winner of the Best Film Award at the fourth International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao (Iffam). Headed up by Iffam artistic director Mike Goodridge, the festival ran from 5-10 December and wrapped with the awards ceremony held at the Macao Cultural Centre. The Official Competition jury, chaired by Chinese director-producer-screenwriter Peter Chan Ho-sun, and comprising president and CEO of Vrega Ellen Eliasoph, Indonesian actress Dian Sastrowardoyo, Myanma director Midi Z and British actor Tom Cullen, handed the $60,000 award to Give Me Liberty, saying about their decision: “This is a farcical and poignant portrait of a day in the life of America’s challenged and disenfranchised. The film starts with hilarious, inexhaustible energy, and then weaves.
- 12/11/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
The 2019 International Film Festival & Awards Macao (Iffam) closed yesterday (December 4) with an awards ceremony that saw Kirill Mikhanovsky’s English/Russian-language comedy Give Me Liberty named best film in the international competition. A jury presided over by Chinese filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun awarded its best director prize to Fyzal Boulifa for his debut feature Lynn + Lucy, and the best screenplay prize to Hamish Bennett for Bellbird. The acting awards went to Sarm Heng for Bouyancy and Roxanne Scrimshaw for Lynn + Lucy. Finally, the Macao Audience Choice Award also went to Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy. In the New Chinese Cinema competition, which was presided over by Cristian Mungiu, Xiaogang Gu’s Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains was named best new Chinese-language film of the year. Best director went to Anthony Chen for Wet Season, best screenplay went to Johnny Ma for To Live To Sing, and the acting awards went to...
- 12/11/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears’.
Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, the feature film spin-off Every Cloud Productions’ series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and writer-director Michael Bentham’s indie Disclosure, will both make their world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January.
Each will screen as part of the World Cinema Now section, alongside other Australian films, Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth and Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch. Samuel Van Grinsven’s Sequin in a Blue Room will screen as part of Queer Cinema Today & the GayLA, and as Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy will also screen alongside the other 51 submissions for the Oscar from around the world.
‘Disclosure’.
Directed by the series’ set up director Tony Tilse from a screenplay by Deb Cox, Miss Fisher & Crypt of Tears was shot on location in Melbourne and in Morocco,...
Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, the feature film spin-off Every Cloud Productions’ series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and writer-director Michael Bentham’s indie Disclosure, will both make their world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in early January.
Each will screen as part of the World Cinema Now section, alongside other Australian films, Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth and Mirrah Foulkes’ Judy & Punch. Samuel Van Grinsven’s Sequin in a Blue Room will screen as part of Queer Cinema Today & the GayLA, and as Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy will also screen alongside the other 51 submissions for the Oscar from around the world.
‘Disclosure’.
Directed by the series’ set up director Tony Tilse from a screenplay by Deb Cox, Miss Fisher & Crypt of Tears was shot on location in Melbourne and in Morocco,...
- 12/11/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
The sobering statistic that closes Rodd Rathjen’s impressive debut “Buoyancy,” recently named Australia’s submission in the Oscars’ International Feature category, informs us that currently around 200,000 boys and men are believed to be essentially enslaved to the Thai fishing industry. Many of them have, like Rathjen’s teenage lead character, been trafficked away from home, lured by the false promise of better prospects before being tricked into a hell-or-high-water servitude from which there is no escape. That number is staggering, and that Rathjen was inspired by the accounts of real-life survivors gives the film its raw authenticity, forceful pacing and moral clarity. But this macro-mosaic effect also contributes to a certain blankness in terms of the more intimate character drama that should pump blood and emotion through the film’s veins, as though .
Here, that’s 14-year-old Chakra, who dreams of leaving his hardscrabble rice-farming life in rural Cambodia.
Here, that’s 14-year-old Chakra, who dreams of leaving his hardscrabble rice-farming life in rural Cambodia.
- 12/10/2019
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
The annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in California is always an opportunity to catch up on many of the contenders for the Best International Feature — née Best Foreign-Language — Film Academy Award. Now in its 31st edition, the festival this year has 51 of them, from favorite-to-beat “Parasite” from South Korea and Senegal’s “Atlantics,” to other films quietly making strides in the race: Czech Republic’s “The Painted Bird,” Sweden’s “And Then We Danced,” Russia’s “Beanpole,” Romania’s “The Whistlers,” North Macedonia’s documentary contender “Honeyland,” Norway’s “Out Stealing Horses,” and many more.
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 countries, including 51 premieres, from January 2-13, 2020. The Awards Buzz section includes a special jury of international film critics, who will review these films to present the Fipresci Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category.
The festival will screen 188 films from 81 countries, including 51 premieres, from January 2-13, 2020. The Awards Buzz section includes a special jury of international film critics, who will review these films to present the Fipresci Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay in this category.
- 12/10/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
One hundred eighty-eight films films from 81 countries including 51 premieres highlight the lineup for the 31st annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which kicks off January 2 with a star-studded gala that has become a must-stop during awards season for Oscar hopefuls. The festival, which runs through January 13, also is known for showcasing a large number of submissions in the Motion Picture Academy’s International Film (formerly Foreign Language) competition and will feature 51 of those entries.
The opening-night film on January 3 is the Italian farce An Almost Ordinary Summer, while the closer is director Peter Cattaneo’s heartwarming dramedy Military Wives in which Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan and Jason Flemyng lead a superb ensemble cast. The film had its world premiere at September’s Toronto International Film Festival and became an instant crowd-pleaser. Bleecker Street releases it in 2020.
Among the previously announced honorees at the January 2 gala are Antonio Banderas, Renee Zellweger,...
The opening-night film on January 3 is the Italian farce An Almost Ordinary Summer, while the closer is director Peter Cattaneo’s heartwarming dramedy Military Wives in which Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan and Jason Flemyng lead a superb ensemble cast. The film had its world premiere at September’s Toronto International Film Festival and became an instant crowd-pleaser. Bleecker Street releases it in 2020.
Among the previously announced honorees at the January 2 gala are Antonio Banderas, Renee Zellweger,...
- 12/10/2019
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Kirill Mikhanovsky’s “Give Me Liberty” and Gu Xiaogang’s “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains won the best picture prizes in the international and Chinese cinema sections on Tuesday at the International Film Festival and Awards Macau (Iffam).
“This film shouldn’t have existed because there were so many obstacles. Everything was a miracle. Us being here is an utter miracle,” said Mikhanovsky, who took the stage with his producer Alice Austen to describe the frenzy of trying to shoot their film for a quarter of their original budget.
“If someone had asked us a year ago if we’d like to show our film in Macau, we’d have said man, you’re out of your mind,” he laughed, before thanking the festival. “This is such a gathering of minds and intellects and true lovers of cinema, which is very rare. You’ve truly crafted a one-of-a-kind global event.
“This film shouldn’t have existed because there were so many obstacles. Everything was a miracle. Us being here is an utter miracle,” said Mikhanovsky, who took the stage with his producer Alice Austen to describe the frenzy of trying to shoot their film for a quarter of their original budget.
“If someone had asked us a year ago if we’d like to show our film in Macau, we’d have said man, you’re out of your mind,” he laughed, before thanking the festival. “This is such a gathering of minds and intellects and true lovers of cinema, which is very rare. You’ve truly crafted a one-of-a-kind global event.
- 12/10/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Australian Rod Rathjen’s first film as director, “Buoyancy” is a powerful dramatization of human trafficking within Thailand’s offshore fishing fleet. Shot largely in Khmer and Thai, and selected as Australia’s foreign-language Oscar contender, it may also be a role model for cultural sensitivity and activism.
The film plays this week in competition at the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Having discovered the harrowing subject in an online report, Rathjen set about interviewing survivors and escapees from the fishing fleet. Then he put together a cultural consultancy draft of the screenplay, before shooting it as authentically as possible. “We always had people who had been on the boats in the film in non-speaking roles,” Rathjen told Variety. “We could always ask while we were filming – everything from understanding the fishing process, to understanding the emotional and psychological trauma.”
Because of its subject, the film would not have been...
The film plays this week in competition at the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Having discovered the harrowing subject in an online report, Rathjen set about interviewing survivors and escapees from the fishing fleet. Then he put together a cultural consultancy draft of the screenplay, before shooting it as authentically as possible. “We always had people who had been on the boats in the film in non-speaking roles,” Rathjen told Variety. “We could always ask while we were filming – everything from understanding the fishing process, to understanding the emotional and psychological trauma.”
Because of its subject, the film would not have been...
- 12/10/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Natalie Miller.
The Australian films and feature documentaries released in cinemas this year including holdovers collectively have grossed $39.7 million.
So while the calendar year total will fall short of 2018’s $57.4 million, it should be noted Peter Rabbit was the top local title last year, grossing $26.7 million, which alone could explain the year-on-year decline. Sony Pictures is due to launch Peter Rabbit 2 next March, so that is virtually certain to be a big contributor to the 2020 revenues.
As Cinema Nova has supported almost every Australian release, If asked co-executive director Natalie Miller to assess the overall commercial and critical appeal of this year’s Oz slate.
“It’s not bad but it’s not great,” says the veteran exhibitor/distributor, who gives high marks to Ride Like a Girl, Top End Wedding, Storm Boy, Palm Beach and the feature docs 2040, Mystify: Michael Hutchence and The Australian Dream.
Among the...
The Australian films and feature documentaries released in cinemas this year including holdovers collectively have grossed $39.7 million.
So while the calendar year total will fall short of 2018’s $57.4 million, it should be noted Peter Rabbit was the top local title last year, grossing $26.7 million, which alone could explain the year-on-year decline. Sony Pictures is due to launch Peter Rabbit 2 next March, so that is virtually certain to be a big contributor to the 2020 revenues.
As Cinema Nova has supported almost every Australian release, If asked co-executive director Natalie Miller to assess the overall commercial and critical appeal of this year’s Oz slate.
“It’s not bad but it’s not great,” says the veteran exhibitor/distributor, who gives high marks to Ride Like a Girl, Top End Wedding, Storm Boy, Palm Beach and the feature docs 2040, Mystify: Michael Hutchence and The Australian Dream.
Among the...
- 12/4/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Lambs of God’.
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God was the big winner at yesterday’s Aacta Industry Luncheon, taking home seven of a potential nine awards, while Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy was named Best Indie Film.
Sweeping the afternoon, Lambs of God’s various accolades included Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy for Jeffery Walker; Best Cinematography in Television for Don McAlpine; Best Original Score in Television for Bryony Marks (one of two awards for the composer during the event); Best Production Design in Television for Chris Kennedy; Best Costume Design in Television for Xanthe Heubel; Best Sound Sound in Television for Nick Emond, Stephen Smith, Paul Devescovi and Mia Stewart; and Best Hair and Makeup for Zeljka Stanin, Paul Pattison, Cheryl Williams and Anita Howell-Lowe.
The Foxtel mini-series was beaten only out for Best Screenplay in Television, which went to Niki Aken and Matthew Cormack for The Hunting,...
Lingo Pictures’ Lambs of God was the big winner at yesterday’s Aacta Industry Luncheon, taking home seven of a potential nine awards, while Rodd Rathjen’s debut feature Buoyancy was named Best Indie Film.
Sweeping the afternoon, Lambs of God’s various accolades included Best Direction in a Television Drama or Comedy for Jeffery Walker; Best Cinematography in Television for Don McAlpine; Best Original Score in Television for Bryony Marks (one of two awards for the composer during the event); Best Production Design in Television for Chris Kennedy; Best Costume Design in Television for Xanthe Heubel; Best Sound Sound in Television for Nick Emond, Stephen Smith, Paul Devescovi and Mia Stewart; and Best Hair and Makeup for Zeljka Stanin, Paul Pattison, Cheryl Williams and Anita Howell-Lowe.
The Foxtel mini-series was beaten only out for Best Screenplay in Television, which went to Niki Aken and Matthew Cormack for The Hunting,...
- 12/3/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Buoyancy’.
Writer-director Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy won Best Youth Feature Film at last night’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) in Brisbane.
The award comes just as Rathjen returns to Australia from an Oscar campaign in The States; Buoyancy is Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings and Kristina Ceyton with Rita Walsh, Buoyancy details the story of a 14-year old Cambodian boy (Sarm Heng) who heads to Thailand search of a better life, only to find himself trafficked and enslaved on a fishing trawler.
The story of Buoyancy is inspired by real events, and informed by more than 50 interviews Rathjen conducted with people who had been trafficked onto fishing boats, as well as interviews with local communities, former ship captains and NGOs, and other research. An estimated 200,000 men and boys are thought to be in slavery and forced...
Writer-director Rodd Rathjen’s Buoyancy won Best Youth Feature Film at last night’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) in Brisbane.
The award comes just as Rathjen returns to Australia from an Oscar campaign in The States; Buoyancy is Australia’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Produced by Causeway Films’ Sam Jennings and Kristina Ceyton with Rita Walsh, Buoyancy details the story of a 14-year old Cambodian boy (Sarm Heng) who heads to Thailand search of a better life, only to find himself trafficked and enslaved on a fishing trawler.
The story of Buoyancy is inspired by real events, and informed by more than 50 interviews Rathjen conducted with people who had been trafficked onto fishing boats, as well as interviews with local communities, former ship captains and NGOs, and other research. An estimated 200,000 men and boys are thought to be in slavery and forced...
- 11/22/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Bong Joon-ho’s Korean dark comedy Parasite scooped the best film prize at the 2019 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSAs), which were held today in Brisbane, Australia. Scroll down for the full list.
The award was accepted onstage by the film’s producer Jang Young-Hwan. The film also took the Palme d’Or at Cannes back in May and is seen as a major contender for this year’s Oscars.
Parasite has been a global box office smash, taking more than $70m in its native Korea, and more than $14m in the U.S. via Neon. It follows a family who insidiously inserts itself into the lives of another, wealthier family.
Elsewhere at this year’s APSAs, Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven picked up the Jury Grand Prize, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov won Achievement in Directing for Kazakh feature A Dark-Dark Man.
Best actor went to Manoj Bajpayee for his performance in Indian film Bhonsle,...
The award was accepted onstage by the film’s producer Jang Young-Hwan. The film also took the Palme d’Or at Cannes back in May and is seen as a major contender for this year’s Oscars.
Parasite has been a global box office smash, taking more than $70m in its native Korea, and more than $14m in the U.S. via Neon. It follows a family who insidiously inserts itself into the lives of another, wealthier family.
Elsewhere at this year’s APSAs, Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven picked up the Jury Grand Prize, and Adilkhan Yerzhanov won Achievement in Directing for Kazakh feature A Dark-Dark Man.
Best actor went to Manoj Bajpayee for his performance in Indian film Bhonsle,...
- 11/21/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which earlier this year won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, on Thursday added the Asia Pacific Screen Award for best film to its burgeoning trophy cabinet. “Parasite” producer Jang Young-hwan was on hand to accept the award at the end of a ritzy ceremony in Brisbane, Australia.
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
The APSAs, now in their 13th edition, like to celebrate the diversity and artistic expression of the 70 countries in its remit, and they usually spread around the awards to avoid clustering around a single winner. So it proved again this year.
While “Parasite” predictably took the top award, Russia’s “Beanpole” was the numerical winner and the only film to claim two of the APSAs stunning glass vessel prizes. Directed by Kantemir Balagov, “Beanpole” was rewarded for best screenplay and achievement in cinematography (Ksenia Sereda).
At the nominations stage, Chinese drama “So Long, My Son...
- 11/21/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Taika Waititi’s provocative Nazi comedy “Jojo Rabbit” has been set as the opening night gala screening at the fourth edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
- 11/5/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Chinese drama “So Long, My Son” was nominated in six categories for this year’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards, an unprecedented haul that makes the Wang Xiaoshuai-directed film a clear favorite.
A drama about separation, secrets, a lifetime of regret, and the consequences of China’s one-child policy, “So Long, My Son” had its premiere in February at the Berlin festival. There it won Silver Bear prizes for both lead actor Wang Jingchun and actress Yong Mei. Both received Apsa nominations, most of which were announced Wednesday.
Those unveiled encompass 11 categories, and cover 37 films from 22 countries and territories.
China emerged as the dominant contender. Seven mainland Chinese films together earned 13 nominations, more than double the six nods for films from Iran and four for pictures from India.
Surprisingly, Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is considered a hot favorite for an Oscar nomination,...
A drama about separation, secrets, a lifetime of regret, and the consequences of China’s one-child policy, “So Long, My Son” had its premiere in February at the Berlin festival. There it won Silver Bear prizes for both lead actor Wang Jingchun and actress Yong Mei. Both received Apsa nominations, most of which were announced Wednesday.
Those unveiled encompass 11 categories, and cover 37 films from 22 countries and territories.
China emerged as the dominant contender. Seven mainland Chinese films together earned 13 nominations, more than double the six nods for films from Iran and four for pictures from India.
Surprisingly, Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and is considered a hot favorite for an Oscar nomination,...
- 10/16/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Earlier in the week, we finally learned which films would be selected by all of the countries in search of Academy Award love in Best International Feature. Not only did we get the answers to some questions regarding what each nation would pick, but we found that a record breaking 93 submissions have been made here in 2019. It’s truly the largest slate ever for voters to sift through. Talk about a good problem to have! Below you can see all of the titles in competition for the Best International Feature Oscar. Right now, only Parasite from South Korea and Pain and Glory from Spain seem like safe bets, with the former almost assured of winning the Academy Award. Aside from them? Anything goes in this category, which has potential nominees like Atlantics from Senegal, Beanpole from Russia, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind from the United Kingdom, The Chambermaid from Mexico,...
- 10/12/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
A record-breaking total of 93 countries have submitted entries to be considered for best international film nominations at the Academy Awards.
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
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.