Saturday, November 07, 2009
CALIFORNICATION & THE HANK HAIKU CONTEST
Californication, the aptly named Showtime program (new episodes on Sundays), is more edgy, more sexy and more together this year than it has been since the first season.
Last year ("coincidently" just before the season started), David Duchovny, who plays Hank Moody, was said to enter a program for sex addicts. This year, with true method acting zeal, he seems to be applying whatever experience he had directly to the story.
The program is funny, serious, sexy and well acted in Duchovny's inimitable style.
Inimitable (ie not imitatable) or not, there is a contest now to imitate -- or reinvent -- Duchovny's acting.
It turns out that many of Hank's best lines are actually Haiku.
(Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry... The English version is usually 3 phrases of 5 7 and 5 syllables. For a full description, see the article on Haiku in Wikipedia.)
For the Hank Haiku contest, go to the HankHaiku site, watch clips of Duchovny delivering Hank's Haiku lines, then make your own video version of the Haiku and upload it.
Your Haiku video may appear on the website, and more opportunities may follow. See the site for the rules and rewards.
The contest ends Nov 29.
Labels: Californication, David Duchovny, Haiku, Hank Moody
HIFF SCREENWRITERS LAB 2010
Here is an announcement from The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) about their screenwriters lab.
The announcement does not explain any special rules (whether you can submit more than one screenplay, for example) and it does not give a cutoff date. I guess the sooner the better.
Scripts are submitted through withoutabox.com
The 10th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival Screenwriters' Lab will take place April 16-18, 2010 in East Hampton, New York. Submit your script via withoutabox.com.
SCREENWRITERS' LAB
The Hamptons Writers' Lab is an intimate gathering that takes place each Spring in East Hampton (April 16 - 18, 2010). The Lab develops emerging screenwriting talent by pairing established writers with up-and-coming screenwriters (chosen by the Hamptons in collaboration with key industry contacts). The mentors advise in a one-on-one laboratory setting while additional daily events bring the participants together with board members, sponsors, the local artistic community, and other friends of the festival. The lab allows accepted screenwriters the chance to improve their script and meet with industry professionals to help find ways to get their scripts made.
Some recent mentors:
Michael Cunningham (The Hours, Evening); James Vanderbilt (Zodiac); J. Robin Baitz (People I Know, The Substance of Fire); Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco); Ira Sachs (40 Shades of Blue, This Married Life); Jeff Sharp (Producer, You Can Count on Me, Evening); Maria Maggenti (The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love); Sabrina Dhawan (Monsoon Wedding, Cosmopolitan); Gregory Widen (Highlander, Backdraft); Mark Christopher (54); Maggie Greenwald (Songcatcher, Ballad of Little Jo); Belinda Haas (Angels and Insects, Blood Oranges); Lawrence Lasker (Sneakers, War Games); Michael Weller (Ragtime, Hair, Spoils of War); Chap Taylor (Changing Lanes, National Treasure); and Dylan Kidd (Roger Dodger, P.S.) are among the writers who have served as mentors at the Screenwriters' Lab.
We seek a broad selection of screenplays addressing a wide subject matter.
Additionally, in collaboration with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's initiative in furthering the public understanding of science, we encourage you to submit screenplays that explore science, technology, mathematics, invention, and engineering in fresh and innovative ways.
Labels: Alfred P Sloan Foundation, Hamptons International Film Festival, HIFF, screenplays
i560 USED INK TANK FULL
Canon seems to have arranged that certain printers, including the i560, fail after a while with an error:
There seem to be various complex and messy procedures on the internet (though Canon's own web site is not too helpful... I'll try e-mail support) for addressing this problem; and the cost of giving it to some service center for repair is about comparable with the cost of the printer (now about $100).
So, basically, they are saying -- or designing into the product the requirement -- that the printer should be replaced every couple of years.
Sorry, but I won't replace it with another Canon... Ill try something else.
Products should live longer.
Labels: Canon, obsolescence, used ink tank full
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
NOV 3, 2009
Here's my take on the results:
Corzine lost because even though he spent a lot of money, it was on terrible ads. Spending more than your opponent only helps if your ads are any good. His attack ads were pretty convincing -- I'm worried about Christie's ethics -- but Christie's ads were very effective: they raised doubt about Corzine's accomplishments and his future plans. The trouble with Corzine's ads was that he did not address the question of what he accomplished during his term, and what he would do for NJ in another term. (He sort of did, though with little energy, at the end, but it was too little, too late.) He was almost invisible from the news. He seemed somehow tired and ready to leave office. He didn't seem to care about what he had done and what he would do. There was no energy in his campaign.
Bloomberg's narrow win was a surprise, considering how much he spent, on really excellent ads. Voters seem to be tired of incumbents, and perhaps were offended by his run for a third term. If there is one thing term limits should do, it is to prevent an incumbent from changing the rules. (If the person in office can change the rules on running again, then there are no rules against running again; term limits that can be removed in favor of an incumbent are a joke, an insult to previous office holders, and not, obviously, term limits at all.) Bloomberg supported term limits in the past. Voters do not like hypocrisy -- in this case Bloomberg now supporting the end of term limits when it applies to him.
The victory of the Democrat in the 23rd (NY) -- the first time, by the way, a Democrat has held that seat since the 1890s! -- indicates the problems moderate Republicans have in their own party. The Conservative was able to bump the moderate off the race in the secondary. (He did not win the primary, so if he was able to bump the other candidate after the primary, we should call it a victory in the secondary.) Democrats, moderate Republicans, and others should remember that the Conservative strategy has been for many years that it is more important to strengthen the Conservative base for a future win, than to allow moderate Republicans to win an election and strengthen their base.
The old aphorisms are: All politics is local. And, "It's the economy, stupid."
Here are some newer aphorisms.
- Some politics is local.
- It's the economy, stupid.
- Most politics is economic.
- Incumbents need a strong economy.
- Republicans spend and borrow; they spend mostly on behalf of the rich.
- Democrats try to serve the entire population; they sometimes have to tax to pay for what Republicans borrowed.
- Conservatives can be more interested in capturing the Republican party than whether a Democrat wins a particular election.
- The presentation of high energy and the ability to inspire confidence is a great campaign strategy.
- Moral issues make great sound bites, but gather few votes.
- Moral issues generate votes even on off years; not that many votes, but "moral voters" vote consistently and dependably in most elections.
- The possible exception, and most important moral issue, however, is anti-hypocrisy; voters will flee from incumbents viewed as hypocritical.
- Defense issues are unimportant in local races, important in national races, but it's the economy, stupid.
Labels: attack ads, Bloomberg, campaign strategy, Christie, Conservatives, Corzine, Democrats, Election strategies, Republicans
Thursday, October 29, 2009
THE HOUSE AND SENATE HEALTH CARE BILLS
After a matter is investigated in Congressional Committees, eventually
(a) A bill comes to the floor of the House and another comes to the floor of the Senate.
(b) These bills may be amended.
(c) If they are passed in each house of Congress, a Committee consisting of members of both houses creates a single bill using elements of the two separate bills from the two houses.
(d) This final, single, "compromise" bill must then be passed by each house.
(e) After the bill is passed, it must be signed by the President, and then becomes law.
The current bills from the House of Representatives and the Senate are now being amended before coming to a vote in each house. (We are just at step (a)).
Here is the text of the two HEALTH CARE bills. They are very long and complex pieces of legislation:
HOUSE BILL as of October 29, 2009 (1018 pages)
http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
SENATE BILL as of July 15, 2009 (615 pages)
http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf
Labels: Congress, HEALTH CARE BILL, House of Representatives, Senate
FAR, FAR AWAY & LONG, LONG AGO
At 3:55 a.m. EDT on April 23, a NASA satellite ("Swift") detected a gamma ray emission from an object believed to be about 13 billion light years from Earth. The event is believed to have taken place about 600 million years after the Big Bang when the universe was created.
Light takes 13 billion years to go 13 billion light years. If the object was 13 billion light years away from Earth when it exploded, it had to have travelled those 13 billion light years since the Big Bang (when "Earth" and the object, and everything else were all together in one tiny little space): that is, the object travelled 13 billion light years away from "Earth"in only 600 million years.
To get 13 billion light years away from "Earth" travelling at the speed of light would take 13 billion years, not 600 million years.
Either
a -- it was (way!) closer to "Earth" when it omitted the gamma ray pulse than 13 billion light years (ie distance estimate is wrong)
b -- it emitted the light (way!) longer than 600 million years after the Big Bang (ie time estimate is wrong)
c -- "Earth" & the object were not in proximity at the time of the Big Bang (ie Big Bang assumptions are wrong)
d -- The object separated from "Earth" (way!) faster than the speed of light.
e -- something else (for example, light does not travel at "the speed of light").
Note that our Earth did not exist 13 billion years ago; "Earth" (in quotes) designates a sort of virtual place that would later be occupied by our Earth. Since the idea of the Big Bang is that all matter in our universe occupied a very small space, exactly what space "Earth" occupied is not relevant -- unless of course that is where the solution lies...
Right now, the leading explanation for how something could get 13 billion light years away from "Earth" in 600 million years may be something like this... (a) the whole universe expanded / inflated at a rapid rate shortly after the Big Bang; and (b) this is allowed by General Relativity: space itself can expand, separating objects faster than the speed of light; it's not that the objects are moving, it's that the space between object is expanding.
So d (carefully using the word "separated") may be the leading explanation...
NASA ARTICLE:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/bursts/cosmic_record.html
WIKIPEDIA ON THE EXPANSION OF SPACE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_expansion_of_space
Labels: Age of the universe, Cosmology, NASA, Size of the uiniverse, SWIFT
DELL FINANCIAL SERVICES
The website for making online payments to Dell Financial Services was and has been so bad (performance, organization, redundancy, navigation, lack of facilities, possibly misleading information) that -- given that it comes from a computer company -- one wonders if it is deliberately intended to cause the user to make mistakes and generate extra fees, or if it is functional stupidity, or if there is some other reason for the site to be so bad.
It should be one click to the payment page from the DELL website; it should easily allow multiple types of payment; payments should be credited same day; amounts to be paid should be clear and accurate...
Labels: bad website design, DELL
Sunday, October 25, 2009
ENTERTAINING SCIENCE - NOV 2009
At 6:00 on the first Sunday of each month, Nobel Laureate (Chemistry) Roald Hoffman convenes an entertaining session of Science Entertainment at the Cornelia Street Cafe.
Here's the info for Nov 2009. Early reservations are recommended. (It usually sells out.) Some people on the wait list are likely to get in also (but mostly end up sitting in the back).
The food and drinks you can have (upstairs before or after, downstairs during the show) are quite good at the Cafe/Restaurant.
6:00PM Nov 1, 2009
ENTERTAINING SCIENCE
Roald Hoffmann
SHAPES AND ENERGIES: LOVE AND HATE AMONG THE ATOMS
"Molecules have shapes, and their geometries determine ultimately their every chemical, physical and biological property. Tiny electrons, scooting around the much bulkier atoms, and governed by the lovely logic of quantum mechanics, actually tell those big guys how to arrange themselves.
An expert on la liaison chimique, Odile Eisenstein of the University of Montpellier, France, takes us by the hand into the world of molecular shapes, from the simple tetrahedron of methane to the less intuitive world of molecules containing metal atoms.
Gerard Parkin, who is rumored to make a living studying such molecules, will do some non-electronic magic.
And making shapes, exploring different forms of holding energy together, sometimes in "nonintuitive" ways, will also be expressed in the music of Todd Capp and his quartet. "
Cover $10
Labels: Cornelia Street Cafe, Roald Hoffmann, Science entertainment
Monday, October 19, 2009
SURROGATE
Director of Surrogate
Photo by Eric Roffman
What I like about Surrogate (an Israeli film -- shown at HIFF 2009 -- directed by Tali Shalom Ezer) is that it tells a very simple story very well.
Surrogate
A man (Eli, played by Amir Wolf) takes a series of sessions with a sex surrogate (Hagar, played by Lana Ettinger), who helps him become more comfortable with himself, with other people, and with the fact that he was molested by his uncle as a young boy.
Within -- or bursting out -- from this simple story (almost like an archetypal fairy tale) are a myriad of other stories, some of which I will suggest in the form of questions. The simplicity of the story allows the richness of the world of the movie to be invoked.
=>Is the relationship between the man and the surrogate a love affair? Is it a false relationship -- much like the relationship of the uncle to the boy? Will it help the man? Or hurt him by having a loving partner disappear after a false affair, like the uncle's "love" was false? Is it false to Eli? Is it false -- or real -- to Hagar?
=>Is Hagar training Eli to make love to her the way she likes to be made love to? Perhaps the way the director wants men and women to relate physically? Or not? Is Hagar taking control of the physical lovemaking only because that is good therapy?
=>Has Eli's mother really been unaware her son was molested -- or is she in denial?
=>What is the relation between Eli and his own nephew? Is he afraid to get close to the boy? What is Eli's relationship with his sister? Is there a physicality to the relationships between all the family members that promotes? or spites? the possibility of "inappropriate" relationships? Or impedes appropriate relationships?
=>How many love stories are being told? And what is the relation between sex and love in the relationship? (Positive? Negative? Unrelated? Not applicable?)
Eli & Hagar?
Eli & his nephew?
Eli & his mother?
Eli & his sister?
Mother and the rest of the family?
The director & ??? (The story seems so personal as it is told that it feels like the director is personally invested in these relationships.)
Labels: Amir Wolf, child abuse, HIFF, Lana Ettinger, sex surrogate, Surrogate, Tali Shalom Ezer
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
QUICK FIRST REVIEW OF HIFF 2009
Writer/Director of the Opening Night film, The Greatest
Photo by Eric Roffman
There's 107 films, a bunch of panels, and lots of parties, with usually 5-10 things happening at the same time, so I apologize for only experiencing a fraction of the action at HIFF 2009 (aka The 17th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival).
Here are some brief notes on some things I saw and did, people I met, and places I ate. Several of these will be the subject of in depth articles and, earlier, I wrote previews of the festival and of the Breakthrough Performers event, as well as an article on publicizing yourself and your film.
(Since stories in the blog appear in order from later dates to earlier dates -- the more recent the article, the higher it is on the page -- articles written after this story will appear above it, and articles I've already written can be found below by scrolling down on this page.)
Articles I'm working on include interviews with Emmy Rossum and Ashley Springer from the cast, as well as the writer and director of Dare; a retrospective of the Breakthrough Performers event; more about the Sloan Foundation; more photos and videos; and more detailed reviews of several films. These will be published over the next few days. Keep watching this site!
Here's a brief cruise through some highlights (for me) of the 2009 HIFF:
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMERS AND DARE
The Breakthrough Performer's event brings some of the world’s most exciting young acting talent to the Hamptons.
Italian Shooting Star
And star of The Ladies Get Their Say
Photo by Eric Roffman
Three of the Breakthrough Performers were in Dare: (I'll have a detailed story -- with interviews -- closer to the release of Dare in November.)
Rising Star & star of Dare
Photo by Eric Roffman
Emmy Rossum has grown from a great singer who -- though slightly stiff -- held her own as star in the film of Phantom of the Opera, to a beautiful, tall, smart and accomplished actress in Dare, in which her character essentially emerges from a cocoon, transforming from a geeky moth to a sexual, high-flying butterfly.
Zach Gilford (who, unfortunately did not show up in the Hamptons, because he was filming Friday Night Lights) navigates a tricky role as a sensitive and disturbed bad-boy hunk.
Rising Star and star of
Dare and Tanner Hall
Photo by Eric Roffman
Rooney Mara, in a small role in Dare, and in a similar character with a bigger role in Tanner Hall, exhibits a fascinating combination of wisdom, recklessness, joy, maturity and childishness. The writer and director of Dare have fashioned a sensitive and sophisticated triangular story, with Ashley Springer (no relation to the Springer PR family) a smart, young, funny actor, playing the third side (with Emmy and Zach) of the triangle. (This being a closed triangle, the film is of some interest to gay audiences, although its universal and original story about self-realization is of interest to all ages and all types of people.)
SLOAN FOUNDATION
At the Sloan Celebration
Photo by Eric Roffman
The Sloan Foundation has a program whose objective is to support the presentation of science and scientists in films and theater. At a retrospective celebration of ten years of Sloan participation at HIFF, Alan Alda gave an absolutely brilliant talk about the relation between art and science. Amy Redford, who will be directing a script the Sloan Foundation has been supporting, gave a brief, but cogent description of how a good film could be made from the story of Hedy Lamarr, who in addition to being a beautiful movie star, was the co-inventor (the beautiful co-inventor -- inventors can be beautiful) of frequency hopping ( U.S. Patent 2,292,387), a technology of great importance in technology today (such as cell phone transmission systems).
SOME FILMS
Lily, Lily (in English exhibition renamed My Words, My Lies, My Love) is a brilliantly written love story with David Bruhl and Hannah Herzsprung. David and Hannah both deliver superb performances, David as a shy waiter who suddenly becomes -- through fraud -- Germany's most celebrated author, and Hannah as a smart, warm/cold muse, loving, but edgy.
(Note: Hanna Herzsprung was a Rising and Shooting star at the Hamptons the last two years. Her Vier Minuten ends in a concert hall that looks just like the lecture hall where Lily, Lily begins.)
The Surrogate is a deceptively simple or deceptively complex love story, or not a love story. More about this in a dedicated review later. It was paired with Ten: Thirty One, directed by Gabe Fazio, which was the best short film I saw at the festival. 
Star of Ten: Thirty One
With director Gabe Fazio's eye (r)
And Polish actress (and Gabe's wife) Joanna Moskwa's lips (c)
Photo by Eric Roffman
FILM DISTRIBUTION AND BABELGUM
With Dirty Oil, a documentary by Leslie Iwerks, about the hazard of harvesting Shale for oil, Babelgum (strange name, but interesting site), heralded its venue for high-end web video. Shale harvesting in the US has been suggested as a source of abundant domestic oil, and this documentary is particularly important because the issues it raises need to be considered to prevent thoughtless and irreversibly dangerous choices from being made.
Director of Dirty Oil
Photo by Eric Roffman
The three biggest troubles with YouTube and similar sites are that (1) they publish anything, (2) the highest traffic goes not to the best, real films, but the silliest, most easy to gape at filmlets. And (3), there's no good way to find really good films. Babelgum is an attempt to collect really fine films, some acquired, some, like Dirty Oil, self-produced. Watching the films is free; Babelgum is supported by advertising. And they are devising players for every possible outlet, including hand-held video players like the iPhone to make watching the films a ubiquitous possibility.
In a panel discussion of new modes of distribution for new filmmakers, VOD was described as an up and coming revenue source. Also emphasized by all the panelists, was the importance of social networking as a vital tool for marketing.
MAISHA
Mira Nair hosted a benefit for her foundation, Maisha, whose objective is to develop filmmaking skills among Africans.
Photo by Eric Roffman
The film, 8, shown at the benefit screening consisted of 8 short films by eight directors on the eight Millennium Goals. Mira's film, along with Wim Wenders' and Sissako's (the lone African filmmaker), were the most interesting; Mira's, in particular, going beyond a simple exposition of the depth of the problem. Too many of the films were profoundly disturbing (which was, no doubt, intended) , but too simplistic descriptions of these serious problems: hunger, maternal health, devastation by current and future climate conditions, and 5 more.
EATING AND SLEEPING
During the festival I did need to eat and sleep (though rarely).
VUE, one of the sponsors at the festival, is a new "Swiss luxury herbal water." (More in another post.)
At the Chairman's Reception
Photo by Eric Roffman
The parties made it possible to meet filmmakers, and for sponsors to promote their products. Appetizers were mostly very good at most parties, though you had to be in the right place to snatch them before the tray was emptied. I liked the espresso bar a lot.
Photo by Eric Roffman
Gurney's Inn hosts the annual Opening Night Party. I stayed there last year and this. It's a beautiful hotel, and I liked it very much. This year I had a huge two level suite, which gave me lots of room to work, and a great view overlooking the water while working. The photo above is the view just outside my room.
At Della Femina I had a terrific meal at the bar, and a pleasant conversation with an ex-Wall Street executive and his wife. (We talked films & the festival... He said little about Wall Street and the Bear Stearns collapse... except that he wasn't responsible!)
I liked the appetizer snack at Turtle Crossing, a Tex-Mex hangout. The service was very friendly and there's a chocolate lollypop when you leave.
The Clam & Chowder House Restaurant in Montauk served a simple fish sandwich. The fish was a delicious, moist, perfectly broiled fluke.
My last meal in the Hamptons was desert and coffee at the bar at c/o Maidstone (I don't know why they have the c/o). It was a nice, tasty way to end the festival; the bar patrons, and the bar maid were all great to chat with.
MISSED FILMS, AND AWARDS
The saddest part of the festival is thinking about all the films I did not have time to see because of conflicts with other films, panels, and parties.
Director of Corso
Photo by Eric Roffman
Corso is one of the films I most regret missing. The writer/director/producer, Gus Reininger, is an old friend from Wall Street that I haven't seen in decades, and the film -- about the last of the beat poets -- sounds fascinating. (Gus was co-creator of the NBC TV drama, Crime Story, and writer or producer of many other films and TV episodes; this is the first film he has directed.)
The Award winning films are worth catching when you can!
Golden Starfish Award for Best Narrative Feature: The Misfortunates, directed by Felix van Groeningen
Special Jury Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Actor: Paprika Steen, Applause
Golden Starfish Award for Best Documentary: Long Distance Love, directed by Magnus Gertten and Elin Jonsson
Special Jury Award: Mugabe and the White African, Lucy Bailey & Andrew Thompson
Golden Starfish Award for Best Short: Dust Kid, directed by Jung Yumi
Best Film of Conflict & Resolution: Rabbit a la Berlin, directed by Bartek Konopka
Audience Award for Best Narrative Film: The Young Victoria, directed by Jean-Marc Vallee
Audience Award for Best Documentary: Waking Sleeping Beauty, directed by Don Hahn
Audience Award for Best Short: This is Her, directed by Katie Wolfe
Zicherman Foundation Award for Best Screenplay: Felix van Groeningen for The Misfortunates
Kodak Award for Best Cinematography: Ruben Impens for The Misfortunates
Kanbar Indie Award: Antonio Campos for My Adventures in Ladies’ Undergarments
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Prize: Agora, directed by Alejandro Amenabar
Roc Skincare Gold Standard in Filmmaking Award for a feature female director: Cheryl Hines for Serious Moonlight
Wouter Barendrecht Award for Pioneering Vision: Big River Man, John Maringouin
NETWORKING AND FILM DEVELOPMENT
Producer/Director of To Timbuktu
Photo by Eric Roffman
Finally, one of the most important reasons filmmakers come to the Hamptons is not to show a film, nor to see a film, but to develop a film. One new producer, for example, is Andrea Wozny who was in the Hamptons to move her project along: It's To Timbukto, about a singer from Mali, and, like Sissako's Bamako, also touches on issues of the world's economic treatment of this African country.
Labels: Alan Alda, Alfred P Sloan Foundation, Amy Redford, Dare, Emmy Rossum, Hamptons International Film Festival, HIFF, Mira Nair, Rooney Mara, Shana Feste
Sunday, October 11, 2009
BROKEN EMBRACES
Labels: Broken Embraces, Los abrazos rotos, Pedro Almodovar, Penelope Cruz
Monday, October 05, 2009
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMERS AT HIFF
The public events include films with these young actors, panel discussions and parties. (There are also private events for the BP's including "mentoring" with established professionals.)
The last two years and this coming year the honored BP's have been really special. (I'm trying to track down who the earlier -- up thru 2006 -- BP's were.)
The Rising Stars this year are Emmy Rossum, Emma Stone, Rooney Mara, and Zach Gilford.
Emmy Rossum is 23 (9/12/86)and 5'8". She studied at Columbia University.She is a terrific singer, starting in the Metropolitan Opera Children's Chorus as a child, and starring in Phantom of the Opera. She also had roles in Mystic River and The Day After Tomorrow. Her first starring role was in Nola, a film directed by Alan Hruska (who we interviewed after liking his film, The Warrior Class, one of my favorite films at the Tribeca FF a few years ago). Here's a picture of Alan in his office with a picture of Emmy in Nola on the wall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_Rossum
Emma Stone is 20 (11/6/88) 5' 6". Her first feature was Superbad. She was funny as the host ghostess in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. She was also in The Rocker, The House Bunny, and Zombieland.
She'll be seen at HIFF in Paper Man with Jeff Bridges. She has Easy-A (from the director of Fired Up) now in post production.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Stone
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1297015/
Zach Gilford is 27 (01/14/82). He went to Northwestern. He's a (real life) trip leader for teen adventures... but he's best known for his role as Matt Saracen in Friday Night Lights. (Last year, his teammate Tim Riggins (ie Taylor Kitsch) was a Shooting Star.) Zach is in post production now for The River Why.
The Shooting Stars are Alba Rohrwacher (Due partite -- Now called, in English, The Ladies Get Their Say) from Italy, and Cyron Melville (Love and Rage), from Denmark.
Labels: Alba Rohrwacher, cartoonist HIFF, Cyron Melville, Emma Stone, Emmy Rossum, Rising Stars, Rooney Mara, Shooting Stars, Zach Gilford
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR FILM AT HIFF (AND OTHER FILM FESTIVALS)
I'm covering The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) for QPORIT, and I've also covered the Tribeca Film Festival, The New York Film Festival, The Stony Brook Film Festival, New Films / New Directors and others. Here's what I've learned from good examples, and bad examples, of how you -- the film producer, director, actor, or other involved filmer -- can help your film (and you, yourself, too) get noticed.
The following stuff is pretty basic, yet I see many films that have done none of these things, and few -- except big studio films -- that have done very many of these things. Most of these suggestions are neither very hard nor very expensive, and they can pay off big.
1 -- Hire a good publicist. They should be able to spend a lot of time for you, and come to HIFF with you. And they should know their way around. They should be able to help with all the following:
2 -- Have a good press kit, including bios, info describing the film, and lots of great pix. I prefer essays (by the Producer, Director, Actors etc --PDAetc) -- that can be quoted to copies of interviews, because someone else's interview is of little use to anyone writing an original story.
3 -- The press kit should be available online (see below for online suggestions), and in print form at the festival HQ and at the screenings.
4 -- Send a note to all the accredited press (and industry pros!) before the festival alerting them to your film -- including some info about the film, and possibly a picture-- offering screeners, and alerting them to possible interviews.
5 -- Take as many people to the festival as possible (including the publicist, director, producers, actors, etc...). Make sure you co-ordinate with the PR Group handling the festival! Go to all the parties with everyone from the film. Having identified the look of a press badge, split up and have everybody zero in to schmooze with anybody from the press... and anyone else, too. Make yourselves available for every possible photo and video opportunity.
5A -- Of course, be at all the screenings of the film with people from the film. Be available for photos, video and interviews before and after. Introduce the film before it screens, and hold a Q & A after. Hang around with people after the Q & A.
6 -- All the PDAetc should send a note to everyone they know inviting them to the screenings at the festival.
7 -- Follow up after the festival with anyone you met (or should have met).
HERE'S WHAT SHOULD BE ONLINE
YOU SHOULD CREATE OR PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THE FOLLOW TYPES OF ONLINE PRESENCE:
- Official film website
- The websites of the Producer, Distributor, PR company, Cast & Crew members.
- Wikipedia
- IMDB & IMDBPro
- Channel on YouTube & other video sites
- Blog
- An e-mail newsletter as your film moves toward release is also valuable.
These sites should contain (as appropriate for the type of site)
- Tagline
- Synopsis
- Full credits for cast crew & producer/distributor/PR (IMDB & IMDBPro type complete)
- Awards, any other special honors
- Director's essay
- Evolving gossip & trivia & "reports from the front" esp on Twitter, Blog, etc
- Production stills & other pix people can use
- Videos (previews & trivia) on YouTube etc that are embeddable.
- Links from each site to all the others.
- Links to articles about the film
- Release info
- Contact info: for consumers, for the industry, for press
To sum it up, everyone involved with the film should let as many people as possible know about the film, and then make it as easy as possible for journalists to write great stories (and for buyers to buy, & viewers to come see your film)!
Labels: filmmaking, HIFF, PR, Promoting your film
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
OTHELLO
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Iago in OTHELLO
Photo by Armin Bardel
The LAByrinth production of Othello, (here's the text) directed by Peter Sellars, with Philip Seymour Hoffman as Iago, John Ortiz as Othello and Jessica Chastain as Desdemona, is a feast for students and directors of Shakespeare, but quite skimpy on the delivery of emotion, especially in (what is usually) the cataclysmic conclusion.
There are many strange features in this production, some of which help illuminate the richness of the play, some of which confuse the audience and dissipate the power of the story and some of which actually do both.
Peter Sellars, of course, is best known for opera productions which have a reputation for quirky originality.
The first striking feature of the production is the slow pace at which the actors speak. This allows an audience unused to Shakespearean language to understand and process far more than is ever possible when the actors (as Hamlet suggested) speak their words trippingly on the tongue. Audience members (and actors) are allowed to savor and appreciate the poetry and the words.
For audiences used to the rhythms of modern films, and more interested in the experience than the details, however, this rich but 4 hour long presentation can seem plodding and tedious.
A second feature of the production is that Desdemona's father Brabantio is cut out of the play, characters are combined, and suddenly the characters pull out cell phones and start talking to each other across the room and on microphones. This gets the play off to a shaky start (not to mention the fact that the sound system seemed to be flaky for a while the night I saw the show). People new to the play, and those who know the play by heart are equally able to be confused about who is who and why they say what they say, at the beginning. (Not surprisingly, the appearance of the cell phones provoked some not very supportive laughter from the audience.)
The play is set (mostly) in a military base in Cyprus. This provides a universal, timeless environment in which to enact the tragedy.
However, Sellars does not seem to take this setting seriously. Hoffman, with a pot belly, and casual clothes, never in uniform, is vocally a great Iago, but physically impossible to imagine as a candidate for Othello's next in command. Other characters are in and out of uniform, and the set design does not evoke a military base, except fleetingly.
In most productions, Desdemona is a problem: The relation between Othello and Desdemona (O & D) is vapid and unconvincing. Here, Desdemona is a strong, though naive character. And there is a lot of physical communication between Othello and Desdemona. They kiss a lot, and lie next to each other a lot. This is a big improvement over most productions. Yet it still seems like puppy love. Because of the open set design, the other characters can freely observe Desdemona and Othello making out on a super-modern, stylized electronic bed. But what they see and what we see is not what Iago describes to Brabantio, Desdemona's father:
IAGO: Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is topping your white ewe.
This -- if taken to be an accurate representation of the O & D affair -- suggests that any glimpses we see of their physical relationship should be torrid passion, not innocent necking.
(If, in Sellars version, the intention is for Iago to be misleading Brabantio about the nature of Othello's affair, and the relation between Desdemona and Othello is intended to be depicted as almost High-Schoolish, then it takes away much of the urgency of the whole play. Note -- Since Brabantio is not in this production at all, I was a little confused at the time these lines were delivered, and it is hard to remember how these lines were used in this production.)
It was Sellars intention to create an Othello for the Obama generation. Sellars seems to consider most productions of Othello as demeaning to blacks in general and Othello in particular. It seems to have been Toni Morrison who changed his mind about the play (see the video interviews -- click on see all!)
In assessing the treatment of Othello in the play, realize that here is a black man, in white Europe, hailed as a great soldier, loved by a beautiful white woman for his character, having sex with her (and possibly other women), marrying her despite some objection by her father, and commissioned for an important military expedition. This is in a play written more than 400 years ago. How many modern plays, TV shows or movies treat a black character in an interratial sexual/romantic relationship and interratial career, with such importance?
Othello, the man, the general, is not a puppet for a simple anti-black propaganda play; he should be taken seriously by the director, the audience and the world. He is a great man and a terrible killer. And his interratial marriage is at the center of the play. The play is about the reaction of all the characters to Othello, his position, and his beautiful wife.
So I think it is a mistake, even in accentuating other aspects of the play, as Sellars does brilliantly, to minimize the importance of the basic thread. The relation -- the interracial relation -- between Othello and Desdemona should not be minimized. Indeed it should be maximized to the extent of exhibiting a physically provocative -- rather than timid -- passion. (In the "pre-Obama world" a black man would not be shown coupling with a beautiful white woman. The "post-Obama world" should portray these people as they are created in the play.)
Generally speaking, the casting of a Latino as Othello, and a black man as Cassio, and a big black woman as a combination of characters, does support Sellars stated ambition of making the play more about universal issues, and less about a stupid, credulous, murderous black man than is perhaps (he believes) usually the case. Liza Colón-Zayas as Emilia, Iago's wife, excellently carries Sellars' idea of how her character's silence is as important as Iago's deception in deluding Othello, and how her courage in revealing the deception unwinds the plot. (However, casting Philip and Liza as a couple is dubious; they are not convincing as a married couple.)
Indeed Sellars' essay and video interviews about the production are extremely interesting. He did accomplish what he set out to do. But, as so often happens, it is what he did not do and did not focus on and therefore did not do, that cause the weaknesses in the production.
It is at the end that the play has the greatest and strangest lapses:
1-- The classic line:
OTHELLO: Put out the light, and then put out the light
is not matched with any action that makes sense of the line. Othello is walking in meaningless circles around the bed.
2 -- The stylized electronic bed does not allow or evoke the emotions raised by the lines:
DESDEMONA: Prithee, tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets: remember;
The wedding sheets, which should carry enormous emotional power, are missing from the bed, and can not deliver the message they should carry to Othello (and to the audience).
3 -- And finally, Ortiz simply does not produce the physical or vocal strength necessary to convey the powerful emotions that would illuminate this twisting of Othello from lover to killer and then convey the cosmic remorse that suddenly erupts when he realizes what horror he has committed; how he has been deceived, betrayed and destroyed.
So, all in all, I enjoyed this production and learned much from it, but did not exit from the theater emotionally devastated!
This is only the beginning of the "Othello Project," for Peter Sellars. According to the notes distributed at the theater, Sellars and Toni Morrison are discussing a prequel to Othello, called "Desdemona," starting from the stories that Othello told Desdemona so that she fell in love with him. And Sellars is planning to return to Othello as well as Toni Morrison's "Desdemona," in part with the idea of developing a film. This project should be exceptionally illuminating to all those who love Shakespeare.
In addition, on Sunday October 4, there will be a free panel discussion about Othello:
OTHELLO DISCUSSION EVENT
FREE OTHELLO DISCUSSION SUNDAY October 4:
"Is It Possible?": Othello in the Age of Obama
Luis Argueta, documentary filmmaker;
Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of Tisch School of the Arts;
Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx; and
Carmen Peláez, playwright and actress.
Moderated by Dr. Avery T. Willis, who has collaborated with Peter Sellars as an assistant director and dramaturg since 2006.
OTHELLO Sunday Speakers Series
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 3:00-4:00PM
General Admission Lobby opens at 2:15PM
NYU Skirball Center
566 LaGuardia Place & Washington Square South
Here are some interesting links:
WEB VIDEO -- James Earl Jones -- Othello's Testimony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJybA1emr_g&feature=related
Kenneth Branagh's version:
Paul Robeson as Othello & Uta Hagen as Desdemona:
Labels: Iago, John Ortiz, LAByrinth Theater Company, Othello, Peter Sellars, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Shakespeare, the public theater
Thursday, September 24, 2009
OLIVER STONE'S SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Oliver Stone's South of the Border is a movie that should be widely seen. It is informative, even eye-opening; it's entertaining, interesting, and very well made.
Here is a gallery of pictures from the Premiere:
Arriving at the Premiere of South of the Border
Photo by Eric Roffman
President of Bolivia
At the Premiere of South of the Border
Photo by Eric Roffman
President of Venezuela
At the Premiere, talking with the Press
Photo by Eric Roffman
Co-Producer of Bamako
At the Premiere, with the Press
Photo by Eric Roffman
With Hugo Chavez looking on
Photo by Eric Roffman
The film is not fair and balanced. Rather, it is designed to balance a great deal of unfair and unbalanced reporting on Hugo Chavez and other South American leaders.
Now I have to stop for a moment and mention who these leaders are. Too few people know. That is perhaps the best reason of all to see this film. Americans are woefully ignorant about the rest of the world. Whoops. I said "Americans." We are all of us Americans: North Americans, Central Americans, South Americans. We actually need a word for us residents of the US.
In a comedy piece, Theodore Bikel once described the findings of archeologists digging our remains. Finding the words, "We, the people" and many references to "US" among the ruins, these future archeologists called us the "Weans" (pronounced WEunz).
So, for the benefit of us Weans (at least the non-South-American-aware among us) we have...
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela
Evo Morales, President of Bolivia
Fernando Lugo, President of Paraguay
Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador
Lula Da Silva, President of Brazil
Cristina Kirchner, President of Argentina
Néstor Kirchner, former President of Argentina
Raul Castro, President of Cuba
(Note -- anyone who checks and reads these links will already be among the most highly South-American-knowledgeable Weans.)
These are all popular and populist leaders. As pointed out in the film, unlike an earlier set of rulers in South America, for the most part these leaders "look like the people they represent."
South of the Border is (the fact this title has been used for Disney and other films is -- perhaps intentionally -- ironic) a record of a journey Oliver Stone made through these countries in South America, chatting with the leaders. It's extremely well photographed by a team headed by the justly celebrated Albert Maysles.
In a way, this is a beautifully photographed home movie, of a journey to visit some really interesting people.
In counterpoint to the (favorably slanted) conversations with the leaders and a recounting of the history of these countries, Stone gives us a view of the way these leaders are demonized in the media. The media, however, are represented almost entirely by the entirely over-the-top Fox News. In context, these bits are hard to be taken seriously. It's a milder form of The Daily Show presenting Fox News bits.
So a totally serious, balanced study of these leaders, their policies, and their relations with the US is still needed. This film makes a compelling case for how important such a study would be.
Also touched on is the extremely important issue of the proper role of capitalism, socialism, globalization, imperialism, free trade, the IMF and democracy. I say "issue" rather than "issues" because it appears that all these things and more are intimately interconnected.
(Another film, Bamako, by Abderrahmane Sissako and co-produced by Danny Glover addresses very similar problems in Africa. Danny Glover was a guest at this screening, and chatted with the Press, in eloquent terms, about the importance of these issues to ordinary people in developing countries.)
Other problems these leaders are dealing with -- the legacy of previous governments and foreign economic interests -- are: corruption, political instability, poverty, unbalanced economies, health and the skewed distribution of wealth.
There is one incredible, shocking moment in the film when Néstor Kirchner, former President of Argentina claims to quote President Bush saying to him in a discussion of the economy to the effect that: the only way for a country to achieve economic prosperity is through war. (As described by Kirchner, Bush's statement goes way beyond the frequently made assertion that the US did not pull out of the depression until WW 2.) Stone asked him in the film to re-affirm this quote, and Kirchner did. But Stone apparently did not press this issue any further. Coming out of the men's room after the screening and Q&A, I managed to ask Oliver Stone if there was more to the story than is in the film, and he said: it is "on the record," but he had no more about this. (Note-- Journalists, critics, and even politicians should not underestimate the importance of rest rooms as a place to gather information.) If true and taken in context, this quote would seem to have very dark implications for the foundation of Bush's policies.
In the film, with the press, and in the Q & A, Chavez was extremely polite and friendly, expressed great warmth for America, and seems exceptionally intelligent. Here is a clip from the Q&A in which Chavez discusses democracy and progress in Venezuela.
While I was preparing this story, I listened to Chavez being interviewed by Larry King, where he was less sympathetic.
- He called Israel a genocidal nation, and said Secretary of State Clinton had "completely lost her way" for suggesting that Venezuela could be starting an arms race in South America for buying arms from Russia.
- Acknowledging a relationship with Iran and its current leaders, he said he wanted to be friends with everybody, and was not involved in a country's internal politics.
- He compared the Holocaust in WW2 to the Holocaust of the destruction of native American populations by Europeans.
Chavez is trying to create a form of native, Venzuelan "socialism" in contrast to the kind of capitalism he has observed which -- in its resemblance on steroids to the ugliest union busting, assasinations, monopolies, and wicked business cycles of Wean capitalism -- has served native populations in South America very badly.
Evo Morales, who rose to power as a union leader, seems a much more gentle leader. In the Q & A, he gave an impassioned statement about the importance of protecting "Mother Earth:" Earth will survive without people. People can not survive without the Earth. The rights of the Earth must take precedence over the "rights" of people and companies and governments whose policies and actions could destroy the Earth for all of us.
Chavez seems genuinely interested in good relations with the United States. He is cultured, courageous, very charismatic, and passionate about baseball.
All the leaders interviewed in the film seem to be genuinely interested in the welfare of their people.
To cultivate a relationship with Chavez, it might be a good idea for...
1-- a sympathetic figure to take him on a visit to Israel to see the threat that people there face from incoming rockets and hostile neighbors;
2-- to give him a summer sabbatical at Harvard, Yale or Princeton to learn diplomatic rhetoric. (His statement at the podium of the UN that he could still sense the lingering smell of Sulphur after Bush's visit comes across in the film as more akin to a Daily Show bit than true ferocity, but it is profoundly undiplomatic rhetoric);
and most of all
3-- invite him to throw out the first pitch at the World Series, especially if it is in Yankee Stadium.
Labels: Bamako, Evo Morales, globalization, Hugo Chavez, Oliver Stone, socialism, South America, South of the Border, Venezuela
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2009 PREVIEW
THE 17TH ANNUAL
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
THURSDAY OCTOBER 8TH - MONDAY OCTOBER 12TH 2009
Closing Night Film
The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF) is always one of the most interesting and enjoyable of the big New York area film festivals. 107 films are squeezed into 5 days, in addition to lots of interesting and enjoyable people! It is one of the best places to meet and talk with young emerging talent, as well as older, already emerged talent… informally, sitting next to them at a restaurant; informally, at parties; semi-formally, in impromptu interviews; and formally, at scheduled events.
This year there seems to be more than the usual number of engaging films, compelling events, and special visitors.
HIFF is more than just films! Here – in outline form – are the main features (pun not intended) of the festival…
LINKS:
Home Page: http://www.hamptonsfilmfest.org/
(Note, by the way, that it’s filmfest not filmfestival!)
FILMS
Documentaries, Narrative Features, Shorts
A Scandinavian Cinema Focus series
An Israeli Cinema Focus series
Films for families, films made on Long Island, films by women
Golden Starfish Award competitions, including audience awards
Q & A after (many) screenings
CONVERSATIONS
Alan Alda, Sharon Stone, Marty Bregman, Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi
SCIENCE:
Readings of science and technology related works in progress
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize in Science and Technology
A tribute to the work of the Sloan Foundation promoting science and technology in cinema
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMERS:
Rising Stars (US) --Emmy Rossum, Emma Stone, Zach Gilford, Rooney Mara
Shooting Stars (EU) -- Alba Rohrwacher, Cyron Melville
SPECIAL EVENT:
Benefit for Mira Nair’s Foundation, Maisha, for developing African Cinema
PANELS & SPECIAL FEATURES:
Sloan Panels
Green Production Technology for Films
Making Your First Short Film
New York Film Critics
Breakthrough Performers
Cinematography Master Class
Independent Filmmakers Today
PARTIES:
Opening Night
Reception for the filmmakers
Reception for the breakthrough performers
And more!
Among the celebrities expected to attend – in addition to all the breakthrough performers, all the CONVERSATIONalists, and Mira Nair -- are Ethan Hawke, Bob Balaban, Rachel Dratch, Neve Campbell, IM PEI, Pierce Brosnan, and more….
(Note: And more… applies to almost everything here.)
Mira Nair’s foundation and benefit is an especially interesting event. Mira Nair is a brilliant filmmaker. (I saw her first at the presentation of Salaam Bombay at the New York Film Festival long, long ago, and she was conspicuously exceptional.) 8 – which will be shown at the event -- is a collection of short segments by 8 exceptional directors: Abderrahmane Sissako, Mira Nair, Wim Wenders, Jane Campion, Gaspar Noe, Jan Kounen, Gus Van Sant and Gael Garcia Bernal.
Sissako directed Bamako, which was shown at the New York Film Festival a couple of years ago. It critiques the IMF and the World Bank for the way they handle financing for developing nations. (This is a theme which Oliver Stone is also talking about in his current “South Of The Border” interviews with South American leaders.) I videotaped a panel at the NYFF after the presentation of Bamako in which Sissako, Nobel Laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, Harry Belafonte, and others discussed this issue – an excerpt from this video is on the Bamako DVD.
In this video clip from the panel,
MAJOR FILMS---
OPENING FILM: The Greatest, the directorial debut by Shana Feste, starring Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan, who is the producer and star of the film and will be in attendance. It’s the story of a family that’s disintegrating as they deal with the death of their child and their surviving son’s drug use. The Greatest explores the ways in which love can persist and life can re-assert itself in the face of seemingly all-consuming tragedy.
CENTERPIECE FILM: Solitary Man (US Premiere) Director(s) Brian Koppelman, David Levien – with Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Mary-Louise Parker, Danny DeVito, and Jenna Fischer. Michael Douglas's masterly ability to delve into complex characters shines in SOLITARY MAN, a tale of a New York businessman experiencing a mid-life slump so severe that it is more catastrophe than crisis.
CLOSING FILM: US Premiere of Heath Ledger’s last film, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. Directed by Terry Gilliam and starring the late Heath Ledger, as well as Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell who stepped in to assume Mr. Ledger’s role after he passed away during production. Doctor Parnassus is the proprietor of a traveling “Imaginarium” in which paying customers are invited to cross into a hallucinatory otherworld to uncover their true selves. Terry Gilliam gives free rein to his signature whimsicality in the Imaginarium’s rich, cartoonish, constantly shifting landscape, and the adventurous film brims with affectionate nods to its late star.
This year’s Festival features 107 films including - 15 World Premieres, 10 North American Premieres, 18 US Premieres, 14 East Coast Premieres and 10 New York Premieres.
THE COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS–
Golden Starfish Awards and competitions for:
-Best Narrative Feature (over $165,000 in goods and in-kind services),
-Best Documentary Feature ($5,000 in cash)
-Best Conflict and Resolution Film and
-Best Short Film ($5,000 in cash)
-The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize in Science and Technology ($25,000 in cash);
-The Kodak Award for Cinematography ($6,000 of goods and in-kind services);
-The Zicherman Family Foundation Award for Screenwriting ($5,000 in cash);
-Best Undergraduate and Graduate Student Films (five $500 cash awards);
-RoC® Gold Standard Award for Female Feature Director ($5,000 cash award); and the newly created
-Conflict and Resolution Development Award ($5,000 in cash) given to a work in progress by the Brizzolara Family Foundation.
No film festival is possible without sponsors.
Before going to the detailed description of the films and events, Here are the people, companies and organizations that helped to make this festival possible. It may be untraditional to acknowledge the sponsors in a news article. But they are among the most important factors in keeping a good festival going.
Presenting Year Round Sponsors: American Airlines and Altour
Host Sponsor: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Patron Sponsors: RoC® Skincare, Fox 5 New York, Silvercup Studios, IndieWire, Lincoln-Mercury, Saunders, Bablegum, Ford
Founding Sponsors: WVVH, Hampton Jitney.
Contributing Sponsors: Kodak, Nespresso, Visa Signature, Worldwide Biggies
GSA Sponsors: Arenson Props, Feature Systems, Greenburg Traurig, LLP, Hamptons Locations, Indiepay, JFA Film Production Accounting, K/A/S Lighting, Kits & Expendables, Liman Video Rental, Mark Forman Productions, Mechanism, Digital, Motion Picture Enterprises, Inc., On Location Education, Panavision, Post Works, Qube Cinema, Refinery New York, Silvercup Studios Wits End Group Inc., Writers Bootcamp
Here’s some more information, from HIFF, about the festival:
at a Sloan sponsored panel in 2007
Photo by Eric Roffman
Programs and Special Events
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Where Science and Technology Meet Film: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation at the Hamptons International Film Festival
This year, the Hamptons International Film Festival celebrates the tenth anniversary of our partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, whose dedication to the public understanding of science and technology through the arts has had a profound effect on the film community. HIFF was the first film festival to partner with the Sloan Foundation, and each year the $25,000 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize is awarded at the festival. The cash prize is presented to a feature-length film that explores science and technology themes in fresh, innovative ways, and depicts scientists and engineers in a realistic and compelling fashion. HIFF and The Sloane Foundation are proud to present Alejandro Amenabar’s historical drama Agora, starring Rachel Weisz, which chronicles the life of philosopher and scientist Hypatia of Alexandra, with this year's Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize.
The Alfred P. Sloan Screenplay Reading
Two science and technology-themed screenplays from the 2009 HIFF Screenwriters' lab are selected to be performed as staged readings at the festival. This year's featured screenplays are THE TRANSFORMATION, by Kirk Davis and Sam Sloves and CHARM SCHOOL FOR PRIMATES, by Karen Odyniec. THE TRANSFORMATION is based on the true story of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, the innovative Hungarian physician who makes a radical discovery of the cause and cure of Childbed Fever, a disease killing thousands of poor pregnant women in the hospitals of 19th Century Europe. In CHARM SCHOOL FOR PRIMATES, a lovelorn primatologist with acute social anxiety must present her ape research to a board of executives and defeat brilliant, socially adept scientists in order to win a coveted grant. The screenplay readings will take place on Sunday, October 11th at 4:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church Hall in East Hampton.
The Sloan Science In Film Tribute: Celebrating Ten Years Of Innovative Films at The Hamptons International Film Festival
Friday, October 9th 6:00 PM, Guild Hall, East Hampton
To celebrate our ten-year partnership with Sloan and the tenth edition of this award, on Friday, October 9th the festival will hold the Sloan Science In Film Tribute, taking place at Guild Hall and hosted by Bob Balaban. This special evening will be a celebration of the feature films that have received Sloan recognition at the Hamptons International Film Festival over the past 10 years. Our onstage event will include a number of special guests, including Alan Alda, Amy Redford and past Sloan Prize Winners Marc Abraham (FLASH OF GENIUS), Su Rynard (KARDIA) and Maggie Greenwald (SONGCATCHER), among others. Tickets and more information will be available at the festival box office.
“8” - A Special Benefit Evening with Mira Nair
The Hamptons International Film Festival is proud to present a special benefit screening and US premiere of the film '8', an unprecedented collection of short films by 8 world-renowned directors (including Mira Nair, Wim Wenders, Jane Campion and Gus Van Sant) each taking on one of the 8 “Millennium Development Goals” for 2015, adopted by 191 countries. Director Mira Nair will be with us to present the film and share the work of MAISHA, her non-profit African Film Lab established to empower emerging artists in the region.
Please join us for this premiere screening with Mira Nair present for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Rajendra Roy, Chief Curator of Film at MoMA, at our regular Spotlight price. Or support the Maisha Foundation with a $75 package which includes the film screening and an exclusive cocktail reception from 4-6pm at a private residence in East Hampton with Mira Nair and special guests.
100% of the proceeds for this evening will be donated to Maisha Film Lab. Maisha (which means ‘life’ in Kiswahili) is a groundbreaking filmmakers’ training program founded by acclaimed director Mira Nair and based in Kampala, Uganda. Maisha’s mission is to nurture and support emerging film professionals from East Africa by offering intensives in screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography, editing, sound, and acting. Our motto is: “if we don’t tell our own stories, no one else will.”
A Conversation With…
Each year, the Festival presents A Conversation With…
Past guests have included the late Robert Altman, Gena Rowlands, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and more. This year the Hamptons International Film Festival is thrilled to announce four conversations. “A Conversation with…” Sharon Stone (Casino, Basic Instinct), Alan Alda (The Aviator, M*A*S*H), Steve Buscemi (Saint John of Las Vegas, The Messenger)and Martin Bregman (Carlito’s Way, Dog Day Afternoon) interviewed by Alec Baldwin
Brilliant actresses
Shooting Stars 2008
Photo by Eric Roffman
Breakthrough Performers:
This year the Hamptons International Film Festival will again pair their Rising Stars Program with European Film Promotions renowned Shooting Stars initiative in the festival’s Breakthrough Performs Program to honor up and coming actors from both the US and Europe. Sharon Stone is this year’s mentor to the Breakthrough Performers and will spend time with the Rising Stars/Shooting Stars at a mentoring brunch (past mentors have included Gena Rowlands, Joan Allen, Ellen Burstyn, Robert Altman, Miranda Richardson and Alec Baldwin), Breakthrough Performers Party, Red Carpet event and a public symposium.
Rising Stars (US)
Emmy Rossum (Dare), Zach Gilford (Dare), Rooney Mara (Tanner Hall), Emma Stone (Paper Man)
Shooting Stars (Europe)
Alba Rohrwacher (Due partite), Cyron Melville (Love and Rage)
Golden Starfish Narrative Competition:
A Rational Solution (North American, Premiere) Director Jorgen Bergmark with Rolf Lassgard, Pernilla August, Stina Ekblad, Claes Ljungmark, Magnus Roosman - Against his better judgment, married Erland has fallen in love with his best friend's wife. His rational solution is for all four to move in together until the passion inevitably subsides. Insightfully observed and superbly acted, Jorgen Bergmark's film begins as simple and ordered, only to mature into a nuanced, heartbreakingly authentic portrait of love, fidelity, marriage and monogamy.
Applause (United States Premiere) Director Martin Pieter Zandvliet with Paprika Steen, Michael Falch, Sara Marie Maltha, Shanti Roney, Otto Leonardo Steen Rieks, Noel Koch-Sofeldt, Malou Reymann - Recently divorced Thea is struggling to give up drinking and regain custody of her two boys. But staying on the wagon isn't easy when every night she receives clamorous applause from audiences for stage performances that all-to-closely resemble the former self that she is trying to leave behind.
Jaffa (United States Premiere) Director Keren Yedaya with Dana Ivgy, Moni Moshonov, Ronit Elkabetz, Mahmoud Shalaby, Roy Assaf, Hussein Yassin Mahajneh, Lili Ivgy - Following up her international success with Cannes Camera D'Or winning film OR (MY TREASURE), director Keren Yedaya introduces another stunning and complex family drama with JAFFA. A star-crossed secret romance develops between a Jewish girl and an Arab man, but tragedy interrupts the young lovers' intentions to elope and escape their intolerant families.
The Misfortunates (United States Premiere) Director Felix van Groeningen with Kenneth Vanbaeden, Valentijn Dhaenens, Koen De Graeve, Wouter Hendrickx, Johan Heldenbergh - This Flemish seriocomedy ruminates over Gunther Strobbe's ribald, troubled adolescence amongst three bawdy uncles, an ever-boozing dad, one put-upon grandmother, and more dysfunction than you can shake a keg at. Adapted from an acclaimed novel by Dimitri Verhulst and directed with deftness, verve and pathos by Felix Van Groeningen.
Golden Starfish Documentary:
Big River Man (East Coast Premiere) Director John Maringouin with Martin Strel, Borut Strel, Matthew Mohlke -
John Maringouin intrepidly follows unlikely long distance swimming champion Martin Strel on his journey to complete the world's longest ever swim: the Amazon River. The adventure of a lifetime, the film follows the swimmer and his team on their wildly dangerous and life-altering journey.
Long Distance Love (US Premiere) Director(s): Magnus Gertten, Elin Jonsson with Alisher Sultanov, Dildora Sultanov
Alisher and Dildora are in love in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. To support his new family, Alisher is forced leave his new bride to try to make it big in Moscow. While the newlyweds’ earnest love has a sweetness stronger than their 3,500 mile divide, their relationship is now beset by challenges more dire than distance alone.
Mugabe and the White African Director(s): Lucy Bailey & Andrew Thompson with Michael Campbell, Ben Freeth
"Is it possible to be a white man and African?" This daring film follows the story of Mike Campbell who, in 2008, took the government of Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe to international court for violation of human rights in an effort to preserve his farm amid state-sanctioned "Land Reform" initiatives tantamount to the ethnic cleansing of whites.
Videocracy (US Premiere) Director Erik Gandini - A jolly, Mussolini-loving agent, an aspiring martial artist/singer, a paparazzo wrangler-cum-outlaw and the prime minister of Italy are just a few of the outlandish personalities in this documentary that explores the mad world of Italian television.
Waking Sleeping Beauty (East Coast Premiere) Director Don Hahn with Roy Disney, Jeffrey Katzenberg, John Musker, Glen Keane, Howard Ashman - By the mid-1980s, the once mighty Disney Animation Studios was in a slump. By the end of 1990s, however, Disney had produced a string of bona fide hits from WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? to THE LION KING. Director Don Hahn's juicy behind-the-scenes tell-all of this transitional period is an encyclopedia of the tragic lows and elating highs of the Disney renaissance.
Golden Starfish Short Film Competition:
Committed (World Premiere) Director Isold Uggadottir with Dora Johannsdottir, Jorundur Ragnarsson, Darri Ingolfsson, Johanna Fridrika Saemundsdottir - Eva and Vidar have decided to take their relationship to the next level by moving in together. COMMITTED is a subtle portrait of young love on the cusp of maturity from the director of the Icelandic Academy Award-nominated short FAMILY REUNION.
Dust Kid (North American Premiere) Director Yumi Jung - While cleaning her apartment, Eujin comes across a tiny replica of herself. She tries to dispose of the little creature, only to find another in every corner. A minimalist pencil animation direct from this year's Cannes Film Festival Directors' Fortnight.
Missing (US Premiere) Director Jochem de Vries with Lotje Molin, Gitta Fleuren
A mother and daughter prepare for a big day in this poignant, keenly observed portrait of good intentions and family dynamics.
Slaves (New York Premiere) Director David Aronowitsch - Abuk and Machiek, Sudanese children abducted from their homes and forced into slavery, calmly relate the enormity of their experiences with a maturity and eloquence that belies their young ages in this multiple award-winning animated documentary.
Sparks (East Coast Premiere) Director Jospeh Gordon-Levitt with Carla Gugino, Eric Stoltz
Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut is based on a short story by novelist Elmore Leonard. With large sums of money on the line, a vixen-ish declining rock star is being investigated for arson.
Spotlight Films:
CON ARTIST Dir. Michael Sladek – with Mark Kostabi, Michel Gondry, Glenn O'Brien, Baird Jones, Pope Benedict XVI. Mid-level collectors and art fans around the world clamor to buy Mark Kostabi's canvases, but his involvement in those creations is controversial. Collaborating with painters and designers, he often lends no more than his signature to a work. Intimate footage of Kostabi at home and interviews with friends and celebrities investigate the unusual motivations of this art establishment outsider.
DARE (NY Premiere) Dir. Adam Salky – with Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer, Anna Gasteyer, Rooney Mara, Sandra Bernhard, Alan Cumming. In this Sundance hit, uptight A-student Alexa (Emmy Rossum) and her best friend Ben (Ashley Springer) befriend popular jock Johnny (Zach Gilford), after which their relationships take on surprising new dimensions. Featuring terrific support from Ana Gasteyer, Sandra Bernhard, Alan Cumming and Rooney Mara, DARE is that rare "teen movie" with a provocative twist.
DESERT FLOWER (North American Premiere) Dir. Sherry Hormann with Liya Kebede, Sally Hawkins, Craig Parkinson, Meera Syal, Soraya Omar-Scego, Anthony Mackie, Juliet Stevenson. The unbelievable true story of Waris Dirie, a Somalian nomad who would become a top supermodel, and use her influence to affect the lives of countless women all over the world. Tracing Dirie’s path from traumatized child to triumphant adult, the film is an incredible tale of one woman's remarkable courage.
DIRTY OIL (Canada, US, England, World Premiere) Dir. Leslie Iwerks with Neve Campbell (narration), Lester Brown, Kevin Timoney, Andrew Nikiforuk. The oil sands in the Canadian Providence of Alberta are a source of a vast supply of petroleum, but the effects of extracting it are highly controversial. This probing documentary explores the environmental, health and moral ramifications of this booming business, offering hard statistics, sobering forecasts and frightening cautionary tales.
JOHN RABE (Germany, France, China, North American Premiere) Dir. Florian Gallenberger with Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Bruhl, Anne Consigny, Dagmar Manzel, Zhang Jingchu. John Rabe's spent years in Nanking building a career, remaining steadfastly loyal to his wife, his company, his country and the National Socialist party. When Japanese forces begin their brutal occupation of the city, Rabe's conscience is awakened and he joins with a cynical American doctor and a motley group of expatriates to save the citizens of Nanking.
LEARNING FROM THE LIGHT: THE VISION OF I.M. PEI (USA, World Premiere) Dirs. Bo Landin, Sterling Van Wagenen. One of the most distinguished architects of our time, I.M. Pei has spent his storied career creating designs for some of the world's most treasured structures. LEARNING FROM LIGHT chronicles Pei's adventures through a recent and historically monumental challenge: his commission to design the Museum of Islamic Art for Doha, Qatar.
THE LOSS OF A TEARDROP DIAMOND (USA, USA Premiere) Dir. Jodie Markell with Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Evans, Ellen Burstyn, Mamie Gummer, Ann-Margret, Jessica Collins. Fisher Willow, an impulsive, wistful heiress, falls in love with righteous, "simple" Jimmy Dobyne after hiring him as an escort to Memphis debutante parties. The loss of a priceless earring, however, stirs unforeseen emotions in this handsomely photographed drama, produced from an unrealized Tennessee Williams screenplay.
PAPER MAN (USA, East Coast Premiere) Dirs. Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney with Jeff Daniels, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Kieran Culkin, Hunter Parrish, Lisa Kudrow. Richard Dunn is a failed writer, husband and adult who adjourns to a cottage in the Hamptons to complete his latest novel. Unfortunately, he's followed everywhere by Captain Excellent, an imaginary friend he has been unable to shake since childhood. Richard finds comfort in an unlikely friendship with a neighborhood teen. A darkly comic "coming-of-middle-age" story set against the picturesque backdrop of Montauk in winter.
TANNER HALL (USA, USA Premiere) Dirs. Francesca Gregorini, Tatiana von Furstenberg with Rooney Mara, Georgia King, Brie Larson, Amy Ferguson, Chris Kattan, Amy Sedaris, Tom Everett Scott. A vivid peek into the private world of an all-girls boarding school. The knot of adolescent complexity is unraveled through the coming-of-age stories of four teenage girls when their friendship is jeopardized by the arrival of a new girl.
STOLEN LIVES (USA, World Premiere) Dir. Anders Anderson with Josh Lucas, Jon Hamm, Rhona Mitra, James Van Der Beek, Jimmy Bennett. Cutting back and forth from present day to the 1950's, STOLEN LIVES weaves together the stories of two missing boys. Detective Tom Adkins is obsessed by the disappearance of his son eight years ago. When the remains of a child buried alive fifty years ago are discovered they seem to shed new light on the mystery of his own son's vanishing.
TENURE (USA, World Premiere) Dir. Mike Million with Luke Wilson, Gretchen Mol, David Koechner, Bob Gunton, Rosemarie DeWitt. In this comedic and romantic send-up of academia, Associate Professor Charlie Thurber begrudgingly prepares for one more attempt at a tenure position. Just as he starts to feel the long awaited promotion is within his grasp, an impressive new professor is brought on staff. Charlie's best friend convinces him the only solution is to sabotage his new competition, but Charlie soon finds his professional aspirations and personal emotions leading him down different paths.
UNCERTAINTY (USA, USA Premiere) Dirs. David Siegel, Scott McGehee with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Assumpta Serna, Olivia Thirlby, Louis Arcella, Nelson Landrieu, Manoel Felciano. Scott McGehee and David Siegel's latest film explores the very different directions our lives can take with just one decision. Perched atop the Brooklyn Bridge, young lovers Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins flip a coin and send the film's narrative down two separate tracks that are alternately thrilling and moving: just like life itself.
World Cinema Features:
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector (North American Premiere) Director Vikram Jayanti - Phil Spector is a pioneer of American music, a legendary producer to John Lennon and Tina Turner, and, as of April 13th 2009, a convicted murderer. Director Vikram Jayanti overlays unprecedented personal interviews with harrowing court footage and original music recordings to create a dizzying portrait of genius and insanity, and a profound insight into a notorious subject.
Corso: The Last Beat (North American Premiere) Director Gustave Reininger with Gregory Corso, Ethan Hawke, Allen Ginsberg, Patti Smith - Gregory Corso, the youngest of the influential Beat Poet movement, is given his own spotlight in Gustave Reinenger’s affectionate documentary. Reinenger's long friendship with Corso late in his life affords him an intimacy with his iconic subject and Corso’s larger-than-life character is captured like lightning in a bottle.
The Crimson Wing; Mystery of the Flamingos (East Coast, Premiere) Director(s): Matthew Aeberhard & Leander Ward
On Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania, an island of salt emerges from the water. Set against the lush and dramatic colors of the African landscape, elegant flamingos struggle against predators and the environment to ensure that the next generation makes it back to the salt shore. THE CRIMSON WING is gorgeous and moving nature documentary for the whole family.
Daniel and Abraham (World Premiere) Director Ryan Eslinger with Gary Lamadore, David Williams
To spread his father's ashes, Daniel's traveled to the mountains of upstate New York. There he meets Abraham, a mysterious man whose condescending helpfulness becomes increasingly sinister. This small feature recalls the work of Samuel Beckett and Jack London, contrasting the natural beauty of its winter setting with sudden violence.
Deliver Us From Evil (US Premiere) Director Ole Bornedal with Lasse Rimmer, Lene Nystrom, Jens Andersen, Pernille Valentin, Mogens Pedersen, Bojan Navojec, Sonja Richter - Ole Bornedal- THE SUBSTITUTE (HIFF í07), NIGHTWATCH- delivers again with this dynamic social thriller. When local lout Lars runs down a beloved neighborhood woman, he tries to shift the community’s wrath onto taciturn Bosnian refugee Alain, careening the viewer towards a shocking conclusion as the whole town becomes implicated in a rampant moral corruption.
Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement (East Coast Premiere) Director Greta Olafsdottir with Edie Windsor, Thea Spyer - Hamptons residents Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer share a fairy tale romance they fell in love at first sight in the West Village nearly fifty years ago and their passion for each other would endure for decades. Yet as a lesbian couple, they would have to wait their entire adult lives to be able to legalize their union.
Five Hours From Paris (United States Premiere) Director Leon Prudovsky with Dror Keren, Elena Yaralova, Vladimir Freedman - Mid-life quandaries are candidly addressed with both authenticity and humor in FIVE HOURS FROM PARIS, a refreshingly sincere and mature romance. When he unexpectedly falls for his son's music teacher, Yigal (Dror Keren), a painfully passive taxi driver on the eve of mid-life, feels compelled to take charge of his future more than ever before.
Forbidden Fruit (Kielletty hedelma) (North American Premiere) Director Dome Karukoski with Marjut Maristo, Amanda Pilke, Malla Malmivaara, Joel Mäkinen, Jarkko Niemi
When Raakel’s best friend Maria leaves their cloistered religious community to experience life in the city, she follows, ostensibly to protect Maria from the predations of “The Arch Fiend” and, hopefully, bring her back to the fold. As the two young women explore their new surroundings both of them change in unexpected ways in this quiet, affecting drama.
Here and There Director Darko Lunuglov with David Thornton, Mirjana Karanovic, Cyndi Lauper, Branislav Trifunovic, Antone Pagan, Fedja Stojanovic, Goran Radakovic - Robert is a middle-aged musician barely getting by in New York when he meets Branko, a young Serbian immigrant desperate to bring his girlfriend to America. On the promise of five grand Robert travels to Belgrade for a quick green card marriage. But a simple plan becomes complicated when Branko fails to pay and Robert falls for Branko's beautiful mother.
How To Live Forever (World Premiere) Director Mark S. Wexler Director Mark Wexler embarks on a worldwide trek to investigate just what it means to grow old and what it could mean to really live forever. Featuring interviews with everyone from a chain-smoking, beer-drinking centenarian marathoner to an elder porn star and health, fitness, and life-extension experts, Wexler’s engaging new documentary challenges our notions of youth and aging with comic poignancy.
In My Hands: A Story of Marfan Syndrome (World Premiere) Director(s): Brenda Siemer Scheider, Emma Morris
It is estimated that 1 in 5000 people in the United States have Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder of the body's connective tissue. IN MY HANDS follows the inspirational stories of a group of children and adults living with Marfan.
Little Soldier (East Coast Premiere) Director Annette K. Olesen with Trine Dyrholm, Finn Nielsen, Lorna Brown, Rasmus Botoft, Jens Jorn Spottag - Tough and masculine Lotte (Trine Dyrholm) has just returned from military service in Afghanistan to the town in Denmark where her father runs an underground brothel. Offered employment as driver for her father's mistress and top earner, Lily, the two women start out at odds, but soon the two women bond and their lives become unpredictably intertwined.
Love and Rage (US Premiere) Director Morten Giese with Cyron Melville, Sara Hjort, Dejan Cukic, Charlotte Fich
Daniel is a gifted young piano student, a loner until he meets Sofie, another young music student who opens his life to more than just music. But as his affection grows, so does an all-consuming jealousy which begins to rip him apart and expose the pent-up rage that has always been simmering beneath.
The Ladies Get Their Say (US Premiere) Director Enzo Monteleone with Margherita Buy, Isabella Ferrari, Marina Massironi, Alba Rohrwacher
Four women in the 1960s and their four daughters in the present day experience parallel joys and woes in their personal lives.
The Messenger Director Oren Moverman with Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone, Eamonn Walker - THE MESSENGER is a superbly crafted new drama that feels like an instant classic. Ben Foster gives a stunning performance of a lifetime as Will Montgomery, an injured soldier who returns from Iraq to serve his last few months of active duty notifying families of the deaths of loved ones lost in combat.
The Men Who Stare At Goats (Special Screening) Director Grant Heslov with George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacy, Stephen Lang, Nick Offerman, Tim Griffin
In a comedic look at real life events that are almost too bizarre to believe, a reporter discovers a top-secret wing of the U.S. military when he accompanies an enigmatic Special Forces operator on a mind-boggling mission.
Mammoth (North American Premiere) Director Lukas Moodyson with Gael Garcia Bernal, Michelle Williams, Marife Necesito, Sophie Nyweide, Run Srinikornchot, Tom McCarthy, Jan Nicdao - MAMMOTH revolves around successful New York couple Leo (Gael Garcia Bernal), the creator of a booming website, and Ellen (Michelle Williams), a dedicated emergency surgeon. Their daughter Jackie spends most of her time with her nanny and Ellen is starting to question her priorities. When Leo travels to Thailand on business, he unwittingly sets off a chain of events that will have dramatic consequences for everyone.
Max Manus (US Premiere) Director(s): Joachim Roenning & Espen Sandberg with Aksel Hennie, Kyrre Haugen Sydness, Mads Eldoen, Christian Rubeck, Nicolai Cleve Broch, Agnes Kittelsen, Ken Duken - Based on the true story of the famed resistance fighter, MAX MANUS follows the exploits of the title character as hejoins the Norwegian resistance movement and becomes one of the most important members of the so-called Oslo Gang, carrying out spectacular raids against German ships in Oslo harbor, including the sinking of the slave ship Donau.
Millenium: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US Premiere) Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber, Lena Endre - Stieg Larsonís The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the first in the three-part Millenium trilogy, is one of the decade’s major literary success stories. The first book in the series is brought to the big screen by acclaimed filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev, whose WE SHALL OVERCOME won our Audience Award in 2006.
My Words, My Lies, My Love (North American Premiere) Director Alain Gsponer with Daniel Bruhl, Hannah Herzsprung, Henry Hubchen - The proverbial Death of the Author theory is taken literally in this fresh rags to riches romantic comedy starring Daniel Bruhl (GOODBY LENIN!, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS). A timid waiter named David Kern (Bruhl) has become a sudden and unlikely literary star with the publication of a best-selling novel. The catch? He didn't actually write it.
Racing Dreams Director Marshall Curry with Brandon Warren, Josh Hobson, Annabeth Barnes
BRACING DREAMS follows the lives of Annabeth (11 years-old), Josh (12), and Brandon (13), as they race around a concrete track at speeds of up to 70 mph in the World Karting Association's National Championship, learning about the adult worlds of love, money, family troubles and corporate sponsorship along the way.
Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags (US Premiere) Director Marc Levin with Bruce Raynor, Charles Kernaghan, Joe Raico, Stan Herman, Irving Rousso - Produced by HBO Films, filmmaker Mark Levin chronicles the century-long story of the American garment industry, from its Lower East Side sweatshop beginnings to its booming post-WWII rise as an emblematic American/New York City institution and its devastating fall at the hands of a post-Reagan global economy.
With Meg Ryan
Serious Moonlight Director Cheryl Hines with Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell, Justin Long
After she arrives at her country home for a romantic weekend getaway, things don't go exactly as planned for high-powered Manhattan lawyer Louise (Meg Ryan). First, her husband of 13 years, Ian (Timothy Hutton), tells her that he's leaving her for a younger woman (Kristen Bell). Then, one thing leads to another, and pretty soon Ian finds himself held captive by an oddly cool Louise who explains that she won't release him until he professes his love for her and commits to working on their marriage. And that's when things REALLY start to go wrong. The unexpected arrival of an opportunistic young gardener (Justin Long) and Ian's impatient mistress only serve to complicate the crisis even further, while somehow forcing Louise and Ian to reckon with their past and realistically deal with their future.
Seven Minutes in Heaven Director Omri Givon with Reymonde Amsellem, Eldad Prives, Ndav Nates
An ethereal mystery story about tragedy and love, SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN tackles the weighty notion of fate with rare artistry. Grieving and injured by a suicide bomber, young Galia tries to piece her life back together with the help of Boaz, a kind stranger who enters her life when she most needs him.
Shadow Billionaire Director Alexis Manya Spraic - After DHL founder Larry Hillblom failed to return from a flight in his vintage Seabee over the Pacific, bar girls throughout Southeast Asia came forward claiming to have had children by him. SHADOW BILLIONAIRE unravels the scandalous life of this reclusive tycoon as the battle over his estate takes on epic proportions, pitting impoverished, teenage prostitutes against Larry's former business associates and several of the largest law firms in the world.
Israeli Focus
Surrogate (North American Premiere) Director Tali Shalom Ezer with Amir Wolf, Lana Ettinger, Rosina Kambus, Liat Glick, Yonatan Swriski - Suffering from deep-seated sexual trauma, Eily chooses to undergo a highly unusual form of therapy to help him overcome wounds that prevent him from experiencing any kind of intimacy. A sensitive portrait of a damaged soul, SURROGATE delicately explores the profoundly personal course of psychological recovery.
Tears of April (East Coast Premiere) Director Aku Louhimies with Samuli Vauramo, Pihla Viitala, Eero Aho, Eemeli Louhimies, Riina Maidre - At the end of Finland's civil war in 1918, the government-supported Whites are rounding up the Social Democratic Reds. Private Aaro Harjula cannot tolerate the cruel abuses he has witnessed and insists on taking Miina Malin, a young Red platoon leader, to await trial. Along the way Aaro and Miina develop a connection that will force Aaro to make an agonizing choice.
Van Diemen's Land (US Premiere) Director Jonathan auf der Heide with Oscar Redding, Arthur Angel, Paul Ashcroft, Torquil Neilson, Mark Winter, Thomas Wright, Greg Stone - When Alexander Pearce and a group of fellow convicts stage a escape from their penal colony and take flight across the forbidding landscape, they are unprepared for the lengths they'll have to go to in order to survive. This harrowing re-telling of an infamous true story is a chilling depiction of the growth of evil.
War Against the Weak (New York Premiere) Director Justin Strawhand with John Hockenberry, Ashley Lazarus
WAR AGAINST THE WEAK is the terrifying history of eugenics, arguably the most dangerous pseudoscience of all time, conceived by American scientists and put into practice in the US for the greater part of the twentieth Century. The goal of eugenics was to create a master race of humans, and eliminate those considered "unfit."
Wild Art: Olly & Suzi (US Premiere) Director Rupert Murray - Olly, a man with a lust for the outdoors, teams up with Suzi, once a rising star in the art world, in the pursuit of an extreme and authentic artistic creation. They create under the most extreme conditions, channeling the clarity of that moment onto the paper in front of them. Director Rupert Murray offers a view into the lives, adventures and creative processes of two remarkable artists.
Films of Conflict and Resolution in Competition:
City of Life and Death (US Premiere) Director Lu Chuan with Liu Ye, Hideo Nakaizumi, Fan Wei, Gao Yuanyuan, Qin Lan - Acclaimed director Lu Chuanís much-anticipated Nanjing drama resists the swelling music and overwrought melodrama of so many depictions of war, shifting the focus from a top-down, authoritative history lesson to an unprecedented personal epic. This visually arresting realist masterpiece offers a genuine, affecting portrait of humanity in war that moves the fraught Nanjing narrative one step nearer to closure.
The Good Soldier (World Premiere) Director(s) Lexy Lovell, Michael Uys with Will Williams, Jimmy Massey, Perry Parks, Edward Wood, Michael McPhearson - Directors Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys bring together veterans from each of the American wars of the last century who marched eagerly to defend their country in 1944, 1966, 1991, or 2003 only to return conflicted by the atrocities they saw and participated in, and questioning what true service to your nation really means.
How to Fold a Flag (US Premiere) Director Petra Epperlein - "We were asked to believe that the war was over. We laughed - for we were the war." So begins Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein's (GUNNER PALACE) haunting tapestry of young Iraq veterans coming home. When the American flag is folded at a memorial service, each fold is sent to represent a virtue. Tucker and Epperlein unpack this symbolism, Tucker and Epperlein unpack this symbolism as they, along with the soldiers they follow, reconcile the idealized and abstract discourse of war with its heartbreakingly reality.
My Neighbor My Killer (US) Director Anne Aghion - Seven years after the Tutsi genocide, the Rwandan government put in place the Gacaca óopen-air hearings with citizen-judges meant to try their neighbors and rebuild the nation. As part of this experiment in reconciliation, confessed genocide killers are sent home from prison, while survivors are asked to resume living side-by-side. Filming for close to a decade, Anne Aghion has charted the emotional journey to coexistence.
Rabbit a la Berlin Director Bartek Konopka - Winner of a top prize at this year's prestigious Hot Docs documentary film festival, RABBIT A LA BERLIN is the charming true story of a community of wild rabbits that found safe haven within the confines of the Berlin Wall.
Scandinavian Focus
Spotlight on Scandanavian Cinema
Scandinavian films have always thrived at our festival, most recently in 2008 when the superlative Norwegian feature TROUBLED WATER swept both our jury and Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature. To celebrate all the popular and critical success Scandinavian films have achieved, the festival has carefully curated a selection of work from all 5 Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) across all sections of our program. This unique sidebar will open with the US Premiere of the Norwegian WWII resistance epic MAX MANUS, and close with the highly anticipated feature film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's bestselling GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO. We are also proud to partner with Swedish-owned Hamptons landmark c/o The Maidstone to host a reception in honor of these noteworthy filmmakers. Please join us as we honor all the Scandinavian film industry’s achievements, and toast their future success both here in the Hamptons and beyond.
Denmark:
Deliver Us From Evil, Ole Bornedal
Love and Rage, Morten Giese
Little Soldier, Annette K. Oleson
Applause, Martin Pieter Zandvliet
Finland:
Tears of April, Aku Louhimies
Forbidden Fruit, Dome Karukoski
Iceland:
Committed, Isold Uggadottir
Norway:
Max Manus, Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg
Sweden:
Instead of Abracadabra, Patrik Eklund
Long Distance Love, Magnus Gerrten and Elin Jonsson
Mammoth, Lukas Moodyson
Millennium: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
A Rational Solution, Jorgen Bergmark
Slaves, David Aronowitsch and Hana Heilborn
Videocracy, Erik Gandini
Films For Families
HIFF invites Children and families to celebrate Festival season together with a host of youth-created media offerings and an exciting selection of family-friendly films!
One of this year’s sure highlights is THE CRIMSON WING: MYSTERY OF THE FLAMINGOS, a stunning documentary which comes to the festival from the talented and innovative group at Disney Nature. In the tradition of EARTH and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, THE CRIMSON WING tells the incredible story of the birth, life and death of the crimson-winged flamingos of Tanzania.
Adults and kids alike will be amazed and inspired by the feats of the preteen racecar prodigies of RACING DREAMS, a documentary about the kids who take part in the fiercely competitive World Karting Association National Pavement Series. Both an exciting tale of striving for glory and a powerful story about growing up, RACING DREAMS is a wonderful choice for the whole family.
A special treat for youth and adults alike is the Youth Shorts Program, an entertaining and enlightening collection of films by, about and for young adults. This diverse selection of short films from all over the world is appropriate for ages 10 and up.
David Schwartz, the Chief Curator at the Museum of the Moving Image, will moderate an in-depth discussion with this year’s guest. This intimate event is sure to provide both filmmakers and film aficionados with a rare view into the creative process. The event will feature clip presentations, trade secrets, and tips on lighting for film.
Kodak Cinematography Master Class
Saturday, October 10th 12:00 PM
East Hampton UA 6 Theater
View From Long Island:
At the Hamptons International Film Festival we are committed to showcasing films rooted in our community, and this year brings an exceptionally strong lineup of work by and about Long Island. Come out and support work by local filmmakers including Brenda Siemer Scheider’s affectionate portrait of Marfan Syndrome IN MY HANDS and ode to the work and life of Roy Scheider SMILES, Bruce Weber’s new short film LIBERTY CITY IS LIKE PARIS TO ME, former Ross School artist-in-residence Darko Lungulov’s feature HERE AND THERE, and local student filmmakers Eric Striffler and Megan Vinciguerra’s award-winning short films in our Youth Shorts Program.
For those interested in seeing the Hamptons’scenery light up the big screen, be sure to catch indie dark comedy PAPER MAN, set against a picturesque winter Montauk backdrop, and Alec Hirschfeld’s short doc OUT HERE IN THE FIELDS exploring issues of farming and land ownership in East Hampton.
The Hamptons International Film Festival is grateful for the funding and support for this program from the Suffolk County Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs
To The Point: Women Telling Stories through Media:
This is a joint venture of the Hamptons International Film Festival and New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT). In its sixth year, this series of shorts honors women’s voices and visions through film — narratives, documentaries, animated and experimental and video. No more than 20 minutes long, these works explore the unique, personal stories of women — past, present, and future.
Abbie Cancelled, Dir. Jessica Burstein;
Omelette, Dir. Nadejda Koseva;
This Is Her, Dir. Katie Wolfe
Comedy Shorts
All My Dreams On VHS (East Coast Premiere) Dir. Timothy X Atack;
Instead of Abracadabra (New York Premiere) Dir. Patrik Eklund;
Youth Shorts
The Fizzy Incident, Dir. Eric Striffler;
Shorts Program: Best Served Cold
Concerto, Dir. Filippo Conz;
Shorts Program: Local to Global
Crossing Midnight, Dir. Kim A. Snyder;
Out Here in the Fields: The Field on Beach Lane (World) Dir. Alec Hirschfeld; Something Left To Sea (World Premiere), Dir. Harry Schleiff.
Shorts Before Features
Beloved (USA) Director Will Frears;
Wagah Director Supriyo Sen
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Film/Video Awards:
Akash (United States), Dir. Ash Bhalla;
Akash lives with his mother, father, grandmother and five sisters in rural India. He is approximately 13 years old, and the people of his village believe that he has the ability to invoke the goddess Durga. This documentary follows Akash's transition from boy into deity, a process that has never before been witnessed by an outsider or been committed to film.
Blackwater (East Coast), Dir. Konstantinos Frangopoulos
Brief Synopsis: A male nightmare. Living under the shadow of your loved one isn't a safe thing.
Christopher Dispossessed, Dir. Matthew Watts
He ís too late to stop the wedding, but not too late to stop the marriage.
Sinkhole (East Coast), Dir. Eric Scherbarth
A salesman approaches a mysterious landowner with an offer to buy the manís smoldering abandoned coal mines but finds that there is more at stake than the land.
Tran si tions (World), Dir. Mark Lee
A young man tapes a mentally ill woman on a subway train and believes that she may be his long-missing mother.
Cinematography Master Class
Each year, The Hamptons International Film Festival and Kodak partner present a Master Class with a leading cinematographer during the festival. Past guests have included Michael Ballhaus (GOODFELLAS, THE DEPARTED), Frederick Elmes (THE ICE STORM, WILD AT HEART, THE NAMESAKE) and Ellen Kuras (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, SUMMER OF SAM)
Visions of An Old New Land: Israeli Films on Tel Aviv’s 100th
2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the city of Tel Aviv, the artistic and cultural capital of Israel. Not only is Tel Aviv the center of Israel’s film production, it is a richly diverse and ever changing city that reflects the modern face of Israel and the plurality of backgrounds of the Israeli people. The films chosen for The Hamptons International Film Festival Tel Aviv Anniversary program reflect the faces and cultures of contemporary Israel, featuring Tel Avivian directors and varying portraits of this extraordinarily unique city.
Seven Minutes In Heaven, Omri Givon
Surrogate, Tali Shalom Ezer
Jaffa, Keren Yedaya
Five Hours From Paris, Leon Prudovsky
Lost Paradise, Mihal Brezis & Oded Binnun
Festival Panels
Green Production for the Frugal Producer - Many movie and TV producers are making progress in their efforts to reduce the carbon emissions and environmental impacts of their productions, while increasing efficiency and cutting costs. Across all aspects of production – energy, transportation, lighting, craft services, set construction, waste and recycling -- some amazing innovations have come out of recent on-set experiments, which will intrigue producers and moviegoers alike.
Breakthrough Performers Panel - Join the international group of Rising and Shooting Stars in an informal and intimate discussion about the craft of acting, how the process compares in different countries, and what their experiences were with each of their films in the 2009 Festival.
New York Film Critics Circle Panel Discussion - This year, HIFF is thrilled to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the New York Film Critics Circle and its longtime commitment to championing excellence in filmmaking. Join four prominent members of the circle for a timely and intimate discussion as they share the story of the NYFCC, and shed light on the current state of film criticism since the advent of the internet age.
Making your First Short - Using the Short Film as a Route to Features - The students in this years Student Awards shorts program will take part in this informative roundtable discussion about short filmmaking. The panel will take place immediately following the Student Awards short program, and admittance is free with your ticket to the Student Awards program.
Two From the Sloan Screenwriters Lab: Charm School For Primates and The Transformation - HIFF, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, presents staged readings of two featured screenplays from their annual screenwriters lab. Charm School For Primates, by Karen Odyniec and The Transformation, by Kirk Davis and Sam Sloves. Jay Anania (DAY ON FIRE, HER NAME IS CARLA) will direct a selection from each screenplay, which will be performed by a cast of guest actors from New York City.
Ticket Information:
Passes and tickets can be ordered on-line through the festival website, www.hamptonsfilmfest.org or through the new East Hampton Box Office location at Design Within Reach - 30 Park Place, East Hampton. Tickets by phone 1-888-329-6877. Founders Pass $1200; Industry Pass $250, Special Events Package $275, Filmmakers Discovery Package $125, Opening Night Package $100, Sloan Science in Film Tribute $40, Closing Day Package $50, Regular Screenings $15, Spotlight Films $27, Early Bird Spotlight (before 5pm) $20, “A Conversation With…” $30, Panel Discussions $10, Opening Night Film $35, Opening Night Reception $75, Sunday Night Filmmakers Party $75, Closing Film $30.
At the end of HIFF 2007
With a Golden Starfish Award For August Rush
Photo by Eric Roffman
Festival Venues:
c/o The Maidstone – Festival Headquarters – East Hampton – 207 Main Street
Guild Hall – 158 Main Street, East Hampton
United Artists Cinemas - 30 Main Street, East Hampton
Bay Street Theatre - Corner of Bay & Main (on the Long Wharf, opposite the Windmill), Sag Harbor
Gurneys Inn - 290 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk
Festival Headquarters& Press Office – c/o The Maidstone – 207 Main Street, East Hampton
First Presbyterian Church Session House, 120 East Main Street, East Hampton
Montauk Movie - 3 Edgemere Road, Montauk
Southampton Regal Cinema - 43 Hill Street, Southampton
For further information on the 2009 Hamptons International Film Festival please visit http://www.hamptonsfilmfest.org/
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Labels: Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin, Alfred P Sloan Foundation, Amy Redford, Hamptons International Film Festival, HIFF, Keri Russell, Sharon Stone
Friday, September 18, 2009
RUSH LINE AT NYFF 2009
I t was just announced by the Film Society Of Lincoln Center that there will be at least 50 seats available on a "Rush Line" for each screening of films at the New York Film Festival. Details are still murky, but there should be a queue to buy tickets at the Alice Tully Hall box office before each of the films. For the most in-demand films, coming very early is probably wise.
Labels: New York Film Festival
Monday, September 14, 2009
FEDERER V POTRO LIVE TV & ONLINE
The US Tennis Open Men's Final, between Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro, is being broadcast live on CBS TV from 4:00 PM (although it is not on the scheduled program) and streaming live over the web -- use the link on http://www.usopen.org/en_US/interactive/video/live.html
The streaming video there is exceptionally good.
Labels: Juan Martin Del Potro, Roger Federer, tennis, US OPEN
FEDERER'S BEST SHOT
Here's a moment from sports history:
Federer v. Djokovich. US OPEN. September 13, 2009. It's close to the end of the match. 2 sets to none. 6-5 30-0 in the third set:
Labels: Federer, tennis, US OPEN
Saturday, September 12, 2009
CONGRATZ!!!
Jeter 2722 and counting!
Every once in a while there's a sports event that IS history.
2722
Labels: 2722, Baseball, Derek Jeter, Lou Gehrig, Yankees
Friday, August 28, 2009
NYFF 2009
THE NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL 2009
SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 11
The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is always one of the highlights of the year in film. It usually previews a few of the most important films that will be competing for awards at the end of the year (unimportant films also compete for awards, but they'll not be found at NYFF) , and many films that are among the very best of the year from all over the world, and hardly seen at all except at NYFF.
(For example, last year's slate screened Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner The Class and the Academy Award-nominated films The Wrestler, Changeling, and Waltz with Bashir.)
Filmmakers and actors often visit the festival and participate in discussions on stage after the film, (and even, sometimes, casually, outside).
Outside Walter Reade Theater last year
Photo by Eric Roffman
Here, above, is Arnaud Desplechin, a quintessential French Director, who made last year's A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noel) (with Catherine Denueve and Mathieu Amalric) outside the Walter Reade Theater last year.
In the many connections among the films from year to year, Amalric was in the 2007 film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le scaphandre et le papillon), and will appear again at the festival, this year in Wild Grass (Les herbes folles) by Alain Renais.
(Note -- disclaimer!): I don't know which filmmakers or actors will actually be present this year... when I say they'll be back I only mean that they have a film in the festival).
at NYFF 1974
Photo by Eric Roffman
And Jacques Rivette (now 81... Alain Renais, by the way, is 87) will be back with 36 Views of Saint-Loup Peak (36 vues du Pic Saint-Loup). Above is a picture of Juliet Berto in the Green Room at Alice Tully Hall, when she came to the festival for Rivette's Celine et Julie vont en bateau more than 30 years ago. (Berto was a co-writer of that film, and was also in Godard's masterpiece La Chinoise, which was shown recently in the 1968 retrospective by the Film Society. )
Unfortunately, getting tickets to the films is not so easy. Each film is only shown at most twice. And the festival tends to be oversubscribed. Unlike the policy at the The Public Theater, which tries to give away many of their seats free to the public, democratically (but in return for waiting on line really, really early in the morning), access to Film Society tickets are prioritized by the length of time you've been a member of the Film Society, and only after initial orders are taken do other tickets go on sale to the public.
While Alice Tully Hall was undergoing renovations, films were shown at Rose Hall. It's time to take the most oversubscribed films and show them more than twice, perhaps adding screenings at Rose or even Avery Fisher Hall (where opening and closing night films are shown). It's nice that the Film Festival is like a party for those who go every year, but it should also allow more people to participate. I would think that a full house at any of these theaters would more than pay for itself and whatever trouble it would require to schedule extra screenings. Some of the films, of course, go on to commercial screeneings after the festival. Still, I think it's more fun to see them at the festival.
If you do not have a ticket, by the way, there are frequently people who do have extra tickets that they will sell (at face price) or even give away free at the door. There usually are quite a few, so it's worth trying if there's a film you want to see. (And if you do have a ticket you're not using, by all means go to the theater and let someone else use it!)
Note: 9/16 -- It has just been announced that there will be a "Rush Line" this year with at least 50 tickets available for each screening at the Alice Tully Hall box office!
Note 10/1 -- The Festival is providing extra screenings for the most popular sold-out films!
Excellent!
Here is a summary (by the NYFF) of the festival's main event offerings. (In addition to the main event there are several sidebar events, including selections of films from China and from India.) (Note: Check the description of the last film, the Wizard of Oz retrospective, for my favorite line from these previews!)
NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL 2009
Opening Night: Alain Resnais' Wild Grass
Centerpiece: Lee Daniels' Precious
Closing Night: Pedro Almodóvar's Broken Embraces
The 47th edition of the New York Film Festival will open with the U.S. premiere of Alain Resnais's Wild Grass (Les herbes folles) and close with Pedro Almodóvar's Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos). This year's Centerpiece will be Lee Daniels' Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire.
In addition this year's festival will include two Masterworks series from China and India, Views From the Avant Garde, and special events.
The Festival returns this year to its renowned home, Alice Tully Hall, beautifully restored and renovated with superb, state-of-the-art sound and projection.
The 17-day NYFF highlights 29 films from 17 countries by celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new independent directors.
This Year's Selections:
A Film Society veteran, legendary French auteur Alain Resnais returns with Wild Grass, his 10th film selected for the New York Film Festival. His film Muriel appeared in the first New York Film Festival in 1963. And recently, Private Fears in Public Places showed at the 44th edition of the Festival in 2006.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the French New Wave and fifty years after his groundbreaking debut with Hiroshima Mon Amour, Resnais delivers a career-crowning masterpiece with Wild Grass, a delightful roundelay based on Christian Gailly's novel The Incident, about the fate-altering ripples triggered by a seemingly ordinary purse snatching. The purse belongs to Marguerite (Resnais' regular, Sabine Azema), a dentist who moonlights as an aviatrix. Its contents are retrieved by Georges (André Dussollier), a married man who soon finds himself infatuated with the purse's owner, even though he hasn't actually met her yet. Add in a couple of keystone cops (hilariously played by Mathieu Amalric and Michel Vuillermoz), some dizzying aerial acrobatics, and the glorious widescreen camerawork of cinematographer Eric Gautier and Wild Grass becomes a uniquely playful meditation on coincidence and desire that suggests Resnais, at age 87, is truly in his prime.
Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Lee Daniels' Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, marks the first time the American director has been at the Festival. In his astonishing adaptation of Sapphire's 1996 novel, Daniels unsparingly recounts the horrific life of Clareece "Precious" Jones, an obese, barely literate 16-year-old living in late '80s Harlem who's sexually abused by both her father and mother. But Precious is not just a tale of endless abjection-it's also an exhilarating celebration of a young woman's determination to free herself from the pathologies surrounding her, guided by a teacher who senses her innate talents. Without a trace of easy, unearned sentimentality, Precious might be the most spirit-affirming movie of the year. Bringing this raw, uncompromising material to the screen, Daniels has assembled a remarkable cast: Paula Patton as Precious's devoted teacher, Mariah Carey as a tough yet compassionate welfare officer, fearless newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as Precious, and-most memorably-Mo'Nique as her monstrous mother, which won the actress a Special Jury Prize at Sundance.
Also no stranger to New York audiences, and a true NYFF favorite, Pedro Almodóvar's newest, Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos), marks his eighth film in the New York Film Festival. (Seven of these have either been Opening Night, Centerpiece or Closing Night selections.) Broken Embraces tells the story of a blind screenwriter, living and working under a pseudonym, who learns of the death of a powerful industrialist, triggering a flood of memories that encompass a tale of naked ambition, forbidden love and devastating loss. Moving from Madrid sound stages to the volcanic landscapes of the Canary Islands, Almodóvar takes us on a candy-colored emotional roller coaster that barrels from comedy to romance to melodrama to the darker haunts of film noir-with even a salute to the "Making Of..." film along the way. Penelope Cruz has never been better, nor more ravishing, and she's ably aided by Lluis Homar (Bad Education), Blanca Portillo (Volver), and a wonderful newcomer to the Almodóvar stable, Rubén Ochandiano. The luscious cinematography is by Rodrigo Prieto (Amores Perros, Brokeback Mountain).
Rounding out the 2009 slate, The Film Society welcomes a group of well-established alumni back to the New York Film Festival with new features, including Marco Bellocchio (Vincere), Catherine Breillat (Bluebeard), Claire Denis (White Material), Manoel de Oliveira, (Eccentricities of a Blonde), Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon), Jacques Rivette (36 Views of Saint-Loup Peak), Todd Solondz (Life During Wartime), Lars von Trier (Antichrist) and Andrzej Wajda (Sweet Rush).
New directors to the Festival include Maren Ade (Everyone Else), Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor (Sweetgrass), Zhao Dayong (Ghost Town), Samuel Maoz (Lebanon), Raya Martin (Independencia), João Pedro Rodrigues (To Die Like A Man) and Sabu (Kanikosen).
New York Film Festival 2009
September 25 - October 11
Main Slate
Wild Grass
Alain Resnais, France, 2009; 113m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/Sony Pictures Classics
Wild Grass / Les herbes folles
Alain Resnais, France, 2009; 113m
The venerable Alan Resnais creates an exquisite human comedy of manners, mystery and romance with some of France's - and our - favorite actors: Sabine Azéma, André Dussollier, Emmanuelle Devos and Mathieu Almaric. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Lee Daniels, USA, 2009; 109m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/Lionsgate
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Lee Daniels, USA, 2009; 109m
Precious is sixteen and living a miserable life. But she uses all the emotional energy she possesses to turn her life around. Director Lee Daniel's audacious tale features unforgettable performances by Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. A Lionsgate release.
CLOSING NIGHT
Broken Embraces
Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 2009; 128m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/Sony Pictures Classics
Broken Embraces / Los abrazos rotos
Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 2009; 128m
Almodóvar's newest masterwork is a candy-colored emotional roller that barrels from comedy to romance to melodrama to the darker haunts of film noir and stars his muse, Penélope Cruz, in a multilayered story of a man who loses his sight and the love of his life. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
36 Views of Saint-Loup Peak / 36 vues du Pic Saint-Loup
Jacques Rivette, France, 2009, 84m
The legendary Jacques Rivette returns with an elegiac look at the final days of a small-time traveling circus.
Antichrist
Lars von Trier, Denmark, 2009, 109m
Surely to be one of the year's most discussed films, Lars von Trier's latest chronicles a couple's efforts to find their love again after a tragic loss, only to unleash hidden monsters lurking in their souls. An IFC Films release.
The Art of the Steal
Don Argott, USA, 2009, 101m
Bound to be controversial, this intriguing account of the travails of the legendary Barnes collection of art masterworks and the foundation set up to protect it raises vital questions about public vs. private "ownership" of art.
Bluebeard
Catherine Breillat, France, 2009, 78m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/Pyramide Films
Bluebeard / La Barbe Bleue
Catherine Breillat, France, 2009, 78m
Two sisters reading Charles Perrault's 17th century tale of perhaps the first "serial killer" becomes a meditation on the enduring fascination with a character who has served as inspiration for countless novels, plays and films.
Crossroads of Youth / Cheongchun's Sipjaro
An Jong-hwa, Korea, 1934, 73m
The oldest surviving Korean film, this recently-rediscovered masterwork will be presented with live musical accompaniment as well as a benshi (offscreen narrator).
Eccentricities of a Blonde
Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal/France, 2009, 64m
One hundred years young, director Manoel de Oliveira returns with another gem: a wry, moving tale of a pure if frustrated love adapted from a novel by Eça de Queiroz.
Everyone Else / Alle Anderen
Maren Ade, Germany, 2009, 119m
The ups and downs, joys and jealousies, frustrations and fulfillments of a young couple on a summer holiday provide the premise for this brilliant meditation on modern coupling.
Ghost Town
Zhao Dayong, China, 2008, 180m
A revealing, one-of-a-kind look at China far away from the glittering urban skylines, this portrait of a contemporary rural community in China offers extraordinary insights into everything from the role of religion to gender relationships to the place of social deviants.
Hadewijch
Bruno Dumont, France, 2009, 105m
A young woman searches for an absolute experience of faith-and in the process grows increasingly distant from the world around her.
Independencia
Raya Martin, Philippines, 2009, 77m
Maverick director Raya Martin offers a kind of alternative history of the Philippines and its struggle for nationhood in this stylized tale of a mother and son hiding in the mountains after the US takeover of the islands.
Inferno / L'Enfer
Serge Bromberg, France, 2009, 100m
A film buff's delight, Serge Bromberg film resurrects the surviving footage of Clouzot's aborted, experimental film L'Enfer, revealing a slightly mad but beguiling project that will always remain one of cinema's great "what ifs."
Kanikosen
Sabu, Japan, 2009, 109m
Kanikosen is a highly stylized, stirring, manga-flavored update of a classic Japanese political novel, with labor unrest aboard a crab canning ship evolving into a cry of a younger generation aching to break the bonds of conformity.
Lebanon
Samuel Maoz, Israel, 2009, 92m
Debut director Samuel Maoz takes us inside an Israeli tank and the emotions of its crew during the 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
Life During Wartime
Todd Solondz, USA, 2009, 96m
Preparing for his bar-mitzvah, a young man must deal with his divorced mother's prospective fiancé as well as rumors that his own father is not really dead.
Min Yé
Souleymane Cissé, Mali/France, 2009, 135m
A work of startling originality, Souleymane Cissé's first film in over a decade insightfully and incisively chronicles the dissolution of an upper-middle class African marriage.
Mother/ Maedo
Bong Joon-ho, South Korea, 2009, 128m
Convinced that her son has been wrongly accused of murder, a widow throws herself body and soul into proving his innocence. Kim Hye-ja in the title role gives perhaps the performance of the year.
Ne Change Rien
Pedro Costa, France/Portugal, 2009, 103m
A shimmering valentine, Costa's latest is less a portrait than a kind of visual homage, to the artistry of actor and singer Jeanne Balibar.
Police Adjective / Politist, adj.
Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania, 2009, 115m
Discovering a teenager with hashish, a young policeman hesitates about turning him in. But his supervisor has other ideas in this beautifully acted, provocative modern morality play. An IFC Films release.
Room and a Half / Poltory komnaty ili sentimentalnoe puteshtvie na rodinu
Andrey Khrzhanovsky, Russia, 2009, 131m
Former animator Andrey Khrzhanovsky combines scripted scenes, archival footage, several types of animation, and surrealist flights of fancy to create this stirring portrait of poet Josef Brodsky and the postwar Soviet cultural scene. A Seagull Films release.
Sweetgrass
Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, USA, 2009, 105m
This breathtaking chronicle follows an ever-surprising group of modern-day cowboys as they lead an enormous herd of sheep up and then down the slopes of the Beartooth Mountains in Montana on their way to market.
Sweet Rush / Tatarak
Andrzej Wajda, Poland/France, 2009, 85m
Celebrated master Andrzej Wajda returns with a bold, experimental work that juxtaposes a story about a terminally doctor's wife rediscovering romance thanks with a heart-rending monologue written and performed by actress Krystyna Janda about the death of her husband.
To Die Like a Man / Morrer como um homen
João Pedro Rodrigues, Portugal, 2009, 138m
This touching, finely-etched portrait follows Tonia, a veteran drag performer confronting younger competition and her boyfriend's demands that she undergo a sex change.
Vincere
Marco Bellocchio, Italy, 2009, 129m
Mussolini's "secret" marriage to Ida Dalser, afterwards completely denied by Il Duce, along with the son born from the relationship, becomes the springboard for this visually ravishing meditation on the fascist manipulation of history. An IFC Films release.
Claire Denis, France, 2009, 100m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/Wild Bunch
White Material
Claire Denis, France, 2009, 100m
A handful of Europeans try to make sense of-and survive-the chaos happening all around them in an African country torn apart by civil war.
The White Ribbon / Das weisse band
Michael Haneke, Austria/France, 2009, 144m
The Palme d'Or winner at this year's Cannes Film Festival, this is a starkly beautiful meditation on the consequences of violence-physical, emotional, spiritual-in a northern German town on the eve of World War I. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
The Wizard of Oz
Victor Fleming, 1939, USA, 103m
The 70th Anniversary of the timeless classic, presented in a spectacular newly-restored edition makes the film a new experience even for those who practically have it memorized. A Warner Bros. release.
This year the NYFF introduces Masterworks which will feature works from India and China.
- "Re-Inventing China: A New Cinema for a New Society, 1949-1966"
- "A Heart as Big as the World: The Films of Guru Dutt"
Both series will screen at the Walter Reade Theater.
There will also be: Special Events! and Views From the Avant Garde.
(Note: Always remember the Sponsors. Due to the strange way the world works, few artistic endeavors would ever exist without private sponsors.)
Sponsors:
The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from 42BELOW, GRAFF, Stella Artois, Illy Caffè, The New York State Council on the Arts, and The National Endowment for the Arts.
The 47th Annual New York Film Festival is sponsored by HBO® Films, The New York Times, and Kodak.
HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc.
Labels: Alain Renais, New York Film Festival, NYFF, Pedro Almodovar, Penelope Cruz
HUNG - A STORYLINE
While a man may hire a prositute for sex...
According to a storyline in HUNG (on MTV), one of the ways a woman will use a prostitute (aka a "happiness consultant") is to make him care-for/love her and then break up with him to hurt him -- just the way so many men have hurt her by breaking up with her.
This show finds odd and amusing ways to illuminate m/f relationships (and also the mysteries of building a new business).
Labels: Hung
Thursday, August 27, 2009
THE KENNEDY UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BILL
When a satisfactory health care bill, giving everyone in the country affordable state of the art health care is passed by Congress, it should honor Senator Kennedy by naming the bill after him, for his career-long efforts on behalf of medical care for all the people of this country.
Labels: Health care, Senator Kennedy
Monday, August 24, 2009
THE BACCHAE -- SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
in The Bacchae
Photo by Joan Marcus
There’s a terrific production of The Bacchae (Βάκχαι), by Euripides’ (Εὐριπίδης), one of the greatest plays in all classic Greek theater, and indeed all theater, now at Shakespeare in the Park. Anyone with an interest in theater, Greek theater, or, generally, any theater which, remarkably, is as fresh now as if it had just been written, should see this version (playing just till Aug 30). It’s also outdoors, which is a rare connection these days with the ancient performances.
Greek gods often represented personalizations of archetypal human behavior or natural phenomena, or both. They were kind of living metaphors for strong, sometimes complex ideas.
Because the gods were archetypes, respect for the gods meant being respectful of the true nature of man and the power of nature. (Note 1 (disclaimer): This is one point of view. In one sentence. Many whole books have been written about the attitudes of Greeks to their gods.) (Note 2 (somewhat contrary view): See below: JoAnne Akalaitis, the director, takes a different point of view on the relation between the gods and men.)
Greek Gods did not exist a priori, they were created as myths, and the myths were refined by people, especially writers, and in the days of Greek theater, especially playwrights.
The story of Dionysus (aka Bacchus) and the Bacchae – the women followers of Bacchus – as described by Euripides was a combination of his invention with myths and history that were known to the Greeks. Each author that translated or adapted Euripides’ text and every director that staged the play since it was written added their own creative invention.
(Note: In a story about the National Theater of Scotland’s production of The Bacchae at Lincoln Center last year, I discussed in detail some of the alternative approaches to The Bacchae.)
Euripides’ version alludes to many themes associated with the myth of Bacchus:
THEME 1 -- It was a relatively new religion that swept in from the East.
This theme has echoes now in our modern world, where the western world is being tested by fervent promoters of a religion which is coming from the East.
THEME 2 -- Alcohol liberates the spirit, provides comfort – but also can provoke fighting.
This can be amplified to a basic cycle: a spirit of liberation, supported by forces of moderation; which is opposed by a repressive regime; and then there is an element which associates itself with the pacifist spirit, but which is violent.
This duality was certainly a part of the spirit of 1968-69 – the 40th anniversary of which we are celebrating now. It is epitomized by the journey from Woodstock (a festival of peace and love and mud) to Altamont (where, as described in Wikipedia, a member of the audience at a Rolling Stones Concert – one of whose anthems was “Sympathy for the Devil" -- was killed by a member of the Hell’s Angel’s). Or by the journey from the "summer of love" to the Manson murders.
Liberation:
Directed by Brian De Palma & Richard Schechner, US, 1970;
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Richard Schechner
The liberation of the 60’s and its tie to the myth of Bacchus was expressed in the version of this play, Dionysus in 69.
(Note: For a look back, visit the contemporary impressions of Time magazine, and The New York Times -- access to NYT may require registration.)
in Hair
Photo by Joan Marcus
It was also expressed (with Pot more than booze as the liberating drug of choice) by Hair.
Interestingly, a terrific production of Hair is currently playing on Broadway, where it was transferred after originating at Shakespeare in the Park last summer. Hair (especially the first act) could almost be an interpretation of the spirit of the Bacchic revelers in the present age.
in Hair
Photo by Joan Marcus
It is also interesting – and more than a coincidence I would think – that the current version of The Bacchae, now playing in Shakespeare in the Park features Jonathan Groff as Bacchus. He also played Claude in last year’s Hair at The Park, and also is part of Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock, about the festival.
The current version takes note of, but does not show (much less enjoy) the spirit of liberation. There is no sex, no nudity, no Bacchants in this production. (The chorus may be Bacchants in name, but they do not participate in any Bacchic revels.) The chorus, which in many productions takes the role of the liberated women, here are purely commentators (which they do in an especially rich fashion, as we comment below). The description of liberated women is – except in the scene with Cadmus & Tiresias (Τειρεσίας), who are sympathetic to the revels – almost entirely in terms of how Dionysus has crazed the women, especially the daughters of Cadmus.
Note: Tiresias is the blind seer. Cadmus is the old, retired legendary king of Thebes who has given his crown to his grandson, Pentheus. His daughters are: Semele, the mother of Dionysus; Agave, the mother of Pentheus; Autonoe and Ino. Dionysus is thus the cousin of Pentheus and also a grandson of Cadmus.
Dionysus claims that his father is Zeus, and therefore he has divine lineage. His mother claimed Zeus was her lover, but neither Cadmus nor his mother’s sisters believed her. This rejection is the primary motivation behind Dionysus' return to Thebes to claim the respect he and his mother were denied. Continued disrespect is the motivation for his revenge.
Revenge / Violence:
This production stresses the theme of revenge. Dionysus comes out angry. The Chorus is fierce. Dionysus gives Pentheus a chance to respect him. When Pentheus does not, Dionysus arranges for Pentheus to be brutally murdered by his own mother.
On one level this is a counter-reaction of violence to repression. On another level, this is the representation (we alluded to before) of the aspect of drink that makes people fight.
Depending on how you view the play, this is
- An expression of the barbarism of a pagan religion,
- Or the realistic depiction of the fury that gods unleash when you do not pay them the respect they require,
- Or the metaphorical description of the consequences of ignoring the reality the god represents.
- (Or just fury -- its a god, no reason needed, see theme 4.)
THEME 3 – Cross dressing
In the course of his revenge Dionysus convinces Pentheus to dress as a woman so that he will not be attacked by the Bacchants.
This is a strange statement on the face of it, since earlier Euripides’ has (at least according to most translations) suggested that men and women were making love among the revelries and, besides, Cadmus and Tiresias had just gone up to join the revelers. The simplest explanation is that Dionysus was lying to Pentheus.
Pentheus expresses reluctance to wear a woman’s clothes, and the reaction the play seems to be looking for is that Pentheus is humiliated by dressing as a woman.
With a smear of red lipstick
in The Bacchae
Photo by Joan Marcus
Bacchus, himself, in myths is portrayed as half-man half-woman. And stage directions in many versions of the play describe Dionysus, when he comes in, as having long blond hair, kind of androgynous. In this production, Dionysus wears just a smear of lipstick.
in Twelfth Night
Photo by Joan Marcus
Some commentators on the play treat the theme of cross dressing as the paramount theme of the play. Indeed the ads for this whole summer’s Shakespeare in the Park stress Cross Dressing: the other play this summer being Twelfth Night, in which Viola (played by Anne Hathaway) dresses as a man.
(Note: Viola dresses as a man to be safe going around in a strange country by herself (aka himself). It was, of course, convenient for Shakespeare to have women dressed as young men, since they were, in fact, being played by young men.)
Neither play seems to make too much of cross dressing in these productions. (It was a much more important part of The Scottish Theater’s version of The Bacchae.) With respect to how cross-dressing illuminates the relation between men and women, they do take almost the same view (that in the world they live in, men are more important) in very different ways (inflating women and deflating men in Shakespeare; mostly mocking women and – perhaps mockingly – almost worshipping hunting and killing as manliness in The Bacchae).
Twelfth Night notes how a woman can be just as manly as a man, when people think she’s a man. It bursts a bubble of assumed superiority for men, and elevates woman to the same level as a man.
The Bacchae, in the person of Agave, boasts how a woman can be just as strong as a man when she is crazed, while Pentheus, dressed as a woman is mocked: Men are strong, women are maddened by Dionysus; when a man is maddened, he is made to play the role of a woman and mocked; a woman can think she is as strong as a man only if she is maddened. In this view, Euripides is quite a misogynist. (Other interpretations of Euripides, stressing the androgynous nature of Dionysus, and the freedom and independence of women in the Dionysian rites, are quite different.)
THEME 4 – Human powerlessness in the face of irrational gods
I had no direct access to the creative team, but the NYT quotes JoAnne Akalaitis, the director, as saying the play is “partly about human powerlessness in the face of irrational gods…” In this interpretation, Dionysus is not even revenging himself, his fury is irrational.
(If one wishes to put this irrationality in context, it could be tied back to the idea that excessive drinking makes one irrational, and to a modern notion that the gods of Greece were pagan gods.)
THE STAGING
There is an additional element in the interpretation of a play, especially a Greek play, and that is how the play is staged.
In the story I referred to above, I discussed the staging of the play last year by The National Theater of Scotland. That staging was notable for its ability to find humor in the text, and for cross-dressing, and for its vivid effects.
in The Bacchae
Photo by Joan Marcus
In addition to being outdoors! (as Greek plays were originally staged), the most notable element of the staging in The Park is the magnificent score by Philip Glass, and the singing, chanting, dancing and appearance of the chorus. It is almost operatic, and is the central element for most of the play. (In the program, Eustis, the Artistic Director of The Public Theater, says the chorus was “almost really the starting point for this entire endeavor.”)
Watching The Bacchae, and listening, I thought back to the last opera I saw: Doctor Atomic, with a score by John Adams. There is something about our times that is bringing a certain musical sensibility, large in scope, concerned with real and mythical events, recent and ancient events, that remind us of the precariousness of our situation, comfortable at home, but threatened by the possibility of imminent cataclysm.
There is a similarity between our times and the times when Euripides wrote The Bacchae – Athens was in grave danger, both militarily, politically, and philosophically, with much of the danger coming from Persia and the East. The Bacchae may be 2,400 years old, but it is a modern play, and this is a timely production.
(Note: It has little to do with rest of this article, but I just wanted to note that these are extraordinary photos by Joan Marcus. These are not only great shots, but they show the extraordinary concentration and the incredible life that is going on with every one of the characters shown in the pictures. They are a great tribute both to the productions, and to the photographer.)
Labels: Hair, Joanne Akalaitis, Philip Glass, Shakespeare in the Park, The Bacchae, the public theater
Saturday, August 15, 2009
BRAZILIAN FILM FESTIVAL WRAP-UP
Aside from well known, beautiful and talented superstars (eg Sonia Braga, Alice Braga, Giselle Bundchen) of Brazilian origin, Brazil has a reservoir of great talent... less well known outside of Brazil. And there was a lot of talent on display in the films in the festival.
There is a charming feeling of relaxed sexuality, and adult behavior in the films (and the performance of Silvia Machete at the opening night party). Indeed, one feature of the films was they were mostly about adults. (As one member of the organizing committee told me, we don’t need to make films for or about kids and teens; the Americans take care of that.) The center of gravity for the fictional characters was about 40 years old and moderately prosperous. Many of the documentaries were about even older musicians.
The strongest of the films I saw (I saw many, but not all the films) were Romance, an original, bright romantic comedy, and Veronica, a well-written action/chase movie. Overall, the greatest strength in the films was the acting; good writing, and a very personal dedication was also evident in the great labor it took to make the films, especially the documentaries.
The weakness of the films that I saw included a tendency to be safe in their overall stories, an almost complete lack of expensive effects – for example, low light graininess seemed more like cheap filmmaking than sophisticated style. And some really terrible subtitles (sometimes invisible white words on white backgrounds, sometimes ungrammatical, incomprehensible or even nonsensical translations – it seems like many people in Brazil speak good English – except for the translators who work on subtitles). The movies, while very good, seemed in some cases to not quite fully achieve the scope and edge in story and technique of great feature films.
I’m just guessing here, but the causes of these limitations could be: a home market that can not support very expensive films; a funding system that does not facilitate independent, well-budgeted, cutting edge films (which, of course, is true everywhere); and inexperience with all the possibilities of feature films as a medium different from TV.
The films shown include glimpses of a stable, prosperous country, the Brazilian musical scene, some corruption, and a lot of sexually charged relationships. Yet, the stories could have even greater scope and more edge, the moment-to-moment activity could be more complex and subtle, the visual canvas can be much broader, including more spectacular and diverse locations; and there is still room for more passion to underlie the films about what is really exciting about Brazil.
Also, getting someone who speaks native English to produce the final subtitles would be an instant boost to the films in the American market.
on the Red Carpet for Wandering Heart
The opening of Wandering Heart, about the highly respected musician, Caetano Veloso, was the occasion for the Red Carpet event, though it could have been more exciting, with some prominent celebrities being no-shows. Indeed, more actors and actresses could have come for the screenings and all the parties to promote their films, the festival, and above all, themselves.
As a note to the organizers of all festival parties for filmmakers and journalists, I would like to make a suggestion for the name badges (brilliantly implemented by Esther Dyson at her tech events, by the way): Name tags should be huge, and the name and the person’s reason for attendance (eg the film’s name, and the person’s role – actor, director, producer…) should be able to be easily read by anybody nearby. It makes the people you want to meet so much easier to find, and conversations so much easier to start.
For all that, the festival itself was fun, with good screenings, parties, and a nighttime disco.
The Brazil on display is a Brazil I have always wanted to visit.
With a large TV industry to provide a reservoir of technical and – especially – great acting talent, and a huge, diverse, and untapped environment, Brazil provides a unique prospect as a site for movie makers to set their movies.
Here are some reviews of specific films and the opening event:
SILVIA MACHETE
With a sly, engaging personality and a performance that is both retro and avant garde, Silvia Machete gave a real boost to the festival on opening night.
Performing at the Central Park SummerStage, in the open air in beautiful weather, after a day of horrible rain, she thanked the organizers for inviting her, mentioning that she lived in New York for a while -- giving street performances in Central Park, and suspected this might be the first time the police would ever let her finish her performance.
She has a nice voice, a pleasant jazzy style in both English and Portuguese, and fine back-up musicians. She performed her distinctive set-piece: hand rolling and lighting a “cigarette,” whose ingredients are stashed in various parts of her anatomy and clothing, while twirling a hula hoop. She also was taken up on her offer to give a free disc to some young man in the audience who would come up on stage and suck her toe (sic… yup… he did that… she did that).
If I Were You 2
If I WERE YOU 2
If I Were You 2 was shown on the open air screen at Central Park on opening night.
This is a pleasant, enjoyable, amusing comedy. The acting and directing are very good in this role-reversal film, and the visual style is pleasant. The projection in Central Park, even before it was fully dark was excellent.
It is said to be the most successful domestic Brazilian film of the year (maybe ever). I was told that it grossed about 1.5 million dollars, which does set a limit on Brazilian domestic box office, and indicates why it may be difficult to provide large budgets for any films not likely to be a big success domestically and internationally.
The film conveys a feeling of a prosperous and stable society, which may be just the image the festival had in mind for its opening night. The film is kind of old fashioned both in style and content. In truth, the film could have been made in the US 50 to 75 years ago (if they had color then).
The couple’s young daughter, whose boyfriend has gotten her pregnant, is played by Isabelle Drummond, (actually, Isabelle Christine Lourenço Gomes Drummond), an impressive young actress. I was a bit confused by the dialog which refers to her boyfriend as a pedophile and exploiter of young girls, because she looks well over the age of consent and sophisticated and beautiful enough to be experienced. According to IMDB, however, she was actually only about 14 when she made this film, which explains a lot. Brazilians may be used to such young beauties, but for the external market, it would have been helpful to place her in a classroom with some young friends to set more context. Americans are used to seeing 25 year old actors play 16 year old high school students. Understanding that an actress who looks, perhaps, 18-19, is actually only 14, and supposed to be playing 15-16, is not intuitive for an American audience.
I enjoyed this film. It was a good start for the festival.
Veronica
VERONICA
This rather gritty chase film / thriller begins with excellent dialog and a setup that could come from Hitchcock: A burnt-out, everywoman teacher helps a child who is not picked up after school, and finds herself protecting the boy from drug dealers and corrupt, drug-dealing cops who want to kill him, like they killed his parents, to recover the recording his father, an informer, made of their drug transactions (a recording which the father, rather dangerously, gave the kid to take to school in the morning as kind of a necklace).
The acting is excellent. Andrea Beltrao – who plays the teacher here, (and a very different character in Romance) throws herself into the role, and Matheus de Sá playing the boy is pitch perfect. The style is grainy and realistic (though it seems sometimes to be more ugly-ish and grainy because of the budget than because it’s the best choice for the film).
I found myself just a little put off by the way the script portrays the teacher as a 20 year veteran teacher and “one of the best teachers in the school” since she seems totally confused at first about what to do with a student who is not picked up; and completely unfamiliar with the neighborhood. (In 20 years there must have been students not picked up on time; and you’d think she’d know the neighborhood better.) It might have been just a bit more credible for me if she was, at least, new to that particular school.
The way it ends is interesting. Not to give too much away, the ending is neither too pat, nor too easy and over-optimistic.
Romance
ROMANCE
This very nice romantic comedy deals with many issues that arise in theater, TV, and films:
1 -- A director and an actress love each other. But he is jealous, she is beautiful, and there are so many handsome actors, talented directors, and rich producers around...
2 – Theater can be awfully stagy.
3 – There’s much more money in TV than in theater.
4 – Theatuh is about the wuhrk, people should come for the ahht, not to see a famous actress.
5a – Happy endings can be unrealistic. Depressing endings are bad for box office.
5b – Classic theater pieces (especially Tristan and Iseult, Romeo and Juliet, etc) have classically tragic endings. TV and films usually have happy endings. When a classic tragedy is adapted for popular TV, should it end as happy/TV or classic/tragedy?
5c – For that matter, how should the movie itself end? It starts with classic theatrical tragedy and ends in the theater, but it’s a film with popular aspirations.
The acting is excellent again here, Letitia Sabatella, as the actress, is beautiful and sympathetic. Letitia is also active in issues involving native Brazilians, and is the co-director of Hotxua. Andrea Beltrao, who is very good as the lead in Veronica, plays a very different sort of character here. These are two terrific actresses. Wagner Moura, who plays the director, is also very good.
This film is interesting, romantic, amusing and interesting. It begins with kind of an arty, arch, theatrical start (… well, after all, it begins by portraying an arty, arch, theatrical production, so I guess that style is appropriate). But the film becomes warmer and more and more naturalistic as it develops, -- and better and better -- finishing with a warm, comic flair.
Of course, half the final joke is that the warm comic flair of the finale is exactly what the character of the Director objected to in his TV film. The other half of the joke is that at the end of the film, now that he's got his girl, he's delighted to have a happy ending. (Note: It is hardly a "spoiler" to reveal that a romantic comedy called "Romance" has a comedic, romantic ending.)
Loki -- Arnaldo Baptista is an old fashioned, threadbare documentary and a very interesting film about a very interesting subject -- Arnaldo Baptista, a musician who was instrumental in developing the evolution of Brazilian music. It is a portrait of a unique personality. It is also a story of love lost. In an interview, Sean Lennon says of Arnaldo, he has "the soul of a child." That could have been the title of this film.
The director/producers went to extraordinary lengths to obtain fascinating archival footage. This film, directed by Paulo Henrique Fontenelle, won the Festival's Crystal Lens Award for Best Feature Film, by the vote of the audience.
In contrast to the older music of Loki, the documentary Favella On Blast concentrates on the baile funk, music with its roots in one of the most violent and poor places, the shanty towns in Rio de Janeiro.
Director of Wandering Heart
I did not have the chance to see Wandering Heart, but I did have a chance to chat with the director, who strikes me as extraordinarily skilled. He has accomplished a lot while very young, and he’s also charming. He is a good bet to become an important filmmaker.
The presence of three documentaries about music (and one fictionalized film version of a true story -- see below) testifies to the importance of musical traditions in the Brazilian culture.
The Herb Of The Rat
This bizarre film (co-directed, and written by Júlio Bressane -- based on some famous stories) is sensuous, sexual, visually interesting, and logically completely incoherent. It has some of the worst subtitles ever; but I suspect that even in its native language it is better with the sound track off.
The cinematography and, especially, the actors, however, are very good. Selton Mello is a distinguished actor in Brazil, with many awards. The actress, Alessandra Negrini, of whom we see a lot in this film (and even more is available online), is a fine actress and very attractive. Her Cleopatra, from 2007, also directed by Júlio Bressane, won numerous awards in Brazil, including best actress for Alessandra.
The film has three distinct sections: the beginning could be a satire of an art film; the middle section is sexual and, except for the dialog, engrossing; toward the end it’s just gross… and also ridiculous: sort-of a bloodless, tensionless, pointless, horrorless, would-be horror film. I don't particularly like the title, which seems like a bad translation for the name of a poison. The film might perhaps better be called The Rat & The Pussy.
Watch the middle.
CHILDREN’S ORCHESTRA
This fictional recreation of a real story, for most of the movie, presents the universal epic of a fledgling arts organization trying to organize in the face of financial and political obstacles. The insanely rapid progress the students make in their musical abilities, without obvious instruction, is a bit fake, but it’s fun. The young performers in the films are terrific, both in music and acting; and the young girl singer has an especially beautiful voice.
The first hour could (and should) be shown to every young orchestra and every municipal council anywhere in the world. But then for a short while, this story gets really ugly: a child kidnapped, beaten and abused physically, then abused some more -- psychologically -- by corrupt investigators; the maestro falsely accused of sexual abusing his students; suicide, blood, would-be murder. This awful stuff is over quickly, but it makes the film unsuitable for most audiences that would most appreciate it.
It’s also over too quickly to be a really adequate dramatization of the exceptional corruption and venality that made this story famous, or the exceptional way that media coverage, community support, and judicial review resolved the problems. (The story could have been a two-part movie or TV mini-series, with the “ugly” part given 90 minutes all its own.)
Happily the end credits suggest that the orchestra and teaching institution are flourishing and the children involved have gone on to successful lives, mostly with professional careers in music.
Director
Smoking I Wait
Smoking I Wait is an earnest film that presents a compelling description of many aspects of the tobacco problem: the difficulty of quitting (the director uses herself as the guinea pig); the addiction and marketing of cigarettes, the history of tobacco, and more. The attractive and affable Adriana L. Dutra is the director, the face of the story and, as it happens, also one of the organizers of the film festival.
WRAP-UP PART II: THE WRAP-UP WRAP-UP
Looking back over all the films in the festival and the whole experience, I am pleasantly impressed. There’s room for improvement in the quality of the films, yet the handmade feeling also provides a warm, personal feeling that gives the viewer the feeling of being really there, close to the action and the filmmaker, and not removed by a degree or two – the way films that are too sophisticated exist at a remove from the viewer.
The acting was exceptional.
There is enormous opportunity, I think, for filmmakers to tap into the Brazilian world, and Brazilian talent. And when major financiers put more financial support into the technical quality of the films, it will be easy for homemade Brazilian films to expand aggressively into the world market.
This festival travels around the world. It's worth visiting whenever it comes to your city.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s Brazilian Film Festival.
Labels: Adriana Dutra, Alessandra Negrini, Andrea Beltrao, Arnaldo Baptista, Brazilian Film Festival, Fernando Grostein Andrade, Isabelle Drummond, Letícia Sabatella, Loki, Selton Mello, Wagner Moura
Thursday, August 13, 2009
ON NEW YORK CITY STREETS
Walking in New York the other day, I passed Opera Man (whom I hadn't seen for quite a while) back in his familiar neighborhood, though passing out leaflets this time, not singing. (Opera Man -- who was invited to appear on SNL and described by Adam Sandler as one of the inspirations for Sandler's Opera Man character -- for many years would stand on the street somewhere near Carnegie hall, singing operatic arias a capella, with great passion though a very soft voice).
Then a few blocks away, in the west 70's, there was an apparently homeless man, with unkept beard and hair and messy clothes, barefoot, with bags of belongings on either side of him, sitting on the street with his back against a wall, reading the New York Times Business Day section.
MEDICAL INSURANCE: PROCEDURE COVERAGE
The doctor says: You need this test or procedure. The insurance says: We won't pay for it. Right now, the insurance has the final decision.
Insurance has a incentive to refuse: money. Moreover, the employer who pays for insurance has an incentive to use the insurance which is cheapest (unless the employee who chooses the insurance company is sick and has an incentive to choose the best coverage).
One might think the doctor who requests the procedure is always right, but that is not necessarily so. The doctor may have an incentive for using the procedure, or the doctor may not actually be the best expert on state-of-the-art treatment. (In the best of all possible worlds, an insurance company would have the best statistics and most accurate up to the minute information on the best treatment practice -- since they deal with many cases all over the country.)
Negotiation between the doctor and the insurance company now seems to be the standard (and perhaps only) method -- other than going to court -- of resolving such differences.
It might be very helpful if there were a permanent council of expert doctors, completely independent of the insurance company -- and, in any particular case, independent of the doctors or hospitals or teaching institutions involved -- to arbitrate and decide (both routine and difficult differences) between doctors' recommendations and insurance companies' rejections.
To prevent doctors or insurance companies from simply dumping all decisions on this panel, there should be a review and possible penalty for doctors proposing unnecessary or unwise procedures, and insurance companies rejecting valid claims.
Labels: insurance claims
Monday, August 03, 2009
PATTY REILLY WAS HERE -- NOW AT NEW FILMMAKERS
in "PATTY REILLY WAS HERE"
Photo by Andrew Serban (Director)
There's an on-going film festival at Anthology Film Archives, and a special film festival organized by New Filmmakers.
New Filmmakers is presenting a progam of short films related to drugs on Aug 5 at 6:00 in the Courtyard Theater at Anthology Film Archives as part of their Summer Festival of selected films.
One of the films, Patty Reilly Was Here, is by new director Andrew Serban, a former directing fellow at AFI Conservatory in LA. Andrew is also a terrific professional photojournalist, and a new director to watch.
Patty Reilly Was Here: Troubled young drifter PATTY REILLY dreams of escaping her life of poverty and abuse in the gentrifying neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, NYC. After a well-dressed young woman accidentally bumps into her, she plunges into a maelstrom of rage and despair, and begs her lovelorn friend TODD for a plane ticket out west. When he balks, she seduces him in exchange for his dad's gun -- supposedly for self-protection, but actually to rob and avenge herself against the 'yuppie trash' that disrespected her.
Wednesday, August 5, 6:00 PM
at Anthology Film Archives
Courtyard Theater
32 Second Ave (at Second Street, NY NY)
New FilmMakers celebrates drugs past and present (part 1)
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS EARLY SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Phillip Cappe BIT OF HIMSELF (1997, 4 Minutes, Video)
Darren Coyle BROTHERS (2009, 14 Minutes, Video)
John Knowles SHADOW NET (2008, 20 Minutes, Video)
Andrew Serban PATTY REILLY WAS HERE (2009, 15 Minutes, Video)
(Irrelevant note: They, themselves, variously call themselves New Filmmakers, New FilmMakers, and NEWFILMMAKERS.)
Labels: Andrew Serban, Anthology Film Archives, Brenda Cooney, New Filmmmakers
Monday, July 27, 2009
BRAZILIAN FILM FESTIVAL & PARTY
Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY
August 2-7, 2009
Brazilian Cinema’s Top Films
At the Tribeca Cinemas
Opening Day Kicks Off At Central Park’s SUMMERSTAGE
With A Spectacular Brazilian Party Including A Performance
From Sizzling Singer Sílvia Machete
And Screening Of The Most Successful Film
In The History of Brazilian Cinema…
“If I Were You 2"
Headlines the Brazilian Film Fest Opening Party
Here in a performance clip from YouTube.
Link to More Machete on YouTube.
Opening night kicks off on Sunday, August 2 at 7:00pm with an extravaganza at Central Park’s SummerStage featuring a concert by leading singer/entertainer/acrobat/pin-up Sílvia Machete, followed at 8:00pm by a screening of Daniel Filho’s comedy, “If I Were You 2,” the most successful film in the history of Brazilian Cinema.
Sílvia will perform songs from her latest release, “I’m Not a Saint,” in a show that mixes music, circus and theatre performances.
At last year’s kick off Opening Night event, over five thousand people partied through the day and night, and proved that Brazilian culture is undeniably contagious and wildly fun.
Then for the next six days and nights, the Tribeca Cinema will host five daily screenings showing the best of Brazilian filmmaking, all of them eligible for the 2009 Audience Award.
Among the highlighted films being screened during this annual festival:
The documentary “Simonal – Nobody Knows How Tough It Was,” directed by Cláudio Manoel, portrays the life of the famous 70’s singer.
Director José Alvarenga Jr’s, comedy “In Therapy,” deals with the pleasures and challenges of modern life.
Actress Letícia Sabatella makes her debut as a co-director with screenwriter Gringo Cardia in the documentary “Hotxuá”, a poetic view of the Indian tribe Krahô, a very smiley group that chooses a high priest of laugh.
Internationally famous cinematographer Walter Carvalho presents his latest film as a director, “Budapest”, based on the homonymous book by Brazilian singer Chico Buarque.
Many of the filmmakers and cast from the VII Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY film presentations will be in New York to attend the festivities and participate in Q & A sessions following the films.
PROGRAM OF THE VII CINE FEST PETROBRAS BRASIL-NY
FEATURE-FILMS – TRIBECA CINEMAS
The Ballroom --- (Drama), directed by Laís Bodanzky, unfolds during an old-timers dance night in a ballroom in Sao Paulo and follows the dramas and joys of five couples attending the dance. The film mixes comedy and drama, while dealing with love, solitude, betrayal and lust in an environment full of music and dance. Note: The Ballroom, originally scheduled, has been replaced by THE CHILDREN'S ORCHESTRA (See below.)
Budapest (Drama), directed byWalter Carvalho, tells of José Costa, a Brazilian ghost writer. Returning from a ghost writer’s convention, his airplane is rerouted to Budapest, where his life is also rerouted when he meets Krista and with her help, learns "the only language in the world which, according to the tongue-wagers, the devil respects”.
Children's Orchestra (Drama), directed Paulo Thiago, Mozart Viera, a 25-year old humanist and dreamer, creates a children’s woodwind orchestra in the poor dry Northeaster region of Brazil to play Mozart, Bach, Villa Lobos, etc. To help the orchestra, a governor creates the music and Life Foundation. Local leaders and the political mob ruling the region become envious of Mozart and try to manipulate him, but Mozart will not be controlled. Their hatred leads to the demoralization of the Foundation and finally its end. But with the strong reaction of the artist and the Church help end the judicial proceedings so that the Foundation can be reopened.
Favela On Blast (Documentary), directed by Leandro HBL and Wesley Pentz (DJ Diplo), is a documentary that shows the culture of funk carioca, a musical rhythm that merges the American electronic funk from the 1980s with several Brazilian sounds. Probably one of the most interesting musical movements in the world, the baile funk, has its roots in one of the most violent and poor places, the shanty towns in Rio de Janeiro.
The Herb Of The Rat (Drama), directed by Julio Bressane. He and She walk through a cemetery by the sea. Their names are just like the pronouns. They don’t know each other and they are the only living beings on site. At a certain moment She slips in a lose rock, tumbles and is saved by He. She is a teacher, her father died three days ago and now she is alone in this world. Since she is facing such a predicament, He offers to take care of her for as long as he lives. And this is the beginning of a strange relationship.
Hotxuá (Documentary), directed by Letícia Sabatella and Gringo Cardia, is a poetic record of the indigenous Krahô tribe, a smiling people which designate a high priest of laughter, called the Hotxuá, to strengthen and unite the group through joy.
If I Were You 2 (Comedy), directed by Daniel Filho, takes place after a first experience of exchanging bodies. Cláudio and Helena decide to divorce and, to make things worse, they find out that Bia, now a 18 year older, is about to get married – and that they will be grandparents. In the middle of the crisis, they exchange bodies once again.
In Therapy (Comedy), directed by José Alvarenga Jr.,tells the story of Mercedes, a forty-some year old woman that is dealing with the pleasures and challenges of modern life, decides, without being quite sure why, to start visiting a therapist.
Loki - Arnaldo Baptista (Documentary), directed by Paulo Henrique Fontenelle, is a biopic of musician Arnaldo Baptista, ex-member of the Mutantes, told through the strokes of a painting done by the artist himself. The spectator is brought into his life through the painting and historical images that show the most important moments of his artistic career, showing how he became one of the most famous Brazilian rock stars.
Romance (Drama), directed by Guel Arraes. Is it possible to have a happy and reciprocal love? Theatre actor/director Pedro and actress Ana aren’t able to reach that conclusion before a new man enters her life and creates obstacles.
Saens Peña Square (Drama), directed by Vinícius Reis, tells of high school teacher Paulo, his wife Teresa, a manager of a local foodstore, and their schoolage daughter Bel, that live in a rented flat in Sans Pena Square, the heart of Tijuca, an old and traditional suburb in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro. An unexpected and alluring job offer may have a profound effect on the routine of this family and even jeopardize a 20 year marriage.
Simonal – No One Knows How Tough It Was (Documentary), directed by Cláudio Manoel, Micael Langer and Calvito Leal, portrays the impressive trajectory of a former army private, that reigned sovereign in pop culture and ended up being ostracized for a crime he swore innocence. Was Simonal an informant during the Brazilian dictatorship? Was he friendly with the military? Or was his greatest crime being black, millionaire and a sex symbol in a country and time where racist was latent in the society?
Smoking I Wait (Documentary), directed by Adriana L. Dutra. In the attempt of quitting the addiction, a smoker decides to study the subject and produce a documentary where she will show her worries and the different aspects of what is considered the most lethal industry of the twentieth century.
Threshold (Drama), directed by Rafael Conde, narrates a story of love and mystery which takes place in an old house inhabited by the young Maria, whose fame as a saint extends well beyond the mountains of the interior of Brazil. The arrival of two new characters has a disturbing affect on Maria: a traveler, for whom “Holy Maria” develops an intense passion, and Aunt Emiliana, an elderly lady determined to prepare for the great miracle.
Veronica (Drama), directed by Mauricio Farias, is a public school teacher going through difficult times – childless, with an ailing mother and an ex-husband seeking reconcilliation that she’ll have none of. Everything changes when one of her students is left at school beyond hours and catch both up in a web of action.
Wandering Heart (Documentary), directed by Fernando Grostein Andrade, intimately follows acclaimed singer Caetano Veloso from São Paulo to New York and Japan, during the release of his first album recorded solely in English. It takes considerably more than a week-long series of shows at Carnegie Hall, accolades in the New York Times, or the admiration of friends like Pedro Almodóvar, David Byrne and Michelangelo Antonioni to make Caetano feel comfortable outside of Brazil.
Tickets are on sale at http://www.ticketweb.com/ and are $10 for each film. The VII Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY full program, schedule, film descriptions and ticket information can be found on http://www.brazilianfilmfestival.com/ or by calling 646-827-9333.
Labels: Arnaldo Baptista, Brazil, Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY, Daniel Filho, If I Were You 2, José Alvarenga Jr, Loki, Silvia Machete
Sunday, July 26, 2009
ERIN BURNETT ON AFRICA
Erin Burnett (who may have the nicest, most enigmatic, and most persistent smile on television) did an extraordinary report on Africa on CNBC.
The focus of the show (at least the title) was investment in Africa; the coverage itself was actually far broader.
Reporting in the US is mostly local, some national, a bit about Europe, a little about world terrorism, some reports of wars, and an occasional mention of a celebrity doing something somewhere else in the world, perhaps Africa. Erin's program and her other daily reports while she was travelling, may have had more broadcast time about Africa than all other reports on Africa, cumulatively, on all channels combined for months or years.
Flitting around from topic to topic, and country to country, and wearing outfit after outfit, looking cool and comfortable even while talking about 102 degree temperature, the report was coherent, visually interesting, intellectually honest, and as comprehensive as you can be when talking about a whole continent and dozens of countries in an hour.
Aside from the script, the opportunity to see Africa and Africans (in a context other than Wild Animals or Superstar Dramatic Films) was revealing.
The biggest opportunities in Africa include tourism, a wealth of natural resources (including oil, diamonds, and special minerals needed for manufacturing), agricultural exports, and the need to build infrastructure.
The problems for Africans and investors include the lack of infrastructure, crime (including corruption, violence, kidnapping, and the diversion of resources), illness (including AIDS and malaria), wars, unstable governments, and unemployment.
Several people interviewed pointed to job creation as the major need, one that could itself help alleviate some of the other problems, and pointed out that certain kinds of aid (eg gifts of food, and medical assistance) do not attack job creation.
Other comments on "aid" to Africa, separate from this show (for example in Bamako, a movie shown at the NYFF, and Stiglitz' book, Making Globalization Work) have noted other problems: including unfair contracts with western companies that extract resources, and stipulations by international agencies when giving aid that ends up doing more harm than good to education and health, and leaves a residue of debt.
It's a fine program. Erin did a great job as reporter and executive producer. More broadcast time should be devoted to Africa, and the rest of the world.
In addition to the program, CNBC has a website with addtional information about Africa.
Labels: Africa, Bamako, Erin Burnett, Stiglitz
COLD CEREAL PACKAGING
I do not understand why packaging for cold (dry) cereals (eg rice, corn, wheat... with various brand names and varying amounts of excess sugar) is so badly designed. It is usually hard to open, and much harder to close. It usually has some kind of waxed paper that can not be re-sealed, and an outer cardboard box that can not be closed at all: with an ineffective flap that can not stay closed even when the box is not twisted out of shape as it usually is.
The cereal in the box easily becomes stale, and can be attacked by various insects if it is left out. It can best be stored in the refrigerator, but is usually so big that it takes up too much room in the fridge. Moreover, after a bit of use, the remaining cereal occupies only a fraction of the box, just wasting space.
The only explanation for this lousy packaging is that the manufacturer wants customers to waste cereal, so they will buy more.
Perhaps they would sell more if the packaging were better.
Packaging could be improved by:
1- an easy-sealing inner bag (like one-zip or liplock);
2- making little (one-serving) boxes available for all cereals, not just the (mostly sugared) collections usually available;
3- making the product available in more sizes of boxes (not just big and little);
4- making the outer box more easily closeable.
Labels: Cold cereal packaging
Friday, July 24, 2009
BLISS (THE RESTAURANT IN STONY BROOK)
Before the Stony Brook Film Festival screening (see stories below), I had a quick dinner at Bliss.
I needed to find a restaurant really quickly, since the traffic had been terrible and it was much later than I wanted it to be. I saw the sign for Bliss, and since I'd seen their ads as a sponsor of the SBFF, I recognized the name. (I'm glad they sponsored the festival: it's not only good for films and for SBFF that they were a sponsor, it turned out to be good for me!)
Great choice! My skirt steak was delicious, the roasted potatoes (they substituted for other potatoes I did not want) were among the best roasted pototes I've ever had. Veggies were very good. The service was excellent and friendly. Noticing I seemed to be a bit in a rush, the waiter was careful to point out the quicker dishes.
All in all, a very good place for a fine dinner before a Festival film, after a visit to Stony Brook University (it's very close, right at the corner of Nichols and 25A), or any other time.
Labels: Bliss, Stony Brook Film Festival
THE ANSWER MAN
This is an image from the film.
A Magnolia Pictures release.
Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
The Stony Brook Film Festival opened with a genuinely pleasant, often brilliant comedy, The Answer Man (aka Arlen Faber when it played at Sundance), with Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham and a superior supporting cast, including Kat Denning (from Nick & Norah's infinite playlist), and Nora Dunn.
The Answer Man, a Magnolia Pictures release.
Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Jeff Daniels is mostly brilliant (like the film, the script, the choice of music, and some of the cinematography), playing a religious-type author, and Lauren is properly down to earth.
The writer/director, John Hindman, may be a big new talent. This film has a slightly different trajectory than most Hollywood movies. It starts with characters who once were ordinary, but then had gotten their lives jolted into somewhat higher orbits (with disturbed psyches and disturbed behavior) by traumatic events (illness & death & disappearance of parents and lovers, and arguably undeserved sudden fame). The film starts with the characters already unhinged, and is about the way they get re-hinged.
Toward the end, the film settles (or reaches?) for an exceptionally (logically) satisfying ending: suddenly accelerating the healing process to tie everything up unusually tightly, consistently, and quickly (without the same kind of edge that spiced up the rest of the film), ending on such a quiet, off-beat, ordinary frame it could be an instant classic ending.
Labels: Jeff Daniels, John Hindman. Lauren Graham, Stony Brook Film Festival, The Answer Man
Thursday, July 16, 2009
MOON LANDING
On its way to Jupiter, the Galileo spacecraft returned images of Earth's moon. Galileo captured this composite on Dec. 7, 1992. The distinct bright ray crater at the bottom of the image is the Tycho impact basin. The dark areas are lava rock filled impact basins: Oceanus Procellarum (on the left), Mare Imbrium (center left), Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis (center), and Mare Crisium (near the right edge). The colors in this image are "enhanced," in the sense that the camera Galileo used to photograph the moon was sensitive to near infrared wavelengths of light beyond human vision. Credit: NASA On July 20, 2009, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. The mission was Apollo 11.
1 -- NASA has a brief history of the landing (this is a good place to start):
and lots of science about the moon, planets, and all things space:
3 -- There are several stories about the moonlanding on space.com
4 -- The New York Times devoted the Tuesday (7/14/2009) Science Section to the moon.
5 -- CNN is planning, I think, extended programming about the moon on the 20th (but I couldn't find any programming information on their rather poor web site). Try:
6 -- For more about the moon, check out planetariums around the country. In New York,
7 -- And finally, for a complete, detailed history of moon missions... from Wikipedia:
Labels: Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, The moon
LAST TANGO IN PARIS
I turned on TV and arrived at the middle of Last Tango in Paris (after the famous sex scene).
I could not turn away. Almost nothing happens, except: these two passionate, driven people interact. It was riveting.
Strength of desire powers acting.
Although little happens, it is all about sex. Watching the film is liberating and empowering to the audience and to creators of film drama who see it. It is an influential film in the history of cinema, and it was widely honored.
It is the subject of one of the most famous film reviews in history, by Pauline Kael.
So it is disturbing and sad that both actors, both Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, felt humiliated and abused by the process. I would wish actors to be active, supportive, constructive, and willing participants in the process of making provocative films.
Indeed, Catherine Breillat, who had a role in the film when she was young, did develop into a critic, teacher, and provocative filmmaker.
Perhaps it was the times, perhaps the personalities, perhaps it was the extent to which Tango exceeded the sexual norms of other pictures and the extent to which it required the principal actors to expose themselves physically and emotionally.
The director, Bernardo Bertolucci, recently made The Dreamers with Eva Green (a fine film that captures the spirit of 1968 better than any picture since Godard's La Chinoise). This is another strongly sexual picture that crosses boundaries (but perhaps not, relative to other films now, to the extent of Last Tango). I hope Eva and the other actors involved felt they were creative participants rather than hapless victims in the process of creating the film.
I hope other directors and actors can collaborate sucessfully on new projects that are extreme, provocative and intense.
Labels: Bernardo Bertolucci, Eva Green, Last Tango in Paris, Maria Schneider, Marlon Brando
Friday, July 10, 2009
STONY BROOK FILM FESTIVAL 2009
It's 14 years old, and seems to be getting better every year!
Thursday July 23 – Saturday August 1
At the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University.
I had a very good time at last year's Stony Brook Film Festival (SBFF-08). The screening facilities are exceptional, the whole Stony Brook Campus is inviting and friendly, and the crowd is great. The selections were excellent last year, and this year seems particularly interesting.
Last year, Mary Stuart Masterson showed her remarkable first film, The Cake Eaters. One year later, her film, now also on DVD, seems to be generating interest all around the world. This year SBFF is showing a film that her husband directed (and she produced).
Another film I'm interested in.... I was rehearsing an adaptation I did (a play using Shakespeare's Sonnets) at rehearsal halls in New York and I often passed signs directing actors to nearby studios for a film in production that had a great title: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Undead. Well, it wasn't a joke, it's showing up at SBFF.
Looking through the program, there are stars & new talent; provocative stories & romances; wars and unrest; lovers from antagonistic cultures; features and shorts; many countries and languages. It's mostly stories, with few documentaries. It's almost entirely relationships with very little FX. Mostly live, with just a bit of animation.
OPENING NIGHT:
The New York Premiere of The Answer Man
CLOSING NIGHT:
The New York Premiere of The Little Traitor
Tickling Leo, written and directed by Jeremy Davidson, produced by his wife, the acclaimed actress Mary Stuart Masterson, and starring Eli Wallach, Lawrence Pressman, Daniel Sauli, Annie Parisse, Ronald Guttmann and Victoria Clark.
Blindness-Saramago in China, a documentary from China directed by Xilin Chen that grapples with the concept of intellectual property rights. Blindness tells a story about the adaptation of Jose Saramago’s Nobel Prize winning book by the same name into a play. It vividly transports the viewer to Beijing, to rehearsals by a professional theatre company, and into the negotiations going on between the play’s producer and the writer’s representative.
Life is a Banquet, which filmmaker Jonathan Gruber says is the first ever about actress and entertainment giant Rosalind Russell. Using words taken from Ms. Russell’s autobiography, the film’s narration is by acclaimed actress Kathleen Turner.
US, EAST COAST & NEW YORK PREMIERES:
Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives), who attended the Stony Brook Film Festival in 2008 when she starred in John Putch’s Route 30, stars this year in a short film dealing with autism, Flying Lessons. The short, making its New York Premiere, is by Janet Grillo and will be paired with the screening of Tickling Leo.
The Anarchist’s Wife, from Germany/Spain/France;
also...
The Missing Person, from the U.S. and starring Michael Shannon, Frank Wood, Amy Ryan, Linda Emond, and John Ventimiglia;
Bowled Over, from The Netherlands;
The Maiden and the Wolves, from France;
The Friend, from Switzerland;
Like Dandelion Dust, from the U.S., with Mira Sorvino and Barry Pepper;
Interpretation, from the U.S.;
True Beauty This Night, from the U.S.;
Light Bulb, from the U.S., with Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner, and Ayelet Zurer;
The Gold Lunch, from the U.S.;
In the Dark, from the U.S.;
Adopt a Sailor, from the U.S., with Bebe Neuwirth, Peter Coyote, and Ethan Peck;
After the Storm, from the U.S.;
The Painter of Skies, from Spain;
The Fairy Princess, from the U.S.;
On the Road to Tel-Aviv, from Israel.
For a complete schedule, and film passes, visit http://www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com/ or call the Staller Center Box Office, 631-632- ARTS [2787]. Tickets to parties and receptions are also available. Individual movie tickets go on sale July 13.
Labels: Mary Stuart Masterson, Nina Hoss, SBFF, The Stony Brook Film Festival
Thursday, July 09, 2009
REGISTERING A WILL
I do not understand why there is always a question about whether the latest will has been or will be found.
The trouble is that all disputes about the existence of the latest will now take place without the possibility of evidence from the person most likely to know the correct answer. A false "will" can come from anywhere and a real will can be lost or suppressed.
Wouldn't it save a lot of trouble, and prevent many errors, if there were a system providing basic evidence for the existence of the latest will? There is a system for registering copyrights! There is a system for drivers licenses. There is a system for passports.
There should be a national registration for wills. They should be entered at some local courthouse with (to the extent possible) the creator of the will, a lawyer, and a witness, together with photographic, biometric and other identification, and a simple sworn statement.
Taking the existence of the latest registered will as primary evidence for the intention of the writer of the will would make errors and fraud less likely and more difficult.
Labels: Love's Will, probate
123456789
I have remarked on some special dates. I liked May 5, 2005 (5/5/5). The devil's day was June 6, 2006 (6/6/6).
At roughly noon yesterday (and just after midnight as well) we had the very special:
12:34:56 7/8/9.
In about two years we'll have the eleventh hour:
One hundred 11 milliseconds into
The eleventh second of the eleventh minute
Of the eleventh hour
Of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 2011:
11/11/11 11:11:11.111
Labels: 123456789, 5/5/5, 6/6/6, eleventh hour, Special Dates
Saturday, July 04, 2009
PALIN'S PLANS ($$$???) & TINA'S NEW GIG (???)
In October, she seemed a big draw (Palin & Fey), a fiery speaker (Palin & Fey), and something of a joke in national politics (Palin & Fey).
Republicans (at least those generally in the McCain domain) seem more critical of Palin's exit speech than Democrats. Indeed, backing out of the Governor's mansion before the term is up is not good Presidential politics.
If Palin were serious about politics now, she would take a few year's off, go to the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and fill in the gaps in her understanding about how things work and look from the 48 & the North East & DC.
A simpler plan would be to travel around giving support to Republican candidates all over. She could build a strong base of friends and allies. But it would not solidify her credentials for the rest of the country.
Much of her talk seemed to suggest the main reason for leaving was that her personal legal fees and the state's legal bill were reaching unacceptable heights. So a likely route for her is the lecture circuit (with or without a book). As a politically slanted entertainer, or even in non-political entertainment, she could likely do very nicely.
Should she get full-force into the political wars, she would also give Tina Fey a big present. It was sometimes difficult during the campaign remembering who was who. ("Wait, is that Tina Fey on TV or really the Governor?")
Even the latest speech had a wealth of ironic humor (the Daily Show probably regrets it does not broadcast on Fridays). With the ducks and geese bobbing and quacking and honking in the background it was hard not to remember the ill-fated Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon video, when she pardoned one bird in the foreground while visible in the background less fortunate birds were, well... not fortunate birds.
Labels: Sarah Palin, Tina Fey
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
THE BARD GOES GLOBAL: SHAKESPEARE FILMS AT FSLC
A Celebration of Shakespearean Cinema from Around the Globe
Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio
Romeo + Juliet
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, USA, 1996; 120m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/The Kobal Collection
Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey
Romeo and Juliet
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, UK/Italy, 1968; 138m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/The Kobal Collection
Macbeth
Directed by Orson Welles, USA, 1948; 108m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/The Kobal Collection
Toshirô Mifune and Isuzu Yamada
Throne of Blood
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1957; 110m
Photo Credit: The Film Society of Lincoln Center/The Kobal Collection
The Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) will showcase a summertime selection of films based on the works of William Shakespeare with The Bard Goes Global: Shakespeare on the International Screen, a 12 day, 18 film series beginning on Wednesday, July 15 through Sunday, July 26. Director Julie Taymor will appear in person at a screening of Titus on Thursday, July 23.
18 Films 10 Countries 12 Days (July 15-26)
Romeo & Juliet (2 versions)
Hamlet (3 versions)
Macbeth (4 versions)
Antony & Cleopatra
Henry V
King Lear
Richard III
Midsummer Night's Dream
Merchant Of Venice
The Tempest
Titus (Director Julie Taymor to Appear in Person)
Sonnets
Comments from FSLC:
"For a medium that spent many of its early years trying to distinguish itself from theater, cinema has often gravitated toward the challenges offered by Shakespeare. How much should a filmmaker refer to its theatrical origins? Do you embrace the opportunities cinema engenders to open up the play or guard against them? Should Shakespeare's historical settings be maintained or is the essence of his greatness its timelessness? And what should be done about Shakespeare's language? Despite (or perhaps, because of) these considerations, screen adaptations of the Bard's works continue apace; thirteen Shakespeare-based films are reportedly in production.
"To help prepare for this new Bardic wave, The Film Society offers the works of William Shakespeare through films from around the world, ranging from a Mumbai gangster-style Macbeth (Maqbool) to three renditions of Hamlet, two of which re-imagine the tragedy of the Prince of Demark as a tale of corporate corruption. Along the way, celebrated films by Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Akira Kurosawa, Aki Kaurismäki, Derek Jarman, Grigori Kozintsev, Roman Polanski, Julie Taymor, Baz Luhrmann, and many more, can be rediscovered.
The Bard Goes Global opens on July 15 with one of two interpretations of Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zeffirelli's cinematic 1968 version (also showing on Thu Jul 16 & Sun Jul 19) was described by Roger Ebert as "the most exciting film of Shakespeare ever made", earning the film two Oscars, including one for Best Cinematography. The director's wildly popular adaptation of Shakespeare's most ubiquitous work very much caught the spirit of the moment: shrewdly casting beautiful teenage unknowns Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, he emphasized the glory of young love when generational conflict was reaching a crescendo. Baz Luhrmann's 1996 interpretation, Romeo + Juliet (Wed Jul 22 & Sat Jul 25), transports the star-crossed lovers, played by a 22 year-old Leonardo DiCaprio and a teenage Claire Danes, to "Verona Beach," liberally peppering the original Elizabethan dialogue with modern-day accents.
In addition to two renderings of Romeo and Juliet are four very unique adaptations of Macbeth: Orson Welles' 1948 director's cut (Sat Jul 18), painstakingly restored by the UCLA Film & TV Archive (and out of print on DVD); Kurosawa's 1957 masterwork, taking place in medieval Japan, Throne of Blood (Wed Jul 15 & Sun Jul 19), praised by critic Harold Bloom as "the most successful film version of Macbeth"; Vishal Bhardwaj's imaginative 2003 Mumbai gangster rendition, Maqbool (Fri Jul 24 & Sun Jul 26) starring Irrfan Khan (Slumdog Millionaire, The Darjeeling Limited, The Namesake); and Polanski's 1971 collaboration with influential critic Kenneth Tynan (Tue Jul 21, Wed Jul 22 & Sun Jul 26).
Also included are three versions of Hamlet. Svend Gade and Heinz Schall's restored Danish silent from 1920 (Sat Jul 25)which premiered at the 2007 New York Film Festival with original polychrome tints intact features live piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin. This unique and madcap take on the story of the Prince of Denmark stars Danish diva Asta Nielsen playing the title role; Hamlet was born a princess and her gender was kept hidden. Finally, on Thursday, July 16 and Sunday, July 19 will be Michael Almereyda's 2000 edition starring Ethan Hawke & Bill Murray and on Thursday, July 23, Aki Kaurismäki's 1987 deadpan noir comedy Hamlet Goes Business (also showing on Fri Jul 24 & Sun Jul 26).
Other highlights include directorial debuts from Charlton Heston with Antony and Cleopatra (Sat Jul 18 & Mon Jul 20), Al Pacino in Looking for Richard (Wed Jul 22 & Sat Jul 25) and Laurence Olivier with his 1944 blockbuster Henry V (Wed Jul 15). In the biggest budgeted British film of the time, Olivier creates one of the most beloved Shakespeare adaptations at the movies, earning him a special "Honorary Oscar".
Film Descriptions
The Angelic Conversation
Derek Jarman, UK, 1985; 81m
Described by the director as "a dream world, a world of magic and ritual, yet there are images there of the burning cars and radar systems, which remind you there is a price to be paid in order to gain this dream in the face of a world of violence," this powerful examination of love and desire balances 14 Shakespearean sonnets (read by Judi Dench) with often astonishing tableaux that evoke everything from classic friezes to contemporary performance art. The project was shot on Super-8 then transferred to 35mm, giving each image a haunting effect, like paintings suddenly animating into life.
Sat Jul 18: 9:30pm
Thu Jul 23: 4:30pm
Antony and Cleopatra
Charlton Heston, UK/Spain/Switzerland, 1972; 160m
After years of monumental leading roles, Charlton Heston's first project as a director was this prime example of a character brought down by passion. He glided into the role of the Roman conqueror who Cleopatra (Hildegarde Neil) first abhors, then over whom she gradually and forcefully exerts her power. Rarely seen, this deeply felt rendition of Shakespeare's second Roman tragedy was a true labor of love for Heston, who co-wrote the screenplay, and presents a little-remembered side of the headliner's immense talent.
Sat Jul 18: 1:00pm
Mon Jul 20: 1:00pm
RESTORED PRINT
Hamlet (1920)
Svend Gade and Heinz Schall, Germany, 1920; 110m
Piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin
Screened at the 2007 New York Film Festival, this very different approach to Hamlet was long available only in black and white. See it now in its original polychrome tint, thanks to a lovingly restored print courtesy of the German Film Institute. Danish screen diva Asta Nielsen was at the height of her popularity when she took on the title role with a twist: the Prince was born a Princess. For reasons of royal succession, her gender was disguised, a secret known only to Hamlet's parents and nursemaid. The text acquires provocative new resonance in this assertive, ever-powerful silent.
Sat Jul 25: 6:30pm
Hamlet (2000)
Michael Almereyda, USA, 2000; 112m
"Visually both brilliant and dark...This Hamlet may be closer to inspired collage than to poetic drama, but it releases the old fable with its emotional force intact."-David Denby
When the CEO of a major media conglomerate dies, his artsy son Hamlet (Ethan Hawke) discovers that something is rotten in the Denmark Corporation. Imagining, like Kaurismäki, the contemporary world of corporate skullduggery as an equivalent to medieval court intrigues, Almereyda creates a cool, steel-and-glass labyrinth for Shakespeare's most internal character, in which reflections and corporate branding brilliantly serve this executive prince's sense of wounded vanity. With Sam Shepard, Diane Verona, Kyle MacLachlan, Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber, and Bill Murray as Polonius.
Thu Jul 16: 3:45pm and 9:15pm
Sun Jul 19: 4:00pm
Hamlet Goes Business / Hamlet liikemaailmassa
Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, 1987; 86m
Having tackled Dostoevsky with his first feature, Finnish malcontent Aki Kaurismäki confronted Shakespeare with his fourth: the somewhat clueless son of a deceased business magnate is visited by his father's ghost and, finally, given something to do. Lusciously shot in black and white and edited with the crisp pace of a B-movie, Hamlet Goes Business is remarkably faithful to its source-albeit rendered in Kaurismäki's trademark deadpan style. The final act, in which Hamlet re-stages his version of The Murder of Gonzago, is one of the comic highpoints of the director's career.
Thu Jul 23: 6:15pm
Fri Jul 24: 2:30pm
Sun Jul 26: 6:15pm
Henry V, aka The Chronicle History of Henry the Fift with his Battell Fought in Agincourt in France
Laurence Olivier, UK, 1944; 137m
"Almost continually, [Henry V] invests the art of Shakespeare-and the art of cinema as well-with a new spaciousness, a new mobility, a new radiance." ~James Agee
Olivier's debut as a film director-complete with a $2 million price tag that made it the most expensive British film production to that point-literally moves from the stage of the Globe Theater deep into the realm of cinema, as the once wild Prince Hal assumes the throne and faces down a purportedly invincible French army at the Battle of Agincourt. Made when British wartime morale was being especially challenged, Olivier's Henry V is often read as straight nationalistic propaganda. Nevertheless, it became and remains among the best-loved Shakespeare adaptations on screen.
Wed Jul 15: 1:15pm and 6:15pm
King Lear / Korol Lir
Grigori Kozintsev, USSR, 1971; 140m
The Soviet cinema made more than its share of celebrated adaptations of classic world literature, but Kozintsev's King Lear, the Shakespeare play labeled by one critic "the best suited to Russian adaptation, being the longest, wildest, starkest, and most replete with pain and suffering at all levels," is among the greatest film versions of Shakespeare in any language. Using Boris Pasternak's translation and a superb score by Shostakovich, Kozintsev fashions an exhilarating adaptation that vividly captures both the chaos of battle and the deepening madness of the king.
Sat Jul 18: 4:15pm
Mon Jul 20: 3:20pm
Looking for Richard
Al Pacino, USA, 1996; 112m
This provocative musing on the Bard's place in today's culture follows Pacino's search for the soul of Richard III. Dedicated to rescuing the work from academic speculations and giving it back to the audience, he discusses performing Shakespeare with luminaries Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, and Kenneth Branagh, while working through the play in a production co-starring Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, and Kevin Spacey. Along the way, Pacino expresses both his touching reverence for Shakespeare's genius and an unbridled enthusiasm in sharing his pleasure with us all.
Wed Jul 22: 3:50pm
Sat Jul 25: 1:30pm
RESTORED DIRECTOR'S CUT
Macbeth (1948)
Orson Welles, USA, 1948; 108m
In the late '40s, Republic Studios president Herbert Yates moved to upgrade his B-studio by hiring name-brand filmmakers John Ford, Allan Dwan, and, following the failure of The Lady From Shanghai, Orson Welles. Welles's Macbeth, shot on the studio backlot in 23 days, brought out the true darkness of the play, but Yates grew nervous hearing that his actors were to speak with Scottish accents. He soon cut the film by 20 minutes and re-recorded the dialogue. This print, the result of exhaustive research by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, restores Welles's version, as well as the overture and original exit music.
Print courtesy of the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Macbeth preservation funded by The Film Foundation and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Sat Jul 18: 7:00pm
Macbeth (1971)
Roman Polanski, UK/USA, 1971; 140m
In perhaps the least romantic take on the Scot who would be king, Polanski, working with critic Kenneth Tynan, focuses on Macbeth's (Jon Finch) bloody will to rule and downplays his ruminations on the costs. In a daring move often inspiring mention of the then-recent murder of Polanski's wife Sharon Tate, the director includes an off-stage scene, Duncan's murder, rendering it from Macbeth's point of view. Seen today, Polanski's Macbeth firmly stands alongside the era's other meditations on ultra-violence, A Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs, as harsh rebukes to the idea that humankind's worst instincts can be controlled.
Tue Jul 21: 2:00pm
Wed Jul 22: 8:40pm
Sun Jul 26: 8:00pm
The Maori Merchant of Venice / Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Weniti
Don Selwyn, New Zealand, 2002; 158m
Made by a group of New Zealand filmmakers as the first feature completely shot in the Maori language, The Maori Merchant of Venice follows Hairoka (Waihoroi Shortland), an importer-exporter and religious pariah among his fellow wealthy Maoris. The film explores the creation of his outsider status and the uses his community makes of it. In a unique role reversal, Maori actors wear silks and satins while the few Caucasian role-players are treated as exotic others, offering a fascinating cross-cultural examination of Shakespeare.
Thu Jul 16: 6:15pm
Sun Jul 19: 1:00pm
Maqbool
Vishal Bhardwaj, India, 2003; 132m
Composer-cum-filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool is an engaging update of Macbeth set in contemporary Mumbai. Maqbool (the excellent Irrfan Khan, Slumdog Millionaire) is a leading henchman for crime boss Abbaji (an award-winning performance by Pankaj Kapoor), until two corrupt cops predict he will soon take over Abbaji's criminal empire with the help of his boss's mistress, Nimmi. Bhardwaj, who co-wrote the screenplay with Abbas Tyrewala, works outside of Bollywood convention, avoiding numerous subplots to focus on Maqbool's relentless rise to power and his inevitable collapse.
Fri Jul 24: 8:15pm
Sun Jul 26: 1:00pm
A Midsummer Night's Dream
William Dieterle and Max Reinhardt, USA, 1935; 132m
The romantic intrigue in the court of Theseus, Duke of Athens, has failed to pair each suitor with the right partner. That's nothing a few servings of the right magic can't cure. The only U.S. film credit for the highly influential Austro-German theater director Max Reinhardt is this Warner Bros. super-production, based on his 1934 staging in The Hollywood Bowl. Adding to his extraordinarily inventive cinematic vision are a superb James Cagney as Bottom, Olivia de Havilland as Hermia, Dick Powell as Lysander, and, unforgettably, Mickey Rooney as Puck.
Fri Jul 24: 4:15pm
Sun Jul 26: 3:45pm
Romeo and Juliet
Franco Zeffirelli, UK/Italy, 1968; 138m
"I believe Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet is the most exciting film of Shakespeare ever made...because it has the passion, the sweat, the violence, the poetry, the love, and the tragedy in the most immediate terms I can imagine. It is a deeply moving piece of entertainment." ~Roger Ebert
Zeffirelli's wildly popular, Oscar-winning adaptation of Shakespeare's most ubiquitous work very much caught the spirit of the moment: shrewdly casting beautiful teenage unknowns Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, he emphasized the glory of young love when generational conflict was reaching a crescendo. Although taking great liberties with the text, he makes up what the film lacks in authenticity with a real sense of lived experience.
Wed Jul 15: 9:00pm
Thu Jul 16: 1:00pm
Sun Jul 19: 6:20pm
Romeo + Juliet
Baz Luhrmann, USA, 1996; 120m
Baz Luhrmann's eye-catching second feature transports the star-crossed lovers to an ocean-side North American suburb ("Verona Beach"), liberally peppering the original Elizabethan dialogue with modern-day accents and gun-toting action. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes generate plenty of on-screen heat while handling the text with admirable ease. Few adaptations have played more successfully with the inherent tensions between theatrical tradition and cinematic potential. With John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Brian Dennehy, and Paul Rudd.
Wed Jul 22: 1:30pm and 6:15pm
Sat Jul 25: 3:45pm
The Tempest
Derek Jarman, UK, 1979; 95m
"The concept of forgiveness in The Tempest attracted me; it's a rare enough quality and almost absent in our world. To know who your enemies are, but to accept them for what they are, befriend them, and plan for a happier future is something we sorely need." ~Derek Jarman
When a shipwreck strands Alonso on the obscure island on which he had banished his royal brother, the magician Prospero, and niece, Miranda, Prospero must decide how far to go to exact revenge. The late, great Derek Jarman presents Shakespeare's final play as a meditation on the possibility of re-invention, giving his exception visual imagination free rein in a film that combines elements of the Baroque, Gothic, and Roaring '20s.
Thu Jul 23: 2:30pm
Fri Jul 24: 6:15pm
Sat Jul 25: 9:00pm
Throne of Blood, aka Macbeth / Kumonosu jô
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1957; 110m
When an old woman prophesizes that Lord Washizu (the great Toshirô Mifune) will one day become daimyo, the local provincial ruler, his wife Asaji (Isuza Yamada) spurs her husband into increasingly greater risks. Kurosawa's extraordinary adaptation of Macbeth, stripped of most dialogue and minor characters and performed through the stylistic filter of Japanese Noh theater, could scarcely be farther from the original. Yet few, if any, more effective screen adaptations of Shakespeare exist. Magnificently photographed on sets built on the side of Mount Fuji, Throne of Blood is one of Kurosawa's greatest achievements.
Wed Jul 15: 4:00pm
Sun Jul 19: 9:10pm
Titus
Julie Taymor, Italy/USA/UK, 1999; 162m
Julie Taymor, fresh from her stage triumph The Lion King, boldly took up the challenge of one of Shakespeare's earliest and most violent texts, grounding its horrors in recognizable if repellent emotions and her signature stunning visuals. Following his victory over the Goths, Roman general Titus Andronicus (Anthony Hopkins) returns home with the captured Goth queen Tamora (Jessica Lange). Despite her pleas for mercy, he sacrifices the queen's eldest son in memory of his own slain children. Thus begins a brutal cycle of revenge and treachery. With Alan Cumming and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Julie Taymor will be in person for this screening!
Thu Jul 23: 8:00pm
What's playing when:
Wednesday, July 15
1:15 Henry V
4:00 Throne of Blood
6:15 Henry V
9:00 Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Thursday, July 16
1:00 Romeo and Juliet (1968)
3:45 Hamlet (2000)
6:15 The Maori Merchant of Venice
9:15 Hamlet (2000)
Saturday, July 18
1:00 Antony and Cleopatra
4:15 King Lear
7:00 Macbeth (1948)
9:30 The Angelic Conversation
Sunday, July 19
1:00 The Maori Merchant of Venice
4:00 Hamlet (2000)
6:20 Romeo and Juliet (1968)
9:10 Throne of Blood
Monday, July 20
1:00 Antony and Cleopatra
3:20 King Lear
Tuesday, July 21
2:00 Macbeth (1971)
Wednesday, July 22
1:30 Romeo + Juliet (1996)
3:50 Looking for Richard
6:15 Romeo + Juliet (1996)
8:40 Macbeth (1971)
Thursday, July 23
2:30 The Tempest
4:30 The Angelic Conversation
6:15 Hamlet Goes Business
8:00 Titus
Friday, July 24
2:30 Hamlet Goes Business
4:15 A Midsummer Night's Dream
6:15 The Tempest
8:15 Maqbool
Saturday, July 25
1:30 Looking for Richard
3:45 Romeo + Juliet (1996)
6:30 Hamlet (1920)
9:00 The Tempest
Sunday, July 26
1:00 Maqbool
3:45 A Midsummer Night's Dream
6:15 Hamlet Goes Business
8:00 Macbeth (1971)
Single Screening Tickets: $7 members/students/child - $8 senior - $11 public
Series Pass ($40 public/$30 member): admits one person to five titles in the series;
only available for purchase at the box office ~ subject to availability.
Labels: enter, FSLC, Hamlet, Macbeth, Shakespeare, The Film Society of Lincoln Center
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
HIFF SUMMER STUDENT FILM WORKSHOP
For the second year in a row, Guild Hall in collaboration with Hamptons International Film Festival presents the Summer Student Film Workshop. Led by film producer Anne Chaisson and television producer Seth Redlus, aspiring filmmakers (ages 8-13) will learn the entire filmmaking process, from development and writing, to acting, blocking, production, cinematography, and editing.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the art of visual self-expression from experienced filmmakers such as writer Joan Stein (ONE DAY CROSSING, Academy Award nominee for short film), director Michael Almareyda (ANOTHER GIRL, ANOTHER PLANET; HAMLET; TONIGHT AT NOON), and actor Josh Perl (NAKED STAGES). At the end of the five day workshop, students will screen their work at the newly renovated Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY.
This 5-day workshop takes place July 13-17 from 12 - 3 pm daily and costs $200/student. To register, please email Public Programs Associate Melissa Erb at merb@guildhall.org or call 631 324-0806.
Labels: filmmaking, Hamptons International Film Festival, HIFF
Sunday, June 28, 2009
HUNG
Showtime has weed & a happy prostitute. Of course there has been a mob family man and a serial killer. Undertakers, vampires, ... There was a family of grifters.
Now we have a male prostitute. All in fun. A bit derivative. Are any other family friendly vices left to harvest for TV?
Hung is a pleasant show.
The main character, Ray Drecker, (Thomas Jane) is firmly sexualized. (Pun is accidental but appropriate.) Like a prostitute who is portrayed for her physical endowments rather than for her ability to convey the high-end GFE. (Girl friend experience.) (See the Huffington Post on this.)
Drecker is genial. Altogether seemingly too well put-together all the way from head to toe to be the complete disaster of a father/husband/wage-earner/etc the back-story requires. Cast rather in the mold of Mad Men.
His sidekick, Tanya Skagle (great name!), a poetess, played by Jane Adams (a Tony award winning actress), is rather more interestingly cast, and does a lot to give the show some character.
It's well written, amusing, frequently hinting at (if not delivering more than the usual Cable appropriate) sex, and well acted. It's OK.
Labels: Hung, Jane Adams, Tanya Skagle, Thomas Jane
