Festival has programmed 75 films from 36 countries.
The Marrakech International Film Festival has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which runs from November 24-December 2.
The festival is opening with Richard Linklater’s action comedy Hit Man, starring Glen Powell, and is screening 75 films in total from 36 countries.
Marrakech’s official competition, which comprises first and second feature films, includes Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Cannes Competition title Banel & Adama, Lina Soualem’s Venice Giornate degli Autori documentary Bye Bye Tiberias and Moroccan director Kamal Lazraq’s feature debut Hounds, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
Scroll down for full line-up
Johnny Barrington,...
The Marrakech International Film Festival has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which runs from November 24-December 2.
The festival is opening with Richard Linklater’s action comedy Hit Man, starring Glen Powell, and is screening 75 films in total from 36 countries.
Marrakech’s official competition, which comprises first and second feature films, includes Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Cannes Competition title Banel & Adama, Lina Soualem’s Venice Giornate degli Autori documentary Bye Bye Tiberias and Moroccan director Kamal Lazraq’s feature debut Hounds, which premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
Scroll down for full line-up
Johnny Barrington,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Richard Linklater’s action comedy “Hit Man” is set to open the Marrakech International Film Festival, which has announced its lineup of more than 70 films mixing known titles and fresh fare.
The fest is forging ahead with its 20th edition, which will run Nov. 24- Dec.2 in the ancient Moroccan city despite the Israel-Hamas conflict that has caused cancellations of several other fests in the region, as well as the earthquake that hit the country in September.
“Hit Man,” for which organizers declined to specify whether talent will attend, will screen as part of Marrakech’s red carpet gala screenings. Italian director Matteo Garrone is expected to make the trek for the gala of his Venice prizewinning immigration drama “Io Capitano” and Michel Franco will be coming to present another Venice prizewinner, “Memory,” starring Jessica Chastain, who is presiding over the fest’s main jury.
Also expected on hand for...
The fest is forging ahead with its 20th edition, which will run Nov. 24- Dec.2 in the ancient Moroccan city despite the Israel-Hamas conflict that has caused cancellations of several other fests in the region, as well as the earthquake that hit the country in September.
“Hit Man,” for which organizers declined to specify whether talent will attend, will screen as part of Marrakech’s red carpet gala screenings. Italian director Matteo Garrone is expected to make the trek for the gala of his Venice prizewinning immigration drama “Io Capitano” and Michel Franco will be coming to present another Venice prizewinner, “Memory,” starring Jessica Chastain, who is presiding over the fest’s main jury.
Also expected on hand for...
- 11/2/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival has announced its selection, opening with Richard Linklater’s comedy Hit Man.
The event, running from November 24 to December 24, will unfold two months after the devastating earthquake in the nearby Atlas Mountains in September, which killed more than 2,000 people.
The management team has decided to push on with the event to support Marrakech, which suffered very little damage and relies heavily on tourism for its livelihood.
Hit Man will play as part of the festival’s six picture red carpet Gala selection which also includes Matteo Garrone’s Italian Oscar entry Me Captain and Michel Franco’s Memory.
Previously announced high-profile guests due to attend this year include Martin Scorsese, who will act as a mentor to emerging filmmakers attending the industry-focused Atlas Workshops, and Jessica Chastain as president of the jury.
She will be joined by Iranian actress and director Zar Amir,...
The event, running from November 24 to December 24, will unfold two months after the devastating earthquake in the nearby Atlas Mountains in September, which killed more than 2,000 people.
The management team has decided to push on with the event to support Marrakech, which suffered very little damage and relies heavily on tourism for its livelihood.
Hit Man will play as part of the festival’s six picture red carpet Gala selection which also includes Matteo Garrone’s Italian Oscar entry Me Captain and Michel Franco’s Memory.
Previously announced high-profile guests due to attend this year include Martin Scorsese, who will act as a mentor to emerging filmmakers attending the industry-focused Atlas Workshops, and Jessica Chastain as president of the jury.
She will be joined by Iranian actress and director Zar Amir,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Not to be confused with Haider Rashid’s 2021 thriller of the same name, drama Europa (2023) from Iranian-Austrian writer-director Sudabeh Mortezai was nominated for Best Film in Official Competition at Lff 2023. A slow-burn thriller of corporate defiance and corruption set in rural Albania, it stars German actor Lilith Stangenberg in the lead role of Beate Winter, an ambitious executive of a mysterious corporation called ‘Europa’ that must persuade locals to part with land and livelihoods for unclear, nefarious reasons – all for the euro and not the environment.
The term ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ aptly fits here, as a compelling, stoic and quite ambiguous Stangenberg as Beate ‘hunts’ around stunning countryside, targeting her prey, befriending them and then spinning stories of woe or enlightenment to make the kill and get the contracts signed. With her male assistant Lasse (Tobias Winter) in tow, there is a sense that both are ‘stuck’ in...
The term ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ aptly fits here, as a compelling, stoic and quite ambiguous Stangenberg as Beate ‘hunts’ around stunning countryside, targeting her prey, befriending them and then spinning stories of woe or enlightenment to make the kill and get the contracts signed. With her male assistant Lasse (Tobias Winter) in tow, there is a sense that both are ‘stuck’ in...
- 10/20/2023
- by Lisa Giles-Keddie
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
With the 67th BFI London Film Festival gearing up to start on Oct. 4, the juries for the various competitions have been named.
Leading the official competition jury is acclaimed Mexican director, producer and screenwriter Amat Escalante, who won the best director honor at the 2013 edition of the Cannes Film Festival for Heli and the Silver Lion for the best director in Venice in 2016 for The Untamed. Escalante’s latest feature, Lost in the Night, is playing in the London Film Festival’s Thrill Strand.
Joining Escalante on the main jury are Kate Taylor, program director of the 2023 Edinburgh International Film Festival, and Niven Govinden, the English novelist and author of Diary of a Film.
The films in the official competition that the trio will be judging include:
Baltimore, Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor
Dear Jassi, Tarsem Singh Dhandwar)
Europa, Sudabeh Mortezai
Evil Does Not Exist, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Fingernails, Christos Nikou
Gasoline Rainbow,...
Leading the official competition jury is acclaimed Mexican director, producer and screenwriter Amat Escalante, who won the best director honor at the 2013 edition of the Cannes Film Festival for Heli and the Silver Lion for the best director in Venice in 2016 for The Untamed. Escalante’s latest feature, Lost in the Night, is playing in the London Film Festival’s Thrill Strand.
Joining Escalante on the main jury are Kate Taylor, program director of the 2023 Edinburgh International Film Festival, and Niven Govinden, the English novelist and author of Diary of a Film.
The films in the official competition that the trio will be judging include:
Baltimore, Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor
Dear Jassi, Tarsem Singh Dhandwar)
Europa, Sudabeh Mortezai
Evil Does Not Exist, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Fingernails, Christos Nikou
Gasoline Rainbow,...
- 9/19/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Swiss festival programmes 148 films for this year’s edition.
The Zurich Film Festival (Zff) has unveiled a line-up of 148 films for its 2023 edition which takes place from September 28 to October 8.
The festival’s Focus Competition – which showcases feature films and documentaries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland - has six world premieres. They include Swiss films The Driven One by Piet Baumgartner, a long-term study of students at the elite university Hsg St. Gallen, and road movie Return To Alexandria by Zurich-based Tamer Ruggli, which stars Nadine Labaki and Fanny Ardant.
Scroll down for Focus and Feature Film Competition line-up
Other...
The Zurich Film Festival (Zff) has unveiled a line-up of 148 films for its 2023 edition which takes place from September 28 to October 8.
The festival’s Focus Competition – which showcases feature films and documentaries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland - has six world premieres. They include Swiss films The Driven One by Piet Baumgartner, a long-term study of students at the elite university Hsg St. Gallen, and road movie Return To Alexandria by Zurich-based Tamer Ruggli, which stars Nadine Labaki and Fanny Ardant.
Scroll down for Focus and Feature Film Competition line-up
Other...
- 9/14/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Jeymes Samuel’s sophomore feature The Book of Clarence, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki are among the titles that have been announced within the full lineup of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) 67th London Film Festival. Scroll down for the full list.
The Book of Clarence, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Lakeith Stanfield, and David Oyelowo will screen at London as a World Premiere. Running October 4-15, Lff will feature 29 World Premieres, seven International Premieres (six features and one short), and 30 European Premieres.
Eye-grabbing entries from today’s launch include headline gala screenings of May December by Todd Haynes, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest feature Poor Things, Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, and The Killer by David Fincher, the last three which make their way to London after debuts on the Lido.
The Book of Clarence, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Lakeith Stanfield, and David Oyelowo will screen at London as a World Premiere. Running October 4-15, Lff will feature 29 World Premieres, seven International Premieres (six features and one short), and 30 European Premieres.
Eye-grabbing entries from today’s launch include headline gala screenings of May December by Todd Haynes, Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest feature Poor Things, Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, and The Killer by David Fincher, the last three which make their way to London after debuts on the Lido.
- 8/31/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The film is about a woman accused of the brutal murder of her mother.
Memento International has boarded Edoardo Gabbriellini’s third feature Holiday, a suspense thriller set on the Italian Riviera that is premiering in Toronto in September.
Produced by Olivia Musini for Cinemaundici in association with Lorenzo Mieli’s The Apartment and Luca Guadagnino’s Frenesy Film Company, Holiday is about a woman who returns to her family-owned hotel after being released from prison. But even after being acquitted of the brutal murder of her mother and her mother’s lover and maintaining her innocence, she finds herself...
Memento International has boarded Edoardo Gabbriellini’s third feature Holiday, a suspense thriller set on the Italian Riviera that is premiering in Toronto in September.
Produced by Olivia Musini for Cinemaundici in association with Lorenzo Mieli’s The Apartment and Luca Guadagnino’s Frenesy Film Company, Holiday is about a woman who returns to her family-owned hotel after being released from prison. But even after being acquitted of the brutal murder of her mother and her mother’s lover and maintaining her innocence, she finds herself...
- 8/30/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Titles include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist; Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel; and Christos Nikou’s Fingernails.
BFI London Film Festival has unveiled the competition line-ups for best film, best first feature and best documentary.
The 11 films competing for best film include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist; Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel; Daniel Kokotajlo’s Starve Acre and Christos Nikou’s Fingernails.
Christine Molloy returns to the competition after 2019’s Rose Plays Julie. This time she has co-directed Baltimore with frequent collaborator and partner Joe Lawlor. The pair recently directed The Future Tense which...
BFI London Film Festival has unveiled the competition line-ups for best film, best first feature and best documentary.
The 11 films competing for best film include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist; Kitty Green’s The Royal Hotel; Daniel Kokotajlo’s Starve Acre and Christos Nikou’s Fingernails.
Christine Molloy returns to the competition after 2019’s Rose Plays Julie. This time she has co-directed Baltimore with frequent collaborator and partner Joe Lawlor. The pair recently directed The Future Tense which...
- 8/29/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
"Albanian tradition. She should show respect." Memento Films has revealed a festival promo trailer for a film titled Europa, the latest from an Austrian-Iranian filmmaker named Sudabeh Mortezai. This recently premiered at the 2023 Sarajevo Film Festival, with extra stops at more European fests in the fall. Not to be confused with the harrowing refugees in Europe thriller also titled Europa from just last year. This Austrian production is about a woman named Beate, played by Lilith Stangenberg, an ambitious executive working at "Europa", a mysterious multi-national corporation looking to expand into the Balkans region. Seemingly promoting philanthropy, Europa actually needs to buy off lands from locals in a remote valley in Albania. She encounters pushback from a local farmer who refuses to leave the land of his ancestors and refuses any deal. The cast includes Jetnor Gorezi, Steljona Kadillari, Mirando Sylari, and Tobias Winter. This reminds me of Toni Erdmann,...
- 8/28/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Memento International and Anonymous Content have boarded “Woman Of,” a bold Venice competition entry written and directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert. The film is a pioneering trans drama set in against the landscape of the Polish transformation from communism to capitalism.
“Woman Of” stars Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik as Aniela Wesoły, who lived more than half of her adult life in a provincial Polish town as a man. “Woman Of…” spans 45 years of the life of Aniela as she aspires to find personal liberty as a trans woman and faces hardships in marriage and parenthood, strained family relations and complicated attitudes in her environment.
“‘Woman Of’ is the result of many years of work, a film that tells a story of a mature trans woman living in Poland, who does not fit the social norms of a traditional family,” said Szumowska and Englert, who have been working on movies together for over 20 years.
“Woman Of” stars Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik as Aniela Wesoły, who lived more than half of her adult life in a provincial Polish town as a man. “Woman Of…” spans 45 years of the life of Aniela as she aspires to find personal liberty as a trans woman and faces hardships in marriage and parenthood, strained family relations and complicated attitudes in her environment.
“‘Woman Of’ is the result of many years of work, a film that tells a story of a mature trans woman living in Poland, who does not fit the social norms of a traditional family,” said Szumowska and Englert, who have been working on movies together for over 20 years.
- 8/25/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Memento International has acquired international sales rights to Nora El Hourch’s debut feature “Sisterhood” (“Hlm Pussy”) ahead of its world premiere at Toronto. The timely film will play in the competitive Platform section.
“Sisterhood” follows three inseparable teenagers who face a public outcry after posting a video that exposes someone who attacked them. Faced with threats, they must choose between deleting the video or continuing to fight.
“Sisterhood” boasts a cast of newcomers, including Léah Aubert, Médina Diarra and Salma Takaline, as well as Bérénice Bejo, the Cannes and Cesar award-winning of “The Past” and “The Artist.” Philippe Gompel is producing for Manny Films and La Prod in Morocco is co-producing. Paname Distribution will be handling French distribution.
“Nora El Hourch’s energetic debut feature boldly puts the spotlight on the way sexual harassment is dealt with in the French projects,” said Memento Intl. The company said “Sisterhood” deftly addresses social discrepancies.
“Sisterhood” follows three inseparable teenagers who face a public outcry after posting a video that exposes someone who attacked them. Faced with threats, they must choose between deleting the video or continuing to fight.
“Sisterhood” boasts a cast of newcomers, including Léah Aubert, Médina Diarra and Salma Takaline, as well as Bérénice Bejo, the Cannes and Cesar award-winning of “The Past” and “The Artist.” Philippe Gompel is producing for Manny Films and La Prod in Morocco is co-producing. Paname Distribution will be handling French distribution.
“Nora El Hourch’s energetic debut feature boldly puts the spotlight on the way sexual harassment is dealt with in the French projects,” said Memento Intl. The company said “Sisterhood” deftly addresses social discrepancies.
- 8/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The selection includes world premieres from Michael Noer, Kilian Riedhof and Hans Steinbichler.
The Zurich Film Festival has unveiled the first Gala titles for its 19th edition including three world premieres.
They are Danish director Michael Noer’s Birthday Girl about a mother and daughter on a cruise which takes a dark turn; Stella. A Life. by German director Kilian Riedhof that stars Paula Beer as a young Jewish woman who joins the Gestapo in order to save herself and her boyfriends; and Hans Steinbichler’s Swiss feature A Whole Life about a man experiencing love for the first time after a difficult childhood.
The Zurich Film Festival has unveiled the first Gala titles for its 19th edition including three world premieres.
They are Danish director Michael Noer’s Birthday Girl about a mother and daughter on a cruise which takes a dark turn; Stella. A Life. by German director Kilian Riedhof that stars Paula Beer as a young Jewish woman who joins the Gestapo in order to save herself and her boyfriends; and Hans Steinbichler’s Swiss feature A Whole Life about a man experiencing love for the first time after a difficult childhood.
- 8/17/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
In Sudabeh Mortezai’s provocative fifth feature, “Europa,” the Vienna-based director follows ambitious executive Beate from Europa, a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkans by seemingly promoting philanthropy and investment in underdeveloped areas. What Europa actually needs is to buy land from the locals in a remote Albanian valley. The film plays in Competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival.
Mortezai can’t exactly pinpoint the genesis of “Europa” to a specific idea or moment, but says it’s rather an amalgamation of observations she’s made over time and her own interest in the general state of our world. “I’ve been observing or experiencing a disconnect between the ideals we have. And Europe is not just a continent. It’s a promise of human rights, of specific values,” she says. “And when you see a disconnect between that and many aspects like income, social inequality, economic inequality,...
Mortezai can’t exactly pinpoint the genesis of “Europa” to a specific idea or moment, but says it’s rather an amalgamation of observations she’s made over time and her own interest in the general state of our world. “I’ve been observing or experiencing a disconnect between the ideals we have. And Europe is not just a continent. It’s a promise of human rights, of specific values,” she says. “And when you see a disconnect between that and many aspects like income, social inequality, economic inequality,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Tara Karajica
- Variety Film + TV
When the Sarajevo Film Festival returned to full strength last year after successive, slimmed-down pandemic editions, a robust turn-out was to be expected. For nearly three decades, the audience-facing event has been the cultural lifeblood of the lively, cosmopolitan city it calls home.
The 2022 edition broke attendance records set in 2019, and just days after its online ticketing system launched this month, the fest appears on pace to surpass that mark again. It is a testament to the enduring love affair between a city and a festival that was founded in impossible circumstances in 1995, at the tail end of a brutal, four-year siege — proof that even in times of war and scarcity, cinema could endure.
The festival returns Aug. 11 – 18, with organizers insisting the event’s 29th edition will stay true to its roots. “We wanted to keep the festival focused on its main goals: presenting the best of cinema today to...
The 2022 edition broke attendance records set in 2019, and just days after its online ticketing system launched this month, the fest appears on pace to surpass that mark again. It is a testament to the enduring love affair between a city and a festival that was founded in impossible circumstances in 1995, at the tail end of a brutal, four-year siege — proof that even in times of war and scarcity, cinema could endure.
The festival returns Aug. 11 – 18, with organizers insisting the event’s 29th edition will stay true to its roots. “We wanted to keep the festival focused on its main goals: presenting the best of cinema today to...
- 8/11/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Recipients also include ‘Made In EU’ the new film by Bulgaria’s Stephan Komanderev.
Made In EU, the new film by award-winning Bulgarian filmmaker Stephan Komanderev, has received €220,000 from the Leipzig-based regional German fund Mdm in its latest round of awards.
Produced by Halle-based 42Film, which also produced Karlovy Vary winner Blaga’s Lessons, the film is based on real events that took place during the Covid-19 pandemic in Bulgaria. A seamstress working in a clothing factory in a small town is at the centre of an online drama when she is labelled “patient zero” and accused of infecting her...
Made In EU, the new film by award-winning Bulgarian filmmaker Stephan Komanderev, has received €220,000 from the Leipzig-based regional German fund Mdm in its latest round of awards.
Produced by Halle-based 42Film, which also produced Karlovy Vary winner Blaga’s Lessons, the film is based on real events that took place during the Covid-19 pandemic in Bulgaria. A seamstress working in a clothing factory in a small town is at the centre of an online drama when she is labelled “patient zero” and accused of infecting her...
- 7/20/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
The Sarajevo Film Festival has unveiled its official selection for this year’s edition, with Elene Naveriani’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry among the titles playing in Competition.
A total of 49 films will compete for the Heart of Sarajevo awards. The Festival’s four competition sections – feature, documentary, short, and student film – will feature 22 world, two international, 22 regional, and three national premieres.
Additional titles featured in the main competition program include Animal by Greek filmmaker Sofia Exarchou, Tigru by Andrei Tănase, and the Turkish series Rumi from producers Ahmet Okur, Kerim Ayyildiz, and director Can Ulkaj playing as a special screening.
The festival said Creative Director Izeta Građević saw 935 films submitted for consideration, including 200 feature fiction films, 235 documentaries, 500 shorts, and student titles.
The Sarajevo Film Festival competition programme is open for films and filmmakers from Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo*, North Macedonia,...
A total of 49 films will compete for the Heart of Sarajevo awards. The Festival’s four competition sections – feature, documentary, short, and student film – will feature 22 world, two international, 22 regional, and three national premieres.
Additional titles featured in the main competition program include Animal by Greek filmmaker Sofia Exarchou, Tigru by Andrei Tănase, and the Turkish series Rumi from producers Ahmet Okur, Kerim Ayyildiz, and director Can Ulkaj playing as a special screening.
The festival said Creative Director Izeta Građević saw 935 films submitted for consideration, including 200 feature fiction films, 235 documentaries, 500 shorts, and student titles.
The Sarajevo Film Festival competition programme is open for films and filmmakers from Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo*, North Macedonia,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The film’s backers include Film4 and Mike Goodridge’s Good Chaos.
Paris-based Memento International has snapped up international rights for Sudabeh Mortezai’s third fiction feature Europa that is set to world premiere in competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival in August.
The film, shot mostly in English, follows an ambitious executive working at the titular Europa, a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkan region, ostensibly with philanthropic development ambitions. Things don’t go as planned when the executive is challenged by a stubborn and spiritual farmer who refuses to budge from his ancestors’ land.
Europa is...
Paris-based Memento International has snapped up international rights for Sudabeh Mortezai’s third fiction feature Europa that is set to world premiere in competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival in August.
The film, shot mostly in English, follows an ambitious executive working at the titular Europa, a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkan region, ostensibly with philanthropic development ambitions. Things don’t go as planned when the executive is challenged by a stubborn and spiritual farmer who refuses to budge from his ancestors’ land.
Europa is...
- 7/20/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Forty-nine films will compete for the Heart of Sarajevo awards at the 29th Sarajevo Film Festival, which runs in Bosnia and Herzegovina from Aug. 11 to 18.
The Feature Film Competition will present 11 titles, with two world premieres, one international and five regional premieres.
World premieres include “Europa” from Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai, whose credits include 2018 Venice Days entry “Joy,” the Best Film winner at London Film Festival, and “Macondo,” which competed for the Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival in 2014.
The other world premiere is “Medium,” from Greek director Christina Ioakeimidi, whose debut feature was “Harisma” in 2010.
The international premiere is Romanian filmmaker Tudor Giurgiu’s “Freedom,” which world premiered at Transilvania Film Festival, and won the Public’s Choice award. Last year, “Freedom” won the jury prize in the Work in Progress section of CineLink Industry Days, Sarajevo’s industry program.
The festival’s four competition sections – for feature, documentary,...
The Feature Film Competition will present 11 titles, with two world premieres, one international and five regional premieres.
World premieres include “Europa” from Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai, whose credits include 2018 Venice Days entry “Joy,” the Best Film winner at London Film Festival, and “Macondo,” which competed for the Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival in 2014.
The other world premiere is “Medium,” from Greek director Christina Ioakeimidi, whose debut feature was “Harisma” in 2010.
The international premiere is Romanian filmmaker Tudor Giurgiu’s “Freedom,” which world premiered at Transilvania Film Festival, and won the Public’s Choice award. Last year, “Freedom” won the jury prize in the Work in Progress section of CineLink Industry Days, Sarajevo’s industry program.
The festival’s four competition sections – for feature, documentary,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Submissions to the competition sections up 23% for this year’s festival.
Sudabeh Mortezai’s Europa is one of 10 feature world premieres set to screen in competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival next month (August 11-18).
Europa is the fifth feature from Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Mortezai, and follows an ambitious executive working at a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkans. Mortezai’s previous feature Joy debuted at Venice in 2018; while her 2014 title Macondo premiered at the Berlinale.
Five of the 10 titles in the feature film competition are directed by women. Also having its world premiere in the feature film competition...
Sudabeh Mortezai’s Europa is one of 10 feature world premieres set to screen in competition at the Sarajevo Film Festival next month (August 11-18).
Europa is the fifth feature from Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Mortezai, and follows an ambitious executive working at a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkans. Mortezai’s previous feature Joy debuted at Venice in 2018; while her 2014 title Macondo premiered at the Berlinale.
Five of the 10 titles in the feature film competition are directed by women. Also having its world premiere in the feature film competition...
- 7/20/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Europa
We jumped the gun a bit last year when we included the latest project by Austrian–Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai in our most anticipated list but we can expect this third fiction feature film project to drop at a major film fest this year. Production on Europa began around the month of June last year on what is can be described as a relationship drama between friends with a certain air of malaise. Albania is the backdrop here. Following 2014’s Macondo (Berlinale preemed) and 2018’s Joy (Giornate degli Autori preemed), Europa stars Lilith Stangenberg, Jetnor Gorezi and Steljona Gjika in this Austria-United Kingdom co-production.…...
We jumped the gun a bit last year when we included the latest project by Austrian–Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai in our most anticipated list but we can expect this third fiction feature film project to drop at a major film fest this year. Production on Europa began around the month of June last year on what is can be described as a relationship drama between friends with a certain air of malaise. Albania is the backdrop here. Following 2014’s Macondo (Berlinale preemed) and 2018’s Joy (Giornate degli Autori preemed), Europa stars Lilith Stangenberg, Jetnor Gorezi and Steljona Gjika in this Austria-United Kingdom co-production.…...
- 1/12/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The film was deemed ineligible because more than 50 of the film’s dialogue is in English.
Zornitsa Sophia’s Mother, the Bulgarian entry for the Oscars’ best international feature film award, has been rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The film was deemed ineligible because more than 50 of the film’s dialogue is in English, according to the Academy, in violation of its entry requirements for the category.
The Academy wrote in a letter to Maria Bakalova, the breakout star of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and president of the selection committee for the Bulgarian National Film Centre...
Zornitsa Sophia’s Mother, the Bulgarian entry for the Oscars’ best international feature film award, has been rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The film was deemed ineligible because more than 50 of the film’s dialogue is in English, according to the Academy, in violation of its entry requirements for the category.
The Academy wrote in a letter to Maria Bakalova, the breakout star of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and president of the selection committee for the Bulgarian National Film Centre...
- 9/23/2022
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Vicky Krieps stars as the disgruntled Empress Elisabeth in the Cannes Un Certain Regard title.
Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage has been selected to represent Austria at the Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The historical drama premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard earlier this year where it picked up a best actor award for Vicky Krieps (jointly awarded with Harka’s Adam Bessa).
‘Corsage’: Cannes Review
Krieps plays the disgruntled Empress Elisabeth from the 19th-century who, upon turning 40, begins to rebel against her public image.
The cast also includes Colin Morgan, Florian Teichmeister and Katharina Lorenz.
Corsage...
Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage has been selected to represent Austria at the Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The historical drama premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard earlier this year where it picked up a best actor award for Vicky Krieps (jointly awarded with Harka’s Adam Bessa).
‘Corsage’: Cannes Review
Krieps plays the disgruntled Empress Elisabeth from the 19th-century who, upon turning 40, begins to rebel against her public image.
The cast also includes Colin Morgan, Florian Teichmeister and Katharina Lorenz.
Corsage...
- 9/13/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Mark Jenkin’s latest Cornish horror Enys Men and Alice Diop’s feature debut Saint Omer are among the eight titles set to compete in the Official Competition of the 66th BFI London Film Festival, running from October 5 – 16.
Thirteen countries are represented across this year’s selection. The winner of the festival’s Best Film award will be chosen by the Official Competition Jury, the members of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
BFI Southbank will be home to the Official Competition titles this year. And the winner of the Best Film Award will be announced at a special virtual Lff Awards Ceremony event on Sunday 16 October on BFI YouTube and social media.
Established in 2009 and first won by Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet, recent winners of the London Film Festival’s Best Film Award include Sudabeh Mortezai’s Joy, Alejandro Landes’ Monos, and, in 2021, Panah Panahi’s Hit the Road.
Thirteen countries are represented across this year’s selection. The winner of the festival’s Best Film award will be chosen by the Official Competition Jury, the members of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
BFI Southbank will be home to the Official Competition titles this year. And the winner of the Best Film Award will be announced at a special virtual Lff Awards Ceremony event on Sunday 16 October on BFI YouTube and social media.
Established in 2009 and first won by Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet, recent winners of the London Film Festival’s Best Film Award include Sudabeh Mortezai’s Joy, Alejandro Landes’ Monos, and, in 2021, Panah Panahi’s Hit the Road.
- 8/25/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The BFI London Film Festival has revealed eight titles that will be in official competition.
The films include Santiago Mitre’s political drama “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); Clement Virgo’s brotherly love tale “Brother” (Canada); Marie Kreutzer’s irreverent period drama “Corsage” (Austria-Luxembourg-Germany-France); Fyzal Boulifa’s atmospheric domestic drama “The Damned Don’t Cry” (France-Belgium-Morocco); Mark Jenkin’s folk horror tale “Enys Men” (U.K.); Hlynur Palmason’s historical epic “Godland” (Denmark-Iceland-France-Sweden); Soudade Kaadan’s poignant family film “Nezouh” (U.K.-Syria-France); and Alice Diop’s courtroom drama “Saint Omer.”
The nominated films are all on the festival circuit this year. “Argentina, 1985” and “Saint Omer” are debuting at Venice and both are up for the Golden Lion. “The Damned Don’t Cry” and “Nezouh” are also set for Venice bows. “Brother” will bow at Toronto, while “Corsage” won best performance at Cannes and best actress at Sarajevo for Vicky Krieps. “Enys Men” and “Godland” were also in Cannes.
The films include Santiago Mitre’s political drama “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); Clement Virgo’s brotherly love tale “Brother” (Canada); Marie Kreutzer’s irreverent period drama “Corsage” (Austria-Luxembourg-Germany-France); Fyzal Boulifa’s atmospheric domestic drama “The Damned Don’t Cry” (France-Belgium-Morocco); Mark Jenkin’s folk horror tale “Enys Men” (U.K.); Hlynur Palmason’s historical epic “Godland” (Denmark-Iceland-France-Sweden); Soudade Kaadan’s poignant family film “Nezouh” (U.K.-Syria-France); and Alice Diop’s courtroom drama “Saint Omer.”
The nominated films are all on the festival circuit this year. “Argentina, 1985” and “Saint Omer” are debuting at Venice and both are up for the Golden Lion. “The Damned Don’t Cry” and “Nezouh” are also set for Venice bows. “Brother” will bow at Toronto, while “Corsage” won best performance at Cannes and best actress at Sarajevo for Vicky Krieps. “Enys Men” and “Godland” were also in Cannes.
- 8/25/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Europa
After a pair of docu features, Austrian–Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai finds herself on a firm path with fiction films with Berlin competition selected Macondo being followed by 2018’s Joy (Giornate degli Autori – Venice Film Festival). Mortezai would be working on her next project titled Europa – which is set in Albania and could have possibly started shooting in August. She once again reteams with her cinematographer Klemens Hufnagl on a project that will likely deal with a weighty subject matter and non-actors could be part of the strategy as well.
Gist: Unknown.
Release Date/Prediction: If readied in time, we could see the filmmaker wanting to test (and complete a triple treat) the waters at Cannes, but we are predicting an Orizzonti section slot at the Venice Film Festival.…...
After a pair of docu features, Austrian–Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai finds herself on a firm path with fiction films with Berlin competition selected Macondo being followed by 2018’s Joy (Giornate degli Autori – Venice Film Festival). Mortezai would be working on her next project titled Europa – which is set in Albania and could have possibly started shooting in August. She once again reteams with her cinematographer Klemens Hufnagl on a project that will likely deal with a weighty subject matter and non-actors could be part of the strategy as well.
Gist: Unknown.
Release Date/Prediction: If readied in time, we could see the filmmaker wanting to test (and complete a triple treat) the waters at Cannes, but we are predicting an Orizzonti section slot at the Venice Film Festival.…...
- 1/8/2022
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The 65th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival has revealed the eight films in its official competition.
The competition titles include a few films currently playing at the Venice Film Festival, including Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il Buco” (Italy-Germany-France), Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God” (Italy) Harry Wootliff’s “True Things” (U.K.) and Michel Franco’s “Sundown” (Mexico-France-Sweden).
Films that bowed at Cannes also make an appearance in the competition, including Mamoru Hosoda’s “Belle” (Japan), Justin Kurzel’s “Nitram” (Australia), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s “Lingui” (Chad-France-Germany-Belgium) and Panah Panahi’s (Hit The Raad” (Iran).
The winner will be chosen by the official competition jury, the members of which will be revealed imminently.
Festival director Tricia Tuttle said: “With official competition our aim is to present a curated programme that showcases the breadth and richness of international cinema for our audiences. Anyone new to the Lff should consider official...
The competition titles include a few films currently playing at the Venice Film Festival, including Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il Buco” (Italy-Germany-France), Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God” (Italy) Harry Wootliff’s “True Things” (U.K.) and Michel Franco’s “Sundown” (Mexico-France-Sweden).
Films that bowed at Cannes also make an appearance in the competition, including Mamoru Hosoda’s “Belle” (Japan), Justin Kurzel’s “Nitram” (Australia), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s “Lingui” (Chad-France-Germany-Belgium) and Panah Panahi’s (Hit The Raad” (Iran).
The winner will be chosen by the official competition jury, the members of which will be revealed imminently.
Festival director Tricia Tuttle said: “With official competition our aim is to present a curated programme that showcases the breadth and richness of international cinema for our audiences. Anyone new to the Lff should consider official...
- 9/3/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Variety’s “10 Europeans to Watch” were feted Saturday night at a party held by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg at Berlin’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Co-hosting the evening were Kirsten Niehuus and Helge Jürgens, managing directors of Medienboard, the regional film, TV and digital-media funding body.
Pictured above are U.K. filmmaker and rapper Andrew Onwubolu, known by his alias Rapman, Irish producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, Italian director Carlo Sironi (“Sole”), German director Leonie Krippendorff (“Cocoon”), Estonian director Tanel Toom, Germany-based Kosovan director Visar Morina (“Exile”), and Hungarian actor Abigél Szõke (“Those Who Remained”).
Before welcoming to the stage some of Europe’s most promising stars of tomorrow, Variety executive VP of content Steven Gaydos noted: “Variety is celebrating our 115th year covering international entertainment, before people were watching movies.”
He also shared the story of local producer Sol Bondy, who met Russian producers Ilya Stewart and Murad Osmann at Variety’s “10 Producers to...
Pictured above are U.K. filmmaker and rapper Andrew Onwubolu, known by his alias Rapman, Irish producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, Italian director Carlo Sironi (“Sole”), German director Leonie Krippendorff (“Cocoon”), Estonian director Tanel Toom, Germany-based Kosovan director Visar Morina (“Exile”), and Hungarian actor Abigél Szõke (“Those Who Remained”).
Before welcoming to the stage some of Europe’s most promising stars of tomorrow, Variety executive VP of content Steven Gaydos noted: “Variety is celebrating our 115th year covering international entertainment, before people were watching movies.”
He also shared the story of local producer Sol Bondy, who met Russian producers Ilya Stewart and Murad Osmann at Variety’s “10 Producers to...
- 2/23/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Sudabeh Mortezai’s drama, which should have been an Oscar candidate, has triumphed in the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Leading Actress and Best Screenplay. On 31 January, the Austrian film scene gathered at the Auditorium in Grafenegg, Lower Austria, for the handing out of the tenth Austrian Film Awards in 17 categories. The big winner of the evening was the sophomore picture by Austrian director Sudabeh Mortezai, snagging, amongst others, Best Feature Film and Best Director for herself. Her Joy shows the vicious cycle of human trafficking and sexual exploitation through the eyes of a Nigerian prostitute in Vienna. Mortezai had previously presented the movie at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, and it was chosen as the Austrian candidate for the Oscars. She couldn’t, however, compete due to the regulations, as her film is predominantly in English. Mortezai didn’t attend the awards ceremony owing to poor.
Variety has unveiled its sixth edition of 10 Europeans to Watch, spotlighting 10 rising talents from across the continent who are poised for breakthroughs in 2020. The selection includes emerging actors, directors, writers and producers. The group will be feted at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival. They are:
U.K. actor Sam Adewunmi, star of Sundance film “The Last Tree” who was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards and won the most promising newcomer prize from the org. He’s filming the BBC adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s “The Watch” in South Africa.
Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly produced William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth,” Florence Pugh’s powerful film debut. She’s got Francis Lee’s “Ammonite,” with Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, on her docket.
German writer-director Nora Fingscheidt’s “System Crasher” debuted at the Berlin Film Festival last year and repped Germany in the international film race. She is now helming Sandra Bullock...
U.K. actor Sam Adewunmi, star of Sundance film “The Last Tree” who was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards and won the most promising newcomer prize from the org. He’s filming the BBC adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s “The Watch” in South Africa.
Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly produced William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth,” Florence Pugh’s powerful film debut. She’s got Francis Lee’s “Ammonite,” with Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, on her docket.
German writer-director Nora Fingscheidt’s “System Crasher” debuted at the Berlin Film Festival last year and repped Germany in the international film race. She is now helming Sandra Bullock...
- 1/16/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
This story on Mati Diop, Antoneta Kastrati and the female directors in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category first appeared in the International Film issue of TheWrap’s Oscar magazine.
When Mati Diop first heard questions about gender inequity in the film business, she didn’t know how to react. A mixed-race woman of Senegalese descent raised in Paris from the age of 8 by a strong single mother, she had been directing short films and acting since her early 20s, seldom stopping to consider that her opportunities might be restricted by her gender.
“When people started to talk to me about misogyny, I was like, ‘What is it?'” said Diop, whose haunting feature debut, “Atlantics,” is Senegal’s entry in the Best International Feature Film race. “I think I was in denial.”
Even as she worked on “Atlantics,” Diop said she resisted being a standard-bearer for her gender.
When Mati Diop first heard questions about gender inequity in the film business, she didn’t know how to react. A mixed-race woman of Senegalese descent raised in Paris from the age of 8 by a strong single mother, she had been directing short films and acting since her early 20s, seldom stopping to consider that her opportunities might be restricted by her gender.
“When people started to talk to me about misogyny, I was like, ‘What is it?'” said Diop, whose haunting feature debut, “Atlantics,” is Senegal’s entry in the Best International Feature Film race. “I think I was in denial.”
Even as she worked on “Atlantics,” Diop said she resisted being a standard-bearer for her gender.
- 11/19/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
On Monday, after the International Feature Film Oscar committee disqualified the Austrian entry, Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy,” the film’s producer and director went over the film and did their own calculations again. “It was a nasty surprise and quite a shock of course,” said Martin Schweighofer, Executive Director of Austrian Films, who sent a protest letter to the Academy on Thursday signed by Mortezai and producer Oliver Neumann.
According to their math, characters speaking subtitled Bini, German, and Pidgin (which uses different grammar and is not intelligible to English speakers) add up to more than 53 percent.
Clearly the languages flow in and out of each other in a way that is tough to count for everyone involved, but the Academy’s six “testers” –including a Pidgin expert–independently calculated the percentages of the languages in the film and came to the conclusion that the English, even without Pidgin, was...
According to their math, characters speaking subtitled Bini, German, and Pidgin (which uses different grammar and is not intelligible to English speakers) add up to more than 53 percent.
Clearly the languages flow in and out of each other in a way that is tough to count for everyone involved, but the Academy’s six “testers” –including a Pidgin expert–independently calculated the percentages of the languages in the film and came to the conclusion that the English, even without Pidgin, was...
- 11/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
On Monday, after the International Feature Film Oscar committee disqualified the Austrian entry, Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy,” the film’s producer and director went over the film and did their own calculations again. “It was a nasty surprise and quite a shock of course,” said Martin Schweighofer, Executive Director of Austrian Films, who sent a protest letter to the Academy on Thursday signed by Mortezai and producer Oliver Neumann.
According to their math, characters speaking subtitled Bini, German, and Pidgin (which uses different grammar and is not intelligible to English speakers) add up to more than 53 percent.
Clearly the languages flow in and out of each other in a way that is tough to count for everyone involved, but the Academy’s six “testers” –including a Pidgin expert–independently calculated the percentages of the languages in the film and came to the conclusion that the English, even without Pidgin, was...
According to their math, characters speaking subtitled Bini, German, and Pidgin (which uses different grammar and is not intelligible to English speakers) add up to more than 53 percent.
Clearly the languages flow in and out of each other in a way that is tough to count for everyone involved, but the Academy’s six “testers” –including a Pidgin expert–independently calculated the percentages of the languages in the film and came to the conclusion that the English, even without Pidgin, was...
- 11/15/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
As the Academy International Feature Film committee continues to vet its 92 entries to check their eligibility, it has determined that yet another contender has violated its rules about the use of the English language. Per the Academy, over two-thirds of Austria’s entry, Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy,” is in English. The committee notified Austria on Monday that the film was disqualified.
Since 2006, the Oscar rules dictate that eligible movies must have a “predominantly non-English dialogue track,” a move made in an attempt to open up more opportunities for films from diverse cultures. This current rule is why Ireland, the U.K., and Australia often submit films to the Academy that are not in English. This year’s Irish entry, “Gaza,” was filmed in Arabic.
This Academy decision follows last week’s controversial disqualification of the first-ever Nigerian entry, Genevieve Njaji’s Netflix pickup “Lionheart,” because it is mostly in the English language.
Since 2006, the Oscar rules dictate that eligible movies must have a “predominantly non-English dialogue track,” a move made in an attempt to open up more opportunities for films from diverse cultures. This current rule is why Ireland, the U.K., and Australia often submit films to the Academy that are not in English. This year’s Irish entry, “Gaza,” was filmed in Arabic.
This Academy decision follows last week’s controversial disqualification of the first-ever Nigerian entry, Genevieve Njaji’s Netflix pickup “Lionheart,” because it is mostly in the English language.
- 11/11/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Austria’s contender for the international feature film Oscar has been disqualified from the race for having too much dialogue in English.
Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy” is the second film to be ruled ineligible to compete for what until this year was known as the Academy Award for best foreign-language film. Last week, the disqualification of Nigeria’s “Lionheart” on the same grounds – for being predominantly in English – caused waves among critics who noted that English is one of the country’s official tongues as a result of British colonization.
By coincidence, “Joy” also features a Nigerian character, the eponymous protagonist of the film, a woman working as a prostitute in Vienna to pay off her debt to the sex trafficker who exploits her. The film contains dialogue in a mix of German, English and a pidgin dialect of English.
However, the Academy determined that enough of “Joy’s” dialogue...
Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy” is the second film to be ruled ineligible to compete for what until this year was known as the Academy Award for best foreign-language film. Last week, the disqualification of Nigeria’s “Lionheart” on the same grounds – for being predominantly in English – caused waves among critics who noted that English is one of the country’s official tongues as a result of British colonization.
By coincidence, “Joy” also features a Nigerian character, the eponymous protagonist of the film, a woman working as a prostitute in Vienna to pay off her debt to the sex trafficker who exploits her. The film contains dialogue in a mix of German, English and a pidgin dialect of English.
However, the Academy determined that enough of “Joy’s” dialogue...
- 11/11/2019
- by Henry Chu
- Variety Film + TV
Sudabeh Mortezai’s Joy, Austria’s submission for the Best International Feature Oscar this year, has been disqualified from the category after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences determined the film did not meet eligibility requirements of a submitted film being predominately in a foreign language.
The film, a drama revolving around the world of Nigerian sex workers in Vienna, mixes Pidgin English and German in its 101-minute run time, but not enough non-English-language dialogue to qualify.
“As we do every year, the Academy is in the process of reviewing the films submitted for the International Feature Film category to determine whether they meet our eligibility rules,” the Academy said in a statement Monday. “The film Joy, submitted by Austria, was just reviewed and is ineligible because only 33% of the dialogue is non-English.”
It becomes the second of the 93 international films submitted to the Oscar category formerly knows...
The film, a drama revolving around the world of Nigerian sex workers in Vienna, mixes Pidgin English and German in its 101-minute run time, but not enough non-English-language dialogue to qualify.
“As we do every year, the Academy is in the process of reviewing the films submitted for the International Feature Film category to determine whether they meet our eligibility rules,” the Academy said in a statement Monday. “The film Joy, submitted by Austria, was just reviewed and is ineligible because only 33% of the dialogue is non-English.”
It becomes the second of the 93 international films submitted to the Oscar category formerly knows...
- 11/11/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Among the record 92 submissions this year, 27 titles are directed or co-directed by women. There are six documentaries in the mix, as well as two animated features. Moreover, for the first time, Ghana and Uzbekistan are each fielding an entry. However, Nigeria’s submission was disqualified by the Academy as being mostly in the English language. Here’s a guide to the films, including logline and sales or production contact.
Albania
“The Delegation”
Director: Bujar Alimani
Logline: In autumn 1990,
a political prisoner is secretly taken out of jail to meet the head of the European delegation investigating human-rights violations. But nothing goes according to plan.
Key Cast: Viktor Zhusti, Ndriçim Xhepa, Xhevdet Feri
Sales: Art Film
Algeria
“Papicha”
Director: Mounia Meddour
Logline: A female student rebels against the bans set by radicals during the civil war and plans a fashion show.
Key Cast: Lyna Khoudri, Shirine Boutella, Amira Hilda Douaouda
Sales:...
Albania
“The Delegation”
Director: Bujar Alimani
Logline: In autumn 1990,
a political prisoner is secretly taken out of jail to meet the head of the European delegation investigating human-rights violations. But nothing goes according to plan.
Key Cast: Viktor Zhusti, Ndriçim Xhepa, Xhevdet Feri
Sales: Art Film
Algeria
“Papicha”
Director: Mounia Meddour
Logline: A female student rebels against the bans set by radicals during the civil war and plans a fashion show.
Key Cast: Lyna Khoudri, Shirine Boutella, Amira Hilda Douaouda
Sales:...
- 11/6/2019
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Earlier in the week, we finally learned which films would be selected by all of the countries in search of Academy Award love in Best International Feature. Not only did we get the answers to some questions regarding what each nation would pick, but we found that a record breaking 93 submissions have been made here in 2019. It’s truly the largest slate ever for voters to sift through. Talk about a good problem to have! Below you can see all of the titles in competition for the Best International Feature Oscar. Right now, only Parasite from South Korea and Pain and Glory from Spain seem like safe bets, with the former almost assured of winning the Academy Award. Aside from them? Anything goes in this category, which has potential nominees like Atlantics from Senegal, Beanpole from Russia, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind from the United Kingdom, The Chambermaid from Mexico,...
- 10/12/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
The 93 submissions for the best international feature award at the 2020 Oscars have been announced, and Screen has kept a list of all the entries below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
The 93 submissions for the best international feature award at the 2020 Oscars have been announced, and Screen has kept a list of all the entries below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/8/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
A record 93 countries submitted entries in the International Feature Film race at the 2020 Oscars. That is up by six from last year,when the category was still called Best Foreign-Language Film, and eclipses the record 92 submissions in 2018. The nations represented ranged from A (Albania) to V (Vietnam). Predicting the eventual five Oscar nominees is made difficult by the two-step process.
First, the several hundred academy members of the Foreign-Language Film screening committee are required to watch a number of the submissions (upwards of a dozen) over a two-month period that ends in mid December. They will rate them from 6 to 10 and their top six vote-getters make it to the next round, as will three films added by the 20 members of the executive committee.
Those nine semi-finalists will be screened three per day beginning in early January by select committee members in Gotham, Hollywood, London and San Francisco. These 40 folks will...
First, the several hundred academy members of the Foreign-Language Film screening committee are required to watch a number of the submissions (upwards of a dozen) over a two-month period that ends in mid December. They will rate them from 6 to 10 and their top six vote-getters make it to the next round, as will three films added by the 20 members of the executive committee.
Those nine semi-finalists will be screened three per day beginning in early January by select committee members in Gotham, Hollywood, London and San Francisco. These 40 folks will...
- 10/7/2019
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
A record-breaking total of 93 countries have submitted entries to be considered for best international film nominations at the Academy Awards.
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday. Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekisztan are competing for the first time in the category, which was previously known as the best foreign-language film category.
The previous high for submissions was 92 in 2017. A total of 87 films were submitted last year. Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” won the category this year, becoming the first Mexican entry to win the award.
High-profile entries include South Korea’s “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho’s black comedy which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; Spain’s “Pain and Glory” from Pedro Almodovar with Antonio Banderas starring as a film director; Japan’s “Weathering With You,” the country’s first animated entry since “Princess Mononoke”; Senegal’s “Atlantics” from director Mati Diop,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The 2020 foreign-language Oscar nominees will come from submissions from 93 countries, up from last year’s 87, and breaking the record 92 from 2017. A contender for the renamed Best International Feature must be a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The 2020 foreign-language Oscar nominees will come from submissions from 93 countries, up from last year’s 87, and breaking the record 92 from 2017. A contender for the renamed Best International Feature must be a feature-length motion picture (more than 40 minutes) produced outside the United States with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
Ghana, Nigeria, and Uzbekistan are first-time entrants, but Uganda did not qualify. China (Yu Yang’s “Ne Zha”) and Senegal (Mati Diop’s “Atlantics”) submitted their films under the wire on the deadline of October 1.
Earlier this year, the Academy’s Board of Governors voted not only to rename the Foreign Language Film category, but to expand the shortlist from nine films to 10.
The 2019 submissions, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Albania, “The Delegation,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “Papicha,” Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, “Heroic Losers,” Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, “Lengthy Night,” Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, “Buoyancy,” Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, “Joy,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the full list of countries that have submitted a pic for consideration for the new International Feature Film Oscar category.
Here are the 93 nations and their hopefuls, in alphabetical order:
Albania, The Delegation, Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, Papicha, Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, Heroic Losers, Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, Lengthy Night, Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, Buoyancy, Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, Joy, Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, Alpha, Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, Debut, Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, Our Mothers, César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, I Miss You, Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Son, Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, Invisible Life, Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, Ága, Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, In the Life of Music, Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, Antigone, Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, Spider, Andrés Wood, director;
China, Ne Zha, Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, Monos, Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, The Awakening of the Ants,...
Here are the 93 nations and their hopefuls, in alphabetical order:
Albania, The Delegation, Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, Papicha, Mounia Meddour, director;
Argentina, Heroic Losers, Sebastián Borensztein, director;
Armenia, Lengthy Night, Edgar Baghdasaryan, director;
Australia, Buoyancy, Rodd Rathjen, director;
Austria, Joy, Sudabeh Mortezai, director;
Bangladesh, Alpha, Nasiruddin Yousuff, director;
Belarus, Debut, Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, director;
Belgium, Our Mothers, César Díaz, director;
Bolivia, I Miss You, Rodrigo Bellott, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Son, Ines Tanovic, director;
Brazil, Invisible Life, Karim Aïnouz, director;
Bulgaria, Ága, Milko Lazarov, director;
Cambodia, In the Life of Music, Caylee So, Sok Visal, directors;
Canada, Antigone, Sophie Deraspe, director;
Chile, Spider, Andrés Wood, director;
China, Ne Zha, Yu Yang, director;
Colombia, Monos, Alejandro Landes, director;
Costa Rica, The Awakening of the Ants,...
- 10/7/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A record-breaking total of 93 countries will be competing in the Oscar race for Best International Feature Film, the new name for what previously has been known as the Best Foreign-Language Film category.
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday, with three countries — Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan — competing in the category for the first time.
The previous high for submissions was 92 films, which was set in 2017. This year’s field also sets a new record for the number of women with films in the race, with 29 female directors responsible for 28 of the qualifying films.
One film, Algeria’s “Papicha,” needed a special ruling from the Academy to retain its eligibility. The film was scheduled to open in Algeria in late September, but the Algerian government cancelled the screenings without explanation just before they were scheduled to happen, presumably because it was uncomfortable with a film...
The Academy announced the full list of eligible films and countries on Monday, with three countries — Ghana, Nigeria and Uzbekistan — competing in the category for the first time.
The previous high for submissions was 92 films, which was set in 2017. This year’s field also sets a new record for the number of women with films in the race, with 29 female directors responsible for 28 of the qualifying films.
One film, Algeria’s “Papicha,” needed a special ruling from the Academy to retain its eligibility. The film was scheduled to open in Algeria in late September, but the Algerian government cancelled the screenings without explanation just before they were scheduled to happen, presumably because it was uncomfortable with a film...
- 10/7/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/4/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/3/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/2/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/2/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/1/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
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