European Film Promotion is playing host at the Cannes Film Festival to 20 up-and-coming European producers, selected for its Producers on the Move program. Variety invited the producers to share details of their upcoming projects.
Katharina Posch, Austria
“I’m Not Here to Make Friends”
Director: Julia Niemann
“I’m Not Here to Make Friends” is a sleek and sunny psycho thriller about a reality TV show set on a remote island. Playing with elements of horror and satire it asks the question: Why do we want to be seen so badly?
Elisa Heene, Belgium
“Nightshade”
Director: Leni Huyghe
“Nightshade” by Cinéfondation talent Leni Huyghe is a psychological thriller about Leanna, a chemist, who starts experimenting with the poisonous plant Nightshade and discovers its hallucinatory powers. Leana gets addicted and loses herself in a dreamlike world, where the midwife Marta is accused of witchcraft.
Kalin Kalinov, Bulgaria
“Axis of Life”
Director:...
Katharina Posch, Austria
“I’m Not Here to Make Friends”
Director: Julia Niemann
“I’m Not Here to Make Friends” is a sleek and sunny psycho thriller about a reality TV show set on a remote island. Playing with elements of horror and satire it asks the question: Why do we want to be seen so badly?
Elisa Heene, Belgium
“Nightshade”
Director: Leni Huyghe
“Nightshade” by Cinéfondation talent Leni Huyghe is a psychological thriller about Leanna, a chemist, who starts experimenting with the poisonous plant Nightshade and discovers its hallucinatory powers. Leana gets addicted and loses herself in a dreamlike world, where the midwife Marta is accused of witchcraft.
Kalin Kalinov, Bulgaria
“Axis of Life”
Director:...
- 5/15/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
European Film Promotion has revealed the participants for its Producers on the Move program, which runs before and during the Cannes Film Festival.
The promotion and networking program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, brings together 20 of Europe’s most promising producers. This year, Efp will also put a spotlight on the numerous collaborations that have developed between the around 500 participants from 37 European countries over the past quarter century.
The 20 producers were selected for the program from the nominations submitted by Efp’s member organizations, which are all European national film promotion institutes.
They are Katharina Posch (Austria), Elisa Heene (Belgium/Flanders), Kalin Kalinov (Bulgaria), Tibor Keser (Croatia), Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus), Kristýna Michálek Květová (Czech Republic), Lina Flint (Denmark), Delphine Schmit (France), Fabian Driehorst (Germany), Maria Kontogianni (Greece), Sara Nassim (Iceland), Evan Horan (Ireland), Giedrė Žickytė (Lithuania), Katarzyna Ozga (Luxembourg), Angela Nestorovska (North Macedonia), Anita Rehoff Larsen (Norway), Isabel Machado...
The promotion and networking program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, brings together 20 of Europe’s most promising producers. This year, Efp will also put a spotlight on the numerous collaborations that have developed between the around 500 participants from 37 European countries over the past quarter century.
The 20 producers were selected for the program from the nominations submitted by Efp’s member organizations, which are all European national film promotion institutes.
They are Katharina Posch (Austria), Elisa Heene (Belgium/Flanders), Kalin Kalinov (Bulgaria), Tibor Keser (Croatia), Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus), Kristýna Michálek Květová (Czech Republic), Lina Flint (Denmark), Delphine Schmit (France), Fabian Driehorst (Germany), Maria Kontogianni (Greece), Sara Nassim (Iceland), Evan Horan (Ireland), Giedrė Žickytė (Lithuania), Katarzyna Ozga (Luxembourg), Angela Nestorovska (North Macedonia), Anita Rehoff Larsen (Norway), Isabel Machado...
- 4/30/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
When East Meets West (Wemw), is the co-production forum of January’s Trieste Film Festival in Italy.
Fresh projects from Czeck director Barbora Chalupová, Greece’s Asimina Proedrou and Brazil’s Caru Alves de Souza are among the 18 features to be showcased at When East Meets West (Wemw), the Italian co-production forum of the Trieste Film Festival, taking place from January 21-24.
First-time feature directors Anna Llargués Lala Aliyeva, and Leo Černic will also be presenting projects at what will be the 14th edition of Wemw, to some 500 industry professionals.
Scroll down for the full list
“This year, we received an exceptional number of submissions,...
Fresh projects from Czeck director Barbora Chalupová, Greece’s Asimina Proedrou and Brazil’s Caru Alves de Souza are among the 18 features to be showcased at When East Meets West (Wemw), the Italian co-production forum of the Trieste Film Festival, taking place from January 21-24.
First-time feature directors Anna Llargués Lala Aliyeva, and Leo Černic will also be presenting projects at what will be the 14th edition of Wemw, to some 500 industry professionals.
Scroll down for the full list
“This year, we received an exceptional number of submissions,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The Cinema Heritage festival announces the 9 films in the International Competition after more than 500 films were viewed. Costa Gavras and Cristian Mungiu will be the guests of honour on the closing night.
Eva Peydro, Barbara Lorey de Lacharrière and Philip Cheah, who make up the Selection Committee for the first edition of the Cinema Heritage festival, have viewed 500 films from 56 different countries and are presenting the finalists.
The International Competition comprises 9 films:
– The Winter Within by Aamir Bashir India, France, Qatar / 2022 / Paris Premiere
– The Echo by Tatiana Huezo Mexico, Germany / 2023 / French premiere
– Muyeres by Marta Lallana Spain / 2023 / Paris Premiere
– Behind The Haystacks by Asimina Proedrou Greece, Germany, Macedonia / 2022 / French premiere
– The Promised Land by Nikolaj Arcel Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany / 2023 / French premiere
– Lubo by Giorgio Diritti Italy, Switzerland / 2023 /French premiere
– The Land Where Winds Stood Still by Ardak Amirkulov Kazakhstan / 2023 / French premiere
– Esimde (This Is What I Remember) by Aktan Arym Kubat...
Eva Peydro, Barbara Lorey de Lacharrière and Philip Cheah, who make up the Selection Committee for the first edition of the Cinema Heritage festival, have viewed 500 films from 56 different countries and are presenting the finalists.
The International Competition comprises 9 films:
– The Winter Within by Aamir Bashir India, France, Qatar / 2022 / Paris Premiere
– The Echo by Tatiana Huezo Mexico, Germany / 2023 / French premiere
– Muyeres by Marta Lallana Spain / 2023 / Paris Premiere
– Behind The Haystacks by Asimina Proedrou Greece, Germany, Macedonia / 2022 / French premiere
– The Promised Land by Nikolaj Arcel Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany / 2023 / French premiere
– Lubo by Giorgio Diritti Italy, Switzerland / 2023 /French premiere
– The Land Where Winds Stood Still by Ardak Amirkulov Kazakhstan / 2023 / French premiere
– Esimde (This Is What I Remember) by Aktan Arym Kubat...
- 11/16/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Oscar voters in the Best International Feature Film category have received their group assignments for this year’s initial round of voting, with 89 films included on the seven lists that the Academy has sent to members.
The lists, which were obtained by TheWrap, include presumed favorites “The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom), “The Taste of Things” (France), “The Promised Land” (Denmark) and “Perfect Days” (Japan), along with a number of documentaries, among them Estonia’s “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” Brazil’s “Pictures of Ghosts” and Ukraine’s “20 Days in Mariupol.”
The 89 films are four short of the record of 93 qualifying films in the category. The list of group assignments does not make up the Academy’s official list of eligible films; it’s possible that assigned films might still fail to qualify before first-round voting begins on Dec. 18. For the most part, though, films that are included in the group...
The lists, which were obtained by TheWrap, include presumed favorites “The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom), “The Taste of Things” (France), “The Promised Land” (Denmark) and “Perfect Days” (Japan), along with a number of documentaries, among them Estonia’s “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” Brazil’s “Pictures of Ghosts” and Ukraine’s “20 Days in Mariupol.”
The 89 films are four short of the record of 93 qualifying films in the category. The list of group assignments does not make up the Academy’s official list of eligible films; it’s possible that assigned films might still fail to qualify before first-round voting begins on Dec. 18. For the most part, though, films that are included in the group...
- 10/31/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Exclusive: The Thessaloniki Film Festival’s Agora Series, a hybrid film-series industry strand, returns this year for its sophomore outing with Paper Entertainment CEO and Tehran executive producer Julien Leroux serving as program consultant.
This year’s Agora series program will run for two extended days, starting November 4, with a focus on the creative process of series screenwriting. The schedule will feature a range of masterclass sessions from local and international series professionals. Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Podeswa will host a masterclass on the future of storytelling titled From Six Feet Under to the Top: The Evolution of Contemporary Television at the Pavlos Zannas Theatre on November 4. Podeswa — who was recently announced as the lead director of the Blade Runner 2099 mini-series at Amazon — will discuss the evolution of series content throughout the years and his personal journey in the business. Podeswa’s credits include Six Feet Under, Game of Thrones,...
This year’s Agora series program will run for two extended days, starting November 4, with a focus on the creative process of series screenwriting. The schedule will feature a range of masterclass sessions from local and international series professionals. Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Podeswa will host a masterclass on the future of storytelling titled From Six Feet Under to the Top: The Evolution of Contemporary Television at the Pavlos Zannas Theatre on November 4. Podeswa — who was recently announced as the lead director of the Blade Runner 2099 mini-series at Amazon — will discuss the evolution of series content throughout the years and his personal journey in the business. Podeswa’s credits include Six Feet Under, Game of Thrones,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Predicting the eventual five Oscar nominees for Best International Feature is made difficult by the three-step process that begins after the October 2, 2023 deadline for countries to submit entries. To be part of the selection process for this category, which was called Best Foreign Language Film before 2020, requires a great deal of dedication. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2024 Oscars Best International Feature predictions.)
In the days following the deadline for submissions, the academy determines each film’s eligibility. Then the several hundred academy members who serve on the International Feature screening committee are divided into groups and required to watch all their submissions over a six-week period that ends in early December. Their top 15 vote-getters will make it to the next round. That list of semi-finalists will be revealed on December 21, 2023.
These 15 films will be made available to the entire academy membership who can cast ballots for the final five...
In the days following the deadline for submissions, the academy determines each film’s eligibility. Then the several hundred academy members who serve on the International Feature screening committee are divided into groups and required to watch all their submissions over a six-week period that ends in early December. Their top 15 vote-getters will make it to the next round. That list of semi-finalists will be revealed on December 21, 2023.
These 15 films will be made available to the entire academy membership who can cast ballots for the final five...
- 9/25/2023
- by Paul Sheehan and Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Screen is profiling every submission for best international feature at the 96th Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
- 9/18/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Screen is profiling every submission for best international feature at the 96th Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
- 9/14/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Screen is profiling every submission for best international feature at the 96th Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
- 9/14/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Further Cannes titles to be selected include ’Firebrand’ and ’The Old Oak’.
The first titles in the running for the 2023 European Film Awards have been revealed by the European Academy, including Cannes premieres Anatomy Of A Fall, How To Have Sex, The Old Oak and Firebrand.
Anatomy Of A Fall won the Palme D’Or for French director Justine Triet at Cannes. The Hitchcockian mystery thriller is about a woman, played by Sandra Hüller, accused of murder when her husband dies of suspicious causes. Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion produce.
How To Have Sex won the top Un Certain Regard...
The first titles in the running for the 2023 European Film Awards have been revealed by the European Academy, including Cannes premieres Anatomy Of A Fall, How To Have Sex, The Old Oak and Firebrand.
Anatomy Of A Fall won the Palme D’Or for French director Justine Triet at Cannes. The Hitchcockian mystery thriller is about a woman, played by Sandra Hüller, accused of murder when her husband dies of suspicious causes. Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion produce.
How To Have Sex won the top Un Certain Regard...
- 8/16/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
The European Film Academy has fired the starting gun in the race for the European Film Awards. It has recommended 19 films to its members who will then select the nominees from this list, as well as some additional titles from the summer festivals, which will be announced next month.
Among the selected films are Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” and the winner of its Jury Prize, “Fallen Leaves,” along with fellow Palme d’Or contenders “Kidnapped,” “Firebrand,” “La Chimera” and “The Old Oak.”
Other titles include “How to Have Sex,” which won the Un Certain Regard Award in Cannes, “The Animal Kingdom,” which also played in Un Certain Regard, Cannes Directors’ Fortnight titles “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” and “The Goldman Case,” and “Close Your Eyes,” which played in the Cannes Premiere section.
Also selected are “Afire,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale,...
Among the selected films are Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall,” and the winner of its Jury Prize, “Fallen Leaves,” along with fellow Palme d’Or contenders “Kidnapped,” “Firebrand,” “La Chimera” and “The Old Oak.”
Other titles include “How to Have Sex,” which won the Un Certain Regard Award in Cannes, “The Animal Kingdom,” which also played in Un Certain Regard, Cannes Directors’ Fortnight titles “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” and “The Goldman Case,” and “Close Your Eyes,” which played in the Cannes Premiere section.
Also selected are “Afire,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Cannes Competition titles Anatomy Of A Fall, The Old Oak, and La Chimera are among the first set of titles recommended for nominations at this year’s European Film Awards.
Overall, 19 titles have been selected for the first stage of nominations by the European Film Academy Board. The selection includes films from seventeen countries. In the coming weeks, the 4,600 members of the European Film Academy will watch and vote for the selected films. The winners will be announced at the European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on December 9.
Films eligible for the European Film Awards must be deemed European features, and have had their first official screening between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Eligible films must also have a European director. The rules state that if the director is not European, “provided they have a European refugee or similar status or have lived in Europe and worked in the European film industry...
Overall, 19 titles have been selected for the first stage of nominations by the European Film Academy Board. The selection includes films from seventeen countries. In the coming weeks, the 4,600 members of the European Film Academy will watch and vote for the selected films. The winners will be announced at the European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on December 9.
Films eligible for the European Film Awards must be deemed European features, and have had their first official screening between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Eligible films must also have a European director. The rules state that if the director is not European, “provided they have a European refugee or similar status or have lived in Europe and worked in the European film industry...
- 8/16/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The film tackles the issue of illegal immigration and people trafficking.
Asimina Proedrou’s debut feature Behind The Haystacks swept the board at Greece’s Iris Awards this week, winning the prizes for best film, director, debut director, screenplay, actor, supporting actress and actor, cinematography, editing and sound.
The film is about a family forced to take part in the trafficking of illegal migrants from Turkey to Greece and into the EU.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It premiered at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in November 2022 where it was awarded the Fipresci prize as well as the best debut director award.
Asimina Proedrou’s debut feature Behind The Haystacks swept the board at Greece’s Iris Awards this week, winning the prizes for best film, director, debut director, screenplay, actor, supporting actress and actor, cinematography, editing and sound.
The film is about a family forced to take part in the trafficking of illegal migrants from Turkey to Greece and into the EU.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It premiered at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in November 2022 where it was awarded the Fipresci prize as well as the best debut director award.
- 6/29/2023
- by Alexis Grivas
- ScreenDaily
Italian sales company’s Cannes slate also includes ’The Best of You’ starring Maria Grazia Cucinotta.
Italian sales company Tvco has boarded Asimina Proedrou’s Behind The Haystacks, a family drama set against the Greek refugee crisis which won six awards after premiering last year’s Thessaloniki Film Festival.
The film, which observes the refugee crisis on the Greek/North Macedonian border through the prism of a single family, premiered in the Meet The Neighbours competition at Thessaloniki.
Behind The Haystacks is produced by Argonauts Productions, Fiction Park and Sektor Film, and stars Stathis Stamoulakatos, Lena Ouzounidou and Evgenia Lavda.
Italian sales company Tvco has boarded Asimina Proedrou’s Behind The Haystacks, a family drama set against the Greek refugee crisis which won six awards after premiering last year’s Thessaloniki Film Festival.
The film, which observes the refugee crisis on the Greek/North Macedonian border through the prism of a single family, premiered in the Meet The Neighbours competition at Thessaloniki.
Behind The Haystacks is produced by Argonauts Productions, Fiction Park and Sektor Film, and stars Stathis Stamoulakatos, Lena Ouzounidou and Evgenia Lavda.
- 5/16/2023
- by Alina Trabattoni
- ScreenDaily
Valentina Maurel’s coming-of-age drama won best film and best actress.
Costa Rican director Valentina Maurel’s I Have Electric Dreams has won the best film prize at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi), which ran from November 20-28.
As well as the coveted Golden Peacock award for best film, the coming-of-age drama also saw newcomer Daniela Marin Navarro win best actress.
The French, Belgian and Costa Rican co-production, which premiered in Locarno, is a coming-of-age story that follows a teenager’s relationship with her estranged father. World sales are handled by Greece’s Heretic.
Scroll down for full...
Costa Rican director Valentina Maurel’s I Have Electric Dreams has won the best film prize at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi), which ran from November 20-28.
As well as the coveted Golden Peacock award for best film, the coming-of-age drama also saw newcomer Daniela Marin Navarro win best actress.
The French, Belgian and Costa Rican co-production, which premiered in Locarno, is a coming-of-age story that follows a teenager’s relationship with her estranged father. World sales are handled by Greece’s Heretic.
Scroll down for full...
- 11/29/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Spanish-language film “I Have Electric Dreams” won the Golden Peacock, the top prize at the 53rd International Film Festival of India held in Goa from Nov. 20-28. The Silver Peacock for best director was awarded to Iranian writer-director Nader Saeivar for protest drama “No End.”
Directed by Costa Rican filmmaker Valentina Maurel, “I Have Electric Dreams” explores the mercurial relationship between an artist and her 16-year-old daughter. While announcing the prize at the closing ceremony of Iffi at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, the jury said: “It was so electrifying, so vibrating, that while watching it, we felt as if we, ourselves, were trembling.”
“No End,” described as “a magical and subtle portrayal of Iran’s regressive socio-political system,” also earned its lead actor Vahid Mobasseri the Silver Peacock for best male actor. In its citation, the jury commended Mobasseri’s “economy of gestures and being capable to transmit,...
Directed by Costa Rican filmmaker Valentina Maurel, “I Have Electric Dreams” explores the mercurial relationship between an artist and her 16-year-old daughter. While announcing the prize at the closing ceremony of Iffi at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, the jury said: “It was so electrifying, so vibrating, that while watching it, we felt as if we, ourselves, were trembling.”
“No End,” described as “a magical and subtle portrayal of Iran’s regressive socio-political system,” also earned its lead actor Vahid Mobasseri the Silver Peacock for best male actor. In its citation, the jury commended Mobasseri’s “economy of gestures and being capable to transmit,...
- 11/28/2022
- by Udita Jhunjhunwala
- Variety Film + TV
The 53rd edition of International Film Festival of India (Iffi) concluded on Monday with Spanish film ‘I have electric dreams’ directed by Valentina Maurel winning the ‘Golden Peacock award’.
The closing ceremony of Iffi was held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee indoor stadium in Taleigao on Monday.
The 53rd edition of Iffi witnessed participation of filmmakers and cinema lovers from across the globe.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, MoS I&b L. Murugan, MoS Tourism Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
“My commitment is to give strong emphasis to provide a platform to regional cinema. Because, regional is no longer regional… it has gone national and international. Cinema has played a vital role to reach Hindi language across the globe,” Thakur said on the occasion.
Megastar Chiranjeevi was conferred the Indian Film Personality of the Year award on concluding...
The closing ceremony of Iffi was held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee indoor stadium in Taleigao on Monday.
The 53rd edition of Iffi witnessed participation of filmmakers and cinema lovers from across the globe.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, MoS I&b L. Murugan, MoS Tourism Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
“My commitment is to give strong emphasis to provide a platform to regional cinema. Because, regional is no longer regional… it has gone national and international. Cinema has played a vital role to reach Hindi language across the globe,” Thakur said on the occasion.
Megastar Chiranjeevi was conferred the Indian Film Personality of the Year award on concluding...
- 11/28/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
First-time filmmaker Asimina Proedrou makes her auspicious debut with “Behind the Haystacks,” a family drama set against the Greek refugee crisis that won six awards after premiering at the recently wrapped Thessaloniki Film Festival.
The film tells the story of a middle-aged fisherman who, faced with mounting debt, begins to smuggle refugees across a lake on Greece’s northern border. After tragedy strikes, exposing the hypocrisy at the root of his small town, he and his family must face the consequences.
Starring screen veteran Stathis Stamoulakatos as the desperate husband and father, alongside Lena Ouzounidou as his devout, church-going wife and Evgenia Lavda as their rebellious daughter, “Behind the Haystacks” examines how the repercussions of a single, tragic event ripple outward across a community, forcing many to consider the costs of their actions for the first time.
“The film is an exploration about where our modern societies are being led to and why,...
The film tells the story of a middle-aged fisherman who, faced with mounting debt, begins to smuggle refugees across a lake on Greece’s northern border. After tragedy strikes, exposing the hypocrisy at the root of his small town, he and his family must face the consequences.
Starring screen veteran Stathis Stamoulakatos as the desperate husband and father, alongside Lena Ouzounidou as his devout, church-going wife and Evgenia Lavda as their rebellious daughter, “Behind the Haystacks” examines how the repercussions of a single, tragic event ripple outward across a community, forcing many to consider the costs of their actions for the first time.
“The film is an exploration about where our modern societies are being led to and why,...
- 11/15/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Valentina Maurel’s “I Have Electric Dreams” continued its winning streak this week at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, where the Costa Rican director’s coming-of-age drama took home the Golden Alexander for best feature film.
Maurel’s debut follows a restless 16-year-old girl experiencing her sexual awakening. Desperate to leave the house she shares with her mother and younger sister, she opts to move in with her estranged father, a troubled artist.
The film won the prizes for best director, actress and actor at the Locarno Film Festival, where it bowed in the main competition, as well as the San Sebastián Film Festival’s Horizons Award.
The jury in Thessaloniki, which was comprised of Mexican producer and Pimienta Films founder Nicolas Selis, Polish writer-director Tomasz Wasilewski and Greek filmmaker Penny Panagiotopoulou, praised the film for its “beautiful and gentle portrait on how to love the flaws in a person you love.
Maurel’s debut follows a restless 16-year-old girl experiencing her sexual awakening. Desperate to leave the house she shares with her mother and younger sister, she opts to move in with her estranged father, a troubled artist.
The film won the prizes for best director, actress and actor at the Locarno Film Festival, where it bowed in the main competition, as well as the San Sebastián Film Festival’s Horizons Award.
The jury in Thessaloniki, which was comprised of Mexican producer and Pimienta Films founder Nicolas Selis, Polish writer-director Tomasz Wasilewski and Greek filmmaker Penny Panagiotopoulou, praised the film for its “beautiful and gentle portrait on how to love the flaws in a person you love.
- 11/14/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Four Greek fiction features and two documentaries have been selected for this year’s edition of Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes, the Cannes Film Market’s pix-in-post industry showcase. The projects will be presented to potential sales agents, distributors and festival programmers during a presentation at the Palais des Festivals on July 12.
The event is a collaboration between the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Greek Film Center, and the Cannes Film Market. Greece is the only country in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans to take part.
This year, the event’s organizers received even more applications than in years past, according to Yianna Sarri, head of the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s industry arm, Agora. “It seems that even during the pandemic, film directors found a way to be more creative,” she said.
Sarri noted that the annual event has become a prime launching pad for rising Greek talents. Two years ago, Christos Nikou...
The event is a collaboration between the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Greek Film Center, and the Cannes Film Market. Greece is the only country in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans to take part.
This year, the event’s organizers received even more applications than in years past, according to Yianna Sarri, head of the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s industry arm, Agora. “It seems that even during the pandemic, film directors found a way to be more creative,” she said.
Sarri noted that the annual event has become a prime launching pad for rising Greek talents. Two years ago, Christos Nikou...
- 6/11/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Hungarian action-comedy Kills On Wheels and Icelandic-Danish coming of age story Heartstone take top prizes at Greek festival.Scroll down for full list of winners
Hungarian director Attila Till’s Kills On Wheels (Tiszta Szivvel) has been named best film at the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 3-13) winning the “Theo Angelopoulos” Golden Alexander award.
The film beat out 16 first and second films screened in this year’s competition section.
Kills On Wheels’ three leading young actors, Zoltan Fenyvesi, SzaboIcs Thuroczy and Adam Fekete were jointly awarded the Best actor trophy.
The film, arriving from the Chicago film festival where it won the Roger Ebert award, deals with three wheelchair-using young adults who decide to offer their services to the mafia in an effort to overcome their daily routines. World sales are handled by the Hungarian Film Fund.
Icelandic-Danish co-production Heartstone (Hjartasteinn) by Icelandic director Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson, was awarded the Special Jury Prize, Silver Alexander...
Hungarian director Attila Till’s Kills On Wheels (Tiszta Szivvel) has been named best film at the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 3-13) winning the “Theo Angelopoulos” Golden Alexander award.
The film beat out 16 first and second films screened in this year’s competition section.
Kills On Wheels’ three leading young actors, Zoltan Fenyvesi, SzaboIcs Thuroczy and Adam Fekete were jointly awarded the Best actor trophy.
The film, arriving from the Chicago film festival where it won the Roger Ebert award, deals with three wheelchair-using young adults who decide to offer their services to the mafia in an effort to overcome their daily routines. World sales are handled by the Hungarian Film Fund.
Icelandic-Danish co-production Heartstone (Hjartasteinn) by Icelandic director Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson, was awarded the Special Jury Prize, Silver Alexander...
- 11/14/2016
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Alexandros Avranas’ suicide drama claimed the Orpheus Award for best feature as the 8th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (Lagff) concluded over the weekend (June 8).
In other highlights at the awards ceremony at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, top documentary honours went to Spyros Teskos’ Crossed Lives, which contrasts and compares the political crisis in Greece with the country’s struggles during World War II.
Crossed Lives also won the Audience Choice Award.
Best Short Film went to Asimina Proedrou’s Red Hulk, about a young man struggling to cope with life and all the problems thrown his way.
Fox Filmed Entertainment nchief Jim Gianopulos took to the stage to present an honourary award to 12 Years A Slave producer Anthony Katagas. When Harry Met Sally co-producer Steve Nicolaides also received an honourary award.
Photo: Orpheus Awards hosts Christos Vasilopoulos and Chryssa Loucas. Photo by Alex Vacca.
In other highlights at the awards ceremony at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, top documentary honours went to Spyros Teskos’ Crossed Lives, which contrasts and compares the political crisis in Greece with the country’s struggles during World War II.
Crossed Lives also won the Audience Choice Award.
Best Short Film went to Asimina Proedrou’s Red Hulk, about a young man struggling to cope with life and all the problems thrown his way.
Fox Filmed Entertainment nchief Jim Gianopulos took to the stage to present an honourary award to 12 Years A Slave producer Anthony Katagas. When Harry Met Sally co-producer Steve Nicolaides also received an honourary award.
Photo: Orpheus Awards hosts Christos Vasilopoulos and Chryssa Loucas. Photo by Alex Vacca.
- 6/10/2014
- ScreenDaily
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