Just one year after Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”) became the second woman to win the Directors Guild of America’s First-Time Film Director award, Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”) is set to follow her as the category’s third female champ. The 35-year-old Scottish filmmaker, who helmed three narrative shorts between 2015 and 2017, has already been heavily feted for her feature directing (and writing) debut with accolades such as the Cannes French Touch Prize and the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Director. Now, the fact that a whopping 96 of Gold Derby’s 2023 DGA Awards predictions odds-makers have her as their top choice in the rookie race should translate to a decisive win.
This category’s current lineup is the only one in its eight-year history to include just one male nominee. Last year’s unprecedented field of six consisted of two men and four women, including Gyllenhaal. Our odds show Wells far outpacing female contenders Alice Diop,...
This category’s current lineup is the only one in its eight-year history to include just one male nominee. Last year’s unprecedented field of six consisted of two men and four women, including Gyllenhaal. Our odds show Wells far outpacing female contenders Alice Diop,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Nearly three decades after making her film acting debut at age 14, Maggie Gyllenhaal has now added her first feature writing and directing credits to her resume. Since its Venice International Film Festival premiere last September, her “The Lost Daughter” has won her numerous accolades, from the festival’s Golden Osella to the Independent Spirit Awards for Best Feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Gyllenhaal is also nominated for the Directors Guild of America’s First-Time Film Director award. According to our DGA Awards odds, she is widely expected to prevail and thereby become only the second woman to receive the honor.
This particular glass ceiling was broken by Alma Har’el, who took the 2020 prize for helming “Honey Boy.” Since the category’s establishment in 2015, 11 women and 25 men have vied for the award, making for a 1:2.3 ratio. The first female contender was inaugural nominee Marielle Heller. Aside from her and Har’el,...
This particular glass ceiling was broken by Alma Har’el, who took the 2020 prize for helming “Honey Boy.” Since the category’s establishment in 2015, 11 women and 25 men have vied for the award, making for a 1:2.3 ratio. The first female contender was inaugural nominee Marielle Heller. Aside from her and Har’el,...
- 3/10/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Originally, Mongolian director Byambasuren Davaa had planned to make a different fourth film set in her home country, but upon re-visiting Mongolia and seeing the countryside changed by the over-exploitation of mining companies, she decided to tackle this development in her new feature. In Mongolia, as well as other parts of the world, the effect of global mining for resources is quite severe, changing the course of rivers if not depleting them altogether, while at the same time taking away people’s living foundations, with certain nomad tribes forced to move away and accept a small compensation for the land they had been living on for so many generations. Based on these effects, her own observations as well as an old Mongolian folk tale, Davaa’s feature “Veins of the World” tells a story about the unity of the world and its people, and how greed has come to corrode this idea.
- 2/6/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Byambasuren Davaa’s gorgeous-looking drama examines the rituals and traditions of Mongolia as their very existence comes under threat
Veins of the World sees Mongolian director Byambasuren Davaa, whose debut, The Story of the Weeping Camel, earned an Oscar nomination for best documentary, again turn her evocative, naturalistic lens on to the lives of nomadic tribes in her home country. It’s something of a pity that, having made its festival rounds, the film gets its release during the pandemic, as its arresting, expansive portraiture of Mongolian rural landscapes would have made an indelible impact on the big screen.
Right from the beginning, an alluringly green vista takes over the frame; the potency of the land is breathtaking. Nevertheless, amid this poetic lushness, barren patches slowly appear. Not only the fertile soil but also a traditional way of life is in danger of being eaten away. Shattering changes are seen...
Veins of the World sees Mongolian director Byambasuren Davaa, whose debut, The Story of the Weeping Camel, earned an Oscar nomination for best documentary, again turn her evocative, naturalistic lens on to the lives of nomadic tribes in her home country. It’s something of a pity that, having made its festival rounds, the film gets its release during the pandemic, as its arresting, expansive portraiture of Mongolian rural landscapes would have made an indelible impact on the big screen.
Right from the beginning, an alluringly green vista takes over the frame; the potency of the land is breathtaking. Nevertheless, amid this poetic lushness, barren patches slowly appear. Not only the fertile soil but also a traditional way of life is in danger of being eaten away. Shattering changes are seen...
- 4/13/2021
- by Phuong Le
- The Guardian - Film News
Shadow Game by Eefje Blankevoort and Els Van Driel, and Byambasuren Davaa’s Veins of the World, have received the Grand Prizes of the festival. The 19th Geneva’s International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (Fifdh) has wrapped its first digital edition with the announcement of its winners. Running from 5 to 14 March, the event gathered nearly 45,000 people who watched the films, debates and various content available online. “While we regret not having been able to open this Festival to a physical audience, some of the experiments carried out this year will be perpetuated. We must pay tribute to the Fifdh team, which has been able to adapt to many challenges with increased energy,” mentioned general director Isabelle Gattiker. Starting with the Creative Documentary Competition, the jury headed by Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, and featuring Lamia Maria Abillama, Yulia Mahr, and Arnaud Robert, bestowed the Grand Prize of...
Mongolia has picked the drama Veins of the World from director Byambasuren Davaa as its official entry for the 2021 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The film follows Amra, an 11-year-old boy living a traditional nomad life on the Mongolian steppe who sees his way of life threatened by the encroachment of international mining companies, who are devastating the natural habitat in their search for gold. Amra’s father Erdene is the leader of the last nomads opposing them. When he dies, his son decides to take up the fight.
Veins of the World premiered at the Berlin Film ...
The film follows Amra, an 11-year-old boy living a traditional nomad life on the Mongolian steppe who sees his way of life threatened by the encroachment of international mining companies, who are devastating the natural habitat in their search for gold. Amra’s father Erdene is the leader of the last nomads opposing them. When he dies, his son decides to take up the fight.
Veins of the World premiered at the Berlin Film ...
- 1/25/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Mongolia has picked the drama Veins of the World from director Byambasuren Davaa as its official entry for the 2021 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The film follows Amra, an 11-year-old boy living a traditional nomad life on the Mongolian steppe who sees his way of life threatened by the encroachment of international mining companies, who are devastating the natural habitat in their search for gold. Amra’s father Erdene is the leader of the last nomads opposing them. When he dies, his son decides to take up the fight.
Veins of the World premiered at the Berlin Film ...
The film follows Amra, an 11-year-old boy living a traditional nomad life on the Mongolian steppe who sees his way of life threatened by the encroachment of international mining companies, who are devastating the natural habitat in their search for gold. Amra’s father Erdene is the leader of the last nomads opposing them. When he dies, his son decides to take up the fight.
Veins of the World premiered at the Berlin Film ...
- 1/25/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Originally, Mongolian director Byambasuren Davaa had planned to make a different fourth film set in her home country, but upon re-visiting Mongolia and seeing the countryside changed by the over-exploitation of mining companies, she decided to tackle this development in her new feature. In Mongolia, as well as other parts of the world, the effect of global mining for resources is quite severe, changing the course of rivers if not depleting them altogether, while at the same time taking away people’s living foundations, with certain nomad tribes forced to move away and accept a small compensation for the land they had been living on for so many generations. Based on these effects, her own observations as well as an old Mongolian folk tale, Davaa’s feature “Veins of the World” tells a story about the unity of the world and its people, and how greed has come to corrode this idea.
- 10/15/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The 43rd edition of Mill Valley Film Festival – run annually by the California Film Institute – announced their programme on the 25th of September. This year’s selection surprisingly sees a paucity of Asian film — presumably as a part of a larger push to squeeze in the glut of US/European premieres unable to show elsewhere. However, some notables – especially Chloe Zhao’s recession fiction “Nomadland” – will still be featured, albeit only in a drive-in cinema. This US production by the Chinese diaspora director most recently won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and graces this year’s Mvff as a Telluride Film Festival selection.
The rest of the film selections are listed below. Some are only available virtually in the CAFilm Streaming Room; others available to stream in California only; and others, like Zhao’s “Nomadland,” available in a drive-in at Marin Center.
Feature Films
Bandar Band
Current...
The rest of the film selections are listed below. Some are only available virtually in the CAFilm Streaming Room; others available to stream in California only; and others, like Zhao’s “Nomadland,” available in a drive-in at Marin Center.
Feature Films
Bandar Band
Current...
- 9/30/2020
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Munich-based sales agent Global Screen closed major European deals for drama “Veins of the World,” the fiction feature film debut of director-screenwriter Byambasuren Davaa, whose “The Story of the Weeping Camel” was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary, and sold to more than 60 territories.
“Veins of the World,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and will also be screened at the Marché du Film Online, has been picked up by Les Films du Preau for France, Surtsey Films for Spain, Angel Films for Scandinavia and Filmcoopi for Switzerland. Further deals are in negotiation. The drama will be released in Germany by Pandora Film later this year.
The film centers on Amra, an 11-year-old boy who lives the traditional life of a nomad with his mother Zaya, father Erdene and little sister Altaa in the Mongolian steppe. While Zaya takes care of the flock, Erdene works as a mechanic,...
“Veins of the World,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and will also be screened at the Marché du Film Online, has been picked up by Les Films du Preau for France, Surtsey Films for Spain, Angel Films for Scandinavia and Filmcoopi for Switzerland. Further deals are in negotiation. The drama will be released in Germany by Pandora Film later this year.
The film centers on Amra, an 11-year-old boy who lives the traditional life of a nomad with his mother Zaya, father Erdene and little sister Altaa in the Mongolian steppe. While Zaya takes care of the flock, Erdene works as a mechanic,...
- 6/22/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
German film and TV company Telepool, jointly owned by Hollywood actor-producer Will Smith and Swiss investor Elysian Fields, is moving forward in multiple areas of the entertainment business, CEO André Druskeit tells Variety. Druskeit reveals a major new acquisition for its German distribution arm, and Julia Weber, head of theatrical sales and acquisitions at Telepool’s world sales arm Global Screen, speaks about the films making their market premieres at this month’s European Film Market in Berlin.
Last year Telepool launched into theatrical distribution in Germany, and continues this year with titles such as “Ironbark,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Now the company has acquired the German distribution rights for the next Will Smith movie, “King Richard,” about the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, Druskeit says. The film is fully financed by Warner Bros., but co-produced by Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment.
Referring to “King Richard,” Druskeit says: “This...
Last year Telepool launched into theatrical distribution in Germany, and continues this year with titles such as “Ironbark,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Now the company has acquired the German distribution rights for the next Will Smith movie, “King Richard,” about the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, Druskeit says. The film is fully financed by Warner Bros., but co-produced by Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment.
Referring to “King Richard,” Druskeit says: “This...
- 2/3/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Matteo Garrone to present ‘Pinocchio’ as the first Berlinale Special Gala.
The Berlinale has revealed the first films set to be screened at the 70th edition of the festival.
They include the live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, from Italian director Matteo Garrone, which is the first Berlinale Special Gala to be announced – a category that replaces ‘out of competition’. It will mark the international premiere of the film, starring Roberto Benigni, which is released in Italy this weekend.
Scroll down for full list of titles
The first 18 films selected for the Panorama strand have also been named, including 11 world premieres.
Among...
The Berlinale has revealed the first films set to be screened at the 70th edition of the festival.
They include the live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, from Italian director Matteo Garrone, which is the first Berlinale Special Gala to be announced – a category that replaces ‘out of competition’. It will mark the international premiere of the film, starring Roberto Benigni, which is released in Italy this weekend.
Scroll down for full list of titles
The first 18 films selected for the Panorama strand have also been named, including 11 world premieres.
Among...
- 12/17/2019
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Matteo Garrone to present ‘Pinocchio’ as the first Berlinale Special Gala.
The Berlinale has revealed the first films set to be screened at the 70th edition of the festival.
They include the live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, from Italian director Matteo Garrone, which is the first Berlinale Special Gala to be announced – a category that replaces ‘out of competition’. It will mark the international premiere of the film, starring Roberto Benigni, which is released in Italy this weekend.
Scroll down for full list of titles
The first 18 films selected for the Panorama strand have also been named, including 11 world premieres.
Among...
The Berlinale has revealed the first films set to be screened at the 70th edition of the festival.
They include the live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, from Italian director Matteo Garrone, which is the first Berlinale Special Gala to be announced – a category that replaces ‘out of competition’. It will mark the international premiere of the film, starring Roberto Benigni, which is released in Italy this weekend.
Scroll down for full list of titles
The first 18 films selected for the Panorama strand have also been named, including 11 world premieres.
Among...
- 12/17/2019
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
The 2020 Berlin Film Festival, the first edition under new artistic director Carlo Chatrian, has unveiled its first wave of titles.
Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio, starring Roberto Benigni, will have its international premiere at the festival as a Berlinale Special Gala. The team have removed the ‘out of competition’ classification this year and those films will now play as Special Galas. Pinocchio is released theatrically in Italy this weekend and Berlin will mark its festival premiere.
“Garrone succeeds in re-telling the well-known story with his very own world of images. Although he is faithful to Carlo Collodi’s ideas, he has nevertheless created a very personal Pinocchio that is much more cheerful than we’ve experienced before,” commented Carlo Chatrian on the selection.
Also announced today were four films in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino program, which presents debut features. The section will open with Kids Run from Barbara Ott, whose graduation...
Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio, starring Roberto Benigni, will have its international premiere at the festival as a Berlinale Special Gala. The team have removed the ‘out of competition’ classification this year and those films will now play as Special Galas. Pinocchio is released theatrically in Italy this weekend and Berlin will mark its festival premiere.
“Garrone succeeds in re-telling the well-known story with his very own world of images. Although he is faithful to Carlo Collodi’s ideas, he has nevertheless created a very personal Pinocchio that is much more cheerful than we’ve experienced before,” commented Carlo Chatrian on the selection.
Also announced today were four films in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino program, which presents debut features. The section will open with Kids Run from Barbara Ott, whose graduation...
- 12/17/2019
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
A love of the land and its people seem to come part and parcel with the cinematic traditions of Central Asia, with Sadyk Sher-Niyaz’s ‘Queen of the Mountains’ serving as a recent example of this, fuelling a passionate fire for national pride. A public figure with a political history in his home land, Sher-Niyaz also founded the Asian World Film Festival in L.A. to help promote the voices of the sprawling Asian continent underrepresented on the world stage. Making its international premiere at Busan International Film Festival, however, is the Sher-Niyaz co-written venture with director Aibek Daiyrbekov ‘The Song of the Tree’, a vivid retelling of such Kyrgyz folklore through warm and inviting musical numbers against an unforgettable tapestry of the Tien Shan range.
The Song of the Tree had its international premiere at Busan International Film Festival
Set during the 1800s, Kyrgyzstan’s first ever musical tells...
The Song of the Tree had its international premiere at Busan International Film Festival
Set during the 1800s, Kyrgyzstan’s first ever musical tells...
- 10/18/2018
- by Jamie Cansdale
- AsianMoviePulse
Feature, documentary, Vr, TV projects set for Venice industry strand.
Venice Film Festival industry strand Venice Production Bridge has confirmed the 47 projects that will take part in this year’s edition of the Gap-Financing Market (September 1-3).
Now in its fourth year, the market will welcome 25 feature film and documentary projects, 15 virtual reality, interactive, web and TV projects, as well as seven Vr projects from previous editions of the talent development lab Biennale College, which are in various stages of development and production.
The teams behind each project will take part in one-ot-one meetings with producers, financiers, distributors, sales agents and further industry attending the Production Bridge.
Full list of projects:
Fiction features (Europe)
All The Pretty Little Horses dir. Michalis Konstantatos (Greece, Germany, Netherlands), Horsefly Productions
Bodyguard Of Lies dir. Charles Matthau (Spain, United States), Babieka Films
Brighton 4 dir. Levan Koguashvili (Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece), Kino Iberica
Cook, Fuck, Kill dir. Mira Fornay (Czech...
Venice Film Festival industry strand Venice Production Bridge has confirmed the 47 projects that will take part in this year’s edition of the Gap-Financing Market (September 1-3).
Now in its fourth year, the market will welcome 25 feature film and documentary projects, 15 virtual reality, interactive, web and TV projects, as well as seven Vr projects from previous editions of the talent development lab Biennale College, which are in various stages of development and production.
The teams behind each project will take part in one-ot-one meetings with producers, financiers, distributors, sales agents and further industry attending the Production Bridge.
Full list of projects:
Fiction features (Europe)
All The Pretty Little Horses dir. Michalis Konstantatos (Greece, Germany, Netherlands), Horsefly Productions
Bodyguard Of Lies dir. Charles Matthau (Spain, United States), Babieka Films
Brighton 4 dir. Levan Koguashvili (Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece), Kino Iberica
Cook, Fuck, Kill dir. Mira Fornay (Czech...
- 7/14/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
- 12/16/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
More of the trade came in Thursday night including Rainer Kölmel who sold Kinowelt to Pathe just before the latest market crash and who has produced The Two Lives of Daniel Shore, playing here. Daniel Gluckau is still acquiring films for Kinowelt and has just had a son born. Former Kinowelt sales man Stlios Ziannis has created his own international sales agency Aktis Film whose film 13 Semester is premiering here and was produced by 20th Century Fox Germany signaling their possibly renewed interest in German production. This film, depicting life in college is a new subject for German film. Aktis also intends to enter coproductions as well. Also attending are Rudy Tjio of Universum Ufa who will also be attending Afm, Antonio Exacoustos of Arri Media Worldsales, Wigbert Moschall of mdc int., Prokino's Ira von Gienanth, Mfa's Christian Meinke
Women in film are receiving some press these days, from an...
Women in film are receiving some press these days, from an...
- 10/30/2009
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
by Ronald Bergan As I trudge around from one European festival to another (pity me, dear reader), I boringly repeat the litany that there are too many festivals and too few good films. Yet, in the lovely lakeside Swiss town of Locarno, I was hoping to eat my words. (It's too expensive to eat much else!). The center of the Locarno Film Festival (and of the town) is the splendid Piazza Grande, where crowds gather every night to watch "popular" films on the giant screen. These need not detain us long with the exception of the closing film, The Two Horses of Genghis Khan (Chingisiyn Hoyor Zagal), which is not a very low-budget epic as the title suggests, but a semi-documentary by Byambasuren Davaa, the Mongolian director of The Story of the Weeping Camel and The Cave of the Yellow Dog. With few concessions to western tastes, it follows the...
- 8/17/2009
- GreenCine Daily
Locarno, a Swiss fest dedicated to indie arthouse fair, especially with an arthouse lilt, has unveiled its lineup and it includes 10 world premiers. Locarno premiers serious weirdness (and awesomeness) like David Manuli's Beket (review here) which bowed last year.
I have yet to go through everything, so I'm just posting this as of now.
Check the full lineup after the break.
The Locarno Film Festival
Piazza Grande
"500 Days of Summer," Marc Webb, U.S. (opener)
"Blue Sofa" (short), Giuseppe Baresi, Pippo Delbono, Lara Fremder, Italy
"The Two Horses of Genghis Khan" (closer), Byambasuren Davaa, Germany
"Giulias Verschwinden," Christoph Schaub, Switzerland
"La Guerre des fils de la lumiere contre les fils des tenebres," Amos Gitai, France
"The Valley," Mihaly Gyorik, Switzerland-Italy-Hungary
"Les Derniers jours du monde," Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, France-Spain-Taiwan
"Les Yeux de Simone" (short), Jean-Louis Porchet, Switzerland-France
"My Sister's Keeper," Nick Cassavetes, U.S.
"Petit Indi," Marc Recha,...
I have yet to go through everything, so I'm just posting this as of now.
Check the full lineup after the break.
The Locarno Film Festival
Piazza Grande
"500 Days of Summer," Marc Webb, U.S. (opener)
"Blue Sofa" (short), Giuseppe Baresi, Pippo Delbono, Lara Fremder, Italy
"The Two Horses of Genghis Khan" (closer), Byambasuren Davaa, Germany
"Giulias Verschwinden," Christoph Schaub, Switzerland
"La Guerre des fils de la lumiere contre les fils des tenebres," Amos Gitai, France
"The Valley," Mihaly Gyorik, Switzerland-Italy-Hungary
"Les Derniers jours du monde," Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, France-Spain-Taiwan
"Les Yeux de Simone" (short), Jean-Louis Porchet, Switzerland-France
"My Sister's Keeper," Nick Cassavetes, U.S.
"Petit Indi," Marc Recha,...
- 7/15/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Berlin film festival adds competition titles
COLOGNE, Germany -- Isabel Coixet's "Elegy", an adaptation of the Philip Roth bestseller "The Dying Animal", Erick Zonca's "Julia" starring Tilda Swinton and "Sparrow", the latest crime drama from Hong Kong helmer Johnnie To are among the titles that have been picked for the competition lineup of the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival.
Also heading to Berlin are Mike Leigh's North London drama "Happy-Go-Lucky;" Robert Guediguian's French working class thriller "Lady Jane" and the politically themed drama "Restless" from Israeli Amos Kollek.
Another competition film with strong political undertones is "Heart of Fire", Luigi Florni's adaptation the biography of African child soldier Senait Mehari. The film follows the cross-over success of his "The Story of the Weeping Camel" (2003), which Florni co-directed with Mongolian filmmaker Byambasuren Davaa.
"Heart of Fire" is only the second German film to make this year's cut in Berlin, the other being Doris Dorrie's "Kirschbluten -- Hanami". Berlin fest favorite Yoji Yamada returns to the competition this year with his latest, the WWII family drama "Kabei -- Our Mother".
Italy's Antonella Grimaldi, who last appeared in Berlin's Panorama sidebar with "Bits and Pieces" in 1996, will bring his literary adaptation of Sandro Veronesi's bestseller "Quiet Chaos" to the festival.
Also heading to Berlin are Mike Leigh's North London drama "Happy-Go-Lucky;" Robert Guediguian's French working class thriller "Lady Jane" and the politically themed drama "Restless" from Israeli Amos Kollek.
Another competition film with strong political undertones is "Heart of Fire", Luigi Florni's adaptation the biography of African child soldier Senait Mehari. The film follows the cross-over success of his "The Story of the Weeping Camel" (2003), which Florni co-directed with Mongolian filmmaker Byambasuren Davaa.
"Heart of Fire" is only the second German film to make this year's cut in Berlin, the other being Doris Dorrie's "Kirschbluten -- Hanami". Berlin fest favorite Yoji Yamada returns to the competition this year with his latest, the WWII family drama "Kabei -- Our Mother".
Italy's Antonella Grimaldi, who last appeared in Berlin's Panorama sidebar with "Bits and Pieces" in 1996, will bring his literary adaptation of Sandro Veronesi's bestseller "Quiet Chaos" to the festival.
- 1/10/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hamptons walks with 'Dog'
NEW YORK -- Byambasuren Davaa's The Cave of the Yellow Dog swept several top honors at the 13th annual Hamptons International Film Festival's Golden Starfish Awards on Saturday night, taking home awards for best narrative feature, best original movie score and best cinematography. In East Hampton's Guild Hall, HIFF executive director Denise Kasell, board chairman Stuart Match Suna, programr Rajendra Roy and emcee Bob Balaban presided over the ceremony, which presented more than $150,000 in goods and services to the top prize winner, Cave, while Daniel Schoenauer's cinematography and Dagvan Ganpurev's score earned $6,000 and $5,000, respectively, in further goods and services. Their awards were presented by Kodak's Mary Manard Reed and Artemis Records' Daniel Glass. Davaa garnered a documentary Oscar nom this year for co-directing The Story of the Weeping Camel, another film shot in Mongolia using nonactors. Cave is about a girl who finds a puppy and how it affects her nomadic family.
- 10/23/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eastwood Becomes Oscar Favorite After DGA Win
Clint Eastwood has become the odds-on favorite to claim the Best Director Oscar next month after beating rival Martin Scorsese again at the Directors Guild Awards (DGA) on Saturday. Eastwood claimed the Best Picture prize over Scorsese, Taylor Hackford, Marc Forster and Alexander Payne for his acclaimed boxing movie Million Dollar Baby. Only six DGA winners in the past 57 years have failed to go on to win Oscar gold. Other directors who were recognized by the Guild jury at this year's awards ceremony were Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni, whose gripping Story Of The Weeping Camel earned them the Documentary prize; Walter Hill, who claimed the honor of Best Dramatic Series for TV western series Deadwood; and Tim Van Patten, who was honored in the Best Comedy Series category for Sex And The City. Meanwhile, longtime Oscars producer Gil Cates, a former DGA president, became only the third recipient of the DGA Presidents Award at the Beverly Hilton hotel gala.
- 1/31/2005
- WENN
DGA nominates 5 docus' helmers
The DGA named the nominees Wednesday for its documentary filmmaker award, a field that includes the most profitable docu ever, Fahrenheit 9/11. The nominees were Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni for The Story of the Weeping Camel; Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski for Born Into Brothels; Ross McElwee for Bright Leaves; Michael Moore for Fahrenheit 9/11; and Jehane Noujaim for Control Room. All but Noujaim are first-time nominees for this award. It was Noujaim's second nomination; she won the award in 2001 for Startup.com. The winner will be announced Jan. 29 at the 57th annual DGA Awards dinner at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
- 1/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Story of the Weeping Camel
NEW YORK -- There are few animals on this planet more photogenic than camels, with their big expressive eyes, comically lumbering gait and ungainly humps.
Their visual, not to mention anthropomorphic, qualities are well exploited in this pseudo-documentary, a semi-staged depiction, a la the works of Robert Flaherty, of the enmity of a mother camel toward her newborn white calf. Featuring a supporting human cast of nomadic Mongolian shepherds, "The Story of the Weeping Camel", part of this year's New Directors/New Films series in New York, opens today.
Student filmmakers Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni took their cameras into the Mongolian desert, where they hoped to capture an ancient musical ritual meant to induce wayward camel mothers to care for their offspring. Lo and behold, they apparently hit pay dirt as the titular character, a stubborn animal named Ingen Temee, gives difficult birth to a white colt, dubbed Botok, which she promptly chooses to ignore despite his pathetic attempts to nurse.
This doesn't sit well with the camel's owners, a lovable family of shepherds encompassing four generations. Despite the obvious differences in their culture, the family is seen going through the sorts of crises all families go through, as when one of the youngest children begs his parents to acquire a television set.
To coax the less-than-motherly camel to pay attention to her youngster, a violinist is brought in to perform the traditional ritual, which, as musicians plying their trade in romantic restaurants all over the world will be relieved to hear, has the desired effect. The resulting happy ending, described in the title, wouldn't be out of place in a Disney movie, and only the most stonehearted of audiences will be able to resist it.
The leisurely narrative is barely able to sustain the film's full-length running time, and some of the obviously staged sequences involving the family of shepherds are annoyingly hokey. Nonetheless, "Weeping Camel" has an undeniable appeal, and the combination of its exotic setting and child-friendly story line should give it a long shelf life.
Their visual, not to mention anthropomorphic, qualities are well exploited in this pseudo-documentary, a semi-staged depiction, a la the works of Robert Flaherty, of the enmity of a mother camel toward her newborn white calf. Featuring a supporting human cast of nomadic Mongolian shepherds, "The Story of the Weeping Camel", part of this year's New Directors/New Films series in New York, opens today.
Student filmmakers Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni took their cameras into the Mongolian desert, where they hoped to capture an ancient musical ritual meant to induce wayward camel mothers to care for their offspring. Lo and behold, they apparently hit pay dirt as the titular character, a stubborn animal named Ingen Temee, gives difficult birth to a white colt, dubbed Botok, which she promptly chooses to ignore despite his pathetic attempts to nurse.
This doesn't sit well with the camel's owners, a lovable family of shepherds encompassing four generations. Despite the obvious differences in their culture, the family is seen going through the sorts of crises all families go through, as when one of the youngest children begs his parents to acquire a television set.
To coax the less-than-motherly camel to pay attention to her youngster, a violinist is brought in to perform the traditional ritual, which, as musicians plying their trade in romantic restaurants all over the world will be relieved to hear, has the desired effect. The resulting happy ending, described in the title, wouldn't be out of place in a Disney movie, and only the most stonehearted of audiences will be able to resist it.
The leisurely narrative is barely able to sustain the film's full-length running time, and some of the obviously staged sequences involving the family of shepherds are annoyingly hokey. Nonetheless, "Weeping Camel" has an undeniable appeal, and the combination of its exotic setting and child-friendly story line should give it a long shelf life.
- 7/9/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Story of the Weeping Camel
NEW YORK -- There are few animals on this planet more photogenic than camels, with their big expressive eyes, comically lumbering gait and ungainly humps.
Their visual, not to mention anthropomorphic, qualities are well exploited in this pseudo-documentary, a semi-staged depiction, a la the works of Robert Flaherty, of the enmity of a mother camel toward her newborn white calf. Featuring a supporting human cast of nomadic Mongolian shepherds, "The Story of the Weeping Camel", part of this year's New Directors/New Films series in New York, opens today.
Student filmmakers Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni took their cameras into the Mongolian desert, where they hoped to capture an ancient musical ritual meant to induce wayward camel mothers to care for their offspring. Lo and behold, they apparently hit pay dirt as the titular character, a stubborn animal named Ingen Temee, gives difficult birth to a white colt, dubbed Botok, which she promptly chooses to ignore despite his pathetic attempts to nurse.
This doesn't sit well with the camel's owners, a lovable family of shepherds encompassing four generations. Despite the obvious differences in their culture, the family is seen going through the sorts of crises all families go through, as when one of the youngest children begs his parents to acquire a television set.
To coax the less-than-motherly camel to pay attention to her youngster, a violinist is brought in to perform the traditional ritual, which, as musicians plying their trade in romantic restaurants all over the world will be relieved to hear, has the desired effect. The resulting happy ending, described in the title, wouldn't be out of place in a Disney movie, and only the most stonehearted of audiences will be able to resist it.
The leisurely narrative is barely able to sustain the film's full-length running time, and some of the obviously staged sequences involving the family of shepherds are annoyingly hokey. Nonetheless, "Weeping Camel" has an undeniable appeal, and the combination of its exotic setting and child-friendly story line should give it a long shelf life.
Their visual, not to mention anthropomorphic, qualities are well exploited in this pseudo-documentary, a semi-staged depiction, a la the works of Robert Flaherty, of the enmity of a mother camel toward her newborn white calf. Featuring a supporting human cast of nomadic Mongolian shepherds, "The Story of the Weeping Camel", part of this year's New Directors/New Films series in New York, opens today.
Student filmmakers Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni took their cameras into the Mongolian desert, where they hoped to capture an ancient musical ritual meant to induce wayward camel mothers to care for their offspring. Lo and behold, they apparently hit pay dirt as the titular character, a stubborn animal named Ingen Temee, gives difficult birth to a white colt, dubbed Botok, which she promptly chooses to ignore despite his pathetic attempts to nurse.
This doesn't sit well with the camel's owners, a lovable family of shepherds encompassing four generations. Despite the obvious differences in their culture, the family is seen going through the sorts of crises all families go through, as when one of the youngest children begs his parents to acquire a television set.
To coax the less-than-motherly camel to pay attention to her youngster, a violinist is brought in to perform the traditional ritual, which, as musicians plying their trade in romantic restaurants all over the world will be relieved to hear, has the desired effect. The resulting happy ending, described in the title, wouldn't be out of place in a Disney movie, and only the most stonehearted of audiences will be able to resist it.
The leisurely narrative is barely able to sustain the film's full-length running time, and some of the obviously staged sequences involving the family of shepherds are annoyingly hokey. Nonetheless, "Weeping Camel" has an undeniable appeal, and the combination of its exotic setting and child-friendly story line should give it a long shelf life.
- 6/4/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Foreign-language choices defy conventional wisdom
NEW YORK -- "Flabbergast" is not a foreign word -- it's etymology is unknown -- but it certainly can be used to describe some of the likely reactions to choices -- and omissions -- the Academy made this year in the foreign-language film category. Canadian helmer Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions (Miramax Films) and Ondrej Trojan's Zelary (Sony Pictures Classics) from the Czech Republic had been bandied by those following the foreign film race as likely shoo-ins to nab nominations. But Wolfgang Becker's German feature, Good bye, Lenin! was also expected to find a place in the class photo too, but it was nowhere to be found when the noms were unveiled. In fact, a whole host of titles that have begun developing a following were among the missing. Among them, Bent Hamer and IFC Films' Kitchen Stories (Norway); Byambasuren Davaa, Luigi Falorni and ThinkFilm's The Story of the Weeping Camel (Mongolia) and Kim Ki-duk's and SPC's Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring (Korea).
- 1/28/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Manga gets Shaw pics, Dendy picks 'Camel,' Nordisk deals
MILAN -- Hong Kong licenser Celestial Pictures has sold Spanish television, home video and DVD rights for its Shaw Brothers collection of classic martial arts films to Spain's Manga Film, the two companies said Tuesday at MIFED. The deal follows a similar agreement inked Monday with South Korea distributor Spectrum DVD at the Milan market (HR 11/10). "Thanks to the huge success of films such as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, ' 'The Matrix' and most recently 'Kill Bill-Vol. 1, ' the world has developed an increasing interest and appetite for Hong Kong cinema," Manga Films vp Xavier Catafal said. ... Australian distributor Dendy has picked up hot indie documentary The Story of the Weeping Camel from Neil Friedman's Menemsha Entertainment, Menemsha said Tuesday at MIFED. The German-Mongolian co-production, directed by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni, was a surprise hit in Toronto and has been picked up by THINKFilm for the United States and Canada, ARP for France, UGC for the United Kingdom and ProKino for Germany. Set in southern Mongolia, Camel is an emotional tale of a baby camel whose mother refuses to nurse her. The local herdsmen enlist a violinist to coax the mother to care for her offspring. Mongolia's official Academy Award entry, the picture has also been nominated for best documentary at the European Film Awards. ... Danish sales group Nordisk Film has signed multiple territory deals for Christoffer Boe's Reconstruction and Mikael Hafstrom's Evil, the official foreign-language Oscar entries from Denmark and Sweden, respectively, on Tuesday at MIFED. Reconstruction sold in all-rights deals to A. Film Distribution for the Benelux territories, the Korea Film Arts Center for South Korea, Alfa Film for Argentina and Chile and Cineplex for Mexico and Central America. Cineplex also picked up all Spanish-speaking rights in Latin America for Evil. New Age Entertainment nabbed the dark comedy for Portugal as well as taking all rights in the territory for Nordisk's The Green Butchers, from director Anders Thomas Jensen.
- 11/12/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.