Tag: acting

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Cinema

Berlinale-God’s Own Country

Black and Paper interview with God’s Own Country stars Josh O’Connor and Alec Secareanu at the 67th Berlinale.

God’s Own Country has received acclaimed on many fronts.  One of the main ingredients for the well-received film has been the chemistry of the lead actors, new comers who have given note-worthy performances.

What is your acting background?

Alec-Acting in Romania, theater, shorts.  This is my first lead role in a film.

Josh-I have been acting for 6 years. I have been doing theater, parts in films and television.  This is my second lead role.

Certain scenes of the film were a bit more “open” than others, how did you prepare for these scenes?

We knew about it when we read the script.  Some scenes were “open” but after meeting Francis, he knew what he wanted. It was not gratuitous.  We rehearsed, choreographed, like a dance routine.  Those scenes were a part of the story.

The movie depended on your relationship with each other, were you comfortable working with each other at the beginning?

We shot the movie in chronological order.  The production was a 6 week shoot.  We rehearsed but stayed cleared each other.  We trained on different farms, working 8 hours a day.  We came together after the first week of production.   During the filming we became friends.

The movie evolved from contempt to affection.

Yeah, Gheorghe changes Johnny.  At the beginning of the film he is stooped over, closed off from everyone.   His outlook changes during the relationship.

How have you handled the critical acclaim?

We are proud of our work with the reviews from Sundance and the Berlinale.

Josh-It is a film about optimism. What is happening in the UK now, Brexit,  I think it is important message.

The other film with LGBT theme at Sundance was Call Me By Your Name but our film is not about sexuality.

What did your family think when they saw the film?

Alec- My family has been supportive, Romania does not have a tradition of rights for LGTB.  I hope this film will help with a better understanding of LGBT people.

You had an incident not related to the film,  but because of your background?

Alec-While I was in Yorkshire I went to buy a beer in a convenience store.  The cashier asked to see my ID, when he I showed him it to him, Romania, he refused to sell me anything.

Josh-My family has not seen it.

What is next for you guys?

Alec- I want to work more in English Language films.

Josh-I am attached to a big indie film, a love story.

Black and Paper recommends God’s Own Country.   A poignant film about life, love gained, and consequences when the unexpected occurs.

God’s Own Country was screened at the 67th Berlinale in Panorama Section.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale Day 6

Charlie Hunnam

Berlinale Day 6

Director Aki Kaurismäki

How do you start a day in the surreal?  Attend a Aki Kaurismaki press conference.  The Finnish directors film The Other Side of Hope debuted at the Berlinale today, his first film in Competition.    The feedback I have gotten concerning the pic has been mixed to good.  The Nordic auteur was nothing if not genuine.  The entire press conference was more entertaining than many films at the festival.  I have never attended a press conference where a person stood up to sing a Finnish Tango song.

https://www.facebook.com/breck5/videos/10211656432596754/

The films premise is that of a Syrian Refugee (An Everyday Topic in Europe) played by Sherwan Haji,  who arrives in  Finland only to go into hiding at a restaurant when he learns he will be deported.  The Other Side of Hope is part of a trilogy.  When the other 2 films will happen is a guess.

The press conference took on political tones of nationalism, xenophobia, and racism in the form of questions and answers from both the press and the panel.  The helmer commented, in Finland with the arrival of many male refugee, the men of the country took it as an act of war. His film was not about changing the world’s opinion on refugees, only Europe’s opinion on refugees.  Tomorrow it could be you who is the refugee.  Today it is him, said the director.

The second press conference, The Lost City of Z, with Robert Pattison and Charlie Hunnam as early 2oth century explorers is a bit of an old Hollywood adventure epic picture. Did the press pool like it?  I got positive feedback. Director James Gray tackles the White Man Burden’s/Destiny themes by dissecting it. Based on the adventures of Percy Fawcett who disappeared in the Brazilian Jungle while searching for a lost civilazation in the early part of the 20th century.

The Lost City of Z was screened out of Competition at the Berlinale.

Catherine Deneuve

Catherine Deneuve returned to the Berlinale starring in the Martin Provst film The Mid Wife.   Judging by the initial applause of the film and the lack of audience at the press conference, I would guess the film is not one of her best features.  What made the press conference was the presence of a Diva wearing a Black Leather Dress with such commanding presence one would dare not notice her.  At this stage of her career I was curious what motivated her, thankfully, another journalist asked her.  She responded by saying, I choose the director more than the character. Concerning her acting, “There is always a bit of me in a film”.  I understand Beatrice Sobolevski, the lead character from the film, but I am far from her, said Deneuve.

Catherine Froth

The Mid Wife also stars Catherine Froth and Olivier Gourmet.  In Competition at the 67th Berlinale.

 

 

 

 

UPDATES:

The Party received 2.3 stars from critics.  A surprisingly low rating given the level of applause at the press conference.

Mr. Long from Japan received  2.0 stars from the critical review polling.  The film is a story of a man trying to find a new life, starring Chang Chen.

There is still no front runner for the Golden Bear.  Trying to guess what the jury will favor this year has proven to be a difficult task.

www.berlinale.de

 

 

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale Shooting Stars Marusa Majer

Marusa Majer from Slovenia  I found her alluring, edgy, not just her look but personality wise.

A graduate of the University of Ljubljana, Marusa has appeared in a number of films including: Driving School.

Marusa Majer

What type of roles would you like to play?

I have been lucky because until now I have played a number of different roles.  I hope this continues.  I do not want to be stereotyped.

What was your first acting part?

A moon in a kindergarten play.

What inspired you to become an actress?

Acting interested me from a viewpoint of standpoint.  I have to reach into myself, it is constant learning.

What performer inspired you?

Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence.

What are your future plans?
I have a theater premiere in Slovenia, improve.  Being a classically trained stage actress I am going back to my roots.

Career ambitions?

Auditions.  All is looking bright.  I have a lot of work  at home.

The European Shooting Stars is a program designed to focus the spotlight on young acting talent.  Each year a jury chooses 10 performers with screen experience to be presented at the Berlinale as the Stars of Tomorrow.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale Shooting Stars Ebsen Smed

Esben Smed from Denmark- A bit of a cold smoldering charm, a graduate of the Danish School of Performing Arts, Esben is a regular in the television series Follow The Money.

Esben Smed

What type of role attracts you as a performer?

Not just one type but something that gets my attention. I like to research and discover a character’s traits. I like looking for the unknown.

What was your first acting role?

I had a small role in a theater play when I was 15.  I got good feedback.

What inspired to become an actor?

I was interning at a theater building the scenes or sets.  I saw the actors rehearsing. I read the scripts/  The theater manager asked me to go out for a casting.  I did.  I got the part.

What performer inspires you the most?

Daniel Day Lewis, Casey Affleck, and Joaquin Phoenix, I watch their work and I find it inspiring.

What are your future goals?

I want to have another baby.

Career goals?

More work.  I have a number of projects in the works.

The European Shooting Stars is a program designed to focus the spotlight on young acting talent.  Each year a jury chooses 10 performers with screen experience to be presented at the Berlinale as the Stars of Tomorrow.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale European Shooting Stars Louis Hoffmann

Actor Louis Hoffmann

Louis Hofmann from Germany A young face on the scene with a radiant smile, he has raked up an impressive list of awards and credits.  Louis will star in Netflix series Dark.

Louis Hofmann

What type of roles would you like to play?

I like dramatic, characters on the edge of existence, real problems.  I played a comedic role.  It was a great space.  So now I would like have a mixture.

What was your first acting role?

A very small role in a television series “Danni Lowinski”, I was 11.  I had two words, “F*ck You! And I shot a birdie.

What inspired you to become an actor?

When I 10 or 11 I spoke to actors about what they did.  The way they described it, I was fascinated.  I begged my mother to sign me up with an agent.   When I was 13 I got the lead in the German version of Tom Sawyer the film.  Acting is self-therapy for me.

Is there a performer you admire the most?

I have three, Leo DiCaprio and Eddie Redmayne and Tom Schilling.

What are your future plans?

I am shooting the series Dark for Netflix working with Beran Bo Odar and Jentje Friese.  The show will air at the end of the year.

What are your career ambitions?

I would like to mix working internationally and locally.   When I worked in Denmark on a co-production I learned there was a different approach to making films.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale European Shooting Stars Tudor Aaron Istodor

 Tudor Aaron Istodor from Romania  A graduate of the national University of Drama and Cinematography, Tudor been in 3 feature films as well he has appeaered in the BBC series The Plantagenets.   I found him to be  optimistic.

Tudor Aaron Istodor

What type of roles would you prefer?

Any role! I want contemporary, classic, as long as it is interesting.

What was your first acting role?

It was in the 11th grade in high school, My father is an actor.  I went to him for advice about a school poetry contest.  I had no idea what to do.   He said, “Do what you like?”  I did.

What inspired you to become an actor?

I don’t want to have a work a single day in my life.  I enjoy playing roles, acting.  I can do different things all the time.

Is there a performer you admire the most?

John Coltrane. He found Love Supreme!

What are your professional ambitions?

I want to work in international movies and projects.  I have agent in France but I want to go further.

What are your future plans?

I want to have a baby.

The European Shooting Stars is a program designed to focus the spotlight on young acting talent.  Each year a jury chooses 10 performers with screen experience to be presented at the Berlinale as the Stars of Tomorrow.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale Day 5 Standings

Day 5 of the Berlinale.  A clear front winner for in Competition category has not emerged yet.   It is a hard year to second guess the jury.  The direction is very unclear.

A pool of the critics standings according to Screen International are:

Django-2

On Body and Soul 2.7

The Dinner 1.3

Felicite 2.7

Wild Mouse 2.4

Spoor 2.8

A Fantastic Woman 3.2

Categories
Fashion Interview Theater

THE ONE Interview with Valerie

"The One" grand show at Friedrich Stadt Palast. Berlin, 28.09.2016.

Black and Paper interview with THE ONE Grand Show Star, Valerie Inertie.

Hailing from Quebec, Canada, Valerie is a combination of physical grace and athleticism with a passion for physical expression she has developed during her long career of dance and acrobatics.  She has lived in Berlin since 2013. An admitted adrenaline sports enthusiast, she has been doing acrobatics since the age of 3. As a Cyr Wheel Artist she has performed around the world to critical acclaim.

How did you become involve in THE ONE Grand Show?

I was in the Christmas Show 3 years ago at the Friedrichstadt-Palast.  I had a good connection with the director, who said I had a strong presence, and he asked me if I would like to get involve in a show he was planning which was The One Grand Show.

How do you feel about wearing the Gaultier Costumes?

They are fantastic! It is an honor to wear them.   As an acrobat the challenge is the movements in the costumes.  Gaultier asked for my input.  We developed a hook-clip quick released.

This is a very physical show for you.

Yes. I had a lot of input for my role, to make it work for me.  I have choreography, and aerial performances.  I fly on a high speed wench, then an aerial hoop, and the Cyr Wheel. As a dancer the   period of movement is longer but as an acrobat the period of movement is shorter but more intense.

The physical staging is woven into the storyline.

Absolutely! There is an artistic link between everything; the dancing and acrobatics.  They are a part of narrative not a side story.

What are your future plans?

For 2019, after the run of THE ONE Grand Show I am developing a Cyr Wheel Act then in Switzerland I will take part in the 100th anniversary of circus.

Valerie Inertie can be seen in THE ONE Grand Show in Berlin at the Friedrichstadt-Palast.

Images by Vladimir Sichov.