Tag: cinema

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 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 European Shooting Stars Hannah Hoekstra

Hannah Hoekstra from The Netherlands.  A graduate of the Amsterdam Theatre School  she has played lead and supporting roles in Dutch films and theater.  I found her to be very outgoing, bubbly with an enthusiasm for life.

Hannah Hoekstra

What type of roles do you prefer?

I want to play all while broadening my horizon.  I was lucky I had a role in a film where I aged from 14 to 68.

What was your first acting role?

I was in a film titled Heaven, Hemel in Dutch.   I was 20.  It was tough movie psychologically.

What inspired you to become an actress?

Life! I think everyone plays characters when they are young.  Most people stop when they grow older but I did not want to do that.  I wanted to continue.

What is your professional ambition?

Explore and learn.

IS there a performer you admire?

Meryl Streep.  She brings life to everything.

What are your future plans?

I am in the National Theatre preparing for a role.  I have a part in a small film then  after two months I am free.

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

Berlinale Day Day 5

A whirlwind day at the Berlinale with so many interviews but a film has emerged, The Party from director Sally Potter.  Stay Tuned for more.

Shooting Stars is now 20 years old.  The Pan European program has been celebrated for spotting emerging talent, helping talented performers to the next levels of their careers.    This year there the 14 picks are:

Shooting Star Mausa Majer from Slovenia

Esben Smed* from Denmark, Louis Hofman* from Germany, Alessandro Borghi from Italy, Elina Vaska from Latvia, Hannah Hoekstra* from The Netherlands, Zofia Wichlacz from Poland, Victoria Guerra from Portugal, Tudor Aaron Istodor* from Romania, Marusa Majer* from Slovenia, and Karin Franz Korlof from Sweden.

*Stay tuned for the Black and Paper feature on these actors.

The press room opinions are in and it looks like The Dinner is a winner.  Judging by the level of applause at the press conference I would say the film was well received.  With an accomplished ensemble cast of veterans, director Sally Potter made a black and white film that was light and lovely but what can go wrong when people lose touch their principals.  Commenting, “my favorite films are in Black and White and this is a part of the lineage.  Working with Russian cinematography Aleksei Rodionov, the film is a performance character based project.  Shot over two weeks the actors had to get it right the first time.  Co-star Kristin Scott Thomas admitted it was like doing a play with little rehearsal time, there was no time for many takes.    German Actor Bruno Ganz, an actor not known for comedic roles, made an impression going against type.

The Party stars Cillian Murphy, Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall, Patricia Clarkson, and Bruno Ganz.  The film screens in Competition at the Berlinale.

Arri Trinity

My first impression of the new mega Arri Stedicam Trinity was exoskeleton.   Weighting in between 20 to 30 kilos the new camera mount is the latest innovation in the firm’s 100 years.  Granted it is a James Cameron dream come true, an achievement in technical advancement for film production.   Currently there are only 10 in available. Stay tuned for the upcoming Black and Paper  video.

I had a one on one interview with filmmaker Yance Ford.  His documentary feature Strong Island was well received at the Sundance Film Festival.  A story of a senseless murder, except the victim was the helmer’s brother,   shot because of an altercation concerning repairs over a car.  This documentary resonated with me given the present climate in the USA and the continue killings of African American men.

Stay tuned for the Q&A with Mr. Ford

 

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale-Reports

Berlinale opening film Django received a lukewarm response according to press room feedback.  Clichéd, typical, and wooden Nazi characters is how the  biography feature on jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt has been described.    Judging by the reactions I think I will pass.

The Dinner with Richard Gere and Laura Linney.   Director Oren Moverman’s film based on the Herman Koch novel just finished the press screening.  Was it any good?  I am waiting for the instant reviews. The applause before the Q&A was less than enthusiastic.   Attention was turned to politics with responses on the state of the US Executive Branch, Gere gave a blistering rebuke of Mr. Trump.   Mr. Gere and Ms. Linney noted The Dinner is there third collaboration.

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale

Berlinale

The 67th Berlinale opened with some political questions on the agenda but Jury President Paul Verhoeven stating he was here to judge the quality of the movie, not the political perspective. Mr. Verhoeven said he expects to see a lot of movies that are different and have heated arguments with respect.

Jury member Diego Luna addressed the current global political tones by saying, “I am not here to send messages but I am here to listen.”  When asked about the proposed wall between the US and Mexico Luna commented, I have good memories crossing the border from both sides.

As a film festival Berlinale has always had a political edge but this year the jury seemed more pragmatic, less overtly ideological.

Berlinale makes an effort not to be taken over by market forces said fellow jury member Olafur Eliasson.

Addressing the issues concerning the state of Hollywood and the lack of Adult Movies, the bottom line mentality has taken control of the industry.  Studios and Producers only want to invest in films with big returns.  Film Director (Total Recall, Elle, and Robo Cop) Verhoven discussed the challenges of trying to get his latest film Elle produced.

Berlinale Jury: Paul Verhoeven, Dora Bouchoucha Fourati, Olafur Eliasson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julia Jentsch, Diego Luna, and Wang Quan’an

Berlinale continues until February 20th.

Powered By  Canon

Categories
Cinema

Berlinale 2017

It is coming up to that time of year again, February 9th kicks off the Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin. Acclaimed Dutch Filmmaker Paul Verhoeven will be Jury Head.  The 67th fest opens Etienne Comar’s debut film Django.

 

14 films are in competition this year including entries from directors Holland, Veiel, Potter, and Moverman.

Stay tuned for more updates and complete coverage of the Berlinale here at Black and Paper.