Nina Rothe is a cultural journalist and film critic attending the 68th Berlinale. She has contributed to many magazines including Huffington Post.
Tag: indie cinema
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#thisberlinale18
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#thisberlinale18
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#ThisBerlinale18 Press Conference
The Berlinale Press Conference was today. What are our thoughts on the today’s event? We will give you a full video run down tomorrow. Stay Tuned.
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#thisberlinale18
What do two Berlinale enthusiast do in this age of hyper oversharing of opinions? Make a video of course! This is the first of many videos from the fest.
The 68th edition of the German A list festival has many challenges this year; including calls from German film professionals for a radical change of course along with a slim down schedule from the current 400 films shown.
Please forgive the babbling and background noise. The first was because we were brain dead after seeing documentaries. The second because we were in the Cinemaxx Theater as it was preparing to open.
Please stay tune for more with guests hosts, commentators, interviews, and reviews from the Berlinale.
Breck Graham is the editor of Black and Paper
David Mouriquand is a film critic and journalist.
Follow the coverage at #thisberlinale18
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The 68th Berlinale
The 68th annual Berlinale starts on February 15th. The opening film is Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs”, a stop motion animation feature from the auteur featuring an all-star voice cast.
We are not sure what to expect. It looks unusual.
Black and Paper coverage of the Berlinale starts on February 15th.
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The Sunset Inspirational Festival
Black and Paper exclusive interview with Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival Creative Director Sandra Seeling.
Would you say filmgoers are looking for different stories and narratives?
In my experience as a festival programmer, filmgoers want to be surprised and inspired. They want to be taken out of their daily routines and experience new adventures and new point of views.
As a woman, why do you think there are so many challenges for women to direct films?
Women do not get the same opportunities as men. As a woman, we are instantly thought of as less capable, emotional and not as efficient. Unfortunately those attributes are deeply imbedded into the male think pattern (not only in the film industry) and make it harder for women to even get the chance to prove themselves. The challenge also lies in the century long history of the film industry. We as women have to simply keep pushing forward, to do an exceptional job, stand together, and support each other.
Why did you choose Paul Haggis this year as an honoree?
Paul is an incredible social justice advocate and his vision fits really well with EMIFF’s mission; BRIDGING CULTURES – BRIDGING PEOPLE. His work as a filmmaker and humanitarian makes him the perfect recipient for the Evolution Vision award, an award given to a filmmaker with an active vision to encourage unity and peace on our planet.
Isabelle Huppert is one of the greatest actresses of modern screen; her latest film has been submitted for the Academy Award for Foreign Film but “Barrage” seems dark for a festival on an idyllic island. Why did you decide to screen this film?
“Barrage” tells the story of three generations of women. Isabelle plays Elisabeth who is raising her granddaughter while her own daughter Cathrine is busy exploring the world. When Cathrine returns, she kidnaps her daughter from her mother and the story takes a dark turn into very emotional territory. I love the way director Laura Schroeder tells this fragile story of three women, all different ages but connected by the simple fact that they are family. They mirror each other, at the end of the day they are more similar than they like to admit. EMIFF wants to promote young new filmmakers who have a unique vision. Laura’s work in “Barrage” is all that and more.
How do you envision the festival in five years?
In five years I see EMIFF as a year long event with Evolution LAB’s (Workshops and conventions) in the summer and a solid festival in the fall. I want the festival to be known as “The Mediterranean Sundance” and want everyone to know our mission is “Bridging Cultures, Bridging People”. I hope to continue to grow our audience and attract more international filmmakers to come and enjoy our island, inspiring films and great networking.
You meet filmmakers from all over the world. What is your opinion on the general state of global cinema?
My sense is that the world is our playground. Globalization creates endless possibilities for filmmakers to connect, interact and create together even when being on different continents. On the other hand, I think filmmakers still appreciate nothing more than a real face to face conversation, round table or discussion panel or Q&A. Connecting virtually is a great possibility but real connections is what sparks new ideas and fuels new stories and films.
Sandra Seeling is the founder and director of the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. She is an actress, director, and producer.
The 6th annual The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival starts on October 26 until November 4th. For more information go to: http://www.evolutionfilmfestival.com/
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Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
2017 seems to be a bit of anticlimax as far as cinema is concerned at the 70th Cannes Film Festival. Not a single break out film, the usual glamour on the red carpet of film makers, celebrities, and models were in attendance but the quality level of entries were below average this year.
The festival was eclipsed. There was more chatter about what Bella Hadid wore on the Red Carpet than what was being shown on the screen.
Streaming services Netflix and Amazon made their presence felt but not without controversy. This is France after all, where going to the theater to watch a film is an art form. Cinephiles did not like the thought of a film only being available on a small home screen. Welcome to the future guys! The streaming services have cash and are willing to spend it.
Nicole Kidman had four films premiers including the highly hyped Sofia Coppola’s remake “Beguiled.” Quanity does not mean quality, the verdict on the features with the Oscar winning actress were more a shrug.
On a positive note, Director Todd Haynes, a Cannes regular, returned with his well-received film “Wonderstruck” with Juliane Moore.
Cinema is going through a wave of change in the forms of how viewers watch, delivery, and formats. But like it has in the past, cinema will adapt and flourish. Creative talent is always needed. Plus, we all like a “good movie” not matter how and where we see it.
The 2017 Cannes Film Festival line-up has been announced, read the feature from France 24.
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Berlinale-Strong Island
Black and Paper interview with Director Yance Ford.
“Strong Island” is a documentary that is topical on a social and historical, the shooting of an unharmed African American Man followed by a criminal justice system that vilifies a person of color with a “Guilty Label” regardless of the circumstances and ultimate outcome. The 107 minute film investigates the 1992 murder of Mr. Ford’s older brother, William Ford Jr, who was involved in an altercation with car mechanic Mark Reilly.
The Limo at the scene of the crime, chop shop, while the police were there, was there a mafia connection to the garage?
No, it was not Mafia. The limo’s owner was the father of the owner of the garage. He was a wealthy builder. I put these pieces together of what happened that night. There was no proof concerning who was in the limo at the time. The guy who shot my brother called his father first, then the police. Funny enough Mark Reilly is now in prison for dumping illegal materials.
The Red Lining in your neighborhood, was this a form of segregation?
Yes, of course! It was institutionalized. This structure or form of segregation started with the GI Bill. African American soldiers could not take total advantage of the bill. There were restrictive clauses, where you buy, what articles did not apply based on skin color selling, buying, and reselling housing. My Black colleagues have had this experience but my White colleagues are in shock. They are surprised because they have never known this.
Was your brother the victim of same script different cast, unharmed African American, armed white man?
That has been the script for generations. My grandfather died of an asthma attack because he had to wait in the hospital waiting area because he was Black. It is a script as old as America.
The police description of the hyper black body; powerful, oversize, strong, all of the words pointed to aggression, aggressive. None of “facts” added up. The autopsy report and pictures were not aligned. The guy shot my brother because he could. It was easy to take a Black Life.
“Judge People by Character not Color” was a quote from your mother in the film; did your mother question this value assumption after your brother’s death?
Yes! She was devastated. It was a realization. Character not color does not apply when you are Black. My mother has been 2nd guessing herself ever since, did she do her son a disservice by teaching him what Dr. King taught. She did not think it was mistake until after police investigation, wrestling with this feeling of “what if”.
Why aren’t you angry?
The look on my face in the film was irony. I think about the loss of my brother everyday.
If you had told your parents about your brother’s first incident do you think history would have been different?
I don’t know! I try not to think about that.
Strong Island was screened by Black and Paper in the Panorama Section of the 67th Berlinale.