Tag: thisberlinale18

Cinema

The Up and Comers

Post author By Editor
Post date 11/11/2018

The Shooting Stars is a European Project promoting up and coming talent in cinema. Each year 10 performers are chosen by film professionals for their work in media.

European Shooting Stars at the Berlin International Film Festival 2018.

Franz Rogowski from Germany

Irakli Kvirikadze from Georgia

Jonas Smulders from The Netherlands

Matteo Simoni from Belgium

Matilda De Angelis from Italy

Michaela Coel from United Kingdom

Alba Ausust from Sweden

Reka Tenki from Hungary

Luna Wedler from Switzerland

Eili Harboe from Norway

Black and Paper participated in round table interviews with the actresses this past February.It’s always interesting to see how young talent face the press corps in a manic setting of photogrpahers and television cameras.

Alba August is the daughter of esteemed Swedish Director Belle August. I was taken by her confidence. Her stories of visiting her father on film sets reveals in a way she is a veteran in the business.

Norwagien Actress Elie Harboe did not travel the classic route of acting work with professional training at school. Auditioning for film during an open casting call at age 7 she learned technics in small groups. She was using an Acne bag as an everyday accessory for carrying books. An avid reader with a Bachelor Degree in English Literature, her dream is to publish a book in the future.

Of course I expected style from Italian Actress Malida De Angelis. She was wearing Fendi. She was the only lady wearing high heels. “As an Italian we care about Fashion”. A self-decribed actress by chance, she trained as a muscian. “Music is fundamental in my life”, “when I prepare for a role, to get in the mood I listen to certain bands” says De Angelis.

Stay tuned for Shooting Stars 2019 this Februrary from Berlinale.

#ThisBerlinale18 Coverage Sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland

Tags Actors, Berlinale, cinema, filmmakers, Shooting Stars, thisberlinale18

Cinema

From Berlinale: Michaela Coel

Post author By Editor
Post date 01/08/2018

A Future Star With Personality

Cool at the Berlinale — Actress Michaela Coel at the Berlinale

London born actress Actress Michaela Coel is effervescent. When it came to chatting during press interviews at the Berlinale for the European Film Promotion program, Shooting Stars, she exploded with energy. Admitting to not having filters, a character trait since childhood, her confidence glowed during the round table press chats. A two time BAFTA winner, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama graduate appeared in films including Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Television audience probaly recognise her face from 2 episodes in the Black Mirror series. A true social media fan, her philosophy is follow no rules when it comes to posting.

Michaela’s first lead role is in the romantic film Been So Long by director Tinge Krishnan. Currently, there is no release date.

#Thisberlinale18 sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland

Tags Actress, african actress, Berlinale, Canon, Celebrity, cinema, entertainment news, mcu, micehaela coel, thisberlinale18

Fashion

Fake It Til,,

Post author By Editor
Post date 23/07/2018

FAKE IT!

The age of “fake it til you make it” is upon us. The “Bling Culture” is about of looking rich if you are not. A substitution quick fix as a result of income inequality, lack of access to a better life so people show off. In your face consumption means being humble is old fashion, today it is all about the over the top lifestyle.

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield tackles modern world values from beauty, gender, and consumerism in her new work Generation Wealth.

The last years of the Roman Empire were decadent. You see in the movie “ I think you have to have a very bad crash in order to wake up” states Greenfield. There is more hope in the movie than in the my book, which feels like we are dancing on the deck of the Titanic but in the film I feel people are waking up, making choices.

“The Kim Kardashian Effect” of middle class women becoming prostitute and porn stars to gain quick access to money is now acceptable. In one generation what was once considered “bad taste” can be considered “good taste”. The value of hard work is lost.

A question I asked at the interview

How do you balance being a critic and being a participant?

My work has come from this place. I studied visual anthropology at Harvard. I have always thrived and able to do my work being on this line as an outsider and insider, working for “W” and “Harpers Bazaar”. I lived in the eye of the storm. Working for these publications gave me access.

Being from a Middle class family but I sometimes desired what the rich LA kids had, even thought I had all that I needed. It made me introspective about the source of the desire. My subjects in the film are like this.

In the film, the 13 year, Adam, his family rented the The Whiskey A GO GO on Sunset Blvd with go go girls for his party. They spent $50.000. He says, “you have to spend this money or you are S*it out of luck!” Then he says “money ruins kids”. He has that insight but is a part of the process.

This is not a story of evil rich people but a story of how all of us are a part of this complicity, the aspiration. Materialism, wealth, theses are ingredients of the modern dream. While watching I had a sad realization. I recognized a lot behavior traits but I know none of the people on screen.

Generation Wealth is well produced, at times, a sad reflection of who or what we are desperately grabbing for the trappings of splendor. There are no new questions raised in the documentary because the same ones have been around since Reagan’s Neo Liberal agenda. What Greenfield shows are the effects of a doctrine based on having it all. Are we willing participants, witnesses? When do the effects of the drug end? While not thought provoking, it makes you think.

Generation Wealth was screened in the Panorama Section at the Berlinale in February 2018.

Check selected local cinemas for the Amazon Studios release.

Sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland.

Tags amazon studios, Berlinale, Canon, cinema, director, documentary, Film, filmmaker, pringle of scotland, thisberlinale18

Fashion

What Comes Around

Post author By Editor
Post date 12/03/2018

A Black and Paper interview with director Reem Saleh. The filmmaker’s documentary “What Comes Around” is a glimpse into the lives of people residing in a poor area of Cairo, Egypt neighborhood.

What Comes Around avoided Western Stereotypes of People lives in the region. There were human factors, not the 2 dimension images shown on regular television.

I am happy you saw this human factor in my film, not stereotypes. The Middle East is huge. There is everything. Stereotypes do not reflect the society. The Egyptian neighborhood is Muslim, but religion does not play a role in the film. It is a film about the struggles of life.

Can I say the subjects of the film seemed to suffer from a “Poverty of Decisions Making”?

Actually No! They did what they felt. They were happy they managed to buy a motorcycle, (for the son) so they wanted to sacrifice a rabbit because this removes the “evil eye” and paying for the two weddings.

You may think it is poor decision making or a waste of money but personally I think there is nothing wrong with this. It made them feel good.

You did not judge the characters, it was presentational, true?

Yes, it is true. I followed them and their lives. There is no right or wrong. I wanted the audience to see it without being judgmental.

Are the subjects of the film trapped or doomed to their fates?

I wouldn’t say “trapped” but perhaps in a vicious circle. They are in their comfort zones, contentment. Few start climbing further. I hope this films opens the horizons for them to do things differently.

What is your background?

I am passionate about film. I studied cinema in Lebanon at the American University. I worked in TV and did some acting. I worked for the Doha Film Institute as a film programmer. I started working on this documentary in 2010. I shot over 200 hours of footage, post production took a year.

WHAT COMES AROUND was screened at the 68^th Berlinale in the Panorama Section.

This interview is part of the Black and Paper #thisberlinale18 project, sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland.

Tags berlin, Berlinale, Canon, cinema, director, Film, film fest, film is not dead, filmmaker, pringle of scotland, thisberlinale18, women in cinema

Cinema

#thisberlinale18 Thanks

Post author By Editor
Post date 07/03/2018

Tags berlin, Berlinale, Canon, cinema, critics, Film, filmmakers, pringle of scotland, thisberlinale18

Cinema

#thisberlinale18 Opinions

Post author By Editor
Post date 07/03/2018

Sorry this is a bit late, but late than never!

A Fantastic Woman premiered at the 2017 Berlinale in the Competition section before going on to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. That is one for the Berlinale Team.