Film
INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA LONDON 2017
TM
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/FEBRUARY 2017
THE MAGAZINE
DEDICATED TO THE BUSINESS OF FILM
Directed Produced and Written by Jacqueline Murphy
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
WELCOME TO INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA LONDON 2017 Dear Filmmaker, As ever, huge congratulations to all of the filmmakers and scriptwriters who entered our London Festival and in particular to those outstanding films and scripts that received nominations! We are always amazed at the sheer number of entries that were received and as always, the quality of entries has been incredible and on that note, thank you for your continued support of all of our International Film Festivals, we hope you have a wonderful time with us and were looking forward to meeting up with you all if you have managed to make it to The Crowne Plaza to join us for our Festival week!
Carl Tooney Publisher publishing@filmthemagazine.com Steve Grossmith Director of Marketing and Editor steve@filmthemagazine.com Shems Ghali Contributing Assistant Editor info@filmthemagazine.com
One thing that has become very apparent is that together with the high calibre of international film and documentaries that are entered across all of our Festivals, we have also seen a large increase in the amount of scripts entered year on year. And on that note, our Festival President, Carl Tooney commented “As we always try to highlight, we are all about the business of film and our excellent partnership with the Film Industry Network highlighted here in London and in fact at all of our Festivals is testament to our commitment to all filmmakers and scriptwriters across the world”
As a team, we all love the buzz that comes from meeting filmmakers at every Festival and actually meeting and interviewing filmmakers either on camera or audio only for Podcasts, is one of the most enjoyable parts of hosting our Festivals because whether cast or crew, they always have the most amazing stories to tell and we have never been disappointed. Being entertained and moved by a film or documentary is something that we want everyone to experience and this happens to be an industry which is often driven by passion, particularly from independent filmmakers. And as such, we all have such admiration for this amazing art form known as film. The creativity, vision and sheer talent that we see from filmmakers from all corners of the world is a true reflection of this passion. The Filmmaker Festival London 2017 is delighted to have the continued help and support of our industry experts, Neil McEwan, Ray Davies and Brad Blain, here to offer excellent advice to all filmmakers and scriptwriters. The Festival team will be more than happy to assist you in anything that you need whilst you’re here with us and I hope you will continue your support with our future Festivals.
Carl Tooney President International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema London 2017
Stephen Mina Graphic Designer/Illustrator stephen@filmfestinternational.com Dan Hickford Sponsorship & Marketing dan@filmfestinternational.com
May 13 -20 - 2017
All articles, including all editorial used in this publication (whether printed or digital) do not necessarily represent the views of any of the International Filmmaker Festivals representatives, staff or associates.
July 8 - 5th - 2017
No part of this magazine, whether printed or electronic may be reproduced, stored or copied without the express prior written consent of the publisher.
SeptEMBER 30 - October 7 - 2017
Requests for permission should be directed to: publishing@filmthemagazine.com Although we make every effort to ensure all of the information in this publication is up to date and accurate the publisher takes no responsibility for any omissions or errors. The publishers accept no responsibility for the material supplied including (but not limited to) all editorial and advertising copy and, any omissions, errors or matters of copyright. All material supplied for use is solely the responsibility of the supplier or suppliers of the material reproduced in this publication, whether in mechanical or digital format.
NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 2 - 2017
Find us on Social Media
For the latest Filmmaker Podcast. facebook.com/filmfestint twitter.com/filmfestint soundcloud.com/filmfestint www.filmfestinternational.com
1
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
THE ADMIRED
2
FTM: We read your bio on the website for “The Admired” and it’s very fascinating, but please can you tell us a little more about how you ended up in filmmaking? JM: Growing up one of my favourite things to do was watch old movies with my mom and grandfather. I loved watching and imitating the glamorous movie stars I’d seen on the screen. I was the eldest of 5 and I’d enlist my siblings to “act” out scenes from movies, I guess you could say I’d direct them! We had fun play acting and one of my favourite imitations, to get people’s attention at the age of five, was to imitate Mae West with her famous line “Hello, Big Boy, why don’t you come up and see me sometime”. I’d always get a big laugh on that one. So from a young age I knew I wanted to be an actress. I had parts in high school plays but coming from a hardworking family, my mom said: “If you want to be an actress great, but I think you should have a profession to fall back on. You like helping people”. I was offered a scholarship to attend college and decided to get my Registered Nurse degree-BSN. I thought it’d give me freedom to support myself and go for my dream. After college, I moved to New York City, was hired as a RN at NY Presbyterian Hospital. Job in place, one month later auditioned at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I’d go to acting school in the day and work the 4-12 shift at the hospital. After I graduated from acting school, I started sending out my headshot and under “special skills” it had RN. Soap operas were very popular in the early 1990’s in NYC, I believe there were 7 of them at the time. I never thought the two careers would dovetail together but I felt there was an angel looking after me when I was fortunate enough to book a recurring role on ABC-All My Children as Nurse Thomas. On set I was in many medical scenes and I offered suggestions to the directors on how to make the scene more realistic when they asked me for my advice. Next thing I knew I was called up to the Casting Office. I thought “Gee, I hope I didn’t do something wrong!” It turns out ABC offered me a job to be the “medical consultant on set as well as the actress!” I really felt blessed. That’s how I “broke into” show business. This was to be my bread and butter for about ten years and allowed me to build up acting credits and go on to play many other parts in film and TV such as: the NBC popular show “Law & Order” where I played Lawyer Emily Trudeau. Living in NYC also afforded me the opportunity to work as an actress with many outstanding directors like Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Mike Nichols, Ron Howard and Nora Ephron. The experience of being and working on set with them inspired me and shaped the way I viewed film.
TOP RIGHT: JACQUELINE MURPHY - MIDDLE: STEVE CARNAHAN AS “BILLY” AND JACQUELINE MURPHY AS “OLIVIA”, HUSBAND AND WIFE IN THE ADMIRED - BOTTOM: JEFF RECTOR AS “THE STUDIO HEAD” AND JACQUELINE MURPHY AS “OLIVIA”.
Director, producer, writer and lead actress in The Admired...Jacqueline Murphy gives FTM an in-depth interview into her background and the making of her brilliant short film.
TOP RIGHT: BRIDGET BRADY AS “SINGER CORINE SYDNEY”, JACQUELINE MURPHY AS OLIVIA SPENCER AND LYNNE NEWTON AS “QUINN HIGHTOWER” - MIDDLE: JACQUELINE MURPHY ATTENDS THE BAFTA LA RED CARPET EVENT FOR GOLDEN GLOBES 2016 BOTTOM: DAVID TERRELL AS “VIRGIL FONTENOT”, LYNNE NEWTON AS “QUINN”, JACQUELINE MURPHY AS “OLIVIA”, MARIA ELENA INFANTINO AS “STARLET” AND PETER SOLI AS “ROCCO HUDSON”.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
FTM: How did this project come about, where did the ideas come from? JM: Going back to my childhood love of the glamorous movie stars like Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich I always thought and fantasized about writing a role for myself that would allow me to be “like them”. I wanted to sing on stage like Rita Hayworth in “Gilda” and flick my hair back the way she did or have a “peek a boo” hairstyle like Veronica Lake. In April 2015, I was working on the set of FAKE with Lynne Newton a fellow actress and good friend. This was our second movie together, the first was, Southern DysComfort. We hit it off from the very start and I told her of my idea. I wanted contrast in the two main characters who were best friends. I asked her if she’d be interested in being an Ella Fitzgerald type character. I felt that if we could go back in time and had the ability to “time travel” it could lead to other episodes and other possibilities for the story. So we came up with the idea of a handsome “Devil” Mr Z who has the ability and power to perform magical spells and transport us through time. Four months later in July of 2015 I was flown from NY to LA to do a film called “You Have a Nice Flight”. The director, Jimmy Dinh wanted me to play “Blondie” an overly made up model who sells jewellery on QVC. It was a comedy and a lot of fun to play. I met with Lynne and we started to write the script. By October we were planning a February shoot. FTM: What persuaded you to make your directorial debut with “The Admired”? JM: My good friend and mentor from Warner Brothers, producer - Michael Tadross said: Jacqueline, you’ve been acting for a long time and have the talent to direct, you should go for it. Find a cinematographer you like to help you with your “vision”. I’m so grateful to Michael Tadross and my husband - Fred Stahl, for their encouragement and belief in me. It made me start to think about the resources I had inside of me. Directing “The Admired” was the biggest gift of growth and development and a huge learning curve. I’m SO glad I went for it. I reminded myself how I had the skills of “Being in Charge” when I was a Registered Nurse and thought of other instances in my life where I had to “figure things out” or think out of the box!
FTM: Acting, directing, writing and producing this film is a lot to juggle, was it harder than you imagined, what was the most difficult part of the whole experience? JM: I’ve said that if I’d known HOW much work it was it may have given me pause, but not much stops me when I want to do something I love and believe in. I’m not afraid of hard work. I’ve been working since 15 years old! I think what helped also was: Beginners Luck and Ignorance! I had no idea of all that was required, but like a lot of things I have done in my life, I decided I was going to do it and did whatever it took. I just took it day by day, one foot in front of the other, one learning experience by one. The most difficult part was to “juggle” so many things - the production, legal affairs, hiring crew and cast, finding locations. I had to be involved in everything since I was in charge of the production, legal, contracts with SAG, etc. I felt like in 2 months prep and shoot I’d gone to film school and learned how by being so “hands on” in every area. It was the same thing as a RN - yes you learn the theory but it’s not until you’re in a hospital with real emergencies that you must rise to the occasion. As a first timer, I have always been drawn to adventure and try new things. It was a day by day - rise to the occasion or the ship will sink experience. I felt like if this does not happen it’s on me, my fault. I was so heavily invested in this, that there was no way I wanted to let this fail. This was my “baby”! Difficulty was I was learning and when you have the “experience” you can figure things out and know how to do things. This was one of the biggest confidence building challenges and opportunities I have ever had. I’m so glad I persevered! Continued on the next page
3
FTM: What is really important to you when you create a film? JM: It’s important for me to make a film that people connect with and enjoy watching. I do want to entertain them. But I also want to provoke them and have them consider, what their dream is. Our tag line is: What would you give to achieve your dream? I want to open up a discussion of what is important to one’s life and what might be too much. I wanted the characters to be authentic, to have relationships and things that really meant the world to them. What’s more real to a person than their dream, someone or something they love? Without dreams we would lose hope. So I put myself into the character of Olivia Spencer to reflect and hold a mirror up to show how she could get into such a situation! The other thing that was important was the diversity of cast and contrast in what all the different characters wanted. I wanted good vs evil, the angel and the devil, the starlet like “All About Eve” stealing the big stars part, the conflict of Olivia’s desires versus the reality of her husband cheating or the gangster club owner making demands on her. The archetypal Studio Head playing power games with her. All these characters felt different to me and helped me to tell the story. Even the smaller part of the older gentleman who is the Fan, Romeo or the Bartender felt as if I needed them to be in the story. I also really felt strongly about using the Cicada Club to shoot our film in because I could see these characters living there. The minute I saw it I knew this is the place.
4
FTM: What was the best part of making “The Admired”? JM: The first day of the shoot, I arrived at the Cicada Club with over 100 people including the cast and crew and we were really there. My husband looked at me and said; “I can’t believe you did all this”... It was satisfying to see that what you had envisioned and had worked towards was really happening! I felt that I had to pinch myself! After we had shot the film and wrapped, I started working with my editor David Bartlett. We had synced sound to the picture. My husband hadn’t seen the film at all and Dave had sent me the film synced up. I was flying high when I saw it all come together and felt “Wow! I really made a film!” After that and months of post production, bit by bit it took even more of a form. We added the music by our wonderful composer Ruy Folguera and I had tears in my eyes when I saw how once that was “synced” to the film it made such a huge difference. I even had the opportunity to write lyrics for two of the three songs in the film. All the music is original. Bridget Brady who sings our original title track song “When Your Admired” with in the film, had asked me if she could write an original title track song for the film. I’m so glad she did and I enjoyed performing it with her. Like a child, the movie kept needing other things as it grew and took shape. Dave Bartlett my editor, Ruy Folguera our composer and I watched The Admired and it felt like it was a drama with “fantasy elements” and that it needed visual effects to take the audience and myself on the journey I had intended. So I hired Mike Vlasaty to do our visual effects, I didn’t want to go to over the top with them just to “suggest” something “magical” was happening. And I believe something magical does happen when you go for your dream.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
FTM: Imagine that you’ve suddenly been told that you can only ever do one thing associated with film-making (directing, acting, writing etc), what would you choose and why? JM: I’d have to say, if I could only do one thing I’d act. It’s my first love and something that was the core of my soul from my earliest memories. FTM: Which director or directors do you most admire, can you name one sequence in any film you have seen that has mesmerised you? JM: I had the tremendous opportunity to work with Martin Scorsese in “Goodfellas”. It was a hot summers day in NYC in 1989. Marty was shooting a quintessential “Marty shot”-a “long shot” in the Copacabana Club in the East 60’s. I was a cocktail waitress in the scene. The scene started with the “Gangsters” on the street, going through the back of the Copa kitchen and then out into the Copacabana Club. I thought: Wow, that was some move! So when discussing the effects I wanted to create and the camera shots with our talented cinematographer Egor Povolotskiy, we came up with the idea of using a STEADICAM to capture the 360 degrees of the beautiful Cicada
Club and everyones point of view when Olivia Spencer magically enters the club. I’m sure subconsciously that my being on set with such a wonderful director like Scorsese influenced me! I felt the same way working with Woody Allen: watching Gordon Willis the director of photography “light the set” and hearing cast and crew gasp at how amazing the lighting was and watching how Woody directed the actors to behave in such a natural way definitely influenced me. In “The Admired” Egor Povolotskiy, our DP and I spoke about that “Moonlight in Paris” effect that Woody had in his movie - the warm yellow glowing feeling. The lighting and the rhythm of the charactersespecially Billy and Olivia at the Cicada, reminds me of a Woody Allen scene. When my character Olivia and her husband Billy are bickering and cutting each other off at the Cicada Club - it was reminiscent to me of a Woody Allen scene. When I was watching the dailies, my editor Dave Bartlett and I turned to each other and said at the same time: that reminds me of a Woody Allen scene. It was unintentional but I’m glad it happened!
TOP RIGHT: JULIA KOSTENEVICH AS BUNNY ROGERS AND LEON WINTERS AS “MR Z.” THE DEVIL - BOTTOM LEFT: LEON WINTERS, JACQUELINE MURPHY, LYNNE NEWTON - 2ND ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: MARIA ELENA INFANTINO & PETER SOLI LAST ROW: DAVID BARTLETT BOTTOM RIGHT: JACQUELINE MURPHY AT THE DIRECTOR’S GUILD LA FOR PREMIERE OF MARTIN SCORSESE “SILENCE” JANUARY 2017.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
TOP RIGHT: LYNNE NEWTON AND DAVID TERRELL IN FRONT OF THE LALIQUE DOORS OF THE CICADA CLUB - BOTTOM LEFT: JACQUELINE MURPHY AND PAMELA MORGAN WEARING SUE WONG GOWNS.
FTM: It must be really hard to stick to a budget....how on Earth do you manage it? JM: That was the one thing that kept getting out of control and you kept trying to reel it back in, like a huge whale with a tremendous appetite! We were planning on shooting it in a studio we could “build” the set in but once I saw the Cicada Club-it’s was built in 1928 and is a historic landmark in LA - with Lalique doors and art deco architecture - it felt like 1940’s Hollywood to me. It was apparent to me that the production value was so much greater if we shot it there. But so much more than that, it looked real and believable and made myself and the actors feel we were someplace truly special and in “another world” from the modern world. That was a big part of our expense and once we were in post, adding the music, colour correction, and visual effects increased our budget. But it also improved the project and brought it closer to our vision. FTM: How do you motivate those around you? JM: I feel we are all part of a team. I could not have done this without the talent, skills and help of everyone on the film. I’m always appreciative and grateful for people’s hard work and what they can bring. I encourage them to bring their game and go for it. We had rehearsals with the cast prior to our shoot and they got to know each other and walk through the “blocking”. Preparation with the “overheads” for the shots, the storyboard and discussing the shots with Egor and Leonid prior to the shoot helped also. I know the value of a dollar and hard work. I try to treat others like I would like to be treated and focus on what is working rather than what’s not. We are in this together, we are a team. If I find I’m not getting what I need, I try to “help” that person “help” me get closer to what I was thinking. Dave Bartlett our editor has been in the business for over 37 years. His experience was invaluable to me and many times his suggestions were exactly what I was thinking about. This is the kind of “magic” you hope for in a work relationship.
5 Dave said “The relationship between a director and editor is a very intimate one, because you are working so closely together on the project for such a long period of time”. Dave added so much creativity to The Admired. We even added “jump cuts” in the beginning of the film when Olivia is driving into the parking lot. Dave knowing I loved Martin Scorsese’s work suggested: “Marty uses jump cuts to create tension, your character is upset pulling into the parking lot, let’s try it.” My relationship with Dave, reminded me of the relationships I’ve heard other director’s had with their editor’s, in particular Martin Scorsese working for over forty years with Thelma Schoonmaker! That’s the kind of relationship you want to continue with, where you both are on the same page but also open to new ideas that you hadn’t thought of. FTM: With digital film-making and video on demand becoming so dominant, where do think film-making will be in 10-years? JM: It really is an emerging market where every day you hear: Amazon and Netflix are looking for “new content” and the number of cable channels to show your work are increasing all the time. So many venues for filmmakers to show their work. I think we will be watching a lot of film on our computers & phones and streaming. But I still love going to a movie theatre and seeing a movie on the “big screen”. The Admired is about the yearning for the old movie studios and glamour of old Hollywood. I think it’s great that is accessible to so many people in whatever form they can view it.
FTM How difficult was it to cast “The Admired” – how long did it take and where there any moments that stood out during the casting calls? JM: It wasn’t too difficult as I’d worked with a lot of the actor’s on other projects and I had them in mind while writing and conceiving the project. I knew Lynne would be a great best friend to Olivia and also a good “Ella Fitzgerald” type character. One moment that definitely stands out in “The Admired” is the casting of our Devil - “Mr Z”. Originally I had cast Ron Gilbert a wonderful Actor’s Studio Actor, who is a handsome imposing gentleman and I asked him to do a hypnotic “Dracula” type accent. Sadly, two days before our shoot, he was on his motorcycle to rehearsal and had an accident and hurt his leg. We were waiting for him to show up but my husband wound up taking him to the hospital instead. I had Leon Winters our “handsome 25 year old British Bartender” sitting there. My husband turned to me and said: what about Leon? He has piercing blue eyes, a great look and wonderful British accent. We had him read the part and we thought - “he’s perfect!” There is a show called “Lucifer” on FOX TV starring Tom Ellis and he’s young and handsome as well. I thought Wow! I should of thought of this from the start. It made the scene where Olivia sells her soul to the devil in order to get her dream even sexier and more passionate. And we know sex sells in TV and film! :-) Continued on the next page
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
FTM: Looking back on the project, would you change anything? JM: The time preparing - we did do rehearsals, discussed shots etc but, you can always use more time. But I know I function best under pressure! And I wish I would have had more experience and allocated more of the jobs. But this is where I was in my learning curve.
6
Because I was new to it, I wanted to be involved in every area. Being responsible for the film legally and financially and being the writer/ director also puts a lot of pressure on you. And then you’re on set and thinking: I have to act too! This is where years of training with wonderful acting teachers like Stella Adler kicks in. Thank Goodness for all those classes and acting jobs so it becomes second nature. The preparation did help before we shot when I met with my first AD Leonid Andronov. We discussed exactly how I hoped things would go on the day of the shoot. He came to rehearsals with the cast and knew my sensibility. Leonid Andronov, my first AD and Egor Povolotskiy our DP and I discussed all shots, blocking and the scenes that’d I’d be acting in ahead of time, so we’d be better prepared and things would hopefully go smoothly when shooting The Admired. That preparation was so important. I’d wear less hats but I’m glad I wore so many on this one. I think there was no other way for me because I wanted to be part of it all. For the next one because I’ve done it I think I’ll be more comfortable having someone else do certain jobs. So I think it’s very important to have someone you can trust to share the pressure, you’ve worked together on a film before and it helps to know you work well and can count on each other. Looking back now that the job is done - it would have been very helpful.
FTM: What do you think audiences want when they watch a film? JM: I think they want to be entertained and taken on a journey. To find a part of themselves & connect with a part of themselves that perhaps they didn’t know was there. To get in touch with who they are or who they can be, or what’s possible. To see things from a different point of view and experience the life of someone else in a real way that adds to their experience of being on this planet and discovery. FTM: What would your dream role as an actress be and why? JM: I would love to play strong women roles that make a difference in people’s lives. I think my background as a nurse helping people, feeds into this. I’d love to be a scientist who discovers the cure for cancer or a medical pioneer who can save some part of humanity. I was reading about how Hedy Lamarr discovered the chip that is used in cell phones today. Roles where someone is movie star but has another side to them that makes a discovery or difference in the world. I think the Hedy Lamarr role is my dream role right now. I still love those glamorous Hollywood heroine roles! The other dream role: I’d love for “The Admired” to become a feature or TV series so I can continue to create, explore and expand on Olivia’s “time travels.” I would have Olivia go to many different places in time and embody a different character significant to that period in time. My Pitch: The Admired is like “Hollywood Downtown Abbey” meets “Quantum Leap” with a touch of La La Land. It’s about following your dream. FTM: What advice would you give to someone that wanted to get into the film industry? JM: Winners make their own breaks. Follow your heart and go for your dream. Dream and Do it! Don’t wait. The greatest gift you can give yourself it to do what you really dream and want. If you put it out there you have a chance to have it happen. Take a camera, get a group of your acting friends together and write a script. Put it up on YouTube or the web. Put it out there!
FTM: What would make a positive change to film-making? JM: The way cameras are evolving and technology I think will make filmmaking more interesting. The different venues filmmakers work can be seen and more accessible to many more people. I love that there are so many more opportunities for filmmakers of all levels and budgets! And more and more diversity and opportunities are open to more people. www.theadmired.com
FTM: Please tell us one fun fact about you!? JM: I love to dance! My other fantasy is to be on “Dancing with the Stars”!! I love to have fun and be silly and my nickname growing up was “Wacky Jackie” because I’d break out into a funny dance, laugh or mannerism that’d have everyone in stitches! Classic
Run Time 20 Mins
TOP RIGHT: JACQUELINE MURPHY WITH SUE WONG HER FRIEND AND THE COSTUME DESIGNER FOR THE ADMIRED WHERE SUE WONGS’ GOWNS WERE WORN BY THE CAST MIDDLE RIGHT: EGOR POVOLOTSKIY DP FOR THE ADMIRED AND LEONID ANDRONOV, FIRST AD AND CO-WRITER. BOTTOM: JACQUELINE MURPHY.
FTM: Is film-making addictive? JM: Most definitely, you think about it day and night. I would get up in the middle of the night writing down what I needed to do or an idea for the script. It does take over your life no matter how well balanced you are. You get such a charge from it especially when you’re in the high gear of shooting and post. You don’t rest till it’s done!
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
NOT THE END OF THE WORLD A Short Film by Jordan Heron
What’s the plot for this film? Chris is just a normal guy trying to go to work and pay the bills. However, when an old family curse catches up with him, Chris realizes that thwarting the Angel of Destruction from bringing about the end of the world has to come before his morning coffee and commute. Why this film? What I really wanted to do was act. I picked up a copy of “Secrets of Breaking into the Film & TV Business” by Dean Silvers, and he suggested that if you can’t get a role, give yourself a role by making your own film. At the same time, I was reading a short story,”Not the End of the World”, penned by a friend of mine, Jeannie Warner. The story had two actors (and a phone voice), and was set in a normal home. I thought, “Hey! I could manage that!” So, I did.
Personal outcome from making the film? Challenges aside – and there are many challenges – I realized that producing and directing films is a whole lot of fun. Although I still love acting and am constantly looking for opportunities, I am also putting more focus on making short films, and an independent feature may take shape in the near future. FILMMAKER BIO Jordan Heron was born in 1959 in Ajax, Ontario, Canada to Diane Orser and Ken Heron, a Presbyterian minister. He currently lives with his wife, Stephanie, on their horse farm near Dunnville, Ontario, near the Niagara Region of Ontario. Unlike most actors who are drawn to the profession early, Jordan has spent most of his career as an IT Project Manager and had little interest in acting until 2002 when he was cajoled by his daughter into joining a local amateur theatre troupe. He began taking on work as a background actor, and in 2013 made his screen debut in a named role as Seton in “Battle of Kings: Bannockburn”.
Jordan’s years as a medieval re-enactor and his experience as a horseman have provided him with a unique skill set that includes jousting, sword fighting, mounted archery, and Morris dancing. Those skills, combined with his distinctive look and his talent and training as an actor, have made him much in demand for a broad range of roles in film, television, commercials, and live theatre. In recent years, Jordan has branched into filmmaking. His first short film, “Not the End of the World”, premiered at the Milton Film Festival in 2016, and he continues to develop new projects as a writer, director and producer.
www.discreterealityproductions.com
www.jordanheron.com
THE WONDERFUL THIS IMAGE IS COPYRIGHTED © BY ROBERT GULLIE. THE USE OF THIS IMAGE IS PROHIBITED UNLESS PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE ARTIST IS OBTAINED.
A Script by Demitra Papadinis
After acquiring the power to atone for the sins of others, a misfit young woman strives to bear the torments of a world which has no faith in her. Synopsis In a time when the Church rules with an iron fist, CHRISTINA, a meek farm girl who lives with her two older SISTERS, seeks to lead a godly life. But the sisters are in debt and about to lose the farm. They strike a deal with FATHER GODFREY, a greedy and worldly man. Godfrey promises to take care of Christina, but he plans to give her to his henchman BRUNO, a pimp. Christina flees to the forest where she stumbles upon a tryst between Count LOUIS and his next intended conquest, LUTGARDE. She also meets Louis’ impish manservant ORMOND and befriends TOMMY, a young urchin. Lost, she wanders home just as Bruno arrives to carry her off to the brothel. But God miraculously saves her… by striking her dead. At her own funeral, Christina revives and demonstrates supernatural powers. Godfrey, convinced that Christina is possessed, orders her locked up to await the Inquisition. dpapadinis@gmail.com
Comedy
Run Time 12 Mins
7
With Tommy’s help, Christina escapes to the wilderness where CHRIST reveals the reason for her miraculous return: God has blessed her with the ability to feel pain but not suffer physical injury so that she can relieve the anguish of souls in Purgatory. While hiding in the forest, Christina rescues Lutgarde from Louis’ unwelcome advances. Louis throws Christina into a dungeon and tortures her, but he repents when she exposes Ormond as the Devil in disguise. Louis undertakes many good works, including providing for Tommy’s education. But Godfrey learns of Christina’s whereabouts and demands that Louis turn her over. He refuses and dies defending her. Godfrey sentences Christina to death for witchcraft. But Godfrey himself cannot doubt Christina’s blessedness when God grants her last request to take upon herself half of Louis’ purgatorial sufferings.
www.robertgullie.com
Now free, Christina returns to the wilderness where she tortures herself to hasten the release of Louis and of other suffering souls from Purgatory. After many years, her old friend Tommy, who Drama
has grown up and become a priest, returns. He brings her to Saint Catherine’s convent to live out her final days in comfort. There, after performing one final miracle, she dies.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
OUTCASTE THE HOUSE THAT CAROL BUILT This stunning feature documentary by filmmakers Laura & Colin Graham charts the story of retired school teacher Carol Fraser. In her late 70’s and both deeply spiritual and incredibly capable, Carol wants to build a house in the Himalayas.... but has no money.
This is a unique story of faith and strength of belief of an elderly lady, an untouchable and a lapsed Buddhist monk, a bit like the Marigold hotel meets ‘Lost Horizon’. Carol Fraser is an eternal seeker living between England and India, but with no home and no one to look after her as she ages she has a problem! For her indomitable spirit and holistic way of seeing the world has created a huge spiritual bank account and an empty real one!
8
COVIRO Productions is one of a new wave of small production houses springing up in Northern Ireland in response to the burgeoning film industry. Formed by Laura Graham and Colin Graham in 2011, it specialises in both narrative based and nonfiction films that have reached international audiences through art galleries, mainstream theatres, DVD, and the Internet. Colin Graham, a Masters graduate in Documentary film making with a background in business and construction is founder and CEO of COVIRO and has co-produced for No Bad Films with Richard Jobson, naming The Somnambulists and Wayland’s Song amongst them. In 2012 he produced IMBOLC, a short film supported by NISCREEN. He has gone on to work with a number of public bodies, producing and directing Internet based public information campaigns for rape awareness and violence. Laura Graham, co director of COVIRO is a visual artist and former solicitor. Her art practice is extensive and multimedia. She wrote and directed her first short IMBOLC, and went on to receive a Best Director award from the Canberra Short Film festival and best musical score for the Madrid International Film Festival. Together they write, direct and produce their films, specialising in micro budgeting using digital formats, HD SLR cameras, and off line editing using adobe and final cut software. This is the first feature from the company, with two in pre-production, developing on themes in this first film. LAURA GRAHAM & COLIN GRAHAM FTM: THAT’S A GREAT DESCRIPTION OF “OUTCASTE” WHERE YOU SAY IT’S A CROSS BETWEEN “MARIGOLD HOTEL” AND “LOST HORIZON”! LG: When I was a child, one of my favourite films was Lost Horizon. I never forgot the mystery, or the sadness implicit in the ending of the 1970’s film but as an adult I much prefer the original Frank Capra film. www.coviro.co.uk
It resonates with themes of hope, and possibility, probably due to the political instability of the time, but it seems more important then ever to create a film that develops on these ideas. It is said, “write about what you love” and this film came about because I had been working with meditation for a number of years and then Colin became interested in it. Once you start down this particular route and experience what has been missing in your lives, you start to think, is there another way to look at the future? That’s really what this film is about, that potential, and in this case it is seen through the filter of Carol – an elderly woman – who has done something extraordinary. She doesn’t allow age to be a factor in any respect, let alone limiting.
My first reaction was, this is madness how on Earth is she going to do that with no money and no income? Then we heard the project had begun, and we started to see some pictures, and it became clear that there was a really interesting story here.
FTM: HOW DID YOU LEARN OF CAROL? LG: I had been working with a form of meditation for many years, meeting regularly with people from all parts of the globe, and it was through my relationship with these people that I came across Carol. I’ve known her for about sixteen years, and she has been talking about building this house for all that time. The thing is she has never had enough money to even think about beginning, so it seemed to be a bit of a pipe dream. Carol is one of the most highly educated people I have met, and yet she leads an almost itinerant life. She is deeply spiritual, very aware and capable, and a wonderful guiding light for many people and of course, a wonderful example of how age doesn’t mean that you have to curtail your life.
FTM: SO HOW IS CHETAN INVOLVED IN THIS STORY? LG: Chetan, like many poor rural people had a little piece of land to grow crops on. He is Dalit, which means he is too lowly to even be in the Caste system, he is outside the caste system . Dalit’s in India are people with no status and very little opportunity, and there is a battle on to help them improve their human rights. Chetan is particularly unusual. I like to describe him as an Indian “Robert Burns”, not for his poetry, but for his drive to improve his lot and his appreciation of social justice, because he has this drive and wish to learn. He wants to take his family and extended family to a better life through awareness and education. He had this piece of land, an orchard and he had tried to harvest and sell the apples but that had failed. Almost as soon as he met Carol he offered her his land, so he has a great heart. Something very special has happened in this situation and Carol and Chetan have ended up with a quite spectacular house.
CG: Laura would come back from her various trips and talk to me about the characters she had met, at one point she mentioned Carol and said she wanted to build this house.
LG: It became even more interesting when we discovered that Carol was being helped by Chetan, who as an untouchable, or Dalit, a person with no status or wealth, had practically nothing by way of material possessions and yet what little he had, he shared. Then the story became even more interesting when we learned of the involvement of Raju, Carol’s lapsed monk, taxi driving friend. He has an unusual heritage, and that became important to the film.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
FTM: IS IT THE MOST SATISFYING FILM THAT YOU HAVE MADE? LG: It’s a labour of love and it’s an example of how, if you can change the way you think, you can change your life and the lives of those around you. We are all so interconnected that everything we do has repercussion, creates waves. More and more people are aware of the impact of our thoughts and actions but we have to be careful when we speak about the film, peoples’ eyes can glaze over if they think it’s going to be didactic or preachy, that’s why we’ve been very careful to keep the story and the characters at the forefront. We’ve been practising meditation and a more holistic approach to life for a long time so when we sat down to write this story, we wrote what we knew, and we put it down in what we hope is an interesting way –and through the filming and editing highs and lows – we really got to know the three people involved. After that came the research into the structures we were examining, Buddhism, Hinduism, the Caste System, the wonderful country that is India, it gave us whole new level of awareness and respect for the religions and the people. FTM: IS INDIA SOMEWHERE THAT YOU WOULD LIVE? CG: It’s really interesting that you ask that, if you had gone there during the sixties it must have been like paradise, but sadly now, like a lot of places, there are a lot of tourists, and I
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
say that with the awareness that we are part of the problem. But in terms of the impact on nature and the beauty of the land, you see all these stunning areas and guaranteed you’ll see empty plastic bottles and rubbish. Aside from that India and its people are incredible, so when I look at the mess I have to remember what an incredible place it is, they’re putting satellites into space – and their space program is incredible – it’s a form of organised chaos! That same industry is evident everywhere in the country. LG: And the more mystical side is still there. People have flocked to India for centuries to capture that mystery. At the moment, in Northern India a temple is being built that is really the most remarkable structure, with a story like no other. Our next film is going to be about that. India for me is like a beautiful memory, like when you were very young playing outside on a summers evening, when you could hear friends and neighbours, and the buzz of family life and you felt safe and happy; we were all out doing things, laughing, being together, that’s what’s attractive about India for me, community, family, love, these are sounds you still hear. As a country it has its problems, and it is dangerous but it is full of families! It is the most amazing country and I do love visiting. I’ll just have to be careful not to drop any rubbish!
9
Documentary
Run Time 67 Mins
GOLDEN GATE CREATIONS LLC • Film Production – (Canada, USA and India) • Film Distribution – Theatrical in US/
Canada/UK/Dubai/Bahrain/UAE/Australia/
Far East/India
• Ancillary and Satellite Sales – India and US • Offices – California, Vancouver and India • Contact – vivek@goldengatecreations.com
and 415 657 6652 (US)
• Projects and Publications:
URKHAAB (www.surkhaabthefilm.com)
& IndianEntertainmentOnline at
www.indianentertainment.info
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
THE GLOVE A Film By Vlad Dorofte
Vlad Dorofte is a London based independent filmmaker who forges his films carefully. Having funded most of his projects out of his own pocket he focuses on humane subjects and turns them into visual stories. He chooses his characters very carefully and he gives much importance to the endings of his films which bring unexpected twists and gives the audience much to reflect upon. His themes are universally applicable and the angle from which he approaches them casts a meaningful perspective over the apparently most common of things. His short film The Glove, was selected in over a dozen film competitions around the globe, won two awards and four nominations including for Best Director of a Short Film, and he has now been nominated again at The London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema for Best Short Film, Best Original Script and Best Editing of a Short Film. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE FILMMAKING? Visual storytelling is very appealing to me. As a child I had little access to television, cinema or video. These were rare forms of entertainment. My first contact with the ‘field’ were via “diapositives” (positive photographic slides or transparencies) projected to me by my father on the white walls of my room. Robinson Crusoe, Puss in Boots and I cannot remember how many others were projected privately in my room long before they became a box office block buster for Disney or Pixar (he laughs). This must’ve left a powerful print on me as later when I learnt how to read I would imagine and visualise every paragraph, every character, every landscape and location. I used to finish reading the books assigned in school long after all my classmates did. I was one of the slowest readers in my class (laughs again). During my first years as a reader if you made me read aloud I would find it hard to remember what I had read. I was depriving my mind from the necessity to “witness” the story properly at the price of coherence and I suppose in return it refused to serve me loyally in front of my teacher. My mind was demanding mutual respect (he laughs again!). To the present day this reflex has been powerfully rooted in me. I am visualising my scripts long before I write them. IS THIS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE GLOVE, TOO? Yes. I was on a long walk around the city during my university years, it was winter, it was cold and I probably saw a homeless man in the street. I had cold hands as I was wearing no gloves and this is how the idea appeared to me. As I was heading home I started imagining this story about a dignified one-handed homeless man who finds an expensive glove in the street. I wrote the idea in a document and my computer broke. It was only four or five years later, at the end of 2014, when I retrieved the data from that machine and I rediscovered the document. The images were still in my head but only a little matured by age. I wrote the script and made the film happen.
11
IS THIS WHEN YOU STARTED FILMMAKING? Actually I had been participating in student projects ever since university years. I used to study economics but I had friends at the National Academy of Film in Bucharest. I would often take part in their projects as a set assistant or second assistant director and I was soon a recommended person among their peers. I enjoyed that. But it was only in 2013 that marked my firm start in filmmaking. I worked on a small production in London as a Director, and I did a small project after I bought my first film gear in early 2014, I name it a ‘flash’ camera test because it only took me 2 weeks to have it written down, assemble a team, film and edit it. It had success around the few film festivals I submitted it, mostly out of curiosity. This only stirred me up to get more and more involved with projects and at the end of 2014 I was already planning The Glove.
WHAT WERE YOUR MAIN CHALLENGES WHEN SHOOTING THE GLOVE? It depends what you are referring to! Creatively - the greatest challenge was to find a fitting ending for the film. One that would point in the right direction, make the right meanings emerge and manage to both avoid cliché and remain universal. It eventually showed itself to me as the wealthy man discovered he had lost the same glove two years in a row. I think this is the moment that triggers reflection. I will spoil no more (laughs). We also had to improvise a location as the one we tried to reserve canceled at the last moment.
Continued on the next page
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Operationally it was hard to deal with the low resources and finding the right people. I was lucky with the producer Sorin Popa - we had only met once and Sorin didn’t remember me - but introduced me to Cristian Gugu, the Director of Photography who also came onboard as a co-producer. Cristian involved Dan Andrei Paraschiv in the project, the editor who was working with him. They were the two talented people who really sustained the project. Also finding the main actor was not easy. I had tried to invite some famous actors onboard but since they were busy I had to replace them with a strong presence. And Lonel Tudor… well he was The One. Another challenge was shooting the scene in the park at -7 degrees Celsius. Batteries would drain at the speed of light, and it was generally very hard to stay warm and focused. Legally, it was hard to get the filming licenses for the exteriors without being backed up by a producer so I had to study the law and find ways around it!
WHAT ARE THE THEMES THAT INTEREST YOU WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FILM? Mostly themes are about the human universe. This is a very wide concept which I think has a lot to do with human values and emotions, the way they trigger our actions and the impact of those actions on us and our future. There is a lot to learn from this theme when correctly explored. Much power to sensitize and educate lies beyond it. Films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo, Citizen Kane, Chariots of Fire they are all exploring the “human universe” in a genuine and truthful manner providing the viewer priceless orientation towards the values that ennoble and dignify a person and reward the audience with truthful emotion and an unforgettable sensitizing experience. I must say that these kind of films are much rarer nowadays. They are almost extinct and this is saddening if you ask me.
TOP RIGHT: ALEXANDRU GEORGESCU AS THE SELLER - BOTTOM IMAGE: IONEL TUDOR AND VLAD DOROFTE
12
YOUR FILM THE GLOVE HAS NO DIALOGUE. CAN YOU TELL US WHY? It is the kind of subject that happens silently. The theme has a complexity that is easier to highlight visually than with words. Words are not needed. The film speaks a universal language that anyone can find a way to relate to. It so happens that this artistically suited the subject, too. The two worlds, the two micro universes in The Glove, the rich and the poor, rarely they would find a way to communicate with each other in real life too. But the incompatible relationship between them is so telling and strikingly obvious to everyone observing from the sidelines than any spoken words would have made the film feel obsolete in my opinion.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THE GLOVE AIMS TO TRANSMIT? In a way, through the nature of its theme, The Glove is a film with “no borders” it can happen anywhere, anytime and to anyone. Something similar to what we see in The Glove might be happening to someone in the world as we speak right now. It is a film about life and the way life mirrors itself in the human condition offering to the striving individual a solution in a moment when all hope seems lost. I don’t believe in coincidences and I wouldn’t like The Glove to be interpreted as such. Life often brings balance by the way things natively fall into place. This is why most miracles lie in the smallest of things and even though we witness it we often lack the power to also understand it. This is what I partially tried to point out to. There is much wisdom we can acquire as a close observer of the world around us. And the key to do that must be empathy. As a result, I hope the audience will feel empathically engaged while watching The Glove.
gorunfilm@yahoo.com
vdorofte@yahoo.com
TOP RIGHT: IONEL TUDOR AS THE HOMELESS - MIDDLE: CRISTIAN GUGU AND VLAD DOROFTE (LAST DAY OF SHOOTING) - BOTTOM RIGHT: ADRIAN TITIENI AS THE BUSINESSMAN.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
I UNDERSTAND YOU SEE A… REGRESSION IN THE MODERN FILM INDUSTRY? ‘Regress’ I think is a very fitting word about what is happening today with film. The development of technology and CGI has encouraged an illusory rush after spectacular. ‘Spectacular’ has become a purpose in itself which much dilutes the artistic side of cinema. It takes away from the importance of the message, it dilutes the reference points that favours the assimilation of human values cultivating the opposite and most of the time this will not encourage self-discernment and reasonable sound and creative thinking but the resignation to satisfying the instinctual craving for “sensational”. Flying people, space ships and aliens brought to screen with an appetite for designing explosions and mass destruction feels very awkward to me and even more so puerile in the absence of a strong structure of the message beyond the story. Have you ever closed your eyes to listen to a modern block buster’s soundtrack? ‘Bing! Bang! Wuuff! Whew!’ Don’t even get me started on the dialogue! I wouldn’t want to be too critical but what is the audience taking home with them? An interesting value that has almost disappeared from the big screens is “tolerance”. Rarely to never would one see the theme of revenge carried out in old films. This would never be encouraged. Nowadays this is not only something to build an entire film on but also something to promote as a message. I am aware of the world and its rules have changed a lot since a decade ago and our actions need to be firmer today but I can give you one recent example that reinforces my named necessity of shaping our firmness and determination through patience and tolerance instead of revenge: Spielberg’s The Bridge Of Spies. And you have to see it to understand what I mean.
13
WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS? Technological development I think has facilitated and stimulated film production. It is very handy nowadays to generate things on computer. This has led to an increase of the number of films chasing revenues and spectacular visual effects in comparison with those approaching themes of decisive importance. It is very hard nowadays to understand the context correctly and to transpose it to film both equally fair and accurately. You literally have to be very smart, very intelligent to deliver something worthy and much time needs to be invested to achieve it. Time is maybe less lenient with us in the 21st century but I think we should remember that perceptions and preferences can be educated and we should try to learn about their importance again… This is why independent cinema is so important for the reinstatement of the abandoned values and realities and I think International Filmmaker Festival Of World Cinema takes on a defining role on the film market by promoting independent filmmakers and their films. I am happy to be a part of it. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? I’m working on a feature script… and looking to take on some jobs in marketing or video advertising to sharp my abilities. This industry is something I am keen about so I am looking for some opportunities in this direction as well! Drama
Run Time 12 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WHO IS JACKY WOO?
With multiple award winnings at Madrid, Berlin and Milan International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema 2016 for Tomodachi & Kaikou (The Encounter) and “Haruo”, also awarded as Best Film at the Young Critics Circle Film Desk by the Univesity of the Philippines and just completed his latest film Miracle Postcards, Jacky Woo, a producer, composer, director and lead actor is an incredibly talented filmmaker. But who is this man behind this fascinating film career?
Following Jacky Woo’s recent role in Tomodachi, We were given the opportunity to speak to the renowned actor and found out more about his background in Japan, getting into film and his future plans to reach out to a European audience. Jacky Woo was born and raised in China Town, Yokohama in Japan where his father owned a Chinese restaurant and he spent a lot of his time. His family played a very important role in his life. His grandfather who was a Kung Fu teacher had influenced him to learn martial art during his childhood days, which inspired his career. Growing up in Yokohama, most of Jacky’s friends were of different nationalities. They helped him know more about diversity. However, living in Japan has not always been easy for Jacky. During his childhood, he was a lot more focused on becoming a performer, which distracted him from school. Being quarter Chinese, not everyone welcomed him into their society and often when he attended Japanese and Chinese parties and festivals, he would be asked why he was there. Jacky found this difficult and since then he has disregarded either of these countries as his home. This has been reiterated throughout Jacky’s life. In 2002, he was cast in one of the biggest dramas in Japan and felt like he was back home. However, his room was situated with International actors rather than a Japanese actor and this made him realize that he has no home.
14
Jacky always loved films and at very young age he has focused on martial arts and performing. He loved watching Hollywood films but Japanese and Asian films are his favorite because it is always filled with emotions which he tries to incorporate it into his projects. Kung Fu artist, Bruce Lee and Jacky Chan influenced and inspired him to perform on camera. Jacky believes that Akira Kurosawa influenced the Hollywood Industry through his creative directing.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
o o W y k c Ja Director, Producer, Composer and Actor in the award winning films 20 years & Tomodachi.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
CHOCOLATE Written & Directed by Thiago Dadalt Produced by Dru Miller
Synopsis A suburban housewife and mother suddenly finds herself homeless and lost in the Skid Row neighbourhoods of downtown Los Angeles. A beautiful story of family and hope. ABOUT THE PRODUCER Dru Miller is the executive producer and producer of “Chocolate” and C.O of D. Ellen Miller Productions LLC in Los Angeles, California. She is also the creator, co-writer and executive producer of the 30 minute dramady TV project, “Life on a Leash” and the new 2017 TV show “2nd Time Around” and a lot of amazing new projects coming soon. Please visit:- www.dellenmillerproductions.com
16
Directors Statement This short film is a sympathetic testimonial to all the people who are invisible to the rest of the society. These people are everywhere, walking amongst us, day and night. Though invisible from a societal standpoint, they can be recognized immediately on the streets, through the widows of our cars, homes and offices. Many of them have gone through torturous personal stories and now live troubled lives, whether attributed to mental illness or drug addiction. Some may have simply fallen on tough times while others might be in a transitional phase, in search of a better life and a future that has failed them so far. For those people, the cold and harsh streets of the ostensible lost and despairing has become home. To many of us, these “invisibles” are at best, regarded as nuisances, while to others, they are labelled as diseased parasites, leeching on a thriving and evolving society. While the homeless population in the city of Los Angeles continues to grow almost exponentially (15,000 estimated annually), there continues to exist an invisible wall that separates us from them. In order to get the attention of the audience, I chose to tell a story about an ordinary housewife who had a good life and was living the American dream, when she suddenly finds herself on skid row as a homeless person. My intention is to make the audience relate to the unspoken truth that led this housewife to face prejudice and experience the limitations implied through our apparent differences.
www.dellenmillerproductions.com
www.thiagodadalt.com
vimeo.com/thdd
youtube.com/user/dadaltjr
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
About the director Thiago Dadalt is a Brazilian director, editor and writer based in Hollywood, CA. Completely self-taught as a teenager, he began writing and directing plays for a small theatre in Rio Novo, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He moved to the United States in 2013 and now lives in Los Angeles, where he works on a variety of TV and film projects. He was a nominee for Best Director at The Madrid International film festival (MADRID IFF 2016) with the TV pilot “LIFE ON A LEASH” and just finished his new project, written, directed and edited by him “Chocolate”.
17
Production Notes Took a year between the script to the final project. It was 2 months and a total of 115 auditions to find the lead actress (Piercey Dalton) for this project. Thiago Dadalt also volunteered at Lamp Community in Downtown L.A for 2 months where he had the chance to be around Skid Row and talk to real homeless people during his process of writing and preparing for the film. Internationally acclaimed Makeup Artist, Bruna Nogueira, is emerging as one of the top makeup artists in the entertainment industry. Some of her amazing work are The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Teen Wolf, CSI: NY, I Kissed a Vampire and Chocolate.
Inexplicably, during the third day of filming on “Skid Row” (movie set), 3 homeless people appeared at different times and helped the team on set and were rewarded for it. One of them is called Lewis, the same name as the supporting homeless character (João Bounassar) in the film. The supporting actress (Amy Argyle) during her preparation to play a homeless mother, she stopped showering 3 days before the shoot day, started to sleep on the floor and refused to eat during the whole day of shooting to help her to feel how a homeless person lives, whilst hungry and dirty on the streets of L.A. Drama
Run Time 29 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
Jimmy Narula and Damsels In Distress One again, Vivek Kumar & Barkha Madan show why they are such a talented duo – with two of their scripts in competition in London – here is a taste of their journey!
FILM FEST INTERNATIONAL AND OUR FILM JOURNEY: Our company and our film and scripts have had their genesis primarily at the Film Fest International’s various European Film Festivals. We got our first film SURKHAAB, getting multiple nominations in St Tropez (NICE) and although there was no win, the nominations did enough, for us to be noticed. Of course the question is what does the filmmaker do with the nominations? In our own case we were so proud of our nomination, that we talked about it to Sales Agents, Buyers, Content acquisition folks, etc. Not all doors opened, but those that did, were primarily because of the nominations. Eventually the nominations got converted into wins and SURKHAAB became a global theatrical release, then a global digital release, 4 major airlines acquired it and finally it is about to hit the two million views on YouTube (a number that will be accomplished by the time this article makes it to the print). Of course we were confident of our film, but there is no denying the fact that Carl’s festivals, provided the “validation” which we so badly needed.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Then LONDON happened. The magical city is when real magic started with SURKHAAB. It won the best Foreign Film and from there on started a journey beyond our wildest dreams. We were always confident of the film quality, the big question was, how do we get this quality more visible to the audiences of the globe. London achieved that and more. We have not looked back since London of 2012. Then last year, our unproduced script, SANAK, won in London of 2016. By the time London of 2017 has come around, and after subsequent wins, in Madrid, Berlin and Milan, SANAK, has now procured production funding, again primarily as a result of the recognition (read nomination, the wins are an Icing on the Cake), and what started in early 2016, in London, will boldly make its way to the big screen, in April 2017. Again, we were confident of the script, but Film Fest provided us that “packaging” which helped us to reach out to a wider base of investors. This year, London 2017, we have two scripts in the running, Jimmy Narula and Damsels In Distress. What awaits, we don’t know, what we do know is we have the nominations and that is the main confidence booster for us. So thank you Film Fest International and our company, Golden Gate Creations, will never ever forget where we found our bearings, which is with your portfolio of festivals and also never ever forget the beautiful city of London, where “something is always in the creative air.”
There will be many who claim that there are bigger festivals in the world and in Europe. They are probably right, and to each their own, but for us, Film Fest International was the “push and shove” we needed when we were getting off the ground and both, Barkha Madan and me, the co founders of our Production Company, Golden Gate Creations, firmly believe in the adage of “never forget where you came from “ and “ never forget who stood by you in the start of the journey.” And the response to both of these, is the Film Festival International. vivek@goldengatecreations.com
19
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
PERMANENT Nominated at The London International Filmmaker 2017 for Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film, Best Editing of a Feature Film, Best Lead Actress (Marie Blaise) and Best Film.
THE LITTLE FILM THAT COULD: Written By Mark Huntington Permanent is no stranger to festivals or awards. Having won a number of Best Feature Film awards and additional nominations for best acting for every primary cast member, this small independent film packs a powerful acting punch. Beautifully crafted by Emmy award winning cinematographer Ken Willinger, critics have called Permanent“Shakespearian” when noting the extreme care and beauty crafted in each shot of the movie.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
A NOTE FROM WRITER/DIRECTOR: John Mosetich I wrote and directed Permanent loosely based on a real life hero had fallen on tough times. This sharp impact had me wanting to show a realistic interpretation of what happens when you have two bad choices in front of you and the only way out is down. I wanted to create some great multidimensional characters for great actors to portray, but they had to have meaning. We all try. Though, many times, we fail and often there are no good decisions.
Sometimes desperation has to be enough. I could NOT have made this movie without a stellar crew and profound actors. Marie Blaise (who has been nominated at the London IFF 2017 for Best Lead Actress), Robert Paul Breen, Jamie Dufault, Anna Rizzo, Aaron Andrade, Joan-Marie Cruz, David Dallas, David Ryan Kopcych, Erica Derrickson, Jim Powers , Ben Jones and, Devin Mosetich, all deserve the credit for creating a world that not even I could have imagined. The phenomenal score put together by Pat Wheyland really gives
our movie a soul and includes the original song “Dull me” sung by Milla Mosetich. Ken Willinger and Chris Brown created some amazing looks and where would we be without the exceptional editing of Jill Poisson. We are ecstatic to be up for so many awards at the International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema London and incredibly proud to have won Best Feature Film at the Hudson Valley International Film Festival a couple of months ago. I hope you can attend our showing!
Permanent exhibits nine desperate and damaged souls battling their own personal demons. To supplement their turmoil, these character grapple the festering grip of the mob underworld as they try to claw out some form of normal. Sex, drugs, guns and God come crashing together in a series of circumstances that changes each life forever.
20
David Dallas shines as Derrik Forrest, earning him a Best Actor Nomination. As his character fights through the loss of his wife and his pension for alcohol, he trudges through his days trying to pick up the pieces. Derrik struggles with his tragic loss and finds himself trapped by the underworld into which he as descended. Faced with a brash young mob enforcer, Best supporting actor award winner Ben Jones as Shay, Derrickmust find out if he can trust the one man he knows he cannot. This powerhouse cast is one of the most diverse and talented groups in any film and have been nominated for several awards at a number of festivals. Every audience member seems to choose a different “primary” character in their mind to consider as “the lead”. Some see Marie Blaise (Zeke), the loving drug supplier as the main character. Other audiences gravitate to David Ryan Kopcych (Tommy), the “wanna be” crime enforcer. Still, others see Robert Paul Breen (Father McDonald) as the story’s central character. This intertwined group of characters each holds the key to the other’s futures.In this way, the movie mimics life. A multilayered intelligent movie which leaves the audience talking about the many connections revealed. heartworksproductions.com
Crime
Run Time 100 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
HOPE: Hatred is not Hereditary A Short Film by Ranjit Koka
Synopsis In a world filled with hatred and terrorism, there is still hope as hatred is not hereditary. This film is about a boy, a disabled child who fights for his team and who defeats terror. Filmmaker’s Biography After the success of my first film “Children and America” covering children’s issues in America, I did my second film Just Data (which I’m delighted to say is also in competition at The London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema)! Covering the importance of data and how our data is not in our control. This is my third film which is a short feature film on terrorism. This emotional and powerful short film touched many hearts and won appreciation of the film critics. I sincerely thank the children who worked very hard and all the artistes and technicians who contributed to this wonderful film. The children in this film were very involved with the project and it was a great experience working with them. In all three films that I made, children played significant roles. As children define and shape the future of this world, it is important that nations all over the world understand their importance and significance.
22
Drama
ranjitkoka@yahoo.com
POWER PLAY Introducing the screenplay Power Play nominated at the London International Film Maker Festival for Best Unproduced Script. Award Winner, Best Unproduced Script, ST. Tropez International Film Festival, Nice France, 2016.
A cancerous political suspense cocktail, based upon deceit, revenge and envy. Our young, handsome mayoral aspirant, Collier Winthrop, is recruited by a crusty old political boss, Al Caso, to upset the status-quo. He soon is faced with opposition from within and without. 1970’s. Before, House of Cards, there was Power Play. Screenplay written by Colin Stewart, based on the novel, “Power Play” by F. Ethan Repp. “I wrote the book Power Play in 1978, following a failed run for the US Congress at the age of 33. Full of remaining adrenalin and loss of all consuming activity, I spent the next 4 months writing. Once finished I really didn’t know what to do with it. The popular Mayor of NYC, John Lindsay, a good friend, passed it around to a few publishers, who were complimentary but passed. The work needed editing. I put the typed book away forever. Two years ago, I told my grandson about the book. He wanted to read it. (Pause) The manuscript was buried somewhere in the garage and I didn’t really know what shape it was in anyway.
I rescued the work and began to read. I had forgotten the story but realized, hey this is good stuff. It is real. First Edition Design publishing immediately wanted to publish and claimed that they could scan the typewritten work to Word. We published in 2014, 36 years after being written. Amazon has 12 million books. It is impossible to get noticed. I decided to turn the work into a screenplay. Through the Internet I found a screenwriter anxious to transform my book into the desired format, about 6 months ago. Today it is nominated at the Nice International Film Festival. Young handsome, charming, ollier Winthrop, heir to Winthrop Manufacturing is enticed by a crusty old political boss, Al Caso to run for Mayor of the City. The scheme is to utilize the reputation of a prominent family to split the opposition party vote majority. But there is a threat of losing some of his own party base through the disappointment of not being anointed themselves. Caso is running a risk and it could be his head if he is not successful. In this story, they talk, up front and personal”. - F. Ethan Repp.
Run Time 8 Mins
The Wonderful A Script By Demitra Papadinis
Screenplay written
by Colin Stewart based on the novel
“Power Play” by F. Ethan Repp.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
the bench Directed By Kevin Phillips
Absolute power corrupts…Your every thought is mine…That Feeling that marches like an army up the back of your neck! The high pitched noise that rings through your ears…is them! ‘The Bench - Your Every Thought Is Mine’ tells the story of the troubles that can haunt the underprivileged with a modern twist of the supernatural. It follows Dawid and Jo, two homeless boys in Poland. Dawid has an accident and develops a supernatural power that changes everything and attracts attention of the worst kind. Soon, the boys are engulfed in a bitter battle between good and evil. With danger lurking around every corner their lives are hanging in the balance and their souls to be claimed. STEVEN KNAPIK MBE, Chairman of Blue Balloon Children’s Charity ‘This is not just a movie, it’s a device that brought people together and has bonded communities. It’s an example of what can be achieved when people work together and what can be achieved when you truly believe in something’.
24
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
The film had the inclusion of children and adults from the ‘Blue Balloon Children’s Charity’, actors and staff from the schools in Poland and Wales along with a dedicated team of film makers whose studios are based in Blaenau Gwent. But this project is not like any other movie. The history behind this film is just as extraordinary as our character’s power. KEVIN PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR ‘We were told what we wanted to do was impossible, our first independent movie, in a foreign language, filmed on the other side of Europe, involving young people with no experience. We were told we were mad…but we did it nevertheless.’
The film stands as an example of international teamwork. For the first time, people of the Welsh Valleys and Legnica came together to make this extraordinary film that has built strong relationships between communities. Most of all it provided a chance for young people to be part of a movie. The entire cast has never acted before, but performed with the professionalism and high standards of seasoned actors. This was instrumental to the success of the movie as the company had a window of just 14 days to shoot. One of the things that is so special is the inclusion of Welsh pupils from Deighton Primary School and Pen-y-Cwm Special School, including students with special needs. BOZENA ZAKWICZ, HEAD TEACHER OF SPECIAL SCHOOLS, LEGNICA ‘The difference made to these children’s lives by them being part of your film is something that will stay with them all their lives.’
/greenvalleyfilms
Filmed in Polish with English Subtitles
Supernatural
Run Time 88 Mins
Drama
Run Time 25 Mins
THE KIDNAPPING OF A FISH Producer: John D. Hay, Jr DP: Patrick Phillips Written/Edited/Directed: Philip A. Ramos
HOW DID A MIXED GENRE FILM THAT FOLLOWS A COMPLICATED LOVE STORY INVOLVING A KIDNAPPING COME TO LIFE? I think we can all find this one pivotal moment when a project comes together or when life changes and for me that moment was meeting Writer/Director/Producer John D. Hay. Jr. I think it’s hard to believe in yourself and put things together if you don’t surround yourself with people that have the same passion and also believe in you. John believed in me enough that he asked me to produce his web series Work, In Progress (available on Stream TV). Shooting that series with his best friend Cinematographer Patrick Phillips reminded me that I went to New York University film school because I wanted to write and direct. My father passing away at the same time just solidified that I wasn’t following my true passion as he always believed that I would achieve but will now not see. I asked my friends John and Pat – their production company is at teambiscuitfilms.com – if they would be willing to do a short that I would write and direct. In asking them, I felt like a high school kid asking if I could sit at their table. Instead of saying, “We don’t want to do your fish movie”, they simply said “Let’s do it” without any hesitation. It was simply unheard of for me to hear such enthusiasm, so unheard of that I had not written a script yet. I had written this feature with similar elements called Mr. Trevor and I used that as the basis for The Kidnapping of a Fish so that I could use it as a proof of concept. Thatstormfilms.com
mcflyfilm@gmail.com
I managed to write a longer version of this short in three weeks while also having a full time job on the Debra Messing show The Mysteries of Laura. This film was shot with a four person crew with the Sony Fs7 for five days in New York City. It has gone to 20 film festivals including Hollyshorts and the Edmonton Film Festival and has won awards for Best Short, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Cinematography. It won the audience award at the Switzerland based Ouchy Awards. All sights are now set on shooting the feature film, Mr. Trevor, and with all the joys of funding, the hope is that lightning will strike twice! Philip A. Ramos
@mcflyfilm
@jdaltonhay
@phillipsfilms
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
OPEN DOOR With two documentaries in competition, here acclaimed documentary maker Noel Izon, gives us some extraordinary background to these thought provoking films including an opening personal family connection to “An Open Door”.
26
“Of the 1305 Jews who were able to make it to Manila, two of them are very important to me and to who I am today. The first was an Austrian physician named Otto Zelezny. He came to the Philippines in 1938 and eventually became friends with my father. When my father became deathly ill in 1945, he saved my father’s life. So I would not be talking with you today if it were not for the skill of this doctor. Between my younger sister and me, we have eight children and six grandchildren. The other Jew that was very instrumental in my life was Dr. Herbert Zipper, He had been to two concentration camps before he got a visa to be the conductor of The Manila Symphony Orchestra. Fortunately he stayed on after the war and I got a chance to meet him personally when I was in 5th Grade. He brought the Manila Symphony to my school and for the first time in my life I had an adult talking to me like I was an adult. He explained the construction of the orchestra and the symphony and various instruments and I was totally fascinated with this and because of him I began to play in a band that continues to this day. So one gave me my life and the other my lifelong love of music.” Noel Izon
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Noel Izon is an independent filmmaker based in Hyattsville, MD. He was born in Tondo Manila in 1946, the year the Philippines attained full independence. He is the fifth child of acclaimed Filipino cartoonist and artist Esmeraldo Z. Izon. He moved to the United States in 1967. He has been involved in creative and broadcast design and production for over four decades. His production credits encompass more than 250 films and videos. He has filmed internationally in Asia, Europe, the United States and Israel. He has won many national awards for his work, which include some 100 nationally televised programs produced mainly for PBS and for National Geographic Television. He has produced films and videos for numerous national and international clients including the White House and the Vatican. AN OPEN DOOR: HOLOCAUST HAVEN IN THE PHILIPPINES A dramatic story of rescue and friendship and how the Philippines was able to provide sanctuary to more than 1305 Jews fleeing Nazi Europe prior to 1941 and is the third in Noel’s trilogy of forgotten WWII Stories. In the1930’s, when nations of the world were closing their doors to refugee Jews fleeing the growing horror of Hitler’s Germany, one small island nation in the Pacific chose to do what others would not – save those lives. On July 6, 1938, 80 delegates from 32 countries around the world met at a French resort in Evian-les-Bains at US President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s request to address the growing Jewish refugee crisis in Hitler’s Greater German Reich. Over 200 international journalists and representatives from Jewish relief organizations recorded 10 days of deliberation by the delegates that ultimately failed to perform the task for which they were assembled – to save Germany’s persecuted Jews through orchestrated resettlement. It can be characterized as one of the greatest diplomatic and humanitarian failures of 20th century Western civilization. Not one of the attending delegations voiced a commitment to either lift or suspend their nation’s quota restrictions within their immigration laws or vowed to increase the numbers of Jewish refugees entering their country by offering them political asylum. But while these relatively low-level diplomats, mostly from the Western nations in Europe and the Americas, lamented the plight of the refugees without offering any solutions, the small Asian nation of the Philippines had already set a rescue plan into operation.
Holocaust historian, Bonnie M. Harris, Filipino-American historian, Sharon Delmendo, and award-winning Philippine filmmaker, Noel “Sonny” Izon, have collaborated in creating a timely documentary, “An Open Door: Holocaust Haven in the Philippines,” in which this previously unknown episode in history has been beautifully captured. And while this rescue, orchestrated and empowered through Pres. Quezon, ultimately saved these refugees from the uncertainty of Europe’s future, it also gave them a new welcoming homeland as the Filipino people opened their hearts and accepted them within the fabric of Philippine society. This event in history, the rescuing of 1,300 refugee Jews by the small Asian Commonwealth nation of the Philippines, saved these persecuted Jews of Europe from the fate of the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, and while 1,300 Jewish lives, when compared to six million Jewish victims of Nazi atrocities, are not so many, to those hundreds who found a haven in Manila, each Jewish life that was rescued was a blessing for the more than 8,000 members of their current posterity. The greatest legacy of the Holocaust Haven created in the Philippines and retold in Izon’s film will always be this – they healed wounds inflicted by the worst of times as only the Filipinos can. Bonnie M. Harris, Ph.D. Lecturer, Dept. of History, San Diego State University, Grossmont College, Southwestern College
Documentary
Run Time 78 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
CHOCOLATE SOLDIERS Choc’late Soldiers from the USA is a feature length documentary on a little known episode of World War II. It is the untold history of 140,000 African American soldiers sent to Great Britain during WWII. It becomes an explosive story when a thoroughly segregated US Army collides with a racially non-restrictive England. In the years leading up to D-Day, Black GIsand English citizens develop friendships and serious relationships, some even leading to matrimony. The responses from the US Army and ordinary white GIs to this unexpected social phenomenon bring American racial policies and practices under close and unflattering scrutiny. It is ironic that while these African American soldiers are valiantly fighting the organized racism of Nazi Germany, they also are serving in a segregated US Army. It is a testament to the goodwill of the English people, that despite their history of colonial expansion, they treat Black troops with genuine dignity and respect, and in some cases, love. Veteran John Wood expresses a widely held belief among Black GIs when he states: “They treated us as Americans, but they (the British) knew we were different Americans.
Choc’late Soldiers from the USA examines social experiences born of the unique circumstances of 1.6 million American soldiers stationed among British civilians. For African American soldiers, navigating their way through a predominantly white, colorblind society is novel but relatively easy. However, the barriers imposed by the US Army and American culture will prove more problematic. For British civilians who bond with Black GIs, learning about the American way of life, is life altering. Irene “Girlie” George, now in her nineties, still gushes about her days working in the Red Cross Club in Bristol, saying, “It was the most memorable experience of my life.” Choc’late Soldiers from the USA is a character-driven story in which subjects discuss a variety of “social” issues including the African American cultural aesthetic, Jim Crow, and the interracial dating that would ignite violent behaviors among many ordinary white Americans. This film is conceived as a conversation among African American GIs, historians and English civilians who share personal anecdotes and observations of WWII England and of the time
when Black GIs became part of their social landscape. The characters’ unique experiences are captured in first person interviews at locations of personal or historical significance. The era is coaxed to life through personal photographs, period recreations, archival stills and film, artist’s depictions, and Hollywood movie clips. It has an original score by Charlie Barnett. Renowned American
and British historians provide historical context and political subtext pertaining to the African American sojourn in England. Choc’late Soldiers from the USA focuses on the human drama, engaging the recollections of Black soldiers and English civilians, all of whom share with us their insights and stories. It is a rare political and social event that one historian once described as a “utopian interracial moment.”
Documentary
Run Time 61 Mins
27
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
TIKTOK TIKTOK Filmmaker: Shomshuklla
Tiktok Tiktok is a psychological, surreal, erotic film. When I wrote the script, I was clear that the story would be told in a manner that is very different from how erotic cinema is visualized. The film is about a restaurateur and a journalist who meet for an interview and the romance that brews. I chose to create visuals and storytelling unique to my style, which is quite abstract and grips the audience’s attention. The use of the clock, as a symbol to show the ebb and flow of time is an important character in the film. Props, which I use to enhance my stories, are also used in a very interesting manner not simply aiding the actors but becoming integral by themselves. Poetry too finds a place within the threads of the story as the romance unravels. Tiktok Tiktok was a great journey because of my team and actors – Uditvanu Das, Mia Maelzar and Sohini Mukherjee Roy. All of them have been collaborating with me since the days of my theatre group Kali Theatre. It was great to be able to complete the film in the way I dreamt it. This is my first English language feature film, and so after three films, holds a very special place for me.
28
stagelines.blogspot.com
Psychological
Run Time 73 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
RANDOM KARMA Filmmakers Are Doing it For Themselves Los Angeles, CA, – January, 2017 – The digital age has created a space where more people have access to making Hollywood quality films without Hollywood sized budgets. New filmmakers, like Randy Ayres, MD, have taken advantage of lessons from master teachers online and YouTube tutorials from sources like Film Riot and MZED. Ayres applied his DIY learning to create his new independent feature film, Random Karma, an official selection of the 2017 London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema.
30
Ryan Connolly from Film Riot was a major inspiration for Ayres during the production of Random Karma. Through the Film Riot YouTube channel,Connolly shares hundreds of short films, then shows his audience how he pulled them off. Ayres directly applied lessons from “so many of Film Riot’s episodes covering gear reviews, fight choreography, music video lighting technique, and cinematography with fog.”Ayres says thanks to Film Riot he was “able to get the right movie making tools for Random Karma, quickly capture coverage with lots of angles, push through and get everything needed in post without having to reshoot anything or do any ADR.” As many filmmakers know, creating an efficient workflow is key to completing a project within budget and on time. Through MZed classes with Alex Buono, Ayres learned professional workflow and set management. “[Buono’s] SNL style approximates the run-ngun, guerilla shooting that Indie filmmakers have to master. “We never have enough of anything, especially time, and we still have to get it done. Alex works under the gun like that every week and gets it on air every Saturday night at 11:00 not because it’s ready but because it’s 11:00. He’s the real deal and I was so lucky to learn from him.”
Ayres also says former BBC cinematographer Phillip Bloom was instrumental in his online education. “Bloom does so many awesome videos and blog posts. He does excellent detailed gear reviews/ demos and gives away so much technical and artistic wisdom.” Check out Ayres application of his master class lessons in the new independent feature film Random Karma, an official selection of the 2017 London International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema. Random Karma has been nominated by the festival in the following categories: Best Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Lead Actor for Zak Marzouq, Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects. For show-times and more information about the festival please go to their website: http:// filmfestinternational.com/ london
Vincent Laforet was another major influence to Ayres work. MZed offered a course on directing motion from the Pulitzer Prize winning photographer,Ayres shared, “[Laforet] taught me the value of moving a camera and how to move it by studying the masters including some amazing single take tracking shots from Children of Men, Goodfellas, and True Detective – plus lighting, framing, composition, and professional workflow on set.” randomkarmamovie.com
Teri Gamble, MEDIA CIRCUS, teri@mediacircuspr.com
Drama
Run Time 105 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
PREY FOR ME In this interview, Film The Magazine caught up with director David Spring and writer Craig Murphy, the creative duo behind this stunning short film that has received multiple nominations at this year’s London International Filmmaker Festival.
FTM: Please can you tell us the genesis of “Prey for Me” – where did it come from? CM: The idea for “Prey for Me” came from a documentary I had watched, about a notorious American hitman, Richard Kuklinski, who was nicknamed the “Iceman”. Then a few years ago an actual feature film was made and, I really felt that it didn’t give any justice to the character of Kuklinski and some of the most terrifying aspects of his criminal life were kind of ignored. And at the time, I didn’t really think about it and it was only when I met David and found out that he was into making short films that things started to happen! Then one morning (when I was very hungover!) I decided to watch the original documentary and that’s when the ideas sparked and I literally thought, why I don’t do something with this!
32
DS: And when I saw the script, what I loved about Craig’s writing and why I wanted to do it... I mean I really thought the dialogue was excellent - it was not the kind of dialogue you would expect to hear in a crime thriller - and the two characters at the heart of it were, I thought, absolutely captivating. Some of the key elements from it reminded me of theatre. FTM: The look of this film is beautiful, really well shot.... DS: A lot of that was down to Ali Moore (the DOP). I mean Craig and I had some clear ideas about what we wanted to do visually. For instance he always had in mind darkness all around, and harsh lights, ‘intense and drawing you in’, whilst I had imagined neon blue as a colour theme, because when I was reading the script I felt there was a kind of ethereal dimension that permeated it.
And because those visual references were so specific, Ali instantly ‘got’ what we were going for, and together with the gaffer and set design team, devised a set and overall look that were so much grander than Craig and I could ever have imagined. It was important for us that the claustrophobic setting in which this face-off takes place, had to become a character in its own right. FTM: Both of the lead actors, Neil Hobbs & Tommie Grabiec are amazing, how did you came across them? CM: We were so lucky! We had an audition day and it just wasn’t working and to be honest it wasn’t looking brilliant. For instance some guy kept forgetting his lines and then we tried a bit of improvisation with him and I was playing Neil’s role (Guy) and it all just fell apart! DS: And during that day we actually thought OK, this is going to take a lot longer than we had planned! But you know what, incredible things can happen because we had actually toyed with the idea of auditioning two actors together as the concept of the film is the confrontation between two people so then we made the actual decision to audition the actors in pairs. To be frank, most of them could not do it but by sheer luck Neil and Tommie just happened to be available at the same time and of course they auditioned together and would you believe they were also the final two actors of the audition process! Literally there had been no clear winner for either role before that and then in came Tommie first and he blew us away! The air literally changed, he was incredible and when you put them together, the chemistry was amazing! CM: And with Tommie, the way he held himself, he was just so cold and steely and intimidating and Neil just played off of that perfectly and no disrespect to all of the other actors, they were just trying to be charismatic and too “quick” – which wasn’t quite suited for the roles we wanted to fill.
www.preyformefilm.com
Drama
Run Time 17 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
34
㌀㨀㔀㔀瀀洀 匀挀爀攀攀渀椀渀最 刀漀漀洀 ㈀
www.thomaschapinfilm.com
Documentary
Run Time 97 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
THE 13TH STEP Filmmaker: Monica Richardson
The 13th Step is a feature-length documentary that exposes the secret, long-hidden truth about the world’s most revered alcohol recovery group: the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. This film explores that the worldwide group has become a haven for sexual predators and violent criminals due to court ordered plea-bargaining. “The 13th Step” is the “BlackFish” of the recovery world, a $12 billion industry. It shows for the first time how predators are using the anonymity factor to prey on society’s most vulnerable members. AA members and the public have no idea this is going on. The film covers the religious aspect of AA and how after 80 years it has never been updated and reveals other free options.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
DIRECTOR STATEMENT I was passionately moved to make this film when I discovered that violent criminals and sex offenders were and are still are being court ordered into AA meetings, unknown to the public and AA members. As a result, innocent people looking for help are being sexually harassed, financially scammed, raped and murdered. Some of the victims are small children. I founded a grassroots movement called “Make AA Safer” and although I am no longer a part of AA, I was for over three decades. When Alcoholics Anonymous World Services was asked to help with these issues, they voted to do nothing. In 2010, Kristine Cass and her 13 year old daughter, Saundra, were murdered by a man court ordered to attend AA in Hawaii. After this murder, I felt I needed to leave in order to change things. I have been making this film since May of 2011, investing my own money, time and equipment. An Indigogo Campaign raised $25,000. During that time I travelled across the country interviewing victims and former AA board members. There is a huge sub culture following the film already, which warns the public and addresses issues that are being covered up. It’s a Black Fish meets Sexual Predators in The Church type of situation Monica Richardson
36
the13thstepfilm.com
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE Writer: Kris Swinnen Director: Quirine Dongelmans Actors: Kris Swinnen and T’Lane Balue
“Stuck in the Middle” is a universal story that everyone can relate to. Alvin is a social guy who meets a beautiful girl, Chelsea, and he falls in love immediately. Unfortunately Alvin thinks Chelsea is out of his league, so his best friend, Peter, starts a relationship with Chelsea. Peter is a good friend to Alvin but when it comes to women, he is a player. Whenever Chelsea has problems, she always goes to Alvin to relieve her heart.
Documentary
Run Time 71 Mins
Romantic/Comedy
Run Time 7 Mins
After several breakups and fights, Chelsea finds out that Peter is cheating on her, something Alvin already knew but wasn’t at liberty to say to Chelsea. When Chelsea comes to Alvin and finds out that Alvin knew about Peter’s cheating, Alvin doesn’t know what to do. Should he choose the side of his friend Peter or take Chelsea’s side by telling her that he loves her? And if he tells her that he has feelings for her, is she going to accept his feelings or will Chelsea place Alvin in the same category as Peter? Is this true love and will this love survive? “Stuck in the Middle” is a short movie filled with laughter and tears.
Not the End of the World Jordan Heron
a short film by Jordan Heron Ross Goodfellow, Director of Photography/Editor Adam Smith, Assistant Director Jeannie Warner, Original Short Story Š 2016 Discrete Reality Productions www.discreterealityproductions.com
Adam Nicholson
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
a reason to leave A Film By Norman Gregory
“A Reason to Leave” was the first feature film directed by Norman Gregory. Despite its tiny £50,000 budget, the team behind the movie has won three prestigious awards including “Best Lead Actor” and “Best Director” at the International Film Festival of World Cinema – Milan and “Best Drama” in the UK’s National Film Awards. The film has also been nominated for five further awards at this month’s International Film Festival of World Cinema – London. The movie stars two of the UK’s best-known screen faces. Coronation Street’s Claire King and The Bill’s Mark Wingett, alongside young actor Alice Bird, who is best known for playing Lizzy in Footballers’ Wives. The film is a tragic redemption story based around Harry Webster (Wingett) a man who has made mistakes and fallen prey to gambling and alcohol. Having decided to end his life he boards a cross channel ferry intending to jump over the side and drown. However he meets a young woman on board, Bethany (Bird) who offers him the chance of working in her mother Sarah’s (King) vineyard in Tuscany. As the story unfolds in the beautiful setting of the Tuscan hills, it is revealed that Harry is not the only one who has secrets. Can he escape his past? Director Norman Gregory trained at RADA and had a successful career as an actor before studying Digital Film and Television at Bournemouth University’s prestigious Media School. “A Reason to Leave” began as the final film project for his Masters Degree. The idea for the film came from an item on the local news and was developed by Norman and screenwriter James Cottle. A rough cut was sufficient for the University’s requirements but not for Norman. Many months of post-production from a dedicated team and an original score from composer Paul Fincham; led to what has now become an award winning feature film. Norman says: “I knew I had a great script and fantastic actors, but the film’s success has been a wonderful surprise. Making the film wasn’t easy but we’re so proud of the finished result”. The limited budget meant that Norman had to call in many favours including the assistance of Casting Director Suzy Korel who secured Mark Wingett for the role of Harry. The Tuscan Film Commission were also supportive and arranged for filming in an area of the National Park at San Rossore not open to the public. This did involve the services of a ranger, armed with a rifle, in case cast and crew were attacked by wild boars as night fell! Although Norman could count on the support of fellow MA students in the making of the film there were areas of expertise where professional assistance was required. Continued on the next page
39
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
A recurring theme in the film is drowning and not only did this require a Cinematographer skilled in this area but also an actor who was happy to “drown” more than once. Norman approached Franz Pagot a renowned underwater cinematographer whose work he admired. Franz agreed to work with Norman and they quickly established a fruitful working relationship. Mark Wingett the actor who plays Harry is an experienced diver and he did not balk at acting whilst totally immersed underwater and sharing Franz’s oxygen! Filming took place under strict safety supervision at the RNLI’s deep water tank in Poole. There are exciting times ahead. Norman is now working on his second feature an “Austenesque” drama set in the Regency period which brings together two of the best loved characters of English literature with intriguing results. This time the budget will be in the region of £3 million and Norman is delighted to be working with Betsan MorrisEvans as Producer. Her recent work includes the acclaimed BBC drama NW and the award winning feature film Dusty and Me. The screenplay is now being finalised and Norman is once again collaborating with Paul Fincham on the score; he has already composed the music for the film’s teaser. Filming is due to start within a few months and will take place in various UK locations including Lyme Regis and Dorchester, Bath as well as in Italy. “A reason to return” to Tuscany for Norman and his team! Drama
www.areasontoleave.com
40
Run Time 94 Mins
PAUL fincham Film the Magazine is delighted to interview Paul Fincham, the music composer of the award winning film “A Reason to Leave” who has been nominated for Best Original Score at The London International Filmmaker Festival 2017.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND? There are many routes into film composing but I would take a punt on mine being unique. I started making up tunes at the piano almost as soon as I could play it, wrote a lot of music at school and at university where I read music and was Music Director of Cambridge Footlights (vintage years, I went to the Edinburgh Festival with the likes of Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and the rest). Took a long break doing other (sensible) stuff and came back to composing four years ago when I worked on a score for Summer in February. That didn’t come off but I got the bug, got an agent, set up my studio, launched a record label and published a CD and here I am. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN A REASON TO LEAVE? My agency at the time, ARG, pitched me to Norman Gregory days before he was due to confirm the appointment of another composer. He came to my studio, we got on, we listened to some stuff and talked about film music at length. He took away my CD, mulled it over and decided to back me. www.paulfincham.com
At that time I had completed lots of shorts, several with the film unit at RADA, but this was a big deal for me as my first feature film.
both in terms of genre, shaping individual cues to camera and shaping the overall structure of the score.
ARTL has been great for me, I love the settings in Dorset and Tuscany and was determined to capture the brooding intensity which comes across so powerfully in Mark Wingett’s lead, Harry Webster. Watch it, you will see what I mean.
And you have to make sure at all times that the director (and editor!) are getting exactly what they want. Sounds trite but it’s true: film making is all about collaboration.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL FILM SCORING? Tricky that as every project makes different demands. You have to write strong, memorable themes, every outstanding film score has one or more of those. And you have to be flexible,
ANY REGRETS THAT YOU DIDN’T PURSUE IT STRAIGHT OUT OF CAMBRIDGE? I have less experience than if I had been jobbing it out for the last 20 years but on the other hand I am pretty sure I am writing better music, fresher, more passion. ANY REGRETS? Ask me that one in 20 years time. Represented By SMA Talent
Nominated at The London IFF 2017 for Best Original Score
PAUL FINCHAM COMPOSER
Represented by
www.paulfincham.com fincham.p@gmail.com (+44)7775 742665
SEARCHING FOR THE ANIMAL A film by Daniela Goggel
Searching for the Animal is a path inside the secret lives of people subjected by gender violence in the marginal neighbourhood’s of Medellin during the past six decades in Colombia, revealed through the world renowned film director Victor Gaviria’s process while creating the fictional film The Animal’s Wife. A narrative journey that intertwines the experience of a filmmaking master who, whilst investigating discovers those who through their testimony inspire the creation of the film, recreated, improvised by people chosen because they shared the authenticity of a lived pain. Navigating through the cacophony of narrations to hear a unified denouncing voice. Víctor Gaviria has been internationally acclaimed for his work with natural actors. This documentary is a window into his complex investigative, almost anthropological work in the creative process. “Rodrigo D: No Future” (1990) Cannes Official Selection. “The Rose Seller” (1998) Cannes Official Selection. “Additions and Subtractions” (2004) San Sebastian Official Selection. The Animal’s Wife (2016) Toronto TIFF Official Selection. www.lamujerdelanimal.com
a POLO A TIERRA production in co-production with VIGA PRODUCCIONES & RTVC SEAL COLOMBIA with MARGARITA, VICTOR GAVIRIA, direct sound SEBASTIAN ALARCON VELEZ, camera operator JOHN FREDY OCAMPO, sound design DANIEL GARCES NAJAR, original music LUIS FERNANDO FRANCO, editing JUAN CAMILO RAMIREZ, DANI GOGGEL & CARLOS GUERRERO, delegate producer LUIS CARLOS URRUTIA & SANDRA MOLANO, executive producer ERWIN GOGGEL, producer DANIELA GOGGEL, VICTOR GAVIRIA, VLADIMIR PEÑA & FRANCISCO PULGARIN, written by DANI GOGGEL, VICTOR GAVIRIA & JUAN CAMILO RAMIREZ, directed by DANI GOGGEL.
Documentary
Run Time 76 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Promises Halimo can’t keep A Short film by Paula Palacios
Promises Halimo can’t keep is an intimate portrait of a Somali refugee mother who has fled the conflict in her country leaving her two baby daughters behind with her mother. In this documentary Halimo confesses, for real, to her children, through a letter that the person with whom they live is not their mother, as they believe, but their grandmother and will explain to them the reasons why she had to abandon them. Halimo’s journey will bring us to more than 10 countries until arriving in Austria, where she lives today. Entering Iran, her arrival by boat in Lesbos, Greece, travelling by foot through many European countries are some of the moments narrated and illustrated in this documentary. This Somali mother shows us how hard it is to undertake a new life as a refugee, away from her daughters, in an environment that although peaceful, is far from what she imagined when leaving her homeland. Being far from her children, Halimo can’t promise them that they will be safe. The director of this documentary, Paula Palacios, has been working about refugees and women for the last 10 years.
42
I DARE YOU Written & Directed by Eli Klein
THE STORY: ELI KLEIN An enigmatic plague erupts and proves unstoppable as the dead suddenly resurrect and contaminate the living. The army begins executing the infected to stop the outbreak. Eventually the situation is controlled and life returns to normality, or so it seems.... “Ever since I can remember I loved movies. I watched a lot of making of programs to learn how movies were made. When I grew up and I told my parents I wanted to study film and make movies, they told me that there are so many people who want to do this, but only a few manage to succeed, a waste of time and effort for me and a waste of their money. My love of cinema did not diminish but I could not pay for my film classes. A few years later a friend of mine that worked in one of the major production houses, told me that they were looking for someone for a role and I was lucky enough to get the position! I learned to edit and became editor of the production house, then I started directing projects, first for myself and then commercial projects. I directed TV commercials, government films, a pilot for a network comedy series, video clips and promotional videos. www.idareyoumovie.com
/idaremovie
With Promises Halimo can’t keep, Paula has used both video and still photographic image. She believes that still image has a powerful impact and helps creating an emotional response. She has created an atmosphere where imagery and direct cinema are combined in a short story that travels far. The Spanish production company Morada Films has produced this documentary with the support of Aljazeera Documentary Channel. Documentary
Run Time 15 Mins
Thriller
Run Time 19 Mins
After I left the production house I started ILLUSION 7 and continued directing projects of the same order of magnitude, but my desire to make films did not stop. One day I was approached by a singer, who wanted to make a music video, I had an idea for a horror movie script which would be the length of a song about 3 minutes. During pre-production the singer told me that encountered financial problems and he can’t afford to produce the music video. I really loved the idea and did not want to give up so I decided to develop it into a short film. I created an independent production and directed and produced the film, which is now making a round of world festivals and has won awards and I’m very happy. I’m currently working on a script for a full-length horror and I’ll be interested in returning to the world of I DARE YOU which I believe has tremendous potential to become a television series or movie. At the same time I am looking for other interesting projects to direct.”
Christopher Cohen
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
JOURNEY NOTES A Short film by Andrea Natale
The film “Journey Notes” original title “Appunti di viaggio” follows a series of works in which the director, Andrea Natale shows original variations on the theme of disease, which turns into a discovery tool and regeneration: blindness, autism, gambling addiction, narcolepsy and even other social issues, such as the mafia, adoption, war and so on. Giulio Negliais Giovanni Del Bello,the star of “Appunti di Viaggio”, is a famous reviewer of hotels and apparently suffers from mysophobia, which is the fear of physical contact with other people.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
This short film was distributed in November 2016 and was presented in a preview in May 2016 at the AGIS - Associazione Generale Italiana dello Spettacolo - in Rome and has two nomination at The International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema London 2017:
- Best Director of a Short Foreign Language Film Andrea Natale - Best Lead Actor in a Foreign Language Film Giulio Neglia
The young hotel manager - played by Edoardo Purgatori - and his staff - MicheleEmanuele di Luca, the receptionist Matteo Milani,the waitress Camilla Bianchini and the employee Felice Capogrosso will all be sorely tested by the reviewer. The journey begins and ends with the same taxi driver,Marco Patania, showing that even our perception of others, like that of Giovanni, comes from our state of mind. The events on the screen also follow in the musical notes (the tune) of “Albergo Sognatori” by the singer Salamone. Giulio Neglia has recently participated in the film “Notte di quiete” by Daniele Malavolta, with the same production company (Ipnotica s.r.l.s).
44
Drama
www.andreanataleregista.it
Run Time 13 Mins
FATHER A film by Lella Satie
“Father is a short film about a young boy who creates his own inner world to escape the daily realities of his life. When the real world clashes with his innocence, he runs to his safety”. FTM: Why did you decide to make this film, how did you go about writing the story? LS: I wrote this film because I wanted to create a dramatic role for myself as an actress. I kept writing several drafts and the more I developed the story the clearer I was on having to direct the film in order to serve the story. I wanted to tell a story about family conflicts and deeper emotional struggles without judging the characters, just telling a story.
FTM: What’s the best thing about filmmaking? LS: The best thing about filmmaking is telling a story, creating and being creative. It’s also about collaborations and allowing everyone involved to express themselves and contribute to the story.
FTM: When/why did you decide that film-making was going to be your career? LS: I have been fascinated about storytelling, theatre and performance since I was a child. I also felt deeply and my empathic nature wanted to express other people’s stories. Acting and performing became the first expression of this industry and now it’s also writing and directing.
FTM: When you watch a film do you ever get annoyed or angry with a common theme that you see over and over again? LS: I don’t have this experience because I watch films from international filmmakers and not just Hollywood. Sometimes it’s older work by great masters. I like to see films by Wachowskis, Woody Allen, Lars Von Trier, Emir Kusturica and the late Abbas Kiarostami to name just a few.
www.ShortFilmFather.com
FTM: How do you keep your ideas, writing and filmmaking fresh? LS: Sometimes I have more ideas than I can execute. It’s a flow, and when I’m working on a project and want to see it happen it’s being consistent with the work that keeps it “fresh” and the inspiration flowing. FTM: When you saw “Father” for the first time as a completed film and with other people around you, what went through your head and heart? LS: I was happy that after so much hard work the film was there and what started as a thought was real. I also think I could keep perfecting it but there came a time when I just had to stop and say we got what we got and move on. Drama
Run Time 9 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
THE FILM INDUSTRY NETWORK IS PROUD TO BE PART OF ‘INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA LONDON 2017.’ INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA LONDON, February 2017 - Sees the continuation of The Film Industry Network (TFIN) with membership and advisory services to film makers who wish to seek film advice with regards to film structure, production set up, finance, world sales and distribution. Co-founded by Ray Davies and partner Paul Eyres along with a group of advisors from various areas of film and television expertise, TFIN continues to provide a unique support service that is currently non-existent outside a handful of exclusive producer representatives worldwide. “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW – IT’S WHO YOU KNOW THAT MATTERS” TFIN exists because we have a strong proven working knowledge of this intricate and complicated industry - ‘we know how it works’ and ‘we know how to work it to help clients succeed’ - says Ray Davies of TFIN. TFIN are extremely proud to have available to members access to an extensive list of additional dedicated services and resources essential to satisfy the various and often complicated steps required for any project to reach fruition. These in-house services and ‘Go-To’ relationships built by our team over many decades complete the necessary stages of process and development ordinarily outside the scope of knowledge and certainly beyond normal access of anyone without extensive experience and contacts. We have extensive in-house skills and experience and solid ‘Go-To’ associate agreements in place with leading global resources specifically to ensure we cover every base with total confidence to help members achieve whatever their requirement. Membership packages are bespoke, ranging from basic support to fully comprehensive. Running across the annual festival circuit, each tailored to a client’s individual needs and structured to provide privileged access to industry mentors. With links to knowledge, experience and seasoned connections to help steer you clear of the industry rocks, it should help to avoid making mistakes that could damage real opportunity.
‘TFIN’ 2017 AND BEYOND! TFIN are looking to open new doors to support client’s needs and in 2017 we are expanding on the team, bringing our next service into play. To expand connections further we are looking to appoint relationship managers in Europe and North America rolling out strategies to support TFIN Social networking, Film making, Producers, Directors, Script Writers, Entrepreneurs with new and exciting distribution market strategies. Our fabulous relationship with ‘FFI’ has taken a new step and we would welcome contact from servicing, commercial finance or insurance groups with interest in supporting the next generation of talent in film making. We want to thank everyone that made us feel part of their journey, ‘YES’ we give advice but for us knowledge shared is a huge part of what makes ‘TFIN’ a success. It was not developed to gather aimless members; it was specifically created to drive careers! ‘TFIN’ BREAKING BARRIERS! Take advantage of the 15 minute pitch in ‘The Producers Lounge!’ Finished Product or In Development? Let TFIN FFI’s client liaison team know your needs and reserve a place! This could be the pitch that changes your career path! ‘TFIN’ HELPS YOU TO HELP PROJECTS YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN, WANT TO KNOW MORE? We believe that paying forward is worth rewarding, refer two friends to TFIN that can really benefit from our support and get your / renewal membership absolutely FREE, complete with access to our showcase to distributors.
“I’m extremely proud to continue this unique service at London 2017 Int’l Film Festival”
- Ray Davies
Do you have: •
a commercially viable
finished film seeking route
to market?
•
a script you feel could be
the next big box office
success? •
a TV project you feel could
be the next franchise
success?
Do you need: •
help with planning or maybe
just help with a pitch pack?
‘Congratulations! You’ve made it this far, now take the first big step! For information on how we can help drive and grow a route to market for Producers / Members, email the team:
‘We don’t promise miracles and not every project of course will become an overnight success, but we do promise to look diligently at every project we receive and to give our members genuine and honest feedback, advice and support.‘ For further information please visit our website:
www.thefilmindustrynetwork.com Attending International Filmmaker Film Festival of World Cinema London 2017:
ray@thefilmindustrynetwork.com
45
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
THE BRIDGE A film by Cindy Iodice Written by Benton Sen
For many, there is a defining moment when the search for discovery leads back to you. For filmmaker Cindy Iodice, the journey became a bridge, connecting past with present, through a stunning visual display of memory, myth, and the beauty of storytelling. The Bridge, Iodice’s short film, is the story of a place located deep inside all of us. Inevitably, the film is about a women’s love, and her inability to reconcile her guilt and grief over a tragic loss and sudden death. For Iodice, her project is personal. “Prior to moving to Hawaii when I was eighteen, my family suffered a tragic loss. To this day, the events that surrounded the untimely death of my 18-year-old brother remain elusive. Today more than 35 years later, I have resigned myself to the fact that I may never know whether his death was accidental or intentional.” She says that she and her brother were as close as a big brother and little sister could be, and that her loss was devastating and her grief was insurmountable for countless years.
48
The Bridge has won numerous independent film awards and is praised by many who believe that in different ways, loss is universal. Pain, loss, guilt, grief and tragedy are some of life’s most challenging experiences. When asked about her perspective on the more difficult aspects of life Iodice said, “The capacity for human beings to survive and potentially thrive through these seemingly impossible obstacles is life changing for those who are able to survive such encounters.” The Bridge synopsis reveals that Pono, “a tenacious seven-year old boy who lives with his family in a tree house deep in the rainforest of Hawaii’s Manoa Valley”, finds himself in the middle of conflict. Although “Pono’s father provides critical ancestral knowledge through ancient Hawaiian beliefs, his Caucasian mother, however, is never fully able to embrace the traditional Hawaiian practices and customary beliefs. After a tragic event, Pono’s mom, Rachel, is forced to remain in a life that she has come to despise, on land that she has refused to embrace and in a culture that she’s never been able to fully appreciate.” When Pono encounters a group of night marchers - ghostly apparitions of ancient Hawaiian warriors - he must make a life-altering decision. For generations, encounters with armed spirit warriors or Hawaiian night marchers (huak’i po) believed to be en route to and from ancient battle have occurred on the family homestead, inspiring profound spiritual experiences for those who have come into contact with the primeval Hawaiian ghosts. www.islandgirlpictures.com
These are the phantoms of ancient Hawaiian warriors who are said to roam the islands at night. Hinaleimoana Wong Kalu, Chairperson of the Hawaiian Burial Council for the State of Hawaii and the film’s cultural consultant, says, “Ku puaka o ka po,” – every Hawaiian has heard of the “Marchers of the Night.” They cried, “Kapu o moe!” as a warning to stragglers to get out of the way or to prostrate themselves with closed eyes until the marchers passed. Wong says, “It brings forth elements of Hawaiian culture that speak to the ancestors that still show themselves and we call them “huaka’i o ka po” for those that march along the pathways at night and Hawaiians have a particular understanding of how we conduct ourselves when our ancestors show themselves in that way.” “The night marchers’ job wasn’t to terrorize people”, storyteller Lopaka Kapanui says. “It was simply to protect the most sacred, highranking chiefs. The night marchers showed mercy by traveling at night to spare people from harm. They carry torches. They march to the thunderous sound of drums. They give warning by sounding a conch shell. That’s when you know it’s time to run and hide.”
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
“If you’re already in the path of the night marchers’ trail, legend dictates you must strip naked and lie face down. There’s a rumor that peeing on yourself will keep you alive. Whatever you decide to do, don’t look at them! If you’re lucky enough to share a blood line with somebody marching in the procession, you’ll supposedly be saved.” The film emphasizes that there doesn’t necessarily need to be a conflict between cultural and spiritual beliefs and values. It encourages people to think. Like Pono and his mother in the film, what is the bridge that will connect lives? What exactly would I do? Where am I? Hinaleimoana Wong Kalu, also the film’s narrator, concluded with this final message: “...fear not the reflections of our own life experiences, for we of ourselves are the living images of our fore bearers, and you and I if we so aspire to embrace our destinies shall forge onward down the pathways our ancestors once walked. These are the pathways our future generations shall journey as well.” Connie Florez, the film’s producer, said that they shot the film over three dayson a very tight schedule. Preproduction and casting were held at Hawaii’s Filmmakers Collective (HFC). HFC is a community based, independent filmmakers collective, dedicated to encourage, promote and support independent film production in Hawaii, which was founded by Tom Schneider (editor of The Bridge) and Kainoa Rudolfo. (www. hifilmmakers.com.) Award- winning Art Director and Story Consultant Tony Apilado worked closely with Writer/Director Cindy Iodice from the onset. John Kuamo’o, was the Director of Photography, Meghan Paun the Art Director on set while Anthony AkoniIng choreographed the night marcher scene.
Moses Goods from the world-renowned Honolulu Hawaii Bishop Museum handled the Ancient Hawaiian artifacts. Mindful to the protocol of representation of the Hawaiian Culture, we were blessed to have Hinaleimoana Wong Kalu (Chairperson of the Hawaiian Burial Council) as our Adviser/ Consultant who also offered to narrate the film. When the film was screened on the continental U.S. the filmmakers asked for audience feedback. What did they consider the main message? Who are the night marchers? Did the film change their understanding of Hawaiian culture? The post-production team took the feedback seriously and went back to the editing room and made changes that would further the film’s cultural message and make The Bridge more accessible to global audiences. Audience reactions continue to be tremendous. The Bridge has won the following international film awards: The Hawaii International Shorts Film Festival Best of Hawaii Award, Reel Time International Online Film Festival Best Short Film Category Winner (Perth, Australia), New York Film and Television Festival Best Indigenous Film, F.A.M.E.U.S International Film Competition Bronze Award Tampa Bay Arts & Education Network Laurel of Excellence Award - with over 1.3 million television broadcast viewers (Tampa Bay, Florida), The Accolade Global Film Competition Award of Recognition (Los Angeles, California), Best Shorts Competition, Award of Recognition (Los Angeles, CA), and the IndieFEST Film Awards Award of Recognition (La Jolla, California). When asked about the film at one of the screenings, Iodice told the audience “her mother died of a broken heart never fully able to reconcile her guilt and grief over her sudden and tragic loss”. She went on to say, “Writing this screenplay gave me an opportunity to pen a different ending to my mother’s story allowing her to take the slightest step toward hope. The story The Bridge explores isn’t just personal” Iodice adds,” it’s universal.” Drama
Run Time 22 Mins
49
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
A Tale Of Water, Palm Trees And Family Here filmmaker Nasser Al dhaheri explains why he was passionate about bringing this incredible story to the screen.
Synopsis The long documentary “A Tale Of Water, Palm Trees And Family” is a deep-rooted journey in the UAE’s land, people and culture, through the trilogy of water, palm trees and people; the main components of UAE’s civilization. A tribute to the memory of those who worked hard in the past, and a reminder to future generations that today’s prosperity was made by the sweat and blood of the ancestors who carved rock for water, and cultivated palm trees for life. Can you provide a brief description of the origins behind your film and how you came to be involved. What was it about the story that particularly appealed to you? NA: It is a story of a triple: water, palm trees, and family, and how they met to establish a civilization in the place, and constitute a different culture. But the other people are ignorant of that culture; they know us through the camel, desert, and only oil. It is our real story.
50
How do you see this film in relation to your previous work as a filmmaker? NA: This film is completely different, a long movie, and beautiful tales, and professional in all, I think it should be a real film that viewers should watch it, to know the fact of the people of this region. How was the film financed? And were there any particular challenges that you encountered in trying to get your story told in the way you envisaged the film? NA: Finance is something that is personal, because I believe the role of cinema is in bringing the points of view of the people, and the exchange of different cultures, to live in peace and love. I did not find any difficulties because I am the storywriter, and at the same time, the director, maybe the first difficulty was the understanding of the technical language between the Dutch team portrayed and recording audio without knowing what is the story? And how will the film be? How would you describe the production process? Were there any memorable incidents that stand out during the filming process? NA: The work in this film took two years with post production in the Netherland and Germany. We toured in the Emirates from north to south and from east to west, we slept in the desert, and we went in the morning with the fishermen, and we ascended mountains, and ate in the middle of palm oases. One funny thing that happened was that while we were filming some bullfighting in Fujairah, we were attacked by a raging bull. Our camera was the first victim, because we all ran when we saw that bull coming at us!
There has been considerable talk of an emergent New Arab Cinema. Do you see evidence of that happening around you - and where would you place this particular film in the context of contemporary Arab filmmaking? NA: There is a new and serious Arab cinema, there are movies to be elevated globally, but there are few Arab films in production, and traded, especially after the State abandoned its huge film production. For my film I have my satisfaction, and I have a conviction including how it is made, the category is not something that I care too much about, but it is the first feature-length documentary produced in the UAE with high tech. What are you distribution hopes for this film? And what are your views in general of the distribution landscape for Arab cinema both in your home country and across the region at large? NA: The distribution is one of Arab cinemas main problems, but I hope my film will correct the distribution situation, because of the cultural value it carries and have been talking with many of the Arabic and English channels on this topic.
And finally, to end on an optimistic note, what has helped you most as an Arab filmmaker so far? What gives you most reason to be hopeful going forward? NA: Because I am lover of cinema, and a believer of the importance of cinema and its civilization and language, to communicate with other people to create a beautiful world of love and peace. This film experience, especially since it has won many international performances in cities around the world and will continue to be displayed in such film festivals and I hope that is shown in South America at the beginning of next year. Because, there are peoples that must recognize our civilization, and they are many and for so long far away from us, so we must go to them bringing a message of love, tolerance and communicate with other people. I’m very happy because I’m in London in the first presentation of the film in the UK and wish to obtain further satisfaction and public acceptance.
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Nasser Al dhaheri, an Emirati writer, journalist and award-winning photographer decided to make a feature-length documentary about his country and the roots that stretch back some 3,000 years. “My film is a story of three elements — Water, Palm Trees And Family — and how they met to establish a civilisation here that constitutes a unique culture,” says Al dhaheri. “But other people are ignorant of that culture.” Part of a noticeably large contingent of Emirati films making their world premieres at DIFF (Dubai International Film Festival), A Tale Of Water, Palm Trees And Family highlights the region’s ancestral dependency on two essential lifelines: water and the date palms that provide both food and materials for building houses and boats. In the Al Ain region of Abu Dhabi where Al dhaheri was born, there is evidence of the world’s oldest known falaj — the ancient network of underground water channels that was literally carved out of rock around 1,000BC. It is testament to a herculean effort — and engineering prowess — that many of these channels still remain the main source of irrigation in Al Ain today. “The work in this film took two years. We toured the Emirates from north to south and from east to west; we slept in the desert; we went out in the morning with the fishermen; we ascended mountains; and we ate in the middle of palm oases,” recalls Al dhaheri. A storyteller by trade, his biggest challenge was not in making the transition to cinema but in finding a common language of communication with a Dutch technical crew that included cinematographer Hans Fels and editor Hans Dunnewijk. Best regards Nasser Al dhaheri
Nasser Al dhaheri (born 1960) is an Emirati writer and journalist. He was born in al-Ain, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He was educated in the UAE and in France. He has published several volumes of fiction and non-fiction, including short story collections and novels. As a journalist, he has been involved with a number of publications, such as AlIttihad newspaper, Fairuz magazine, AlIdari magazine and Faris magazine. He is the publisher and chief editor of Hdhod, an electronic newspaper which appears in Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Persian. In 2009, Al dhaheri was a participant in the inaugural IPAF Nadwa and his work has appeared in English translation in Banipal magazine.
Nasser Al dhaheri has held various positions, including the Editor-in-Chief of the Dur El Watan magazine, managing editor of El Ittihad newspaper, Chairman of the Emirates Writers Union, General Manager and Editor of the Arab Association of Press and Media Publications and editor of the Disney - Warner Brothers - BBC Arabic children’s publications. He is a member of International Organization of Journalists, the Board of Trustees of Al Owais Cultural Award, the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Journalism Award. Some of his works have been translated into foreign language versions including English, French, Russian, Spanish, Hindi and German. He has held several national and international photo exhibitions and has received numerous awards & accolades from different countries. He has won the best director award at the Dubai International Film Festival “DIFF” for his film “A Tale of Water, Palm Trees and Family”, best foreign documentary film at “M. F. F.” – Copenhagen, and “Award of Merit” from “Impact docs Awards - U.S.A.
Documentary
Run Time 150 Mins
51
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
OUR PERFECT WORLD Text by HR Mariana, Writer & Director
Intolerance is exercised every time one imagines a perfect world, guiding it is a responsibility that can be chosen the moment one opts for life. Blood. Obsession. Death. Our Perfect World began by asking: If people look for characters to identify themselves with, what is the success of psychopaths and sociopaths in cinema? We may not have the exact answers, but there is an axis that allows us to understand these characters when we close our eyes and put our heart in our hand to weigh it. Cinema is not different from a caress, a joke, or the delusions of a psychopath. All are imagined stories to find life in our interior. We use the cinema as we use a system of thought, or an obsession with clean teeth to give meaning to the lives we tell each other, and thus project the worlds that our mental state is capable of imagining; However, the scripts we write can be lost in the circularity of their own logic of meaning, forgetting that we are actors trying to perform our best interpretation to find the key that gives us the possibility of opening the door to life.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Psychopathy is the extreme action of intolerance, that primitive impulse that before the threat of death, destroys to survive, looking for life but losing it every time it bets on death. Too day-to-day? Destructiveness is a thermometer that measures the gradual loss of love, which can continue to the psychopathic end if it is not controlled. What is funny is that this life-creating force, which is life itself, follows its course and seeks to follow its cause, eroding any obstacle that prevents it from flowing, so that the destructive principle of intolerance inevitably turns against itself, creating perfect circles of self-destruction looking
for the key to get out of the linearity of reason that eats itself while biting its tail, and losing the sense of humour in a contradictory drama. The perfect worlds are perfect because they throw us in the face our imperfection. While the “why” and its contradictory statements serve more to eat our heads through a self-censored internal dialogue, the “what for” is a master key that opens the opportunity to live and make us conscious of that point where all plot seeks its catharsis to try again, and use the tendency to imagine worlds better and better in favour of life. After all, nothing is a mistake and problems and dementias are just a matter of an inoperative imagination.
Our Perfect World explores psychopathy as a metaphor for intolerance to confront it as an imagined problem. It uses the voice-over as a resource in which the act of the word becomes more forceful by repressing its hidden intentions, that mutual agreement not pronounced in which the permission to destroy is established to justify the lack of responsibility with oneself. It makes the environment, the house, a forgotten character and yet active in the reproduction of violence, and thus removed from the screen the need to stop destruction in a catharsis, and in the raw flesh ask ourselves: What for?
53
Intolerance pursues what it considers imperfect, to condemn it for being a threat to its world. The result is the separation from life, from love towards oneself, towards others and towards the environment that turns against their predators and at the same time becomes an extension of them. This is something we all know beyond rationality, but it is so simple, that sometimes, in the immaturity of continuing to act in an apparently more interesting plot, we lose the plain beauty of life and the courage to follow it. What does a psychopath do but destroy himself by emptying himself of the love from which everything is created? Is he not someone who temporarily loses this center because of the inability to manage the violence that he himself has provoked? Doesn´t he lose what impulses us: Love as a power that creates life? Doesn’t he lose the ability to imagine a world that brings him closer and closer to that vital power where we could all recognize ourselves as a unit? Doesn’t he end up turning especially to destruction in the despair to restore that simplicity? Starring Amy Rutledge & Patrick Stoffer. August 2015
Drama
Run Time 19 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
DIVERSION END There's no good, only shades of evil. Creators: Dagmara Brodziak, Michał Krzywicki, Łukasz Suchocki Director: Michał Krzywicki Written by: Michal Krzywicki, John Cabrera
SYNOPSIS A crooked cop and a petty thief share a seemingly unbreakable friendship. But when the thief accidentally kills his own lover, that friendship is put to the test. The men soon end up trapped in the underworld of a sadistic crime lord, and the only help they can find there comes from two of his prostitutes... girls who plan to deliver their own brand of justice along the way. Diversion End is a story about love and vengeance... a pulpy crime thriller set in an unfamiliar, neon vision of Warsaw, Poland.
Directors Biography Michał started his career as an actor. After graduating from the Warsaw Film School acting department he moved to the US to continue working on his acting craft at numerous master classes with such professionals as Paul Haggis, Al Pacino and Baz Luhrmann. Then he moved to London where he worked as an actor and where the first draft of Diversion End was written. In 2013 he moved back to Poland to start full time work on the development of Diversion End, which eventually led him to become a writer, director and producer of his first feature film. From that moment on he has continuously worked on this creation surrounded and supported by the best professionals in Europe. Apart from directing Diversion End he also played one of the lead roles in the film - Oleg.
54
www.diversionend.com
Production: FR/PL/US
Directors Statement Our problems and mistakes are only as harmful and as meaningful as we let them be. It would be wise to let go. To forgive and forget. But what if all the wrongs and injustices don’t want to fade away from our minds? What if the echo of shame whispers only one solution... one relief: vengeance? Diversion End is filled with wounded people and those who wound them. Victims and villains. And what leads them to become villains. The film underlines how close love and hatred, truth and lies, loyalty and betrayal really are. The line is so thin. Our story is no example... no instruction manual of any kind. On the contrary: It is a stark reminder to all of us living in the modern world... that humanity is still being dominated by the most primitive, destructive and animalistic urges. Crime/Thriller
Run Time 98 Mins
Film-Noir/Thriller
Run Time 87 Mins
UNTITLED (a film) Written, Directed & Produced By Chris Loizou
In 2010 I was ready to shoot a rom-com in London. Camped at the studio, sets designed, cast rehearsing and Iʼm in the starting gate bucking and bolting against the penn. The doors however, never opened as the finance came crashing down around me. Now what? I imagined Robert Mckee, screaming “Write what you know! Write what you know!” All I knew at that point, was a writer alone in his office, deflated, tired and trying to make sense of it all. Eight options and commissions under my belt for movies that never materialised. TV shows that never hit the small screen & a Hollywood executive who keeled over dead from a heart attack the day before an official green-light. And through it all my fair share of script notes. Idea! I started writing. I didn’t have a title, so it was by pure definition UNTITLED. I wanted to make a convincing film-noir thriller following film producer, Kurt Lovell’s lowbudget ethos and his life imitating art, as his day turns into the very story his screenwriter friend is desperately trying to peddle. A wry twist on the indie art-film, a 40ʼs noir comedy thriller and modern cinema classic. Shot in glorious black and white, in a style lost to the silver screen. theuntitledmovie.com
All done with a nudge and a wink whilst crashing against modern technology, leaving the audience with an unsettling paradox. Cheekily making nods to some of the worlds most revered filmmakers and loaded with film references (easter eggs!) hidden away & there to be discovered. Hitchcock put it beautifully when he said, “There are lots of movies about a slice of life, but some are like a slice of cake”. This is cake, with a cherry on top.
COLOUR ME JANE A Script By Elisa McRae
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
LOVE IS COLOR BLIND A Film by Jiaqi Liu
Director’s Statement In 2015, I happened to visit an orphanage with my family and was really shocked by what I saw. Many children in the orphanage were there because their family had abandoned them due to birth defects. I was offering some candy to the children and a girl who suffered from spina bifida and hydronephrosis was looking at me with expectations and longing while I was unwrapping the candy and feeding it to her mouth. At that moment, my heart was full of sorrow for her and at the unfairness of fate. I kept thinking about what I could do for people like her.
56
In the following three months, I visited many orphanages in both China and America and many families who had adopted children. In one of the American families I visited, a photo was hung up in the most conspicuous position in the living room. A Chinese boy was embraced by his American white parents. The boy was holding an award certificate for winning a piano contest. The boy told me that his adopted parents encouraged him to learn Chinese and to go back to China to find his family when he grew up. His adopted parents always said people who gave birth to you and people who have brought you up both loved you. According to my research, a quarter of Chinese orphans are adopted overseas each year. Family and society play a very important role in the growth of a child. An orphan without a family should have more attention and support from society. If my film can do something to help, I will be very happy. That is how I started the film project in Los Angeles.
Writing the script was a smooth process. In my story, during the ten years after Chinese girl Angel is adopted by an American writer Anna, they both have to face problems, obstacles, and pressure from family and society when they fight their way to becoming close to each other. I hope through the film we can look at the problems thrown up by adoption and help the families and individuals to understand the situation better and be ready for these potential problems. The film’s producer Liu Jiatao did his PhD in finance in the US and understands the American production system well. As my younger brother, we worked together and got many shooting locations for free. With his help, I felt that the burden of producing the film was greatly lightened. Synopsis American writer Anna adopts an eight-year-old girl named Angel from China. During the next ten years, both mother and daughter experience negative and prejudiced attitudes from others. The two struggle through these difficulties and slowly become more mutually trusting and loving.
Drama
Run Time 24 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
colour me jane A Script by Elisa McRae
SYNOPSIS JANE, a spunky disfigured high school counsellor, finds a gaping hole of suck in her life after her bff, DANA, gets married and leaves on her honeymoon. Jane’s consolation: the honour of dog-sitting Dana’s hyperactive mutt, COLGATE. In return for Colgate’s colourblind, unwavering love, she takes him to the dog park, even in the rainy autumn, which is where she meets TREVOR, a goofily charming drummer with a dog named DEVO. For reasons which baffle Jane, Trevor seems attracted to her. Luckily, she has work to keep her tethered to the real world and at school she finds herself contending with a new transfer student, DOVE, who has been disfigured in a fire and patently refuses to drink Jane’s “you are not a victim kool-aid.” Meanwhile, at the park, Jane and Trevor continue to bond over dogs, obscure 80s music, and a shared sense of humour - including a few jokes at his ex-wife’s expense. This closeness starts to freak out Jane until Dana saves the day by returning and eliminating the need for Jane’s dog park visits. Back at school, after a gaff where she speaks her mind a bit too bluntly, Jane manages to convince Dove she can be her personal Obi Wan Kenobi. Things seem to go back to status quo until...
58
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
WRITER’S VISION Diversity is the buzz word du jour. But even in the midst of valiant efforts, people inevitably get left out of that group when they are (possibly) one of a kind. Elisa McRae is a 30 (something) white girl, who happens to be 70% purple. She simultaneously is and isn’t a minority. She simultaneously has and doesn’t have a disability. So... that’s fun. Sometimes the world is stupidly cruel and sometimes it is hilariously ignorant. But what the world never is, is a day off for someone with an exaggerated protruding lip and a birthmark covering over 70% of her body. So Elisa wrote a story about a woman who happens to look exactly like her, and have a very similar career, and somewhat similar attitudes and relationships, but unlike Elisa, the protagonist is a fool who doesn’t own a dog.
Comedy
elisamc@hotmail.com
ORANGE Filmmaker Hakan Ünal explains why he made this thought provoking short film.
FTM: How did you become interested in filmmaking? HU: When I was a child, I was completely obsessed with the films ‘La Notte by Michelangelo Antonioni and Persona by Ingmar Bergman. As you may know, most of Antonioni’s and Bergman’s films focus on women. They are the directors in which their characters are usually soulless, lost, empty unhappy people who use the word ‘love’ as more like an attempt to pass the time in their pointless existence. Whilst ‘La Notte’ is the climax part of the trilogy that manifests the emotional alienation between a man and a woman and the contemporary world of modernization, in ‘Persona’ Bergman is trying to project between the power struggles within its two characters.
Portakal-Orange-1631363947119129
These are the main points that made me feel interested in filmmaking. Analyzing the films that I watched in my childhood, enhanced my way of commenting on the world and humans. FTM: How did you decide that ‘Orange’ was the movie you wanted to make and how did you get the idea? HU: Well, first off, it was those relationships. I always thought that it would be very intriguing and an interesting counterfeit story to be stuck inside a house with no way out, in an uncomfortable situation and gradually becoming alienated in a standard woman’s eyes. When I was watching a documentary about violence against women, I saw a wounded, raped woman who did not want to mention her name on TV, was reading a book as therapy to move all her pains away from her. She did not cry and she did not complain. As a matter of fact, she did not say a word and reading the book she was breathless and also touching slightly the wounds on her face. Her looks, her desperation gave me an idea of the first impressions of the project ‘Orange’. I was wondering , “What if a married woman who was unable to bring a child into the world, would get pregnant after she was raped by her husband on her way home in the night on the street , what would have happened then? Would she keep moving on despite everything or would she make a critical decision to break up?” This was the important question that has to be replied to and I tried to reflect this without any response. Drama
Run Time 22 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
`DeXiT the next refugee ... will be you` A film by Lars Jordan
A NEAR FUTURE Germany is hit by a major economical crisis. Lisa, Agatha and driver Ronny with his dog, Boxer Trojo, are sharing a ride in a van from Berlin to the countryside. Both are glad to be able to leave the capital for a while. After leaving the Autobahn in front of one of the many `checkpoints` Ronny realizes: they can`t receive either the internet or GPS anymore...not all of them will survive this beginning of a civil war....
The first feature film of screenplay writer/producer/director Lars Jordan deals with a cruel dystopic vision: today, how fast could anybody become a refugee, forced on a flight on foot with only 2 plastic bags of nutrition, even in Germany , the socalled`secure` middle part of Europe ? The logic of civil war and survival becomes a special frightening perspective when it is seen from the `inside` of a country, and in this way the films pulls the wars on the other side of the Mediterranean sea closer than ever to the viewer... Lars Jordan produced and directed the film as a `no-budget `project without any financial co-producers, distributors or government funds `DEXit` had its world Premiere at the 30th International Film Festival Braunschweig /Germany in November 2016 and won the golden `Best Film`-Award for a debut feature film there. The first international award nomination is taking place at the ´London Film festival for young filmmakers in February 2017. `DEXit` is now available with the American-French-Austrian VoDdistributor `Under the Milkyway`a distribution partner for 5 different countries in its German language and 49 other countries with English subtitles. www.dexitfilm.de
Filmed in German with English Subtitles
Drama
Run Time 129 Mins
59
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
THE WATCHERS By Jason Fedusenko & Michael Van Patten & Edward King III
Synopsis What if a secret, ancient society ruled the Earth and none of us knew it? What if Aliens routinely abducted children, and transformed them into covert agents that secretly changed world events? The Watchers expose the inner workings of a shadow government that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Vincent Pascoe Vincent Pascoe has been a director of photography (DP) for over a decade. He is best known for his unique ability to create visual imagery which captures the essence of the story, translates light into emotion, and consistently pushes the boundaries of technical capabilities.
60
Jason Fedusenko Jason Fedusenko is a creative professional who has worked in the entertainment industry for seven years. His roots are in branding, marketing and product development. He is currently in the process of creating several television shows with his writing partner that range from docu-series, reality, network competition, made-for TV movies and comedy. The Watchers is his first scripted TV network pitch that he co-created with the aim of network distribution. Michael Van Patten Michael Van Patten has been in the entertainment industry since he was a young child, first as a musician, then a dancer/ choreographer/teacher, and now a creator/writer and film director. HIs performing credits include Star Search, Disney,Los Angeles Opera Company, as well as multiple dance companies and musical theatre appearances. He is a graduate of UCLA with a B.A. in English.
Edward King III Edward King III has been producing and directing for eight years. He started with theatre and moved into the film medium, under the banner Silver Shadow Pictures. The Watchers is his fourth project as a producer, and his third project as a director. He is known for 30 Days to Say Goodbye (2016) Riddle Me This (2014) and TDay (2012). Anya Rivers Anya Rivers was born and raised in Vladivostok, Russia. At age twelve, Anya was adopted into a family in San Francisco. She began acting in her early teens and has since has starred in various indie films as well as stage productions. Anya graduated from Colombia College Chicago with a BA in Acting and is currently living in Los Angeles. Anya Rivers, Best Lead Actress in a Short Film (Nominee) Anya Rivers, nominee best lead actress in a short film for The Watchers, plays an assassin working to enforce the agenda of a secret society, but who does she really work for? Vincent Pascoe, Best Cinematography for a Short Film (Nominee) Vincent Pascoe’s cinematography imbues The Watchers with powerful images and seamless camera work. Michael Van Patten, Jason Fedusenko, Edward King III, Best Direction of a Short Film (Nominee) The directors of The Watchers set out to create an alternate reality grounded in real situations, illuminating the possibility that the free will we think we have may not actually exist.
silvershadowpictures.com
Drama
Run Time 17 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
ito -1000 year princess Written, Directed, Filmed, Edited & Original Score By Yasushi Fuluichi
1000 years ago. Princess Ito’s small kingdom was very peaceful. Sometimes, even Princess Ito and Gengo, the samurai who served the Princess, helped farmers with their work, and the farmers loved their master and they lived comfortably. However, one night, Uzu Teruaki, who had been banished from the kingdom, launched a surprise attack to usurp the throne. Teruaki offers to spare the Princess if she will bear his child, but Ito refuses. Instead, she commits suicide, but not before placing a curse that will bring her back to life in 1000 years. Ito was the princess of a small and peaceful country which was destroyed by Uzu Teruaki 1000 years ago. Ito and the people of her clan are reborn and coming to Uzu town for retaliation. Although the town has since flourished in peace, the slaughtered villagers have reincarnated and are gathered in order to have their revenge. Ito knows nothing of her painful past, nor does she understand the meaning of her existence.
62
This is because Gengo, Princess Ito’s greatest protector, has with his violence kept Ito from damning herself in the fires of the Princess’ vengeance. However, the people worry about the ever-battered Ito. Ironically, even the reincarnation of Uzu Teruaki, who also doesn’t sense their common destiny. The town is growing as the 1000 year festival draws near. Ito and Teruaki are charmed by each other. Gengo and the reborn clan of Ito will stop at nothing to interfere. And on the night of the 1000 year festival, the soul of Princess Ito awakens as Teruaki struggles with Gengo. Teruaki is shocked when Princess Ito draws a knife on him, but before she can fulfil the prophecy, Gengo stops the cursed knife with his own body. Gengo pleads with Princess Ito’s vengeful spirit to abandon her hatred, and to end her quest for revenge. Following Gengo’s wishes for Ito to abandon her hate and to escape a thousand years in purgatory, she turns the blade of hatred upon herself and joins the souls of Gengo and her clan as they follow the road to salvation. Drama
Run Time 123 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
Creator: Morag Sinkins
WHO IS DOREEN? Doreen is one of the most unique, outrageous characters that travel the world---France, Italy, U.K., Canada, and U.S. Certainly ONE of a KIND!!! As an actress, writer, producer and love of observing all walks of life, Doreen was created. This story shows how Doreen both lived and witnessed all people and her excessive pursuit for the perfect “hunk.” Her escape from having to live a life of perfection takes her on a wild spree amongst the crowds of people. No one knows who she truly is but through her disguise and unstoppable behaviour people are able to see the difference between the “Queen of the World” and her heart of gold.
64
She will make people laugh. She will touch their souls. Not a dull moment. And she will NEVER stop her love of men, nor her speaking to the poor. Doreen is often asked where they could see her again. Doreen guarantees they will see her but her next location will be a surprise. BUT...WHAT IS SHE HIDING? Morag “Morrie” Sinkins, actress, writer and producer of the Comedy Short Film - WHO? also creator of the character “Doreen” is a Canadian citizen whose life is a movie in itself. Her life has been spent in both Canada and the U.S. she has currently written a pilot for a Comedy TV Series which will be submitted to various locations. Doreen will certainly be in it!! There are wonderful cast members such as Naked Cowboy, one of Doreen’s favourite “hunks”. Cast Members are Morag “Morrie” Sinkins, Robert Burck, Erik Sherr, Gigi Assante, Nick Cho.
THIS IMAGE IS COPYRIGHTED © BY MMB PRODUCTIONS 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
who?
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
Director/Editor Giovanni Mota Writer/Producer/Creator Morag “Morrie” Sinkins Assistant Director - Anna Filameno Script Consultant - Michael McCarthy Cast Members Morag “Morrie” Sinkins - Doreen Robert Burck - Naked Cowboy Erik Sherr - Businessman Gigi Assante - Homeless Woman Comedy
Run Time 11 Mins
Comic/Fantasy
Run Time 30 Mins
mosinkins@gmail.com
SMALL SIGNS Written & Directed By John Moon
For years I’ve had a desire to write a mystery novel, so when the idea of a mysterious printer originally came to me, I immediately thought of it as a possible plot for a thriller. But great ideas are curious things. Two years later my mystery novel had morphed into a comic fantasy short film. Back in 2012 I noticed a proliferation of wireless networks springing up in my neighbourhood and that in those early days’ people didn’t worry much about security. You could usually find one that wasn’t protected. I wondered what would happen if someone inadvertently connected to someone else’s network and began receiving strange messages on their printer. How might it affect them and how might these errant messages lead them down a path of discovery? Here’s a small snippet from my early notes:
I played around this but became unsatisfied not being able to develop it into more than your typical thriller so I put it aside. However, the good ideas rarely go away completely. One day I realized there was a theme in this idea that spoke to me. I’ve always believed that some of the most joyful moments in life are unexpected, and are waiting to be discovered if we are willing to see them.
So I began wondering: What if the messages were not threatening but more neutral and open to interpretation? How might what Ellen thinks her printer is saying show her a new way of thinking? Always the romantic, I also love stories that blend genres so eventually my thoughts about life’s small signposts evolved into a short story and then a film script, and that’s how SMALL SIGNS came to be!
A young woman living alone after an emotional upheaval (perhaps recently divorced) starts receiving strange/ threatening messages from her new wireless printer. Although not adept with technology, she starts to explore the origins of these messages and is drawn into a world of intrigue. smallsignsmovie.com
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
PARALLEL CITY A Short Film By Jessica Hughes Content by Writer & Executive Producer Andrew Brandon.
The screenplay of Parallel City was based loosely on a true story. In the fictionalised account, the lead character is a Man Booker Prize novelist called Jessica Harding. In the non-fiction narrative, the real life ‘Jessica’ was a successful company director from North London. His wife and children were killed in a tragic accident and the trauma destroyed him. He could no longer cope with life and he made himself deliberately homeless.
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
He was an athletic man, but he suddenly began to stoop as if he was weighed down by a crushing load. He had been authoritative, articulate and even garrulous, but after his loss he refused to speak to people. He would either ignore a question or reply in short terse, sentences that felt more like a repulse than a response. Irrespective of the weather, he doggedly persisted in walking the same circular route.. He tramped through blizzards, torrential rain, buffeting winds and heat waves in khaki shorts and white tee-shirts. The climate changed but he was intractable. Head and torso thrust forward and bent parallel to the pavement, he walked and walked until his heart stopped. He was found dead on the side of A41 between Stanmore and Watford.
The locations were written into the screenplay. London and the Thames were ‘characters’ in the film, hence the title, ‘Parallel City’. We worked closely with the Director to finds locations that matched the descriptions/places in the narrative. The film, in its present form, retains my narrative and has good cinematography, but we’ve had to strip back the surrealism. My ambition was greater than my judgement. In a space of 15 minutes, I wanted to create both a clear narrative trajectory and a journey into the Dark Lands of a mind inhabited by grief, angst and devils. ‘Parallel City’ is not merely a metaphor for the London of the homeless and the alienated, but a plunge into the macabre Jungian dreamscape of Jessica’s mind: the city of the damned, the lost and the deranged - the ghost city that lurks in all of us. Andrew Brandon, January, 2017 Drama
DARK LAUGH A short comedy by Michael J. McCarthy & Craig Mckearney
SYNOPSIS The bizarre Egg Man, carries with him a magical, teleporting YO-YO. The Wannabe crook Hunter, wants the YO-YO for himself. Caught in the middle aided by Egg Man is the helpless Dominik. Egg Man (using the teleporting YO-YO) and Dominik run around London’s China Town and Soho to escape from Hunter. DIRECTORS NOTE My inspiration for the short film Dark Laugh, stems from watching various adventure fantasy films as a boy. In particular, Back to the Future, The Terminator and Ghostbusters. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of time travel, science fiction and the supernatural plus a little bit of comedy and I feel that I have applied these concepts to my short film. I wanted to set the film in London, namely China Town and Soho. Craig, my collaborator and I researched these areas and we agreed it was the ideal background for the chase scenes. /darklaughfilm
Run Time 16 Mins
65
We managed to gain access to the Centre Point building, a thirty-three storey sky scraper, one of London’s iconic buildings. I organised cast and crew and the film took three weeks to film with three days a week filming with the main cast and the remaining days were used for pick-ups, additional shots for VFX. This short film was always intended and created as a stepping stone to introduce the main characters for production companies to pitch as a feature film or Netflix style TV series. Egg Man is our key character, so named because of the mysterious artefacts he carries around with him in his suitcase. If you’re quick enough he can be seen zipping around London. We see him come face to face with his mirrored evil self, and have yet to understand what this means. Egg Man possesses the much coveted magical Yo-Yo, which gives him speedy access to all destinations via the wonderful British red telephone box. Hunter, our wannabe crook, has his own plans for the powerful but elusive Yo-Yo once he gets his hands on it. Dominik is our innocent character in this story, just your everyday man trying to earn a living. Somehow, he gets caught up in the Yo-Yo chase and finds himself trapped in the mirrored world along with Egg Man and Hunter. Michael J. McCarthy Comedy
Run Time 12 Mins
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
SUNDAY
12TH FEBRUARY SCREEN 1 10:00 Strangers on the Earth Every pilgrim goes their own way.
96 minutes
11:40 The Glove A homeless with his right hand only finds an expensive leather glove that fits his hand. One year later, when he accidentally tears the glove, replacing it appears to be harder than expected. 12 minutes
11:55 Ichiro and the Wave Ichiro was fishing near the coast of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, when the 2004 tsunami struck his boat. Stranded on an island during the devastation he wondered if he would ever see his family again. 11 minutes
12:10 Once I was Titania This video is about MADHURA. She is an amazing woman, who has lived as many lives as a cat! 14 minutes 12:30 Just Data! People are data. Behind the data there are lives that can change if the data is in wrong hands. The film analyses congressional hearing and the gaps in our laws to protect our data.
66
10 minutes
12:45 Mayur MAYUR, which means “peacock” in Sanskrit, is a 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution abstract, visual music animation inspired by Asian cosmologies, symbols and music. 8 minutes 13:00 A Gift Jack wants to steal money and valuable things from Margaret’s house. But Margaret, a blind elderly woman, is at home and talks with Jack as if he is her son. Margaret covers Jack from the neighbor and a police officer. After Jack knows Margaret has covered him under the condition of knowing he is not her son, Jack leaves everything he had stolen from her house behind and goes away. 17 minutes
13:20
BREAK
100 minutes
15:00 The Song of Cotton “The Song of Cotton” based on the America’s National Book Award and the PEN/Hemingway Award winner China-born author Ha Jin’s novel “A Pension Plan”. 98 minutes 16:45
Traceroute
120 minutes
SCREEN 2 10:00 Zeitgeist Protest Omar, an awkward, melancholic man, is stuck in the past. He remains idle, aimless, and hangs out at bars. His cousin Youmna comes to visit him from abroad, and stays with him. She is hoping to change around her life. One day, they both decide to take the road and escape... 93 minutes
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
11:40 FingerSTYLE FingerSTYLE looks at an emerging movement of modern acoustic guitarists from all over the world featuring interviews with internationally renowned artists Kaki King, Newton Faulkner and Andy Mckee. 70 minutes 12:55
BREAK
95 minutes
14:30 Wigilia A traditional Polish feast on Christmas Eve, Wigilia includes an extra place at the table should an unknown wandering pilgrim arrive. When Agata, a Polish cleaner stranded in Glasgow for Christmas prepares her Wigilia in a clients house, she could not have expected the pilgrim that would arrive at her table. Nor could she expect everything he’d do for her. 75 minutes
15:55 The Bridge A five-story tree house built by a local Hawaiian family over many decades is nestled deep in the subterranean backwoods of Hawaii’s rain-soaked Manoa valley. For generations, encounters with armed spirit warriors or Hawaiian night marchers (huak’I po) believed to be en route to and from ancient battle have occurred on the family homestead, inspiring profound spiritual experiences for those who have come into contact with the primeval Hawaiian ghosts.
17:20 Sorry for the Inconvenience Max finally gets his illegal satellite dish set-up operating and discovers a limitless amount of free entertainment right at his fingertips. However, when he stumbles upon a channel broadcasting a live camera feed from inside his own living room, Max finds that there are horrific consequences for seeking out answers. 6 minutes 17:30 Light Drifter Light Drifter is a visual narrative of my dreams realized in a surreal world populated by monsters, birds, fish and magical creatures. 3 minutes 17:35 Nine Minutes While finishing an exploratory mission on a newly discovered planet, a veteran astronaut faces the choice of completing her objective or saving her own life, after an equipment malfunction forces her to crash land.
SCREEN 3 10:00 Random Karma Random Karma is a cleverly original ensemble film about an Iraqi war veteran with P.T.S.D. and his energetically naïve, yet entertaining, martial arts students who get mixed up with witty mobsters and deliciously dirty cops. 105 minutes 11:50 Brutus German shepherd named Brutus got into concentration camp and turned from a harmless pet into a killer. 38 minutes
12:30 BREAK
60 minutes
13:30 Truth Underground Three spoken word poets struggle through poverty, discrimination, PTSD and abandonment to illuminate what fellow North Carolinian poet Maya Angelou called ‘a brave and startling truth.’ 69 minutes 14:45 The Snow Queen 3 The rare gift of getting into all kinds of trouble is their family trait. What else can you expect from the ones raised among trolls in snowy lands? But now Kai and Gerda have grown up and entered a new stage - this time they are going to cause a global disaster... 78 minutes
16:05 Keep Shut When Mark’s troubled friend Christopher moves in, David’s life begins to unravel. 74 minutes
16:45 The Last Laugh Warm, funny, affectionate and moving, ‘The Last Laugh’ explores what it means to be funny and what happens when the laughter stops… 19 minutes
17:10 The Track Hee-Kyoung is an isolated woman: surrounded by people, she feels totally alone. After a night of drinking she decides to get some space and air, and ends up getting just what she didn’t realise she needed. 10 minutes
12 minutes
17:50 Promises Halimo Can’t Keep An intimate portrait of a Somali refugee mother who has fled the conflict in her country leaving her two young daughters behind with her mother. 13 minutes 18:05 Zarathustra Still Speaks
57 minutes
MONDAY
22 minutes
16:25 Take A Chance Even in Japan, the ancient lifestyle of Uchi Deshi training is all but forgotten. However, a teenager from Tokyo discovers that it’s alive and well in the American Deep South. 92 minutes
15:00 The Open Bombs have exploded. The war is global.Yet André and Stéphanie won’t give up: Roland Garros is their life, the reason why they live – their history. And come what may, they will organize their Open, whatever the cost. Even without rackets, even without balls, by the sheer strength of their faith. 103 minutes
13TH FEBRUARY SCREEN 1 10:00 The Promised Band A group of upstart women with dubious musical skills use a fake band as a cover story to cross forbidden borders into each other’s tangled lives in Israel and Palestine. 89 minutes 11:40 Beast or Raven
12 minutes
11:55 Numb In the wake of tragedy, Astrid struggles to find emotional connection, leading her into a dark world of promiscuity. Will she risk losing herself? 10 minutes
12:10 Backroads Europe Their network is woven like a spider’s web over an immense empire: the Roman roads. Nearly 85 000 kilometers of paved roads once traversed the Roman Empire, linking Europe to Asia Minor and the Near East. For several centuries, they served as commercial roads, military routes and communication networks – for the circulation of the traders, soldiers, civil servants and messengers of the Empire. After the fall of the Empire, the paths outlived their builders, but their usage changed. 52 minutes
13:05 The Flavor of the Moon In a little town which the time background is not clear, people follow and yearn for moon because of a legend. The events about the moon even become more and more intensified. 21 minutes 13:30
BREAK
90 minutes
17:25 Two Zions “Two Zions” focuses on the Zions of Jerusalem, Israel and Axum, Ethiopia. It describes the relationship between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba that has connected two peoples and cultures through their religious observances from approximately 950 BC till today. 58 minutes 18:30 WishMakers WishMakers is the story of the Tulip Winery that was established in a residential adult special needs community, the Village of Hope in Israel’s Jezreel Valley, and fosters a caring environment while providing employment, dignity and purpose for the residents. 35 minutes 20:00
NETWORKING
SCREEN 2 10:00 Home Coming A Kannada film Marali Manege (homecoming) is based on a novel by the same name written by Yogesh Master. Love is greater than adamant and relationship is superior to clashes. 127 minutes
12:10 The Bench Living rough on the Polish streets, two young boys struggle to feed and look after themselves each day. But their lives were to suddenly change forever in a way they never could have imagined. 88 minutes 13:45
BREAK
75 minutes
15:00 Get Greedy The movie centers around a group of friends who end up with a lost suitcase. A clue hidden inside leads them to a fortune. Very soon, everyone is consumed by greed and plot against each other to get rid and claim the loot. 90 minutes 16:35 Diversion End Diversion End is a story about love and vengeance... a pulpy crime thriller set in an unfamiliar, neon vision of Warsaw, Poland. 98 minutes 18:20 The Kidnapping of a Fish A mild-mannered man is kidnapped and is forced to figure out if his girlfriend is the cause of his situation in this mixed genre film. 25 minutes
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
20:00
NETWORKING
10:00
Atum, Farofa & Spaghetti
11:45
Bubble
SCREEN 3 98 minutes 8 minutes
12:00 Buttons Have you ever experienced a dream or fantasy where the line between what was real and what was fantastical seems scarily non existent? While waiting for a garment to be mended, Emma is gripped by a dark thrilling fantasy. 13 minutes 12:20 Kiss of Death A black-and-white neo-noir short film about a young thief and his wife who prepare to flee town by sunrise, until the arrival of a mysterious stranger changes everything. 10 minutes 12:35 Dark Laugh Egg Man a Japanese market trader specialising in other worldly items and mysterious objects in London. This bizarre Egg...Man carries with him a magical YO-YO. Hunter a wannabe crook wants the YO-YO all for himself. Only to find that his self obsessed flair is NO MATCH! 12 minutes 12:50 Elephant When Aunty Tilly passes away, a griefstricken Mahesh de Soysa travels to Galle to clean out her house. What starts out as an innocent visit to the deceased lady’s residence turns into something far more mysterious and shocking. 30 minutes 13:25
BREAK
95 minutes
15:00 Motxila21 Live Motxila 21 are a unique rock band … full of strength, passion and enthusiasm… but oh!…there is something peculiar about them … half of the band’s members have Down syndrome. 59 minutes 16:05
To The Root
53 minutes
17:00 This Modern Man is Beat In the post 911 world of cultural confusion and erroneous judgment, Habib bin Habib al Fulan tries to pawn his last possession and reconcile with his American wife. 17 minutes 17:20 Mt Olympus the Creation It is an extraordinary project! it is the first time, Mt Olympus’s highest peak “Pantheon” allowed TV crews to bring drone cameras and fly them around! Its a spectacular scenery! 54 minutes
20:00
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
11:40 Gravedigger Hero Jackson, fraternity brother and super douche, passes out one night in a graveyard only to awaken the next morning surrounded by teddy bears and wearing a pink nightgown. Hero soon discovers his body was borrowed by a recent deceased teenage girl who only wanted to go home.
11:25 Umishu The bar looks like something different in the City of Tokyo. I felt as if I was called to the scent of the place. I saw only Umeshu and the location on its menu... Is this a bar that only serves plum wine from thru-out Japan?... No - the drink served to me was too beautiful to be just only that...’ It drew me back to my beginning... to the sea...’ 15 minutes
12:25 BREAK
11:50 Oh, The Effing Horror Chris and Luci are on a date, camping. A killer is on the loose in the woods. I’m sure everything will be fine. By the way, it’s called ‘Oh, The Effing Horror.’
40 minutes 95 minutes
14:00 A Tale of Water, Palm Trees and Family The long documentary “A tale of water, palm trees and family” is a deep-rooted journey in the UAE’s land, people and culture, through the trilogy of water, palm trees and people; the main components of UAE’s civilization. 150 minutes 16:35 Healing Magdalene A Documentary film intended to stimulate an awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a practice which predominately takes place against women throughout Eastern, Central and Western Africa.
95 minutes
SCREEN 2
12:05 Tears of Ghost Jo-Ann is a teenage girl. She is trying to save herself from dropping out of college. She decides to start doing a final project. She finds a perfect house to work on. What she doesn’t know, the perfect house has a dark secret. 83 minutes 70 minutes
14:45 A Mile In My Shoes SAEED is a young man who lives in one of the most stripped districts of Casablanca. He always finds himself in situations of defense, but instead of being the victim, he looks as the dangerous offender. 120 minutes 16:50 D.R.: Sandy & Sundari A One-of-a-kind 3D Animation Film addressing Human Development & Climate Change & Civilizations Addressing Human Development and Climate Change and Evolution Civilizations for Children of All Ages. 37 minutes
NETWORKING
TUESDAY
14TH FEBRUARY
SCREEN 3 10:00 Tyrant A thrill-crazed assassin stumbles upon mankind’s greatest discovery. 30 minutes
10:35 Curanderismo
SCREEN 1 10:00 Nurlington P.I. A college dropout moves back home. Somewhere in between questioning what she wants to do with herself and moping about how she got to this point, our aimless protagonist stumbles into a bonafide conspiracy. 86 minutes
12:10 Prey for Me A cold-blooded mercenary corners a helpless man against whom he seeks revenge. Placing his fate in God’s hands, the human prey is given minutes left to live... 17 minutes 12:30 Dissonance Filmmaker Bryan Fox recounts the harsh challenges of a young man’s stale relationship with his girlfriend and his seemingly stalled career in DISSONANCE. 19 minutes
27 minutes
11:00 Get Lost In Myanmar The pilot episode (Get Lost: In Myanmar) sees Sophie travel to destinations throughout Myanmar, examining the nation’s efforts to reinvigorate its tourist industry as it attempts to recover from fifty plus years of military rule and political isolation. 22 minutes
14:30 Tatara Samurai In 16th century Japan, a young man has to choose between becoming a master steel maker like his father and grandfather before him, or becoming a samurai so that he can help protect his village from attacks by the various clans which want the high-quality steel made there. 135 minutes 16:50 Paglipay (Crossing) In order to fulfill his arranged marriage with fellow aeta, Atan crosses the mountain river going to town to earn for the bandi (dowry). He meets a city girl who would make his life turn. Atan faces cross-cultural modifications amid changes in the mountain brought about by immense modernity. 96 minutes
WEDNESDAY 15TH FEBRUARY SCREEN 1 10:00 Axe: Music of a People “Axé: Music of a People” it’s a trip through brazilian most popular musical genre in the history of the nation. 105 minutes 11:50 Yellow Fever “And a note to all you white people,” she writes on her blog. “When you adopt your token child from the Orient, don’t overdue it with the cultural heritage bullshit. I’m reminded I’m not from here everyday I wake up and look at myself in the mirror. Plus it doesn’t help that I’m named Asia.” 85 minutes 13:20 BREAK
13 minutes
17:30 The Heritage From time immemorial, human beings have sought after truth. The truth of life , death, and afterlife... 11 minutes
17:45 Bret Bocook: Tip of the Iceberg An attorney who died of a brain tumor caused by cell phones learns that the cell phone industry had prior knowledge of the health risks 8 minutes
18:00 Under Skin in Blood A woman attempts to cling onto memories of happier times before with her husband and son before the asbestos riddled their town and lives. 13 minutes
18:15 One Per Person An awkward fast food worker gains a new perspective on life while competing for customers against an excessively happy-go-lucky rival. 11 minutes
70 minutes
12:55 BREAK
10:00 Till Death An ex-wife takes her wedding vows to the extreme and plots an extravagant revenge against her philandering ex-husband by making him relive his honeymoon road trip one painful mile at a time. 119 minutes
13:35 BREAK
17 minutes
17:10 Forgiveness A patient is attending a session with his hypnotherapist.The purpose is to travel back to childhood through the milestones of the whole past life.
130 minutes
15:30 Our Time After graduating high school, Chris Langhi and best friends Jimmy, Charlie, and Benny, find themselves in the dog days of summer preparing for what comes next. 94 minutes
18:30 The 13th Step The 13th Step is a feature-length documentary that exposes the secret, long-hidden truth about the world’s most revered alcohol recovery group: the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. 61 minutes 19:35 As Life Shifts Miranda is diagnosed with ALS. Her sons, Ben and Justin, are forced to grow up to manage their new circumstances. 15 minutes 20:00
PROFESSIONAL PANEL
SCREEN 2 10:00 The Agreement The relationship between the Serbs and Albanians, inspired by true events and refracted through the tragic fate of the two heroes and their families, and which, in transferred way, speaks about the attitude towards Kosovo, its history, the present and the future of these two nations 80 minutes 11:25 Real Buddy The toughest prison of the near future. Six years of imprisonment. Just one more day for con man Morris. With five million hidden somewhere inside, he can´t wait to get out. If only all the others wouldn´t try to snitch his loot... and the world wouldn´t end today. 52 minutes 12:40 Audible Static Thaddeus is a teenager in love. Love comes with panic. Silence. Racing thoughts, but no words. Just, audible static. In the last days on analogue, Thaddeus finds a way to cheat the system. 11 minutes 12:55 Sheltered As tornado sirens blare, Ed forces his small family to seek cover in a local storm shelter. Despite the protests of his wife, Rebecca, that they’re not far from their own home shelter, they, along with their young son, Philip, are ushered to a back room where they meet another small family. 5 minutes
67
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
13:05 Shy Guys Two strangers bring the laughs as they confront and resolve one of the most insidious scourges afflicting mankind - while standing at public urinals with their willies out. 8 minutes
13:25 Love Divine When we hear of human-elephant conflict and loss of life and property damage, most would agree that “capture and rehabilitation” sounds like a logical and “humane” solution, but do we know the ultimate impact upon the animals? Is it really a solution and at what cost? 4 minutes
13:35 Orange Gizem is a desperate married woman who tries to hold the life because she cannot have a baby. One day, Gizem’s girlfriend who sings at the pubs, asks her to take a stage for one night in her place. Gizem reluctantly does accept her request however, Gizem’s life gradually ruins and turns upside down after having made this decision. 22 minutes
14:00
BREAK
60 minutes
15:00 Night Bird Song The new documentary THOMAS CHAPIN, NIGHT BIRD SONG draws an intimate portrait of a musical explorer who transcended the boundaries of jazz and dissolved the distinctions between sound and music. 97 minutes
68
17:35 UNTITLED (a film) ‘Fresh from a successful film festival, a super smooth movie producer returns to a day at the office, where in just eight hours, his infidelities & addictions and his dodgy finance deals come crashing down and ludicrously unravel threatening his success, his marriage, his life and even stranger, his reality’. 88 minutes 19:10 Dirty Back Seat A London cabbie gets his world turned upside down when a mysterious woman who is running away from a heist gone bad gets into his cab. 45 minutes
20:00
PROFESSIONAL PANEL
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
15:30 Little India Big Business Little India Big Business explores the growth of big, fat Indian weddings in Canada over the last decade. 45 minutes
16:20 That’s Opportunity Knocking Two wanna-be thugs attempt to rob an apartment; everything goes awry when the owners show up early for a little late-night sex. A game of cat and mouse ensues. 22 minutes 16:45 Not the End of the World The result of a family curse, Chris has to outwit the Angel of Destruction to save the world before he can get a decent cup of coffee. 12 minutes 17:00 Magic Box In a unique turn of events, a person discovers a magic box that can provide him with everything he wishes for, but, all of the sudden, his life turns into a living hell due to hands of greed. 4 minutes
17:10 Hope: Hatred is Not Hereditary In the world filled with hatred and terrorism, there is still hope as hatred is not hereditary. 8 minutes 17:20 Dog Park It’s hard to find love in 2016. If you don’t fare well with online dating, you’re limited to looking for love on a hike, at a yoga class, in the aisles of Whole Foods, or, as Jake and Amelia come to discover, at the local dog park. Canines, singles, and potential love collide in this romantic comedy. 7 minutes
17:30 I Dare You An enigmatic plague erupts and proves unstoppable as the dead suddenly resurrect and contaminate the living. 19 minutes 17:55 Rock Haven
18:15 Here Lies Joe “Here Lies Joe” tells the haunting and beautiful story of two lost souls who find one another in the most unlikely place: a Suicide Anonymous meeting. 23 minutes
SCREEN 3 10:00 Milano-Shanghai One-Way The protagonist has been living in China for 12 years. He loves China because in China there is no religion like in Italy, because they have an efficient birth control policy and because Chinese women smile at him. 61 minutes
18:35 I’ll Be Home This is a documentary about separated family members who were forced apart by Korean division of the country 70 years ago. 68 minutes 20:00 PROFESSIONAL PANEL
THURSDAY 16TH FEBRUARY
11:10 Attempt on the State One family’s tragedy through the historic prism of the whole country.
SCREEN 1
43 minutes
11:55
I Remember When I Die
84 minutes
13:35 Sweet Bloom of Night Time Flowers A rebellious young woman with an unearthly talent wants to pursue her passion for the supernatural, but must fend off her disapproving mother. 14:00 BREAK
16 minutes
10:00 Searching for the Animal Searching for the Animal unveils a profound secret about gender violence during the past five decades in Colombia, through Victor Gaviria’s creative process in making the fictional film The Animal’s Wife. 76 minutes
15 minutes
11:20 Choc’late Soldiers
90 minutes
12:40
BREAK
61 minutes 90 minutes
14:15 Bad Frank Frank Pierce leads a seemingly normal life, but when a disturbing past reemerges & something precious is taken from him, his mask of sanity loosens & unearths the urge to be violent once again. 105 minutes 16:00 Cherry Pop When Zaza, headliner of a weekly drag show, ‘CHERRY POP’, refuses to come out of her dressing room, all hell breaks loose backstage. A young newcomer, The Cherry, is hiding a huge secret from the girls while getting ready for his debut performance. 78 minutes 17:20 Finding Fortune Inspired by true events, a father and daughter with a strained relationship must work together as they quest to rescue their prize-winning horse which has been accidentally sent to slaughter. 48 minutes 18:10 The Admired Actress, Olivia Spencer dreams of being a glamorous movie star in 1940’s Hollywood. She gets her wish when she meets a handsome ‘Devil’ but all is not what it seems when she’s hurdled into danger and intrigue in the world of the Old Hollywood movie studio system. 20 minutes 18:35
Southern Edge of the Cloud
When pureness and simplicity take us for a journey, dare you jump for an adventure and how far it will bring us to?’ 40 minutes
11:20 Ito ~ 1000 Year Princess 1000 years ago. Princess Ito’s small kingdom was very peaceful. However, one night, Uzu Teruaki, a former vassal launched a surprise attack to usurp the throne. He offers to spare the Princess if she will bear his child. She refuses and commits suicide, but not before placing a curse that will bring her back to life in 1000 years. 123 minutes
13:30
BREAK
70 minutes
14:40 Four Day Weekend A middle-aged couple, married for twenty-three years, takes a four-day break from each other and the aftermath leaves their relationship shaken and tested but not broken. 20 minutes
15:00 The Lovely Rejects THE LOVELY REJECTS is the story of two young lovers with chronic illnesses who meet during chemotherapy. Tired of being in debt and of their endless struggle for health insurance and medical treatment, the two decide to go on a crime spree. 77 minutes
16:20 The Watchers The Watchers create chaos in society to serve their masters. One Watcher begins to question his purpose. 17 minutes
16:40 Love is Color Blind A mother’s love brings hope into the life of an orphaned Chinese girl. 24 minutes
SCREEN 2 10:00 Parallel City A famous novelist is traumatised by the deaths of her husband and daughter. Unable to come to terms with the tragedy, she escapes into a parallel London. The film records her journey into grief and despair. Is love worth the agony of loss? 16 minutes
10:20 Of Knights and Slaves A father deals with the emotions of knowing that his daughter is no longer a little girl. He’s having trouble accepting that hormones will be accompanying his daughter’s first night alone with a boy. 15 minutes 10:40 Father A young boy creates an escape world of his own, to deal with the realities of his daily life. 9 minutes
10:55 Silence Silence speaks louder than words. But at the grave where desire rests, even silence becomes silent forever. 6 minutes 11:05 Bloodbath & Beyond An adaptation of ‘There Are Monsters’. Tommy and Carl are noticing that people are beginning to seem a little eerie as they get ready to watch a football game. Little do they know that a recent earthquake has awakened evil spirits from the depths of hell. 10 minutes
17:10 NowIsForever Science/Universe Documentary covering many topics including religion and spirituality, the future of humanity and life and death. Inspired by Carl Sagan 30 minutes 17:45 March MARCH is a short documentary film depicting the bond between the seemingly unrelated people with tenacious spirit football supporters and a marching band. In addition, it also reveals the current status of Fukushima. 31 minutes
SCREEN 3 10:00 DeXit A near future: Germany is hit by a major economical crisis. Lisa, Agatha and driver Ronny with his dog, Boxer Trojo, are sharing a ride in a van from Berlin to the countryside . Both are glad to be able to leave the capital for a while. After leaving the Autobahn in front of one of the many “checkpoints” Ronny realizes: they can’t receive neither fon, internet or GPS anymore. 129 minutes
12:15 Untitled Zombie Project While filming a student film, a cast and crew of college students must navigate the chaos of a zombie apocalypse and struggle to realize they aren’t prepared for the reality of one. 23 minutes
12:45
BREAK
75 minutes
FILM: THE MAGAZINE/LONDON/FEBRUARY 2017
14:00 The System When those in charge need to be charged... 104 minutes 15:50 Arabia Uncovered New archaeological discoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 30 minutes
16:30 Frameswitch After a devastating urban wildfire kills her boss, auditor Mercedes Lara must fight to expose a corrupt city government that fronts for an international criminal enterprise. The mystery is unraveled with found footage from a wide variety of sources. 89 minutes
18:05 Permanent Finding out how to survive in the underworld, eight lives will be forever changed as a disgraced undercover officer Derrick Forrest struggles through the mob underworld as well as his past demons in order to create a livable future. 100 minutes
17TH FEBRUARY SCREEN 1 10:00 Tomodachi In 1995, Toshiro, an old Japanese businessman, visits the Philippines to reconnect with Edilberto, a retired Filipino engineer. The reunion rekindles Toshiro’s memory of the friendship they forged as young men in 1938, when he roamed the streets of Edilberto’s hometown in Cavite as an ambulant vendor of assorted goods with unbeatable prices. 98 minutes
11:45 The Miller Prediction Civil War Veteran MARK MILLER, 32, is torn with what he saw in the War and with personal issues related to his Great Uncle William Miller’s well publicized belief that the world should have ended in 1844. After the War he travels to the Middle East with his horse, BUDDY, working for foreign companies while seeking understanding and inner peace. 80 minutes
13:10 Tiktok Tiktok In a dream, the lovers met, they loved and then they departed. 73 minutes
SCRIPT NOMINEES
15:10 Like Notes of Music The film portrait of landscape painter Christian Peltenburg-Brechneff shows his life today and looks back on his career and style of arts in the United States, Greece, Switzerland and other parts of the world. 50 minutes
16:05 Outcaste This is a unique story of faith, courage and magical thinking. A story of how the dream of an elderly English teacher finally comes true with the help of a rickshaw driver, a lapsed buddhist monk and a journey in to the high himalayas. It’s ‘The Marigold Hotel’ meets ‘Lost Horizon’. 66 minutes
17:20 A Reason to Leave It is a gripping tale of a quest for redemption set in Dorset and Tuscany. Bathed in deception and sexual tension, nothing is what it seems in this drama with a dark twist at the end. 94 minutes 19:00 PARTY
SCREEN 2 10:00 The Last Inhabitant Тhey lost their paradise and escaped hell, led only by love, virtue and self-sacrifice.
FRIDAY
14:30 BREAK
WWW.FILMFESTINTERNATIONAL.COM
40 minutes
APOLLO THORNE Chuck Griffith A WOMAN, UNTITLED Charles Lane CHASING THE NOT Sara-Ella Ozbek COLOUR ME JANE Elisa McRae COUNTING NEEDLES FROM A HILL Lovely Carter DAMSELS IN DIAMONDS Vivek Kumar DEVOTED Damon Chua
83 minutes
11:35 An Open Door
79 minutes
13:00 Chocolate A suburban housewife and mother suddenly finds herself homeless and lost in the Skid Row neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles. A beautiful story of family and hope. 29 minutes
13:35 My Mom’s Wedding Shu-jun receives some surprising news. Her mother, a Taiwanese opera diva, intends to get married. Returning to her hometown for the wedding, Shu-jun is horrified to discover that the groom is her own age--and an ex-criminal, too. 25 minutes
14:05 Happy Based on the life of Augusta artist Leonard Zimmerman, HAPPY is the story of one man’s journey through the storm, and his desire to share the sunshine he found on the other side of it. 78 minutes 15:30 Small Signs Ellen is hopelessly averse to change. When her boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her, she must start anew. In the course of rebuilding her life and self-esteem, Ellen starts receiving strange messages from a newly bought printer. 30 minutes FIGHTER BOYS E.M. Singer T.B. Casares GFE Rizwanul Haq GOING HOME Nir Shelter Humptonville: Days Of The Man Eating Trees Thomas Castillo Jimmy Narula Vivek Kumar JULIE Stephen Cottage
16:05 Shishok The main character of our project is Sergey or, as the village calls him, “Shishok”. He lives near the Ilyatino village. Sergey is 20 years old. He doesn’t work and doesn’t plan or even think about his future. This is the reality not only for him, but also for the majority of young Ilyatino people. 32 minutes
16:40 WHO? Who is Doreen? She goes on a wild spree on the streets of the “Big Apple.” She will make you laugh. She will touch you but will you ever know who Doreen really is? 10 minutes 16:55 Journey Notes
13 minutes
17:10 Socialising the Genome Socialising the Genome’ is a research project funded by Wellcome, Genomics England and Wellcome Genome Campus that aims to explore potential conversation starters around genomics. 4 minutes 17:20 A Reason to Leave It is a gripping tale of a quest for redemption set in Dorset and Tuscany. Bathed in deception and sexual tension, nothing is what it seems in this drama with a dark twist at the end. 94 minutes 19:00
PARTY
SCREEN 3 10:00 Dancing in the Dark Losing his sight at 17 and battling depression Doug Stevenson goes on to pursue his dream of becoming an Olympic Dressage Rider. 26 minutes 10:30 Blessed A suspenseful short action film about a cop torn between her desire to be a mother and being the warrior she needs to be when a young girl running for her life arrives with a request. 27 minutes
11:10 Confessions of A Breastimator “Confessions of a Breastimator”, is a story of a breast aficionado who reflects back on her life as an animator, confessing her longtime passion for cartoons and animating double D’s. 4 minutes 11:20 Fishbowl After Marina finds the address of her absent father, she has to decide whether or not to contact him. 6 minutes
11:30 The Goldfish Saeed, a Kurdish emigrant lives in london, feels guilty for the drowning of his wife and small daughter, every time he sees or hears water, he wish he was death and not his family.. 7 minutes
11:40 Sottoterra A little girl, Lisa, finds a deep and frightening hole dug in a path among the trees. She is attracted by the hole, wants to go down it, but her mother stops her. Lisa, convinced that the hole hides a monstrous secret. 15 minutes
12:00 Stuck in the Middle Alvin, who is a happy single guy, is stuck between choosing the love of his life, Chelsea, or his friendship with his best friend, which is the exboyfriend of Chelsea. 7 minutes
12:10 To Be An American TO BE AN AMERICAN is a newsworthy, informative, provocative, entertaining 73-minute documentary film that explores our American challenges, problems, hopes, dreams, and aspirations. 74 minutes
14:45
June
14 minutes
15:05 Our Perfect World Alice and Jack, two lovers who are isolated, of their own will from society seeking to build a perfect home, end up being victims of their intolerance, and the house that turns against them in an apparent endless loop of violence. 19 minutes 15:30
Man Real
10 minutes
15:45 The Dragon and The Phoenix Several characters’ stories interweave during a year in Paris. 26 minutes
16:15 The Checklist Effect Both scientific and deeply personal: a documentary for anyone who’s ever had surgery, or watched someone they love disappear behind those swinging doors. 45 minutes
17:20 A Reason to Leave It is a gripping tale of a quest for redemption set in Dorset and Tuscany. Bathed in deception and sexual tension, nothing is what it seems in this drama with a dark twist at the end. 94 minutes
19:00 PARTY
LIFE TIME Nir Shelter
PERFECT COUPLE/LALE Berrin Ilhan
Steal Away Jon Paul Reese
Lion of the Sea Peter Israelson
PERSPECTIVE Joy Martinello
THE ONE THAT NEVER CAME Jack Pumfrey
Lost Cause David J Schroeder
PINK BUNNY Geoffrey D. Calhoun
THE WAITING ROOM Ilmari Pehkonen
LOVE’S TERMS Lance Barnett
POWER PLAY Colin K Stewart
THE WONDERFUL Demitra Papadinis
MARRIAGE FOR BEGINNERS Radu Olievschi
REDBONE Ned Eckhardt
DIERDRE OF THE SORROWS Richard C. Lyons
Resurrection Time Conspiracy Jim Carroll
THE EXPERIMENT Jeffrey Allen Russel Lynda Lemberg
MIDWEST HU$TLER Zaine Robert Bray Rynell Benckendorf
Shine Your Eyes Clint Pearson
Trigger Thomas Castillo RICHARD AND ISABEL Grogan Ullah
69