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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2014
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Shamberg: ‘Anyone with a laptop is their own studio’ Frederick Wiseman
Wiseman shares words of wisdom BY MICHAEL ROSSER
Frederick Wiseman will lead a ZFF Masters talk on Sunday at 5pm at the Filmpodium. The US documentary filmmaker will also attend a screening of his latest feature — National Gallery — here in Zurich at 4pm the same day; the film debuted at Cannes in Directors’ Fortnight. The 84-year-old director received the Venice Golden Lion for lifetime achievement last month and National Gallery, which goes behind the scenes of the London art museum, recently played at Toronto. The film-maker, who does not include interviews or voiceovers in his documentaries, will discuss where his inspiration comes from and what projects attract his attention today at the Masters talk. Wiseman — who made university portrait At Berkeley in 2013 — will revisit his 1967 classic Titicut Follies to make a ballet out of the documentary about the criminally insane.
BY ANDREAS WISEMAN
Acclaimed US producer Michael Shamberg will today hail the filmmaking opportunities afforded by digital platforms and new technology, during his Zurich Summit keynote. “There are enormous opportunities in this space,” the Pulp Fiction executive producer told Screen ahead of his address. “Digital is the medium of now and it will only grow. Within a year or two in the US there will be more money spent on digital advertising than on TV advertis-
ing — $80bn per year. As the revenue shifts for storytellers, more and more Hollywood industry will work in the digital space.” The Oscar-nominated producer, whose credits include Erin Brockovich and Django Unchained, added: “Anybody with a laptop is their own movie studio. You can shoot very cheaply with an iPhone or digital camera, edit at low cost and distribute at low cost. That’s a pretty amazing revolution in media.” Shamberg, who joined viral content publisher BuzzFeed as a
Stefan Haupt
NEWS Completing The Circle Swiss director Stefan Haupt on Oscar submission The Circle » Page 2
PROFILE That funky feeling Tate Taylor talks about Mick Jagger and the making of James Brown biopic Get On Up » Page 4
REVIEW The Drop A flinty, hardboiled thriller » Page 6
SCREENINGS
» Page 9
Swiss Cure taken across Europe
Eddy Motion
BY GEOFFREY MACNAB
The film-making team behind Get On Up walk the opening-night green carpet. Pictured from left are producers John Norris and Victoria Pearman, actor Chadwick Boseman, ZFF co-directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, and the film’s director Tate Taylor.
Spoerri set to make a splash at tenth “It’s our 10th anniversary so we want to make a big splash with audiences with our line-up of films,” says Karl Spoerri, Zurich Film Festival’s artistic director and co-director, with Nadja Schildknecht. “For the first time we have a great festival centre in the heart of the square, which has reopened after being under construction for two years. It’s a beautiful setting
consultant to its new film-making division BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, will also discuss the company’s film-making model. “There’s an enormous opportunity for people with storytelling skills to work online but digital is a whole different grammar. I’ve been exploring opportunities for those people in that space,” he said. Shamberg, whose recent films A Walk Among The Tombstones and Wish I Was Here both play at the festival, is in pre-production on Julianne Moore and Ellen Page feature drama Freeheld.
TODAY
and was finished just in time,” says Spoerri of the 16,000 sq m Sechseläutenplatz. Spoerri was one of the festival founders in October 2005, when the three-day event focused on debuts and attracted 8,000 visitors. Fast-forward and last year’s edition recorded 71,000 visitors, 122 film titles and 450 guests. This year could be even bigger
with star guests including Diane Keaton, who will receive the Golden Icon award, Cate Blanchett at a screening of Blue Jasmine, and a ZFF Talk with Peter Fonda among others. “Zurich is the perfect festival to launch a film in the Germanlanguage market,” says Spoerri of the line-up. “It fits perfectly into the festival calendar and is very convenient to get to from around
the world. Plus, we’re a very audience-friendly festival.” New for 2014 is a rejigged competition section and a boost to the prize money. The International Feature and International Documentary categories remain but the sections for German-language feature and documentary have been dropped. In their place is Focus: Switzerland, Germany and Austria, which will showcase features and docs from the three countries. Michael Rosser
Swiss feature doc Yalom’s Cure, which premiered at Locarno Film Festival in August, has been snapped up by several European distributors. Sales agent Autlook Film Sales has confirmed that both Swiss distributor Filmcoopi and German outfit Alamode Films, which have acquired the picture, are planning a late 2014 theatrical release in German-speaking territories following Zurich Film Festival. Meanwhile, a number of other buyers have come on board Yalom’s Cure. Rights have gone to France (Sophie Dulac Films), Benelux (Cinemien) and Greece (Filmtrade). Both a Czech/Slovak and a US release will be announced soon. The deals were negotiated by Autlook’s Salma Abdalla. Yalom’s Cure (aka Yalom’s Guide To Happiness) is directed by Sabine Gisiger. The film profiles bestselling author, scholar and existentialist Irvin D Yalom, one of the most influential living psychotherapists. Millions of his books have been sold worldwide. The film is billed as “offering more than a classic biography”, taking the viewer on “an existential journey, navigating the depths and shallows of the human psyche”.
NEWS
Summit honours Game Changer By Michael Rosser
The inaugural Zurich Summit will see the award of the first Game Changer prize to Christoph Krachten, president of Munich-based online TV channel Mediakraft Networks. The award will be presented during the closing dinner of the summit, held at The Dolder Grand Hotel on Saturday, organised by Zurich Film Festival’s Karl Spoerri with Winston Baker. “Christoph Krachten has become one of Europe’s most successful and prolific online TV producers,” said a Zurich Summit statement. “After having worked as a TV journalist and producer for many years, he was one of the first media creators in Germany to recognise the potential in online video.” Krachten will also deliver a keynote on ‘The future of digital consumption’.
Haupt’s The Circle is Swiss Oscar hopeful By Michael Rosser
Award-winning Swiss director Stefan Haupt may have to make room in his trophy cabinet with his latest title The Circle (Der Kreis). Switzerland has submitted the film, set in post-war Zurich during the gay rights movement, for the best foreign-language film prize at the 87th Academy Awards. “It’s an honour to represent Switzerland but this is just one step on a long road,” Haupt tells Screen from his Zurich base. Beginning in 1958, The Circle is based on the true story of a young teacher, Ernst Ostertag, who falls in love with transvestite star Robi Rapp. Ostertag becomes a member of gay organisation Der Kreis, seen at the time as the pioneer of gay
The Circle
emancipation, and follows its rise and fall. The film received its world premiere in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlinale and won both the Teddy Award and the Audience Award. “We hoped to make a success-
ful film but also a good film on an important subject,” said Haupt of its success to date. “We have been overwhelmed by the awards and great reactions.” The Circle has been sold to more than 15 countries in Europe and Asia and has been invited to more than 70 international film festivals to date, winning prizes in Boston and Los Angeles among others. The film opened in Swiss cinemas last weekend through distributor Ascot Elite and will be released in Germany by Salzgeber and the US through Wolfe Video in October. Speaking ahead of the festival, Haupt said: “At the moment, I’m working day and night on a new script. But I won’t miss the opening night of the festival.”
Voltage boss provides spark By Michael Rosser
Nicolas Chartier, president of Voltage Pictures and producer of Dallas Buyers Club, is to deliver a keynote here in Zurich on making films on a budget. Chartier, who recently produced drone-pilot drama Good Kill, will discuss ‘Producing award-winning films at the right budget’ at the first Zurich Summit, which counts Screen as a media partner, on Saturday. Other keynote speeches will be given by producer Michael Shamberg (see page 1). Ubisoft Motion Pictures CEO Jean-Julien Baronnet will discuss ‘Turning popular games into box-office hits’ while Joiz Group CEO Alexander Mazzara will talk about social media and TV. Panels throughout the day at The Dolder Grand Hotel will include a discussion on marketing and distribution.
subti.com
2 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
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Zurich fest launch pad for local films David Ruehm and Ulrich Seidl — A Director At Work by Constantin Wulff all have their world premieres in the Special Screenings section. A work-in-progress version of Samir’s Iraqi Odyssey will also be screened in the same section. While acquisitions business is generally sparse in light of most films having already been acquired for local distribution, the line-up still presents opportunities for distributors to unearth hidden gems. The festival is also an increasingly important launch pad.
By Andreas Wiseman
Eleven Swiss films and five Swiss co-productions will screen during the 10th Zurich Film Festival. This year two local films will be vying for the Golden Eye in the festival’s International Feature Film Competition: Simon Jaquemet’s well-received debut Chrieg, which had its world premiere last week in San Sebastian, and Bruno Deville’s comedy Bouboule. The Swiss films to screen in the festival’s new competition Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria comprise: Children Of The Arctic by Nick Brandestini, who won the Golden Eye at Zurich in 2011 with his documentary Darwin; Dark Star — HR Gigers Welt by Belinda Sallin; Die Demokratie Ist Los! by Thomas Isler; and Zu Ende Leben by Rebecca Panian.
Northmen: A Viking Saga
Out of competition titles include Claudio Fäh’s epic Northmen: A Viking Saga and coproduction The Wonders, which premiered in Cannes. Daniel von Aarburg’s documentary Carl Lutz — Der Schweizer Schindler will be screened
in the Border Lines section, while features Freefalling: A Love Story by Mirjam von Arx, Padrone E Sotto by Michele Cirigliano, Palace Hotel by Emil Berna and Leonard Steckel, 11:23 — 9:59 (Projekt Angst) by Stefan Jäger, Der Vampir Auf Der Couch by
Roman Güttinger
“We work very closely with the festival because we have many premieres at the event,” said Ascot Elite sales executive Roman Güttinger. “Most of the big films have already been sold but sometimes a smaller film can get a big buzz and we become interested to see if we can do something with it,” he continued. That was the case in 2011 when the company picked up German-language Audience Award winner Unter Wasser Atmen. While Ascot has local rights to a string of bigger festival titles including Whiplash, Nightcrawler and A Most Wanted Man, tonight the company will be focusing on the launch of its own production, Northmen: A Viking Saga. “Northmen is very important to us,” said Güttinger. “We hope there might be one or two buyers present who haven’t seen it yet”.
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September 27-29, 2014 Screen International at Zurich 3
PROFILES
SCREENINGS, PAGE 9
Tate Taylor Get On Up dead and infiltrate their own movie, it would be James Brown.
BY MICHAEL ROSSER
In Zurich’s opening night film Get On Up, US director Tate Taylor tells the story of legendary showman James Brown. Chadwick Boseman plays the influential musician and is here at the festival with Taylor. As a director and screenwriter, Taylor is best known for his 2011 Oscar winner The Help. How did you come to direct Get On Up? After The Help, I had a tough time finding what I wanted to do next. I love character with tons of story, spectacle and history, and that was really hard to find. I had a meeting scheduled with [producer] Brian Grazer and while I was in the lobby, one of their associates said, “We just got a James Brown script.” I thought it would be awful and formulaic, that wouldn’t do Mr Brown justice. I was on a flight when I started reading it and, somewhere over Vegas, looked at my producing partner and said, “Oh fuck, I want to direct this.” Within two days I’d
How much input did Jagger have? What he did for me that was most helpful as a director was the time he spent with Chad, just listening to music. Chad’s not a musical performer so Mick explained the psychology of the performer and his relationship with the audience and how he conducts the band and his audience. It was really helpful to give Chad a sense of ease and authenticity.
Chadwick Boseman confers with Tate Taylor
met with [producer] Mick Jagger and I was the director. What was important to you about telling this story? I wanted it to be a psychological piece about who this man was and what was
going on in his brain. He wasn’t a man who wanted to be rich and famous. He was a man who was afraid of going backwards and being irrelevant. That’s when I had the idea to break the fourth wall and I thought if anyone could figure out how to come back from the
You came to Zurich Film Festival in 2011 with The Help. How does it feel to be returning with the opening night film? It feels fantastic because part of my lengthy deliberation on what I would do next was to show that I wasn’t a flash in the pan. It’s very validating to have made my second film opening such a prestigious festival. It makes me feel like I’m on the right path.
Gabe Ibanez Automata BY MICHAEL ROSSER
Spanish director Gabe Ibanez is here in Zurich with star Antonio Banderas to present their new sci-fi film Automata. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Banderas plays an insurance agent who routinely investigates the case of manipulating a robot but discovers more than he bargained for. Ibanez previously directed 2009 mystery Hierro. This is your first move into science fiction. How did it come about? My grandfather loved science fiction so I grew up around Isaac Asimov books. The first idea I had for this movie was five years ago when I read about a 3D printer that was able to create almost all the pieces to create another
3D printer. That’s the idea behind Automata — a machine that’s able to reproduce itself. And we’ll soon be able to create a machine that’s more intelligent than humans. The idea that machines will be able to think in a way that we cannot understand is a very powerful idea. How did Antonio Banderas get involved? My first movie was Hierro, starring Elena Anaya. She was shooting with Antonio on The Skin I Live In and gave him the script and he was very interested in the movie. The producer, Millennium Films, wanted to work with Antonio on The Expendables 3 so they agreed to make this strange science-fiction film to build a relationship with him. What was it like working with him? Antonio has made more than 80 movies and directed two, so he has great experience. I’ve made just one feature and one short. But Anto-
4 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
Gabe Ibanez (centre) on set with stars Birgitte Hjort Sorensen and Antonio Banderas
nio is an artist so he understands what a director and creator is. He’s very respectful of other people’s work so he made it easy. What was your inspiration for the look of the film? We are working in the universe of Asimov
and one of the rules is that it’s very realistic. So we tried to create a world that you can see in the newspapers now. We didn’t create the robots using CGI. The robots are real on the set with puppeteers. This type of old-fashioned technology allows you to do the movie in a very classic way. » See review, page 8
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The promotion agency for Swiss filmmaking
proudly presents Swiss productions and coproductions screening at the Zurich Film Festival
International Feature Film Competition
International Feature Film Competition
BOUBOUle [ChUBBy]
ChrIeg
by Bruno Deville Fiction Switzerland/Belgium 2014 83 min
by Simon Jaquemet Fiction Switzerland 2014 108 min
Sun, Sept 28, 20:45, Corso 2 Tue, Sept 30, 20:30, Arena 4 Fr, Oct 3, 19:45, Arena 8
Sat, Sept 27, 15:30, le Paris Thu, Oct 2, 19:15, Corso 4 Focus Switzerland, germany, Austria
Focus Switzerland, germany, Austria
DArk STAr hr gIger’S WOrlD
ChIlDreN OF The ArCTIC by Nick Brandestini Documentary Switzerland/Belgium 2014 94 min
by Belinda Sallin Documentary Switzerland 2014 96 min
Sat, Sept 27, 16:30, Corso 2 Tue, Sept 30,13:00, Arena 4 Sat, Oct 4, 13:00, Corso 2
Sat, Sept 27, 20:30, le Paris Mon, Sept 29, 15:30, Filmpodium Wed, Oct 1, 12:45, Filmpodium
Focus Switzerland, germany, Austria
gala Premieres
NOrThMeN: A VIkINg SAgA
ZU eNDe leBeN
by rebecca Panian Documentary Switzerland 2014 87 min
by Claudio Fäh Fiction Switzerland/Germany/South Africa 2014 97 min
Sun, Sept 28, 19:00, Arena 8 Mon, Sept 29, 13:30, Arena 8 Thu, Oct 2, 16:30, Arena 8
Sat, Sept 27, 20:15, Corso 1 Wed, Oct 1, 20:30, Arena 5
Special Screenings
Special Screenings
IrAqI ODySSey [3D]
UlrICh SeIDl A DIreCTOr AT WOrk
[WOrk-IN-PrOgreSS]
by Samir Documentary Switzerland/Germany/ United Arab Emirates 2014 162 min
by Constantin Wulff Documentary Austria/Switzerland/Germany 2014 52 min
Sun, Oct 5, 11:00, Filmpodium
Mon, Sept 29, 20:45, Corso 2
ZFF MASTerS: UlrICh SeIDl Sun, Oct 5, 12:45, Filmpodium Moderated by Catherine Ann Berger, Director of SWISS FIlMS
www.swissfilms.ch
REVIEWS
Reviews edited by Mark Adams mark.adams@screendaily.com
The Drop Reviewed by Allan Hunter Desperate men are driven to desperate, bloody acts in The Drop, a flinty, hardboiled thriller that marks the English-language debut of Bullhead director Michael R Roskam. It is also the first screenplay by Mystic River and Shutter Island author Dennis Lehane. The combination of Lehane’s terse, punchy dialogue and cleverly constructed plot with Roskam’s fondness for character and fresh eye for US locales makes for an idiosyncratic, slowburning tale that ultimately satisfies. Positive reviews and an attractive cast should be sufficient to nudge the film from sturdy arthouse attraction towards more mainstream success. Lehane has relocated his short story, Animal Rescue, from Boston to Brooklyn. Cousin Marv’s is an unremarkable neighbourhood dive that also serves as a dropping point for some of the dirtiest money in the city. Marv (Gandolfini) was once a respected figure in the crime fraternity but is now just a front for a collection of ruthless Chechen gangsters. His cousin Bob (Hardy) tends bar, goes to church and seems to struggle with the morality of a life defined by violence and betrayal. Hardy’s Bob is the most interesting character in the film. His shuffling, awkward manner and heavy accent seem to have taken their inspiration from a mixture of Marlon Brando in On The
International Feature Film / Competition US. 2014. 107mins Director Michael R Roskam Production company Chernin Entertainment Distribution 20th Century Fox Producers Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping Executive producers Mike Larocca, M Blair Breard, Dennis Lehane Screenplay Dennis Lehane, based on his short story Animal Rescue Cinematography Nicolas Karakatsanis Editor Christopher Tellefsen Production designer Therese DePrez Music Marco Beltrami Main cast Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini, Matthias Schoenaerts, John Ortiz
6 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
Waterfront and Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. He is a big-hearted, seemingly slow-witted fellow who is kind to stray dogs and orphans in the storm. We are to learn there is much more to him than meets the eye as he befriends waitress Nadia (Rapace) and gives a home to a bull terrier pup that belonged to Nadia’s violent boyfriend Eric (Schoenaerts). As we become more aware of hidden lives, guilty secrets and the ghosts of the past, the various strands of the story start to come together, gathering much needed momentum and build-
ing towards a climax made all the more tense by the crisp editing of Christopher Tellefsen and the urgent score by Marco Beltrami. Roskam has the confidence to let Lehane’s story and Runyonesque individuals have space to breathe before he starts to tighten the screw. He also brings out the best in his cast, from a compelling Hardy to the charismatic Matthias Schoenaerts. And the late James Gandolfini exudes affable ambiguity as a slippery character who has never quite come to terms with the loss of his power or the fatal flaws in his nature.
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» The Drop p6 » A Walk Among The Tombstones p7 » Titli p7
Titli
New World View
Reviewed by Dan Fainaru
A Walk Among The Tombstones Reviewed by Mark Adams Gritty 1970s-style crime dramas are very much en vogue, and Scott Frank’s impressively dour and dangerous crime thriller is the perfect vehicle for Liam Neeson as a tough and troubled investigator who finds himself caught up in a disturbing case that is like nothing he has ever tackled. Comparisons may be drawn with his Taken films, given his grizzled detective Matt Scudder is on the mean streets of New York trying to track down a kidnap victim, but the recovering alcoholic is as far away from Taken’s cool-and-confident Bryan Mills as could be imagined, with A Walk Among The Tombstones a gritty crime procedural rather than an out-and-out action adventure. The screenplay is based on the 10th book (with the same title) of Lawrence Block’s bestselling series about private investigator Scudder and his quest for redemption. But this adaptation, set in 1999 just before the millennium, is the perfect scene-setter for a film that could spiral off into a franchise. Scudder is an ex-NYPD cop who now works as an unlicensed PI operating just outside the law. He reluctantly agrees to help drug trafficker Kenny Kristo (Stevens) to hunt down the men who kidnapped and brutally — very brutally — murdered his wife. As Scudder probes more deeply, he comes to realise he is chasing some seriously deranged deviants. The film is a mannered and leisurely paced oldschool crime mystery, with Neeson in top form as a PI who knows his limitations but will also go the extra mile. His gravelly charisma and physical presence mean Scudder is an impressively mean and moody lead character. It is well directed by Frank, who has a keen sense of the mood of the pre-millennium period and the general paranoia that accompanied it. He draws out great performances from his cast. It is nice to see Neeson playing an old-fashioned private eye and he is delightfully complemented by Dan Stevens’ heroin trafficker whose skewed moral compass sees him turn into a kind of anti-hero.
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Gala Premieres US. 2014. 114mins Director/screenplay Scott Frank Production companies 1984 Private Defense Contractors, Cross Creek Pictures, Da Vinci Media Ventures, Double Feature Films, Exclusive Media Group, Free State Pictures, Jersey Films, Traveling Picture Show Company International sales Exclusive Media Group, www.exclusivemedia.com Producers Tobin Armbrust, Danny DeVito, Brian Oliver, Stacey Sher, Michael Shamberg Executive producers Kate Bacon, Guy East, John W Hyde, Tracy Krohn, Mark Mallouk, Peter Mallouk, Kerry Orent, Lauren Selig, Adi Shankar, Spencer Silna, Nigel Sinclair, Tyler Thompson, Richard Toussaint Cinematography Mihai Malaimare Jr Editor Jill Savitt Production designer David Brisbin Main cast Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, Adam David Johnson, Brian ‘Astro’ Bradley, Boyd Holbrook, Olafur Darri Olafsson
» Manglehorn p8 » Automata p8
As far away from the classic spirit of Bollywood as any Indian film could wish to be, Kanu Behl’s uncompromising look at the Delhi underbelly is — while never pretty — a nice surprise. A debut film that avoids anything that might be pleasing to the eye or the ear (the seedy atmosphere and gloomy aspect of the slums being one of the film’s main assets), Titli nevertheless manages to tell a sordid story in a gripping manner, pulling more rabbits out of its dilapidated hat with every new twist. The story does not feature even one character who is anything less than a liar and a cheat, and even those traits would probably be considered commendable features. Titli (which means ‘butterfly’ — his late mother was expecting a daughter and did not bother to find something more suitable when she had yet another son) is the youngest of three brothers. His older siblings, Vikram (Ranvir Shorey, the only professional actor in the cast) and Bawla (Sial), with whom he shares the same ruined home, are violent brutes, the first one nasty and vicious, the second plain nasty. Both are small-time hoodlums whose main job is to hijack cars and sell them at a discount. Though he is a full partner in the unsavoury family business, Titli (Arora) wants out and will do anything to get the money he needs. When his brothers think that a woman might add another angle to their business, they marry off Titli against his will to Neelu (Raghuvanshi) whose distaste for her new partner is written all over her face, particularly since a married building contractor has promised to divorce his wife and take her instead. To Behl’s credit, as wretched as his characters often are, it is impossible to ignore them; there is a spark of human grace even in the least appealing ones. His cast, consisting mostly of inexperienced actors, instil fiery passion in their roles, with a couple of remarkably intense scenes between Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi standing out among others. A few script glitches here and there and some pacing issues towards the end may well be expected in a first film, but Behl’s energy pulls the film through with such drive that most pitfalls should be ignored.
India. 2014. 124mins Director Kanu Behl Production companies DBP, YRF International sales WestEnd Films, www. westendfilms.com Producer Dibakar Banerjee Screenplay Sharat Katariya, Kanu Behl Cinematography Siddharth Diwan Editor Namrata Rao Production designer Parul Sondh Main cast Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Ranvir Shorey, Amit Sial, Lalit Behl
September 27-29, 2014 Screen International at Zurich 7
reviewS
Manglehorn Reviewed by Mark Adams Manglehorn shows director David Gordon Green’s ability to tell a familiar story in an impressively off-kilter manner, charting the story of a reclusive, elderly Texan locksmith and his tenuous relationships with the few people he allows close to him. Though well performed and engaging at times, Manglehorn (a great title… promising much, but in the end, just a name) rather flatters to deceive, following an entirely predictable route while somehow hinting at moments of drama and intrigue that never emerge. It is a relatively restrained performance from Pacino — both in terms of his line delivery and physical mannerisms — but he makes the most of his lengthy monologues (often internal ones) as he does his best to flesh out a bitter man who feels life has robbed him of happiness. The film succeeds in its sense of understated unsentimentality, frustrated romanticism and gently leftfield moments of humour, but after the director’s recent films and the high-profile casting of Pacino, expectations will be high for this quirky story of loneliness and longing. Locksmith AJ Manglehorn (Pacino) leads a solitary life, busy with work before pottering home to feed his cat. There he drinks, eats bad food and writes letters to Clara, the long-lost love of his life. He has a fractured relationship with his wealthy son (Messina), though tenderly
Gala Premieres
US. 2014. 97mins Director David Gordon Green Production companies Worldview Entertainment, Dreambridge Films, WestEnd Films, Muskat Filmed Properties, Rough House Pictures International sales West End Films, www. westendfilms.com Producers Lisa Muskat, David Gordon Green, Derrick Tseng, Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners Screenplay Paul Logan Cinematography Tim Orr Editor Colin Patton Production designer Richard A Wright Music Explosions in the Sky & David Wingo Main cast Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, Chris Messina
plays with his granddaughter every week, and the only other person he appears fond of is bank teller Dawn (Hunter), who he chats to every Friday when he pays in money from his business. He and Dawn set up a tentative date (at the local Legion where they tuck into pancakes) and he subsequently asks her out for dinner. It is a beautifully excruciating scene as she expresses her open warmth to him while he simply talks about how wonderful Clara was and how much he clings to her memories. Holly Hunter is quite
superb as a loving woman knocked back by Manglehorn’s sheer thoughtlessness and obsession. Pacino is nicely low-key, though the film offers him little in the way of charm or charisma. Perhaps best of all is Hunter’s delightfully warm performance as a woman willing to take a risk on love and who is treated thoughtlessly. She is the compassionate heart of the film and it is, unsurprisingly, only at the end of the piece that Manglehorn comes to see the possibility of happiness might lie in her direction.
the first quantum android, the Automata Pilgrim 7000, was to help people but Vaucan comes to suspect the security protocols in place to ensure there is always control over the androids is not quite as firm as first thought. The ‘second protocol’ dictates that the robots do not damage themselves, but when he comes across a battered machine (or ‘clunker’) self-repairing, he realises all is not well —because self-repair implies some sort of sentience. With the help of robot-hating cop Wallace
(Dylan McDermott, all snarling and slickedback hair) and Dra. Dupre (Griffith), a scientist who ‘alters’ androids and creates pleasure-bots that share her face and her voice, Vaucan uncovers the secret behind who is manipulating the Pilgrim 7000, and finds himself thrust into a dark conspiracy. Like Blade Runner before it, the latest film from writer-director Ibanez (who made 2009’s Hierro) favours the film noir, and there is a good deal of angst and drama amid the story of corrupted machinery and the dangers faced when machine and mind begin to merge. It is smoothly directed and elegantly made, with the damp, moody atmosphere helping the film-noir style (it shot in Bulgaria). Banderas is nicely intense and low-key as the reluctant and unlikely hero, taking it all suitably seriously and handling the action moments with appropriate ease. The strong supporting cast adds much to the proceedings. Melanie Griffith has a virtual cameo as scientist Dra. Dupre, but also provides the voice for pleasure-bot Cleo who accompanies Vaucan. Birgitte Hjort Sorensen makes an impact as his troubled wife Rachel, while Tim McInnerny is an unlikely — though oddly effective — bad guy. The presence of McDermott and Robert Forster add to proceedings, while Javier Bardem providing the voice of Blue Robert reinforces the film’s A-list Spanish credentials.
Automata Reviewed by Mark Adams A strikingly slick and intriguing sci-fi thriller, Gabe Ibanez’s Automata, which premiered at San Sebastian prior to a US release, tackles the thorny issue of the development of robotic intelligence. Antonio Banderas (also a producer) stars as a bald-headed insurance agent/investigator who unearths dark secrets behind robots who are developing new capabilities. Set some 50 years into the future, Automata is a blend of I, Robot and Blade Runner, and is at its best when making use of its bleak, rainy futurecity backdrop (where a variety of raincoats are the fashion order of the day) to present a dark and disturbing world. More of a film noir thriller than an out-and-out sci-fi adventure, it is driven by an impressive performance by Banderas as a tormented but determined hero. The film is set to open in the US in October, and its strong cast and striking sci-fi credentials should make it of interest to distributors. Jacq Vaucan (Banderas), an insurance agent at ROC robotics corporation, investigates a case of manipulating a robot; what he discovers will have profound consequences for the future of humanity. With people restricted largely to the grim cities, the rise of ROC and its development of robots to aid mankind sits alongside society’s decay. The motivating factor behind the creation of
Gala Premieres Sp. 2014. 109mins Director Gabe Ibanez Production companies
Green Moon, Nu Boyana Viburno International sales
Millennium Entertainment, www.millennium entertainment.com Producers Antonio Banderas, Sandra Hermida, Danny Lerner, Les Weldon Screenplay Gabe Ibanez, Igor Legarreta, Javier Sanchez Donate Cinematography
Alejandro Martinez Music Zacarias M de la Riva Main cast Antonio Banderas, Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, Melanie Griffith, Dylan McDermott, Robert Forster, Tim McInnerny, Andy Nyman, David Ryall
8 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
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Screenings Edited by Paul Lindsell paul.lindsell@gmail.com
Saturday Sept 27 11:00 Fiddlesticks
Children, Germany, 2014, 112mins. German. Dir: Veit Helmer. Cast: Fritzi Haberlandt, Benno Furmann, Nadeshda Brennicke, Samuel Finzi, Wolfram Koch, Jule Bowe. The small town of Bollersdorf is turned on its head: market researchers think the town’s inhabitants make the perfect product testers, and the adults comply enthusiastically. The consequence of this is that old people are put in nursing homes in order to keep down the average age of the inhabitants. But the children don’t want to be used as guinea pigs and decide to take action. ZFF For Kids Arena 4
13:00
Norway, 2013, 112mins. German. Dir: Arild Frohlich. Cast: Emily Glaister, Eilif Hellum Noraker, Kristoffer Joner, Anke Engelke. By helping Doctor Proktor gain recognition for his amazing invention, two lonely children learn to stand on their own two feet. ZFF For Kids Arena 4
The Drop
Drama, US, 2014, 112mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Michael R Roskam. Cast: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini, Matthias Schoenaerts. Bob Saginowski finds himself at the centre of a robbery gone awry. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 1
14:15
Cain’s Children
True Detective 1 x 02 — Seeing Things
DOC: Social and human interest, Hungary, France, 2014, 128mins. Hungarian with German and English subtitles. Dir: Marcell Gero. Cast: Pasztor Pal, Nagy Jozsef Gabor, Barcsai Zsolt. The story of three men with a dark past.
Crime thriller, US, 2014, 59mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Cary Joji Fukunaga. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Tory Kittles, Elizabeth Reaser, Michael Potts, Clarke Peters.
International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
TVision Arena 8
True Detective 1 x 01 — The Long Bright Dark
Crime thriller, US, 2014, 75mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Cary Joji Fukunaga. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Tory Kittles, Elizabeth Reaser, Michael Potts. The lives of two detectives become entangled during a 17-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. TVision Arena 8
14:00 Doctor Proktor’s Fart powder
Children, Germany,
www.screendaily.com
15:30 Chubby
Coming of age, Switzerland, Belgium, 2014, 108mins. French with German and English subtitles. Dir: Bruno Deville. Cast: David Thielemans, Swann Arlaud, Julie Ferrier, Francois HadjiLazaro, Lisa Harder. Weighing 100kg, 12-yearold Kevin Bouboule’s life is far from easy. The other kids bully him at every opportunity. Kevin finds comfort in food and drifts along in a dream world. His outlook is bleak until he comes across Rocco, a German shepherd that belongs to Patrick.
International Feature Film / Competition Arthouse Le Paris
15:45 Ballet 422
DOC: Arts & culture, US, 2014, 100mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Jody Lee Lipes. Cast: Justin Peck, Tiler Peck, Amar Ramasar, Sterling Hyltin, Albert Evans. Takes us backstage at New York City Ballet as emerging choreographer Justin Peck crafts a new work. International Documentary Film / Competition Arena 8
The Great Invisible
DOC: Environment and nature, US, 2014, 97mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Margaret Brown. On April 20, 2010, the oilrig Deepwater Horizon exploded in the Gulf of Mexico with devastating consequences.
FESTIVAL Saturday 18:00 ’71
Thriller, UK, 2014, 124mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Yann Demange. Cast: Jack O’Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard
Das Meer Sehen
Drama, France, 1996, 102mins. French with German subtitles. Dir: Claire Denis. Cast: Gregoire Colin, Alice Houri. Siblings Nenette and Boni grow up separated. When 19-year-old factory worker Boni meets his now 15-year-old sister, he is surprised.
Children, Czech Republic, 2014, 117mins. Czech. Dir: Jiri Madl. Cast: Petr Simcak, Jan Marsal, Lucie Trmikova, Ondrej Vetchy. Instead of seaside holidays, Tomas is given a video camera by his parents. Together with his best friend, Haris, he films everything and everywhere, even in secret. Through the camera, he observes things that cause him concern. What are his parents keeping from him?
Retro: Claire Denis Filmpodium
ZFF For Kids Arena 4
International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
16:00 Nenette and Boni
16:30
17:15
Children of the Arctic
Blue Jasmine
DOC: Social and human interest, Switzerland, 2014, 128mins. English and Inupiaq with German subtitles. Dir: Nick Brandestini. Portrays five Inupiat teenagers in Alaska, aged 14 to 18, as they move into adulthood.
Tragi-comedy, US, 2013, 123mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: Woody Allen. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Peter Sarsgaard. When her husband Hal is arrested for fraud and their property confiscated, Jasmine must bid farewell to
Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Corso 2
Dorman, Sean Harris. A young soldier is accidentally abandoned by his unit during a riot on the streets of Belfast. International Feature Film / Competition Arthouse Le Paris
her comfortable upperclass life in Manhattan. Having moved to San Francisco into the modest apartment of her sister, she is determined to get her life back on track. Special Screenings Corso 1
18:00 ’71 See box, above
Titli
Drama, India, 2014, 149mins. Hindi with German and English subtitles. Dir: Kanu Behl. Cast: Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Ranvir Shorey, Amit Sial, Lalit Behl. In the badlands of Delhi’s dystopic underbelly, Titli, the youngest member of a violent car-jacking brotherhood, plots a desperate bid to escape the family business. New World View Arena 8
18:15 Gattaca
Sci-fi, US, 1997, 105mins.
English with German subtitles. Dir: Andrew Niccol. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Gore Vidal, Xander Berkeley. Vincent is deemed unsuitable to explore the universe as a Gattaca pilot. Undeterred, he assumes a new — and illegal — identity. Retro: Michael Shamberg Corso 3
Return to Homs
DOC: Social and human interest, Syria, Germany, 2013, 140mins. Arabic with German and English subtitles. Dir: Talal Derki. Accompanies two outstanding young men from the time they were only dreaming of freedom to the time when they are forced to change course. Border Lines Filmpodium
18:30 Toto and his sisters
DOC: Social and human interest, Romania, 2014, 117mins. Romanian with German and English subtitles. Dir: Alexander Nanau. Toto and his sisters survive on their own as they wait for their mother to return home from prison. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
September 27-29, 2014 Screen International at Zurich 9
»
SCREENINGS
German and English subtitles. Dir: Nima Javidi. Cast: Payman Maadi, Negar Javaherian, Mani Haghighi, Shirin Yazdanbakhsh. A new life awaits Iranians Amir and Sara in Melbourne. They have been preparing for months, but there is still a huge list of things to get done before catching their flight. When Sara agrees at short notice to take care of their neighbour’s baby, she has no idea how significant it will be.
19:00 Hand of God – Pilot
Drama, US, 2014, 91mins. English. Dir: Marc Forster. Cast: Ron Perlman, Dana Delany, Alona Tal, Garret Dillahunt. Pernell Harris wants to embark on a search for the criminal who destroyed his family life, but then something miraculous happens. TVision Arena 5
19:15
International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
A Moonless Night
Drama, Uruguay, Argentina, 2014, 105mins. Spanish with German and English subtitles. Dir: German Tejeira. Cast: Marcel Keoroglian, Roberto Suarez, Daniel Melingo, Elisa Gagliano, Julieta Franco. New Year’s Eve and three lonely people make their way to a small town in the middle of Uruguay. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
FESTIVAL Saturday 21:00 Stray Dog
DOC: Portrait, US, 2014, 130mins. English and Spanish with German and English subtitles. Dir: Debra Granik. Cast: Ronnie Hall, Alicia Soriano Hall, Felipe Angel Padilla Soriano, Felipe de Jesus Padilla Soriano.
At first glance, Ron “Stray Dog” Hall appears to be a bit of a tough guy. But behind the rugged biker exterior is a sensitive Vietnam veteran still suffering the traumatic experiences of war. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
Parcours D’Amour
DOC: Social and human interest, Germany, 2014, 113mins. French with German subtitles. Dir: Bettina Blumner. Growing old alone is a distressing thought for many individuals. How do people actually deal with having nobody at their side? Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 4
20:15 Northmen: A Viking Saga
Adventure, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, 2014, 117mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: Claudio Fah. Cast: Tom Hopper, Ryan Kwanten, Ken Duken, Charlie Murphy, James Norton, Ed Skrein, Anatole Taubman, Johann Hegg. A gang of Viking marauders set sail for Britain. But their longboat is smashed to pieces on the rocks off Scotland. The shipwrecked men’s only chance of
David Gordon Green. Cast: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, Chris Messina. AJ Manglehorn is tormented by the memories of the woman of his dreams. Gala Premieres Arena 5
Stray Dog See box, left
21:15 Red Army
survival is to reach the safety of the far-off Viking stronghold Danelagh.
Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall.
Gala Premieres Corso 1
Retro: Diane Keaton Corso 3
20:30 Dark Star – HR Giger’s World
DOC: Portrait, Switzerland, 2014, 121mins. English, Swiss and German with German and English subtitles. Dir: Belinda Sallin. Cast: Hansruedi Giger, Carmen-Maria Giger, Stanislav Grof, Hans H Kunz. The artist HR Giger produced frightening and disturbing, yet curiously aesthetic, creatures and landscapes. But Giger did not relish creating this world of horror. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arthouse Le Paris
20:45
21:00 I.D.
Drama, India, 2012, 112mins. English and Hindi with English subtitles. Dir: Kamal KM. Cast: Geetanjali Thapa, Murari Kumar, Rukshana Tabassum, Shinjini Raval, Shashi Sharma. Businesswoman Charu lives with her female friend in a modern high-rise apartment in Mumbai. When she returns home one day to find a worker unconscious in her flat, Charu embarks on a search for his identity and ends up caught in a maelstrom of unexpected events. New World View Filmpodium
The Godfather: Part II
Drama, US, 1974, 199mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Francis Ford Coppola.
10 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
DOC: Social and human interest, US, Russia, 2014, 100mins. English, Russian. German with English subtitles. Dir: Gabe Polsky. Cast: Slava Fetisov, Vladislav Tretiak, Scotty Bowman, Vladimir Pozner. About the most successful dynasty in sport: the Red Army hockey team. International Documentary Film / Competition Arena 8
21:30
Mannerhort
Comedy, Germany, 2014, 118mins. German. Dir: Franziska Meyer Price. Cast: Christoph Maria Herbst, Elyas M’Barek, Detlev Buck, Serkan Cetinkaya. In the boiler room of their housing complex, three stressed husbands create a secret refuge. When the complex’s facility manager discovers their last bastion of masculinity, he threatens to close it down. Gala Premieres Corso 1
23:00 When Animals Dream
Horror, Denmark, 2014, 88mins. Danish with German subtitles. Dir: Jonas Alexander Arnby. Cast: Sonia Suhl, Lars Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Jakob Oftebro. Marie lives with her parents in a remote fishing village. She has no-one to confide in other than her colleague, Daniel. As the two become closer, Marie experiences strange changes to her body and an uncontrollable animalistic aggression.
I.D.
Drama, India, 2012, 102mins. New World View Filmpodium
12:30 Red Army
DOC: Social and human interest, US, Russia, 2014, 100mins. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 2
12:45 The Fat & the Angry 1 x 01
Crime thriller, Sweden, 2014, 105mins. Swedish. English subtitles. Dir: Johan Renck. Cast: Jonathan Andersson, Liv Mjones, Gustaf Skarsgard, Aliette Opheim, Mans Herngren, Kjell Wilhelmsson, Matias Varela. An explosion in a remote car park leaves behind the remains of five people. TVision Arena 8
Return to Homs
DOC: Social and human interest, Syria, Germany, 2013, 115mins. Arabic with German and English subtitles. Dir: Talal Derki. Border Lines Corso 4
13:30 Fiddlesticks
Children, Germany, 2014, 106mins. German. Dir: Veit Helmer. ZFF For Kids Arena 4
13:45 Hope
New World View Arena 4
11:00 Doctor Proktor’s Fart powder
Melbourne
Children, Germany, Norway, 2013, 112mins.
Drama, France, 2014, 141mins. Arabic, English and French with German and English subtitles. Dir: Boris Lojkine. Cast: Justin Wang, Endurance Newton, Dieudonne Bertrand Balo’o, Bobby Igiebor. During a journey organised by smugglers through the Sahara, Hope meets refugee Leonard. Although snubbed by him, she knows that he is her only chance of survival.
Drama, Iran, 2014, 97mins. Farsi with
ZFF For Kids Arena 4
Border Lines Filmpodium
Indian Shorts
Shorts, India, 97mins. English and Hindi with English subtitles. Dir: Anurag Goswami, Hossein Mozdgir Roozane, Rodd Rathjen, Payal Kapadia, Gitanjali Rao, Varun Chawla. Bears witness to India’s slowly changing social landscape.
Manglehorn
Drama, US, 2014, 117mins. English with German subtitles. Dir:
22:45
11:45
Special Screenings Arthouse Le Paris
Sunday Sept 28
www.screendaily.com
14:15
17:45
The Fat & the Angry 1 x 02
Reality Bites
Crime thriller, Sweden, 2014, 90mins.
US, 1994, 98mins. English. Dir: Ben Stiller. Cast: Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller.
TVision Arena 8
15:00 Life in a Fishbowl
Drama, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, 2014, 135mins. Icelandic with German and English subtitles. Dir: Baldvin Zophoniasson. Cast: Thorsteinn Bachmann, Hera Hilmarsdottir, Thor Kristjansson, Valur Freyr Gunnarsson, Kristin Lea Sigridardottir. Three stories from Iceland. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
15:30 Toto and his sisters
DOC: Social and human interest, Romania, 2014, 117mins. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
16:00 Das Meer Sehen
Children, Czech Republic, 2014, 117mins. ZFF For Kids Arena 4
National Gallery
DOC: Arts & culture, France, 2014, 209mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Frederick Wiseman. A portrait of a remarkable institution: London’s National Gallery. Gala Premieres Arthouse Le Paris
16:30 Parcours D’Amour
DOC: Social and human interest, Germany, 2014, 113mins. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 8
17:00 ZFF Masters: Frederick Wiseman
60mins. English. This doyen of documentary film speaks about his work. ZFF Masters Filmpodium
www.screendaily.com
Retro: Michael Shamberg Corso 3
18:00 Flowers
Spain, 2014, 124mins. Basque with German and English subtitles. Dir: Jon Garano, Jose Mari Goenaga. Cast: Nagore Aranburu, Itziar Ituno, Itziar Aizpuru, Josean Bengoetxea, Egoitz Lasa. Pays homage to three headstrong women and the power of flowers. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
18:15 By the Gun
US, 2014, 125mins. English. Dir: James Mottern. Cast: Ben Barnes, Leighton Meester, Harvey Keitel, Toby Jones, Kenny Wormald, Richie Coster. Nick is a young Boston Italian trying to find purpose in the ideology of the Mafia and finding his world turned upside down. Special Screenings Arena 5
The Green Prince
Germany, Israel, UK, 2014, 120mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Nadav Schirman. Cast: Mosab Hassan Yousef, Gonen Ben Yitzhak. The son of a founding leader in the Palestinian organisation, Hamas, becomes a spy for the Israelis. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
18:30 Escobar: Paradise Lost
France, Spain, Belgium, 2014, 133mins. English and Spanish with German subtitles. Dir: Andrea Di Stefano. Cast: Benicio del Toro, Josh Hutcherson, Claudia Traisac, Brady
Corbet, Carlos Bardem, Ana Girardot. A young surfer meets the woman of his dreams — and then he meets her uncle, drugs baron Pablo Escobar. Gala Premieres Corso 1
subtitles. Dir: Israel Horovitz. Cast: Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Dominique Pinon, Noemi Lvovsky,. An American inherits an apartment in Paris with an unexpected resident.
Walking Under Water
Gala Premieres Arthouse Le Paris
Poland, Germany, UK, 2014, 102mins. Indonesian with German and English subtitles. Dir: Eliza Kubarska. Documents the extraordinary and endangered way of life led by the natives of Borneo. International Documentary Film / Competition Arena 4
19:00 Zu Ende Leben
Switzerland, 2014, 115mins. Swiss German with German and English subtitles. Dir: Rebecca Panian. Cast: Thomas Niessl, Franz Hohler, Nik Hartmann, Gottfried Honegger, Pedro Lenz, Kurt Aeschbacher. A film that deals with the death, but is bursting with life. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 8
19:15
20:45 Chrieg
Switzerland, 2014, 133mins. Swiss German with English subtitles. Dir: Simon Jaquemet. Cast: Benjamin Lutzke, Ella Rumpf-Capron, Ste, Sascha Gisler. Takes us into the world of an aggressive gang. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
St. Vincent
US, 2014, 127mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Theodore Melfi. Cast: Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O’Dowd. Grumpy Vincent strikes up an unlikely friendship with a neighbour. Does he have what it takes to be a saint? Gala Premieres Arena 5
21:00
Gulabi Gang
Ohne Dich
Norway, India, Denmark, 2012, 100mins. Hindi. English subtitles. Dir: Nishtha Jain. Cast: Sampat Pal Devi. In Bundelkhand, India, the fiery women of the Gulabi Gang empower themselves.
Germany, 2014, 117mins. German with English subtitles. Dir: Alexandre Powelz. Cast: Katja Riemann, Charly Hubner, Helen Woigk, Arne Gottschling, Meral Perin. Three loosely connected stories.
New World View Filmpodium
Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 4
20:15 The Godfather: Part III
US, 1990, 170mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Francis Ford Coppola. Cast: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia, Sofia Coppola.
21:15 The Look of Silence
My Old Lady
Denmark, Finland, UK, Norway, Indonesia, 2014, 124mins. Indonesian, with German and English subtitles. Dir: Joshua Oppenheimer. A family that survived the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
US, France, 2014, 126mins. English with German and French
International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
Retro: Diane Keaton Corso 3
20:30
21:30
13:00
Birdman
Das Meer Sehen
US, 2014, 139mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Naomi Watts, Amy Ryan. One-time star actor Riggan Thomson, famous for his portrayal of the iconic superhero Birdman, plans his big comeback.
Children, Czech Republic, 2014, 117mins. Czech. Dir: Jiri Madl. Cast: Petr Simcak, Jan Marsal, Lucie Trmikova, Ondrej Vetchy.
Gala Premieres Corso 1
ZFF For Kids Arena 4
13:15 The Look of Silence
Denmark, Finland, UK, Norway, Indonesia, 2014. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
13:30
The Leftovers – Pilot
Zu Ende Leben
US, 2014, 100mins. English. Dir: Peter Berg. Cast: Justin Theroux, Amy Brennemann, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler. Three years after the event, the residents of Mapleton are still unable to explain the mysterious disappearance of their loved ones.
Switzerland, 2014, 115mins.
TVision Arena 8
Monday Sept 29
Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 8
15:30 Dark Star — HR Giger’s World
DOC: Portrait. Switzerland, 2014, 120mins. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Filmpodium
12:00 Beau Travail
Flowers
France, 1999, 91mins. French with German subtitles. Dir: Claire Denis. Cast: Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Gregoire Colin. Focuses on an ex-Foreign Legion officer as he recalls his once-glorious life.
International Feature Film / Competition Arthouse Le Paris
Retro: Claire Denis Filmpodium
12:15 Southcliffe 1 x 01 — The Hollow Shore
UK, 2013, 51mins. English. Dir: Sean Durkin. Cast: Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Anatol Yusef, Eddie Marsan. A series of sudden gunshots break the dawn silence. A cruel massacre has claimed 15 lives. In a bid to examine the mass murderer’s motives, journalist David Whitehead turns to the town’s inhabitants for answers. TVision Arena 8
Spain, 2014, 124mins.
Stray Dog
DOC: Portrait, US, 2014. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
15:45 Hope
Drama, France, 2014, 115mins. Border Lines Corso 2
16:00 Walking Under Water
Poland, Germany, UK, 2014, 102mins. Indonesian with German and English subtitles. Dir: Eliza Kubarska. International Documentary Film / Competition Arena 4
16:30 Ohne Dich
Germany, 2014, 117mins. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 8 »
September 27-29, 2014 Screen International at Zurich 11
SCREENINGS
India, 2013, 89mins. Language: English, Hindi and Urdu with English subtitles. Dir: Deepti Kakkar, Fahad Mustafa. The lines are drawn for a battle over electricity.
187mins. Arabic, German, English and Russian with German and English subtitles. Dir: Samir. Cast: Samira Jamal Aldin, Sabah Jamal Aldin, Souhair Riadh Ahmed, Jamal Al Tahir, Tanya Uldin, Samir. Samir reflects on the history of his homeland.
New World View Corso 3
Special Screenings Corso 2
17:45 Powerless
18:00
21:00
Court
El Cinco
See box, right
Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, France, Netherlands, 2014, 124mins. Spanish and German with English subtitles. Dir: Adrian Biniez. Cast: Esteban Lamothe, Julieta Zylberberg, Nestor Guzzini, Matias Castelli. When footballer Paton is banned from playing for eight matches he realises his career is coming to an end.
Gone Girl
US, 2014, 150mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: David Fincher. Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Scoot McNairy, Carrie Coon, Neil Patrick Harris. Nick’s wife disappeared on their fifth wedding anniversary. When a search draws a blank, Nick becomes the focus of the police investigation. International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 1
FESTIVAL Monday 18:00 Court
India, 2014, 120mins. English, Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi with English subtitles. Dir: Chaitanya Tamhane. Cast: Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Pradeep
International Documentary Film / Competition Corso 4
Wish I Was Here Insecure
France, 2014, 108mins. French with German and English subtitles. Dir: Marianne Tardieu. Cast: Reda Kateb, Adele Exarchopoulos, Moussa Mansaly, Rashid Debbouze. Cherif has not yet found his place in the world. Two events could signal a turning point. International Feature Film / Competition Arthouse Le Paris
18:15 Song From the Forest
Germany, US, 2013, 121mins. English and Yaka with German and English subtitles. Dir: Michael Obert. Cast: Louis Sarno, Samedi Mathurin Bokumbe. As a young man, musician Louis Sarno heard a song on the radio that gripped his imagination. He followed the mysterious sounds all the way to the Central African rainforest and found their source with the Bayaka Pygmies — and he stayed there.
Comedy, US, 2014, 111mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: Zach Braff. Cast: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Pierce Gagnon, Joey King, Mandy Patinkin. Aidan Bloom is a 35-yearold man who finds himself at crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career and his family. Gala Premieres Arena 5
18:30 Labyrinth of Lies
Drama, Germany, 2014, 127mins. German with English subtitles. Dir: Giulio Ricciarelli. Cast: Alexander Fehling, Gert Voss, Friederike Becht, Andrew Szymanski. Exposes the conspiracy of prominent Germans to cover up the crimes of the Nazis. Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 4
Manos Sucias
Columbia, US, 2014, 109mins. Language: Spanish. German with English subtitles. Dir:
12 Screen International at Zurich September 27-29, 2014
Joshi, Usha Bane, Shirish Pawar. The hopes and fears of ordinary people are played out while judges and lawyers go about their work. But how do these lawyers act outside the courtroom? New World View Filmpodium
Josef Wladyka. Cast: Cristian Advincula, Jarlin Martinez, Manuel David Riascos, Hadder Blandon. A desperate fisherman and a naive young man embark on a dangerous journey trafficking drugs up the Pacific coast of Colombia. International Feature Film / Competition Corso 2
19:00 Ai Weiwei The Fake Case
Denmark, 2013, 91mins. English and Chinese with English subtitles. Dir: Andreas Johnsen. The artist takes on the Chinese government. Border Lines Arena 8
19:45 Erin Brockovich
US, 2008, 130mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Steven Soderbergh. Cast: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney. An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a water supply. Retro: Michael Shamberg Corso 3
20:15 The Skeleton Twins
Tragi-comedy, US, 2014, 97mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Craig Johnson. Cast: Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Joanna Gleason, Boyd Holbrook. Having cheated death on the same day, estranged twins reunite with the possibility of mending their relationship. International Feature Film / Competition Arthouse Le Paris
20:30 Chef
US, 2014, 113mins. English with German and French subtitles. Dir: Jon Favreau. Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey Jr, John Leguizamo. A chef starts up a food truck to reclaim his creative promise. Gala Premieres Arena 5
International Feature Film / Competition Corso 4
The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin
US, 2014, 120mins. English with German subtitles. Dir: Nicholas Mross. Cast: Daniel Mross, Charlie Shrem, Jered Kenna, Erik Voorhees. A computer programmer becomes fascinated with the digital currency Bitcoin. International Documentary Film / Competition Arena 8
21:15 St. Vincent
US, 2014, 108mins. Fandry
India, 2013, 127mins. Marathi with English subtitles. Dir: Nagraj Manjule. Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chaya Kadam, Somnath Avghade, Suraj Pawar Payeshari. Jabya comes into conflict with the caste system and his own family when he falls in love with Shalu. New World View Filmpodium
20:45 Iraqi Odyssey (3D)
Switzerland, Germany, Iraq, UAE, 2014,
Gala Premieres Corso 1
Who Am I — No system is safe
Germany, 2014, 129mins. Language: German. Subtitles: English. Dir: Baran bo Odar. Cast: Tom Schilling, Elyas M’Barek, Wotan Wilke Mohring, Hannah Herzsprung. A German computer whiz is invited to join a subversive hacker group.
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Focus Switzerland, Germany, Austria Arena 4
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