Universal Film Magazine issue 9 3012 by Universal Film Magazine

Issue 9 - 2013

About UFM The Universal Film Magazine is a free magazine that delivers passionate and creative coverage about the global film and festival communities. The publication differs from the competition because it is totally free.

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Contributors PATRICIA J. PAWLAK SUSAN COOPER PAOLA BERTA RON GILBERT MARTIN SHERVINGTON J R BEARDSLEY ZOE MOON RICHARD WEB REAMIS CIZER DEREK WINNER RADMILA DJURICA ROBERT B CHRISTOPHER TEMPLETON BRET GEARY CORI BLAZE

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Contents FEATURED STORIES:

5 9

Creativity Unbound... The premise is simple: you have a great idea. It’s a film, or a piece of photojournalism

Hooligan Factory

P.3

5th CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

will run from Wednesday 22nd through to Sunday 26th OF MAY 2013.

Fingal Film Festival 11 Fingal Film Festival prepares for launch of sec-

ond year with an amazing line up of screenings Africa Film Festival 12 Pan Review of the Pan African Film Festival by our

regular writer, Pat Pawlak Turkish Film Festival

21 Review of the Turkish Film Festivan by Ramis Stand Up Guys review

Cizer

P.25

CINOVATE

27 Cinovate is a unique off ering for the independent exhibition Authority of the Written Word 28 There must be over two hundred fi lms that

are based on a book, read on! Indie Gathering 31 The The Indie Gathering got its start in the mid-

1990s, originally created as a networking event

43 Film Festival Guild Exposed

In-depth investigation and expose into a number of festivals run by the Film Festival Guild

Actors Awards scrambles Oscar predictions 47 Ron Gilbert attended the SAG-AFTRA awards

Hansel and Gretel P.53 P.39 www.ufmag.biz

and was very happy with the choices made

Spring Breakers

A tale of deranged, crazed, sexy college teens on the road to hedonism.

Hitchcock review 48 It’s 1959, and Alfred Hitchcock is at the peak

of his creative powers and popularity

Haven review 51 Safe A worriedlooking young mystery woman’s

running off , jumping on a bus

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P.53

Bob Anderson

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

HOOLIGAN FACTORY...

Filming has wrapped on the football hooligan spoof THE HOOLIGAN FACTORY, after a 4 week shoot in locations across London, 3 Mills and Elstree Studios. Nick Nevern directs and has co-written the film with Michael Lindley, with Jason Maza taking the lead role and producing alongside Altitude Film Entertainment. Ian Lavender (‘Private Pike’ in “Dad’s Army”) has joined the cast while Craig Fairbrass (RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER, CLIFFHANGER), Tamer Hassan (THE BUSINESS) and former West Ham and England footballer Julian Dicks also appear in cameo roles as does Chloe Simms (“The Only Way is Essex”). Previously announced cast mem-

bers include British stars Tom Burke (DONKEY PUNCH, ONLY GOD FORGIVES) and Josef Altin (“Game of Thrones”, EASTERN PROMISES) with cameo appearances from Leo Gregory (GREEN STREET), Tony Denham (THE FOOTBALL FACTORY) and famous reformed football hooligan Cass Pennant. Danny (Jason Maza) wants something more. Expelled from school and living in his grandfather’s flat, he longs to live up to the image of his estranged father Danny Senior. Meanwhile legendary football hooligan Dexter (Nick Nevern) is about to be released from prison and is on a quest of his own, one of vengeance against his nemesis and rival firm leader The Baron (Keith Lee Castle). But when Danny and Dexter’s paths

cross they embark on a journey as old as hooliganism itself. Director Nick Nevern said of the shoot: ““Making the first spoof of the football hooligan film genre has been an awesome challenge but I think we have got something really special which should appeal to fans of that genre as well as to a wider audience – I can’t wait for everyone to see it” Producer Andy Mayson of Altitude Film Entertainment says: “Altitude is keen to help the next generation of filmmakers get their films made and we congratulate Jason, Nick and Michael on completing their shoot of what is a commercial genre film for today’s market.”

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Creativity Unbound... Matchbox Media Collective

he premise is simple: you have a great idea. It’s a film, or a piece of photojournalism, or a short animation, or something new and untried. All you need is the support and technical expertise to make it happen, an open forum where you can meet like-minded people who share your enthusiasm.

by Richard Webb

The group is creating an open forum in which ideas can be exchanged and discussed, and individuals can contribute in whatever way they are able. By reaching out to likeminded people, it is building a network of contributors that has no formal hierarchies or structures.

From this network will come a new kind of audience – one of advocates rather than spectators, who are Matchbox Media Collective brings together people engaged with each project and who have helped who can help transpose the idea from your head “Match to shape it. Matchbox Media invites you to get in into the wider world. These are creative, experitouch and say hello, and to discover the many othenced professionals who have the skills that your Box er projects currently in development! project will need in order to progress - whether it’s an underwater camera operator, a video or Collective” Find out more Matchbox Media Collective at: photo editor, a stop-motion animator or a screenwww.matchboxmedia.org writer. You may not realise you need them, but in the exchange of ideas, new possibilities emerge. Meet the Matchbox Media team at: www.matchboxmedia.org/about/people.html The crowdfunded documentary Sandgrains (www.sandgrains.org) is a prime example. It deals with the impact of EU fishing policy on the communities of Cape Verde, whose livelihoods are threatened by the unsustainable fishing practices of European vessels. Starting out as a simple idea in the mind of co-director Gabriel Manrique, the project quickly gathered momentum, attracting a specialist crew from across Europe as well as the support of major international NGOs and the financial backing of over a hundred supporters. Shot on location in Cape Verde, Sweden and Belgium, the film premiered to a packed house at the Goethe Institute in Brussels on the eve of a crucial meeting of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee. As Sandgrains showed, Matchbox Media is more than just a bunch of anonymous professionals; each member exists as part of the collective, and is united by the underlying aims and ambitions of the group. At its core is a belief in the value of collective action: its power to promote social change and its creative potential, which can imagine new ways of being part of society. It recognises a form of collective responsibility, where everyone contributes and where each person is the potential solution to another’s problem.

WE PRODUCE CREATIVE MEDIA GIVING VOICE TO UNTOLD STORIES AND PROVIDING POWER TO THE STORYTELLERS www.matchboxmedia.org

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

CME Visual

CME

“making films the best they can be”

Film Production Cinematic Intros & Trailers CME Visual offer a full film production and post production editing service

for first time filmmakers

Phone +44 (0) 20 7193 8870 | e-mail info@cmevisual.tv | www.cmevisual.tv

SPECIAL RATES

Films and Documentaries Music Videos, Trailers and Commercials Full Post Production & Editing Services Keying for Green & Blue Screen Color correction & Color Grading

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

UK Tax Scam! Landscape Of Lies The UK, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has secured criminal convictions against a gang of tax fraudsters who created a fictional feature film so they could claim over £2.8 million ($4,216,587) in VAT relief and tax credit claims. The group set up a production on the fake film with the sole aim of claiming nearly £1.5 million in VAT relief along with nearly £1.3 million in film tax credit claims. The leader of the Gang, or the producer as we filmmakers call them, was one Bashar AlIssa, 34, of Maida Vale, London, along with Aoife Madden, of Northern Ireland, Tariq Hassan, of Essex, Ian Sherwood and Osama Al Baghdady, both of Manchester. The company behind the scam, Evolved Pictures. The HMRC has had concerns about scams involving this fund, which is designed to help get more British productions into cinemas and increase employment for UK-based film support businesses.

“The gang tried to claim over £2.8 Million in VAT and Tax Credits”

This scam, astonishing in its boldness was perpetrated by Evolved Pictures. The company put out the usual hype which said it was working on a top end production with Hollywood A-list talent attached. The producers of the film were Bashar Al-Issa, Aoife Madden, Tariq Hassan, Ian Sherwood and Osama Al Baghdady, they claimed the film was costing £19M to make, this meant that the production was entitled to claim £2.8 million ($4,216,587) in VAT relief and tax credit claims. The company told auditors they had a budget of over £19 million which was provided by a Jordanian company to produce a blockbuster film in the UK and then told HMRC that millions of pounds of work had been spent on the film, including paying actors and film set managers, this meant a VAT repayment was due of £1,488,187. When the scam was detected, Madden hastily made the movie for £84,000, with unknowns and TV actors, including Loose Women presenter

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Andrea McLean and Gianni from EastEnders. It won a Silver Ace at last year’s Las Vegas Film Festival. Evolved also made fraudulent tax credit claims of £256,385, and prepared to submit a further claim of £1.1 million. However, during checks HMRC found that the work had not been done and most of the so-called suppliers and film studios had never heard of the gang. Once the gang had been nabbed, they tried to cover their tracks with a fake film called ‘‘A Landscape of Lies’ which was shot on a shoe string with two TV personalities. The Production Companies listed on IMDb as being involved in the production are New Breed Productions, AB Productions, KandLe (in association with), London Knights Productions, Sir Dark Knight Productions (in association with) John Pointing, HMRC assistant director of criminal investigation, said: ‘This gang thought they could exploit the rules for genuine British filmmakers and thieve from the public purse for their own gain. They were wrong as HMRC will not stand by and let that happen. Falsely claiming VAT that is not due is illegal - so we are pleased that instead of this film flop going straight to DVD, these small-screen Z-listers could go straight to jail.’ According to the Times, the story is “an intriguing insight into the corruption in Britain’s film industry” – the assumption being many movies are elaborate tax scams, draining millions from the public purse. But if anything, it proves the opposite. It’s easy to apply for tax relief: but at the end of the shoot, there’s a rigorous auditing process to check the money has been properly spent. That’s the bit the gang overlooked. The big players who have full time accountants juggleing the books are more than capable of getting away with it, the very fact that this has gone on so long unchecked mab be evidence of this

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The Gang (production team) are due to be sentenced on 25 March. The Movie was Written and Directed by Paul Knight

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

THE 5th CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2013

HE 5th CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Schull, West Cork, will run from Wednesday 22nd through to Sunday 26th OF MAY 2013. Each year over the last weekend in May, the 5-day Festival plays host to in excess of 200 short film screenings. The Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival is an independent festival dedicated to bringing together established and firsttime filmmakers in a forum to celebrate the short film. The commitment in Schull is to screen all of the short films entered into competition during the festival in as many different venues throughout the village as possible and to have them available

on our archive for Wi-Fi viewing on smart devices within the network of Schull. Professional and amateur filmmakers working in all aesthetic disciplines and genres including, narrative, documentary, animation, experimental and dance are welcome to submit short films of 15 minutes or less to share in the prize fund of €8,000. There is so much going on over the 5 days of the festival from, hundreds of Screenings, Special Guest Appearances, Gala Screenings, Parties, Workshops and Round Table Discussions. At the Tented Fringe Family Fun is in abundance, from Puppet Shows, Children’s Film Screenings, Storytelling, Drama,

BBQ, Market Stalls and much more. For further information please visit www. fastnetshortfilmfestival.com or follow us on www.facebook.com/fastnetshortfilmfestival The Corona Fastnet Short Film would not be possible without the support of our Title Sponsor Barry & Fitzwilliam importers of Corona Beer and our Festival Associates William and Judith Bollinger, Benny and Cliona McCabe, Michael Satke, Frank Daly, Vivian Edward Nathan, Subaru Ireland and Digital Forgeamong others. The Festival is grant aided by Cork County Council, West Cork Development Partnership, Fáilte Ireland, Culture Ireland, The Irish Film Board and The Arts Council.

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

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Fingal Film Festival

Fingal Film Festival prepares for launch of second year with an amazing line up of screenings and events. Following a very busy 2012, Fingal Film Festival Organisers are back at their desks preparing for this year’s spectacular event kicking off this May. As the deadline for submissions is announced as the 15th March 2013, the festival team are already viewing some amazing content for this years festival, which is due to take place at the ODEON Cinema n and the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on the 8th – 10th May 2013. In the coming weeks the team will also be announcing an amazing line up of Industry professionals who will be facilitating this years workshops. The organisers advise people to keep an eye on the website as places for these workshops are limited and will fill up fast. Last years workshops were delivered by some of Irelands greatest talent including BAFTA winner, Writer/Director Aisling Walsh (Song for a Raggy Boy), Producer Arthur Lappin (My left foot, In the Name of the Father) Actor Martin Mc Cann (Killing Bono, Clash of the Titans) LA Film Composer Joseph Conlon (Behind Enemy Lines Columbia)

This year we have received great support for the second year running from our main sponsor the ODEON Cinema in Blanchardstown, also The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown Centre are hosting the workshops plus the Awards night this year on the 12th May. Other supporters include Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and alongside Fingal County Council also The Gathering Ireland. Without the support of these organisations, it would be very difficult to get this festival off the ground says Liz.. We are delighted to announce that NuMu promotions run by Katie Hogan will oversee all Marketing and Promotions for this year’s festival 2013. All of the hard working team are very excited and can’t wait for the launch of Fingal Film Festival 2013. For information on all the events taking place at this years festival visit www.fingalfilmfest.com

We are delighted to announce “award winning” Brown Bag Films will be supporting the festival this year by facilitating two animation workshops says Liz Kenny. Both designed specifically for young filmmakers with a passion for animation. The festival will host an ecclectic mix of Short films, Feature Films, Animations and documentaries, both National and International and as always, we encourage filmmakers from Fingal to submit their work for the prestigious “Best Fingal Newcomer” Award, .Also this year we have a Best Student Award for short film and Documentary. This year will also see the introduction of the latest film equipment and technology demonstrations along with a meeting area where filmmakers can network with each other to discuss future works. We are encouraging all Filmmakers to submit their work as early as possible. For more information on how to submit your film, please visit www.fingalfilmfest.com This year we are offering individual feedback on all films submitted. We feel it is important to offer this option to emerging filmmakers as it can give them a great insight and help them perfect their skillset when producing future work says Creative Director Dave Byrne. If you have submitted a film and would like to receive feedback, please email info@fingalfilmfest.com Feedback will be given after the final selection has been made for this years festival schedule.

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Un i lm l F 13 rsa - 20 iveIssue 9

What does the year of crowd -funding hold for filmmakers? By Bret Geary

A.RE.S

It’s very easy to understand the allure of crowd-funding for filmmakers. There are no studio hoops to jump through, no funding panels to shift from foot to foot in front of, no business plans to set out and justify. A campaign can begin at any stage of production, at any level of ambition. It’s even common to see a film campaigning for production funds, then completion money a few months on, and later cash for festival submission fees. But with this ubiquity of crowd-funding projects comes a ubiquitous mistake. The standard mythos of the independent filmmaker paints ‘studio interference’ as the unjustified intrusion of business-suited anti-aesthetes who have destroyed countless works of cinematic art. In excising this diabolic and unfeeling horde from the production process, the crowd-funding filmmaker is free to achieve their own film-dreams without any irritating philistinism bearing over their shoulder. Ultimately they feel responsibility to one thing and one thing only - their film. As I see it, the major malfunction in many crowd-funding projects is this fixated attitude of the filmmaker’s right

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to make a project. “Tell the story you want to tell,” goes the famous mantra, but the business-minded amongst us could add, “only when someone wants to hear.” Without any analogue of ‘studio interference’ the crowd-funding filmmaker is indeed fixated on their own unrealistic and occasionally insubstantial goal. This major malfunction leads to minor hiccups along their path to success - the constant and desperate stream of spam on social media (“Pls RT to back us! $40k 2 days left” etc.), the downright insulting tone of many rewards on offer (“£50 for a Producer credit”) and the gossamer notions of post-completion success (“after which, we will send the film to festivals”) - all of which derail outside support for creator-owned projects. If we imagine crowd-funding as a rich uncle, one whom the filmmaker can approach for a cash injection with only a little plea, let’s further imagine that the uncle needs more than lip-gloss persuasion but a genuine return on their investment. How can filmmakers show responsibility not to their films and themselves, but to their funders and audience? If 2013 is to be the year of crowd-funding, and if filmmakers are to be a part of it, then they must put aside their business-phobias and learn from the successful models. A commercial recording artist trying to raise funds for a new CD, targeting a fan-base acquired from previous mainstream successes. Or an app designer or product inventor who sees a gap in the market and fills it. They have one thing in common: a responsibility to their audience.

The Ares film international competition excludes fiction movies only and does not draw a distinction between film genres because we believe that an artistic work, whichever of the “forms” is used to make it, should be assessed for its quality, its value, the idea that generated it, the innovative language that it uses to speak to the world. For this reason, the competition foresees cross awards aiming to bring out the character ofinnovation, originality, analytical ability and social significance of the different works included in it. The Festival aims at sensitizing public opinion and citizenship about the most innovative artistic language through the promotion and diffusion of experimental films, visual and sound works linked to technological innovation, as well as the meeting of cinema professionals and social and cultural operators. Sito web: www.aresfestival.it E-mail: aresfestival@ergoform.it el/fax +39 0931 491681

There’s been talk of 2013 being “The Year of Crowdfunding”. Articles in a number of mainstream publications have praised entrepreneurs for an envisioned change in how businesses work with and seek investment from consumers. But from the viewpoint of independent cinema, is that prophecy set to come true? Certainly, every other film project we encounter on the internet is at one stage of crowd-funding or another.

A.RE.S. Film & Media Festival (Art and Social Responsibility) is characterized by the capability to connect a fringe, young and experimental cinema, having a new view of contemporary society, to the fields of Technological Innovation and Social Responsibility, by spreading the value of the most innovative visual and film culture, as well as multimedia languages, as a vehicle for social cohesion, also creating a cultural receptacle capable of generating a virtuous circle of exchange with other local and international partners.

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by Patricia J. Pawlak

SOME OF THE WINNERS

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The 21st Annual Pan Africa Film Festival

BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE “Stones in the Sun” (Haiti/US), directed by Patricia Benoit Special Jury Recognition | Feature Narrative “Things Never Said” (US), directed by Charles Murray

This year’s two time NAACP Award winner, Loretta Devine (Crash, Dreamgirls) expressed gratitude for her role in Grey’s Anatomy. (Ms. Devine originated the role of Lorell on Broadway). Leon, looking as always stylish and cool, eased down the carpet and I still laugh when I think of him in one my favorite films, Cool Runnings. Caribbean music helped keep the carpet going with Antwone Fisher, writer of the Denzel Washington hit of the same name. Reatha Grey of the new, Betty White’s, Off Their Rockers, had fun talking about the pranks they think up for the show. The opening film followed, Vipaka, with Forest Whitaker, Anthony Mackie and Mike Epps to a packed audience and outstanding reviews. PAFF is America’s most prestigious and largest Black Film Festival. Screenings for the festival followed at the Rave Cinemas in Baldwin Hills which was a hub of activity as attendees dashed to find their favorite films. The festival had selected a total of 154 films, representing 34 counties. Some of the highlights of the festival included a special screening of Iceberg Slim: A portrait of a Pimp, an amazing documentary by Jorge Hinojas about Chicago Pimp, Iceberg Slim, and how he reinvented himself to have authored seven books and

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Home Again by Suzie Sutherland on how various governments have deported their incarcerated population to Jamaica. One of my favorite films was AlaskaLand about a Nigerian American young man coping with a new life in Alaska. Cinematography was breathtaking. The film pulls you in and takes you on a beautiful journey. Hats off to shorts Peanut Butter Stew and Papa produced by Autumn Fawn. Papa is about an African man and his son coping with the freedoms of America and the Father having to let go of the reigns to allow his son to grow. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience at the end. Another highlight was Against The Grain by writer and first time director Elias Mael. The film is poignant and inspiring about a young man trying to follow his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. No surprise that it was the number one grossing film of the festival and won The Audience Award. Congratulations to first timer director Elias. Closing night film was a supreme treat, Free Angela & All Political Prisoners, which follows the consummated and dedicated activist and civil rights leader, Ms. Angela Davis. It was a wonderful festival filled with creative delights such as art exhibits, Spoken Word and a Saturday Children’s Festival. The festival serves the community very well and was very impressive opening doors of communication and inspiring filmmakers to continue their journeys of expression.

BEST DIRECTOR | FIRST FEATURE David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, director of “Nairobi Half Life” (Germany/Kenya) Special Jury Recognition | Director, First Feature Ya’Ke, director of “Wolf” (US) BEST DOCUMENTARY “Free Angela & All Political Prisoners” (US/France), directed by Shola Lynch BEST NARRATIVE SHORT “Our Rhineland” (US), directed by Faren Humes Special Jury Recognition | Short Narrative: “The Collegians” (US), directed by Bryan B.A. Lewis FESTIVAL FOUNDERS’ AWARD “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp” (US), directed by Jorge Hinojosa CAPRI CAPITAL PARTNERS AWARD “Songs of Redemption” (Jamaica), directed by Amanda Sans and Miquel Galofré AUDIENCE AWARD | DOCUMENTARY “Charles Lloyd: Arrows into Infinity” (US), directed by Dorothy Darr and Jeffery Morse AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT DOCUMENTARY “Foot Soldiers: Class of 1964” (US), directed by Alvelyn Sanders AUDIENCE AWARD | NARRATIVE FEATURE “Against the Grain” (US), directed by Elias Mael AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT NARRATIVE “Island Song” (US/Virgin Islands), directed by David Massey

The streetlights sparkled on Sunset Blvd as flash bulbs popped at the star studded Opening Night Red Carpet of the 21st Annual Pan African Film festival as Ja’Net DuBois, one of the founders of the festival glowed in her coral ensemble.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

DOUBLE NEGATIVE

by CHRISTOPEHR TEMPLETON Research by IDA ALWIN.

How not to make bad Mexican - American movies. The Motion Picture Association of America has pegged Mexican-Americans as the fastest-growing segment of the US movie-going audience. There are now 45 million people with Hispanic backgrounds in the US with the last accurate census (2007) identifying 310m US Box office admissions, well over a third of the number of Caucasians (‘The Motion Picture & Television Industry Contribution to the U.S. Economy’: http://www. mpaa.org/Resources/6a507b67-e21943a3-a4ce-9788d6f1fb5e.pdf). The report seismically concludes: ‘Mexican-Americans are now overall, the most significant ethnic group’. The penny dropped first at Universal ten years ago. The studio had snappily identified that the box office success of The Mummy was due in great part to an emerging Hispanic audience. Two years later, the first in the franchise The Fast and the Furious, was released with over 24% of the audience monitored as being Mexican-American. That figure shot up to 38% for the follow-up, 2 Fast 2 Furious. Combine this with research from the Pew Hispanic Center, which cites that the median age of Mexican-Americans living in the U.S. as 27 years (compared for example to the median age of 36 years for the overall population). These facts alone should be music to the ears of the film studios as younger people are by far the most committed film-goers. Despite this slap-in-the-face wake-up call, the faithful Mexican-American audience is poorly served because their lives are predictably reflected. The community actually have a word for such films: ‘churro’. On the surface, a direct reference to the divine, deep-fried, donut-geschmack. However indirectly, an idiom most often used in the movie houses to describe a show that is ‘unrepresentative’ or to put it more acutely, a movie that does little to advance the viewer’s status in the wider world. It’s not just a comment about the poor reflective qualities of commercial cinema in the States, it also tells us something about the otherness of Mexican-Americans within the US.

Otherness is sometimes difficult to see from a global perspective. This semantic is the subject of more complex academic investigations, but staying strictly within the parameters of U.S. popular culture, it has penetrated everywhere to such a degree that superficial parodies have now been universally assimilated. For Mexican-Americans, movies have become ‘clotting’ experiences (churro is after all, deep- fried) because no fresh blood is passing through the body. I heard one West Hollywood doyen say recently that Mexican-Americans desire ‘…only violence, slapstick or dance movies’. This is undoubtedly the cinematic trifecta that guides Hollywood today, certainly as far as Mexican-American audiences are concerned. Disturbingly but not unlinked, this comment ranks right up there with the systemic misrepresentation afforded to young Latinos in US courts where ironies not justice, is dispensed. When a defense attorney in Texas recently cross-examined several witnesses about the endemic: “pushy and macho attitude” of Mexican-Americans, the man had in essence become one of the many unwitting assimilators of the cinematic trifecta. (‘Capital Punishment: How Else Can We Teach Them a Lesson?’ Prof. Alfonso Acuña: http://911review.org/ Wget/aztlan.net/acuna5.html). With politicians like Julian Castro, the young Mexican-American Mayor of San Antonio being given high-profile speaking slots at the 2012 Democratic Convention, there is a strong hint that young Mexican-Americans are a whole continent smarter than that. In fact, throw a stick at the continent and you’ll hit a million Julians, all slowly climbing the slopes of Parnassus, fitfully rising above the pulp. So, Mexican-Americans really do harbor a deep, vested interest in the America they inhabit. Fancy that. The phlegmatic and pervasive attitude that Latino audiences want nothing more than to dance through life swinging a range of homemade, stag-boned-handled machetes, is

clearly untrue in anybody’s court. Just use this simple man as your common marker. Actually to be precise, he’s smart and he can dance too. Clearly, somewhere along the line, he dropped his machete in favour of brain mass. More publicly Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition candidly stated (without the anticipated machismo) that Hollywood was simply not doing enough to engage the Hispanic moviegoer in a credible way; that films were still largely stereotypical (stupid) and that cinema needed to urgently engage in topics and storylines that were relevant (intelligent) to Mexican-Americans. So starting here, let’s change the rules for once and see this from the MexicanAmerican perspective: there is a growing opportunity today for original languageagnostic dramas that speak of the everyday experience of being both American and Mexican-American and in particular, dramas that resonate loudly with this emerging, hyper-youthful, bicultural audience. Put in a different way: producers must make the cinema experience meaningful and relevant, keeping in mind that the current needs and aspirations of younger Mexican-Americans are very, very different from those of their parents. Mexican-Americans, along with the more broadly constructed ‘Hispanics’, have proved to be a great and reliable moviegoing audience. They don’t have the power of choice but they do need to be taken seriously and respected with intelligent film titles. There is a goofiness out there in the current offerings that does make one wonder. ‘We’ get Saving Private Ryan, ‘they’ get Saving Private Perez. Adam Fogelson of Universal Pictures recently said: “I think the industry is still struggling in how to reach MexicanAmericans. But there’s no reason to be struggling.” Absolutely. No reason at all. Now give me back my machete.

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Turkish Film Festival REVIEW

A 1940s Zonguldak town was built for Yilmaz Erdogan’s relatively high-budget Butterfly’s Dream

by Ramis

Cizer

Deniz Hazguler plays Jin in Reha Erdem’s new film

t’s not the teeth of the big bad wolf that Little Red Riding Hood should fear but the sharp crackle of an assault rifle and overhead birds of war; this is Grimm’s well-known fairy tale according to acclaimed Turkish director Reha Erdem. Jin - the name main protagonist as well as the movie - is a PKK guerrilla girl who dons her red hijab in search of a better life away from the mountains.

ticipated - probably popular because it stars Turkish heartthrob Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ - Butterfly’s Dream strays from this trend. It follows two ill poets in their search for love and recognition. Director Yılmaz Erdoğan’s lyrically laced script does become a somewhat hackneyed but the impressive Tatlıtuğ, and the (intentional or unintentional) allusion to the philosophical tradition that holds that writing is a violent process, keeps one’s attention. Butterfly’s Dream is at times a light-hearted and wholly romantic tearjerker. Strong acting The mountainous eastern borderlands of Turkey is the makes up for a weak plot, to the extent that the fact the film mythical other place in the psyche of most of its nation- Ramis Cizer is set the Black Sea city of Zonguldak during World War II Review of loses most of its relevance. als; the breeding ground of terrorist. It is partly because of this that the fantastical parable works, but also because the festival the self-proclaimed far right of the Turkish political estabSerkan Acar’s Love and Revolution has been doing the lishment use pressed fingers in the shape of a wolf as their rounds on the festival scene for a year and appeared in the hand salute. 2013 London Film Festival after winning a special jury award at the 18th Adana International Golden Boll. It doesn’t disappoint, Jin’s struggle is one of space - she’s running from the wolf who at especially if what the viewer is seeking is a realistic look at the high every turn has her in the crosshairs of his rifle, and later when Jin ideals (and chain smoking habits) of the university campus commumakes down from the mountain, in his sexual gaze. Erdem, who nists of the early 90s. There isn’t a much of a main protagonist or spoke in the Q&A about his frustration at the frequent representavillain but there is plenty of cliché and references to Che Guevara. tion of the “dangerous” patriarchal viewpoint in Turkish mainstream film, is pushing for a new approach to a contentiously charged issue. Tucked in amongst the Turkish language films is director Nihat Jin is Erdem’s heterotopia: an exploration of the Turkish outback reSeven’s Candle to the Water which is English spoken. Five stories, as produced in a wonderful cinematic gesture of resistance, hope and diversely titled as ‘Jeremy Bentham’ and ‘Mea Culpa’, are played back politico-magic-realism. to back. Seemingly diverse in their subject matter, each story is tied together by the appearance of a feather at a key moment. Emotional Can – winner of a 2012 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize – is and physical violence steadily erupt against the serene images of another feminist critique of Turkish society, where the woman bears various urban landscapes, streets, skylines, and doorways. It’s Northe burden work and the man the burden of not being masculine bert Elias’ Civilisatin Process with the undercurrents of the racism, enough. Ayse and Cemal are trying unsuccessfully for a child and inscribed bodies, gangland, of contemporary London. decide to adopt, at which point their already stretched lives become more delicate. A mundane beginning treads steadily towards a melodramatic climax. Repetition of beautiful landscapes, interiors and characters serve to mimic the hustle of Istanbul life for an ordinary people. Subtle contrasts of society’s hierarchies and complex adult lives envelope around the innocent six year old Can (which means “life”), in Rasit Celikezer’s painfully subtle portrayal of lost Turkish childhoods. Most of the films on show at the 2013 London Turkish Film Festival are from leftfield and Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s influence can be found in the cinematography, soundtracks and loose plots. Eagerly an-

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Filmmaking against the odds y name is Raabia Hussain. I am deaf and I am faced with many constraints in life but I always find ways to overcome them. I work very hard to achieve my goal who never gives u p easily on anything I want to achieve in life. Since I was a young girl I have dreamed of becoming a filmmaker and now my dream has come true. As I grew up I was able to stand on my own 2 feet with the backing of my parents and always saw an opportunity through even though it may have ended in rejection. But it did not stop me in becoming what I am now. A teacher in secondary school really invested in helping me out. It was a means of expressing myself and I liked the thrill of getting behind a camera and calling the shots. It was something my family friends and tutors help me gain confidence and experience. During my time at secondary school I was able to create a short film titled “A Nightmare at Hathershaw”. I am very thankful to all the staff members and students who were able to make it a success. It did not stop there as my time at college furthered my knowledge and experience in trying new methods of producing different varieties of media.

Without the help and support of my family, friends and tutors I would have not been able to become what I am now. I have won a filmmaking grant £2,500 from the BSLBT (British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust) and Neaths Film, based in London, to produce a short film which is called “September 11th. It has been screened on Community Channel and Film4’s programme, BSL Zone in October 2012 for a week. The plot of this movie is about an account of a young deaf Muslim woman’s experiences after the events of September 11. Drama about the impact of the September 11 terror attacks in New York on Deaf people living many miles away. When a young Muslim girl sees people looking at her strangely in a cafe, she knows something is wrong. After finding out about 9/11, her life at home, school and her Deaf club are affected. This film looks at both hearing and Deaf attitudes to ethnicit8y following world events. Based on a true story, I wrote/ directed September 11 as part of the BSLBT’s Zoom filmmaking scheme. For anyone who wants to pursue their dream in any field of work, put your determination into it as no matter how many times you might fall down, your family, friends and the people who care about will always be there to pick you up and back your every move in life.

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

UGGIE, THE ARTIST Adopted Canine Superstar, Releases ‘My Story’

was a very solid tempered dog, courageous, always willing to do more and he loved his work.

Uggie is the first dog in history that had his own paws put in cement at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre planting him next to the handprints of Hollywood’s royalty. The autobiography is signed by the dog paw prints but only for those fans that, lucky enough, got to meet him in person at the very exclusive Hollywood, Paris or London bookshops appearances.

Wendy Holden - once a journalist and now a celebrity biographer, which wrote 26 books, for personalities like Barbara Sinatra and, recently, Goldie Hawn – considers Uggie the biggest celebrities of them all. When questioned how she felt about writing the book for Uggie, Ms Holden answered she had to spend lots of time with Uggie which was ready to tell his story to the world. The animal does understand verbal input and is able replying with physical and emotional reactions with manners similar to a human being.

y Story’ is a must read book, au tobiography of ‘The Artist’ Oscar winning film canine star Uggie which went from originally abandoned and later adopted dog to spoiled celebrity Hollywood Icon.

It is the 30th of October 2012 and I am sitting in a room at the London Kensington’s Waterstones bookshop with Uggie, his owner and trainer, Omar von Muller and, the book writer, Wendy Holden. As soon as I sit Uggie comes and great me leaning his paws on my legs and expecting a stroke which he very much appreciated, then he sat on the chair, situated in between Omar and myself, to later release it to Wendy as any good gentle-male-dog would do. Whilst Uggie relaxes playing with a soft toy I start chatting with Omar and Wendy. Omar, which refers to Uggie as ‘he’ and ‘his’, explains how an adopted dog like Uggie is somehow aware he was not in the right place at the early stage of his life. This initial suffering made him able to particularly enjoy life, when he found the right place, and certainly appreciate the attention fame brought to him. Being as famous as he is, Omar explains, is just a matter of time and training. Uggie has been training for almost 10 years to build his canine stardom. Most dogs are energetic, intelligent and not afraid of things; with the right training and years of experience they can accomplish great achievements but definitely not any dog can achieve those results, as some of them will present unresolved issues. Uggie, since a very young age,

Uggie started of as a stand up comedian and street entertainer after Omer rescued him 9 months old. Before landing a starring role in ‘The Artist’ he had been in commercials, B list movies, and in a big film called ‘Water for Elephants’ starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. Uggie has his own page on imdb, his own twitter feed, his own facebook fan page and also his own application! Uggie is now ready to tell his story not only to rescued dogs and the world over, who hope to have one day a taste of his life, but also to aspiring actors which may want to become Hollywood stars. Uggie has kissed everybody from George Clooney to Jean Dujardin and Charlize Theron. Even being in his presence is a bit of Hollywood stardust! Jean Dujardin, which obviously worked very closely with him, said that quite often he followed Uggie, rather than Uggie following him because he felt Uggie was able to teach him a great deal about silent movies making. When you are an actor you have to use words but when you are a dog you can only use your expressions. It is so that Uggie, the little dog with deep and expressive brown eyes, taught everybody how to make movies! Uggie, despite has been getting job offers for the past year, is officially retired

by Paola Berta

from movies. He has recently done a little cameo for the book campaign and could still enjoy similar jobs but no more very long hours shooting on a movie set. Whilst shooting ‘The Artist’ cast members like Uggie were required on set for 10-12 hours. Omar manages Uggie and the proof of how much he cares for him, before any financial gains or anything else, Wendy admits, is that he retired him at the pick of his career because he thought 1) he would never do anything better than ‘The Artist’ since that was the top he could possibly achieve and 2) Omar did not want to strain him. Uggie always gets a 5 stars treatment in hotels and flights and at home he has always been treated like a family member (see video link below). Omar, who has been training animals for about thirty years, before Uggie, had a Jack Russell Terrier, which was already doing movies work, and he currently has Uggie’s brother, his double. The dog is another Jack Russell, which will hopefully follow his paw steps. It is just a matter of the right movie to come at the right time. The book, published by HarperCollins, has been sold to America, France, England (where it can be found in Waterstones and WH Smiths bookshops) and, next year, will be published also in Italian. Since Uggie was adopted and he became a star, his owner wants to let people know they should adopt a dog rather than buying one. Even if the dog will not became a big star on the screen, he will still be a big star in the house, within the family. If you need to buy, buy a book, Uggie says, leaving us all with a big smile! More info on the writer of the book available at: http://www.wendyholden.com/

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

UFFO UNIVERSAL FILM & FESTIVAL ORGANIZATION “promoting best business practices for film festivals” www.uffo.org

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

The Directors Guild of Great Britain celebrates its 30th Anniversary Founded in 1983 by a group of film, television and theatre directors, the DGGB is one of the select few organisations around the world which numbers both live and recorded media amongst it ranks. Operating together with their charity, the Directors Guild Trust, the two work to train, promote and celebrate directing and the work of directors. Over the years, the Guild has been crucially influential in British directing, founding the Directors and Producers Rights Society (now Directors UK), helping develop the Gulbenkian directors’ training report “A Better Direction”, hosting Lifetime Achievement Awards for directors as diverse as Alan Parker and Joan Littlewood and inaugurating celebration blue plaques for (amongst others) David Lean and Michael Powell. In recent years the Guild has shifted focus to training and events, running the annual VFX Advantage Conference and the Peter Brook Lecture and boosting continuous professional development for UK directors in partnership with Creative Skillset and other organisations and helping to develop new approaches to directing. Details for membership can be found at the Guild website - www.dggb.org

Directors Guild rolls out Three Nations UK Tour of Tools of Directing

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In 2013, Simon Phillips’ new directing methods “Tool of Directing” will be promoted at introductory events in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as part of a national rollout funded by Creative Skillset, ending in a week-long, Londonbased seminar for selected participants from the regional workshops. Simon’s internationally-acclaimed seminars deliver practical methods that bring new insight and clarity to the complex tasks of working with actors, writers and cinematographers. Simon’s ground-breaking techniques give directors their own unique methodology relating specifically to the director’s craft and bring new insight and clarity to the complex task of directing, guiding participants through the development of emotionally moving storytelling in film. More details on the Guild website in January www.dggb.org

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Standing up for Stand Up Guys the movie! by Ron Gilbert

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Upon his release from prison Al Pacino after 28 years is picked up by his buddy Chris and what do you think would be most on his mind after being in prison all that time. He wants to party and so off they go to a brothel which is now run by the daughter Wendy (Lucy Punch )of the former madam who retired. Unfortunately Al needs some help to maintain his sexual desire so male enhancement drugs are needed. After obtaining them Al is back to complete his sexual de-

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sires. Al confronts Chris because he knows that there is a payback that needs to be settled and Chris reveals to Al that he has to rub him out on orders from Claphands ( Mark Margolis) who feels that Al was responsible for his son’s death. Al asks Chris how long does he have and he tells him 24 hours. So the party begins on a trip down memory lane and you are in for a fun ride in more ways than one when Alan Arkin who was their getaway driver and is now in a retirement and they rescue him to join them. These characters reinforce what guys used to be back in the day and that has all but disappeared today in particular how they treated women and how they are there for them ,no matter what. I could fill in all the details but I want you to see this film and enjoy the ride with Lyle Workman’s score and Bon Jovi’s songs will definitely add to it. Director Fisher Stevens has allowed these talented actor to flow with the punch which resulted in some improvisation and bringing this buddy film closer to the heart. He established trust with them and since all of them have evolved from a theatre background the camaraderie is quite evident. The writer Noah Haidle created this film script after seeing 2 old gangster type guys sitting on a bench in park sharing stories and Stand Up guys is the result.

tand Up Guys is a fun film with 3 Oscar winning actors who are enjoying their roles and audiences will be sharing the fun with them. There will never be another aging buddy film that will top this film with Val( Al Pacino) , (Doc)Chris Walken and Hirsch (Alan Arkin). The reason I am saying this is because I have so much in common with these actors and the mob life setting. I have know these Al and Chris from Actor Studio days early 70’s and have worked with them and they are still in this game and having a ball. Director Mark Rydell always says acting should fun and in this film it is obvious. Now getting back to the mob reference in this film which is pretty accurate because I was raised in that element in East Harlem on the island of Manhattan. Many critics do not have that background but I do and know it firsthand. So now back to this fun film

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

CINOVATE Media Academy Wales launch second year of personalised mentoring programme for exhibition professionals, supported by Creative Skillset “We are delighted to be hosting the second weekend of Cinovate at the 19th edition of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival. The festival is renowned for attracting the UK short film industry to Bristol for six days filled with the best emerging talent from the UK and beyond. It is an excellent addition to the festival to bring the UK’s leading independent exhibitors to the same event to have a taste of some of the work available from the next generation of filmmakers.”

Film Agency for Wales’s Chief Executive, Pauline Burt, commented: ollowing a successful pilot in 2012, the Media Academy Wales have launched a call for 2013 applications from the UK-wide film exhibition sector for those seeking support for their current festival or venue-related challenges.

“Cinovate is a proven platform for exhibitors to consider current challenges and opportunities, such as improving audience data and understanding and programming smarter as a result. They’ll share a range of approaches with their peers and build a network of on-going support from the relationships they develop. It’s a very valuable approach.”

Cinovate, a personalised peer mentoring programme taking place over 6 months, offers managers in the sector the chance to take a step back from their day-to-day challenges and consider them in a different light, with support and guidance from the best in the field.

The scheme will be personalised and bespoke to the selected participants and the case studies from leading UK festivals and venues, as well as from funding organisations and leading strategists will offer a new network of contacts and encourage renewed enthusiasm in the sector.

Instigated by the Media Academy Wales, which has to “We believe Cinovate will offer great value for money, date trained over 500 industry professionals across and following feedback from last year’s participants, “Innovative the world, and co-created by James Mullighan (Edwe know that the scheme guarantees real results,” techniques inburgh Film Festival, Encounters, Shooting People, said Hannah Raybould from the Skillset Media Acadfor film Transmedia Next), the scheme offers mentoring, Exhibitors” emy Wales. round table discussions and case studies to inspire and enthuse the 12 individuals taking part. “With bursaries available to cover travel and accommodation costs, it is hoped that the scheme will attract “After being involved with Cinovate 2012, I am thrilled to a wide cross section in terms of geographical location, type come on board as Contributing Editor to conceive, design of festival or venue and current challenge faced.” and deliver our programme for 2013” said Mullighan. Cinovate 2013 is supported by the Creative Skillset Film Skills “Cinovate is a unique offering for the independent exhibition Fund as part of ‘A Bigger Future 2’, the UK film skills strategy. professional - there’s loads of learning from industry experts, The Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund is supported by the Nacarefully designed one-on-one mentoring and a mechanism tional Lottery through the BFI and the film industry through so that the collective knowledge of all participants is teased the Skills Investment Fund. Cinovate is supported by the Film out and shared with the group. If you’re finding your work Agency for Wales, Encounters Festival and Kino Climates. in exhibition challenging, especially in this digital age within Dan Simmons, Head of Film at Creative Skillset said: a time of financial difficulty for the arts generally - our programme is for you.” “Improving business skills continues to be a priority for Creative Skillset on behalf of the UK Creative Industries. The clear The scheme will take place over two weekends in April 2013 strengths of Cinovate are firstly the intensive mentoring, at the Film Agency Wales Audience Connect summit in Carboth in the workplace and during the programme, and secdiff and in September 2013 at the Encounters Short Film and ondly the peer support that is created through the sharing of Animation Festival in Bristol. By hosting the weekend probest practice and workplace challenges. The first cohort have grammes at industry events, those attending will have access been equipped with the knowledge, tools and confidence to to additional masterclasses and networking opportunities. make changes to their businesses, and we are now seeing the positive impact of these interventions.” Liz Harkman, Managing Director of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival commented on the value of the scheme to For more information please see: www.filmagencywales.com the festival.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

The Authority of the Written Word Can a film adaptation ever be as good as the book?

J.R.R. Tolkien

t this point, there must be over two hundred films that are based on a book; and all of these motion pictures based on literature have thrown up a very good question:

“Can a film adaptation ever be as good as the book?” Now, this is a deep question; a very difficult one that has torn J.K Rowling, Tolkien and Stephen King fans alike. But this question has already been addressed many times before, so in“Read stead, here is a new one: “Should a film adaptation be true and exact, or the director’s own visualisation?” This is another argument that can split book and film fans right down the middle, so it must be considered from both sides.

However, narrative tweaking and/or additions are a must in some cases. Take The Woman in Black, for instance. That is a book which can be read in an afternoon. So how was director James Watkins going to turn a novella into an hour and a half film production? Why, adding more scares and horror, of course. This is the sort of example where the director having an input doesn’t really matter, so long as they know what they’re doing. Watkins actually succeeded really well; the film took any twenty million dollars on its opening weekend.

good books recently?“

The first side: an answer of “No, the film should be exact.” “I know very few novelists who have been satisfied with the adaptation of their books for the screen” – Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author. This is a clear, clinching point in this argument; because it’s so unfortunately true. Roald Dahl did not like the adaptation Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – probably something to do with the tunnel, or the fact that the film and book titles don’t match. Stephen King didn’t like what Stanley Kubrick did to The Shining, he even argued that Jack Nicholson’s portrayal was just “too crazy”. Antony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange, even regretted writing his own book after Kubrick, again, totally misinterpreted the meaning. That in itself is a huge blow to the adaptation idea; to make an author resent his own work really says something. Then the argument takes the swing in the other direction: “Yes, the director should put their own ideas into it.” From interviewing fellow film lovers, they argued that directors can use their own visual inspirations but should stick to the plotline, which is a fair point. Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, happily admitted “director Gary Ross […] brought a rich and powerful vision of Panem, its brutality and excesses, to the film”. After resentful authors, it’s more uplifting to know that some can be pleased by the director’s visuals.

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Steven King

Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption, has had his own successes too. That’s a story only one hundred and thirty-three pages long, but Darabont managed to expand that and made it into something just fantastic that has remained with so many film lovers around the world. It seems when working with a short enough story, a director putting his own spin on things is fine; so long as they do a good job at it. As it stands, Stephen King and Susan Hill don’t seem to be full of regret or resentment, so Watkins and Darabont did something right.

Sometimes the problem isn’t just visuals, cutting it down or trying to get across a meaning. It’s the problem of keeping it interesting. Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, for example, gives the reader most of the answers from the word ‘go’. Other books have a lot of ‘filler’ really – think how much of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is just basically about a camping holiday. As films obviously can’t do this, directors inputting their own addition comes back into it all, like: keeping a big question unanswered until the end, or adding in a new event or making a smaller scene suddenly HUGE. Now you’ve got a cliff-hanger, suspenseful film that is great for Hollywood, but a story that is too far away from the original written one. So we’re back to square one. Should directors do a perfect adaptation or put their own spin on it? It can bring small novellas out into the open; it allows a great storyline to finally get some great visuals…and it can also make an author resentful and irritated. Maybe like the Book vs. Film debate, this is just another question that is too variable to properly answer. Read any good books recently?

J-K-Rowling

by Robert B

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

TIFFCOM2013 Confirmed!

TIFFCOM2013 Confirmed! The dates and official slogan for TIFFCOM2013, organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and UNIJAPAN, have been confirmed. The momentous tenth edition of TIFFCOM will be held over three days: from Tuesday to Thursday, October 2224, 2013. Following last year, the market will take place at the hotel GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA in the Odaiba area of Tokyo. TIFFCOM2012 saw the participation of 229 exhibiting organizations from 25 different countries and regions. 983 buyers from 34 different countries and regions also took part, and lead to record numbers for both exhibitors and buyers. Business talks also climbed 29%, and we saw TIFFCOM develop into a multi-content market with a strong international presence. 2013 marks the second year of TIFFCOM’s move from Roppongi to the GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA in Odaiba. The slogan for this year is “TOKYO Renezvous”. We hope that hosting the market in the city resort of Odaiba, close to central Tokyo, will lead to many new opportunities and relationships. We are working hard to make sure we can provide you with wonderful encounters in this beautiful location.

2012’s Project Market saw its seminars and pitching sessions packed full with participants. We seek to further strengthen the link between TIFFCOM and TIFF in 2013 by establishing opportunities to information and build networks, and continuing to promote international co-productions. We hope to create a place where filmmakers from both within and outside of Japan gather to conduct business talks and exchange information. Further details will be announced in May. TIFFCOM 2013 Outline - Date: October 22-24 (TuesThurs), 2013 Venue: GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA (2-6-1, Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo) Organizers: Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry (METI) / UNIJAPAN (TBC) Co-organizer: The 26th Tokyo International Film Festival Range of Exhibits: Film, television, animation, digital media content, comics, publishing, etc. Official Website: http://www.tiffcom.jp (scheduled to launch April 2013)

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

The Indie Gathering

he Indie Gathering got its start in the mid-1990s, originally created as a large networking event for the independent film community in Ohio, as well as out of state guests. The turnout for the event was much greater than expected and grew so quickly that it had to be held in a hotel after just a few short years. With this move, film screenings were added to the event, and The Indie Gathering International Film Festival was born.

great weekend. Aside from the film competition, the festival also includes screenwriting and film scoring competitions. At the event, there are competitions for actors, stunt people and special effects makeup artists. The event features three screening rooms, a convention, over twenty hours of film lectures and panel discussions, networking parties and much more, all of which take over the entire Hudson Clarion Inn & Conference Center, where the event is held.

Created by lifelong Cleveland resident and Emmy-winning producer Ray Szuch, The Indie Gathering was made to bring more opportunities to indie filmmakers, giving them a chance to network with other industry professionals and a place to showcase their work. The festival’s mission is to inspire and encourage filmmakers through a competitive showcase, while presenting a great networking opportunity for anyone involved or interested in the industry.

The goal of the festival – and its staff – is to provide everyone with a unique opportunity. In one weekend, attendees can receive film school training, meet celebrity guests, watch over one hundred films, and most importantly, get themselves out there as a film professional, meeting a wide range of industry people. Filmmakers, film students, writers, actors, stunt people, musicians, artists, celebrity guests and film fans all have a chance to meet one another while learning more about their common interest – filmmaking.

The Indie Gathering is more than just a film festival. It’s a place where filmmakers can gather together with the audience for one

by Kevin Murphy

entire networking experience that caused the festival to branch off into a second event, The International Horror Hotel. Like The Indie Gathering, Horror Hotel has a weekend of film screenings, competitions, lectures, panel discussions, a convention, celebrity parties and more, but all centered specifically on the horror and sci-fi genres. At Horror Hotel, the special effects makeup competition takes over more of the event in the form of haunted rooms – elaborate horror scenes put together by budding FX artists. Instead of the monologue competition, actors can partake in the Scream Queen Competition. With attendees from all areas of the film business and from all around the world, the festivals continue to grow, with new sponsors, new events and new ideas each year. Both events share the same goal: that everyone who attends walks away from the weekend with more knowledge, new experiences, new contacts, new ideas, and new film friends. For more information on the festivals, visit www.theindiegathering.com and www.horrorhotel.net.

It was this same love of filmmaking and the

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Film Actors Awards scrambles Oscar predictions

by Ron Gilbert

Last night I attended the SAG-AFTRA awards and was very happy with the choices made, in particular , Jennifer Lawrence in winning best actress for her performance in the motion picture, Silver Linings Playbook..She auditioned on Skype for the director and is a major talent at 22. Tommy Lee Jones won best supporting actor for Lincoln which was well deserved. Robert DeNiro was also nominated but missed out which in a way made me happy because he has not done his best work in years. His roles in Raging Bull ,The Godfather 2 and Taxi Driver were brilliant but in the last few years he has made more money doing comedy roles. Just because he squeezed out a tear in his scene with Bradley Cooper was not an award winning moment. Bradley Cooper is at a high point in his career but he needs to dig deeper into his work. Joaquin Phoenix is a true example of an Actors Studio method actor and goes to the depths of his character. He is not looking for an award which is what this industry is all about. His performance in The Master earned him an Oscar nomination as best actor even though he did not launch a campaign. The red carpet is considered the magic carpet to stardom. What you must realize is that the amount of voters for all these award shows are not so high. The Golden Globes has under 100 voters, The Oscar voters are 5700,SAG-AFTRA Awards has about 150,000 member or more but not all of them vote. These are approximations but they can give you an idea of how the award world works. So last night, Daniel Day Lewis won best actor in Lincoln over Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables ,who is still my

choice for best actor at the Oscars. Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress for her emotional performance in Les Miserables and is mine and the Oscar favorite. The big surprise of the night was the winner of the ensemble cast of Argo in a motion picture which was my favorite film and Ben Affleck deserved this win. I thought that Les Miserables might take it or even Silver Linings Playbook but the SAG-AFTRA members agreed with me. Your opinion of whom you think should win an award is your choice but do not always be influenced by critics because that is their view and not yours. The choices for winners are just favorites at that time, which is what the award winners should be called. Some actors have won these awards then their career took a nose dive after 1 or 2 more films. Acting is a craft and if you love it you will continue until the day you die because you love going to work unlike most people who do not love their work. So just be inspired and continue and you will make it to the Oscars red carpet. think should win an award is your choice but do not always be influenced by critics because that is their view and not yours. The choices for winners are just favorites at that time, which is what the award winners should be called. Some actors have won these awards then their career took a nose dive after 1 or 2 more films. Acting is a craft and if you love it you will continue until the day you die because you love going to work unlike most people who do not love their work. So just be inspired and continue and you will make it to the Oscars red carpet.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Google + For Filmmakers By Martin Shervington Since the launch of Google+ in 2011, it has received a variety of coverage in the press. In particular, headlines of ‘“Google+: It’s a ghost town” seemed the most common. Well, as we approach it’s second anniversary we can see reports of 235 million active users making it the number two network, behind Facebook and flying past twitter. If you are in the film industry, it is something you cannot ignore. So, whether you’ve already signed up and checked it out, or if you need a little encouragement, here you go Google+ is a global network - unlike certain other social sites, with Google+ you will be able to contact anyone in the world who is posting content publicly. Using the tool of engagement: +1s (a bit like ‘likes’), comments and shares, you will be able to get their attention. I even interacted with William Shatner and his crew through creating a global trend to get his attention. Using Google Docs - you will be able to collaborate on projects with people at the same time with e.g. spreadsheets for cost predictions, text for capturing ideas, presentations for, well, you get the idea. The key thing here is ‘collaboration’ and once you’ve experienced it, you’ll know what I mean. There is no app at present for FinalDraft but I guess that may well come in time too. Google Hangouts - these are free video conferencing with us to 10 people in the virtual room (15 with a corporate account), in real time. This will enable virtual teams to meet up, face-to-face and connect in new ways. Google+ circles - people have already created ‘circles’ of people you can just add in that relate to your industry and your specific job role as well. With Google+ coming up to being two years old, people have done a lot of work for you. As such, this is a great time to get involved.

are almost 50,000 communities of people who want to talk about everything from ‘The Universe’, to ‘Bacon’, to, yep, films and filmmaking. Just do a search under the ‘communities’ button and you will see what I mean. Also, you can create your own community if you don’t see what you like. btw: have free video on my site and on YouTube that will cover all aspects of how to do this. Friendly people - this is something that needs to be mentioned. On Google+ there is a really positive vibe about the possibilities of the technology. I’ve met thousands of people from all over the world and been blown away with how welcoming they’ve been (I only started in March 2012). I’ve met some great film industry people, A list celebs, connected with Oscar winning directors and more. Google+ is Google - this will take you a little while to grasp, but Google have put a ‘social layer’ across Google’s products and services. As such, Google+ is actually Google, but they didn’t tell us all that at the start. Once you get it, you get it! Hopefully that will give you a little more inspiration to get involved with Google+ as a film maker. We will all make our own opportunities and this platform will enable you to connect with more people in new ways. Most of all...enjoy it! It is quite a ride. In 2011 Martin Shervington attended San Francisco Comedy College whilst writing a script called ‘Lie Down, Stand up’, about a psychiatrist who steals his client’s content and turns it into stand up comedy. Having had it optioned but not bought (darn it) he returned to the marketing consultancy and fell in love with Google+. His website is www.martinshervington.com where you will find everything you need to know about getting started and making the most of the experience. Also check out his profile in the Plus. You will find him here: www. google.com/+MartinShervington

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Communities - even though these were only launched in December 2012, there

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Flanders

Minister greenlights Flanders Distribution Grant

lemish Cultural Affairs Minister Joke Schauvliege has greenlit the Flanders Distribution Grant, a new initiative aimed at boosting Flemish productions which are being released theatrically abroad. The selective system, which will run as a pilot project throughout 2013, will be launched at the Berlin International Film Festival. The initiative is run by Flanders Image, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund’s (VAF) audiovisual export and promotion agency. The budget for the first year is €389,000 ($526,000). Belgian cinema from Flanders has been doing increasingly well in recent years: the number of films being invited to festivals, and winning awards at those festivals, has been growing, while local hits such as Bullhead, Come As You Are and North Sea Texas also enjoyed healthy international sales. But while filmmakers were able to apply for financial support to travel to festivals, or to increase the visibility of their films at these festivals, until now there has been no comparable

initiative to support the releases of Flemish films overseas. ‘This is another step forward towards the better and wider introduction of Flemish cinema abroad,’ says Flemish Cultural Affairs Minister Joke Schauvliege, who greenlit the scheme. ‘We are no longer just supporting films at festivals, but are now also supporting distribution, so that Flemish productions can be seen in even more cinemas around the world.’ A Flanders Distribution Grant can only be obtained by a foreign distributor after they have acquired the rights to the film for their territory. They can then apply for support if they can demonstrate that the grant will make a significant difference to the theatrical release of the film. The money might, for example, be used for organising press junkets, for widening the campaign, or for dubbing the film into the local language. The plan also needs to be approved by the film’s Flemish producer. Only majority-produced Flemish creations are eligible for a Flanders Distribution Grant, and films that have already received distribution support from MEDIA or any other pub-

In these days we opened call for works for our International Student FilmFest. As we spoke in November last year, I hope it is still possible to publish a short presentation with logo in the magazine. The web page is www.medijskidan.si, the logo is in the attachment and the text is: Youthful creativity, drive and enthusiasm need a place to thrive. International student FilmFest is a platform where students and young people can reach a wide audience with

lic body are excluded from the scheme. Full regulations can be obtained from Flanders Image. The selective system, which will have a €389,000 budget in its pilot year, will only be looking to support the most convincing and the strongest applications. ‘We expect distributors to present us with something that is more than just a basic release,’ says Christian De Schutter of Flanders Image. ‘With the Flanders Distribution Grant, we want to make the release of a Flemish film stand out from a regular opening in that territory.’ A jury is to select the best proposals. On show from Flanders at the European Film Market (EFM) this year are Felix van Groeningen’s The Broken Circle Breakdown (int’l sales: The Match Factory), which is invited to the Panorama Special programme where Bullhead premiered two years ago; Allez, Eddy! by Gert Embrechts (Global Screen); Offline by Peter Monsaert (Lumière Publishing); and The Fifth Season by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth (Films Boutique).

their films that come alive on the big screen. The FilmFest is open for student films produced independently from professional studios. This way the films push the limits, embrace individuality, connect people and reflect uncompromising creativity as their authors enter their local environment. These local environments are diverse and spread all over Europe wherever the festival program is adopted. Let the voice of young creative’s be heard around the globe!

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Interview With Valeria Bandino Valeria Bandino gets invited to festivals all over the world UFM Interviews her. 1. Let’s talk a bit about you Valeria. What made you want to get into the industry in the first place? During my studies of psychology I realised how fascinating our mind is and how beautiful is to watch how we react to other’s actions. Then I moved to Ireland and I studied acting at the prestigious “Gaiety School of Acting”. There my love for playing characters and acting grew until the point in which I was told that I’m a good actress and I was sent to the TVI Actor’s Studio in L.A. learning new techniques. Once back to Ireland, I started to work in movies and I found it very interesting so I kept doing it. I love acting; it’s just so interesting to be someone else for a while! 2. Italian, living in Ireland and always travelling. What do you like the most of your job? I like being international, meeting and working with colleagues from all over the world and in general living new experiences everyday. I feel very lucky. 3. What’s coming up for you in 2013? In March I’ll be working in the new Lorenzo Raveggi’s movie called “The Secret of Botticelli” where I will be playing Margareth, the American assistant of a criminologist. I’m pretty happy to work on this project. Margareth is an interesting character and I’m flattered to have been already confirmed for the sequel. 4. If you could have dinner with three guests - (living or dead), who would you choose and why? Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Quentin Tarantino. I love their style so having dinner with them would be very inspiring other than and absolute night of fun! Can you imagine that?

by Kevin Murphy

5. What is your favourite word? “Possible”. With commitment and intelligence, I believe that everything is possible.

REAL LIFE STORIES OF STRUGGLE AND COURAGE FROM AROUND THE WORLD

6. How’s Valeria in her private life? Normally I’m a pretty dynamic woman, I spend a lot of time out and I have very busy days so even when I’m home and I have some time to dedicate to myself and my loved ones, I keep doing many things. For example I love cooking and trying new recipes, having friends over, going to the gym and of course shopping. 7. You went to the Dubai International Film Festival.. tell us about your experience there. Dubai has been a wonderful experience. The festival was very well organized with an interesting movies selection. I met many local actors which made me feel home and inspired me to wanting to know more about the film market in Dubai. I took one day off from the festival to visit the city and I got impressed by how much it has been done in 41 years. The city is beautiful and very modern but at the same time keeps a wonderful Arabic style. I can’t wait to visit Dubai again. 8. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to pursue a career in the industry? Being an actor is not a 9am to 5pm job. Being an actor is a 24/7 job, it’s stronger than a love or a passion, it takes you away from family and friends, it makes you living on the edge. It involves big sacrifices, efforts and studies. But it also gives you big satisfactions. So my advice is to be very strong as this business is not an easy cookie but at the same time never take the focus off it. With time good opportunities will come and with it some great moments too.

THIS IS OMAR, A TEENAGE REFUGEE FROM SOMALIA.

A LIFE ON HOLD

IS A NEW FILM ABOUT OMAR’S LIFE IN A REFUGEE CAMP IN TUNISIA. WATCH AT AMNESTY.ORG/REFUGEES

CHILDREN OF THE JAGUAR

AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE TAKE ON THE COMBINED MIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND AN OIL COMPANY IN ORDER TO SAVE THEIR WAY OF LIFE AND THE RAINFOREST THEY LIVE IN.

WATCH AT BIT.LY/JAGUAR-TRAILER

Find out more: avproduction@amnesty.org

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Magnificent 7 Film Festival by Radmila Djurica One of 2 significant documentary film festivals in Belgrade, Serbia Magnificent 7 Film Festival in 2013 showed once more that quality is above quantity screening only 7 worldwide important documentaries in the selection of Danish veteran Tue Steen Müller, selector and consultant for the festivals DOCS Barcelona, DOK Leipzig, Magnificent 7 and DoxBox in Damascus and teacher at the film school Zelig in Bolzano, Italy etc. The films are the important seven from Müller’s base New York, a metropole of independent entertainment cinema and the place of two important veterans: 86 years old Albert Maysles and the 90 year old Jonas Mekas. The films selected for the 2013 edition of Magnificent7 have been shown in theatres in their countries of origin and all over the world. The great period we experience in the popular documentary genre prove the filmmakers who come to Belgrade with their films: Magnificent7opens with the Searching for Sugar Man by Swedish film director Malik Bendjelloul, the winner of BAFTA Award 2013 for the Best Documentary and internationally the most successful documentary of 2012 which is according the author an exciting story about the search for evidence of one legend’s authenticity and a journey into the unknown. The dramatic composition of a suspenseful cinematic thriller is enriched by subtle yet profound layers, which are seamlessly interwoven into the narrative.

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The Magnificent 7 Festival in Belgrade brings poetry of best docs and personally made documentaries with a diversity in themes and authentic from the minimalistic and original interpretation of an urban social reality in Sofia’s Last Ambulance by Bulgarian Ilian Metev, film director from UK National Film and Television School (NFTS) to the beautiful and respectful meeting with people who do very seldom appear in the media in Tea or Electricity by Jérôme Le Maire and Winter Nomads by Manuel von Stürler. Important note: art will always survive and of course the portrait of a great humanist, Olof “Palme”, who was shot down, when he chose to walk home after a visit to the cinema. Magnificent7 is a tribute to the art of cinema, but it is also a tribute to the power of film craft itself and two films proves that: Searching for Sugar Man and Soundbreaker by Finish Kimmo Koskela that is about an artist who seeks to break all rules.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Hansel and Gretel A fairy tale turned gore fest by Susan Cooper

Be warned though, this is no U movie, it’s not even a PG. Although its two main characters are based on the traditional fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, this is where any similarity ends. Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters is definitely a movie that’s only for grownups – and only those who have strong stomachs. The theme of violence and gore runs throughout the movie and to be honest, that’s about all it has.

hind the abductions is that a coven of witches is preparing for a ritual called Blood Moon, where six girls and six boys are required for sacrifice. The plot follows from there with numerous bloody assassinations taking place. There are no holds barred on the level of violence, which may or may not be of interest to you as a viewer. Generally, the film hasn’t been the recipient of much praise. The plot has been criticised for falling between black comedy and horror, and with names like Will Ferrell and Adam Mackay as executive producers, it seems likely that it was perhaps intended to be more about black comedy than horror. But to be truthful, there don’t seem to be many light moments in the film at all.

The plot centres on grown-up Hansel and Gretel, who have blossomed into fully fledged witch hunters following their harassing ordeal as children, when they were held prisoner by a witch who force fed candy to Hansel and made Gretel prepare the oven where Hansel was scheduled to be cooked. As in the fairy tale, the two children managed to get the witch in the oven and escape with their lives. In the film, Hansel has been left with an insulin dependency following his ordeal but the two are both immune to witches’ spells and curses, so excel in their profession of exterminating witches.

The violence is paramount, with lots of nasty close-ups of faces being punched in and death by various weapons including machine guns, tazers and shovels.

The brother-sister duo are hired by a town mayor to rescue children abducted by witches, but when the pair intervene to stop the local sheriff from executing a suspected witch called Mina, he also hires trackers to find the children, in order to win the mayor’s respect. The witch hunters discover the reason be-

Directed by Norwegian Tommy Wirkola and filmed in 3D, this film may appeal to a very limited audience – teenage boys who enjoy violent films based on fairy tales perhaps? – but it certainly doesn’t have the feel of something that will appeal to a mainstream audience.

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It’s a German-American production and the cast hails from many different countries. The problem with this is that there’s a lack of consistency as the accents are so muddled. Many of them are European, with a nod to the fact that the story takes place in a town called Augsburg, but the two leads – Gemma Arterton (Gretel) and Jeremy Renner (Hansel) – both have American accents.

If you’re a parent looking for an entertaining film to take your kids to, flicking through the cinema listings Glasgow, or whichever town you happen to be in, you might be tempted by one of the new releases that’s out in most cinemas at the moment called Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

UFFO “best business practices” for film festivals Maureen O’Hara

“Every once in a while there is something that stands out and compels us to notice it; I think that is what struck me most about UFFO when it was first brought to my attention. I am so tremendously honoured and proud to be the President of such an international organisation that promotes ethics in an industry I love so much”.

ince the launch of UFFO on the 1st July 2011 and the organization’s best business practices for film festivals it has been adopted by over 190 international film festivals and has gathered strong support from organizations all over the world

Universal Film & Festival Organization

own festival. (Nothing illegal about that; a number of festival organizers regularly promote their own and even their friends’ films.) The screening programme was set up with their own film taking prime position in the whole lineup. In addition the film was nominated in 5 of the 7 top categories. Although the film was slated by many of the UK critics it managed to win an award in every category. Hundreds of other filmmakers who submitted their films to this festival and paid for the privilege to have their film considered

With stories being published on almost a daily basis about fraudlent film festivals something had to be done to protect filmmakers from fraud and to assure that honest festival organizers’ hard-earned reputations were protected.

What was very apparent was that there needed to be something in place to stop this from happening. There was no code of practice anywhere in the world that was fair to both filmmakers and film festival organizers. We wrote a very basic set of best business practices and published it on the social networking sites LinkedIn and Facebook to judge the reaction. The response from both communities was phenomenal. We were inundated with e-mail from all corners of the globe, telling us horror stories, and why the code of practice is needed.

At this stage it was just an ideal. Sometime later I attended an international Film Festival in the UK. I discovered that the festival organizer and his partner, a film director, had a film in competition in their

The whole idea behind a code of practice was to improve the relationship between industry professionals and acknowledg the importance of enhanced cooperation between filmmakers and film festivals. It led to a heated debate over many months by festival directors and filmmakers. Both communities had very strong opinions about what should and should not be included.

Tyrone D Murphy is the founder and CEO of UFFO, he was responsible for creating and implementing “best business practices”. Through his hard work it has been adopted by over 190 international film festivals around the World.

On the one hand the majority of festival directors run legitimate operations, provide a great service and want to play fair; on the other hand the filmmaking community had a gut full of the fraudulent activity that was taking their hardearned dollars. The few bad apples in the barrel were blighting the entire film industry.

He is an award winning film producer and director, a festival director and now dedicated his time to benefit the filmmaking and film festival communities through UFFO.

We created a code of best business practices was written. It has ten simple guiding principles. The successful implementation of this code was largely dependent on its acceptance by the film festival and filmmaking community as a whole. It is completely voluntary and has helped define the obligations and responsibilities that film festival organizers have towards the filmmaking community

Tyrone Power JR, is the Chairman of the UFFO committee USA. He is an acclaimed actor in his own right and follows in the footsteps of his famous father Tyrone Power Senior. “The promotion of ethics and standards is a noble and worthwhile goal in any walk of life. To be able to help do so in an industry I love and admire is truly a gift and an honour. I am proud to be a part of the UFFO organization which fosters and promotes the dedicated, passionate work of filmmakers and film festivals around the world.” Tyrone Power.

It has a pragmatic approach to implementation that is based on rational and transparent working methods. It promotes good business practices and assists in the development of relationships between film festival organisers and the filmmaking community. The Universal Film and Festival Organization was later formed to monitor the database of accredited film festivals. Membership to UFFO is completely free and is open to all creative individuals, filmmakers and film festivals. It is completely voluntary and easy to implement, in addition it’s also a blueprint for filmmakers in deciding which film festivals to do business with.

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Universal Film Issue Issue99--2013 2013

UFFO Best Business Practices for Film Festivals No 1: Film Festival organizers should operate a transparent selection process and publish details of the selection process and the names of the Jury/selection committee (publication can be after a festival concludes) No 2: Film festivals organizers should provide full contact details for the festival offices including address and telephone numbers and the names of the festival directors and or committee No 3: A Film Festival should publish its legal status as a company, charity or non-profit (this only applies to a registered entity) No 4: Film festival organizers should not share filmmakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; financial data with any third parties No 5: Film Festivals should publish a year by year history of festival winners and films officially selected No 6: Film festival organizers, committee and or jury should not show or demonstrate any favouritism to any film submitted to the festival or attempt to influence other members of the jury or selection committee No 7: Film Festivals should declare the number of films sought and/or invited by the festival organizers to participate in the festival prior to and before the general call for submissions is sent out No 8: Film Festivals should provide the names of the selection committee and/or jury members who viewed the submitted film screeners to the festival (this could be after the festival has concluded) No 9: Film festival organizers should view at least 5 minutes of all submitted films

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No 10: All Festival organizers should declare any conflict of interest that may arise from any film submitted to or invited to participate in the festival

FILM FESTIVAL GUILD EXPOSED

ince the inception of the Universal Film Magazine, we have fearlessly tackled and exposed many disreputable film festivals all over the world. From the Swansea Bay Festival in Wales, UK, to the Famewalk Film Festival in Los Angeles, to the Queens International Film Festival in New York, and many more all over the world that have taken advantage of filmmakers to make a tidy profit for themselves. Some of these festivals have perpetrated unconscionable scams such as selling awards, bestowing festival awards to their own or their friends’ films, and blacklisting filmmakers on a whim.

The Film Festival Guild was founded in 2006 and is operated by Stuart Brennan, a man who, by all appearances, is a successful actor, writer, director, producer and more. He has won an award for nearly every one of his filmic efforts. Surely he must be a gifted individual – or is he? Upon closer inspection, it turns out that Brennan may not be as gifted as it would seem. UFM has uncovered evidence that Brennan and his cronies have been using the Film Festival Guild and its festivals to shower themselves and their friends with accolades, while other filmmakers pay submission fees

to submit their films legitimately to the Guilds’ festivals for consideration. Many of these awards – handed out like candy at a kiddies’ birthday party – go to films produced by “Burn Hand Film Productions,” a company owned and operated by Stuart Brennan and his friend Neil Jones. Our investigation has shown that one of the more dubious festivals run by the Film Festival Guild is the Newport International Film Festival, operated at the Riverfront Cinema in Newport Wales, UK – not to be confused with the festival of the same name in Newport,

We are now faced with yet another breed of film festival animal: The Film Festival Guild (FFG). A small company based in Dorset, UK, FFG operates a number of film festivals, including the Newport International Film Festival, The British Independent Film Festival, The British Horror Film Festival, The British Animation Film Festival, and its new endeavour, The Hidden Film Festivals, allegedly based in Paris, Toronto, Dublin and London. All of these festivals are registered with the online submission provider, Withoutabox (WAB), making them eligible to receive submissions from the filmmaking community (more on Withoutabox later).

Owners of Burn Hand Film Productions Stuart Brennan and Neil Jones

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How can the Film Festival Guild give its own directors so many awards other filmmakers paid for..

Riverfront Newport Wales Rhode Island, USA, which went out of business some years ago. Confusion between the two festivals is understandable given that Brennan’s NIFF, out of Wales, UK, is using the same domain name and IMDb page held by the former USA NIFF before it went out of business.

Jones had a stellar year, winning awards left, right and centre – at Brennan’s own festivals. At the Newport International Film festival, “Risen” was again submitted, selected and nominated, winning Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and the Best Picture. At this stage it should come as no surprise that Brennan’s and Jones’ film won, despite many other filmmakers having submitted films to the festival for consideration. We (UFM) contacted Stuart Brennan, who told us that all of his awards are “audience choice” awards. Since we had been tipped off as to the festival’s suspicious activity, our former editor at-

tended the 2010-11 festival. After arriving, our former editor was turned away from an apparent full house (“standing room only”) by Stuart Brennan himself. After much debate, the UFM former editor was eventually admitted. According to our former editor, the screening room was three-quarters empty, and the small audience consisted of mainly the cast and crew of Brennan’s movie. Tyrone D. Murphy, UFM former Editor, said: “If this was being passed off as an audience choice award, then it was a slam dunk, no chance of losing.” Newport City Council made the following statement: “Newport City Council is not involved with the running of the

The first year that NIFF operated in Wales saw Stuart Brennan’s and Neil Jones’ Burnt Hand Film Productions win the awards for Best Feature and Best Actress for their own film “The Lost.” Here is their IMDb page for that year: http://www.imdb.com/event/ ev0000492/2007. This is just a taste of what was to come over the next few years. In 2008, “Jack Says,” a film produced by Simon Phillips and directed by Bob Philips, earned awards for Best Film and Best Actor at Brennan’s NIFF. The following year, Brennan managed to land a role in the movie, “Jack Said,” also produced by Simon Phillips. In 2009, another of Brennan’s and Neil Jones’ ultra-low budget films, “Risen,” won an award at that year’s NIFF The fact that, at the time, the film was not even finished did not stop Brennan from giving his own film the award.

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2011 - Newport International Film Festival, Neil Jones and Stuart Brennan clean up at the NIFF awards from Brennan’s own festivals

In 2010-11 Stuart Brennan and Neil

Stuart Brennat at the British Independant Film Festival with winnser Martha Pinson

Martin Scorsese

SCORSESE’S STRANGE BEDFELLOWS festival. It also does not endorse or promote the festival, except to include it in its programme of events on the website along with all other activities.” They did not say whether the NIFF will be held at the Riverfront in 2013. The Festival Guild state on their web site “An impressive student attendance rate means your film is not only going to get to be seen by film lovers, but the social networks will be buzzing once they’ve enjoyed it!” With this PR hook, which seemes to be targeting students, should it be a cause for concern that the NIFF is only 100 yards away from the Newport Film School where legions of young impressionable filmmakers are eager to have their work play at a festival. The Newport Film School issued the following statement in relation to the Newport festival: Professor Barry Atkins, Head of the School of Film, Photography and Digital Media at the University of Wales, Newport, said: “The University of Wales, Newport Film School has no connection to, or involvement with, the Newport International Film Festival. The University understands the importance of integrity to any awards process, and

would encourage the fair operation of any festival which showcases the work of talented filmmakers.” The Founder of the Iris Film Festival, a major festival in Wales had this to say “I’ve been involved with film festivals and film production since 1989. The idea of awarding your own work at your own festival is at best delusional, and possible dishonest. Most credible festivals who present awards ask independent juries to select the winners completely independent of the festival organisers, as is the case with the Iris Prize. The idea that any of the people involved with the Iris Prize were to submit their work into the Iris Prize is laughable. The idea that one of our films was to win the Iris Prize is even more hilarious! The Film Festival Guild invites website visitors to “EXPLORE OUR PREVIOUS FESTIVALS”. However, there is no link on the Film Festival Guild’s website for the Newport Film Festival prior to 2012, in fact there is no history going as far back as 2006. The only link is for the 2012 festival so it’s not possible to view the activity prior to this.

The Guilds website also state “The festival comes to a close with its highly respected Awards Ceremony, where the following honours are up for grabs” BEST FILM - BEST NEW SCREENPLAY - BEST ACTOR - BEST ACTRESS - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - BEST DIRECTOR BEST SHORT - WELSH DRAGON AWARD - AUDIENCE AWARDS. However, since 2006 onwards we now know that many of these awards have been awarded to Brennan and Jones own films. This activity is not limited to the NIFF – it’s a similar story with Brennan’s other Guild Festivals. We had an undercover reporter attend another one of their festivals; this time it was the British Independent Film Festival, which took place in the Poole Lighthouse Theatre in Dorset, UK. The Brennan/Jones film in “competition” here was “Masterpiece.” As with the Newport Festival, no advance tickets were available through the Guild as the screening was apparently sold out. Nonetheless our reporter managed to obtain a ticket in person, at the box office. As with the Newport screening, the room was almost empty, and yet the film won an award. “Risen”

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arose yet again at this festival, and was officially selected and a Q&A session after the screening with Mr. Brennan’s old pal, Neil Jones, the director. In 2011 at the Guild’s other festival, the British Horror Film Festival, and another of Brennan’s and Jones’ low-budget films from Burn Hand Film Productions, “The Reverend,” was officially selected and had its world premiere there.

Stuart Brennan Film Festival Guild Newport International Film Festival British Independant Film Festival British Amination Film Festival British Horror Film Festival The Hidden Film Festivals

Swansea Bay Film Festival Several of Brennan’s films were nominated and received awards from the Swansea Bay Film Festival – another notorious film festival that hit the headlines – run by Binda Singh. The festival rose to infamy over allegations that Mr. Binda Singh was running a scam operation that included at least 16 international film festivals. In 2006, the Brennan/Jones film, “The Lost,” was officially selected at the Swansea Bay Festival. Then, in 2008, their film, “The Feral Generation,” was also selected and won an award.

The Scorsese Connection – Strange Bedfellows We picked up on a post on the WAB forums made by Martha Pinson, who is a former script supervisor for Martin Scorsese. She asked if anyone had heard of the British Independent Film Festival. Apparently, she was nominated for an award at Brennan’s festival, although she had never heard of the little festival to which she’d submitted her script via Withoutabox. Pinson was obviously relying on Withoutabox to ensure the integrity of the British Independent Film Festival. We corresponded with Pinson at the time, as we were intrigued that Brennan had selected Pinson’s script for BIFF. We were very interested to see how Brennan would take advantage of the Pinson/Scorsese connection. It was revealed recently that Martin Scorsese himself is slated – along with Neil Jones – as executive producer for “Tomorrow,” a feature being co-written by Brennan. Martha Pinson is directing the film, which is to be produced by the pairs Burn Hand Film Productions. UFM wrote to Martin Scorsese’s agent, William Morris Endeavor, and to his production company, Sikelia Productions, several times, asking for a comment on the Film Festival Guild and the activities of Brennan and Jones. We have received no reply to date. Given the unethical history of the Brennan/ Jones oeuvre, it will be interesting to see how this proposed endeavour with Scorsese plays out. Withoutabox We contacted IMDb and Withoutabox and asked if this sort of activity is acceptable; we outlined the evidence, and we have not received a reply. Many of the festivals that UFM has exposed as disreputable have only one point of access to the world of filmmakers, and that is Withoutabox, a site which lets filmmakers submit their work to multiple festivals electronically. Though it could be argued that filmmakers should care-

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Companies TBFG LIMITED BURN HAND FILM PRODUCTIONS LIMITED POOLE NIGHT DOCTOR LIMITED Registered Office 7 Barbers Gate, Poole Dorset England, BH15 1ZA

fully research each festival to which they apply, many filmmakers rely on Withoutabox to do this for them. It seems that many may place their trust in Withoutabox simply because it is owned and operated by IMDb/Amazon. There’s an old saying that is pertinent here: buyer beware! Simply put, a filmmaker cannot rely on WAB to root out scam operations or disreputable festivals. WAB/ IMDb CEO and founder, Col Needham, was quoted as saying, ”We are running a business; it’s not our job to protect filmmakers’ money.” It is UFM’s contention, however, that WAB should take the steps necessary to ensure that filmmakers’ submission fees are safe from underhanded film festivals. It only makes sense, since they are, after all, making huge profits from the filmmaking and festival community. In addition, WAB has made it extremely difficult in the past for a film festival to choose another submission provider, as WAB had an exclusivity clause in their contract. WAB is now facing hostility from some areas of the festival community; for example, a Facebook group is advocating the boycott of Withoutabox. UFFO There is only one organization in the world we know of that is tackling this issue head on, and that is UFFO, the Universal Film and Festival Organization. The organization has a simple ten-point code of “Best Business Practices” which has been adopted by 192 international film festivals. The code is also a blueprint for filmmakers choosing the festival(s) to which they’ll submit their work UFFO is also free: www.uffo.org. Reviews An important question is why would filmmakers like

The number of awards that Brennan and Jones have bestowed upon themselves and their films is staggering, and rather embarrassing from a professional filmmaker’s point of view. Despite the denials of Brennan’s Film Festival Guild, the fact remains that he submitted, programmed and selected his own films over a number of years, eschewing hundreds of submissions every year from unsuspecting filmmakers via Withoutabox.

FILM FESTIVAL GUILD, STUDIO 30, CLINK STREET STUDIOS, LONDON, SE1 4HS +44 (0) 20 7378 7840 info ‘@’ filmfestivalguild.com www.thefilmfestivalguild.com

UniversalFilm Film Universal Issue 9 - 2013

Brennan and Jones need to shower themselves with so many awards? Could it be desperation, insecurity or vanity? Perhaps an answer can be found in the fact that their films have been thoroughly panned by film critics. Here are some of the reviews for “Risen”: Hunts Post: “There are obvious budgetary restrictions, most evidently in the sparsely attended international fights and the way the director tries to hide Winston’s injured hand out of shot or under a towel, and the largely unknown cast often struggle with their performances, with uncomfortable pauses as they try to remember their lines.” Eye for Film: “With its lack of character insight and misdirected lack of focus, “Risen” is never going to be the knock out its central character once was. Jones is not going to bring in anyone new to the sport or Winstone with his poor storytelling, and with its shallow look at events and characters it’s not going to teach fans anything new or enlightening.” Best of Film: “It’s a shame, then, that director Neil Jones and his cast of relative unknowns fail so uniformly and entirely to bring any gravity or dramatic weight to a real life story that plays more like fiction than fact.” Guardian: “Unfortunately the film doesn’t quite get to grips with it on anything other than a superficial level.” Empire Online: “Stodgy fare that eulogises the man rather than delving deeply into his compelling life.” Total Film: “KO-ed by a flabby screenplay and lacking the money to do justice to the ’60s setting.” Endorsing Other Film Festivals Given all of Brennan’s shameless selfpromotion and self-bestowed awards, one would think that he would be satisfied with his own “achievements.” Well, apparently not. Brennan has now taken it to a whole new level, setting up the Film Festival Guild as an endorsing body or accrediting organization for other film festivals – a leader in the industry to look up to, a name to be trusted. As far-fetched as this sounds, the following

was posted recently on the Guild’s website: “To get your festival endorsed by the Film Festival Guild and get some of the many benefits such as cross promotion, industry endorsement, increased audience awareness and participation, please contact us directly, using the details above.” This sounds very plausible; even the name itself, “The Film Festival Guild,” has an air of authority. Of course, given the absence of any information to the contrary, it is understandable that some gullible film festivals have actually bought into the Film Festival Guild’s endorsement programme.

vals should be measured, is akin to this same dictator announcing that since he has achieved his idea of the perfect nation, others should follow suit. There is nothing more grotesque. – Fianna MacGregor, M.A., film journalist, New York “Such film festivals should be exposed and banned, and if required, Monopolies and Restive Practices Act brought against them. Such festivals are highly demoralising for filmmakers, and they should rise in protest. Maybe they should even boycott such bogus festivals.” – Jacob Isaac, Technical Director, SCRIPT ISFF, Kochi, India

These developments are more than a little disturbing. Should we now be concerned about the future of film festivals? Is it not reasonable to assume that if a film festival is to be regarded as practicing a standard of excellence, it should be fair, open and transparent in every way? Is the notion of a fair and ethical celebration of art becoming an unachievable ideal bound for the scrapheap?

“It is shocking that any group of people would freely and confidently exploit the concept of a festival, as one of the only vestiges for young filmmakers to show their works. Accepting entry fees for these festivals from aspiring and eager filmmakers is fraud when the festival is rigged. These people should be prosecuted under the law. – Patricia J. Pawlak , Distributor

Comments from the Industry

“It’s these types of actions that make it hard for legitimate festivals to function or profit. Sadly there is not much other festivals can do, as even some of the big name festivals participate in such practices. This is why the UFFO and other organizations are so important, and a reason for every filmmaker to do their homework before submitting their film to any festival.” – Joseph Hardin, HorrorQuest Film Festival, USA

“There is a code of conduct in place to eliminate any board member from participating in their own competition. If these festival organizers dare to award themselves they have transgressed the principles of ethical conduct, which will reflect on the credibility of their festival.” – Chantal Denoux, filmmaker, Australia “For film festival organizers to award their own films is a gaping chasm in the honorable ethics of the film festival and filmmaking community. When a breach of trust enters into the film festival world it undermines the hard work and vision of small, medium and large festivals around the world.” – Adrienne M. Anderson, International Black Women’s Film Festival “When Filmmakers and Film Festival Organizers, or any other creative body, generate and bestow awards on themselves, for doing exactly what they wanted to do without any meaningful jurying or competition, it is no different than a dictator awarding himself medals for ethnic cleansing. Such a practice not only cheapens the award system but it gives films, which might otherwise have been well received at other festivals, the taint of nepotism. Worse, to have these organizers set themselves up as the standard by which other festi-

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Universal Film

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

REVIEW

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

HITCHCOCK

And meanwhile, on the home front, his wise and wonderful wife, confidante and collaborator Alma is getting fed up with Hitchcock’s endlessly roving eye and crazy obsessions with his blonde actresses, and starts to desert him to help another writer-director, the suave and charming Whitfield Cook. Based on Stephen Rebello’s 1990 book, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, director Sacha Gervasi’s film is a total treat! Unlike the recent TV film about Hitchcock The Girl which tried to assassinate the director’s character and forgot to mention his genius, this is warm, generous, complex, intelligent and appealing – and lots of fun! It provides a proper warts-and-all tribute to Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma and not a sensationalist hatchet job. Not at all perfectly cast but absolutely ideal anyway, those national institutions Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren are twin delights as the bickering star couple, indeed all the cast are great. Even if they never look or sound much like the originals (Scarlett Johansson is certainly no Janet Leigh and Jessica Biel no Vera Miles either), it doesn’t matter, they brilliantly capture the spirit of their characters and evoke all the old ghosts and the memories. John J McLaughlin (Black Swan) provides a truly excellent, classy script that manages to be informative, funny and touching. Obviously a lot of the story and dialogue is totally made up and this might frustrate film buffs looking for a more factual, documentary-style approach. But, hey, it’s only

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a mooovie, Ingrid! Clearly we’ve no idea what the Hitchcock’s said to each other in the privacy of their own home and this forms the main basis of the material, but the script nevertheless has the feel of the truth and seems like an insider’s view, persuading you this is how it must have been. Hoppy and Helen have some great dialogue to chew over and spit out, and they relish it like the great old pros they are. There are some surprises. Did Alma really take over the direction of Psycho when a stressed-out Hitch grew ill for a few days? Where is Saul Bass in the story, the ‘pictorial consultant’ who designed the title credits and supposedly filmed the infamous shower sequence? And did I miss the mentions of the Hitchcocks’ actress daughter Patricia, who appears in Psycho? The script implies the Hitchcocks had a sex-free marriage. Why? The Psycho story is based on a real-life case about the infamous serial killer Ed Gein, and the film shows Hitch wandering about with him in dreamlike sequences. Yet the risky inclusion of this Ed Gein stuff works very effectively and adds another layer to the film. This is a prime example of how this multi-layered, textured film relishes its ambition and imagination. And, technically too, this is one heck of a fine, polished movie. There’s a glorious Danny Elfman score, delicious production and glossy cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth and Oscar nominated work on the makeup and hair that makes things look very stylish. The period atmosphere and the movie-making and California backgrounds feel right, all achieved gracefully with effective understatement. The opening and end credits are also extremely smart, again without seeming to try too hard. After a brilliant 98 minutes, I felt cheated when the movie stopped, I wanted loads more and can’t wait to see it again. I can’t imagine it being better done or having a better tribute to an all-time great, favourite director.

It’s 1959, and Alfred Hitchcock is at the peak of his creative powers and popularity, with the huge success of North by Northwest and his TV show. But he’s getting older – he’s 60 – and no wiser – he’s having a creative block and can’t come up with a new project. Then the idea of filming the lurid, bestselling thriller novel Psycho comes to him, haunts him and truly inspires him. But the film studio won’t touch a trashy horror movie, and the only way ahead would be to take a big risk to mortgage his mansion and finance it himself.

by Derek Winner

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Cinema Made In Italy Interview opportunities at London’s Italian film festival, in town 6-10 March by Cori Blaze

inema Made in Italy 2013 kicks off on 6 March at the Ciné Lumière in South Kensington, celebrating the third edition of London’s Italian film festival. The event, which has become an annual rendezvous, is organised by the Filmitalia Department of Istituto Luce Cinecittà in Rome and the Italian Cultural Institute in London. It offers cinemagoers in the capital a five day showcase of the best recent Italian productions, never before screened in the UK. The festival’s five day programme includes ten new Italian films: a selection of eight titles made by Gianni Canova, Italian film critic, Professor of Cinema History and Dean of IULM University in Milan, and a special choice of two films by Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London. The screenings will be followed by Q&A sessions with directors and actors. This is a unique chance for both the public and UK distributors to see Italian films that have not yet had exposure in the UK and a rare opportunity to catch up with brand new, cutting edge Italian cinema. The festival will highlight the work of established talent such as Ferzan Ozpetek, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Marco Tullio Giordana and Luigi Lo Cascio, as well as introducing a raft of new names to audiences here. This year’s event also includes a special children’s screening of a new animated version of the classic Italian fairytale PINOCCHIO, screening on Sunday 10 March at the family friendly time of 5.00pm. For a full list of titles please see below.

celebration of the legendary director Vittorio de Seta. After Cinema Made in Italy 2013 has drawn to a close, cinemagoers can continue to experience Italian film with the 22 March UK release of Matteo Garrone’s REALITY, awarded the Grand Jury Prize at last year’s Cannes. Screening Programme Wednesday 6 March - 6.30pm MAGNIFICENT PRESENCE (Magnifica Presenza) 105 mins Q&A with Ferzan Ozpetek (dir) and Elio Germano (act) - 8.50pm THE LANDLORDS (Padroni Di Casa) 90 mins Q&A with Edoardo Gabbriellini (dir), Elio Germano (act) Thursday 7 March - 6.30pm PIAZZA FONTANA: AN ITALIAN CONSPIRACY (Romanzo Di Una Strage) 129 mins Introduction by Luigi Lo Cascio (act) - 8.50pm THE IDEAL CITY (La Città Ideale) 105 mins Q&A with Luigi Lo Cascio (dir and act)

“6 - 10th March 2013”

Interview opportunities are available with the following directors and actors: Ferzan Ozpetek (Magnificent Presence), Elio Germano (Magnificent Presence), Edoardo Gabbriellini (The Landlords), Luigi Lo Cascio (Piazza Fontana: An Italian Conspiracy & The Ideal City), Salvatore Mereu (Pretty Butterflies), Ivano De Matteo (Balancing Act), Claudio Giovannesi (Ali Blue Eyes), Luca Marinelli (Every Blessed Day & Nina), Enzo d’Alò (Pinocchio), Maricla Affatato (Pinocchio) and Elisa Fuksas (Nina). The festival this year builds on the success of the 2011 and 2012 events. 2011’s festival opened with a concert at Cadogan Hall by Life Is Beautiful’s Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani, and saw appearances by actors such as Toni and Peppe Servillo, Kim Rossi Stuart and Paolo Briguglia, as well as directors Mario Martone and Stefano Incerti. 2012 saw 13 titles screen, presented by directors and actors including Andrea Segre, Roan Johnson, Barbara Bobulova and Antonio Merone. The festival was followed by a fortnight of screenings of contemporary films and events including a

Friday 8 March - 6.30 pm PRETTY BUTTERFLIES (Bellas Mariposas) 100 mins Q&A with Salvatore Mereu (dir) - 8.50pm BALANCING ACT (Gli Equilibristi) 100 mins Q&A with Ivano De Matteo (dir) Saturday 9 March - 6.30pm ALÌ BLUE EYES (Alì Ha Gli Occhi Azzuri) 100 mins Q&A with Claudio Giovannesi (dir) - 8.50pm EVERY BLESSED DAY (Tutti I Santi Giorni) 102 mins Q&A with Luca Marinelli (act) Sunday 10 March - 5.00pm PINOCCHIO 75 mins Q&A with Enzo d’Alò (dir) and Maricla Affatato (Voice of the Fox) Please note that Pinocchio will be shown in English - 7.30pm NiNA 80 mins Q&A with Elisa Fuksas (dir) and Luca Marinelli (act) Annabel Hutton / Fabrice Ouakinine / Simone Devlin firstname.lastname@premiercomms.com T +44 20 7292 8330 / www.premiercomms.com

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Julianne Hough - on the set of Safe Haven

SAFE HAVEN S REVIEW

o the story is this. A worriedlooking young mystery woman’s running off, jumping on a bus at the Boston depot at the last minute, just evading a police detective, who is then doggedly trying to track her whereabouts by scrutinising public video footage. The woman, Julianne Hough, hoves up at an idyllic, all-American coastal town, popping in for a takeaway of coffee at the local grocery store and meeting drop-dead gorgeous hunk Josh Duhamel, a widower with two young kids,

his wife having died of cancer. Julianne (Footloose, Rock of Ages) is an ice-cool blonde, cold and frosty and a shade hard looking. Hitchcock might have liked her, though she’s on the petite side. She just wants to be alone, and rents a rundown cabin the woods, but has to take a job waiting table at the local café, where everyone is really nice and friendly. Then one day, Julianne comes home to find another mystery woman’s peering into her window, supposedly a kindly neighbour, though Julianne’s been told

by her realtor she has no neighbours. Odd that. However, Josh looks kindly at Julianne, offers her a bit of help and an old bike, she refuses, he insists, she refuses, he gets a bit hurt feeling, she…, well, you know. And the kids pretty much adore her too. And the mystery woman becomes friends too. But then the detective starts closing in on her… A glossy, escapist romantic wallow is on the menu for Nicholas Sparks’s latest bestselling novel to screen transfer. Fans of Message in a Bottle, The Notebook, Dear John and The Lucky One

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

SAFE

HAV

When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love. An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, ‘Safe Haven’ is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit films ‘The Notebook’ and ‘Dear John’.

HEADER

Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel

Still, the chemistry between the actors is strong, the romance is fine, the

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element and mystery and action adds tension and a surprise to the mix, and the North Carolina setting is beguiling. For three quarters of its long running time (115 minutes)¬, it’s an appealing wet-afternoon movie, but, when it pushes too many buttons at the climax, it crashes in flames. Finally, nothing is credible and embarrassed giggles start breaking out in the cinema. I feel sorry for Aussie actor David Lyons (TV’s Revolution) and Cobie Smulders (TV’s How I Met Your Mother), the actors who play the detective and the mystery woman. They seem like really good actors stuck in horribly clichéd roles that have no flesh and blood whatever. These are total script contriv-

ances. Josh and Julianne, though, keep powering ahead quite charismatically, and the two kids, Noah Lomax and Mimi Kirkland, are models of energy and honesty. Riskily, Hallstrom encouraged everyone to improvise dialogue and both stars, unused to improv, found it tricky (‘Honestly, some days both Josh and I wished we could just have a script,’ says Julianne) but it keeps the dialogue fresh and sparky. This is probably the best thing about the movie. Even with its thriller plot, I can’t see many blokes going for Safe Haven, but it could be a guilty pleasure for the chicks.

need look no further for a lovely trip to the multiplex. Posh director Lasse Hallstrom directs as though he believes it all, and as though he believes his own message. He appreciates sentiment but not sentimentality, he says. In truth there’s not a scintilla of reality or truth on show here along with the chocolate-box East Coast sunsets, and by the end the film upends in barrel-loads of sentimentality. But then, it’s only a movie, a sweet and soppy one, beautifully, even lovingly made, and perfectly acted by talented people who sometimes look as though they’d like to take the money and run.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Bob Anderson

by J.R. Beardsley

Master Swordsman

obert James Gilbert Anderson (15 September 1922 – 1 January 2012) was an English Olympic fencer, a renowned film Fight Director Coach, Sword Master, Stunt Choreographer and a true gentleman.

Directors, Stunt people and Coordinators who have been engaged in the art of swordsmanship. He consistently produced dramatic sword fighting sequences. Whether swashbuckling with rapiers, wielding a light saber or a cutlass, he offered ingenuity and a high standard of excellence to achieve.

Born in Gosport, Hampshire, England, he took up fencing at an early age. Prior to the Second World War he joined the Royal Marines, teaching fencing and taking titles for foil, epeé, saber and bayonet in the Royal Tournament for the Combined Services for four consecutive years. During the war he served in the Mediterranean aboard the HMS Coventry which was sunk.

Mr. Anderson came to Hollywood in 1952, launching a cinema career that spanned over 50 years. In those days, Ralph Faulkner was Basil Rathbone’s double, Fred Caven’s was established as Errol Flynn’s fight director and stunt double.(They had a bitter rivalry during the entire Errol Flynn Basil Rathbone era) During his career he coached many actors in Swordsmanship including Errol Flynn, Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas and Johnny Depp.

He represented Britain at the 1950 and 1953 World Championships as well as at the 1952 Olympics after which he entered into a twenty year association with Britain’s national fencing team, serving as a coach. But he was more than that. He was an inspiration to many, both famous and not-so-famous Directors, Actors, Fight

Mr. Anderson’s legacy is substantial and continues today and will for years to come. The loss of his genius is not readily compensatedHis iconic contributions to the art of Swashbuckling include films such as Highlander, The Princess Bride, The Mask of Zorro, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings, The

Hobbit and Die Another Day. He also appeared as a stunt double for Darth Vader’s light saber battles in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. An inspiration as an artist, consummate professional and remarkable gentleman of the old school, he is one of the best examples of a Sword Master of the Silver Screen. Peter Jackson was honored to have Bob Anderson be on the set for the Hobbit. Sad to say this was the final battle Bob Anderson had on earth and the Silver Screen. We hold our swords high in tribute to this great man. Swordsmen won’t forget the legendary Mr. Anderson, on film forever. By J.R. Beardsley • Director of action; Fight Master of the sword; director, Classically trained actor, writer; producer and director of theatre/flim, major illusionists, action shows and extravaganzas, motion capture/stuntsfor MGM and Universal Studios among others.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

The UK and the EIS Nightmare UK Budget 2012: EIS cap raised to £5m instead of predicted £10m; high-end TV, animation, games to get tax relief. The precarious situation in the UK in relation to the EIS is still on-going. The recent changes are still subject to EU State Aid approval; TV, games and animation tax relief could come into effect from April 2013. As was widely expected the UK Budget has lifted limits for the Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS), a system that is frequently used by the film industry, although the boost was a far cry from what was expected. The UK has a previous cap of £2m to be raised in any 12-month period through an EIS, this has now been increased to £5m. However it predicted to be increased to £10m. From April 2012, the EIS annual investment limit for individuals will be increased to £1m (from the previous £500,000). Qualifying companies can now have up to 250 employees (instead of fifty and can have assets before investment of £15m which is up from £7m or £16m post-investment which is up from £8m.

Liberian Movie Company Launches Scholarship Fund

The new measures are also subject to EU approval, so it’s the old story in the UK as the industry still doesn’t have complete clarity about how to use EIS.

A Liberian movie industry under the banner “Pillar of Fire Movie Production Inc”, has launched a US$2,350.00 scholarship fund drive at the rally town market in Monrovia for its members. The fund drive was launched at the industry’s 10th Production House Anniversaries. The Pillar of Fire Movie Production Inc (POFMP) is one of the oldest movie production companies in Liberia, established since 2003. The firm has produced at least seven movies and three documentaries, and is expected to launch its latest effort in the next three months. The scholarship fund drive was launched to help its less fortunate members go to school and remain there to acquire an education.

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The Movie Union President disclosed the Liberia Movie Union has received US$10,000 from the US$50,000 allotted by the Government of Liberia for the industry. He pledged the LIMU’s willingness to support and collaborate with the Pillar of Fire Movie Production Inc.e.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

41st International Film Festival in Belgrade

by Radmila Djurica

Michael Madson opens festival

he famous American actor and poet Michael Madson, Mr. Blond in Reservoir dogs and Sainveider in Tarantino’s Kill Bill 2 opens the 41st International Film Festival in Belgrade, Serbia. Madson is a star actor of one of festival premiers, a road movie directed by Serbian filmmaker Zoran Lisinac, Along The Roadside. The Festival that for the past 40 years hosted lots of big names and celebrities on the red carpet, this year chooses eclectic Madsen to present Hollywood production on the festival, which screens the brand new Oscar nominated and the other important worldwide festival awarded new productions. So this year’s FEST presents an extremely rich program featuring the biggest name of world cinema and top international films, including last year’s festival award winners and several works in the competition of the Academy Awards. The festival programming units feature 75 premieres and opens with a Golden Palm winner, Michael Haneke’s Love also an Academy Awards candidate in several categories and closes Serbian film premier The Forger by Goran Markovic.

The main program features films for the FEST audience’s favorite authors such as Tom Hopper’s Ls Miserables, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Master, Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love, Gus Van Sant’s Promised Land, Brian de Palma’s Passion, Walter Salas’s On the Road, Marco Belochio’s Stolen Beauty, Sasa Gervasis’ Hitchcock, Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Best Offer. Also after a 10-year break, Bernardo Bertolluci’s Me and You. Here in Belgrade, the festival regroups the biggest stars competing for the Academy Awards: Denzel Washington in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight, Bradley Cooper in David Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook, Daniel Day Lewis, the Best Actor OSCAR Award and BAFTA Award in Spielberg’s Lincoln, Matthew McConaughey in Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike and Lee Daniels’ Paperboy, while the legendary Clint Eastwood appears in Robert Lorentz’s Trouble with the Curve. Robert Redford this time appears as the Director and actor in The Company you Keep. The films encompassed in this and other FEST programs have thirty-some nominations for the Academy Awards.

The Eastern Europe big International Film Festival FEST is also, in the scope of the competition program Europe out of Europe, with nine films presented from Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Norway, Israel and Armenia. Also the section Europe in Europe presents the best films from Europe such as Spain, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Poland etc…and authors such as Alex de la Iglesia, Claude Miller Susan Beer, Thomas Winterberg. Also The World Film Panorama that presents Abas Chiarostami, Von Kar Vaj, Takeshi Kitano and other important directors from Canada, Israel, Iran or Japan. And also four Serbian features European co-productions such as for instance Serbian film premiered on the Sundance Festival in US, directed by Srdan Golubovic Circles, Predrag Bambic’s Albert’s Way about Albert Mayer, the designer of the Panaflex camera, who was born in a small village in Serbia and the debuts by Hadzi-Aleksandar Djurovic Loves Comes Later and a German-Serbian-Croatian co-production My country is the most beautiful.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

NEW EURIMAGES CO-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD DEDICATED TO DOCUMENTARIES… STRASBOURG, 11.02.2013 – Following the success of the Eurimages Co-Production Development Prize awarded within the co-production markets of Rotterdam (CineMart), Sarajevo (CineLink) and Rome (New Cinema Network) film festivals, Eurimages’ Board of Management has decided to create a special Eurimages Co-production Development Award dedicated to documentaries. This award, a cash prize of 15 000 euros, will be given during CPH:DOX Copenhagen Int Documentary Festival in the framework of CPH:FORUM. This international financing and co-production event targeted specifically at European producers and filmmakers to help facilitate the development and financing of creative and artistically strong film projects in development and pre-production perfectly meets the objective of the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award which has been created to promote the Fund’s role in encouraging European co-production from the initial stages of a project. To be eligible, projects must participate in CPH:FORUM and be designed from the outset as a European co-production intended for cinema release between at least two member states of the Eurimages Fund for reasons other than purely financial. The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award will be awarded on the basis of the project’s artistic quality and its prospects of remaining a European co-production. The award, which takes the form of a non-reimbursable subsidy, will be used by the beneficiary exclusively for the purposes of meeting the development expenses of the project. The prize will be awarded for the first time at the forthcoming CPH:DOX Copenhagen Int Documentary Festival as part of the CPH:FORUM event, to be held from 13 to 15 November 2013 (www.cphdox.dk). For further information on the subject, please contact: Nathalie Monteillet, Eurimages, Public Relations and Promotion, nathalie.monteillet@coe.int,

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EURIMAGES is a support fund for the co-production, distribution and exhibition of European cinematographic works, established by the Council of Europe in 1988. (E-mail: Eurimages@coe.int – Web: http://www.coe.int/ Eurimages).

Universal Film Issue 7 of 2012

CHERRY PICKING

WHAT IS THE CHERRY PICKING POLICY OF FILM FESTIVALS ?

Over the past year we (UFFO) have seen many fraudulent activities by disreputable film festivals from all over the world. Most of these festivals recieve 200 to 400 submissions annually and are considered small in comparison to the bigger film festivals that have 10,000 to 20,000 submissions every year. However, fraudulent activity is not limited to the small film festivals. We were astounded to learn recently from a respected film festival director in the USA about a major festival in the US that sets up its entire screening programme with films invited in from other festivals. Nothing wrong with that, is there? Well, there is with this festival. After the screening programme is completed in its entirety, only then does a general call for submissions then go out to the filmmaking community. Films that are submitted to this festival are just trashed/binned without ever being opened. The staff simply look at the tracking number on the outside of the package, look it up on the computer , verify payment has been received through the online submission provider and then toss it in the trash. The submitted films are never opened, never screened, never looked at.

“

Look at the numbers!

”

This story gave us cause for grave concern (where does all this end?) we began looking into some of the bigger film festivals around the world to see how they conduct business. From what we have seen, the little guy has little or no chance competing in the big festivals. Why would you submit your film to a big festival when there is little or no hope your film is going to be chosen or selected? Most of the films that are in competition in the bigger festivals have the support of major distributors and studios with millions in campaign funds. Not only that, most of the films are invited to take part in the festival are big budget films or already have distribution in place. As a filmmaker you can conduct your own due diligence by researching the bigger festivals to which you are thinking about submitting your film. Look at the numbers, contact the festival and ask them how many films are invited to take part in their festival. What percentage of these films wins awards? What percentage of newcomers’ films are selected or win awards? What percentage of these films does not have distribution? If the festival refuses to answer your queries, then we suggest you pass them by. To try to establish a level playing field we have written an open letter (opposite) to all the big festivals around the world asking these important questions. We will be publishing their replies as soon as we receive it, if we ever do!

The Universal Film Promoting a Good Business Dear Festival Director

We are writing to you to introduce you to U which promotes a good business code of pr we have enlisted the support of 120 interna 2011.

We would ask you to kindly assist UFFO a the policy of the big festivals is toward film distributors. The is now known as a “Cherr

If I may explain: Given the rise of disreput have a very difficult task in determining wh received information that a major festival in programme prior to the general call for sub

We would therefore ask you in the interests festival community to provide us with the f 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

What percentage (or how many fil festival each year What percentage (or how many fil take part in the film festival every What percentage (or how many fil part in the film festival every year What percentage of films submitte festival each year What percentage of film submitted festival each year win awards

We would graciously ask you to provide th in advance for your assistance in this matte community Kind Regards Tyrone D Murphy

Founder & CEO

A copy of the letter is on the UFFO website: www.uffo.org

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Tips to Film Festivals IF A FESTIVAL SEEMS ODD IN ANY WAY - PASS THEM BY We all love film festivals and they are a very important part of the industry. However, one thing that all filmmakers should do is to check out the festival before submitting a film. Use common sense and look at the history of the festival. If there is nothing available on the festival, then think twice!

UFFO

m & Festival Organisation Code of Practice for Film Festivals

UFFO the Universal Film and Festival Organization ractice for film festivals. Recently dubbed Fest-COP ational film festivals since our launch on the 1st July

and the filmmaking community in determining what ms that are invited in from other film festivals and ry Picking Policy”

able film festivals around the world, filmmakers hich festival to submit their film to. Recently we n the USA completes its entire screening bmissions to the filmmaking community.

s of the entire filmmaking community and the following information

lms) are invited by your festival to take part in your

lms) that are invited by your festival organization to year win awards lms) are invited by your festival organization to take prior to the general call for submissions ed by newcomer filmmakers are selected by your

d by newcomer filmmakers that are selected by your

his information going back five years. We thank you r and you have the gratitude of the filmmaking

Find out if the festival is an online festival or an annual event. And find out where the event takes place. Find out the names of the festival directors and programmers and make sure they have an address, telephone number and web site so they can be contacted. Find out if the festival has a selection committee and if it is made up of Industry professionals. Ask if the festival is non-jury or has a jury made up of industry professionals? Find out if the festival directors are connected in any way to any of the films in competition. Ask about the organization’s publicity for the festival and where they advertise. What are the previous year’s attendance and submissions figures. Ask how many films are invited in to take part every year in the festival. (Cherry Picking) Ask if the festival is sponsored by distributors or any other company, and whether these companies have films in competition at the festival. (Review the history) Do not give out your private financial details unless you are sure about a festival. Do not submit a film to a film festival if the awards are going to the festival directors’ own films or their friends’ films. If a film festival is charging a submission fee and giving you a guaranteed screening for your film but there is no real festival, just a screening event, we suggest that you pass them by. There are a lot of one man band film festivals out there, many of whom provide a very valuable service to the local community and to the filmmaking community. However, if such a festival is not in your local community, does it really make good sense submitting your film to a festival half way round the world to compete with local filmmakers who can bring their own audience and can canvas the area prior to the festival? IMPORTANT! Do not rely on any of the online submission providers to weed out scam festivals. They are in business to take a percentage of your submission fee and not to make sure your submission fee is protected from fraudsters. This is about to change as we (UFFO) are currently working toward this

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We have much more information available on the UFFO website, www.uffo.org. We will also be publishing the UFFO book on Film Festivals in the near future that will tell it the way it is. www.uffo.org by Tyrone D Murphy

al Organisation 2012 www.uffo.org

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Little Man 3rd Iris Prize produced short film starts international film festival tour down under

ittle Man the 3rd short film to be produced by the Iris Prize starts its international film festival tour down under in Melbourne this week as part of the prestigious Australian LGBT film festival. The film stars West End performer Daniel Boys in his first film role and is directed by award winning director Eldar Rapaport.

Little Man plays as part of the Cocktales shorts package at 10:15pm on Saturday 16 March in ACMI Cinema 2 in Melbourne. The film’s producer Grant Vidgen will be in Melbourne to introduce the screening. Little Man has also been programmed to screen at the 2013 Atlanta Film Festival. It will screen in the Pink Peach Short Competition prior to James Franco’s and Travis Matthews’ Pink Peach Feature in Competition, Interior. Leather Bar., on Thursday, March 21, at 9:15pm in the Plaza Theatre.

“Getting your work seen is the ultimate prize for any filmmaker. Despite the nervousness of seeing your “a n etwork art on the screen for everyone to critique, there’s of busine “The Iris Prize which continues to be the world’s larges ss no better reward than seeing how people respond minded gay and lesbian short film prize valued ay £25,000 will to what you worked so hard to make. Hence I am executive be presented for the seventh time during the Iris Prize delighted that this month Little Man will screen s” Festival, which takes place in Cardiff, Wales (UK) from in Melbourne and Atlanta offering audiences on 9 – 13 October 2013,” said Berwyn Rowlands. both sides of the world a chance to see my film,” said Eldar Rapaport the film’s director. Further Details: “We’ve got more screenings coming up which have to remain Berwyn Rowlands, Tel: +44 (0)29 20232744, a secret until the relevant festivals are ready to publish their Cell/Mobile: +44 (0) 7860 818294 programmes. So it’s looking good for Little Man,” he added. Based on the short story “Your Man” by Etgar Keret, Little Man is a psychological thriller about one’s inner demons. Elliot (Daniel Boys) is about 30 but is unable to form a long lasting relationship – he has a talent for destroying every potential one – and continues his search moving on to the next available man.

Email: berwyn@thefestivalscompany.co.uk www.irisprize.org

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During the weekend when his brother Ryan shows up having decided to spend some time apart from his wife, Elliot becomes obsessed with a very odd, spying neighbour who is making too many loud noises that make his head explode. Reaching his limit Elliot is out to kill whatever is eating him up inside.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

ZOE MOON ASTROLOGY MARCH MONTHLY FORECAST 2013 ARIES

TARUS

GEMINI

March is for starting fresh on any film, music or art interest, with your hospital needs, research, investigations, development behind the scenes, tackling addictions, meditation, yoga, magic, psychic interests, or spiritual pursuits, and with any romance that has a hidden side to it. Your past is strongly part of this but you can rewrite the direction you are going with a little effort. Your vital energy is coming back strong, a great month for a make-over, toning up, diet, photo opps, identity tune-ups, or pushing your brand forward, get out there and take a bite out of life! Mercury goes Direct on the 17th so you may change your mind or see things shift on this date. Expect that one key person will take center stage by the end of the month, it will be a time of major celebrations or endings.

March is about making new friends or starting back up with old ones, getting into more group activities, pursuing things online, with charities, astrology, or social networking, attending events or parties, and saying yes to renewed aspirations. If you are still working things out tied to the past in these areas you have until the 17th to get it together, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time you move ahead and certain people or situations will go with you, some will not. This is great for artistic pursuits, film, music, painting, etc. It is also good for research, resting and dreaming about what you want to do next, amping up the imagination, tending to any hospital matters, getting addictions under control, or holing up with someone romantically. Expect a work situation to peak, health interests to culminate.

March will give you a huge push on the career front but you need to deal with any past details, issues, opportunities, people, or situations along the way. You have until the 17th to rework or revise in these areas and need to really push ahead on personal or professional goals, ambitions and achievements all month. You may get a hand from someone in a position of authority so reach out. There is a great deal of energy around friends, groups, the internet, astrology, charities, social networking, parties, and aspirations this month. Be ready to say yes to connections and opportunities in these areas, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to connect. Expect a real high point in your love life, with a creative project, a recreational interest, or child by the 27th. This will be all about reaching goals, celebrating or ending something.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

March gives you a bit more time to go back and rework any work needs, paperwork, issues or opportunities with co-workers, employees, or a job, your health, or the animals. You have until the 17th to rethink things and make choices about what you let go and what you tweak in a way that can move forward with you during this huge boost you are getting for fresh starts in these areas. Take note that new work, starting the diet or hiring someone to help you with your health, adopting an animal or moving in some new direction with any of this is favored now. Key relationships are getting a boost as well so expect partners, agents, attorneys, specialists, clients, competitors, and all other significant players to become more active this month, go after who you need or involve them in your plans.

March is still giving you the ability to let go of something that is in the way of you falling in love, moving ahead on a creative project or that is affecting growth with your children. Rethink choices, rework the details, release what should go, and reconnect with past people or situations that may still hold promise in these areas. You have until the 17th to get it together and from the 11th forward you get a cosmic boost to get you going in the right new direction here. The crossover of dates may mean a bit of past goes into the future with you, open up, here it comes. An influx of energy around work, organizing, details, streamlining, cleaning, routine, health, and pets hits you all month so tackle what you can, applying a bit of effort here now will take you further than at other times.

SAGITTARIUS Take March to really dig into past needs and issues, opportunities and situations involving your home, a move, real estate deals, property needs, renovations, roommates, mom, or family. You have until the 17th to rethink things and get them working in the right direction for you, this is THE month for fresh starts here so get busy. You may have someone or something from the past going forward with you here or you will be letting go. There will be a pile up of energy fueling your love life, creative projects, recreational activities, and what you do with kids in March. Expect to be busy, you can make headway.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

ZOEMOONASTROLOGY@GMAIL.COM OR CALL 818-613-6067 LEO VIRGO CANCER

CAPRICORN March may feel quite crazy for your sign as news, offers, sales, agreements, writing, local activities, short trips, siblings, neighbors, vehicles, electronics, and decisions swirl around you, taking you back into the past to rethink and rework, bringing past people and situations around, and urging you STRONGLY to get it under control so you can move ahead with the new opportunities forming as you move through each day. You have until the 17th to tackle this and from the 11th forward you get added fuel to make it happen in fresh new ways. Expect more energy around home, real estate, moves, renovations, family, mom, or roommates this month as planets move into these areas and give you more mojo to make things happen.

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March is your month to take care of the loan, debt, inheritance, settlement, tax situation, insurance, bankruptcy, commissions, royalties, investments, credit cards, or any other type of outside financial resource. Rethink where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at, work on past issues or opportunities here, and then really launch forward with new impetus. . The other areas of interest will be legal, travel, media, educational, or wedding interests. In these higher minded arenas you will have way more energy and ability to move on things than before so hustle up. Big news, an offer, sale, agreement, writing project, or something involving a brother, sister, neighbor, vehicle, or electronic comes through by the 27th

AQUARIUS March asks that you get serious about any past issues, people or opportunities that involve your income or possessions. Rethink things, work them out, reconnect or release, and then get ready for the biggest new push you get this year to move ahead with fresh starts making money or dealing with those possessions. You have until the 17th to work out the past and from the 11th forward to get the new moving into place. A large part of the cosmos moves into your local arena amping things up in your neighborhood, through short trips, with neighbors, siblings, vehicles, electronics, and giving more energy to talks, meetings, agreements, sales, writing, and decisions this month. Jump into the fray, you will be successful at opening things up

March gives you more time to wrap up any past issues or opportunities involving a romantic or business partner, agent, attorney, specialist, client, opponent, or competitor. You have until the 17th to rework whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on here. You can release or reconnect with the past during this period but you are being given a huge new opening to move ahead with fresh starts from the 11th onward, take it. The cosmos is energizing your sex appeal, divorce or the big financial interests you are steeped in this month so use this to propel your desires forward, connect with someone intimately, take action on that divorce or go after the loan, deal with inheritance, insurance, taxes, debt, settlements, alimony, child support, commissions, royalties, investments, or other resources.

PISCES March is your month in so many ways. You have the tools to reclaim some part of yourself, rework what is going on with your body or image, deal with identity issues, rethink your brand, or tweak personal goals. All this past energy helping you do things over, release them or reclaim them, favors you through the 17th so get busy on your needs from the start of the month. On the 11th you get fresh start energy here and this will gather steam and carry you forward with new agendas and opportunities over the next 2 weeks. Several planets are gathering in your income and possessions part of your life this month so you will have added energy around making money or tending to these possessions so go after what you want with vigor.

March will give you the tools you need to work out any old legal needs, media or marketing concerns, publishing interests, educational pursuits, wedding ideas, or travel plans. Rethinking and reworking these topics takes you through the 17th when Mercury goes Direct and you are ready to launch new projects and interests in these areas. Career and personal goals will take center stage as you get way more energy to do things about what you want to achieve and you find at least one person in a position to help you get there. You will see things wrap up, end or some big celebration or achievement playing out at home, with real estate, a move, mom, family, a renovation, or roommate by the 27th. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about perfect balance here.

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

scriptapalooza 15th Annual

screenplay competition

WE GOT THE CONNECTIONS. WE JUST NEED YOUR SCRIPT.

• Over 90 producers reading all the entries • We now offer FEEDBACK • We promote the Semifinalists and higher for a full year • Regular deadline March 5th FINAL deadine April 22 • Over $25,000 in prizes awarded 323.654.5809 office

www.scriptapalooza.com

info@scriptapalooza.com

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

TOP OF THE LAKE Written And Created by JANE CAMPION & GERARD LEE

rom Academy Award® winning writer/director Jane Campion and the Academy Award® winning producers of The King’s Speech, Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting mystery story set at the edge of the world starring Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan and Holly Hunter. Top of the Lake begins with a mystery - a twelve-year-old girl walks chest deep into the freezing waters of an alpine lake in New Zealand. The girl is Tui Mitcham, daughter of the local drug lord, Matt Mitcham and his third wife, a Thai barmaid. The girl is discovered to be five months pregnant and won’t say who the father is. Then she disappears. Robin Griffin is a gutsy but inexperienced detective called in to investigate Tui’s case. But as Robin becomes more and more obsessed with the search for Tui, and questions more of the town’s inhabitants, she slowly begins to realise that finding Tui is tantamount to finding herself – a self she has kept well hidden. Tui’s story brings two men back into Robin’s life. Johnno, Matt Mitcham’s son, is an old boyfriend who has spent time in a Thai prison for drug offences. Al Parker is a fellow detective and mentor, who has known Robin and her family for a long time. As Robin finds out more about Tui, her world starts to unravel uncovering difficult secrets from her past.

The unusual texture of this world is the Women’s camp at Paradise, a tribe of forgotten, invisible women, forty-five and over, broken-down, disillusioned, ‘unfuckable’. At the group’s centre is GJ (pronounced Gee-Jay) sixty-plus with bum-length silver hair and an electric detached air. GJ’s brand of kindness is bracing, aimed at cutting through delusions but somehow her harsh proselytizing ‘soothes’ like a full stop. Set against one of the most amazing and untouched landscapes left on the planet – a vast, varied terrain, unpopulated, moody, pure and remote where honest work is hard to find – Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting story about our search for happiness where the dream of paradise attracts it dark twin, the fall. GERARD LEE - WRITER Gerard Lee is an Australian author, screenwriter and director. Lee’s most recent work is Top of the Lake, written with Jane Campion. He has also just completed a feature film slated for production in 2013. Entitled My Mistress, it will be directed by award-winning Brisbane video artist Stephen Lance. Lee also co-wrote Jane Campion’s feature debut, Sweetie, which won a Camera d’Or in Cannes, won Best Screenplay at the Australian Film Institute Awards, won many other awards, was screened internationally and is now part of the world’s most prestigious video collection – Criterion. Brought up in Brisbane in the Sixties, Lee

began writing for The Telegraph newspaper at the age of sixteen. He has published two novels, True Love and How to Get It and Troppo Man (short-listed for the Vogel’s Young Writers Award), a collection of short stories and a collection of travel stories, all with University of Queensland Press. Lee also wrote eighteen episodes of a children’s minidocumentary series, Here I Am for the Queensland Education Department. He has travelled widely in Europe and Asia, has taught creative writing at QUT, UTS and Curtin University. GARTH DAVIS – DIRECTOR Garth Davis is internationally renowned for some of the most memorable and awarded commercials. His recent work has won gold at the London International Award show, the prized Gold Lion at Cannes, and in 2010 he received a finalist nomination from the DGA (Directors Guild of America) for best commercials director. Originally a fine artist and designer, Garth has explored all forms of filmmaking. His dramatic work has included the festival hit documentary PINS, the Dendy Award winning short film ALICE, and the highly acclaimed TV series LOVE MY WAY. Garth has most recently co-directed a six-part mini series with Jane Campion (THE PIANO) for See-Saw Films (THE KING’S SPEECH) titled TOP OF THE LAKE and starring Elisabeth Moss, Peter MulNormski lan, DavidAnderson Wenham and Holly Hunter.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

Making Dollars & Sense South Asian Young Women Entrepreneurs Unveils Six-City Financial Education Tour

n celebration of National Women’s History Month in March, South Asian Young Women Entrepreneurs (SAY WE), a network of business-minded executives in the fields of technology, finance, entertainment and fashion, announced the launch of a six-city financial education tour, in association with the Consulate General of India (New York) and powered by Wells Fargo. “Making Dollars & Sense: Financial Education for South Asian Women Business Owners” will kick off in San Francisco on April 18.

30 percent of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women, according to the National Women’s Business Council. “South Asian women entrepreneurs are helping to shape the future of small business and our economy,” said Rahul Baig, head of Wells Fargo’s Northeast Corporate Banking. “We’re honored to work together with SAY WE to offer these business owners financial education resources to help them succeed financially – in business and personally.”

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The panel of financial experts and successful South Asian “Making Dollars & Sense” Financial Education Panel Dates: women entrepreneurs will provide insights, tips and resourcSan Francisco – Thurs., April 18 - Los Angeles – Tues., April 23 es on topics such as building business credit, reinvesting in Houston – Thurs., May 9 - Dallas – Tues., May 14 a business, protecting credit and maximizing relationEdison, NJ – Thurs., May 23 - New York City - Thurs., “a netwo ships with business bankers. After the first event, May 30 rk of busine the tour will stop in Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, s s New Jersey, and culminate in New York City on May minded To learn more about SAY WE’s financial education 30. executive panels, panelists and how to participate, log on to s” and register at www.sayweonline.org. “The panelists we have chosen in each of the six cities are of the most successful and driven South Asian women About SAY WE: SAY WE is a registered non-profit organizabusiness owners in the country,” said Reema Rasool, founder tion aimed to cultivate and foster strong relationships among and executive director of SAY WE. “They will provide insights South Asian women who have entrepreneurial interests. and share their journey with women who have just launched South Asian women are making great strides in the world of their business venture or those who are facing challenges as business, fashion, media, and the arts, and SAY WE recognizes a result of the recent economic downturn. these achievements to inspire and ensure future generations of ambitious and savvy South Asian women. SAY WE creates The goal of this initiative is to drive awareness to the financial a positive and collegial forum in which South Asian women, education tools and resources available to women entrepreregardless of political and religious affiliations, can network, neurs and to create a national support system of businesssupport each other, and applaud one another’s major accomminded women who will learn from each other and share plishments. SAY WE also aspires to raise awareness and funds their successes, failures, challenges and triumphs.” for causes and organizations that work toward the advancement of women in South Asia, as well as South Asian women SAY WE and Wells Fargo aim to support South Asian entrein the United States. preneurs and provide greater access to financial tools and resources to women-owned businesses – a group that has grown in size by more than 20 percent from 2002 to 2007, acMedia Contact: Jitin Hingorani – jitinhingorani@gmail.com or cording to the latest census data. As part of its commitment 512.773.6679. to support women business owners, Wells Fargo is committed to lending a cumulative total of $55 billion to women-owned businesses in the U.S. by the year 2020. Today, approximately

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

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Issue 9 - 2013

Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

SPRING BREAKERS

Vertigo Films

A film written and directed by Harmony Korine...

tale of deranged, crazed, sexy college teens on What was the idea that started you writing this movie? the road to hedonism, Spring Breakers features The very first image I had in mind was girls in bikinis and with bikini clad babes in ski masks who rage on alco- guns. I then asked myself, where would you ever see a girl like hol and drugs. They give a whole new meaning to that? The only place I could think of was spring break. And then I kind of laughed and thought about it a little bit – and I girls gone wild. Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgliked the idea about girls coming down to Florida. It startens, and friends team up with James Franco as you’ve ed out that way, but then it moved to the fringes and never seen him before in a take on spring break became something darker, more sinister, and more that only Harmony Korine could tell. Korine, as he “Interview with dangerous. did in Kids and Gummo, shatters our expectations Director, Harand shows us a bizarre underworld where nobody mony Korine A lot of your work is inspired by American culture, can look away. and you set your narratives in very specific American towns. Why did you choose St. Petersburg the location Synopsis for Spring Breakers? Brit (Benson), Candy (Hudgens), Cotty (Korine) and Faith (Gomez) have been best friends since grade school. They live together in an average college dorm and are hungry for adventure. All they have to do is save enough money for spring break to get their shot at having some real fun. A serendipitous encounter with rapper ‘Alien’ (Franco) promises to provide the girls with all the thrill and excitement they could hope for. With the encouragement of their new friend, it soon becomes unclear how far the girls are willing to go to experience a spring break they will never forget. Interview with director Harmony Korine

Well, Saint Petersburg is not such a huge spring break destination. But you want to go to a place that’s visually interesting, that’s authentic, that has a certain kind of energy. I didn’t want to shoot it in Miami or somewhere that seemed more common or more familiar. I’m not so interested in the tourist part of spring break. It’s more the back roads, it’s more when you leave the main strip, the bad neighborhoods, the houses that are falling apart on the beach – those types of things are more interesting to me. People that live in those places. There’s a kind of strange feeling to a lot of that part of America. It seems like everybody is running from something or hiding from something.

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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013

You once said, “I have very little interest in working with actors. Non-actors can give you what an actor can never give you: pieces of themselves.” Tell us more about your choice of casting on this project and what motivated you to work with James Franco and Selena Gomez, for example? It just seemed right, like an exciting thing to do. It felt like a fun thing to mix up all these worlds, to mess with the culture a little bit. It’s exciting for me. I like the idea of putting people in certain places they’ve never been before. Who was cast first? It was James Franco first, and then the girls. James and I talked about making a movie together for quite a while. Usually I write my scripts first and people read it afterwards, but for this one I just wrote a treatment during Christmas and sent it to James asking him whether he wanted to play this character. He wrote back immediately and said yes. And that was it. I was excited about that idea and the character, so I flew to Florida – spring break was actually taking place at that time – and wrote the script in a hotel, while a bunch of kids were vomiting on my porch. Who was cast afterwards? After James, it was Selena (Gomez), then Rachel (Korine), Vanessa (Hudgens) and Ashley (Benson). You seem to like hiring family members for your projects. Rachel is your wife. Yes, I like to bring in people that I find exciting, that you know can go to places with you. I think trust is a big thing too. You bring in people you trust, that you know will bring it to that place you need it. The whole shoot seems to be a liberating experience for the cast, especially the young actresses. Was it important for you that your actresses had a «good girl» image, as is the case with Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens? Yeah! It’s exciting to me. That’s the great-

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est thing in the world. Everyone is familiar with them in some way and they have this kind of Disney image, and it’s really fun to me to push them into some kind of other reality, something more sinister and insane. It’s cool to see them spread their wings. One of the great joys will also be to watch people’s reactions to that. When you decided to work with these girls, were you anticipating anything in particular? I treat everybody the same—the same as I would treat some kid that sniffs glue that I think is terrific and that I want to be in my film. At the same time, I spent time with these girls before – the audition process, the rehearsals – so I knew going into it that there was a certain kind of chemistry. But of course, most of these girls have never been in a situation like this, and you never, ever know how people are going to react until they get there. But I felt good, like they would go for it. And they have. You also cast the ATL twins for the movie, and they almost feel like they’re coming straight out of your film Gummo… Yeah, they probably exist in that world. The twins are awesome. Freaks! I’ve worked with them before on a Black Keys video that hasn’t come out yet but this is their first movie. According to the screenplay, you will combine your footage with archive material of real spring break moments. While you did your research was there anything that surprised you about spring break? The spring break I’m interested in is the really debauched, hardcore spring break. I like that stuff, where kids go way, way out for that one week and disappear, and then return to their world of books and bad jobs and shitty parents. I knew it existed, though, so it didn’t shock me. It takes a lot to shock me but it was good. How much time did you spend down in Florida on pre-production? I heard you even rented out authentic apartments of real Spring Breakers and just used the spaces as they were for your shoot. It sounds like you did a lot of research. I spent a few months trying to find these real locations. Just driving around late at night, jumping over fences… A lot of it comes from just being in a place for a while and observing. Just letting

one situation take you into the next and then you would find a kind of location or character and that would bring you to another place. That’s kind of how the movie gets built. I like it. I like making movies that start from the inside and build out. Do you set out to make films that are impossible to categorize? I don’t make genre movies. This one maybe is probably the closest to any kind of genre film. I try to make movies that exist in their own world, more than anything. I agree, they are difficult to articulate. But I think there are some genre elements in this movie: the social setting, the atmosphere, and this kind of teen pop atmosphere. Even where it is shot is kind of different from my other movies. But in general I just try to make films that exist in their own world more than anything. And this one has this kind of lyrical flow, there’s a poppy-ness to it, the colors, the location, the types of actors that are in the film. What do you think your typical Harmony Korine audience will think? That’s a good question. I don’t really know. Hopefully there will be some stuff in there that they like. Music always plays a big part in your movies, and you also give clear directions in the script for certain songs that will feature. Can you talk a little about how music inspires this movie? I will probably score the film in a way that surprises people, maybe with something more “movie music,” something more angular and ambient and kind of moody. But then there will be music that comes from within the scenes, like pop songs and rap music that would be what was really playing. It’s a mix of a lot of different cultural pop iconography. Compared to some of your other movies this project has a fairly big budget. You also have actresses attached that are being chased by paparazzi while you’re shooting. How do you cope with this new environment from a directorial point of view? I’m like a warrior; I’m a soldier of cinema. So to me it’s just a part of what I do, and it’s all great. I just love it. I just accept and do it. Nothing really freaks me out when I make movies. The helicopters and all that shit is just part of it part of the energy of the film. As a soldier, what are you fighting for? Just, you know, to make movies. That’s the only thing.

One might say you are the director who portrays “white trash” better than anyone else, because you seem to really understand the people without feeling the need to criticize. Would you agree? I don’t really know if it’s purely “white trash,” I just like what I like. I’m drawn to certain types of characters and I try not to pass judgment. I more like to document things. I don’t come in with an agenda so much.

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