Time of the Season: Film Fests (Cont’d)
It’s an exciting time for movie lovers as the fall film festival season continues worldwide. From Oscar contending films to emerging titles and talents, these specially curated events are a celebration of a vibrant, global industry.
Some of these upcoming festivals include: the New York Film Festival; the Rio International Film Festival; the Busan International Film Festival; the Morelia International Film Festival; and the Tokyo International Film Festival. Below are some of this year’s highlights and resources on how to best prepare for potential patrons.
NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL (NYFF)
September 28-October 15
New York, NY
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet will appear onstage for a Q&A session about her distinguished career in film, as well as about her recent performance in Woody Allen’s latest project, Wonder Wheel. The festival will also include a “master class” led by Wonder Wheel cinematographer Vittorio Storaroo, as well as Wonderstruck cinematographer, Ed Lachman. The Film Society of Lincoln Center offers a free phone app for NYFF attendees to stay in the loop with updates and quick access to information. Download it HERE.
WHERE TO FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
Last Flag Flying
A sequel to The Last Detail — an Oscar nominated comedic drama from 1973 starring Jack Nicholson — directed by Richard Linklater and starring Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne.
Trouble No More
A documentary that features rare and newly restored footage of Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter Bob Dylan during his “Slow Train Coming” tour between 1979 and 1980, when he first declared himself a newborn Christian.
Spielberg
A documentary about iconic director Steven Spielberg — a name that has become synonymous with top-notch filmmaking over the past several decades for redefining the film experience across all genres with a spate of Hollywood blockbusters
Wonderstruck
A family drama based on a novel by Brian Selznick and starring Oscar-winner Julianne Moore that recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The overwhelmingly positive reviews confirmed its Oscar potential.
RIO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Festival do Rio)
October 5-15
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Marking its 19th incarnation, Festival do Rio will take place at Gran Meliá Nacional Rio de Janeiro Hotel, a skyscraper built by prolific Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer. Following its Golden Lion award-winning premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, The Shape of Water, from acclaimed Mexican-American filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, was selected to kick off this year’s festivities
WHERE TO FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
The Shape of Water
A fantasy/romance about a mute and lonesome janitor at a government laboratory who discovers and subsequently befriends a strange, human-like amphibian kept in a water tank known as “the Asset.”
Between Sisters
A Portuguese drama following two sisters on opposite trajectories who share an enduring bond and unique likeness despite their distance as they weave through life and confront challenges such as sexism and prejudice during the 1930s.
Call Me by Your Name
A “coming-of-age” drama set in Italy during the 1980s that chronicles the romance between two young men, while wrestling with their Jewish heritage.
Based on a True Story
A French drama/suspense starring Golden Globe recipient, Eva Green, cast alongside actress/singer Emmanuelle Seigner – previously screened out of competition at Cannes.
BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (BIFF)
October 12-22
Centum City, Busan, South Korea
The 22nd Busan International Film Festival will feature 298 films from 75 countries, including 100 world premieres. This will be the first time that BIFF plans to both open and close with projects by female directors. The festival will also pay special tribute to Japanese director Suzuki Seijun — selected as “The Asian Filmmaker of the year” – who passed away in February.
WHERE TO FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
MPA Events:
On October 14, the MPA will present at a forum Copyright Protection for Films in a Digital Age organized by Copyright Overseas Promotion Association (COA).
On October 18, MPA will partner with Platform Busan Program, the Asian Film Academy and Busan Asian Film School, to host guest producer Jon Kuyper who will present a session on Adjusting your film’s vision to your budget.
On October 19, MPA will partner with the Asian Film Academy & BIFF to present a session on Pitching, Developing and Budgeting a Film Project, with special guest producers Jon Kuyper and KIM Young. On October 20, MPA will partner with the Asian Film Academy & BIFF on a pitching competition.
No Bed of Roses
MPA APSA Academy Film Fund recipient Mostofa Sawar Farooki’s latest feature tells the somber story of a movie director who has an extra-marital relationship with an actress who was once his daughter’s former classmate. The film will screen in the Gala Presentation section.
Glass Garden
South Korean filmmaker Shin Suwon’s mystery/drama about a reclusive doctoral researcher, who befriends a novelist that later uses her as the subject of his story, resulting in accusations of plagiarism and mounding controversy.
Zoo
An Indian drama that was filmed using an iPhone 6 about teenagers struggling with drug addiction. It will be screened as part of a category called, “A window on Asian Cinema.”
Love Education
An intergenerational family drama from actor/director Sylvia Chang that follows three women in contemporary China, while reflecting on the country’s history.
MORELIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (FICM)
October 20-29
Morelia, Michoacán, México
This festival begins at the end of October in the Michoacán state capital — a Mexican city famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations – and showcases the ongoing legacy of the Mexican film industry. The festival will open with Pixar’s new film, CoCo, marking the first time the festival has kicked off with an animated project.
WHERE TO FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Google+
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
CoCo
A computer-animated musical fantasy by Disney’s Pixar, which takes place on the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead.
‘Los
A dramatic short directed by Alfonso Herrera Salcedo, a graduate student of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, delving into the challenges faced by undocumented workers in America from the perspective of a dishwasher in New York City.
TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (TIFF)
October 25-November 3
Tokyo, Japan
The festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary, as well as the 100th anniversary of Japanese animation. It will showcase the work of director/animator Keiichi Hara as part of this year’s “Animation Focus” section. In addition, Oscar-nominated Vietnamese-French director Trần Anh Hùng will be featured in a showcase with a cross-cultural theme of “What’s Next from Southeast Asia.” The festival will also include two screenings of a digitally restored version of the original Godzilla film with English/Japanese subtitles, paired with a live performance of the film’s music on October 31st.
WHERE TO FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google+
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR:
MPA Events:
On October 27, the MPA will partner with TIFF for the annual MPA-TIFF Seminar, which will focus on the need to address online copyright infringement. MPAA Chairman Senator Dodd will deliver remarks, while guest speaker Hugh Stephens, will present on the efficacy of disabling pirate websites around the world.
Fullmetal Alchemist
A live-action sci-fi adventure based on a popular Japanese comic series using a unique drawing style or visual language called “manga.” *The opening ceremony will also include a screening of highlights from the upcoming Japan-China co-production, Legend of the Demon Cat, a fantasy-mystery by Oscar-nominated director Chen Kaige.
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
A follow-up to the Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, with a continued focus on former Vice President and Nobel laureate Al Gore’s ongoing efforts to spread awareness about the global impact of climate change.