30th Moscow International Film Festival

The festival will run from June 19 to 28 and the festival President is none other than Nikita Mikhalkov. Here are the films in the Main Competition.

Absurdistan, Veit Helmer, Germany and Azerbaijan, 2008
Amanecer de un Sueño (Awaking from a Dream), Freddy Mas Franqueza, Spain and Poland, 2008
Be Hamin Sadegi (As Simple As That), Reza Mir Karimi, Iran, 2008
Der Mond Und Andere Liebhaber (The Moon and Other Lovers), Bernd Boehlich, Germany, 2008
Duidande Zhangzheng (The War of the Shore), Li Xin, China, 2007
For My Father, Dror Zahavi, Israel, 2007
Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds),. Silvio Soldini, Italy and Switzerland, 2007
Majdnem Szüz (Virtual Virgin), Péter Bacsó, Hungary, 2008
Mao Ce Dun (Mao Tse-tung), Besnik Bisha, Albania, 2007 (puzzling!)
Odnazhdy V Provintsii (Once Upon a Time in the Provinces), Katya Shagalova, Russia, 2008
Raiskiye Ptitsy (Birds of Paradaise), Roman Balayan, Ukraine, 2008
Sad (The Cherry Orchard), Serguey Ovcharov, Russia, 2008 (yes, screen version of Chekhov’s play)
Un Coeur Simple (The Simple Heart), Marion Laine, France, 2008 (based on Falubert… seems VERY interesting!)
Veđramót (A Quiet Storm), Guðny Halldórsdóttir, Iceland, 2007
The Visitor, Tom McCarthy, USA, 2007
Zift, Javor Gardev, Bulgaria, 2008 (a mixture of neo-noir and sots-art… have to see this!)

Opening Ceremony: Hancock, Peter Berg, USA, 2008
Closing Ceremony: Maradona By Kusturica, Emir Kusturica, Spain and France, 2006

In the Perspectives Program there are some interesting movies like the following.
Cumbia Callera (Cumbia Connection), Rene U. Villareal, Mexico, 2007
One Shot, Linda Wendel, Denmark, 2008 (yes is a one shot movie)
Nevando Voy (Under the Snow), Maitena Muruzabal and Candela Figueira, Spain and Argentina, 2007
Rerberg and Tarkovsky. Reverse side of Stalker, Igor Maiboroda, Russia, 2008 (a must be seen for me!)
Unrelated, Joanna Hogg, UK, 2007

In the Moscow Euphoria Program there is one movie that totally got my attention Las Meninas, Ihor Podolchak, Ukraine, 2008 look at the description: Las Meninas is not a film about a story; it is a film about senses. It resembles the scattered pieces of a puzzle and it is the task of the audience to put the pieces together. The almost magical visual part bears reminiscences of 17th century still lifes. The music and the sound added to it absorb the viewers and give them the feeling of being a part of this visual experience.

They are honoring great directors that passed away last year and recently and showing La Notte by Michelangelo Antonioni, Cries and Wispers by Ingmar Bergman, and Three Days of the Condor by Sydney Pollack. Also there are homages to Liv Ullman showing some of her movies where she acted and those that she directed; to Isabelle Hupert, to John Cassavettes, and to Takeshi Kitano. Then there are so many good old Soviet Union and newer Russian movies that just gave me the chills and wished I could revisit some and be able to watch many more that haven’t seen.

Also screening Sex: The Revolution, Harry Perry and Richard Lowe, USA, 2007 a documentary that I recently saw and I do highly recommend.

To check all the programs and information about all the films go here.