#Oscars2023 International Feature Film Shortlist

Yesterday The Academy released the Shortlist for several categories including the International Feature Film with 15 films advancing to the next voting round for the selection of the five nominees that will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

Category shortlist comes from 88 films submitted by international countries which qualified and were eligible to be considered. Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting and must have met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.

Now, in the nominations round, Academy members from all branches can participate but have to watch all 15 shortlisted films.

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96th Academy Awards International Feature Film Submissions

Friday, December 8th, 2023
This is the last update as the Academy released the list of eligible films in the International Feature Film category and there are 88 films to be considered for the shortlist of 15 that will be released on December 21st.

From last update Cuba is not included in final list as well as those countries mentioned in previous lists. According to all announcements of films to be considered by the Academy for the International Feature Film category done by different sources since August 2023, there are four (4) films that did not make the final official list and they are from these countries/territories: Cuba, Hong Kong. Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

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76th Festival de Cannes Award Winners

As several awards have been announced decided to start post today. Post will be in progress until after the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 27th.

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76th Cannes Film Festival Lineup

Update 2 - May 12, 2023 - Today organizers uploaded info, available trailers and more for each movie in the Official Selection and post becomes final after the current update. There are some incongruences that still have to figure out but generally speaking what has been announced in previous press releases is included in the correspondent section. So, there are only 6 days to opening day and I am looking forward to the start of the greatest cinema feast. Enjoy!!!

Update 1 - April 27, 2023 -Recently festival organizers released the Additions to the Selection and list includes film that were expected but nevertheless are not only great additions but also extraordinary films by some great master filmmakers.
In Competition Black Flies and Le Retour were added, in Cannes Premier Perdidos en la Noche, L'amour et les forets, and Eureka; in Out of Competition L'abbe pierre-une vie de combats; in Un Certain Regard Only the River Flows and Une Nuit; in Short Film Filles du Feu; in Special Screenings, Little Girl Blue, Bread and Roses and Le theoreme de Marguerite; in Midnight Screening Hypnotic and Project Silence.

Above films means that more well-known actors and directors will/could walk the red carpet to delight of all who also appreciates the light side of the festival. So, Viggo Mortensen, Chiara Mastroianni -who is this edition Master of Ceremonies-, Marion Cottillard, Amat Escalante, Lisandro Alonso, Virginie Efira, Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, and more.

Seems no more films will be announced but will wait until info about each film is uploaded to official site to make this post final.
-end of update-

April 14, 2023

Yesterday the much awaited press conference with the announcement of the Official Selection for the Cannes Film Festival took place and, besides the long speeches, the list of films was out-of-the-ordinary and gave absolute feeling that festival wishes to recoup its past glories and top-of-mind in the festival circuit and the film industry.

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2017 Film Critics Awards

Today, November 29 the post becomes alive again and activity will become intense until a week before Christmas when will quiet a bit with January activity will gain full force to end quietly around the first weeks of February 2018.

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10/7/17
The annual film critics awards post starts today.  Now all the fuzz and buzz about #Oscars2018 foreign-language submissions is over and it's time to start with all the fuzz and buzz from film critics that always gives you a better idea about the films that could win nominations and the one that will collect the award.  Yes, we know that not very often great films win AMPAS accolades, so IF we wish to guess right on the Oscars office pool or any of the many online polls -some with good prices- then here will find info for better guessing.  Enjoy!

Post will be a work in progress until the last critics group announces their winner which will happen in early February 2018.

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30th European Film Awards Nominations

Last Saturday, November 4, at the Seville European Film Festival the nominations for the major categories were announced and my spontaneous reaction when watching live the press conference was that nominees are extraordinary films and Academy members will have a difficult task deciding their votes, as for example in the top category, voting between Cannes Golden Palm, Grand Prix and Jury Award is not easy but then you have to add Berlin Golden Bear and on top a movie by master filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki. Very difficult decision, not easy at all.

But the category that blew my mind is European Actress were you have Juliette Binoche and Isabelle Huppert, then Paula Beer and Alexandra Borbély, and finish with almost newcomer Florence Pugh!  What an eclectic combination of talent!  To be honest, have skipped Lady Macbeth but after BIFA and now this, imagine will have to "unskip" film (lol).

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#EFA2017 People's Choice Awards

Every year, the EFA People’s Choice Award allows film fans across Europe to elect their favourite film. When the European Film Academy invites its members, Europe’s greatest film stars, directors, actors and actresses, to attend the European Film Awards, the People’s Choice Award sheds a spotlight on the people films are made for: the audience. This year’s vote has started – vote now and win the chance to join winners and nominees for the awards ceremony in Berlin!

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2017 Lux Prize Official Selection Update

Yesterday morning during the press conference presenting the Giornati degli Autori selection, the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, announced the three (3) finalists films for the current edition of this award.

Seems the 2017 edition could be another year where everyone prediction will win as seems BPM has become a favorite among critic's and audiences, so perhaps will also be honored with more prestigious awards like this one.  Yes, Robin Campillo's Beats Per Minute is a finalist along with Amanda Kernell's Sami Blood and Valeska Grisebach's Western.

The three films in the Official Competition showcase the LUX Film Prize's desire to embrace an unpredictable variety of genre and tones like never before:

-Robin Campillo's third film follows a group of Act Up activists who fight to lend the AIDS problem more visibility in 1992 France and encourage faster progress to be made in terms of research and prevention.

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67th Berlin International Film Festival Award Winners

There were some surprises but none as big as the top award winner as film critics were favoring other films.  Once again we have proof that what film critics like is not what juries (or voters) like and sometimes, not even what audiences like.

Many including me -but I'm totally biased- were expecting Aki Kaurismäki to win the Golden Bear so, when he was called for the Best Director award it was evident that was all for him and his surely glorious film. Sigh.  Then my second hope was for Sebastian Leilo, so when he wins Best Script all hopes were over.  I'm glad both films won something but obviously for me would have been fantastic if any of those two won the top award.

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Day 1 #Berlinale2017

The opening ceremony was fun to watch because really enjoy Anke Engelke humor style and her jokes were so sharp that made me laugh loud. Here is one example when she asked international guests: "Are you here for the festival? Or is someone keeping you from going back to your home country?" That got big laugh.

Most surprising is me paying attention to Germany's officials speeches with direct comments about two infamous world leaders that made me quiver and wonder where is this world going ... sigh. See, when they talk about John F. Kennedy's famous Berlin speech and about something only Berlin has lived in recent history: walls that divide people, I pay attention.

But the best part of any festival opening ceremony is when they show the film clips and Berlinale 2017 was no exception with three clip sections between speeches. The clips gave me the impression that there are a few films that will be visually interesting and when add what I read about story plus what I know about the director they become most-be-seen for me.

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67th Berlinale Complete Lineup

Today I start the VERY LONG annual post with (almost) ALL movies in the current edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, better-known as Berlinale. Since late last year, festival organizers have been releasing information in drop by drop basis but recently the press releases started to pour with selections in the multiple fest sections.

As every year, post will be in progress until fest uploads films to their official site; until then post will have constant updates with whatever new info becomes available.

On Friday, January 20th fest organizers released the last press release with all films in competition and in Berlinale Special section, so we can assume that the final count is twenty-four (24) films in the festival main selection with eighteen (18) in competition and six (6) out of competition.

The selection has quite a few well-know directors like Hong Sangsoo, Calin Peter Netzer, Alex de la Iglesia, Agnieszka Holland, Danny Boyle, Sally Potter, Sebastian Lelio and more; but, none excites me as much as one of my most-favorite director.  Yes, Aki Kaurismäki has a new movie that's in competition at Berlinale 2017 and I'm already dying to watch it!

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#Cannes2016 Carrosse d'Or

Waking up to great news always makes a great day and I'm truly happy to share with you all that one of my most-favorite directors will be honored this year with the honor given to a director by his peers. La Carrose d'Or (Golden Coach) is a tribute by directors of Société des réalisateurs (SRF) to one of their own, chosen from the international filmmaking community for the innovative qualities, courage and independent-mindedness of his or her work.

The Carrosse d'Or is a bronze statuette inspired by the figures of the Comedia dell'Arte and Jean Renoir's film of the same name – it was created by painter-sculptor Lili Legouvello.

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2014 Cinema Biennale Check #5 - Made in Sweden

Sweden representation in Venezia71 goes to none other than one of the most interesting contemporary Swedish directors, one that is recognized for his very particular cinematic style and one that I highly enjoy.

Roy Andersson

Born on March 1943 in Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. In 1969 he did his first feature-length film, A Swedish Love Story that went to win honors at 1970 Berlinale. After Andersson went into deep depression and is in 1975 when he does his second film that became a financial and critical disaster. Andersson took a 25-year break from film directing.

In 1996 he starts to do the first installment in the Living Trilogy, Sånger från andra våningen (Songs from the Second Floor) a film poem inspired by Peruvian poet César Vallejo that took him four years to make and went to win the Jury Prize at 2000 Cannes. His very particular style starts to show in this movie but is with the second installment -AWESOME- Du Levande (You, the Living) that is the movie that introduced me to this fantastic director and his peculiar cinematic style that can be described as dry/black humor, cold ambiance-color palette, deadpan and (fantastic) broken narrative. This film took him one year less to make it, meaning, only three years.

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7th Rome Film Festival Lineup - Update 2

On November 11 was announced the second surprise film and is Du Zhan (Drug War) by Johnnie To. With this film the main competition has 15 films.

Today November 5th, the first of the two surprise films was announced and is a film by Feng Xiaogang (remember Aftershock?), check trailer to see that is another epic grandiose production, use link at the bottom of post.

Today, October 31, organizers announced complete Jury for the main competition and two more films in the official selection out of competition.

Post has the Cinema XXI complete lineup.

Some of us are very curious to learn how the festival will evolve under the artistic direction of recently appointed Marco Müller; this year official selection will give us a first glimpse on what he was able to do to revitalize the festival and maybe bring it to a different level than before, more similar to the big three festivals.

With no further comments let's take a look at this year festival lineup.

Official Selection

Competition
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Roman Coppola, USA
Aku no kyôten (Lesson of Evil), Takashi Miike, Japan
Alì ha gli occhi azzurri, Claudio Giovannesi, Italy
毒战 Du Zhan (Drug War), Johnnie To, China and Hong Kong
E la Chiamano Estate, Paolo Franchi, Italy
Ixjana, Józef Skolimowski and Michał Skolimowski, Poland (aka Ixjana z piekla rodem)
Mai Morire, Enrique Rivero, Mexico
Main Dans La Main (Hand in Hand), Valérie Donzelli, France
Marfa Girl, Larry Clark, USA
The Motel Life, Gabriel Polsky and Alan Polsky, USA
Небесные жены луговых мари Nebesnye Ženy Lugovykh Mari (Celestial Wives of Meadow Mari), Alexey Fedorchenko, Russia
Un Enfant de Toi (You, Me and US), Jacques Doillon, France
Вечное возвращение. Кинопробы Večnoe Vozvraščenie (Eternal Homecoming), Kira Muratova, Ukraine
Il Volto di Un'Altra, Pappi Corsicato, Italy
一九四二 Yi Wu Si Er (Back to 1942), Feng Xiaogang, China

Also there are two (2) surprise films (will be in competition, titles are being withheld until last minute "in order to avoid problems from national censors")

Jury
President: Jeff Nichols, writer and director, USA
Timur Bekmambetov, director and producer, Russia, Kazakhstan
Valentina Cervi, actress, Italy
Chris Fujiwara, critic and festival director, USA
Leila Hatami, actress, Iran
P.J. Hogan, director, Australia
Edgardo Cozarinsky, writer and director, Argentina

Out of Competition
Opening Film: В ожидании моря V Ožidanii Morja (Waiting for the Sea), Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov, Russia, Germany, Belgium, France, Kazakhstan and Ukraine
Closing Film: Una Pistola en Cada Mano, Cesc Gay, Spain

La Bande de Jotas (The Gang of the Jotas), Marjane Satrapi, France
Black Star, Francesco Castellani, Italy
Bullet to the Head, Walter Hill, USA
Le Guetteur (The Lookout), Michele Placido, France
Mental, P.J. Hogan, Australia
Populaire, Regis Roinsard, France
Rise of the Guardians, Peter Ramsey, USA
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Bill Condon, USA
Tom le Cancre, Manuel Pradal, France

CinemaXXI
A competitive selection of films devoted to new trends in world cinema embracing various genres and lengths, CinemaXXI will focus on works that reflect the continuous reinvention of cinema in the contemporary audiovisual landscape. CinemaXXI (Competition and Out of Competition) welcomes feature-length, medium-length and short films.

Feature Films

In Competition
A Walk In The Park, Amos Poe, USA
Avanti Popolo, Michael Wahrmann, Brazil
Bloody Daughter, Stéphanie Argerich, France and Switzerland
Gegewart (Consequence), Thomas Heise, Germany
Goltzius and the Pelican Company, Peter Greenaway, Netherlands
Jianshi Liu Baiyuan (Judge Archer), Xu Haofeng, China
Jungle Love, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, Philippines
Nichnasti Pa'am Lagan (Once I Entered A Garden), Avi Mograbi, Israel, France and Switzerland
El Ojo del Tiburon, Alejo Hoijman, Spain and Argentina
Panihida, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu, Germany and Moldavia
Photo, Carlos Saboga, Portugal and France
Picas (Pizzas), Laila Pakalnina, Latvia
Suspension of Disbelief, Mike Figgis, UK
Танец Дели Tanets Deli (Delhi Dance), Ivan Vyrypaev, Russia
Tasher Desh, Kaushik Mukherjee, India
Tutto Parla Di Te, Alina Marazzi, Italy

Out of Competition
O Batuque Dos Astros, Julio Bressane, Brazil
O Fantasma Do Novais, Margarida Gil, Portugal

Short Film Collections

In Competition
Tar, Edna Biesold, Sarah-Violet Bliss, Bruce Thierry Cheung, Gabrielle Demeestere, Alexis
Gamb; supervision James Franco, USA

Out of Competition
Opening Film: Centro Histórico (Historic Centre), Aki Kaurismäki, Pedro Costa, Victor Erice, Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal
Guimaraes Transversal, Gabriel Abrantes, Maracos Barbosa and Paulo Abreu, Portugal
Historias de Guimaraes, Tiago Pereira, João Nicolau, João Botelho, Portugal
Mundo Invisível (Invisible World), Wim Wenders, Theo Angelopoulos, Atom Egoyan, Manoel De Oliveira, Guy Maddin, Marco Bechis, Laís Bodanzky, Maria de Medeiros, Jerzy Stuhr, Gian Vittorio Baldi, Brazil
Random Acts, Marina Abramovic, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Zineb Sedira, Johan Grimonprez, Shahryar Nashat, Lucy Harvey, Rachel Mayeri, Lewis Klahr, Mark Leckey, Semiconductor, Sarah Wood, Young-Hae Chang, Richard Billingham and others, UK

Medium-Length and Short Films

In Competition
Da Vinci, Yuri Ancarani, Italy, 20’
Dossier Scolaire (School Files), di Noëlle Pujol and Andreas Bolm, France and Germany, 21’
Dreams, James Franco, UK, 1’
El Ruido de las Estrellas Me Aturde, Eduardo Williams, Argentina, 20’
Eternità, Galina Myznikova and Sergey Provorov (Provmyza), Russia, 36'
GHL, Lotte Schreiber, Austria, 17’
Ishi to uta to Peta (Stone, Song and Peta), Takuya Dairiki and Takashi Miura, France and Japan, 60'
La Madre, Il Figlio e L'Architetto (The Mother, The Son and The Architect), Petra Noordkamp, Netherlands, 16'
Mitote (Mexican Ritual), Eugenio Polgovsky, Mexico, 53'
Montaña en Sombra (Mountain In Shadow), Lois Patiño, Spain, 14'
The Moon Has Its Reasons, Lewis Klahr, UK, 3'
The Museum of Imagination, Amit Dutta, India, 20'
Não estamos sonhando (We are Not Dreaming), Luiz Pretti, Brazil, 12'
Narmada, Manon Ott and Grégory Cohen, France, 47'
Nature of Aberration, Krissakorn Thinthupthai, Thailand, 13'
The Ogre's Feathers, Michael Almereyda, USA, 20'
Quatro Horas Descalço (Four Hours Barefoot), Ico Costa, France and Portugal, 15'
Rhinoceros, Kevin Jerome Everson, USA, 6'
Some Part Of Us Will Have Become, Semiconductor, UK, 3'
Tagalog, Gym Lumbera, Philippines, 45'
I Topi Lasciano La Nave, Zapruder, Italy, 32'
Il Viaggio della Signorina Vila, Elisabetta Sgarbi, Italy, 60'
Waterscope Transitions, Carsten Aschmann, Germany, 22'

Out of Competition
Steekspel (Tricked), Paul Verhoeven, Netherlands, 52'
All Sides of the Road 3D, OpenEndedGroup, USA, 12'
Plant 3D, OpenEndedGroup, USA, 17'
Pletora, Il Dono 3D, Zapruder, Italy, 15
Tanti Futuri Possibili. Con Renato Nicolini, Gianfranco Rosi, Italy, 30'
Waves 3D, OpenEndedGroup, USA, 2'

Jury
President: Douglas Gordon, visual artist, UK
Hans Hurch, film programmer, Austria
Ed Lachman, cinematographer, Germany
Andrea Lissoni, historian, curator, festival director, Italy
Emily Jacir, director, social intervention, performance, more,

Best First and Second Film Jury
President: Matthew Modine, director and actor, USA
Laura Amelia Guzmán, producer and Director, Dominican Republic
Stefania Rocca, actress, Italy
Alice Rohrwacher, director, Italy
Tanya Seghatchian, producer, UK

Independent Section - Alice Nella Città

Competition
Animals, Marçal Forés, Spain
Baby Girl, Macdara Vallely, USA
Comme Un Lion (Little Lion), Samuel Collardey, France
Igual Si Llueve (Even If It Rains), Fernando A. Gatti, Argentina
Innocents, Chen-hsi Wong, Singapore
Jeunesse (Youth), Justine Malle, France
Kid, Fien Troch, Belgium
La Pasion de Michelangelo (The Passion of Michelangelo), Esteban Larraín, Chile
Meu Pe de Laranja Lima (My Sweet Orange Tree), Marcos Berstein, Brazil
Pulce Non C'E, Giuseppe Bonito, Italy
Strings, Rob Savage, UK
You and Me Forever, Kaspar Munk, Denmark

Out of Competition
Du Vent Dans Mes Mollets (The Dandelions), Carine Tardieu, France
Wreck-It Ralph, Rich Moore, USA

Special Program
Kirikou et Les Homes et Les Femes (Kirikou - And The Men And Women), Michel Ocelot, France
Le Petit Prince - La Planete Su Serpent, Pierre-Alain Chartier, France

New Cinema Network
This year NCN presents a selection of 20 projects from all over the world, evaluated and chosen by the selection committee appointed by Marco Müller, Marie-Pierre Duhamel and Sandra Hebron with the staff of New Cinema Network. As for the international scene, the projects selection features an ample spectrum of countries, themes, styles, genres and suggestions. There are projects by some very well-known outstanding directors like Marco Bellochio, Lisandro Alonso and Jia Zang ke

Almost Anonymous, Jia Zhang ke, China
Another World, Alexis Dos Santos, Argentina
Close Far Away, Jens Assur, Sweden
Conformista, Shangjun Cai, China
Io, Clay Jeter, USA
Iron, Alejandro Fernandez Almendras, Chile
Land, Babak Jalali, UK
Mordogan, Jessica Krummaker, Germany
Pagliacci, Marco Bellocchio, Italia
Poisonous Roses, Fawzi Saleh, Egypt
The Room On A Tree, Amit Dutta, India
School Town, Jian Liu, China
Sin Titulo, Lisandro Alonso, Argentina
Il Sogno del Pesce Rosso, Gianni Cardillo, Italy
Sword of Honor, Haofeng Xu, China
Tito Il Piccolo, Paola Randi, Italy
La Vita Ti Arriva Addosso, Paolo Sassanelli, Italy
The Vacationers, Luis Galter, Spain
Vergine Giurata, laura Bispuri, Italy
A Project (TBA), Franco Maresco, Italy

To check the official announcement that includes more films and events in the independent sections plus in the official selection Prospettive Italia, go here. Suggest to also check official site as there are more films listed there.

My first impression without reading about each film is that the festival has changed as seems there are a few more known directors releasing their films in the festival plus this time festival seems to have films from more countries around the world.

According to the released information here are some interesting figures from this edition:
Feature Films: 59 world premieres and 5 international premieres, for a total of 64 feature films
12 Medium-length films
23 Short films
These numbers really change the panorama for this festival, especially when you consider that the 13 films in competition are all world premieres.

Surely I am very curious about this year festival and posted too early as there is no films info at the official site yet. So I will be checking and updating post as soon as they publish information.

Check info and trailers @MOC.

Day 5 at 2012 Cannes

Hard to believe that 5 days have gone by and that we have learned about 9 of the 22 films in competition. Today is another exciting Cannes day for me as the two films screened in competition today are from directors that I highly appreciate their work.

Main Competition

Amour (Love) by Michael Haneke

Today is the day that will learn as little as possible about this movie so if you wish to know about my expectations please go here.

Photocall obviously is must be seen for Isabelle Huppert fans and I'm one of them. Also many actors should watch this photocall to learn how to behave in front of many cameras and people screaming. Suddenly got the non-pleasant "I'm-getting-old" feeling. Ah! movie will not be easy to watch for me as I already imagined. TVFestival de Cannes interview touches my heart especially Jean-Louis Trintignant; but there are interesting answers by Haneke and Huppert, watch it.

Press conference starts by calling Tritignant a "vivant National Treasure" and first question is about his return to cinema after 14 years absence. I'm laughing, very elegant jokes by Tritignant. Haneke repeats what he said in interview that is something like "la souffrance that comes near you when you reach certain age"... oh! learning more than I wish to learn but will continue watching. SO true, actors don't suffer with Haneke, is the audience that suffers! LOVE Tritignant elegant jokes that make me laugh.

Quote from press conference by Michael Haneke on the fact that his film is not an act of disclosure
I never write a movie to prove anything. When you reach a certain age, you are inevitably going to be affected by suffering. I don't want to show anything more than that, there is no more to it. And that's why I shot the film in an apartment. I did not want to go into a hospital room, which is something we have seen and reseen. There was therefore no reason to change anything. At the end of the day, I am very happy to have made a simple film.

Yes Haneke calls his film "simple", still I don't believe it as in my mind is impossible to imagine Haneke being simple and I'm sure film will not be simple as if I believe headlines and spontaneous reaction in twitter, that tells about reliable critics' absolute approval -couldn't expect less-, there has to be nothing simple in this film.

Video shows us a very wet red carpet (stormy rain in Cannes) that starts with competition jury marching once more "the steps" while getting really wet but I believe that they know that they are working. Next Amour entire crew with Isabelle looking impressively great in her bronze dress; yes they also get quite wet.

Haneke will get honors with this movie, a best actor award could go to Tritignant that I'm sure will have a great performance; but I wonder about fest top awards for this film, still you never know how honor-deserving a Haneke film is until you see it, so refuse to play the guessing game with Haneke.

By the time I see movie all that I learned today will be erased from my memory as I like to watch Haneke with an "empty/blank" mind and I strongly recommend you do that. Yes a Must Be Seen movie for me.

Jagten (The Hunt) by Thomas Vinterberg

I like Vinterberg's filmmaking style and his previous film Submarino shook my emotions with its hard-to-watch story, great actors performances and grim reality style. I have similar expectations with this film even when story seems to be quite different, check synopsis.

Following a tough divorce, 40-year-old Lucas has a new girlfriend, a new job and is in the process of reestablishing his relationship with his teenage son, Marcus. But things go awry. Not a lot. Just a passing remark. A random lie. And as the snow falls and the Christmas lights are lit, the lie spreads like an invisible virus. The shock and mistrust gets out of hand, and the small community suddenly finds itself in a collective state of hysteria, while Lucas fights a lonely fight for his life and dignity.

Then Mads Mikkelsen is one of my favorite actors when he's in an European movie and do not speak English, this is one of those films.

In photocall is nice to see so many good-looking people together, enjoy! TVFestival de Cannes video allows us to learn that director sees film as having a love story; Vinterberg says that Mads is "very pretty" and definitively I'm one that agrees. Interview has spoilers but is fun to watch and answers are great. Suggest you watch.

Press conference first question goes right into spoiling the story for me, ugh, but it's done now I really know what movie is all about and know that story will not be easy to watch. Is about child molestation but in this case, adult is innocent. Press conference is full of spoilers but I continue to watch, somehow can't stop watching. Very nice press conference that will absolutely spoil the story but is fascinating to watch especially, Vintenberg great precise answers. Suggest to watch even when you do not like to learn story spoilers.

What follows is a press conference quote where Vinterberg describes the rumor theme.
The film takes place in the microcosm of a village where information spreads quickly, like a virus. Through the Internet, the world's become a small village full of rumors. But what matters most in this film is the love between the characters. They try to get close to one another despite the misunderstandings.

Thomas Vinterberg history with Cannes is not long but he first came with 1998 Festen that went to win the Jury Prize (ex aequo with Claude Miller's Class Trip), so it's a successful story that could mean he could get recognition this time. If there could be a concern is the story theme, but I believe that jury members will not be shocked with story and also could consider Mads for the Best Actor award.

So what do I exactly expect from this movie now that I learned quite too much from story? Exactly the same I said in the opening paragraph before learning so much about story. Yes it is Must Be Seen for me.

Un Certain Regard

La Pirogue by Moussa Touré

Senegalese director presents his fictional account of the clandestine voyages from Africa to Europe and I'm sure story will not be easy to watch as tells about Senegalese people trying to reach the Canary Islands. This is the synopsis.

Baye Laye is the captain of a fishing pirogue. Like many of his Senegalese compatriots, he sometimes dreams of new horizons, where he can earn a better living for his family. When he is offered to lead one of the many pirogues that head towards Europe via the Canary Island, he reluctantly accepts the job, knowing full-well the dangers that lie ahead. Leading a group of 30 men who don't all speak the same language, some of whom have never seen the sea, Baye Laye will confront many perils in order to reach the distant coasts of Europe.

Even if film surely will have great visuals, story does not appeal to me. Think will skip it.

La Confession d'un Enfant du Siècle (Confession of a Child of the Century) by Sylvie Verheyde

Spontaneously I've been torn about this movie as from clips I find very famous Pete Doherty character performance quite repelling, still I have hopes that Charlotte Gainsbourg performance plus her Cannes comments could improve my perceptions. Then to my huge surprise Charlotte is not in Cannes! Oh.

Anyway director returns to Cannes after presenting in 1997 Un Frere at a parallel section; but I know her better for her films Princesses and Stella. If I was not familiar with Verheyde style I will think that film will be very classic as is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alfred de Musset, but even do is a period film I expect that Verheyde's style will be all over film. This is the film synopsis.

Paris, 1830.
Octave, betrayed by his mistress, sinks into despair and debauchery: the "disease of the century". The death of his father takes him to the country where he meets Brigitte, a young widow who is ten years his elder. Octave falls in love passionately, again. But will he have the courage to believe in it ?

Surely will watch as I do see everything with Charlotte Gainsbourg, but my expectations are rather low.

Special Screenings

Les Invisibles by Sébastien Lifshitz

Lifshitz returns to Cannes after 14 years when his doc Les Corps Ouverts was screened at a parallel section; his new documentary tells about men and women born between the wars who have nothing in common except for their homosexuality and their decision to live openly at a time when society rejected them. They've loved, struggled, desired, made love. Today they tell us about their pioneering lives, and how they navigated the desire to remain ordinary with the need to liberate themselves in order to thrive. They were fearless.

Believe this documentary has to be surprising for those that believe that living "out of closet" is a "new/recent" event as no, there are many LGTB people that lived their homosexuality openly in very earlier times, even Americans -but some Americans chose to do so in Europe rather than in America. Anyway this has to be a very interesting documentation of a long gone era and from clips I have seen know that I'll be watching.

A quote from an interview with the director that you can read here.

Why did you choose the title: Les Invisibles?
The media is not interested in old people, let alone old homosexual people, who themselves seem to accept this fate by withdrawing from social life. The word "invisible" seemed to me particularly apt at describing these men and women who are missing from any representation.

Villegas by Gonzalo Tobal

First feature film by Tobal that already has a significant story at Cannes with his short films. These credentials make me interested in watching film and clips that saw today for the first time confirm that has an interesting storytelling style that lately predominates in Argentinean non-commercial films. The following is the synopsis.

After a long time without seeing each other, two cousins, Esteban and Pipa, have to drive together to their grandfather’s funeral in Villegas, small inland town where they grew up together. This coming back soon turns into an intense emotional journey, punctuated by the reunions, the weight of the past and the end of an era.

Surely a film that I'm looking forward to watch.

Out of Competition

Today Une Journée Particulière (A Special Day) by Gilles Jacobs, a film that I don't doubt will be interesting to watch but know will be very hard to find, sigh.

The 60th Cannes Anniversary was honored by the presence of 34 international renowned filmmakers invited to present their collective body of work, To Each His Own Cinema. The line-up included Gus van Sant, The Coen brothers, Aki Kaurismäki, Roman Polanski, Nanni Moretti, Ken Loach, Bille August, Chen Kaige, Abbas Kiarostami, Walter Salles, Wong Kar-Wai, Elia Suleiman,Takeshi Kitano, Claude Lelouch, the Dardenne brothers, Zhang Yimou, Atom Egoyan, Tsai Ming Liang and Jane Campion. On the day their films were to be screened, the directors were followed and filmed from morning to night, becoming a "day in the life" insight of some of the most important directors in the world. Watch clips here.

Obviously is Must Be Seen for me but I know that will take a long time to be able to watch; wish someone could make easier the distribution of Cannes stories films.

Cannes Classics

Today Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis by Gregg Barson a doc that -according to promo clip at Cannes site- seems to belong more in E! TV than in Cannes. Not interested in watching; but probably will watch when available at any Encore or Starz channel only because was in Cannes.

Cinéma de la Plage

Tonight Sean Connery returns in Guy Halminton's Diamonds Are Forever a movie that immediately makes me sing the title song but also makes me think about one of the best Bond villians, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and Jill St. John in her most iconic role.

As we know film is screening to celebrate the 007 Anniversary, a celebration that will last one year and that is just starting in Cannes.

Quinzaine

Adieu Berthe, l’enterrement de mémé (Granny’s Funeral) by Bruno Podalydès

Not really a fan of French comedies and from clips film seems like a comedy but maybe is not the regular mainstream fare as after all is in the Quinzaine. Watch clips here and this is the synopsis.

Granny is dead. Berthe is no more. Armand's grandmother had sort of slipped his mind... Armand runs a pharmacy in the Paris suburbs with his wife, Helene. In a medicine cabinet he hides his magical equipment - he's secretly preparing a show for the daughter... of his lover, Alix. And Granny? Should she be buried or cremated? Who was Berthe?

Not sure what to think about this film.

Infancia Clandestina by Benjamín Ávila

Film called my attention since I learned what story was all about, so let's first share the synopsis.

Argentina 1979. After years of exile, 12-year-old Juan and his family come back to Argentina under fake identities. Juan's parents and his uncle Beto are members of the Montoneros Organization, which is fighting against the Military Junta that rules the country. Because of their political activities they are being tracked down relentlessly. His friends at school and the girl he loves, Maria, know him as Ernesto, a name he must not forget, his family's survival being at stake. This is a story about militancy, undercover life and love. The story of a clandestine childhood.

Next I suggest you watch trailer and clips here so you can see that well-known actors are in film. Don't need more, know that will watch debut film (competing for the Camera d'Or) by Avila and the wait will be hard to sustain. Must Be Seen for me.

Yek khanévadéh-e mohtaram (A Respectable Family) by Massoud Bakhshi

Story in films seems interesting and from clips think this Iranian film could be similar to other Iranian films I have seen; check clips here and this is the synopsis.

Arash is an Iranian academic who lives in the West. He returns to Iran to teach in Chiraz, a city far from Tehran where his mother lives. Drawn into a series of domestic and financial dramas, he is reminded of the hardships of his childhood at the start of the Iran-Iraq War in 1981. Following the death of his father and the discovery of what his « respectable family » has become, he is obliged to make choices.

Yes I'm interested in watching Bakhshi debut film.

Semaine de la Critique

Hors Le Murs by David Lambert

Today the film that I believe has more chance to win this year's Queer Palm as not only has gay interest but also is more your usual genre film -even when I know that being film in this section has to have something unusual. This is the synopsis.

Paulo, a young pianist living an ambivalent life with Anka, meets Ilir, a loner bass player. It’s love at first sight and they start living on love alone. The day Paulo promises to love him for life, Ilir leaves town for a concert, and never comes back…

Debut film by Belgian Lambert promises to be a film that could transcend genre audiences and clips here maybe will give you the same impression.

Not dying to watch film, but I know will watch eventually.

L'ACID


Today The End by Moroccan Hicham Lasri with a synopsis that reads as follows

A crazy baroque and political remake of Romeo and Juliet in Casablanca.

The use of black and white plus the "crazy" part in the synopsis stimulate my imagination, so maybe I'll give this movie a try.

Cannes News

Today Asghar Farhadi received the Media Prize given by the European Union. The MEDIA Prize is awarded to the best project, with strong international circulation potential, submitted by an author and his European producer. Is not in the news but I imagine that his next project is the subject of the next paragraph news.



Was announced that Tahir Rahim will co star with Marion Cotillard in the already announced Asghar Farhadi project; fantastic news as I like everyone that's getting attached to this project.

If you wish to know who leads the Screen's Cannes competition poll with the most stars, Mungiu's film with 3.2 stars out of 4, not so close followed by Audiard's film with 2.9 stars.

Today on the Scandinavian Terrace Swedish Malin Buska was presented as the lead in Finnish director Mika Kaurismäki’s Kristina of Sweden; not many will spontaneously make the relationship but Buska will be stepping into the shoes of Swedish Greta Garbo who played the part in Ruben Mamoulian's 1933 Queen Christina.

Other Activities

Many parties last night but one that has great photos is the Vanity Fair And Gucci Party.

In Cannes today Cheryl Cole, Roman Polanski, OH! Mylene Jampanoi (in a great photo with Xavier Dolan and Suzanne Clement at Amour premiere), Nadine Labaki, Sophie Marceau. No longer in Cannes, Shia Labeouf, Naomi Watts and Paz Vega.

Photo of the Day

Great Isabelle Huppert.

Le Havre

My first and spontaneous reaction to this movie is that is very strange to watch an Aki Kaurismäki movie and understand what actors say instead of reading subtitles. Not that his movies have lots of dialogue, nor this one, that has but the essential words to guide you into this deadpan faces performances (typical) that with very slight expressions tell everything that characters are feeling in a lovely story (non-typical) that absolutely melted my heart all the way to tears when the movie was over. Yes, also thought that probably I’m the only person that could cry with a Kaurismäki movie.

Then, also spontaneously my first thoughts were to how marvelous is the use of light in this movie and in most Kaurismäki movies, as most of his Finland set movies light allows us to feel the cold both from weather as from situations. Here in lower than Finland geographical setting he does exactly the same but with the use of light eventually what we see in the screen, the weather and the complete film experience becomes warm, very warm. Exceptional. I know the story also helps, but is the use of light what really warms the story, that’s it according to me.

Then you have the most carefully crafted production design, amazing visual compositions, many scenes that look like and thus become awesome photographs, great actors performances –yes most if not all scenes with deadpan faces and almost expressionless body language- that tell all with small, very small details, plus a masterful direction that allows flawless fluidity of story and film. Marvelous.

Literally film tells a story about immigration of the not legal kind, but actually according to me is a very simple story with a clear message and morale: do good and you will receive good. A message executed in the most unusual way you can think of, unless you’re very familiar with Kaurismäki storytelling style and still, maybe, you will also find some oddity that probably comes more from the non-Finland setting.

Kaurismäki movies fascinate and mesmerize me, Le Havre is no exception but this movie had the immense power to make me feel beyond what his other films have done and for this I’ll be grateful as feeling intense (warm) emotions in such a dry environment is kind of explosive. Thanks master filmmaker and can’t wait for your next film.

As we know film is Finland submission to Oscar, had its premiere at 2011 Cannes where was in competition for the Palme d’Or and won the FIPRESCI prize, continued to collect honors up to winning the most prestigious Prix Louis Delluc among other accolades. All honors are more than well-deserved.

I was thinking how could be the experience of watching this film when never seen a Kaurismäki movie before; if that’s your case I strongly suggest you do not start with this movie, watch first any other set in Finland Kaurismäki film and then watch this one, I am sure you will enjoy this movie a lot more if is not your first experience with Kaurismäki narrative and visual storytelling style.

Love the movie and thanks to Cannes 2011 also the director –he’s so funny, exactly like his films that have that kind of humor that travels more to the dark and sarcastic side- but I know that this kind of movies is not for all audiences and believe that his films are an acquired taste that once you taste them and like them, you will strive to have more and more.

Big Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

2012 Oscar Foreign Films Predictions

Is almost sure that today Tuesday, January 17 the Academy will announce the 9-film shortlist as will give nominees 48hrs to comply with the following requirement:

III. SUBMISSION G. - Countries whose motion pictures are shortlisted will be required to provide a second English-language subtitled print or DCP of the film to facilitate voting screenings. This second print or DCP is due at the Academy by 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, January 19, 2012.

Still if is not today then has to be tomorrow.

As many I’m really curious about what films the Academy will select this year and to entertain myself and hopefully you readers, here are my predictions.

Will be nominated FOR SURE
Iran: جدایی نادر از سیمین Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader and Simin, A Separation), Asghar Farhadi

So, I just need to guess 8 more… hmm…
Germany: Pina, Wim Wenders (not really sure as will be nominated as Best Documentary)
Poland: W ciemności (In Darkness), Agnieszka Holland
China: 金陵十三釵 (The Flowers of War), Zhang Yimou
France: La guerre est déclarée (Declaration of War), Valérie Donzelli
Finland: Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki
Mexico: Miss Bala, Gerado Naranjo
Brazil: Tropa de Elite 2 (Elite Squad: The Enemy Within), José Padilha
Israel: הערת שוליים (Footnote), Joseph Cedar

Above are the ones I’m guessing Academy will short list, but if selection depended from one person, me, then the list should look like this:

Turkey: Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Germany: Pina, Wim Wender
Sweden: Svinalängorna (Beyond), Pernilla August
Lebanon: وهلّأ لوين؟ Wo Hallah La Wen? (Where Do We Go Now?), Nadine Labaki
Iran: جدایی نادر از سیمین Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader and Simin, A Separation), Asghar Farhadi
Finland: Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki
France: La guerre est déclarée (Declaration of War), Valérie Donzelli
Italy: Terraferma, Emanuele Crialese
United Kingdom: Patagonia, Marc Evans

… and my Award goes to… well, not yet but believe that we all know who will win and if does it will be extremely well –deserved.

Cheers!

17th Prix Lumière Award Winners

I'm currently watching the awards ceremony live, so here are the winners in *BLUE.

Very glad that a female director got the best director award, but not so happy that Aki got no honors at all. To check winners in all categories go here, soon winners will be listed as ceremony is almost over.

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12/19

A few moments ago the International Press Academy announced the nominations for the French equivalent to the Golden Globes and here they are.

Best Film
L’Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close, Bertrand Bonello
*The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
L’exercice de l’Etat, Pierre Schoeller
Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki
Intouchables, Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache

Best Foreign Film in French
Curling, Denis Cote, Canada
Et maintenant, on va où ?, Nadine Labaki, France, Lebanon, Italy
*Incendies, Denis Villeneuve, Canada
Le gamin au vélo, Jean-Pierre et Luc Dardenne, Belgium, France, Italy
Les géants, Bouli Lanners (Belgium, Luxembourg, France

Best Director
Bertrand Bonello for L’Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Aki Kaurismäki for Le Havre
*Maïwenn for Polisse
Pierre Schoeller for L’exercice de l’Etat

Best Actress
*Bérénice Bejo in The Artist
Catherine Deneuve et Chiara Mastroianni in Les bien-aimés
Valérie Donzelli in La guerre est déclarée
Marina Fois et Karin Viard in Polisse
Clothilde Hesme in Angèle et Tony

Best Actor
Jean Dujardin in The Artist
Olivier Gourmet in L’exercice de l’Etat
JoeyStarr in Polisse
*Omar Sy in Intouchables
André Wilms in Le Havre

Best Female Newcomer
*Alice Barno in L’ Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close
*Adèle Haenel in L’Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close
Zoé Heran in Tomboy
*Céline Sallette in L’Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close
Anamaria Valtoromei in My Little Princess

Best Male Newcomer
Grégory Gadebois in Angèle et Tony
Guillaume Gouix in Jimmy Rivière
Raphaël Ferret in Présumé coupable
*Denis Menochet in Les adoptés
Mahmoud Shalaby in Les hommes libres

Awards ceremony will be on Friday, January 13, 2012 and hope to watch it live as I did last year. The nominations eventually will be at the official site in the meantime go here available only in French.

Have not seen many of these movies and there are two or three that I’m “dying” to see yet hope to be able to watch them ASAP. It’s kind of true that this year nominations resemble Cannes more than in previous years as there are only 11 of 40 nominees that don’t belong to a film screened at 2011 Cannes. I imagine that Cesar categories will look very similar to these as all the great movies plus the ones with much buzz are included in the list.

2011 Prix Louis-Delluc Award Winners

Today the most prestigious award in French cinema was announced by Gilles Jacob, jury president and pleases me to share with all that the winner is Le Havre by Aki Kaurismäki and Donoma by Djinn Carrenard, both films are extremely worth-watching. Winners are in *BLUE.

To check the news in French go here and in English go here.

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11/22

Yesterday the nominees were announced for this most prestigious French award and these are the nominated films.

Best Film
L'Apollonide (Souvenirs de maison close) (House of Tolerance) by Bertrand Bonello
L'Exercice de l'Etat (The Minister) by Pierre Schoeller
La Guerre est déclarée (Declaration of War) by Valérie Donzelli
*Le Havre by Aki Kaurismäki
Hors Satan (Outside Satan) by Bruno Dumont
Les Neiges by Kilimandjaro by Robert Guédiguian
Pater by Alain Cavalier
The Artist by Michel Hazanavicius
Tomboy by Céline Sciamma

Best First Film
17 filles (17 Girls) by Muriel Coulin and Delphine Coulin
*Donoma by Djinn Carrenard (WOW! Movie budget: Euros 150 … have to see this! Very curious about film check this)
Jimmy Rivière by Teddy Lussi-Modeste
Mafrouza (5 films) by Emmanuelle Demoris
Nous, Princesse de Clèves by Régis Sauder

I’m so happy as have seen many, not all but many of the films; still there are some, like Aki’s film that I’m really “dying” to see and hopefully will be the great winner this year but I know that Pater, Les Neiges du Kilimandjaro and The Artist are also great contenders. As we realize in the best film category all –except one- films come from Cannes; the exception is Céline Sciamma’s Tomboy that is a very interesting film but in my opinion not as good as her extraordinary Naissance des pieuvres that won the Prix Louis Delluc for first film in 2007.

Awards ceremony will be in Paris on December 16. To check the news at allocine go here; for English go here.

24th European Film Awards Winners

Today awards ceremony live streaming was not flawless like last year as honestly, was truly awful probably due to a bad server that wasn't enough for the demand; still had to watch live and so I did. Winners are in *BLUE. To check the award winners at official site go here.

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05/11

Today at the Seville European Film Festival the European Film Academy announced the nominations and in my opinion is one very good films selection that surely will make the more than 2,500 EFA members work not easy as how can you chose one movie from the six nominated for best film? Here are the nominations.

Best European Film
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius, France
Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike), Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium, France and Italy
Haeven (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark
The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, UK
Le Havre, Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, France and Germany
*Melancholia, Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany

European Director
*Susanne Bier for Haeven (In a Better World), Denmark
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Le Gamin au Velo (the Kid with a Bike), Belgium, France and Italy
Aki Kaurismäki for Le Havre, Finland, France and Germany
Béla Tarr for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse),
Lars von Trier for Melancholia, Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany

European Actress
Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia
Cécile de France in Le Gamin au Velo (The Kid with a Bike)
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Melancholia
Nadezhda Markina in Elena
*Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin

European Actor
Jean Dujardin in The Artist
*Colin Firth in The King’s Speech
Mikael Persbrandt in Haeven (In a Better World)
Michel Piccoli in Habemus Papam
André Wilms in Le Havre

European Cinematographer
*Manuel Alberto Claro for Melancholia
Fred Kelemen for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse)
Guillaume Schiffman for The Artist
Adam Sikora for Essential Killing

European Screenwriter
*Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne for Le Gamin au Velo(the Kid with a Bike)
Anders Thomas Jensen for Haeven (In a Better World)
Aki Kaurismäki for Le Havre
Lars von Trier for Melancholia

European Composer
*Ludovic Bource for The Artist
Alexandre Desplat for The King’s Speech
Alberto Iglesias for La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
Mihály Vig for A Torino Lo (The Turin Horse)

European Editor
*Tariq Anwar for The King’s Speech
Mathilde Bonnefoy for Drei (Three)
Molly Malene Stensgaard for Melancholia

European Production Designer
Paola Bizzarri for Habemus Papam
Antxón Gómez for La Piel Que Habito (The Skin I Live In)
*Jette Lehmann for Melancholia

European Documentary
*Pina, Wim Wenders, Germany
Stand van de Sterren (Position Among the Stars), Leonard Retel Helmrich, Netherlands
¡Vivan las Antipodas!, Victor Kossakovsky, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina and Chile

European Animated Feature Film
Le Chat du Rabbin (The Rabbi’s Cat), Antoine Delesvaux and Joann Sfar, France
*Chico and Rita, Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba, Spain and Isle of Man
Une Vie de Chat (A Cat in Paris), Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, France and Belgium

European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI
*Adem (Oxygen), Hans Van Nuffel, Belgium and Netherlands
Atmen (Breathing), Karl Markovics, Austria
Michael, Markus Schleinzer, Austria
Smukke Menesker (Nothing’s All Bad), Mikkel Munch-Fals, Denmark
Tilva Ros, Nikola Ležaić, Serbia

To check the nominated shorts go here  or here. Awards ceremony will be on December 3 in Berlin. As in previous years ceremony will be streamed live in the awards site that you can find here.

I do like the selection a lot more than last year but still believe that Academy members like “American-style” films more than what I imagined as Melancholia is the most mainstream (American) movie that Lars von Trier has ever done –according to what he said and me, I absolutely agree with him. Is not a bad movie but definitively Melancholia is far-away from The Antichrist for example. Since I’m talking about this movie have to say that I don’t agree with Cannes as I believe Charlotte Gainsbourg performance –and movie segment/story- is superior to Kirsten Dunst, so hopefully the record could be straighten by the European Academy. But won’t be an easy task as the Best Actress category has very good performance by Cécile de France and even if haven’t seen it yet I know that Tilda Swinton has a very good performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, so good that has strong Oscar buzz; of course I’m “dying” to watch Elena but sometimes is so hard to be able to finally watch Russian films.

But going back to the best film category, the selection is fabulous (sans Melancholia) as you have the film that won the Best Film Oscar last year as well as the film that won the Oscar in the Foreign Language category, then the film that won the Cannes Jury Prize, the film that everyone is talking about because is black and white plus silent, and the film that I’m “dying” to see by one of my favorite directors that always mesmerize me with outstanding and out-of-the-ordinary films, yep Aki. My award goes to Aki even when haven’t seen his film, that’s how loyal and enthusiast fan I am.

But when we review the director category I’m not that sure about Aki as I know that Béla Tarr is a more than amazing director and no, haven’t seen his latest oeuvre but I’m sure will be mesmerizing; the Dardenne Brothers particular realism style has always puzzled/marveled me. Hope the award stays within these three directors.

Best Actor first impulse is –of course- Colin Firth! But have to admit that I was absolutely taken by Michel Piccoli in Habemus Papam, fantastic performance that should get more accolades than the ones I’ve been hearing.

Almodovar’s film didn’t made it to the top awards but got two nominations for music and production designer, hmm he won’t be pleased! (Lol!) I have been delaying watching Essential Killing as imagine that will be the kind of film that I don’t enjoy but always wondered about the beautiful images I saw in clips plus trailer, so now that got the cinematography nomination maybe I’ll watch.

I have no doubt which film will win this year in documentary HAS TO BE the outstanding, mesmerizing and visually impressive Pina by Wim Wenders, I could give this film the BEST FILM award as to my eyes this film is a lot more than a document about dancing and Pina’s life/oeuvre … is SO well done that becomes a very complete cinematic experience that stimulate ALL your senses.

Last but not least, I’m going to watch some (if not all) of the animated films as I know that French animation is really evolving too fast –still is the best in the world- and have to see the state of their development but who could not enjoy two films about cats? Lol!

As you can see have seen many movies and there are only a few that haven’t seen but are absolutely must be seen for me and for a trio I’m really counting the days until I finally will watch them. Sigh. So we will see what happens on December when we watch the awards live as always.

Cheers!