Author: ADMIN

(Photograph credit: The Film Stage)

Abel Ferrara was one of the most celebrated American indie filmmakers of the 90s but his films are a bit “too out there”, so he preferred to went to Europe, live there, and producing his films there also.

European film festivals and critics have always been kind to Ferrara; his unique style and personal films are celebrated there as much as his better-known films like “King of New York” and “Bad Lieutenant” where he explores themes of regret, guilt, compassion and other universal things through his own philosophy, some religious symbolisms and the touch of Italian cinema.

Certainly an important voice in the world cinema, Abel Ferrara is now celebrated by Venice Film Festival with a special award, Filmiere.com reports. Ferrara previously had several films competing for the Golden Lion and “The Funeral” (1996) won two awards, while ‘Mary” (2005) won even four of them.

He’ll also screen his documentary on the making of his latest film “Siberia” and his trip to Berlin to show it to the audience with his regular actor Willem Dafoe. Ferrara always keeps himself busy and it’s great to see that. Of course, it’s also great that his terrific body of work gets recognized.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: Walt Disney Pictures)

Unfortunately, some of the big movies are re-scheduled again. It’s mostly for American release dates, so it’s still a bit unknown if Disney will use the same release policy for the international releases or not but certainly alarming. Also understandable given the current situation.

“Tenet’ is doing a fine box office but it’s unknown if it’ll be successful or not in these conditions. As for the changes; “The King’s Man” moved from this year’s September to next year’s February 26. Marvel release “The Eternals” (now just titled “Eternals”) remains in February so far.

“Nomadland” however is confirmed for December 2020 with a limited release. So the big change is mostly “The King’s Man” which is a franchise that is a priority for Disney, which inherited the series when taking over 20th Century Fox.

The adult-skewing movies have always done particularly well on both coasts. The latest installment is directed by Matthew Vaughn and is said to be a prequel.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit; European film Academy)

The European Film Academy previously announced the first wave of feature films considered for nomination as we – Filmiere.com shared with you weeks ago. Now it’s time to learn about documentary choices. Nominations will be announced on November 7 at the Seville European Film Festival and the 33rd European Films Awards is set to take place on December 12 in Reykavik, Iceland. Here are the documentaries that will be eligible for the nominations. You can start watching them if they’re available and can make up your minds:
Acasă, My Home (Dir. Radu Ciorniciuc)

Collective (Dir. Alexander Nanau)

I Am Not Alone (Dir. Garin Hovannisian)

Little Girl (Dir. Sébastien Lifshitz)

Once More Unto The Breach (Dirs. Federico Ferrone, Michele Manzolini)

Saudi Runaway (Dir. Susanne Regina Measures)

Self Portrait (Dirs. Margreth Olin, Katja Hogset, Espen Wallin)

State Funeral (Dir. Sergei Loznitsa)

The Cave (Dir. Feras Fayyad)

The Earth Is Blue As An Orange (Dir. Iryna Tsilyk)

The Euphoria Of Being (Dir. Réka Szabó)

They Call Me Babu (Dir. Sandra Beerends)

Walchensee Forever (Dir. Janna Ji Wonders)

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: Awards Circuit)

Legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich is an absolute cinema treasure. He’s made masterpieces such as “Paper Moon”, “The Last Picture Show”, “Targets” and “What’s Up Doc?”, he wrote scripts, produced them, mentored directors like Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, hosted TV shows on cinema, he had been a film critic, film journalist, wrote many books as a film historian and tried his best to keep Golden Age of Hollywood alive.

This year TCM dedicated a podcast to him called “Plot Thickens” where he talked about his remarkable career, personal life, and tragedies, his friendships with fellow filmmakers and actors. Due to quarantine many public events are postponed but TCM did something interesting; they were supposed to hold a virtual conversation, similar to some kind of public event with Bogdanovich.

Filmiere.com unfortunately reports that the conversation was postponed. It’d be interesting to see how they were going to making it happen but hopefully, we’ll soon find out.  We hope it has nothing to do with Mr. Bogdanovich’s health and he’ll keep on sharing his stories on Old Hollywood and go on to work on new film projects.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: A24/Apple)

It seemed Sofia Coppola’s “On the Rocks’ was going to skip all festivals which were slightly alarming given her being festival darling in general but no need to worry, New York Film Festival announced new additions and Sofia’s film “On the Rocks” starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones will be there.

Not just her, Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar’s first English-language “Human Voice” stars Tilda Swinton in an adaptation of a play by Jean Cocteau. Another work that should make cinephiles excited must be the documentary “Hopper/Welles” which is a film newly unearthed by Welles that records an extraordinary poolside chat between Welles and actor Dennis Hopper as recorded in 1970.

The same producers that helped restore and complete Welles’ “The Other Side of the Wind,” producer Filip Jan Rymsza and editor Bob Murawski, helped do the same for “Hopper/Welles.” That’s great that after all those years Orson Welles still goes on to bless the cinephiles with his genius, both as a person and as a director.

Filmiere.com previously reported that Spike Lee’s David Byrne concert film will open Toronto and it will appear here as well. Spike seemingly has two hits on his hands this year.

Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: 20^th Century Fox)

William Friedkin had been a force on cinema for decades and Filmiere.com gladly reports that he’s going to get another lifetime achievement award, this time from Germany.

The German independent festival Oldenburg will hold a retrospective and they said Freidkin’s career has always “remained on the threshold between independent film and blockbuster cinema,” making him an ideal candidate for the German festival, which prides itself on maintaining the exact same balance between audience and art-house appeal.

Indeed, Friedkin had started with rather small films with “The Birthday Party” and “The Boys in the Band”, both acclaimed and unusual works of their time. He later hit it big with “The French Connection” and ‘The Exorcist”, two films that are considered among the best movies of all time.

His following films “Sorcerer”, “Cruising” and “To Live and Die in L.A.” were not necessarily instant successes but they gained a large cult following and praise during subsequent years. Friedkin recently went to his arthouse independent roots with “Bug” and “Killer Joe”, both controversial but acclaimed movies.

He also had other small-scale projects through his career like the Emmy-nominated TV version of “12 Angry Men”. We wish good health to Friedkin and more awards to come.

Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: IFC Films)

Cristi Puiu out, Matt Dillon in. Filmiere.com reports that Cristi Puiu who has been confirmed to be on Venice International Jury a month ago is no longer there. Probably because of travel restrictions or some other thing. Instead, he’s just replaced by Matt Dillon. Dillon spends a lot of his time in Italy as his girlfriend is from there and he’s not a stranger to such things since a few years ago he was the head of the Rome Film Festival jury. Dillon continues his streak on being a European arthouse favorite; he recently starred in Alice Winecour’s “Proxima”, Lars Von Trier’s “House That Jack Built” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ short film “Proxima”. Occasionally appears in American films also (as in recent “Capone”). Most recently, Dillon has directed a documentary that he is currently in post-production on about Cuban soul singer El Gran Fellow.‎ The following is the definitive composition of the Venezia 77 International Jury:

Cate Blanchett – President (Australia), actress

Matt Dillon (USA), actor

Veronika Franz (Austria), director and screenwriter

Joanna Hogg (Great Britain), director and screenwriter

Nicola Lagioia (Italy), writer

Christian Petzold  (Germany), director and screenwriter

Ludivine Sagnier (France), actress

Mensur Zeinal

(photograph credit: The Playlist)

Leaked set photo shows Bradley Cooper and Paul Thomas Anderson (with his mask) filming something. Anderson is one of the most beloved directors by cinephiles, so his new film is obviously very exciting news for movie fans around the world.

Paul Thomas Anderson has begun production on his next film with the working title of “Soggy Bottom”, Filmiere.com reports.

Supposed to set in the 1970s in San Fernando Valley With it being an ensemble film following multiple storylines, we still have yet to learn the casting of the main character (or any other characters in that matter)––a high school student and successful child actor but probably soon there will be more news which we’ll share as Filmiere.com.

Rumors claim one of the girls of the band HAIM has joined the cast but it’s yet to be confirmed. It’s not unlikely as PTA often shoots their music videos. Carey Mulligan recently visiting Bradley Cooper’s house is said to be for his “Bernstein” movie but who knows? Maybe it’s for this one? We’ll look forward to the news.

Being possibly the first major production in LA since the pandemic, it’s also a sign that Hollywood is back to making movies.

Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: The Wrap)

Pedro Pascal is in talks to join Nicolas Cage in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” at Lionsgate, to play Cage’s superfan. It was reported last year that this “meta’ film is in production where Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself and is going to re-create some of the iconic moments of his career.

It seems to be a tribute to his career and also a comedy around his internet popularity.  Even though the director hasn’t done anything acclaimed, the theme will be enough to bring audiences to the film. In the movie Cage plays a character who is desperate to get a role in a new Quentin Tarantino movie.

While also dealing with a strained relationship with his teenage daughter. He also occasionally talks to an egotistical 1990s version of himself who rides him for making too many crappy movies and for not being a star anymore.

Filmiere.com reports that the film will go into production in this fall and Pascal Mexican billionaire who happens to be a fan of the actor’s work and secretly hopes to show him a script on which he’s been working.

While he bonds with the man, Cage is informed by the CIA that the billionaire is actually a drug cartel kingpin who has kidnapped the daughter of a Mexican presidential nominee, and Cage is subsequently recruited by the U.S. government to get intelligence.

Credit: Mensur Zeinal

(Photograph credit: Deadline/Sarajevo Film Festival)

Bosnia’s Sarajevo Film Festival was supposed to be the first film festival to behold on a physical level after the COVID-19 breakout but at the last minute, due to rising cases in Bosnia, they had to change their mind and hold the festival online.

A jury led by Hungarian director Michel Hazanavicius and featuring director Carlo Chatrian, actress Jadranka Đokić, director Srdan Golubović, and the Morelia Film Festival’s Andrea Stavenhagen, awarded the festival’s top prize to Visar Morina’s Exile.

Best Director Award went to Ru Hasanov for “The Island” and the Best Actress went to Marija Skarcic for “Mare”, Best Actor to Vangelis Mourikis for “Digger”. Honorary Heart Awards went to Mexican director Michel Franco whose new film will be in Venice Film Festival and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen who cinephiles love for many films for decades.

Filmiere.com hopes to report your festival news that is held at the physical level but with full safety around the world soon.

Mensur Zeinal