Dear Chinese and European friends alike,
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the First European Union Film Festival in ChinaOur motto in the EU is "United in Diversity" and this festival is a wonderful example of hard work and cooperation with all our 27 member states. Indeed we plan to build on this success to produce an annual event for the Chinese audience with the newest, the best and the most exciting films the European Union has to offer. European cinema is like a Chinese banquet: many dishes with distinct flavours and colours to please every palette. I hope that you will like the delicious menu we will serve up for you!
Serge Abou (on the right in the photo)
EU Ambassador
Événement marquant de la Présidence française de l’UE en Chine, le premier Festival du film européen vise à célébrer l’Union Européenne dans sa diversité, et à présenter les 27 cultures et sociétés qui la constituent. L’Union européenne accorde en effet une grande importance à l’expression de la diversité culturelle en Europe et partout dans le monde. C’est pourquoi elle apporte un soutien actif au cinéma européen et aux échanges avec les cinéastes d’autres pays. Je souhaite un grand succès à ce festival, qui contribuera, je l’espère, à faire apprécier le cinéma européen au public chinois, autant que le cinéma chinois l’est en Europe. Je remercie la Délégation de la Commission européenne et les Ambassades des pays de l’Union européenne en Chine de leur forte implication dans l’organisation de cet événement.
Hervé Ladsous (on the left in the photo)
Ambassadeur de France
1. Title: Dot.com
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Monday December 1
Country: Portugal
Director: Luís Galvão Teles
Cast: Isabel Abreu, João Tempera, Marco Delgado, María Adánez
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 103 min
Year: 2007
Language: Portuguese
Awards: Audience Award at the Coimbra Caminhos do Cinema Português (2008)
Synopsis: A small village in Portugal, Águas-Altas, is being sued by a Spanish multinational corporation because the village hosts a website that uses the same name as an international brand of mineral water. A judicial battle for website begins, that quickly turned in to a media circus. Thus the residents of this small village, who are not even sure what the internet is, are forced defend their website and their villages honor.
2. Title: Matti (English title: Matti: Hell Is for Heroes)
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Tuesday December 3
Country: Finland
Director: Aleksi Mäkelä
Cast: Jasper Pääkkönen, Peter Franzén
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 130 min
Year: 2006
Language: Finnish
Awards: Nominated for the Best Actress (Elina Knihtilä) / Best Costume Design at the Jussi Awards (2007)
Synopsis: A fictionalized tragicomedy about the unreal life of a real person. Matti is a man who loves ski-jumping so much that he rises to the top of his game and becomes the best in the world. As a ski-jumper, Matti Nykänen won everything possible during his career. In The other side, the hero emerged into public view in all of its vulgarity: an alcohol dependency, repeated marital problems, petty crime and uncontrolled acts of violence… The movie cruises back and forth in time from the mid-eighties to present day, to show a life about an athlete and a hell-raiser. “Life is the best time for a man” (Matti Nykänen)
3. Title: Leo
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)
Time: 7pm, Thursday December 4
Country: Sweden
Director: Josef Fares
Cast: Josef Fares, Shahab Salehi, Leonard Terfelt
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 78 min
Year: 2007
Language: Swedish
Awards: Nominated for the Best Actor (Leonard Terfelt) / Best Direction / Best Film at the Guldbagge Awards (2008)
Synopsis: Leo and his girlfriend Amanda were on their way home from his thirtieth birthday party when they were violently attacked by two strangers. While Leo managed to escape relatively free from harm, Amanda was shot during the course of the altercation and died in the hospital shortly thereafter. Subsequently feeling completely powerless and unable to deal with the profound loss, Leo proves incapable of preventing his grief from morphing into something far more insidious. Though his friends do their best to try and steer him off of this self-destructive path, nothing they can say proves helpful in slowing his heart-rending cycle of hate and despair.
4. Title: Shivachki (English title: Seamstresses)
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)~
Time: 7pm, Friday December 5
Country: Bulgaria
Director: Lyudmil Todorov
Cast: Alexandra Surchadzhieva, Elen Koleva, Violeta Markovska
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 87 min
Year: 2007
Language: Bulgarian
Awards: 1) Best director / Best script / Best cinematography / Best actress (Elen Koleva) / Best film at the Annual National Film Center’s Awards (2007), 2) Best director / Best script / Best music at the Film Union Annual Awards (2007), 3) FIPRESCI Award at the 12th Sofia International Film Festival (2008)
Synopsis: Three young girls try to flee from the unemployment in their own city: they arrive in the capital city of Sofia to look for a job and a better future. The three of them try to survive, fighting a hostile reality which threatens to break their innocent and bright ideas of life, imposing on them its vicious morality. One of the girls does break and becomes the love-toy of a pimp. Prompted by her betrayal, the second one gets involved into a love triangle and attempts suicide. The third girl puts up a struggle for her closest friends’ redemption. A story of love, friendship and courage.
5. Title: Roming
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)
Time: 5pm, Saturday December 6
Country: Czech Republic
Director: Jiriho Vejdelka
Cast: Bolek Polívka, Marián Labuda
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 108 min
Year: 2007
Language: Czech
Awards: Nominated for the Czech Lion for the Best Supporting Actor (Bolek Polívka) at the Czech Lions (2008)
Synopsis: Jura is a smart university student who has to leave the city life and his beautiful girlfriend to visit his dad. When Jura gets home, he finds his dad Roman hasn’t been paying the bills, is still drinking and has decided to write an epic tale about a Gypsy King. As if his relationship with his father wasn’t strained enough, Jura also finds out that his father had arranged a marriage for him when he was a child. Roman explains that his friend’s daughter has just turned eighteen so he’d like to take Jura on a trip to go meet her. Jura of course thinks this is ridiculous, but eventually agrees to go (after all, his girlfriend is out of town). Thus their road trip begins and the journey begins to resemble that of Roman’s story. Just as the Gypsy King searches for the lost Gypsy fire, Roman seeks to awaken the family’s rich heritage with in his son Jura.
6. Title: Te doy mis ojos (English title: Take My Eyes)
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)
Time: 7pm, Saturday December 6
Country: Spain
Director: Icíar Bollaín
Cast: Laia Marull, Luis Tosar
Genre: Drama, Romance
Runtime: 109 min
Year: 2003
Language: Spanish
Awards: 1) Best Director, Best Performance in a Leading Role (Laia Marull) at the ADIRCAE Awards (2004), 2) Nominated for the Silver Condor - Best Foreign Film, Spanish Language at the Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards (2005), 3) Nominated for the Silver Ariel - Best Latin-American Film at the Ariel Awards, Mexico (2005), 4) Nominated for the Best Non-American Film at the Bodil Awards (2005), 5) Nominated for the Best Catalan Film Actress (Laia Marull) at the Butaca Awards (2004), 6) Golden India Catalina for the Best Actor (Luis Tosar) and nominated for the Best Film at the Cartagena Film Festival (2005), 7) CEC Award for the Best Actor (Luis Tosar) / Best Actress (Laia Marull) / Best Director / Best Film / Best Original Score / Best Screenplay, Original and nominated for the Best Cinematography / Best Editing / Best Supporting Actress (Candela Peña) at the Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain (2004), 8) Golden Swan for the Best Actor (Luis Tosar) at the Copenhagen International Film Festival (2004), 9) Audience Award for the Best Feature Film / Grand Prix at the Créteil International Women's Film Festival (2004), 10) Nominated for the Audience Award for the Best Actress (Laia Marull) / Best Director / Best Composer at the European Film Awards (2004), 11) Best Film / Best Movie Actor (Luis Tosar) / Best Movie Actress (Laia Marull) at the Fotogramas de Plata (2004), 12) Goya for the Best Director, Best Film / Best Lead Actor (Luis Tosar) / Best Lead Actress (Laia Marull) / Best Screenplay - Original / Best Sound / Best Supporting Actress (Candela Peña) and nominated for the goya of Best Editing / Best New Actress (Elisabet Gelabert) at the Goya Awards (2004), 13) Mayahuel Award for the Best Film - Ibero-American Jury at the Guadalajara Mexican Film Festival (2004), 14) La Navaja de Buñuel" Award at the Iberoamerican Short Film Competition (2004), 15) Film Award for the Best Actress (Candela Peña) / Best Spanish Film at the Ondas Awards (2003), 16) Nominated for the Cinema - Best Actress (Laia Marull) / Cinema - Best Supporting Actress (Candela Peña) at the Premios ACE (2005), 17) CEC Award for Best Film / SIGNIS Award - Special Mention / Silver Seashell for Best Actor (Luis Tosar) / Best Actress (Laia Marull) and nominated for the Golden Seashell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival (2003), 18) Audience Award for the Best Spanish Film / Best Spanish Actress (Laia Marull) at the Sant Jordi Awards (2004), 19) Golden Space Needle Award for the Best Actor (Luis Tosar) at the Seattle International Film Festival (2004), 20) Film: Lead Performance, Female (Laia Marull) / Film: Lead Performance, Male (Luis Tosar) / Film: Supporting Performance, Female (Candela Peña) at the Spanish Actors Union (2004), 21) Nominated for the Best Score at the Spanish Music Awards (2004), 22) Audience Award for the Best Spanish Film / Best Actor (Luis Tosar) / Best Actress (Laia Marull) at the Turia Awards (2004)
Synopsis: One winter night, Pilar runs away from home. With her, she takes only a few belongings and her son, Juan. Antonio soon sets out to look for her. He says Pilar is his sunshine, and what's more, "She gave him her eyes"...
7. Title: La Môme (English title: La vie en rose)
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts
Time: by invitation only, Saturday December 9
Country: France
Director: Olivier Dahan
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Gérard Depardieu, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner
Genre: Drama, Biography, Music
Runtime: 140 min
Year: 2007
Language: French, English
Awards: 1) Oscar for the Best Achievement in Makeup / Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Marion Cotillard) and nominated for the Best Achievement in Costume Design at the Academy Awards, USA (2008), 2) Best Costume Design / Best Leading Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Make Up & Hair / Best Music and nominated for the Best Film Not in the English Language / Best Production Design / Best Sound at the BAFTA Awards (2008), 3) Nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival (2007), 4) BSFC Award for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards (2007), 5) Nominated for the Best Foreign Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards (2007), 6) Nominated for the Critics Choice Award for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Foreign Language Film at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2008), 7) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Cabourg Romantic Film Festival (2007), 8) Nominated for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Foreign Language Film - France/UK/Czech Republic at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (2007), 9) Nominated for the Excellence in Costume Design for Film - Period at the Costume Designers Guild Awards (2008), 10) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Music / Best Sound at the Czech Lions (2008), 11) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Cinematography / Best Costume Design / Best Production Design / Best Sound and nominated for the Best Director / Best Editing / Best French Film / Best Supporting Actor (Pascal Greggory) / Best Supporting Actress (Sylvie Testud) / Best Writing - Original at the César Awards, France (2008), 12) Nominated for the Audience Award for the Best Film / European Film Award for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Film / Prix d'Excellence at the European Film Awards (2007), 13) Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Marion Cotillard) at the Golden Globes, USA (2008), 14) Nominated for the Best Drama Poster / Best Independent Trailer at the Golden Trailer Awards (2008), 15) Nominated for the Best International Film at the Irish Film and Television Awards (2008), 16) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards (2008), 17) ALFS Award of the Actress of the Year (Marion Cotillard) at the London Critics Circle Film Awards (2008), 18) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (2007), 19) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / World Audience Award at the Lumiere Awards, France (2008), 20) Best Look (Marion Cotillard) / French Actress of the Year (Marion Cotillard) / Top of the Box Office at the NRJ Ciné Awards (2007), 21) Nominated for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) / Best Foreign Language Film at the Online Film Critics Society Awards (2008), 22) Breakthrough Performance Award (Marion Cotillard) at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (2008), 23) Audience Award for the Best Feature Film at the Philadelphia Film Festival (2007), 24) Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama (Marion Cotillard) and nominated for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Drama (Emmanuelle Seigner) / Best Costume Design / Best Director / Best Film Editing / Best Motion Picture / Foreign Film - France / Best Sound (Mixing & Editing) at the Satellite Awards (2007), 25) Nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Marion Cotillard) at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008), 26) Golden Space Needle Award for the Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Seattle International Film Festival (2007), 27) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle (2008), 28) Best Actress (Marion Cotillard) at the Étoiles d'Or (2008)
Synopsis: From the streets of the cutthroat Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most glamorous concert halls, Edith Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in abject poverty, surrounded by hookers and pimps, Edith's magical voice made her a star on both sides of the Atlantic. Her passionate romances and friendships with some of the greatest names of the period - Yves Montand, Jean Cocteau, Charles Aznavour, Marlene Dietrich and boxing world champion Marcel Cerdan - made her a household name, as did her memorable live performances and beautiful renditions of songs that were listened to by audiences across the globe: La Vie en Rose, Hymn To Love, Non Je ne regrette rien and many more. But, despite her determination to deny her tragic destiny, the "Little Sparrow" as she was known, flew so high that she could not fail to burn her wings.
8. Title: Meli kai krasi (English title: Honey and Wine)
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)
Time: 5pm, Sunday December 7
Country: Cyprus
Director: Marinos Kartikkis
Cast: Androula Eracleous, Elena Demetriou, Alex Michael, Armen Meserlian
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 76 min
Year: 2006
Language: Greek
Synopsis: Eleni lives alone, haunted by memories of the past. Her life is a routine until she witnesses a quarrel between a young couple in the house across the street. One afternoon, Eleni receives an unexpected visit by Rea, the young woman from the house across the street. She has locked herself out of the house and asks Eleni to use her phone in order to call a locksmith. And so begins a relationship between the two women with unforeseen consequences for both of them.
9. Title: Rigas sargi (English title: Defenders of Riga)
Location: Instituto Cervantes (Institut Cervantes)
Time: 7pm, Sunday December 7
Country: Latvia
Director: Aigars Grauba
Cast: Janis Reinis, Elita Klavina, Girts Krumins, Romualds Ancans
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Runtime: 118 min
Year: 2007
Language: Latvian, German, Russian, French, English
Awards: considered for the nomination of the Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards (2009)
Synopsis: The First World War has ended. After many years spent fighting in foreign lands, Martin returns home to Latvia, where his fiancée, Elza, is waiting. He has no idea that the decisive battle – both for Elza’s heart and for the newly established Latvian state – is still ahead of him. The German forces, led by the Russian general Pavel Bermondt, are getting ready to capture Riga, and it seems that Latvia’s only hope against the Germans is the support of the allies. But Martin is ready to fight and protect his home, with nothing more than a handful of courageous comrades.
10. Title: Utek do budina (English title: Escape to Budapest)
Location: Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Institut of Cutlure)
Time: 7pm, Monday December 8
Country: Slovakia
Director: Miloslav Luther
Cast: Lenka Vlasáková, Ondrej Sokol, Bolek Polívka
Genre: Drama, romance
Runtime: 138 min
Year: 2002
Language: Slovak
Synopsis: An intriguing film set in in the early 1920s. It explores the trials and tribulations of two families who live in Prague and Budapest, after the first world war. The son of a once grand Hungarian family meets the daughter of a Czech family and their passionate relationship sours as they deal with the hardships of the time, and the tensions and resentments between the various ethnic groups- Czechs, Slovaks and Hungarians. After enduring considerable disappointment and sadness in her new life, the Czech girl finds some peace and hope for the future with her father-in-law.
11. Title: The Last King of Scotland
Location: Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Institut of Cutlure)
Time: 7pm, Tuesday December 9
Country: United Kingdom
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Cast: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson
Genre: Drama, thriller
Runtime: 121 min
Year: 2006
Language: English, French, German, Swahili
Awards: 1) Oscar for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Forest Whitaker) at the Academy Awards, USA (2007), 2) Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film / Best Actor in a Leading Role (Forest Whitaker) / Best Screenplay - Adapted and nominated for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James McAvoy) / Best Film at the BAFTA Awards (2007), 3) Best Actor (James McAvoy) / Best Film / Best Screenplay at the BAFTA Awards, Scotland (2007), 4) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) and nominated for the Best Supporting Actress (Kerry Washington) at the Black Reel Awards (2007), 5) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards (2006), 6) Best Director (Kevin Macdonald) / Best Technical Achievement and nominated for Best Actor (James McAvoy) / Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) / Best British Independent Film / Best Screenplay at the British Independent Film Awards (2006), 7) Critics Choice Award for the Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2007), 8) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (2006), 9) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards (2006), 10) Nominated for the Audience Award for the Best Film / Best Actor (James McAvoy) / Best Cinematographer / Best Composer / Best Director / Best Film at the European Film Awards (2007), 11) Best Screenplay / Best Technical Achievement) at the Evening Standard British Film Awards (2007), 12) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Florida Film Critics Circle Awards (2006), 13) Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (Forest Whitaker) at the Golden Globes, USA (2007), 14) Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Forest Whitaker) and nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Kerry Washington) at the Image Awards (2007), 15) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards (2007), 16) Sierra Award for the Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards (2006), 17) ALFS Award for the Actor of the Year (Forest Whitaker) and nominated for the ALFS Award for the British Actor of the Year (James McAvoy) / British Director of the Year / British Film of the Year / British Producer of the Year) at the London Critics Circle Film Awards (2007), 18) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (2006), 19) Nominated for the Golden Reel Award of the Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film: Dialogue and Automated Dialogue Replacement) at the Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA (2007), 20) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the National Board of Review, USA (2006), 21) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA (2007), 22) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards (2006), 23) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Online Film Critics Society Awards (2007), 24) Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Forest Whitaker) at the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards (2006), 25) Riviera Award (Forest Whitaker) at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2007), 26) Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama (Forest Whitaker) and nominated for the Best Motion Picture, Drama at the Satellite Awards (2006), 27) Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Forest Whitaker) at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (2007), 28) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards (2006), 29) Best Cinematography at the Stockholm Film Festival (2006), 30) Nominated for the USC Scripter Award at the USC Scripter Award (2007), 31) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle (2007), 32) Best Actor (Forest Whitaker) at the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards (2006)
Synopsis: In the early 1970s, Nicholas Garrigan, a young semi-idealistic Scottish doctor, comes to Uganda to assist in a rural hospital. Once there, he soon meets up with the new President, Idi Amin, who promises a golden age for the African nation. Garrigan hits it off immediately with the rabid Scotland fan, who soon offers him a senior position in the national health department and becomes one of Amin's closest advisers. However as the years pass, Garrigan cannot help but notice Amin's increasingly erratic behavior that grows beyond a legitimate fear of assassination into a murderous insanity that is driving Uganda into bloody ruin. Realizing his dire situation with the lunatic leader unwilling to let him go home, Garrigan must make some crucial decisions that could mean his death if the despot finds out.
12. Title: Röövlirahnu Martin (English title: Matt the Cat)
Location: Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Institut of Cutlure)
Time: 7pm, Wednesday December 10
Country: Estonia
Director: René Vilbre
Cast: Madis Ollikainen, Kadi Sink, Andry Zagars, Ott Sepp
Genre: Comedy, All public
Runtime: 75 min
Year: 2005
Language: Estonian
Awards: Children's Film Prize of the Nordic Film Institutes at the Lübeck Nordic Film Days (2005)
Synopsis: Every child dreams of a true friend to have fun and to share the greatest secrets with. Martin is a real nuisance at school, being always guilty of any trouble, even if provoked by somebody else, for instance arrogant Kevin. Nevertheless, one thing is common to both of them – both Martin and Kevin fancy their schoolfellow Marta. Kevin takes advantage of having the reputation of being a “bad guy” whom girls always seem to fancy - he has the coolest sneakers and drives a motoroller. Besides, the school headmaster is constantly on Kevin’s side, not Martin’s. And last but not least - Marta has fallen for Kevin. Martin feels depressed – his marks are not good which makes his mother unhappy, and Marta seems out of his reach. The moment is perfectly ripe for the appearance of the magical cat. Magical cat is actually a boy wearing whiskers and a tail, but who seems as a regular cat to all other people. Only Martin can talk to him like to a human being – a boy and a cat in one being does not seem odd to Martin at all. Together they seek justice but first magical cat’s tricks bear no fruit. Luck turns only when Kevin decides to get even with Martin, leaving the cat in a boat on a stormy lake – soon it is clear whom Marta really likes. At the same time the headmaster changes his mind, accidentally meeting Martin’s mother and falling in love with her. Justice seems to prevail at last. Only the magical cat remains a mystery – is he really Martin’s magical friend or just a fantasy?
13. Title: Le conseguenze dell'amore (English title: The Consequences of Love)
Location: Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Institut of Cutlure)
Time: 7pm, Thursday December 11
Country: Italy
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Cast: Toni Servillo, Olivia Magnani
Genre: Drama, Romance
Runtime: 100 min
Year: 2004
Language: Italian
Awards: 1) Nominated for the Golden Kinnaree Award of the Best Film at the Bangkok International Film Festival (2006), 2) Nominated for the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival (2004), 3) Best Actor (Toni Servillo) / Best Cinematography / Best Director / Best Film / Best Screenplay and nominated for the Best Editing / Best Music / Best Produce / Best Sound / Best Supporting Actor (Raffaele Pisu) at the David di Donatello Awards (2005), 4) Nominated for the Audience Award for the Best Actor (Toni Servillo) / Best Director at the European Film Awards (2005), 5) Silver Ribbon for the Best Actor (Toni Servillo) / Best Cinematography / Best Supporting Actor (Raffaele Pisu) and nominated for the Silver Ribbon for the Best Director / Best Editing / Best Original Story / Best Producer / Best Score at the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (2005)
Synopsis: Titta di Girolamo apparently has a regular and tedious life with nothing strange a part from his own name (as he uses to say). He lives in a Hotel in Lugano (Switzerland) since almost ten years, spending his days waiting for something we don't know. His life is too rigid, too detached following a flat routine. Titta ignore everyone and probably he has no emotions at all. Basically there is no story. But one day he decided, breaking all his personal rules, to exchange some words with Sofia, the hotel's barmaid. Incredibly all the situation change, emotions, love, mafia, death come back violently into Titta's life.
14. Title: Nuits d’Arabie
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts
Time: 4pm, Friday December 12
Country: Luxembourg
Director: Paul Kieffer
Cast: Jules Werner, Sabrina Ouazani
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 110 min
Year: 2007
Language: French, Letzebuergesh, Arabic
Awards: considered for the nomination of the Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards (2009)
Synopsis: When ticket inspector Georges Turmes first meets Yamina Ben Khouri on the train between Luxembourg City and Bettembourg, she is just another passenger. When he sees her again in the same train, she is trying to hide in the train toilet, severely beaten up, blood all over face. Georges offers her help, and she accepts, reluctantly – and both their lives will change forever.
15. Title: Fehér tenyér (English title: White Palms)
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts~
Time: 2pm, Saturday December 13
Country: Hungary
Director: Szabolcs Hajdu
Cast: Zoltán Miklós Hajdu, Kyle Shewfelt, Gheorghe Dinica
Genre: Drama, sport
Runtime: 97 min
Year: 2006
Language: Russian, English, Hungarian
Awards: 1) East of West Award - Special Mention at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2006), 2) Czech Ministry of Culture Award at the Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth (2007)
Synopsis: Having suffered as a boy under a brutal Communist-era coach, champion Hungarian gymnast Miklos moves to Canada years later in search of a new start - only to find himself unwittingly perpetuating the very same cycle of abuse among his own pupils. Redemption appears in the unlikely form of Kyle, a troubled, young Canadian teen with the potential to become a world champion. The friendship and rivalry between teacher and student - each played by actual gymnasts (one, Kyle Shewfelt, an Olympic medalist) - forms the basis of this gripping, resonant sports drama.
16. Title: Vier minuten (English title: Four minutes)
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts~
Time: 4pm, Saturday December 13
Country: Germany
Director: Chris Kraus
Cast: Monica Bleibtreu, Hannah Herzsprung
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 112 min
Year: 2006
Language: German
Awards: 1) Bavarian Film Award for the Best Actress (Monica Bleibtreu) / Best Screenplay / Best Young Actress (Hannah Herzsprung) / VGF Award at the Bavarian Film Awards (2007), 2) Audience Award / Grand Prize at the Biberach Film Festival (2006), 3) Nominated for the Golden Frog at Camerimage (2006), 4) Audience Award at the Dublin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (2007), 5) Nominated for the Prix d'Excellence at the European Film Awards (2007), 6) Nominated for the Editing Award at the Film+ (2007), 7) German Camera Award - Outstanding Editing at the German Camera Award (2007), 8) Film Award in Gold - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Monica Bleibtreu) / Outstanding Feature Film and nominated for Best Cinematography / Best Direction / Best Editing / Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Hannah Herzsprung) / Best Screenplaym Best Sound at the German Film Awards (2007), 9) Audience Award - Best Film at the Hamptons International Film Festival (2007), 10) Production Design Award at the Hof International Film Festival (2006), 11) New Faces Award (Hannah Herzsprung) at the New Faces Awards (2007), 12) Audience Award - Best Feature at the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (2007), 13) Young Jury Prize at the Sarlat International Cinema Festival (2007), 14) Golden Space Needle Award for the Best Debut Perfomance (Hannah Herzsprung) at the Seattle International Film Festival (2007), 15) Golden Goblet for the Best Film at Shanghai International Film Festival (2006), 16) Best Director, FIPRESCI Prize at the Sofia International Film Festival(2007), 17) Undine Award for the Best Young Actress (Hannah Herzsprung) at the Undine Awards, Austria, 18) Audience Award at the Würzburg International Filmweekend (2007)
Synopsis: Jenny is young but her life is over. She has been locked up in a women's prison for killing someone, and she would do it again. Buried beneath her impenetrable facade, however, Jenny has an invaluable musical talent. When a 80-year-old piano teacher Traude Krueger discovers the girl's terrible secret, her raging brutality and her dreams, she makes it her mission to retransform Jenny into the musical wunderkind she once was.
17. Title: Man zkt vrouw (English title: A perfect match)
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts
Time: 2pm, Sunday December 14
Country: Belgium
Director: Miel Van Hoogenbemt
Cast: Jan Decleir, Wim Opbrouck, Maria Popistasu
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Runtime: 107 min
Year: 2007
Language: Dutch
Awards: Golden Reel Award for the Best Actor (Jan Decleir) at the Tiburon International Film Festival (2008)
Synopsis: On the day of his forced retirement, a grumpy school principal decides to look for a wife on the Internet. Its not love he is after, merely companionship. He meets scores of women but cant seem to make up his mind. Until his new housekeeper arrives. She is almost forty years younger than him and a total disaster at housekeeping. For the first time in what seems a lifetime, he falls totally and desperately in love.
18. Title: Langer licht (English title: Northern Light)
Location: Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts
Time: 4pm, Sunday December 14
Country: Netherlands
Director: David Lammers
Cast: Dai Carter, Raymond Thiry
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 85 min
Year: 2006
Language: Dutch
Awards: 1) Nominated for the Dutch Film Critics Award / Golden Calf for Best Actor (Raymond Thiry) / Best Director at the Nederlands Film Festival (2006), 2) Best Actor (Raymond Thiry) at the Rouen Nordic Film Festival (2007)
Synopsis: The story about a father and son, set against the background of North Amsterdam during a glorious summer. Lucien runs a boxing training centre and lives for the training of his young pupils. He talks a lot and in no uncertain words. He is quick to attack and in fact does not take contradiction kindly. Lucien is a well-know figure in North Amsterdam. A tragic accident in the past has hardened him. He believes he has failed, and he cannot live with the thought. He suppresses his sorrow; empathy and compassion only irritate him. Mitchel, Lucien’s 15years old son, is much quieter than his father and finds it less of a problem to appear vulnerable; much to his father’s annoyance. Lucien always talks about sincerity, being able to look people straight in the eye, looking ahead. It is a wall he has built around himself. Mithchel confronts his father with his behaviour during a barbecue with friends and family on the occasion of a birthday. Lucien blows his fuses and physically attacks Mitchel. Fully conscious of what he has done, Lucien withdraws in his boxing centre. He talks less and less, becomes introverted and everything he possessed slips through his fingers. In the meantime, Mitchel is doing ever better.He becomes independent at double speed, and no longer needs his father’s support. By facing up to what he has done, Lucien takes the first steps towards the future, and finally even dares to return to his son.
19. Title: Pandora
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Monday December 15
Country: Greece
Director: Yiorgos Stamboulopoulos
Cast: Theodora Tzimou, Yannis Stankoglou, Giannos Perlegas, Kosmas Zaharof
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 97 min
Year: 2006
Language: Greek, English
Awards: Greek Competition Award for the Best Actress (Theodora Tzimou) at the Thessaloniki Film Festival (2006)
Synopsis: Vassilis is in his sixties. As he wanders in the dilapidated house where he was brought up by Kostis – his father’s brother – his mind floods with memories of a time long-gone. Early 1950s; the aftermath of the Civil War. Vassilis’s father, Manos, was still in exile when a Greek-American woman, Pandora, descended on the village unexpectedly. Like her mythological namesake, she too wreaked havoc: Kostis fell in love with her, and in the little village community, which briefly tasted the illusion of change, mores were gradually eroded. When Manos returns from exile, Pandora woos him but he turns her down. Manos senses that Pandora is hiding something. After an accident, which many thought was murder, things take a tragic turn.
20. Title: Once
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Wednesday December 17
Country: Ireland
Director: John Carney
Cast: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Runtime: 85 min
Year: 2006
Language: English, Czech
Awards: 1) Oscar for the Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures / Original Song at the Academy Awards (2008), 2) Nominated for the Best Foreign Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards (2007), 3) Critics Choice Award - Best Song at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (2008), 4) COFCA Award - Best Score at the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (2008), 5) Best Original Score and nominated for the Best Picture / Most Promising Filmmaker / Most Promising Performer at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (2007), 6) Best Movie at the Chlotrudis Awards (2008), 7) Nominated for the Best Foreign Film at the Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain (2008), 8) Russell Smith Award at the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards (2007), 9) Special Mention at the Dinard British Film Festival (2007), 10) Audience Award at the Dublin International Film Festival (2007), 11) Nominated for the Best Soundtrack at the Empire Awards, UK (2008), 12) Most Promising Newcomer (John Carney) at the Evening Standard British Film Awards (2008), 13) Youth Jury Award at the Flanders International Film Festival (2007), 14) Best Original Song at the Florida Film Critics Circle Awards (2007), 15) Nominated for the Best Music at the Golden Trailer Awards (2008), 16) Nominated for the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture - Television or Other Visual Media / Best Song Written for Motion Picture - Television or Other Visual Media at the Grammy Awards (2008), 17) Best Foreign Film at the Independent Spirit Awards (2008), 18) Nominated for the Best Music in Film at the Irish Film and Television Awards (2007), 19) Nominated for the British Breakthrough - Filmmaking / British Film of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards (2008), 20) Grand Prize at the Mons International Festival of Love Films (2008), 21) Nominated for the Best Score / Breakthrough Filmmaker / Breakthrough Performer (Glen Hansard) at the Online Film Critics Society Awards (2008), 22) Best Original Song at the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards (2007), 23) Nominated for the Best Original Song at the Satellite Awards (2007), 24) Audience Award - World Cinema - Dramatic and nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema - Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival (2007), 25) Nominated for the World Soundtrack Award Best Original Song Written for Film at the World Soundtrack Awards (2007)
Synopsis: Glen Hansard is singing his heart out on the streets of Dublin for tip money. One day a Czech Girl, Marketa Irglova, stops to listen to Glen play his music. She is very impressed by his songs and she asks if he wrote his own music. Glen says that he writes and loves to play his own songs to himself even if the street crowd wants to hear other music. It is nice to earn tips, but that is not what his music is all about. Glen lives at home and helps his father repair vacuum cleaners, but he has a dream of becoming a recording star. His girlfriend of many years has just left him and is now living in London. You can tell what this has done to his emotions, because it is being reflected in his new songs. Marketa who happens to have a broken vacuum cleaner also has a musical background of playing the piano and writing songs. Their music brings them together and Marketa begins to help Glen realize his dream. They begin to share their music and their feeling for each other. They put together a band with other street players and rent a recording studio for the weekend to record two demos. This could be the start of a new and wonderful life.
21. Title: Welcome Home
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Friday December 19
Country: Austria
Director: Andreas Gruber
Cast: Abdul Salis, Georg Friedrich, Rainer Egger
Genre: Drama, comedy
Runtime: 98 min
Year: 2004
Language: German, English
Awards: Nominated for the Golden St. George Award at the Moscow International Film Festival (2005)
Synopsis: Yet another one of those stories we hear almost every day: refugees are picked up on a border after a dramatic chase. And then we never hear from them again. The problem appears to have been solved as usual: detention on demand and then deportation. But this time, events are completely different, for the story continues in Ghana, where suddenly everything is turned on his head. All of a sudden the balance of power between black and white is turned upside down. When the British passport of 25-year-old Isaac (Abdul Salis) is by chance found to be forged, his standing as a local soccer star and upstanding citizen is immediately cancelled. In the company of Mutt-and-Jeff Austrian cops Roesler and Samhaber (Georg Friedrich, Rainer Egger), Isaac is flown back to Ghana—even though he insists he’s not Ghanian. In a startling development, officials there reject the validity of Isaac’s deportation and confiscate the cops’ papers. Stripped of their uniforms, and thus their authority and very identities, hot-headed Roesler and mild-mannered Samhaber must rely on each other—and Isaac—to endure the long weekend prior to Monday morning’s opening of the Austrian embassy.
22. Title: Sztuczki (English title: Tricks)
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 3pm, Saturday December 20
Country: Poland
Director: Andrzej Jakimowski
Cast: Damian Ul, Ewelina Walendziak, Tomasz Sapryk
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 95 min
Year: 2007
Language: Polish, Italian
Awards: 1) FIPRESCI Prize and nominated for the Grand Prix at the Bratislava International Film Festival (2007), 2) Nominated for the Grand Prize at the Cottbus Film Festival of Young East European Cinema (2007), 3) Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Features - World Cinema Competition at the Miami Film Festival (2008), 4) Best Cinematography / Golden Lion at the Polish Film Festival (2007), 5) Special Jury Award and nominated for the International Jury Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival (2007), 6) Best Actor Award (Damian Ul) and nominated for the Tokyo Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Film Festival (2007), 7) Label Europa Cinemas / Laterna Magica Prize at the Venice Film Festival (2007)
Synopsis: Six-year-old Stefek challenges fate. He believes that the chain of events he sets in motion will help him get closer to his father who abandoned his mother. His sister Elka, 17, helps him learn how to “bribe” fate with small sacrifices. Tricks and coincidences eventually bring the father to the mother’s doorstep but things go wrong. In despair Stefek tries his good luck with the most risky of his tricks.
23. Title: Nereikalingi zmones (English title: Loss)
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 5pm, Saturday December 20
Country: Lithuania
Director: Maris Martinsons
Cast: Valda Bickute, Kostas Smoriginas, Dalia Micheleviciute, Andrius Mamontovas
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 96 min
Year: 2008
Language: Lithuanian, English
Awards: 1) Golden Goblet for Best Director / Best Music at the Shanghai International Film Festival (2008), 2) selected in São Paulo International Film Festival (end of 2008), 3) selected in Cairo International Film Festival (end of 2008), 4) considered for the nomination of the Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards (2009)
Synopsis: A priest in Ireland meets a woman from his native country Lithuania only to find out her mysterious identity is closely connected with his darkest secret from his past. Desperate for a better life, Valda arrives in Ireland penniless, but hoping to start a new life for herself and her young son, who she left behind in Lithuania. While struggling to support herself, she finds out her son has been adopted by Nora, a childless ex-wife of businessman Ben whose life is collapsing. Valda is now caught in a struggle with Ben's ex-mistress Laima and has to fight for the custody of a child who is her only hope in life… From international award-winning director Maris Martinsons comes a powerful drama - Inspired by “Six Degrees of Separation,” and Dostoevsky’s line “the tears of that one tortured child,” LOSS delves into the harsh realities of six people’s lives whose destinies are brought together after a tragic accident that happened over two decades ago.
24. Title: Instalacija ljubezni (English title: Installation of love)
Location: Centre Culturel Français (French Cultural Center)
Time: 7:30pm, Saturday December 20
Country: Sloveny
Director: Maja Weiss
Cast: Bernarda Oman, Igor Samobor, Branko Završan
Genre: Comedy, drama, romance
Runtime: 98 min
Year: 2007
Language: Slovenian
Awards: 1) Vesna of the Best Supporting Actress (Desa Muck) at the Slovene Film Festival (2007), 2) Special Mention for the Feature Competition at the Trieste Film Festival (2008)
Synopsis: Mojca, who is forty-five and desperate for love and passion, becomes an object of her ex lover's video installation. Her hunt for love becomes a wild journey for everyone involved in the film, including the crew who is shooting it.
|
