Tanghi Argentini press book
Nominated for the Academy Award£ for Best Live-Action Short Tanghi Argentini press book
SYNOPSIS
Despite the faceless and cold atmosphere at his work place, an office clerk tries to make his colleagues happy.
Instead of the classical cliché Christmas gifts, he wants to give them something real and precious. Something priceless.
Tanghi Argentini is a contemporary, heart-warming fairy tale.
Publicity: David Magdael - [email protected]
For further details and US screening dates: www.magpictures.com
World sales: Jean Charles Mille - [email protected]
Producer: Anja Daelemans, Another Dimension of an Idea – [email protected]
Tanghi Argentini press book
INTERVIEW BY GEOFFREY MACNAB
Billed as a modern fairy tale, Tanghi Argentini is about a lowly office worker who goes to strange lengths to brighten the lives of his woe-begotten co-workers. Geoffrey Macnab meets the writer, director and the producer of a film that marries Belgian phlegm with Latin passion.
Guido Thys turns up with a sack of what looks like pirate’s booty. These are the trophies Tanghi Argentini has already won on the festival circuit. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some look like bulky paperweights, others like delicate Giacometti sculptures. Thys unloads them all to show to the young writer, Geert Verbanck.
Thys and Verbanck came together in unlikely circumstances. The former was a guest tutor at a screenwriting course in Brussels. The latter was among the students. One of the tasks Thys assigned his charges was to write a screenplay for a short. That is when Verbanck came up with the idea for Tanghi Argentini. Thys read the treatment with amazement. I’m had to evaluate the scripts by the students,’ the experienced director recalls. ‘His was the one I fell in love with. I read it and I said “whoa! This is really what a short film should be”.’ Verbanck’s story was about Andre, an office worker who persuades one of his (male) bosses to give him tango lessons. Ostensibly, this is to help Andre win the love of a beautiful woman, but he has another hidden agenda.
Thys and Verbanck joined forces. Next, they needed a producer. Enter Anja Daelemans. They also needed a star. Dirk Van Dijck - an acclaimed theatre, TV and film actor who had taken a sabbatical from his profession to live in Brazil - was available. The filmmakers decided immediately he would be perfect for the role of the diminutive office worker. Verbanck says the screenplay reflects both the loneliness and the happiness he felt when he began writing. ‘I wrote it at the moment when I fell in love with the girlfriend who will be my wife,’ he recalls. The idea of using tango came to him by chance, simply because he noticed an image of a tango contest. ‘I thought that would be a fun idea to use in the story. That is how it happened. It was just a picture.’
The short was completed in the autumn of 2006. Tanghi took its first bow to some acclaim at the Ghent Festival. Since then, it has screened all over the world, often with the director or writer in attendance. Ports of call include Aspen, Clermont- Ferrand and Jackson Hole. ’People like it but they don’t say why,’ Thys reflects on its popularity. ‘It’s not a real comedy but it has humor. And it ends of a good note. Most short films end badly or very darkly, but with our film, you go out with a smile - and not thinking what a bad world we live in.’ He has Egyptians and South Koreans approach him to express their enthusiasm for the film. Verbanck, for his part, suggests that the film’s warmth and delicacy are what appeal to international audiences. ‘It is about friendship and about very human emotions.’
The film - as eventually made - tallies very closely to the first draft that the young student writer submitted to his tutor. Some small changes have been made. Some exterior scenes were cut in order to trim the budget. As producer Daelemans (founder of production outfit Another Dimension of an Idea) points out, financing shorts in Belgium remains tough. Her first move was to approach the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), who provided most of the budget. The filmmakers were determined to ensure that Tanghi had the highest production values possible.
One of the challenges was to teach the cast members how to tango together. Neither of the two male leads Van Dijck and Koen Van Impe were experienced hoofers. They spent more than three months in advance of filming rehearsing the sultry moves.
There is a perennial debate about whether short films should be seen as an art form in their own right or whether they are better-regarded as ’calling cards’ through which would-be feature directors and writers can show off their abilities. ’For me, a short is a short and a feature is a feature,’ Daelemans suggests. She argues that making a good short is often just as much a challenge as making a good feature. The downside is that shorts remain a tough sell in the marketplace, whatever their profile on the festival circuit. ‘In Belgium, we don’t have that many possibilities for shorts,’ Daelemans acknowledges. ‘We have a few short film festivals. Our national broadcasters put shorts on TV after midnight so nobody sees them.’
Thys, Verbanck and Daelemans are yet to decide whether they will work together on future projects. Daelemans is busy preparing a new short and a documentary. Thys (who works primarily on TV) hopes to make another short or possibly to make a feature. It is clear, though, that the trio would relish the chance to try to trump the success of Tanghi Argentini. ‘It is never done - a sequel to a short film. Maybe that is a good idea...’ muses Daelemans as she pulls out a bottle of champagne to share with her collaborators.
(excerpts from an interview published in FI magazine, Fall 2007) Tanghi Argentini press book
GUIDO THYS, director
Born in 1957, Guido Thys has gathered a lot of experience in various media.
In 2001, his short Mon won Best Film, the ‘Prix de la jeunesse’, at the Vendome International Film Festival (France). His latest short already won several national and international awards at key international film fests.
For television, he was involved in the making of many successful soaps and TV series in Belgium such as the medics drama Spoed, the cops series Zone Stad and the daily soaps Familie and Wittekerke, Boerenkrijg, and Affaires de famille, the French-lingo version of Familie. In Germany, he worked on Westerdeich, and in The Netherlands he was involved in the making of the kids soap Topstars.
He is also regularly asked as a director of live television broadcasts, from news programmes to major sports events. One of these live shows was De droomfabriek (translated: Dream Factory) in which dreams and wishes of ordinary viewers came true.
Tanghi Argentini press book
ANJA DAELEMANS, producer
Anja Daelemans graduated from Brussels-based RITS film academy in 1993 as a director for radio and television. However, it wouldn’t take that long before she got bitten by the producer’s virus. First as a line-producer, being involved in the production of several local features (such as both Jan Verheyen’s Everything Must Go! and Team Spirit) and shorts (The Sugar Bowl by Hilde Van Mieghem), and later as a producer. In 1996, she created her own production company, Another Dimension of an Idea.
In 2000, she started producing short films with Another Dimension of an Idea: Fait d’Hiver (Gridlock, directed by Dirk Beliën), for which she earned an Academy Award nomination, Oh my God?! (dir. by Christophe Van Rompaey) which received the Golden Mèlies Award Europe, and EX#N°1870-04 (dir. by Christophe Van Rompaey).
Her first feature film production, Alias (dir: by Jan Verheyen) was an instant box office champ: it also won the Joseph Plateau Audience Award for Belgian Film. Daelemans further also co-produced Off Screen (dir. by Pieter Kuijpers), starring two of the Benelux’s most celebrated actors: Jan Decleir and Jeroen Krabbé. In 2006 she co-produced Dennis P. (dir. by Pieter Kuijpers) and produced this gem, Guido Thys’ Tanghi Argentini, a contemporary fairy tale that in the meantime as toured around the world and has now been nominated for the Academy Award£ for Best Live-Action Short.
As line producer for TV, Daelemans worked on several prestigious drama series (Ons geluk - dir. by Frank Van Mechelen and Terug naar Oosterdonk - dir. by Frank Van Passel), on soaps and on multi- camerashows. She made commercials (for Honda, Radio Donna, Soubry, Shoe-Post, Marlboro, Citroën Xantia, Belgacom among others), and produced various video clips, management training videos and company presentations (for Mazda, Microsoft, Shop 24, Toyota, The Capital Markets Company and Keyware, for example).
Following Tanghi Argentini will be another short, FiFi, as well as a the documentary project Can Art Change the world?.
Tanghi Argentini press book
GEERT VERBANK, scriptwriter
Born in 1976, Geert Verbanck studied Mass Communication Sciences at the University of Ghent (Belgium).
After graduation, he also attended the scriptwriting workshop of the Flanders Stage and Scriptwriters Association (VVTS). When Verbanck was assigned to write a short script by way of exercise, he started to develop the idea for Tanghi Argentini. One of his tutors was Guido Thys, who immediately fell in love with the script and told the novice scriptwriter that he was interested in directing the short.
Verbanck started his professional career as a journalist and sub editor for several weekly publications. In 2005, he joined the Music Hall Group as their press officer and copywriter.
In the meantime, he got also involved in the development of a number of sitcoms such as Halleluja! for the Eén channel.
Still one detail: Verbanck also prides himself on knowing all the Academy Award£ winners by heart, from 1929 to the present. Tanghi Argentini press book
QUOTES (selection)
A triumph - not only of story, but of acting, cinematography, lighting and sound. (Aspen Times)
“One of the brightest stars of the short film sky over the past few years!” (Espoo Cine)
“Delightful!” (IndieWIRE)
“Sweetly touching!” (Worldwide Short Film Festival)
“A sublime delight!” (Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films)
"Thys has mastered so well the magnifying that the tools of filmmaking can contribute to the emotional impact of the story. The moving camera captures the gliding feel of the tango. The colors mimic Spanish art. It's an intimate connection between the storyline, and the way of telling it.” (George Eldred, program director of Aspen Shortsfest, in the Aspen Times)
“Absolutely magnificent! One can only hope that someone turns this heart-warming story into a feature” (InFocus Mag)
“A surefire crowdpleaser! It has put a tap in the toes and a smile on the faces of festival juries everywhere.” (FI Magazine)
Tanghi Argentini press book
CAST & CREDITS
DIRECTED BY GUIDO THYS
WRITTEN BY GEERT VERBANCK
PRODUCED BY ANJA DAELEMANS DRIES PHLYPO
MUSIC BY ALLAN MULLER
C A S T
ANDRE Dirk VAN DIJCK
FRANS Koen VAN IMPE
SUZANNE Hilde NORGA
ELVES Mathias SERCU
PATRICK Wannes CAPPELLE
GABY Ineke NIJSSEN
C R E W
DOP Frank VAN DEN EEDEN Focus pullers Wouter DEWILDE Jan DELLAERT Clapper-loader Bjorn CHARPENTIER
Sound Engineer Pedro VAN DER EECKEN Boom Operator Geert VLEGELS Chris DE STRYCKER
First Assistant Director Thomas DE COCK Second Assistant Director Raffaële LAMBOT
Script Continuity Jo NIJNS
Choreography www.elrumbo.be Callan CORREO & Chantal LATHUY
Best Boy Bob WOUTERS Gaffer Joost HENDERIECKX Extra Gaffers Kristof COLLIER Liv MOLDEREZ Jonathan WANNYN Rutger DE BRABANDER
Key Grip Kurt REYBROUCK Extra Key Grip Hans REYNAERTS Grip Dominique DEGAND Extra Grip Nicolas BOUCART Tim JANSSENS Julien COVENS
Art Director Johan VAN ESSCHE Set dresser Max VAN ESSCHE Prop Master Hendrik VAN KETS Construction Crew Joeri DESTRYCKER
Costume Designer Kristin VAN PASSEL Costume on set Celine ALLIX
Make up Artist Fabienne ADAM Extra Make Up Artists Marc HAEMBOUTS Extra Make up artist Ingeborg VAN EETVELDE
Production Assistant Liesbet VAES
Production Accountant Carla VAN LIERDE
Production Lawyer Bart GIJSEN
Location Manager Guy VANSLYPE Set Location Managers Inge SWINNEN Anke VAN HAVER Nils VANDEVIJVERE Nicolas BOUCKAERT Extra Location Manager Reinout VANDEPUTTE Extra Set Location Manager Tanguy LIGON
Location Hunter Hanne PHLYPO
Runner Simon ROBBRECHT
Casting Sara DE VRIES
Stills Photographer Bram DECLERCQ Kris DE WITTE
Film editor Alain DESSAUVAGE
Digital Colour Grading Peter BERNAERS Telecinema rushes Koen MAENHOUT On-line editing Arnout DEURINCK Titles Design Stijn VAN ASSCHE Mastering and compositing Bert DERUYCK
Line producers ACE Digital House Bieke DE KEERSMAEKER Caroline DAEMS
Sound Editor Frederik VAN DE MOORTEL Foley Artist Tom BUYS
Sound mixer Pedro VAN DER EECKEN
Assistant Sound Mix Pascale SCHAER
E X T R A S
ORCHESTRA Erik CLAES Freddy VAN BEEK Annemie VAN DAELE Koen VAN LEUVEN
DANSERS Peggy BOS & Stephan HAESEN Inge MELIS & Peter VRIJSEN Carla VANWIJCK & Bart NAGELS Liza HERREMANS & Patrick DURANT Kathleen WOUTERS & Yves TONINATO
Francine AERTS Daniel BEERNAERT André BRACKE Alfons DE CEULAERDE Eric DE MARTELAERE Roald DEVOOGHT Karin FRANSSEN Eddy HARMS Sandrine HENRY Patrick HOCK Guy HOLLANDERS Henk HOLSBEKE Darko KOVACEVIC Jan MOERMAN Alfred ROUCHET Anne SLEVEN Hilde STOCKMANS Isabelle TEIRLINCK Jan VAN DER BLEEKEN Danny VAN DAMME Christine VAN ZIELEGHEM Karine VERDONCK Johan VEREECKE Bernard VERHELST
TANGHI ARGENTINI was made with the support of
FLANDERS AUDIOVISUAL FUND (VAF) CITY MARKETING FONDS – GHENT FILMOFFICE - GHENT
¤ Another Dimension of an Idea 2006
Tanghi Argentini press book
FESTIVAL SELECTIONS AND AWARDS
October 2006: - Flanders International Film Festival – in competition * Best Belgian Short
December 2006: - Leuven International Short Film Festival – in competition
January 2007: - Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival – in competition * Audience Prize * Mediatheques Award * Best Comedy "Fernand Raynaud" Award
- Clermont-Ferrand Kodak Showcase selection - Clermont-Ferrand Short Film market
February 2007: - Berlinale, European Film Market
March 2007: - Bermuda International Film Festival – in competition
- NexT International Short and Medium Length Film Festival, Bucharest – in competition
April 2007: - Aspen Shortsfest – in competition * Audience Favorite Award * The Ellen Award - Certificate of Distinctive Achievement * BAFTA LA - Award for Excellence * Special Jury Recognition
- Granada International Young filmmakers festival – in competition
- Nashville Film Festival – in competition
- Brussels Short Film Festival – in competition * Best Actor Award for Dirk van Dijck * Best Cinematography Award for Frank vanden Eeden
- Brussels Short Film Festival - market
May 2007: - Shadowline SalernoFilmFest–“CortoEuropa” – in competit.
- International Short Film Festival “Almería en Corto” – in competition * Audience Award
- La Cittadella del Corto, Trevignano (Rome) – in compet. *Gran Trofeo tralsi di Trevignano, best film of the festival
- Cannes film festival - Short Film corner
June 2007 : - Newport International Film Festival – in competition
- Jackson Hole Film Festival – in competition
- Worldwide Short Film Festival, Toronto – opening night
- Mise-en-Scene's Genres Film Festival (Seoul)
July 2007 : - Brindisi International Film Festival – in competition
- Tabor Film Festival, croatia – in competition * Audience Award
- Puchon International Fantastic F F- PiFan (Seoul) – in competition
- Melbourne International Film Festival – in competition
August 2007 : - Rhode Island International Film Festival – in competition * Grand Prize : Best Short
- Espoo Ciné International Film Festival – official selection
- Montreal World Film Festival – Focus on the world cinema
- Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival - in competition * elected as one of the 10 favourites of the audience
- Palm Springs Intl ShortFest - in competition – opening program
September 2007 : - Seattle's 1 Reel Film Festival – in competition * Best Narrative Short Film
- LA Shorts Fest – in competition * Best Foreign Film award
- Moondance International Film Festival – finalist * Best Foreign Short Film award
- Toofy Film Fest 2007, Boulder – finalist
- Fantastisk Film Festival, Lund Sweden – in competition - Mecal International Short Film Festival, Barcelona – in competition
- Milwaukee International Film Festival – in competition * Audience Award for Best in Show Short Film
- Athens International Film Festival - Short Stories Section
- Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival – official selection
- Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht – Vlaams Panorama
- Filmfest Hamburg – Belgium Deluxe Program
October 2007 : - Mill Valley Film Festival
- Curtocircuito 07, Santiago de Compostela, Spain – in competition
- Middle East International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi – in competition * Audience Award for Best Short Film
- St. John's International Women's Film Festival
- International Film Festival Cine-Jeune de l'Aisne – in competition * Prize of Best Short Film
- Aarhus Film festival, Denmark – in competition
- New York City Short Film Festival – in competition * Best Comedy Award
- Festival du cinéma int. en Abitibi-Témiscamingue – in competition
- Festival Cinema Tout Ecran, Geneva, Swisse - in competition * Audience Award for Best Short Film
- Festival Cinema Tout Ecran, Geneva, Swisse - market
November 2007 : - International Short Film Festival interfilm, Berlin– in competition * Best Fiction Award
- Festival of European Films on Wheels, Ankara & kars
- St. Louis International Film Festival – in competition * Best International Short
- Cinessonne, European Film Festival, France – in competition * Audience Award
- Fest. de Cine de Alcalá de Henares (Alcine), Madrid – in competition * Audience Award
- Brest European Short Film Festival Brest Off - panorama
- Festival du court Métrage Media 10-10, Namur – Focus on Flanders
- Prague Short Film Festival – in competition * Special Honourable Jury Mention
- Short Film Festival of Lyon-Villeurbanne – in competition
- International Filmets Festival, Badalona (Barcelona) – in competition * Best Actor Award for Dirk van Dijck
- San Luis International Film Festival, Argentina – in competition
- Évora International Short Film Festival, FIKE 2007 – in competition
- Short-Film Festival Sequence in Toulouse – in competition
- Festival du Film de Vendôme – European competition
December 2007 : - International Short Film Festival Leuven – special selection
- Festival Tous Courts d’Aix en Provence – in competition * Special Jury Mention
January 2008 : - Flickerfest International Short Film Festival – in compet.
February 2008 : - Boulder International Film Festival – in competition
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences £ * Nominated for an Academy Award® - category Live Action Short LA
- Portland International Film Festival – Internat’l program
- Byron Bay Film Festival
- Minimalen Short Film Festival, Trondheim – Int’l Panorama
- Cleveland International Film Festival
March 2008 : - European Short Film Festival - FEC Cambrils-Reus – in com
- Florida Film Festival
April 2008 : - RiverRun International Film Festival – in competition
Tanghi Argentini press book
INTERNATIONAL SALES – Contact : Jean Charles Mille - [email protected]
PREMIUM FILMS – 130 Rue de Turenne – 75003 PARIS – France Phone : +33 1 42 77 06 39 Fax : +33 1 44 54 05 02
PREMIUM FILMS LA - 6501 Orange St, Suite 205 - LOS ANGELES, CA 90048 – USA Phone : +1 323 302 1496
FOR HI-RES STILLS & PHOTOS OF THE MAKERS:
Stills and photos are available on www.flandersimage.com or via:
PC - Instructions https://mail.vaf.be/doorgeefluik (ftp service)
- open Internet explorer - click on file > openen - put: https://mail.vaf.be/doorgeefluik (do NOT yet click on OK!) - check box: ALS WERKMAP OPENEN - click OK - If asked to switch to secured page (beveiligde pagina overschakelen): JA (YES) - Give login and password: login: vaf / pasw: vaf
MAC - Instructions https://mail.vaf.be/doorgeefluik (ftp service)
- open Finder - Go > Connect to server - put: https://mail.vaf.be/doorgeefluik + click Connect - insert domain name: VLAAMSAUDIOVISU / - give login: vaf / give password: vaf - Click on OK
Tanghi Argentini press book
MAGNOLIA PICTURES PRESS RELEASE (excerpt)
Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International have announced they will partner for the third year running to bring the Oscar®- nominated short films (live-action and animated) to U.S. theatres on Friday, February 15th, including the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, giving audiences an opportunity to see all 10 nominated films prior to the 80th Academy Awards® ceremony.
Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said: "Last year's program was a success, and we're anticipating an even bigger opening this year. People are excited about having the opportunity to see these excellent films together in one place, not to mention getting a leg up in their office Oscar® pools."
"The Oscar® Shorts are some of the year's best entertainment," said Carter Pilcher, Chief Executive of Shorts International. "Great laughs. Shocking twists. Incredible highs and lows. These shorts are rocking the cinema experience. A better night out than most full- length movies."
Academy Governor Jon Bloom, who represents the Short Films and Feature Animation branch, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for moviegoers across the country to enjoy our nominated Shorts, and to do so before the Oscar® telecast on February 24." This year's Oscar® Shorts program will be shown digitally by co-sponsor RAIN Network. RAIN Network has innovated unique digital solutions for the independent film market and will be powering the program with their proprietary digital distribution system.
"We’re honored to be a part of this," said Fabio Lima, Chief Operating Officer, RAIN Network. "RAIN's mission is to democratize culture by providing access to films from all over the world, which is now viable through the power of digital distribution."
Eight of the 10 nominated filmmakers are newcomers to the Oscars® this year. The two returning nominees are director Alexander Petrov and producer Anja Daelemans. Petrov, who is up for his fourth nomination, was nominated in 1989 for THE COW and in 1997 for THE MERMAID. In 1999, his film THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA won the Academy Award® for Best Animated Short. Daelemans was nominated in 2002 for FAIT D’HIVER in the live-action category. In addition to a 2007 Oscar® nomination, many of the short films have garnered awards from U.S. and international film festivals. PETER & THE WOLF, the animated short from director Suzie Templeton and producer Hugh Welchman, was nominated for a BAFTA last year. I MET THE WALRUS, from director Josh Raskin, won Best Animated Short at the 2007 AFI Film Festival. TANGHI ARGENTINI, the live action short from director Guido Thys and producer Anja Daelemans, has received 18 wins including the Best Foreign Film at the L.A. Shorts Fest in 2007. THE TONTO WOMAN, based on the Elmore Leonard short story, from director Daniel Barber and producer Matthew Brown won Best in Fest from the L.A. Shorts Fest, as well as Best Film Over 30 Minutes at the Palm Springs Festival, both in 2007.
For further details and screening dates: www.magnoliapictures.com