Issue 9 - 2013 UUniversalniversal FFilmilm About UFM Magazine The Universal Film Magazine is a free magazine that delivers pas- sionate and creative coverage about the global fi lm and festi- Editor DOM MURICU val communities. The publication Proof Editors TODD VOLZ diff ers from the competition be- cause it is totally free. Marketing Director EV JOHNSON
It is the mission of the Universal Contributors PATRICIA J. PAWLAK Film Magazine to uphold our un- SUSAN COOPER compromising high standards PAOLA BERTA in professional journalism with RON GILBERT compelling stories that are unbi- MARTIN SHERVINGTON ased and fact-based. J R BEARDSLEY ZOE MOON RICHARD WEB We are committed to the advance- REAMIS CIZER ment of the industry by providing DEREK WINNER the very best in-depth features RADMILA DJURICA and coverage that will have a pos- ROBERT B itive impact in the world. We aim CHRISTOPHER TEMPLETON to give our readers motivational BRET GEARY and inspirational stories that em- CORI BLAZE brace the spirit of independent fi lm and festivals and give them a Art SONJUSCHKA voice in the media. WWW.SONJUSCHKA.AT
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FEATURED STORIES:
Creativity Unbound... Hooligan Factory The premise is simple: you have a great idea. P. 3 5 It’s a fi lm, or a piece of photojournalism 5th CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 9 will run from Wednesday 22nd through to Sunday 26th OF MAY 2013. Fingal Film Festival 11 Fingal Film Festival prepares for launch of sec- ond year with an amazing line up of screenings Pan Africa Film Festival 12 Review of the Pan African Film Festival by our regular writer, Pat Pawlak Turkish Film Festival 21 Review of the Turkish Film Festivan by Ramis Cizer Stand Up Guys review P.25 CINOVATE 27 Cinovate is a unique off ering for the independ- ent exhibition Authority of the Written Word 28 There must be over two hundred fi lms that are based on a book, read on! The Indie Gathering 31 The Indie Gathering got its start in the mid- 1990s, originally created as a networking event Film Festival Guild Exposed 43 In-depth investigation and expose into a num- ber of festivals run by the Film Festival Guild Actors Awards scrambles Oscar predictions Hansel and Gretel P.39 47 Ron Gilbert attended the SAG-AFTRA awards www.ufmag.biz P.53 and was very happy with the choices made Spring Breakers 49 A tale of deranged, crazed, sexy college teens on the road to hedonism. Hitchcock review 48 It’s 1959, and Alfred Hitchcock is at the peak of his creative powers and popularity
Safe Haven review 51 A worriedlooking young mystery woman’s running off , jumping on a bus
Bob Anderson P.53
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HOOLIGAN FACTORY...
Filming has wrapped on the foot- bers include British stars Tom Burke cross they embark on a journey as ball hooligan spoof THE HOOLIGAN (DONKEY PUNCH, ONLY GOD FOR- old as hooliganism itself. FACTORY, after a 4 week shoot in lo- GIVES) and Josef Altin (“Game of cations across London, 3 Mills and Thrones”, EASTERN PROMISES) with Director Nick Nevern said of the Elstree Studios. Nick Nevern directs cameo appearances from Leo Greg- shoot: ““Making the fi rst spoof of and has co-written the fi lm with ory (GREEN STREET), Tony Denham the football hooligan fi lm genre has Michael Lindley, with Jason Maza (THE FOOTBALL FACTORY) and fa- been an awesome challenge but I taking the lead role and producing mous reformed football hooligan think we have got something really alongside Altitude Film Entertain- Cass Pennant. special which should appeal to fans ment. of that genre as well as to a wider au- Danny (Jason Maza) wants some- dience – I can’t wait for everyone to Ian Lavender (‘Private Pike’ in “Dad’s thing more. Expelled from school see it” Army”) has joined the cast while and living in his grandfather’s fl at, Craig Fairbrass (RISE OF THE FOOT- he longs to live up to the image of Producer Andy Mayson of Altitude SOLDIER, CLIFFHANGER), Tamer Has- his estranged father Danny Senior. Film Entertainment says: “Altitude is san (THE BUSINESS) and former West Meanwhile legendary football hooli- keen to help the next generation of Ham and England footballer Julian gan Dexter (Nick Nevern) is about to fi lmmakers get their fi lms made and Dicks also appear in cameo roles as be released from prison and is on a we congratulate Jason, Nick and Mi- does Chloe Simms (“The Only Way is quest of his own, one of vengeance chael on completing their shoot of Essex”). against his nemesis and rival fi rm what is a commercial genre fi lm for leader The Baron (Keith Lee Castle). today’s market.” Previously announced cast mem- But when Danny and Dexter’s paths
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www.ufmag.biz 4 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Creativity Unbound... Matchbox Media Collective by Richard Webb
he premise is simple: you have a great idea. It’s Th e group is creating an open forum in which ideas can a fi lm, or a piece of photojournalism, or a short be exchanged and discussed, and individuals can contrib- animation, or something new and untried. All ute in whatever way they are able. By reaching out to like- T you need is the support and technical expertise minded people, it is building a network of contributors to make it happen, an open forum where you that has no formal hierarchies or structures. can meet like-minded people who share your enthusiasm. From this network will come a new kind of audience Matchbox Media Collective brings together people – one of advocates rather than spectators, who are who can help transpose the idea from your head engaged with each project and who have helped into the wider world. Th ese are creative, experi- “Match to shape it. Matchbox Media invites you to get in enced professionals who have the skills that your touch and say hello, and to discover the many oth- project will need in order to progress - whether Box er projects currently in development! it’s an underwater camera operator, a video or Collective” photo editor, a stop-motion animator or a screen- Find out more Matchbox Media Collective at: writer. You may not realise you need them, but in the www.matchboxmedia.org exchange of ideas, new possibilities emerge. Meet the Matchbox Media team at: Th e crowdfunded documentary Sandgrains (www.sand- www.matchboxmedia.org/about/people.html grains.org) is a prime example. It deals with the impact of EU fi shing policy on the communities of Cape Verde, whose livelihoods are threatened by the unsustainable fi shing practices of European vessels. Starting out as a simple idea in the mind of co-director Gabriel Man- rique, the project quickly gathered momentum, attract- ing a specialist crew from across Europe as well as the support of major international NGOs and the fi nancial backing of over a hundred supporters. Shot on location in Cape Verde, Sweden and Belgium, the fi lm premiered to a packed house at the Goethe Institute in Brussels on the eve of a crucial meeting of the European Parliament’s fi sheries committee. As Sandgrains showed, Matchbox Media is more than just a bunch of anonymous professionals; each member exists as part of the collective, and is united by the underlying aims and ambitions of the group. At its core is a belief in the value of collective action: its power to promote so- cial change and its creative potential, which can imagine new ways of being part of society. It recognises a form of WE PRODUCE CREATIVE MEDIA collective responsibility, where everyone contributes and GIVING VOICE TO UNTOLD STORIES where each person is the potential solution to another’s AND PROVIDING POWER TO THE STORYTELLERS problem. www.matchboxmedia.org
5 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 CME Visual “making fi lms the best they can be”
Film Production CME Cinematic Intros & Trailers
CME Visual off er a full fi lm production and post pro- duction editing service
Films and Documentaries SPECIAL RATES Music Videos, Trailers and Commercials for fi rst time fi lmmakers Full Post Production & Editing Services Keying for Green & Blue Screen Color correction & Color Grading
Phone +44 (0) 20 7193 8870 | e-mail [email protected] | www.cmevisual.tv 6 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 UK Tax Scam! Landscape Of Lies The UK, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has secured criminal convictions against a gang of tax fraudsters who created a fi c- tional feature fi lm so they could claim over £2.8 million ($4,216,587) in VAT relief and tax credit claims.
The group set up a production on the fake fi lm with the sole aim of claiming nearly £1.5 million in VAT relief along with nearly £1.3 million in fi lm tax credit claims.
The leader of the Gang, or the producer as we fi lmmakers call them, was one Bashar Al- Issa, 34, of Maida Vale, London, along with Aoife Madden, of Northern Ireland, Tariq Hassan, of Essex, Ian Sherwood and Osama Al Baghdady, both of Manchester. The com- pany behind the scam, Evolved Pictures.
The HMRC has had concerns about scams in- volving this fund, which is designed to help get more British productions into cinemas and increase employment for UK-based fi lm support businesses.
This scam, astonishing in its boldness was perpetrated by Evolved Pictures. The com- pany put out the usual hype which said it “The gang was working on a top end production with tried to Hollywood A-list talent attached. The pro- ducers of the fi lm were Bashar Al-Issa, Aoife claim over Madden, Tariq Hassan, Ian Sherwood and Osama Al Baghdady, they claimed the fi lm £2.8 Million was costing £19M to make, this meant that in VAT and the production was entitled to claim £2.8 million ($4,216,587) in VAT relief and tax Tax Credits” credit claims.
The company told auditors they had a budget of over £19 million which was pro- vided by a Jordanian company to produce a blockbuster fi lm in the UK and then told HMRC that millions of pounds of work had been spent on the fi lm, including paying ac- tors and fi lm set managers, this meant a VAT repayment was due of £1,488,187. When the scam was detected, Madden hastily made the movie for £84,000, with unknowns and TV actors, including Loose Women presenter
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Andrea McLean and Gianni from East- Enders. It won a Silver Ace at last year’s Las Vegas Film Festival.
Evolved also made fraudulent tax credit claims of £256,385, and prepared to sub- mit a further claim of £1.1 million. How- ever, during checks HMRC found that the work had not been done and most of the so-called suppliers and fi lm studios had never heard of the gang.
Once the gang had been nabbed, they tried to cover their tracks with a fake fi lm called ‘‘A Landscape of Lies’ which was shot on a shoe string with two TV per- sonalities. The Production Companies listed on IMDb as being involved in the production are New Breed Productions, AB Productions, KandLe (in association with), London Knights Productions, Sir Dark Knight Productions (in association with)
John Pointing, HMRC assistant director of criminal investigation, said: ‘This gang thought they could exploit the rules for genuine British fi lmmakers and thieve from the public purse for their own gain. They were wrong as HMRC will not stand by and let that happen. Falsely claiming VAT that is not due is illegal - so we are pleased that instead of this fi lm fl op go- ing straight to DVD, these small-screen Z-listers could go straight to jail.’
According to the Times, the story is “an intriguing insight into the corruption in Britain’s fi lm industry” – the assumption being many movies are elaborate tax scams, draining millions from the public purse. But if anything, it proves the op- posite. It’s easy to apply for tax relief: but at the end of the shoot, there’s a rigorous auditing process to check the money has been properly spent. That’s the bit the gang overlooked.
The big players who have full time ac- countants juggleing the books are more than capable of getting away with it, the very fact that this has gone on so long unchecked mab be evidence of this
The Gang (production team) are due to be sentenced on 25 March. The Movie was Written and Directed by Paul Knight
www.ufmag.biz 8 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 THE 5th CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2013
HE 5th CORONA FASTNET on our archive for Wi-Fi viewing on BBQ, Market Stalls and much more. For SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Schull, smart devices within the network of further information please visit www. T West Cork, will run from Schull. fastnetshortfi lmfestival.com or follow Wednesday 22nd through to us on www.facebook.com/fastnetshort- Sunday 26th OF MAY 2013. Professional and amateur fi lmmak- fi lmfestival ers working in all aesthetic disciplines Each year over the last weekend in May, and genres including, narrative, docu- The Corona Fastnet Short Film would the 5-day Festival plays host to in ex- mentary, animation, experimental and not be possible without the support cess of 200 short fi lm screenings. The dance are welcome to submit short of our Title Sponsor Barry & Fitzwil- Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival is fi lms of 15 minutes or less to share in liam importers of Corona Beer and our an independent festival dedicated to the prize fund of €8,000. Festival Associates William and Judith bringing together established and fi rst- Bollinger, Benny and Cliona McCabe, time fi lmmakers in a forum to celebrate There is so much going on over the 5 Michael Satke, Frank Daly, Vivian Ed- the short fi lm. days of the festival from, hundreds of ward Nathan, Subaru Ireland and Digi- Screenings, Special Guest Appearances, tal Forgeamong others. The Festival The commitment in Schull is to screen Gala Screenings, Parties, Workshops is grant aided by Cork County Council, all of the short fi lms entered into com- and Round Table Discussions. At the West Cork Development Partnership, petition during the festival in as many Tented Fringe Family Fun is in abun- Fáilte Ireland, Culture Ireland, The Irish diff erent venues throughout the village dance, from Puppet Shows, Children’s Film Board and The Arts Council. as possible and to have them available Film Screenings, Storytelling, Drama,
9 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 10 Fingal Film Festival UniversalIssue 9 - 2013 Film Fingal Film Festival prepares for launch of sec- ond year with an amazing line up of screenings and events.
Following a very busy 2012, Fingal Film Festival Organisers This year we have received great support for the second are back at their desks preparing for this year’s spectacular year running from our main sponsor the ODEON Cinema event kicking off this May. in Blanchardstown, also The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blan- chardstown Centre are hosting the workshops plus the As the deadline for submissions is announced as the 15th Awards night this year on the 12th May. Other supporters March 2013, the festival team are already viewing some include Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and alongside amazing content for this years festival, which is due to take Fingal County Council also The Gathering Ireland. Without place at the ODEON Cinema n and the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the support of these organisations, it would be very dif- Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on the 8th – 10th May 2013. fi cult to get this festival off the ground says Liz..
In the coming weeks the team will also be announcing an We are delighted to announce that NuMu promotions run amazing line up of Industry professionals who will be facil- by Katie Hogan will oversee all Marketing and Promotions itating this years workshops. The organisers advise people for this year’s festival 2013. to keep an eye on the website as places for these work- shops are limited and will fi ll up fast. Last years workshops All of the hard working team are very excited and can’t wait for were delivered by some of Irelands greatest talent includ- the launch of Fingal Film Festival 2013. ing BAFTA winner, Writer/Director Aisling Walsh (Song for For information on all the events taking place at this years festival a Raggy Boy), Producer Arthur Lappin (My left foot, In the visit www.fi ngalfi lmfest.com Name of the Father) Actor Martin Mc Cann (Killing Bono, Clash of the Titans) LA Film Composer Joseph Conlon (Be- hind Enemy Lines Columbia)
We are delighted to announce “award winning” Brown Bag Films will be supporting the festival this year by facilitating two animation workshops says Liz Kenny. Both designed specifi cally for young fi lmmakers with a passion for anima- tion.
The festival will host an ecclectic mix of Short fi lms, Fea- ture Films, Animations and documentaries, both National and International and as always, we encourage fi lmmakers from Fingal to submit their work for the prestigious “Best Fingal Newcomer” Award, .Also this year we have a Best Student Award for short fi lm and Documentary.
This year will also see the introduction of the latest fi lm equipment and technology demonstrations along with a meeting area where fi lmmakers can network with each other to discuss future works.
We are encouraging all Filmmakers to submit their work as early as possible. For more information on how to submit your fi lm, please visit www.fi ngalfi lmfest.com
This year we are off ering individual feedback on all fi lms submitted. We feel it is important to off er this option to emerging fi lmmakers as it can give them a great insight and help them perfect their skillset when producing future work says Creative Director Dave Byrne. If you have sub- mitted a fi lm and would like to receive feedback, please email info@fi ngalfi lmfest.com Feedback will be given af- ter the fi nal selection has been made for this years festival schedule.
11 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film
Issue 9 - 2013 What does the year of crowd -funding hold for fi lmmakers? By Bret Geary
A.RE.S A.RE.S. Film & Media Festival (Art and Social Responsibility) is charac- terized by the capability to connect a fringe, young and experimental cinema, having a new view of con- There’s been talk of 2013 being “The to make a project. “Tell the story you temporary society, to the fi elds of Year of Crowdfunding”. Articles in a want to tell,” goes the famous mantra, Technological Innovation and So- number of mainstream publications but the business-minded amongst us cial Responsibility, by spreading the have praised entrepreneurs for an en- could add, “only when someone wants value of the most innovative visual visioned change in how businesses to hear.” and fi lm culture, as well as multime- work with and seek investment from dia languages, as a vehicle for social consumers. But from the viewpoint of Without any analogue of ‘studio inter- cohesion, also creating a cultural independent cinema, is that prophecy ference’ the crowd-funding fi lmmaker receptacle capable of generating set to come true? Certainly, every other is indeed fi xated on their own unrealis- a virtuous circle of exchange with fi lm project we encounter on the inter- tic and occasionally insubstantial goal. other local and international part- net is at one stage of crowd-funding or This major malfunction leads to minor ners. another. hiccups along their path to success - the constant and desperate stream of spam The Ares fi lm international compe- It’s very easy to understand the allure on social media (“Pls RT to back us! $40k tition excludes fi ction movies only of crowd-funding for fi lmmakers. There 2 days left” etc.), the downright insult- and does not draw a distinction are no studio hoops to jump through, ing tone of many rewards on off er (“£50 between fi lm genres because we no funding panels to shift from foot to for a Producer credit”) and the gossa- believe that an artistic work, which- foot in front of, no business plans to set mer notions of post-completion suc- ever of the “forms” is used to make out and justify. A campaign can begin cess (“after which, we will send the fi lm it, should be assessed for its quality, at any stage of production, at any level to festivals”) - all of which derail outside its value, the idea that generated it, of ambition. It’s even common to see a support for creator-owned projects. the innovative language that it uses fi lm campaigning for production funds, to speak to the world. then completion money a few months If we imagine crowd-funding as a rich on, and later cash for festival submis- uncle, one whom the fi lmmaker can ap- For this reason, the competition sion fees. But with this ubiquity of proach for a cash injection with only a foresees cross awards aiming to crowd-funding projects comes a ubiq- little plea, let’s further imagine that the bring out the character ofi nnova- uitous mistake. uncle needs more than lip-gloss per- tion, originality, analytical ability suasion but a genuine return on their and social signifi cance of the diff er- The standard mythos of the independ- investment. How can fi lmmakers show ent works included in it. The Festival ent fi lmmaker paints ‘studio interfer- responsibility not to their fi lms and aims at sensitizing public opinion ence’ as the unjustifi ed intrusion of themselves, but to their funders and and citizenship about the most in- business-suited anti-aesthetes who audience? novative artistic language through have destroyed countless works of cin- the promotion and diff usion of ex- ematic art. In excising this diabolic and If 2013 is to be the year of crowd-fund- perimental fi lms, visual and sound unfeeling horde from the production ing, and if fi lmmakers are to be a part of works linked to technological in- process, the crowd-funding fi lmmaker it, then they must put aside their busi- novation, as well as the meeting is free to achieve their own fi lm-dreams ness-phobias and learn from the suc- of cinema professionals and social without any irritating philistinism bear- cessful models. A commercial record- and cultural operators. ing over their shoulder. Ultimately they ing artist trying to raise funds for a new feel responsibility to one thing and one CD, targeting a fan-base acquired from Sito web: www.aresfestival.it thing only - their fi lm. previous mainstream successes. Or an E-mail: [email protected] app designer or product inventor who el/fax +39 0931 491681 As I see it, the major malfunction in sees a gap in the market and fi lls it. They many crowd-funding projects is this have one thing in common: a responsi- fi xated attitude of the fi lmmaker’s right bility to their audience.
www.ufmag.biz 12 UniversalIssue 9 - 2013 Film
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Issue 9 - 2013 The 21st Annual SOME Pan Africa Film Festival by Patricia J. Pawlak OF THE WINNERS
BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE “Stones in the Sun” (Haiti/US), directed by Patricia Benoit
Special Jury Recognition | Feature Nar- rative “Things Never Said” (US), directed by Charles Murray
BEST DIRECTOR | FIRST FEATURE Th e streetlights sparkled on Sunset Home Again by Suzie Sutherland on David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, director of “Nai- Blvd as fl ash bulbs popped at the star how various governments have de- robi Half Life” (Germany/Kenya) studded Opening Night Red Carpet ported their incarcerated population of the 21st Annual Pan African Film to Jamaica. Special Jury Recognition | Director, First festival as Ja’Net DuBois, one of the Feature founders of the festival glowed in her One of my favorite fi lms was Alaska- Ya’Ke, director of “Wolf” (US) coral ensemble. Land about a Nigerian American BEST DOCUMENTARY young man coping with a new life in “Free Angela & All Political Prisoners” Th is year’s two time NAACP Award Alaska. Cinematography was breath- (US/France), directed by Shola Lynch winner, Loretta Devine (Crash, taking. Th e fi lm pulls you in and takes Dreamgirls) expressed gratitude for you on a beautiful journey. Hats off to BEST NARRATIVE SHORT her role in Grey’s Anatomy. (Ms. shorts Peanut Butter Stew and Papa “Our Rhineland” (US), directed by Faren Devine originated the role of Lorell produced by Autumn Fawn. Papa is Humes on Broadway). Leon, looking as al- about an African man and his son ways stylish and cool, eased down the coping with the freedoms of America Special Jury Recognition | Short Narra- carpet and I still laugh when I think and the Father having to let go of the tive: “The Collegians” (US), directed by Bryan of him in one my favorite fi lms, Cool reigns to allow his son to grow. Th ere B.A. Lewis Runnings. Caribbean music helped wasn’t a dry eye in the audience at the keep the carpet going with Antwone end. FESTIVAL FOUNDERS’ AWARD Fisher, writer of the Denzel Wash- “Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp” (US), ington hit of the same name. Reatha Another highlight was Against Th e directed by Jorge Hinojosa Grey of the new, Betty White’s, Off Grain by writer and fi rst time direc- Th eir Rockers, had fun talking about tor Elias Mael. Th e fi lm is poignant CAPRI CAPITAL PARTNERS AWARD the pranks they think up for the show. and inspiring about a young man “Songs of Redemption” (Jamaica), di- trying to follow his dream of becom- rected by Amanda Sans and Miquel Th e opening fi lm followed, Vipa- ing a neurosurgeon. No surprise that Galofré ka, with Forest Whitaker, Anthony it was the number one grossing fi lm AUDIENCE AWARD | DOCUMENTARY Mackie and Mike Epps to a packed of the festival and won Th e Audience “Charles Lloyd: Arrows into Infi nity” audience and outstanding reviews. Award. Congratulations to fi rst timer (US), directed by Dorothy Darr and Jef- director Elias. fery Morse PAFF is America’s most prestig- ious and largest Black Film Festival. Closing night fi lm was a supreme AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT DOCUMEN- Screenings for the festival followed at treat, Free Angela & All Political Pris- TARY the Rave Cinemas in Baldwin Hills oners, which follows the consum- “Foot Soldiers: Class of 1964” (US), di- which was a hub of activity as attend- mated and dedicated activist and civil rected by Alvelyn Sanders ees dashed to fi nd their favorite fi lms. rights leader, Ms. Angela Davis. AUDIENCE AWARD | NARRATIVE FEA- Th e festival had selected a total of 154 TURE fi lms, representing 34 counties. It was a wonderful festival fi lled with “Against the Grain” (US), directed by creative delights such as art exhibits, Elias Mael Some of the highlights of the festival Spoken Word and a Saturday Chil- included a special screening of Ice- dren’s Festival. Th e festival serves the AUDIENCE AWARD | SHORT NARRATIVE berg Slim: A portrait of a Pimp, an community very well and was very “Island Song” (US/Virgin Islands), direct- amazing documentary by Jorge Hi- impressive opening doors of com- ed by David Massey nojas about Chicago Pimp, Iceberg munication and inspiring fi lmmakers Slim, and how he reinvented himself to continue their journeys of expres- to have authored seven books and sion.
www.ufmag.biz 14 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
by CHRISTOPEHR TEMPLETON D OUBLE NEGATIV E Research by IDA ALWIN. How not to make bad Mexican - American movies.
The Motion Picture Association of Ame- Otherness is sometimes diffi cult to see clearly untrue in anybody’s court. Just rica has pegged Mexican-Americans as from a global perspective. This semantic use this simple man as your common the fastest-growing segment of the US is the subject of more complex academic marker. Actually to be precise, he’s smart movie-going audience. There are now 45 investigations, but staying strictly within and he can dance too. Clearly, somewhere million people with Hispanic backgro- the parameters of U.S. popular culture, it along the line, he dropped his machete unds in the US with the last accurate has penetrated everywhere to such a in favour of brain mass. census (2007) identifying 310m US Box degree that superficial parodies have offi ce admissions, well over a third of the now been universally assimilated. For More publicly Alex Nogales, President number of Caucasians (‘The Motion Mexican-Americans, movies have and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Picture & Television Industry Contribu- become ‘clotting’ experiences (churro is Coalition candidly stated (without the tion to the U.S. Economy’: http://www. after all, deep- fried) because no fresh anticipated machismo) that Hollywood mpaa.org/Resources/6a507b67-e219- blood is passing through the body. was simply not doing enough to engage 43a3-a4ce-9788d6f1fb5e.pdf). The the Hispanic moviegoer in a credible report seismically concludes: I heard one West Hollywood doyen say way; that fi lms were still largely stere- recently that Mexican-Americans desire otypical (stupid) and that cinema needed ‘Mexican-Americans are now overall, the ‘…only violence, slapstick or dance to urgently engage in topics and storyli- most signifi cant ethnic group’. movies’. This is undoubtedly the cinema- nes that were relevant (intelligent) to tic trifecta that guides Hollywood today, Mexican-Americans. The penny dropped fi rst at Universal ten certainly as far as Mexican-American years ago. The studio had snappily iden- audiences are concerned. So starting here, let’s change the rules for tifi ed that the box offi ce success of The once and see this from the Mexican- Mummy was due in great part to an Disturbingly but not unlinked, this American perspective: there is a growing emerging Hispanic audience. Two years comment ranks right up there with the opportunity today for original language- later, the fi rst in the franchise The Fast systemic misrepresentation aff orded to agnostic dramas that speak of the and the Furious, was released with over young Latinos in US courts where ironies everyday experience of being both Ame- 24% of the audience monitored as being not justice, is dispensed. When a defense rican and Mexican-American and in Mexican-American. That fi gure shot up attorney in Texas recently cross-exami- particular, dramas that resonate loudly to 38% for the follow-up, 2 Fast 2 Furious. ned several witnesses about the ende- with this emerging, hyper-youthful, bi- Combine this with research from the Pew mic: “pushy and macho attitude” of cultural audience. Put in a diff erent way: Hispanic Center, which cites that the Mexican-Americans, the man had in producers must make the cinema expe- median age of Mexican-Americans living essence become one of the many rience meaningful and relevant, keeping in the U.S. as 27 years (compared for unwitting assimilators of the cinematic in mind that the current needs and aspi- example to the median age of 36 years trifecta. (‘Capital Punishment: How Else rations of younger Mexican-Americans for the overall population). These facts Can We Teach Them a Lesson?’ Prof. are very, very diff erent from those of their alone should be music to the ears of the Alfonso Acuña: http://911review.org/ parents. fi lm studios as younger people are by far Wget/aztlan.net/acuna5.html). the most committed fi lm-goers. Mexican-Americans, along with the more With politicians like Julian Castro, the broadly constructed ‘Hispanics’, have Despite this slap-in-the-face wake-up young Mexican-American Mayor of San proved to be a great and reliable movie- call, the faithful Mexican-American audi- Antonio being given high-profi le spea- going audience. They don’t have the ence is poorly served because their lives king slots at the 2012 Democratic Con- power of choice but they do need to be are predictably refl ected. The commu- vention, there is a strong hint that young taken seriously and respected with nity actually have a word for such fi lms: Mexican-Americans are a whole conti- intelligent fi lm titles. There is a goofi ness ‘churro’. On the surface, a direct reference nent smarter than that. In fact, throw a out there in the current off erings that to the divine, deep-fried, donut-gesch- stick at the continent and you’ll hit a does make one wonder. ‘We’ get Saving mack. However indirectly, an idiom most million Julians, all slowly climbing the Private Ryan, ‘they’ get Saving Private often used in the movie houses to des- slopes of Parnassus, fi tfully rising above Perez. cribe a show that is ‘unrepresentative’ or the pulp. to put it more acutely, a movie that does Adam Fogelson of Universal Pictures little to advance the viewer’s status in the So, Mexican-Americans really do harbor recently said: “I think the industry is still wider world. It’s not just a comment a deep, vested interest in the America struggling in how to reach Mexican- about the poor reflective qualities of they inhabit. Fancy that. The phlegmatic Americans. But there’s no reason to be commercial cinema in the States, it also and pervasive attitude that Latino audi- struggling.” tells us something about the otherness ences want nothing more than to dance of Mexican-Americans within the US. through life swinging a range of home- Absolutely. No reason at all. Now give me made, stag-boned-handled machetes, is back my machete.
15 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 16 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Turkish Film Festival by Ramis Cizer REVIEW
A 1940s Zonguldak town was built for Yilmaz Er- Deniz Hazguler plays Jin in Reha Erdem’s new fi lm dogan’s relatively high-budget Butterfl y’s Dream
t’s not the teeth of the big bad wolf that Little Red Riding ticipated - probably popular because it stars Turkish heartthrob Hood should fear but the sharp crackle of an assault rifl e and Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ - Butterfl y’s Dream strays from this trend. It follows overhead birds of war; this is Grimm’s well-known fairy tale two ill poets in their search for love and recognition. Director Yılmaz I according to acclaimed Turkish director Reha Erdem. Jin - the Erdoğan’s lyrically laced script does become a somewhat hackneyed name main protagonist as well as the movie - is a PKK guer- but the impressive Tatlıtuğ, and the (intentional or unintentional) al- rilla girl who dons her red hijab in search of a better life away lusion to the philosophical tradition that holds that writing is a vio- from the mountains. lent process, keeps one’s attention. Butterfl y’s Dream is at times a light-hearted and wholly romantic tearjerker. Strong acting The mountainous eastern borderlands of Turkey is the makes up for a weak plot, to the extent that the fact the fi lm mythical other place in the psyche of most of its nation- Ramis Cizer is set the Black Sea city of Zonguldak during World War II als; the breeding ground of terrorist. It is partly because Review of loses most of its relevance. of this that the fantastical parable works, but also because the festival the self-proclaimed far right of the Turkish political estab- Serkan Acar’s Love and Revolution has been doing the lishment use pressed fi ngers in the shape of a wolf as their rounds on the festival scene for a year and appeared in the hand salute. 2013 London Film Festival after winning a special jury award at the 18th Adana International Golden Boll. It doesn’t disappoint, Jin’s struggle is one of space - she’s running from the wolf who at especially if what the viewer is seeking is a realistic look at the high every turn has her in the crosshairs of his rifl e, and later when Jin ideals (and chain smoking habits) of the university campus commu- makes down from the mountain, in his sexual gaze. Erdem, who nists of the early 90s. There isn’t a much of a main protagonist or spoke in the Q&A about his frustration at the frequent representa- villain but there is plenty of cliché and references to Che Guevara. tion of the “dangerous” patriarchal viewpoint in Turkish mainstream fi lm, is pushing for a new approach to a contentiously charged issue. Tucked in amongst the Turkish language fi lms is director Nihat Jin is Erdem’s heterotopia: an exploration of the Turkish outback re- Seven’s Candle to the Water which is English spoken. Five stories, as produced in a wonderful cinematic gesture of resistance, hope and diversely titled as ‘Jeremy Bentham’ and ‘Mea Culpa’, are played back politico-magic-realism. to back. Seemingly diverse in their subject matter, each story is tied together by the appearance of a feather at a key moment. Emotional Can – winner of a 2012 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize – is and physical violence steadily erupt against the serene images of another feminist critique of Turkish society, where the woman bears various urban landscapes, streets, skylines, and doorways. It’s Nor- the burden work and the man the burden of not being masculine bert Elias’ Civilisatin Process with the undercurrents of the racism, enough. Ayse and Cemal are trying unsuccessfully for a child and inscribed bodies, gangland, of contemporary London. decide to adopt, at which point their already stretched lives become more delicate. A mundane beginning treads steadily towards a mel- odramatic climax. Repetition of beautiful landscapes, interiors and characters serve to mimic the hustle of Istanbul life for an ordinary people. Subtle contrasts of society’s hierarchies and complex adult lives envelope around the innocent six year old Can (which means “life”), in Rasit Celikezer’s painfully subtle portrayal of lost Turkish childhoods.
Most of the fi lms on show at the 2013 London Turkish Film Festi- val are from leftfi eld and Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s infl uence can be found in the cinematography, soundtracks and loose plots. Eagerly an-
17 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film PITCHCON.ORG Issue 9 - 2013 May t4-4)otelt-os Angeles, CA YOU have the dream now here is your chance to turn it into a deal Pitch your best ideas to top agents, producers and execs from broadcast, cable & digital spaces. GUARANTEED “I was very happy you selected top level meetings with executives for us to pitch” senior-level reps -Jan Dixon Sykes- Open Range Creations Targeted sessions, “PitchCon was the BEST…The advance speakers and pitch pitch prep is a game changer for this prep programs to industry. You’ve raised the bar.” help you sell your idea -Denise Pendleton - De Nice Productions, Inc.
Hands-on advice and “PitchCon was more than I ever imagined. networking with I learned valuable information, and had the decision makers opportunity to meet with some of the best networks/production companies in the SELL business! Worth every moment!” YOUR TV CONCEPT m o .c NOW -Bryan Wright- America’s Job Team Are you ready to be a true Hollywood Player? Enter the Hollywood Player Pitch Contest REGISTER at no extra cost and you could win major NOW ONLINE! prizes, including incredible high-level meeting opportunities that can open the doors to success! PITCHCON.ORG
www.ufmag.biz 18 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Filmmaking against the odds
y name is Raabia Hussain. I am deaf Without the help and support of my family, and I am faced with many con- friends and tutors I would have not been able to straints in life but I always fi nd ways become what I am now. to overcome them. I work very hard to achieve my goal who never gives I have won a fi lmmaking grant £2,500 from u p easily on anything I want to achieve in the BSLBT (British Sign Language Broadcast- life. Since I was a young girl I have dreamed of ing Trust) and Neaths Film, based in London, to becoming a fi lmmaker and now my dream has produce a short fi lm which is called “Septem- come true. As I grew up I was able to stand on ber 11th. It has been screened on Community my own 2 feet with the backing of my parents Channel and Film4’s programme, BSL Zone in and always saw an opportunity through even October 2012 for a week. though it may have ended in rejection. But it The plot of this movie is about an account of a did not stop me in becoming what I am now. young deaf Muslim woman’s experiences after the events of September 11. A teacher in secondary school really invested in helping me out. It was a means of expressing Drama about the impact of the September 11 myself and I liked the thrill of getting behind a terror attacks in New York on Deaf people liv- camera and calling the shots. It was something ing many miles away. When a young Muslim girl my family friends and tutors help me gain confi - sees people looking at her strangely in a cafe, dence and experience. she knows something is wrong. After fi nding out about 9/11, her life at home, school and her During my time at secondary school I was able Deaf club are aff ected. This fi lm looks at both to create a short fi lm titled “A Nightmare at hearing and Deaf attitudes to ethnicit8y follow- Hathershaw”. I am very thankful to all the staff ing world events. Based on a true story, I wrote/ members and students who were able to make directed September 11 as part of the BSLBT’s it a success. Zoom fi lmmaking scheme.
It did not stop there as my time at college fur- For anyone who wants to pursue their dream in thered my knowledge and experience in trying any fi eld of work, put your determination into new methods of producing diff erent varieties of it as no matter how many times you might fall media. down, your family, friends and the people who care about will always be there to pick you up and back your every move in life.
19 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 20 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 UGGIE, THE ARTIST
Adopted Canine Superstar, Releases ‘My Story’ by Paola Berta
y Story’ is a must read book, was a very solid tempered dog, coura- from movies. He has recently done a au tobiography of ‘The Artist’ geous, always willing to do more and he little cameo for the book campaign M Oscar winning fi lm canine star loved his work. and could still enjoy similar jobs but Uggie which went from origi- no more very long hours shooting on nally abandoned and later adopted Wendy Holden - once a journalist and a movie set. Whilst shooting ‘The Artist’ dog to spoiled celebrity Hollywood now a celebrity biographer, which cast members like Uggie were required Icon. wrote 26 books, for personalities like on set for 10-12 hours. Barbara Sinatra and, recently, Goldie Uggie is the fi rst dog in history that had Hawn – considers Uggie the biggest ce- Omar manages Uggie and the proof of his own paws put in cement at the his- lebrities of them all. When questioned how much he cares for him, before any toric Grauman’s Chinese Theatre plant- how she felt about writing the book for fi nancial gains or anything else, Wendy ing him next to the handprints of Hol- Uggie, Ms Holden answered she had admits, is that he retired him at the pick lywood’s royalty. The autobiography is to spend lots of time with Uggie which of his career because he thought 1) he signed by the dog paw prints but only was ready to tell his story to the world. would never do anything better than for those fans that, lucky enough, got to The animal does understand verbal in- ‘The Artist’ since that was the top he meet him in person at the very exclu- put and is able replying with physical could possibly achieve and 2) Omar did sive Hollywood, Paris or London book- and emotional reactions with manners not want to strain him. shops appearances. similar to a human being. Uggie always gets a 5 stars treatment in It is the 30th of October 2012 and I am Uggie started of as a stand up come- hotels and fl ights and at home he has sitting in a room at the London Kens- dian and street entertainer after Omer always been treated like a family mem- ington’s Waterstones bookshop with rescued him 9 months old. Before land- ber (see video link below). Uggie, his owner and trainer, Omar von ing a starring role in ‘The Artist’ he had Muller and, the book writer, Wendy been in commercials, B list movies, and Omar, who has been training animals Holden. As soon as I sit Uggie comes in a big fi lm called ‘Water for Elephants’ for about thirty years, before Uggie, had and great me leaning his paws on my starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert a Jack Russell Terrier, which was already legs and expecting a stroke which he Pattinson. Uggie has his own page on doing movies work, and he currently very much appreciated, then he sat on imdb, his own twitter feed, his own fa- has Uggie’s brother, his double. The the chair, situated in between Omar cebook fan page and also his own ap- dog is another Jack Russell, which will and myself, to later release it to Wendy plication! hopefully follow his paw steps. It is just as any good gentle-male-dog would a matter of the right movie to come at do. Whilst Uggie relaxes playing with a Uggie is now ready to tell his story not the right time. soft toy I start chatting with Omar and only to rescued dogs and the world Wendy. over, who hope to have one day a taste The book, published by HarperCol- of his life, but also to aspiring actors lins, has been sold to America, France, Omar, which refers to Uggie as ‘he’ and which may want to become Hollywood England (where it can be found in Wa- ‘his’, explains how an adopted dog like stars. Uggie has kissed everybody from terstones and WH Smiths bookshops) Uggie is somehow aware he was not in George Clooney to Jean Dujardin and and, next year, will be published also in the right place at the early stage of his Charlize Theron. Even being in his pres- Italian. life. This initial suff ering made him able ence is a bit of Hollywood stardust! Jean to particularly enjoy life, when he found Dujardin, which obviously worked very Since Uggie was adopted and he be- the right place, and certainly appreciate closely with him, said that quite often came a star, his owner wants to let peo- the attention fame brought to him. he followed Uggie, rather than Uggie ple know they should adopt a dog rath- following him because he felt Uggie er than buying one. Even if the dog will Being as famous as he is, Omar explains, was able to teach him a great deal about not became a big star on the screen, is just a matter of time and training. Ug- silent movies making. When you are an he will still be a big star in the house, gie has been training for almost 10 years actor you have to use words but when within the family. to build his canine stardom. Most dogs you are a dog you can only use your ex- are energetic, intelligent and not afraid pressions. It is so that Uggie, the little If you need to buy, buy a book, Uggie of things; with the right training and dog with deep and expressive brown says, leaving us all with a big smile! years of experience they can accom- eyes, taught everybody how to make plish great achievements but defi nitely movies! More info on the writer of the book not any dog can achieve those results, available at: as some of them will present unresolved Uggie, despite has been getting job of- issues. Uggie, since a very young age, fers for the past year, is offi cially retired http://www.wendyholden.com/
21 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 22 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
UFFO
UNIVERSAL FILM & FESTIVAL ORGANIZATION
“promoting best business practices for fi lm festivals”
www.uff o.org
23 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
The Directors Guild of Great Britain celebrates its 30th Anniversary
Founded in 1983 by a group of fi lm, television and theatre directors, the DGGB is one of the select few organisations around the world which numbers both live and recorded media amongst it ranks. Operating together with their char- ity, the Directors Guild Trust, the two work to train, promote and celebrate directing and the work of directors. Over the years, the Guild has been crucially infl uential in British directing, founding the Directors and Producers Rights Society (now Directors UK), helping develop the Gulbenkian directors’ training report “A Better Direction”, hosting Lifetime Achievement Awards for directors as diverse as Alan Parker and Joan Littlewood and inaugurating celebration blue plaques for (amongst others) David Lean and Michael Powell. In recent years the Guild has shifted focus to training and events, running the annual VFX Advantage Conference and the Peter Brook Lecture and boosting continuous professional development for UK directors in partnership with Creative Skillset and other organisations and helping to develop new approaches to directing. Details for membership can be found at the Guild website - www.dggb.org
Directors Guild rolls out Three Nations UK Tour of Tools of Directing
In 2013, Simon Phillips’ new directing methods “Tool of Directing” will be promoted at introductory events in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as part of a national rollout funded by Creative Skillset, ending in a week-long, London- based seminar for selected participants from the regional workshops. Simon’s internationally-acclaimed seminars de- liver practical methods that bring new insight and clarity to the complex tasks of working with actors, writers and cinematographers. Simon’s ground-breaking techniques give directors their own unique methodology relating spe- cifi cally to the director’s craft and bring new insight and clarity to the complex task of directing, guiding participants through the development of emotionally moving storytelling in fi lm. More details on the Guild website in January www.dggb.org
www.ufmag.biz 24 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Standing up for Stand Up Guys the movie! by Ron Gilbert
25 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
tand Up Guys is a fun fi lm with 3 Oscar win- sires. Al confronts Chris because he knows that there ning actors who are enjoying their roles and is a payback that needs to be settled and Chris re- audiences will be sharing the fun with them. veals to Al that he has to rub him out on orders from There will never be another aging buddy fi lm Claphands ( Mark Margolis) who feels that Al was re- that will top this fi lm with Val( Al Pacino) , (Doc)Chris sponsible for his son’s death. Al asks Chris how long Walken and Hirsch (Alan Arkin). The reason I am saying does he have and he tells him 24 hours. So the party this is because I have so much in common with these begins on a trip down memory lane and you are in for actors and the mob life setting. I have know these Al a fun ride in more ways than one when Alan Arkin who and Chris from Actor Studio days early 70’s and have was their getaway driver and is now in a retirement worked with them and they are still in this game and and they rescue him to join them. These characters re- having a ball. Director Mark Rydell always says acting inforce what guys used to be back in the day and that should fun and in this fi lm it is obvious. Now getting has all but disappeared today in particular how they back to the mob reference in this fi lm which is pretty treated women and how they are there for them ,no accurate because I was raised in that element in East matter what. Harlem on the island of Manhattan. Many critics do not have that background but I do and know it fi rst- I could fi ll in all the details but I want you to see this hand. So now back to this fun fi lm fi lm and enjoy the ride with Lyle Workman’s score and Bon Jovi’s songs will defi nitely add to it. Director Fish- Upon his release from prison Al Pacino after 28 years is er Stevens has allowed these talented actor to fl ow picked up by his buddy Chris and what do you think with the punch which resulted in some improvisation would be most on his mind after being in prison all and bringing this buddy fi lm closer to the heart. He that time. He wants to party and so off they go to a established trust with them and since all of them have brothel which is now run by the daughter Wendy evolved from a theatre background the camaraderie (Lucy Punch )of the former madam who retired. Un- is quite evident. The writer Noah Haidle created this fortunately Al needs some help to maintain his sexual fi lm script after seeing 2 old gangster type guys sitting desire so male enhancement drugs are needed. After on a bench in park sharing stories and Stand Up guys obtaining them Al is back to complete his sexual de- is the result.
www.ufmag.biz 26 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 CINOVATE Media Academy Wales launch second year of personalised mentoring programme for exhibition professionals, supported by Creative Skillset
“We are delighted to be hosting the second weekend of Ci- novate at the 19th edition of Encounters Short Film and Ani- mation Festival. The festival is renowned for attracting the UK short fi lm industry to Bristol for six days fi lled with the best emerging talent from the UK and beyond.
It is an excellent addition to the festival to bring the UK’s lead- ing independent exhibitors to the same event to have a taste of some of the work available from the next generation of fi lmmakers.”
Film Agency for Wales’s Chief Executive, Pauline Burt, com- mented:
“Cinovate is a proven platform for exhibitors to consider cur- ollowing a successful pilot in 2012, the Media Acad- rent challenges and opportunities, such as improving audi- emy Wales have launched a call for 2013 applica- ence data and understanding and programming smarter as F tions from the UK-wide fi lm exhibition sector for a result. They’ll share a range of approaches with their peers those seeking support for their current festival or and build a network of on-going support from the relation- venue-related challenges. ships they develop. It’s a very valuable approach.”
Cinovate, a personalised peer mentoring programme taking The scheme will be personalised and bespoke to the selected place over 6 months, off ers managers in the sector the chance participants and the case studies from leading UK festivals to take a step back from their day-to-day challenges and con- and venues, as well as from funding organisations and lead- sider them in a diff erent light, with support and guidance ing strategists will off er a new network of contacts and en- from the best in the fi eld. courage renewed enthusiasm in the sector.
Instigated by the Media Academy Wales, which has to “We believe Cinovate will off er great value for money, date trained over 500 industry professionals across “Innovative and following feedback from last year’s participants, the world, and co-created by James Mullighan (Ed- we know that the scheme guarantees real results,” inburgh Film Festival, Encounters, Shooting People, techniques for fi lm said Hannah Raybould from the Skillset Media Acad- Transmedia Next), the scheme off ers mentoring, emy Wales. round table discussions and case studies to inspire Exhibitors” and enthuse the 12 individuals taking part. “With bursaries available to cover travel and accom- modation costs, it is hoped that the scheme will attract “After being involved with Cinovate 2012, I am thrilled to a wide cross section in terms of geographical location, type come on board as Contributing Editor to conceive, design of festival or venue and current challenge faced.” and deliverA our programme for 2013” said Mullighan. Cinovate 2013 is supported by the Creative Skillset Film Skills “Cinovate is a unique off ering for the independent exhibition Fund as part of ‘A Bigger Future 2’, the UK fi lm skills strategy. professional - there’s loads of learning from industry experts, The Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund is supported by the Na- carefully designed one-on-one mentoring and a mechanism tional Lottery through the BFI and the fi lm industry through so that the collective knowledge of all participants is teased the Skills Investment Fund. Cinovate is supported by the Film out and shared with the group. If you’re fi nding your work Agency for Wales, Encounters Festival and Kino Climates. in exhibition challenging, especially in this digital age within Dan Simmons, Head of Film at Creative Skillset said: a time of fi nancial diffi culty for the arts generally - our pro- gramme is for you.” “Improving business skills continues to be a priority for Crea- tive Skillset on behalf of the UK Creative Industries. The clear The scheme will take place over two weekends in April 2013 strengths of Cinovate are fi rstly the intensive mentoring, at the Film Agency Wales Audience Connect summit in Car- both in the workplace and during the programme, and sec- diff and in September 2013 at the Encounters Short Film and ondly the peer support that is created through the sharing of Animation Festival in Bristol. By hosting the weekend pro- best practice and workplace challenges. The fi rst cohort have grammes at industry events, those attending will have access been equipped with the knowledge, tools and confi dence to to additional masterclasses and networking opportunities. make changes to their businesses, and we are now seeing the positive impact of these interventions.” Liz Harkman, Managing Director of Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival commented on the value of the scheme to For more information please see: www.fi lmagencywales.com the festival.
27 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 The Authority of the Written Word
Can a fi lm adaptation ever be as good as the book? by Robert B
J-K-Rowling J.R.R. Tolkien Steven King
t this point, there must be over two hundred fi lms that However, narrative tweaking and/or additions are a must in some are based on a book; and all of these motion pictures cases. Take The Woman in Black, for instance. That is a book which based on literature have thrown up a very good ques- can be read in an afternoon. So how was director James Watkins go- Ation: ing to turn a novella into an hour and a half fi lm production? Why, adding more scares and horror, of course. “Can a fi lm adaptation ever be as good as the book?” Now, this is a deep question; a very diffi cult one that has torn J.K This is the sort of example where the director having an input Rowling, Tolkien and Stephen King fans alike. But this ques- doesn’t really matter, so long as they know what they’re do- tion has already been addressed many times before, so in- ing. Watkins actually succeeded really well; the fi lm took stead, here is a new one: “Read any twenty million dollars on its opening weekend. good books “Should a fi lm adaptation be true and exact, or the direc- recently?“ Frank Darabont, director of The Shawshank Redemption, tor’s own visualisation?” This is another argument that can has had his own successes too. That’s a story only one hun- split book and fi lm fans right down the middle, so it must be dred and thirty-three pages long, but Darabont managed to considered from both sides. expand that and made it into something just fantastic that has remained with so many fi lm lovers around the world. It seems when The fi rst side: an answer of “No, the fi lm should be exact.” working with a short enough story, a director putting his own spin “I know very few novelists who have been satisfi ed with the adapta- on things is fi ne; so long as they do a good job at it. As it stands, tion of their books for the screen” – Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author. Stephen King and Susan Hill don’t seem to be full of regret or resent- This is a clear, clinching point in this argument; because it’s so un- ment, so Watkins and Darabont did something right. fortunately true. Sometimes the problem isn’t just visuals, cutting it down or trying Roald Dahl did not like the adaptation Willy Wonka and the Choco- to get across a meaning. It’s the problem of keeping it interesting. late Factory – probably something to do with the tunnel, or the fact Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, for example, that the fi lm and book titles don’t match. gives the reader most of the answers from the word ‘go’. Other books have a lot of ‘fi ller’ really – think how much of Harry Potter and the Stephen King didn’t like what Stanley Kubrick did to The Shining, Deathly Hallows is just basically about a camping holiday. he even argued that Jack Nicholson’s portrayal was just “too crazy”. As fi lms obviously can’t do this, directors inputting their own addi- Antony Burgess, author of A Clockwork Orange, even regretted tion comes back into it all, like: keeping a big question unanswered writing his own book after Kubrick, again, totally misinterpreted until the end, or adding in a new event or making a smaller scene the meaning. That in itself is a huge blow to the adaptation idea; to suddenly HUGE. Now you’ve got a cliff -hanger, suspenseful fi lm that make an author resent his own work really says something. Then the is great for Hollywood, but a story that is too far away from the origi- argument takes the swing in the other direction: “Yes, the director nal written one. should put their own ideas into it.” So we’re back to square one. Should directors do a perfect adapta- From interviewing fellow fi lm lovers, they argued that directors can tion or put their own spin on it? It can bring small novellas out into use their own visual inspirations but should stick to the plotline, the open; it allows a great storyline to fi nally get some great visu- which is a fair point. Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games, als…and it can also make an author resentful and irritated. Maybe happily admitted “director Gary Ross […] brought a rich and power- like the Book vs. Film debate, this is just another question that is too ful vision of Panem, its brutality and excesses, to the fi lm”. After re- variable to properly answer. sentful authors, it’s more uplifting to know that some can be pleased by the director’s visuals. Read any good books recently?
www.ufmag.biz 28 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
TIFFCOM2013 Confi rmed!
TIFFCOM2013 Confi rmed!
Th e dates and offi cial slogan for TIFFCOM2013, organ- 2012’s Project Market saw its seminars and pitching ses- ized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry sions packed full with participants. We seek to further (METI), and UNIJAPAN, have been confi rmed. strengthen the link between TIFFCOM and TIFF in 2013 by establishing opportunities to information and Th e momentous tenth edition of TIFFCOM will be held build networks, and continuing to promote international over three days: from Tuesday to Th ursday, October 22- co-productions. 24, 2013. Following last year, the market will take place at the hotel GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA in the Odaiba We hope to create a place where fi lmmakers from both area of Tokyo. within and outside of Japan gather to conduct business talks and exchange information. TIFFCOM2012 saw the participation of 229 exhibiting organizations from 25 diff erent countries and regions. Further details will be announced in May. 983 buyers from 34 diff erent countries and regions also TIFFCOM 2013 Outline - Date: October 22-24 (Tues- took part, and lead to record numbers for both exhibitors Th urs), 2013 and buyers. Business talks also climbed 29%, and we saw TIFFCOM develop into a multi-content market with a Venue: GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA (2-6-1, Daiba, Mi- strong international presence. nato-ku, Tokyo)
2013 marks the second year of TIFFCOM’s move from Organizers: Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry Roppongi to the GRAND PACIFIC LE DAIBA in Odai- (METI) / UNIJAPAN (TBC) ba. Th e slogan for this year is “TOKYO Renezvous”. Co-organizer: Th e 26th Tokyo International Film Festi- We hope that hosting the market in the city resort of val Odaiba, close to central Tokyo, will lead to many new Range of Exhibits: Film, television, animation, digital opportunities and relationships. media content, comics, publishing, etc. We are working hard to make sure we can provide you Offi cial Website: http://www.tiff com.jp (scheduled to with wonderful encounters in this beautiful location. launch April 2013)
29 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 30 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
The Indie Gathering by Kevin Murphy
he Indie Gathering got its start in the great weekend. Aside from the fi lm competi- entire networking experience that caused T mid-1990s, originally created as a tion, the festival also includes screenwriting the festival to branch off into a second event, large networking event for the independ- and fi lm scoring competitions. At the event, The International Horror Hotel. Like The In- ent fi lm community in Ohio, as well as out there are competitions for actors, stunt peo- die Gathering, Horror Hotel has a weekend of state guests. The turnout for the event ple and special eff ects makeup artists. The of fi lm screenings, competitions, lectures, was much greater than expected and grew event features three screening rooms, a con- panel discussions, a convention, celebrity so quickly that it had to be held in a hotel vention, over twenty hours of fi lm lectures parties and more, but all centered specifi cal- after just a few short years. With this move, and panel discussions, networking parties ly on the horror and sci-fi genres. At Horror fi lm screenings were added to the event, and much more, all of which take over the Hotel, the special eff ects makeup competi- and The Indie Gathering International Film entire Hudson Clarion Inn & Conference tion takes over more of the event in the form Festival was born. Center, where the event is held. of haunted rooms – elaborate horror scenes put together by budding FX artists. Instead Created by lifelong Cleveland resident and The goal of the festival – and its staff – is to of the monologue competition, actors can Emmy-winning producer Ray Szuch, The In- provide everyone with a unique opportu- partake in the Scream Queen Competition. die Gathering was made to bring more op- nity. In one weekend, attendees can receive portunities to indie fi lmmakers, giving them fi lm school training, meet celebrity guests, With attendees from all areas of the fi lm a chance to network with other industry watch over one hundred fi lms, and most business and from all around the world, the professionals and a place to showcase their importantly, get themselves out there as a festivals continue to grow, with new spon- work. The festival’s mission is to inspire and fi lm professional, meeting a wide range of sors, new events and new ideas each year. encourage fi lmmakers through a competi- industry people. Filmmakers, fi lm students, Both events share the same goal: that eve- tive showcase, while presenting a great net- writers, actors, stunt people, musicians, art- ryone who attends walks away from the working opportunity for anyone involved or ists, celebrity guests and fi lm fans all have a weekend with more knowledge, new expe- interested in the industry. chance to meet one another while learning riences, new contacts, new ideas, and new more about their common interest – fi lm- fi lm friends. For more information on the The Indie Gathering is more than just a fi lm making. festivals, visit www.theindiegathering.com festival. It’s a place where fi lmmakers can and www.horrorhotel.net. gather together with the audience for one It was this same love of fi lmmaking and the
31 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 32 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Film Actors Awards scrambles Oscar
predictions by Ron Gilbert
Last night I attended the SAG-AFTRA awards and choice for best actor at the Oscars. Anne Hatha- was very happy with the choices made, in particular way won best supporting actress for her emotional , Jennifer Lawrence in winning best actress for her performance in Les Miserables and is mine and the performance in the motion picture, Silver Linings Oscar favorite. Th e big surprise of the night was the Playbook..She auditioned on Skype for the director winner of the ensemble cast of Argo in a motion and is a major talent at 22. Tommy Lee Jones won picture which was my favorite fi lm and Ben Affl eck best supporting actor for Lincoln which was well deserved this win. deserved. Robert DeNiro was also nominated but missed out which in a way made me happy because I thought that Les Miserables might take it or even he has not done his best work in years. Silver Linings Playbook but the SAG-AFTRA mem- bers agreed with me. Your opinion of whom you His roles in Raging Bull ,Th e Godfather 2 and Taxi think should win an award is your choice but do not Driver were brilliant but in the last few years he has always be infl uenced by critics because that is their made more money doing comedy roles. Just be- view and not yours. Th e choices for winners are just cause he squeezed out a tear in his scene with Brad- favorites at that time, which is what the award win- ley Cooper was not an award winning moment. ners should be called. Some actors have won these Bradley Cooper is at a high point in his career but awards then their career took a nose dive aft er 1 or he needs to dig deeper into his work. Joaquin Phoe- 2 more fi lms. Acting is a craft and if you love it you nix is a true example of an Actors Studio method will continue until the day you die because you love actor and goes to the depths of his character. He going to work unlike most people who do not love is not looking for an award which is what this in- their work. So just be inspired and continue and dustry is all about. His performance in Th e Mas- you will make it to the Oscars red carpet. ter earned him an Oscar nomination as best actor even though he did not launch a campaign. Th e red think should win an award is your choice but do not carpet is considered the magic carpet to stardom. always be infl uenced by critics because that is their What you must realize is that the amount of voters view and not yours. Th e choices for winners are just for all these award shows are not so high. favorites at that time, which is what the award win- ners should be called. Some actors have won these Th e Golden Globes has under 100 voters, Th e Os- awards then their career took a nose dive aft er 1 or car voters are 5700,SAG-AFTRA Awards has about 2 more fi lms. Acting is a craft and if you love it you 150,000 member or more but not all of them vote. will continue until the day you die because you love Th ese are approximations but they can give you an going to work unlike most people who do not love idea of how the award world works. So last night, their work. So just be inspired and continue and Daniel Day Lewis won best actor in Lincoln over you will make it to the Oscars red carpet. Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables ,who is still my
33 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Google + For Filmmakers
By Martin Shervington Since the launch of Google+ in 2011, it are almost 50,000 communities of peo- has received a variety of coverage in the ple who want to talk about everything press. In particular, headlines of ‘“Goog- from ‘The Universe’, to ‘Bacon’, to, yep, le+: It’s a ghost town” seemed the most fi lms and fi lmmaking. Just do a search common. Well, as we approach it’s sec- under the ‘communities’ button and you ond anniversary we can see reports of will see what I mean. Also, you can cre- 235 million active users making it the ate your own community if you don’t see number two network, behind Facebook what you like. btw: have free video on and fl ying past twitter. If you are in the my site and on YouTube that will cover fi lm industry, it is something you can- all aspects of how to do this. not ignore. So, whether you’ve already signed up and checked it out, or if you Friendly people - this is something that need a little encouragement, here you needs to be mentioned. On Google+ go there is a really positive vibe about the possibilities of the technology. I’ve met Google+ is a global network - unlike thousands of people from all over the certain other social sites, with Google+ world and been blown away with how you will be able to contact anyone in the welcoming they’ve been (I only started world who is posting content publicly. in March 2012). I’ve met some great fi lm Using the tool of engagement: +1s (a bit industry people, A list celebs, connected like ‘likes’), comments and shares, you with Oscar winning directors and more. will be able to get their attention. I even interacted with William Shatner and his Google+ is Google - this will take you a crew through creating a global trend to little while to grasp, but Google have put get his attention. a ‘social layer’ across Google’s products Using Google Docs - you will be able to and services. As such, Google+ is actu- collaborate on projects with people at ally Google, but they didn’t tell us all that the same time with e.g. spreadsheets for at the start. Once you get it, you get it! cost predictions, text for capturing ideas, presentations for, well, you get the idea. Hopefully that will give you a little more The key thing here is ‘collaboration’ and inspiration to get involved with Google+ once you’ve experienced it, you’ll know as a fi lm maker. We will all make our own what I mean. There is no app at present opportunities and this platform will en- for FinalDraft but I guess that may well able you to connect with more people in come in time too. new ways. Most of all...enjoy it! It is quite a ride. Google Hangouts - these are free video conferencing with us to 10 people in In 2011 Martin Shervington attended the virtual room (15 with a corporate ac- San Francisco Comedy College whilst count), in real time. This will enable vir- writing a script called ‘Lie Down, Stand tual teams to meet up, face-to-face and up’, about a psychiatrist who steals his connect in new ways. client’s content and turns it into stand up comedy. Having had it optioned but Google+ circles - people have already not bought (darn it) he returned to the created ‘circles’ of people you can just marketing consultancy and fell in love add in that relate to your industry with Google+. His website is www.mar- and your specifi c job role as well. With tinshervington.com where you will fi nd Google+ coming up to being two years everything you need to know about get- old, people have done a lot of work for ting started and making the most of the you. As such, this is a great time to get experience. Also check out his profi le in involved. the Plus. You will fi nd him here: www. google.com/+MartinShervington Communities - even though these were only launched in December 2012, there
www.ufmag.biz 34 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Flanders Minister greenlights Flanders Distribution Grant
lemish Cultural Aff airs Minister initiative to support the releases of Flemish lic body are excluded from the scheme. Full Joke Schauvliege has greenlit the fi lms overseas. ‘This is another step forward regulations can be obtained from Flanders FFlanders Distribution Grant, a new towards the better and wider introduction Image. The selective system, which will have a initiative aimed at boosting Flem- of Flemish cinema abroad,’ says Flemish Cul- €389,000 budget in its pilot year, will only be ish productions which are being tural Aff airs Minister Joke Schauvliege, who looking to support the most convincing and released theatrically abroad. greenlit the scheme. ‘We are no longer just the strongest applications. ‘We expect dis- supporting fi lms at festivals, but are now also tributors to present us with something that The selective system, which will run as a pilot supporting distribution, so that Flemish pro- is more than just a basic release,’ says Chris- project throughout 2013, will be launched at ductions can be seen in even more cinemas tian De Schutter of Flanders Image. ‘With the the Berlin International Film Festival. The ini- around the world.’ Flanders Distribution Grant, we want to make tiative is run by Flanders Image, the Flanders the release of a Flemish fi lm stand out from a Audiovisual Fund’s (VAF) audiovisual export A Flanders Distribution Grant can only be ob- regular opening in that territory.’ A jury is to and promotion agency. The budget for the tained by a foreign distributor after they have select the best proposals. fi rst year is €389,000 ($526,000). acquired the rights to the fi lm for their terri- tory. They can then apply for support if they On show from Flanders at the European Film Belgian cinema from Flanders has been do- can demonstrate that the grant will make a Market (EFM) this year are Felix van Groenin- ing increasingly well in recent years: the signifi cant diff erence to the theatrical release gen’s The Broken Circle Breakdown (int’l sales: number of fi lms being invited to festivals, and of the fi lm. The money might, for example, The Match Factory), which is invited to the winning awards at those festivals, has been be used for organising press junkets, for wid- Panorama Special programme where Bull- growing, while local hits such as Bullhead, ening the campaign, or for dubbing the fi lm head premiered two years ago; Allez, Eddy! Come As You Are and North Sea Texas also into the local language. The plan also needs by Gert Embrechts (Global Screen); Offl ine enjoyed healthy international sales. But while to be approved by the fi lm’s Flemish produc- by Peter Monsaert (Lumière Publishing); and fi lmmakers were able to apply for fi nancial er. Only majority-produced Flemish creations The Fifth Season by Peter Brosens and Jessica support to travel to festivals, or to increase are eligible for a Flanders Distribution Grant, Woodworth (Films Boutique). the visibility of their fi lms at these festivals, and fi lms that have already received distribu- until now there has been no comparable tion support from MEDIA or any other pub-
In these days we opened call for works for our Internation- their fi lms that come alive on the big screen. Th e FilmFest al Student FilmFest. As we spoke in November last year, I is open for student fi lms produced independently from hope it is still possible to publish a short presentation with professional studios. Th is way the fi lms push the limits, logo in the magazine. Th e web page is www.medijskidan.si, embrace individuality, connect people and refl ect uncom- the logo is in the attachment and the text is: promising creativity as their authors enter their local envi- ronment. Th ese local environments are diverse and spread Youthful creativity, drive and enthusiasm need a place to all over Europe wherever the festival program is adopted. thrive. International student FilmFest is a platform where Let the voice of young creative’s be heard around the globe! students and young people can reach a wide audience with
35 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 36 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Interview REAL LIFE STORIES OF With STRUGGLE AND COURAGE Valeria Bandino by Kevin Murphy FROM Valeria Bandino gets invited to festivals AROUND all over the world UFM Interviews her. 5. What is your favourite word? - “Possible”. With commitment and intel- THE WORLD 1. Let’s talk a bit about you Valeria. What ligence, I believe that everything is pos- made you want to get into the industry sible. in the fi rst place? 6. How’s Valeria in her private life? During my studies of psychology I re- Normally I’m a pretty dynamic woman, alised how fascinating our mind is and I spend a lot of time out and I have very how beautiful is to watch how we react busy days so even when I’m home and to other’s actions. Then I moved to Ire- I have some time to dedicate to myself land and I studied acting at the prestig- and my loved ones, I keep doing many ious “Gaiety School of Acting”. There my things. For example I love cooking and love for playing characters and acting trying new recipes, having friends over, grew until the point in which I was told going to the gym and of course shop- that I’m a good actress and I was sent ping. to the TVI Actor’s Studio in L.A. learning new techniques. Once back to Ireland, 7. You went to the Dubai International I started to work in movies and I found Film Festival.. tell us about your experi- THIS IS OMAR, A TEENAGE it very interesting so I kept doing it. I ence there. REFUGEE FROM SOMALIA. love acting; it’s just so interesting to be someone else for a while! Dubai has been a wonderful experi- A LIFE ON HOLD ence. The festival was very well organ- IS A NEW FILM ABOUT 2. Italian, living in Ireland and always ized with an interesting movies selec- OMAR’S LIFE IN A REFUGEE travelling. What do you like the most of tion. I met many local actors which CAMP IN TUNISIA. your job? made me feel home and inspired me to wanting to know more about the fi lm I like being international, meeting and market in Dubai. I took one day off from WATCH AT working with colleagues from all over the festival to visit the city and I got AMNESTY.ORG/REFUGEES the world and in general living new ex- impressed by how much it has been periences everyday. I feel very lucky. done in 41 years. The city is beautiful and very modern but at the same time 3. What’s coming up for you in 2013? keeps a wonderful Arabic style. I can’t In March I’ll be working in the new wait to visit Dubai again. Lorenzo Raveggi’s movie called “The CHILDREN OF Secret of Botticelli” where I will be play- 8. What advice would you give to any- ing Margareth, the American assistant one wanting to pursue a career in the THE JAGUAR of a criminologist. I’m pretty happy to industry? Being an actor is not a 9am to AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN work on this project. Margareth is an 5pm job. Being an actor is a 24/7 job, THE AMAZON JUNGLE TAKE ON THE COMBINED MIGHT OF THE interesting character and I’m fl attered it’s stronger than a love or a passion, it GOVERNMENT AND AN OIL to have been already confi rmed for the takes you away from family and friends, COMPANY IN ORDER TO SAVE sequel. it makes you living on the edge. It in- THEIR WAY OF LIFE AND THE volves big sacrifi ces, eff orts and stud- RAINFOREST THEY LIVE IN. 4. If you could have dinner with three ies. But it also gives you big satisfac- guests - (living or dead), who would tions. So my advice is to be very strong you choose and why? as this business is not an easy cookie but at the same time never take the fo- WATCH AT Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and cus off it. With time good opportunities BIT.LY/JAGUAR-TRAILER Quentin Tarantino. I love their style so will come and with it some great mo- having dinner with them would be very ments too. inspiring other than and absolute night of fun! Can you imagine that? Find out more: [email protected]
37 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Magnifi cent 7 Film Festival by Radmila Djurica
One of 2 signifi cant documentary fi lm festivals in Bel- grade, Serbia Magnifi cent 7 Film Festival in 2013 showed once more that quality is above quantity screening only 7 worldwide important documentaries in the selection of Danish veteran Tue Steen Müller, selector and consultant for the festivals DOCS Barcelona, DOK Leipzig, Magnifi - cent 7 and DoxBox in Damascus and teacher at the fi lm school Zelig in Bolzano, Italy etc. The fi lms are the impor- tant seven from Müller’s base New York, a metropole of independent entertainment cinema and the place of two important veterans: 86 years old Albert Maysles and the 90 year old Jonas Mekas.
The fi lms selected for the 2013 edition of Magnifi cent7 have been shown in theatres in their countries of origin and all over the world. The great period we experience in the popular documentary genre prove the fi lmmakers who come to Belgrade with their fi lms: Magnifi cent7o- pens with the Searching for Sugar Man by Swedish fi lm director Malik Bendjelloul, the winner of BAFTA Award 2013 for the Best Documentary and internationally the most successful documentary of 2012 which is accord- ing the author an exciting story about the search for evi- dence of one legend’s authenticity and a journey into the unknown. The dramatic composition of a suspenseful cin- ematic thriller is enriched by subtle yet profound layers, which are seamlessly interwoven into the narrative.
The Magnifi cent 7 Festival in Belgrade brings poetry of best docs and personally made documentaries with a diversity in themes and authentic from the minimalistic and original interpretation of an urban social reality in So- fi a’s Last Ambulance by Bulgarian Ilian Metev, fi lm direc- tor from UK National Film and Television School (NFTS) to the beautiful and respectful meeting with people who do very seldom appear in the media in Tea or Electricity by Jérôme Le Maire and Winter Nomads by Manuel von Stür- ler. Important note: art will always survive and of course the portrait of a great humanist, Olof “Palme”, who was shot down, when he chose to walk home after a visit to the cinema. Magnifi cent7 is a tribute to the art of cine- ma, but it is also a tribute to the power of fi lm craft itself and two fi lms proves that: Searching for Sugar Man and Soundbreaker by Finish Kimmo Koskela that is about an artist who seeks to break all rules.
www.ufmag.biz 38 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
39 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Hansel and Gretel A fairy tale turned gore fest by Susan Cooper
If you’re a parent looking for an entertaining hind the abductions is that a coven of witch- fi lm to take your kids to, fl icking through the es is preparing for a ritual called Blood Moon, cinema listings Glasgow, or whichever town where six girls and six boys are required for you happen to be in, you might be tempted sacrifi ce. The plot follows from there with nu- by one of the new releases that’s out in most merous bloody assassinations taking place. cinemas at the moment called Hansel and There are no holds barred on the level of vio- Gretel: Witch Hunters. lence, which may or may not be of interest to you as a viewer. Be warned though, this is no U movie, it’s not even a PG. Although its two main char- Generally, the fi lm hasn’t been the recipient acters are based on the traditional fairy tale of much praise. The plot has been criticised of Hansel and Gretel, this is where any simi- for falling between black comedy and horror, larity ends. Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters and with names like Will Ferrell and Adam is defi nitely a movie that’s only for grown- Mackay as executive producers, it seems like- ups – and only those who have strong stom- ly that it was perhaps intended to be more achs. The theme of violence and gore runs about black comedy than horror. But to be throughout the movie and to be honest, truthful, there don’t seem to be many light that’s about all it has. moments in the fi lm at all.
The plot centres on grown-up Hansel and The violence is paramount, with lots of nas- Gretel, who have blossomed into fully ty close-ups of faces being punched in and fl edged witch hunters following their harass- death by various weapons including ma- ing ordeal as children, when they were held chine guns, tazers and shovels. prisoner by a witch who force fed candy to Hansel and made Gretel prepare the oven It’s a German-American production and the where Hansel was scheduled to be cooked. cast hails from many diff erent countries. The As in the fairy tale, the two children man- problem with this is that there’s a lack of aged to get the witch in the oven and escape consistency as the accents are so muddled. with their lives. In the fi lm, Hansel has been Many of them are European, with a nod to left with an insulin dependency following the fact that the story takes place in a town his ordeal but the two are both immune to called Augsburg, but the two leads – Gemma witches’ spells and curses, so excel in their Arterton (Gretel) and Jeremy Renner (Hansel) profession of exterminating witches. – both have American accents.
The brother-sister duo are hired by a town Directed by Norwegian Tommy Wirkola and mayor to rescue children abducted by witch- fi lmed in 3D, this fi lm may appeal to a very es, but when the pair intervene to stop the lo- limited audience – teenage boys who enjoy cal sheriff from executing a suspected witch violent fi lms based on fairy tales perhaps? – called Mina, he also hires trackers to fi nd the but it certainly doesn’t have the feel of some- children, in order to win the mayor’s respect. thing that will appeal to a mainstream audi- The witch hunters discover the reason be- ence.
www.ufmag.biz 40 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Universal Film & UFFO “best business Festival practices” for fi lm Organization festivals
ince the launch of own festival. (Nothing illegal about that; a number of fes- UFFO on the 1st tival organizers regularly promote their own and even their Maureen O’Hara July 2011 and the friends’ fi lms.) The screening programme was set up with S organization’s best their own fi lm taking prime position in the whole lineup. In business practices addition the fi lm was nominated in 5 of the 7 top catego- for fi lm festivals it has been ries. Although the fi lm was slated by many of the UK critics adopted by over 190 inter- it managed to win an award in every category. Hundreds of national fi lm festivals and other fi lmmakers who submitted their fi lms to this festival has gathered strong support and paid for the privilege to have their fi lm considered from organizations all over the world What was very apparent was that there needed to be some- thing in place to stop this from happening. There was no With stories being published code of practice anywhere in the world that was fair to both on almost a daily basis about fi lmmakers and fi lm festival organizers. We wrote a very fraudlent fi lm festivals some- basic set of best business practices and published it on the “Every once in a while thing had to be done to pro- social networking sites LinkedIn and Facebook to judge the there is something that tect fi lmmakers from fraud reaction. The response from both communities was phe- stands out and compels us to notice it; I think that and to assure that honest fes- nomenal. We were inundated with e-mail from all corners is what struck me most tival organizers’ hard-earned of the globe, telling us horror stories, and why the code of about UFFO when it was reputations were protected. practice is needed. fi rst brought to my atten- tion. I am so tremendous- At this stage it was just an ide- The whole idea behind a code of practice was to improve the ly honoured and proud to be the President of al. Sometime later I attended relationship between industry professionals and acknowl- such an international or- an international Film Festival edg the importance of enhanced cooperation between ganisation that promotes in the UK. I discovered that fi lmmakers and fi lm festivals. It led to a heated debate over ethics in an industry I the festival organizer and his many months by festival directors and fi lmmakers. Both . love so much” partner, a fi lm director, had a communities had very strong opinions about what should fi lm in competition in their and should not be included.
Tyrone D Murphy is the founder On the one hand the majority of festival directors run legiti- and CEO of UFFO, he was respon- mate operations, provide a great service and want to play sible for creating and implement- fair; on the other hand the fi lmmaking community had a ing “best business practices”. gut full of the fraudulent activity that was taking their hard- Through his hard work it has earned dollars. The few bad apples in the barrel were blight- been adopted by over 190 inter- national fi lm festivals around the ing the entire fi lm industry. World. We created a code of best business practices was written. He is an award winning fi lm It has ten simple guiding principles. The successful imple- producer and director, a festival director and now dedicated his mentation of this code was largely dependent on its accept- time to benefi t the fi lmmaking ance by the fi lm festival and fi lmmaking community as a and fi lm festival communities whole. It is completely voluntary and has helped defi ne the through UFFO. obligations and responsibilities that fi lm festival organizers have towards the fi lmmaking community Tyrone Power JR, is the Chair- man of the UFFO committee It has a pragmatic approach to implementation that is based USA. He is an acclaimed actor in his own right and follows in the on rational and transparent working methods. It promotes footsteps of his famous father good business practices and assists in the development of Tyrone Power Senior. relationships between fi lm festival organisers and the fi lm- “The promotion of ethics and making community. The Universal Film and Festival Organi- standards is a noble and worth- while goal in any walk of life. To be zation was later formed to monitor the database of accred- able to help do so in an industry I ited fi lm festivals. Membership to UFFO is completely free love and admire is truly a gift and and is open to all creative individuals, fi lmmakers and fi lm an honour. I am proud to be a part festivals. It is completely voluntary and easy to implement, of the UFFO organization which in addition it’s also a blueprint for fi lmmakers in deciding fosters and promotes the dedicat- ed, passionate work of fi lmmak- which fi lm festivals to do business with. ers and fi lm festivals around the world.” Tyrone Power.
41 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film IssueIssue 9 9 - - 2013 2013 UFFO Best Business Practices for Film Festivals
No 1: Film Festival organizers should op- erate a transparent selection process and publish details of the selection process and the names of the Jury/selection commit- tee (publication can be after a festival con- cludes) No 2: Film festivals organizers should pro- vide full contact details for the festival of- fi ces including address and telephone num- bers and the names of the festival directors and or committee No 3: A Film Festival should publish its legal status as a company, charity or non-profi t (this only applies to a registered entity) No 4: Film festival organizers should not share fi lmmakers’ fi nancial data with any third parties No 5: Film Festivals should publish a year by year history of festival winners and fi lms of- fi cially selected No 6: Film festival organizers, committee and or jury should not show or demonstrate any favouritism to any fi lm submitted to the festival or attempt to infl uence other mem- bers of the jury or selection committee No 7: Film Festivals should declare the num- ber of fi lms sought and/or invited by the festival organizers to participate in the fes- tival prior to and before the general call for submissions is sent out No 8: Film Festivals should provide the names of the selection committee and/or jury members who viewed the submitted fi lm screeners to the festival (this could be after the festival has concluded) No 9: Film festival organizers should view at least 5 minutes of all submitted fi lms No 10: All Festival organizers should declare any confl ict of interest that may arise from any fi lm submitted to or invited to partici- pate in the festival
www.ufmag.biz 42 FILM FESTIVAL GUILD EXPOSED
ince the inception of the Uni- The Film Festival Guild was founded in to submit their fi lms legitimately to the versal Film Magazine, we have 2006 and is operated by Stuart Bren- Guilds’ festivals for consideration. Many fearlessly tackled and exposed nan, a man who, by all appearances, is of these awards – handed out like can- S many disreputable fi lm festi- a successful actor, writer, director, pro- dy at a kiddies’ birthday party – go to vals all over the world. From ducer and more. He has won an award fi lms produced by “Burn Hand Film Pro- the Swansea Bay Festival in Wales, UK, for nearly every one of his fi lmic eff orts. ductions,” a company owned and oper- to the Famewalk Film Festival in Los An- ated by Stuart Brennan and his friend geles, to the Queens International Film Surely he must be a gifted individual – Neil Jones. Festival in New York, and many more all or is he? Upon closer inspection, it turns over the world that have taken advan- out that Brennan may not be as gifted Our investigation has shown that one tage of fi lmmakers to make a tidy profi t as it would seem. UFM has uncovered of the more dubious festivals run by for themselves. evidence that Brennan and his cronies the Film Festival Guild is the Newport have been using the Film Festival Guild International Film Festival, operated Some of these festivals have perpetrat- and its festivals to shower themselves at the Riverfront Cinema in Newport ed unconscionable scams such as sell- and their friends with accolades, while Wales, UK – not to be confused with the ing awards, bestowing festival awards other fi lmmakers pay submission fees festival of the same name in Newport, to their own or their friends’ fi lms, and blacklisting fi lmmakers on a whim.
We are now faced with yet another breed of fi lm festival animal: The Film Festival Guild (FFG). A small company based in Dorset, UK, FFG operates a number of fi lm festivals, including the Newport International Film Festival, The British Independent Film Festival, The British Horror Film Festival, The Brit- ish Animation Film Festival, and its new endeavour, The Hidden Film Festivals, allegedly based in Paris, Toronto, Dub- lin and London.
All of these festivals are registered with the online submission provider, With- outabox (WAB), making them eligible to receive submissions from the fi lm- making community (more on With- outabox later). Owners of Burn Hand Film Productions Stuart Brennan and Neil Jones
43 www.ufmag.biz How can the Film Festival Guild give its own directors so many awards other fi lmmakers paid for..
Jones had a stellar year, winning awards tended the 2010-11 festival. After arriv- left, right and centre – at Brennan’s own ing, our former editor was turned away festivals. At the Newport International from an apparent full house (“standing Film festival, “Risen” was again submit- room only”) by Stuart Brennan himself. ted, selected and nominated, winning After much debate, the UFM former edi- Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, tor was eventually admitted. Accord- Best Supporting Actor and the Best Pic- ing to our former editor, the screening ture. At this stage it should come as no room was three-quarters empty, and surprise that Brennan’s and Jones’ fi lm the small audience consisted of mainly Riverfront Newport Wales won, despite many other fi lmmakers the cast and crew of Brennan’s movie. having submitted fi lms to the festival Tyrone D. Murphy, UFM former Editor, Rhode Island, USA, which went out of for consideration. said: “If this was being passed off as an business some years ago. Confusion audience choice award, then it was a between the two festivals is under- We (UFM) contacted Stuart Brennan, slam dunk, no chance of losing.” standable given that Brennan’s NIFF, who told us that all of his awards are out of Wales, UK, is using the same do- “audience choice” awards. Since we Newport City Council made the follow- main name and IMDb page held by the had been tipped off as to the festival’s ing statement: “Newport City Council former USA NIFF before it went out of suspicious activity, our former editor at- is not involved with the running of the business.
The fi rst year that NIFF operated in Wales saw Stuart Brennan’s and Neil Jones’ Burnt Hand Film Productions win the awards for Best Feature and Best Actress for their own fi lm “The Lost.” Here is their IMDb page for that year: http://www.imdb.com/event/ ev0000492/2007. This is just a taste of what was to come over the next few years.
In 2008, “Jack Says,” a fi lm produced by Simon Phillips and directed by Bob Philips, earned awards for Best Film and Best Actor at Brennan’s NIFF. The fol- lowing year, Brennan managed to land a role in the movie, “Jack Said,” also pro- duced by Simon Phillips.
In 2009, another of Brennan’s and Neil Jones’ ultra-low budget fi lms, “Risen,” won an award at that year’s NIFF The fact that, at the time, the fi lm was not even fi nished did not stop Brennan from giving his own fi lm the award. 2011 - Newport International Film Festival, Neil Jones and Stuart Brennan In 2010-11 Stuart Brennan and Neil clean up at the NIFF awards from Brennan’s own festivals
www.ufmag.biz 44 Stuart Brennat at the British Independant Film Festival with winnser Martha Pinson Martin Scorsese
SCORSESE’S STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
festival. It also does not endorse or pro- would encourage the fair operation of The Guilds website also state “The fes- mote the festival, except to include it in any festival which showcases the work tival comes to a close with its highly its programme of events on the website of talented fi lmmakers.” respected Awards Ceremony, where along with all other activities.” They did the following honours are up for grabs” not say whether the NIFF will be held at The Founder of the Iris Film Festival, a BEST FILM - BEST NEW SCREENPLAY the Riverfront in 2013. major festival in Wales had this to say - BEST ACTOR - BEST ACTRESS - BEST “I’ve been involved with fi lm festivals CINEMATOGRAPHY - BEST DIRECTOR - The Festival Guild state on their web site and fi lm production since 1989. The idea BEST SHORT - WELSH DRAGON AWARD “An impressive student attendance rate of awarding your own work at your own - AUDIENCE AWARDS. However, since means your fi lm is not only going to get festival is at best delusional, and pos- 2006 onwards we now know that many to be seen by fi lm lovers, but the social sible dishonest. Most credible festivals of these awards have been awarded to networks will be buzzing once they’ve who present awards ask independent Brennan and Jones own fi lms. enjoyed it!” With this PR hook, which juries to select the winners completely seemes to be targeting students, should independent of the festival organisers, This activity is not limited to the NIFF – it be a cause for concern that the NIFF is as is the case with the Iris Prize. The idea it’s a similar story with Brennan’s other only 100 yards away from the Newport that any of the people involved with the Guild Festivals. We had an undercover Film School where legions of young im- Iris Prize were to submit their work into reporter attend another one of their pressionable fi lmmakers are eager to the Iris Prize is laughable. The idea that festivals; this time it was the British Inde- have their work play at a festival. one of our fi lms was to win the Iris Prize pendent Film Festival, which took place is even more hilarious! in the Poole Lighthouse Theatre in Dor- The Newport Film School issued the set, UK. The Brennan/Jones fi lm in “com- following statement in relation to the The Film Festival Guild invites website petition” here was “Masterpiece.” Newport festival: Professor Barry Atkins, visitors to “EXPLORE OUR PREVIOUS Head of the School of Film, Photogra- FESTIVALS”. However, there is no link on As with the Newport Festival, no ad- phy and Digital Media at the University the Film Festival Guild’s website for the vance tickets were available through of Wales, Newport, said: “The University Newport Film Festival prior to 2012, in the Guild as the screening was appar- of Wales, Newport Film School has no fact there is no history going as far back ently sold out. Nonetheless our reporter connection to, or involvement with, the as 2006. The only link is for the 2012 fes- managed to obtain a ticket in person, Newport International Film Festival. The tival so it’s not possible to view the activ- at the box offi ce. As with the Newport University understands the importance ity prior to this. screening, the room was almost empty, of integrity to any awards process, and and yet the fi lm won an award. “Risen”
43 www.ufmag.biz arose yet again at this festival, and was offi cially selected and a Q&A session after the screening with Mr. Brennan’s old pal, Stuart Brennan Neil Jones, the director. In 2011 at the Guild’s other festival, the British Horror Film Festival, and another of Brennan’s and Jones’ low-budget fi lms from Burn Hand Film Productions, Film Festival Guild “The Reverend,” was offi cially selected and had its world pre- Newport International Film Festival miere there. British Independant Film Festival British Amination Film Festival Swansea Bay Film Festival British Horror Film Festival The Hidden Film Festivals Several of Brennan’s fi lms were nominated and received awards from the Swansea Bay Film Festival – another notori- FILM FESTIVAL GUILD, STUDIO 30, ous fi lm festival that hit the headlines – run by Binda Singh. CLINK STREET STUDIOS, LONDON, SE1 4HS The festival rose to infamy over allegations that Mr. Binda +44 (0) 20 7378 7840 Singh was running a scam operation that included at least 16 info ‘@’ fi lmfestivalguild.com international fi lm festivals. In 2006, the Brennan/Jones fi lm, www.thefi lmfestivalguild.com “The Lost,” was offi cially selected at the Swansea Bay Festival. Then, in 2008, their fi lm, “The Feral Generation,” was also se- Companies lected and won an award. TBFG LIMITED BURN HAND FILM PRODUCTIONS LIMITED The number of awards that Brennan and Jones have be- POOLE NIGHT DOCTOR LIMITED stowed upon themselves and their fi lms is staggering, and rather embarrassing from a professional fi lmmaker’s point of Registered Offi ce view. Despite the denials of Brennan’s Film Festival Guild, the 7 Barbers Gate, Poole Dorset fact remains that he submitted, programmed and selected England, BH15 1ZA his own fi lms over a number of years, eschewing hundreds of submissions every year from unsuspecting fi lmmakers via Withoutabox. fully research each festival to which they apply, many fi lmmakers rely on Withoutabox to do this for them. It The Scorsese Connection – Strange Bedfellows seems that many may place their trust in Withoutabox simply because it is owned and operated by IMDb/Ama- We picked up on a post on the WAB forums made by Martha zon. Pinson, who is a former script supervisor for Martin Scorsese. She asked if anyone had heard of the British Independent There’s an old saying that is pertinent here: buyer be- Film Festival. Apparently, she was nominated for an award at ware! Simply put, a fi lmmaker cannot rely on WAB to Brennan’s festival, although she had never heard of the little root out scam operations or disreputable festivals. WAB/ festival to which she’d submitted her script via Withoutabox. IMDb CEO and founder, Col Needham, was quoted as Pinson was obviously relying on Withoutabox to ensure the saying, ”We are running a business; it’s not our job to pro- integrity of the British Independent Film Festival. tect fi lmmakers’ money.” It is UFM’s contention, however, that WAB should take the steps necessary to ensure that We corresponded with Pinson at the time, as we were in- fi lmmakers’ submission fees are safe from underhanded trigued that Brennan had selected Pinson’s script for BIFF. fi lm festivals. It only makes sense, since they are, after all, We were very interested to see how Brennan would take ad- making huge profi ts from the fi lmmaking and festival vantage of the Pinson/Scorsese connection. It was revealed community. recently that Martin Scorsese himself is slated – along with Neil Jones – as executive producer for “Tomorrow,” a feature In addition, WAB has made it extremely diffi cult in the being co-written by Brennan. Martha Pinson is directing the past for a fi lm festival to choose another submission pro- fi lm, which is to be produced by the pairs Burn Hand Film Pro- vider, as WAB had an exclusivity clause in their contract. ductions. WAB is now facing hostility from some areas of the festi- val community; for example, a Facebook group is advo- UFM wrote to Martin Scorsese’s agent, William Morris En- cating the boycott of Withoutabox. deavor, and to his production company, Sikelia Productions, several times, asking for a comment on the Film Festival Guild UFFO and the activities of Brennan and Jones. We have received no reply to date. Given the unethical history of the Brennan/ There is only one organization in the world we know of Jones oeuvre, it will be interesting to see how this proposed that is tackling this issue head on, and that is UFFO, the endeavour with Scorsese plays out. Universal Film and Festival Organization. The organiza- tion has a simple ten-point code of “Best Business Prac- Withoutabox tices” which has been adopted by 192 international fi lm festivals. The code is also a blueprint for fi lmmakers We contacted IMDb and Withoutabox and asked if this sort choosing the festival(s) to which they’ll submit their work of activity is acceptable; we outlined the evidence, and we UFFO is also free: www.uff o.org. have not received a reply. Many of the festivals that UFM has exposed as disreputable have only one point of access to the Reviews world of fi lmmakers, and that is Withoutabox, a site which lets fi lmmakers submit their work to multiple festivals electroni- An important question is why would fi lmmakers like cally. Though it could be argued that fi lmmakers should care-
www.ufmag.biz 44 UniversalUniversal Film Film Issue 9 - 2013
Brennan and Jones need to shower was posted recently on the Guild’s web- vals should be measured, is akin to this themselves with so many awards? Could site: same dictator announcing that since it be desperation, insecurity or vanity? he has achieved his idea of the perfect Perhaps an answer can be found in the “To get your festival endorsed by the nation, others should follow suit. There fact that their fi lms have been thorough- Film Festival Guild and get some of the is nothing more grotesque. – Fianna ly panned by fi lm critics. Here are some many benefi ts such as cross promo- MacGregor, M.A., fi lm journalist, New of the reviews for “Risen”: tion, industry endorsement, increased York audience awareness and participation, Hunts Post: please contact us directly, using the de- “Such fi lm festivals should be exposed “There are obvious budgetary restric- tails above.” This sounds very plausible; and banned, and if required, Monopo- tions, most evidently in the sparsely even the name itself, “The Film Festival lies and Restive Practices Act brought attended international fi ghts and the Guild,” has an air of authority. Of course, against them. Such festivals are highly way the director tries to hide Winston’s given the absence of any information to demoralising for fi lmmakers, and they injured hand out of shot or under a tow- the contrary, it is understandable that should rise in protest. Maybe they el, and the largely unknown cast often some gullible fi lm festivals have actually should even boycott such bogus festi- struggle with their performances, with bought into the Film Festival Guild’s en- vals.” – Jacob Isaac, Technical Director, uncomfortable pauses as they try to re- dorsement programme. SCRIPT ISFF, Kochi, India member their lines.” These developments are more than a “It is shocking that any group of people Eye for Film: little disturbing. Should we now be con- would freely and confi dently exploit the “With its lack of character insight and cerned about the future of fi lm festivals? concept of a festival, as one of the only misdirected lack of focus, “Risen” is nev- Is it not reasonable to assume that if a vestiges for young fi lmmakers to show er going to be the knock out its central fi lm festival is to be regarded as practic- their works. Accepting entry fees for character once was. Jones is not going ing a standard of excellence, it should be these festivals from aspiring and eager to bring in anyone new to the sport or fair, open and transparent in every way? fi lmmakers is fraud when the festival is Winstone with his poor storytelling, and Is the notion of a fair and ethical celebra- rigged. These people should be prose- with its shallow look at events and char- tion of art becoming an unachievable cuted under the law. – Patricia J. Pawlak acters it’s not going to teach fans any- ideal bound for the scrapheap? , Distributor thing new or enlightening.” Comments from the Industry “It’s these types of actions that make it Best of Film: hard for legitimate festivals to function “It’s a shame, then, that director Neil “There is a code of conduct in place to or profi t. Sadly there is not much other Jones and his cast of relative unknowns eliminate any board member from par- festivals can do, as even some of the big fail so uniformly and entirely to bring ticipating in their own competition. If name festivals participate in such prac- any gravity or dramatic weight to a real these festival organizers dare to award tices. This is why the UFFO and other life story that plays more like fi ction than themselves they have transgressed the organizations are so important, and a fact.” principles of ethical conduct, which will reason for every fi lmmaker to do their refl ect on the credibility of their festival.” homework before submitting their fi lm Guardian: – Chantal Denoux, fi lmmaker, Australia to any festival.” – Joseph Hardin, Horror- “Unfortunately the fi lm doesn’t quite get Quest Film Festival, USA to grips with it on anything other than a “For fi lm festival organizers to award superfi cial level.” their own fi lms is a gaping chasm in the honorable ethics of the fi lm festival and Empire Online: “Stodgy fare that eulogis- fi lmmaking community. When a breach es the man rather than delving deeply of trust enters into the fi lm festival world into his compelling life.” it undermines the hard work and vision of small, medium and large festivals Total Film: around the world.” – Adrienne M. Ander- “KO-ed by a fl abby screenplay and lack- son, International Black Women’s Film ing the money to do justice to the ’60s Festival setting.” “When Filmmakers and Film Festival Endorsing Other Film Festivals Organizers, or any other creative body, generate and bestow awards on them- Given all of Brennan’s shameless self- selves, for doing exactly what they promotion and self-bestowed awards, wanted to do without any meaningful one would think that he would be sat- jurying or competition, it is no diff erent isfi ed with his own “achievements.” Well, than a dictator awarding himself med- apparently not. Brennan has now taken als for ethnic cleansing. Such a practice it to a whole new level, setting up the not only cheapens the award system Film Festival Guild as an endorsing body but it gives fi lms, which might other- or accrediting organization for other wise have been well received at other fi lm festivals – a leader in the industry festivals, the taint of nepotism. Worse, to look up to, a name to be trusted. As to have these organizers set themselves far-fetched as this sounds, the following up as the standard by which other festi-
45 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 46 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
REVIEW
47 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
HITCHCOCK by Derek Winner
It’s 1959, and Alfred Hitchcock is at the peak of his a mooovie, Ingrid! Clearly we’ve no idea what the creative powers and popularity, with the huge suc- Hitchcock’s said to each other in the privacy of their cess of North by Northwest and his TV show. But own home and this forms the main basis of the ma- he’s getting older – he’s 60 – and no wiser – he’s hav- terial, but the script nevertheless has the feel of the ing a creative block and can’t come up with a new truth and seems like an insider’s view, persuading project. Th en the idea of fi lming the lurid, bestsell- you this is how it must have been. Hoppy and Helen ing thriller novel Psycho comes to him, haunts him have some great dialogue to chew over and spit out, and truly inspires him. But the fi lm studio won’t and they relish it like the great old pros they are. touch a trashy horror movie, and the only way ahead would be to take a big risk to mortgage his Th ere are some surprises. Did Alma really take over mansion and fi nance it himself. the direction of Psycho when a stressed-out Hitch grew ill for a few days? Where is Saul Bass in the And meanwhile, on the home front, his wise and story, the ‘pictorial consultant’ who designed the wonderful wife, confi dante and collaborator Alma title credits and supposedly fi lmed the infamous is getting fed up with Hitchcock’s endlessly roving shower sequence? And did I miss the mentions of eye and crazy obsessions with his blonde actresses, the Hitchcocks’ actress daughter Patricia, who ap- and starts to desert him to help another writer-di- pears in Psycho? Th e script implies the Hitchcocks rector, the suave and charming Whitfi eld Cook. had a sex-free marriage. Why?
Based on Stephen Rebello’s 1990 book, Alfred Th e Psycho story is based on a real-life case about Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, director Sa- the infamous serial killer Ed Gein, and the fi lm cha Gervasi’s fi lm is a total treat! Unlike the recent shows Hitch wandering about with him in dream- TV fi lm about Hitchcock Th e Girl which tried to as- like sequences. Yet the risky inclusion of this Ed sassinate the director’s character and forgot to men- Gein stuff works very eff ectively and adds another tion his genius, this is warm, generous, complex, in- layer to the fi lm. Th is is a prime example of how telligent and appealing – and lots of fun! It provides this multi-layered, textured fi lm relishes its ambi- a proper warts-and-all tribute to Alfred Hitchcock tion and imagination. and his wife Alma and not a sensationalist hatchet job. And, technically too, this is one heck of a fi ne, pol- ished movie. Th ere’s a glorious Danny Elfman score, Not at all perfectly cast but absolutely ideal any- delicious production and glossy cinematography by way, those national institutions Anthony Hopkins Jeff Cronenweth and Oscar nominated work on the and Helen Mirren are twin delights as the bicker- makeup and hair that makes things look very styl- ing star couple, indeed all the cast are great. Even ish. Th e period atmosphere and the movie-making if they never look or sound much like the originals and California backgrounds feel right, all achieved (Scarlett Johansson is certainly no Janet Leigh and gracefully with eff ective understatement. Th e open- Jessica Biel no Vera Miles either), it doesn’t matter, ing and end credits are also extremely smart, again they brilliantly capture the spirit of their characters without seeming to try too hard. and evoke all the old ghosts and the memories. Aft er a brilliant 98 minutes, I felt cheated when the John J McLaughlin (Black Swan) provides a truly movie stopped, I wanted loads more and can’t wait excellent, classy script that manages to be in- to see it again. I can’t imagine it being better done or formative, funny and touching. Obviously a lot of having a better tribute to an all-time great, favourite the story and dialogue is totally made up and this director. might frustrate fi lm buff s looking for a more fac- tual, documentary-style approach. But, hey, it’s only
www.ufmag.biz 48 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Cinema Made In Italy
Interview opportunities at London’s Italian fi lm festival, in town 6-10 March
by Cori Blaze
inema Made in Italy 2013 kicks off on 6 March at celebration of the legendary director Vittorio de Seta. After the Ciné Lumière in South Kensington, celebrat- Cinema Made in Italy 2013 has drawn to a close, cinemagoers ing the third edition of London’s Italian fi lm fes- can continue to experience Italian fi lm with the 22 March UK C tival. The event, which has become an annual release of Matteo Garrone’s REALITY, awarded the Grand Jury rendezvous, is organised by the Filmitalia De- Prize at last year’s Cannes. partment of Istituto Luce Cinecittà in Rome and the Italian Cultural Institute in London. It off ers cinemagoers in the capi- tal a fi ve day showcase of the best recent Italian productions, Screening Programme never before screened in the UK. Wednesday 6 March The festival’s fi ve day programme includes ten new Italian - 6.30pm MAGNIFICENT PRESENCE (Magnifi ca Presenza) 105 fi lms: a selection of eight titles made by Gianni Canova, Ital- mins ian fi lm critic, Professor of Cinema History and Dean of IULM Q&A with Ferzan Ozpetek (dir) and Elio Germano (act) University in Milan, and a special choice of two fi lms by Adrian - 8.50pm THE LANDLORDS (Padroni Di Casa) 90 mins Wootton, CEO of Film London. The screenings will be fol- Q&A with Edoardo Gabbriellini (dir), Elio Germano (act) lowed by Q&A sessions with directors and actors. This is a unique chance for both the public and UK dis- Thursday 7 March tributors to see Italian fi lms that have not yet had “6 - 10th - 6.30pm PIAZZA FONTANA: AN ITALIAN CONSPIRACY exposure in the UK and a rare opportunity to catch March (Romanzo Di Una Strage) 129 mins up with brand new, cutting edge Italian cinema. Introduction by Luigi Lo Cascio (act) The festival will highlight the work of established 2013” - 8.50pm THE IDEAL CITY (La Città Ideale) 105 mins talent such as Ferzan Ozpetek, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Q&A with Luigi Lo Cascio (dir and act) Marco Tullio Giordana and Luigi Lo Cascio, as well as introducing a raft of new names to audiences here. This Friday 8 March year’s event also includes a special children’s screening of a - 6.30 pm PRETTY BUTTERFLIES (Bellas Mariposas) 100 mins new animated version of the classic Italian fairytale PINOC- Q&A with Salvatore Mereu (dir) CHIO, screening on Sunday 10 March at the family friendly - 8.50pm BALANCING ACT (Gli Equilibristi) 100 mins time of 5.00pm. For a full list of titles please see below. Q&A with Ivano De Matteo (dir)
Interview opportunities are available with the following di- Saturday 9 March rectors and actors: Ferzan Ozpetek (Magnifi cent Presence), - 6.30pm ALÌ BLUE EYES (Alì Ha Gli Occhi Azzuri) 100 mins Elio Germano (Magnifi cent Presence), Edoardo Gabbriellini Q&A with Claudio Giovannesi (dir) (The Landlords), Luigi Lo Cascio (Piazza Fontana: An Italian - 8.50pm EVERY BLESSED DAY (Tutti I Santi Giorni) 102 mins Conspiracy & The Ideal City), Salvatore Mereu (Pretty Butter- Q&A with Luca Marinelli (act) fl ies), Ivano De Matteo (Balancing Act), Claudio Giovannesi (Ali Blue Eyes), Luca Marinelli (Every Blessed Day & Nina), Enzo Sunday 10 March d’Alò (Pinocchio), Maricla Aff atato (Pinocchio) and Elisa Fuk- - 5.00pm PINOCCHIO 75 mins sas (Nina). The festival this year builds on the success of the Q&A with Enzo d’Alò (dir) and Maricla Aff atato (Voice of the 2011 and 2012 events. 2011’s festival opened with a concert Fox) at Cadogan Hall by Life Is Beautiful’s Oscar-winning composer Please note that Pinocchio will be shown in English Nicola Piovani, and saw appearances by actors such as Toni - 7.30pm NiNA 80 mins and Peppe Servillo, Kim Rossi Stuart and Paolo Briguglia, as Q&A with Elisa Fuksas (dir) and Luca Marinelli (act) well as directors Mario Martone and Stefano Incerti. 2012 saw 13 titles screen, presented by directors and actors including Annabel Hutton / Fabrice Ouakinine / Simone Devlin Andrea Segre, Roan Johnson, Barbara Bobulova and Antonio fi [email protected] Merone. The festival was followed by a fortnight of screen- T +44 20 7292 8330 / www.premiercomms.com ings of contemporary fi lms and events including a
49 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
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www.ufmag.biz 50 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Julianne Hough - on the set of Safe Haven
by her realtor she has no neighbours. SAFE HAVEN Odd that. REVIEW However, Josh looks kindly at Julianne, off ers her a bit of help and an old bike, o the story is this. A worried- his wife having died of cancer. Julianne she refuses, he insists, she refuses, he looking young mystery woman’s (Footloose, Rock of Ages) is an ice-cool gets a bit hurt feeling, she…, well, you S running off , jumping on a bus at blonde, cold and frosty and a shade know. And the kids pretty much adore the Boston depot at the last minute, hard looking. Hitchcock might have her too. And the mystery woman be- just evading a police detective, who liked her, though she’s on the petite comes friends too. is then doggedly trying to track her side. She just wants to be alone, and whereabouts by scrutinising public rents a rundown cabin the woods, but But then the detective starts closing in video footage. has to take a job waiting table at the lo- on her… cal café, where everyone is really nice The woman, Julianne Hough, hoves up and friendly. A glossy, escapist romantic wallow is at an idyllic, all-American coastal town, on the menu for Nicholas Sparks’s lat- popping in for a takeaway of coff ee at Then one day, Julianne comes home to est bestselling novel to screen transfer. the local grocery store and meeting fi nd another mystery woman’s peering Fans of Message in a Bottle, The Note- drop-dead gorgeous hunk Josh Du- into her window, supposedly a kindly book, Dear John and The Lucky One hamel, a widower with two young kids, neighbour, though Julianne’s been told
51 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 SAFE HAVEN
When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises ques- tions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a rela- tionship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced HEADERto rediscover the meaning of sacri- fi ce and rely on the power of love. An affi rming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, ‘Safe Haven’ is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit fi lms ‘The Notebook’ and ‘Dear John’.
Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel
need look no further for a lovely trip to element and mystery and action adds ances. Josh and Julianne, though, keep the multiplex. Posh director Lasse Hall- tension and a surprise to the mix, and powering ahead quite charismatically, strom directs as though he believes it the North Carolina setting is beguiling. and the two kids, Noah Lomax and all, and as though he believes his own For three quarters of its long running Mimi Kirkland, are models of energy message. He appreciates sentiment time (115 minutes)¬, it’s an appeal- and honesty. but not sentimentality, he says. In truth ing wet-afternoon movie, but, when it there’s not a scintilla of reality or truth pushes too many buttons at the climax, Riskily, Hallstrom encouraged every- on show here along with the choco- it crashes in fl ames. Finally, nothing is one to improvise dialogue and both late-box East Coast sunsets, and by credible and embarrassed giggles start stars, unused to improv, found it tricky the end the fi lm upends in barrel-loads breaking out in the cinema. (‘Honestly, some days both Josh and of sentimentality. But then, it’s only a I wished we could just have a script,’ movie, a sweet and soppy one, beauti- I feel sorry for Aussie actor David Lyons says Julianne) but it keeps the dialogue fully, even lovingly made, and perfectly (TV’s Revolution) and Cobie Smulders fresh and sparky. This is probably the acted by talented people who some- (TV’s How I Met Your Mother), the ac- best thing about the movie. Even with times look as though they’d like to take tors who play the detective and the its thriller plot, I can’t see many blokes the money and run. mystery woman. They seem like really going for Safe Haven, but it could be a good actors stuck in horribly clichéd guilty pleasure for the chicks. Still, the chemistry between the ac- roles that have no fl esh and blood tors is strong, the romance is fi ne, the whatever. These are total script contriv-
www.ufmag.biz 52 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
Bob Anderson by J.R. Beardsley Master Swordsman
obert James Gilbert Ander- Directors, Stunt people and Coordinators Hobbit and Die Another Day. He also ap- son (15 September 1922 – 1 who have been engaged in the art of swords- peared as a stunt double for Darth Vader’s January 2012) was an English manship. He consistently produced dramatic light saber battles in Star Wars Episode V: The R Olympic fencer, a renowned sword fi ghting sequences. Whether swash- Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: fi lm Fight Director Coach, buckling with rapiers, wielding a light saber Return of the Jedi. Sword Master, Stunt Choreog- or a cutlass, he off ered ingenuity and a high An inspiration as an artist, consummate pro- rapher and a true gentleman. standard of excellence to achieve. fessional and remarkable gentleman of the old school, he is one of the best examples of a Born in Gosport, Hampshire, England, he Mr. Anderson came to Hollywood in 1952, Sword Master of the Silver Screen. took up fencing at an early age. Prior to the launching a cinema career that spanned over Peter Jackson was honored to have Bob Second World War he joined the Royal Ma- 50 years. In those days, Ralph Faulkner was Anderson be on the set for the Hobbit. rines, teaching fencing and taking titles for Basil Rathbone’s double, Fred Caven’s was foil, epeé, saber and bayonet in the Royal established as Errol Flynn’s fi ght director Sad to say this was the fi nal battle Bob Ander- Tournament for the Combined Services for and stunt double.(They had a bitter rivalry son had on earth and the Silver Screen. four consecutive years. During the war he during the entire Errol Flynn Basil Rathbone served in the Mediterranean aboard the HMS era) During his career he coached many ac- We hold our swords high in tribute to this Coventry which was sunk. tors in Swordsmanship including Errol Flynn, great man. Swordsmen won’t forget the leg- Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas and Johnny endary Mr. Anderson, on fi lm forever. He represented Britain at the 1950 and 1953 Depp. World Championships as well as at the 1952 By J.R. Beardsley • Director of action; Fight Olympics after which he entered into a twen- Mr. Anderson’s legacy is substantial and con- Master of the sword; director, Classically ty year association with Britain’s national tinues today and will for years to come. The trained actor, writer; producer and director of fencing team, serving as a coach. But he was loss of his genius is not readily compensate- theatre/fl im, major illusionists, action shows more than that. dHis iconic contributions to the art of Swash- and extravaganzas, motion capture/stuntsfor buckling include fi lms such as Highlander, MGM and Universal Studios among others. He was an inspiration to many, both famous The Princess Bride, The Mask of Zorro, Pirates and not-so-famous Directors, Actors, Fight of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings, The
53 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
The UK and the EIS Nightmare
UK Budget 2012: EIS cap raised to £5m instead of predicted £10m; high-end TV, animation, games to get tax relief.
The precarious situation in the UK in relation to the EIS is still on-going. The recent changes are still subject to EU State Aid approval; TV, games and animation tax relief could come into eff ect from April 2013.
As was widely expected the UK Budget has lifted limits for the Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS), a system that is frequently used by the fi lm indus- try, although the boost was a far cry from what was expected.
The UK has a previous cap of £2m to be raised in any 12-month period through an EIS, this has now been increased to £5m. However it predicted to be increased to £10m. From April 2012, the EIS annual investment limit for individuals will be increased to £1m (from the previous £500,000).
Qualifying companies can now have up to 250 em- ployees (instead of fi fty and can have assets before investment of £15m which is up from £7m or £16m post-investment which is up from £8m.
The new measures are also subject to EU approval, Liberian Movie Company Launches so it’s the old story in the UK as the industry still doesn’t have complete clarity about how to use EIS. Scholarship Fund
A Liberian movie industry under the banner “Pil- lar of Fire Movie Production Inc”, has launched a US$2,350.00 scholarship fund drive at the rally town market in Monrovia for its members.
The fund drive was launched at the industry’s 10th Production House Anniversaries. The Pillar of Fire Movie Production Inc (POFMP) is one of the oldest movie production companies in Liberia, estab- lished since 2003.
The fi rm has produced at least seven movies and three documentaries, and is expected to launch its latest eff ort in the next three months. The schol- arship fund drive was launched to help its less fortunate members go to school and remain there to acquire an education.
The Movie Union President disclosed the Liberia Movie Union has received US$10,000 from the US$50,000 allotted by the Government of Liberia for the industry. He pledged the LIMU’s willingness to support and collaborate with the Pillar of Fire Movie Production Inc.e.
www.ufmag.biz 54 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
41st International Film by Radmila Djurica Festival in Belgrade Michael Madson opens festival
he famous American actor and The main program features fi lms for the The Eastern Europe big International poet Michael Madson, Mr. Blond FEST audience’s favorite authors such as Film Festival FEST is also, in the scope of T in Reservoir dogs and Sainvei- Tom Hopper’s Ls Miserables, Paul Thom- the competition program Europe out of der in Tarantino’s Kill Bill 2 opens as Anderson’s Master, Woody Allen’s To Europe, with nine fi lms presented from the 41st International Film Festival in Rome with Love, Gus Van Sant’s Prom- Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Ser- Belgrade, Serbia. Madson is a star actor ised Land, Brian de Palma’s Passion, Wal- bia, Croatia, Norway, Israel and Armenia. of one of festival premiers, a road mov- ter Salas’s On the Road, Marco Belochio’s Also the section Europe in Europe pre- ie directed by Serbian fi lmmaker Zoran Stolen Beauty, Sasa Gervasis’ Hitchcock, sents the best fi lms from Europe such Lisinac, Along The Roadside. The Festi- Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Best Off er. as Spain, France, Sweden, Netherlands, val that for the past 40 years hosted lots Also after a 10-year break, Bernardo Ber- Poland etc…and authors such as Alex of big names and celebrities on the red tolluci’s Me and You. de la Iglesia, Claude Miller Susan Beer, carpet, this year chooses eclectic Mad- Thomas Winterberg. sen to present Hollywood production Here in Belgrade, the festival regroups on the festival, which screens the brand the biggest stars competing for the Also The World Film Panorama that pre- new Oscar nominated and the other Academy Awards: Denzel Washing- sents Abas Chiarostami, Von Kar Vaj, important worldwide festival awarded ton in Robert Zemeckis’ Flight, Bradley Takeshi Kitano and other important new productions. Cooper in David Russell’s Silver Linings directors from Canada, Israel, Iran or Playbook, Daniel Day Lewis, the Best Japan. And also four Serbian features So this year’s FEST presents an extreme- Actor OSCAR Award and BAFTA Award European co-productions such as for ly rich program featuring the biggest in Spielberg’s Lincoln, Matthew McCo- instance Serbian fi lm premiered on the name of world cinema and top interna- naughey in Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Sundance Festival in US, directed by tional fi lms, including last year’s festival Mike and Lee Daniels’ Paperboy, while Srdan Golubovic Circles, Predrag Bam- award winners and several works in the the legendary Clint Eastwood appears bic’s Albert’s Way about Albert Mayer, competition of the Academy Awards. in Robert Lorentz’s Trouble with the the designer of the Panafl ex camera, The festival programming units feature Curve. Robert Redford this time appears who was born in a small village in Ser- 75 premieres and opens with a Golden as the Director and actor in The Com- bia and the debuts by Hadzi-Aleksandar Palm winner, Michael Haneke’s Love also pany you Keep. The fi lms encompassed Djurovic Loves Comes Later and a Ger- an Academy Awards candidate in sev- in this and other FEST programs have man-Serbian-Croatian co-production eral categories and closes Serbian fi lm thirty-some nominations for the Acad- My country is the most beautiful. premier The Forger by Goran Markovic. emy Awards.
55 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 NEW EURIMAGES CO-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD DEDICATED TO DOCUMENTARIES…
STRASBOURG, 11.02.2013 – Following the success of the Eurimages Co-Production Development Prize awarded within the co-production markets of Rotterdam (CineMart), Sarajevo (CineLink) and Rome (New Cinema Network) fi lm festivals, Eurimages’ Board of Management has decided to create a special Eurimages Co-production Development Award dedicated to documentaries.
Th is award, a cash prize of 15 000 euros, will be given during CPH:DOX Copenhagen Int Documentary Festival in the framework of CPH:FORUM. Th is international fi nancing and co-production event targeted specifi cally at European producers and fi lmmakers to help facilitate the development and fi nancing of creative and artistically strong fi lm projects in development and pre-production perfectly meets the objective of the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award which has been created to promote the Fund’s role in encouraging European co-production from the initial stages of a project.
To be eligible, projects must participate in CPH:FORUM and be designed from the outset as a European co-production intended for cinema release between at least two member states of the Eurimages Fund for reasons other than purely fi nancial.
Th e Eurimages Co-Production Development Award will be awarded on the basis of the project’s artistic quality and its prospects of remaining a European co-production. Th e award, which takes the form of a non-reimbursable subsidy, will be used by the benefi ciary exclusively for the purposes of meeting the development expenses of the project.
Th e prize will be awarded for the fi rst time at the forthcoming CPH:DOX Copenhagen Int Documentary Festival as part of the CPH:FORUM event, to be held from 13 to 15 November 2013 (www.cphdox.dk).
For further information on the subject, please contact: Nathalie Monteillet, Eurimages, Public Relations and Promotion, [email protected],
EURIMAGES is a support fund for the co-production, distribution and exhibition of European cinematographic works, established by the Council of Europe in 1988. (E-mail: [email protected] – Web: http://www.coe.int/ Eurimages).
www.ufmag.biz 56 Universal Film Issue 7 of 2012 CHERRY PICKING WHAT IS THE CHERRY PICKING POLICY OF FILM FESTIVALS ?
Over the past year we (UFFO) have seen many fraudulent activities U by disreputable fi lm festivals from all over the world. Most of these festivals recieve 200 to 400 submissions annually and are considered The Universal Film small in comparison to the bigger fi lm festivals that have 10,000 to 20,000 submissions every year. However, fraudulent activity is not lim- Promoting a Good Business ited to the small fi lm festivals. We were astounded to learn recently from a respected fi lm festival director in the USA about a major festival in the Dear Festival Director US that sets up its entire screening programme with fi lms invited in from other festivals. Nothing wrong with that, is there? Well, there is with this We are writing to you to introduce you to U festival. After the screening programme is completed in its entirety, only which promotes a good business code of pr then does a general call for submissions then go out to the fi lmmaking we have enlisted the support of 120 interna community. 2011.
Films that are submitted to this festival are just trashed/binned without We would ask you to kindly assist UFFO a ever being opened. The staff simply look at the tracking number on the the policy of the big festivals is toward film outside of the package, look it up on the computer , verify payment has distributors. The is now known as a “Cherr been received through the online submission provider and then toss it in the trash. The submitted fi lms are never opened, never screened, never If I may explain: Given the rise of disreput looked at. have a very difficult task in determining wh received information that a major festival in Look at the numbers! programme prior to the general call for sub We would therefore ask you in the interests festival community to provide us with the f This story gave us cause for grave concern (where does all this end?) we began looking into some of the bigger fi lm festivals around the world to 1. see how they conduct business. From what we have seen, the little guy What percentage (or how many fil festival each year has little or no chance competing in the big festivals. Why would you 2. What percentage (or how many fil submit your fi lm to a big festival when there is little or no hope your fi lm take part in the film festival every is going to be chosen or selected? Most of the fi lms that are in com- ” 3. What percentage (or how many fil petition in the bigger festivals have the support of major distributors part in the film festival every year “and studios with millions in campaign funds. Not only that, most of 4. What percentage of films submitte the fi lms are invited to take part in the festival are big budget fi lms or festival each year already have distribution in place. 5. What percentage of film submitted festival each year win awards As a fi lmmaker you can conduct your own due diligence by research- ing the bigger festivals to which you are thinking about submitting We would graciously ask you to provide th your fi lm. Look at the numbers, contact the festival and ask them in advance for your assistance in this matte how many fi lms are invited to take part in their festival. What community percentage of these fi lms wins awards? What percentage of new- comers’ fi lms are selected or win awards? What percentage of Kind Regards these fi lms does not have distribution? If the festival refuses to answer your queries, then we suggest you pass them by. Tyrone D Murphy To try to establish a level playing fi eld we have written an open letter (opposite) to all the big festivals around the world asking these important questions. We will be pub- lishing their replies as soon as we receive it, if we ever do! Founder & CEO
A copy of the letter is on the UFFO website: www.uff o.org © Universal Film & Festiva
57 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Tips to Film Festivals IF A FESTIVAL SEEMS ODD IN ANY WAY - PASS THEM BY
We all love fi lm festivals and they are a very important part of the indus- try. However, one thing that all fi lmmakers should do is to check out the festival before submitting a fi lm. Use common sense and look at the history of the festival. If there is nothing available on the festival, UFFO then think twice! m & Festival Organisation Find out if the festival is an online festival or an annual event. And fi nd out where the event takes place.
Code of Practice for Film Festivals Find out the names of the festival directors and programmers and make sure they have an address, telephone number and web site so they can be contacted.
Find out if the festival has a selection committee and if it is UFFO the Universal Film and Festival Organization made up of Industry professionals. ractice for film festivals. Recently dubbed Fest-COP st ational film festivals since our launch on the 1 July Ask if the festival is non-jury or has a jury made up of industry professionals? and the filmmaking community in determining what Find out if the festival directors are connected in any way to ms that are invited in from other film festivals and any of the fi lms in competition. ry Picking Policy” Ask about the organization’s publicity for the festival and where they advertise. able film festivals around the world, filmmakers hich festival to submit their film to. Recently we What are the previous year’s attendance and submissions n the USA completes its entire screening fi gures. bmissions to the filmmaking community. Ask how many fi lms are invited in to take part every year in the s of the entire filmmaking community and the festival. (Cherry Picking) following information Ask if the festival is sponsored by distributors or any other com- lms) are invited by your festival to take part in your pany, and whether these companies have fi lms in competition at the festival. (Review the history) lms) that are invited by your festival organization to year win awards Do not give out your private fi nancial details unless you are sure about a festival. lms) are invited by your festival organization to take r prior to the genera l call for submissions Do not submit a fi lm to a fi lm festival if the awards are going to the ed by newcomer filmmakers are selected by your festival directors’ own fi lms or their friends’ fi lms. d by newcomer filmmakers that are selected by your If a fi lm festival is charging a submission fee and giving you a guaran- teed screening for your fi lm but there is no real festival, just a screen- ing event, we suggest that you pass them by. his information going back five years. We thank you r and you have the gratitude of the filmmaking There are a lot of one man band fi lm festivals out there, many of whom provide a very valuable service to the local community and to the fi lm- making community. However, if such a festival is not in your local commu- nity, does it really make good sense submitting your fi lm to a festival half way round the world to compete with local fi lmmakers who can bring their own audience and can canvas the area prior to the festival?
IMPORTANT! Do not rely on any of the online submission providers to weed out scam festivals. They are in business to take a percentage of your submission fee and not to make sure your submission fee is protected from fraudsters.
This is about to change as we (UFFO) are currently working toward this
We have much more information available on the UFFO website, www.uff o.org. We al Organisation 2012 www.uffo.org will also be publishing the UFFO book on Film Festivals in the near future that will tell it the way it is. www.uff o.org www.ufmag.biz by Tyrone D Murphy 58 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
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59 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
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61 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Little Man
3rd Iris Prize produced short fi lm starts international fi lm festival tour down under
ittle Man the 3rd short fi lm to be produced by the Little Man plays as part of the Cocktales shorts package at Iris Prize starts its international fi lm festival tour 10:15pm on Saturday 16 March in ACMI Cinema 2 in Mel- down under in Melbourne this week as part of the bourne. The fi lm’s producer Grant Vidgen will be in Melbourne L prestigious Australian LGBT fi lm festival. The fi lm to introduce the screening. stars West End performer Daniel Boys in his fi rst fi lm role and is directed by award winning director Eldar Ra- Little Man has also been programmed to screen at the 2013 paport. Atlanta Film Festival. It will screen in the Pink Peach Short Competition prior to James Franco’s and Travis Matthews’ Pink “Getting your work seen is the ultimate prize for any Peach Feature in Competition, Interior. Leather Bar., on fi lmmaker. Despite the nervousness of seeing your “a network Thursday, March 21, at 9:15pm in the Plaza Theatre. art on the screen for everyone to critique, there’s of business no better reward than seeing how people respond “The Iris Prize which continues to be the world’s larges to what you worked so hard to make. Hence I am minded gay and lesbian short fi lm prize valued ay £25,000 will delighted that this month Little Man will screen executives” be presented for the seventh time during the Iris Prize in Melbourne and Atlanta off ering audiences on Festival, which takes place in Cardiff , Wales (UK) from both sides of the world a chance to see my fi lm,” 9 – 13 October 2013,” said Berwyn Rowlands. said Eldar Rapaport the fi lm’s director. Further Details: “We’ve got more screenings coming up which have to remain a secret until the relevant festivals are ready to publish their Berwyn Rowlands, Tel: +44 (0)29 20232744, programmes. So it’s looking good for Little Man,” he added. Cell/Mobile: +44 (0) 7860 818294
Based on the short story “Your Man” by Etgar Keret, Little Man Email: [email protected] is a psychological thriller about one’s inner demons. Elliot www.irisprize.org (Daniel Boys) is about 30 but is unable to form a long lasting relationship – he has a talent for destroying every potential one – and continues his search moving on to the next avail- able man.
During the weekend when his brother Ryan shows up hav- ing decided to spend some time apart from his wife, Elliot becomes obsessed with a very odd, spying neighbour who is making too many loud noises that make his head explode. Reaching his limit Elliot is out to kill whatever is eating him up inside.
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63 www.ufmag.biz www.ufmag.biz 64 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
ZOE MOON ASTROLOGY MARCH MONTHLY FORECAST 2013 ARIES TARUS GEMINI
March is for starting fresh on any fi lm, March is about making new friends or March will give you a huge push on the music or art interest, with your hospital starting back up with old ones, getting career front but you need to deal with needs, research, investigations, deve- into more group activities, pursuing any past details, issues, opportunities, lopment behind the scenes, tackling things online, with charities, astrology, or people, or situations along the way. You addictions, meditation, yoga, magic, social networking, attending events or have until the 17th to rework or revise in these areas and need to really push ahead psychic interests, or spiritual pursuits, and parties, and saying yes to renewed aspi- on personal or professional goals, ambi- rations. If you are still working things out with any romance that has a hidden side tions and achievements all month. You to it. Your past is strongly part of this but tied to the past in these areas you have may get a hand from someone in a posi- you can rewrite the direction you are until the 17th to get it together, it’s time tion of authority so reach out. There is a going with a little eff ort. Your vital energy you move ahead and certain people or great deal of energy around friends, is coming back strong, a great month for situations will go with you, some will not. groups, the internet, astrology, charities, a make-over, toning up, diet, photo opps, This is great for artistic pursuits, film, social networking, parties, and aspirati- identity tune-ups, or pushing your brand music, painting, etc. It is also good for ons this month. Be ready to say yes to forward, get out there and take a bite out research, resting and dreaming about connections and opportunities in these of life! Mercury goes Direct on the 17th what you want to do next, amping up the areas, it’s time to connect. Expect a real so you may change your mind or see imagination, tending to any hospital high point in your love life, with a creative project, a recreational interest, or child by things shift on this date. Expect that one matters, getting addictions under con- the 27th. This will be all about reaching trol, or holing up with someone roman- key person will take center stage by the goals, celebrating or ending something. end of the month, it will be a time of tically. Expect a work situation to peak, major celebrations or endings. health interests to culminate. LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS
March gives you a bit more time to go March is still giving you the ability to let Take March to really dig into past needs back and rework any work needs, go of something that is in the way of you and issues, opportunities and situations paperwork, issues or opportunities with falling in love, moving ahead on a crea- involving your home, a move, real estate co-workers, employees, or a job, your tive project or that is aff ecting growth deals, property needs, renovations, health, or the animals. You have until the with your children. Rethink choices, roommates, mom, or family. You have 17th to rethink things and make choices rework the details, release what should until the 17th to rethink things and get about what you let go and what you go, and reconnect with past people or them working in the right direction for tweak in a way that can move forward situations that may still hold promise in you, this is THE month for fresh starts here with you during this huge boost you are these areas. You have until the 17th to so get busy. You may have someone or getting for fresh starts in these areas. get it together and from the 11th forward something from the past going forward Take note that new work, starting the diet you get a cosmic boost to get you going with you here or you will be letting go. or hiring someone to help you with your in the right new direction here. The cro- There will be a pile up of energy fueling health, adopting an animal or moving in ssover of dates may mean a bit of past your love life, creative projects, recreati- some new direction with any of this is goes into the future with you, open up, onal activities, and what you do with kids favored now. Key relationships are here it comes. An infl ux of energy around in March. Expect to be busy, you can getting a boost as well so expect partners, work, organizing, details, streamlining, make headway. agents, attorneys, specialists, clients, cleaning, routine, health, and pets hits competitors, and all other significant you all month so tackle what you can, players to become more active this applying a bit of eff ort here now will take month, go after who you need or involve you further than at other times. them in your plans.
65 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
[email protected] OR CALL 818-613-6067 CANCER LEO VIRGO
March will give you the tools you need to March is your month to take care of the March gives you more time to wrap up work out any old legal needs, media or loan, debt, inheritance, settlement, tax any past issues or opportunities involving marketing concerns, publishing interests, situation, insurance, bankruptcy, commi- a romantic or business partner, agent, educational pursuits, wedding ideas, or ssions, royalties, investments, credit attorney, specialist, client, opponent, or travel plans. Rethinking and reworking cards, or any other type of outside fi nan- competitor. You have until the 17th to these topics takes you through the 17th cial resource. Rethink where you’re at, rework what’s going on here. You can release or reconnect with the past during when Mercury goes Direct and you are work on past issues or opportunities here, this period but you are being given a ready to launch new projects and intere- and then really launch forward with new huge new opening to move ahead with sts in these areas. Career and personal impetus. . The other areas of interest will fresh starts from the 11th onward, take it. goals will take center stage as you get be legal, travel, media, educational, or The cosmos is energizing your sex appeal, way more energy to do things about wedding interests. In these higher min- divorce or the big fi nancial interests you what you want to achieve and you fi nd ded arenas you will have way more are steeped in this month so use this to at least one person in a position to help energy and ability to move on things propel your desires forward, connect with you get there. You will see things wrap than before so hustle up. Big news, an someone intimately, take action on that up, end or some big celebration or achie- off er, sale, agreement, writing project, or divorce or go after the loan, deal with vement playing out at home, with real something involving a brother, sister, inheritance, insurance, taxes, debt, settle- estate, a move, mom, family, a renova- neighbor, vehicle, or electronic comes ments, alimony, child support, commissi- ons, royalties, investments, or other tion, or roommate by the 27th. It’s all through by the 27th resources. about perfect balance here.
CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES
March may feel quite crazy for your sign March asks that you get serious about any March is your month in so many ways. as news, off ers, sales, agreements, wri- past issues, people or opportunities that You have the tools to reclaim some part ting, local activities, short trips, siblings, involve your income or possessions. Ret- of yourself, rework what is going on with neighbors, vehicles, electronics, and hink things, work them out, reconnect or your body or image, deal with identity decisions swirl around you, taking you issues, rethink your brand, or tweak per- release, and then get ready for the back into the past to rethink and rework, sonal goals. All this past energy helping bringing past people and situations aro- biggest new push you get this year to you do things over, release them or rec- und, and urging you STRONGLY to get it move ahead with fresh starts making laim them, favors you through the 17th under control so you can move ahead money or dealing with those possessions. so get busy on your needs from the start with the new opportunities forming as You have until the 17th to work out the of the month. On the 11th you get fresh you move through each day. You have past and from the 11th forward to get the start energy here and this will gather until the 17th to tackle this and from the new moving into place. A large part of steam and carry you forward with new 11th forward you get added fuel to make the cosmos moves into your local arena agendas and opportunities over the next it happen in fresh new ways. Expect more amping things up in your neighborhood, 2 weeks. Several planets are gathering in energy around home, real estate, moves, through short trips, with neighbors, your income and possessions part of your renovations, family, mom, or roommates siblings, vehicles, electronics, and giving life this month so you will have added this month as planets move into these energy around making money or tending more energy to talks, meetings, agree- areas and give you more mojo to make to these possessions so go after what you things happen. ments, sales, writing, and decisions this want with vigor. month. Jump into the fray, you will be successful at opening things up
www.ufmag.biz 66 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
15th Annual scriptapalooza screenplay competition
WE GOT THE CONNECTIONS. WE JUST NEED YOUR SCRIPT.
• Over 90 producers reading all the entries • We now offer FEEDBACK • We promote the Semifinalists and higher for a full year • Regular deadline March 5th FINAL deadine April 22 • Over $25,000 in prizes awarded
323.654.5809 office www.scriptapalooza.com [email protected]
67 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 68 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 TOP OF THE LAKE Written And Created by JANE CAMPION & GERARD LEE
rom Academy Award® winning The unusual texture of this world is the began writing for The Telegraph news- writer/director Jane Campion Women’s camp at Paradise, a tribe of paper at the age of sixteen. He has pub- F and the Academy Award® win- forgotten, invisible women, forty-fi ve lished two novels, True Love and How ning producers of The King’s and over, broken-down, disillusioned, to Get It and Troppo Man (short-listed Speech, Top of the Lake is a powerful ‘unfuckable’. At the group’s centre is GJ for the Vogel’s Young Writers Award), a and haunting mystery story set at the (pronounced Gee-Jay) sixty-plus with collection of short stories and a collec- edge of the world starring Elisabeth bum-length silver hair and an electric tion of travel stories, all with University Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan detached air. GJ’s brand of kindness is of Queensland Press. Lee also wrote and Holly Hunter. bracing, aimed at cutting through delu- eighteen episodes of a children’s mini- sions but somehow her harsh proselyt- documentary series, Here I Am for the Top of the Lake begins with a mystery izing ‘soothes’ like a full stop. Queensland Education Department. - a twelve-year-old girl walks chest He has travelled widely in Europe and deep into the freezing waters of an al- Set against one of the most amazing Asia, has taught creative writing at QUT, pine lake in New Zealand. The girl is Tui and untouched landscapes left on the UTS and Curtin University. Mitcham, daughter of the local drug planet – a vast, varied terrain, unpopu- lord, Matt Mitcham and his third wife, lated, moody, pure and remote where GARTH DAVIS – DIRECTOR a Thai barmaid. The girl is discovered to honest work is hard to fi nd – Top of the Garth Davis is internationally renowned be fi ve months pregnant and won’t say Lake is a powerful and haunting story for some of the most memorable and who the father is. Then she disappears. about our search for happiness where awarded commercials. His recent work the dream of paradise attracts it dark has won gold at the London Interna- Robin Griffi n is a gutsy but inexperi- twin, the fall. tional Award show, the prized Gold Lion enced detective called in to investigate at Cannes, and in 2010 he received a fi - Tui’s case. But as Robin becomes more GERARD LEE - WRITER nalist nomination from the DGA (Direc- and more obsessed with the search for Gerard Lee is an Australian author, tors Guild of America) for best commer- Tui, and questions more of the town’s screenwriter and director. Lee’s most cials director. inhabitants, she slowly begins to realise recent work is Top of the Lake, written that fi nding Tui is tantamount to fi nding with Jane Campion. He has also just Originally a fi ne artist and designer, herself – a self she has kept well hidden. completed a feature fi lm slated for pro- Garth has explored all forms of fi lm- duction in 2013. Entitled My Mistress, it making. His dramatic work has includ- Tui’s story brings two men back into will be directed by award-winning Bris- ed the festival hit documentary PINS, Robin’s life. Johnno, Matt Mitcham’s bane video artist Stephen Lance. Lee the Dendy Award winning short fi lm son, is an old boyfriend who has spent also co-wrote Jane Campion’s feature ALICE, and the highly acclaimed TV se- time in a Thai prison for drug off ences. debut, Sweetie, which won a Camera ries LOVE MY WAY. Al Parker is a fellow detective and men- d’Or in Cannes, won Best Screenplay tor, who has known Robin and her fam- at the Australian Film Institute Awards, Garth has most recently co-directed a ily for a long time. As Robin fi nds out won many other awards, was screened six-part mini series with Jane Campion more about Tui, her world starts to un- internationally and is now part of the (THE PIANO) for See-Saw Films (THE ravel uncovering diffi cult secrets from world’s most prestigious video collec- KING’S SPEECH) titled TOP OF THE LAKE her past. tion – Criterion. and starring Elisabeth Moss, Peter Mul- Brought up in Brisbane in the Sixties, Lee NormskiNlan,orms Davidki AndersonAn Wenhamderson and Holly Hunter.
69 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013 Making Dollars & Sense
South Asian Young Women Entrepreneurs Unveils Six-City Financial Education Tour
n celebration of National Women’s History Month in 30 percent of businesses in the U.S. are owned by women, ac- March, South Asian Young Women Entrepreneurs (SAY cording to the National Women’s Business Council. WE), a network of business-minded executives in the I fi elds of technology, fi nance, entertainment and fash- “South Asian women entrepreneurs are helping to shape the ion, announced the launch of a six-city fi nancial edu- future of small business and our economy,” said Rahul Baig, cation tour, in association with the Consulate General of India head of Wells Fargo’s Northeast Corporate Banking. “We’re (New York) and powered by Wells Fargo. “Making Dollars & honored to work together with SAY WE to off er these business Sense: Financial Education for South Asian Women Business owners fi nancial education resources to help them succeed Owners” will kick off in San Francisco on April 18. fi nancially – in business and personally.”
The panel of fi nancial experts and successful South Asian “Making Dollars & Sense” Financial Education Panel Dates: women entrepreneurs will provide insights, tips and resourc- San Francisco – Thurs., April 18 - Los Angeles – Tues., April 23 es on topics such as building business credit, reinvesting in Houston – Thurs., May 9 - Dallas – Tues., May 14 a business, protecting credit and maximizing relation- “a network Edison, NJ – Thurs., May 23 - New York City - Thurs., ships with business bankers. After the fi rst event, May 30 the tour will stop in Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, of business New Jersey, and culminate in New York City on May minded To learn more about SAY WE’s fi nancial education 30. executives” panels, panelists and how to participate, log on to and register at www.sayweonline.org. “The panelists we have chosen in each of the six cities are of the most successful and driven South Asian women About SAY WE: SAY WE is a registered non-profi t organiza- business owners in the country,” said Reema Rasool, founder tion aimed to cultivate and foster strong relationships among and executive director of SAY WE. “They will provide insights South Asian women who have entrepreneurial interests. and share their journey with women who have just launched South Asian women are making great strides in the world of their business venture or those who are facing challenges as business, fashion, media, and the arts, and SAY WE recognizes a result of the recent economic downturn. these achievements to inspire and ensure future generations of ambitious and savvy South Asian women. SAY WE creates The goal of this initiative is to drive awareness to the fi nancial a positive and collegial forum in which South Asian women, education tools and resources available to women entrepre- regardless of political and religious affi liations, can network, neurs and to create a national support system of business- support each other, and applaud one another’s major accom- minded women who will learn from each other and share plishments. SAY WE also aspires to raise awareness and funds their successes, failures, challenges and triumphs.” for causes and organizations that work toward the advance- ment of women in South Asia, as well as South Asian women SAY WE and Wells Fargo aim to support South Asian entre- in the United States. preneurs and provide greater access to fi nancial tools and resources to women-owned businesses – a group that has grown in size by more than 20 percent from 2002 to 2007, ac- Media Contact: Jitin Hingorani – [email protected] or cording to the latest census data. As part of its commitment 512.773.6679. to support women business owners, Wells Fargo is committed to lending a cumulative total of $55 billion to women-owned businesses in the U.S. by the year 2020. Today, approximately
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71 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
www.ufmag.biz 72 Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
SPRING BREAKERS Vertigo Films
A fi lm written and directed by Harmony Korine...
tale of deranged, crazed, sexy college teens on What was the idea that started you writing this movie? the road to hedonism, Spring Breakers features The very fi rst image I had in mind was girls in bikinis and with bikini clad babes in ski masks who rage on alco- guns. I then asked myself, where would you ever see a girl like A hol and drugs. They give a whole new meaning to that? The only place I could think of was spring break. And girls gone wild. Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudg- then I kind of laughed and thought about it a little bit – and I ens, and friends team up with James Franco as you’ve liked the idea about girls coming down to Florida. It start- never seen him before in a take on spring break ed out that way, but then it moved to the fringes and that only Harmony Korine could tell. Korine, as he became something darker, more sinister, and more “Interview with dangerous. did in Kids and Gummo, shatters our expectations Director, Har- and shows us a bizarre underworld where nobody mony Korine can look away. A lot of your work is inspired by American culture, and you set your narratives in very specifi c American Synopsis towns. Why did you choose St. Petersburg the location Brit (Benson), Candy (Hudgens), Cotty (Korine) and Faith for Spring Breakers? (Gomez) have been best friends since grade school. They live together in an average college dorm and are hungry for ad- Well, Saint Petersburg is not such a huge spring break des- venture. All they have to do is save enough money for spring tination. But you want to go to a place that’s visually inter- break to get their shot at having some real fun. esting, that’s authentic, that has a certain kind of energy. I didn’t want to shoot it in Miami or somewhere that seemed A serendipitous encounter with rapper ‘Alien’ (Franco) prom- more common or more familiar. I’m not so interested in the ises to provide the girls with all the thrill and excitement they tourist part of spring break. It’s more the back roads, it’s more could hope for. With the encouragement of their new friend, when you leave the main strip, the bad neighborhoods, the it soon becomes unclear how far the girls are willing to go to houses that are falling apart on the beach – those types of experience a spring break they will never forget. things are more interesting to me. People that live in those places. There’s a kind of strange feeling to a lot of that part of Interview with director Harmony Korine America. It seems like everybody is running from something or hiding from something.
73 www.ufmag.biz Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
One might say you are the director who est thing in the world. Everyone is fa- one situation take you into the next and portrays “white trash” better than any- miliar with them in some way and they then you would fi nd a kind of location one else, because you seem to really un- have this kind of Disney image, and it’s or character and that would bring you derstand the people without feeling the really fun to me to push them into some to another place. That’s kind of how the need to criticize. Would you agree? kind of other reality, something more movie gets built. I like it. I like making I don’t really know if it’s purely “white sinister and insane. It’s cool to see them movies that start from the inside and trash,” I just like what I like. I’m drawn to spread their wings. One of the great joys build out. certain types of characters and I try not will also be to watch people’s reactions to pass judgment. I more like to docu- to that. Do you set out to make fi lms that are im- ment things. I don’t come in with an possible to categorize? agenda so much. When you decided to work with these I don’t make genre movies. This one girls, were you anticipating anything in maybe is probably the closest to any You once said, “I have very little interest particular? kind of genre fi lm. I try to make mov- in working with actors. Non-actors can I treat everybody the same—the same ies that exist in their own world, more give you what an actor can never give as I would treat some kid that sniff s glue than anything. I agree, they are diffi cult you: pieces of themselves.” Tell us more that I think is terrifi c and that I want to to articulate. But I think there are some about your choice of casting on this pro- be in my fi lm. At the same time, I spent genre elements in this movie: the social ject and what motivated you to work time with these girls before – the audi- setting, the atmosphere, and this kind of with James Franco and Selena Gomez, tion process, the rehearsals – so I knew teen pop atmosphere. Even where it is for example? going into it that there was a certain shot is kind of diff erent from my other It just seemed right, like an exciting kind of chemistry. But of course, most of movies. But in general I just try to make thing to do. It felt like a fun thing to mix these girls have never been in a situation fi lms that exist in their own world more up all these worlds, to mess with the like this, and you never, ever know how than anything. And this one has this culture a little bit. It’s exciting for me. I people are going to react until they get kind of lyrical fl ow, there’s a poppy-ness like the idea of putting people in certain there. But I felt good, like they would go to it, the colors, the location, the types of places they’ve never been before. for it. And they have. actors that are in the fi lm.
Who was cast fi rst? You also cast the ATL twins for the mov- What do you think your typical Harmony It was James Franco fi rst, and then the ie, and they almost feel like they’re com- Korine audience will think? girls. James and I talked about making ing straight out of your fi lm Gummo… That’s a good question. I don’t really a movie together for quite a while. Usu- Yeah, they probably exist in that world. know. Hopefully there will be some stuff ally I write my scripts fi rst and people The twins are awesome. Freaks! I’ve in there that they like. read it afterwards, but for this one I just worked with them before on a Black wrote a treatment during Christmas and Keys video that hasn’t come out yet but Music always plays a big part in your sent it to James asking him whether he this is their fi rst movie. movies, and you also give clear direc- wanted to play this character. He wrote tions in the script for certain songs that back immediately and said yes. And that According to the screenplay, you will will feature. Can you talk a little about was it. I was excited about that idea and combine your footage with archive how music inspires this movie? the character, so I fl ew to Florida – spring material of real spring break moments. I will probably score the fi lm in a way break was actually taking place at that While you did your research was there that surprises people, maybe with some- time – and wrote the script in a hotel, anything that surprised you about thing more “movie music,” something while a bunch of kids were vomiting on spring break? more angular and ambient and kind of my porch. moody. But then there will be music that The spring break I’m interested in is comes from within the scenes, like pop Who was cast afterwards? the really debauched, hardcore spring songs and rap music that would be what After James, it was Selena (Gomez), then break. I like that stuff , where kids go was really playing. It’s a mix of a lot of Rachel (Korine), Vanessa (Hudgens) and way, way out for that one week and dis- diff erent cultural pop iconography. Ashley (Benson). appear, and then return to their world of books and bad jobs and shitty parents. Compared to some of your other mov- You seem to like hiring family members I knew it existed, though, so it didn’t ies this project has a fairly big budget. for your projects. Rachel is your wife. shock me. It takes a lot to shock me but You also have actresses attached that Yes, I like to bring in people that I fi nd it was good. are being chased by paparazzi while exciting, that you know can go to places you’re shooting. How do you cope with with you. I think trust is a big thing too. How much time did you spend down in this new environment from a directorial You bring in people you trust, that you Florida on pre-production? point of view? know will bring it to that place you need I heard you even rented out authentic I’m like a warrior; I’m a soldier of cinema. it. apartments of real Spring Breakers and So to me it’s just a part of what just used the spaces as they were for I do, and it’s all great. I just love it. I just The whole shoot seems to be a liberat- your shoot. accept and do it. Nothing really freaks ing experience for the cast, especially me out when I make movies. The heli- the young actresses. Was it important It sounds like you did a lot of research. copters and all that shit is just part of it for you that your actresses had a «good I spent a few months trying to fi nd these part of the energy of the fi lm. girl» image, as is the case with Selena real locations. Just driving around late Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens? at night, jumping over fences… A lot As a soldier, what are you fi ghting for? of it comes from just being in a place Just, you know, to make movies. That’s Yeah! It’s exciting to me. That’s the great- for a while and observing. Just letting the only thing.
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Universal Film Issue 9 - 2013
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