The Circuit

Anthony Kaufman talks with Lance Hammer about pulling "Ballast" from IFC:

"IFC is a really good company," Hammer told indieWIRE last week. "The problem is the larger issue that's plaguing every filmmaker right now: The distributors don't really offer any money. That's not that big of a deal if they would allow you to have control of your project, but they don't."

Interesting that Hammer wants to distribute the film old-school style - via the traditional art film circuit of "film societies, museums and universities."  And he's raising the P&A himself:

He's putting together $250,000, he said, with the help of the same people who financed the film. "Just a couple years ago, filmmakers would be offered a bigger MG and more money for P&A; now the advance is gone and the amount given to P&A is nothing," Hammer said, adding, "I think P&A should be put in the production budget."

by Emilio Mayorga
The highlight of this year’s Cinema Jove, in Spain’s Valencia, a festival famed for celebrating young talent, were a bunch of card-carrying pensioners.

Cinema Jove jury president Jerzy Skolimowski, has been written off, regularly and wrongly, as retired. Richard Lester ("A Hard Day's Night") writes himself off as retired, maybe not so wrongly.  Joined by Jiri Menzel and Michael Sarne they were all brought into Cinema Jove for the “Cann(es)celled” showcase - pics which never got to screen in Cannes Competition in 1968.

Forty years later they swapped anecdotes and proved life - and movie-making problems - go on after 60.

Better known as an actor ("Eastern Promises"), Sarne talked about a Barcelona-set Bukowski adaptation he’s trying to make. "The main role’s for a skinny, haggard and ugly woman. I can't find the actress," he explained.

Spanish director Bigas Luna ("I Am Juani," "Golden Balls"), who has a rep as a talent discoverer; having given Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz their big breaks in “Jamon, Jamon,” brought an actress to him.

"Jesus, she was the most voluptuous and stunning girl I've ever seen," Sarne said. "I need a new producer," he concluded.

Menzel ("I Served the King of England"), a Jove habitue, said he had “more and more doubts about new projects. It's so difficult to find an exceptional script.”

Also recently back in the limelight, after "Four Nights with Anna" opened Directors’ Fortnight, Skolimowski told Variety he’d definitely abandoned, “America,” a long-mooted adaptation of a Susan Sontag's novel. The producers couldn't raise the budget, he said.

Skolimowski soon dispatched Cannes 1968, then told a story about Lee Marvin and John Boorman getting smashed at a party in Hollywood. Boorman, slightly the better for wear, offered to drive Marvin home. Marvin accepted, but only if he could lie on his roof of his car.

A policeman soon flagged them down.

"Sir, you have actor Lee Marvin on the roof of your car…," he told Boorman.

"Yes, I know. But… Is it illegal?" Boorman asked.

40 years after Cannes, Valencia’s Cinema Jove allowed the directors the sweet taste, if not of success, at least of Iberic jam.

“It’s over,” Richard Lester said of his career, talking at the Hotel Las Arenas, giving on to that most aristocratic now of Valencian beaches, the Malvarrosa. 

Then he tasted the jam, looked at the horizon, and his smile deepened into happiness.
Photo: fest director Rafael Maluenda, Richard Lester, Michael Sarne and Blighty film critic Philippe Bergson.

 

by Emilio Mayorga
Spain’s third biggest city, backing off from a sparkling Mediterranean down on its eastern seaboard, Valencia’s a paradox, a place of vast ambitions and - being Mediterranean - a relaxed life-style. 

The Moors lived there for centuries. It still tells: in the huge orange groves, the city’s round turret towers, the bustle, Valencia’s noise, its poky old parts, its paella.

Valencian’s parties, sometimes surreally. In March, for its Fallas, Valencia’s fiesta, its townfolk drag out huge cardboard and wood sculptures of well-known figures - politicians, film stars - which they’ve spent months building, then burn them to cinders, tossing fireworks into the blaze.

But Valencia’s has galloped into the present. In events, or buildings, its ambitions run high. Sometimes literally. The Chicago Spire, projected to become the highest scyscraper in the U.S., is designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava.

Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences is astonishing: You don’t have to look further than its sci-fi chic architecture.

The city hosted the last America’s Cup.

The regional government of Valencia is ploughing Euros270 million ($425 million) into its Ciudad de la Luz studios, where Francis Ford Coppola’s shooting “Tetro.” 

Now, the nearby town of Alzira is building Spain’s first Museum of Audiovisual Arts.

And, being Valencia, it doesn’t have one film festival  it has two: the Cinema Jove and the Mostra de Valencia.

Late June’s Jove (which means “young” in Valencian), which wrapped last Saturday, showcases new generation trends and talents. Until recently, directors had to be under-35 just to get into its competition.  It screens a few world preems, often from local helmer’s such as, this year, Pau Hernandez’s “El Kaseron” (pictured).

Fest winners tend still to be firs t- or second-timers - like Estonia’s Veiko Ounpuu, who snagged Cinema Jove’s Golden Moon for “Autumn Ball.”

Or they’re at least young-ish, such as  Macedonia’s Teona Strugar, who received a special jury mention for "I Am From Titov Veles.”

Cinema Jove’s Film Future Prize, a traditional fest plaudit, went to Spanish actress Barbara Goenaga (pictured).

Jove winners, like Valencia itself, deserve more attention.

Venice will world preem "Babel" writer Guillermo Arriaga's directorial debut "The Burning Plain" starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, writes Nick Vivarelli. 

He also lists some other rumored titles for the Lido:

"Milk," Gus Van Sant's biopic of slain gay pol Harvey Milk, with Sean Penn in the title role; Robert De Niro/Al Pacino starrer "Righteous Kill," helmed by Jon Avnet; Michael Winterbottom's "Genoa"; and Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna."

Toronto has announced six more additions to its 2008 lineup. Four are world preems, including Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna" and Peter Sollet's "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist."

"Disgrace" - World Premiere
by Steve Jacobs
John Malkovich plays a professor who's life falls apart after an impulsive affair.

"Good" - World Premiere
by Vincente Amorim
Viggo Mortensen is an author whose book advocating euthansasia becomes a political tool.

"Miracle at St. Anna" - World Premiere
by Spike Lee
Lee's adaptation of James McBride's novel on the all-black "Buffalo Soldier" division in WWII.

"Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" - World Premiere
by Peter Sollett
Michael Cera and Kat Dennings spend a wild night together, discovering they only connect on their music tastes.

"Il Divo" - North American Premiere
by Paolo Sorrentino
Toni Servillo plays Italy's political powerhouse.  Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes.

"The Hurt" - North American Premiere
Kathryn Bigelow
A bomb squad in Iraq faces an impossible job.  Starring Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce, David Morse, Jeremy Renner and Christian Camargo.

One of the few pick-ups from Toronto last year, Alan Ball's "Towelhead," (aka "Nothing is Private") gets released on Sept 12, with a decidely Todd Solondz-styled campaign.  Producer Ted Hope also produced "Happiness." 

The website is up, sporting a mysterious button that reads "Free Screenings."  (After clicking, it says the "Free Screenings" are "Coming Soon.")

Rather than a director's statement, they have one from "Towelhead" author Alicia Erian:

When Alan first called me to talk about adapting my book, he said, "I promise if you agree to this, I'll make sure it stays funny."  I haven't forgotten that because it was particularly important to me.

Music-themed Ghent fest will put on a unique musical tribute to the late Anthony Mingella.  Mingella's longtime collaborator, Gabriel Yared (pictured), will conduct a concert featuring suites that Yared composed for "Cold Mountain," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and from his Oscar-winning score for "The English Patient."  It will be performed by a chamber orchestra and a soprano solo to keep it intimate.  Members of Mingella's family will attend.

Ghent will also showcase four other concerts. Kadril will perform pieces from "Brokeback Mountain," "Shakespeare in Love," and "Barry Lyndon" followed by concerts with Tuur Florizoone ("Moscow, Belgium"), Oscar winner Dario Marianelli ("Atonement") and composer Angelo Badalamenti ("Twin Peaks," "The City of Lost Children," "Mulholland Drive").

One of the greatest working-vacation fests, Karlovy Vary, is bringing in more celebs. 

Danny Glover will get the fest's President's Award, Randy Quaid will intro a screening of Hal Ashby's great "The Last Detail," "Mamma Mia!" director Phyllida Lloyd will intro the film at the closing ceremony, and the hundreds of journalists that attend the spa-town will soak in the renown hot springs and vaguely remember that there's some sort of film festival going on nearby.

But some research into the healing effects of these "medicine waters" brings some disturbing items:

• Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba, lives in warm waters and soils worldwide. Several deaths have been attributed to this amoeba, which enters the brain through the nasal passages.  Preventative measures: Do not snort the water.

• These cute monkeys, called Macaques, spend hours in hot springs.  In the 1990's it was discovered that many Macaques are carriers of the herpes virus.  Preventative measures:  Refrain from monkey orgies.

• A bather may have been infected by the herpes simplex virus in his toe from a hot spring in Japan.  Preventative measures:  See above, and wear condoms on your toes.

by Joe Swanberg
I am feeling the effects of Festival Fatigue.  I have been traveling almost non-stop for over two years, with four different films.  But it's impossible for me to pass up a free trip to a country I have never visited, so on June 9th I boarded a plane bound for Portugal, for the 24th Festoia International Film Festival, in the town of Setubal.  "Hannah Takes the Stairs" was programmed in the competitive "American Independents" section.

Upon arriving, I had lunch with a few of the other American Independents filmmakers who were on my flight.  I had never heard of any of their films, and they hadn't heard of mine.  That fact made me equally proud and nervous to be an American Independent filmmaker, working in a country that produces so many films and filmmakers, and has so many festivals and screens, that it's possible for several of these filmmakers to have festival and theatrical success without any idea that the others even exist. 

Many countries represented at the Festival only produce a few films a year, often by filmmakers who have already succeeded with previous efforts, and here we were, sitting in the sun eating grilled fish, probably representing less than .01% of the features made in America over the last 12 months.

That night I saw a terrible co-production from Israel/Belgium/Canada/France/Germany featuring two ridiculous scenes involving guns that only seem to show up in these crummy political/cultural/family issue movies.  Kent Osborne, the actor and co-writer of my film, was there with me, and we went to bed that night laughing about how ridiculous the whole thing was.  It won two awards a few days later.  Go figure.

I will admit that I used to be somewhat embarrassed to show my tiny movies at European festivals like this.  I felt like a con artist, like I had somehow tricked someone into giving me an invitation to a party I did not belong at.  I was tired of receiving a certain look from well-dressed European filmmakers (a mix of pity, envy and disbelief) when I told them about my budget or working method.  I've always had a hard time explaining the films, but they seem especially foreign in these environments of government funded "art" films.

But I'm officially over it.  I stood in front of my relatively small audience, consisting of a few Portuguese people, a few new friends from various countries, and a few of my fellow "American Independents" directors, and I proudly introduced my film.  There are no guns, no superfluous confrontations between estranged fathers and sons and no swelling pieces of music designed to make you feel a certain way.  In the context of everything else I saw at the Festival, that felt downright political.

Joe Swanberg wrote and directed "Hannah Takes the Stairs" which premiered at SXSW.  IFC Films will release his latest film, "Nights and Weekends," in Fall 2008.

Photo by Kent Osborne.

"The Hobbit":

"The Hobbit is the only book from Tolkien that I read at the right age.  I read it at 11.  I proceeded very gingerly though the trilogy and failed miserably.  The Hobbit comes from a place that is completely spontaneous.  It almost blurted out.  It came out of a very personal side of Tolkien, I would imagine.  I keep thinking in a way it's his reaction to his own experience going through World War I."

Moving to New Zealand:

"Before The Hobbit came I had just bought a house for my crap.  I was home hammering art on my wall... when the call came:  Would you pledge half a decade of your life to The Hobbit [by moving to New Zealand]?  Fucking yes."

Fucking institutions:

"I fucking hate institutions.  I love bank robbing movies.  Rififi. Ocean's 11.  As long as they're fucking a bank, I'm happy.  In my mind, planning a bank robbery would be a very creative endeavor.  You would need to plan them like a movie shoot and organize the crew.  I would probably make more money."

Simple humor never dies:

"I'm absolutely the target audience for Family Guy.  I'm easily amused.  If there's a fart joke, I consider it a comedy masterpiece."  (Seth MacFarlane voices "Johann Kraus" in del Toro's "Hellboy 2")

The role of monsters:

"Physical ugliness is very important.  We live in a world that constantly tells us how to diminish our ugliness.  And I say fuck them all.  Let us be whatever we are."

Mythology and religion:

"In a world that enthrones skepticism as intelligence... it's much more ballsy to believe than to be a fucking skeptic.  If you're a skeptic because it's cool, fuck you.  Tell me why you don't believe."

• SXSWclick, the fest's online competition of short work, has picked 15 finalists, including Becky James' animated "Snake."  Other films are divied up into five categories: Old School Shorts, Really Real Shorts, Animate-It, Sound Checks, and What the F*#!?.  SXSWclick.com to watch.

• The inaugural LA Irish Film Festival will run October 2-5, and they're looking for films.  They're advisory board has directors Jim Sheridan, Neil Jordan, and Mary McGuckian on it.  Check out lairishfilm.com.

• NYC's second annual Japan Cuts will unspool 18 mostly-recent films from Japan, including Naomi Kawase's Cannes 2007 Grand Prix winner "The Mourning Forest" (pictured).  Other flicks include Takashi Miike's "Sukiyaki Western Django," starring Quentin Tarantino and "The Inugami Family" to commemorate the late director Kon Ichikawa.  Full lineup here.

Submarine's Josh Braun, "This Film is Not Yet Rated" producer Eddie Schmidt, HBO Docs' Sara Bernstein, LAFF juror Morgan Spurlock, and indieWIRE's Eugene Hernandez.

Braun was celebrating his company's new pact with MSNBC Films for a handful of docs he reps.  He had a hand in selling Spurlock's "Super Size Me."


"Kurt Cobain: About a Son" director AJ Schnack and "Throw Down Your Heart" director Sascha Paladino at the IFC party.


"Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story" director Stefan Forbes and "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" director Marina Zenovich.  Forbes doc has emerged as an audience fave.

With CineVegas behind him, artist director Trevor Groth finally finds some nod-time.  Until another drink comes...

Toronto has picked 27 international festival selections to screen at their September fest.  Many preemed at Cannes, Berlin, SXSW, etc.

GALA PRESENTATION
"The Good, The Bad, The Weird" 
Kim Jee-woon, South Korea
North American Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
"Adoration"
Atom Egoyan, Canada
North American Premiere

"Un conte de Noël"
Arnaud Desplechin, France
North American Premiere

"Entre les murs"
Laurent Cantet, France
North American Premiere

"Gomorrah"
Matteo Garrone, Italy
North American Premiere
Winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

MASTERS
"24 City"
Jia Zhang-ke, China
North American Premiere

"Four Nights with Anna"
Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/France
North American Premiere

"Of Time and the City"
Terence Davies, United Kingdom
North American Premiere

"Le Silence de Lorna"
Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, Belgium/France/Italy
North American Premiere

"Three Monkeys"
Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey/France/Italy
North American Premiere
Winner of Best Director at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

REAL TO REEL
"Blind Loves"
Juraj Lehotský, Slovakia
North American Premiere

VISIONS
"Liverpool"
Lisandro Alonso, Argentina/France/Netherlands/Spain/Germany
North American Premiere

VANGUARD
"Waltz with Bashir"
Ari Folman, Israel/France/Germany
North American Premiere

DISCOVERY
"Hunger"
Steve McQueen, United Kingdom
North American Premiere
Winner of this year’s Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

"Medicine for Melancholy"
Barry Jenkins, USA
Canadian Premiere

"The Paranoids"
Gabriel Medina, Argentina
International Premiere

"Three Blind Mice"
Matthew Newton, Australia
International Premiere

"Tony Manero"
Pablo Larraín, Chile/Brazil
North American Premiere

"Tulpan"
Sergey Dvortsevoy, Germany/Switzerland/Kazakstan/Russia/Poland
North American Premiere
Winner of this year’s Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival

CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
"Acne"
Federico Veiroj, Uruguay/Argentina/Spain/Mexico
North American Premiere

"Linha de Passe"
Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, Brazil
North American Premiere
Linha de Passe garnered Best Actress at Cannes 2008

"O’Horten"
Bent Hamer, Norway/Germany/France
North American Premiere

"Lion’s Den"
Pablo Trapero, Argentina/South Korea/Brazil North
American Premiere

"Restless"
Amos Kollek, Israel/Germany/Canada/France/Belgium
North American Premiere

"Revanche"
Götz Spielmann, Austria
North American Premiere