Asghar Farhadi wins first Golden Bear at the 61st Berlinale

The accomplished Iranian screenwriter and film director Asghar Farhadi’s captivating drama Nader and Simin: A Separation won the Golden Bear for the Best Film at the 61st Berlin Film Festival and was elated to receive his coveted prize at the closing ceremony on Saturday February 19, 2011. This must really be fulfilling for him after winning the Silver Bear for Best Director for his film About Elly in 2009. This is the first time an Iranian film has won the Golden Bear. The male and female actors of "Nader and Simin, A Separation" were honored each with a Silver Bear for their performance.


Asghar Farhadi lifting up his Golden Bear at the 61st Berlinale.


The film is about a middle-class couple Nader and Simin married for fifteen years and live with their eleven-year-old daughter Termeh in Tehran. The family belong to the urban upper middle-class and the couple are on the verge of separation. Simin wants to leave the country with her husband and daughter, as she does not want Termeh to grow up under the prevailing conditions. Her desire is not shared by the stubborn Nader. He has concerns for his father, who lives with the family and suffers from Alzheimer's disease. When Nader decides to stay in Iran, Simin files for a divorce.




Bela Tarr took home the Jury Grand Prix of the Silver Bear for being the runner-up for his film "The Turin Horse".

The other winners emerged in the following order:


Silver Bear - Best Director
Ulrich Köhler
for Schlafkrankheit (Sleeping Sickness)


Silver Bear - Best Actress
to the actress-ensemble in
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader And Simin, A Separation)
by Asghar Farhadi

Silver Bear - Best Actor
to the actor-ensemble in
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader And Simin, A Separation)
by Asghar Farhadi

Silver Bear - Outstanding Artistic Achievement
Wojciech Staron for the camera in
El premio (The Prize)
by Paula Markovitch

ex aequo

Barbara Enriquez for the production design in
El premio (The Prize)
by Paula Markovitch

Silver Bear - Best Script
Joshua Marston and Andamion Murataj for
The Forgiveness Of Blood (The Forgiveness Of Blood)
by Joshua Marston

Alfred Bauer Prize
Awarded in memory of the Festival founder, for a work of particular innovation.

Wer wenn nicht wir (If Not Us, Who)
by Andres Veiel

Click here for more details.

World War II Atrocity to Be Told for the First Time in Film During Black History Month

"The Wereth Eleven" premieres on National Geographic Channel on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST. (PRNewsFoto/The Ardennes Group)

8 Feb 2011 16:11 Africa/Lagos

World War II Atrocity to Be Told for the First Time in Film on National Geographic Channel Feb. 16 During Black History Month




"The Wereth Eleven" will Premiere Nationwide on National Geographic Channel on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST and on the Big Screen at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. CST

PR Newswire

SOUTHOLD, N.Y., Feb. 8, 2011

SOUTHOLD, N.Y., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "The Wereth Eleven" is an epic docudrama based on the true story of the heroic battle waged against the attacking German army at the start of the Battle of the Bulge, and the dramatic escape made by 11 American soldiers. The film premieres nationwide on National Geographic Channel on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST and the screening will be at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. CST.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110208/LA43995)

"The Wereth Eleven" retraces the steps of the 11 soldiers of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion who escaped The 18th Volksgrenadiers after their unit was overrun at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. Their 10-mile trek from their battery position to Wereth, Belgium led them to refuge with a Belgian family until a Nazi sympathizer revealed their presence to an SS Reconn Patrol. The soldiers surrendered, but were taken to a field, where they were tortured, maimed, and shot on Dec. 17, 1944. The killings were investigated, but never prosecuted.

"I was really moved and saddened by this story. I thought the men's dignity was taken from them, and that really bothered me," stated Joseph Small, executive producer of "The Wereth Eleven." "I set out on a mission to make sure the citizens of America and Europe knew what happened to the 11 men and make sure they knew the contribution of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion during World War II."

Small spent the next two years researching the events that took place on the fateful day and eventually enlisted the help of writer and director, Robert Child ("Lincoln and Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom") to bring the gut wrenching story to the screen.

"This film is the result of a dedicated team working together to achieve one goal: to create a film worthy of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion and the 11 men," stated Child. "I knew, to pull off the project, I had to put the right people in place. Frederic Lumiere, an outstanding filmmaker in his own right, had produced and directed History Channel's groundbreaking 10-Part series, 'WWII in HD.' If there was anyone I knew who could rise to the challenge of Wereth, it was Frederic."

The filmmakers set out to elevate war documentary recreations to a new level. The film had to portray the epic and harsh nature of the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the Americans in World War II. "Rob's vision was very ambitious: To create visuals for the film that rivaled epic Hollywood blockbusters," stated Lumiere, who edited the film. "But we also knew we had a very important story on our hands. We had the responsibility to continue Joseph Small's quest to let the world know about this incredible injustice, which occurred 67 years ago to 11 American heroes, while remaining historically accurate."

The powerful and poignant film is an epic docudrama with stunning Hollywood-grade visual effects, interviews with people who were there, and archival footage.

In one of the archival films, captured men of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion are paraded for German propaganda. After some investigating, one of the men was identified and interviewed: Retired Staff Sergeant George Shomo. Now 90 years old and a resident of northern New Jersey, Shomo offers a shocking and brutally honest personal account of what it was like to be an African American in World War II. "As a black soldier in the United States Army, you weren't as good as a dog," stated Shomo. Outnumbered 10 to one, Shomo and his fellow soldiers were left behind to fight the Germans. "We fired until we ran out of ammunition. It's hard when a man's got a rifle coming at you and all you got is a trench knife. But I got a couple (of men) and some of the other guys got a couple. I'd say the Germans had to walk over piles of their dead to get to us."

A memorial now stands on the site of the soldier's murders, dedicated to the Wereth 11 and all African-American soldiers who fought in The European Theatre. It is believed to be the only memorial to African-American soldiers of World War II in Europe.

"The Wereth Eleven" was produced by The Ardennes Group with executive producers Small, Child, and Lumiere.

The world premiere will be on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST on National Geographic Channel. A theatrical screening and Q&A with the filmmakers and George Shomo will be at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. CST. Click here to view the trailer for "The Wereth Eleven."

About Robert Child

Originally from New England, Robert Child has worked behind the scenes as a writer, technical director, and director for more than a decade with network clients including HBO, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, NBC, ABC, and CBS. Child has been working on independent historical projects since 2001 and has won numerous awards including two CINE Golden Eagles and a Special Jury Award at World Fest Houston. His work has also been named as an Official Selection at major United States film festivals including the New York Independent Film Festival and the Washington DC Independent Film Festival.

About Frederic Lumiere

Lumiere is an award-winning filmmaker who's first feature film, "Tomorrow is Today" starring Scout Taylor-Compton ("Halloween I," "Halloween II") received 11 awards, including the Directorial Discovery Award from the Rhode Island International Film Festival. He has also produced, directed, and edited award-winning programming for Cinemax, A&E, History, Biography, and The National Geographic Channel. Before executive producing and editing "The Wereth Eleven," Lumiere produced, directed, and edited the groundbreaking Emmy Award-winning series "WWII in HD," narrated by Gary Sinise.

For press information, contact:
Verena King
Verena King Public Relations
702-354-3527
Verena@verenakingpr.com
Twitter: # WWII Atrocity @TheWereth11 Told for 1st Time in Film on @NatGeoChannel 2/16 During Black History Month #Wereth11 http://bit.ly/hy3u8m

For Official Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YULUUoc-fI

SOURCE The Ardennes Group

CONTACT: Verena King of Verena King Public Relations, +1-702-354-3527, Verena@verenakingpr.com, for The Ardennes Group

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
10 Feb 2011
18:57	Fifth Third Bank Chicago Celebrates Black History Month
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06:01	U.S. Census Bureau Black History Month Feature for February 9
8 Feb 2011
16:11	World War II Atrocity to Be Told for the First Time in Film on National Geographic Channel Feb. 16 During Black History Month
15:00	University of Texas Documentary 'When I Rise' Premiering Tonight on the PBS Series Independent Lens
13:00	Cox Communications Commemorates Black History Month
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DANGEROUS MEN: The Next Big Nigerian Film After IJÉ the Journey

Dangerous Men: The Next Big Nigerian Film After Chineze Anyaene's IJÉ the Journey
« on: Today at 03:23:36 PM »



SYNOPSIS
Emmanuel (Nigerian action star George Davidson), is an assassin who goes against the order of his contractor X (GuGu E. Michaels) and refuses to carry out a hit placed on Senator Kingston (New comer M.J. Mathias).

Emmanuel in danger, is forced to take a homeless man (Nigeria’s 5 times Kung Fu champion Leo U” Che) and turn him into the perfect killer. The deadly duo forms an alliance with Kingston and go after X the very man that hired Emmanuel for the Kingston hit. This action flick leads to an ultimate fighting showdown between the new generation assassin Samuel and the veteran head of the organization of Assassins X. Get ready for non-stop action, masterful fight sequences and out of the world visual effects that will leave the audience with their mouths open and in shock. Shot in High Definition (HD), with 35mm film look, shot with the backdrop of Lagos, Nigeria.
Dangerous Men is a sure thing for all action fans across the globe.

Dangerous Men has attracted the interest of the major North American distributor TMG WARNER SYSTEM,

The production company GU International Pictures (GIP) is an American Nigerian multimedia entertainment company making films, music videos and other productions of world class standard.



DANGEROUS MEN is a thriller by GuGu E. Michaels, an accomplished filmmaker who has worked as a director and producer on a number of commercial and independent projects including the feature films "Thugz", "Repentance" and "Dangerous County". He has also helmed a number of campaigns for retailers like Cadillac, Lamborghini and Porche. Prior to co-founding New Era Pictures, Michaels served as president of Dallas based Redrumm Records and worked with such artists as hip hop giants UGK.



DANGEROUS MEN will start showing at Silverbird Cinemas from October 15, 2010.

Young Nigerian Director gets Hubert Bals Fund to make his Film

Kenneth Gyang

Young Nigerian Director gets Hubert Bals Fund to make his Film

Kenneth Gyang who was once recognized as the youngest filmmaker in Nigeria years ago is one of the few filmmakers selected from all over the world to share the Hubert Bals Fund in Netherlands. Gyang was selected for his film Confusion Na Wa and has already secured a lucrative distribution deal for Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Confusion Na Wa has also been selected for the competitive Durban FilmMart of the Durban Film Festival next month July.

Gyang has patnered with the BBC as director on Wetin Dey. He produced and directed the Finding Aisha series for which he won the Young Producer of the Year award at the last Future Awards in Lagos.

The Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) selected twenty-nine projects to be given grants for script development, digital production, postproduction, distribution or workshops. In its Spring 2010 selection, the Fund gives 450,000 Euro to projects from twenty-two countries. (see full list below).

The line up of the IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund Spring 2010 Selection Round in full:

Postproduction & final financing

A alegria (The Joy) – Felipe Bragança & Marina Meliande, Brazil
Agonistes, The Myth of Nation – Lav Diaz, Philippines
Cornelia At Her Mirror – Daniel Rosenfeld, Argentina
Harud – Aamir Bashir, India
Hawi – Ibrahim El Batout, Egypt
Ocaso – Théo Court, Chile
Tilva Roš – Nikola Lezaic, Serbia
Winter Vacation – Li Hongqi, China

Digital Production

Confusion Na Wa – Kenneth Gyang, Nigeria
Lukas nino – John Torres, Philippines
Marimbas del infierno – Julio Hernandez Cordon, Guatemala
Through the Windshield – Vimukthi Jayasundara, Sri Lanka


Script & Project development

Aral – Ella Vakkasova, Uzbekistan
Betok – Sherman Ong, Malaysia
Bull Down! – Gabriel Mascaro, Brazil
Germania – Maximiliano Schonfeld, Argentina
Ibn Battuta – Tariq Teguia, Algeria
Karma Police – Visra Vichit-Vadakan, Thailand
Melaza – Carlos Lechuga, Cuba
Past Love – Lee Chatametikool, Thailand
Straw Man – Peng Tao, China
La tercera orilla – Celina Murga, Argentina
Tormentero – Ruben Imaz Castro, Mexico
La última tierra – Pablo Lamar, Paraguay

Distribution

Chaque jour est une fête – Dima El-Horr, Lebanon, distribution in Lebanon by MC Distribution
Manuel De Ribera – Christopher Murray & Pablo Carrera, distribution in Chile by Jirafa



Special Projects

Directors Across Borders Script and Project Development Workshop – Yerevan Golden Apricot Film Festival, Armenia
Hubert Bals Fund Award – Durban FilmMart, Durban International Film Festival, South Africa
East Timor Film Production Workshop – East Timor



More About Kenneth Gyang


Kenneth Gyang is a director, writer and producer from Barkin Ladi, Plateau State. His work in film and television has gained recognition at home and abroad.

Inspired by listening to BBC World Service, Kenneth’s early ambition was a career in radio. However, shortly after completing school he came across a poster advertsing Nigeria's National Film Institute, located in
the nearby state capital, Jos. He applied and was accepted.

Kenneth's interest was initially in screen-writing only but, frustrated with seeing unimaginative interpretations of his work, decided to try directing one of his scripts. The result was the award winning short Mummy Lagos, a two-minute meditation on the African food that has been screened at festivals worldwide. Most notably, Kenneth presented the film at the 2006 Berllinale.

Following this early success, Kenneth has been working constantly as a director.


Highlights include being one of three directors of the groundbreaking BBC series Wetin Dey and writing and directing SoundCity's drama series Finding Aisha. The former is widely acknowledged to have set new standards in West African television and was screened at the 2007 EMMY awards in Los Angeles. In recognition of the latter he won Screen Producer of the Year at the 2010 Future Awards.



Kenneth is currently preparing to direct his debut feature, Confusion Na Wa ●

Curtain Comes Down on the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival

The highlights of the closing ceremony were colourful. Hollywood and Bollywood stars had a lot to show at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, but no single Nollywood star was on the red carpet. Nollywood was missing in action.



Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL with the Palme d’Or

The 63rd Cannes Film Festival ended with the thai filmmaker, Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL winning the Palme d’Or, the highest prize for his film “LUNG BOONMEE RALUEK CHAT (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives)”.

If Thailand can go as high as winning the most coveted prize at the Cannes, then Nigeria can produce the films that can qualify for competition and win top prizes.

What is the benefit of producing thousands of movies since 1992 to date and not a single Nollywood movie has even qualified for the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival?

Nigerian filmmakers must step up to compete with the best in the world or go and dump their mediocre movies in the Atlantic Ocean before coming to the Côte d’Azur and get dazed and fazed by the outstanding filmmakers from all over the world.

Congratulations to all the worthy winners.

Complete List of the Winners at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival

Feature films
Palme d’Or
LUNG BOONMEE RALUEK CHAT (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives) directed by Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL



Grand Prix
DES HOMMES ET DES DIEUX (OF GODS AND MEN) directed by Xavier BEAUVOIS


Award for Best Director
Mathieu AMALRIC for TOURNÉE (ON TOUR)


Award for Best Screenplay
LEE Chang-dong for POETRY



Award for Best Actress
Juliette BINOCHE in COPIE CONFORME (CERTIFIED COPY) directed by Abbas KIAROSTAMI



Award for Best Actor Ex-aequo
Javier BARDEM in BIUTIFUL directed by Alejandro GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU
Elio GERMANO in LA NOSTRA VITA (OUR LIFE) directed by Daniele LUCHETTI



Jury Prize
UN HOMME QUI CRIE (A screaming man) directed by Mahamat-Saleh HAROUN



Short Films
Palme d’Or – Short Film
CHIENNE D’HISTOIRE (BARKING ISLAND) directed by Serge AVÉDIKIAN



Jury Prize – Short Film
MICKY BADER (BATHING MICKY) directed by Frida KEMPFF


Un Certain Regard :
Un Certain Regard Prize – Groupama Gan Foundation for Cinema
HAHAHA directed by HONG Sangsoo


Jury Prize – Un Certain Regard
OCTUBRE (OCTOBER) directed by Daniel VEGA, Diego VEGA



Un Certain Regard Award for Best Actress
LOS LABIOS (THE LIPS) played by Victoria RAPOSO, Eva BIANCO, Adela SANCHEZ



Cinefondation :
1st Prize Cinéfondation
TAULUKAUPPIAAT (THE PAINTING SELLERS) directed by Juho KUOSMANEN


2nd Prize – Cinéfondation
COUCOU-LES-NUAGES (Anywhere out of the world) directed by Vincent CARDONA


3rd Prize Cinéfondation Ex-aequo
HINKERORT ZORASUNE (THE FIFTH COLUMN) directed by Vatche BOULGHOURJIAN
JA VEC JESAM SVE ONO ŠTO ŽELIM DA IMAM (I ALREADY AM EVERYTHING I WANT TO HAVE) directed by Dane KOMLJEN

Golden Camera :
Caméra d’or
AÑO BISIESTO directed by Michael ROWE

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Singapore Film HERE Selected for the 41st Directors' Fortnight at Cannes

24 Apr 2009 17:03 Africa/Lagos

Singapore Film HERE Selected for the 41st Directors' Fortnight at Cannes

SINGAPORE, April 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore continues its strong showing at this year's Cannes Film Festival with HERE by Singapore filmmaker and visual artist Ho Tzu Nyen selected for screening at the 41st Directors' Fortnight section, which is known for selecting cutting-edge films with an original directorial style.


As a first-time feature film director, Ho is also eligible for the Camera d'Or (Golden Camera) award, a distinction for best first feature film in any one of the Cannes' selections - the Official Selection, the Directors' Fortnight or the International Critics' Week.


Said Ho Tzu Nyen who is both the scriptwriter as well as the director of the film, "HERE represents a cinematic amalgamation of my interests and experiences in painting, conceptual art and sound art. I believe it to be a new kind of Singapore film - a total sensorial experience that is hopefully also a head-trip."


The film is supported by the Singapore Film Commission's (SFC) 35mm Fulfillment Fund, which helps local filmmakers defray the costs of converting the digital version of their film to a 35mm print master, a format required by the Festival.


Mr. Kenneth Tan, Director of the Singapore Film Commission and Chief Operating Officer of Media Development Authority of Singapore said, "Singapore films have been gaining traction in the international markets over the last few years. Our varying styles and genres have been featured at Cannes every year since 2005, presenting our young filmmakers with a valuable launch pad for their international film careers. I am confident that local filmmakers such as Ho will continue to make their mark around the world."


Singapore's showing at Cannes began as early as 1997 when Eric Khoo's 12 Storeys was invited under the Un Certain Regard section. This year marks the fifth consecutive year that a Singapore film has been featured at the Festival, starting with Khoo's Be With Me in 2005, which opened the Director's Fortnight. This was followed by the 2006 country showcase where 12 Singapore feature films and short films were presented at the World Cinema (Tous les Cinemas du Monde) event. In 2007, Anthony Chen's short film Ah Ma clinched a Special Mention at the Festival, while Pok Yue Weng's short film SuperDONG and Ekachai Uekrongtham's feature film Pleasure Factory were screened at Directors' Fortnight and Un Certain Regard respectively. Last year, Khoo's latest film My Magic became the first Singapore film to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or award.


HERE is a co-production by Canada's gsmprjct media and M'GO Films and Singapore's Akanga Film Asia, Oak3 Films and Tzulogical Films. The film was shot entirely in Singapore across 11 days in a former mental hospital. It tells the story of a middle-aged man who struggles to make sense of his reality following the sudden death of his wife. The protagonist of the film, played by lead actor John Low, is selected to undergo a mysterious treatment known as the 'videocure'. While undergoing treatment, he learns a profound lesson about love and fate. HERE's screening at Cannes will mark the film's world premiere while the theatrical release in Singapore is scheduled for June this year.


Added Ho Tzu Nyen, "HERE is both a love story, and also a story about the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's idea of 'Amor Fati' or love of fate - in which the test of an affirmative life is that of someone who is willing to live his life over and over again, without making a single change."


Ho will join a delegation of film companies and directors led by MDA and SFC to the upcoming Cannes Film Festival and Market (Marche du Film) from 13 to 24 May 2009. The Cannes Film Market is a trade event that runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival.


Press Contact:
Marylou Johnston VP, Managing Director, global
Priority Public Relations
marylou@prioritypr.net; +33 6 87 77 49 89

Source: Media Development Authority of Singapore

CONTACT: Marylou Johnston VP, Managing Director, global of Priority
Public Relations, +33 6 87 77 49 89, marylou@prioritypr.net, for Media
Development Authority of Singapore