Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Nalupennungal (Four Women) in Age d'or & Cinedecouvertes Competition

As a tribute to the celebrated film , Age d'or by Bunuel, the Royal Belgian Film Archive designates the Age d’Or Prize to a film that strays from the cinematographic mainstream because of its originality, disposition ,composition. authenticity, the peculiarity of purpose and of style and mark a break with cinematographic uniformity. Cinédécouvertes presents 21 feature films from around the world.. The Royal Belgian Film Archive has chosen ‘Naalu Pennungal’ directed by the celebrated auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s as one of the 21 best films. These films will compete for the prestigious L’age d’Or (Golden Age) prize, in the festival’s 33rd edition this year to be held in Brussels in July,2008. Films featured in the event would also be acquired by the Royal Belgian Film Archive. In recent years, the Age d’Or/Cinedecouvertes has joined forces with the Brussels European Film Festival and takes place at the beautiful Flagey building in the heart of Brussels. Still, both festivals are separate and have their own jury. The Age d’Or/Cinedecouvertes is a prestigious event because it doesn't limit itself to Europe and selects its quality films mostly from the renowned film festivals including Cannes and Berlin

Spanish film festival begins at Thiruvananthapuram

A five-day Spanish Film Festival organised by Ministry of Culture ,Govt. of Kerala , Kerala State Chalachitra Academy in association with Instituto Cervantes ,Casa de la India and the Spanish government as part of a cultural exchange programme between India and Spain began here on 11^th March. Ten films directed by renowned Spanish directors are being screened in the festival.
A delegation of Spanish film personalities including Carlos Saura, Ingrid Rubio, Maria Ruiz, Veronica Sanchez, Rosa Sarda, Bigas Luna, Julio Medem, Jorge Sanchez Cabezudo and Beatrice de la Gandara are attending the festival. A delegation of journalist from Spain is also accompanying the film personalities.
Mr.Ion de la Riva , Ambassador of Spain in India who attended the inaugural session informed that as a reciprocal gesture, the government of Spain is organizing a Festival on Malayalam Film at Madrid and Valadolid in June/July this year. They are also planning to screen selected Malayalam films in the Spanish cities.
“Fados” , the new masterpiece from award-winning Director Carlos Saura and the latest installment in his musical cycle initiated more than 15 years ago by “Sevillanas” (1992), “Flamenco” (1995), Oscar nominated “Tango” (1998), “Salome” (2002) and “ Iberia ” (2005) is the main attraction of the Spanish Festival.. “Fados” opens a new chapter and sets new challenges for the famous director – now 76 - as it attempts to capture the elusive nature of the Portuguese “saudade” and to depict a faithful portrait of the Portuguese soul through its most emblematic musical genre. Using Lisbon as its iconic backdrop, the movie explores the intricate relationship between the music and the city, and Fado´s evolution over the years from its African and Brazilian origins up to the new wave of modern Fadistas. Under the musical supervision of Carlos do Carmo, the movie features one of the finest “World Music” soundtracks to date, gathering the best of new Portuguese talent like Mariza or Camané, together with foreign legends Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque or up-and-coming stars Lila Downs and Lura.the cast include Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Carmané, Carlos do Carmo, Lila Downs, Cesaria Evora, Toni Garrido, Alfredo Marceneiro, Mariza, Miguel Poveda.
‘ Pan’s Labyrinth ‘ directed by Guillermo del Toro ,winner of three academy awards, Winner of this year's Hugo Award and shown in the last IFFK and ‘Salvador’ directed by Manuel Huerga are notable films of the package .Other films are ‘Alatriste’ directed by Agustin Diaz Yanez, ‘Chaotic Ana’ by Julio Medem, ‘My Name is Juani’ by Bigas Luna, ‘The Night of the Sunflowers’ by Jorge Sanchez Cabezudo, , ‘Summer Dance’ by Antonio Banderas, ‘The Two Sides of the Bed’ by Emilio Martinez-Lazaro and ‘Vete de mi’ by Victor Garcia Leon.

Miami International Film Festival-MIFF 2008 Award

2008 MIFF COMPETITION AWARDS

Dramatic Features: World Cinema Competition

• Knight Grand Jury Prize: TRICKS (SZTUCZKI)
  Andrzej Jakimowski’s picaresque film is about a fatherless boy who tries to tempt fate in this charming and bittersweet film from Poland.
• Special Mention: IT'S HARD TO BE NICE (TESKO JE BITI FIN)
  Srdan Vuletic’s urban fairytale about post-war society from Bosnia follows a Sarajevo taxi driver whose attempts to change his life for the better are met with resistance at all turns.
• Special Mention: FOUL GESTURE (TNUAH MEGUNA)
  Itshak (Tzahi) Gradi’s film about vendetta and vigilantism centers on a middle-aged man who decides to take justice into his own hands after becoming the victim of a road rage incident.

Dramatic Features: Ibero-American Competition

• Knight Grand Jury Prize: COCHOCHI
  This Mexican road movie and fairytale by Israel Cárdenas and Laura Amelia Guzmán is part of this year’s MIFF Abroad program.
• Knight Grand Jury Prize: EAT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY
  Michelange Quay’s debut feature explores the spiritual corrosion of Haiti’s colonialist legacy with surreal, often wordless imagery.
• Special Mention: THE GIRLS (LAS NIÑAS)
  Using film as a scalpel to cut open the feminine mystique, Chilean director Rodrigo Marín’s two-hander pierces the heart of female relationships with uncanny perception.
• Special Mention: BLUE EYELIDS (PARPADOS AZULES)
  Quiet and nuanced, Ernesto Contrera’s touching dramatic comedy from Mexico explores the role that destiny plays in shaping our lives.

Documentary Features: World and Ibero-American Competition

• Knight Grand Jury Prize: SANTIAGO
  A fascinating meditation on the measure of a man, João Moreira Salles’ splintered documentary is a portrait that is both proud and profoundly erudite.
• Special Mention: SANTA FE STREET (CALLE SANTA FÉ)
  Calle Santa Fé is Carmen Castillo's poignantly personal journey to the homeland she was forced to leave behind, as well as her search for meaning in the struggle against oppression.
• Special Mention: A PAPER TIGER (UN TIGRE DE PAPEL)
  Luis Ospina’s dazzling, wickedly playful portrait of Manrique Figueroa mirrors his own country’s political upheaval from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Shorts Competition

• Knight Grand Jury Prize: HOMECOMING
  Connie Diletti’s film explores post-war trauma. While trying to process the indigestible experience of war, Drew tries to bring a friend home with him.
• Honorable Jury Mention: TRAUMOLOGY (TRAUMOLOGIA)
  Daniel Sánchez Arévalo’s follows Antonio’s wedding, where his father has a heart attack and whole family goes to the hospital where all of their traumas and miseries appear during a tense night.
• Special Mention for Best Animated Short Film: MADAME TUTLI PUTLI
  Is Chris Lavis’ and Maciek Szcerbowski’s film a Hitchcockian suspense or an artistic tour de force? The night train awaits you…
• Special Mention for Best First-Time Director: OVERNIGHT A ROSE
  Viv Koh’s film is about overcoming lies and the nature of true love.

MIFF Audience Awards

• Dramatic Features: World Cinema Competition: BLISS (MUTLULUK)
  Abdullah Oguz’s intense and beautifully rendered drama boasts stellar performances and a compelling musical score and stunning images of the Sea of Marmara.
• Dramatic Features: Ibero-American Cinema Competition: LA ZONA
  Rodrigo Plá’s taut thriller doubles as a damning critique of Mexico City’s shocking economic disparity. Once threatened, an enclave of privilege sheds all pretense of civility to succumb to the basest of instincts—the deadly mob mentality.
• Documentary Features: World & Ibero-American Competition: STRANDED: I'VE COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED IN THE MOUNTAINS (VENGO DE UN AVIÓN QUE CAYÓ EN LAS MONTAÑAS)
  Through the use of carefully constructed dramatizations, news footage, and interviews with survivors atop the crash site, filmmaker Gonzalo Arijón crafts a moving testament to the strength and endurance of the human spirit.

FIPRESCI International Critics Award

FOUL GESTURE (TNUAH MAGUNA)
Itshak (Tzahi) Gradi’s film about vendetta and vigilantism centers on a middle-aged man who decides to take justice into his own hands after becoming the victim of a road rage incident.

MAMI International Film festival , Mumbai

“The Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) was born of a dream of promoting meaningful cinema in a city that prides itself on being India's Film Capital. MAMI strives to increase the awareness of film beyond it being a source of entertainment.” The International Film Festival Mumbai (IFFM), India's only Independent Film Festival, is a tribute to the glorious city of Mumbai, and is a commitment made by MAMI to introduce and expand Mumbaikar's horizon to include the latest trends in international cinema. It has a captive audience of 5000 delegates. Retrospectives of Ritwik Ghatak and Andrzej Wajda will mark the 10th Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) international film festival that starts here on March 6. The weeklong festival will screen 140 films from 45 countries in three theatres in the city—Adlabs Wadala, Metro Adlabs and Cinemax Versova .About 140 films from 45 countries will be screened. The opening film is Andrzej Wajda’s latest film Katyn, nominated for an Oscar's foreign film category and premiered at the 58th Berlin Film Festival. The Mourning Forest ,Japanese film ,directed by a woman Director , Naomi Kawase ,winner of Grand Prix at 60th Cannes Film Festival , will be the closing film. MAMI is also introducing a host of exciting new initiatives like Global Lifetime Achievement Award for an international director towards his/her contribution to world cinema. The first award will be conferred on Spanish director Carlos Saura, who will be in Mumbai to attend the function. MAMI Awards for outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry will go to actor Rishi Kapoor. Lyricist Gulzar and actor Dharmendra will get the lifetime achievement award. Jaya Bachchan , trustee of MAMI initiated a short film competition called Dimensions Mumbai , under which digital films of five minutes durations depicting Mumbai will compete .