22nd African, Asian and Latin America Film Festival will take place from March the 19th to the 25th 2012

The African, Asian and Latin America Film Festival, the only festival in Italy entirely dedicated to the cinema and cultures of countries in Africa,Asiaand Latin America, has announced its 22nd edition from March the 19 to the 25 , 2012.There are four competition sections and a section titled Extr’A Section for Italian filmmakers that presents films (fiction and documentary) on the three continents or on issues related to immigration in Italy. "Windows on the World" feature film Competition presents fictions films made by directors from Africa, Asia and Latin America (minimum running time 60 minutes).Prize: €15,000 - Public’s prize: €5000
"Windows on the World" documentary Competition
presents documentaries made by directors from Africa, Asia and Latin America (minimum running time 60 minutes).Prize: €6000.
Best African Film Competition
presents fiction films from the most recent African production (minimum running time 60 minutes). Prize €7500.
African Short Film Competition
presents short films (fiction and documentary) only by African directors (maximum running time 59 minutes).Prize: €7,500.To apply for the festival, the entry form must be completed and a DVD (with English or French subtitles) sent no later than December the 16th of 2011. Entrance is free of charge. Those who are interested can browse http://www.festivalcinemaafricano.org/teaser/index.php or contact in the festival address: festival@coeweb.org

AVALON and THE FIRST MAN won FIPRESCI prize in the 36th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

This is the 20th year the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is hosting an international jury of journalist from FIPRESCI . Members of the FIPRESCI Jury in the 36th edition of this prestigious film festival included Diego Batlle (Argentina), Carmen Gray (United Kingdom), Freddie Wong Kwok-Shiu (Hong Kong), Sam Adams (United States), Pascal Grenier (Canada) and John Semley (Canada). The FIPRESCI Prize in the Discovery debut features section was awarded to Swedish director Axel Petersén for AVALON, in the words of the jury “an assured, darkly humorous portrait of an affluent class in hedonistic self-denial that marks the arrival of a promising new voice in Swedish filmmaking.” In the Special Presentations section, which includes more veteran directors, the FIPRESCI Prize was won by Italian director Gianni Amelio for THE FIRST MAN, a co-production with France and Algeria. In this adaptation of a classic novel by existential French writer Albert Camus, the director has explored the legacy of colonialism and its repercussions on both the master and the servant. The jury lauded the director’s sensibility that combines “the tenderness of a memoir and the unflinching gaze of a war reporter.”

THE EUROPEAN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL TRAVELS TO TBILISI, GEORGIATO PRESENT THE AWARD WINNERS OF 2011 FESTIVAL

The European Independent Film Festival travels to Tbilisi, Georgia to present the award winners from the 2011 festival. This special edition of ÉCU will take place at Cinema Amirani from 7th to the 9th October, bringing to Georgia the cinematic independent spirit that has kept filmmakers and audiences returning to the European Independent Film Festival year after year."We saw some incredible film talent from Georgia with the film April Chill which won the Europe's Best Independent Dramatic Short Film award at ÉCU 2011. We are tremendously excited to be showing our films in Tblisi and we look forward to meeting more filmmakers from a country with such an upcoming cinema culture", says ÉCU Film Festival president Scott Hillier.Audiences will be treated to 19 of Europe's Best Independent Films made up of features, shorts, documentaries, music videos, animations and experimentals from 14 countries. Festival president and award-winning director Scott Hillier, will also hold a directing master class during the weekend.

Mr. Tree directed by Han Jie won best director award in 9th International Film Festival of Asian Pacific countries "Pacific Meridian" in Vladivostok.

The closing ceremony of the 9th International Film Festival of Asian Pacific countries "Pacific Meridian"was held in a large hall of the "Ocean" cinema at Vladivostok on 16th. Chineese Director Han Jie won best director award for his film Mr.Tree. The Jury cited that the award was given to Mr.Tree for the poetic view of the contemporary chinese social issues. Mr Tree produced by Jia Zhangke, also won the Jury Grand Prix and Award for Best Director in the Shanghai International Film Festival.About his film Han said at Shanghai that life itself was what inspired him to write the story."China's urbanization has seen a huge number of young people flock to big cities, leaving children and aging parents in their rural hometowns," he said. "We often read news about the migrant population and their uncertainties. I have been to many abandoned villages and seen that contrary to collapsed houses, trees still flourished. So Tree as the name of my protagonist has more symbolic meanings." Mr Tree also received critical acclaim in the Toronto and Locarno Film Festivals,
Other award winners are:
• The Special Jury Award
For a complete picture of social thai issues told in a short form
Pimpaka Towira
My father
• Best Short Award
For an excellent direction in the very beginning of the career
Halima Ouardiri
Mokhtar
• Best Actress Award
For profound psychological analysis and internal integrity of the created image
Fanny Mallette
Familiar grounds (En terrains connus)
• Best Actor Award
For a unique talent for transformation
Wang Baoqiang
Mr. Tree.
“9288 km” Award from the Governor of Primorsky Territory
Michele Placido
• The Audience Choice Award for the Best Russian Film
Alexander Gordon
Brothel Lights
• Yul Brynner Award
For great perspectives and genuine talent
Dmitriy Vyskubenko
My dad Baryshnikov
• Festival Grand Prix for the Best Feature
For highly artistic coverage of modern australian aboriginal issues
Ivan Sen
Toomelah
.Award for Contribution to World Cinema
Liza Minnelli
Before the closing ceremony a traditional Red Carpet rolled out for the dignatories including, Sergey Stepanchenko, Alexander Pyatkov, Alexander, and Harry Gordon, Lisa Arzamasova, Rock Brynner, Liza Minnelli and other well-known and beloved masters of Russian cinema, and filmmakers from other countries, including the most awaited guest of the festival Italian actor and director Michele Placido. The highlight of the evening was the performance of Liza Minnelli, who sang three songs: "Cabaret", "Maybe this time" and "New York, New York".

Critics Prize(Fipresci)at the 68th Venice International Film Festival (Mostra d'Arte Cinematografica, Italy, August 31 – September 10, 2011)

"Shame" by Steve McQueen (UK, 2011)presented in the international competition and "Two Years at Sea" by Ben Rivers (UK, 2011)presented in the Horizons section at the Venice International Film Festival(Mostra d'Arte Cinematografica, Italy, August 31 – September 10, 2011) won the Prize of the International Critics(Fipresci prize).Jury members were: Josefina Sartora, Argentina, president; Gautaman Bhaskaran, India; Pierre Pageau, Canada; Eva Af Geijerstam, Sweden; Susanna Harutyunyan, Armenia; Mahmoud Osman, Tunisia; Frédéric Jaeger, Germany; Dana Duma, Romania; and Paola Casella, Italy.

Critics Prize(Fipresci)at the Venice International Film Festival (Mostra d'Arte Cinematografica, Italy, August 31 – September 10, 2011)

"Shame" by Steve McQueen (UK, 2011)presented in the international competition and "Two Years at Sea" by Ben Rivers (UK, 2011)presented in the Horizons section at the Venice International Film Festival
(Mostra d'Arte Cinematografica, Italy, August 31 – September 10, 2011) won
the Prize of the International Critics(Fipresci prize).Jury members were: Josefina Sartora, Argentina, president; Gautaman Bhaskaran, India; Pierre Pageau, Canada; Eva Af Geijerstam, Sweden; Susanna Harutyunyan, Armenia; Mahmoud Osman, Tunisia; Frédéric Jaeger, Germany; Dana Duma, Romania; and Paola Casella, Italy.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chair the Jury of Zabaltegi-New Directors Section at the 59th San Sebastian Film Festival

Writer and Film Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum will Chair of the Jury of Zabaltegi-New Directors Section at the 59th San Sebastian Film Festival.Other members would be , Lucía Casani, Director of Cultura at La Casa Encendida,Jessica Hausner, Film Director ,Paz Lázaro, Head of Programming for Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section and Un-Seong Yoo, Programmer for the Jeonju Film Festival

Frances McDormand, Chair of the Official Selection Jury at the 59th San Sebastian Film Festival

The Actress Frances McDormand will chair the Official Selection Jury at the 59th edition of the San Sebastian Festival.The other members of the Jury are: Guillermo Arriaga (Writer, Screenwriter and Film Director), Álex de la Iglesia (Film Director), Bent Hamer (Film Director), Bai Ling (Actress), Sophie Maintigneux (Cinematographer) and Sophie Okonedo (Actress).

Berlinale Talent Campus #10 — The Talent Press Call for Applications

Goethe-Institut and FIPRESCI invite young film critics to Berlin .Those interested have to apply for Talent Press, a project of the Berlinale Talent Campus, Goethe Institute, and FIPRESCI (the International Federation of Film Critics). Selected young film critics and film journalists will be invited to Berlin to report on the films at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival (February 9–19, 2012) and on the events of the Berlinale Talent Campus (February 11–16, 2012).The call for applications for Talent Press is now open. Application regulations can be found online at www.berlinale-talentcampus.de and www.fipresci.org.

"Back to Stay" won Fipresci prize at Locarno International Film Festival

"Back to Stay" (Abrir puertas y ventanas) by Milagros Mumenthaler (Argentina/Switzerland, 2011) won Critics Prize(FIPRESCI) in Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland). Jury: Leo Soesanto, (President ), Yael Shuv, Neil Young, Günter Jekubzik and Pascal Blum

Critics' Awards at the Montreal International Film Festival

"Black Thursday" (Czarny czwartek) directed by Antoni Krauze (Poland, 2011)won Critics Prize, in World Film Competition section and "Noordzee, Texas" by Bavo Defurne (Belgium, 2011)in First Film Competition section at Montreal International Film Festival (Canada). The Fipresci Jury with Alin Tasciyan (President) , Alissa Simon, György Kárpáti, Eduardo Alvariza, Tadeusz Szczepanski, Juan M. Dominguez, Nicolas Bauche, Giorgio Rinaldi and Marie Claude Mirandette decided the award winners.