Film Arabic films set for Cannes showcase
LA Film Fest announces 42 world premieres
LOS ANGELES, April 27, (Agencies): The Cannes Film Market will showcase a widerange of upcoming titles by directors from the Arab world, including prominent Egyptian auteur Yousry Nasrallah’s bucolic “Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces,” about a family of cooks who cater for weddings in the Egyptian countryside.
The Marche du Film is set to host a Dubai Film Market presents selection of works-inprogress and also a Liban Cinema presents selection. Both are screening at the mart on Monday, May 16.
The work-in-progress of Nasrallah’s “Brooks,” his followup to post-Arab Spring drama “After the Battle,” which competed in Cannes in 2012, is in the Dubai section. That section also includes Syrian director Maisa Safadi’s “4 Seasons, 2 Brothers and a Border,” produced by US producer Soloman Goodman’s Railroad Films. Pic is about the impact of the 1967 Arab-Isreali Six-Day War on the life of a Syrian village.
The Lebanese selection includes “Fallen From The Sky,” the feature film debut of Beirut-based documaker Wissam Charaf, who is an alumni of the Sundance Institute’s Rawi Screenwriters Lab in Jordan. It’s about two brothers, one of whom resurfaces after being presumed dead.
Shaping
This is shaping up to be a pretty good year for Arab movies in Cannes.
Egyptian director Mohamed Diab’s hotly anticipated Islamic fundamentalism-themed “Clash” has the honor of opening the fest’s Un Certain Section, marking the first film from turbulent Egypt bowing at Cannes since Nasrallah’s “Battle.”
“Clash” is set entirely inside an overcrowded police truck packed with pro and antiMuslim Brotherhood demonstrators from all social classes after a massive protest following the events of July 3, 2013, as crowds celebrated the ouster of prexy Mohamed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood member. Diab is known internationally for bold sex harassment pic “Cairo 678.”
A Complete list of Arab works-in-progress unspooling at the Cannes Market in the Dubai and Lebanon Goes to Cannes Showcases Dubai Goes to Cannes: “4 Seasons, 2 Brothers and a Border,” Maisa Safadi “Fish Killed Twice,” Fawzi Saleh “Munich: A Palestinian Story,” Nasri Hajjaj “Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces,” Yousry Nasrallah Lebanon Goes to Cannes “Beirut Terminus,” Elie Kamal “Room for a Man,” Anthony Chidiac “Feminitude,” Soula Saad “One of These Days,” Nadim Tabet “Fallen From The Sky,” Wissam Charaf
The LA Film Festival announced 42 world premieres in its competition lineup on Tuesday, boasting strong representation by women and ethnic minorities among the featured directors.
The nine-day event, hosted by Film Independent, the producer of the pre-Oscar Spirit Awards, features five categories for feature films — US fiction, documentary, world fiction, “Nightfall” and “LA Muse.”
Organizers said 43 percent of the directors of the features in competition are women and 38 percent ethnic minorities, while almost twothirds of the 58 shorts were made by women.
“The competition lineup of 42 world premieres echoes Film Independent’s mission to celebrate diversity and showcases a multitude of innovative, fresh voices,” said festival director Stephanie Allain.
“We can’t wait to share these films with audiences and industry alike and... are confident that 2016 will mark our best Festival yet.”
Ricardo de Montreuil’s “Lowriders” has been selected to open the 22nd edition of the annual festival, which runs from June 1 to 9 at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood and Culver City.
Set against the backdrop of east LA’s car culture, “Lowriders” features Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria and Melissa Benoist, best known for her portrayal of the title character in hit TV show “Supergirl.”
The film follows Danny, a talented young street artist caught between the lowrider world inhabited by his old-school father and ex-con brother, and his adrenaline-fueled need for self-expression.
Film Independent has also announced that Ryan Coogler, who most recently directed Rocky spin-off “Creed,” will serve as the event’s 2016 guest director.
The indie showcase has developed considerably since its original incarnation as the Los Angeles Independent Festival in 1995, with attendance growing from around 19,000 in its early years to a routine 75,000 to 90,000 since Film Independent took over in 2001.
“Discovering storytellers is our raison d’etre,” said programming director Roya Rastegar.
“We invest a great deal to learn about filmmaking communities across the globe. We look for films with conviction in perspective, style and voice.”
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Producers of the documentary “The Unknowns” have set a Memorial Day launch through the Gathr on-demand theatrical releasing operation, Variety has learned exclusively.
“The Unknowns” follows the training of the Sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknowns monument dedicated to American service members who have died without their remains being identified. A single unidentified US serviceman who died in France during World War I was interred at the monument in 1921 in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
The film was produced by US Army veterans Ethan Morse and Neal Schrodetzki — both who served as Sentinels — along with Matthew Little. Mark Joseph (“Max Rose”) is the executive producer.
Because of the two veterans’ experience of serving at the Tomb, they were given an “unprecedented” level of access from the US Army, allowing them to bring a unique perspective to the rigorous and intricate training process that soldiers must endure to be stationed there.
“Our fans have been waiting a long time to watch the film,” said Morse. “I’m so excited to finally be able to announce our first distribution deal. We hope families all across the country will come together this Memorial Day to honor those that have given everything for our country.”
Schrodetzki said the Army gave the production access to training areas and routines that had never been filmed before. “Thanks to their trust and guidance, we were able to capture and recreate how it feels to be a new soldier taking on the training cycle,” he added.
Gathr began offering on-demand theatrical screenings this week.
“We are honored to partner with a film that pays respect to those who served in the armed forces like ‘The Unknowns,’” said Gathr CEO Scott Glosserman. “Its subject matter and presentation are of great importance to American society. Providing individuals across the country the ability to screen the film at their local movie theaters in time for Memorial Day creates an important opportunity for communities to come together to appreciate those who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”
In the last 12 months, Gathr has held over 1,500 audience-driven screenings of over 40 different films. Some of its more successful releases have included “Girl Rising” with 964 screenings and a box office of $1.7 million and historical drama “Beyond The Mask” with 673 screenings and a $1.2 million gross.
“Girl Rising” told of the struggles of nine girls from nine countries. Narration was provided by Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Selena Gomez, Liam Neeson, Priyanka Chopra, Chloe Grace Moretz, Freida Pinto, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Alicia Keys and Kerry Washington.