The 34th edition of Hawaii International Film Festival will kick off from today, and this year, the festival will be lined up with nearly 200 diverse movies from different corners of the world. The first phase of the festival will be conducted from October 30th to Nov ember 9th on Oahu, and the second phase will begin from November 13th – 16th on Hawaii Island and Kauai. The HIFF is widely considered as the largest independent film festival which screens films from Hawaii, Asia and the Pacific region.
The 2014 edition of Hawaii International Film Festival will feature 198 films from 45 countries. The film festival will kick off with the US premiere of ‘The Vancouver Asahi’. The film is all about a base ball team that played in Canada during 1930s. The film will be also screened on November 13th in Hilo.
The closing night of the film will feature the world premiere of Visions in the Dark: The Life of Pinky Thompson. The documentary showcases the life of renowned Hawaiian community leader, Myron B. “Pinky” Thompson. The festival will also conduct an acting workshop with Marcia Gay Harden on November 1st.
The 5th edition of London Iranian Film Festival will open in style from November 1st, and it will run through November 09th. This 10 day festival will dip London in Classic River of Iranian Cinema, and it will be undoubtedly a visual feast for the film buffs. The UKIFF is the only festival which is solely dedicated for Iranian Cinema in the UK, and it is always being the audience’s first choice even if it is still in its 5th year of development. The festival aim to celebrate the best of Iranian Films, and this will surely turn out to be an unforgettable experience for the London audience.
This festival is brought in London by UKIFF, a volunteer-run, nonpolitical organization that aims to provide a cultural platform for the celebration of Iranian cinema in the UK. The festival will run in different parts of London this year, and like any other International events, London Iranian Film Festival too has umpteen numbers of side programs like Q and A sessions, networking events, filmmaker talks, and the very latest cinematic releases from Iran.
Some of the noted Iranian Films which will be screened this year includes, ‘Fish and Cat’, ‘I am Not Angry’, ‘Snow’, ‘Red Carpet’ and ‘Neurasthenia’. For more details on this festival, please visit www.ukiff.org.uk .
‘Best Shorts Competition‘, United States of America is now calling for entries. Filmmakers, television producers, videographers and new media creators can submit the movies for this competition now, and all you need to ensure is the length of the film. The film you are submitting should be 57 minutes or less, and if the panel finds the movie worth, then they will shortlist it for screening.
Best Shorts Competition always tries to unleash some difference in its proceedings. It is not like any other traditional film festivals, but is a a top-tier, influential, international awards competition. The reach and influence of this festival is global, and as a filmmaker, you can easily climb the stairs of exposure in the most awesome manner. After declaring the winners, the Best Shorts Competition will publicize the names to more than 43000 people.
The festival also grants an annual humanitarian award and celebrates work by women filmmakers, minorities, LGTB, disabled, passionate advocates and those fighting for social justice and environmental issues.
‘Haider‘ the Hindi Kashmiri movie directed by Vishal Baradwaj is continuing its dream run in the International Box Office, and the film is also making its presence in the film festival circuit as well. The recent success of the movie came at the red carpet of Rome Film Festival. The movie which was screened on Friday in the Mondo Genere section won the people choice award at the Rome.
The festival witnessed some of the eminent personalities in the Global Film Fraternity, and there Vishal Bhardwaj and actor Shahid Kapoor walked the red carpet with the dance troupe BollyMasala Dance Company. After the screening, Vishal also attended a conversation which dealt the topic, ‘Shakespeare and Cinema’.
Haider is the modern day adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet. The film was released on October 2nd, and was opened to highly positive reviews. The film which faced strong contention from Bang Bang in the box office is now slowly turning to be a sleeper hit.
It was an in and out ‘Court’ show in the 16th Mumbai Film Festival. This debut film of Chaithanya Tamhane won three awards in the International Competition, and it became a real honor for the Indian Film Industry. The film proclaimed its presence by winning Golden Gateway award for Best Film, Best Director and Jury Special Mention for Ensemble Cast. The awards were decided by the Jury Panel headed by the British Director, Peter Webber.
Bikas Mishra’s Chauranga bagged the Golden Gateway award for Best Film in India Gold Competition. In the same section, Killa directed by Avinash Arun won the second Best Film Award. The film also won a Special jury mention for the Best Ensemble Star Cast. ‘Mumbai 70’ directed by Disha Rindani won the Best Film Award in the Dimensions Mumbai short film section.
Please find below the full list of winners in 16th Mumbai Film Festival.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Best film – Court, dir: Chaitanya Tamhane (India)
Jury Grand Prize – Gueros, dir: Alonso Ruizpalacios (Mexico)
Best director – Chaitanya Tamhane, Court (India)
Special Jury Mention for Ensemble Cast – Court, dir: Chaitanya Tamhane (India)
Best actor – Martin Loizillon, Fever (France)
Best actress – Liron Ben-Shlush, Next To Her (Israel)
Jury Award for Best Work (cinematography) – Anthony Radcliffe, 71 (UK)
INDIA GOLD
Best film – Chauranga, dir: Bikas Ranjan Mishra
Second best film – Killa, dir: Avinash Arun
Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast – Killa, dir: Avinash Arun
DIMENSIONS MUMBAI
Best film – Mumbai 70, dir: Disha Rindani
Second best film – Unfit, dir: Shristi Jain
Special Jury Mention – Selfie, dir: Ramachandra Gaonkar
HT MUMBAI YOUNG CRITICS JURY
Best film – Ba Digaran, dir: Nasser Zamiri (Iran)
Best Mumbai Young Critic – Akshay Pawar
‘Court’ directed by Chaithanya Tamhane is literally continuing its dream run in the International Film Festival circuit, and the recent triumph of the movie came in the red carpet of Antalya Film Festival. This debut directorial venture of Chaitanya won the award for the Best Film at 51st International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival on October 18.
‘Court’ is the most realistic portrayal of Indian Judiciary System. The movie showcases the illicit practices which prevail in the system, and the unholy alliances have also been discussed in a brave manner in this movie.
The movie had its world premiere in the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival this year, and there it won two awards; Lion of the Future Award and The Best Film Award in the Orizzonti section. The film is also competing in the Mumbai Film Festival, and the final result of this competition in the International Competition section will be announced today.
The renowned Jaipur International Film Festival is scheduled from 1st – 5th February 2015, and this year, the organizers are trying their best to take the festival to new heights of International Standards. This year will mark the 7th edition of the festival, and in its short span of six years, the festival has received films from more than 90 countries, and this is considered as a record in the International Film Festival circuit. The recent news from the corner is regarding the open categories where filmmakers can submit their entries.
The festival now welcomes entries for film markets, delegates’ registration and co production market. You can also submit your screenplay for International Screenplay competition. Writers can submit the screenplays in eight languages which include, Hindi, English, Rajasthani, Urdu, Sanskrit, French, Malayalam, Tamil.
Filmmakers can also submit films to the upcoming edition of . For short fiction, documentary and animation movies, the Regular deadline is October 15th and the late deadline is November 15th 2014. For feature films, documentary feature and World premiere, the early deadline is October 30th 2014, and the late deadline is November 15th 2014.
Sidharth Shiva‘s ‘101 Chodyangal‘ has been continuing its dream run in the International Film Festival circuit for the last two years, and the glory is still unending. The latest feather in the throne for this film came as an official selection in the renowned Harlem International Film Festival. The festival is scheduled from September 10th – 14th 2014, and the selection of ‘101 Chodyangal’ raised the honor of Indian Film Industry in front of the global public. ‘Children of the Life’ which chronicles the life story of Desmond Tutu is the opening film in the festival.
‘101 Chodyangal‘ is undoubtedly a real gem of a film. The movie portrays the journey of a 10 year old boy named Anil Kumar Bokaro. The student will get as assignment to create 101 questions from his real life. In the meantime, his father who is a revolutionary loses his job from the factory. The life of Anil Kumar and his search for 101 questions forms the remaining part of the movie. The lead actors in the movie are Indrajith Sukumaran, Minon, Lena, Murugan and Nishanth Sagar.
In the 60th National Film Awards, India, the movie won prestigious awards like, Best First Film of a Director and Best Child Artist. ‘101 Chodyangal’ also won Silver Crow Pheasant Award for Best Feature Film at the 18th International Film Festival of Kerala.
Renowned Hollywood director Sohan Roy, who directed the Oscar listed DAM999 movie, and now the project designer of the much anticipated Kamasutra 3D hit the red carpet at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival. During the festival Kamasutra 3D was handed over to the world with special screenings (both 2D and 3D versions) on Palais G, Olympia 6, and Palais K at the Cannes. Along with Sohan Roy, the team of Kamasutra 3D met their international partners and associates at March Du Film Palais Booth. Last year the movie made history with its pre-sale of international rights at Cannes.
Presented to the world by GJ Entertainments and Rupesh Paul Productions Ltd., Kamasutra 3D, was the only Indian movie in the music category long list at the Oscars. The movie was also longlisted for The Best Motion Picture in 2014 Academy Awards. An extension of the Oscar honors, the second Cannes presence will be another feather in the cap of Kamasutra 3D, for sure, as it awaits its release in India. The cast and crew of Kamasutra 3D team along with the director Rupesh Paul and Dr. George John, the Executive Producer were present at the Cannes for the screening of the movie. Apart from being the project designer of Kamasutra 3D, Sohan Roy is the co-producer of the movie.
Gwinnett Center International Film Festival also known as GCI Film Fest is scheduled from August 1st – 3rd 2014. The festival aims to celebrate the efforts and accomplishments of produced and funded independent films and it also pave the way for expanding the knowledge and awareness of films nationally and internationally. The recent news from this corner is regarding the call for entries.The festival is now accepting submissions for the 2014 film festival, and the deadline is 26th of May 2014.
GCI Film Festival can be considered as one of the most fully fledged film festival in the modern world. The main location of the festival is located in Duluth, Georgia at the luxurious Gwinnett Center & Performing Arts Center. Four main theaters are there in this center, and all these theaters will provide authentic cinematic experience to the audience.
The seminar rooms in the festival location will provide workshops, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions, so film makers and audience members will be able to converse with other film makers through a variety of related topics. So, attention filmmakers, rush your submissions to GCI Film Festival, and enter a new world of fame and exposure.