Archive for August, 2008
Pusong Gala, gumagala!
| August 22, 2008
Arkeofilms’ TV plug for Cinemalaya 2008 has been selected to join the 38th Rotterdam International Film Festival – Short: As Long As It Takes Section from 22 – 26 January 2009 .
Produced by Arkeofilms for Cinemalaya and directed by Mario Cornejo (Big Time) , the 2-minute plug pokes fun at the unique world of independent filmmaking.
"Mura lang Dugo"/ "Blood is cheap"
AKA "Mga Pusong gala"/ "Stray hearts"
2mins full version/ HD
Starring Richard Somes as "director"
featuring actual Arkeofilms staff mostly as "themselves"
KANO receives ACF support
| August 18, 2008
Monster Jimenez’s debut full-length documentary Kano: An American and his Women is one of the recipients of the 2008 Asian Cinema Fund support. The project is currently in development and is scheduled to be finished in 2009.
The Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) disclosed the selected projects to receive support from the 2008 Asian Cinema Fund (ACF). The fund consists of three categories, namely: Development, Post-production, and documentary. PIFF selected 27 film projects from Korea and other Asian countries.
This year’s ACF boasts "strengthened and widened ACF programs", according to PIFF. The selectees distinguished themselves by thorough preparation and a high potential for becoming a high quality film "with new and unique perspectives".
Among the finalists are projects by Kim Jong-kwan and Noh Kyeong-tae. KIM made his name with short films which have been invited by festivals around the world. KIM’s current project is titled "Seaside". Noh Kyeong-tae crafted the highly original "The Last Dining Table" (Majimak Babsang) which also screened at several international film festivals. Noh Kyeong-tae is working on "Scarecrows".
The 2008 ACF Asian Network of Documentary (AND) includes the Korean documentary Resilience by the Korean adoptee filmmaker Tammy Chu Tolle. The documentary is produced by Koroot, an organisation supporting returning international adoptees. The documentary interviews birthmothers whose children were internationally adopted. The preliminary screenings offered a shocking inside in practices of international adoption agencies such as HOLT.
The 13th Pusan International Film Festival will take place from October 2 until October 10, 2008.
2008 ACF Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund Selections
- Korean Projects
"Barbarous Weapon" – LEE Kanggil
"Oasis – Documentary" – TAE Jun-seek
"A Five-way Crossing" – HAN Bum Seung
"Where The Wind Blows" – LEE Mario
"RESILIENCE" – Tammy CHU TOLLE- Asian Projects
Quarter No. 4/11 – Ranu GHOSH – India
Mental – Kazuhiro SODA – Japan, America
Money and Honey – LEE Ching-Hu – Taiwan
Virgin – HASSANZADEH Tahereh – Iran
The Orchard Keeper – YUAN He – China
Now is the Future of the Past – HUANG Weikai – China
Path of Anna – NAOI Riyo – Japan, Thailand
The Passion – BYAMBY Sakhya – Mongol
KANO: An American and His Woman – Monster JIMENEZ – PhilippineSource : www.koreanfilm.or.kr
āBig Timeā in Paris!
| August 3, 2008
ParisāAs the festivalās chosen āCountry of Honourā, the Philippines brought in a largish contingent of about 50+ film practitioners. I was giddy with excitement.
The movie that got me in was the movie that really didnāt bring us anywhere. āBig Timeā (2005) went to Chicago, New York, Switzerland, London without us. It didnāt really make any big noise except within the confines of local critics, Pinoy cineastes, friends and family. Despite the fact that there were hardcore Big Timers who have memorized lines in the movie, foreign critics found it too much of a Pinoy comedy; and none of the festival appeal youād find in the movies of Dante Mendoza and Jeff Jeturian. So imagine our excitement, especially Mario Cornejo (director), when the Paris invitation came. It was a great and unexpected gift.
It was a strange experience to watch āBig Timeā with a French audience, who did not see the hilarity in having to choose between Lolit Solis and Cristy Fermin or Ai-Ai and Zorayda. Itās hard to decipher if any of them liked it. But Iām relieved they finally caught on during the forced-choice between female senator (Miriam Santiago) and the president GMA.
More than screening the Pinoy movies in the festival, I think one of the more important parts of the festival was meeting people who seem to love movies more than me. My sheltered circle just got bigger in a matter of days. Suddenly, there are distributors who only want arthouse films and there are distributors who only want short movies. And there are agents who have so much need to fill up their catalogue who are open for anything. It was hard to believe when Margie told me that these people watch and read everything you give them. āItās their job,ā she said. Many of these potential co-producers, distributors, agents, and partners give feedback on your movie so studiously. Amazing.
But finally, the most important thing that I learned from the festival is that Pinoy cinema is not over. Not in the least. And there is a lot to work on: taxes, treaties, alternative distribution efforts and hard-headed exhibitors. And the toughest reality to face is that Pinoy movies have flourish in the Philippines for it to flourish elsewhere. So how do we distribute independent Pinoy movies in the Philippines? Does anybody know? Please e-mail us at creative(at)arkeofilms(dot)com.
Monster Jimenez
July 31 2008