The third edition of the El Gouna Film Festival has opened its curtains in Egypt. More than 200 movie stars and filmmakers made an appearance on the red carpet, including Canadian-Egyptian star Mena Massoud, who is best known for playing the lead role in the recent Disney remake of Aladdin. “This is really the whole point of a festival like this, to show the rest of the world how much talent and how much our film industry has grown," he told Euronews’ Daleen Hassan. “We celebrate American films but we also celebrate films from the North African and Middle Eastern region and it’s my hope that festivals like this can show the world how much talent, ambition and execution we have. “ Running from 19 to 27 September, the event will showcase 84 films, representing a total of 41 different countries. Amongst this year’s selection are films which already showed in international film festivals such as Toronto, Venice and San Sebastian. However, most films are … [Read more...] about El Gouna Film Festival opens in Egypt
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Venice Film Festival kicks off, highlights real issues
The 76th edition of the Venice International Film Festival kicked off with Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's mother-daughter drama, "The Truth," starring Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche. The 11-day festival began on August 28 and will end by September 7. The event will showcase 21 films from directors all around the world, who have narrated different types of stories through their direction.The festival is taking place at Venice Lido and is organized by La Biennale di Venezia. It is officially recognized by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association). The eleven-day journey opened with "The Truth," which Venice chief Alberto Barbera called "a poetic reflection on the relationship between a mother and her daughter, and the complex profession of acting." Thursday is lined up with James Grey's "Ad Astra" from Fox. In this movie, we will see Brad Pitt as an astronaut who is out on a mission to protect the solar system. The same day, we will see the couple … [Read more...] about Venice Film Festival kicks off, highlights real issues
Spanish language film to open Cannes Film Festival 2018
A Spanish language film has been chosen to open the Cannes Film Festival for the second time only in the event's 71 year history. Known locally as Todos Lo Saben, the psychological thriller Everybody Knows stars Hollywood couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem and was directed by two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi. Cruz plays the role of Spanish woman, Carolina, whose life is turned upside down when she leaves Argentina with her husband (Ricardo Darin) and children to return to her home near Madrid for a family celebration. Iranian director Farhadi teamed up for a third time with producer, Alexandre Mallet-Guy who he also collaborated with on Oscar-winning films, The Salesman and The Past. Everybody Knows is Farhadi's eighth feature film. It was shot on the Iberian Peninsula. The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 8 to 19. … [Read more...] about Spanish language film to open Cannes Film Festival 2018
Palestinian Flag to Premiere at Cannes Film Festival
(AFP) – The Palestinian flag will be raised next week at the Cannes film festival, which will host their first ever national pavilion. Film-makers said the new level of representation in the international village of the prestigious festival was a significant step for the fledgling Palestinian cinema industry.The pavilion, one of around 70 representing countries from across the globe, will give Palestinian film-makers an opportunity to pitch their work to top international industry executives. Mohanad Yaqubi, one of the co-founders of the Palestine Film Institute, said it was a significant moment.“Almost every year Palestine has a film selected in Cannes but until now we didn’t have an official presence there,” Yaqubi, who is also a film-maker, told AFP. “Industry-wise it is very important to have a presence… (to) network at an industry level,” he said in English. The pavilion will be mostly funded by the Palestinian ministry of culture, which … [Read more...] about Palestinian Flag to Premiere at Cannes Film Festival
Ilhan Omar documentary among Minnesota projects headed to New York’s Tribeca Film Festival
Robert De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival will have more than a touch of Minnesota this year. Two projects shot largely in the state will be part of the event that runs from April 18-29 in New York City. "Time for Ilhan," by documentary filmmaker Norah Shapiro, chronicles Ilhan Omar's successful bid to win election to the Minnesota House of Representatives, making her the first Somali-American, Muslim woman to hold state office in the United States. In addition, Rosemount native Naomi Ko will be shopping a pilot for a potential series. "Nice," which was mostly shot in the Twin Cities, stars Ko as a young Korean-American woman who faces a crisis when she's diagnosed with cancer. Ko, who appeared in the 2014 indie hit "Dear White People," is hoping screenings at the festival will attract a streaming service or network that will green-light an entire season. The festival, now in its 17th year, will also feature new documentaries about Gilda Radner and the New York Times, as … [Read more...] about Ilhan Omar documentary among Minnesota projects headed to New York’s Tribeca Film Festival