Oficial 37 MIFF press-release Cannes, May 19, 2015

37th MIFF PROGRAMS

COMPETITION

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

SHORT FILM COMPETITION

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

8 ½ FILMS

FREE THOUGHT.  DOCUMENTARY CINEMA PROGRAM 

TROPICAL  EUPHORIA 

MISSING PICTURES

AROUND FASSBINDER

FEMALE BLAST

KURDISH CINEMA PHENOMENON

SCREEN IMAGE OF TRAGEDY. ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

TO THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF BULGARIAN CINEMA

TURKISH CINEMA YESTERDAY AND TODAY

FATAL 40-ties

SHORT FILM CORNER

MEDIA FORUM 

RUSSIAN FILM PROGRAM

Chairman of MIFF Main Competition Jury

JEAN-JACQUES ANNAUD

director, screenwriter

MAIN COMPETITION

ALL ABOUT THEM

A TROIS ON Y VA

Director Jérôme Bonnell

France, 2015, 86’

Young lovers Charlotte and Micha have just purchased a house outside Lille where they intend to spend time making love. But for several months Charlotte has been cheating on Micha with Mélodie… Unsuspecting Micha nevertheless feels somewhat jilted and starts cheating on Charlotte… also with Mélodie! Mélodie is in a fix. She must keep the secret of each of them and she loves two people at the same time.

Jérôme Bonnell

(14 December, 1977, Paris, France)

Сompleted his studies at the University of Paris VIII. In 1998, “Le bonheur des uns” won him a Best Young Scriptwriter award. He debuted as a director with the short “Fidèle” in 1999. His feature debut “Olga’s Chignon” (2002), a tragi-comedy about a family in mourning, won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Chicago Film Festival. “Pale Eyes” (2005) was screened at the Young Cinema Forum at Berlin.  “Just a Sigh” (2013) won the Best Director award at the Chicago IFF.

ARMI ALIVE!

ARMI ELÄÄ!

Director Jörn Donner

Finland, 2015, 84 ‘

Armi Ratia is the woman behind the legendary design company Marimekko and a worldwide celebrity. A theatre company has taken on the task of trying to portray the life and work of this complex person. The play focuses in Armi’s life between the years 1949 and 1968, when she founds the fashion company, leads it to an international success. The sets mainly consist of the well-known patterns that we all have grown to love. Armi is a brave, risk-taking businesswoman and her passion for her company repeatedly takes its toll on her employees, finances and family. The company grows while Armi's personal life is shaken by suicide attempts and turbulence.  

Jörn Donner 

(1933, Helsinki, Finland), a Finnish writer, film director, actor, producer, politician, founder of Finnish Film Archive. Jörn Donner has for long periods lived and worked in Sweden, and has, among other things, served as director of the Swedish Film Institute. Donner's film «A Sunday in September» (1963) received the Prize for best directorial debut at the Venice Film Festival. Donner's most famous films include «Portraits of Women» (1970) and «Fuck Off! Images from Finland» (1971). In 1979, he was a member of the jury at the 29th Berlin International Film Festival. Internationally Jörn Donner is best known as the producer of Ingmar Bergman's film “Fanny and Alexander”. «The Interrogation» had its world premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival in 2009.The director has more than 30 short, documentary, TV and feature films to his credit.

ENCLAVE

ENKLAVA

Director Goran Radovanović

Serbia, 2015, 92’ 

The Serbian community remained living in Kosovo in small isolated communities – enclaves. Limited to a very confined space, Serbs live out their lives in dire circumstances. What happens when someone dies in an enclave and the cemetery is outside, on enemy territory? An eighty-year old man is finally buried owing to his grandson, a ten-year old boy who dared to do something impossible to both communities in Kosovo – Serbian and Albanian alike: he showed love and made friends on the other side.

Goran Radovanović

Born in Belgrade in 1957. Graduated in art history from Belgrade’s Faculty of Philosophy in 1982. After the return to Belgrade from Munich in 1980 wrote film criticism, since 1984 worked as writer and director of feature and documentary films. He is a member of the European Film Academy, Berlin. In 2009 he directed the film “The Ambulance”.

HEROES OF EVIL

LOS HÉROES DEL MAL

Director   Coe Berriatúa

Spain, 2015,98’ 

Three teenagers live by petty thefts. Unexpectedly they realize that can use violence to take revenge on everyone who humiliated them: students, teachers and other undesirables. Soon it transpires that one of them killed a prostitute, and wants to kill again. Anyone can become his next victim. The other two face the question: should they resort to violence to stop the killings?

Zoe Berriatúa  (1978,  Madrid)

Actor since he was a child, and later illustrator, writer, producer and director, Zoe is the son of Luciano Berriatúa, an expert on Murnau and a cinema historian.  Zoe directed an  animation film and several shorts. “Heroes of Evil” is his debut in feature films.

ORLEANS

Director Andrey Proshkin

Russia, 110 ‘, 2015

The little town of Orlean stands on the coast of a salt lake in the Altai steppes. The arrival of a strange gentleman who claims to be an executioner, severely disturbs the town. He brings home to everyone the seemingly self-evident truths: everyone will have to pay for the skeletons in his cupboard. From now on the life of the sexy hairdresser Lida, the local surgeon Rudolph and the investigator Nevolin will never be the same.

Andrey Proshkin 

(September 13, 1969, Moscow USSR) 

Graduated from the Department  of Journalism of the Moscow State University and Higher courses for scriptwriters and directors (class of Marlen Khutsiyev). Worked as an assistant to the directors Karen Shakhnazarov and Alexander Proshkin. In 2002 made his feature debut with “Spartacus & Kalashnikov”. His filmography includes “The Games of Pappilons” (2004), “Soldier’s Decameron” (2005), “Minnesota” (2009) “Orange Juice” (2010). “The Horde” won the Silver St.George at the MIFF for the best direction.

LOOSERS

КАРЪЦИ

Director Ivaylo Hristov

Bulgaria, 2015

Elena, Koko, Patso and Gosho are high school students in a small provincial town. They are inseparable friends that share the belief that they are ''losers''. Koko is in love with Elena. The girl wants to be a singer. She is really excited about the visiting concert of a famous rock band. The event shakes up the whole town giving birth to new love affairs, disappointments and complicated relationships. ..

Ivaylo Hristov 

(December 10, 1955,Sofia, Bulgaria) 

Graduated from the department of acting at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts NATFIZ. Worked at the Sliven drama theatre “Stefan Kirov”. Since 1985 worked as an actor at the Theatre of Bulgarian Army in Sofia. He has more than 120 theatre and film roles to his credit, directed stage productions “Accidental Death of an Anarchist”, “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll”, “Graduate” etc. Since 1992 teaches acting at NATFIZ. His first feature “Emigrants” (2003), which he directed together with Lyudmil Todorov, won several national awards and participated in many film festivals. “Footsteps in the Sand” (2010) participated in the competition of the 32 MIFF.

МИЛЫЙ ХАНС, ДОРОГОЙ ПЕТР

Dear Hans

Director Alexandr Mindadze

Russia, Germany, UK, 2015, 110’

It is a story about the Soviet worker Pyotr and the German engineer Hans, who came to the USSR before the war on a business trip. At a Soviet plant the German team works in cooperation with Russian specialists. Once Hans makes a mistake which causes the explosion of the furnace and human losses. Hans finds himself at the mercy of Pyotr, the only witness to his actions near the furnace. Pyotr also depends on Hans, because Pyotr’s very presence near the furnace entails accusation of subversive actions and a death sentence. Mutual suspicion gives way to silent sympathy and later friendship. They even look like each other, both have small children. Pyotr secretly leaves the town with his family but Hans feels loss rather that relief at the disappearance of the embarrassing witness.

Alexandr Mindadze 

(April 28th, 1949, Moscow, USSR)

Graduated from VGIK (class of K. Vinogradskaya). He is the author of more than 20 scripts, including those for the films of the famous Russian director Vadim Abdrashitov — “Fox Hunt”, “Plumbum, or the Wicked Game”, “A Catastrophe”, “Parade of the Planets”, “Servant”, “Armavir”, “The Time of the Dancer”. His scripts won several Nika awards. In 1995 the movie “A Play for the Passenger” (written by Mindadze) won the Silver Bear at the 45th Berlin IFF. In 2005, “Dreaming of Space” (directed by Alexei Uchitel and written by Mindadze) won the Golden George at the 27th MIFF. In 2006, Mindaze and Mikhail Sinev founded “Passazhir Studio”. Debuted as a director in 2007 with “The Isolation”. In 2011, his second feature “Innocent Saturday” was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin IFF.

BEING GOOD

KIMI WA IIKO

Director Mipo Oh

Japan, 2015

A newbie teacher Okano in a primary school is troubled over how to handle problems such as angry parents, bullying and domestic violence affecting his students and tries to extend a helping hand to them. On the other hand, Masami is a mother who cannot stop herself from hurting her own three-year-old daughter. An aged woman Akiko is suffering from mild dementia. She lives alone and enjoys communicating with a handicapped boy. People can’t live without feeling “kindness” towards them. The “kindness” blooming in a person’s soul, can definitely save someone else.

Mipo Oh

(1977, Mie Prefecture).

After graduating from the Film Department at Osaka University of Arts, she entered  Nobuhiko Obayashi office. While working as a scripter, she directed her first short story “Harmony” (2003). In 2005 she debuted as a director with her first feature film “The Sakai’s Happiness”. In 2010, “Here Comes the Bride, My Mom!” (scriptwriter/director) won the Kaneto Shindo Award. “The Light Shines Only There” (2014), won the Best Director Award at the Montreal IFF and was selected to represent Japan at the 87th Academy Award as the Best Foreign Language Film.

THE SEA & THE FLYING FISH

DARYA VA MAHI PARANDE

Director                                  Mehrdad Ghafarzadeh

Iran,      100’, 2015

Ehsan is a young innocent deaf and dumb inmate of a correctional camp. He communicates through painting. During his imprisonment he learns that his father has sold his sister to pay his debts. This makes Ehsan eager to break out of prison to save his sister when...

ARVENTUR

Director Irina Evteeva

Russia, 80’, 2015

 “Arventur” is a dilogy about an imaginary land that is magically visited by the films’ characters.  The first part is based on Alexander Grin’s story “Fandango” and takes place in Saint-Petersburg in 1921. The second part, called “The Mystery of the Sea View” is based on a Daoist parable about a great Chinese artist and the Emperor. The Emperor, who has grown up on paintings by an artist, comes to realize that the real world of his kingdom is not as beautiful and harmonious as the reality in the artist’s paintings. The Emperor can’t accept all the filth and horror of the cruel reality. The skill and enchantment of the artist have made all that he possesses revolting, and made him wish for what he can never have.

Irina Evteeva 

(1956, Leningrad, USSR)

In 1980  graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Cinema (cinema department). In 

1980 - 1981 worked as an animator’s assistant at the Leningrad studio of popular science and educational films.  In 1989 completed the postgraduate course at the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinema. In 1981 - 1990 gave lectures at cinematography and photo art department of the Saint-Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts. Since 1990 is a movie director at Lenfilm studio. In 1993 became a senior researcher at Russian institute of Art History. Irina Evteeva is the author of films made in a unique mixed animation and action technology. Won the Russian Motion Picture Academy award “Golden Eagle” (2010, for the “Little Tragedies”), was nominated for “Nika” award (2004, for the movie “Petersburg”). She’s a participant in and a winner of prestigious international film forums, including a Silver lion of St. Marc at the Venice international film forum (“The Clown”), prize of the international film forum “Arsenal”, Riga (“The Horse, the Violin and a Little Bit Nervous”) and others.

THE ROAD

Director Rana Salem

Lebanon, 2015

Rana and Guy, a young married couple, live in today’s city of Beirut. Rana decides to quit her job and is unsure about the path she is taking. Her husband, Guy is more centered and focused. He cultivates a plot of land from which he earns a living; he is also an independent visual artist who creates live performances. Drifting away from reality with no sense of time and space, Rana is trapped in memories and dreams. Guy decides that they must go on a trip. As they travel further away from the city, they find themselves wandering around virgin landscapes and abandoned places. The journey releases images from their past and ultimately leads them to Guy’s childhood home in the mountains. It has been locked for a long time.

Rana Salem

In 2004 graduated from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts with a major in audiovisual and Cinema studies. Her graduation film “First Floor to the Right” (2005) was named the best Lebanese student short film and received best director and best sound prizes at Lebanese festivals, the film also participated in international festivals (the International short film festival in Tanger-Morocco and the Med-film Festival in Rome). Rana directed several short fiction films and documentaries (“Where To” (2003), “The Red Balloon” (2005), “Window” (2007), “Essay From A Room” (2011)) that also screened in various festivals in Beirut and abroad amongst which Beirut Cinema Days (Lebanon), Tribeca Film Festival (New York) & CPH: Dox (Denmark). “The Road” is her first feature.