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  • ‘Zubaan’ to open Busan International Film Festival

    ‘Zubaan’ to open Busan International Film Festival

    NEW DELHI: Indian film Zubaan by Mizez Singh will be the inaugural film at this year’s 20th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which will have a major Indian presence.

     

    Director Anurag Kashyap, known for bold films over the last decade, is a member of the New Currents Asian film competition jury at the Festival.

     

    BIFF’s annual Korean cinema Award will be given to Berlinale Panorama curator Wieland Speck, for his contribution to introducing Korean cinema worldwide.

     

    The New Currents competition section will highlight eight titles from 10 countries. The jury is headed by multi-talented Taiwanese actress, director and screenwriter, Sylvia Chang.

     

    Chinese film Mountain Cry by Larry Yang will be the closing film at the Festival, which is being held from 1 – 10 October.

     

    The festival will have 304 films from 75 countries, including 94 world premieres and 27 international premieres.

     

    Addressing a press meet earlier this week, Festival co-director Lee Yong-kwan said, “Zubaan is a film that is able to highlight the past twenty years of BIFF as a festival that has discovered a number of new Asian directors and helped lift them to world class. Zubaan also demonstrates the current transition and the future of Indian cinema that the world has recently begun paying attention to.”

     

    This is the second time an Indian film will be opening the festival as Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Bengali film Uttara aka The Wrestlers had been the opening film in 2000.

     

    Zubaan, which has been produced by Guneet Monga, tells the story of a young folk musician named Dilsher who moves from Punjab to find success in the big city, before proceeding to deal with its fallouts. It stars Vicky Kaushal with Sarah-Jane Dias, and Raaghav Chanana.

     

    Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh starring Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar will also have its world premiere at the festival as part of ‘A Window On Asian Cinema’ section. The film is based on the life of Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor at Aligarh Muslim University who was fired from his position on the basis of his sexual orientation.

     

    This section has several other films from India. They include Meghna Gulzar’s Talvar (under its international title Guilty), a crime drama based on the infamous Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj double murder case that took place in Noida seven years ago. The film stars Irrfan Khan, Neeraj Kabi and Konkona Sen Sharma.

     

    Films like Masaan (which won two awards at Cannes in May this year) and Mani Rathnam’s O Kadhal Kanmani also feature in this section.

     

    Meanwhile, the Salman Khan starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan will be screened in the festival’s ‘Open Cinema’ section.

     

    Other Indian films in the ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ are: Kothanodi directed by Bhaskar Hazarika (Assamese); Orange Candy directed by Biju Viswanath (Tamil) and Peace Havendirected by Suman Ghosh (Bengali).

     

    The New Currents section will screen Radio Set directed by Hari Viswanath (Tamil).

     

    The Wide Angle section will have two films: Jai Ho directed by Umesh Aggarwal (English/Hindi) on the life and work of living music maestro A R Rahman and Fireflies in the Abyss directed by Chandrasekhar Reddy (Indo-British) (Hindi, Khasi, Garo).

     

    The jury will award $30,000 prizes to two winners of the New Currents competition at the festival’s closing ceremony on 10 October.

     

    New Currents is open to Asian films by first-or second-time directors. Former winners include China’s Jia Zhangke (Pick Pocket, 1998), Korea’s Park Chan-wook (Jealousy is My Middle Name, 2002), and Thailand’s Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, 2007). 

  • Top 24 films of 2014-15 to be showcased at Montreal World Film Fest

    Top 24 films of 2014-15 to be showcased at Montreal World Film Fest

    NEW DELHI: Twenty-four features from a score of countries are being shown in the World Greats (out of competition) section of the Montreal World Film Festival commencing tomorrow.

     

     

    The Festival, which is the only film festival in North America recognised by the Paris-based International Federation of Film Producers Federations (FIAPF), will conclude on 7 September.

     

     

    Dedicated to experienced filmmakers, this selection offers the latest works by some of the best known directors from around the world.

     

     

    Notable among the cineastes included are Majid Majidi whose Muhammad will be getting its world premiere and is the opening film. Belgian Rhapsody by Vincent Bal (Belgium – Luxembourg) will be the closing film of the Festival.

     

     

    The filmmakers who will be showcasing their films are Jean-Jacques Annaud (North-American premiere of Wolf Totem), Cristina Commencini (Latin Lover), Ventura Pons (The Virus of Fear), Ermanno Olmi (Greenery Will Bloom Again), Vincent Bal (Belgian Rhapsody), Ken Kwapis (A Walk in the Woods, with Robert Redford) and Sergio Castellitto (You Can’t Save Yourself Alone) among others.

     

     

    The American films are: A Walk in the Woods and Silver Skies by Rosemary Rodriguez. The Italian films are An Italian Name by Francesca Archibugi, Greenery Will Bloom Again by Ermanno Olmi, Latin Lover by Cristina Comencini, The Secret Of Italia by Antonello Belluco and You Can’t Save Yourself Alone by Sergio Castellitto.

     

     

    The South Korean films are: It’s Really Kind Of You by So Jae-ick along with My Sister and The Pig Lady by Jan Moon-il.

     

     

    The Japanese films are Blood Bead by Banmei Takahashi and The Next Generation – Tokyo War by Mamoru Oshii, Neckan by Gonzalo Tapia and Virus Of Fear by Ventura Pons are both from Spain.

     

     

    The other films are: Before Spring by Ahmed Atef of Egypt; Chrieg by Simon Jacquemet from Switzerland; Corpse Collector by Dimitar Dimitrov from Bulgaria; Eisenstein In Guanajuato by Peter Greenaway from the Netherlands – Mexico – Finland – Belgium; Gitel by Robert Mullan from United Kingdom – Lithuania; Muhammad by Majid Majidi of Iran; Simon by Éric Martin and Emmanuel Causse from France; Siska Deluxe by Ian Cvitkovic from Slovenia – Czech Republic – Macedonia; Winter by Heidi Greensmith from the United Kingdom; and Wolf Totemby Jean-Jacques Annaud from France – China.

     

  • Bryan Adams makes come back with new album ‘Get Up’

    Bryan Adams makes come back with new album ‘Get Up’

    MUMBAI: “There is a carefree feeling about this album and in many ways it is the album I wish I’d been able to make 25 years ago,” said the multi platinum record artist Bryan Adams, while announcing his brand new studio album Get Up.

     

    The album is produced by famed ELO frontman Jeff Lynne and co-written with his long-time collaborator Jim Vallance. Packed with nine fresh compositions, this 13-track album will be released on 16 October.

     

    Deemed as a solid collection of rock songs, well collaborated with upbeat numbers, the album will feature singles such ‘Brand New Day,’ ‘You Belong To Me’ and ‘Thunderbolt’ as well as melodious ones like ‘Don’t Even Try’ and ‘We Did It All.’

     

    Die hard Adams fans will also get treated to a deluxe version “Get Up,” which will be packaged in a high-quality case and containing an exclusive interview with Adams and a selection of quality photographs, alongside the music.

     

    Talking about the conception of the album, Adam says, “It came together quite organically song by song.”

     

    On his collaboration with Lynn, he adds, “It was a great partnership as it gave me plenty of time to write the songs, most of which are collaboration with Jim Vallance. We all worked primarily over the internet from Canada, Europe and LA, sending demos and parts of songs until we got it right.”

     

    Lynn says, “I’ve always been a big fan of Bryan so getting to work with him was a great pleasure. Bryan would send me a demo across the internet, then I would play most of the instruments to make a finished backing track and send it back to him in England. There he would put the lead vocal on to the song and send it back to me in California. 5,400 miles apart! And it’s turned out to be a rockin’ album!”

     

     “Get Up” tracklisting:

     

    •You Belong To Me

    •Go Down Rockin’

    •We Did It All

    •That’s Rock and Roll

    •Don’t Even Try

    •Do What Ya Gotta Do

    •Thunderbolt

    •Yesterday Was Just A Dream

    •Brand New Day

    •Don’t Even Try – Acoustic

    •We Did It All – Acoustic 

    •You Belong To Me – Acoustic

    •Brand New Day – Acoustic

  • Indian animation film on RTI in Sweden’s I.N.S.A.N.E Animation Film Fest

    Indian animation film on RTI in Sweden’s I.N.S.A.N.E Animation Film Fest

    NEW DELHI: Chakravyuh (The Vicious Circle), an animation film on the Right to Information (RTI) by filmmaker Dhvani Desai, has been officially selected in I.N.S.A.N.E Animation Film Festival to be held in Sweden. 

     

    The film was earlier screened at the Holland Animation Film Festival in March. The I.N.S.A.N.E. Festival is held in Malmo city from 11 to 13 September.

     

    “My film Chakravyuh on RTI has got officially selected in I.N.S.A.N.E Animation Film Festival to be held in Malmo, Sweden from 11 – 13 September, 2015. The most special thing about this selection is that Sweden was the first country in the entire world to introduce RTI (Right to Information) in 1766. Whereas in India it was made a legal Act only in 2005,” Desai tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    Chakravyuh has also been voted as the most popular film at the Mumbai International Film Festival. The film shows the struggles of four characters from different regions of India and throws light on how RTI can be used to fight corruption. 

     

    It has been produced by Films Division, and was first shown on 12 October, 2013 on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of RTI in Mumbai.

     

    Desai’s earlier animation film Manpasand on women’s empowerment had won her a National Award and had been the opening film of the Asian Women’s Film Festival 2008 in Delhi, apart from participating in around 10 international film festivals.  

     

    Desai has been making films for over 20 years and has served on many juries. Her films include five short public service films for the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation on the Principles of Mahatma Gandhi in Hindi and English.

  • AK Madhavan’s Assemblage readies maiden animation film ‘Blinky Bill’

    AK Madhavan’s Assemblage readies maiden animation film ‘Blinky Bill’

    MUMBAI: Former Crest Animation top boss AK Madhavan’s entrepreneurial animation studio, Assemblage Entertainment, has completed its first full-length animated feature co-production titled Blinky Bill The Movie, with the CGI being co-produced out of its studio in Mumbai.

     

    Blinky Bill The Movie is an Australian feature film produced by Flying Bark Productions (Australia) in co-production with Assemblage and Telegael Teoranta (Ireland). The movie is slated to release on 17 September, 2015 in Australia with the international release to follow. 

     

    Established in 2014, Assemblage is an eclectic young animation studio that has grown from strength to strength and currently employs over 250 people.

     

    Flying Bark Productions managing director Barbara Stephen said, “Blinky Bill is one of Australia’s most iconic characters and his stories have engaged and entertained audiences around the world for many years. We eagerly sought a studio, which would treat one of our national treasures with due respect and the team at Assemblage have done just that. Their team has a long history of quality work and is highly regarded internationally – we trusted their ability and commitment to deliver quality CGI services and we are delighted with the result.”

     

    Assemblage CEO AK Madhavan added, “We’re very excited to announce the completion of the first feature film out of Assemblage. It is a moment of great pride to be able to deliver the entire 90 minutes of the CGI feature out of our facility here in Mumbai, just over a year after our inception. Establishing ourselves as a feature film ready production house and being associated with a timeless classic such as Blinky at the same time is truly rewarding. We continue our efforts to work on some high quality projects with leading studios globally and aspire to build a strong production portfolio.”

     

    First introduced to audiences in the 1930s through a series of children’s books, Blinky Bill is considered an iconic Australian children’s classic. A small koala with a big imagination, Blinky is an adventurer at heart who dreams of leaving the little town of Green Patch and following his explorer father’s footsteps. Blinky embarks on a journey that takes him beyond the boundary of Greenpatch in the wild and dangerous Australian landscape in his quest to find his missing father. Although he previously appeared in several successful TV series and movies, Blinky has been created in CGI for the first time in the upcoming feature film release this September.

  • Ajay Devgn’s international production ‘Parched’ to premiere at TIFF

    Ajay Devgn’s international production ‘Parched’ to premiere at TIFF

    MUMBAI: Ajay Devgn’s first international production Parched is all set to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015.

     

    Devgn will also be visiting Toronto to attend the world premiere of the movie.

     

    Produced by Devgn under his USA based venture Shivalaya Entertainment, in association with Blue Waters Motion Picture, Airan Consultants, Parched is written by Leena Yadav and Supratik Sen. It is directed by Leena Yadav and stars Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla, Adil Hussain, Lehar Khan, Riddhi Sen, Mahesh Balraj and Chandan Anand.

     

    Parched essays the story of four ordinary women in a rural Indian village, who begin to throw off the traditions that hold them in servitude in an inspirational drama.

     

    Devgn says, “Parched is about the small battles that women must fight to win the big war. Films like Parched need to be made, seen, and discussed. Then maybe along the way we can correct some of the many wrongs that women have suffered since eternity. It’s gonna be the first time for me because usually I stay away from the glitz and madness of any film awards and events. I’m excited to attend TIFF because it celebrates world cinema. Where best of the world talent meet, greet and appreciate each other. We always had the belief in Leena’s vision as a writer & director. It’s very heart warming for me to see my support finally getting the appreciation it deserves.”

     

    Parched is an international co-production between India, UK & USA. The crew boasts of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Russell Carpenter, ASC, Academy Award nominated film editor Kevin Tent, ACE, music composer Hitesh Sonik, three time Academy award and BAFTA winning sound designer Paul N.J. Ottosson, Emmy winner music editor Richard Ford and top notch technical support from Technicolor creative services, Hollywood and Sony Pictures Entertainment, Los Angeles. Parched is represented by Canada based Seville International for world sales right.

  • Eros’ Telugu film ‘Dictator’ completes first schedule in Hyd; moves to Europe

    Eros’ Telugu film ‘Dictator’ completes first schedule in Hyd; moves to Europe

    MUMBAI: Eros International Media has completed the first schedule of its Telugu production – Natasimha Balakrishna’s Dictator in Hyderabad.

     

    Eros International Media managing director Sunil Lulla said, “Telugu cinema is going through an exciting phase and we are very happy to associate with the best talent in the industry. After the success of our maiden Telugu production, Srimanthudu, we are happy to share that the shooting part of our upcoming Telugu movie Dictator with Natasimha Balakrishna and Sriwass is going on in full swing. With Dictator, we aim to further expand and strengthen Eros’ footprint in south Indian cinema.”

     

    Produced by Eros International in association with Vedaashwa Creations, the film is directed by Sriwass and marks as Balakrishna’s 99th film. The action entertainer also stars Anjali and Sonal Chauhan along with Ravi Kishan, Sayaji Shinde, Nazar and Prudhvi amongst others.

     

    Veteran writer M Ratnam is the dialogue writer, while writer duo Kona Venkat and Gopi Mohan have penned the story for the film.

     

    Sriwass said, “We have successfully completed the first schedule recently and I’m thankful to Eros for making available all the resources that I needed for filming. We’re now going ahead with full gusto for our upcoming foreign schedule in Europe where we will be canning some talkie, action and songs. I’m confident that Dictator will become a hugely successful milestone in Eros’ journey. Dictator is going to be an eye feast for the audience as we’ve got a great story that will be told with great production values.”

     

    The film is being picturised in Hyderabad, Delhi and some locations in Europe.

  • Box Office: ‘All Is Well’ collects Rs 8.45 crore

    Box Office: ‘All Is Well’ collects Rs 8.45 crore

    MUMBAI: All Is Well was much promoted through its popular song, ‘Baaton ko teri.’ While the song became very popular, the film could not reap the benefits. Director Umesh Shukla’s past record of OMG: Oh My God seemed sort of neutralised as the film’s lead star, Abhishek Bachchan who has not been able to create an audience for himself yet.

     

    To add to the poor start was the film’s content, which was mediocre in all aspects. The film, which had a weak start, managed to rake in Rs 8.45 crore in its opening weekend.

     

    Ketan Mehta’s Manjhi: The Mountain Man, a biopic about a Bihar resident who decides to make life easier for his fellow villagers by carving out a road from a mountain after losing his wife due to delay in getting medical attention, has caught the fancy of the media and some discerning film lovers. The film has a story to tell about a selfless man and his determination. The film had a small volume opening but improved bit by bit to end its opening weekend with a reasonable Rs 5.85 crore.

     

    Brothers, despite limited appeal, managed to sustain through its first week showing no major drop in collection. However, the film still remains within the limits set by Akshay Kumar starrers, not breaking any box office barriers. After a fairly decent opening weekend of Rs 49.7 crore, the film has ended its first week with a total of Rs 69.55 crore.

     

    Gour Hari Dastaan, a biopic about a freedom fighter taking on the system to get recognition for his contribution to the movement, makes it to the on the also ran list. Finding no audience, the film has about Rs 25 lakh to show for its first week run.

     

    Drishyam remained steady in its third week holding on to appreciation found among a section of filmgoers. The film collected Rs 7.75 crore in its third week taking its three week total to Rs 66.50 crore.

     

    Bajrangi Bhaijaan continues to squeeze the box office, mainly on the strength of its repeat audience. The film has added Rs 3.6 crore in its fifth week to take its five week total to Rs 316.1 crore.

     

    Bahubali: The Beginning (Hindi – Dubbed) has collected Rs 3.05 crore in its sixth week, which takes its six week tally to Rs 107.2 crore.

  • Controversial gay film ‘Dunno Y2 – Life is a Moment’ gets release date

    Controversial gay film ‘Dunno Y2 – Life is a Moment’ gets release date

    NEW DELHI: After a protracted battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the controversial gay film Dunno Y2 – Life is a Moment is slated for release on 17 September.

     

    By sheer coincidence, the film is being released on the same day as Roland Emerich’s LGBT filmStonewall that kick-started the modern day gay movement. The Stonewall riots are often regarded as the birthplace of the LGBT movement.

     

    Dunno Y2’s makers hoped that the movie will bring about a revolution for homosexuality lifestyle amongst the 2.5 million LGBT closeted community in India.

     

    The film is on equality rights and conveys the message that love is above gender, race, religion or human boundaries. The film, which celebrates human rights, revolves around the love story of two boys – Aryan and Ashley.

     

    In part one Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun, Aryan and Ashley fell in love but it had a tragic ending. However, Dunno Y2 – Life Is a Moment has moved on to celebration. It is the first Indian film, which will have two men getting married. This becomes even more important, as one is a Pakistani Muslim and the other an Indian Hindu. The filmmakers point out that if in India the conditions of LGBT rights are bad, in Pakistan they are worse.

     

    The film is set in Norway, where same sex marriage has been legal for years. It is first Indian Norwegian collaboration film.

     

    The film stars Kapil Sharma, Yuvraaj Parashar, Zeenat Aman, Pakistani actress Meera, Sadia, and a host of European actors and has been directed by Norwegian director Tonje Gjevjon and Indian director Sanjay Sharma. The sequel is a musical romantic comedy in three languages Hindi, English and Norwegian.

  • Northeast Film Festival in Delhi to become annual feature: Rajyavardhan Rathore

    Northeast Film Festival in Delhi to become annual feature: Rajyavardhan Rathore

    NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said the Government intended to make the North East Film Festival a ‘People’s Movement,’ which would become better with each passing year.  

     

    The Government remained committed to promoting and facilitating popular cinema of the North East so that long lasting brand equity to the films of the region could be established through such events and film festivals. Such events also acted as a catalyst to strengthen the talent across platforms from the region. 

     

    He was speaking at a three day festival “Fragrances of the North-eastern films” organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals. The festival provides a platform to cine lovers to view films from the North East. The festival is being held at the Siri Fort Auditorium Complex from 21 to 23 August and will close with Aisa Yeh Jahaan.

     

    The Minister said films from the North East always attracted attention at International Film Festivals and in academic circles for their canvas of human emotions and reflections of society. The increase in representation of cinema at such events was definitely a healthy sign of growing culture of cinema in the region. It also reiterated the willingness of creative artists to venture in the medium of cinema. 

     

    He added that creative talent from the region had been regularly winning national and international awards, and travelling to prestigious international festivals over the decades.

     

    The Minister specifically mentioned that the Ministry had undertaken special measures to promote the flow of quality information in the region through the Prasar Bharati network. 

     

    The current FM Phase III auction had earmarked 15 channels for bidding, which would enable the growth of radio in the region in the private FM domain. 

     

    The Minister highlighted the measures being taken to promote quality education in the field of journalism through the Indian Institute of Mass Communication currently at Aizawal. He also mentioned that efforts were being made to fast track the process of establishing the Film making institute at Arunachal Pradesh.  This initiative was part of the overall vision to promote and strengthen youth talent from the North-Eastern Region. 

     

    Minister for State for Youth Affairs & Sports Sarbananda Sonowal said such festivals showcased the youth talent of the region and reiterated the cinematic legacy of the region. I&B Secretary Bimal Julka said the initiative was part of the vision to promote cinema as medium of creative expression especially from the North East Region.

     

    The inaugural ceremony was followed by the premiere screening of Manipuri feature film Pallepfam directed and produced by Wanglen Khundongban in his debut. 

     

    The screening was preceded by three cultural shows that had the Hojagiri Dance troupe from Tripura, Dhol Pung Cholam Dance troupe from Manipur and The Girish and Chronicles, a Hard Rock Band from Sikkim. 

     

    In order to provide a complete flavour of the region to the visitors, film screenings will be supplemented by cultural programmes, exhibitions of handicrafts and books, food stalls and much more during the festival.

     

    The festival also includes a retrospective of maestro Aribam Syam Sharma from Manipur. Six films including two feature films Ishanou and Imagi Ningthem and four non feature films titled Orchids of Manipur, The Deer on The Lake, Indigenous Games of Manipur and Yelhou Jagoi will be screened in the retrospective. 

     

    Apart from the retrospective the film Ko:Yad by Assamese filmmaker Manju Borah will be showcased. While Tribeny Rai’s filmsYathawat and Last Rites from Sikkim will be presented, Maithya directed by Joseph Pulinthanath and Crossing Bridges by Sanga Dorjee Thongdok will give a glimpse of Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.

     

    A bouquet of short films from Meghalaya Karyukai and Rong Kuchak directed by Domnic Sangma and from Nagaland  a documentary titledThe Honey Hunter And The Maker’directed by Tiainla Jamir  and Story of a House directed by Sesino Yhoshu and Sophy Lasuh will also be presented.