Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova is returning to Bulgaria for a dark comedy based on wildly true events.
The “Borat 2” and “Bodies Bodies Bodies” actress is set to star in and produce “Triumph,” inspired by the aftermath of the fall of Communism in the 1990s when Bulgarian army officials teamed up with psychics to find a rumored alien artifact to change the course of history and restore Bulgaria’s honor. Deadline first reported the news.
Bakalova and Julian Kostov (“Shadow and Bone”) will produce “Triumph” through their company Five Oceans. “Triumph” is their first production through Five Oceans, which aims to showcase Bulgarian, Balkan, and Slavic stories on an international scale.
Academy Award-nominated directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov (2019’s “The Father”) will helm the feature and collaborate with Bakalova once more. “Triumph” is part of the trilogy by Grozeva and Valchanov that also includes 2014’s “The Lesson” and 2016’s “Glory.
The “Borat 2” and “Bodies Bodies Bodies” actress is set to star in and produce “Triumph,” inspired by the aftermath of the fall of Communism in the 1990s when Bulgarian army officials teamed up with psychics to find a rumored alien artifact to change the course of history and restore Bulgaria’s honor. Deadline first reported the news.
Bakalova and Julian Kostov (“Shadow and Bone”) will produce “Triumph” through their company Five Oceans. “Triumph” is their first production through Five Oceans, which aims to showcase Bulgarian, Balkan, and Slavic stories on an international scale.
Academy Award-nominated directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov (2019’s “The Father”) will helm the feature and collaborate with Bakalova once more. “Triumph” is part of the trilogy by Grozeva and Valchanov that also includes 2014’s “The Lesson” and 2016’s “Glory.
- 8/25/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: It’s a homecoming for Maria Bakalova who is starring in and producing Triumph, the first movie she has done in her native Bulgaria following her breakout role in Borat 2, which launched her Hollywood career. Bakalova has joined the cast of Triumph alongside another Bulgarian actor who has found success internationally, Shadow and Bone‘s Julian Kostov. The duo will produce through their company Five Oceans.
The darkly comedic Triumph (Триумф) is directed by award-winning Bulgarian filmmakers Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, whose most recent movie The Father featured Bakalova and was selected as Bulgaria’s 2021 International Oscar entry after winning the Grand Prix at the 2019 Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Bakalova, who will play the lead, and Kostov join leading Bulgarian actors Julian Vergov and The Father star Margita Gosheva in Triumph, a military satire inspired by well-known, wild real-life events from the 1990s when, in the chaotic...
The darkly comedic Triumph (Триумф) is directed by award-winning Bulgarian filmmakers Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, whose most recent movie The Father featured Bakalova and was selected as Bulgaria’s 2021 International Oscar entry after winning the Grand Prix at the 2019 Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Bakalova, who will play the lead, and Kostov join leading Bulgarian actors Julian Vergov and The Father star Margita Gosheva in Triumph, a military satire inspired by well-known, wild real-life events from the 1990s when, in the chaotic...
- 8/25/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Canneseries 2022 has unveiled its Long Form Competition finalists, with Academy Award winners Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Punishment and Jean-Xavier De Lestrade’s The Inside Game, Seeds of Wrath featuring alongside the likes of Zentropa’s The Dreamer – Becoming Karen Blixen.
Germany is the only nation to have more than one show on the prestigious list (the other being Alex Eslam’s Souls), which also features Canada’s Audrey’s Back, Spain’s El Inmortal, Belgium’s 1985, Norway’s Afterglow, Israel’s The Lesson and Italy’s Bang Bang Baby. The latter, for Amazon Prime Video, is the only one from a global streaming service.
All will be given international premieres and the majority world premieres, with the jury set to be announced in due course.
Unveiling the list to Deadline, Canneseries Artistic Director Albin Lewi described the crop of 10 as showcasing “creativity at its best, reflecting the true diversity of content.
Germany is the only nation to have more than one show on the prestigious list (the other being Alex Eslam’s Souls), which also features Canada’s Audrey’s Back, Spain’s El Inmortal, Belgium’s 1985, Norway’s Afterglow, Israel’s The Lesson and Italy’s Bang Bang Baby. The latter, for Amazon Prime Video, is the only one from a global streaming service.
All will be given international premieres and the majority world premieres, with the jury set to be announced in due course.
Unveiling the list to Deadline, Canneseries Artistic Director Albin Lewi described the crop of 10 as showcasing “creativity at its best, reflecting the true diversity of content.
- 3/8/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Maria Bakalova landed the role of a lifetime when she was just a young, aspiring actress in Bulgaria. And it wasn’t for “Borat 2.”
She was cast in Bulgaria’s Oscar submission “The Father” in a tiny but important role, and in speaking with TheWrap, Bakalova described her casting as something of a dream come true.
“They are actually my real teachers, so to work with them was my biggest dream to be part of their movies,” Bakalova told TheWrap’s Steve Pond of “The Father” directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. “I was praying one day to be part of something that they were going to make…When I heard back from them that I could be part of it, I was like ‘Jesus Christ this is the best day of my life!'”
Though she broke out this year and is even earning Oscar buzz for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,...
She was cast in Bulgaria’s Oscar submission “The Father” in a tiny but important role, and in speaking with TheWrap, Bakalova described her casting as something of a dream come true.
“They are actually my real teachers, so to work with them was my biggest dream to be part of their movies,” Bakalova told TheWrap’s Steve Pond of “The Father” directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. “I was praying one day to be part of something that they were going to make…When I heard back from them that I could be part of it, I was like ‘Jesus Christ this is the best day of my life!'”
Though she broke out this year and is even earning Oscar buzz for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,...
- 1/6/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Red Hound Films is excited to share the official trailer for the upcoming backwoods slasher Butchers, coming to select theaters and VOD January 12, 2021, via Red Hound Films.
It looks so scary!:
In Butchers, a family of sadistic butchers has dug into the backcountry and, from the deep freeze of winter to the dog days of summer, anyone who crosses their path is dead meat.
It was directed by Adrian Langley (Gutshot) who also co-wrote the script with Daniel Weissenberger (Come True), and stars Simon Phillips, Michael Swatton (The Lesson), Julie Mainville (We Are The Missing), Anne-Carolyne Binette (The Scarlet Vultures), James Hicks (Midway), and Frederik Storm (The Nights Before Christmas).
The post Here’s the Terrifying Trailer For Butchers – In select Theaters and on VOD January 12th appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
It looks so scary!:
In Butchers, a family of sadistic butchers has dug into the backcountry and, from the deep freeze of winter to the dog days of summer, anyone who crosses their path is dead meat.
It was directed by Adrian Langley (Gutshot) who also co-wrote the script with Daniel Weissenberger (Come True), and stars Simon Phillips, Michael Swatton (The Lesson), Julie Mainville (We Are The Missing), Anne-Carolyne Binette (The Scarlet Vultures), James Hicks (Midway), and Frederik Storm (The Nights Before Christmas).
The post Here’s the Terrifying Trailer For Butchers – In select Theaters and on VOD January 12th appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
- 12/8/2020
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
With what was supposed to be the summer movie season now just another relic of this pandemic-blasted year, and the rest of 2020’s major film releases in a continuing state of flux, it’s important to note that there has still been a fairly steady stream of new films coming out, some in limited theatrical release but others largely available via video on demand and streaming services.
With that in mind, and with the customary “opening weekend” a rather fluid and ambiguous term as well, below is a rundown of films we’ve caught in the past month, along with information on where you can find and watch them. Some are good, some not so much, but your mileage may vary for each. The important thing to know is that movies are still coming out–just not always in the ways we expect.
She Dies Tomorrow
Although it was released back on Aug.
With that in mind, and with the customary “opening weekend” a rather fluid and ambiguous term as well, below is a rundown of films we’ve caught in the past month, along with information on where you can find and watch them. Some are good, some not so much, but your mileage may vary for each. The important thing to know is that movies are still coming out–just not always in the ways we expect.
She Dies Tomorrow
Although it was released back on Aug.
- 8/24/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Switzerland’s Tristan Aymon, director of short film “Black Hole” (“Trou Noir”), the only title to win two prizes at the 2020 Locarno Festival – a Pardino d’Argento in Swiss Competition and a Youth Jury best Swiss short – is preparing “Skate,” his feature debut.
Written by Aymon and Marianne Brun, his co-screenwriter on “Black Hole,” “Skate” will tap into the same context, themes and, above all, emotions of “Black Hole,” a low key and laid-back but resonant, semi-autobiographical evocation of a close-knit gang of teen skateboard enthusiasts, whether skating, lazing by the local lake, driving around country roads in a Vitara convertible, or sharing a joint at a party.
The tone darkens when one of the gang, Vincent, the film’s protagonist, learns he is being sent abroad to study; he may be leaving the valley for ever.
Clocking in at a near half-hour, “Black Hole” feels as if it is...
Written by Aymon and Marianne Brun, his co-screenwriter on “Black Hole,” “Skate” will tap into the same context, themes and, above all, emotions of “Black Hole,” a low key and laid-back but resonant, semi-autobiographical evocation of a close-knit gang of teen skateboard enthusiasts, whether skating, lazing by the local lake, driving around country roads in a Vitara convertible, or sharing a joint at a party.
The tone darkens when one of the gang, Vincent, the film’s protagonist, learns he is being sent abroad to study; he may be leaving the valley for ever.
Clocking in at a near half-hour, “Black Hole” feels as if it is...
- 8/14/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
The project is directed by Ruth Platt, whose previous features are The Lesson and The Black Forest.
LevelK has acquired world sales rights to Ruth Platt’s British ghost story Martyrs Lane, which is now in post.
The supernatural story is about a 10-year old girl living in a vicarage and confronting her deepest fear, that her mother doesn’t love her.
Denise Gough stars alongside Steven Cree (Outlaw King) and newcomers Kiera Thompson and Sienna Sayer.
Christine Alderson and Katie Hodgkin produce for Ipso Facto Productions.
The BFI has supported the film’s development and production; other backers include Lipsync and Sharp House.
LevelK has acquired world sales rights to Ruth Platt’s British ghost story Martyrs Lane, which is now in post.
The supernatural story is about a 10-year old girl living in a vicarage and confronting her deepest fear, that her mother doesn’t love her.
Denise Gough stars alongside Steven Cree (Outlaw King) and newcomers Kiera Thompson and Sienna Sayer.
Christine Alderson and Katie Hodgkin produce for Ipso Facto Productions.
The BFI has supported the film’s development and production; other backers include Lipsync and Sharp House.
- 2/21/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Having breakfast in the special El Gouna Film Festival atmosphere of friendliness and open discussions with new acquaintances, I began an interesting conversation with the Bulgarian actor Ivan Barnev the costar (with Ivan Savov) of ‘The Father’.
I had seen his film The Father already and though actors are far from my area of expertise as my experience stems from the business of films and not from production, we discussed acting and his part in The Father, the winner of the Grand Prix Crystal Globe Prize of Us$ 25,000 at Karlovy Vary, the top Eastern European Film Festival, which was for many years my favorite film festival.
The Father is an intimate family comedy about the difficulties of connecting with those close to us. Told with an “Eastern European” accent and in the particularly droll style of the Bulgarian filmmaking duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, the story opens at a funeral.
I had seen his film The Father already and though actors are far from my area of expertise as my experience stems from the business of films and not from production, we discussed acting and his part in The Father, the winner of the Grand Prix Crystal Globe Prize of Us$ 25,000 at Karlovy Vary, the top Eastern European Film Festival, which was for many years my favorite film festival.
The Father is an intimate family comedy about the difficulties of connecting with those close to us. Told with an “Eastern European” accent and in the particularly droll style of the Bulgarian filmmaking duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, the story opens at a funeral.
- 10/1/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Bulgarian duo's new film received the Crystal Globe, while the other big winner of this edition was Lara by German filmmaker Jan Ole Gerster, taking home two awards. “The film is entitled The Father, but it is in fact dedicated to the mother.” With these words, Bulgarian directorial duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov clarified what lies behind their latest film, the winner of the Crystal Globe for Best Film at the 54th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. A sort of road movie dealing with loss, religion and family relations (and quince jam), The Father won over the jury comprising Critics’ Week artistic director Charles Tesson, actress Angeliki Papoulia, directors Sergei Loznitsa and Annemarie Jacir, and screenwriter Štěpán Hulík. This feat marks the biggest achievement in the duo’s career since they world-premiered their first feature, The Lesson, at San Sebastián, where they won the New Directors Award. The other.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, the sunny proverb goes. But what if life gives you inedibly sour quinces instead? The father-son odd-couple road trip comedy gets an appealingly deadpan, Bulgarian makeover in Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov’s third feature, a film that takes the bittersweet fruits of its funny, sad, silly situations, and eventually, after many a comical false start, makes jam.
Not all filmmakers can say they’ve carved out a distinctive niche for themselves after just three features, but the Bulgarian writing-producing-directing duo are among the few who can. So while “The Father” occupies a lighter, gentler register than jet-black fables “The Lesson” and “Glory,” it shows the same affinity for screw-tightening stories of fundamentally decent people caught in an escalating series of thankless dilemmas, through no malicious intent of their own. In the Grozeva/Valchanov Cinematic Universe, no good deed goes unpunished, but this...
Not all filmmakers can say they’ve carved out a distinctive niche for themselves after just three features, but the Bulgarian writing-producing-directing duo are among the few who can. So while “The Father” occupies a lighter, gentler register than jet-black fables “The Lesson” and “Glory,” it shows the same affinity for screw-tightening stories of fundamentally decent people caught in an escalating series of thankless dilemmas, through no malicious intent of their own. In the Grozeva/Valchanov Cinematic Universe, no good deed goes unpunished, but this...
- 7/5/2019
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Writer-director duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov are two of Bulgaria’s most acclaimed filmmakers, earning critical plaudits with their award-winning features “The Lesson” (2014) and “Glory” (2016). Part of their Newspaper Clippings Trilogy, the films were inspired by sensationalist media stories depicting the absurdity of life in post-communist Bulgaria.
Grozeva and Valchanov took a break from the trilogy to shoot their latest feature, “The Father,” which has its world premiere Tuesday in competition at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Inspired by a mysterious, real-life event, the film follows a bereaved husband and son who discover that the deceased has been persistently calling a neighbor’s phone since her passing. When Vassil (Ivan Savov) decides to visit a famous medium to unravel the supernatural mystery, his estranged son Pavel (Ivan Barnev) is forced to tag along to keep him out of trouble — a tragicomic road trip that could ultimately bring the distant duo closer together.
Grozeva and Valchanov took a break from the trilogy to shoot their latest feature, “The Father,” which has its world premiere Tuesday in competition at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Inspired by a mysterious, real-life event, the film follows a bereaved husband and son who discover that the deceased has been persistently calling a neighbor’s phone since her passing. When Vassil (Ivan Savov) decides to visit a famous medium to unravel the supernatural mystery, his estranged son Pavel (Ivan Barnev) is forced to tag along to keep him out of trouble — a tragicomic road trip that could ultimately bring the distant duo closer together.
- 7/2/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Sofia Film Festival winners also announced.
Dublin-based Italian writer-director Nathalie Biancheri’s second feature film project Wolf was awarded the Danny Lerner Grand Prix for best international project at the 15th edition of the Sofia Meetings co-production market this weekend.
The Nu Boyana Film Studios’ CEO Yariv Lerner handed over a prize of €50,000 in services and a cheque for €5,000 to Biancheri and her producer Jessie Fisk for what the director describes as “a high concept, absurdist arthouse drama”.
Budgeted at €1.2m, Wolf is set to be the first project to go into production by Fisk’s production company Feline Films.
Dublin-based Italian writer-director Nathalie Biancheri’s second feature film project Wolf was awarded the Danny Lerner Grand Prix for best international project at the 15th edition of the Sofia Meetings co-production market this weekend.
The Nu Boyana Film Studios’ CEO Yariv Lerner handed over a prize of €50,000 in services and a cheque for €5,000 to Biancheri and her producer Jessie Fisk for what the director describes as “a high concept, absurdist arthouse drama”.
Budgeted at €1.2m, Wolf is set to be the first project to go into production by Fisk’s production company Feline Films.
- 3/19/2018
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Robert Hands, Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalová, Rory Coltart, Joshua Wedge | Written and Directed by Ruth Platt
Very much a reflection of modern society, especially given the film was inspired by a real life event when a teacher, after 20 years of teaching – with no prior episodes of anger or violence – suddenly lost it with a child in class; The Lesson tells the story of Fin and Joel, two teenage wasters running wild in an arid rural landscape. But their bad education is about to take a turn for the intellectual best as someone at the end of their tether has decided to teach both schoolboys a lesson they will never forget.
Now I don’t know about you, but I thought high school was torture… However The Lesson takes that idea to the extreme. Made on a budget of just £27k, this film is, at its most basic level, a...
Very much a reflection of modern society, especially given the film was inspired by a real life event when a teacher, after 20 years of teaching – with no prior episodes of anger or violence – suddenly lost it with a child in class; The Lesson tells the story of Fin and Joel, two teenage wasters running wild in an arid rural landscape. But their bad education is about to take a turn for the intellectual best as someone at the end of their tether has decided to teach both schoolboys a lesson they will never forget.
Now I don’t know about you, but I thought high school was torture… However The Lesson takes that idea to the extreme. Made on a budget of just £27k, this film is, at its most basic level, a...
- 3/8/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
A very sadistic type of school will be in session when Scream Factory releases The Lesson on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, March 7th, and we've been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away to lucky Daily Dead readers.
————
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Lesson.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Lesson Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on March 12th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.
————
The Lesson Blu-ray & DVD: “Fin (Evan Bendall), a lone teen from a broken family, gets caught up in the wrong crowd of delinquent kids in this chilling horror film filled with white-knuckle suspense.
————
Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of The Lesson.
How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “The Lesson Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.
Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on March 12th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.
————
The Lesson Blu-ray & DVD: “Fin (Evan Bendall), a lone teen from a broken family, gets caught up in the wrong crowd of delinquent kids in this chilling horror film filled with white-knuckle suspense.
- 3/6/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Fin and his new trouble-making friends are about to learn the lesson of all lessons. Directed by Ruth Platt, The Lesson will be released on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow from Scream Factory, but you can check out two Blu-ray clips and an official trailer right now.
The Lesson Blu-ray & DVD: “Fin (Evan Bendall), a lone teen from a broken family, gets caught up in the wrong crowd of delinquent kids in this chilling horror film filled with white-knuckle suspense. When Fin and his friend, Joel (Rory Coltart) act up in class, their English teacher (Robert Hands, Stonehearst Asylum) decides to teach them a lesson they will never forget. First-time feature helmer Ruth Platt "comes out swinging as an intelligent directorial force with this debut" (DreadCentral.com) that "ramps up the tension dramatically and results in a solid horror coming-of-age film that features one of the scariest teachers ever put on screen" (Bloody-Disgusting.
The Lesson Blu-ray & DVD: “Fin (Evan Bendall), a lone teen from a broken family, gets caught up in the wrong crowd of delinquent kids in this chilling horror film filled with white-knuckle suspense. When Fin and his friend, Joel (Rory Coltart) act up in class, their English teacher (Robert Hands, Stonehearst Asylum) decides to teach them a lesson they will never forget. First-time feature helmer Ruth Platt "comes out swinging as an intelligent directorial force with this debut" (DreadCentral.com) that "ramps up the tension dramatically and results in a solid horror coming-of-age film that features one of the scariest teachers ever put on screen" (Bloody-Disgusting.
- 3/6/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Some fires never go out - Paul Lancaster's short film The Burn is a tense and gripping thriller set in contemporary London. It features a strong performance by Branko Tomovic (24: Live Another Day, The Bourne Ultimatum) in the leading role and the stellar cast also includes Struan Rodger (Game of Thrones, Doctor Who), Dolya Gavanski (Our Kind of Traitor, The Lesson) and Mish Boyko (Dracula Untold, Fortitude). When an immigrant returns to London after going missing, he learns his brother could be responsible for his mother's recent death. As he moves round the city searching for his brother, he has to fight with his own rage and what he, and the people around him, think he is capable of. ...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/2/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Genre fans should get excited, as March’s VOD releases are a stellar bunch and should keep you busy through the entire month. Things kick off with Mike Mendez’s Don’t Kill It and The Institute, which was co-directed by James Franco. March 7th is a busy day, with five VOD releases—Bloodrunners, Devil in the Dark, Galaxy of Horrors, Johnny Frank Garrett’s Last Word, and The Lesson—and both Elle and The Devil’s Candy make their digital debuts the following week.
Prevenge rounds out March’s digital releases, as it has been exclusively picked up by the fine folks at Shudder, and other notable VOD releases for the month include Lavender (which expands from its exclusive Dish premiere in February), Passengers, Atomica, and House on Willow Street.
Don’t Kill It (Archstone Distribution) – March 3rd
An ancient evil is unleashed in a small Mississippi town, leaving...
Prevenge rounds out March’s digital releases, as it has been exclusively picked up by the fine folks at Shudder, and other notable VOD releases for the month include Lavender (which expands from its exclusive Dish premiere in February), Passengers, Atomica, and House on Willow Street.
Don’t Kill It (Archstone Distribution) – March 3rd
An ancient evil is unleashed in a small Mississippi town, leaving...
- 3/1/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Victors on the night included Russian-French co-pro Jumpman and UK ghost story Martyrs’ Lane.
The 2017 edition of CineMart, the industry arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), crowned its winners tonight (Feb 1) at a ceremony held at primary festival venue De Doelen.
A total of 26 projects from 24 countries participated in the 34rd edition of the long-running co-production market. Four prizes were handed out on the night.
The CineMart jury was comprised of Uldis Dimiševskis, head of production and development at National Film Centre of Latvia, producer Annamaria Lodato and Anton Scholten, co-founder of leading Dutch post-production and VFX house Filmmore.
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, went to Jumpman, a Russia-France co-pro from writer-director Ivan I. Tverdovsky, his third feature following 2016 Karlovy Vary jury prize-winning Zoology and Corrections Class in 2014. Mila Rozanova of Moscow’s New People Film Company is producing the project, which also has Guillaume de Seille of Paris-based Arizona Productions as a co-producer...
The 2017 edition of CineMart, the industry arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), crowned its winners tonight (Feb 1) at a ceremony held at primary festival venue De Doelen.
A total of 26 projects from 24 countries participated in the 34rd edition of the long-running co-production market. Four prizes were handed out on the night.
The CineMart jury was comprised of Uldis Dimiševskis, head of production and development at National Film Centre of Latvia, producer Annamaria Lodato and Anton Scholten, co-founder of leading Dutch post-production and VFX house Filmmore.
The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, worth €20,000, went to Jumpman, a Russia-France co-pro from writer-director Ivan I. Tverdovsky, his third feature following 2016 Karlovy Vary jury prize-winning Zoology and Corrections Class in 2014. Mila Rozanova of Moscow’s New People Film Company is producing the project, which also has Guillaume de Seille of Paris-based Arizona Productions as a co-producer...
- 2/1/2017
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
You will learn a lesson if Mr. Gale has anything to do with it! Ruth Platt's The Lesson made its festival rounds across the world stage and soon Scream Factory will release the film on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD, and VOD platforms beginning March 7th.
Press Release: Get ready for a blood-curdling lesson that you will never forget with Mr. Gale in the astonishingly twisted UK horror thriller, The Lesson. Written and directed by Ruth Platt, the film stars Robert Hands (Shine, Stonehearst Asylum) as a bullied school teacher who has a mental breakdown, resulting in a terrifying act of revenge on his students. The Lesson made its world premiere at FrightFest London and North American premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival 2016 to great audience and press enthusiasm. On March 7, 2017, Scream Factory home entertainment is proud to present The Lesson on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital HD and available across On-Demand platforms everywhere.
Press Release: Get ready for a blood-curdling lesson that you will never forget with Mr. Gale in the astonishingly twisted UK horror thriller, The Lesson. Written and directed by Ruth Platt, the film stars Robert Hands (Shine, Stonehearst Asylum) as a bullied school teacher who has a mental breakdown, resulting in a terrifying act of revenge on his students. The Lesson made its world premiere at FrightFest London and North American premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival 2016 to great audience and press enthusiasm. On March 7, 2017, Scream Factory home entertainment is proud to present The Lesson on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital HD and available across On-Demand platforms everywhere.
- 1/12/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Sales outfit strikes deals for three titles in Cannes: Worry Dolls, The Lesson and Last Girl Standing.
UK genre specialist Jinga Films has sold three of its titles to North America in deals closed at the Cannes Marché.
Padraig Reynolds’ supernatural horror Worry Dolls [pictured] has been picked up by IFC Midnight, which in recent years has handled the Us releases of horror films including Can Evrenol’s Baskin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Starring Christopher Wiehl (Jericho), Kym Jackson (Iron Sky) and Samantha Smith (Transformers), the film follows a detective racing against the clock to save his eight-year-old daughter from a voodoo curse. IFC previously released director Reynolds’ debut feature Rites Of Spring.
Jinga has also sold Ruth Platt’s thriller The Lesson to Shout! Factory. Starring Robert Hands (Shine), Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalova and Tom Cox, the film follows a bullied school teacher who has a mental breakdown, resulting in a terrifying...
UK genre specialist Jinga Films has sold three of its titles to North America in deals closed at the Cannes Marché.
Padraig Reynolds’ supernatural horror Worry Dolls [pictured] has been picked up by IFC Midnight, which in recent years has handled the Us releases of horror films including Can Evrenol’s Baskin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Starring Christopher Wiehl (Jericho), Kym Jackson (Iron Sky) and Samantha Smith (Transformers), the film follows a detective racing against the clock to save his eight-year-old daughter from a voodoo curse. IFC previously released director Reynolds’ debut feature Rites Of Spring.
Jinga has also sold Ruth Platt’s thriller The Lesson to Shout! Factory. Starring Robert Hands (Shine), Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalova and Tom Cox, the film follows a bullied school teacher who has a mental breakdown, resulting in a terrifying...
- 5/23/2016
- ScreenDaily
Psychological thriller sold to territories in Europe and Asia.
On the eve of its North American premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival (Jan 22-28), genre specialist Jinga Films has closed deals in several territories for Ruth Platt’s psychological thriller The Lesson.
Mfa have taken German-speaking rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Njuta have taken all rights in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway; Fabula have taken all rights in Turkey; and BlueBrick have taken all rights in Korea.
Starring Robert Hands (Shine) and a cast of young British newcomers including Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalova and Tom Cox, The Lesson follows a bullied schoolteacher whose mental breakdown results in a terrifying act of revenge on his students.
Jinga’s Rosana Coutinho said of the director: “Ruth used to work as a school teacher, so maybe this is one from the heart.”
Following its UK premiere at FrightFest, The Lesson was acquired by Icon Films, which is preparing...
On the eve of its North American premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival (Jan 22-28), genre specialist Jinga Films has closed deals in several territories for Ruth Platt’s psychological thriller The Lesson.
Mfa have taken German-speaking rights in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Njuta have taken all rights in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway; Fabula have taken all rights in Turkey; and BlueBrick have taken all rights in Korea.
Starring Robert Hands (Shine) and a cast of young British newcomers including Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalova and Tom Cox, The Lesson follows a bullied schoolteacher whose mental breakdown results in a terrifying act of revenge on his students.
Jinga’s Rosana Coutinho said of the director: “Ruth used to work as a school teacher, so maybe this is one from the heart.”
Following its UK premiere at FrightFest, The Lesson was acquired by Icon Films, which is preparing...
- 1/20/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Ruth Platt horror on slate for new UK production outfit.
Former Qwerty head of production and development Oliver Kassman has left the company to set up production outfit Escape Plan Productions.
While reporting to Qwerty chairman and former Polygram Filmed Entertainment boss Michael Kuhn, Kassman worked across the development and production of titles including The Last Days on Mars and Suite Francaise.
He played a key role in bringing in scripts including Nicholas Martin’s Florence Foster Jenkins and Matthew Orton’s Brit List project Clean.
London-based Escape Plan will focus on genre including horror, comedy, noir, sci-fi and period pieces and will also look to produce TV drama.
The first film to go into production is due to be writer-director Ruth Platt’s (The Lesson) second feature Martyr’s Lane, a psychologically driven haunted house film, which Kassman hopes to shoot in summer 2016.
Kassman told Screen: “Working at Michael Kuhn’s Qwerty Films has been...
Former Qwerty head of production and development Oliver Kassman has left the company to set up production outfit Escape Plan Productions.
While reporting to Qwerty chairman and former Polygram Filmed Entertainment boss Michael Kuhn, Kassman worked across the development and production of titles including The Last Days on Mars and Suite Francaise.
He played a key role in bringing in scripts including Nicholas Martin’s Florence Foster Jenkins and Matthew Orton’s Brit List project Clean.
London-based Escape Plan will focus on genre including horror, comedy, noir, sci-fi and period pieces and will also look to produce TV drama.
The first film to go into production is due to be writer-director Ruth Platt’s (The Lesson) second feature Martyr’s Lane, a psychologically driven haunted house film, which Kassman hopes to shoot in summer 2016.
Kassman told Screen: “Working at Michael Kuhn’s Qwerty Films has been...
- 12/22/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
The Horror label will release the new titles in early 2016.
Icon Film Distribution and Frightfest have added six new films to their joint venture FrightFest Presents, the horror label launched by the two companies in April this year.
The new titles are: Ruth Platt’s The Lesson; Benjamin R. Moody’s Last Girl Standing; Levan Bakhia’s Landmine Goes Click, Jaron Henrie-McCrea’s Curtain; Eugene McGing’s The Unfolding and Michael Thelin’s Emelie.
Previous films released through FrightFest include Aaaaaaaah!, The Sand, Night Of The Living Deb, Estranged, After Death and Some Kind of Hate.
Alan Jones, co-director of FrightFest, said: “Our initial slate set out the stall of what FrightFest Presents is all about and got the brand off to a flying start thanks to its diversity and ability to deliver the shocking goods for genre lovers.
“Now we are building on that strong foundation with six more unmissable titles that once more shines a light...
Icon Film Distribution and Frightfest have added six new films to their joint venture FrightFest Presents, the horror label launched by the two companies in April this year.
The new titles are: Ruth Platt’s The Lesson; Benjamin R. Moody’s Last Girl Standing; Levan Bakhia’s Landmine Goes Click, Jaron Henrie-McCrea’s Curtain; Eugene McGing’s The Unfolding and Michael Thelin’s Emelie.
Previous films released through FrightFest include Aaaaaaaah!, The Sand, Night Of The Living Deb, Estranged, After Death and Some Kind of Hate.
Alan Jones, co-director of FrightFest, said: “Our initial slate set out the stall of what FrightFest Presents is all about and got the brand off to a flying start thanks to its diversity and ability to deliver the shocking goods for genre lovers.
“Now we are building on that strong foundation with six more unmissable titles that once more shines a light...
- 12/10/2015
- ScreenDaily
Festival top brass announced on Monday the 12 Narrative and eight Documentary Feature Film Competition films in 22nd edition, set to run in Park City from January 22-28, 2016.
The 20-strong line-up includes 12 world premieres, three North American premieres and one Us premiere.
All competition films are feature directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1m and without Us distribution.
Jury awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for audience awards as well as the Spirit Of Slamdance Award, judged by the filmmakers themselves.
“The standard of Diy filmmaking around the world is the highest we’ve seen, and the diversity of storytelling is the most we’ve experienced,” sad Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter.
“With a record breaking number of submissions to select from, the narrative and documentary feature line-up has never been so competitive or as exciting to programme.”
All synopses provided by the festival.
Narrative Features...
The 20-strong line-up includes 12 world premieres, three North American premieres and one Us premiere.
All competition films are feature directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1m and without Us distribution.
Jury awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for audience awards as well as the Spirit Of Slamdance Award, judged by the filmmakers themselves.
“The standard of Diy filmmaking around the world is the highest we’ve seen, and the diversity of storytelling is the most we’ve experienced,” sad Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter.
“With a record breaking number of submissions to select from, the narrative and documentary feature line-up has never been so competitive or as exciting to programme.”
All synopses provided by the festival.
Narrative Features...
- 11/30/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Festival top brass announced on Monday the 12 Narrative and eight Documentary Feature Film Competition films in 22nd edition, set to run in Park City from January 22-28, 2016.
The 20-strong line-up includes 12 world premieres, three North American premieres and one Us premiere.
All competition films are feature directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1m and without Us distribution.
Jury awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for audience awards as well as the Spirit Of Slamdance Award, judged by the filmmakers themselves.
“The standard of Diy filmmaking around the world is the highest we’ve seen, and the diversity of storytelling is the most we’ve experienced,” sad Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter.
“With a record breaking number of submissions to select from, the narrative and documentary feature line-up has never been so competitive or as exciting to programme.”
Al synopses provided by the festival.
Narrative Features...
The 20-strong line-up includes 12 world premieres, three North American premieres and one Us premiere.
All competition films are feature directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1m and without Us distribution.
Jury awards are presented to feature films in both categories and all films are eligible for audience awards as well as the Spirit Of Slamdance Award, judged by the filmmakers themselves.
“The standard of Diy filmmaking around the world is the highest we’ve seen, and the diversity of storytelling is the most we’ve experienced,” sad Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter.
“With a record breaking number of submissions to select from, the narrative and documentary feature line-up has never been so competitive or as exciting to programme.”
Al synopses provided by the festival.
Narrative Features...
- 11/30/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The August bank holiday weekend in London is always cause for celebration for horror fans as the FrightFest horror and genre film festival rolls into the city’s Leicester Square for four days of blood-spattered cinematic mayhem. This year saw the arrival of horror icon and star of Re-Animator and You’re Next, Barbara Crampton, as the Guest of Honour who starred in no less than five of the entries this year including festival favourite We Are Still Here. As always with film festivals it was a real mixed bag, with very few scares but a lot of laughs (some intentional, other not so much) as the filmmakers, many of them horror fans themselves, had a lot of fun playing with the tropes and clichés of the genre while others tried to put fresh new spins on some well-worn material. Here are a few of the highlights:
We Are Still Here...
We Are Still Here...
- 9/4/2015
- by Liam Dunn
- SoundOnSight
Exclusive: The Sand and Aaaaaaaah! among first FrightFest Presents acquisitions.
UK distributor Icon Film Distribution and UK horror festival FrightFest have set the first films to be released under their FrightFest Presents banner.
An initial seven genre films have been selected by the distributor and festival for the new online label, with others to be added soon.
The films will premiere at FrightFest, which gets underway in London on Thursday (Aug 27), before unspooling online between October and February 2016.
Digital partners will include iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google Amazon, Xbox , Blinkbox, Google, Wuaki, TalkTalk and Volta.
First titles
Among the first batch of titles is Sightseers actor-writer Steve Oram’s surreal ‘monkey comedy’ Aaaaaaaah!, which Icon will release online this October.
Oram stars alongside Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh), Alice Lowe (Sightseers), Lucy Honnigman (The Ex-pm), Julian Rhind-Tutt (Lucy), Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Toyah Willcox (Quadrophenia) in the story of a tribe of warring ‘monkeys’.
Creature...
UK distributor Icon Film Distribution and UK horror festival FrightFest have set the first films to be released under their FrightFest Presents banner.
An initial seven genre films have been selected by the distributor and festival for the new online label, with others to be added soon.
The films will premiere at FrightFest, which gets underway in London on Thursday (Aug 27), before unspooling online between October and February 2016.
Digital partners will include iTunes, Virgin Movies, Sky, Google Amazon, Xbox , Blinkbox, Google, Wuaki, TalkTalk and Volta.
First titles
Among the first batch of titles is Sightseers actor-writer Steve Oram’s surreal ‘monkey comedy’ Aaaaaaaah!, which Icon will release online this October.
Oram stars alongside Noel Fielding (The Mighty Boosh), Alice Lowe (Sightseers), Lucy Honnigman (The Ex-pm), Julian Rhind-Tutt (Lucy), Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) and Toyah Willcox (Quadrophenia) in the story of a tribe of warring ‘monkeys’.
Creature...
- 8/25/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Stars: Robert Hands, Evan Bendall, Michaela Prchalová, Rory Coltart, Joshua Wedge | Written and Directed by Ruth Platt
Very much a reflection of modern society, especially given the film was inspired by a real life event when a teacher, after 20 years of teaching – with no prior episodes of anger or violence – suddenly lost it with a child in class; The Lesson tells the story of Fin and Joel, two teenage wasters running wild in an arid rural landscape. But their bad education is about to take a turn for the intellectual best as someone at the end of their tether has decided to teach both schoolboys a lesson they will never forget.
Now I don’t know about you, but I thought high school was torture… However The Lesson takes that idea to the extreme. Made on a budget of just £27k, this film is, at its most basic level, a...
Very much a reflection of modern society, especially given the film was inspired by a real life event when a teacher, after 20 years of teaching – with no prior episodes of anger or violence – suddenly lost it with a child in class; The Lesson tells the story of Fin and Joel, two teenage wasters running wild in an arid rural landscape. But their bad education is about to take a turn for the intellectual best as someone at the end of their tether has decided to teach both schoolboys a lesson they will never forget.
Now I don’t know about you, but I thought high school was torture… However The Lesson takes that idea to the extreme. Made on a budget of just £27k, this film is, at its most basic level, a...
- 8/19/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
What do Barbara Crampton, Rick Wakeman, James Cosmo, Toyah Willcox, Neil Marshall and Bernard Rose have in common? They’re all set to make an appearance at this years London Film4 Frightfest!
Scream Queen legend Barbara Crampton (pictured above) is Film4 FrightFest’s special guest icon, appearing in no less than four films in this year’s line-up. She stars in We Are Still Here, Road Games and Sun Choke plus makes a cameo appearance in Tales of Halloween. Not only will Barbara be introducing all her films, she’ll also be talking about her amazing career during a special interview event, hosted by Alan Jones, on Sun 30th August at 9.15pm.
Says the legend herself:
To say that I am overjoyed, excited and eager to attend FrightFest as a guest is putting it mildly. This festival has been on my radar for some time and to be included and...
Scream Queen legend Barbara Crampton (pictured above) is Film4 FrightFest’s special guest icon, appearing in no less than four films in this year’s line-up. She stars in We Are Still Here, Road Games and Sun Choke plus makes a cameo appearance in Tales of Halloween. Not only will Barbara be introducing all her films, she’ll also be talking about her amazing career during a special interview event, hosted by Alan Jones, on Sun 30th August at 9.15pm.
Says the legend herself:
To say that I am overjoyed, excited and eager to attend FrightFest as a guest is putting it mildly. This festival has been on my radar for some time and to be included and...
- 7/27/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
After the announcement of the Fightfest’s opening and closing films a week ago, the UK’s premiere horror festival has announced its complete line-up… And they’re not making it easy for us to bring you reviews of the majority of the films screening this year!
Yes, not only is Frightfest taking over the Vue cinema on Leicester Square again this year but they’re also taking over an extra screen, Screen 1, at the old home of Frightfest, The Prince Charles Cinema – which will be the location of Another “Discovery” screen strand.
From the press release:
Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen...
Yes, not only is Frightfest taking over the Vue cinema on Leicester Square again this year but they’re also taking over an extra screen, Screen 1, at the old home of Frightfest, The Prince Charles Cinema – which will be the location of Another “Discovery” screen strand.
From the press release:
Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen...
- 7/2/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Shadow people, sharp-fanged co-workers, and insistent sinister spirits will just be a few of the monsters haunting the theaters at this year's Film4 FrightFest. The full lineup for the upcoming event is packed with 76 films aimed to unforgettably frighten audiences.
Press Release: "Film news (UK): Film4 FrightFest serves up a fearsome feast with a record 76 films, embracing 20 world and 42 UK & European premieres
Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen countries representing five continents with a record-breaking sixteen European premieres and twenty-six UK premieres. In addition, there is a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, signalling a welcome return to FrightFest’s spiritual home.
Press Release: "Film news (UK): Film4 FrightFest serves up a fearsome feast with a record 76 films, embracing 20 world and 42 UK & European premieres
Bigger, bolder, bloodier…Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. From Thurs 27 August to Mon 31 August, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events. There are eighteen countries representing five continents with a record-breaking sixteen European premieres and twenty-six UK premieres. In addition, there is a further ‘Discovery’ strand at The Prince Charles Cinema, signalling a welcome return to FrightFest’s spiritual home.
- 7/2/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
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