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As a recent new grandfather, Mads Mikkelsen couldn’t be happier, but he doesn’t smile much in his new movie. An earthy 18th-century period piece, The Promised Land sees the Dane play a hard-up veteran, Ludvig Kahlen, who is determined to turn the blasted heaths of Jutland into a thriving farmland. It’s a Western of sorts, which becomes noticeably clearer when Kahlen starts to cross swords with a competing local landowner, but, for Mikkelsen, it’s a subversive alpha male story of the kind he does so well, from the brutal Viking fantasy Valhalla Rising to the white-cold survival drama Arctic.

In his homeland, the film has a much more blunt title, Bastarden, which drills much further down into the essence of the character. “The literal meaning in English is being the illegitimate son of someone,” the actor explains, “but it also means, obviously, to be an asshole.

Above: Danish poster for Maid for Murder a.k.a. She’ll Have to Go (Robert Asher, UK, 1962).Next week is a red letter week for New York cinephiles because Anna Karina is coming to town. Nouvelle vague icon, muse of Jean-Luc Godard, and one of the most alluring presences in cinema, Anna Karina, now aged 75 and still gorgeous, is gracing us with her presence at three of New York’s temples of cinema: at Bam on Tuesday, May 3, where she will talk to Melissa Anderson following a screening of A Woman is a Woman; at MoMI on Wednesday, May 4, where she will have a conversation with Molly Haskell following a screening of Pierrot le fou; and at Film Forum on Friday, May 6, where she will kick off a week long run of Band of Outsiders and the accompanying series Anna & Jean-Luc. It would be easy to fill this post...

Donald Sutherland, Arnaud Desplechin, Vanessa Paradis among those to join president George Miller.

The 69th Cannes Film Festival jury, presided over by Mad Max director George Miller, will be made up of eight luminaries of world cinema, from Iran, Denmark, United States, Italy, France, Canada and Hungary.

The jury, made up of four women and four men, will comprise a collection of directors, actors and writers. They will decide on the prizes for the 21 films in Competition.

The jury:

George Miller – President

(Director, Writer, Producer – Australia)

Arnaud Desplechin (Director, Writer – France)

Kirsten Dunst (Actress– United States)

Valeria Golino (Actress, Director, Writer, Producer – Italia)

Mads Mikkelsen (Actor – Denmark)

László Nemes (Director, Writer – Hungaria)

Vanessa Paradis (Actress, Singer – France)

Katayoon Shahabi (Producer – Iran)

Donald Sutherland (Actor – Canada)

Arnaud Desplechin, Director, Writer (France)

Arnaud Desplechin became an official competitor at Cannes with The Sentinel, his first feature film. He then made My Sex Life… or How I Got...

Donald Sutherland, Arnaud Desplechin, Vanessa Paradis among those to join president George Miller.

The 69th Cannes Film Festival, presided over by Mad Max director George Miller, will comprise eight luminaries of world cinema, from Iran, Denmark, United States, Italy, France, Canada and Hungary.

The jury, made up of four women and four men, comprises directors, actors and writers.

The jury:

George Miller – President

(Director, Writer, Producer – Australia)

Arnaud Desplechin (Director, Writer – France)

Kirsten Dunst (Actress– United States)

Valeria Golino (Actress, Director, Writer, Producer – Italia)

Mads Mikkelsen (Actor – Denmark)

László Nemes (Director, Writer – Hungaria)

Vanessa Paradis (Actress, Singer – France)

Katayoon Shahabi (Producer – Iran)

Donald Sutherland (Actor – Canada)

Arnaud Desplechin, Director, Writer (France)

Arnaud Desplechin became an official competitor at Cannes with The Sentinel, his first feature film. He then made My Sex Life… or How I Got into an Argument, which introduced a new generation of actors. The artists in his films have regularly been awarded the most...

We have what should now be the full line-up for the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, featuring many of our most-anticipated films of the year. Coming next in line is the announcement of the competition jury, which director George Miller will be presiding over, returning to Cannes after delivering one of the best films of the festival last year, Mad Max: Fury Road.

Made up of four women and five men, they include Arnaud Desplechin (returning after last year’s My Golden Days), Kristen Dunst, Italian actress Valeria Golino, Mad Mikkelsen (Cannes Best Actor winner for The Hunt), Grand Prix-winning Son of Saul director László Nemes, actress/singer Vanessa Paradis, Iranian producer Katayoon Shahabi, as well as actor Donald Sutherland. Check out their biographies below as we look forward to seeing what they award the Palme d’Or, and beyond.

Arnaud Desplechin, Director, Writer (France)

Arnaud Desplechin became an official competitor at Cannes with The Sentinel,...

Film Movement brings Eric Rohmer’s classic period film The Marquise of O… to Blu-ray, the first time the title is made available in the Us (previously, it was sandwiched into a Region 2 Rohmer collection, the same set which features another rare title, 1982’s A Good Marriage). Awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival (it tied with Carlos Saura’s Cria Cuervos), it would be the only accolade the famed filmmaker would collect from the event and it was his last time in competition.

It’s one of Rohmer’s earliest historical dramas (he would continue in this vein intermittently, with titles like Perceval and The Lady and the Duke), and initially seems like a black comedy on social mores before it seeps into a . A German co-production, the film is based on a short story by Heinrich von Kleist (Jessica Hausner’s 2014 film Amour Fou documents the writer’s curious denouement,...

The Salvation

Written by Anders Thomas Jensen and Kristian Levring

Directed by Kristian Levring

Denmark, 2015

Westerns have never recovered from the oversaturation of the genre that killed off viewer interest decades ago, but every now and then a gem pops up. Recent successes like The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 2007’s 3:10 to Yuma and the Coen brothers adaptation of True Grit all did well because they tweaked the genre slightly, but director Kristian Levring goes with an old school approach. A faithful recreation of those revenge Westerns made so popular in the 1970s, The Salvation envelopes many elements of previous Clint Eastwood classics and wraps it into a tidy package.

The Salvation starts in on the central dilemma, joining Jon (Hannibal‘s Mad Mikkelsen) at the train station where he awaits the arrival of his wife and son. Jon and his brother, Peter (Mikael Persbrandt...

Catherine Deneuve: César Award Besst Actress Record-Tier (photo: Catherine Deneuve in 'In the Courtyard / Dans la cour') (See previous post: "Kristen Stewart and Catherine Deneuve Make César Award History.") Catherine Deneuve has received 12 Best Actress César nominations to date. Deneuve's nods were for the following movies (year of film's release): Pierre Salvadori's In the Courtyard / Dans la Cour (2014). Emmanuelle Bercot's On My Way / Elle s'en va (2013). François Ozon's Potiche (2010). Nicole Garcia's Place Vendôme (1998). André Téchiné's Thieves / Les voleurs (1996). André Téchiné's My Favorite Season / Ma saison préférée (1993). Régis Wargnier's Indochine (1992). François Dupeyron's Strange Place for an Encounter / Drôle d'endroit pour une rencontre (1988). Jean-Pierre Mocky's Agent trouble (1987). André Téchiné's Hotel America / Hôtel des Amériques (1981). François Truffaut's The Last Metro / Le dernier métro (1980). Jean-Paul Rappeneau's Le sauvage (1975). Additionally, Catherine Deneuve was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category...

It was no surprise that “Leviathan” made the nine-film shortlist in the Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Film — given the rave reviews earned by Andrey Zvagintsev’s dark epic since its debut at Cannes, it was one of the favorites to advance in a highly competitive year.

The surprise, though, was that “Leviathan” was in the race at all. In recent years, Russia has routinely submitted brawny period pieces, many of them dealing with World War II and few of them displaying the artistry or impact needed to land a nomination.

See photos: Golden Globes 2015: The Nominees (Photos)

“Leviathan,...

Above: Polish poster for Young Törless (Volker Schlöndorff, West Germany, 1966). Design by Kazimierz Krolikowski (1921-1994).

Since Volker Schlöndorff’s newest film, Diplomacy, is opening in New York next week (full disclosure, I work for the distributor) I thought I’d take a look back at the posters for the 25 or more films he has made over he past half a century. Though I quickly discovered that from the late 80s onwards there is little of note (Palmetto, anyone?), I have found some gorgeous posters from the first twenty years of his career, when Schlöndorff was one of the most important directors of the New German Cinema. What is striking is the wide variety of looks given to some of his films, most particularly the international posters for his breakout success The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum which he co-directed with his then-wife Margarethe von Trotta (though shame on the French...

Released this week on Blu-ray in the Us, Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (known as just Michael Kohlhaas in the rest of the world) tells a story of rebellion and revenge, starring Mads Mikkelsen. And he is awesome in it, as James Marsh explains in his review. Then again, this isn't exactly the first time Mads Mikkelsen has been great in a film... Therefore, once again I'm going to use a gallery of seven close-ups of one of my favorite thespians to make a quiz, so click through the images and guess which movies they're from. No competition, no prizes, just for fun, try to see how far you get without using IMDb. And I'll post the answers on Thursday, unless they...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

All That Jazz (Criterion Collection) I've only seen Bob Fosse's All That Jazz once and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot for its excellent photography, but I'm not sure I feel any need to purchase it. I didn't even ask for a review copy, but I will say were it to come on television I'm pretty sure it would be an easy movie to sink back into. One thing I will add, however, is Roy Scheider crushes this performance; a stand out, dripping with intensity performance that's certainly worth seeing. This new Criterion release comes loaded to the gills, here are the features: New 4K digital restoration, with 3.0 surround DTS-hd Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary featuring editor Alan Heim Selected-scene audio commentary by actor Roy Scheider New interviews with Heim and Fosse biographer Sam Wasson New conversation between actors Ann Reinking and Erzsebet Foldi...

Scanners (Criterion Collection) My review copy of Scanners arrived late yesterday afternoon so all I've had a chance to do is remove the cellophane wrapper and admire the artwork, but I will be diving into it soon enough not only to see how well the film holds up and the features, but to check out the inclusion of Stereo (1969), David Cronenberg's first feature film, which in-and-of-itself should answer the question, "Why are Criterion Blu-rays so expensivec" P.S. Remember, this one is 50% off at Barnes & Noble right now, $14 cheaper than the Amazon price.

Under the Skin I wasn't as impressed with this as other critics were, ending my theatrical review writing, "I'm happy to have seen Under the Skin, but any future viewings will most likely necessitate a Blu-ray commentary track, otherwise I don't really see the point." Guess what the Blu-ray doesn't have...

Rio 2 Here's another one...

Film revolving around Native American community, directed by Damian John Harper, to shoot early 2015.

Paris-based production company Les Films d’Ici 2 has boarded Us director Damian John Harper’s upcoming drama In the Middle of the Road.

The film, which is lead produced by German Jonas Weydemann is due to shoot in New Mexico in early 2015 and centres on a Native American, Iraqi War veteran’s difficult return to his family’s reservation where he stands up to an abusive grandfather.

It was among 12 projects presented at the Paris Coproduction Village last week.

“We’ve been in talks to work together for some time and we decided to make it official here,” said Weydemann, who produces under the Weydemann Bros. banner, the Cologne-based company he runs with his brother Jakob D.Weydemann.

Under the deal, Les Films d’ici 2 and Weydemann Bros are hoping to tap into the joint French-German mini-treaty fund backed by France’s National...

  Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013) Film Review, a movie directed by Arnaud des Pallieres, and starring Mads Mikkelsen, Melusine Mayance, David Kross, Bruno Ganz, Denis Lavant, Roxane Duran, David Bennent, Sergi Lopez, Amira Casar, Jacques Nolot The slow, steady beat of drums pounds against the pitch-black background, which slowly opens up to a march of horses across the [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Age Of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas (2013)...

An arresting medieval epic starring Mads Mikkelsen, Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas explores the high cost of vengeance. With the age of feudalism in decline, Europe rests at a tense crossroads between the old world and the new. Respected, well-to-do horse merchant Michael Kohlhaas is a loving husband and family man leading a peaceful existence, until a ruthless nobleman steals his horses, setting off a chain of irreversible events. Kohlhaas resorts to extremes after these crimes destroy his livelihood and trust in the law, igniting a rampage through the countryside in his quest for justice. Check out our exclusive clip for this historical drama, in theaters now.

Adapted from Heinrich von Kleist's 16th century novella, the story of Michael Kohlhaas is considered one of the first examples of modern literature. Filled with gorgeous widescreen cinematography, Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas had its world...

Released on demand and in select theatres a couple days ago, it’s all-but a guarantee that by now, Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas has already greatly disappointed some uninformed viewer expecting the next great piece of fantasy schlock from bargain bin king Uwe Boll. With its mouthy title and posters featuring sword-strapped star Mads Mikklesen, a vision of medieval masculinity, one could easily mistake Age of Uprising for a B-grade sword and sorcery epic. But that all-important asterisks of the box art, the Cannes “Official Selection” frond, is your real indicator of what to expect from this French import, which nobly (to a fault) walks a path of high-minded high art, not high fantasy.

Like a worrywart parent hiding vegetables in their child’s Kraft Dinner, Age of Uprising is just one of several European releases this year that’s tried to lure North American audiences...

Mads Mikkelsen might not be a household name just yet, but he’s slowly building a strong reputation for himself stateside. After a stirring turn in The Hunt, which earned him a ton of awards recognition, and another excellent season of Hannibal, the actor is returning with Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, which opens in limited release this week.

The medieval epic stars Mikkelsen as the titular horse merchant, who is robbed by a ruthless nobleman. This sets off a chain of irreversible events as Michael resorts to extremes and sets off through the countryside in search of justice.

The film premiered at Cannes this month and while reviews seemed to be split down the middle, most critics praised Mikkelsen for yet another powerful performance, which is something we’ve come to expect from the incredibly talented actor.

Today, we are excited to share with you an...

These days, the number of indies premiering on a weekly basis can be both thrilling and intimidating. To help sift through the number of new releases (independent or otherwise), we've created the Weekly Film Guide. Below you'll find basic plot, personnel and cinema information for today's fresh offerings.  Happy viewing! Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, May 30th. (Synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.) Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas Director: Arnaud des PallièresCast: Mads Mikkelsen, Mélusine Mayance, Delphine Chuillot, David Kross, Bruno Ganz, Denis Lavant, Roxane Duran, Paul Bartel, David Bennent, Swann Arlaud, Sergi Lopez, Amira Casar, Jacques Nolot, Christian Chaussex, Jean-Louis Coulloc'h, Laurent Delbecque, Guillaume DelaunaySynopsis: "With the age of feudalism in decline, Europe rests at a tense crossroads between the old world and the new. Respected, well-to-do horse merchant Michael...

Mads Mikkelsen is one of those actors that makes all of his characters fascinating and intriguing to watch. He brings a complexity to his performances that makes you wonder as much about the unspoken life of the people he embodies as the moment he’s currently living. In the medieval epic Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, Mikkelsen portrays Michael Kohlhaas, a respected and well-to-do horse merchant, loving husband and family man whose peaceful existence is turned upside down when a nobleman steals his horses, setting off a chain of irreversible events. And on the NBC drama series Hannibal, his work as Dr. Hannibal Lecter is both charming and unsettling, making it always unpredictable. During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor Mads Mikkelsen talked about what drew him to this film, what it was like to have to pick up the French language for the role,...

Itself loosely based on a true story, the 19th century novella by Heinrich von Kleist, “Michael Kohlhaas," has been adapted several times for screen, notably by Volker Schlöndorff in 1969, even spawning “The Jack Bull," a pretty good HBO restaging starring Johns Cusack and Goodman, in 1999. But with Schlöndorff himself telling us in an interview that he considered his version his "biggest failure” it would have seemed that there was still room for the definitive, high-profile, straight-up adaptation. And on paper, that’s what Arnaud de Pallières’ “Michael Kohlhaas” was meant to be -- just check out its impeccable line-up of European stars-with-major-arthouse-appeal: Mads Mikkelsen (last year’s Cannes Best Actor for “The Hunt”), Bruno Ganz (whose sclerotic Hitler in “Downfall” spawned its own remarkably resilient meme) and Denis Lavant (coming off his chameleonic performance in the critically worshipped “Holy Motors”). But stacked with a...

With a premise like Rob Roy and a title like a video game, one might expect Arnaud des Pallières's Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas to be louder.

But instead of embracing its inner Braveheart, the feudal revenge drama sacrifices thrills in favor of moral reflection in the unspoiled French countryside, keeping most of its violence at arm's length.

When dogs are set on a man, we don't see the attack, only evidence of the wounds. Mounted soldiers attack a caravan, and we watch from atop a hill; guards drop silently as horsemen pass. This muted approach robs the film of sorely needed momentum, but offers a rare opportunity for contemplation, a trade-off that only occasionally satisfies.

As Kohlhaas, a merchant wronged by ...

Plot: A sixteenth-century horse dealer, Michael Kohlhaas is deceived by a nobleman. When he tries to have justice done, his wife is raped and murdered in retaliation. After getting his revenge, Kohlhaas becomes the unlikely leader of a peasant revolt, bent on overthrowing the corrupt feudal system. Review: Mads Mikkelsen is one of the more exciting actors to emerge from Europe in the last several years. Already a star in Denmark thanks to his knockout performances in Nicolas Winding...

If you're not following Mads Mikkelsen career as of late, well then, you're doing something wrong. He currently stars as Hannibal Lecter in NBCs stunning "Hannibal," can do period pieces a la "A Royal Affair" and is perhaps one of the best Bond villains of all time. Now, thanks to The Playlist, we have a clip of more Mikkelsen badassery from his upcoming film "Age Of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas." Based on the novel "Michael Kohlhaas," by Heinrich von Kleist, "Age Of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas" stars Mikkelsen as a sixteenth century man who resorts to crime when justice isn't served. In the trailer we see a silent Mikkelsen, staring intently at the man accusing him of having a wicked heart. He's also wielding a sword; a sword he will no doubt use eventually."Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas," which is directed by Arnaud des Pallières,...

It's hard to think of any other 48-year-old actors having the kind of moment Mads Mikkelsen currently is. A Cannes winner for his turn in "The Hunt," an American network TV star thanks to his excellent work in "Hannibal," and currently turning heads on the Croisette thanks to the western "The Salvation," pretty much everything the actor touches is worth tuning in to see what he does. And so it goes with "Age Of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas," and today, we have an exclusive clip from the film. Based on Heinrich von Kleist's 16th century novella, and directed by Arnaud de Pallières, the story follows a horse dealer who rebels against the establishment when two of his animals are illegally confiscated. He soon finds people to back his cause as the situation escalates but not everyone agrees with his tactics. As you'll see in this scene, Michael Kohlhaas...

Just last week we brought you a trailer for the Mads Mikkelsen western revenge tale, The Salvation.  It looked like a comfy fit for Mikkelsen, as revenge seems to be his specialty (you can check out the trailer here).  The best part about revenge is that it's fun in all genres, and it seems Mikkelsen has a thing or two to say about it in the medieval era as well!  Age Of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas premiered last year at the Cannes Film Fesitval...

The ‘Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas’ has been unleashed in the film’s official trailer and photos. The historical drama, which was written and directed by Arnaud des Pallières, is set to be released on May 30 in theaters and On Demand. The following synopsis for ‘Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas,’ which was nominated for six César Awards, including Best Actor for Mads Mikkelsen in the title role, has been released: An arresting medieval epic starring Mads Mikkelsen (‘A Royal Affair,’ ‘Valhalla Rising,’ ‘Hannibal’), ‘Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas explores the high cost of vengeance. With the age of feudalism in decline, [ Read More ]

The post See the Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas in Offical Trailer and Photos appeared first on Shockya.com.

Many might recognize Mads Mikkelsen from his superb work on the sublime NBC series, Hannibal, but the veteran Dane has quite the list of feature film work to his credit as well.  One of his latest works is writer-director Arnaud des Pallières' Age of Uprising: The legend of Michael Kohlhaas, an adaptation of German author Heinrich von Kleist's novella based on the 16th-century vigilante Hans Kohlhase.  While none of the above names are likely to strike a chord with the American public at large, the themes that drive Age of Uprising should, since they center on the title character who is wronged by the ruling class, and then sets out in search of justice.  The first look at the film in the new Age of Uprising trailer draws comparisons to Robin Hood and Braveheart, while showing (for many) a whole new side to Mikkelsen. Hit the jump to...

Festival guests include Nathalie Baye, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi Jalil Lespert and Vincent Macaigne.

Michael Kohlhaas by Arnaud de Pallieres was awarded best film at the 15th Athens Francophone film festival (March 19-26) backed by Unifrance.

The award sponsored by the French public channel TV5 and the Athens Municipality carries a purse of €9,000 to back the release of the film in Greece by Seven Films and Spentzos Films.

A special mention was given to Bruno Dumont’s Camille Claudel 1915, starring Juliette Binoche in the eponymous role.Videorama Films/Odeon acquired for Greece.

The five-member jury was comprised of the French-Greek actor George Corraface (president), Greek film producer Fenia Kosovitsa, French film scholar and director Antoine Danis, Greek born-French resident composer Olga Kouklaki and Greek film critic Yiannis Zoumpoulakis.

The audience award, backed by Fischer Breweries with €6,000, went to Marion Vernoux’s Les Beaux Jours starring Fanny Ardant. Produced by the French outlet Les Films du Kiosque, the film will...

★★☆☆☆Following the runaway success of Danish director Nikolaj Arcel's A Royal Affair (2012) a couple of years back, another period European drama of revolt and revenge starring the magnetic Mads Mikkelsen would undoubtedly have seemed like an excellent idea. Somewhat regrettably, Arnaud des Pallières' Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013), adapted from the Heinrich von Kleist novella, not only fails to live up to the mark but struggles to work on a more fundamental level. Even the presence of the venerable leading man fails to elevate this glossy but staid vengeance drama that repeatedly struggles to either quicken the pulse or provoke the mind.

Stars: Mads Mikkelsen, Mélusine Mayance, Delphine Chuillot, Swann Arlaud, David Kross, Bruno Ganz, Denis Lavant, Roxane Duran | Written by Arnaud des Pallières, Christelle Berthevas | Directed by Arnaud des Pallières

In the 16th Century, in the Cévennes, Michael Kohlhaas (Mads Mikkelsen) is leading a happy life with his family raising horses to sell at the market. When a corrupt Baron (Swann Arlaud) seizes some of his horses and mistreats them, Kohlhaas attempts to sue the Baron for the damage but due to the Baron’s influence in local government finds his case is ignored. When his wife travels to plead his case to the royal family she returns fatally injured leading to Kohlhaas forming a rebellion aimed at taking down the Baron and his cohorts and regain the rights he feels he has lost.

When a character like Kohlhaas forms a rebellion you would expect there to be some action, and...

The Butler didn't do it for Oscar voters, but there are sharper ideas in some of last year's under-the-radar thrillers

If a film seemingly made for the express purpose of piling up Oscar nominations then receives precisely none, does it make a sound? Well, yes and no. Lee Daniels' The Butler (Entertainment, 12) was a surprise summer hit in the Us, where audiences weary of monsters fighting robots were apparently up for a windy dose of all-star, semi-fictionalised civil rights history, but that doesn't mean it has anything to say.

Awards voters, oddly, couldn't see the hokey Forrest Gump parallels in Forest Whitaker's Cecil Gaines, humble White House butler to every president from Eisenhower to Reagan. A noble cypher who stoically pours tea while history is made around him, he's a less-than-riveting presence around whom to centre the narrative; there's more going on back home, where his radical Black Panther...

Roman Polanski wins best director; Blue Is the Warmest Colour’s Adèle Exarchopoulos wins best female newcomer.Scroll down for full list of winners

Guillaume Gallienne’s semi autobiographical comedy Me, Myself and Mum (Les Garcons et Guillaume, à table) won in five categories in the French Césars on Friday evening, including best film.

Actor-director Gallienne’s directorial debut, revolving around his relationship with his mother and her assumption he was gay as a child, also won best first film, best adaptation and best editing. Gallienne also won best actor.

Gallienne, is currently hitting international screens in Jalil Lespert’s Yves Saint Laurent in the role of the fashion designer’s partner Pierre Bergé. He will be in London next week alongside Pierre Niney, who plays Yves Saint Laurent, and Lespert for a special screening at the Institut Francais.

Roman Polanski won best director for his psychosexual comedy Venus in Fur.

In other awards...

Mads Mikkelsen is one of the most engaging actors in the world right now, and if you've yet to check out TVs Hannibal then what are you waiting for, an invitation to dinner? So it's easy to see why distributors might be lining up to release his theatrical outings. Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas is not your typical blood-soaked medieval epic, nor is it a good example of Mikkelsen's undisputed screen presence. It's a long, hard slog through the marshes of cinematic wasteland, an emotional vacuum that could've been and should've been so much more. The film takes us back to 16th century France, where Michael Kohlhaas is making a living as a horse dealer. He lives with his wife and daughter in the peaceful, picturesque countryside. Things take a turn for the worse when a rapacious baron seizes his livelihood and defiles his family's honour. Kohlhaas...

Mads Mikkelsen is one of the most engaging actors in the world right now, and if you've yet to check out TVs Hannibal then what are you waiting for, an invitation to dinner? So it's easy to see why distributors might be lining up to release his theatrical outings. Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas is not your typical blood-soaked medieval epic, nor is it a good example of Mikkelsen's undisputed screen presence. It's a long, hard slog through the marshes of cinematic wasteland, an emotional vacuum that could've been and should've been so much more. The film takes us back to 16th century France, where Michael Kohlhaas is making a living as a horse dealer. He lives with his wife and daughter in the peaceful, picturesque countryside. Things take a turn for the worse when a rapacious baron seizes his livelihood and defiles his family's honour. Kohlhaas...

Since its blazing triumph at Cannes, things haven't gone all that well for "Blue is the Warmest Color" on the awards beat. Oscar eligibility controversy aside, it was cockblocked by "The Great Beauty" at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and European Film Awards, and now it's also lost on its own home turf, as actor-director Guillaume Gallienne's autobiographical comedy "Me, Myself and Her" took top honors at the César Awards. A domestic hit that had led the nominations, Gallienne's film also took wins for Best Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Editing and Debut Feature. Roman Polanski was a surprise winner of the Best Director award for his kinky stage-based comedy "Venus in Fur." (The César voters' affection for Polanski cannot be underestimated: this was his fourth win in four years, following recent triumphs for "The Ghost Writer" and "Carnage," and his eighth overall.) It was a good night for comedy all round: beating Lea Seydoux,...

French actor and director Guillaume Gallienne was the big winner at the 39th ceremony of the César Awards in Paris, where he took home a total of five trophies, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adaptation, Best First Film and Best Editing for Me, Myself and Mum. Michael Kohlhaas by Arnaud des Pallières and 9 Month Stretch by Albert Dupontel were also among the big winners, while Quentin Tarantino presented a lifetime achievement award to a young American actress. Hosted by Cécile de France, who starred in Clint Eastwood's Hereafter in 2010 and whose own mantelpiece includes two Césars - she didn't lose the opportunity to remind the audience in one of her many shameless self-elevating moments – this year’s edition of the French film awards was rather bland and short on humor. The jokes lacked edge, the writers had forgotten to include punch lines, and their delivery by Cécile de France amplified all of that.

We’re only two days out from the Oscars now, but today and tomorrow we have some other awards to report on, starting off right now with the just announced César Awards, which are the French equivalent of the Academy Awards. There’s no real Academy crossover to speak of, but it’s an interesting ceremony to take note of anyway. Any award show is worthwhile in my book, and I hope you agree as well. The Best Picture prize went to Les Garçons Et Guillaume, A Table!, which also saw Guillaume Gallienne win Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, while favorite son over there Roman Polanski took Best Director for Venus in Fur. Among more notable winners, The Broken Circle Breakdown won Best Foreign Film while Adèle Exarchopoulos took the Best Female Newcomer prize for her amazing work in Blue is the Warmest Color. Voters spread things around otherwise,...

After announcing the Mexican selection for its 2014 edition, the Riviera Maya Film Festival has revealed the full lineup and boy oh boy it is bloody amazing. Many highly anticipated films will premiere in Mexico during the festival, such as Nymphomaniac, R100, A Touch of Sin, Blue Ruin, Under the Skin, Hard To Be A God, Blind Detective, Michael Kohlhaas, and I could go on and on. Riviera Maya 2014 takes place in Quintana Roo, Mexico from March 9-15, and all screenings are absolutely free. Five sections conform the festival and you can check out the films of each one in the gallery below. For additional information, visit the festival's official website....

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Established in 2012 to bolster the film community in Mexico, the Riviera Maya Film Festival has announced the official program of domestic and international films to screen during its third edition. This year's festival includes more than 50 feature films from 23 countries. The festival will go down simultaneously in Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum from March 9-15. Here's a selection of some of the films which will be shown. Additional titles forthcoming.A Promise (Director Patrice Leconte, Starring Rebecca Hall, Alan Rickman, Richard Madden, Toby Murray)Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (Director Arnaud des Pallieres, Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Delphine Chuillot, David Kross)Grand Central (Director Rebecca Zlotowski, Starring Tahar Rahim, Oliver Gourmet, Lea Seydoux)Hard to Be a God (Director Aleksei German, Starring Leonid Yarmolnik, Dmitriy Vladimirov, Laura Lauri)Holy Field Holy War (Director Lech Kowalski)Night...

You can't get much hotter than Mads Mikkelsen at the moment, so here he is, fresh from the success of TVs Hannibal. A cold, steely, blood-soaked medieval epic featuring a commanding central performance from Mads Mikkelsen (Clash of the Titans, Valhalla Rising), Age of Uprising is a gripping tale of revenge, righteousness and rebellion, available to buy on DVD from March 10, 2014 courtesy of Artificial Eye. You can check out both the trailer and website below. Synopsis: 16th century France: Michael Kohlhaas, a horse dealer and loving father, lives a happy and prosperous life in the peaceful countryside. But when a cruel, rapacious baron seizes his livelihood and defiles his family’s honour he will take up arms and set out on a mission for vengeance that will send the kingdom up in flame. Age of Uprising Trailer Curzon World Website...

You can't get much hotter than Mads Mikkelsen at the moment, so here he is, fresh from the success of TVs Hannibal. A cold, steely, blood-soaked medieval epic featuring a commanding central performance from Mads Mikkelsen (Clash of the Titans, Valhalla Rising), Age of Uprising is a gripping tale of revenge, righteousness and rebellion, available to buy on DVD from March 10, 2014 courtesy of Artificial Eye. You can check out both the trailer and website below. Synopsis: 16th century France: Michael Kohlhaas, a horse dealer and loving father, lives a happy and prosperous life in the peaceful countryside. But when a cruel, rapacious baron seizes his livelihood and defiles his family’s honour he will take up arms and set out on a mission for vengeance that will send the kingdom up in flame. Age of Uprising Trailer Curzon World Website...

Outside of Camelot Theatres, where Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas screens in 30 minutes, stands an older man with a telescope. He doesn’t appear to be affiliated with the Palm Springs International Film Festival — or even attending it, for that matter — and is dressed as you might expect an actual astronomer to be. Arnaud des Pallières’ adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist’s 1811 novella premiered to mixed reviews at Cannes last year, but familiarity with the source material and the fact that Mads Mikkelsen and Denis Lavant are both involved seem reason enough to take a […]...

Outside of Camelot Theatres, where Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas screens in 30 minutes, stands an older man with a telescope. He doesn’t appear to be affiliated with the Palm Springs International Film Festival — or even attending it, for that matter — and is dressed as you might expect an actual astronomer to be. Arnaud des Pallières’ adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist’s 1811 novella premiered to mixed reviews at Cannes last year, but familiarity with the source material and the fact that Mads Mikkelsen and Denis Lavant are both involved seem reason enough to take a […]...

★★☆☆☆One of the more eyebrow-raising nominees for last year's Cannes Palme d'Or, French director Arnaud des Pallières' Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013) sees European cinema darling Mads Mikkelsen star as the vengeful equine breeder in question, spurred into armed conflict against a greedy local land baron. With Holy Motors' Denis Lavant, Bruno Ganz and rising German star David Kross perhaps the only other recognisable players for British audiences, there's little to distract one from this drab literary adaptation's ponderous pace and washed out palette - even the great Dane himself.

Even the excellent Mads Mikkelsen can't lift the tedium of this one-note French revenge saga

Mads Mikkelsen finds himself installed like a figurehead at the prow of Arnaud des Pallières's surging historical romp, gazing resolutely towards the far horizon, his eyes alive with both sadness and strength. Age of Uprising tells the tale of Michael Kohlhaas, an unbending horse trader in feudal 16th-century France, wronged by the baron and demanding redress. His subsequent adventures are played out on blasted heaths, beneath lowering skies, to the squealing of pigs.

Des Pallières's picture is stern and impressive, although its endless, one-note hammer blows soon start to grow tiresome. I could have done with a little more of Denis Lavant (so good as a crumpled priest who upbraids Kohlhaas for his arrogance) and Roxane Duran (as the capricious princess of Angoulême) and a little less of the lowering skies, the clattering swords and the squealing of pigs.

While many are hanging out for Mads Mikkelsen's return to the small screen with the second season of NBC's "Hannibal," the actor himself will soon be back on the big screen with the English territory release of the 16th-century revenge tale "Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas".

Arnaud des Pallieres directs the 16th-century feudal France-set tale based on Heinrich von Kleist’s classic novella. Mikkelsen plays a horse dealer whose property is taken away from him on behest of a greedy local nobleman. The situation escalates, turning the dealer into a revenge-fueled desperado.

The film opens today in the UK and in March in Australia. No word on a U.S. release at the present time.

So I guess Michael Kohlhaas, which I reviewed at Cannes last year, will now be referred to as Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas as it hits UK theaters today while Music Box Films has still yet to announce a U.S. release date. Set in the 16th century in the Cevennes, Mikkelsen plays the film's title character, a horse dealer known for the quality of his stock. When wronged by a local Baron, Kohlhaas' sense of justice kicks into overdrive. When justice is not granted, Kohlhaas takes things into his own hands. The film, directed by Arnaud des Pallieres, was one I praised largely for Mikkelsen's performance, writing in the conclusion of my review: Overall, I saw Michael Kohlhaas as a missed opportunity, largely due to its middle portion. Des Pallieres didn't seem interested in Kohlhaas' campaign as much as he did the motivation and the end result.

Not since City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold has a movie title made legends seem as unattractive as the one in Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas. Yeah, Age of Uprising by itself is a pretty bad title. There have been a lot of uprisings. You can’t really pin them on any particular age. Adding on that The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas subtitle sure doesn’t make things any better, though.

But hey, whereas the legendary City Slickers sequel had the rugged-as-hell Jack Palance, Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas has the even-ruggeder looking Mads Mikkelsen. Also: I could not be more surprised that spell check did not put a red squiggly underline under the word “ruggeder,” but the English language is magical like that.

You might recognize Mikkelsen from his role as Hannibal in the TV show of the same name.

Between winning best actor at Cannes in 2012 for "The Hunt" and becoming America's favorite psychiatrist/cannibal in "Hannibal," Mads Mikkelsen is now at the point where whatever he does, it will likely be interesting and potentially awesome. And certainly, our hopes were raised for "Michael Kohlhaas" when we saw it last spring on the Croisette. But even the greats sometimes stumble. Renamed, rather dramatically, as "Age of Uprising: The Legend Of Michael Kohlhaas," the movie hits U.K. theaters today and a trailer has arrived to give you a sneak peek, though you'll have to endure an almost hilariously over the top voiceover. Directed by Arnaud des Pallieres and featuring a pretty decent supporting cast with Denis Lavant, Bruno Ganz, David Kross and Sergi Lopez, the story centers on a 16th century horse dealer who rebels against the establishment when two of his animals are illegally confiscated.  And unfortunately, the...