tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44524203177759059292024-03-05T18:41:34.894-08:00Film-TalkMartin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-57132230203093607572013-02-08T22:00:00.000-08:002013-02-28T02:33:53.030-08:00Six Feet UnderI admit that that writing about <i>Six Feet Under</i> now, nearly eight years after it was taken off the air, may be a somewhat redundant undertaking (no pun intended). However, at the time the series hit the screens in the US, and subsequently across the globe, and was swiftly met with wide acclaim, I was unable to watch it for personal reasons. I was afflicted at the time, with a strange condition, an obsession, a fear of death, or to be more precise: I was haunted by the constant presence of death, so to speak, by the awareness that death may occur at any given moment, and that there was nothing I could do about it.<br />
<br />
Though I'd never seen <i>Six Feet Under</i>, I was well aware that death - in all its shapes and sizes - was very much its predominant theme, and watching it in the condition I was in would only have aggravated it. As a result, I had to skip the whole thing, however, watching it<i> now</i>, now that I've overcome my irrational fear of death, more or less at peace with the fact that it simply is something that's out of my hands, it's suddenly dawned on me what I've missed. But thanks to modern technology, I'm able to catch up!<br />
<br />
The reason why I decided to write about <i>Six Feet Under </i>today, years after the fact, so to speak, and with its brilliance having been widely praised and lauded, is simply because I myself needed to go <i>somewhere</i> with my emotions, as nothing I'd read about it prepared me for the real experience. Rarely, if ever, have I seen characters on screen that are so three-dimensional, in other words: so real, so alive, so multi-faceted, so torn, as in <i>Six Feet Under</i>. Every character, even the ones you thought you'd hate, have some redeeming quality. Every single one of them moves in a sort of grey area with the occasional shift into the whites or, depending on the event, into the black. But no character is just one or the other. This is one of the reasons why they offer so much room for identification. It does help, of course, that the actors portraying them more than live up to their task. This is especially true in the cases of Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Michael C. Hall, and Rachel Griffiths. They really make you forget that you're watching a film. And I deliberately employ the term <i>film</i> here, for <i>Six Feet Under</i> is much more than ordinary TV series, even by HBO standards.<br />
<br />
I knew that Alan Ball was the initial creator of <i>Six Feet Under</i>, and it doesn't take much to detect parallels with <i>American Beauty</i>, which he scripted, based on his original idea. Some of the characters of <i>American Beauty</i> even have an afterlife in<i> Six Feet Under</i>. For instance, Alison Janney's Barbara Fitts has a lot in common with <i>Six Feet Under</i>'s Ruth Fisher. On the same token, Thora Birch's Jane has her equal in <i>Six Feet Under</i>'s Claire. And even the opening sequence bears some resemblance to that of <i>American Beauty</i> - think of the wilting flowers - and the same goes for its score. Moreover, the overall topics of both films are similar as by and large they concern, simply put, life and death and how we deal with the one and confront the other.<br />
<br />
The location, too, bears some resemblance to <i>American Beauty</i>. Although in <i>American Beauty</i> the location is never disclosed, set as it is, in <i>Anywhere, USA</i>, the same could be said about <i>Six Feet Under</i> with the one difference that we <i>know</i>, that LA is where it's set. That said, however, I have never come across a film or television series that looks less LA than <i>Six Feet Under</i>. It is so stripped of any glamour, so down to earth, and hardly ever are any of the things that we've come to associate with Southern California mentioned: no one visits a gym, no one has plastic surgery, no one attends drama school or wants to become an actor, and apart from Catherine O'Hara's character (which doesn't appear until well into season 2 and by season 4, is fully out of the picture), no one works in the movies. This non-stereotypical approach is a case in point for the series' creators refusal to bend to <i>any</i> clichés<i> </i>or stereotypes, defying them on every level, which is another reason that puts <i>Six Feet Under</i> in a league of its own.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Catherina O'Hara's character, however, it needs to be mentioned that she's part of a string of female characters in <i>Six Feet Under</i> who, in the hands of lesser writers, may have ended up as caricatures but who are, in fact, fully fleshed out, if slightly on the camp side, <i>women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown</i> who add some comic relief to the series otherwise more or less grave (pun intended) narrative. These women also include Bettina (played by the incomparable Kathy Bates), Mitzy Dalton Huntley (unforgettably portrayed, replete with a thick Texan accent, by Julie White, an actress who's been shamefully ignored by the Big Screen, never mind that she's got oomph and talent to boot!), and Dina Spybey's Tracy Montrose Blair, who out of sheer loneliness attends funerals of people she never even knew and who's constantly on the search of a suitable husband.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZf7-CGoKbEQcGFjuhrLc_60c3_QeUWH6tRebBGgcl-9nkm2841ezfSVVLyfLDBWme2qWmBXnHSeMESV1hnrNr67OZx81VKdS9iAj3yiiOuJHSpw_tnAAJHBMTftOX2nt_-Wkd_ghoUJz/s1600/ruth+fisher.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZf7-CGoKbEQcGFjuhrLc_60c3_QeUWH6tRebBGgcl-9nkm2841ezfSVVLyfLDBWme2qWmBXnHSeMESV1hnrNr67OZx81VKdS9iAj3yiiOuJHSpw_tnAAJHBMTftOX2nt_-Wkd_ghoUJz/s400/ruth+fisher.gif" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher</b>: probably the most complex of all of <i>Six Feet Under</i>'s complex characters. She's as prim and proper as she's full of contradictions and unexpected reactions, as loveable as she can be annoying. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeiEvTtQQmsyGkRFheYWFTBiCMKhUvKscu4cItRsqG36j-jOVfKd64i5K9wEuG3Ydv1KgeMVo2qx8Ezuz0I2vnE44q300_ROo3hoPVSpSUlqlaVLyr9_L8M5SXq2SUHqHWlg_5XNUOskC/s1600/lauren+ambrose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieeiEvTtQQmsyGkRFheYWFTBiCMKhUvKscu4cItRsqG36j-jOVfKd64i5K9wEuG3Ydv1KgeMVo2qx8Ezuz0I2vnE44q300_ROo3hoPVSpSUlqlaVLyr9_L8M5SXq2SUHqHWlg_5XNUOskC/s400/lauren+ambrose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Lauren Ambrose as Claire Fisher:</b> 17 years old at the start of the series, Lauren's character is undergoing some crucial changes throughout the 5 seasons <i>Six Feet Under </i>lasted. From an <i>angry young girl, </i>Claire mutates and matures into an intelligent woman who thinks outside the box, ready to brave whatever life's got in store for her. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd3j-X4gBRMeoTBprGfpKrbhfBkGLGrgnqh7UcPh7N3ZJkb3aau3hp8JQu-ZiUqMQH9Z0aT_BlsKqAhzwleCERJJlSasAubPUxCccm5dkwQwLNz0LsehR5GcGFwtfgwx8yyea9n2RjA-o/s1600/michael+c+hall.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJd3j-X4gBRMeoTBprGfpKrbhfBkGLGrgnqh7UcPh7N3ZJkb3aau3hp8JQu-ZiUqMQH9Z0aT_BlsKqAhzwleCERJJlSasAubPUxCccm5dkwQwLNz0LsehR5GcGFwtfgwx8yyea9n2RjA-o/s400/michael+c+hall.jpeg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Michael C. Hall as David Fisher</b>: still more or less in the closet in season one, David's very much his mother's son but also goes through some major changes, triggered by a series of events starting with the demise of his father. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnhDHn2QKVkoBNyUsCMlnRIBikZEmhzxcmt8IkVxvGElI3ramQ2l-YFnregKh0tTrM0y6kscnyzeZf8zPmK2nYeInBkI2xvjwRQYpcdKzrs3ebgsRAwLNWkb8C0TmEsiWGObNt64MVl5u/s1600/nate-fisher-1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnhDHn2QKVkoBNyUsCMlnRIBikZEmhzxcmt8IkVxvGElI3ramQ2l-YFnregKh0tTrM0y6kscnyzeZf8zPmK2nYeInBkI2xvjwRQYpcdKzrs3ebgsRAwLNWkb8C0TmEsiWGObNt64MVl5u/s400/nate-fisher-1024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Peter Krause as Nathaniel (Nate) Fisher</b>: described once as "the series most spiritual character", Nate really is constantly on the search for, what lack of a better term, is best circumscribed as <i>the meaning of life. </i>Trying to make sense of it all, he goes from vaguely believing in <i>some God </i>to toying with Quakerism at the series end - and his. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eQFourho-xAxXG3lvBRLnS7albbzKDgxqhVS_lduqEgZufIGZclKLmU-MZLls211EyroA57VZvrMRiL1-bryRbUjf7jopln0kK_0zfUOJKvJ4_MOJmjikmMXYoIHiZmuLsf5vVAPHC9L/s1600/rachel-griffiths-GC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eQFourho-xAxXG3lvBRLnS7albbzKDgxqhVS_lduqEgZufIGZclKLmU-MZLls211EyroA57VZvrMRiL1-bryRbUjf7jopln0kK_0zfUOJKvJ4_MOJmjikmMXYoIHiZmuLsf5vVAPHC9L/s400/rachel-griffiths-GC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Rachel Griffiths as Brenda Chenowith</b>: Nate's on-and-off girlfriend before they finally tie the knot, she's psychologically scarred by her parents, who are both shrinks (!). Brenda's got a disturbed brother, Billy, with whom she shares a relationship that's bordering on the incestuous. No surprise, then, that she also has serious commitment issues which are only slowly resolved, and when they are - it's too late. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoraGWeURSNXm183zlBzqu5ZtVkR7s44rQzRJ72cVuAKfzFauqglnrDGZUbguZ18WbDjpuZ2Gn2t250BKgmvRyIT66HRnwemPGtnZULT-Lm9MT41dSlBt5BUYmJwOWK73Z-kKzeSbym4pn/s1600/rico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoraGWeURSNXm183zlBzqu5ZtVkR7s44rQzRJ72cVuAKfzFauqglnrDGZUbguZ18WbDjpuZ2Gn2t250BKgmvRyIT66HRnwemPGtnZULT-Lm9MT41dSlBt5BUYmJwOWK73Z-kKzeSbym4pn/s400/rico.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Freddy Rodriguez as Rico</b>: A member of LA's huge Latin community, Rico's been put through mortuary school by Nathan Fisher Senior, whom we only get to know as a sort of <i>ghost</i>, as he's the first of <i>Six Feet Under</i>'s many <i>fatalities</i>. An employee at first, Rico is eventually being made a partner by Nate Junior and David, changing the name of their funeral home from Fisher and Sons to Fisher and Diaz. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjMuXgVYQDk3yaCRUfT7CBGtUT2iSMNUTIK-ww_KumBrThcFH2bjZcGTLI1zclpXxqu3o-KokZ51KB5kk1MzKf5uV3i11eQwtaGwzwpTQpQUKtrooD7BenuDp8nRh-0Y-11q9RNH2Xzg3/s1600/six-feet-matthew-stpatrick16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjMuXgVYQDk3yaCRUfT7CBGtUT2iSMNUTIK-ww_KumBrThcFH2bjZcGTLI1zclpXxqu3o-KokZ51KB5kk1MzKf5uV3i11eQwtaGwzwpTQpQUKtrooD7BenuDp8nRh-0Y-11q9RNH2Xzg3/s400/six-feet-matthew-stpatrick16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Mathew St. Patrick as Keith</b>: David's partner, a gay cop, with serious anger management issues which more than once get in the way of his life and career over the course of the series.<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Needless to say, with Six Feet Under spanning several years - in reality as well as on screen - the character development could be taken a great deal further than in <i>American Beauty</i>. And unlike most films or television series of today, <i>Six Feet Under</i> is more character driven rather than plot driven, and that precisely is something else that makes this series so uniquely outstanding, for each and every one of the principal characters develops <i>organically</i>, which is to say realistically and comprehensibly, and whatever happens to them happens to them for a<i> valid reason</i>, as it were, a reason which is equally realistic as it is comprehensible, always making sense within the context of the overall narrative. In <i>Six Feet Under</i>, a character's reaction is never<i> out of character</i>. And where a more conventional television show would have opted for the unexpected just for the sake of the ratings - <i>Six Feet Under</i> successfully avoids that approach throughout its whole run, always keeping it credible and in keeping <i>with </i>the character. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The same goes for the use of graphic violence whose inclusion nowadays is seen as must in order to get enough people to care to even turn on the telly. But here, too, the writers never deviated from the unconventional path they chose to take. The few times violence does occur, it may occasionally be suffused with black humour, but it is <i>never</i> gratuitous or exploitative.</div>
<br />
Something else that deserves to be pointed out is the taboo breaking nature of the series, touching, as it did, on well nigh every existing <i>television no-go</i> from female masturbation to abortion to the war in Iraq, not just in American television, but in television as a whole. And even topics that are not exactly tabooed such as gay marriage or the right for gays to adopt children or the consumption of drugs, are tackled in the same tasteful and realistic manner as everything else. Never just in an overt politically correct way, let alone in a simplified black and white one, but rather such that it effortlessly blends into the overall narrative.<br />
<br />
The last episode of <i>Six Feet Under</i> has been widely praised as being one of the best finales in television <i>ever</i>. It reminded me of Michael Cunningham's novel <i>Flesh and Blood</i>, in which Cunningham also reaches way ahead into the future to let the reader know what life has in store for his characters in the years to come and how and<i> when</i> exactly they will meet their maker. As such, the series' last episode very much ties in with the theme of <i>Six Feet Under</i> as a whole - <i>death</i> - which, when it comes, is when we're all confronted with the one question that's forever hovering above us: how we lived our lives and if it was worth our while - and that of the ones around us. Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-43946842173520971992012-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:002012-08-05T10:42:42.120-07:00Marilyn Monroe, June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8j07M75EwOO77g-HoC94fm_J1MWaxHXQVWJMHsQ87OlcY2xj6wSvTIUFBO1QZIE6PFr1OIDjOBXbn3WmGJlDdN9G56mswwJSh-VhWmJTsbKFJxjghwqFoHe-LhUxXuGmKnOBl20MUmio/s1600/marilynmonroe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8j07M75EwOO77g-HoC94fm_J1MWaxHXQVWJMHsQ87OlcY2xj6wSvTIUFBO1QZIE6PFr1OIDjOBXbn3WmGJlDdN9G56mswwJSh-VhWmJTsbKFJxjghwqFoHe-LhUxXuGmKnOBl20MUmio/s400/marilynmonroe1.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UQ_alAG7q7h_0bo_b0o1SCQa6HOqOnAQJihsKju8dNK60mkrcS2uWPwgJvj9MZMsASq9noFyzPkbqL8eelcqitu5dm8btr-ZGM9tcjpnPqyl3xVQOLDIZihDt0ycXWkwolfNv5piTx3v/s1600/1992MarilynMirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UQ_alAG7q7h_0bo_b0o1SCQa6HOqOnAQJihsKju8dNK60mkrcS2uWPwgJvj9MZMsASq9noFyzPkbqL8eelcqitu5dm8btr-ZGM9tcjpnPqyl3xVQOLDIZihDt0ycXWkwolfNv5piTx3v/s400/1992MarilynMirror.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WiT9r_e7OImOnr_W3P8X8QsytRv-ZMZL8i839YlbmzzmcarFmgOerXj1FwVrv6BKw2FxE1ty2CsHPWw2zJttXL_A3bAwk5pV-VwrBwQnxY2vmufSTRmOHpgsAzVBUS3JTJKolOqHrwm1/s1600/Marilyn-Monroe7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WiT9r_e7OImOnr_W3P8X8QsytRv-ZMZL8i839YlbmzzmcarFmgOerXj1FwVrv6BKw2FxE1ty2CsHPWw2zJttXL_A3bAwk5pV-VwrBwQnxY2vmufSTRmOHpgsAzVBUS3JTJKolOqHrwm1/s400/Marilyn-Monroe7.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3K6uPIWPqUFfihYVcPi7eYh2fqgHPoAvNXTP2pMh0x35Ljen2qrqErODtNorsXzJWqB2VSKdhJcE0jI0W0TFEggwS3KNYDT0D9MnJMjeoYsOPVH89a7EvdJfV9MZGtT55psbGY6M2n-j/s1600/marilyn-monroe-1277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3K6uPIWPqUFfihYVcPi7eYh2fqgHPoAvNXTP2pMh0x35Ljen2qrqErODtNorsXzJWqB2VSKdhJcE0jI0W0TFEggwS3KNYDT0D9MnJMjeoYsOPVH89a7EvdJfV9MZGtT55psbGY6M2n-j/s400/marilyn-monroe-1277.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6-nIk1qto1vueTqHaS2Ll2aRC0yPQ0AA46S4ahAprT5FBarDIzIP4zWdwU7xv9bcrkzURMbGW73-UiLT8VfyVVLf6Aq3XyzzHX5bDLJ5kMxMTc322LELP2RoO8yJHFjO51XryrYQywEK/s1600/marilyn-monroe-pb03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6-nIk1qto1vueTqHaS2Ll2aRC0yPQ0AA46S4ahAprT5FBarDIzIP4zWdwU7xv9bcrkzURMbGW73-UiLT8VfyVVLf6Aq3XyzzHX5bDLJ5kMxMTc322LELP2RoO8yJHFjO51XryrYQywEK/s400/marilyn-monroe-pb03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Exactly fifty years ago, Marilyn Monroe died in what I consider to be one of the most<i> unnecessary</i> and avoidable, and consequently also one of the most tragic deaths in Hollywood history.<br />
<br />
As <a href="http://www.film-daily.com/2012/05/marilyn-monroe-biography-by-donald.html">Donald Spoto has exhaustively and plausibly </a>demonstrated in his highly commendable study on Monroe, at no point did Monroe have any intention to kill herself. Nor <i>was</i> she killed; that is, at least not intentionally. The ultimately fatal overdose of barbiturates and other drugs was administered by her irresponsible housekeeper who acted under the instruction of Monroe's equally irresponsible psycho-analyst.<br />
<br />
Had both acted with greater care and the amount responsibility that befits a housekeeper, not to mention a psycho analyst, for all we know Monroe might have celebrated her 86th birthday this year.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zW6myt8zPHmhYfqp7WjVLOpAQoPMTE2zMtFpt4VZDxSnn_gf7MwYzhbzxJT2Bp4hf8tlDLb1s9Tv0wm9Qak320jofWRrDBgGr_-Q4KP1Z4W4qvl3L8qNABi2dKOPLlMwTPZmqJVzFvUh/s1600/monroe+tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zW6myt8zPHmhYfqp7WjVLOpAQoPMTE2zMtFpt4VZDxSnn_gf7MwYzhbzxJT2Bp4hf8tlDLb1s9Tv0wm9Qak320jofWRrDBgGr_-Q4KP1Z4W4qvl3L8qNABi2dKOPLlMwTPZmqJVzFvUh/s400/monroe+tomb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Marilyn Monroe's grave site at the Pierce Brothers Memorial Park in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Westwood.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-70952518709896433722012-07-10T03:23:00.000-07:002012-07-19T02:12:34.119-07:00Furious Love, Sam Kashner & Nancy SchoenbergerI love pictures to adorn on my walls, I love beautiful picture frames, what's more - I love <i>the pictures</i> ... so, a lifetime ago, when I had a little money to spare, I had an image I'd found in <i>Interview </i>magazine photographed and blown up to eventually adorn my bedroom wall. <i>That</i>, however, had to wait as having spent the little dough I had at the time on having the magazine image blown up, there was no money left for the frame.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJnmAGnbqwhXi8oXnSNum-RbpcAdmxVjgUXn-mGyvW4zW_S5zSLEnUBD2iCPydzSKufUJNY_Ac2RsPCwh8deIuNxJyf2JYSAqkLAdP25LFLpQ9q4Erisizuz5RWUovjZOWsYrfeMP_7Xh/s1600/123456.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJnmAGnbqwhXi8oXnSNum-RbpcAdmxVjgUXn-mGyvW4zW_S5zSLEnUBD2iCPydzSKufUJNY_Ac2RsPCwh8deIuNxJyf2JYSAqkLAdP25LFLpQ9q4Erisizuz5RWUovjZOWsYrfeMP_7Xh/s400/123456.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
The photograph was of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It's a black and white double portrait taken by Albert Watson some time in the mid 1960s. I still have it, to this very day, and whenever I moved house (which, being a serial house mover, was <i>often</i>) the - long since beautifully framed - photograph was taken along. <br />
<br />
I can't say if the original photograph was taken during a sitting or if it's a snapshot, though my guess is, that it's probably the result of a sitting. I've been obsessed with Taylor and Burton by varying degrees ever since I was a little boy when I read about them in the many tabloids my mother used to be a subscriber to. As I grew older and my sources of information on Taylor and Burton became more reliable, my erstwhile obsession turned into fascination and eventually <i>admiration</i>. I realised that behind the undoubtedly glamorous façade of their <i>affair</i> there was a couple deeply devoted to each other, both hailing from backgrounds that couldn't possibly be any more different, both extremely talented each in their own way, and both of a superior intelligence which, in Richard, manifested itself in a supreme, often self-deprecating wit, while in Elizabeth, it expressed itself in a rare, razor-sharp, sense of self and in an equally rare ability to laugh at herself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXnJtvdtLpiaIvvPSFhKArAew0ARflLfutQlmeQ3DBUGtA2qQLbOsYdtxRRjmua6jFEdHkuFS5sddOZqQOXgEniXT-Jzi_IhYy-2C33X19NYt-4DUz7aFPOKgN-eIvu88XIKZdcBX6uUI/s1600/12345667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXnJtvdtLpiaIvvPSFhKArAew0ARflLfutQlmeQ3DBUGtA2qQLbOsYdtxRRjmua6jFEdHkuFS5sddOZqQOXgEniXT-Jzi_IhYy-2C33X19NYt-4DUz7aFPOKgN-eIvu88XIKZdcBX6uUI/s320/12345667.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
Taylor was also full of contradictions who felt equally at home at London's Dorchester Hotel as she did in a Welsh pub, feasting on beer and rarebit. That's precisely part of what won over Burton's large family and endeared Elizabeth to them, even though they blamed her at first for breaking up Burton's marriage to Sybil. Taylor, for all her extravagance and her notorious love for diamonds and jewels, probably was one of the most unpretentious and simple movie stars imaginable. Perhaps, it's because she was born into wealth that, although used to it, didn't mind not having it - <i>on occasion</i>. In any case, though her display of wealth would occasionally be ostentatious, she was never pretentious, or worse, arrogant.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JBV2cwCdbO44PXLZrxLkDOpsYQMC9ne74-zEGVzaC2TsL9XmYMUiQ4OLd1tqSGLfImXiLjjV5wCovGjRhqxxgInTmGNvBxzBNlEpHfreAbSnUTUPXuZ5BQW0ZVXrPwN6HRrssnjkx_8N/s1600/elizabeth+taylor+by+richard+avedon+1964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JBV2cwCdbO44PXLZrxLkDOpsYQMC9ne74-zEGVzaC2TsL9XmYMUiQ4OLd1tqSGLfImXiLjjV5wCovGjRhqxxgInTmGNvBxzBNlEpHfreAbSnUTUPXuZ5BQW0ZVXrPwN6HRrssnjkx_8N/s320/elizabeth+taylor+by+richard+avedon+1964.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
<br />
Moreover, in the 1950s and 60s, Elizabeth was a worldwide trailblazer in making homosexuality socially acceptable. Much later, and more admirably still, she would be the first <i>A-list</i> celebrity to publicly stand up for people with HIV and AIDS. Eventually, her efforts to raise funds to combat the deadly disease, would wash millions into the coffers of many an organisation, not least of which her own, the <i>Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation</i>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByYO8FY0RUs3e03gwxPD23-BldnPL_R27gKSBltB1wPPbkdH4ye9VkmAEthRTR0Zyn72_eUbVvhsfBoMUrvlv-B1AgfNt0Qs851Kpw-vQw2XNiDNEEgP5vgkpKl-ieN9i1o6g1vD5A2O7/s1600/RichardBurtonElizabethTaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByYO8FY0RUs3e03gwxPD23-BldnPL_R27gKSBltB1wPPbkdH4ye9VkmAEthRTR0Zyn72_eUbVvhsfBoMUrvlv-B1AgfNt0Qs851Kpw-vQw2XNiDNEEgP5vgkpKl-ieN9i1o6g1vD5A2O7/s400/RichardBurtonElizabethTaylor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
But back to the photograph.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, there are thousands of photographs of Taylor and Burton, her probably being the most photographed woman of the 20th century bar none. However, what intrigued me about <i>this</i> particular one is the expression on the faces of both, Taylor and Burton. It's perhaps the only photograph of a (<i>married</i>) couple I can think of that manages to perfection to capture their love for each other, making this <i>love</i> very obviously and believably visible, if not palpable.<br />
<br />
Taylor's face seems to say, "See, that's us, we're an item and always will be, and nothing and nobody will ever come between us", while his expression is one of complete devotion - perhaps even submission - to her.
I have no idea, of course, how long it took Watson to take the photograph, let alone if its end result is what he was after in the first place. All I know is that it's an outstandingly beautiful photograph - in all its simplicity - and that no matter how deep the feelings are between two people, I suppose that it still takes a highly skilled photographer to get these feelings across in one single image.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFynbQPwiLpf1rS_JtGyGIyuaEKE6jU3czOScQW5jR6yJOVwjwK3NW4nWBJOPwNsgd-vfVSC_DCYQFWW2eYZu1JEv2aXDOWOUc_IBYvwIjt6IoPnO1d6xLTomPFtoiLnXyk1DfAdCsA1dK/s1600/richard+burton+and+elizabeth+taylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFynbQPwiLpf1rS_JtGyGIyuaEKE6jU3czOScQW5jR6yJOVwjwK3NW4nWBJOPwNsgd-vfVSC_DCYQFWW2eYZu1JEv2aXDOWOUc_IBYvwIjt6IoPnO1d6xLTomPFtoiLnXyk1DfAdCsA1dK/s400/richard+burton+and+elizabeth+taylor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>Howsoever</i>.<br />
<br />
This, often referred to as <i>Marriage of the Century</i>, has become the subject of a book by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger, aptly titled <i>Furious Love</i>. Of course, you may argue that with theirs having been such a highly publicised affair - their excesses having been covered by the international press to a heretofore unprecedented degree - what can there <i>possibly</i> be that we don't know already?<br />
<br />
Well, for one thing, this, shall we say, <i>Anatomy of a Marriage</i>, was undertaken with the approval of none other than Dame Elizabeth Taylor herself. She even gave the authors unprecedented access to love letters by Richard Burton to her and the excerpts of these alone make the book worth reading. For it is one thing to know that theirs was indeed a <i>furious love</i>, but it's another to be presented with first-hand evidence, making you realise, for instance, that besides being a great actor, there also was a gifted poet hiding inside Burton.<br />
<br />
<i>Furious Love</i> is a monument -<i> a celebration</i> - to two of the most fascinating and talented, figures in film history, accurately retracing their affair, marriage, and collaborations, down to their excessive, fascinating, sometimes lurid, detail.<br />
<br />
Indeed, reading the book made me hanker for a different world, the <i>world of yesteryear</i>, a world beyond the false morality and political correctness of today where, instead of attending yoga class followed by a macro-biotic meal, only to be in bed by ten, two newly weds - after an excessive shopping spree on Via dei Condotti - would booze on champagne until dawn before passionately making love, looking much the worse for wear on the set the next day but couldn't care less ...
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb794AKMBYHXOgyKmDv06Oqoiuql-gPu8dnS4ORdfQ69wU0gUuGAYy7oiT8MusFqjGPCccQdz_5cj9BkeRa2fGtpRUwnxHfWMIvMlCHCEou-Mu85iog5NgcDD0bzqsKHw9W4wcGlxy8oj9/s1600/taylor+burton.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb794AKMBYHXOgyKmDv06Oqoiuql-gPu8dnS4ORdfQ69wU0gUuGAYy7oiT8MusFqjGPCccQdz_5cj9BkeRa2fGtpRUwnxHfWMIvMlCHCEou-Mu85iog5NgcDD0bzqsKHw9W4wcGlxy8oj9/s400/taylor+burton.png" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Sadly, Elizabeth Taylor died not that long after the publication of <i>Furious Love</i>. Rumour has it, that Martin Scorsese has since optioned the movie rights and that the film is slated to be released in 2014.<br />
<br />
<i>Furious Love </i>was published by Harper Collins in 2010. It is available on Amazon.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-68367655990424789772012-07-02T12:31:00.000-07:002012-07-03T03:22:51.329-07:00Heat: 3 Hot Classics To WatchAs entire parts of the planet are currently suffering under enormous heat-waves (Mid-West, Central Europe, etc.), it made me think of some movies where heat - or indeed heat-waves - are at the centre of the story or a crucial part of it. <br />
<br />
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, in movies heat, high temperatures, and heat waves are frequently used as metaphors for the sexual tension and chemistry between the main characters. Similarly, heat in movies also often symbolises - or leads to - violence, rightly suggesting that suffering heat-waves may wreak havoc with our emotions, in one way or another. Or with both, as is the case in Billy Wilder's <i>Double Indemnity</i>, where the physical attraction between Phyllis Dietrichson and Walter Neff is such that they decide to bump off Phyllis' husband. The references to the outside heat are few, however, in Wilder's film, but they are there. Equally in<br />
<span style="background-color: black;">Roman Polanski's Chinatown - incidentally also set in Los Angeles - where the persistent heat is being mentioned several times throughout the film as the violence increases and the film's main characters, Jake Gittes and Evelyn Mulwray, embark on their doomed love affair. Polanski's cinematographer, the brilliant John A. Alonzo, expertly managed to make the heat almost palpable using very bright key lights and medium close-ups, thus creating a claustrophobic atmosphere not dissimilar to how one feels when suffering under a heat-wave.</span><br />
<br />
Yet, the heat is not at the centre of the story and the references to it are subtle. <br />
<br />
They're a lot <i>less </i>subtle, however, in Lawrence Kasdan's <i>Bodyheat</i>, a quasi remake of <i>Double Indemnity</i>, shot almost 40 years later, showing everything Wilder couldn't show at the time due to the restrictions of the Hays Code, including some steamy sex scenes between Kathleen Turner and William Hurt which caused quite a stir, even in 1981, when<i> Bodyheat</i> was first released.
There are numerous references to the unusually hot weather - even for Florida, where the film is set; having read Turner's autobiography, however, I remember her talking about shooting <i>Bodyheat</i> on location in Florida and the terrible experience of pretending it to be scorching hot when, in actual fact, it was freezing cold as Florida suffered under an unusual cold spell at the time.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7AA_OzWyBqs" width="420"></iframe> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This - be warned: <i>raunchy</i> - scene below is followed by one of Turner and Hurt trying to cool off in the bath tub:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Gkn47Ga7f0w" width="420"></iframe> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Wilder's </span><i style="text-align: left;">7-Year Itch</i><span style="text-align: left;"> is set in the blistering heat of a New York summer where Tom Ewell's character is going through the 7-Year Itch, in other words, having been married for 7 years, the hot and <i>sultry </i>New York summer throws up heretofore unknown feelings in Ewell, especially as far as his new neighbour, an aspiring motion picture actress, is concerned. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">The film's - if not film history's - most famous scene is the one where, in order to cool off, Monroe catches the breeze coming up from a subway grate, causing her skirt to twirl up. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">Yes, here, the heat is also what does Ewell in - <i>sort of ..</i>. - though this being the 1950s, the scenes between the Monroe and Ewell character are very tame and nowhere near as steamy as the ones in </span><i style="text-align: left;">Bodyheat</i><span style="text-align: left;">. In fact, the film version of George Axelrod's play doesn't even go as far as the Broadway play, where Ewell and </span><i style="text-align: left;">the girl</i><span style="text-align: left;"> -remaining nameless throughout play and film - at least get the chance of a hot and steamy one-off.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fJgC549mpRk" style="text-align: left;" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="text-align: left;">Betty Blue</i><span style="text-align: left;">, Jean-Jacques Beneix' classic French film from 1986 has a subtitle in the original version which - sadly - was deleted from the US and UK versions, </span><i style="text-align: left;">Betty Blue, 37,2 degrees in the morning</i><span style="text-align: left;">, referring to the sweltering temperatures that pervade almost throughout the picture. Beneix' amour fou is as disturbing as it is beautiful, revolving as it does, around the obsessive love of a young woman, played by Beatrice Dalle, for an odd-jobs man, played by Jean-Hugues Anglade. Their - at the beginning at least - reciprocal love is set against the rugged beauty of the Languedoc region in the South of France where the mid-summer heat is matched by the violently passionate love scenes between Dalle and Anglade. </span></div>
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">However, as Dalle's character slips ever deeper into self-destructive madness, and the heat gives way to somewhat cooler temperatures, the otherwise mesmerising film gets ever more painful to watch.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YydulEgsTOE" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4l3NG2NqyaY" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><i>Bodyheat</i>, <i>The 7-Year Itch</i>, and <i>Betty Blue</i> are all available on AMAZON</span><span style="text-align: left;">. So are <i>Double Indemnity</i> and <i>Chinatown</i>. </span></div>Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-90973316414583658932012-06-22T13:14:00.000-07:002012-06-23T03:47:21.745-07:00Johannes Vermeer, 1632 - 1675<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__1AwiQLVwxTvjOey9hYP1mLyfVAujn33Ky3gPpnivsjtX78sOMwuEr-tJNKFlJvfcWC3gU-_coGPgMpgipFGOCGEiyIsuKim-GRov0op2kxto-Aly4Q3yB1kILIwvG7KZzrtBXglGygj/s1600/Johannes_Vermeer_%25281632-1675%2529_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_%25281665%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__1AwiQLVwxTvjOey9hYP1mLyfVAujn33Ky3gPpnivsjtX78sOMwuEr-tJNKFlJvfcWC3gU-_coGPgMpgipFGOCGEiyIsuKim-GRov0op2kxto-Aly4Q3yB1kILIwvG7KZzrtBXglGygj/s400/Johannes_Vermeer_%25281632-1675%2529_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_%25281665%2529.jpg" width="280" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Girl with a Pearl Earring, Mauritshuis, The Hague</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The paintings of Johannes Vermeer have fascinated me ever since I was a child. I suppose that back then I was primarily drawn to them by the quietude and peace they exuded as well as, of course, by their sheer beauty. Moreover, I was quite simply awestruck by the way Vermeer managed to make his paintings look <i>real</i>, to the point where it became well nigh impossible to tell whether they're paintings or photographs. Photography, of course, had yet to be invented; nevertheless the fact that Vermeer in his paintings excelled at imitating reality and came as close to photography as anyone could get in the 17th century, surely is part of their attraction - then <i>and</i> now. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEgfJLdlZCXLz1P9yHI8_tazAX6IZ1dwW037fR9rPDtIS_laaawGnoF-31eakGmDn_Gq-FItm8XEO9SceWk_KYwbQwasMgiyxHILpjxilsouLJOuyFqw5VaQnx6cdJzc9yYVNG9zV94UB/s1600/A+Lady+Writing+a+Letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEgfJLdlZCXLz1P9yHI8_tazAX6IZ1dwW037fR9rPDtIS_laaawGnoF-31eakGmDn_Gq-FItm8XEO9SceWk_KYwbQwasMgiyxHILpjxilsouLJOuyFqw5VaQnx6cdJzc9yYVNG9zV94UB/s400/A+Lady+Writing+a+Letter.jpg" width="358" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Lady Writing a Letter, National Gallery, Washington</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Years ago, I embarked on several trips around the world to see those of Vermeer's paintings that I hadn't yet seen. Since there are a mere 36 paintings of his that have survived, all in various museums spread across exactly 13 cities in 6 countries (USA: New York, Washington, Princeton; France: Paris; UK: London, Edinburgh; Ireland: Dublin; The Netherlands: Amsterdam, The Hague; Germany: Frankfurt, Brunswick, Berlin, Dresden), the term <i>around the world</i> is, I suppose a slight exaggeration. But it was nonetheless nothing short of a revelation to finally lay eyes on each and every actual painting of his instead of just looking at their reproductions.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-kwrH4zEG1MqQBmfQcg2sXbEOTLTu6wXE5rH0ONnhH0IBhvKKB8N4Rho0qj_luxK3etBkfaieat0r3FAAnR_g8bn0dsDRndGqtCbDsVnqOfWhRB1rydkfOhsWSPOeEd2NhaJuZuXB2a/s1600/a+woman+reading+a+letter+at+an+open+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSi-kwrH4zEG1MqQBmfQcg2sXbEOTLTu6wXE5rH0ONnhH0IBhvKKB8N4Rho0qj_luxK3etBkfaieat0r3FAAnR_g8bn0dsDRndGqtCbDsVnqOfWhRB1rydkfOhsWSPOeEd2NhaJuZuXB2a/s400/a+woman+reading+a+letter+at+an+open+window.jpg" width="268" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Lady Reading a Letter at an Open Window, Gemaeldegalerie, Dresden</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A revelation indeed - for looking at Vermeer's paintings up-close (or as up-close as museum security will let you), what becomes evident is that the effect of imitating reality and making his painting look like a photograph (though they wouldn't of course have called it that, since photography hadn't yet been invented) is one that is only discernible at a certain distance. If scrutinised, his paintings will appear<i> pixelised</i>, so to speak, with their true and intended effect best coming across when stepping back a foot or two. According to Anthony Bailey's intriguing study on Vermeer - <i>A View of Delft, Vermeer Then and Now </i>- decades later, the technique Vermeer used would be admired and emulated by the Impressionists. Interestingly, one of Vermeer's contemporaries, Diego Velazquez, would also influence the Impressionists, particularly Edouard Manet, though Vermeer and Velazquez apparently never met, nor did they use the same technique. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2X6SiHJO5_sDlRYR2_pVb4YnnP2IBhhTOd3hKj5_zkYidtroTmuznpEzHvcCQAMsNSqbqVcLa9XXthvXzad7zZJbsbq2Xuv5S_Z3TL36CeU8LtWAVPfeg-y3IE7zgluxTPnQ3o6k2yDA/s1600/lacemaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2X6SiHJO5_sDlRYR2_pVb4YnnP2IBhhTOd3hKj5_zkYidtroTmuznpEzHvcCQAMsNSqbqVcLa9XXthvXzad7zZJbsbq2Xuv5S_Z3TL36CeU8LtWAVPfeg-y3IE7zgluxTPnQ3o6k2yDA/s400/lacemaker.jpg" width="349" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Lacemaker, Louvre, Paris</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
However, Vermeer's paintings recall photographs on another level, inasmuch as virtually all of them show people - mostly women - in motion, as it were, in the middle of doing something, such as weighing pearls, putting on a necklace, reading or writing a letter, and so on. Ad such, his paintings are not unlike snapshots, or put differently, they are the 17th century equivalent of a snapshot. While painting his subjects <i>once the deed was done</i> (meaning, after the pitcher had been put down, the pearls put on, etc.) would seem the obvious thing to do, Vermeer practically always chose to paint them as they were in the process of finishing a task. Doing the opposite, I guess, would have made his paintings quite simply <i>portraits</i>, which is what many - though by no means all - of his contemporaries tended to do. Even what, perhaps, may be called his most famous painting - <i>Girl with a Pearl Earring</i> - the one that comes closest to be classified as a portrait, rather than simply looking straight at the viewer, the girl is also seen in motion as she seems to turn around, looking over her left shoulder.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLi8b24liVncPUloI480x2xeXPUidIGVIvoEFRAfV552kj3DHYMNRKv8qOg52cim3D_1ZJVUbnk6vDVU5xjK-1U8zB0dXZSnSEaEAHiRxA-Kt2gBn9nZTd9grRJaOVrmBzw-Vu4UYpeoaI/s1600/The+Love+Letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLi8b24liVncPUloI480x2xeXPUidIGVIvoEFRAfV552kj3DHYMNRKv8qOg52cim3D_1ZJVUbnk6vDVU5xjK-1U8zB0dXZSnSEaEAHiRxA-Kt2gBn9nZTd9grRJaOVrmBzw-Vu4UYpeoaI/s400/The+Love+Letter.jpg" width="346" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The Love Letter, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Vermeer was what I'd call an <i>economic</i> painter, a master of composition. Besides his subjects, the objects that surround them are few and, I would argue, carefully chosen. And while their arrangement looks ever so haphazard, I'm sure Vermeer took great care arranging them the way they best fitted the composition he had in mind. A far cry from the - often very cluttered - paintings of some of his peers, Vermeer's seem downright empty. Yet it is this purity and clarity that make his paintings so elegant.
That, and the exquisite use of colours. Again, I am convinced that what seems to random and incidental was, in fact, the result of careful deliberation on his part. But it's not just the way he <i>used</i> colours, it is also the colours themselves - especially the blues and the yellows - that are so much more alive, and so much more intense, than the same (or rather: <i>similar</i>) colours in the paintings by his peers. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHABWrggbmJpxBl4RIgKS6QV6fczdeqXPAkLQYGTm8jKy6OgKW_qi5XmOcdH9ieGvjjHwZ9AErSLUnV5Qa2aNyTIO331gXTbnc-SYDncD4HfAsWoiQie41Fzj_dDzrereB7jEEMzrt4yM/s1600/woman+with+a+pearl+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHABWrggbmJpxBl4RIgKS6QV6fczdeqXPAkLQYGTm8jKy6OgKW_qi5XmOcdH9ieGvjjHwZ9AErSLUnV5Qa2aNyTIO331gXTbnc-SYDncD4HfAsWoiQie41Fzj_dDzrereB7jEEMzrt4yM/s400/woman+with+a+pearl+necklace.jpg" width="346" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Woman with a Pearl Necklace, Gemaeldegalerie, Berlin</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Part of our ongoing fascination with Vermeer's work is the fact that so little is known about him or the women in his paintings. Who were they? Why did he paint them? Were the paintings commissioned? Much of Vermeer's background and the genesis of his paintings is shrouded in mystery. This, needless to say, contributes not a little to why we're so captivated by them.
This paucity of information regarding Vermeer's life and work has also inspired a great deal of speculation, resulting in a number of novels, and even films. The best known example may be Tracy Chevalier's <i>Girl with a Pearl Earring</i>, in which she cleverly traces - or rather: imagines - the genesis of this, Vermeer's most famous painting. In so doing, Chevalier, also goes into much detail concerning the paint Vermeer used and in everything she describes, including Vermeer's studio, his patrons, and his family life, it is obvious that she did her homework, immersing herself in 17th century Dutch history, resulting in a meticulously woven and carefully constructed story that is as compelling to read as it is instructive. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92p5_PT1zdO8sil4EAsI9Eyw4MXWtEC0dT0QsuKaK37PRknYoLlJRjm3k7fINaFjSGZhcgD8zCYyTg-TluPrfnZOM1WjdGnu2U1Za7RTZJ_EOHT3x-dD4fqBdJ-avlH9thIiAuE9n7Spk/s1600/woman+with+water+jug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92p5_PT1zdO8sil4EAsI9Eyw4MXWtEC0dT0QsuKaK37PRknYoLlJRjm3k7fINaFjSGZhcgD8zCYyTg-TluPrfnZOM1WjdGnu2U1Za7RTZJ_EOHT3x-dD4fqBdJ-avlH9thIiAuE9n7Spk/s400/woman+with+water+jug.jpg" width="354" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Woman with a Water Pitcher, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As with every bestseller, this one, too, was soon picked up by a film studio, though as with most great books, they usually turn into bad films. Or rather, <i>get turned</i> into bad films. But bad is perhaps too strong a word. Peter Webber's film isn't bad, it's just uninspired and inconsequential, and a far cry from being as spellbinding as the book it is based on.
Let alone the painting!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQODp6lZHqvKyDWNF-QGFqmC7khhKDnL8MSiyZjsmc4oZPmCPmswrc_AR93xNmIgSwLskFIK665YNYEjrVHZ9xkhQT5fYBu7JFuB_Q_40-5zADjVIOgK3ehcUhuJsHaNPVov5kN7gdUcbB/s1600/girl_with_a_pearl_earring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQODp6lZHqvKyDWNF-QGFqmC7khhKDnL8MSiyZjsmc4oZPmCPmswrc_AR93xNmIgSwLskFIK665YNYEjrVHZ9xkhQT5fYBu7JFuB_Q_40-5zADjVIOgK3ehcUhuJsHaNPVov5kN7gdUcbB/s400/girl_with_a_pearl_earring.jpg" width="270" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For those about to head for Tokyo, visiting the exhibition <a href="http://www.nmwa.go.jp/en/exhibitions/2012berlin.html#mainClm">From Renaissance to Rococo - Four Centuries of European Drawing, Painting and Sculpture</a> currently shown at Tokyo's
<b>National Museum Of Western Art</b>, is a great opportunity to see a few of Vermeers paintings, among them <i>Woman with a pearl Necklace</i>, on loan from Berlin's Gemaeldegalerie. </div>Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-65094456246376328772012-06-14T00:56:00.000-07:002012-06-14T13:09:37.575-07:00Fashioning Fashion<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfugICmRLueMc0XpirMsLhqeUKQZVK2CrgVQvgtg4BqzZZeCbUmYr2-1w8aoCFl1iYOBleMzg-tA3UMTv0yJJBDxJMpw4y6KuQz0H7c-PJH8AiqTMFfpcQM-8a8tka2jQHc7UcIezOzN_/s1600/LA+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfugICmRLueMc0XpirMsLhqeUKQZVK2CrgVQvgtg4BqzZZeCbUmYr2-1w8aoCFl1iYOBleMzg-tA3UMTv0yJJBDxJMpw4y6KuQz0H7c-PJH8AiqTMFfpcQM-8a8tka2jQHc7UcIezOzN_/s400/LA+poster.jpg" width="301" /></a> </div>
<br />
Fashioning Fashion is an exhibition on European fashions between 1700 and 1915.<br />
<br />
The exhibition has been jointly put together by the Los Angeles County Museum and Berlin's German Historical Museum, which runs a series of films to accompany the show.<br />
<br />
Its subtitle - European fashion between 1700 and 1915 - is rather a misnomer for what it actually <i>does </i>show, are French and English fashions of that period as the overwhelming majority of exhibits are from those two countries, begging the question if Italian, Swedish, Austrian or German women went naked ... Well, they didn't, of course, and my guess is, that because the influence and power wielded by those two countries was so strong that the rest of Europe also looked to them with regard to everything concerning etiquette, architecture - and apparel, and giving the visitor some background information and historical insight to that end, including a word about the choice of dresses, certainly would have benefited the exhibition.<br />
<br />
For as I said, this is merely my <i>guess</i>, for let's not forget that Austria was a very powerful country, too, at the time, and so were a handful of other European nations, which is why putting the exhibition in some basic historical context would have been helpful, if not fundamental.
And even though France and England <i>may</i> have been the countries everybody else took their cue from, it still might have been interesting to see some examples of dresses from other (European) countries, if only to identify variations in craftsmanship or national adaptations and modifications, if indeed there were any.<br />
<br />
It may well be that period dresses from countries other than France and England weren't available or the respective museums unwilling to loan them out, in which case this information should have been passed on to the visitors.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuklgodtzkqso-5wCNPpfstVPJMmWsbkj-dnLJny94v1yKfXsoLueMnC3BzkZQunlM7l0PCZ84xa48OBSUXMDbCiMLNhPjfUXiNcyzNjI3Yuyqtmd3LMk8ZctoVuTUhOblBnoQITlU3LE/s1600/DHM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuklgodtzkqso-5wCNPpfstVPJMmWsbkj-dnLJny94v1yKfXsoLueMnC3BzkZQunlM7l0PCZ84xa48OBSUXMDbCiMLNhPjfUXiNcyzNjI3Yuyqtmd3LMk8ZctoVuTUhOblBnoQITlU3LE/s400/DHM.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That said, the exhibition itself has been beautifully put together by Belgian scenographer Bob Verhelst, who was in charge of the overall look, such as the the colour scheme and the design, of the show. However, to make the show more dynamic and to put the garments into a historical and cultural context, including paintings, drawings and sketches pertaining to the fashions of that time and period, might have helped. As it is, there are simply the - albeit beautifully dressed - mannequins and next to them explanations as to the fabric, trims, and tailoring of the dresses and suits on show. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And there are, of course, <i>the films</i>! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There, one wonders what <i>Gone With the Wind</i> is doing in the film section (entitled <i>costume films</i>) of an exhibition that's supposed to be about <i>European</i> fashions while, for instance, any version of <i>Dangerous Liaisons</i> is sadly missing. It's a bit of a random mix that includes films like<i> Room With a View </i>as well as, believe it or not, <i>Muenchhausen</i>.<br />
<br />
A(ny) link between the selection of films and the actual exhibition would certainly have been beneficial.<br />
<br />
Also missing is an explanation of the genre of the costume film - if indeed it is one - and defining of what makes a film a costume film - is it just the fact that a film's costumes are fancy? Or because it's a period drama? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Regardless of all that, it nonetheless is a delight to be able to see <i>Gone With the Wind</i> on the big screen again! </div>Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-25249513766769124182012-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:002012-06-14T03:04:39.770-07:00AFI Life Achievement Award For Shirley MacLaineLast night, Shirley MacLaine was the 40th recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.
<br />
<br />
In a glamorous gala ceremony at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, Maclaine was seated amidst Julia Roberts and previous Life Achievement Award recipient, Meryl Streep, who later bestowed the award upon MacLaine.<br />
<br />
Other presenters included MacLaine's brother, Warren Beatty, her sister-in-law, Annette Bening, and her co-star in the film that won her the Academy Award for Best Actress, Jack Nicholson, who played her love interest in <i>Terms Of Endearment</i> (James Brooks, US 1983).<br />
<br />
Looking at MacLaine's recent output it's easy to forget that she participated in a number of milestones in cinema history, for instance <i>Being There, </i>Hal Ashby's much underrated masterpiece from 1980, <i>Sweet Charity</i>, or<i> </i>Vincente Minnelli's best film, <i>Some Came Running</i>, from 1960.<br />
<br />
She was fortunate enough to collaborate with Hitchcock, who offered her her first part in movies, in his black comedy, <i>The Trouble with Harry</i>, back in 1955. MacLaine arrived in Hollywood at the cusp when the studio system was about to disintegrate, yet the so-called New Hollywood that would soon emerge, had little to offer her, perhaps because she was still somehow identified with the old system. As a result, directors like Alan J. Pakula, Michael Cimino, Francis Ford Coppola or Sydney Lumet seemed to have little use for her - with the exception of Hal Ashby, who, however, recognised Maclaine outstanding comic talent which substantially contributed to make <i>Being There</i> the hilarious, dark, <i>way-before-its-time</i>, media satire that it actually is.<br />
<br />
That MacLaine isn't identified with a specific era in film history may be part of the reason that she's had such a long and successful career, avoiding the fate of so many actresses who, for instance, rose to fame in the 1970s, collaborated on a number of New Hollywood movies - only to subsequently disappear into oblivion. Think of Jane Alexander, Karen Black, Katherine Ross, or Genevieve Bujold, to name but a few. <br />
<br />
Other reasons are her staying power and - quite simply - her talent. Difficult to label or classify as she's as convincing in musicals as she is in comedies or dramas, Maclaine, now pushing eighty, is still regularly offered work. One of her upcoming appearances include the part of Elizabeth McGovern's wealthy mother in the British television series, <i>Downton Abbey</i>. Rumour has it, that her scenes with Maggie Smith are bringing a new meaning to the word <i>hilarious</i>, something which I can easily believe. <br />
<br />
<i>Congratulations, Shirley! </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVFKPwUoIBa000OwLBvZB70OTtAZ_POP-OuPr6PGwvqN2zFg6pQLxWTB2Q0OEYTipqQOMpZJZUNIiCX46Cjnku1F_8Gulfod3mI3AHW2lKL0ZVQ6dMfFT_ND0qncHPbvavXl5Y81z_wXJ/s1600/Meryl_Streep_Shirley_MacLaine_a_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVFKPwUoIBa000OwLBvZB70OTtAZ_POP-OuPr6PGwvqN2zFg6pQLxWTB2Q0OEYTipqQOMpZJZUNIiCX46Cjnku1F_8Gulfod3mI3AHW2lKL0ZVQ6dMfFT_ND0qncHPbvavXl5Y81z_wXJ/s400/Meryl_Streep_Shirley_MacLaine_a_l.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0A3U2wI4yvvIGw3KwHiyu0v06lFOILeSMf1-Vrq6fr8yMnGHxqevZkODaTVQ6sqEzbLNrPnqFWa3rdoUSfxRaTvEpCck-zGlSy7cRDz-6p-2IiYtGZ_aoE4LJeFPLMfSyeoL1HogZ1lMW/s1600/Jack_Nickolson_a_p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0A3U2wI4yvvIGw3KwHiyu0v06lFOILeSMf1-Vrq6fr8yMnGHxqevZkODaTVQ6sqEzbLNrPnqFWa3rdoUSfxRaTvEpCck-zGlSy7cRDz-6p-2IiYtGZ_aoE4LJeFPLMfSyeoL1HogZ1lMW/s400/Jack_Nickolson_a_p.jpg" width="300" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRth2HRcNA3X4o4GRP4u26lizUVCZIqCUFKhhvbdCpqD89GEOIVZ9HYkSOJO766p6XRMP_P9fGO99S2b5_4xz5vzZyV1tCHKqQ-iDbrEiDWtsTNgB9RwigNCfshX-t2uWi5gy-lGLGRWIA/s1600/Annette_Bening_Warren_Beatty_a_p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRth2HRcNA3X4o4GRP4u26lizUVCZIqCUFKhhvbdCpqD89GEOIVZ9HYkSOJO766p6XRMP_P9fGO99S2b5_4xz5vzZyV1tCHKqQ-iDbrEiDWtsTNgB9RwigNCfshX-t2uWi5gy-lGLGRWIA/s400/Annette_Bening_Warren_Beatty_a_p.jpg" width="300" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBGVPbheSwV-3AXNSu8D_3ShUQfM6Evu6VqrWHzBprgqo7-H0sHOQ7cxIfFMRD7by19ipeNGACzUNkNHSvL6_jXEN3svoM_xOdY95TS80rOjRGLB_16YlkYby1135EpK1L5od_YUPKJ36/s1600/Meryl_Streep_Shirley_MacLaine_Julia_Roberts_a_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBGVPbheSwV-3AXNSu8D_3ShUQfM6Evu6VqrWHzBprgqo7-H0sHOQ7cxIfFMRD7by19ipeNGACzUNkNHSvL6_jXEN3svoM_xOdY95TS80rOjRGLB_16YlkYby1135EpK1L5od_YUPKJ36/s400/Meryl_Streep_Shirley_MacLaine_Julia_Roberts_a_l.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-83888347059237313192012-05-30T03:00:00.000-07:002012-05-31T07:14:08.688-07:00Questions Of Identity And NationalityThe recent win of the Palme d'Or for Michael Haneke's <i>Amour</i> threw the question up again: is it a French film by an Austrian director or a French film by a German director or an Austrian film shot in French by an Austrian director ... or simply a European film by a ... European (?), Austrian (?), German (?) director?<br />
<br />
To be sure, <i>Amour</i> was co-produced by France, Germany, and Austria while Haneke is German born, yet has lived in Austria for most of his life. The question of identity is one that as far as Haneke himself is concerned, only he can answer - is he German, because that's not only where he's been born, but that's also where he shot many of his films, or is he Austrian, because that's where he grew up and that's - perhaps - how he <i>feels</i>? Does it matter with two countries so similar in culture? Does it matter to Haneke? Does it matter <i>at all</i>? Especially in a global age such as ours where for many people, the question of identity is increasingly difficult to answer, not to mention the fact that with regard to Europe, borders disappear and with it, border controls.<br />
<br />
But do they?
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yHOtGeoAE6F0G6ScG9xkrKlanmsXzI-7dCFjEDG8inw1JcGdvOTZqw6ExUJ4_21OycWHhWsPn5KFEBGNTg77KbXnM3KKqLkvi9k3hXlPL4L296qk2ysifhyphenhyphenxKkxKb0iuE7Ia7YC1PqE3/s1600/haneke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yHOtGeoAE6F0G6ScG9xkrKlanmsXzI-7dCFjEDG8inw1JcGdvOTZqw6ExUJ4_21OycWHhWsPn5KFEBGNTg77KbXnM3KKqLkvi9k3hXlPL4L296qk2ysifhyphenhyphenxKkxKb0iuE7Ia7YC1PqE3/s400/haneke.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Michael Haneke </div>
<br />
<br />
Sometimes, I get the impression that if anything, the disappearance of these borders seems to have resulted in an increase for a need of a national identity - at least in Europe - so as if to seek shelter and reassurance behind a country's flag in exceedingly precarious and unsettled times.
I wonder, if this need for identity, to belong to a particular nation, is a European phenomenon. In other words, is it the same for American (directors, actors, etc.), or are identities in the US easier to define: if you're not born American, moving to America makes you so?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOcznjDbA10i3e38O9BRMBLTuj6CGR_8r6bUb4L7IhyphenhyphenYz7YeWVVlW5KEXAVuuglHC5QjQFGp8s3SwnVIolMluQ6SwygbH023j5-Wybr1Xe0lhK-8S2PkM4Gm3BU6qqmdwMkY91TRLYPiM/s1600/schneider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOcznjDbA10i3e38O9BRMBLTuj6CGR_8r6bUb4L7IhyphenhyphenYz7YeWVVlW5KEXAVuuglHC5QjQFGp8s3SwnVIolMluQ6SwygbH023j5-Wybr1Xe0lhK-8S2PkM4Gm3BU6qqmdwMkY91TRLYPiM/s400/schneider.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Romy Schneider </div>
<br />
The question is by no means a new one. The most prominent example (in European cinema at least) may well be Romy Schneider. She was born in Vienna, but grew up in Germany, where she's lived for the better part of her life. Yet she's perhaps most identified today as a French actress, France having been her, shall we say, <i>spiritual</i> home, and I daresay, the country she was most happy in (if 'happy' is indeed an apt term to use in connection with Romy Schneider whose much troubled life ended way too soon). Today, Romy Schneider is claimed by all three countries - Austria in particular, although she never actually lived there and only one of her parents was Austrian. Her breakthrough as an actress and her biggest success, commercially, took place in Germany.<br />
<br />
That said, Romy detested her German films more and more and wanted nothing more than shedding that 'Sissi' image which, so she said herself, "stuck to her like oatmeal". Moreover, the fact that her mother had a house close to Hitler's in Berchtesgaden which is where Romy grew up, tormented her more the older she got. Especially, after she'd moved to France which, after all, suffered heavily under Nazi occupation, never mind that there were a substantial number of collaborators on the French side, too.
On the same token, though she made a number of commercially successful films in France, too, and was voted the most popular <i>French</i> actress in 1980 - the directors of the <i>Nouvelle Vague</i> had as little use for her as did their German counterparts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Q5PSuOfZnYfbPPOUqmDBKEHYHvP3p7OHtvszDh4AMAWck84O4d1_ixTdN2mJDWwSWjdDBv8F_Y5NxYHjBGb8TRIjTI6rA1WxPunjBTGc7FB3AG7y7lpUorZgFfuOuPc2ZeG6vJCIGSCW/s1600/alexandra_maria_lara_1920_1200_may032009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Q5PSuOfZnYfbPPOUqmDBKEHYHvP3p7OHtvszDh4AMAWck84O4d1_ixTdN2mJDWwSWjdDBv8F_Y5NxYHjBGb8TRIjTI6rA1WxPunjBTGc7FB3AG7y7lpUorZgFfuOuPc2ZeG6vJCIGSCW/s400/alexandra_maria_lara_1920_1200_may032009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alexandra Maria Lara </div>
<br />
More recent examples regarding the question of identity include, for instance, Alexandra Maria Lara, who's Romanian-born, but immigrated with her parents to Germany at the age of four. I'm fairly certain that if someone were to ask her how she felt, she'd most probably say German, after all, that's where she's lived for most of her life. And yet, the international media usually calls her a<i> German-Romanian</i> or even a <i>Romanian</i> actress.<br />
<br />
Again: It's probably her only that knows how she feels about her national identity or indeed if she has <i>any</i> at all. Is it one's language(s), the passport, the place of birth or the place one grows up in that determines one's national identity? And again - what does it <i>really</i> matter? It seems to, somehow, because be that BBC or most other media, there appears to be an eradicable need to put a country before a person's name, 'the French actress so-and-so', 'the Brazilian director ...' and so on.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx90w9Ax0qf2l9Z6xKeZ_hasTOkqHIfAERoy6-HklggQ-iyvYVWDylQkoioBVc52k4VBVDiAObBdUezWevFc0N9UAfD6cwv_gDeP23R3m6OhEeOR9NBdwtWvzN1l6zdEfJT00AqUvRItCt/s1600/dietrich-marlene-knight-without-armor_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx90w9Ax0qf2l9Z6xKeZ_hasTOkqHIfAERoy6-HklggQ-iyvYVWDylQkoioBVc52k4VBVDiAObBdUezWevFc0N9UAfD6cwv_gDeP23R3m6OhEeOR9NBdwtWvzN1l6zdEfJT00AqUvRItCt/s400/dietrich-marlene-knight-without-armor_01.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Marlene Dietrich </div>
<br />
Oddly enough, in the case of Marlene Dietrich it has never been contested that she was German. That's how the German people and the German as well as the international media saw her. However, <i>how</i> did Dietrich see it? How did she define herself? <i>Did</i> she at all? Though I suppose she must have done, for it was upon her own request that her body was buried in Berlin, though one could also rightly argue that the place of burial says equally little about one's national identity (though that would make Romy Scheider French, for she's buried in Boissy-Sans-Avoir, the village she'd bought a house in just a few weeks prior to her death).<br />
<br />
And yet, Dietrich became an American citizen in 1939 - and never gave up her American citizenship, not even after her move to France in the mid-1970s - and following her departure for the US in 1930, she only returned to Germany on a couple of occasions: twice before the war, and twice after the war. So surely, one's passport or citizenship say as little about a person's national identity as everything else.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, both would make, say, Fatih Akin a great deal more German than Dietrich could ever wish to be for Akin was born in Hamburg - where he's lived all his life - and has a German passport, though Fatih Akin, too, is frequently - and I believe incorrectly - introduced by the (international) media as <i>German-Turkish</i>. Whether he sees himself as German or German-Turkish I don't know. To me, he's German.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvDHlxvI5upFkY2ErMdfPxgsB5bmTXxGqJwQIdAIP09g-FXG8FnNEtyhmx4A4-8H-cWROO7AiK6O-jXTZNPcQCd14eIljGgebmKKFlzT5hJ0kUIM__2er4WCJfEw8eJId9YMM4E25whQ/s1600/fatih_akin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvDHlxvI5upFkY2ErMdfPxgsB5bmTXxGqJwQIdAIP09g-FXG8FnNEtyhmx4A4-8H-cWROO7AiK6O-jXTZNPcQCd14eIljGgebmKKFlzT5hJ0kUIM__2er4WCJfEw8eJId9YMM4E25whQ/s400/fatih_akin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Fatih Akin </div>
<br />
The question of one's national identity, brought to the fore with the emergence of the nation state, seems to become increasingly difficult to define in the globalised world of the 21st century. As the world has become smaller, it has made people across the globe more mobile. The UK of today regards itself as an 'immigrant country', so do many in Germany view their own country where close to 25% of the population have an immigrant background (e.g.one or both parents are of foreign descent). Whether this fact makes the issue of <i>national identity </i>redundant is open for discussion. It certainly contributed to rekindle nationalist movements across Europe that strive to emphasise particular values they believe to be indigenous to a certain people by excluding others.<br />
<br />
While it cannot be denied that there are things, traits, and customs that may be labelled typically French or typically German or whatever, perhaps with immigrants accounting for a substantial part of a population in countries across the globe, national identities have become more supple, less rigid, and therefore they need, I believe, to be redefined.<br />
<br />
That, of course, still doesn't answer the question whether Michael Haneke (or Romy Schneider) are German or Austrian or even French. But, as I suggested earlier, perhaps in this day and age, it simply no longer matters. Or, if anything, it's a question everyone has to answer for themselves.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-13499909311677489322012-05-27T10:59:00.000-07:002012-05-27T11:01:18.615-07:00Cannes Film Festival 2012 - The Winners<b>FEATURE FILMS</b>
<b>Palme d'Or</b><br />
<br />
AMOUR (LOVE) directed by Michael HANEKE<br />
<br />
<b>Grand Prix</b><br />
<br />
REALITY directed by Matteo GARRONE<br />
<br />
<b>Award for Best Director</b><br />
<br />
Carlos REYGADAS for POST TENEBRAS LUX<br />
<br />
<b>Award for Best Screenplay</b><br />
<br />
Cristian MUNGIU for DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS)<br />
<br />
<b>Award for Best Actress</b><br />
<br />
Cristina FLUTUR in DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS) directed by Cristian MUNGIU, Cosmina STRATAN in DUPÃ DEALURI (BEYOND THE HILLS) directed by Cristian MUNGIU<br />
<br />
<b>Award for Best Actor</b><br />
<br />
Mads MIKKELSEN in JAGTEN (THE HUNT) directed by Thomas VINTERBERG<br />
<br />
<b>Jury Prize</b><br />
<br />
THE ANGELS' SHARE directed by Ken LOACH<br />
<br />
<b>SHORT FILMS</b><br />
<br />
<b>Palme d'Or - Short Film</b><br />
<br />
SESSIZ-BE DENG (SILENT) directed by L.Rezan YESILBASMartin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-20216154663491023842012-05-21T04:05:00.000-07:002012-05-27T03:58:31.539-07:00Marilyn Monroe - The Biography, By Donald Spoto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9h8MZ-REk7ytKNrcKRUivoK6QCW3EQt3H-upASEoH2OtmrJAOfnXBqSMzvbLC5-MinjlyzU5M0qoDT9Mji02aZ009jvf90wuQxpIC3RRemq5i9K1Q2f4HERD5G7bZfmq3vpBTdNCtwS7/s1600/AB17_61_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9h8MZ-REk7ytKNrcKRUivoK6QCW3EQt3H-upASEoH2OtmrJAOfnXBqSMzvbLC5-MinjlyzU5M0qoDT9Mji02aZ009jvf90wuQxpIC3RRemq5i9K1Q2f4HERD5G7bZfmq3vpBTdNCtwS7/s400/AB17_61_2.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
<br />
This August (<i>4 August</i>, to be precise) exactly 50 years ago, Marilyn Monroe died in circumstances which to this day don't cease to invite and inspire the wildest and most unlikely conspiracy theories. 20 years ago, the acclaimed film historian Donald Spoto intended to put an end to them once and for all by writing the <i>definitive </i>book on Monroe by shedding new light on the mystery surrounding her demise.<br />
<br />
The title Donald Spoto chose for his study on the greatest and arguably most famous movie star in history, is very apt indeed - <i>The Biography</i> - for it suggests that it is the only one around which, of course, it isn't. In fact, there are scads of books on Monroe available, more, probably, than on any other Hollywood star, though the emphasis is on <i>book</i>. For what's commonly available on Monroe has little to do with any biography - let alone one that is well researched and based on empirical data - notwithstanding the fact that their authors take great pains to pass them off as such. Unsurprisingly, the majority of these <i>books</i> are little more than thinly veiled attempts to cash in on the Monroe legend or to be precise, on the mystery surrounding her death. Thus they abound in conspiracy theories by adding fuel to the rumours, claims, and accounts regarding an alleged affair between Monroe and Robert Kennedy, an affair, which Spoto exhaustively proves actually never happened.<br />
<br />
Spoto covers Monroe's life over nearly 700 pages. Having read other books by him before (on Hitchcock and Crawford) I hoped that this one, too, would be equally thoroughly researched and critical by also betraying his respect and admiration for the book's subject. My hopes weren't disappointed. If anything, the quality of Spoto's study - a word I deliberately employ here as the much overused term <i>biography </i> doesn't do it justice given the impressive research that evidently went into his book - on Monroe even exceeds his other works. That might have to do, first of all, with the fact that Spoto is a great admirer of Monroe, something which is clearly obvious by reading the book and which is something I consider to be a prerequisite for such an undertaking. For why bother, otherwise? Secondly, as a pre eminent film historian, Spoto must have been well aware of all the countless inaccuracies and the often calculated, exploitative fiction, that have been published on Monroe and her tragic life over the years, and decided she deserved the truth to finally be brought to light.<br />
<br />
Coming from any writer other than Spoto, a title as this - The Biography - might easily come across as sophomoric or braggy. But this being Spoto, the book more than lives up to the title's promise. It is a biography worthy of the name. And it is indeed <i>the biography</i>. To say it bluntly, having read several others on Monroe myself, this is the only one worth reading. The <i>definitive</i> study on her. Comprehensibly, Spoto does away with murky murder and conspiracy theories which might make could copy, but which have little to do with the truth which, it should be added, is actually far sadder and far more tragic than the many myths, lies and half-truths that have been circulating for half a century. These might have filled the pockets of some of their creators, but they were of no service to Monroe, who deserved better than this. In fact, what these ruthless peddlers of rumours have been doing precisely mirrors what many of the people Monroe was surrounded by during her lifetime did: using her for their own self-serving purposes, this is especially true for her shrink, the infamous Dr. Greenson, and Monroe's housekeeper, Eunice Murray who, as Spoto suggests, was little more than Greenson's stooge.<br />
<br />
Rather than relying on previous accounts and books published on the subject, Spoto based his study solely on empirical data, letters, documents, and oral histories to recapitulate Monroe's life and demise. Starting as far back as her great grandfather, he also refutes those who claim that Monroe's biological family had a history of mental illness. Therefore, Spoto's book was a revelation in more than just one way. For instance, Spoto also amply demonstrates that far from being depressed during her last weeks, as generally believed, Monroe was in fact in great spirits, looking forward to a future, 'she couldn't wait to begin' as she told a close friend verbatim. Having bought into the 'constantly late', 'hopelessly depressed', and the 'perennially drugged' latter-day Monroe myself, I also often wondered how the footage of her last - uncompleted - film, <i>Something's Got to Give,</i> could be so wonderful, virtually flawless and promising. Spoto has the answer: it was a fabrication by 20th Century Fox which sought to abandon a much troubled film project whose script, for instance, had never been completed. So why not make use of the film's star and put the blame on her, especially since her travails had already been well covered by the press and thus easily believable.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nvi53GY-dOM" width="640"></iframe>
A clip from Something's Got to Give (George Cukor, 20th Century Fox, 1962, uncompleted)<br />
<br />
Spoto uncovers all the lies and myths bit by bit and credibly exposes them for what they are. However, what's as astonishing as it is annoying is that his effort notwithstanding, these lies and myths are very persistent. They have a way of sticking like oatmeal, refusing to go away. The answer as to <i>why</i> they do is the same as to why they emerged in the first place: because it makes for better copy. Why destroy the myth and legend, since it's so much more exciting and exotic than the truth, which, if anything, is nothing but sordid. And terribly and utterly sad. <br />
<br />
For anyone truly interested in the life of Marilyn Monroe and the circumstances that led to her demise almost exactly 50 years ago, <i>this</i> is the book to read - if you haven't done so already.<br />
<br />
For anyone who's after melodramatic, hair-raising murder mysteries, I'd recommend, say, Robert Ludlum.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-74618589756883559562012-05-10T02:24:00.000-07:002012-05-14T01:40:48.241-07:00Downton Abbey, Season 1 + 2, UK 2010 - 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BzDz5GzDE8bgYHf1Px7EkZqAgedsP10CeZ09pqHkdi1IcohE99Z4JGMCN8UEgjiU3lpbYP6I0-gmaWtSWOC-peY37OoPjqTgRWCUCAuJW8qDLFVz1xbAzr8RI8FKztz_-VRI37m7-A7F/s1600/DowntonAbbey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BzDz5GzDE8bgYHf1Px7EkZqAgedsP10CeZ09pqHkdi1IcohE99Z4JGMCN8UEgjiU3lpbYP6I0-gmaWtSWOC-peY37OoPjqTgRWCUCAuJW8qDLFVz1xbAzr8RI8FKztz_-VRI37m7-A7F/s400/DowntonAbbey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It seems that there isn't really much point talking about <i>Downton Abbey</i> as its success - primarily, though far from exclusively, in the UK and in the US - has triggered a plethora of responses and reactions in the form of blogs, websites, and so on, its reception having been overwhelmingly positive resulting in a string of Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy wins.
As someone who watches as little television as possible it probably took me longer than most people to fall under Downton Abbey's spell. And being one of the world's greatest Maggie Smith aficionados, my main reason for watching it in the first place - on DVD - was naturally to see her <i>camp it up</i> in the role of the Dowager Countess Violet Grantham who, basically, is a <i>reprise</i> of Maggie's equally iconic Constance Trentham in <i>Gosford Park</i> (UK/ US 2002). <br />
<br />
That expression - <i>to camp it up</i> - probably makes a lot of people cringe, and rightly so, in a way, for it seems to belittle - however unintentionally - Smith's considerable acting skills as <i>campness</i> may be the (part-)result of her performance, but I'm well aware that this performance is far too nuanced to be merely dismissed as <i>camp</i>. Nevertheless, the programme's other qualities notwithstanding, Smith is indeed the highlight of it - to me, anyway - and I look forward to every moment she comes on (which, sadly, isn't often enough, as far as I'm concerned as hers is a supporting role). However, with <i>Downton Abbey</i> being full of drama, betrayal, and intrigue - Smith adds the necessary comic relief, the <i>spice, </i>or<i> </i>put differently, she's the cream in the coffee.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6N0xc2srJ0umiKwUff9I1mAVJmqEoulzvatJ34O_FcX1WHyU99MJvQZuR9hr-ma0vdXSTO9eyUfJhnfFo82Mkhy3Hd67fYMp0KsEIHOMW90FfyOuZV_VI9xJBZu6JxgIbY60h2ug141Z/s1600/Dowager+Countess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6N0xc2srJ0umiKwUff9I1mAVJmqEoulzvatJ34O_FcX1WHyU99MJvQZuR9hr-ma0vdXSTO9eyUfJhnfFo82Mkhy3Hd67fYMp0KsEIHOMW90FfyOuZV_VI9xJBZu6JxgIbY60h2ug141Z/s400/Dowager+Countess.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3-mV91BLFq8GBrv7SH1ezhtTDH314-5DmhPAUQnA-cHibs1rNpTpnS-P-PFOT0sQ9OHfxp1DV1pW-4-CUkcc8sjKw90i_kk_KWvfFCQcj_sFXRZTwl_8mcPgRb4RzOKFlr5A9kUM5Bjx/s1600/6472649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3-mV91BLFq8GBrv7SH1ezhtTDH314-5DmhPAUQnA-cHibs1rNpTpnS-P-PFOT0sQ9OHfxp1DV1pW-4-CUkcc8sjKw90i_kk_KWvfFCQcj_sFXRZTwl_8mcPgRb4RzOKFlr5A9kUM5Bjx/s400/6472649.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd0N1GZbqBPTcVoPizl0tXu6zWnQQc-HwndnTnH6Us9DayPkzvkbQBUZ7mV88WlT865R2HHnt6Qz7ySjI0e6Nl_H2s3rVl3WyAJcvUNY9XtG86F1tPAvafqDr_W0Powy5wOJ7bCaLl2lB/s1600/downton-drama_2002841c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd0N1GZbqBPTcVoPizl0tXu6zWnQQc-HwndnTnH6Us9DayPkzvkbQBUZ7mV88WlT865R2HHnt6Qz7ySjI0e6Nl_H2s3rVl3WyAJcvUNY9XtG86F1tPAvafqDr_W0Powy5wOJ7bCaLl2lB/s400/downton-drama_2002841c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Luckily, some fellow Maggie Smith aficionado (from GPB, it seems) has put together these two wonderful collections of the Dowager Countess' most outrageous - and <i>camp</i>! - remarks:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TVMtffzbAwk" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lbpbpvMEe4w" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
In case you hadn't been familiar with the Dowager Countess' wit, you now are, and will agree, I presume, that Smith alone is worth the watch.<br />
<br />
And having just finished watching both seasons virtually in a single week myself, I must admit that it does make for addictive viewing. That is, if you're into <i>English heritage</i> films in the mould of <i>The Remains of the Day</i>, <i>Room With A View</i> and especially <i>Gosford Park</i> and <i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i>. Like <i>Gosford Park</i>, <i>Downton Abbey</i> was also the brainchild of Julian Fellowes and it is quite a wonderful and accomplished continuation thereof. Never mind that <i>Downton Abbey</i>, being a television show, has to comply with saleable television rules including, for instance, revealing titbits of an emerging scandal right at the end of one episode to keep the viewers on tenterhooks, and similar such television gimmicks. Nevertheless, Fellowes does manage to keep it in check, though he does so better in the first season than in the second which occasionally does bear traces - if ever so faint - of <i>Dynasty</i> and <i>Dallas</i>, when, for instance, a character believed to have perished in the Titanic disaster miraculously re-emerges. It is owed to the outstanding acting talent of literally the entire cast that highly improbable plot-lines as these still come across as - vaguely - plausible.<br />
<br />
In fact, one of the fascinating things about <i>Downton Abbey </i>is exactly that: that seemingly out of nowhere a great many actors and actresses of outstanding talent have emerged who substantially add to the show's quality and merit. Naturally, they didn't just <i>emerge</i> - looking at their screen credits actually shows that they've been around for some time. It took meaty roles in a high-profile show such as<i> Downton Abbey, </i>however, to adequately showcase their talent. I do hope that in the future we'll be seeing a great deal more of the likes of Joanne Froggat, Lesley Nicol, and Michelle Dockery, to name but a few - and please, this time on the big screen! <br />
<br />
<i>Downton Abbey </i> has 16 major characters, and that Fellowes successfully manages to breathe life into all of them, as it were, is an achievement in itself. Of course, he's already more than proved his mettle in that regard with <i>Gosford Park</i>. However, <i>Gosford Park</i> was a feature film and though at nearly 140 minutes a rather long one, to keep the lives of 16 and more characters going for over two seasons, is no mean feat, to say the least. <br />
<br />
Apparently, due to the programme's enormous success, a third season is currently in the making, to be aired in 2013. Probably to cater to <i>Downton Abbey</i>'s growing popularity in the US, Shirley Maclaine has been brought on board to play Cora's - Elizabth McGovern's Lady Grantham - <i>mother</i>.<br />
<br />
Talk about shrewd casting!<br />
<br />
My imagination is already running riot when I think of MacLaine's wealthy American heiress having tea with the Dowager Countess. I predict, we'll be in for a treat!Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-74584847679726209342012-05-03T05:43:00.001-07:002012-05-04T03:31:11.445-07:00Cannes Film Festival 2012 - Official Programme<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o-i4bgJlG2OGRpYHIaQsOctdzDrcPHi6xit2WQ_lvdjxC5XTT-WIROLRX4C3x1RtKU_gscYmzszlUxtv8v3_x8dphhvQUeSDNeVd3ergm9Nj6WPXbOagaQYj-cGUGcrTwdIAEXEIw-OD/s1600/cannesmarilyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o-i4bgJlG2OGRpYHIaQsOctdzDrcPHi6xit2WQ_lvdjxC5XTT-WIROLRX4C3x1RtKU_gscYmzszlUxtv8v3_x8dphhvQUeSDNeVd3ergm9Nj6WPXbOagaQYj-cGUGcrTwdIAEXEIw-OD/s320/cannesmarilyn.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The Cannes Film Festival, which opens on May 16 and runs until May 27 has announced its official programme, including all sections.<br />
<br />
2012 marking the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's tragic death, the festival opted for an image of her, blowing out candles on a birthday cake to celebrate the festival's own 65th anniversary.<br />
<br />
The programme reads like a mildly interesting and inspired selection with surprisingly few US but a predictably high number of French entries, and an <i>unsurprising</i> sheer total absence of German entries, German films having become an increasingly rare sight at the Cannes Film Festival. This year, there is but one (German film) to be found in the entire programme, Fatih Akin's <i>Garbage in the Garden of Eden</i>. A <i>debacle</i> which few, if any, in Germany's film industry are willing to face up to. Bestowing an award at last week's German Film Awards ceremony in Berlin that country's Cultural Minister of State, Bernd Neumann, blithely proclaimed that "German films are now part and parcel of all film festivals around the globe". It's either that Neumann doesn't know what he's talking about (in which case he'd be in the wrong job), or he's trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Germany's tax payers who, after all, make that country's (less than profitable) film industry possible in the first place as it is primarily based on state subsidies. Or else, he's suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's (and in this case, too, stepping down from his job would be highly recommended!).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">IN COMPETITION</span></strong></h2>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></strong></h2>
<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Opening Film</strong></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wes ANDERSON</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MOONRISE KINGDOM</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h34</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">***</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jacques AUDIARD</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
DE ROUILLE ET D'OS</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(RUST AND BONE)</em></div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h55</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Leos CARAX</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HOLY MOTORS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h50</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">David CRONENBERG</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">COSMOPOLIS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h45</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lee DANIELS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE PAPERBOY</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h41</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Andrew DOMINIK</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">KILLING THEM SOFTLY</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Matteo GARRONE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">REALITY </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h50</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michael HANEKE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AMOUR<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(LOVE)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h06</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John HILLCOAT</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LAWLESS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h55</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HONG Sangsoo</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DA-REUN NA-RA-E-SUH<br />
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IN ANOTHER COUNTRY</em>)</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h28</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IM Sang-soo</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
DO-NUI MAT</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE TASTE OF MONEY</em>)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h53</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Abbas KIAROSTAMI </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h49</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ken LOACH</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE ANGELS' SHARE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h46</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sergei LOZNITSA</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
V TUMANE</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IN THE FOG</em>)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h07</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cristian MUNGIU</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DUPÃ DEALURI<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(BEYOND THE HILLS)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h35</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yousry NASRALLAH</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
BAAD EL MAWKEAA</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AFTER THE BATTLE</em>)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h56</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jeff NICHOLS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MUD</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h15</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Alain RESNAIS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
VOUS N'AVEZ ENCORE RIEN VU</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET!)</em></div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h55</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Carlos REYGADAS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">POST TENEBRAS LUX</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></strong></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Walter SALLES</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
ON THE ROAD<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></em></div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h20</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ulrich SEIDL</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PARADIES : Liebe<br />
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PARADISE : Love</em>)</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h00</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Thomas VINTERBERG</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
JAGTEN</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE HUNT</em>)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h46</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">***</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Film to be screened at</strong></div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the Closing Ceremony</strong></div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Claude MILLER</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THÉRÈSE DESQUEYROUX <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(Out of Comp.</em>) </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h50</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h2>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h2>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">UN CERTAIN REGARD</span></strong><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><span style="font-size: 1.25em;"> </span></h2>
<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Opening Film</strong></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LOU Ye</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MYSTERY</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">***</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ashim AHLUWALIA </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MISS LOVELY <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h50</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Juan Andrés ARANGO</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LA PLAYA DC <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Aida BEGIC</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
DJECA</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(CHILDREN OF SARAJEVO)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Nabil AYOUCH</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LES CHEVAUX DE DIEU<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(GOD'S HORSES)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h55</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Catherine CORSINI</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">TROIS MONDE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brandon CRONENBERG </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ANTIVIRAL <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h50</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Benicio DEL TORO,<br />
Pablo TRAPERO,<br />
Julio MEDEM,<br />
Elia SULEIMAN,<br />
Juan Carlos TABIO,<br />
Gaspard NOÉ et<br />
Laurent CANTET</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7 DIAS EN LA HABANA</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h09</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Benoit DELÉPINE,<br />
Gustave KERVERN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LE GRAND SOIR</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h32</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Xavier DOLAN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LAURENCE ANYWAYS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h41</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michel FRANCO</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DESPUÉS DE LUCIA</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h33</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joachim LAFOSSE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">À PERDRE LA RAISON</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h54</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Adam LEON</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">GIMME THE LOOT <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1st film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h24</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Darezhan OMIRBAYEV</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">STUDENT</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Moussa TOURE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LA PIROGUE<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(THE PIROGUE)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h27</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pablo TRAPERO</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ELEFANTE BLANCO<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(WHITE ELEPHANT)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h00</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sylvie VERHEYDE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">CONFESSION OF A CHILD OF THE CENTURY</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h05</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Koji WAKAMATSU</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
11.25 JIKETSU NO HI, MISHIMA YUKIO TO WAKAMONOTACHI</div>
<div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
(11/25 THE DAY MISHIMA CHOSE HIS OWN FATE)</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h00</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Benh ZEITLIN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h32</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">***</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Film to be screened at</strong></div>
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the Closing Ceremony</strong></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Gilles BOURDOS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> RENOIR</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1H53</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></strong></h2>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">OUT OF COMPETITION</span></strong></h2>
<div style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br />
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></strong></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bernardo BERTOLUCCI</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IO E TE<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(ME AND YOU)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h37</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Eric DARNELL, Tom MCGRATH, Conrad VERNON</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
MADAGASCAR 3, EUROPE'S MOST WANTED</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Philip KAUFMAN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h34</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;">MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS</span></strong></h2>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dario ARGENTO</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DARIO ARGENTO'S DRACULA</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h46</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wayne BLAIR</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE SAPPHIRES 1st film</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h38</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Franck KHALFOUN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MANIAC</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Takashi MIIKE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> AI TO MAKOTO</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h14</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 style="margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: small;">65TH ANNIVERSARY</span></strong></h2>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">UNE JOURNÉE PARTICULIÈRE by Gilles Jacob and Samuel Faure</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">53'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></strong></h2>
<div style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SPECIAL SCREENINGS</span></strong><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><span style="font-size: 1.25em;"> </span></h2>
<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px;"><tbody style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fatih AKIN</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DER MÜLL IM GARTEN EDEN<br />
<em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(POLLUTING PARADISE)</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h25</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Candida BRADY</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">TRASHED 1st film</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Laurent BOUZEREAU</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ROMAN POLANSKI : A FILM MEMOIR</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h34</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Ken BURNS,<br />
Sarah BURNS,<br />
David MCMAHON</div>
</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2h00</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sébastien LIFSHITZ</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">LES INVISIBLES</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h55</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Claudine NOUGARET,<br />
Raymond DEPARDON</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">JOURNAL DE FRANCE</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h40</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nelson<br />
PEREIRA DOS SANTOS</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A MUSICA SEGUNDO TOM JOBIM</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h30</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gonzalo TOBAL</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">VILLEGAS <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">First film</em></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h36</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Apichatpong<br />
WEERASETHAKUL</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MEKONG HOTEL</td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1h01</td></tr>
<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-66899220091214602262012-04-28T03:44:00.000-07:002012-04-28T03:51:31.090-07:00German Film Awards 2012<div style="text-align: left;">
Last night, the German Film Academy held their annual award ceremony at Berlin's Friedrichstadt Palace.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here is the list of winners: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Feature Film - Gold</b>
HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (<i>Stopped On Track</i>), producers: Peter Rommel – Rommel Film – directed by: Andreas Dresen </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Feature Film - Silver</b>
BARBARA, producers: Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber – Schramm Film
Koerner & Weber – directed by: Christian Petzold </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Feature Film - Bronze</b>
KRIEGERIN (<i>Combat Girls</i>), producers: Eva-Marie Martens, René Frotscher – Mafilm Martens Filmund Fernsehproduktion – directed by: David Wnendt </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Documentary</b>
GERHARD RICHTER PAINTING, producers: Thomas Kufus – zero one film – directed by: Corinna Belz </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Screenplay</b>
David Wnendt KRIEGERIN (<i>Combat Girls</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Director</b>
Andreas Dresen HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (<i>Stopped On Track</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Actress</b>
Alina Levshin KRIEGERIN (<i>Combat Girls</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Actor</b>
Milan Peschel HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (<i>Stopped On Track</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Supporting Actress </b>
Dagmar Manzel DIE UNSICHTBARE (<i>The Invisible</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Supporting Actor</b>
Otto Mellies HALT AUF FREIER STRECKE (<i>Stopped On Track</i>) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Cinematography</b>
Anna J. Foerster ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Editing</b>
Peter R. Adam ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Production Design</b>
Sebastian Krawinkel ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Costume Design</b>
Lisy Christl ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Make-Up</b>
Björn Rehbein, Heike Merker ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Score</b>
Lorenz Dangel HELL </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Best Sound Editing</b>
Hubert Bartholomae, Manfred Banach ANONYMOUS </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Honorary Award</b>
Michael Ballhaus </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I I I Bernd Eichinger Award</b>
Michael Bully Herbig</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SfqCKtXJ-AX2cdfaSEde59YKx9YPmr8auuoH5xruaoheYf3ppZvpqTcjqR69Mlc5hQQ9GqurgjfExuBpr53pibU9CLa-9f_2jTMUqi7bc_MovqIb7klRaX55Ot24PuQqxJjZ2ag1coz1/s1600/levshin_dpa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SfqCKtXJ-AX2cdfaSEde59YKx9YPmr8auuoH5xruaoheYf3ppZvpqTcjqR69Mlc5hQQ9GqurgjfExuBpr53pibU9CLa-9f_2jTMUqi7bc_MovqIb7klRaX55Ot24PuQqxJjZ2ag1coz1/s320/levshin_dpa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Alina Levshin, receiving the Lola Award last night for her portrayal of a Neo-Nazi in <i>Combat Girls </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLdsNgX8YZg3PHEsmwBfFXzi0RURCEvzJ_MSLhgQKalPponQla2XFWA6af1m6NiKsmPnkW6T9AZHrUq-OQuUWo0OR6fuArWspHrKmZC7lWHnNdYLwqFaV_DTJoUHOaLzPNg6cah9Qm1W_/s1600/1335557827_jpeg-148136000C91327E-20120427-img_36284084_1930957_15_dpa_Pxgen_r_Ax354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLdsNgX8YZg3PHEsmwBfFXzi0RURCEvzJ_MSLhgQKalPponQla2XFWA6af1m6NiKsmPnkW6T9AZHrUq-OQuUWo0OR6fuArWspHrKmZC7lWHnNdYLwqFaV_DTJoUHOaLzPNg6cah9Qm1W_/s320/1335557827_jpeg-148136000C91327E-20120427-img_36284084_1930957_15_dpa_Pxgen_r_Ax354.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Andreas Dresen, Alina Levshin, and Milan Peschel last night at Berlin's Friedrichstadt Palace</div>Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-71741623418070693902012-04-26T00:38:00.000-07:002012-04-26T00:41:40.796-07:00My Week With Marilyn, Simon Curtis, UK/ US 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD3ypfe6Ye8HF2lZ22QUc0aZkxWuuriTig9Mjxy0vabLy5dgd8ZUCRhT84g3bMx6T3YWklDxROmWm0NnBKoEAImkj6ZVndAPXf3ni2kAUsQwwxlJmCQNyHaIrqZ4Cc4QTXS03cBlb6626/s1600/my-week-with-marilyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD3ypfe6Ye8HF2lZ22QUc0aZkxWuuriTig9Mjxy0vabLy5dgd8ZUCRhT84g3bMx6T3YWklDxROmWm0NnBKoEAImkj6ZVndAPXf3ni2kAUsQwwxlJmCQNyHaIrqZ4Cc4QTXS03cBlb6626/s400/my-week-with-marilyn.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>My Week With Marilyn</i> is a vain effort, I'm afraid; a film that would have been better left <i>unfilmed</i>. It's not that it's a particularly bad film, no, it simply isn't one that benefits anyone, neither the viewer, nor the participants, nor its subject, one of (film-)history's greatest legends, and one of the most talked about, photographed, and fatally misunderstood women of all time.<br />
<br />
<i>My Week With Marilyn</i> is based on the book by Colin Clark, who collaborated with Monroe on her UK adventure, <i>The Prince and the Showgirl</i> back in 1957. As always with personal accounts such as memoirs and autobiographies, they have to be taken with a pinch of salt, especially when they've been written decades after the fact. Again, this doesn't automatically make them bad reading material. After all, there are many reasons why one may choose to read a book, <i>any</i> book, biographies and memoirs included, and factual accuracy is but one of them.
The same, by the way, goes for movies, too. A movie which is based on a particular event in history may be enjoyed for all sorts of reasons other than its historical accuracy. After all, cinematography, dialogue, acting, costumes, and so on, contribute a great deal to the finished <i>product</i>.<br />
<br />
However, I'm afraid to say that <i>My Week With Marilyn</i> has little to offer in that respect as the film's production values are average at best. Moreover, its title already bears so much promise and anticipation - <i>my week with Marilyn</i> - that really, that is what the viewer expects. But there's not much there, <i>either</i>. At least for those who are remotely familiar with the life of the famous lady in question as her life, moves, antics, ups and downs, and so on, are probably better documented than that of any other movie star. Put differently, whether the budding love story between Monroe and Clark happened such as it is portrayed in the movie is something I don't know, of course. Nevertheless, the way it is portrayed is uninspired, though, to be fair, I'm not sure if given its subject-matter, there would have been a better, more adequate, way to tackle it.<br />
<br />
Michelle Williams has the thankless task of portraying the most famous woman in motion picture history, one whose image, looks, and so on, have become part of our collective memory. But besides the sheer impossibility of doing justice to the person in question - as well as to our <i>image</i> of her - impersonating Monroe is a particularly tricky undertaking for she had what some claim amounted to a <i>love affair</i> between herself and the camera. Directors who worked with Monroe spoke of a 'frightened girl, terrified to go in front of the camera', 'a relatively plain beauty', 'a good actress, and a much better comedienne' - never mind that she was much underrated, and more often than not, typecast as the dumb blonde - in other words, nothing about Monroe was all that different from other actresses, let alone hinted at the phenomenon that she'd go on to outshine any of her colleagues, past and present.<br />
<br />
Yet, in the transformation from celluloid to screen <i>something</i> happened. A transformation<i> in</i> Monroe. Suddenly there was magic. She radiated, illuminated, the screen. She had presence - in a way that is extremely rare, even among the greatest of actresses. Thus, for any actress attempting to live up to that is a challenge, to say the least, and even one as talented as Williams must have known what she's up against.<br />
<br />
This is exemplified at the film's beginning, though I'm sure inadvertently so, when we witness Colin watching a contemporary screening of <i>Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</i>. At first, we only hear music of what we instantly recognise to be the first bars of <i>Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. </i>Colin seems mesmerised, and so are we, until the camera pans from Colin's face to the screen and we realise that he's in fact watching <i>Williams</i> playing Monroe rather than Monroe herself. My jaw dropped instantly, and I cannot believe the director didn't know that this was the effect this scene was going to provoke in any viewer who's ever seen Monroe on screen - which means practically <i>everybody</i> - especially in that particular scene! Why Curtis didn't simply keep the camera on Colin's mesmerised face in a long take close-up, capturing his emotions while watching Monroe, leaving the rest up to the viewer's imagination, is anybody's guess. This clumsiness by the director is one of the gravest flaws in the film for looking at <i>Williams</i> doing Monroe's signature number it remains unfathomable to the viewer why Colin should be mesmerised. But this obviously is precisely what this scene was supposed to establish, for the whole premise of <i>My Week With Marilyn</i> hinges on Colin's infatuation with Marilyn, on his being caught in the rapture of her magic. Alas, what <i>we</i> see is bereft of any magic whatsoever. And if we're unable to believe him, relate to him - the whole film falls apart. <br />
<br />
Though Miss Williams undeniably is one of the best actresses of her generation - live up to Monroe she doesn't. <i>Can't</i>.<br />
<br />
Having not read Clark's book, I'm of course unable to judge it. The film, though, is neither good nor is it particularly bad. It simply is one that is forgotten the minute you leave the theatre. And that is about the worst thing you can say about any film.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-64989241506679208342012-04-20T08:57:00.013-07:002012-04-20T12:15:49.090-07:00Martha Marcy May Marlene, Sean Durkin, US 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEifYWHPWmiqbM2Vm0Q3BtCjTpA-bKxn86-q4n-Z2njvF1bdZOom5UI4XdUIjh2CURN1jCW0dZQtXmu0gfLmV1PdcjxlZswbhx57DMtoKfQt1J_-M4-QZEgkB-V0ykmryo6zGq5QSCE1d/s1600/Martha_Marcy_May_Marlene.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEifYWHPWmiqbM2Vm0Q3BtCjTpA-bKxn86-q4n-Z2njvF1bdZOom5UI4XdUIjh2CURN1jCW0dZQtXmu0gfLmV1PdcjxlZswbhx57DMtoKfQt1J_-M4-QZEgkB-V0ykmryo6zGq5QSCE1d/s400/Martha_Marcy_May_Marlene.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733535251751806002" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Martha Marcy May Marlene</span> is an off-beat psychological thriller revolving around a young woman, Martha, who, at the beginning of the film, we see fleeing from what looks like some Arcadian commune up in the Catskill Mountains. <br /><br />She gets picked up by what we learn is her sister, Lucy, who is much older than Martha. Through their mutual conversations, we learn that both sisters share a difficult past, culminating in the death of their mother and with Lucy being older, she is riddled by feelings of guilt for not having looked after Martha the way she feels she should have.<br /><br />This may be the reason why Martha was such easy prey for the Arcadian commune which, as it is revealed through Martha's dreams and nightmares that simultaneously serve as flashbacks for the viewer, is not Arcadian at all, but rather a cult not dissimilar to the Manson Family. <br /><br />It was, however, during her stay with the cult that Martha was given the name Marcy May, for its leader, Patrick, thought that this is how she looks, <span style="font-style:italic;">a Marcy May</span>. Though initially Martha feels quite at home in the group and has an easy time settling in, incidents of pointless, random, violence instigated by Patrick, put her off, eventually causing her to flee. <br /><br />Yet, the group has nevertheless left its mark on Martha for apart from being haunted by nightmares, she also has considerable trouble adjusting to the life as led by Lucy and her husband, two upwardly mobile, moneyed, New Yorkers with a sprawling weekend getaway in Connecticut, which is were the better part of the film is set. <br /><br />Haunted, revolted by her life with the cult, yet at the same time strangely drawn to it, one day Martha calls the group without disclosing her identity. The phone is answered with <span style="font-style:italic;">Marlene Lewis</span>, and it is through a later flashback that it becomes clear that this is the codename used by all women from the cult in order to protect their identity.<br /><br />As Martha acts increasingly strange, if not to say, violent, towards her sister and her husband, they decide to seek professional help. Surprisingly, Martha agrees. However, as they're driving off the next day to the institution Lucy and her husband selected, it seems that a car is following them. And with Martha continuously looking back, it is suggested that it may be Patrick or another cult member who's tailing them. If so, their intentions are equally up in the open. Whether they may just abduct Martha or whether they may kill Lucy and her husband just as cold bloodedly the way we saw them killing a random man earlier in the film, is up to the viewer to decide or imagine. With its slow, subtle, build-up, the film as a whole is rather disturbing, reaching its climax, as it were, in this unsettling ending. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Martha Marcy May Marlene </span>is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, psycho thriller, which is why it's one of the better ones I've seen in recent years. Durkin understands the mechanisms of what scares us to a 't'. The answer is as simple as it is ingenious:<span style="font-style:italic;"> that, which we don't know</span>. It's the old fear of the unknown. Film and real life are very much alike in that respect. <br /><br />Consequently, Durkin sends us home guessing about certain twists and turns in his film - to say noting of its ending! It is precisely because he's left so many questions unanswered, and the fact that we have to piece parts of the film together in our minds that we're left with a feeling of unease and trepidation. <br /><br />And what more can you expect from a psychological thriller?Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-89735943599820023692012-04-09T12:16:00.013-07:002012-04-11T02:27:42.582-07:00Et si on vivait tous ensemble?, Stephane Robelin, France 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLvwnHuxivm4vSkGfNBZo26JHFM7Vj8iVZ4ftxW0eXV6s4_wC9gruL_tJqtn1OCbFyfQa9FGYGv1Li17f0qjtHmOp1Rt1uQm728c47AwtDrDuEYI0qKysf2qoOBrrDDT5tGq80EXEZut6/s1600/777471-l-affiche-du-film-et-si-on-vivait-tous-637x0-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLvwnHuxivm4vSkGfNBZo26JHFM7Vj8iVZ4ftxW0eXV6s4_wC9gruL_tJqtn1OCbFyfQa9FGYGv1Li17f0qjtHmOp1Rt1uQm728c47AwtDrDuEYI0qKysf2qoOBrrDDT5tGq80EXEZut6/s400/777471-l-affiche-du-film-et-si-on-vivait-tous-637x0-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729730725917019682" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Et si on vivait tous ensmble?</span> is a <span style="font-style:italic;">light</span>, entertaining comedy about the pitfalls of getting old, much along the lines of Bette Davis' adage that <span style="font-style:italic;">old age ain't no place for sissies</span>.<br /><br />A bunch of elderly people - friends, who've known each other for decades - decide that it would be best for all concerned if they lived together. What follows is that after the pitfalls of getting old (and sick - Alzheimer' Cancer, etc.), we're now privy to the pitfalls of being old and living in a house-share. Robelin's film is not so much a revelation or a hilarious comedy as it is a film which besides attracting an audience above the age 20 (a rarity in today's film production!), addresses a topic which has never received a great deal of attention from film makers - <span style="font-style:italic;">getting old</span> - probably because it's something none of wants to dwell on for too long, secretly hoping probably, that by ignoring the topic it'll go away or at least, spare us. Thing is, it won't, and the best thing - besides assembling such a stellar cast of actors! - that can be said about Robelin's film is that it does confront us with <span style="font-style:italic;">this</span> admittedly uncomfortable question. And yet the example in the film clearly demonstrates that there <span style="font-style:italic;">are</span> indeed alternatives to spending one's last remaining years whithering away alone and forsaken in a nursing home ... and who ever set foot - or volunteered - in nursing home knows, that ending there is indeed something that must be avoided at all cost. After facing the fact that living alone is no longer an option, but nor is checking into a nursing home, Chaplin, Fonda & Co. opt for a very viable, not to mention much more humane, alternative which, hopefully, will be widely replicated across the world in the years to come. <br /><br />About the stellar cast. I've always been an admirer of both Chaplin and Fonda, and not just because they're both great actresses and great and gracious personalities. Moreover, they are prime examples of what's referred to as <span style="font-style:italic;">ageing gracefully</span>. There are no faces distorted by Botox here, nor any other facial or otherwise physical alteration that suggests plastic surgery. Both actresses have their share of wrinkles - but they look all the better and all the more <span style="font-style:italic;">real</span> for it! It enables them not only to still <span style="font-style:italic;">get</span> roles, but to play roles that are worthy of their talent - and age. <br /><br />I just wish, some of those faded Hollywood Divas who've since turned into veritable freaks would have taken their cue from Fonda and Chaplin before they had their faces and bodies tinkered with, butchered and mutilated beyond recognition!Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-64095874285612706212012-04-01T11:28:00.006-07:002012-04-01T12:07:26.181-07:00Take Shelter, Jeff Nichols, US 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS__jbzNQE4kr8K1-TYqYyoWyQbh3bbClZHuQ0ERB7MF5ZnZ4rT4YY8k6XsbYTlyGcY-MKAOrriZWwwjNTxNXEVb8KSuZ4eOE0FuJ0pvtybLHJHPojq6lbnBkZCBLlfVKRiWUcQd9_YHY/s1600/Take_Shelter_poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS__jbzNQE4kr8K1-TYqYyoWyQbh3bbClZHuQ0ERB7MF5ZnZ4rT4YY8k6XsbYTlyGcY-MKAOrriZWwwjNTxNXEVb8KSuZ4eOE0FuJ0pvtybLHJHPojq6lbnBkZCBLlfVKRiWUcQd9_YHY/s400/Take_Shelter_poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726501447062064386" /></a><br /><br />Told in a nutshell, <span style="font-style:italic;">Take Shelter</span> is the story of the end of the world <span style="font-style:italic;">according to</span> the film's male lead, Curtis LaForche, played by Michael Shannon. As such, it is very much a film whose narrative neatly fits into our time, so much riddled by angst as a result of universal economic instability and an increasing number of environmental disasters. <br /><br />Curtis has been having nightmares that are more like premonitions. These nightmares are cleverly woven into the narrative, leaving the viewer guessing at first, if what's happening on screen is, in fact, real, or just the result of Curtis' imagination. A man of few words, Curtis is very reluctant to share his visions with anyone for fear of not being taken seriously. It is only when as a consequence of his nightmares he starts acting more and more peculiar that he decides to seek professional help. <br /><br />But none of the shrinks and counsellors he consults see Curtis' nightmares as anything but just that - nightmares - unable, or unwilling, to read anything into them, let alone visions of a looming Apocalypse. Things go from bad to worse, but it is primarily Curtis' little world that by and by begins to fall apart rather than the world as a whole. Which is why we, the viewers, too, are also at a loss right up to the film's end, whether it is really Curtis who's gone off the rails or if indeed the world as a whole is heading towards disaster.<br /><br />What makes Nichols' film outstanding and lifts it more than just a few notches above similar such apocalyptic visions are the pacing and, even more remarkably, the fact that Nichols succeeds in creating suspense by relying almost entirely on his story, his actors, and the cinematography. In other words, this ain't a disaster movie of the usual kind, which abound in special effects, death and destruction. There is literally none of that in <span style="font-style:italic;">Take Shelter</span>. <br /><br />That, however, is precisely what makes Nichols' particularly disturbing, because it's almost too real for comfort.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-90910314645698167572012-03-26T08:42:00.014-07:002012-03-26T10:54:36.421-07:00The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, John Madden, UK 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f9TUSyysQ5SBHDJ6L7dsv0isCmihRe9mX1pFdwLAP2jC5ZgWoCYPj1yN3LObPiLckTz8erBNWeLh_AI-q1b8r_CJUXPGZ_KqN32yWB0L0-K_tNkC-6swyBEp7XGx1OCs-gUNdkkJPYnP/s1600/best_exotic_marigold_hotel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2f9TUSyysQ5SBHDJ6L7dsv0isCmihRe9mX1pFdwLAP2jC5ZgWoCYPj1yN3LObPiLckTz8erBNWeLh_AI-q1b8r_CJUXPGZ_KqN32yWB0L0-K_tNkC-6swyBEp7XGx1OCs-gUNdkkJPYnP/s400/best_exotic_marigold_hotel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724231859832429874" /></a><br /><br />John Madden's latest offering pretty much offers what one would expect from the director who gave us <span style="font-style:italic;">Shakespeare In Love</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Captain Corelli's Mandolin</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Mrs. Brown</span>. My own personal favourite of the lot is the latter, though <span style="font-style:italic;">Mrs. Brown</span> may be slightly atypical for a John Madden flick inasmuch as it's less upbeat than, say, <span style="font-style:italic;">Shakespeare in Love</span>, to say nothing of <span style="font-style:italic;">The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel</span> which is the ultimate upbeat, feel-good movie experience if there ever was one! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIaZkDgh0mcAq5WtkoleKuwm08YO1mp0LGPYnQP6TjS2rLx-l-St8aj3feU-KzmHzAE51Ue6cGblVU-dfHzUQzVmm0RlX-NNnXcpBlHEuob7YALeCkugA24kPaYdM7RtGqKZG_2JnR6-B/s1600/2011_best_exotic_marigold_hotel_001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIaZkDgh0mcAq5WtkoleKuwm08YO1mp0LGPYnQP6TjS2rLx-l-St8aj3feU-KzmHzAE51Ue6cGblVU-dfHzUQzVmm0RlX-NNnXcpBlHEuob7YALeCkugA24kPaYdM7RtGqKZG_2JnR6-B/s400/2011_best_exotic_marigold_hotel_001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724236172608418130" /></a><br /><br />A motley bunch of British retirees from various walks of life but with one thing in common - a lack of funds - gather at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for that very reason: a dearth of the necessary funds to retire in dignity in their home country makes them opt for India instead. Their adjustment to their new home - or the refusal thereof - varies depending on their background. Judi Dench's Evelyn, whose late husband squandered away their money, a fact she only learns about once he's left for the eternal hunting grounds, adjusts more easily than the rest of the lot and seems a great deal more open to the pleasures and possibilities - as well as the pitfalls - of their new surroundings. Running a blog, which she originally started as a means to keep in touch with her family back in the UK, it is mainly through Evelyn's eyes - and <span style="font-style:italic;">words</span> - that we, the viewers, get the run-down of the India experience of her and her fellow retirees first hand. It is also Evelyn, who, with her sometimes wise, sometimes utterly banal, blog entries, keeps the movie at its upbeat, feel-good pitch. Therefore, Dench is the one to provide the <span style="font-style:italic;">smiles</span>. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZU6J5NETwZRcfoEeOlzN2jGptxABXq7R3IQoTPh58ebYCHpos6sVweo3H_wjgt-uzFwge1z5Y5LhfkH_oJeE5vUzQEhJH3bOO9S3bYSZQFeVkzg08L9Vch_91xLnoboayo6aTxYPC06C/s1600/maggie+smith.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZU6J5NETwZRcfoEeOlzN2jGptxABXq7R3IQoTPh58ebYCHpos6sVweo3H_wjgt-uzFwge1z5Y5LhfkH_oJeE5vUzQEhJH3bOO9S3bYSZQFeVkzg08L9Vch_91xLnoboayo6aTxYPC06C/s400/maggie+smith.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724242697653252050" /></a><br /><br />However, it is <span style="font-style:italic;">Maggie Smith</span> who provides the <span style="font-style:italic;">laughs</span>. And uproarious ones at that! As the one who's most reluctant to leave her beloved England with all its biscuits and builder's tea behind, she's at her most uproarious, politically incorrect, hilarious, best! Her lines simply had me in stitches! To be perfectly honest, a movie this frothy and - dare I say it - at times, syrupy - would have benefited a great deal had there been more of Smith. And I'm not <span style="font-style:italic;">just</span> saying it because I'm probably her biggest fan. No, it's just that she's the spice - the <span style="font-style:italic;">red hot chilli</span> - in a dish that's otherwise a little too sweet for my liking. But hey, I admit that if I was able to make a wish, I'd like a DVD with <span style="font-style:italic;">all</span> of Maggie Smith's scenes from <span style="font-style:italic;">California Suite</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Gosford Park</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">A Private Function</span>,<span style="font-style:italic;"> Sister Act</span>, and <span style="font-style:italic;">The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel</span>, cut in a row! Why, it would mean hours and hours of sheer endless laughter and first-class amusement by the world's prime comedienne, or how I choose to refer to her - the <span style="font-style:italic;">Goddess of Camp</span>!Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-67344860401793388882012-03-11T09:02:00.026-07:002012-03-12T01:34:19.359-07:00German Film NowIf the German Competition entries at the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival are anything to go by, German Cinema is in a sorry state. OK, <span style="font-style:italic;">sorry</span> may perhaps be too strong a word, but compared to other countries - European and otherwise - Germany has little cause for celebration. Certainly, if the seventh art was a reflection of a country's economic might, Germany would be much closer to its nemesis, Greece. Having had lunch recently with a friend, a Berlin-based film producer, though one who's involved in international co-productions <span style="font-style:italic;">only</span>, she seconded my assumption. However, she also demurred that those in Germany's film scene who see it this way are few and far between. In other words, you ask any German (film maker), and he'll tell you that German film is alive and well. But if you ask anybody outside Germany, they're bound to tell you that the last time they saw a German film was probably when Fatih Akin's <span style="font-style:italic;">On The Other Side</span> received rave reviews the world over, but especially in France. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VST7A-GzSbzv4AEWzTSuo5Rvur8BENss_mpzJDZTIpKmLiC1dN860PurUfLd91t_ygwiFfzpYooQHM9QzK9pDuUHBSPVt-h26EnhdzjDQqjbfJsXq_YgqNzukhyphenhyphenLnWHNwRJaqK_9mkyg/s1600/auf+der+anderen+seite.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VST7A-GzSbzv4AEWzTSuo5Rvur8BENss_mpzJDZTIpKmLiC1dN860PurUfLd91t_ygwiFfzpYooQHM9QzK9pDuUHBSPVt-h26EnhdzjDQqjbfJsXq_YgqNzukhyphenhyphenLnWHNwRJaqK_9mkyg/s400/auf+der+anderen+seite.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718707780446484690" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now why is that, I wonder? How come that in spite of the relatively high annual output of home-grown fare, only a mere handful of films - <span style="font-style:italic;">if</span> that - are actually doing well on their home turf. Equally pitiful is the number of those that receive a foreign release, to say nothing of the fact that year by year goes by with the Cannes and the Venice Film Festivals snubbing Germany yet <span style="font-style:italic;">again</span>, choosing not to include any German entry for their Competitions. Countries like the UK, the US, Italy, Turkey, and of course, France, regularly have films in the Competition of both Cannes and Venice without fail. Not so Germany.<br /><br />The problem, in my opinion, is three-fold, really. On the one hand, there's a quality problem. Then there's a box-office problem. And lastly, there's the problem of delusion, for as I said above, few in Germany are aware of the sad state that country's film industry is in, preferring to be in denial over it. Yet all I can say is: Just look at the three German entries at this year's Berlin Film Festival and look at the French, British, and American entries at Cannes and Venice in recent years and the problem becomes very evident indeed. While film makers such as Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold, Steve McQueen, Terrence Malick, Michael Hazanavicius, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, and so on are taking a critical look at the world around us or are reinventing the cinematic language, the three German films at the last Berlin Film Fest (<span style="font-style:italic;">Gnade</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Barbara</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Was bleibt</span>), were little more than self-gratifying, parochial dramas at the expense of Germany's tax-payers, for needless to say - those films were entirely made with subsidies. I'm inclined to add that these subsidies would be put to better use if invested in Greece rather than in films no one's ever going to see because their topics are of little concern to anyone but their film makers. I have no idea how exactly that country's subsidy system works, but its seems to me it is either as corrupt as, it appears, quite a few of that country's politicians or else, the people who make the decisions over who does and who doesn't get any money for his latest <span style="font-style:italic;">masturbation exercise</span> - excuse my French! - are hopelessly incompetent. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3roSKmvzos45vTKZZAPGfBb0LcjygliTg5qxKZX3A3YLgQHF-KUzDm28WXia-WqXg4CLAm1X-Vs5_Ism0IsmZkaayQn7NLJ_IV4xMYBwFXoK2dPIruwEeDPFMAOUD_cw1urrTVrARw0dF/s1600/Barbara_Plakat_Preis_web.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3roSKmvzos45vTKZZAPGfBb0LcjygliTg5qxKZX3A3YLgQHF-KUzDm28WXia-WqXg4CLAm1X-Vs5_Ism0IsmZkaayQn7NLJ_IV4xMYBwFXoK2dPIruwEeDPFMAOUD_cw1urrTVrARw0dF/s400/Barbara_Plakat_Preis_web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718708027120296818" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLR_Mg6xZI9lFldD2H_t8ErghHUhjNU8V14Wa2UvHFxavk6bKktcXbqpffdTOI5n5ZTQ6OSszeHGkjwFOJFkdrpJF2BtrdJaZbr-LW87oQ1ZExJiE1Fk_Lzh2WLj2YPApuarDApEAsbTl/s1600/gnade-alamode-film.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLR_Mg6xZI9lFldD2H_t8ErghHUhjNU8V14Wa2UvHFxavk6bKktcXbqpffdTOI5n5ZTQ6OSszeHGkjwFOJFkdrpJF2BtrdJaZbr-LW87oQ1ZExJiE1Fk_Lzh2WLj2YPApuarDApEAsbTl/s400/gnade-alamode-film.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718708023088630130" /></a><br /><br /><br />Needless to say, all three films received rave reviews in Germany (and admittedly <span style="font-style:italic;">some</span> decent ones by foreign reviewers), and one well known German film critic whose name need not be mentioned, even went so far as to predict that all three German Competition entries surely would end up garnering all major awards at the <span style="font-style:italic;">Fest</span>, a view which was shared by few others, I might add. In the end, only one major award went to a German film, an obligatory Silver Bear for Petzold's <span style="font-style:italic;">Barbara</span>. Every year, one single Silver Bear is habitually awarded to a German film - usually it's the one for Best Actress - so as if the International Jury felt obligated to stroke that country's battered ego. The last time, however, a German film was awarded the Grand Prix - the Golden Bear - was in 2004 when Fatih Akin won for <span style="font-style:italic;">Head On</span>, and that was about the last time a German director submitted a film that was both visually stunning and at the same time had something to say - and to do - with the world which surrounds us. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToq5ZkXjJkckCnbCCG5afZbGgLtiYQNgU4sbc8ZxQp3hhQBqi4hDH7A4SBsZOjty_WCahyphenhyphenHhGoZf0xa9VTshfKpwkoWWhyphenhyphendI9l4eGhnGvOGCqogh59OWfGOcQjZ-19K5wn8-U07Rm2g5i/s1600/gegen+die+wand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToq5ZkXjJkckCnbCCG5afZbGgLtiYQNgU4sbc8ZxQp3hhQBqi4hDH7A4SBsZOjty_WCahyphenhyphenHhGoZf0xa9VTshfKpwkoWWhyphenhyphendI9l4eGhnGvOGCqogh59OWfGOcQjZ-19K5wn8-U07Rm2g5i/s400/gegen+die+wand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5718708195932130546" /></a><br /><br /><br />Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the last German film that made it into the Competition at Venice, Tom Tykwer's <span style="font-style:italic;">Three</span>, in 2010. Tykwer's film went more or less unnoticed, hence I was not a little surprised when it received excellent write-ups upon its German opening. And it was this fact which finally prompted me to go and watch it for following the film's negative international reception upon its Venice premiere, in addition to the film's hopelessly dated topic, I had no intentions of watching it at first. But once I'd seen it, I was seriously asking myself what prompted Tykwer to shoot this film, a film which showed a Berlin with no immigrants and whose protagonist exclaims at one point, "Islam and all that may just as well disappear!", and where the fact that a man has an ex-marital affair with another man is made such a fuss over. Back to the 1950s, is all I thought. Why this film of all films received this kind of a critical accolade on its home turf - including a string of German Film Academy Awards nods - is anybody's guess. <br /><br />Most probably, the recent output of German film makers is a reflection of what's going on inside that country. And looking at the way the <span style="font-style:italic;">Greek Tragedy</span> is being discussed in the German media, the positive reception of Mr. Sarrazin's highly questionable and controversial book, not to mention the way in which Germany's outgoing president was being chased out of office in a witch-hunt the likes of which had not been seen since McCarthy was US Senator, I can't help but thinking that yes, that country may well be looking backwards instead of forwards. Back to the 1950s! Which again reminded me of a recent Tagesspiegel article by Zafer Senocak in which he decries just that, the way in which the Germany of today is a lot less open-minded and forward looking than the (West-) Germany of the 1980s. <br /><br />If the films churned out by Germany's film makers in recent years are anything to go by, Mr. Senocak does have a very valid point indeed. However, the question is - <span style="font-style:italic;">why</span>? And more importantly, why are so few - if any - in Germany see it that way?Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-92073704355919447012012-03-01T10:21:00.022-08:002012-03-02T05:10:03.905-08:00Shame, Steve McQueen, UK 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiifVNZLVRu8JInfsDFgCkTEJVVIgBdHCvWxgQEmtFrOhF6dMb7daY72Y3Jc_9QaYkPeg3bQ_6mnhhTs4gKJafvz-4hMNHzNmM7hjuMWNg61FMr7dGGlC5LfoQkr_T4BkPIf7N2bnGTnR/s1600/shame-movie-poster+%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiifVNZLVRu8JInfsDFgCkTEJVVIgBdHCvWxgQEmtFrOhF6dMb7daY72Y3Jc_9QaYkPeg3bQ_6mnhhTs4gKJafvz-4hMNHzNmM7hjuMWNg61FMr7dGGlC5LfoQkr_T4BkPIf7N2bnGTnR/s400/shame-movie-poster+%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715019494877566658" /></a><br /><br />I know by now that the trick in life is to <span style="font-style:italic;">not</span> have any expectations whatsoever, but instead to walk into any new experience <span style="font-style:italic;">cold</span> - for obvious reasons. However, as a rule, I'm not very good at this game, as my expectations always tend to be ahead of me, usually emerging way before my brain is able to remind me that <span style="font-style:italic;">having expectations is a bad thing</span>. All this gets especially difficult when it comes to movies: these days, with the information overflow spilling out of iPads, iPhones, televisions, radios, newspapers, magazines and what not, one simply cannot <span style="font-style:italic;">help</span> but picking up the odd titbits here and there on a new movie that's about to be released. And if the movie's supposed to be a good - or even <span style="font-style:italic;">great</span> one - the advance buzz is such that unless you're living like a hermit, cut off from society including its media, your expectations are quite simple bound to soar, whether you like it or not. And so they have as far as I'm concerned in the case of Steve McQueen's new film, <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span>. <br /><br />Have they <span style="font-style:italic;">ever</span>!<br /><br />As we all know, the higher the expectations, the more difficult it is for the movie to own up to them, and more often than not, I myself end up being disappointed. Now, having seen McQueen's previous film, <span style="font-style:italic;">Hunger</span>, which I'd declared my favourite film of 2008, I don't need to tell you that with all the buzz surrounding <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span>'s premiere at the Venice Film Festival last September, my expectation were, mildly put, sky-high. And yet - lo and behold, they were not only met, McQueen's masterpiece actually <span style="font-style:italic;">exceeded</span> them. <br /><br />That's <span style="font-style:italic;">how</span> good his film is!<br /><br />Good is not quite an apt description, really, for McQueen excels at practically every level, including cinematography, screenplay, editing, and, of course, the acting. But all these merits notwithstanding, the most noteworthy aspect of <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span>, in my opinion, is the fact that the film addresses a topic which has so far received scant attention, if any, from film makers. And yet, the topic - somewhat insufficiently described as <span style="font-style:italic;">sex addiction</span> - seems so relevant and prevalent in world where sex is just a click away; a world dominated by media whose main preoccupation seems to be just that: <span style="font-style:italic;">sex</span>. <br /><br />Like <span style="font-style:italic;">Hunger</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span> is a very visual film, McQueen being a master at using the cinematic medium to the full. In other words, McQueen uses dialogue only where necessary and where what he wants to bring across, cannot be told through images. All the better, then, that <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span>'s main character, Brandon Sullivan, is a man of few words, taciturn at best, a loner, in fact. More often than not he's irritable and on edge, even when he's having sex which, if Brandan's facial expressions while having sex are anything to go by, has little to do with what sex is usually associated with. Obsessive, wild, with a face seemingly contorted by pain, sex to Brendan appears to be more strenuous than something he does out of lust and desire. <br /> <br />Set in New York - which , sorry Mr. Wowereit, still outdoes Berlin in sexiness by a far cry - Brandon's world consists mainly of his manically spotless apartment in Chelsea where, unless he's bedding a hooker, he spends most of his time by the computer doing what any loner does who's socially and emotionally clumsy yet whose only outlet is sex. It has been estimated that two thirds of all Google searches are sex related. And yet, as I said earlier, the topic of sex addiction, including Internet porn, has been strangely neglected by film makers and writers alike. No medium or invention has changed our life and habits to the degree the Internet has. This especially goes for our sex life, although most of us may not even be aware of it. The lure of the Internet, catering to every possible sexual deviation, kink or desire, 24/7, in the privacy of your own home, and just one click away - has arguably changed our sexual habits considerably more than anything else, including the invention of the anti-baby pill or the freedom that came with the sexual liberation of the student movement of the 1960s. <br /><br />Just to be clear - I am a clear advocate of the Internet and the freedom and accessibility of information it provides, but that doesn't exclude looking at the implications it has had on society at large, particularly at the way we look at sex. The big advantage - or disadvantage, depending on your vantage point - is that the Internet allows you to withdraw into a fantasy world, to shut out reality entirely. To have sex - either with yourself or <span style="font-style:italic;">with somebody</span> via chat or webcam - the Internet doesn't require you to speak or interact. You're free to create your own reality behind the images you see on screen. And it is precisely this fantasy world that is Brandon's realm. <br /><br />In one of the few scenes in <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span> which relies on dialogue and images in equal parts, we see Brandon dating a co-worker, the stunningly beautiful Marianne whose interest in Brandon obviously goes beyond the mere sexual. Brandon, however, proves a poor date. Their conversation is kept alive mainly by Marianne with little input from Brandon. Evidently, Brandon's not one of those who cares to impress his date with his knowledge of food or his expertise when it comes to selecting the wine. Food, wine, like all other things associated with social interaction, play a subordinate role in his life which revolves but around one thing and one thing only. It is with pride, almost, that he admits to Marianne that his longest relationship lasted four months, a record , it seems, she is hoping to break. Even though it has become clear by this point, that Brandon's incapable of intimacy, we, the viewers, <span style="font-style:italic;">hope</span> that Marianne might succeed, regardless - or perhaps <span style="font-style:italic;">because </span> - of the fact that Brandon doesn't take her to bed right after their dinner. He does so, or tries to, anyway, a few days later. However, in order to pretend that Marianne is just another girl he picked up on the way home, he takes her to a hotel instead of taking her home. But to no avail - he is only capable of having sex on a completely anonymous, casual, basis, and his relations with Marianne have already reached a level of nearness and intimacy that make it impossible for him to keep <span style="font-style:italic;">that</span> fantasy alive. <br /><br />Make no mistake: McQueen does not portray Brandon as a one-dimensional character - sex-crazed, cold, and irritable - but rather as one whose feelings are buried way below, and only occasionally do they rise to the surface. They do, however, in one of the most poignant scenes in <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span>, when Brendan's sister, Sissy, gives a devastatingly beautiful rendition of <span style="font-style:italic;">New York, New York</span>. There are few songs I can think of more apt to express optimism, promise and hope for things to come as do the lyrics of this song written by Fred Ebb for Scorsese's 1977 movie of the same title. Sissy's own rendition of <span style="font-style:italic;">New York, New York</span>, though, seems to express exactly the opposite. It reminds us that besides being <span style="font-style:italic;">sexy</span>, New York also is a place where it is probably easier to feel lonely and abandoned than in most other places. Is that why Brandon, listening to his sister, suddenly starts to cry? The only instance in the movie where he is seen expressing his feelings - however involuntarily - in public. <br /><br />Not meaning to sound pretentious or smug, the central topic of <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span> is a very complex one, and it is to McQueen's credit that he doesn't even attempt to psychologically explain Brendan's <span style="font-style:italic;">condition</span>, let alone deliver a full explanation. The only hint he gives us is by means of Sissy, who, towards the film's end leaves a message on her brother's phone saying, "that just because we're coming from a bad place doesn't mean we're bad people!". By this point, though, we just about gathered as much. <span style="font-style:italic;">Love</span> may be a cheesy, much overused term. But it is nevertheless the basis for almost <span style="font-style:italic;">everything</span>. And it doesn't require a great deal of psychological insight to know that the absence of love during childhood is apt to scar anyone and will make it all the harder for the child to later lead a normal life as an adult. However, while what's been lacking during their childhood seems to manifest itself in Sissy in an amplified need for love and intimacy, the opposite is true for Brandon, who is fully incapable of any intimacy, even that offered - and requested - by his own sister. <br /><br />I have no idea, of course, what Steve McQueen's impetus for his film was. All I know is that <span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span> is so well observed and told with such empathy, immediacy, intensity and a tremendous level of accuracy - which is nothing short of awesome. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Shame</span> is as disturbing as it is mesmerising. It is, quite simply, one of the most provocative, evocative and most important films I've ever had the privilege of watching.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-80014519929977816152012-02-27T01:16:00.008-08:002016-01-13T07:32:16.653-08:00Meryl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCitks3f6K-sbdt_5p0JCvVHg-TPpPwAa-h5YJKo80DxVf3C0SOmdJMFX2uL-vTYOr_gAq0EhGG402yN0LS6FDdOnydodmTdRhWoh1OC0lD49_MA8JlyjfgOU1M8YAiOxWc0iaaPkz63tN/s1600/meryl-streep-oscars-2012-dress.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713747443264091202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCitks3f6K-sbdt_5p0JCvVHg-TPpPwAa-h5YJKo80DxVf3C0SOmdJMFX2uL-vTYOr_gAq0EhGG402yN0LS6FDdOnydodmTdRhWoh1OC0lD49_MA8JlyjfgOU1M8YAiOxWc0iaaPkz63tN/s400/meryl-streep-oscars-2012-dress.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 234px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Meryl Streep, arriving at the 84th Annual Academy Awards ceremony last night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles </span><br />
So finally it happened, at long last, after having been nominated 17 times - including two wins - last night Meryl Streep finally go to pick up her third Academy Award. 29 years after her last win for Alan J. Pakula's <span style="font-style: italic;">Sophie's Choice</span>, in which she also won for Best Actress. 3 years prior, she'd received her first Academy Award, this one in the Best Supporting Actress category for her portrayal as the tormented mother in search of herself in <span style="font-style: italic;">Kramer vs. Kramer</span>. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With 3 wins, Streep is practically in a league of her own. Though not <i>quite </i>... she joins the likes of Ingrid Bergman, who also received two Best Actress Oscars (<span style="font-style: italic;">Gaslight</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Anastasia</span>) and one for a supporting role (<span style="font-style: italic;">Murder in the Orient Express</span>). Ahead of both of them is Katherine Hepburn, who received a total of four Academy Awards, and all of them in the Best Actress category. Streep, though, is the undisputed champion when it comes to nominations. With a total of 17 she's four ahead of Hepburn. Still, it's a pretty exclusive club up there, consisting of a mere three women, all universally acclaimed and admired actresses, who were - <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> - legends in their own time. Already those actresses that have received <span style="font-style: italic;">two</span> Academy Awards are few and far between. There is only a handful of them and their names conjure up all kinds of images, images that have burnt themselves into our collective memory: Liz Taylor, Bette Davis, Jodie Foster, and the only German actress ever to receive an Academy Award - Luise Rainer. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Three Oscars or four Oscars ... all of these women have written Hollywood history and rightly deserve their place in the Pantheon. However, I can't help feeling sorry for those who've been overlooked - like this year's Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender - or those who though picking up nods, kept losing out to their colleagues. One name that springs to mind is of course Glenn Close. She was Streep's biggest competition during the 1980s, receiving five Oscar nominations, mostly in years when Streep was also nominated. When Close's as well as Streep's careers took a nosedive some time in the late 1990s, Close found a new home in television, receiving critical acclaim for her roles in <span style="font-style: italic;">Damages</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">The Shield</span>. Then, with <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hours</span> Streep's career slowly but steadily took off again and in addition to her loyal following of gay men and middle-aged housewives - those, who were in the student movement when Streep made her first on-screen appearance in Fred Zinneman's <span style="font-style: italic;">Julia</span> and Woody Allen's <span style="font-style: italic;">Manhattan</span> - Streep now also became popular with the generation of their daughters: those who like to shop for Prada shoes or warble Abba songs under the shower. Films like <span style="font-style: italic;">The Devil Wears Prada</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Mamma Mia</span> finally made Streep a universal favourite, catapulting her back into the mainstream, made her the household name she always was but few households admitted to be aware of. Streep, today - at 62! - is an international megastar, someone who draws audiences from all walks of life. Just take her appearance at the Berlin Film Festival two weeks ago where she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Outside the festival theatre thousands of fans - men, women - shouted and screamed and were close to hysteria. Inside, she was showered with standing ovations that lasted several minutes, prompting her in her acceptance speech to quip, "Oh I don't think I'll ever go home again!". The last time an actress <span style="font-style: italic;">of a certain age</span> achieved a similar feat was nearly 80 years ago, when in 1933 the then 64 year old Marie Dressler was voted America's most popular actress. </div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZr-9yzndPyFmfnkwix3Kjx-8oAhzkmNeEjIp8H2Y8JVahADBgbG_34VY-coe0gkgrdG1AGHsanMKvxIPl2qyP51a9mnPIYp_hWcxEFrHy06-4qLa7tQlSlf2tI8GG7gcCWC5mU33hsc5/s1600/SS101497+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762451320612498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZr-9yzndPyFmfnkwix3Kjx-8oAhzkmNeEjIp8H2Y8JVahADBgbG_34VY-coe0gkgrdG1AGHsanMKvxIPl2qyP51a9mnPIYp_hWcxEFrHy06-4qLa7tQlSlf2tI8GG7gcCWC5mU33hsc5/s400/SS101497+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcSnG6d33y3POEpVlYE_LiTW-5IaCap5VHbuHIZvEKba2dsxronuxBrhu6uTSG9TqjGL0bFtSuHCfZ-V50kINKd9a_e27b4LZpFSuprEXfvN2w4r35o33j5V709Ew-DD8dyTOo5RorKU8/s1600/SS101494+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762447345846818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcSnG6d33y3POEpVlYE_LiTW-5IaCap5VHbuHIZvEKba2dsxronuxBrhu6uTSG9TqjGL0bFtSuHCfZ-V50kINKd9a_e27b4LZpFSuprEXfvN2w4r35o33j5V709Ew-DD8dyTOo5RorKU8/s400/SS101494+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYVD5v7QYNp3-em_7KOhEcsOuIMwDs8mm9qBkC_Rszf8BMs5wEfBLuv2HLRkTHC2Fgc-GZ3zbdbiDPxX7xV4AF1HBFrtLqaPn8sYK1BRALNqkAtCUnoGKxJXQwcH70u9NUtk6T2moDg7S/s1600/SS101493+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762442074524306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYVD5v7QYNp3-em_7KOhEcsOuIMwDs8mm9qBkC_Rszf8BMs5wEfBLuv2HLRkTHC2Fgc-GZ3zbdbiDPxX7xV4AF1HBFrtLqaPn8sYK1BRALNqkAtCUnoGKxJXQwcH70u9NUtk6T2moDg7S/s400/SS101493+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ6RGOSE6wNHZ-A0DiveArlU6COaafAGvXusm5rFXdQidrGWIJsuCgOrz9bKvEK0V2Dmg-ZbLS08wH-BIJCYQJDgv40vN9dEkVXflOHe8VyZSZTooqBtJUSjYGyJZmmklb0SbQRjM9db7/s1600/SS101492+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762437987005554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ6RGOSE6wNHZ-A0DiveArlU6COaafAGvXusm5rFXdQidrGWIJsuCgOrz9bKvEK0V2Dmg-ZbLS08wH-BIJCYQJDgv40vN9dEkVXflOHe8VyZSZTooqBtJUSjYGyJZmmklb0SbQRjM9db7/s400/SS101492+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_Uxmyxqpf_dDr7S_gegA87mFIjMlVmZV19c9sakuoO_N7FXHPFs1q4zoQmrq04vjSlBg3tpwqd4W1ozrTSK0Khz6AAhkt9GXXbiBNBhfiMrJT55cdHTud-HvVbajcbODUKAXwkXV6PeR/s1600/SS101491+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713762434292338994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_Uxmyxqpf_dDr7S_gegA87mFIjMlVmZV19c9sakuoO_N7FXHPFs1q4zoQmrq04vjSlBg3tpwqd4W1ozrTSK0Khz6AAhkt9GXXbiBNBhfiMrJT55cdHTud-HvVbajcbODUKAXwkXV6PeR/s400/SS101491+%2528600+x+450%2529.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Streep, receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award - bestowed by Jake Gyllenhall - at the Berlin Film Festival on February 14, 2012</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But I got sidetracked ... While Streep (or her agents) managed to turn her career around, the same cannot be said of Close. Until last year. Being offered the lead in <span style="font-style: italic;">Alfred Nobbs</span> was a rare opportunity for Close to once more show the world what she's got on the big screen. For her outstanding portrayal of a man in 19th century Ireland she was promptly rewarded with a string of awards and nominations, including one by the Academy for Best Actress. However, as luck would have it, once again she's up against Streep. This <span style="font-style: italic;">battle</span> of two great screen icons up for a Best Actress Oscar reminds me of the year 1950, when Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson were both nominated for their roles in <span style="font-style: italic;">you-know-what-I'm-talking-about</span>. In the end, both of them lost ... last night, though, the odds-on-favourite (?) won. Well, it <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> take long enough, given that Streep's last win was nearly 30 years ago. However, I can't help feeling sorry for Glenn Close ... ... </div>
Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-8755365160411005152012-02-21T09:10:00.009-08:002012-02-22T02:59:55.720-08:00Possessed - The Life of Joan Crawford, By Donald Spoto<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LWxxM_qF5MJLrAFH1SCH045pRFsQfVpknHrLol6roL9Cx_T_DiGEsn9uVgN525guTS1o0-AfVYhK2EVU6cnx2hn4pr_H2ZjJuvTJONEBh4g4xb4lqoqZPg-5ZyZGIrRkqDSxrsjtZ3G0/s1600/Possessed+biography+Spoto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LWxxM_qF5MJLrAFH1SCH045pRFsQfVpknHrLol6roL9Cx_T_DiGEsn9uVgN525guTS1o0-AfVYhK2EVU6cnx2hn4pr_H2ZjJuvTJONEBh4g4xb4lqoqZPg-5ZyZGIrRkqDSxrsjtZ3G0/s400/Possessed+biography+Spoto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711638650132070354" /></a><br /><br />It may seem strange or even hard to believe that in spite of my interest in the history of American cinema I'd never read a biography or critical study on Joan Crawford until picking up Donald Spoto's book on her a few weeks ago. Having read several other of his books before, I knew roughly what to expect. In other words, Spoto knows what he's talking about, knows his Hollywood history, abstains from making undue claims he can't buttress, and tends to rely on a variety sources, including secondary literature, oral histories and empirical data. And indeed, this also applies to his book on Crawford, aptly titled <span style="font-style:italic;">Possessed</span>, which refers to both the title of two of Crawford's movies as well as to that of her traits which best describes her. <span style="font-style:italic;">Possessed</span> makes for compelling, engrossing reading. It is well written, well researched relying as it does on a slew of sources, among them the Joan Crawford papers at Lincoln Center. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGzWGvmgbTOo_WhrZFhexviOF_xLb0a7U0aTPtEOMoQllE588T5-eoe6RR93XPGtFo9PFyngY06ce1NxKz5ZuZN4RHlmQGd50tobR4cHqLKeooL2r7sOAvmU9Z43QJ2TFKR4pYRS1V6Iq/s1600/crawford+2.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGzWGvmgbTOo_WhrZFhexviOF_xLb0a7U0aTPtEOMoQllE588T5-eoe6RR93XPGtFo9PFyngY06ce1NxKz5ZuZN4RHlmQGd50tobR4cHqLKeooL2r7sOAvmU9Z43QJ2TFKR4pYRS1V6Iq/s400/crawford+2.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711910927502301618" /></a><br /><br />What I found most intriguing though, is that in the book's introduction Spoto reveals the impetus not only for writing this book, but for his interest in Joan Crawford in general. For when Spoto was 11 years old, she answered his letter in which he expressed his admiration for her performance in <span style="font-style:italic;">Sudden Fear</span>. As Spoto rightly pointed out, he had no expectation of ever receiving an answer to his, the letter of an 11-year old. Yet, the fact that he <span style="font-style:italic;">did</span> get a reply says a lot about Crawford and the way she pushed herself, obsessed with being <span style="font-style:italic;">the star</span> and remaining one, which included never letting down her fan base by also recruiting new ones, such as 11 year old Donald Spoto. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9P680X9SLS_9gvyfOsvLfC97ZGY0B8I9umErrqt7qoYuy6CzMtBjfq9bx1jLdVZQ_wyr4VZlCKPCjlc-jyOKkdhuJjIVfq7cZSFMBhwZ6qqHoGEDpNSxkvODq2b_Y4Gdn57080wG_dhV/s1600/Annex+-+Crawford%252C+Joan_08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9P680X9SLS_9gvyfOsvLfC97ZGY0B8I9umErrqt7qoYuy6CzMtBjfq9bx1jLdVZQ_wyr4VZlCKPCjlc-jyOKkdhuJjIVfq7cZSFMBhwZ6qqHoGEDpNSxkvODq2b_Y4Gdn57080wG_dhV/s400/Annex+-+Crawford%252C+Joan_08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711911109191329330" /></a><br /><br />Aware of the importance and significance of our childhood experiences and memories, I can just imagine the impact Crawford's reply was bound to have on the eleven year old Donald, sparking a life-long fascination for one of the small handful of women - <span style="font-style:italic;">stars</span> - whose names are forever linked with the golden age of Hollywood and which have become synonymous with glamour. Therefore it comes as no surprise that his book is full admiration for its subject. But don't be fooled, his is of course not the out-pour of some gushing fan. Spoto always retains a critical distance by also taking Crawford's detractors into account, including Crawford's adopted daughter Christina's infamous <span style="font-style:italic;">Mommie Dearest</span>. However, where appropriate he disproves her and refutes her claims by providing evidence, usually oral histories of people who knew Crawford personally or professionally. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKfZnro-bX3-1YAgQM6xH1s0cTirofKthPBF2Rzfw-HbgCyko1rSoeSb869irtKWaaiJ5OLuLcPBd1XjNSHCUFAiB6Uyjycxb6-PH8VI1kV8lzhRlWlxqDhJPdoK6NhjLnjb0EfQIYFIj/s1600/Joan+Crawford+Mildred+Pierce.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKfZnro-bX3-1YAgQM6xH1s0cTirofKthPBF2Rzfw-HbgCyko1rSoeSb869irtKWaaiJ5OLuLcPBd1XjNSHCUFAiB6Uyjycxb6-PH8VI1kV8lzhRlWlxqDhJPdoK6NhjLnjb0EfQIYFIj/s400/Joan+Crawford+Mildred+Pierce.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711911231316610754" /></a><br /><br />When after nearly 500 pages you get to the end of <span style="font-style:italic;">Possessed</span> you're left with a biography of a woman in whose life glamour was but one aspect. Above all, Crawford was a hard worker, notoriously hard on herself - much more so than on others - and a woman <span style="font-style:italic;">possessed</span> by perfection and who had trouble telling the woman from <span style="font-style:italic;">the star</span>. Like others of her time - Barbara Stanwyck, Bette Davis - Crawford was the improbable <span style="font-style:italic;">product</span> of the studio system, a system that tolerated no deviation or aberration lest it may damage the star's image and consequently box office receipts. But their, including Crawford's, glamorous image and relatively sudden rise to stardom stood in rank contrast to their modest backgrounds, which included an absent father and an almost complete lack of education, something even the most lavish Adrian gowns never managed to make up for, let alone cover. The result was incredible wealth and fame at the expense of a desolate, ultimately lonely, private life. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDAOTdhMvmqvTAnqQtAkvtsYDEcXM-KDtbxofMfBTVDTT1569asKjIcoTr3qKOpWrt8pcG37dgDYuLwEsemP_Bl-jTVXwMleDOuxjU_JEA-LMuirEujN-Ku7KFu_xWPNRoTXoDSb97L8v/s1600/joan-crawford_l.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDAOTdhMvmqvTAnqQtAkvtsYDEcXM-KDtbxofMfBTVDTT1569asKjIcoTr3qKOpWrt8pcG37dgDYuLwEsemP_Bl-jTVXwMleDOuxjU_JEA-LMuirEujN-Ku7KFu_xWPNRoTXoDSb97L8v/s400/joan-crawford_l.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711911359789675522" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Possessed </span>is a fascinating portrait of one of the most fascinating personalities spawned by Hollywood's <span style="font-style:italic;">golden age</span>, one who was so central to the rise of MGM, which in turn was pivotal in the history of American film. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Possessed</span> - The Life of Joan Crawford, by Donald Spoto, Harper Collins, 2010Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-40280276395018244792012-02-18T09:22:00.003-08:002012-02-18T11:03:00.201-08:00Berlin Film Festival 2012 - The Winners<span style="font-weight:bold;">Best First Feature Film:</span><br /><br />Boudewijn Koole for <span style="font-style:italic;">Cowboy</span>/ Netherlands <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Special Mention/ Silver Bear</span>:<br /><br />Ursula Meier for <span style="font-style:italic;">L'enfant d'en haut</span>/ Switzerland <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Alfred Bauer Award for New Perspectives In Cinema:</span><br /><br />Miguel Gomez for <span style="font-style:italic;">Tabu</span>/ Portugal <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear for Best Actor: </span><br /><br />Mikkel Boo Falkesgaard for <span style="font-style:italic;">A Royal Affair</span>/ Denmark <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear for Best Actress: </span><br /><br />Rachel Mwanza for <span style="font-style:italic;">Rebelle</span>/ Canada <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear For Best Screenplay: </span><br /><br />Nikolai Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg for <span style="font-style:italic;">A Royal Affair</span>/ Denmark <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear For Outstanding Artistic Contribution:</span> <br /><br />Cinematographer Lutz Reitemeier for <span style="font-style:italic;">Bai lu yuan</span>/ China <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear for Best Direction: </span><br /><br />Christian Petzold for <span style="font-style:italic;">Barbara</span>/ Germany <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Silver Bear/ Grand Prix of the Jury</span>:<br /><br />Bence Fliegauf for <span style="font-style:italic;">Just The Wind</span>/ Hungary <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Golden Bear for Best Film: </span><br /><br />Paolo and Vittorio Taviani for <span style="font-style:italic;">Cesare deve morire</span>/ ItalyMartin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-76282588360388492612012-02-06T06:19:00.000-08:002012-02-06T07:11:49.504-08:00Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Tomas Alfredson, UK 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgMyYBilN-JB3kRh-LnE_WdjNIwtlzi3dJLHCBpF802fx6ZBXUazgxrhQbx9A1P5corCBTNGcy4aX5wIZ3T6Kt45PFalmQxA022Wn9nIkbuNljBREuEEnxTIE57vPyFE-HvFRNEwGiCp1/s1600/Tinker-Tailor-Soldier-Spy-03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgMyYBilN-JB3kRh-LnE_WdjNIwtlzi3dJLHCBpF802fx6ZBXUazgxrhQbx9A1P5corCBTNGcy4aX5wIZ3T6Kt45PFalmQxA022Wn9nIkbuNljBREuEEnxTIE57vPyFE-HvFRNEwGiCp1/s400/Tinker-Tailor-Soldier-Spy-03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706038220850576946" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy</span> is an excellent spy-thriller. That is, if you're into spy-thrillers ... <br /><br />Jokes aside, it is an outstanding film no doubt - dense, excellently paced, to say nothing of the actors who are all at the top of their game, without exception - but truth be told: as far as I'm concerned <span style="font-style:italic;">Tinker, Tailor</span> falls under that category of films which don't do much for me, yet their brilliance is nevertheless obvious, even to me, and I can see why they are a cut above the rest (of similar such spy-thrillers). <br /><br />If you are into spy-thrillers - unlike myself - then you may love this film, but be warned: it is the opposite of what you'd expect from your average, run-of-the-mill James Bond movie. That Alfredson has stripped the genre of all the glitz, the pretty girls, the ritzy locations and the gallons of dry martinis which have falsely sugar-coated the genre of the spy-thriller ever since <span style="font-style:italic;">Bond, James Bond</span> first stepped out of his Aston Martin with a Chanel-clad Ursula Andres by his side, surely is part of<span style="font-style:italic;"> Tinker, Tailor</span>'s brilliance. Alfredson's spies are a tired-looking, lonely, bunch of middle-aged, droopy shouldered, men wearing badly cut suits in various shades of grey and that murky, 1970s, brown. The only pretty girl in sight is an indeed stunningly pretty Russian spy who gets violently killed halfway into the film.<br /><br />It seems obvious that Aldredson has given Martin Ritt's equally brilliant but equally elliptical, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Spy Who Came in from the Cold</span> a good look for its mood, theme, and general atmosphere, are very reminiscent of <span style="font-style:italic;">Tinker, Tailor</span>, and I don't think that's <span style="font-style:italic;">just</span> because both are based on novels by John le Carre.<br /><br />Having not seen the 1979 television version of <span style="font-style:italic;">Tinker, Tailor</span>, I have no idea how the two compare. However, I do know that it probably helps <span style="font-style:italic;">if </span>you've seen it - if only to make the plot-line and the goings-on that much clearer. I'm aware that like in most spy-thrillers, the viewer has to just accept some of the unfolding events as a fact. No questions asked. Trying to question or get to the bottom of this, that or the other element in the plot is bound to get you nowhere. At least, I didn't. I tried. <br /><br />Nevertheless, that I <span style="font-style:italic;">did</span> try, tells you that I liked the movie well enough to care.Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4452420317775905929.post-20028862230971058242012-02-03T03:55:00.000-08:002012-02-03T13:18:33.495-08:00Berlinale 2012 - Programme/ Competition/ Now Complete<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcyIzIhKweMaiaB5ot_gzhFuCcK5pJ4szXkpNaYhrMZ7o1Mzj1Rto8NNxYepU6-OAWrJTAhqlclz4KrjfA00Qoe9gLz3vH-oZ3tC32gylSnEYl7hPP3bu_G1QfVNNI6qyjzg4BkxuD2l8/s1600/Berlinale-2012-Poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcyIzIhKweMaiaB5ot_gzhFuCcK5pJ4szXkpNaYhrMZ7o1Mzj1Rto8NNxYepU6-OAWrJTAhqlclz4KrjfA00Qoe9gLz3vH-oZ3tC32gylSnEYl7hPP3bu_G1QfVNNI6qyjzg4BkxuD2l8/s400/Berlinale-2012-Poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704883300417894562" /></a><br /><br />The programme for the International Competition is now complete, the Berlin Film Festival has announced.<br /><br />Though due to the rescheduled date for the Academy Awards ceremony which has once again been brought forward, the programme does feature less US productions than usual. However, in my opinion that is a loss the Berlin film fest can live with. If anything, it's a gain, not because US films are so bad - no! - but because these films will eventually be released the world over, anyway, and therefore don't really need the support of a major film festival as a launching pad <span style="font-style:italic;">at all</span>. <br /><br />Let's face it, the main reason why Hollywood used to feature so prominently in the Berlinale's Competition was because of the Hollywood glamour these films added to a festival which otherwise has a dearth in star power - stars, that is, that are known the world over. Not that any film festival - let alone one like the Berlinale which for years has been known as a political festival, and one with a focus on Asian and eastern European cinema - necessarily needs star power or Hollywood glamour. But it's the sponsors that require it. Like everywhere else - money talks, and it's the sponsors providing much needed cold, hard cash, that are calling the shots. At least to a degree. For if French cosmetics giant L'Oreal agrees to shell out some dough they expect to be associated with the likes of Scarlett Johannson or, if unavailable, Paris Hilton (or perhaps <span style="font-style:italic;">not</span> Paris Hilton ...), rather than some, in their eyes, C-List ding-dong from some eastern European country Paris Hilton wouldn't even be able to pinpoint on the map. But every time I see these so-called <span style="font-style:italic;">Hollywood stars</span> schlepping across the red carpet in Berlin's - usually - freezing cold weather, answering the - usually - silly questions by the German media, for some Berlinale entry which - usually - had its US release weeks ago, I'm finding this act, put on for the sake of the sponsors, increasingly ludicrous. Let's face it - Berlin will never be Cannes. Temperatures below zero, the non-existent palm-trees and, of course, the relative absence of Hollywood stars, just can't compete with the splendours of <span style="font-style:italic;">La Croisette</span>. It is my opinion - and it has been for some time - that Berlin would be well advised to distance itself from Cannes. In other words, rather than trying to imitate it, the way to go is to focus on its reputation as a <span style="font-style:italic;">political</span> festival and get completely rid of the titbits of glamour there were, including that silly red carpet. Berlinale discoveries that fall under this category are the festival's strong suit and are generally among the best films to be found in the fest's official programme. Best case in point is last year's <span style="font-style:italic;">Nader and Sirin</span>, which went on to garner awards across the globe. <br /><br />This year, however, there's little the sponsors can do, anyway, as Hollywood films are <span style="font-style:italic;">just not available</span> for reasons mentioned above. All this, I think, is to the Berlinale's benefit which, in addition to being blessed with the strongest jury in years, now also has a Competition programme to match. And while I can't say much regarding the quality of the films selected <span style="font-style:italic;">yet</span>, at least the programme as a whole seems more consistent, if not to say more interesting, featuring, as it does, an impressive number of films of little known directors, thus doing exactly what a film festival is supposed to do: providing an international platform for new talent.<br /><br />Find the Berlinale Competition programme <a href="http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/programmsuche.php?screenings=efm_festival&page=1&order_by=1§ion_id=751&cinema_id=1656&country_id=0&date_id=0&time_id=0&filterSubmit=">HERE</a>!Martin http://www.blogger.com/profile/13177642432874412003noreply@blogger.com