DECEMBER 9, 2023 | SPECIAL ISSUE
P R E S E N TAT I O N S
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
The Peasants
DK Welchman (Writer/Director) Hugh Welchman (Writer/Director/Producer)
Shayda
Noora Niasari (Writer/Director/Producer) Coco Francini (EP)
NETFLIX
The Teachers’ Lounge
Ilker Çatak (Co-Writer/Director)
Society of the Snow
J.A. Bayona (Writer/Director/Producer) Roberto Canessa (Survivor) Belén Atienza (Producer)
815 PICTURES AND LOTTE
Concrete Utopia
Um Tae-hwa (Writer/Director) Lee Byung-hun (Actor)
ENTERTAINMENT FILM CLINIC, VOX STUDIOS,
Voy! Voy! Voy!
Omar Hilal (Writer/Director/Producer)
AND IMAGE NATION ABU DHABI
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DEADLINE.COM S C H E D U L E , F I L M S & S P E A K E R S S U B J EC T TO C H A N G E
P R E S E N TAT I O N S
LEMMING FILM
Sweet Dreams
Ena Sendijarević (Writer/Director) Renée Soutendijk (Actor)
ARGO FILM
Blaga’s Lessons
Stephan Komandarev (Director) Eli Skorcheva (Actor)
UTOPIA
Omen
Baloji (Writer/Director) Eliane Umuhire (Actor)
KAVYA FILM COMPANY
2018 - Everyone Is A Hero
Jude Anthany Joseph (Writer/Director) Venu Kunnappilly (Producer)
KAWANKAWAN MEDIA
Autobiography
Makbul Mubarak (Director)
CLOSE UP FILMS
Thunder
Carmen Jaquier (Director)
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MORNING
RUSH Pair your morning coffee with the Morning Rush. Get Deadline’s roundup of the day’s biggest stories.
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DEADLINE’S FOURTH CONTENDERS FILM: INTERNATIONAL BRINGS THE BEST OF THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL CINEMA BY DAMON W I SE
The last Oscar ceremony was a
down, and international film, once
His Skin) and Bosnia and Herzegovina
triumph for international cinema.
synonymous with arthouse, is making
(Quo Vadis, Aida?). Surprisingly, given
Going into the ceremony, Edward
commercial headway.
the precarious state of world politics
Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front
Recent stats also show that the
today and almost every day, the
was a winner already, having earned a
Academy is becoming a little more
Academy tends not to be swayed by
spectacular seven nominations. If that
experimental in their taste. Historically,
headlines, which means that political
wasn’t enough, it came away with four
the Oscars has tended to favor Europe:
choices are by no means a safe bet.
statuettes: one for Best International
since 1947, Italy has mustered 14 wins,
With nearly 100 submissions
Picture, and three for cinematography,
with France close behind on 12. In third
competing for just five slots, it is a
music and production design. Clearly
place comes Japan with five, so there’s
highly crowded field, and some foreign-
this can’t happen every year, but, like
everything to play for here. In recent
language titles, like the U.K.’s Cannes
Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite before it,
times, the shortlist has made room for
favorite The Zone of Interest or the
Berger’s First World War epic proved
films from Bhutan (Lunana: A Yak in the
French Palm d’Or winner Anatomy of
that boundaries are being broken
Classroom), Tunisia (The Man Who Sold
a Fall (which was passed over in favor
of The Taste of Things), may take their
(the big winner at this year’s Karlovy
South Korea has another strong entry
chances alongside everyone else in
Vary International Film Festival). Egypt
this year with Um Tae-hwa’s Concrete
the acting and technical categories.
gives us Omar Hilal’s Voy! Voy! Voy!,
Utopia, while Spain has J.A. Bayona’s
Deadline’s International Contenders,
Germany offers Ilker Çatak’s The
Society of the Snow, and Switzerland
then, is not an exhaustive list, but it
Teachers’ Lounge, a word-of-mouth hit
rounds things off with Carmen
does illustrate the healthy state of
at this year’s Berlinale, and from India
Jaquier’s Thunder.
cinema in all four corners of the globe,
there’s Jude Anthany Joseph’s 2018 -
from personal stories, to thrillers,
Everyone Is a Hero.
comedies, psychological dramas and
Meanwhile, from Indonesia we have
What’s clear is that this year is far from a one-horse race, with fewer familiar names in the mix than there
Makbul Mubarak’s Autobiography,
have been for quite a while. So rather
The Netherlands provides us with
than try to out-think the Academy,
Niasari’s Shayda, from Belgium there’s
Ena Sendijarević’s Sweet Dreams, and
tune in to check out some new and
Baloji’s Omen, from Bulgaria comes
Poland has DK and Hugh Welchman’s
surprising voices. You’ll see things
Stephan Komandarev’s Blaga’s Lessons
The Peasants. Making up for lost time,
differently if you do. ★
flat-out spectacles. From Australia we have Noora
MEET THE
MODERATORS The Deadline staffers who’ ll be guiding you through this year’s Contenders
YO UR EM C E E
London, New York and Hollywood. Prior to that
correspondent for Variety and also covered film
JOE UTICHI
he was based in New York for three years for
news and box office at Screen International.
EXECUTIVE AWARDS EDITOR
The Sun. He covered crime & entertainment
Joe oversees Deadline’s awards coverage, includ-
for the London Evening Standard; before that
NANCY TARTAGLIONE
ing its dedicated print magazine for the Oscar and
he worked for local newspapers, and got his
INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE
Emmy seasons, AwardsLine. He also edits Dead-
start at a London news agency covering general
EDITOR/SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
line’s special ‘Disruptors’ edition for the Cannes
news, criminal courts and entertainment. He
Nancy joined Deadline as International Editor
Film Festival and serves as the emcee for its Con-
has won a U.K. Press Award for show business
in 2011. She covers the global film, television
tenders events. He has been aboard since 2012.
reporter of the year and received a special Brit-
and media business, with a particular focus on
Prior to joining, his work regularly appeared in his
ish Independent Film Award for services to indie
international box office and China; as well as
native UK—for outlets including The Sunday Times
film. He supports Arsenal FC. On occasion he is
various festivals and awards shows. Based in
and The Guardian—and around the world. He has
known to sing. Please don’t allow him to do this.
Europe for more than 25 years, Nancy is the
also worked extensively in film and television, pro-
former Editor-in-Chief of Hollywood Wiretap,
ducing EPK and production notes and working as
MELANIE GOODFELLOW
and for 10 years was French Correspondent/
a unit publicist. He is a member of BAFTA and has
SENIOR INTERNATIONAL FILM
Contributing Editor at ScreenDaily.com and
sat on multiple juries for the BAFTA Film Awards.
CORRESPONDENT
Screen International. She also has worked for
Melanie joined Deadline in 2022 as Senior
The New York Times as a freelance editor for
YO UR MODE R ATO R S
International Film Correspondent. She came
its DealBook blog. Earlier in her career, Nancy
NELLIE ANDREEVA
from UK trade Screen International, where
was the European Media Correspondent for
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TV
she spent a decade covering film and TV
Inside.com and co-hosted Canal Plus’ film
Nellie's insightful analysis and thorough
news out of France, Europe and the Middle
program "Bazar." Nancy also spent four years
coverage of TV deals, pilot season, markets
East. She has also worked for Variety and
as reporter and editor for Variety in Paris and
and executives makes her one of the most
Moving Pictures as well as the UK broadsheet
Los Angeles. Prior to that, she worked in the
respected journalists covering the television
The Independent, entertainment magazine
Paris office of 60 Minutes, and spent two years
business today. Before joining Deadline in 2010,
Heat and Japan’s The Daily Yomiuri, working
in the Features department of the International
Nellie worked for 10 years at The Hollywood
out of London, Rome, Brussels, Tokyo and
Herald Tribune. She lives in the south of France.
Reporter where she covered TV for the trade's
Jerusalem. Melanie originally trained in
online and print editions. Before that, she worked
journalism at Reuters and spent four years
DAMON WISE
as a journalist covering television and radio
there in the mid-1990s as a reporter.
FILM EDITOR, AWARDSLINE
for Investor’s Business Daily. Nellie’s interest
Damon has contributed to Deadline since 2017.
in the television industry extends back to her
DIANA LODDERHOSE
As a journalist, his film features, interviews and
homeland of Bulgaria, where she first became
INTERNATIONAL FEATURES EDITOR
reviews have been published in publications
a journalist and then a producer, writer and
Diana has been working in global film journalism
such as Empire, Total Film, The Guardian, The
director for Bulgarian National Television.
since 2005. Before returning to Deadline in
Times and The Financial Times, and as well as
2021 to focus on features for international film
covering set visits and junkets, he is a longtime
BAZ BAMIGBOYE
and television, she was previously Interna-
regular attendee at key international film fes-
COLUMNIST/INTERNATIONAL
tional Reporter for the site. She is based in
tivals, such as Cannes, Venice and Sundance.
EDITOR AT LARGE
London and has frequently covered all the
In 1998 he published his first book, Come By
Baz joined Deadline in 2022 after three decades
major film festivals and markets including
Sunday (Sidgwick & Jackson), a biography of
as entertainment columnist for the U.K. Daily Mail,
Cannes, Berlin, AFM, Toronto and Sundance.
British film star Diana Dors, and he is currently
where he covered film, theater and television in
Prior to joining Deadline, Diana was the UK
an advisor to the London Film Festival.
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CONCRETE UTOPIA
BLAGA’S LESSONS
THUNDER
815 PICTURES & LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT Concrete Utopia (South Korea) Residents in a concrete apartment complex are forced to reconcile themselves with a terrifying discovery following a massive earthquake that decimates Seoul. Realizing that their building is the only one standing, the residents must figure out how to deal with being overrun by outside survivors that pose a threat on their psyche and limited resources. The film is directed by Tae-hwa Eom and stars Lee Byung-hun, Park Boyoung and Park Seo-joon.
VOY! VOY! VOY!
2018 - EVERYONE IS A HERO
ARGO FILM Blaga’s Lessons (Bulgaria) Director Stephan Komandarev wraps up his trilogy of films surrounding Bulgarian societal issues, with this film centered on the vulnerability of senior citizens. After a scammer takes her life savings, recently widowed Blaga (Eli Skorcheva) receives a tantalizing job opportunity. The former teacher’s strict and honest nature begins to crumble as she finds herself becoming a scammer as well. CLOSE UP FILMS Thunder (Switzerland) In the summer of 1900, 17-year-old Elisabeth (Lilith
Grasmug) is preparing to take her vows as a nun, when she learns her sister has died of mysterious circumstances in Carmen Jaquier’s Thunder. As she returns to her family farm after five years, Elisabeth reconnects with three childhood friends and discovers that faith and desire aren’t mutually exclusive. FILM CLINC, VOX STUDIOS & IMAGE NATION ABU DHABI Voy! Voy! Voy! (Egypt) Based on a true story, Omar Hilal’s Voy! Voy! Voy! Follows Hassan (Muhammad Farrag), a man living an impoverished life in his home country of Egypt. When he stumbles into the world of blind soccer, he fakes blindness to join a team before the World Cup tournament in Europe. KAVYA FILM COMPANY 2018 - Everyone Is A Hero (India) Based on a true story, the Malayalam language film is a survival thriller centered around the Kerala floods that devastated the south Indian state in 2018. Upon the film’s release in May 2023, its box office totals of $25 million earned the film the distinction of being the highest grossing Malayalam language film of all time. 2018 is cowritten and directed by
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
SWEET DREAMS
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW
Jude Anthany Joseph and stars Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan and Aparna Balamurali.
THE PEASANTS
KAWANKAWAN MEDIA Autobiography (Indonesia) Written and directed by Makbul Mubarak, Autobiography tells the story of a young man living in a rural Indonesian town as a housekeeper in a mansion belonging to a retired general. When the general decides to start a mayoral campaign, an act of vandalism starts a violent chain of events. Arswendy Bening Swara and Kevin Ardilova star. LEMMING FILM Sweet Dreams (The Netherlands) Ena Sendijarević's Sweet Dreams satirically broaches the rise and fall of European colonialism. The story is set on an Indonesian island in 1900, where a Dutch sugar plantation owner Jan (Hans Dagelet) and his wife Agathe (Renée Soutendijk) face marital and familial strife while trying to maintain superiority over the family business.
SHAYDA
NETFLIX Society of the Snow (Spain) Adapted from Pablo Vierci’s book of the same name, director J.A.
Bayona’s Society of the Snow follows the true story of the 1972 flight that crashed on a glacier in the Andes, leaving 29 survivors in one of the world’s toughest environments. As time goes by with no sign of rescue, the survivors are forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive. SONY PICTURES CLASSICS The Peasants (Poland) The Peasants tells the story of Jagna, a young woman determined to forge her own path within the confines of a late 19th century Polish village—a hotbed of gossip and ongoing feuds, held together by the rich and poor, who have pride in their land and adhere to colorful traditions and a deeprooted patriarchy. When she finds herself caught between the conflicting desires of the village’s richest farmer, his eldest son and other leading men of the community, her resistance puts her on a tragic collision course with the people around her. Shayda (Australia) Shayda, written and directed by Noora Niasari, follows the story of a young Iranian mother (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) and her 6-year-old daughter (Selina Zahednia) who find refuge at an Australian
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women’s shelter during the beginning of the Iranian New Year, after facing domestic violence. Osamah Sami, Leah Purcell, Jillian Nguyen, Mojean Aria and Rina Mousavi also star.
THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE
OMEN
The Teachers’ Lounge (Germany) Directed and co-written by İlker Çatak, The Teachers’ Lounge follows Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch), an idealistic teacher who tries to solve a series of thefts at school. When one of her students is suspected of theft, Nowak’s good intentions of proving his innocence lead to some unforeseen consequences that threaten to break her spirit. UTOPIA Omen (Belgium) This drama film, written and directed by BelgianCongolese director Baloji, follows a young man named Koffi (Marc Zinga), who after years of residing in Belgium, returns to his birthplace of Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of the Congo hoping to reconnect with his family. However, having been born with a mysterious birthmark that flares up superstitious beliefs in his hometown, Koffi then has to navigate accusations of witchcraft and sorcery. Eliane Umuhire, Marcel Otete Kabeya and Lucie Debay also star.