international JANUARY 9, 2021 | SPECIAL ISSUE
F O R Y O U R C O BEST INTERNATIONAL ALEC UTGOFF in
“Profoundly cinematic... exerts its own hypnotic power.” – Anna Smith, DEADLINE
“Małgorzata Szumowska hits a career high in this alluring, atmospheric tale.“ – Guy Lodge, VARIETY
“A magical film... A tour-de-force... of brilliant cinematography.” – Deborah Young, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“A hypnotic viewing experience that awakens all senses through our eyes.” – Carlos Aguilar, THE PLAYLIST LAVA FILMS And MATCH FACTORY PROdUCTIOnS In COPROdUCTIOn wITH KInO ŚwIAT MAZOVIA wARSAw FILM FUnd dI-FACTORY BAYERISCHER RUndFUnK In COOPERATIOn wITH ARTE FILM wITH THE SUPPORT OF/ CO-FInAnCEd BY POLISH FILM InSTITUTE FILM - Und MEdIEnSTIFTUnG nRw dEUTSCHER FILMFÖRFERFOndS MEdIEnBOARd BERLIn BRAndEnBURG GERMAn-POLISH FILM FUnd CInECOPRO AwARd FEATURInG ALEC UTGOFF MAJA OSTASZEwSKA AGATA KULESZA wEROnIKA ROSATI KATARZYnA FIGURA ŁUKASZ SIMLAT AndRZEJ CHYRA KRZYSZTOF CZECZOT CInEMATOGRAPHY MICHAŁ EnGLERT PSC EdITInG JAROSŁAw KAMIŃSKI PSM AGATA CIERnIAK PROdUCTIOn dESIGn JAGnA JAnICKA CASTInG MAGdALEnA SZwARCBART SOUnd KACPER HABISIAK MPSE MARCIn KASIŃSKI MPSE MARCIn JACHYRA COSTUME dESIGn KATARZYnA LEwIŃSKA MAKE UP wALdEMAR POKROMSKI GERMAn LInE PROdUCER STEFAAn SCHIEdER PROdUCTIOn MAnAGER dAGMARA BAGnECKA CO-PROdUCERS AnnA SPISZ TOMASZ KARCZEwSKI MARCIn PIASECKI JĘdRZEJ SABLIŃSKI RAFAŁ GOLIS COMMISSIOnInG EdITORS CARLOS GESTEnHAUER (BR) CORnELIA ACKERS (BR) MOnIKA LOBKOwICZ (BR/ARTE) BIRGIT KÄMPER (ARTE) PROdUCERS AGnIESZKA wASIAK MARIUSZ wŁOdARSKI VIOLA FÜGEn MICHAEL wEBER MAŁGORZATA SZUMOwSKA MICHAŁ EnGLERT wRITTEn BY MICHAŁ EnGLERT & MAŁGORZATA SZUMOwSKA dIRECTEd BY MAŁGORZATA SZUMOwSKA CO-dIRECTEd BY MICHAŁ EnGLERT
N S I D E R A T I O N FEATURE FILM - POLAND
A film by MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA & MICHAŁ ENGLERT
international
SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS 8:04am - 8:34am
Another Round
Mads Mikkelsen (Actor) Thomas Vinterberg (Co-Writer/Director)
The Auschwitz Report
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - SLOVAKIA
Peter Bebjak (Director) Noel Czuczor (Actor)
Dear Comrades!
Andrei Konchalovsky (Writer/Director/Producer)
Night of the Kings
Philippe Lacôte (Writer/Director)
101 STUDIOS 8:57am – 9:12am
Dara of Jasenovac
Michael Berenbaum (Executive Producer)
XYZ FILMS 9:12am – 9:27am
Jallikattu
NEON 8:34am - 8:57am
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - DENMARK
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - RUSSIA OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - IVORY COAST OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - SERBIA
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - INDIA
Nate Bolotin (Executive Producer) Lijo Jose Pellissery (Director) Prashant Pillai (Music Director/Composer)
MORNING BREAK- 10 MINUTES
COHEN MEDIA GROUP 9:40am – 10:11am
Christos Nikou (Director)
Apples OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - GREECE
Persian Lessons OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - BELARUS
El Olvido que Seremos OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - COLOMBIA
Vadim Perelman (Director) Ilya Stewart (Producer) Javier Cámara (Actor) Fernando Trueba (Director)
KINO LORBER 10:11am – 10:21am
Never Gonna Snow Again OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - POLAND
Michał Englert (Co-Director/Cinematographer) Małgorzata Szumowska (Director)
OUTSIDER PICTURES 10:22am – 10:31am
Kill It and Leave This Town
Mariusz Wilczynski (Writer/Director)
FYC - BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
LUNCH BREAK- 30 MINUTES
FILM MOVEMENT 11:03am – 11:19am
My Little Sister OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - SWITZERLAND
Stéphanie Chuat (Writer/Director) Nina Hoss (Actor) Véronique Reymond (Writer/Director)
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
international
SHUDDER 11:19am – 11:44am
Impetigore
Joko Anwar (Writer/Director)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - INDONESIA
La Llorona
Jayro Bustamante (Co-Writer/Director)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - GUATEMALA
GRAVITAS VENTURES 11:44am – 11:58am
The Mole Agent
GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT 11:59am – 12:13pm
Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time
HELSINKI-FILMI 12:14pm – 12:29pm
Tove
Maite Alberdi (Writer/Director)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - CHILE
Lili Horvát (Writer/Director)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - HUNGARY
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - FINLAND
Zaida Bergroth (Director) Alma Pöysti (Actor)
AFTERNOON BREAK- 10 MINUTES
MAGNOLIA PICTURES 12:41pm – 1:02pm
Collective OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - ROMANIA
Alexander Nanau (Director/Producer/Cinematographer)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - FRANCE
Filippo Meneghetti (Director/Co-Writer) Barbara Sukowa (Actor)
MUBI 1:02pm – 1:17pm
Beginning
Dea Kulumbegashvili (Co-Writer/Director)
NETFLIX 1:18pm – 1:41pm
The Life Ahead
Sophia Loren (Actor) Edoardo Ponti (Director)
I’m No Longer Here
Fernando Frías de la Parra (Writer/Director)
Two of Us
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - GEORGIA
FOREIGN LANGUAGE CATEGORY (GOLDEN GLOBES)
OFFICIAL SUBMISSION - MEXICO
PA R T N E R S
WELCOME TO
CONTENDERS INTERNATIONAL
Deadline’s new addition to the Contenders event series offers a look at the best international films of 2020 BY NA N C Y TA RTAG L I O N E
Meet the moderators
The Deadline staffers who’ll be guiding you through this year’s Contenders International
YO U R E M C E E JOE UTICHI EDITOR, AWARDSLINE Joe oversees Deadline’s print magazine for the Oscar and Emmy
JANUARY IS CONTENDERS MONTH
Hoss, Andrei Konchalovsky, Philippe
seasons, as well as its special
here at Deadline and we couldn’t
Lacôte, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas
“Disruptors” edition for the Cannes
be more excited to kick off the New
Vinterberg, Javier Cámara, Fernando
Film Festival. He has been with
Year with our inaugural edition of
Trueba, Alexander Nanau and many,
Deadline since 2012 and serves as
Contenders International. This
many more.
emcee for Deadline’s Contenders
event will showcase 22 titles from 15
Countries represented include
events. Prior to joining, his work
studios, streamers and distributors
Serbia, Greece, Colombia, Belarus,
regularly appeared in his native UK,
with presentations including clips and
Switzerland, Chile, Hungary, Finland,
for outlets including The Sunday
filmmaker/talent Q&As. In all, 20 of the
Poland, Romania, France, Georgia,
Times and The Guardian. He has
films are official submissions to the
Russia, Ivory Coast, Italy, Mexico,
also worked extensively in film
Best International Film category at the
Denmark, Slovakia, Indonesia,
and television, producing EPK and
93rd Academy Awards.
Guatemala and India.
production notes and serving as
While international markets have
Due to the pandemic, today’s
a unit publicist. He is a member
been a profit center for the studios
event (which will be followed on
of BAFTA and has sat on multiple
for many years, local films have
Sunday by the inaugural Contenders
juries for the BAFTA Film Awards.
begun to take on greater importance
Documentary) will be presented
outside festivals and indeed their
virtually, beginning at 8AM PT.
home countries. That was particularly
We thank our participants for
YO U R M O D E RATO RS PETE HAMMOND AWARDS COLUMNIST/ CHIEF FILM CRITIC
the case in 2019 with South Korea’s
taking the time to speak with our team
Parasite which then went on to become
and share their thoughts, and we also
the first foreign-language film to win
greatly appreciate their efforts to do
Pete, widely considered to be one
the Best Picture Oscar, doing so in
so in English. Also be sure to check out
of the preeminent awards analysts
February 2020.
the fun and insightful responses each
for both film and television, has
provided to two questions: What is your
for the past seven years been
we at Deadline are pleased to shine a
favorite place in the world and why?
Deadline’s Awards Columnist,
spotlight on worthy movies that don’t
And what are your hopes for 2021?
covering what is seemingly now
always get the attention they deserve,
While so many of us have been
Indeed, talent abounds abroad and
the year-round Oscar and Emmy
as well as providing filmmakers with
stuck at home for months, we
seasons. He is also Deadline’s
a chance to discuss their work and
hope you’ll enjoy this globetrotting
Chief Film Critic, having previously
inspirations in front of a dedicated,
adventure. We intend to make
reviewed films for MovieLine,
discerning audience.
Contenders International an annual
Boxoffice magazine, Backstage,
Among the high-profile names
part of our long-running Contenders
Hollywood.com and Maxim. In
involved in Contenders International
franchise, hopefully as an in-person
addition to writing, Pete is also host
are Sophia Loren, Edoardo Ponti, Nina
event in the future.
of the year-round KCET Cinema
F O R
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C O N S I D E R A T I O N
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM - POLAND ALEC UTGOFF IN
“Małgorzata Szumowska hits a career high in this alluring, atmospheric tale.“
“Profoundly cinematic... exerts its own hypnotic power.”
– Guy Lodge, VARIETY
– Anna Smith, DEADLINE
A film by MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA & MICHAŁ ENGLERT LAVA FILMS AND MATCH FACTORY PRODUCTIONS IN COPRODUCTION WITH KINO ŚWIAT MAZOVIA WARSAW FILM FUND DI-FACTORY BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK IN COOPERATION WITH ARTE FILM WITH THE SUPPORT OF / CO-FINANCED BY POLISH FILM INSTITUTE FILM - UND MEDIENSTIFTUNG NRW DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRFERFONDS MEDIENBOARD BERLIN BRANDENBURG GERMAN-POLISH FILM FUND CINECOPRO AWARD FEATURING ALEC UTGOFF MAJA OSTASZEWSKA AGATA KULESZA WERONIKA ROSATI KATARZYNA FIGURA ŁUKASZ SIMLAT ANDRZEJ CHYRA KRZYSZTOF CZECZOT CINEMATOGRAPHY MICHAŁ ENGLERT PSC EDITING JAROSŁAW KAMIŃSKI PSM AGATA CIERNIAK PRODUCTION DESIGN JAGNA JANICKA CASTING MAGDALENA SZWARCBART SOUND KACPER HABISIAK MPSE MARCIN KASIŃSKI MPSE MARCIN JACHYRA COSTUME DESIGN KATARZYNA LEWIŃSKA MAKE UP WALDEMAR POKROMSKI GERMAN LINE PRODUCER STEFAAN SCHIEDER PRODUCTION MANAGER DAGMARA BAGNECKA CO-PRODUCERS ANNA SPISZ TOMASZ KARCZEWSKI MARCIN PIASECKI JĘDRZEJ SABLIŃSKI RAFAŁ GOLIS COMMISSIONING EDITORS CARLOS GESTENHAUER (BR) CORNELIA ACKERS (BR) MONIKA LOBKOWICZ (BR/ARTE) BIRGIT KÄMPER (ARTE) PRODUCERS AGNIESZKA WASIAK MARIUSZ WŁODARSKI VIOLA FÜGEN MICHAEL WEBER MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA MICHAŁ ENGLERT WRITTEN BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT & MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA DIRECTED BY MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA CO-DIRECTED BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT
NANCY TARTAGLIONE INTERNATIONAL BOX OFFICE EDITOR/ SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
of films prior to their theatrical
JAKE KANTER INTERNATIONAL TV EDITOR
release and interviews filmmakers. He
Jake joined Deadline in 2019 from
previously held producing positions at
Business Insider, where he was the
Nancy joined Deadline in 2011. She
Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Access
UK Executive Editor, overseeing
covers the global film, television and
Hollywood, The Arsenio Hall Show, The
a 60-strong London bureau and
media business, with a particular focus
Martin Short Show and AMC Network,
serving tens of millions of readers
on international box office and China;
and is the recipient of five Emmy
every month. He also wrote about
as well as various festivals and awards
nominations for writing.
media and tech, breaking scoops
shows. Based in Europe for more than
on companies including Facebook,
25 years, Nancy is the former Editor-
TOM GRATER INTERNATIONAL FILM REPORTER
Amazon and the BBC. Prior to his time
in-Chief of Hollywood Wiretap, and for
at Business Insider, he spent six years
10 years was French Correspondent/
Tom joined Deadline in 2019 as part
at Broadcast, where he rose from
Contributing Editor at ScreenDaily.com
of its expanding international team,
reporter to news editor and launched
and Screen International. She has also
covering the film (and TV) business
the popular Talking TV podcast. Jake
worked for The New York Times as a
from his base in London. He is a
is also chair of the Broadcasting Press
freelance editor for its DealBook blog.
regular at film markets and festivals
Guild, a 45-year-old association of the
Earlier in her career, Nancy was the
around the world, including Cannes,
UK’s top media journalists.
European Media Correspondent for
Series, where he screens a selection
Inside.com and co-hosted Canal Plus’
Berlin, AFM, Toronto and Venice. Tom
film program Bazar. Nancy also spent
spending five years there and rising
DINO-RAY RAMOS ASSOCIATE EDITOR/REPORTER
to Senior Reporter across the UK
Dino-Ray joined Deadline in 2017 and
Variety in Paris and Los Angeles. Prior
trade’s print and online operations.
writes about inclusion and diversity
to that, she worked in the Paris office
He has also worked in events and as
issues in the industry, genre film and
of 60 Minutes, and spent two years
a freelance journalist for UK national
television, as well as covering a wide
in the Features department of the
newspapers, and regularly appears on
range of pop culture and media. Based
International Herald Tribune. She lives
the radio as a pundit on a variety of
in Los Angeles, he also covers events
in the south of France.
film-related topics.
and awards shows such as the Oscars,
was previously at Screen International,
four years as a reporter and editor for
MATT GROBAR ASSISTANT EDITOR, AWARDSLINE
the TCA press tour. Additionally, he
ANDREAS WISEMAN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR
co-hosts the New Hollywood Podcast
Andreas joined Deadline in 2018
Matt contributes to the coverage and
with Deadline’s Amanda N’Duka, which
covering the international and U.S. film
editing of all AwardsLine magazines
champions people of color, women,
industries, and is a regular fixture at
throughout the year, focusing on artist
members of the LGBTQ community
major festivals and markets, including
interviews revolving around awards
and other underrepresented voices
Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto and
season and its big nights, including the
in film and television. A Texas native,
AFM. He is based in London but
Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes.
Dino-Ray worked as film and TV
makes regular forays to Los Angeles.
Matt also manages the Production
reporter for the Oakland Tribune
Andreas spent eight years covering the
Value video series, which spotlights
and San Francisco Chronicle before
film industry at Screen International
the premier craft talent working in film
relocating to Los Angeles. Prior to
and held posts there including Chief
and TV. He is part of Deadline’s festival
Deadline, he was chief film critic at
Reporter, News Editor and Deputy
studio team at the likes of Sundance,
the Tracking Board and has written for
Editor. He has broken hundreds of
Tribeca and Toronto. He previously
Vogue, Entertainment Tonight, Bustle,
stories and has written extensively on
worked at UTA, 8th Day Pictures and
Paste Magazine, Queerty and NBC
harassment and diversity. He has also
Infinity Management International.
Asian America.
worked in film production.
Emmys, Globes, Comic-Con and
F O R
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C O N S I D E R A T I O N
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM - POLAND
“Profoundly cinematic... exerts its own hypnotic power.” – Anna Smith, DEADLINE
A film by MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA & MICHAŁ ENGLERT LAVA FILMS AND MATCH FACTORY PRODUCTIONS IN COPRODUCTION WITH KINO ŚWIAT MAZOVIA WARSAW FILM FUND DI-FACTORY BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK IN COOPERATION WITH ARTE FILM WITH THE SUPPORT OF / CO-FINANCED BY POLISH FILM INSTITUTE FILM - UND MEDIENSTIFTUNG NRW DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRFERFONDS MEDIENBOARD BERLIN BRANDENBURG GERMAN-POLISH FILM FUND CINECOPRO AWARD FEATURING ALEC UTGOFF MAJA OSTASZEWSKA AGATA KULESZA WERONIKA ROSATI KATARZYNA FIGURA ŁUKASZ SIMLAT ANDRZEJ CHYRA KRZYSZTOF CZECZOT CINEMATOGRAPHY MICHAŁ ENGLERT PSC EDITING JAROSŁAW KAMIŃSKI PSM AGATA CIERNIAK PRODUCTION DESIGN JAGNA JANICKA CASTING MAGDALENA SZWARCBART SOUND KACPER HABISIAK MPSE MARCIN KASIŃSKI MPSE MARCIN JACHYRA COSTUME DESIGN KATARZYNA LEWIŃSKA MAKE UP WALDEMAR POKROMSKI GERMAN LINE PRODUCER STEFAAN SCHIEDER PRODUCTION MANAGER DAGMARA BAGNECKA CO-PRODUCERS ANNA SPISZ TOMASZ KARCZEWSKI MARCIN PIASECKI JĘDRZEJ SABLIŃSKI RAFAŁ GOLIS COMMISSIONING EDITORS CARLOS GESTENHAUER (BR) CORNELIA ACKERS (BR) MONIKA LOBKOWICZ (BR/ARTE) BIRGIT KÄMPER (ARTE) PRODUCERS AGNIESZKA WASIAK MARIUSZ WŁODARSKI VIOLA FÜGEN MICHAEL WEBER MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA MICHAŁ ENGLERT WRITTEN BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT & MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA DIRECTED BY MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA CO-DIRECTED BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT
THE
FILMS SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
Another Round In his second outing with director Thomas Vinterberg, following acclaimed 2012 drama The Hunt, Mads Mikkelsen plays Martin, a depressed high school teacher who struggles with undisciplined students, marital problems and the mundane nature of his everyday life. In concert with friends who share his challenges, Martin decides one night to undertake an experiment, to
see if his life can be improved by maintaining a constant state of inebriation. Scripted by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm, the official Cannes selection also stars Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang, and Lars Ranthe. The Auschwitz Report This historical drama centers on Freddy and Walter, two Slovak Jews who are sent to Auschwitz in 1942. After two years of preparation, they manage to escape
ANOTHER ROUND
DEAR COMRADES!
THE AUSCHWITZ REPORT
from the concentration camp, taking with them a report that details the horrors they’ve witnessed. Making their way back to their native country through the mountains, the pair share the document with the resistance, in hopes of saving the lives of those they left behind. Directed by Peter Bebjak, the film is anchored in a remarkable starring turn from Noel Czuczor. NEON
Dear Comrades! Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, this Russian historical drama examines the Novocherkassk massacre of 1962, from the perspective of Lyudmilla (Yuliya Vysotskaya). The communist party activist watches as the government in her Soviet industrial town raises food prices, leading workers at a local factory to go on strike. Subsequently, a
F O R
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BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM - POLAND ALEC UTGOFF IN
“A hypnotic viewing experience that awakens all senses through our eyes.” – Carlos Aguilar, THE PLAYLIST
A film by MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA & MICHAŁ ENGLERT LAVA FILMS AND MATCH FACTORY PRODUCTIONS IN COPRODUCTION WITH KINO ŚWIAT MAZOVIA WARSAW FILM FUND DI-FACTORY BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK IN COOPERATION WITH ARTE FILM WITH THE SUPPORT OF / CO-FINANCED BY POLISH FILM INSTITUTE FILM - UND MEDIENSTIFTUNG NRW DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRFERFONDS MEDIENBOARD BERLIN BRANDENBURG GERMAN-POLISH FILM FUND CINECOPRO AWARD FEATURING ALEC UTGOFF MAJA OSTASZEWSKA AGATA KULESZA WERONIKA ROSATI KATARZYNA FIGURA ŁUKASZ SIMLAT ANDRZEJ CHYRA KRZYSZTOF CZECZOT CINEMATOGRAPHY MICHAŁ ENGLERT PSC EDITING JAROSŁAW KAMIŃSKI PSM AGATA CIERNIAK PRODUCTION DESIGN JAGNA JANICKA CASTING MAGDALENA SZWARCBART SOUND KACPER HABISIAK MPSE MARCIN KASIŃSKI MPSE MARCIN JACHYRA COSTUME DESIGN KATARZYNA LEWIŃSKA MAKE UP WALDEMAR POKROMSKI GERMAN LINE PRODUCER STEFAAN SCHIEDER PRODUCTION MANAGER DAGMARA BAGNECKA CO-PRODUCERS ANNA SPISZ TOMASZ KARCZEWSKI MARCIN PIASECKI JĘDRZEJ SABLIŃSKI RAFAŁ GOLIS COMMISSIONING EDITORS CARLOS GESTENHAUER (BR) CORNELIA ACKERS (BR) MONIKA LOBKOWICZ (BR/ARTE) BIRGIT KÄMPER (ARTE) PRODUCERS AGNIESZKA WASIAK MARIUSZ WŁODARSKI VIOLA FÜGEN MICHAEL WEBER MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA MICHAŁ ENGLERT WRITTEN BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT & MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA DIRECTED BY MAŁGORZATA SZUMOWSKA CO-DIRECTED BY MICHAŁ ENGLERT
DARA OF JASENOVAC
NIGHT OF THE KINGS
bloodbath ensues, with unarmed protesters gunned down. And it’s amidst this chaos that Lyudmilla’s personal life starts to unravel, when she learns that her daughter has disappeared. Night of the Kings A petty thief (Bakary Koné) is sent to a prison in the middle of an Ivorian forest, in this drama from Philippe Lacôte. With a red moon rising, the young man finds that the only way he’ll be able to stay alive is to compel his fellow prisoners with his abilities as a storyteller. Set in a real correctional facility in Abidjan, known as “La MACA,” the haunting tale will represent Ivory Coast at the Oscars this year. Since its debut in Venice, the film has been recognized with the Toron-
JALLIKATTU
to International Film Festival’s Amplify Voices Award, among other accolades.
features a breakout turn from Biljana Čekic. XYZ FILMS
101 STUDIOS
Dara of Jasenovac Set in former Yugoslavia, this Serbian feature centers on Dara, a girl who is sent to the infamous Jasenovac concentration camp, in the summer of 1942. Seeing several relatives die in the Holocaust, at the hands of the Croatian Ustasha regime, the courageous 12-year-old fights to ensure the survival of her younger brother—holding onto hope, at the same time, that her missing father is still alive. Directed by Peter Antonijević, and executive produced by Michael Berenbaum, the WWII drama
Jallikattu Based on the short story “Maoist” by S. Hareesh, this film examines a ritual of buffalo slaughter that goes terribly wrong. When a bull breaks loose and wreaks havoc in a remote Indian village, the police are called, but they refuse to deal with the situation. Thereafter, a group of men decide to take matters into their own hands, gathering to hunt the animal down, before it can inflict any more violence. Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, the acclaimed independent film premiered in Toronto in 2019.
COHEN MEDIA GROUP
Apples Christos Nikou makes his directorial debut with this Greek Oscar entry. Executive produced by Cate Blanchett, under her Dirty Films banner, the timely comedic drama is set during a worldwide pandemic that causes a sudden onset of amnesia. Its protagonist is Aris (Aris Servetalis), a middleaged man who finds himself enrolled in a program, designed to help him build a new identity, amidst this crisis. Co-written by Stavros Raptis, the film is a powerful meditation on the nature of memory, and its effects on human beings. Persian Lessons Based on a novel by Wolfgang Kohlhaase, this Belarusian drama is set in a German concentration
camp in 1942. After a Belgian man named Gilles is arrested by the SS, he avoids execution by convincing the guards that he is actually Persian, rather than Jewish. His only hope of survival is to “teach” Farsi to a Nazi officer, who dreams of opening up a restaurant in Iran, though he himself can’t speak a word of the language. Directed by Vadim Perelman, from a script by Ilja Zofin, the drama stars Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Lars Eidinger, and more. El Olvido que Seremos A Colombian writer reflects on the life and legacy of his father in this film from Fernando Trueba, based on the true story of Héctor Abad Gómez. A respected university professor, Gómez advocated tirelessly for toler-
ance and human rights in his native country, and ultimately, it was his challenge to the political establishment that resulted in his death. Scripted by David Trueba, based on a novel by Héctor Abad Faciolince, the official Cannes selection speaks to the turbulence and violence that has unfolded in Colombia over the last three decades. Javier Cámara stars. KINO LORBER
Never Gonna Snow Again In this comedic drama, Alec Utgoff stars as Zenia, a Ukranian masseur working in Warsaw for the wealthy residents of a gated community. Impressing these self-absorbed, middle class types with his skills in hypnosis and healing massage, Zenia comes to be viewed as a
APPLES
PERSIAN LESSONS
EL OLVIDO QUE SEREMOS
NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN
KILL IT AND LEAVE THIS TOWN
MY LITTLE SISTER
guru, and gains a cult following he never could have expected, all while processing the pain of past loss. Written and directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, the film debuted in Venice in September.
IMPETIGORE
with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Feature Film, among other accolades. Its voice cast includes renowned Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda. FILM MOVEMENT
OUTSIDER PICTURES
Kill It and Leave This Town Mariusz Wilczynski meditates on the pain of loss and the absurdity of life in this highly personal debut feature. Premiering at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, the animated horror picture centers on Mariusz (voiced by Wilczynski), a boy in ’70s Poland who loses those closest to him, and hides away in a world of memory, in avoidance of his despair. Touching, surreal and darkly humorous, Wilczynski’s pic has been recognized
My Little Sister The second narrative feature from Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond centers on Lisa, a gifted playwright from Berlin who gives up on her artistic ambitions, when she moves to Switzerland with her husband and children. When she learns that her twin brother Sven has fallen gravely ill, she returns to her native city, and is forced to reevaluate the choices she’s made. Premiering in Berlin, the emotionally affecting portrait of adult siblings is anchored in re-
markable turns from Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger. SHUDDER
Impetigore The latest horror film from writer/director Joko Anwar became a phenomenon in his native country, claiming 14 nominations at the 2020 Indonesian Film Festival. Based on his own nightmares, the film centers on Maya (Tara Basro), a young woman trying to survive in the city, in the absence of her family. Learning that she’s set to inherit a property from them, she returns to her village with her best friend Dini (Marissa Anita), unaware of the danger that awaits her. Debuting at the Sundance Film Festival, Indonesia’s Oscar entry was released in the U.S. in July.
PREPARATIONS TO BE TOGETHER FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME
LA LLORONA
THE MOLE AGENT
TOVE
La Llorona Co-written and directed by Jayro Bustamante, this horror-drama takes its name from the “Weeping Woman” of Hispanic American lore, a vengeful ghost in perpetual grief over the death of her children. The Guatemalan Oscar entry follows Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz), a dictator who oversaw the genocide of native Mayans in the 1980s. Decades later, the war criminal faces his own death, and becomes increasingly paranoid, as he’s haunted by ghosts from his past. A meditation on the profound horrors of oppression, the film debuted in the U.S. in August.
home, in Santiago, Chile, in this clever and touching documentary. There, the man works as a mole, with the help of cameras embedded on his person, looking into accusations of elder abuse, on behalf of a client. Written and directed by Maite Alberdi, the genre-bending film premiered last year at Sundance. Selected as Chile’s official submission for Best International Feature Film, it debuted in the U.S. in September.
love. Intent on starting a new life with her beloved, she returns to Budapest, leaving behind a stellar career in the United States. Subsequently, though, she learns that the man for whom she’s sacrificed so much has no idea who she is. Exploring the line between love and madness, and the role that projection plays in relationships, the film is written and directed by Lili Horvát.
GRAVITAS VENTURES
The Mole Agent A private investigator hires an unassuming octogenarian to go undercover at a retirement
GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT
Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time Premiering in the Venice Days lineup, this Hungarian drama tells the story of Márta (Natasa Stork), an accomplished neurosurgeon in her 40s, who falls in
HELSINKI-FILMI
Tove Directed by Zaida Bergroth, this biopic tells the true story of Tove Jansson, the painter, illustrator and author behind the popular Moomin book series. Set in Helsinki in 1945, the film examines a period in Jansson’s life, in which she enjoyed a new sense of artistic and social liberation, pursuing a romantic relationship with
COLLECTIVE
TWO OF US
theatre director Vivica Bandler. Once considered a side project, the haunting set of tales she once told to children in bomb shelters takes off, cementing her place in popular culture, even as she contends with challenges in her personal life. Alma Pöysti stars, opposite Krista Kosonen. MAGNOLIA PICTURES
Collective Six years ago, a fire started at a Bucharest club, leaving 180 people injured and 27 dead. In the aftermath, a number of burn victims died in local hospitals, from wounds that shouldn’t have proven fatal. The mystery of the situation captured the attention of investigative journalists at the Romanian newspaper, Gazeta Sporturilor, and what they uncovered was massive healthcare fraud, which saw poli-
BEGINNING
ticians and tycoons profiting off of the deaths of innocents. With his timely, fourth feature, filmmaker Alexander Nanau follows the travails of this crack team, paying tribute to journalists and whistleblowers alike. Two of Us Debuting at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, this intimate two-hander has been selected as France’s Oscar submission, in the category of Best International Feature Film. The debut narrative feature of Filippo Meneghetti centers on Nina (Barbara Sukowa) and Madeleine (Martine Chevallier), a pair of retired neighbors who have long harbored a secret love affair. When Madeleine’s daughter begins to catch on to the relationship between the two women, the platonic
façade they’ve long maintained is challenged and their bond put to the ultimate test. Scripted by Meneghetti and Malysone Bovorasmy, the drama will premiere in the U.S. in February. MUBI
Beginning The debut feature of Dea Kulumbegashvili centers on Yana (Ia Sukhitashvili), the wife of a Jehovah’s Witness religious leader, whose small-town life is disrupted, when violent extremists firebomb a local place of worship. In the aftermath of this event, her inner discontent with life in her patriarchal community comes to light, causing friction with a husband who does not understand her. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it claimed the FIPRESCI Prize, the drama went on to win the awards
THE LIFE AHEAD
I’M NO LONGER HERE
for Best Film and Best Screenplay in San Sebastián. NETFLIX
The Life Ahead Screen icon Sophia Loren makes a long-awaited return to features in this Italian drama, which marks her third collaboration with her son, director Edoardo Ponti. In the adaptation of Romain Gary’s beloved 1975 novel, The Life Before Us, the Oscar winner plays Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor and
former prostitute, who now runs a daycare for the children of “working girls.” After being robbed by a 12-year-old street kid named Momo (Ibrahima Gueye, in a breakout role), Rosa reluctantly agrees to take him into her home, developing a bond with the boy she could never have imagined. I’m No Longer Here Set in the mountains of Monterrey, this film from Fernando Frías de la Parra follows Ulises (Juan Daniel Garcia Treviño), the leader
of a street gang called “Los Terkos.” Whiling away his days at dance parties, to the sound of cumbia music, Ulises’ life is completely upended, following a confrontation with a local cartel. In the aftermath, he migrates to the U.S., attempting to assimilate to the culture in the diverse neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens. But when he learns of a new threat to his crew, he questions his decision to move, yearning, more than anything, to get back home.
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