Sunday 07 August
Cyril tries to get hold of his father; his father has his bicycle. The janitor says his father moved out a month earlier. Cyril escapes the boys home where he has been left, to go to his apartment. He is found by the caregivers, who show him the empty apartment. Neither bicycle nor father are to be found. His father sold the bicycle. And thus begins the film about Cyril, the abandoned child. A woman, Samantha (Cécile de France), comes to his aid.
Saturday 07 August
The first time I heard about Project Nim was a write up in August’s Empire Magazine on Planet Of The Apes. There was a section called ‘The Other Ape Movie’, about Project Nim. Since seeing the film, I spoke to an audience member who saw Rise of Planets of the Apes and then Project Nim, and found the doco scary in contrast.
Day 8 of the New Zealand International Film Festival, Wellington
Friday 05 August
Ah, slow cinema. Sometimes I love you. The artiness, the joy in just showing life as it unfolds. The pretentiousness. Hang on, scratch that last part; that’s not what I enjoy.
Days Seven of the New Zealand International Film Festival 2011 (Wellington)
Thursday 04 August
Absolutely Brilliant! Oliver Tate, Welsh teenager, has his first relationship and copes with the idea that his parent’s marriage may break up.
One of the wonderful things about being a Film Festival Volunteer usher is that you get to see a whole lot of films. Some of the ushers have taken time off work, and are seeing 4 or 5 films a day. My 11 films so far (in under a week) is paltry compared to some. Anyway, because we ushers are seeing so many films, we get to recommend what films are worth seeing. So here are a few films to keep an eye on*:
And Films I’ve yet to see, but I’m majorly looking forward to…
Check out other recommendations on the 3 News site and on Andy’s Film Blog. I’ll do another one of these lists in a week or so, when we’ve all seen more films.
Which films have you seen? Which would you recommend?
Continue reading “Picks of the NZ International Film Festival so far”
Day 5 of the 2011 New Zealand International Film Festival (Wellington)
Tuesday 02 August
Wait, so, what? What does the opening have to do with the rest of the film? What does the kid have to do with the rest of the film? Was the kid the mute? Was the mute the same mute? WHAT? How much longer do I have to watch this film?
Coming home, I watched the trailer (above). Yeah, the one that explains a bit of what’s going on. Georgy is on a journey… he gets stuck in a town… they don’t like outsiders… there are flashbacks to just after WWII… yeah.
Reviews from the New Zealand International Film Festival, 2011, Wellington
Saturday 30 June.
Interesting doco on the world’s most prominent newspaper, the decline in advertising revenue coupled with the increase in blogging. How does the paper stay afloat? One of the best documentary subjects is David Carr – his interview with Vibe Magazine was fantastic. I’d recommend it to those interested in journalism (especially you, Shannon), blogging, the relationship between the two. 4 out of 5.
Aka THE BEST FILM OF THE FESTIVAL SO FAR!!! Brilliant! I loved it! I want it in my collection! The perfect amount of violence and technique and twists. There’s this one shot where the lead character jumps out a window, and the camera follows him. COOL! And the lead actor looks like a young Keanu Reeves. I. Loved. It.
Korean action film about a loner who is befriended by a stripper junkie’s daughter. Said daughter and mother are kidnapped after a drug deal goes wrong. Loner goes after them. Straight actioner, I wonder whether it would have been in the festival if it was in English (probably not, but I might not have seen it otherwise). I’m giving it 5 out of 5. It was going to be 5.5 out of 5, but the music was a leetle cheesy at times.
Amendment: see Andy’s post on this movie for a better explanation.
I know Paul Wolffram, the filmmaker. It was a good ethnomusical/anthropological film. I’d recommend it to ethnomusicologists, anthropologists, those interested in Papua New Guinea and Pacific Culture, and those interested in insects. (Seriously, Paul, I’m just saying there were a lot of close-ups of insects.) 3.8 out of 5.
Doco on Venture Capitalism: the men who put money into early companies that exploded – Silicon Valley, Apple, etc. One woman. Some good graphics, a couple of good laughs, some interesting stories: what more do you need in a good all-round doco. I’m sure it would have been better had I been more interested in the subject. I’d recommend it to people interested in making money. Really good soundtrack composed by Laura Karpman (by the way, follow that link. Awesome graphics on her website. Cool!) 3.5 out of 5.
Footage by Swedish filmmakers shooting in the US during 1969-75 was recently found and turned into this documentary. I’d recommend it to those interested in Civil Rights (or any Rights Movement), US or Black History, and foreign (or Socialist) interpretations from the outside. Comparisons can be made to today (Vietnam War vs. Invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq). Definitely interesting. 4 out of 5.
Day One of the 2011 New Zealand International Film Festival (Wellington).
At one of the LFS events I went to whilst in London, I got to chatting with a woman who lectures in Documentary Film at a University in Wales. She was not familiar with any New Zealand documentaries or documentary filmmakers. So I wrote a list for her to look up:
*(yes, Docudramas, but I’m including them.)
and, for fun, Forgotten Silver, dir. Peter Jackson and Costa Botes; a film I would recommend it to any film buff for a good giggle.
There must have been more great documentaries that I missed. If you were asked to sum up New Zealand Documentary Filmmaking to someone unfamiliar with it, which films would you have listed? Which filmmakers?
I nearly shared my favourite documentary with her. However, knowing that the documentary was only available at the NZ Film Archive, and there was no way for her to see it, I didn’t list it. However, today, NZ On Screen announced that it is available in its entirety on their website. The film is Patu!, directed by Merata Mita. I am so excited that I can now watch the film again, and can share it with others. Please go to nzonscreen to watch it.
Busy Times 