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The following essay was produced as part of the 2017 Locarno Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring film critics that took place during the 70th edition of the Locarno Film Festival.

Swiss cinema isn’t exactly stuck in a rut. Its artistically-challenging documentaries are thriving: Markus Imhoofs meditation on bees in the climate-change era “More Than Honey” from 2012 was released in 29 countries around the globe, and last year, the animated “My Life as Zucchini” was nominated for an Oscar. Historically, however, Switzerland has given rise to an outstanding list of worldly auteurs such as Claude Goretta, Alain Tanner and Jean-Luc Godard. Why haven’t we heard much about young Swiss talent making the leap out of the small alpine state?

There is one major exception here: Ursula Meier is a Geneva-based cinematographer and filmmaker who has found a string of international successes. With “Sister” in 2012, she received the Silver Bear at the Berlinale.

Whether you want to immerse yourself in the world of birds, bees, baseball or backup singers, Netflix has a documentary for you. Missed "Man on Wire"? It's on there.

Here are films that changed the world, righted wrongs, pinpointed a moment in history, or simply shone a light on a previously unknown subset of society. (Availability subject to change. Films are unrated, except as noted.)

1. "20 Feet from Stardom" (2013) PG-13

This Oscar-winning doc shines a spotlight on the relatively unknown backup singers behind such superstars as Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder.

2. "The Act of Killing" (2012)

The director invited killers -- men who took part in the horrific purge that left more than 500,000 dead in Indonesia in the 1960s -- to reenact their crimes on film, resulting in a bizarre look inside the mind of men capable of mass murder.

3. "The Battered Bastards of Baseball" (2014)

Two filmmakers pay homage to their grandfather,...

What would you do if you started a multimillion-dollar company almost by accident? More importantly, how would you be?

Jody Shapiro's documentary Burt's Buzz, his third as director, shows one man's response to those conditions, following Burt Shavitz, the heavily whiskered face of personal care company Burt's Bees.

Now approaching 80, Shavitz lives in much the same way he did before founding his company, except that his image is now an internationally recognized logo, and he has the resources to travel and employ a full-time assistant. There's much more footage of Burt than his bees — for insight into the role of bees in industrial agriculture, you'd do better with Markus Imhoof's 2012 doc More Than Honey — but Shavitz actually is the guy that...

Constantin Film has been named by the German Federal Film Board (Ffa) as the nation’s top producer of German films for the ninth consecutive year in 2013 and the top distributor for the tenth consecutive year.

The Munich-based producer-distributor was allocated around €2.2m ($3m) “reference funding” in total by the Ffa to invest in future film projects and theatrical campaigns.

The company attracted €1.6m ($2.2m) production “reference” funding based on the box office of such releases as Bora Dagtekin’s comedy Fack Ju Göhte (Suck Me Shakespeer) which was seen by more than 5.8 million cinemagoers last year, as well as Sherry Hormann’s 3096 Tage about the abduction of Natascha Kampusch, and the comedy Dampfnudelblues.

In addition, eight successful releases including Fack Ju Göhte, Fünf Freunde 2, Ostwind and Dampfnudelblues earnt Constantin’s distribution arm €633,000 ($875,000) in distribution “reference” support.

Constantin Film subsidiary Rat Pack Filmproduktion, who was the main producer of Fack Ju Göhte, received the second...

Constantin Film has been named by the German Federal Film Board (Ffa) as the nation’s top producer of German films for the ninth consecutive year in 2013 and the top distributor for the tenth consecutive year.

The Munich-based producer-distributor was allocated around €2.2m ($3m) “reference funding” in total by the Ffa to invest in future film projects and theatrical campaigns.

The company attracted €1.6m ($2.2m) production “reference” funding based on the box office of such releases as Bora Dagtekin’s comedy Fack Ju Göhte (Suck Me Shakespeer) which was seen by more than 5.8 million cinemagoers last year, as well as Sherry Hormann’s 3096 Tage about the abduction of Natascha Kampusch, and the comedy Dampfnudelblues.

In addition, eight successful releases including Fack Ju Göhte, Fünf Freunde 2, Ostwind and Dampfnudelblues earnt Constantin’s distribution arm €633,000 ($875,000) in distribution “reference” support.

Constantin Film subsidiary Rat Pack Filmproduktion, who was the main producer of Fack Ju Göhte, received the second...

Memento Films International (Mfi) has boarded international sales on the new documentary from the producers behind More Than Honey.

Energized is the new film by Hubert Canaval and explores questions of energy production and consumption. The film is produced by Allegro Film, which made More Than Honey, We Feed the World and Let’s Make Money.

Paris-based Mfi will be introducing the films to buyers at the European Film Market (Efm) in Berlin this week, where a couple of market screenings will be held. Thimfilm will also release the film in Austria later this year. The deal was negotiated by Tanja Meissner, Head of Acquisitions at Mfi and Constanze Schumann at Allegro Film.

This film documents attempts to tap the planet’s last oil and coal deposits and to “conceal the risks of nuclear energy”. It also claims to shed light on the impact of the gigantic water, wind and solar power plants, debunking popular...

As this year's Academy Awards nominations approach, and after the shocking selection of films conforming the Academy's shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film Award, audiences will get the opportunity to see some of the films that were dismissed but which are absolutely deserving of attention. Rather than including all of the 76 Submissions the Palm Spring Film Festival decided to shorten their program to 45 of what they considered the best representation of the extensive amount of films.

Included in the program are all of the 9 shortlisted films, all the other major omissions, and many more obscure titles that showcase some of the most interesting voices in World Cinema today. Most of these films have been awarded prizes and received praise at major festivals from Sundance to Cannes and Toronto, and will give the viewer a broader view of the category beyond the assumed frontrunners.

Below is a list with more information on each of the films that will be screening at Palm Springs with reviews and interviews with the filmmakers for the majority of them. Read more about the complete list of 76 Foreign Language Oscar Submissions visit Here

For more information on the Palm Springs International Film Festival visit Here

Argentina

The German Doctor (Wakolda)

Dir: Lucia Puenzo

Language: Spanish, German, Hebrew

U.S Release: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Isa: Pyramide

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Case Study by Sydney Levine

Australia

The Rocket

Dir: Kim Mordaunt

Language: Lao

U.S Release: Kino Lorber

Isa: Level K

Festivals: Berlin 2013: Best First Feature Film ,Tribeca 2013: World Narrative Competition

Trailer

Austria

The Wall

Dir: Julian Polsler

Language: German

U.S Release: Music Box Films - May 31, 2013

Isa: The Match Factory

Festivals: Sitges Ff 2012 Official Fantastic, Mumbai Ff 2012 Int'l Competition

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Belgium

The Broken Circle Breakdown

Dir: Felix van Groeningen

Language: Flemish

U.S Release: Tribeca Film - November 1, 2013

Isa: The Match Factory

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Panorama

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Bosnia And Herzegovina

An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker

Dir: Danis Tanović

Language: Bosnian, Romani

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: The Match Factory

Festivals: Berlinale Competition,Efm Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Cambodia

The Missing Picture

Dir: Rithy Panh

Language: French

U.S Release: Acquired by Strand Releasing for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013 - Un Certain Regard Prix, San Sebastian 2013 Pearls

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Canada

Gabrielle

Dir: Louise Archambault

Language: French

U.S Release: eOne

Isa: eOne

Festivals: Toronto- Tiff 2013, Locarno International Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Chile

Gloria

Dir: Sebastian Lelio

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Roadside Attractions

Isa: Funny Balloons

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Sydney Levine

China

Back to 1942

Dir: Feng Xiaogang

Language: Mandarin, English

U.S Release: Well Go USA - May 14, 2013

Isa: Huayi Brothers

Festivals: Rome Film Festival 2012, Dubai International Film Festival 2012

Trailer

Croatia

Halima's Path

Dir: Arsen Anton Ostojić

Language: Bosnian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Tallinn Black Nights Iff 2012 - EurAsia (Special Jury Prize)

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Denmark

The Hunt

Dir: Thomas Vinterberg

Language: Danish

U.S Release: Magnolia Pictures - July 12, 2013

Isa: TrustNordisk

Festivals: Cannes 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012, AFI Fest 2012

Trailer

Egypt

Winter of Discontent

Dir: Ibrahim el-Batout

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Venice International Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival, Dubai Film Festival

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Finland

Disciple

Dir: Ulrika Bengts

Language: Finnish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Helsinki Ff 2012, Montréal World Ff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

France

Renoir

Dir: Gilles Bourdos

Language: French

U.S Release: Samuel Goldwyn Films - March 29, 2013

Isa: Wild Bunch

Festivals: Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard

Trailer

Georgia

In Bloom

Dir: Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß

Language: Georgian

U.S Release: Big World Pictures

Isa: Memento

Festivals: Cicae award Berlinale Forum 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Germany

Two Lives

Dir: Georg Maas

Language: German

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Beta Cinema

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013, Busan 2013

Trailer

Hong Kong

The Grandmaster

Dir: Wong Kar-wai

Language: Cantonese, Mandarin

U.S Release: The Weinstein Company - August 23, 2013

Isa: Fortissimo

Festivals: Berlinale -Efm 2013

Trailer

Hungary

The Notebook

Dir: Janosz Szasz

Language: Hungarian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Iceland

Of Horses and Men

Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson

Language: Icelandic

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Icelandic Film Centre

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Sundance 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

India

The Good Road

Dir: Gyan Correa

Language: Gujarati

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: National Film Board of India

Festivals: London Indian Film Festival in 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Iran

The Past

Dir: Asghar Farhadi

Language: French, Persian

U.S Release: Sony Pictures Classics - December 20, 2013

Isa: Memento

Festivals:Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Actress, Toronto - Tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Israel

Bethlehem

Dir: Yuval Adler

Language: Hebrew

U.S Release: Adopt

Isa: Westend

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery, Telluride Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival

Trailer

Italy

The Great Beauty

Dir: Paolo Sorrentino

Language: Italian

U.S Release: AJanus Films

Isa: Pathe

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Berlin Efm 2013,

Trailer

Interview by Sydney Levine

Japan

The Great Passage

Dir: Yuya Ishii

Language: Japanese

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Shochiku

Festivals: Fantasia Ff 2013 Official Selection

Trailer

Kazakhstan

Shal (The Old Man)

Dir: Yermek Tursunov

Language: Russian, Kazakh

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Latvia

Mother, I Love You

Dir: Janis Nords

Language: Latvian

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: New Europe Film Sales

Festivals: Los Angeles Film Festival 2013, Berlinale Generation KPlus (Grand Prix of the International Jury for the best feature film)

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Mexico

Heli

Dir: Amat Escalante

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Ndm

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition-Winner Best Director, San Sebastian 2013 Horizontes Latinos,

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Morocco

Horses of God

Dir: Nabil Ayouch

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2012, Bif London Film Festival 2012

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

The Netherlands

Borgman

Dir: Alex van Warmerdam

Language: Dutch

U.S Release: Drafthouse Films

Isa: Fortissimo

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Busan 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

New Zealand

White Lies

Dir: Dana Rotberg

Language: Maori

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Film Sales Company

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Norway

I Am Yours

Dir: Iram Haq

Language: Norwegian, Urdu

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Palestine

Omar

Dir: Hany Abu-Assad

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Adopt FilmsIsa: The Match Factory

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Philippines

Transit

Dir: Hannah Espia

Language: Filipino, Tagalog, Hebrew

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cinemalaya Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Poland

Walesa

Dir: Andrzej Wajda

Language: Polish

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Films Boutique

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013, Venice- Biennale 2013

Trailer

Romania

Child's Pose

Dir: Calin Peter Netzer

Language: Romanian

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Beta Cinema

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Competition (Golden Bear for the Best Film), Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Articles by Sydney Levine, Berlin Diary #2

Russia

Stalingrad

Dir: Fedor Bondarchuk

Language: Russian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Saudi Arabia

Wadjda

Dir: Haifaa al-Mansour

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Sony Pictures Classics - September 13, 2013

Isa: The Match Factory

Festivals: Cannes 2012, Venice International Film Festival 2012, Los Angeles Film Festival, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Serbia

Circles

Dir: Srdan Golubovic

Language: Serbian

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Memento

Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlinale - Efm 2013 Forum

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Sydney Levine

Singapore

Ilo Ilo

Dir: Anthony Chen

Language: Mandarin, Hokkien, English, Tagalog

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Memento

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Directors Fortnight, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Slovenia

Class Enemy

Dir: Rok Biček

Language: Slovene

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

South Korea

Juvenile Offender

Dir: Kang Yi-kwan

Language: Korean

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Finecut

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Contemporary World Cinema,

Trailer

Spain

15 Years and One Day

Dir: Gracia Querejeta

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Latido

Festivals: San Sebastian 2013 Made in Spain, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

Interview by Carlos Aguilar

Switzerland

More Than Honey

Dir: Markus Imhoof

Language: German, Mandarin

U.S Release: Tba

Isa: Films Boutique

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Tiff Docs, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Turkey

The Butterfly's Dream

Dir: Yılmaz Erdoğan

Language: Turkish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Istanbul Film Festival, Los Angeles Turkish Film Festival

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar

United Kingdom

Metro Manila

Dir: Sean Elllis

Language: Filipino, Tagalog

U.S Release: Paladin/108 Media

Isa:

Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlin Efm 2012, Cannes 2012, Afm 2012, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Uruguay

Anina

Dir: Alfredo Soderguit

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin International Film Festival, Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema

Trailer

Review by Carlos Aguilar...

Moviefone's Top DVD of the Week

"Insidious: Chapter 2"

What's It About? The Lamberts are back, and they're still haunted! Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson (who's becoming the go-to guy for haunted house films!) return with Ty Simpkins in tow as the three try and find out why they're still hooked in to the spirit world.

Why We're In: James Wan and Leigh Whannell manage to keep things way spooky in this sequel to the surprise hit.

December 24

"More Than Honey"

What's It About? Nope, this isn't a making-of doc about Nicolas Cage in "The Wicker Man," it's about actual bees -- and specifically, the alarming rate at which they're disappearing around the world. Learn all about "colony collapse disorder" and why it's very bad news for pretty much everything on earth.

In or Out: In. The holidays are over. Take a break from all that cheer.

December 31

"Cbgb"

What's It About?...

Best Foreign Language Film Oscar 2014 submissions (photo: Ziyi Zhang in ‘The Grandmaster’) (See previous post: Best Foreign Language Film Oscar: ‘The Past,’ ‘Wadjda,’ Andrzej Wajda Among Omissions) In case you missed it, here’s the full list of submissions (in alphabetical order, per country) for the 2014 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. The list of contenders was originally announced on October 7, 2013. Of note: Saudi Arabia and Moldova were first-timers; Montenegro was a first-timer as an independent country. Afghanistan, Wajma — An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram, director; Albania, Agon, Robert Budina, director; Argentina, The German Doctor, Lucía Puenzo, director; Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt, director; Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler, director; Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev, director; Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director; Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen, director; Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanovic, director; Brazil, Neighboring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho,...

  Markus Imhoof, the Oscar-nominated director of The Boat is Full, puts the problem of the worldwide disappearance of honeybees under a microscope in his latest documentary More Than Honey. Imhoof, who hails from a multigenerational family of beekeepers, traveled from Calfornia to China and Australia to northern Europe to examine the [...]

Continue reading: DVD / Blu-ray New Releases: December 24, 2013: More Than Honey...

Welcome back to This Week In Discs! If you see something you like, click on the title to buy it from Amazon. More Than Honey We’ve all heard the stories. Bees are disappearing, en masse, all around the world, and no one seems to know why. The theories are endless and include everything from global warming, pollution, pesticides, mites, and more. This doc from director Markus Imhoof looks at the issue strictly from the angle of humans whose livelihoods depend on the bees’ honey. As is the expected norm with nature documentaries, this one features some gorgeous photography of the bees in action both in the air and in their honeycomb homes. It’s also fairly informative, although I wouldn’t have minded a bit more information when it comes to the various beekeepers’ behaviors. Why, for example, in a documentary about the mystery of disappearing movies does one old Swede decapitate his queen bee with...

Top brass at the 25th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) have announced a new programme on Canadian Cinema as well as the traditionally strong roster of foreign-language films eligible for the Fipresci Award in the Awards Buzz section, and Modern Masters.

The festival will screen 45 of the 76 official foreign-language Oscar submissions under the umbrella of Awards Buzz.

“We’ve selected Canadian films for a special focus at this year’s festival for many reasons, not the least of which is the wealth of talent emerging from its relatively small, indigenous film industry, and the depth and richness of story and character portrayal its films exemplify,” said festival director Darryl Macdonald.

“Whether it’s established auteurs like Denis Coté, Denis Villenueve and Atom Egoyan, gifted actor-directors like Don McKellar and Sarah Polley or newly emerging talents like Chloé Robichaud, Craig Goodwill and Sébastien Pilote, Canadian creative ingenuity is on abundant display in its films. All of this...

One of the potential awards season favorites this year is the upcoming Spike Jonze film Her, which stars Joaquin Phoenix as a man who becomes overly attached to his revolutionary computer operating system, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. While the actress has been receiving rave reviews for her voice-only performance, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has deemed her ineligible for a Golden Globes nomination.

While the actress remains eligible to receive Screen Actors Guild Awards and Academy Awards, the HFPA rules state that voice-only performances do not qualify for their prestigious statuettes.

Earlier this year, the HFPA tried to disqualify the Swedish documentary More Than Honey from its Best Foreign Language Film category, since the association has never recognized documentaries. However, when confronted with evidence that there was no rules prohibiting non-fictions films from receiving Golden Globes, the organization deemed it eligible, while crafting a new rule that prohibits documentaries from consideration in the future.

Each Monday we present you with the most up-to-date list of the top 10 (indie) movies in the iTunes store (combining rentals and purchases). "Blackfish" once again tops the indies chart this week and also ranks #1 among documentaries and #13 among movies overall in the iTunes store. New titles making the indie list this week include Claude Miller's "Therese," starring Audrey Tatou, and docs "Bridegroom" and "More Than Honey." The comedy "Coffee Town" rose in the ranks because it's on sale to rent for 99 cents in the iTunes store. Thee top 10 indies in iTunes are listed below (number represents North American gross, where applicable): 1. Blackfish (Magnolia, $2,073,582) 2. The Way, Way Back (Fox Searchlight, $21,502,690) 3. Parkland (Exclusive Media, $653,651) 4. Bridegroom (Virgil Films, N/A) 5. Therese (Mpi Media Group, $101,944) 6. Coffee Town (Film Buff, N/A) 7. More Than Honey (Kino Lorber, $76,005) 8. Stuck in Love (Millenium...

Utopia And John Pilger Q&A | Framed Film Festival | Food For Real Film Festival | The Nuclear Question

Utopia And John Pilger Q&A, Nationwide

You can always trust John Pilger to tell it like it is, though many in his homeland won't thank him for it after seeing his latest documentary. Ironically titled Utopia (the name of an aboriginal homeland in northern Australia), it's a rousing survey of "the greatest expropriation of land in world history", as the veteran journalist puts it. Traversing the country, he surveys the current low living standards and life expectancies of indigenous Australians, revisits the shameful massacres and other abuses directed against them in the past, and highlights the racism that persists beneath Australian society – which Pilger categorises as nothing less than "apartheid". It's personal, political and powerful as ever, and Pilger will explain more via a satellite Q&A after this special screening.

Various venues,...

Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby is a glittering hymn to the age of jazz, while the monster-robot blockbuster Pacific Rim is daftness writ large

Nothing about F Scott Fizgerald's The Great Gatsby feels especially festive: it's all critical despair in stifling summer air, chilled mint juleps and crisp linen suits. Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby (Warner, 12) is another matter: this luxurious pudding seems more at home in the run-up to Christmas (when it was originally slated for release in cinemas) than it did back in May. That may be because Luhrmann has never met a bauble, sparkler or strand of tinsel he didn't like: like all his films, this Gatsby is dressed and decorated to scrumptious excess.

Critics trotting out the tired "style over substance" epithet were missing the point. Style is substance in Luhrmann's universe, and as such, the film is rather effective in capturing the beautiful but damned...

Documentaries sometimes impact public policy, and “More Than Honey,” a look at the world’s disappearing honey bees, has already had one — possibly even influencing the European Union’s decision six months ago to ban certain pesticides. But the fate of the insect and agricultural worlds could wait. At a showing of “More Than Honey” Wednesday night at the Landmark — part of TheWrap’s awards screening series — Oscars columnist Steve Pond started off a Q&A with director Markus Imhoof by asking the question most on viewers’ minds: “How many times did you get stung making this movie?” “We had a contest on the team,...

The documentary Project Wild Thing hopes to get kids off computers and embracing nature. But do protest films ever change anything – and who actually watches them?

What are you doing about global warming? Or fracking? Arab democracy? Diminishing bee populations? Nuclear energy? Gun control? Repression in Uganda? Russia? Burma? Increasingly, what we're doing about the world's problems seems to be watching documentaries on them – which does feel like doing something, while at the same time being very close to doing nothing. Now, at least, we can do nothing about more issues than ever before. The current cinema landscape is saturated with documentaries and fictionalised movies highlighting important political, humanitarian or environmental issues. That should be a good thing, but somehow, it doesn't always feel like it.

In the past month we've already had films on bees (More Than Honey), the internet and children (InRealLife), and climate change denial (Greedy Lying...

The Oscar season is officially underway this week with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences kicking off their shortlist announcements. A few days ago brought some positive news to the nonfiction world with the docs The Missing Picture and More Than Honey (and dramatic nonfiction titles including Wajda’s Walesa: Man of Hope, Lines of Welington, Stalingrad, The Butterfly’s Dream and The German Doctor) being named as a Best Foreign Language contender. And today we have news on one of the two documentary specific categories: Best Documentary Short Subject. Read More...

Relaunched food-themed film festival in Nova Scotia, to run Nov 13-17.

Devour! The Food Film Fest will kick off Nov 13 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia with a bounty of food prepared by 11 chefs and the festival’s opening film, The Fruit Hunters from Canadian director Yung Chang.

The five-day programme includes 70 films from 20 countries as well as events and food featuring some of Canada’s top chefs. Other films in the programme will include The Last Shepherd, Mussels in Love, More than Honey and At Any Price.

“We’re so happy we can deliver both on screen and on your plate. The festival will be a most decadent meal from start to finish,” said Lia Rinaldo, Managing Director of Devour! “The enthusiasm for the festival has been humbling. We look forward to hosting all of our special guests from the food and film industry as well as festival participants in beautiful Wolfville.”

The closing...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its shortlist for the 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar — totaling a not-so-short 76 submitted films.

The number, up from 71 films last year, sets a new record for the category and includes frontrunners such as Asghar Farhadi’s The Past from Iran, Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt from Denmark, and Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster from Hong Kong. Abdellatif Kechiche’s festival favorite lesbian drama Blue Is the Warmest Color from France, however, failed to make the cut-off date for eligibility, while India controversially submitted Gyan Correa’s The Good Road over Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox.

The Academy officially announced today that a record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 2014 Oscars. Among those submitting, Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants and this is the first time Montenegro has submitted a film as an independent country. Based solely on name recognition alone I'd say Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt (Denmark) and Asghar Farhadi's The Past (Iran) will be looked at as front-runners. However, I haven't only seen a few of the titles on this list, another of which is Mexico's entry, Heli from Amat Escalante. I have heard good things about Borgman (Netherlands) and it will be interesting to see how Haifaa al-Mansour's Wadjda is treated as it is a story unto itself, not to mention it seems to be receiving high marks from those that have seen it. I'm personally hoping to catch it soon...

A record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the foreign language film category for the 86th Academy Awards.

Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants while Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.

Earlier this year the Academy changed its rule allowing all voting members to vote on the shortlist.

The nominations will be announced on January 16 2014 and the Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 2 2014 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The 2013 submissions are:

Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram

Albania, Agon, Robert Budina

Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo

Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt

Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler

Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev

Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen

Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović

Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho

Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov

Cambodia...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the list of the 76 countries and their submissions officially competing for the 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Amongst the high profile entries this year are Australia's "The Rocket," Denmark's "The Hunt," France's "Renoir," Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster," Iran's "The Past," and Saudi Arabia's "Wadjda".

The nominations will be announced on January 16th 2014 ahead of the ceremony on March 2nd. Here is the complete list:

Afghanistan, "Wajma – An Afghan Love Story," Barmak Akram

Albania, "Agon," Robert Budina

Argentina, "The German Doctor," Lucía Puenzo

Australia, "The Rocket," Kim Mordaunt

Austria, "The Wall," Julian Pölsler

Azerbaijan, "Steppe Man," Shamil Aliyev

Bangladesh, "Television," Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Belgium, "The Broken Circle Breakdown," Felix van Groeningen

Bosnia and Herzegovina, "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker," Danis Tanovic

Brazil, "Neighboring Sounds," Kleber Mendonça Filho

Bulgaria, "The Color of the Chameleon," Emil Hristov

Cambodia, "The Missing Picture,...

A record 76 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 86th Academy Awards®.

Moldova and Saudi Arabia are first-time entrants; Montenegro is submitting for the first time as an independent country.

The 2013 submissions are:

Afghanistan, “Wajma – An Afghan Love Story,” Barmak Akram, director;

Albania, “Agon,” Robert Budina, director;

Argentina, “The German Doctor,” Lucía Puenzo, director;

Australia, “The Rocket,” Kim Mordaunt, director;

Austria, “The Wall,” Julian Pölsler, director;

Azerbaijan, “Steppe Man,” Shamil Aliyev, director;

Bangladesh, “Television,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;

Belgium, “The Broken Circle Breakdown,” Felix van Groeningen, director;

Bosnia and Herzegovina, “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker,” Danis Tanovic, director;

Brazil, “Neighboring Sounds,” Kleber Mendonça Filho, director;

Bulgaria, “The Color of the Chameleon,” Emil Hristov, director;

Cambodia, “The Missing Picture,” Rithy Panh, director;

Canada, “Gabrielle,” Louise Archambault, director;

Chad, “GriGris,” Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, director;

Chile, “Gloria,” Sebastián Lelio, director;

China, “Back to 1942,” Feng Xiaogang,...

All entries for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the Academy Awards 2014.

Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.

Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.

An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.

Submissions

Afghanistan, Wajma: An Afghan Love Story, Barmak Akram

Albania, Agon, Robert Budina

Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo

Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt

Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler

Azerbaijan, Steppe Man, Shamil Aliyev

Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen

Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović

Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho

Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov

Cambodia...

Actor John Hurt answers five-year-old Amelia's question

Not all bees die when they sting you, but some have a sting that is barbed, meaning it has tiny hooks that attach to your skin. When it flies away it leaves the sting behind, and the sting is attached to a lot of its most important organs, so that kills it, I'm afraid.

You don't need to be scared of bees. There are times when you have to be careful, though: if you put your hand on a bee, it will feel threatened and might sting you, so the best thing to do if one lands on you is to stay calm. Bees aren't aggressive creatures, although they will defend their hive.

Sadly, in recent times bees have been dying for other reasons, we think because of our use of insecticides. I learned about this when I narrated a documentary about bees called More Than Honey.

Hosted at one of Hollywood's most iconic venues, The Egyptian Theater, the German Currents Film Festivals brings to Los Angeles an outstanding selection of new cinematic works screening here for the first time. Now in its 7th edition this annual celebration of German-Language is co-presented by the Goethe Institut Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque, in cooperation with Austrian Consulate General and the Consulate General of Switzerland; with support of German Films, Deutsche Welle (Dw), The Friends of Goethe and Elma.

The festival includes narrative feature, documentaries, shorts, and family-friendly films that form part of the 4 day celebration from October 4th-7th. One of the highlights of the program is More Than Honey, which was recently chosen as the Swiss entry for the Foreign Language Academy Award, read more Here, which will be closing the festival on Monday night.

To discuss the film and interact with La audiences some of the filmmakers will also be in attendance:

Rayna Campbell - lead actress, Layla Fourie (North American Premiere)

Matt Sweetwood - director, Beerland (La Premiere)

Jan Ole Gerster - director, Oh Boy

Ennis Rotthoff - composer, Measuring The World (Us Premiere)

For more information click Here

For tickets and information about the Egyptian Theater click Here

Gala Opening Night - Us Premiere

Friday, October 4, At 7:30 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Measuring The World (Die Vermessung Der Welt)

Directed by Detlev Buck

Two of the greatest minds of the 19th century, mathematician Carl Friederich Gauss (Florian David Fritz) and scientist Alexander von Humboldt (Albrecht Abraham Schuch), dedicate their studies to measuring and comprehending the world they live in. Based on Daniel Kehlmann's best-selling novel of the same name, this visually stunning epic is a playful re-imagining of the great men’s lives. Humboldt, a man with a passion for global exploration, is contrasted with Gauss, a man who experiences his world through mathematical theories and figures. Humboldt, aided by his colleague, Aimé Bonpland, travels the globe physically engaging the world he wishes to understand, applying modern, scientific thinking to comparatively unknown regions. Though he remains in the same destitute community for much of his life, Gauss’ interior journey of mathematical discovery proves to be just as rich and visually stunning as Humboldt’s adventures in remote areas of the world. Fact and fiction are mixed, often to humorous effect, to chronicle the findings of two very different men who nevertheless sought the same answers. Measuring The World was nominated for two German Film Awards in 2013, and the film has won Best Costume Design and Best Make-up Design awards at the 2013 Austrian Film Awards.

In Person: Composer Enis Rotthoff

Germany / Austria (2012), 123 min. In German, French, Spanish with English Subtitles

Saturday, October 5, At 7:30 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature

Oh Boy

Directed by Jan Ole Gerster

Jan Ole Gerster's wry and vibrant feature debut Oh Boy, which swept the 2013 German Film Awards, paints a day in the life of Niko, a twenty-something college dropout going nowhere fast. Niko lives for the moment as he drifts through the streets of Berlin, curiously observing everyone around him and oblivious to his growing status as an outsider. Then on one fateful day, through a series of absurdly amusing encounters, everything changes: his girlfriend rebuffs him, his father cuts off his allowance, and a strange psychiatrist dubiously confirms his 'emotional imbalance'. Meanwhile, a former classmate insists she bears no hard feelings toward him for his grade-school taunts when she was “Roly Poly Julia,” but it becomes increasingly apparent that she has unfinished business with him. Unable to ignore the consequences of his passivity any longer, Niko finally concludes that he has to engage with life. Shot in timeless black and white and enriched with a snappy jazz soundtrack, this slacker dramedy is a love letter to Berlin and the Generation Y experience.

In Person: Director Jan Ole Gerster

Germany (2012), 85 min. In German with English subtitles

Us Distributor: Music Box Films

Saturday, October 5 At 9:30 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature - L.A. Premiere

Beerland

Directed by Matt Sweetwood

Matt Sweetwood hails from the Midwest. Though he has lived in Germany for over ten years, the people and their culture remain a mystery to him. He undertakes a last-ditch attempt to figure the place out: by exploring the heart of German culture, their beer. If he delves into their rites and rituals, explores all the contradictions and stereotypes, will that make him, finally, a part of them? The infinite variety of beers, breweries and beer fests, the age-old history of beer, is more overwhelming than the American ever imagined. The trail of his research leads him to places far off the beaten tourist path, light-years away from the Oktoberfest. He encounters people whose dialect he barely understands. Amazingly, he finds that a country as small a Germany is subdivided into a thousand different tongues and customs, with beer as the common thread. He discovers a land full of oddities and contradictions. The Germans are deathly serious and silly at the same time, tradition-bound and weirdly visionary. Ultimately, he forms a real bond with them, finding friends where he least expected them.

In Person: Director Matt Sweetwood

Germany (2012), 85 min. In German and English with English Subtitles

Kindermatinee

Sunday, October 6 - 2:00 Pm Egyptian Theatre

The Adventures of Huck Finn (Die Abenteuer Des Huck Finn)

Directed by Hermine Huntgeburth

A lively German language adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic satire. Huck Finn, having found treasure with his best friend Tom Sawyer, is now chafing in the shoes and starched shirts that come with his new wealthy lifestyle. He’d like nothing more than to kick off his shoes and run wild along the river. He gets his chance when his drunken father (August Diehl) arrives and demands a share of Huck’s money. Huck decides to escape downriver and he brings along Jim, the house slave who has recently discovered that he will be handed over to a slave trader. The two travel the Mississippi River on a makeshift raft, hoping to outrun Huck’s violent father and find a place where Jim can be accepted as a free man. Twain’s timeless adventure is exuberantly brought to the screen in a film that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Germany (2012), 101 min. In German with English Subtitles

Film Workshops

Sunday, October 6 - 1:00 - 1:50 Pm & 4:00 - 4:50 Pm

Join the Echo Park Film Center for an afternoon of cinematic exploration and education with the Epfc "Filmcicle" in the courtyard of the Egyptian Theatre. The "Filmcicle" is a bicycle powered cinema and school on 3 wheels. Using traditional analog motion picture film we encourage audience members - young and old - to spend some time with us creating cinematic wonder.

www.echoparkfilmcenter.org

Sunday, October 6 At 5:00 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature - Us Premiere

Gold

Directed by Thomas Arslan; starring Nina Hoss

Official selection (competition) at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival, Gold is a Western about seven German immigrants who set out in search of gold in the backwoods of British Columbia during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. Each have their motives: an older couple seeking security, a father (Lars Rudolph) hoping to help his impoverished family, an unpleasant newspaperman (Uwe Bohm) chronicling the journey, and a mysterious packer (Marko Mandic) with a past to outrun. The last to join is Emily Mayer (Nina Hoss), a metropolitan woman whose delicate demeanor masks a steely determination to survive. Assembled by a deceptively confident businessman of questionable motives, the settlers must travel through a relatively uncharted stretch of Canadian wilderness to reach their goal, the gold fields of Dawson. As the path grows more treacherous, betrayals come to light and desperate choices are made. Following in the footsteps of McCabe and Mrs. Miller and Meek’s Cutoff, Gold is an epic that offers an unconventional take on the well-worn Western genre.

Germany (2013), 101 min. In German with English Subtitles

Sunday, October 6, At 7:00 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature - North American Premiere

Layla Fourie

Directed by Pia Marais

Winner of the Jury Special Mention at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival, Layla Frourie is a film about Layla, who is a single mother living with her son in Johannesburg and getting by with casual work. After training as a polygraph operator she manages to secure a job with a company specialising in lie detectors and security. On her way to her new workplace she is involved in an accident which will fundamentally change her life. Layla becomes entangled in a web of lies and deceit. The truth could lead to the loss of her son. For her third feature film Pia Marais - who has lived in Berlin for many years - returned to South Africa where she grew up to make this classic thriller. She uses the genre to take a look at a country which still bears the scars of apartheid. In this way, everyday life in South Africa enhances the tension in the screenplay which she co-wrote with Horst Markgraf. Almost casually, Layla Fourie develops into a political thriller which takes the audience into the paranoia, fear and mistrust of a society that is still profoundly affected by racial conflict.

Germany (2013), 108 min. In English

In Person: lead actress Rayna Campbell

Monday, October 7 At 7:30 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature - L.A. Premiere

The Shine of the Day (Der Glanz Des Tages)

Directed by Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel

Philip (Philip Hochmair) is is a young and successful actor working for the most important theatres in Vienna and Hamburg with a committed and single-minded approach to his craft. During a season in which he is busy with a production of Buchner’s Woyzeck, Philip is visited by the elderly Walter (Walter Saabel), who introduces himself as the uncle he’s never met. Walter is a former circus artist and the two men soon bond over stories of their careers. These two entertainers, both at different stages in their lives, learn from each other’s experiences. As his conversations with Walter grow more philosophical, Philip slowly emerges from his once isolated lifestyle. He is even inspired to enlist Walter’s assistance in helping a Moldavian neighbor with an immigration issue. The actors, though not related, essentially play themselves and the largely improvised script was developed around their personal experiences. The result is a rare onscreen friendship that feels warm and sincere. Co-directors Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel draw on their documentary filmmaking background to create a naturalistic atmosphere in which these performances can flourish.

Austria (2012), 101 min. In German with English Subtitles

Monday, October 7 At 9:15 Pm Egyptian Theatre

Double Feature

More Than Honey

Directed by Markus Imhoof

Winner of multiple awards, including 2013 German Film Award (Lola) for Best Documentary film, More Than Honey, directed by Oscar-nominated director Markus Imhoof (The Boat Is Full) tackles the vexing issue of why bees, worldwide, are facing extinction. With the tenacity of a man out to solve a world-class mystery, he investigates this global phenomenon, from California to Switzerland, China and Australia. Exquisite macro-photography of the bees (reminiscent of Microcosmos) in flight and in their hives reveals a fascinating, complex world in crisis. Writes Eric Kohn in Indiewire: "Imhoof captures the breeding of queen bees in minute detail, ventures to a laboratory to witness a bee brainscan, and discovers the dangerous prospects of a hive facing the infection of mites. In this latter case, the camera's magnifying power renders the infection in sci-fi terms, as if we've stumbled into a discarded scene from David Cronenberg's The Fly." This is a strange and strangely moving film that raises questions of species survival in cosmic as well as apiary terms.

Switzerland/Germany/Austria (2012), 90 min. In English and German w/English subtitles

Us Distributor: Kino Lorber...

In line with SydneysBuzz’s focus on the international film business we have put together the most complete list on the 67 national submissions to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This list showcases films that have been the centerpieces of the most renowned festivals and that represent the best in the cinematic landscape from across the globe. Last year, at this point in the race the clear favorite was Palm d'Or winner Amour, which went on to win the award with no significant competition and scoring 4 other nominations including Best Picture, an outstanding feat for a foreign film about love at the end of life, by Michael Haneke.

This time around the story could have repeated almost identically with the most recent winner of Cannes’ biggest prize Blue is the Warmest Color. However, the film became one more victim of the Academy's rules, which rendered it unqualified to compete because of the late release date in France. With Blue out of the race the award is fair game for virtually anyone on the list, although there are certainly some favorites.

Saudi Arabia's first ever submission, the charming Wadjda might turn into beginners luck and score the Kingdom, in which movie theaters are banned, a nomination or even a win. Iran's audacious decision to submit the French-language The Past caused uproar among conservatives, but might certainly score the nation another nomination after their win in 2012 with the masterful A Separation. Other strong contenders are Denmark's The Hunt starring Mads Mikkelsen, and which would continue the countries streak of 3 consecutive nominations winning in 2011 with In A Better World, as well as Canada's Gabrielle about the romantic relationship of a handicapped couple, and Hong Kong’s The Grandmaster by famous director Wong Kar-wai.

Italy’s The Great Beauty, Australia’s The Rocket, Romania’s Child’s Pose, and Chile’s Gloria are among other titles that might score a nomination given their success and prominence during their festivals rounds. Some countries decided to take a chance and send audacious choices as their representation to the Academy, so is the case Mexico, a country that chose the more violent and artistically daring Cannes winner Heli, over the hit comedy Instructions Not Included, or Greece’s Boy Eating The Bird’s Food, which includes grotesque imagery that might not sit well with academy members.

The African continent is minimally represented with only 3 entries, South Africa’s Four Corners, and the Arabic-language works God’s Horses from Morocco, and Winter of Discontent from Egypt. Algeria, which has submitted regularly and even scored several nominations, is absent in this occasion. Another big omission is China who did not submit an entry but whose language is represented by Taiwan and the above-mentioned Hong Kong; equally strange is France’s decision to enter Renoir over tons of other films that could have substituted Abdellatif Kechiche.

Less surprising is Russia’s decision to submit a blockbuster-style production with a very nationalistic message in lieu of a more intimate film. On the other hand, Cambodia, Lithuania, and Switzerland decided to go with a documentary, a choice that has never been very fruitful in this category. Lastly, Israel and Palestine both entered strong candidate with Bethlehem and Omar respectively, adding with that to the great year the region has seen in the cinematic realm.

The rest of the films are a mixture of obscure titles with not much exposure outside their homelands, and a others with great premise but equally unknown quality. Thankfully for SydneysBuzz readers, the list below compiles all 67 Foreign Submissions and includes links to more information and a link to the trailer of every single one of them. For the most part the clips are subtitled; the ones that are not will at least give the reader a sense of what the film is about. As the Awards Season develops, we will have updates on predicted nominees and other developments in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film.

Argentina

The German Doctor (Wakolda)

Dir: Lucia Puenzo

Language: Spanish, German, Hebrew

U.S Release: Acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard

Trailer

Australia

The Rocket

Dir: Kim Mordaunt

Language: Lao

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin 2013: Best First Feature Film ,Tribeca 2013: World Narrative Competition

Trailer

Austria

The Wall

Dir: Julian Polsler

Language: German

U.S Release: Released by Music Box Films on May 31st, 2013

Festivals: Sitges Ff 2012 Oficial Fantastic, Mumbai Ff 2012 Int'l Competition

Trailer

Bangladesh

Television

Dir: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Language: Bengali

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Dubai Diff 2012 (Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature Special Mention)

Trailer

Belgium

The Broken Circle Breakdown

Dir: Felix van Groeningen

Language: Flemish

U.S Release: Tribeca Film Will Release the Film on November 1st, 2013

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Panorama

Trailer

Bosnia And Herzegovina

An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker

Dir: Danis Tanović

Language: Bosnian, Romani

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 Competition, Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Brazil

Neighboring Sounds

Dir: Kleber Mendonça Filho

Language: Portuguese, Mandarin

U.S Release: Released by Cinema Guild, Now Available on Netflix streaming

Festivals:Mar Del Plata Ff 2012 Competencia Int'l, Bafici (Buenos Aires) 2013 Panorama

Trailer

Bulgaria

The Color of the Chameleon

Dir: Emil Hristov

Language: Bulgarian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery, Thessaloniki Iff 2012 Int'l Competition

Trailer

Cambodia

The Missing Picture

Dir: Rithy Panh

Language: French

U.S Release: Acquired by Strand Releasing for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013 - Un Certain Regard Prix, San Sebastian 2013 Pearls

Trailer

Canada

Gabrielle

Dir: Louise Archambault

Language: French

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto- Tiff 2013, Locarno International Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Chile

Gloria

Dir: Sebastian Lelio

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Acquired by Roadside Attractions for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013

Trailer

Colombia

La Playa DC

Dir: Juan Andrés Arango

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Released by Artmattan Productions on July 19th, 2013

Festivals:Official Selection Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard, Chicago Iff 2012 New Directors Competition

Trailer

Croatia

Halima's Path

Dir: Arsen Anton Ostojić

Language: Bosnian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Tallinn Black Nights Iff 2012 - EurAsia (Special Jury Prize)

Trailer

Czech Republic

Burning Bush

Dir: Agnieszka Holland

Language: Czech

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013

Trailer

Denmark

The Hunt

Dir: Thomas Vinterberg

Language: Danish

U.S Release: Released by Magnolia Pictures on July 12th

Festivals: Cannes 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012, AFI Fest

Trailer

Dominican Republic

Who's the Boss?

Dir: Ronni Castillo

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Egypt

Winter of Discontent

Dir: Ibrahim el-Batout

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013

Trailer

Estonia

Free Range

Dir: Veiko Õunpuu

Language: Estonian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2012

Trailer

Finland

The Disciple

Dir: Ulrika Bengts

Language: Finnish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals:Helsinki International Film Festival, Montréal World Film Festival

Trailer

France

Renoir

Dir: Gilles Bourdos

Language: French

U.S Release: Released by Samuel Goldwyn Films on March 29th, 2013

Festivals: Cannes 2012 Un Certain Regard

Trailer

Georgia

In Bloom

Dir: Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß

Language: Georgian

U.S Release: Acquired by Big World Pictures for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Cicae award Berlinale Forum 2013

Trailer

Germany

Two Lives

Dir: Georg Maas

Language: German

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013, Busan 2013

Trailer

Greece

Boy Eating The Bird's Food

Dir: Ektoras Lygizos

Language: Greek

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Discovery

Trailer

Hong Kong

The Grandmaster

Dir: Wong Kar-wai

Language: Cantonese, Mandarin

U.S Release: Released by The Weinstein Company on August 23rd, 2013

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013, Cannes 2013

Trailer

Hungary

The Notebook

Dir: Janosz Szasz

Language: Hungarian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Iceland

Of Horses and Men

Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson

Language: Icelandic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Sundance 2013

Trailer

India

The Good Road

Dir: Gyan Correa

Language: Gujarati

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: London Indian Film Festival in 2013

Trailer

Iran

The Past

Dir: Asghar Farhadi

Language: French, Persian

U.S Release: Sony Pictures Classics will release the film on December 20th, 2013

Festivals:Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Actress, Toronto - Tiff 2013

Trailer

Israel

Bethlehem

Dir: Yuval Adler

Language: Hebrew

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery, Cannes 2013 , Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Italy

The Great Beauty

Dir: Paolo Sorrentino

Language: Italian

U.S Release: Acquired by Janus Films for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Berlin Efm 2013,

Trailer

Japan

The Great Passage

Dir: Yuya Ishii

Language: Japanese

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Fantasia Ff 2013 Official Selection, Cannes 2013

Trailer

Kazakhstan

The Old Man

Dir: Ermek Tursunov

Language: Russian, Kazakh

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Latvia

Mother, I Love You

Dir: Janis Nords

Language: Latvian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Los Angeles Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Lebanon

Ghadi

Dir: Amin Dora

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Lithuania

Conversations on Serious Topics

Dir: Giedrė Beinoriūtė

Language: Lithuanian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Luxembourg

Blind Spot

Dir: Christophe Wagner

Language: Luxembourgish, French

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2012

Trailer

Mexico

Heli

Dir: Amat Escalante

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition-Won Best Director, San Sebastian 2013 Horizontes Latinos,

Trailer

Montenegro

Bad Destiny

Dir: Draško Đurović

Language: Serbo-Croatian

U.S Release: Acquired by Princ Films for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Toronto- Tiff 2013, Busan 2013

Trailer

Morocco

God's Horses

Dir: Nabil Ayouch

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2012, Bif London Film Festival 2012

Trailer

Nepal

Soongava: Dance of the Orchids

Dir: Subarna Thapa

Language: Nepalese

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2012, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

The Netherlands

Borgman

Dir: Alex van Warmerdam

Language: Dutch

U.S Release: Acquired by Drafthouse Films for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Competition, Busan 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

New Zealand

White Lies

Dir: Dana Rotberg

Language: Maori

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Norway

I Am Yours

Dir: Iram Haq

Language: Norwegian, Urdu

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Pakistan

Zinda Bhaag

Dir: Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi

Language: Udu, Punjabi

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Palestine

Omar

Dir: Hany Abu-Assad

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Un Certain Regard, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Peru

The Cleaner

Dir: Adrian Saba

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Palm Springs Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival

Trailer

Philippines

Transit

Dir: Hannah Espia

Language: Filipino, Tagalog, Hebrew

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cinemalaya Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Poland

Walesa

Dir: Andrzej Wajda

Language: Polish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2013, Venice- Biennale 2013

Trailer

Portugal

Lines of Wellington

Dir: Valeria Sarmiento

Language: Portuguese, English, French

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Venice - Biennale 2012 Competition, Toronto - Tiff 2012

Trailer

Romania

Child's Pose

Dir: Calin Peter Netzer

Language: Romanian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlinale - Efm 2013 - Competition (Golden Bear for the Best Film), Toronto - Tiff 2013 Contemporary World Cinema

Trailer

Russia

Stalingrad

Dir: Fedor Bondarchuk

Language: Russian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: N/A

Trailer

Saudi Arabia

Wadjda

Dir: Haifaa al-Mansour

Language: Arabic

U.S Release: Released by Sony Pictures Classics on September 13th, 2013

Festivals: Cannes 2012, Venice International Film Festival 2012, Los Angeles Film Festival, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Serbia

Circles

Dir: Srdan Golubovic

Language: Serbian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlinale - Efm 2013 Forum, Cannes 2013

Trailer

Singapore

Ilo Ilo

Dir: Anthony Chen

Language: Mandarin, Hokkien, English, Tagalog

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013 Directors Fortnight, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Discovery

Trailer

Slovakia

My Dog Killer

Dir: Mira Fornay

Language: Slovak

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Berlin Efm 2013, Cannes 2013, Busan 2013

Trailer

Slovenia

Class Enemy

Dir: Rok Biček

Language: Slovene

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto-tiff 2013

Trailer

Spain

15 Years and One Day

Dir: Gracia Querejeta

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: San Sebastian 2013 Made in Spain, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

South Africa

Four Corners

Dir: Ian Gabriel

Language: Afrikaans, Tsotsitaal

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals:N/A

Trailer

South Korea

Juvenile Offender

Dir: Kang Yi-kwan

Language: Korean

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Contemporary World Cinema,

Trailer

Sweden

Eat Sleep Die

Dir: Gabriela Pichler

Language: Swedish, Croatian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Venice International Film Festival 2012, Toronto - Tiff 2012

Trailer

Switzerland

More Than Honey

Dir: Markus Imhoof

Language: German, Mandarin

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto - Tiff 2012 Tiff Docs, Cannes 2013, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Taiwan

Soul

Dir: Mong-Hong Chung

Language: Mandarin

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Toronto - Tiff 2013 Vanguard

Trailer

Thailand

Countdown

Dir: Nattawut Poonpiriya

Language: Thai

U.S Release: Acquired by Birch Tree Entertainment for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Cannes 2013, Far East Film Festival 2013

Trailer

Turkey

The Butterfly's Dream

Dir: Yılmaz Erdoğan

Language: Turkish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Istanbul Film Festival, Los Angeles Turkish Film Festival

Trailer

Ukraine

Paradjanov

Dir: Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova

Language: Russian

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Toronto 2013

Trailer

United Kingdom

Metro Manila

Dir: Sean Elllis

Language: Filipino, Tagalog

U.S Release: Acquired by Paladin/108 Media for U.S Distribution

Festivals: Sundance 2013 World Dramatic, Berlin Efm 2012, Cannes 2012, Afm 2012, Berlin Efm 2013

Trailer

Venezuela

Breach in the Silence

Dir: Luis and Andrés Rodríguez

Language: Spanish

U.S Release: Tba

Festivals: Ventana Sur 2012, Festival de Mar del Plata "Panorama Latinomaericano"

Trailer...

Swiss Films promotional agency to restructure in 2014.

The new head of national promotion agency Swiss Films says filmmakers should start thinking about how their film will be promoted from the minute they start working on it. “We’re trying to find out what the story will be at the beginning…promotion should be starting from day 1,” says Swiss Films director Catherine Ann Berger.

She wants Swiss Films to be able to work with directors and producers as they are making films, and in the editing room. “It’s trusting the experience of many people who have worked in the field for a long, long time.” She says getting world sales companies on board for Swiss films earlier can also help landing slots at major festivals.

It’s a change in attitude from how European arthouse filmmakers are accustomed to working. “It’s a different approach to European auteur filmmaking. They want to keep the reins as long...

Markus Imhoof could be set to make a return trip to the Oscars with his documentary More Than Honey.

Switzerland has submitted the in-depth look at declining honeybee colonies for the Best Foreign-Language Academy Award.

If selected for the shortlist, it would mark the second time Imhoof has been nominated for an Oscar after being up for an Academy Award with drama Das Boot ist voll in 1982.

Speaking to Screen about the documentary, Imhoof said: “We hoped it would be a success and that maybe 50,000 people would see it. But it’s the most successful Swiss film of the past year and we’ve received 18 awards so far. I never thought tiny bees would have such an effect.”

The film-maker, who is also the president of the German-speaking documentary jury at this year’s Zurich Film Festival, said the success of More Than Honey has delayed him from work on his next feature.

“I have a...

New entries from Argentina, Denmark, Lebanon, Lithuania and Peru.

Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards are coming in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.

Last year, a record 71 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Austrian entry Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.

An initial nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 16, 2014.

Submissions

* = new additions

* Argentina, Wakolda, Lucía Puenzo

Australia, The Rocket, Kim Mordaunt

Austria, The Wall, Julian Pölsler

Bangladesh, Television, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki

Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix van Groeningen

Bosnia and Herzegovina, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Danis Tanović

Brazil, Neighbouring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho

Bulgaria, The Colour of the Chameleon, Emil Hristov

Canada, Gabrielle, Louise Archambault

Chile, Gloria, Sebastián Lelio

Colombia, La Playa DC, Juan Andrés Arango

Croatia, Halima’s Path...

It had been a while since I last updated the list of films submitted for the 2014 Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Feature, but today I bring you 21 new titles as the list has now grown to 57 total films. Perhaps the most notable of the films added today is Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt starring Mads Mikkelsen. The film played the 2012 Cannes Film Festival but it wasn't released in the Netherlands until late October last year, which means it missed the eligibility date by about a month. The Hunt won Mikkelsen the award for Best Actor in Cannes last year and I finally saw it earlier this year, calling it "one of the best films of the year" with a "masterclass performance from Mikkelsen." You can read my full review here. Additional titles worth of note include Hong Kong's submission of Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster and Italy's submission of...

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Wearing multiple hats, Gil Scrine is arranging a national cinema tour for controversial film Pandora's Promise, distributing Australian and international documentaries on DVD and Video-on-Demand, and selling films and docs direct to consumers.

Cinema Ventures, Scrine.s not-for-profit distribution company, is launching Pandora.s Promise in Melbourne on October 8, followed on consecutive days by screenings in Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.

Us director Robert Stone.s feature-length documentary, which premiered at Sundance, argues that nuclear energy should be reconsidered as the primary source to meet the country.s energy needs while limiting emissions that contribute to climate change.

.Pandora.s Promise is a fascinating documentary about nuclear power that argues it is the true green energy,. said Austin Chronicle critic Louis Black. .It would be hard to imagine a film more controversial than this one. Sure to push opponents of nuclear power into all kinds of rages, the...

Berlin – Oscar champ Harvey Weinstein is a late addition to the official program of the Zurich International Film Festival, which kicks off Sept. 26. The Weinstein Co. topper will attend the Swiss fest this year to take part in Zurich’s Zff Masters series, public podium discussions with leading film industry professionals. Zff Masters participants this year include Oscar-winning director Michael Haneke (Amour), World War Z director (and Zurich festival jury president) Marc Forster, award-winning Swiss filmmaker Markus Imhoof (More Than Honey) and Working Title co-founder Tim Bevan. THR Cover: Ron Howard's Competitive Drive Behind 'Rush' Ron

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It's been 10 years since one of the UK's favourite film-makers topped the box office charts and now he has thanks to an appetite for grownup cinema after the kids returned to school

• Watch the trailer for About Time

• Jeremy Kay's Hollywood report

The winner

Following a summer season dominated by animation and action blockbusters, cinemas welcomed a more grownup programming mix after kids and teens went back to school after the long holiday. The reliable Richard Curtis delivered another box-office chart-topper, About Time, thanks to a debut of £1.76m, including £385,000 in Wednesday/Thursday takings. That's almost dead level with the opening salvo of 2009's The Boat That Rocked: £1.80m, including £471,000 in previews.

The Boat That Rocked was an expensively made film that ended up with a weak £6.2m total in the UK – a massive disappointment after the £36.8m success of 2003's Love Actually. About Time suggests itself as...

The veteran actor talks about blockbusters, the plight of bees – and the buzz he got from playing Doctor Who

You're in Hungary shooting the $150m film Hercules: The Thracian Wars with Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson. Do you enjoy doing blockbusters?

Well, it used to mean that you got terrifically well paid, but it doesn't mean that any more. Nobody gets terrifically well paid any more, except perhaps the star. But I have nothing against it. You know what you let yourself in for in these things. I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the material. But every now and again it's quite good to do a big one.

How's it going?

With a big film, it's absolutely impossible to say… But of course we all sit around and have a good old moan. But...

The Great Beauty | About Time | Riddick | Ain't Them Bodies Saints | Museum Hours | Pieta | The Stuart Hall Project | The Great Hip Hop Hoax | No One Lives | More Than Honey | Jadoo | Any Day Now

The Great Beauty (15)

(Paolo Sorrentino, 2013, Ita/Fra) Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli, 141 mins

Sorrentino proves himself a worthy successor to Fellini here, tracking modern Roman decadence with staggering exuberance and an eye for the stylishly surreal. Filling the Marcello Mastroianni role is Servillo's world-weary writer and socialite, who stalks the city's elite demi-monde of hedonistic parties, pretentious art, cynical grotesques and faded glories – but finds reveries and regrets around every corner.

About Time (12A)

(Richard Curtis, 2013, UK) Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams. 123 mins

A sci-fi element reinvigorates Curtis's trademarked romcom formula, but there's still a feeling of deja vu to this middle-class love story, in which Gleeson uses his inherited time-travelling powers to woo McAdams – albeit at a cost.

★★★☆☆ Narrated by British national treasure John Hurt, Markus Imhoof's More Than Honey (2012) serves as an impassioned ode to the humble bee, whilst at the same time lamenting the steady decline of these most important of insects. Though Albert Einstein's belief that "if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, man would have only four years to live" now feels slightly outdated given the exponential rise of food manufacturing, the bee's significance should not be understated. As Hurt explains, almost a third of the food we eat now depends on the intervention of these diminutive creatures, now certainly "more than honey".

The past fifteen years have seen a sharp drop in bee numbers, due to a plethora of different factors, yet all linked to the same worrying phenomenon: "colony collapse disorder". As we learn, bees are extremely regimented creatures, with drones and warriors all serving under the mantle...

This documentary about the wonder of bees is fascinating throughout, but seems oddly unconcerned with the creatures' much-reported endangerment

Markus Imhoof's More Than Honey is an interesting, and interestingly laidback film, an almost restful look at honeybees and the way they are kept and cultivated across the world. In Austria, an elderly man keeps them the way his forebears did; in Germany they are rigorously studied; in the Us their commercial possibilities are savoured and in China they are worked harder than ever. But what about the worrying issue of the bees' apparent disappearance? The so-called "colony collapse disorder"? In George Langworthy and Maryam Henein's the 2009 documentary The Vanishing of the Bees, this was a matter of urgent concern, a possible eco-calamity. Without the bees' pollinating work, agriculture could collapse. Imhoof seems disconcertingly untroubled. Well, there is much to enjoy here, including the perennially fascinating question of whether...

Albert Einstein once said, “If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live”. More Than Honey director Markus Imhoof looks to explore the validity of this theory, creating a film that not only questions why the bees are dying out, but whether it would be such an agricultural disaster if they did.

Described in Britain as the ‘Mary Celeste Phenomenon’ (named after the ship whose crew vanished in 1872) and more succinctly by scientists as ‘colony collapse disorder’ it is believed that between 50 to 90% of all the world’s bees have disappeared. It’s a startling statistic, especially considering that 80% of all plants require the assistance of bees to pollinate. Imhoof presents us with an all-encompassing perspective on this disquieting epidemic, exploring everything from the mating rituals of bees to the true extent of the damaged caused by the human manipulation of these colonies.

Upstream Colour | One Direction: This Is Us 3D | The Way Way Back | Pain & Gain | You're Next | Bonjour Tristesse | Plein Soleil | Hammer Of The Gods | Satyagraha

Upstream Colour (12A)

(Shane Carruth, 2013, Us) Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig. 96 mins

Reading this on mobile? Click here to view

The Primer director delivers another Us indie brainteaser that will leave minds blown and chins comprehensively scratched. A young woman who has been kidnapped, exposed to a parasite and robbed meets a man who seems to have endured the same horror. What any of that has to do with the maggots that possess psychedelic properties, or the sound recordist and his obsession with pigs, is anyone's guess. The mysteries endure long after the credits roll, and Carruth's direction is spellbinding enough to keep you puzzling over them – just about.

One Direction: This Is Us 3D (PG)

(Morgan Spurlock, 2013, Us) 92 mins

From third place in...

Eureka Entertainment will launch More Than Honey in UK and Irish cinemas from Aug 23.

The film, from Oscar nominee Markus Imhoof, is about the bee crisis.

John Hurt will deliver a new narration of the Swiss documentary.

Ian Sadler, Sales Director for Eureka Entertainment commented: “Globally, bee populations are declining significantly and this is an issue for both commercial and non-commercial bee-keepers. Ultimately, if bee populations continue to decline, the impact on just about everything we eat will be enormous. Powerful, beautiful and tragic, More Than Honey demonstrates the global nature of the problem, and in doing socaptures everything from the awe inspiring emergence of the queen, to the death of a colony.”...

Let's forget, for a moment, that Albert Einstein said that if bees were to disappear from the Earth, humankind would follow four years later. It's bad enough seeing, as we do in Markus Imhoof's marvelous bee-centric documentary More Than Honey, a forlorn beekeeper scraping lifeless furry bodies from the surface of a honeycomb—they drop to the ground like little raisins. Bees, either flying in swarms or flitting about solo, reassure us that everything is going apace. Even their buzzing is the sound of life. A dead bee, so small in size yet so large in nature's grand scheme, is an ominous thing.

Luckily, More Than Honey isn't just 91 minutes of dead bees. Who could bear that? Instead, it's a delightful, informative, and suitably contemplative study of the be...

The Fog | Seasons In The Sun: The Heyday Of Nikkatsu Studios | UK green film festival | Terracotta Far East Film festival

The Fog, London

As if a screening of a seminal horror movie in a spooky location wasn't enough, this event is also a format-junkie's wet-dream. Cigarette Burns presents a rare chance to watch a 16mm full-Cinemascope print, with mood-enhancing music from "Kab Radio" (it makes sense if you've seen the movie). What's more, punters will be first in line to buy Death Waltz records' new super collectable reissue of Carpenter's own splendidly doomful synth soundtrack, with original cover artwork by Dinos Chapman.

The Nave, N1, Fri

Seasons In The Sun: The Heyday Of Nikkatsu Studios, London

Think of postwar Japanese cinema and you think of Kurosawa, Ozu, and other greats. What you don't think of is girl gangs, go-go dancers and fetishistic hitmen. The west got the arthouse movies, but...

Santa Barbara, CA – As the 28th Santa Barbara International Film festival wrapped 11 days of screenings, panels and awards events on Sunday, Sbiff executive director Roger Durling and programming director Michael Albright announced the fest awards winners at an invitation-only brunch ceremony. (Daniel Day-Lewis Tribute coverage here.) The top Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema (which includes a $60,000 camera package) went to “Babygirl,” about a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx trying to adjust to her mother’s unsavory new boyfriend. Gerhard Ertl and Sabine Hiebler’s “Coming of Age” from Austria won the Best International Film Award for its depiction of a blossoming relationship between two seniors. “More Than Honey” by Markus Imhoof took the Best Documentary Film Award for its compelling perspective on the global decline of crucial honeybee populations. The full festival press release follows below – check...

Kino Lorber has acquired all U.S. rights to the documentary “More Than Honey” from director Markus Imhoof (“The Boat Is Full”). The film, which has played at the Toronto and Locarno film festivals, will have its Stateside premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival this week. A national release is planned for early spring. Imhoof’s film is a comprehensive look at the plight of endangered honeybees around the globe and the potential effects of their extinction. The filmmaker is the grandson of a professional beekeeper in Switzerland. "When we first encountered Markus's film at Toronto, we were stunned by its cinematic impact and profoundly engaged by the poignancy and depth of its message," said Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber, who negotiated the deal with Jean-Christophe Simon, head of Berlin-based Films Boutique. "We now look forward to making a beeline to big screens around the country, where the visual.

Markus Imhoof's "More Than Honey" makes a convincing argument for the role of bees sustaining both organic and industrial concerns, not to mention their own complex set of behaviors. Facing crises that threaten to impact their existence as well as various marketplaces that rely on their survival, bees are the key in an equation that, through poetic images and convincing testimonials, Imhoof proves to be broken. While the movie struggles account for far too many issues involving the species' survival, it does manage to show the creatures in profound and at times even moving terms. Through voiceover, the Swiss filmmaker explains that his grandfather's investment in beekeeping led Imhoof to wonder why the delicate practice has become a lost art. From there, Imhoof travels around the world to explore the modern state of beekeeping and the dangers bees face. "The bee is the go-between," explains a California almond farmer,...

Toronto – On July 31st, the 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival announced its second wave of features and documentaries to be added to this year’s already promising lineup.

The ‘Midnight Madness’ programme, which showcases up and coming genre films, will return for a second year, with The Raid winning the inaugural audience choice award in 2011.

Tiff Programmer Colin Geddes says that the audience should expect “everything from outrageous horror comedies to mock-doc-eco-apocalypse thrillers, featuring trans-dimensional bugs, lewd Catholic priests, meat monsters and dog-snapping psychopaths that will animate the Ryerson Theatre when the clock chimes 12.”

Returning for its fourth edition this year is the ‘City to City’ programme, which puts a spotlight on filmmakers working and living in a certain city, introducing audiences to local independent films from around the world. This year’s city of choice is Mumbai.

Artistic Director Cameron Bailey says, “Mumbai’s cinema today is entirely...

Toronto – On July 31st, the 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival announced its second wave of features and documentaries to be added to this year’s already promising lineup.

The ‘Midnight Madness’ programme, which showcases up and coming genre films, will return for a second year, with The Raid winning the inaugural audience choice award in 2011.

Tiff Programmer Colin Geddes says that the audience should expect “everything from outrageous horror comedies to mock-doc-eco-apocalypse thrillers, featuring trans-dimensional bugs, lewd Catholic priests, meat monsters and dog-snapping psychopaths that will animate the Ryerson Theatre when the clock chimes 12.”

Returning for its fourth edition this year is the ‘City to City’ programme, which puts a spotlight on filmmakers working and living in a certain city, introducing audiences to local independent films from around the world. This year’s city of choice is Mumbai.

Artistic Director Cameron Bailey says, “Mumbai’s cinema today is entirely...