The dramatic economic growth amidst potent political struggles makes the People's Republic of China one of the most fascinating countries in the world today. Along with the growth of the Chinese film industry as a whole, documentaries from the country of almost 2 billion people have also become objects of fascination. Even more than the fiction films emerging from the former "Red China", non-fiction works portray the conflicts and opportunities as China emerges as one of the most powerful and i...

After a two-year hiatus caused by war and political unrest, the Beirut International Film Festival had made an unexpected return October 4-11 thanks to the efforts of the Lee & Gund Foundation, which is sponsoring it in conjuction with the launch of the foundation’s new initiative: MakeFilmsNotWar.orgDuring the darkest days of the summer, it seemed unlikely that the festival would take place at all. With the Beirut airport closed, the country blockaded, and infrastructure destroyed, it seemed ...

In the handsome press book for the new Agnieszka Holland musical biopic "Copying Beethoven" writer/producer Christopher Wilkinson, regarding the appearance of actor Ed Harris in the title role, is quoted as having said on a visit to the set, "I see Beethoven standing there -- but what have they done with Ed Harris?" If Ed Harris does to some extent disappear into the skin of the composer in this not-to-be-denied bravura acting job, and if the trompe l'oeil maquillage really does makes it hard ...

Saturday, September 16---For several decades, the American government has successfully demonized the country of Iran, referring to it as an "evil empire" as a member of the "axis of evil". The rhetoric has ratcheted up in recent months, as Iran attempts to take hold of its own destiny by producing nuclear power, and possibly nuclear weapons. But what do we really know about this ancient culture that is one of the most influential nations in the Middle East? What more can we know without trave...

As the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) gathers momentum for its third edition this December, it is inviting submissions in the categories of features, shorts and documentaries to its new Arab Film Competition. “DIFF has launched an Arab Film Competition in order to fulfill one of its core objectives – showcasing and promoting excellence in Arab cinema,” commented Festival CEO, Neil Stephenson.The Competition satisfies this objective through carefully composed criteria - films must...

Saturday, June 17----As the US Congress debated this week on the future of the war in Iraq, four documentaries presented at the SILVERDOCS AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival provide a more in-depth understanding of the cost of this bloody conflict to the American economy, the American morale and America’s standing in the world. While the Bush istration offers platitudes of bringing Western style democracy to the Middle East, the true politics of that region are “petro politics...

BEST OF BAGHDAD – THE RESURRECTION OF IRAQI CINEMAat the 26th CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL (6th–16th July 2006, Cambridge Arts Picturehouse)www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.ukIraqi Cinema has had a chequered history – from all-singing all-dancing melodramas of the 40s to lavish vanity projects funded by Saddam Hussein in the 80s to total extinction during the Gulf Wars. Now amidst the tensions of the occupation the resuscitation of Iraqi Cinema has gradually begun, heralding a new phase in the slo...

A series of key changes highlight the development of the Dubai International Film Festival. The festival’s credo of bridging cultures and meeting minds will be particularly prevalent during its December 10-17 run this year when it will be taking further serious steps to tackle controversial issues while facilitating and stimulating intelligent dialogue. One step toward this goal is the introduction of the Sheikh Zayed Award, a lifetime achievement award to be given to a member of the film in...

In the past two years the subject matter of this festival concentrated heavily on themes of the Holocaust and Polish-Jewish relations. This year the program is of a spicier variety with a heavier than usual input of films from Israel. The big discovery and surprise so far has been a rib-tickling comedy from Israel entitled "Like a Fish Out of Water" (RT, 56 minutes) by 28 year old helmer Leon Pudovsky. The story centers on a freewheeling Argentine immigrant to Israel, a thoroughly unkosher Lat...

The Ninth Aurora Asian Film Festival will be held June 1 - 4 at the Aurora Fox Arts Center (9900 E. Colfax Avenue) in Aurora. The Festival, presented by Denver Film Society, the Aurora Asian/Pacific Community Partnership and the City of Aurora, will feature 10 new films from several countries along the Pacific Rim including China, Mongolia, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong. AMERICANESE - Opening Night Film - Thursday, June 1 In Person Appearances: Eric Byler, Allison Sie and Chr...

The third installment of the “Warsaw Film Festival on Jewish Motifs” opened on May 11 with a gala evening sponsored by the French Embassy and the presence of special guest Claude Lelouche whose latest film “Le Courage d’Aimer” (2005) was shown as the curtain raiser. Mr. Lelouche, although not generally perceived as a “Jewish director” is, in fact, of Algerian Jewish heritage and has been a long term friend of Israel. He was also the guest of the Be’er Sheva film festival in Isr...

For the second consecutive year, the Fondation LibanCinéma (FLC) is taking part in the Cannes Film Festival by participating in the Film Market, thus providing Lebanese cinema with a bridge towards the international market. Three screenings illustrating the diversity of Lebanese film production are organized as follows: May 23rd at 4 pm, Palais F, 115 mn: Bosta by Philippe Aractingi, best box-office of the year. May 23rd at 8:30 pm, Palais G, 88m:A perfect day by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil...

Al Milgrom, founding father (along with Mpls. Businessman Tim Grady) of this most eclectic of hinterland festivals, has been waging a relentless battle for nearly two and a half decades to introduce off-beat celluloid Americana and quality foreign film Esotrica into this Land of Sky Blue Waters, Pillsbury flour silos and (ulp) Norveegin farmers. Says Dr. Milgom: "Sometimes it's a hard sell, but we feel it's our cultural duty to cinema-educate these plain(s) folk and show them that there's mor...

March 24th saw the kick-off of the 1st Cyprus International Film Festival. The CIFF opened with the Cyprus premiere of the recent Oscar nominated film ‘Transamerica’, starring Felicity Huffman. Over 130 films were screened during the chaotic four-day event. Being a competitive festival there were almost too many films for the VIP jurors to review. Those having the mammoth task of awarding the statuettes included, among others, such prestigious names as Hollywood film producer Gregory Cascant...

“Paradise Now, which was featured at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, plays tonight at the University of California at Santa Barbara.Over the past few months, Hany Abu-Assad’s film, “Paradise Now” has been honored and excoriated simultaneously. While being nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category, winning several other awards, and enjoying critical acclaim, the controversial Palestinian film about the last 48 hours of two would-be suicide b...

Vaclav Havel presents his own prize to “Total Denial” at the One World Int’l Human Rights FestivalMilena Kaneva’s feature documentary, “Total Denial” has been awarded the Vaclav Havel humanitarian award in Prague, presented by the poet, playwright and former president of the Czech Republic himself. “Total Denial” tells the story of Ka Hsaw and his ongoing struggle to save the Karen tribes people of Burma. Great cultures have always been built on the backs of slaves. Unfortunatel...

Please us for the JEWISH IDENTITY THROUGH ISRAELI FILM SERIES (Sponsored By Avi Chai Foundation And Gesher Foundation), on Sunday, March 5th, 2006 at the Director’s Guild of America Theatre at 110 West 57th Street, with films and a seminar running throughout the day and evening. The 21st Israeli Film Festival runs from February 23rd – March 9, 2006.The Israel Film Festival presents a series of films dedicated to the theme of Jewish Identity. This series features compelling Israeli Tele...

The 21st Israel Film Festival will take place in New York kicking off February 23rd and running through March 9th at the Clearview’s 62nd & Broadway Cinema. This year, the festival will showcase more than 40 new feature films, provocative documentaries, ground-breaking TV dramas, and innovative student films celebrating Israeli life and culture. Film is the international language and Israeli filmmakers continue to capture audiences through radiant images, raw human emotion and a universe of ...