The Board of the European Film Academy strongly protests against the arrest of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi and demands his immediate release. Jafar Panahi is an internationally recognised artist and his work has been honoured at the festivals in Berlin, Cannes and Venice. Before his arrest, Panahi was denied permission to leave Iran in order to attend the 60th Berlinale as an honorary guest. The Board of the European Film Academy encourages the EFA to this prote...

At the opening ceremony of the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon (Das weisse Band) will receive the FIPRESCI Grand Prix 2009 for the Best Film of the Year. Although the film has barely been screened apart from the Cannes Film Festival (where it won both the FIPRESCI Award and the Golden Palm), The White Ribbon was chosen the Best Film of the Year by the 223 critics throughout the world that took part in the poll for Grand Prix. The award will be handed...

The International Film Festival Rotterdam announces the Competitions’ Juries of the 37th edition, that will open on January 23. The full line up of both the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition and the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films 2008 will be announced Tuesday January 8. The Jury of the VPRO Tiger Awards Competition for first or second feature films consists of: • Ms. Renata Litvinova, Russia, filmmaker, film producer and actress• Ms. Tiziana Finzi, Switzerland, Deputy Director...

CineMart has selected 39 projects out of a record number of 550 entries. The 25th edition of the first and largest co-production market for low and medium budget feature films includes projects by Abbas Kiarostami, Sophie Fiennes, Cristi Puiu, Jafar Panahi and Alex van Warmerdam. CineMart 2008 further presents new projects by former Rotterdam competition filmmakers Koen Mortier (EX DRUMMER) and Pia Marais (THE UNPOLISHED). Films launched at CineMart and now in official Rotterdam 2008 selection a...

Get ready for the second annual Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival September 13-16, 2007. Imagine four days filled with amazing films from around the globe, fun parties, engaging conversation, great live music all within the downtown Walking Festival District - and oh, yes, enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches in America. Have the last weekend of summer be the best one of the year. With the goal of distinguishing themselves from other festivals, The Martha’s Vineyard Internat...

The Durban International Film Festival has announced that it will co-present, with the South African Embassy in Iran, the 1st South African Film Festival in Tehran, from 4 to 7 December 2006. The films selected for the festival are Yesterday directed by Darrell James Roodt, Forgiveness by Ian Gabriel, Conversations On A Sunday Afternoon by Khalo Matabane, The Mother's House by Francois Verster and Tamat by Munier Parker. These directors will travel to Iran to present their films and engage with ...

Scene from Almodovar's VOLVER As the New York Film Festival moves into its second weekend, a diverse and tantalizing plate of cinematic offerings is on tap, catered to every kind of viewer. The Festival has created a mix of hotly anticipated films, some unknown gems and new works from some cinematic masters, all of which have their initial premieres this weekend. Three filmmakers who have showcased their past work at the event are presenting their newest films this weekend. Veteran French dire...

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...

And the Winners were...Golden Bear, the big one for best feature film in competition, "GRBAVICA" directed by Jasmila Zbanic of Bosnia. Zbanic has received fairly wide recognition for her documentary films, among them '"Do you Sarajevo?". This her feature film debut and the picture focuses on the traumas of the Yugoslavian wars and their current aftermath. This is basically a study of the relationship between a young mother and her twelve year old daughter. The child wants to believe t...

Tuesday 17th February 2004 on the closing ceremony at Edwige Feuillère Theatre of Vesoul with the screening of "In the Wild Mountains" by Yan Xueshu (China)at 8.30 PM the following awards have been given out.GOLDEN CYCLO Award of the International Jury with Iranian director Jafar Panahi as chairman and with Ashoka Handagama, Sophie Lee, Ling Fei and Véronique Prost: "VODKA LEMON" by Hiner Saleem (Kurdistan) With humour and with an innovative and poetic cinematic language, the film depicts th...