Olympia Dukakis, Oscar® and Golden Globe winner appeared in over 60 films and 130 stage plays. An uncompromising truth-seeking rebel, Academy Award® winner, theatre icon and LGBTQ activist, Olympia Dukakis found her own voice on her own terms to assert a gigantic creative force into the world.
Her world is told her through the observing lens of director Harry Mavromichalis in his intimate fly-on-the-wall verité documentary feature film ‘Olympia’, now available on Apple TV and Digital | ON Demand.
Moonstruck Academy Award® winning actress Olympia Dukakis was 89 when she recently passed away after a prolonged illness. Harry Mavromichalis reveals through her own words the story of a woman who found her own voice on her own terms to assert a gigantic creative force into the world. Her story is well worth the watch.
You could say it is a road movie as the three Palestinians and a German tourist drive illegally across the wall dividing Jewish Israel from Palestine so that Mustafa can visit his wife and family who live 200 meters away in a separated Palestinian village. Or you could say this film is an absurd example of the unnecessary burden put upon normal people during normal times because governments flex their powerful muscles and by that actually destroy the human dignity of everyone.
Mustafa and his wife Salwa come from two Palestinian villages that are only 200 meters apart but separated by the wall. Every night, Mustafa flashes a light from his balcony to wish his children on the other side a goodnight, and they signal him back. Their unusual living situation is starting to affect their otherwise happy marriage, but the couple does what they can to make it work. One day Mustafa gets a call that every parent dreads: his son has been in an accident. He rushes to the checkpoint where he must agonizingly wait in line only to find…
Co-producing in Tough Times will be hosted by European Film Promotion (28.4K subscribers) and Cineuropa, with Tine Klint of LevelK, Susan Wendt of TrustNordisk, Hédi Zardi of Luxbox and Nicolas Brigaud-Robert of Playtime and moderated by one of today’s top producers in Europe, Ada Solomon.
This panel discussion will take place May 18 at 3pm CET online HERE.
“Which films should be produced these days? What are the views of international sales agents?” After a short period of shock caused by the pandemic, rights holders had to look at different ways of doing business. What does this actually mean for…
The Arab Critics’ Awards will be announced in Cannes July, 2021.
‘Al Mutarajim’ is Arabic for ‘The Translator’
‘The Translator’ by filmmaking and real life team Rana Kazkaz and Ansa Khalif is a suspenseful and compassionate story about a family caught up in protesting the Syrian regime; the story resonates particularly today as worldwide peaceful protests are being met with military absolutism controlled by despots.
In 2000, Sami was the translator for the Syrian Olympic team in Sydney. While translating, he made a slip of the tongue which forced him to stay in Australia and live as a political refugee.
His slip of the tongue was strangely like tRump’s slip when tRump pronounced the words “some fine people on both sides” in defense of a white nationalist protest against the removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia. But in this tale, the slip offends those governing, who claim superiority over their populace as if they were above the law.
It’s the 40th edition of the MSP International Film Fest. It’s our 40th and we’re glad to be here to tell the tale. We’re particularly enthused about opening with ‘Summer of Soul’, in an outdoor setting on a big screen! After all that this city has been through it, it seems the perfect film for celebrating a better collective future. We’re also very excited about presenting ‘After Antartica’ , also outdoors on a big screen, right here in Will Steger and Sarah Pillsbury country.
— Susan Smoluchowski, Executive Director
When I began my career as a feature film buyer and went in 1986 to Sundance Film Festival, so many films were from Minnesota that I assumed it was the third major film city in the States. (Here’s a list of 92 such films.). The last one was Wild Indians this past January. Recently Dear White People and Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, and most renowned, Fargo showed there. …
Only two women have won the Academy Award® winner for Best Foreign Language [International] Film. Caroline Link was second woman in 2003 for her film, ‘Nowhere in Africa’, following Marleen Gorris’s film ‘Antonia’s Line’ from 1995. Unfortunately for her, she was not able to accept her Oscar personally because of a serious illness of her eight-month-old daughter Pauline whose father (her partner) is Dominik Graf.
Greenwich will open the film theatrically Friday, May 21 in New York (Quad Cinema & Cinema 123 by Angelika), Los Angeles (Laemmle's Royal), Encino (Town Center 5), Pasadena (Playhouse 7), San Francisco (Embarcadero and Shattuck Cinema), Boston (Landmark Kendall 9) with additional key markets to follow
Caroline Link likes to tell stories through the eyes of children. And in this film, the nine-year-old protagonist coincidently also suffers a life-threatening illness when her family is forced out of Berlin by the Nazis and they must flee to Switzerland. …
How it works: Each month we’ll choose a German film or series currently available to stream, watch it independently, and come together for a hosted conversation with other fans of German film.
Film: And Tomorrow the Entire World by Julia von Heinz (Germany’s submission to the 2021 Academy Awards), which will be available on NETFLIX as of May 6, 2021.
Date and Time: Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 11am — 12pm PDT, 2pm — 3pm EDT, 8pm — 9pm CET
KINO! Film Salon is a production of Telescope Film, in partnership with the German Film Office. Hosted by Sydney Levine.
To receive the Zoom link, please RSVP to info@telescopefilm.com
Watch director Julia von Heinz discuss her work along with two other German women directors in the Villa Aurora Panel Times Up! HERE
Read the blog on the film HERE.
Winners to be announced in Cannes, July 2021. Among the nominees is Palestine’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards. Venice and Toronto 2020 premiering ‘Gaza Mon Amour’ was directed by Tarzan and Arab Tarzan Nasser. The film will be released later this year in U.S. by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
This second feature from the directing duo of Tarzan and Arab Nasser (‘Dégradé’) is a drole tale set in a ludicrous world that exists for those who currently reside in the Hamas-governed territory of the Gaza Strip.
Issa, stoic and settled into bachelor living, has been ignoring his sister’s ceaseless pushes for him to find a wife. However, through stolen glances and awkward pauses, it’s clear he carries a secret torch for Siham. …
“It has been long in the making since this started as a personal tragedy and turned into a best selling book, then a play that made an unexpected major impact in my home country, Bolivia, and now an international feature film” says writer — director Rodrigo Bellott. And now, it is finally coming out in U.S. in virtual theaters this April.
Coming out in virtual theaters April 2021 through Dark Star Distribution, NYT called this film about a conservative father who could not accept his son’s sexuality who is led on a contemplative tour of queer life in New York in this Bolivian film, “a moving and intellectually rewarding testament to queer life and loss…Bellott’s biggest success is freeing his film’s relationship to time.”
Tu me manques is a film adapted by Bolivian director Rodrigo Bellott from his socially transformative stage play, based on his own very personal story about his boyfriend’s struggle with coming out, his family’s homophobia and eventual…
More than 120 filmmakers and artists in Myanmar are under official arrest warrants; some are already arrested, some have been killed and there are rumors of torture.
Invisible Oscar campaign by the Burmese and their allies
In spite of Covid19 madness, many had anticipated the 93rd Academy Awards with excitement. A big spotlight went onto Asian filmmakers and their achievements this year following the huge success of Korean helmer Bong Jun-ho last year. The Chinese director Chloé Zhao of the film, Nomadland took home three top prizes and Korean veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung from the film Minari took the best supporting actress award. Oscar’s new endeavor for diversity was certainly welcomed and appreciated by the Asian community.
Sydney Levine
Sydney’s 40+ years in international film business include exec positions in acquisitions, twice selling FilmFinders, the 1st film database, teaching & writing.
