The Bandit - Eskiya
(Turkey, 1996)
Directed by Yavuz Turgul
Starring: Sener Sen, Ugur Yucel, Ozkan Ugur, Yesim Salkim
(action-drama) The epic adventures of the legendary Baran
the Bandit
following his release from prison. After serving 35 years, it is no
surprise that
the world has changed dramatically. Still, Baran can't help but be
shocked
to discover that his home village is now underwater thanks to the
construction of a new dam. He then heads for Istanbul to get revenge
upon his former
best friend, the man who snitched on him and stole his lover Keje.
Along the
way, Baran teams up with Cumali, a tough young punk who finds the
thief's
old-fashioned ways rather quaint. When Cumali gets into deep trouble
with a crime boss, Baran adds another vengeful task to his roster.
2 awards: Bogey Awards, Germany
Festroia - Troia International Film Festival
The Heart of the Beast - I kardia tou ktinous (Greece, 2005)
Directed by Renos Haralambidis
Starring: Renos Haralambidis, Yorgos Voultzatis, Manos Vakoussis, Alkis Panayotidis, Tzina Thliveri
(comedy) Studying philosophy at university has made Stefanos treat everyone else as his inferior. When he finishes his military service he thinks he owns the world. In reality, all he owns are the debts amassed by his mother who has just passed away and the rejection of his previously devoted girlfriend. Tsakiris, a friend from school who hasn't seen Stefanos since then and who has, meanwhile, done pretty well for himself in a life of crime, suggests they rob the bank where Aris --the model social revolutionary of their youth and Stefanos' Pygmalion--- works as a cashier and will act as their man on the inside. Our hero will embark on a coming-of-age journey complete with the ferocity and magic of real life.
Filantropica - Philanthropy, (Romania, 2002)
Directed by Nae Caranfil
Starring: Mircea Diaconu, Gheorghe Dinica, Mara Nicolescu, Viorica Voda
(comedy - black humor) In order to date a pretty woman on
Saturday evenings, one needs a thick wallet. Ovidiu, a high-school
teacher and struggling writer in his forties, lacks that. But he is
determined to make a strong impression on Diana, a spoiled, beautiful
young model for whom he feels an irresistible attraction. In search of
easy cash, he plunges into a strange world: the beggar’s
Mafia. When Pepe, a “godfather” of sorts, takes
Ovidiu under his wing, he starts leading an exhausting and dangerous
double-life…
“A biting satire that entertains every step of the way,
"Philanthropy" cleverly indicts the many ways in which "freedom" has
further constrained the beleaguered citizens of Romania while providing
a field day for scam artists and the nouveau riche.” (Lisa
Nesselson, 'Variety')
Awards:
- Paris, France – Audience Award
- Wiesbaden, Germany – Jury's Special Award
- Mons, Belgium – Young Jury's Award
- Montréal, Canada – Audience Award
- Wuertzburg, Germany- Audience Award
- Bratislava, Slovakia - Jury's Special Award
- Newport Beach, California, USA – Best Screenplay Award
- Athens, Greece – Best Francophone Film
Zir-e poost-e shahr - Under the skin of the city (Iran, 2001)
Directed by Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Written by Rakhshan Bani Etemad, Farid Mostafavi
Tuba, a mother of four, is a hard-working factory worker
who is faced
with unexpected challenges that threaten her family and way of life.
Her oldest son, Abbas works to obtain a foreign work visa, which he
hopes will allow him the opportunity to provide more for his family,
and win the affections of a pretty office girl. To make his final
payment, he sells the family home, but when his travel plans fall
apart, Tuba is forced to take drastic measures to save her house and
her son. Widely regarded as the "First Lady of Iranian Cinema,"
Rakhshan Bani-Etemad's first U.S. release is a stirring and powerful
family drama that provides a fresh and provocative vision of Iranian
urban society.
Awards:
- Special Jury Prize - Moscow International Film Festival
- Netpac Award - Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
- Audience Award - Torino International Festival of Young Cinema
- CinemAvvenire Award - Torino International Festival of Young Cinema
- Holden Award for the Best Script - Torino International Festival of Young Cinema
One
song is not enough - Ena tragoudi de ftanei (Greece,
2004)
Directed by Elissavet Chronopoulou
Starring: Gogo Brebou, Yannis Kokiasmenos, Alexandra Karoni, Fenia Papadodima, Anna Koutsaftiki
(drama) In winter of 1972, 28-year-old Erene is arrested by the military regime as belonging to a dissident group and is sent to prison. She leaves behind her daughter Olga, her lover Manolis, and her best friend Vassia. Olga feels her mother's imprisonment as her personal abandonment. Manolis has to take care of his daughter, Olga, for the first time. Bassia, gradually, takes the place of Erene, and when amnesty is given to Erene in August 1973, nothing will be the same.
Dondurmam Gaymak - Icecream I Scream (Turkey, 2006)
Directed by Yuksel Aksu
Starring: Turan Ozdemir, ‘people of Mugla’
(comedy) Filmed with a cast of mostly non-professional
locals in the Aegean city of Mugla, Ice Cream, I Scream (Dondurmam
Gaymak) begins as independent, every-jubilant ice cream peddler Ali is
having a nightmare. His efforts to make a television ad that will allow
him to survive the cutthroat competition from multinational ice cream
brands are being sabotaged. How can he go on? But he buys a brand-new
yellow motorbike and peddles his sweets through town, forever chased by
local boys who want free ice cream. The final straw comes when his bike
is stolen. Ali accuses his competitors of the theft and begins
relentlessly questioning them. All the while the troublemaking boys are
having a grand time – and tummy aches. Ice Cream, I Scream is
an entertaining commentary on how hard it is for the independent
businessman to survive in the Wal-Mart world.
Festivals - awards:
- HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival: Best Foreign Language Film (March 2007)
- Palm Springs International Film Festival 2007
- Queens Film Festival, New York (Best Director, Best Comedy) 2006
- Istanbul Film Festival (Special Jury Prize) 2006
- Turkey's Official Submission for the 79th Academy Awards 2006
- Submission from Turkey for Golden Globes 2006
- Golden Cocoon Film Festival, Adana (Special Jury Prize, People's Jury Special Prize, Best Actor) 2006
- Golden Orange Film Festival (Special Screening) 2006
Nea Marin Miliardar - Uncle Marin, the millionaire
(Romania, 1979)
Directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu
Starring: Amza Pellea, Draga Olteanu Matei, Jean Constantin, Stefan Mihailescu-Braila, Sebastian Papaiani, Stefan Banica, Puiu Calinescu, Stela Popescu
(comedy) The story is based on a well-known character in
Romania. Nea (Uncle) Marin is a very funny peasant from Olt region,
sometimes smart, sometimes simple-minded, but always giving rise to a
laugh. In this movie, Nea Marin is confused with look-alike American
millionaire Mr. Juvet. Bad guys kidnap Mr. Juvet’s daughter
and he comes to a neutral zone - Romania - with his briefcase full of
money. To complicate the matter, Nea Marin has a similar briefcase,
except his is filled with bread, bacon and green onions leading to a
series of great mix-ups. What makes this movie great is the cast, which
includes Romania’s best actors of the period, as well as a
well-known director.
Sidenote: Nea Marin became famous because of a small and funny pun. "
Leana a lu' trasnitu' din capul satului" – “Leana,
wife of the “cracked” (madman) from the top of the
village” very close to "Leana a lu' trasnitu' din capul
statului" - Leana, wife of the “cracked” from the
top of the state. (sat = village, stat = state) (Nicolae Ceausescu'
wife was called Elena, and another version of Elena is Leana).
And
remember this is 70’s -80’s period.
Booye kafoor, atre yas - Smell of Camphor, Fragrance of Jasmine (Iran, 2000)
Written and directed by Bahman Farmanara
Starring: Bahman Farmanara
In this audacious black comedy, Bahman Farjami, a
filmmaker who has
not directed for twenty years due to censorship, experiences a strange
set of coincidences that convince him the Angel of Death must be near.
As a means of confronting his fears, he decides to make a film about
his own funeral. As he researches the funeral rites of his country and
culture, Farjami glimpses a side of Iranian society which he was not
aware of. In the midst of this, his view is shaded by his own mounting
family problems. Through a series of fiascos leading to comic and
cathartic vision of his own disastrous funeral, he goes on an
emotional roller-coaster ride that culminates in a Fellini-esque dream
so intense that it may lead to his actual death.
Festivals - awards
- Special Grand Prize of the Jury - MontrA©al World Film Festival
- Netpac Berlin International Film Festival
- FIPRESCI Prize - Istanbul International Film Festival