Director Gianfranco Rosi poses with Jury President and actress Meryl Streep (R) after receiving the Golden Bear – Best Film award for the movie ‘Fuocoammare’ (Fire at Sea) during the awards ceremony at the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany.
“Fire at Sea,” Gianfranco Rosi’s Italian documentary about the refugee crisis on the island of Lampedusa, won the 66th Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear for Best Film on Saturday.
Two African films awarded at Berlinale!
1.Inhebbek Hedi by Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia)
Best First Feature Award
Best Actor Silver Bear for Majd Mastoura.
2. The Revolution Won’t Be Televised by Rama Thiaw (Senegal),
Forum FIPRESCI Award and Caligari Film Prize Special Mention. .
A list of winners follows:
Golden Bear for Best Film
“Fire At Sea”
Italy/France
Director: Gianfranco Rosi
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize “Death in Sarajevo”
France/Bosnia and Herzegovina
Director: Danis Tanović
Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize for a feature film that opens new perspectives
“A Lullaby To The Sorrowful Mystery”
Philippines/Singapore
Director: Lav Diaz
Silver Bear for Best Director
Mia Hansen-Love, “Things To Come” (France/Germany)
Silver Bear for Best Actress
Trine Dyrholm, “The Commune” (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands)
Silver Bear for Best Actor
Majd Mastoura, “Inhebbek Hedi” (Tunisia/Belgium/France)
Silver Bear for Best Script
Tomasz Wasilewski, “United States Of Love” (Poland)
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution
Mark Lee Ping-Bing, Cinematographer, “Crosscurrent” (China)
Best First Feature
“Inhebbek Hedi”
Tunisia/Belgium/France
Director: Mohamed Ben Attia
Golden Bear for Best Short Film
“Balada De Um Batráquio”
Portugal
Director: Leonor Teles
World Premiere at Civic Center Victoria Island Lagos on February 27th,2016
Following his critically acclaimed psychological thriller Torn, Writer and Director Moses Inwang is set to release yet another deeply intriguing psychological thriller STALKER. Jim Iyke and multiple award-winning actress Nse Ikpe Etim give yet another award winning performance in this movie! Out in Cinemas Feb 26th 2016. Also featuring Caroline Danjuma, AY comedian, Anthony Monjaro, Emem Inwang, Omawumi and Niyola. Written and Directed by Moses Inwang, produced by Moses Inwang and Caroline Ekanem Danjuma and directed by Moses Inwang.
The winners of the EE British Academy Film Awards have been announced at the ceremony hosted by Stephen Fry at the Royal Opera House, London, on Sunday 14 February 2016.
Five BAFTAs for The Revenant including Best Film, Director,
and Leading Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio
Mad Max: Fury Road wins four BAFTAs
Brie Larson wins Leading Actress for Room
14 feature films receive at least one BAFTA
London, Sunday 14 February: At tonight’s EE British Academy Film Awards The Revenant was named Best Film with Alejandro G. Iñárritu winning Director and Leonardo DiCaprio receiving the award for Leading Actor. Emmanuel Lubezki won forCinematography – his fourth BAFTA overall and third win in a row, and the film also won for Sound.
Mad Max: Fury Road won four awards for its return to the big screen: Costume Design, Production Design, Make Up & Hair and Editing.
The Awards were hosted for an eleventh year by Stephen Fry and held at London’s Royal Opera House. In a ceremony that reflected an outstanding year of filmmaking, 12 further features received BAFTA awards:
Leading Actress was presented to Brie Larson for her portrayal of a young mother held captive in Room, while the award for Supporting Actress went to Kate Winslet for her performance in Steve Jobs. Mark Rylance received the BAFTA for Supporting Actor inBridge of Spies, with Steven Spielberg onstage to accept the award on his behalf.
The award for Outstanding British Film went to Brooklyn, a transatlantic love story about a young woman caught between a future in New York and her home in Ireland. British film Amy triumphed against domestic and international competition to receive the BAFTA for Documentary.
The award for Original Music went to Ennio Morricone for his work on The Hateful Eight, marking the composer’s sixth BAFTA in this category. Spotlight was successful in theOriginal Screenplay category, and the BAFTA for Adapted Screenplay went to The Big Short.
The award for Special Visual Effects went to Star Wars for its rendering of a galaxy far, far away, while the BAFTA for Animated Film went to Inside Out for its imagining of a world much closer to home.
Writer-Director Naji Abu Nowar and Producer Rupert Lloyd received the award forOutstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for their first feature, Theeb. The BAFTA for Film Not in the English Language was presented to Argentinian film Wild Tales.
Operator won the British Short Film award, while the BAFTA for British Short Animation was presented to Edmond.
The EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, was presented to John Boyega.
The special award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema was presented toAngels Costumes, the world’s longest-established and largest professional costume house, in their 175th year.
Sir Sidney Poitier received the Fellowship, the highest accolade that BAFTA can bestow, in recognition of his outstanding career in film. Sir Sidney’s award was presented to him by Jamie Foxx and his daughter, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, in his Los Angeles home. During the ceremony filmed tributes were given by Oprah Winfrey, Noel Clarke and his To Sir, With Love co-star, Lulu.
As part of BAFTA’s year-round programme of events and initiatives in support of the film industry, many of this year’s nominee
During the official Awards Ceremony on Friday 5 February 2016, the awards of IFFR 2016 were handed out. And the winners are…
HIVOS TIGER AWARDS
Winner: Radio Dreams
The winner of the Hivos Tiger Award 2016 is Radio Dreams by Babak Jalali. In the prestigious Hivos Tiger Awards Competition it is not about the well-known names, but about upcoming talent who get a chance to shine on the world stage. As of 2016, eight films will compete in the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition for a single Hivos Tiger Award worth €40,000, to be shared by director and producer. The jury on the winner: “For its subtle and humorous reflection on displacement and alienation of a group of misfits in a foreign culture.”
In addition, a special jury award worth €10,000 will be presented to an exceptional artistic achievement within the competition. The winner of the Special Jury Award is La última tierra by Pablo Lamar, for exceptional artistic achievement in sound design.
WARSTEINER AUDIENCE AWARD
Winner: Land of Mine by Martin Zandvliet
The Warsteiner Audience Award went to audience favourite Land of Mine by Martin Zandvliet. Visitors of IFFR determine through a voting system which film is the audience favourite. The film with the highest average vote in the audience poll wins the Warsteiner Audience Award. The award includes a cash prize of €10,000.
HUBERT BALS FUND DIORAPHTE AWARD
Winner: El abrazo de la serpiente by Ciro Guerra
The winner of the Hubert Bals Fund Dioraphte Award 2016 is El abrazo de la serpiente by Ciro Guerra. This award goes to the Hubert Bals Fund-supported film receiving the highest votes from the festival audience. The award includes a cash prize of €10,000.
MOVIEZONE AWARD
The young people’s MovieZone jury from EYE and IFFR have chosen Land of Mine by Martin Zandvliet as winner of the MovieZone Award 2016. The jury on the winner: “A nerve-racking film which will keep you in its grip from beginning to end. While living in constant fear of death, small acts of tenderness and humanity steers the film into an emotional direction. The cast’s small but intense acting will leave you watching with a lump in your throat.”
VPRO BIG SCREEN AWARD Winner: Les ogres by Léa Fehner
This competition, consisting of eight films that have their international premieres at IFFR, will be judged by a jury of audience members, who will decide which film will assisted in distribution in the Netherlands. The award is worth €30,000. The jury about Les ogres: “The film showed us a very dynamic interaction between the remarkable characters, they interacted very passionately and very pure, as if they had no boundaries; with all its mostly humorous consequences. The film almost invites and warns you at the same time to really feel and to live full of passion. The film makes a very powerful appearance and it kept us intrigued until the end. We enjoyed its energetic filmic qualities and joyful music. The film is an ode to theatre and to its people who seem to belong nowhere else.”
BRIGHT FUTURE AWARD
Winner: Las lindas by Melisa Liebenthal
From the 2016 edition onward, filmmakers presenting films in the main and thematic programme of IFFR’s section Bright Future, will be celebrated with a new award: the Bright Future Award. The award consists of €10,000, to be spent on the development of a next film project. Filmmakers presenting the international or world premiere of their first feature length are eligible. The winner of IFFR 2016 is Las lindas by Melisa Liebenthal. The jury on the winner: “The winning film convinced us by its playful, endearing and candid way of speaking about a generation, by using an impressive range of creative means. We are extremely curious to see what the director will do next.”
FIPRESCI AWARD
Winner: Bodkin Ras by Kaweh Modiri
The FIPRESCI Award is given to the filmmaker of the best film in Bright Future by the jury of the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique (FIPRESCI). Bright Future films that have their world premiere during IFFR and are not included in a competition, qualify for this award. In 2016, the winning film is Bodkin Ras by Kaweh Modiri. The jury on the winner: “Bodkin Ras, by writer-director Kaweh Modiri, throws an actor – portraying a mysterious foreigner – into the real environment of a small Scottish town. This fascinating hybrid of documentary and fiction is filled with unforgettable characters, a strong sense of place and an urgency that turns the experiment into a thrilling and humanistic film.”
Netpac Award
The NETPAC Award is awarded to the best Asian feature film by a jury from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema. This year, they granted the award to The Plague at the Karatas Village by Adilkhan Yerzhanov. The jury: “A film that is highly original in its cinematic form, while treating topics that are specific to the director’s country but universal at the same time. A story of corruption, the abuse of power and inertia are given an absurdist, Brechtian treatment. The director creates a totally unique universe, somewhere between Ionesco, Kafka and David Lynch.”
KNF AWARD
Winner: De waarneming by Frank Scheffer
The KNF Award, awarded by The Circle of the Dutch Film Journalists, goes to a Dutch production or a co-production with a world premiere at IFFR. The winner of the KNF Award 2016 is De waarneming by Frank Scheffer. The jury on the winner: “This year we reflected on Dutch productions and co-productions through fifteen films of great variety: from the wordless mourning in the jungle of La última tierra, to the stream of digital misinformation of The Sprawl (Propaganda About Propaganda). We saw a Dutch stranger integrating in Scotland and a geography student struggling to survive in Norway. We saw other people struggling with their music, with their hearts, their consciousness and with their words. Some of these struggles were captured in striking, innovative and artistic manners that pleased the jury greatly. But there was one film that captured an on-going struggle like no other, a struggle not necessarily with the bigger meaning of art, but with the universal power of images themselves. What makes this film so great is that it is a work of art in its own right: a beautiful portrait about the pursuit of beauty.”
CANON TIGER AWARDS FOR SHORT FILMS
On Sunday 31 January, the jury for the Tiger Awards Competition for Short Films has announced Dream English Kid 1964-1999 AD by Mark Leckey, Faux départ by Yto Barrada and Engram of Returning by Daïchi Saïto as the winners of the Canon Tiger Awards for Short Films 2016.
Official Trailer and poster for the maiden feature film of Judith Audu
Productions (JAP) are ready, the company has said in a statement issued in
Lagos by Chief Executive of the company, Judith Audu.
Producer Judith Audu-Foght
Audu who is an Actor, On Air Personality and Blogger said that the release
of the promotional materials is preparatory to the release of the film in
the last week of this month (February).The movie ‘Just Not Married’ was
shot on location in Lagos last year. It comes after the production of an
award-winning short film ‘Not Right’, which was a commentary on domestic
violence.
Synopsis:
*Just Not Married *is about two brothers who choose opposite paths.
Victor, a recently released ex-convict who is trying to piece his life
together while Duke is a brilliant undergraduate determined to see his mum
live. Duke enlists the help of his two friends in stealing cars by
decorating the cars and pretending to be married.
Despite some unforeseen hiccups their operation was pretty successful until
people got greedy and violent.
The producers says the film is a unique offering which would make further
show the depth of talents available in the country and the enormous
potential that Nollywood holds. To attract/encourage investors to come in
and collaborate with the industry.
Produced by Judith Audu-Foght and directed by Uduak-Obong Patrick, Edited
by Asurf Oluseyi, *Just not Married* is written by Lani Aisida and has Fayo
Segun Festus as Director of Photography. It features Stan Nze, Rotimi
Salami, Ijeoma Agu, Obutu Roland, Brutus Richard, Gregory Ojefua, Judith
Audu, Perpetua Adefemi, and Special Appearances by Adeniyi Johnson, Sambasa
Nzeribe, Morten Foght, Bucci Franklin, Eric Nwanso, L.A.S.E, Seun Afolabi,
16Oniru,e.t.c. It is a Judith Audu Productions in association with Blacreek
Pictures and Asurf Films, effort.
The movie Ayaka is a journey into the dark reverie of a lovelorn Okwy.
The harvest of love over evil… A story inspired by real events.’
The movie featured Nigerian Film Industry veteran Pete Edochie,Steve Onu aka Yaw Yaw, Chika Chukwu, Tana Adelana,Bayray Mcwizu, Daniel Llyod, Stan Chibunna aka Funny Bone.
SYNOPSIS:
YVES 30’S a taxi driver cruising on his cab among a deserted area, he
witnesses a man pestering a young lady SOPHIA 28 on top of a table from
this dodgy area. In this case, Yves stops and goes on to take a car jack
from his car and goes to intervene on the struggle between Sophia and the
man, thus saving her as the man runs away and Yves asks if he
should take her to the hospital, but Sophia appreciates his help and asks
if he can just take her home.
MARTIN 28 in his room with void, he is busy typing something on the type
writer, while he listens to music from the radio. Yves drives two young
ladies BIBISCH and PAMELA (prostitutes) and as he arrives on their
destination, Pamela discovers that the fare is too much and tries to seduce
the uptight driver to no success on her efforts and Bibisch appears
somewhat annoyed by this. Martin arrives at his apartment, along with his
colleague and friend OMEGA 30’s, as they start to engage in a conversation
and after Martin’s few attempts to convince her to taste some of his wine,
Omega notices a photo of a young lady and asks Martin about it, after some
hesitation from Martin, he finally opens up and tells her that it’s her
late girlfriend that was a victim of gang rape as he expresses his anger.
Sophia wakes to find next to her, her little sister MIMI 17 sitting up with
a saddened look on her face and as Sophia wonders what’s up and Mimi
telling her that she’s just hungry, Sophia starts to have an outburst as
she finds her sister’s attitude too much that she can handle. Martin stops
his car at a sidewalk consisting of a couple of prostitutes. Out of all the
ladies, he is struck by JUNE’S beauty and he summons her to his car. Later,
Martin in his bed along with June engage in an awkward, yet captivating
conversation, with him letting June know that he’s a writer for radio and
June seems impressed.
At a massage parlour a receptionist lady, introduces JOHN 30 to a young
lady CARINE that works as a massage therapist. As Carine starts to work her
magic on John and John admiring the massage experience starting small talk,
the receptionist comes back momentarily to inform John that Carine is
actually mute. Yves from the pavement listening to Omega on the radio from
his car, he gets approached by his friend Michelle who helps Yves out as he
jump starts his car and following this encounter they part ways, with Yves
telling Michelle they should meet once in a while just to reflect on life.
Martin rests on his bedroom’s floor face first with an empty whiskey bottle
in hand and thus Omega comes in and as she wonders what has happened to him
and the fact that he’s not responding,she calls an ambulance.
June sits on a toilet seat and holds up a pregnancy test stick and
discovers that she’s pregnant due to her sexual engagements with Martin,
she finds it hard to believe. Sophia gets attacked and stabbed by the same
guy that Yves saved him from the first time they met and thereafter the man
leaves her wounded on the ground. Therefore, Yves as he drives by he
notices Sophia and goes on to attend to her and when he discovers what has
happened, trying to call the ambulance, Sophia tells him not to bother and
that he should promise that he’ll take care of her younger sister Mimi thus
she passes on. Carine is shocked when she discovers that a cab that she and
John rode on is driven by his husband Yves, with John oblivious to the
occurrence, Yves is disappointed to know that his wife has been cheating
all along. Omega in an emotional bulletin on her radio show, she pays
homage to his recently passed friend and colleague Martin, saying it’s
her 99th night presenting his writings.
SHORT BIOGRAPHY MARIUS BONFEU THE FILMMAKER
Marius Bonfeu is an exciting young African filmmaker from Cameroun base in South Africa who has already achieved numerous successes.
He co-wrote and directed and produced 99th Night his first feature film 2015.
His 2 minutes short film, Hold Strong won the award for best Short film at the Canada International Film
Festival “Vue D’Afrique”; was nominated for best short film at the 2013 FIBIC Best short Film (Cameroon),
Best Short film International Short Film Festival in 2014(Festival Paul Simon France)2014.
He has embarked on two separate global treks that gave him a traveller’s perspective on different cultures
in Cameroon and South Africa. He has also worked as a ‘books’ writer and script writer for various films.
Film documentary Struggles of Youth (23min) 2013, The Joys of Dancing 2013, Before You Come to SA…
He has written and directed for several short film documentary and TV dramas including Collinear,
Number 9 and Mabah. He is currently working on a feature film with Yves Salankang.
“Harida has a gift which makes her extra-ordinary and changes her life forever. In the wake of mysterious events taking place in her life, her fiancé David who works with one of the nation’s biggest organizations stumbles on some incriminating evidence on one of the company’s projects involving an illegal land lease deal on the boarders of Cameroon.
Against insurmountable pressure from top officials to drop the case, David’s goal is to expose those involved and bring them to justice in the bid to fight corruption. As David threatens to go to the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) with his findings, all hell lets loose and the inevitable takes place. Harida’s gift is tested as she risks her own life to continue David’s fight. “REMEMBER ME” is a captivating, thrilling story about a young girl who struggles with an unusual gift of astral projections and the fight to reveal the truth.
IZU OJUKWU Film Director
Izu Ojukwu is one of the most able and dedicated film directors presently working in Nigeria.He has won many awards which includs the African Movie Academy Award for Best Director for the film Sitanda which received 9 nominations and won 5 awards at the 3rd African Movie Academy Awards including Best Picture & Best Nigerian Film.
