FRED Film Radio - English Channel

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Robert Clem, director of the documentary How They Got Over.

Director Robert Clem presented his documentary, How They Got Over, at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands, where it had its European Premiere. The film examines quite a few of the mostly unknown gospel quartets who were around in the 40’s and 50’s and the influence they had on subsequent music. Clem shares with us some of the history of the music and talks a bit about the various aspects he examines in depth on the road, such as the hardships the bands experienced on the road, the interesting ways in which gospel music evolved from spiritual to secular, the controversy of the introduction of instruments in the music, and more. Clem began working on How They Got Over about twelve years ago and the film features contributions from artists and performers of the time who have since died. It also features some rare footage of the rarely documented performances by the gospel bands. In this interview, the director talks about all these various challenges he had to overcome in the making of his documentary, his own interest in the music and some of his favourite bands, and more.

How They Got Over: Legendary musicians like James Brown got their ideas from the impressive, dramatic performances of Afro-American gospel quartets that played in churches, on local radio stations and, later, at concert halls starting in the 1930s. The music documentary How They Got Over about the evolution of these quartets illustrates how this often originally religious harmony singing developed into more secular songs with instruments, multiple vocalists, passion and sold-out shows. These singing men and women were musical precursors to famous genres such as doo-wop, rhythm and blues, soul, Motown and rock ‘n’ roll. A number of octogenarian singers regale us with tales of their road trips across the South of the United States when they played for peanuts to make their names. Their stories and those of other genre lovers are augmented by seldom-seen archival footage of concerts by the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and many others.

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PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Steven Eastwood, director of the documentary Island.

Director Steven Eastwood presented his documentary Island, at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands, where it had its international premiere. In this interview, he describes his film as “a film about the very end of life and the moment of death.” He tells us about the origins of the film, why he set out to make it, and why he eventually ended up filming in the Isle of Wight, which, as he says, was not his original intention. The setting ended up being important, even somehow defying his initial objective of not working with metaphor, eventually surrendering to that inevitability. In this interview, Eastwood also says that in his initial research he discovered that there aren’t many good images of death nowadays, and tells us why he believes that is. He also talks about approaching the four individuals whose stories he follows, whether he ever thought he should stop shooting but didn’t, why he believes that in the case of a film about the dying there can be similarities between the filmmaker and the nurse and the doctor, and more.

Island: If you haven’t experienced it from close by, you won’t be very familiar with the processes of death. Although there are countless fiction film scripts about life and death, there is still a taboo on a realistic approach to this subject. Eastwood spent a year among terminal patients, who gave him their trust and valuable time. Wisely, he refrains from all sentiment or unnecessary stylisation. No music other than the local choir practising. Eastwood’s title refers to his location, the Isle of Wight, as well as a being a metaphor for the safe haven provided by palliative institutions where people retreat to prepare for the great journey to the other side. The ferries depart like spaceships, whilst slides of mutating cells loom like ‘planets’ under the microscope. This project, created for the Fabrica gallery in Brighton, also exists as a multi-screen installation. The irrevocable linearity of film projection makes the experience even more poignant. (Text from the official website of the International Film Festival Rotterdam.)

The post Steven Eastwood – Island #IFFR2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet, actors of the film Call Me By Your Name.

 Timothee Chalamet, who was just recently nominated for Best Actor at the next Academy Awards is back in Italy with Armie Hammer and the director Luca Guadagnino to present Call Me By Your Name to an Italian audience. Before starting to talk about their first encounter and auditions with Guadagnino, they thank Italy and celebrate the special bond they created with the country. Timothee Chalamet describes the challenges he had to face in playing this role as he desperately wanted to be faithful to Elio’s character as described by Andrè Acimen’s book. Armie Hammer reveals that he managed to work in the film 6 years after actually meeting Guadagnino at the time of The Social Network’s theatrical release. The last moments of this Italian encounter with Hammer and Chalamet are used by Hammer to express his love for Italian arts and culture.

Call Me By Your Name, the new film by Luca Guadagnino, is a sensual and transcendent tale of first love, based on the acclaimed novel by André Aciman. It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17- year-old American-Italian boy, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights. While Elio’s sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly in matters of the heart. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.

For the official website of the film, click here.

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The post Armie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews David Czarnetzki and Mikhele Apitzsch, director and editor of the documentary Lady You Shot Me: Life and Death of Sam Cooke.

Director David Czarnetzki and editor Mikhele Apitzsch presented their feature documentary Lady You Shot Me: Life and Death of Sam Cooke at the 31st International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPA) in Biarritz, France. The documentary takes a look at the great soul singer/songwriter and entrepeneur Sam Cooke, who may have been, according to a conspiracy theory about his death discussed in the film, uncomfortably ahead of his time for some. Czarnetzki admits he did not know himself the extent of the influence Cooke had on soul music, but also how mysterious his death was. However, as he says in this interview, “in the end, what counts it is music … it was not so important to find out the truth.” We also talk about the challenge or re-evaluating the history of Cooke’s life and, among other things, the challenge of shooting on a tight schedule and their decision to make this film by visiting and shooting the original places that are talked about in the film and the way they are in the present day, “crossing over the history with the present time.” (He also talks about why this film cannot be screened in the United States and other places…)

Lady You Shot Me: Life and Death of Sam Cooke: This documentary tells the story of the short but equally influential life of one of the most important artists of the 1950s and 60s, Sam Cooke. It takes a particularly close look at the mysterious circumstances surrounding his violent death. Was he killed in self-defence, as officially claimed? Or was it murder, as his family, friends and conspiracy theorists believe?

The post David Czarnetzki, Mikhele Apitzsch – Lady You Shot Me: Life and Death of Sam Cooke #FIPA2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews FIPA President Anne Georget.

An interview with Anne Georget, president of FIPA, the International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes, which celebrated its 31st edition in 2018 in Biarritz, France. As implied by the name of the festival, the event helps define the often broad term “audiovisual” by showcasing traditional forms and those more related to the age of new media. Georget shares with us the objectives of the festival and the various challenges that this type of festival entails. FIPA is a festival that differentiates itself from others, not only of France but of many other parts of the world, and this year it took it upon itself to integrate VR works in film strands. Georget talks about this, as well as the various ways in which FIPA aids filmmakers, producers, and people working in the audiovisual sector, highlighting that this is an industry that can make one feel very lonely. Another thing mentioned in this interview is the fact that each year, for the past five years, FIPA has shone a light on a particular region where interesting things are happening, as far as the audiovisual sector is concerned. This year, Israel was selected for this focus; Georget defines it as having “a particularly lively scene in terms of audiovisual creation.” In this interview, we also talk about the French city of Biarritz and how the festival benefits from taking place here, and Georget mentions a highlight that she is particularly looking forward to – a screening of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s entire 13-episode series The Staircase.

nternational Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPA): “FIPA’s mission is as focused as ever: to highlight the diversity and transversal nature of international audiovisual creation and production in the fields of documentary, drama, and new writing. Every year—with FIPA’s increasingly demanding selection process rewarding risk-taking and intelligence—the Festival offers a vast panorama of audiovisual creation from around the globe. In addition to the official competition, “new” practical and theme-based professional events promote networking, create new opportunities, and inspire stakeholders from across the industry. Naturally, innovation remains at heart of the Festival with Smart FIPA, a trend lab dedicated to digital creation and new forms of expression. Through the FIPA Campus programme, the Festival renews its ongoing commitment to education in visual appreciation and to scouting new talent to help tomorrow’s masters get their first break. Last but not least, FIPA Focus shines a spotlight on a specific country: for 2018, Israel is our guest of honour. For six days, the who’s who of the international audiovisual sector will gather in Biarritz. This 31st edition is brimming with opportunities to make new discoveries and new contacts.” (Original text from the official website of FIPA, http://www.fipa.tv/en/)

The post Anne Georget #FIPA2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Clara López Rubio and Juan Pancorbo, director and screenwriter of the documentary Hacking Justice.

Director Clara López Rubio and author/screenwriters Juan Pancorbo presented their feature documentary, Hacking Justice, at the 31st International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPA) in Biarritz, France, where it had its French premiere. The filmmakers filmed Julian Assange’s ordeal as he was under investigation in the United States for WikiLeaks and wanted in Sweden for alleged sexual offences. Their project began after they began working with Baltasar Garzón, who became assange’s lawyer, and for them it was interesting to work with these two very interesting characters, although they had to overcome a number of challenges and difficulties along the way, which they tell us about in this interview. One of them entailed having to wait around two years before they could film Assange, which was not easy, also because this would be their first feature. They also did not know how the story would develop, or what type of person Assange would be; as Pancorbo tells us “we didn’t know a lot about it – it was a sort of discovery … at the beginning we didn’t known [Assange], we got our information from the media.” This turned out to be “in contrast with the man we met.” One of the opinions on Assange, particularly from the side that disagrees with him, is that he likes the attention; we ask the filmmakers if they thought this was true, especially considering that they were pointing cameras at him for years.

Hacking Justice: Under United States investigation for Wikileaks; wanted in Sweden for alleged sexual offences. Julian Assange finds in Baltasar Garzón the kind of lawyer he needs – someone who can hack the solution to a complex international case in which justice clashes with high-level politics. With privileged access to its protagonists for over three years, this documentary unveils the work of the defence team in a story with deep political implications and the outcome of which will affect the freedom of the press worldwide.

The post Clara López Rubio, Juan Pancorbo – Hacking Justice #FIPA2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Francois Sauvagnargues, General Delegate of FIPA.

A conversation with François Sauvagnargues, General Delegate of the International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes, which held its 31st edition in Biarritz, France this year. After an overview of the festival, Sauvegnargues tells us a little about its objectives and how they have evolved over the years, with a keen eye on the various ways in which the audiovisual sector itself evolves. Israel was a country in focus this year, and the general delegate of the festival comments on that and on the interesting things that are happening there. Among the other things discussed, such as the benefit of hosting this festival in Biarritz and the various other services and opportunities that FIPA offers to its guests, who come from all over the world, Sauvagnargues offers his opinion on a Roberto Rossellini quote written on the catalogue of this year’s festival, in which he called television “the school of the 21st century.”

International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPA): “FIPA’s mission is as focused as ever: to highlight the diversity and transversal nature of international audiovisual creation and production in the fields of documentary, drama, and new writing. Every year—with FIPA’s increasingly demanding selection process rewarding risk-taking and intelligence—the Festival offers a vast panorama of audiovisual creation from around the globe. In addition to the official competition, “new” practical and theme-based professional events promote networking, create new opportunities, and inspire stakeholders from across the industry. Naturally, innovation remains at heart of the Festival with Smart FIPA, a trend lab dedicated to digital creation and new forms of expression. Through the FIPA Campus programme, the Festival renews its ongoing commitment to education in visual appreciation and to scouting new talent to help tomorrow’s masters get their first break. Last but not least, FIPA Focus shines a spotlight on a specific country: for 2018, Israel is our guest of honour. For six days, the who’s who of the international audiovisual sector will gather in Biarritz. This 31st edition is brimming with opportunities to make new discoveries and new contacts.” (Original text from the official website of FIPA, http://www.fipa.tv/en/)

The post Francois Sauvagnargues #FIPA2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Angelo Acerbi interviews director Tony Palmer at the 4th SEEYOUSOUND International Music Film Festival 2018.

Tony Palmer talks with Angelo Acerbi about his career, from the first film All My Lovin, when he believed of being a good film editor, to the stories he chose to tell, to the love for musicals (La La Land in particular…which made me love him even more!), even knowing he would never be able to direct one…

SEEYOUSOUND International Music Film Festival 2018, the first festival in Italy dedicated to international cinema with a musical theme, returns with the fourth edition, which will be held in Turin from 26 January to 4 February 2018, at the Cinema Massimo of the National Cinema Museum. There are 62 films scheduled in the 10 days of the festival, divided into 4 competitive sections, 2 out-of-competition reviews and 1 retrospective, accompanied by panels, meetings and events. With 1 international preview and 1 European preview and 27 Italian premieres, the festival increasingly aims to establish itself internationally, in the light of a path that has lasted four years and which, with passion and constancy, has led to the construction of a dense network of reports on the territory.

The post Tony Palmer #SYSF2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Karna Sigurðardóttir, director of the documentary 690 Vopnafjörður.

Director Karna Sigurðardóttir presented her feature documentary debut, 690 Vopnafjörður, at the 31st International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes in Biarritz, France, where the film had its world premiere. The film is set in a small Icelandic town of Vopnafjörður – indeed, the town is the main character of the movie. Sigurðardóttir tells us about her familiarity with this kind of setting, being from a small village in East Iceland herself. Nonetheless, she also talks about the initial difficulties she encountered when she begand filming her documentary: “The traditional Icelandic way is to not say very much,” she explains. “People didn’t really come to me with their story, I really had to kind of dig for them.” Her statement implies a type of quietness or silence that is found in the overall style of 690 Vopnafjörður; this was part of Sigurðardóttir tactic in achieving a film that would give spectators the feeling of being in the village as they watched the film. The director also talks about the way in which she embarked in the journey of making this documentary, how the younger generations live in the village (“people need to leave and then make the decision to come and stay. But I found that their way of thinking very often was just that they feel good there”), and more.

690 Vopnafjörður:  In a remote Icelandic village, the 645 residents of Vopnafjörður go about their daily lives. Heated arguments about soccer or politics both divide and bind the community, which thrives on the smallest conflict. The film examines the mini-dramas of everyday events, and on the deep connection between the villagers and their fjord. In a place like this, these social ties determine whether people stay or leave, and rural flight is a constant threat. (Text from the official website of Fipa, http://www.fipa.tv/en/)

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PODCAST| Matt Micucci interviews Marcio Debellian, director of the documentary Februaries.

Director Marcio Debellian presented his documentary Februaries at the 31st International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes (FIPA) in Biarritz, France. The documentary follows the preparation and the exhibition of an homage to the renowned and celebrated Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia by the Mangueira Samba School. This offers the opportunity not only for a portrait of the life, art, and other aspects of Bethânia, but also the telling of the history of the carnival and samba tradition, which originates from a past of slavery, poverty, mythology, and more. Debellian tells us a little bit about it with great passion; passion is, indeed, one of the driving forces of the film. The passion also comes from Bethânia herself, who is featured in the film, along with other contributors, including her brother and celebrated artist Caetano Veloso, her music and more great traditional Brazilian music. The director talks about working with Bethânia and reveals that he had worked with her before. He also discusses the controversies revolving the upcoming Carnival festivities, the use of little-seen archive footage, and more.

Februaries:  An endearing portrait following Brazil’s best-loved singer, Maria Bethânia, and her brother, Caetano Veloso, as they revisit their ancestral history in their hometown of Santo Amaro, long a source of her inspiration. They learn of their slave forefathers and of the unique religious context that gave rise to Bethânia the star, to whom the Mangueira Samba School recently paid homage in a parade that won the 2016 Rio Carnival.

The post Marcio Debellian – Februaries #FIPA2018 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.