FRED Film Radio - English Channel

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Anna Matamala, head of the organising committee of ARSAD, the Advanced Research Seminar on Audio Description.

The 7th edition of ARSAD is coming up. The Advanced Research Seminar on Audio Description will take place in Barcelona from march 16th to the 17th. To better understand the world of media accessibility and all the work that has been done through the years to have the majority of media contents accessible for visually impaired people, ARSAD is the place to start. Anna Matamala, ARSAD’s head of the organising committee introduces the seminar, its genesis, main purpose and evolution during its seven years of activity.

Since its beginning in 2007, the international seminar on audio description ARSAD has been a meeting point for all key agents interested in both research and practice in audio description. Its sixth edition, to be held in Barcelona on March 16th (all day) and 17th (morning) 2017, aims to take stock of recent advances while looking at the future of the field. ARSAD 2017 would like to engage practitioners, researchers, trainers, trainees, regulators, broadcasters, users, social activists, cultural managers, and anyone interested in audio description in a fruitful discussion on the past, present and future of audio description.

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PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews director Alessandro Gropplero, head of When East Meets West.

For its 7th edition,When East meets West, the Italian co-production forum taking place on January 22-24, 2017 in the context of the Trieste Film Festival, launches a double focus: the spotlight territories will indeed be France and Baltic Countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). The Co-production forum just announced the selection of Last Stop Trieste and First Cut Lab and more than 350 industry professionals will be attending. 22 film projects from 15 different countries have been selected and the number of female directors increased in comparison to the last few years. Among the panels and conferences taking place during WEMW, Women in the European Film Industry will discuss the role of women in the industry. The panel has been organized with the European Women Audiovisual Network.

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST 2017 will bring together over 350 producers, financiers, decision makers and film professionals from more than 30 countries, and, in particular, from the spotlight territories. After a first focus on France in 2011, the Nordic countries in 2012, the German speaking countries in 2013, Benelux in 2014, UK, Ireland and North America in 2015, Spain, Portugal and Latin America in 2016, the 2017 upcoming edition will bring some fresh air with a slightly refined format launching for the very first time a new East & West double focus on France and the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). This new formula is based on two complementary ideas: on the one hand, future call for entries will be open to all producers from Europe (plus North and Latin America) who are developing a project with an East/West co-production potential, preferably with one of the selected countries in focus; on the other hand, WEMW will ensure the presence of a large and comprehensive delegation of key decision makers, financiers, producers and film professionals from each spotlight territory so to maximise the co-production, financing and distribution opportunities for all selected projects.

The post Alessandro Gropplero – Head of WEMW #WEMW appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, producer of the film Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth is an adaptation of the Nikolai Leskov novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk. The story is about a young bride who is sold into a loveless marriage to a middle-aged man. Lady Macbeth marks the feature directorial debut of William Oldroyd, and we caught up with its producer, also on her featured debut, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly. Fodhla was involved in the project from its very beginning, therefore wa take this opportunity to story of how it was brought to the screen, how it was financed but also how Oldroyd worked – especially given the style of the film, we ask whether he had a clear vision from the beginning of what the film would look like on the screen.

Lady Macbeth: based on the Nikolai Leskov’s 1865 novella Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, this rigorous tale about a young lady rebels against a stifling marriage tells of domination and love. Lady Katherine (Florence Pugh) is trapped in an arranged marriage to a much older man. In the country estate she seeks liberation and an outlet of her youthful passions in a bloodthirsty way. Director William Oldroyd’s first feature marks an adaptation from novella to the cinema as well as his transition from theatre to film.

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Lorna Tee, head of festival management.

Watch out world, because there’s a new festival in town. The International Film Festival & Awards in Macao announces its aim to eventually grow to become one of the major film industry and audience appointments of the year. For now, we talk to its head of festival management, Lorna Lee, about what she thinks this inaugural edition has accomplished. Among the many topics we must talk about is the festival’s balance between audience and industry. Lorna Tee reflects on the challenges of setting a festival like this in Macao, where the population and, therefore, film community is quite small. Furthermore, she talks about how the festival was designed, pointing out that there is an active interest in audience development, and gives us the first round of juicy figures of this edition.

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Gwei Lun-mei, actress in focus of Foret Debussy.

From Blue Gate Crossing (2001) to Black Coal, Thin Ice (2014, Golden Bear winner at the Berlinale) by way of such films as Secret (2007), Gwei Lun-mei is without a doubt one of the greatest international actresses of this generation. She is honored at the inaugural edition with a special section that looks back on her career by showcasing a number of movies from her past alongside her latest work, Foret Debussy by Cheng Chui Kuo. This small and meaningful retrospective, named Actress in Focus, also showcases the extent of Gwei Lun-mei’s versatility, that covers all genres. We try to come up with an overview of her artistic persona, and she tells us what generally draws her to project, as well as future ambitions (she’d like to, for instance, work on a French film…and tells us why). We also ask a few questions about this latest performance of hers, an apparently difficult one indeed, in which she co-stars with her own mother, Yi-Ching Lu, and that required her to challenge her body as well as her mind.

Foret Debussy: deep in the barren mountains, a mother and a daughter live an isolated quiet life. The Daughter looks lean and fragile. She seems unreactive toward her surroundings, confining herself in her own wretched world. The Mother is like a guardian angel who always protects her and takes care of everything. Before living in seclusion, The Daughter was a pianist who lost her husband and son. The Mother decided to take her away and hid her in the mountains where no one could ever find them, believing it is the only possible way for her daughter to survive, Nevertheless, they have to face nothing but themselves ever since, as well as to confront the endless forest…

The post Gwei Lun-mei – Foret Debussy #IFFAM appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Gianni Nunnari.

Producer Gianni Nunnari has worked in the film industry from an early age, and his credits include such films as 300, From Dusk Till Dawn and The Departed. We meet him at Macao for the inaugural edition of the city’s international film festival, where he hosted a masterclass. We ask him to give us his opinion on why the emergence from this festival is exciting but also, looking at a wider scope, how Chinese culture and history is able to influence cinema as a whole. Likewise, he reflects upon film festivals in general, and how important they are, while admitting that certain established ones have become somewhat stale in their long runs. After starting his career in his home country, Italy, he moved to the U.S. We ask him what the differences between the American film industry and those from other parts of the world are. We also ask him whether technological advancements affected filmmaking and, among other things, Nunnari also talks about the blending of the fine line between mainstream cinema with arthouse cinema and those films that find a compromise between the two.

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Shekhar Kapur, filmmaker and president of the jury of the 1st International Film Festival & Awards – Macao.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur makes history as the president of the jury of the competition of the inaugural edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao. Kapur recognized the establishment of this festival as something quite important, as is the choice of establishing it in a city like Macao, which is a discovery in itself. In terms of his position as president of the jury, he expresses his opinion on the high quality of the selection. But we soon move on and talk about the potential role that this festival could have in the film industry – and why film industry should take an active interest in China. We also discuss other things, such as the power of bridging cultures that cinema, more than any other artform has, and the differences in the way in which we consume cinema – in other words, what is the difference between watching films in a theatre and watching it on a small computer screen. This also leads Kapur on reflection on the future of cinema and VR.

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PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Tim Burton, director of the film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Tim Burton’s new film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will be released in the italian cinema theatres from December 15th with Twentieth Century Fox. The Director of Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice and Nightmare Before Christmas has landed in Rome to present the film to the italian audience and to talk about his cinema. The film is based on Ransom Riggs’ book, the first of a trilogy which decribes these “peculiar” children. The book title was the spark that led Burton to adapt the bestseller on the big screen. So he decided to work a way to combine his world with Riggs’ universe. Tim Burton also talked about his choice of casting Eva Green in the role of Miss Peregrine which, from what he says, was immediate after their first successful collaboration on Dark Shadows.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: from visionary director Tim Burton, and based upon the best-selling novel, comes an unforgettable motion picture experience. When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.

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PODCAST | Angelo Acerbi interviews Joyce Wong, Matt Greyson, Harry Cherniak, director and producers of the film Wexford Plaza.

Director Joyce Wong and producers Matt Greyson and Harry Cherniak tell us about their film and the visions they had while making it. A kind of personal tale for the director, who recalls stories of friends in the narrative of Wexford Plaza. The choice of showing a second point of view of the same story gives more depth and perspective, making the audience question what they have understood so far, and this is a good challenge for both film and audience to take.

Wexford Plaza: Betty works as a security guard in a desolate and depressing shopping mall. Besides the jaded panorama of her days, the fact that she is doesn’t fit society’s norms about bodyweight certainly doesn’t help her find her soul mate, who she unsuccessfully looks for using a social networking dating app. One day, at the mall, she meets Danny, who also has a load of problems, and it’s love at first sight. Unfortunately, things get complicated when a photo of a scantily dressed Betty becomes more public than expected.

The post Joyce Wong, Matt Greyson, Harry Cherniak – Wexford Plaza #TFF34 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Angelo Acerbi interviews Ivan Kral, director of the film The blank generation.

Angelo Acerbi meets Ivan Kral, a living testimonial of the wildest and most free era of rock music. We’d need hours to talk about all he could have told us. Ivan Kral lived his life in US with the leGends of rock n roll, and he has stories that heard now are so unbelievable they were difficult to process while interviewing him…so many names and situations we dreamt of, that he lived and so many people with whom he walked a path in music that now has become historical. As the film he is presenting at TFF34. Still incredible…

The Blank Generation: The Patti Smith Group, Television, Ramones, Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, and Blondie are some of the most famous protagonists of the musical avant-garde (and more) which is shaking New York in the mid-’70s. A series of bands which, according to some, invented punk rock. They orbit around CBGB, a historical club located in the seamy Bowery neighborhood and the cradle of a toxic, mocking new wave which will find followers throughout the world. The underground directors Amos Poe and Ivan Král film their performances, bringing to the silver screen the shockwaves agitating the nights of the Big Apple, which seems on the verge of collapsing and yet has never been so dynamic.

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