Monday, May 26, 2014

Turkey and Colombia Won the Palme d’Or in Cannes 2014

Festival de Cannes - Page Officielle

Turkey and Colombia Won the Palme d’Or in Cannes 2014
By José Alberto Hermosillo
  
Turkey and Colombia took the gold at the most prestigious film festival in the world. Turkey's “Winter Sleeps” directed by Nuri Belge Ceylan won the Palme d’Or for best picture, and Colombia’s “Leidi” directed by Simón Mesa Soto won Palme d’Or for best short film. The co-production Mexican-Argentinean “Jauja” directed by Lisandro Alonso (“Liverpool,”“Los Muertos,” “La Libertad”) won the FIPRESCI award in the section Un Certain Regard.

The other winners sound strong for the upcoming awards, such as the Oscars. Best actress winner Julianne Moore “Maps to the Stars” is taking the lead. As well as best actor winner Timothy Spall for “Mr. Turner.” And maybe best foreign film for Turkey with "Winter Sleep."

 
Nuri Belge Ceylan, in his acceptance speech, mentioned that this recognition coincides with the 100th Anniversary of Turkish Cinema and dedicated the award to the young people of Turkey, including those who lost their lives.

Ceylan has been recognized in Cannes previously: In 2002 “Distant” and in 2011 “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia.” Both films won the Grand Prix. In 2008, he won best director for “Three Monkeys.” This is the second time Turkey wins the big prize in history - the first time was in 1982 for “Yol/The Road/The Way.”

The Awards:
  • Palme d’Or: “Kis Uykusu/Winter Sleep,” d. Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey, France, Germany)
  • Grand Prix: “Le Meraviglie/The Wonder,” d. Alice Rohrwacher (Italy)
  • Director: Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher” (U.S.)
  • Jury Prize (tie): “Mommy,” d. Xavier Dolan (France, Canada). And “Good Bye to Language,” d. Jean-Luc Godard (France)
  • Actor: Timothy Spall, “Mr. Turner”, d. Mike Leigh (U.K.)
  • Actress: Julianne Moore, "Maps to the Stars," d. David Cronenberg (Canada, U.S., France, Germany)
  • Best Screenplay: Andrey Zvyaginstev y Oleg Negin, “Leviafan/Leviathan,” d. Andrey Zvyagintsev (Russia).
The Other Prizes:
  • Camera d’Or: “Party Girl,” d. Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger y Samuel Theis (France)
  • Short Films Palme d’Or: “Leidi,” d. Simón Mesa Soto (Colombia, U.K.)
  • Short Films Special Mention: “Aïssa,” d. Clément Trehin-Lalanne (France)
  • Ecumenical Jury Prize: “Timbuktu,” d. Abderrahmene Sissako (Mauritania, France)
  • FIPRESCI Un Certain Regard: “Jauja,” d. Lisandro Alonso (Mexico, Argentina).

Friday, May 16, 2014

Llyn Foulkes One Man Band: The Passion of an Artist Never Ends

By José Alberto Hermosillo


A highly entertaining, fascinating, and marvelous documentary about the life of an artist that will make you addicted to art and good cinema.

Llyn Foulkes is the most famous artist, musician, composer, and painter you’ve ever heard of or probably you have not heard of yet. Well, now it is time for you to know who this person is who deserves his life and body of work put into a film.

The film documents seven years of the life of Foulkes, the creation of two large paintings that he builds, cuts, destroys, recycles, and makes back again, over and over, until he feels his images are 99% finished, then he said: “The painting is done when it is done.” Full of passion, he adds: “I can’t just finish it. The only way it’s finished is when they take it away from me.”

Interestingly enough, his rebellious and obsessive personality has the need to express himself with concepts of love, life, and hate. 

He moves around his passion for his artwork and how he transforms everything he touches into a form, shape, shadow, and tone, with dimensions to give the proper depth to his creations. 

With his work, he ignites controversy, using elements of pop culture such as Mickey Mouse heads, real dead cats, and a fetus to an organic composition.

He is so absorbed by his work that his private life gets upside down from the imminent divorce and being away from his daughter. All those emotions greatly affected him, and he placed them in his creations.

As a one-man band musician, he’s working in what he calls “The Machine,” a huge musical instrument he invented years ago to perform in a solo show. That same music Foulkes plays in this documentary just to entertain us.

The documentary is directed by Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty. It features other great artists, actors, and celebrities such as Johnny Carson, Dennis Hopper, and George Herms, among other well-known stars, for buying fine art. Still, you need to see the end to find out who got his hands on the two controversial masterpieces.

Suppose you are not an artist, but you appreciate art. In that case, there are some other films about art you can check out, such as an Oscar nominee “Waste Land” (2010), “Alejandro Colunga: Fogonero del Delirio” (2012), “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child” (2010), “2501 Migrants: A Journey” (2009), and another Oscar nominee and Independent Spirit Award winner “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (2010).

Check out “Llyn Foulkes One Man Band” to discover why he got found at 77. His work was exhibited at the Hammer Museum of Los Angeles with tremendous success.  

“Llyn Foulkes One Man Band” was part of the official selection of the Los Angeles Film Festival 2013, and now it’s time for us to enjoy it at some of the independent movie theaters near you. 
 
“Llyn Foulkes One Man Band” is a documentary with soul, good music, marvelous paintings, and above all, pop art.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Hola México Film Festival 2014 a Feast of Good Food, Music, and Great Cinema

#HolaMexicoLucha
By Jose Alberto Hermosillo

 
Hollywood, California. May 5, 2014.  Hola Mexico Film, Food, Music Festival is promoting Mexico’s good image in the world. For that reason, the slogan this year is “Hola Mexico Vs. the bad image of Mexico.”

Mexican film production has increased to 120 films a year; Hola Mexico will show a some of the best. Among them, some award winners in festivals around the world, others have been a box office hits in Mexico and the US. “Hola…” will also host world premieres of those that have not been seen, not even in their home country.

MUSIC

Hola Mexico has two live music concerts with an explosive sample of Mexico’s contemporary sounds featuring: “La Gusana Ciega,” “Los Jilguerillos de Rosario,” “Mariachi Colibrí,” Ceci Bastida, Vanessa Samora, Fernanda Ulibarri. 

There will be two music programs: one free on May 10th (Mother’s Day) and the other $30.00 for Closing Night, May 18th. Both concerts will be at Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St. Downtown L.A.


 FOOD

The food expo: La Gran Parrillada will bring the flavors of Sonora featuring the renown chefs: Bill Esparza (Chef Curator), Javier Plascencia, Dante Ferrero, Carlos Valdez, Eloy Aluri.


Good steaks, carne asada, machaca, salsa, cerveza, tequila, and good wine are waiting for you to taste.



Saturday 17th 12:00 P.M., Plaza de Cultura y Artes. 501 N. Main St. Downtown L.A.


THE FILMS AT HOLA MEXICO, 6th EDITION:


 
Four World Premieres:

1.     “The Man behind the Mask/El hombre detrás de la máscara.” D. Gabriela Obregón.

2.     “Ilusión Nacional.” D. Olallio Rubio.

3.     “I Hate Love.” D. Humberto Hinojosa Ozcariz.

4.     “Volando Vajo/Flying Low.” (Closing night). D. Beto Gómez.


 
Five International Award Winner Films:  


1.     “Heli,” Amat Escalante won Best Director in Cannes 2013. “Heli” shows the war on drugs inside your house.

2.     “La Jaula de Oro/The Golden Dream” won over 40 international awards around the world including best first work (Ópera Prima) at La Havana Film Festival to Diego Quemada Díez, and Best cast ensemble at Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2013; Lima, Mar Del Plata, San Paulo, and Zurich among others. The immigration problem requires a moral solution. 


3.     “Quebranto,” directed by Roberto Fiesco, won best film at Guadalajara Int. F.F. It is the story of Coral Bonelli who went from a child actor to a transvestite entertainer. 

4.     “El Cuarto Desnudo/The Naked Room,” won best feature documentary at Morelia, best first work (Ópera Prima) at Rec Tarragona, Spain for the director Nuria Ibañez. Children open up their souls in a cold hospital room with naked walls. 



5.     ¿Quién es Dayani Cristal?/Who is Dayani Cristal? World Documentary Award at Sundance.  When a body of an immigrant is found in Arizona, the journey to find out who he was begins. Directed by Marc Silver, with Gaél García Bernal.

Box Office Hits:

1.     “Instructions Not Included/No se aceptan devolusiones.” Hola Mexico will give us the opportunity to see Eugenio Derbez directorial début on the big screen once again, plus will be a great opportunity to talk with Eugenio in person for a Q&A after his life changing success.
2.     “Nosotros Los Nobles/We are the Nobles.” Another hit in theaters, now director Guz Alazraki and the cast will be in the festival.


Musicals, Drama, Suspense and Comedy:  
“Cásese quien pueda/Get married if you can” (Opening Night). 


“No sé si cortarme las venas o dejarmelas largas/I don’t know whether to slit my Wrists or Leave Them Intact,” 

“¿Qué le dijiste a Dios? /What did you Tell God?”

“Somos Mari Pepa/We are Mary Pepa,” 

“Besos de Azúcar/Sugar Kisses” directed by Oscar nominee Carlos Cuaròn,

“Pánico 5 Bravo” directed by  Kuno Becker.
  
From May 9th until the 18th, the films will be screen at the Regal Theaters, L.A. Live. 


Hola Mexico is giving us a unique opportunity to see wonderful films, to listen good music, and taste the flavors of Sonora in Los Angeles, so why not come and join the good image of Mexico at Hola Mexico Film Food Music Festival.  

For more information visit: www.holamexicoff.com