Kim Nguyen’s War Witch cast a spell at the Tribeca Film Festival Thursday evening, winning the event’s $25K Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, while Una Noche ‘s Lucy Mulloy won $50K and the fest’s Best New Narrative Director prize at a ceremony in Lower Manhattan. Also taking home prizes at the ceremony were The World Before Her by Canadian Nisha Pahuja, which took Best Documentary Feature while Dutch director Jeroen van Velzen’ won Best New Documentary Director for Wavumba . “It’s been so gratifying to see the audiences react so positively to the films, and our juries have been equally passionate. I celebrate these immensely talented filmmakers,” commented Nancy Schafer, TFF Executive Director in a statement. “We salute the courage of the jury to award films that not only tell stories about real issues in the world, but are beautifully constructed and crafted,” said Frederic Boyer, TFF Artistic Director. “The amazing first-time performances by young actors are a tribute to the creativity of the films and filmmakers.” Screenings of all winning films will take place throughout the final day of the festival, Sunday, April 29. The List of 2012 Tribeca Film Festival winners : The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – War Witch , directed by Kim Nguyen (Canada) Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Dariel Arrechada and Javier Nuñez Florian as Raul and Elio in Una Noche , directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA) Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Rachel Mwanza as Komona in War Witch , directed by Kim Nguyen (Canada) Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Trevor Forrest and Shlomo Godder, for Una Noche , directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA) Special Jury Mention – Alex Catalan for Unit 7 Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature Film – All In (La Suerte en Tus Manos) , written by Daniel Burman and Sergio Dubcovsky and directed by Daniel Burman (Argentina) Best New Narrative Director – Lucy Mulloy, director of Una Noche (UK, Cuba, USA) Special Jury Mention – P. Benoit, director of Stones in the Sun ; and Sharon Bar-Ziv, director of Room 514 Best Documentary Feature – The World Before Her , directed by Nisha Pahuja (Canada) Special Jury Mention – The Revisionaries , directed by Scott Thurman Best Editing in a Documentary Feature – The Flat (Hadira) Best New Documentary Director – Jeroen van Velzen for Wavumba (Netherlands) Special Jury Mention – Christian Bonke and Andreas Koefoed, directors of Ballroom Dancer Best Narrative Short – Asad , directed by Bryan Buckley (USA) Special Jury Mention – Ritesh Batra, writer and director of Café Regular Cairo Best Documentary Short – Paraíso , directed by Nadav Kurtz (USA) Special Jury Mention – David Darg and Bryn Mooser, directors of Baseball in the Time of Cholera Special Jury Mention –Tati Barrantes and Andinh Ha, writers and directors of Adirake Tribeca (Online) Film Festival Best Feature Film: On The Mat , directed and written by Fredric Golding (USA) Tribeca (Online) Film Festival Best Short Film: CatCam , directed by Seth Keal (USA) Read more from Tribeca here .
The easiest way to start an interview is to ask someone, “Was there a cock sock or not?” Take Jason Ritter, who plays Wally, the sub-par musician friend of Jillian (Jess Weixler), in Free Samples — which premiered last weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival in the Spotlight program. “It was cock sock,” Ritter said, marking the second time Ritter appeared pantsless in a Tribeca film costarring Jesse Eisenberg. “[Before] was The Education of Charlie Banks , but this one was the first time I’ve been bare-assed for an entire scene.” Meanwhile, the new film’s plot is simple enough: Jillian gets roped into handing out free ice cream samples from a truck as a variety of characters weave in and out of the scene. Samples acts as a counter-point to the classic indie slacker story, as the characters deal with having plans that fall apart — Jillian was in law school and had a fiancé before deciding to “become an artist” — as Ritter plays “Jason Ritter” in Mark Webber’s Sundance film The End of Love , portraying an established, mature version of his actor persona. “I feel like there are a lot of movies about late 20s, early 30s being directionless and you wonder, ‘How are any of these people surviving?'” Ritter said. “What do they do? I really like that there does seem to be more thought put into this character Jillian. It’s been fun to jump in and do a day here and a day there on each of their films.” Just when it seemed like we were getting to the heart of the film’s subject, alas, Ritter complicated things by revealing how he’d blacked out the memory of Weixler slapping his ass. “Did you?” he asked. “I did smack you on the ass, it’s in the movie,” Wexler replied. “I barely remember doing it either. It just went into some black hole. I’m sure it was great at the time.” “Just like Levar Burton on the slave ship in Roots ,” Ritter said. “He doesn’t remember it at all. That’s true, by the way. He doesn’t remember shooting the slave ship sequences in Roots ,” “It’s the same thing as Roots then,” Weixler concurred as her castmate and confidante was shuttled off to another interview. So Free Samples is the food truck of equivalent of Roots then? “I guess so, according to Jason Ritter,” she said. While that could be taken any number of ways, it’s just as well to ignore it. Although being in a single location for the 12-day shoot gave Weixler the mood for being hungover, she kept a clear vision of the character’s overarching traits in mind. “What I made very clear to myself when I went into the role that it wasn’t a slacker role,” she told Movieline. “This is somebody who has been very ambitious her whole life. She was really on course and now she doesn’t know why she was doing what she was doing.” It’s the type of role that’s weird to see, since — as both Ritter and Weixler alluded — hungover slackers have been the film festival norm for the better part of two decades. Say what you want about Free Samples overall, but there seems to be an obvious tonal shift among indies when it comes to growing up and moving on. (Other Tribeca 2012 films like Consuming Spirits and Any Day Now investigate this as well.) But there are more functional questions for director Jay Gammill and co-star Jocelin Donahue — like why does Upright Citizen’s Brigade co-founder Matt Walsh appear to condemn food trucks that can’t give him stamps? And what’s up with the vignette nature of the film that continues on until Tippi Hedren appears to console Weixler? It ultimately comes down to the whims of shooting and editing. “As a director, I’m concerned with how we’re going to pull that off every time,” Gammill said. “What could be a weakness we have to make our strength. It was fun to cast a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. I think every person had their own unique performance.” The same duality lies in art vs. practicality, since both sides are shown to be equally screwed up in Jim Beggarly’s script. “I think that’s one of the major themes,” said Donahue. “How do you choose your path when you desire to do something more creative than the more conventional path?” “What do you base your choices on?” asked Gammill. “Does your family push you into it?” That’s getting a little heady over uneven ensemble comedy, but the sentiment resonates: Free Samples represents a shift that may end the days of freewheeling indies in favor of growing up. Especially if it includes a cock sock. Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here . John Lichman has written for The Playlist , Washington City Paper and does a fine Armond White impression. He tweets here .
Oh to be young and in love and periodically a flesh-rending creature of globular, hairy, throbbing pulp. That’s the curse heaped upon the eponymous romantics in Jack and Diane , one of the more anticipated — and more disappointing — features in Tribeca 2012’s narrative competition. It’s hard to be too down on such lean passion; Jack and Diane ‘s premiere Friday night amounted to the culmination of nine years of work by filmmaker Bradley Rust Gray, whose acclaimed 2010 drama The Exploding Girl served as sort of a hetero prelude to the lesbian body horror/romance mashup swamping his latest: Diane (Juno Temple) is a hot British teen mess visiting her aunt in New York City, all babydoll dresses, knit watermelon halter tops and purple knee socks, rocked by the hormonal lighting strike that is butch, brooding Jack (Riley Keough). The girls club, they kiss, they bond, they exchange vaguely sweet Manhattan banalities (“I have a Metrocard if you want it”), and then… I don’t even know. On the one hand it’s not worth spoiling; jumpy genre reveals are involved, hinted at by customarily grisly animation by the Brothers Quay. On the other hand, Jack and Diane is too much of a mess to spoil, suffocated in the dynamics of longing without even the hope of dramatic — or even darkly comedic — satisfaction. It’s a movie whose shadowy genre overtones — a girl! In a bathroom! With a bloody nose! And a monster! — surrenders to the same auteurist A.D.D. that sank The Exploding Girl . For once, I would like to see Gray’s New York not refracted surveillance-style through long lenses and the fraught nubile wits of characters whose doe eyes and costumes connote virtually the whole story. Temple’s expressive genius — all matted blond hair and mischievous (and monstrous) pixie — goes only so far against Keough’s near-total blankness, getting most of its mileage out of a single early, affecting confessional between the star-crossed girls. Ultimately, though, it’s hard to know just how seriously to take Jack and Diane , with all its sinewy portent and bizarre porn digressions and tragicomic pube-shaving and actual straight-faced dialogue such as, “Do you have to take a shit? Try to do like I do and fart it out.” Viewers familiar with The Exploding Girl might realize after a while that they’re only staying with Jack and Diane for the promise of more B-list hipster-goddesses losing control; then it was Zoe Kazan’s simmering epileptic panic, and now it’s the viscera-devouring prospect of sapphic passion — in one case featuring Elvis Presley’s grandaughter (Keough’s mother is Lisa Marie Presley) and Kylie Minogue in a heavily tattooed cameo. It is what it is, and it never feels like much more. Nevertheless, there is at least one glint of salvation in Jack and Diane , though it has nothing to do with its filmmaking or performances (and here I should issue a spoiler alert): Keough and Minogue make out to the strains of Shellac’s rare and entrancing hate-punk ballad ” Doris ,” which I suppose means that someone somewhere has a clean MP3 of the notoriously vinyl-only single. Rejoice! Can I have a copy? Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here . Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Oh to be young and in love and periodically a flesh-rending creature of globular, hairy, throbbing pulp. That’s the curse heaped upon the eponymous romantics in Jack and Diane , one of the more anticipated — and more disappointing — features in Tribeca 2012’s narrative competition. It’s hard to be too down on such lean passion; Jack and Diane ‘s premiere Friday night amounted to the culmination of nine years of work by filmmaker Bradley Rust Gray, whose acclaimed 2010 drama The Exploding Girl served as sort of a hetero prelude to the lesbian body horror/romance mashup swamping his latest: Diane (Juno Temple) is a hot British teen mess visiting her aunt in New York City, all babydoll dresses, knit watermelon halter tops and purple knee socks, rocked by the hormonal lighting strike that is butch, brooding Jack (Riley Keough). The girls club, they kiss, they bond, they exchange vaguely sweet Manhattan banalities (“I have a Metrocard if you want it”), and then… I don’t even know. On the one hand it’s not worth spoiling; jumpy genre reveals are involved, hinted at by customarily grisly animation by the Brothers Quay. On the other hand, Jack and Diane is too much of a mess to spoil, suffocated in the dynamics of longing without even the hope of dramatic — or even darkly comedic — satisfaction. It’s a movie whose shadowy genre overtones — a girl! In a bathroom! With a bloody nose! And a monster! — surrenders to the same auteurist A.D.D. that sank The Exploding Girl . For once, I would like to see Gray’s New York not refracted surveillance-style through long lenses and the fraught nubile wits of characters whose doe eyes and costumes connote virtually the whole story. Temple’s expressive genius — all matted blond hair and mischievous (and monstrous) pixie — goes only so far against Keough’s near-total blankness, getting most of its mileage out of a single early, affecting confessional between the star-crossed girls. Ultimately, though, it’s hard to know just how seriously to take Jack and Diane , with all its sinewy portent and bizarre porn digressions and tragicomic pube-shaving and actual straight-faced dialogue such as, “Do you have to take a shit? Try to do like I do and fart it out.” Viewers familiar with The Exploding Girl might realize after a while that they’re only staying with Jack and Diane for the promise of more B-list hipster-goddesses losing control; then it was Zoe Kazan’s simmering epileptic panic, and now it’s the viscera-devouring prospect of sapphic passion — in one case featuring Elvis Presley’s grandaughter (Keough’s mother is Lisa Marie Presley) and Kylie Minogue in a heavily tattooed cameo. It is what it is, and it never feels like much more. Nevertheless, there is at least one glint of salvation in Jack and Diane , though it has nothing to do with its filmmaking or performances (and here I should issue a spoiler alert): Keough and Minogue make out to the strains of Shellac’s rare and entrancing hate-punk ballad ” Doris ,” which I suppose means that someone somewhere has a clean MP3 of the notoriously vinyl-only single. Rejoice! Can I have a copy? Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here . Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
This past week, Movieline has spotlighted a number of Tribeca Film Festival filmmakers and trailers of their fest premieres. This weekend, we’re sharing more. If you’re in New York and want to see some films at the festival (or if you are looking for a taste of Tribeca from afar), here is a sneak glimpse of more of this year’s offerings from the festival’s World Narrative Competition and World Documentary Competition . Today’s spotlights include two features from Tribeca’s World Narrative Competition, Jack and Diane as well as Yossi . And from the World Documentary Competition, Movieline is featuring Downeast , Wavumba and The World Before Her . Be in the know and check them out — and share your thoughts on these and other Tribeca films. Jack and Diane by director Bradley Rust Gray – U.S. [World Narrative Competition] Synopsis : Tomboy Jack and bubbly Diane fall head over heels in love one hot summer in New York City. But neither Jack’s tough exterior nor Diane’s demure innocence prepare them for the intensity of their feelings. When Diane reveals she must leave the city for school in Europe at the end of the summer, Jack pushes her away. As Diane struggles to maintain their budding romance, she must also try to conceal from Jack the increasingly dark and violent visions that have begun to plague her. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Bradley Rust Gray… Jack and Diane quick pitch : Girl eats girl. Girl feels sorry about eating girl. Girl misses girl. There’s some gum chewing in the middle. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : It’s quite likely the only film playing in New York next week which has an animated vagina in it. Thoughts about the trailer : We were trying to capture that awkward budding moment when two people have just exposed their hearts to each other; they feel vulnerable, sensitive, and excited – all feelings which the film re-engages with in different ways. [Read Movieline’s review of Jack and Diane here .] Yossi by director Eytan Fox – Israel [World Narrative Competition] Synopsis : Returning to the role that won him TFF’s Best Actor award in Eytan Fox’s Yossi & Jagger in 2003, Ohad Knoller gives another extraordinary performance as Yossi, a closeted gay man living a solitary existence in Tel Aviv. A perennially sad, workaholic doctor, Yossi has his quiet world shaken when a middle-aged woman walks out of his past and into his examination room. Their brief but emotionally charged reunion unnerves Yossi enough to make him spontaneously leave Tel Aviv. On the desolate roads of southern Israel, a chance encounter with a group of lively soldiers ignites Yossi’s desire to awaken from his emotional slumber. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Eytan Fox… Yossi quick pitch : Yossi is a follow up to a film I made 10 years ago. It’s a character study of Yossi, of his psyche and soul. As the film starts, he is still suffering from post-traumatic stress due to the death of his lover during the war. He remains in the closet, so he is also at war with himself. As a cardiologist, he has essentially exchanged one army for another, because being a doctor also involves consistently dealing with crises and difficult issues. You even have a uniform! Ultimately, the film is about Yossi eventually processing the horrible things that have happened to him, things he has long repressed, and finding ways to escape the very difficult places that he has been in for years. He finally discovers a new way to define himself and create a new life. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : This is our world premiere for Yossi . I would say people should see it for Ohad Knoller’s performance. I’m just so impressed and moved by what he did with the character of Yossi again, ten years later. I don’t want to insult any other actors of mine or characters of mine, but I don’t think I’ve ever loved a character as much as Yossi as played by Ohad. Thoughts about the trailer : I think most American films are big on taglines, so I have some for Yossi . “It’s never too late to start your life” or “It’s never to too late to start again.” These might seem like clichés, but it takes a lot of hard work to change your life. You have to understand what you need to change, be brave and work to love yourself. Downeast by directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin – U.S. [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : The slogan on the ‘Welcome to Maine’ sign leading into Gouldsboro reads “Open for Business,” but the recent closure of the sardine canning factory has brought this small coastal town to a total standstill. Its laid-off residents — mostly 70-year-olds — just want to get back to work, so when Italian immigrant Antonio Bussone arrives from Boston aiming to open a new lobster processing plant, most of the local labor welcomes him with open arms. After all, they’re sick of sending their lobsters to Canada when there’s a ready-and-willing workforce to process them at home. So why is tapping into federal relief funds to finance the plant turning into the biggest struggle of Antonio’s life? [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments provided by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin… Downeast quick pitch : Downeast is a poetic exploration of Antonio Bussone’s tireless efforts to build a factory amidst conflict, navigate a faceless banking system, and employ a stagnant workforce that resides on the coast of Maine. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : The economic crises played out in the streets and suites of New York City. Downeast shows its impact on the lives of every day workers and those who press forward against the odds. Thoughts about the trailer : The trailer shows the tensions involved in opening a factory when multiple interests are involved. Wavumba by director Jeroen van Velzen – The Neterhalnds [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : Mysticism and color reign in this stunning documentary, steeped in the fishermen lore of Kenya. Dutch filmmaker Jeroen van Velzen explores his visceral memories of an early youth spent in coastal Kenya, where a reverence for the sea reigns high. Via the locals’ enigmatic recitation of a well known folktale, we are introduced to a spirit-filled island, to which a fisherman’s visit has the magic to alternately bless or curse his bounty. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Jeroen van Velzen… Wavumba quick pitch : Wavumba is a film about an old fisherman, Mashoud, who wants to catch a big shark as he did in the old days. Mashoud brings me into a world where fantasy, belief and reality cannot be differentiated from one another. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : Not everyone has a childhood like mine, but every child grows up with amazing stories or myths he believes in. That makes this film more than just my personal discovery. By bringing you into the Kenyan reality, which is bound to other laws than ours, I want to wake up that feeling of magic you had as a child. Thoughts about the trailer : In the trailer I want convey the main story lines of the film. The reasons for heading back to Kenya and making the film are personal, but by following Mashoud on his quest to catch a big shark and by listening to myths told by an old Kenyan story teller I want to take people on a journey with me back to the world which inspired me. The World Before Her by director Nisha Pahuja – Canada [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : Young, beautiful, and ambitious, Ankita and Ruhi compete in the Miss India pageant for the chance at a career in the beauty industry, one of the few opportunities for women to find success and empowerment in contemporary India. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Miss India is Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Hindu fundamentalist movement. Filming for the first time within a Durga Vahini camp, director Nisha Pahuja offsets the pageant narrative with that of camp leader Prachi, a fiery and compelling figure expressing a very different voice in the debate over women’s issues. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Nisha Pahuja… The World Before Her quick pitc h: The World Before Her looks at The Miss India beauty contest and a Hindu fundamentalist camp for girls — two competing ideas of India playing themselves out on the bodies of young women. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : There’s a lot more to the film than women in bikinis and women with guns – what’s happening in India really is a mirror that shows the West back to itself. We deal with two of the most critical and defining issues of the day – fundamentalism and capitalism. We also look at the struggles that women in India continue to face. Thoughts about the clip : In this clip you will meet Prachi our key fundamentalist character. She has a very complex relationship with her father and in this clip she expands on that relationship. In so doing Prachi points to the larger reality of female infanticide – still practiced in India. Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here .
This past week, Movieline has spotlighted a number of Tribeca Film Festival filmmakers and trailers of their fest premieres. This weekend, we’re sharing more. If you’re in New York and want to see some films at the festival (or if you are looking for a taste of Tribeca from afar), here is a sneak glimpse of more of this year’s offerings from the festival’s World Narrative Competition and World Documentary Competition . Today’s spotlights include two features from Tribeca’s World Narrative Competition, Jack and Diane as well as Yossi . And from the World Documentary Competition, Movieline is featuring Downeast , Wavumba and The World Before Her . Be in the know and check them out — and share your thoughts on these and other Tribeca films. Jack and Diane by director Bradley Rust Gray – U.S. [World Narrative Competition] Synopsis : Tomboy Jack and bubbly Diane fall head over heels in love one hot summer in New York City. But neither Jack’s tough exterior nor Diane’s demure innocence prepare them for the intensity of their feelings. When Diane reveals she must leave the city for school in Europe at the end of the summer, Jack pushes her away. As Diane struggles to maintain their budding romance, she must also try to conceal from Jack the increasingly dark and violent visions that have begun to plague her. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Bradley Rust Gray… Jack and Diane quick pitch : Girl eats girl. Girl feels sorry about eating girl. Girl misses girl. There’s some gum chewing in the middle. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : It’s quite likely the only film playing in New York next week which has an animated vagina in it. Thoughts about the trailer : We were trying to capture that awkward budding moment when two people have just exposed their hearts to each other; they feel vulnerable, sensitive, and excited – all feelings which the film re-engages with in different ways. [Read Movieline’s review of Jack and Diane here .] Yossi by director Eytan Fox – Israel [World Narrative Competition] Synopsis : Returning to the role that won him TFF’s Best Actor award in Eytan Fox’s Yossi & Jagger in 2003, Ohad Knoller gives another extraordinary performance as Yossi, a closeted gay man living a solitary existence in Tel Aviv. A perennially sad, workaholic doctor, Yossi has his quiet world shaken when a middle-aged woman walks out of his past and into his examination room. Their brief but emotionally charged reunion unnerves Yossi enough to make him spontaneously leave Tel Aviv. On the desolate roads of southern Israel, a chance encounter with a group of lively soldiers ignites Yossi’s desire to awaken from his emotional slumber. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Eytan Fox… Yossi quick pitch : Yossi is a follow up to a film I made 10 years ago. It’s a character study of Yossi, of his psyche and soul. As the film starts, he is still suffering from post-traumatic stress due to the death of his lover during the war. He remains in the closet, so he is also at war with himself. As a cardiologist, he has essentially exchanged one army for another, because being a doctor also involves consistently dealing with crises and difficult issues. You even have a uniform! Ultimately, the film is about Yossi eventually processing the horrible things that have happened to him, things he has long repressed, and finding ways to escape the very difficult places that he has been in for years. He finally discovers a new way to define himself and create a new life. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : This is our world premiere for Yossi . I would say people should see it for Ohad Knoller’s performance. I’m just so impressed and moved by what he did with the character of Yossi again, ten years later. I don’t want to insult any other actors of mine or characters of mine, but I don’t think I’ve ever loved a character as much as Yossi as played by Ohad. Thoughts about the trailer : I think most American films are big on taglines, so I have some for Yossi . “It’s never too late to start your life” or “It’s never to too late to start again.” These might seem like clichés, but it takes a lot of hard work to change your life. You have to understand what you need to change, be brave and work to love yourself. Downeast by directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin – U.S. [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : The slogan on the ‘Welcome to Maine’ sign leading into Gouldsboro reads “Open for Business,” but the recent closure of the sardine canning factory has brought this small coastal town to a total standstill. Its laid-off residents — mostly 70-year-olds — just want to get back to work, so when Italian immigrant Antonio Bussone arrives from Boston aiming to open a new lobster processing plant, most of the local labor welcomes him with open arms. After all, they’re sick of sending their lobsters to Canada when there’s a ready-and-willing workforce to process them at home. So why is tapping into federal relief funds to finance the plant turning into the biggest struggle of Antonio’s life? [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments provided by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin… Downeast quick pitch : Downeast is a poetic exploration of Antonio Bussone’s tireless efforts to build a factory amidst conflict, navigate a faceless banking system, and employ a stagnant workforce that resides on the coast of Maine. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : The economic crises played out in the streets and suites of New York City. Downeast shows its impact on the lives of every day workers and those who press forward against the odds. Thoughts about the trailer : The trailer shows the tensions involved in opening a factory when multiple interests are involved. Wavumba by director Jeroen van Velzen – The Neterhalnds [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : Mysticism and color reign in this stunning documentary, steeped in the fishermen lore of Kenya. Dutch filmmaker Jeroen van Velzen explores his visceral memories of an early youth spent in coastal Kenya, where a reverence for the sea reigns high. Via the locals’ enigmatic recitation of a well known folktale, we are introduced to a spirit-filled island, to which a fisherman’s visit has the magic to alternately bless or curse his bounty. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Jeroen van Velzen… Wavumba quick pitch : Wavumba is a film about an old fisherman, Mashoud, who wants to catch a big shark as he did in the old days. Mashoud brings me into a world where fantasy, belief and reality cannot be differentiated from one another. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : Not everyone has a childhood like mine, but every child grows up with amazing stories or myths he believes in. That makes this film more than just my personal discovery. By bringing you into the Kenyan reality, which is bound to other laws than ours, I want to wake up that feeling of magic you had as a child. Thoughts about the trailer : In the trailer I want convey the main story lines of the film. The reasons for heading back to Kenya and making the film are personal, but by following Mashoud on his quest to catch a big shark and by listening to myths told by an old Kenyan story teller I want to take people on a journey with me back to the world which inspired me. The World Before Her by director Nisha Pahuja – Canada [World Documentary Competition] Synopsis : Young, beautiful, and ambitious, Ankita and Ruhi compete in the Miss India pageant for the chance at a career in the beauty industry, one of the few opportunities for women to find success and empowerment in contemporary India. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Miss India is Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Hindu fundamentalist movement. Filming for the first time within a Durga Vahini camp, director Nisha Pahuja offsets the pageant narrative with that of camp leader Prachi, a fiery and compelling figure expressing a very different voice in the debate over women’s issues. [Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival] Comments by Nisha Pahuja… The World Before Her quick pitc h: The World Before Her looks at The Miss India beauty contest and a Hindu fundamentalist camp for girls — two competing ideas of India playing themselves out on the bodies of young women. …and why it’s worth seeing at Tribeca : There’s a lot more to the film than women in bikinis and women with guns – what’s happening in India really is a mirror that shows the West back to itself. We deal with two of the most critical and defining issues of the day – fundamentalism and capitalism. We also look at the struggles that women in India continue to face. Thoughts about the clip : In this clip you will meet Prachi our key fundamentalist character. She has a very complex relationship with her father and in this clip she expands on that relationship. In so doing Prachi points to the larger reality of female infanticide – still practiced in India. Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here .
The first full day of Tribeca 2012 yielded at least one major highlight, as festival co-founder Robert De Niro and comedy mogul Judd Apatow joined Deadline’s Mike Fleming for a discussion commemorating the 100th anniversary of Universal Pictures. (Fellow Universal blockbustress Meryl Streep, alas, backed out at the last minute due to illness.) At least, that was the plan ; what ensued was a wide-ranging, freewheeling chat about the pair’s work for the studio, the natures of their comedy, varying sequel statuses, and much more. As per Tribeca custom , read on for this years revelations from from De Niro and Co. Without De Niro’s Cape Fear remake, Apatow might not be who he is today “One of first important milestones of my career was [when] I created The Ben Stiller Show with Ben,” Apatow said. “And the sketch that got us picked up was the Cape Fear parody. Have you ever seen that?” “No, I didn’t know that,” De Niro said dryly. “Do you have a lot of friends who want to show you parodies of you, or are they afraid to?” Apatow asked. “Sometimes,” De Niro replied. “So we studied that movie shot-for-shot, and then Ben was dressed up like Eddie Munster,” Apatow explained. ” Cape Munster . That’s how we got the how picked up.” The filmmaker gestured back to the screen, invoking the epic Universal clip reel that opened the event. “The rest I didn’t care for.” De Niro didn’t like The Deer Hunter ‘s poster And according to him, there’s even a better design somewhere out there. “I was given the script by Michael Cimino, and I liked it very much,” De Niro recounted of his first experience on a Universal film. “I even liked the way it was presented. The cover of the script read ‘ The Deer Hunter ,’ and it was a character against a white Cadillac with a deer strapped on to the hood, and he had a shotgun hung over his arm. And I felt it would have been great for the actual poster of the movie instead of the more complicated kind of poster that I didn’t think worked very well.” (Apatow later chimed in: “When The Deer Hunter came out, I was 10 years old. We had the VHS of it, I watched it, and that’s how I became this.”) Neither Apatow nor Universal are about to apologize for Funny People Fleming asked Apatow about the tonal change of pace — and commercial downshift of fortune — that the director experienced with his 2009 film. “I think it’s important for people to make movies that are deeply personal,” Apatow said. “I think you have to be willing to push it, and when you do things that are intimate, there are some people who are like, ‘I was at work all day today, and I don’t give a shit what you’re upset about in your life.’ And there are the people who really want to feel other emotions than just pain or watching the bad guy get beaten. So you’re always going into more difficult territory when the move isn’t about making you happy, but it’s about why comedians are in pain — much like…” Apatow turned to De Niro and paused for dramatic effect. ” The King of Comedy . I’m bringing you into it!” Fleming followed up by asking Apatow what the conversations with Universal were like as the film came together as the challenging piece it was. “In all honesty,” Apatow said, “they loved the movie and were supportive through the entire creative process and when it came out. It’s been an amazing experience for me working with them. They want me to grow and get better at what I do, and part of that is for me to take risks and try new things. And it was never weird. I’ve had weird. I’ve been on planes coming back from the test screening of The Cable Guy . I know what it’s like when people are like, ‘Oh my God. What are we going to do?’ I’m like, ‘It’s great , isn’t it?'” The Bridesmaids sequel is still in limbo “You know, I don’t know,” Apatow said when asked about the status of a follow-up to last year’s Oscar-nominated blockbuster, which he produced. “It took five years to make it; I think there’s some exhaustion from having made it. I think down the line we’ll see if people are reinvigorated to want do it or not. I would like to see a sequel to…” Again, Apatow faced De Niro and hesitated. ” The Deer Hunter .” The Midnight Run sequel may be writing around Charles Grodin The development of the recently announced Midnight Run 2 was thought to hinge heavily on the participation of Grodin, who brilliantly played De Niro’s foil in the 1987 comedy classic. But to hear De Niro tell it, the writers might have an answer for that. “Somebody had approached me — a young writer — and he had said how much he liked it. And he said, ‘What about writing a sequel if you want?’ I said, ‘Fine, sure.’ So it’s been going through these kind of changes. [… De iro’s character Jack Walsh] is helping the son of Charles Grodin. He’s gotten himself in trouble. That’s where we are. The script is being reworked again. But I hope to do it. It was a lot of fun to do.” De Niro always had a feeling he could do comedy Asked about how he transitioned to comic roles from his celebrated dramatic roles of the ’70s, De Niro cited those very same roles as his comedic inspiration. “You know, Taxi Driver had a few funny things in it. Mean Streets , King of Comedy … They weren’t obvious ‘comedies,’ but they were funny. The comedy was out of situations, the irony or whatever.” ” Goodfellas is hilarious!” Apatow half-joked. “I saw it in the movie theater and it just rocked the house!” “Joe Pesci’s scene with Ray Liotta is a hysterical scene, yeah,” De Niro said. ” Analyze This came from Billy Crystal, who had the idea. Billy had a script and thought it’d be fun if I did that. And somebody tod me about it but said they didn’t know. I said, ‘No, it sounds interesting. Let me see. Let’s get together and talk about it. And then we had a reading of it and so on, and figured it out. But I never had a problem thinking I could be funny — especially that kind of character, since he’s bigger than life anyway.” Apatow is all for seeing movies on your phone Surprised? Don’t be: “Anything that allows me to watch a film while going to the bathroom is awesome.” De Niro isn’t totally averse to Raging Bull 2 ” I don’t know about it,” he said to a laugh from the crowd. “I mean… Maybe if it’s a great, great script? Have you read it?” “It’s great,” Fleming said. “Oh,” De Niro replied, tongue mostly in cheek. “Then I’d consider it. Sure.” Apatow’s only acting experience is a… Jack in the Box commercial Asked if he would consider starring in a film, Apatow didn’t hesitate. “I am a bad actor,” he said. “I learned that in a Jack in the Box commercial when I was 20. I was reading the lines, which were about how good the burger was, and I kept pointing to it. I couldn’t stop pointing . And the director of the commercial taped my hands to my legs, and I never acted again.” “But he did hire you?” De Niro asked. “Yes, I got work from here up,” Apatow said, waving his hand above his neck. “Well, that’ll give you something,” De Niro said. “If I was in it for his own amusement, it would have been like a scene from Fame .” Pronto! Someone get it on YouTube! Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here . Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
