Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Moscow, Belgium

Belgium 2008 Run Time: 102 min. Language: Dutch
Director: Christophe van Rompaey

Ordinary Matty has nothing but three kids to her name. She works at the post office, her husband has run off to the bedroom of one his students. At forty-three life is pretty hopeless.Then she gets in a fender-bender at the grocery story with twenty-nine year old Johnny. After some harsh words, Johnny finds himself enamored with Matty, who finds that she likes being wanted, and decides to take a chance on Johnny. A romance ensues just as the wandering husband comes home. Now Matty finds she is the center of attention. Matty must choose to settle back into the life she was leading or to break into something new and step into the unknown. This heart-felt movie is covered in subtle humor making the story like a well made meal.

Cast & Crew

Director:
Christophe Van Rompaey winner of 12 various film festival awards including such festival as Brussels International Film Festival and WorldFest Houston. The most recent win being Semaine de la critique in Cannes with “Moscow, Belgium”.

Writers: Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem,Pat van Beirs

Cast: Barbara Sarafian(8 ½ Women, CQ) , Jurgen Delnaet(Witse: De regel van drie TV SERIES), Johan Heldenbergh(Witse: Het Onbekenende lijk TV SERIES), and Anemone Valcke a burgeoning new star.

Producers: Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem also the writer of Moscow, Belgium has a number of films that he has both written and producer, namely A Perfect Match.

Music: Tuur Florizoone

Director of Photography: Ruben Impens

Awards and Quotes

"A pleasing alternative to the season's Oscar-baiting movies" V.A. Musetto, New York Post

"The steady attention to detail in Moscow, Belgium lends it a texture rarely found in films about domestic life" Stephen Holden, New York Times

"Packed with plenty of drama, laughs and sentimental charm" Jordan Mintzer, Variety






Monday, August 18, 2008

The Black Balloon

In Select Theaters October 2008

Australia 2008 Run time: 97 min.
Director: Elissa Down

When Thomas (Rhys Wakefield) and his family move to a new home and he has to start at a new school, all he wants is to fit in. When his pregnant mother (Toni Collette) has to take things easy, his father Simon (Erik Thomson) puts him in charge of his autistic older brother Charlie (Luke Ford).
Thomas, with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie (Gemma Ward), faces his biggest challenge yet. Charlie's unusual antics take Thomas on an emotional journey that causes his pent-up frustrations about his brother to pour out - in a story that is funny, confronting, and ultimately heart-warming.

The Black Balloon is a story about fitting in, discovering love and accepting your family.


Cast & Crew
Director:
Elissa Down
Writers: Elissa Down, Jimmy Jack
Cast: Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Toni Collette, Erik Thomson, Gemma Ward
Producers: Tristram Miall (producer of "Strictly Ballroom")
Composer: Michael Yezerski
Director of Photography: Denson Baker Acs
Editor: Veronica Jenet Ase
Casting Director: Nikki Barrett





Surviving Crooked Lake

In Select Theaters September 2008

Canada 2007 Run time: 87 min.
Director: Matthew Miller, Ezra Krybus, Sascha Drews

In this sensual, intense, indie feature drama, a quartet of teenage girls embark on a canoe-and-camping trip with a slightly older male guide in the endless wilderness of the Canadian Shield. His younger sister Steph – who is desperately afraid of the water – is one of the campers. Once the group is underway, romantic tensions erupt and disaster strikes, forcing the girls to face a gruelling and desperate trip back to civilization.

Shot in tight close-ups with a fluid camera that sees the landscape first as an embodiment of desire and second as a distortion of reality, Surviving Crooked Lake crackles with suspense and intrigue. It will leave you wondering about the mysteries of the adolescent heart and mind, the bonds of family, and to the looming influence of nature and landscape. Surviving Crooked Lake makes for an elemental example of the cinematic survival story, in the tradition of Deliverance and Open Water.

Cast & Crew
Directors: Matthew Miller, Ezra Krybus, Sascha Drews
Writers: Matthew Miller, Ezra Krybus, Sascha Drews
Cast: Alysha Aubin, Candice Mausner, Morgan McCunn, Stephannie Richardson & Guy Yarkoni

Producers: Jaty Tam, Matthew Miller, Nicholas D. Tabarrok
Composer: Original Score by Sascha Drews featuring "Red Canoe" licensed by Kat Goldman
Director of Photography: Sascha Drews & Ezra Krybus
Editor: Kathy Weinkauf