The following is a text excerpt from the site of Human Rights in Ukraine:

In a wonderful show of solidarity, members of the Polish Film Academy have called on Russia to release Crimean film director Oleg Sentsov and have promised not to abandon their Ukrainian colleague.  As can be seen from the photos, all those present at the Academy’s Orły 2015 award ceremony on March 3 were invited to raise placards reading ‘Jestem OLEG SENTSOV’ [Je suis Oleg Sentsov, after the original act of solidarity with Charlie Hebdo). 

The announcement on the Polska Akademia Filmowa [PAF] website explains that they are continuing their action “in support for Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian film director imprisoned in Moscow for his protest against Crimean annexation.”

Oleg Sentsov’s letter to Agnieszkka Holland in response to joint protests with other European film directors, actors, etc. is cited.  He wrote:   

“I am sincerely grateful to all the film people who support me, and I particularly thank Poles who are helping Ukraine at this difficult time, and who are proving to be real brothers.”

Read more on:

http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1425416069

Yesterday Guardian brought an article on the official Russian film political line for 2015. It was taken from “The Calvert Journal” that is (taken from its site) … a daily briefing on the culture and creativity of modern Russia. From art and film to architecture and design, avant-garde Russian culture has helped shape our view of modern life. But as a consequence of its difficult politics and history, contemporary Russia still remains unfamiliar territory to many… (Photo: The Calvert Journal brought an article on Michael Glawogger’s cinematic ode to the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg – a part of the Cathedrals of Culture series, which became the last film of Glawogger.) 

And from the article of yesterday: Russia’s ministry of culture has released a list of approved themes for films which will be financially supported by the state in 2015:

1. Inspirational success stories (including in industries, entrepreneurial business and social work)

2. Crimea and Ukraine in the thousand-year history of the Russian state

3. The military glory of Russia: winning and winners

4. References to movies: the new life of the classics

5. Modern heroes in the fight against crime and corruption

6. A society without borders: the self-realisation of people with disabilities

7. Anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of the events of 1917, the 25th anniversary of the August 1991 coup

8. Family values as the foundation of society

9. Russia — a multiethnic country

OMG…

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/russia-list-state-approved-themes-film-industry-ukraine?CMP=share_btn_fb

http://calvertjournal.com/about

The Danish film critics yearly ceremony took place last night and Joshua Oppenheimer, director and Signe Byrge, producer were on stage to get the statuette, named after the two important actresses in Danish cinema Bodil Kjer and Bodil Ipsen, an award established in 1948. The statuette is of porcelain, designed by Ebbe Sadolin, sculpted by Svend Jespersen for Bing & Grøndahl, porcelain manufacturer. The motivation speech went like this:

“Dear Joshua. Back in 2012 you blew us away with your thought provoking, original and absolutely brilliant film “The Act of Killing” You had just moved to Denmark to work with Signe Byrge and Final Cut for Real, and we were regrettably not able to award you the prize for Best Danish Documentary – so we awarded you the special Bodil instead. We simply had to give you something back for all that you had given us. This time, with “The Look of Silence”, we insist on claiming you as one of us. As a most welcome addition to the Danish film society. Thank you for that, and thank you, most of all, for “The Look of Silence”, an amazingly brave and at the same time harsh and loving follow-up to “The Act of Killing”, in which you give the victims a much needed voice and allow us viewers an unprecedented access into the events of 1965 and into the minds and lives of the people involved on both sides – killers and victims. Your film makes us feel, it makes us think, it opens our eyes to the world. For that we thank you”.

And the acceptance speech by Oppenheimer like this: “Fifty years ago this year, the Indonesian genocide began, and in one terrible, important way it has never ended: the perpetrators still hold power throughout the country, and many people in Indonesia remain afraid. Just last week, two hundred elderly survivors were attacked by thugs as they tried to meet and commemorate the atrocities. Despite how much still remains to be done, I am proud that our two films, The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence, have helped trigger a national debate about this terrible history where once there was only silence. This would not be possible without many wonderful people, including my wonderful producer, Signe Byrge Sørensen, my family, my beloved partner, without whom I could not do anything in life, my fantastic Danish crew, our anonymous Indonesian crew, who risked their safety to create these two films and bring them out safely and widely in Indonesia. And above all, the courageous, wise, and loving protagonist of The Look of Silence: my friend Adi Rukun, and his wonderful family. This prize is for all of you, to whom I say tusind, tusind tak, terima kasih sebesar-besarnya.”

At the Magnificent7 Festival in Belgrade two weeks ago I had the pleasure to make a short class about football documentaries. I did so as a follow-up to the showing of “Messi” by Alexis de la Iglesia, enjoyed by more than a thousand spectators at the festival. I brought along clips from Ramón Gieling’s “Johan Cruyff – en un momento dando”, “Michael Laudrup” by Jørgen Leth, “Zidane” by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Pareno and Támas Almási’s “Puskás Hungary“.

Some days ago I received a link from director and producer Tibor Kocsis to watch his new film that is a wonderful, emotional tribute to the three Hungarian football players, who played for Barcelona: Kubala (1951-61, 1961-63, 1980 as coach), Sándor Péter Kocsis (1958-1965) and Zoltán Czibor (1958-1961). PHOTO: Kubala in the middle, Kocsis left, Czibor right.

The film is built around interviews with the sons and friends of the three and team mates still alive, with a lot of clips from matches, black and white of course, goals and goals, although before the tv times we have today still enough material to understand how great players they were. And generous personalities, not to forget, as the former controversial President of the club, Núnez, so beautifully phrases it. And Luis Suarez, no not the one who plays in the club now, famous for his bite, but the one I remember when I started watching football, the playmaker, who played for the club 1954-1961. What a player, who talks so well about his close friend Kocsis.

Yes, Tibor Kocsis has made his research and he has found the right persons to tell us about the three, especially Kubala, who left Hungary after ww2, whereas Kocsis and Czibor – as Puskas who went to Real Madrid – came to the West after Soviet invasion in 1956. There is nothing like old football players, who remember, and do so with warm emotions. Three personal stories, very different, tragic when it comes to the best header ever, Kocsis, who died so young. There are in the film amazing clips with him showing how he trained to score with the head. Ronaldo must have seen those clips!

Again (as in the film about Puskas) we are told about the golden team that Hungary had, the team that beat England 6-3 on Wembley in 1953 and went on to win everything – and then lost the match against Germany in 1954. In Bern. In other words, Kocsis integrates the political with the football history. An obvious choice.

A scoop, however, and the one who makes the strongest impression, is Hungarian radio reporter of all the big matches, György Szepesi, who was close to the players and is able to characterise the players: Kubala, the blond miracle, Kocsis, the conductor (Xavi of today, my comment) and Czibor, the crazy bird. The one who returned to live in Hungary.

Ahhh, football – and Visca Barca!

Hungary, 2014, 84 mins.

In its important tour around the world, to festivals but also to a theatrical release in some countries, the film by Wiam Simav Bedirxan and Ossama Mohammed was at the Istanbul Independent International Festival to get a big award. The jury said:

″In the spirit of the mission statement of the festival, we the jury of the Love and Change section, acknowledges that the world is hurting, and that it is the responsibility of civil societies to participate in positive change”. 

Of their unanimous decision to award the film the $10.000 prize, they said: ″The film that the jury felt most strongly about, is one that forces us to look oppression, torture, violence, despair and death directly in the face. It is bold and loud, yet poetic; it is intimate and yet collective. It is a timeless telling of people’s pursuit of freedom, as much as it is a timeless telling of governments’ failing in serving and protecting their people in the name of power and tyranny. ″

Receiving the award, an emotional Wiam Simav Bedirxan said: ″Maybe right now, I am receiving the award for this film, but this film is the story not of me, but all of humanity. ″

http://www.ifistanbul.com/en/index.asp

http://www.proactionfilm.com/