Tivo & Netflix partnership makes foreign film watching easy, even in Fort Worth

So I found a solution to finding foreign films no matter where you live. Through a partnership, you can instantly watch many Netlflix films on your Tivo. (Blockbuster just announced a similar arrangement, but I don't know the details.)

I also found out through Tivo that you can watch You Tube films on your TV. The quality is not so hot, but you can get access to a lot of films that just aren't available.

During the planning for the Lone Star International Film Festival two years ago, I was trying to get "Kala: Dead Time" as the representative from Indonesia. We never came to terms, and I could never get a screener or view the film. But this week I found in on You Tube and finally go to watch it. Cool film and would have been great to premiere in Fort Worth.

On Netflix I recently watched "Without the King," "The Counterfeiters" and "Rape of Europa".

"Without the King" gives an interesting perspective on the lives of folks in Swaziland. I don't have any idea how accurate it is.

"Rape of Europa" is a great documentary about theft of artwork across Europe during World War II. It's amazing the lengths people went to to save art from theft and destruction. Check it out.

Asian Film Awards

The Japanese film "Tokyo Sonata" won the top award and best screenwriting at the third annual Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong. 

Masahiro Motoki" Masahiro Motoki won the best actor award for his work in "Departures," which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film last month. Director Hirokazu Koreeda Hirokazu Kore-eda was honored for his work on "Still Walking." 

Other Best Picture nominees were Chen Kaige's Peking Opera film "Forever Enthralled," Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's "Ponyo on the Cliff," Director John Woo's Chinese historical epic "Red Cliff" and Indonesia's "The Rainbow Troops."  

"Rainbow Troops" (Laskar pelangi) premiered at Berlinale in the Panorama division. "Departures" won nine Awards of the Japanese Academy in addition to the Oscar. The animated "Ponyo on the Cliff (Gake no ue no Ponyo)" featured an all-star cast with the voices of Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin and Betty White.  "Forever Enthralled (Mei Lanfang)" lead actor Kaige Chen  was nominated for a Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Tivo/Netflix Revelations

So my foreign film watching has escalated ever since I found out you could instantly watch Netflix movies on Tivo.

You can start watching and pause and go on with your life and eventually get around to watching a full movie. Nice to know when you've got kids.

Here are a couple films I found.

Without the King (Swaziland) -- There aren't a lot of Swazi films out there.

My Brother is an Only Child (Italy) -- Still proud to say I brought this to Fort Worth for the film festival two years ago.

Paprika (Japan) -- Better on the big screen.

Kontroll (Hungary) -- Haven't been able to watch yet.

Academy Awards: Foreign Language Nominees Announced

Two of our Sister City countries received nominations for their film entries in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Germany's "Der Baader Meinhof Komplex" (The Baader Meinhof Complex) and Japan's "Okuribito

おくりびと" (Departures) received nominations. Other nominees were France's "Entre les murs" (The Class), Austria's "Revanche", and Israel's "Vals Im Bashir" (Waltz with Bashir).

"Waltz with Bashir" is playing in Dallas at the Angelika.

The rest, we'll have to wait to see.

Mexico submitted "Arrancame La Vida" (Tear This Heart Out). The film made the semifinals, but failed to make the final cut. Italy submitted "Gomorra". As far as I can tell Indonesia had no submission, which is sad because the country is one of only six to receive three or more nominations over the last decade. Controversy has plagued the Indonesia film selection process over the last couple of years.

Academy Award Update

Submissions for Best Foreign Film are due to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scienes by Oct. 1.

So far 21 submissions have been announced and the submissions from three of our seven Sister City countries are in.

Germany has submitted “The Baader Meinhof Complex” (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) directed by Uli Edel. The film stars

Hungary has submitted “Iska’s Journey” (Iszka utazása) directed by Csaba Bollók.

Japan has submitted “Departures” (Okuribito)directed by Yojiro Takita. 

Mexico is considering 11 films to represent the country: Arrancame La Vida, Cochochi, Cumbia Callera, Déficit, Dos Abrazos, El Viaje de la Nonna, Familia Tortuga, La Zona, Lake Tahoe (film), Partes Usadas and Quemar Las Naves.

AMPAS awards the Best Foreign Language Film to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue. The diaglog, however, does not have to be the native language of that country. An AMPAS committee reviews submissions and generally narrows the list of submissions by late fall. Then nominees will be announced Jan. 22, 2009, with the winner announced at the Feb. 22 awards ceremony in Hollywood.

 

Edge of Heaven in Center of Dallas

Fatih Akin's Lola Award-winning film has rolled into Dallas at the Angelika. The film was Germany's nominee for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, edging out one of my favorites of 2008 -- "Four Minutes." 

I haven't seen "Edge" but Star-Telegram film critic Christopher Kelley told me at the time that this was a film worthy of accolades. 

Akin is no stranger to the award circuit. "Edge of Heaven" received the best screenplay award at Cannes 2007 and he previously was recognized at Cannes for his film "Head-On."

So head on over to the Angelika this weekend and check out Akin's latest.

Trailer

Edge of Heaven 

Directed by : Fatih Akin

From the director of Head-On andCrossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul.

Nejat initially disapproves of his widower father Ali`s choice of prostitute Yeter for a live-in girlfriend. But the young professor warms to her when he learns that most of her hard-earned money is sent home to Turkey for her daughter’s university studies. After Yeter`s accidental death, Nejat travels to Istanbul to search for Yeter`s daughter Ayten. Political activist Ayten has fled the Turkish police and is already in Germany. She is befriended by a young woman, Lotte, who invites rebellious Ayten to stay in her home, much to the displeasure of her conservative mother, Susanne. When Ayten is arrested and her asylum plea denied, she is deported and imprisoned in Turkey. Passionate Lotte abandons everything to help Ayten. A tragic event brings Susanne to Istanbul to help fulfill her daughter`s mission.

Winner – Best Screenplay Award, Cannes Film Festival 2007.
Winner – Best Screenplay Award, European Film Awards 2007.
Winner – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing 2008 German Film Awards (LOLA)

Hungary Wins Tax Breaks

Last year I wrote a lot about Hungary's efforts to pass tax breaks for film production and the impact it would have on the booming studio business, particularly in Budapest.

Well those breaks passed the final hurdle recently with EU approval.

John Nadler's article in Variety gives the full story.

Tax breaks set stage for Hungary
Local industry to benefit from ECC approval
by John Nadler

BUDAPEST -- After months of uncertainty the Hungarian film industry
breathed a sigh of relief following a recent European Commission (EC)
decision to approve its tax-incentive program.
Industry insiders admit there was concern the EC might not ratify an
amended Hungarian Film Law passed in June because of its tax scheme.


But Brussels surprised Hungarian producers by ratifying the 20% rebate
contained in the original law, and ordering Budapest to extend tax
incentives to include costs incurred by productions while shooting outside
Hungary.


"Frankly, I think the new scheme is an improvement," says Andras Simonyi,
chairman of Korda Filmstudio, Hungary's largest studio complex, located
just west of Budapest. "In this competitive world, the expanded incentives
(of national and foreign tax deductions) are a good combination."