Apply Here for Film Funding

The Global Film Initiative is seeking applicants for the fall feature-film cycle of grants. The GFI, an U.S.-based non-profit, awards grants twice a year to filmmakers whose works “exhibit artistic excellence, authentic self-representation and accomplished storytelling, while contributing to the development of local film industries and offering audiences a variety of cultural perspectives on daily life around the world.”
Grants of up to $10,000 for each applicant are available in this cycle. Application deadline is Sept. 30, 2007.
The Global Film Initiative accepts grant applications from countries in the following regions: Latin America, The Caribbean, Africa, The Middle East, Asia (excluding Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
Of Love and Eggs (Rindu kami padamu), directed by Garin Nugroho of Indonesia, was a recent recipient and is currently showing around the country.
For Applications & Guidelines, please visit:www.globalfilm.org/granting.htm.

This Just In: New DVDs

The Taste of Tea (Cha No Aji), 2004, directed by Katsuhito Ishii – Japan
Director Katsuhito Ishii's whimsical episodic tale chronicles a summer in the lives of the quirky Haruno clan, who passes the unhurried days trying to realize their ambitions. As Mom (Satomi Tezuka) attempts to revive her career, her hypnotherapist hubby (Tomokazu Miura) practices on the family. Meanwhile, their pubescent son (Takahiro Sato) feels the pangs of love, and their 6-year-old daughter (Maya Banno) grapples with a pesky dopplegänger.

Look to the Sky (Jon ache Visse Nella Balena), 1993, directed by Roberto Faenza – Germany/Italy
A Jewish boy struggles to survive when he and his parents are thrown into a German concentration camp during World War II in this touching drama that explores the Holocaust from the perspective of a young Dutch child. As Jona (played by Luke Petterson and Jenner Del Vecchio) grows up in the midst of horror, he tries to retain his humanity by clinging to his family and to his fading memories of a world where kindness is not a rarity.

Sodom the Killer (Sodomu no Ichi), 2004, directed by Hiroshi Takahashi, Japan
When his bride dies during the wedding, Lord Sodomu Ichibei kills two innocent girls in a vengeful rampage. Fast-forward 300 years to the present-day wedding of Ichibei's descendant Sodomu Ichiro, who will pay dearly for his ancestor's sins. The ghosts of Ichibei's victims return in unexpected places, prompting a matrimonial massacre that will drive Ichiro to unprecedented depths of despair and wrath. Takashi Urai plays both Sodomu men.

Mexico Pursues Major Studios

The Mexican national film institute has dissolved Conafilm – the National Film Commission – and created a new office for promoting Mexican films and developing addtional world-class studios.

A new division of the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografia (Imcine) has been created to provide logistical aid to foreign and domestic producers and will manage a catalog of local film service providers and a photo bank of locations, provide consulting services and act as a liaison with local governments, according to Variety’s Michael O’Boyle.

The Mexican Film Union last year were unhappy with Conafilm’s management and apparently political pressure led to it's elimination.

Imcine is charged with developing the country’s infrastructure and creating new studio facilities within a few years. The country’s film industry relies on Estudios Churubusco Azteca in Mexico City – the only major facility in Mexico – for Hollywood-style productions such as William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.

Evening out?

Evening comes out this weekend, and it scares me.
It looks so good in the trailers and advertisements. It’s got an incredible cast of the best actresses. And it’s directed by Hungarian Lajos Koltai.
Stars include: Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson, Meryl Streep and Glenn Close.
That’s what scares me. Everytime I see ads for a movie with that many top-notch folks working on a movie, it’s guaranteed to be terrible.
Examples: Gangs of New York and The Score.
Gangs was even nominated for an Academy Award – Sheesh! Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz and Leo DiCaprio all directed by Martin Scorsese. My wife and I actually booed afterward.
The Score stole $15 from my wallet. Robert De Niro, Ed Norton, Angela Bassett and Marlon Brando. It was completely unintelligible.
So, I’ll go to see Evening, but I’ll be picking out from behind my hands.
What are the worst movies you’ve seen that appeared to have amazing promise? Any of you regulars have a comment? Margaret, Leo, Heather, Lisa Gail, Beth, Joe?

This Just In: DVD Releases

Chased (Perseguido), 1993, Mexico
After witnessing a murder, a teenage skateboarder becomes the target of a merciless gang. The thugs chase the boy all over town in an attempt to silence him forever, but somehow he keeps dodging their increasingly ridiculous schemes. Starring Roberto Trujillo, Nelly Godoy and Hernán Casariego, Leopoldo Laborde's comedy gives a nod to filmmaker Juan Orol (the Ed Wood of Mexican film).

A Good Death Beats a Dull Life (Hijas de Su Madre: Las Buenrostro), 2005, directed by Busi Cortés, Mexico
In the Buenenrostros family, the women are in charge. Facing life in their Mexico City apartment complex with romance and laughter, along with a little death, they interrupt their clandestine business deals only for the occasional love triangle. It's a good thing the neighbors are on their side. Pilar Ixquic Mata, Lumi Cavazos, Marta Zamora and Jesús Ochoa star in this wickedly dark comedy from director Busi Cortés.

A Dedicated Life (Zenshin Shosetsuka), 1994, directed by Kazou Hara, Japan
Venerated filmmaker Kazou Hara trains his lens on author Mitsuharu Inoue -- whose sociopolitical novel Chi No Mure earned high praise from literary critics -- in this compelling documentary filmed as he copes with terminal cancer. From Inoue's communist beliefs to his controversial works, Hara paints a double-edged portrait of a maverick writer admired by students and peers -- who was also a brazen liar and shameless skirt chaser.

Child Murders (Gyerekgyilkosságok), 1993, Hungary
Set in Budapest, this drama reveals the emotional and physical abuse endured by children including motherless Zsolt (Barnabás Tóth), who is the sole caretaker of his ill grandmother. For better and worse, Zsolt's entire world changes when he helps a gypsy woman. Co-starring Mari Balogh, Ildikó Szabó's stark black-and-white drama earned the Fipresci Prize at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.

Frankenstein Conquers the World (Frankenstein vs. Baragon), 1965, directed by Ishirô Honda, Japan
Wrongly accused of destroying the countryside, a 20-foot-tall mutant dukes it out with the true culprit -- the giant reptile Baragon -- in this classic 1964 Japanese monster movie from Ishirô Honda, director of the original Godzilla. When Frankenstein's heart gets a dose of radiation from the Hiroshima bomb, the organ grows into a giant monster-boy destined to battle nasty Baragon.

The Law and the Fist (Prawo I Piesc), 1964, directed by Jerzy Hoffman, German
At the end of World War II, a group of Poles move to what was once German-occupied territory and must defend their rights and property from opportunistic villains disguised as officials in this modern drama with a classic Western story line. In the end, a lone hero steps up to run the bad guys out of town and save the day. Filmmaker Jerzy Hoffman's drama stars Gustaw Holoubek, Wieslaw Golas and Zofia Mrozowska.

Paprika Showing, Free to New Members!

Join FWSCI Filmies for a showing of the Japanese anime film Paprika at 6 p.m., Friday, July 13, at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Tickets are $7 for adults and can be purchased through FWSCI offices at

New Members Attend Free
Anyone joining FWSCI through Filmies between now and July 13 will receive a free ticket to the movie.
Click here to join FWSCI online or here by mail. Remember to write/type Filmies in the “Recruited by” blank.

Reservations
For reservations, email Felecia Bouyer at felecia@fwsistercities.org or call 817.392.2650

Paprika
Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a genius scientist by day, and a dream warrior named PAPRIKA by night. In this psychedelic sci-fi adventure, it will take the skills of both women to save the world...
In the near future, a revolutionary new psychotherapy treatment called PT has been invented. Through a device called the “DC Mini” it is able to act as a “dream detective” to enter into people’s dreams and explore their unconscious thoughts. Before the government can pass a bill authorizing the use of such advanced psychiatric technology, one of the prototypes is stolen, sending the research facility into an uproar.
In the wrong hands, the potential misuse of the devise could be devastating, allowing the user to completely annihilate a dreamer’s personality while they are asleep.
Renowned scientist, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, enters the dream world under her exotic alter-ego, code name “PAPRIKA,” in an attempt to discover who is behind the plot to undermine the new invention.
Paprika was directed by Satoshi Kon and is based on the literary works of Yasutaka Tsutsui. The film was an Official Selection of the New York Film Festival. The film opened in New York on May 25 and Los Angeles on June 1.

Hungary & Korda Studio Get Raves

The opening of Korda Film Studio in Budapest at a former military installation is wowing Hollywood and the film world.

Variety touts the operation as top of the line. And with the opening late last year of the Stern Studio Film Studio and Media Center in Pomaz, north of Budapest, Hungary is attracting attention.

Now, California-based Raleigh Studios is opening of an office in Hungary offering production services. The studios offer local crews and craft, facilities and English-speaking keys, plus 24/7 connection to its North American operations.

Korda is currently host to Guiermo del Toro’s Hellboy II, which began shooting in early June.

Caboodle, a Hungaran website reports:

"We are very proud that one of the world's largest studios and most famed directors who recently won three Oscars with his movie 'Pan's Labyrinth' have chosen the Sándor Korda Film Studio as shooting location for their new movie," said László Krisán, director of Korda Filmstúdió Kft.

The filmmakers are currently building the film's large sets and plan to begin shooting in June. The first "Hellboy" was released in 2004. "Hellboy 2" is expected to be released at the end of next summer.

The "Hellboy 2" production team will use the four studios, and storage and workshop centers that were completed at the Etyek studio for the first phase of the investment.

The second phase of the investment, including a 21-meter-high water studio for shooting underwater scenes, will be finished by December. It also will be possible to open one of the studio walls to incorporate the Etyek landscape into films. The total area of the studios will be 6,500 square meters and cost €91 million to build.

Krisán said the production will be carefully separated from ongoing construction so work on the film is not disturbed.

The studio also acts as a community liaison for filmmakers, providing assistance with accommodation, opportunities for recreation in the area, and finding available manpower.