MIFF 2008 Films With a Release

[Update 24/7/08: I've noticed that Waltz With Bashir is on Cinema Nova's Coming Soon schedule, so have amended list below accordingly. BTW, this is a title that looks very interesting and I had made a point to see it at the festival. My current list is running at 53 titles, and I'm trying to get it down to 40, so this is one title I've dropped from my list. I'll see it at the Nova in September... unless it screens from digiBeta or DVD... I better check].

[Update 30/7/08: As informed by Syms, Men's Group is getting a release. Cinema Nova have confirmed that Waltz With Bashir will screen from a 35mm print].

[Update 11/8/08]: Aztec have confirmed that O' Horten will get a release, probably early 2009, so that they can capitalise on the press coverage from the film's release in the US. This is a great little film, by the director of Factotum, and I highly recommend it.

[Update 11/8/08]: Kino Cinema has confirmed that Sukiyaki Western Django will screen there from 4/9/08, ahead of its DVD release on 16/10/08 (thanks John for the tip).

As promised, I've compiled a list of films screening at MIFF that are expected to get a local release. These can be divided into several categories:

• Films with a confirmed theatrical release date
  
• Films with a confirmed DVD-only release date
• Films attached to a distributor, but it's unclear what release, if any, will be given
  

Anything with a confirmed release date you can be reasonably sure will be released, even though sometimes dates change. Sometimes a film slated for release is inexplicably withdrawn. Anyway, the point of the list is not to be prescriptive but to arm you with a little knowledge to assist in the decision-making process. For me, if there's two conflicting films and one is likely to get a release, I'd rather see the one that won't be seen beyond the festival.

If anyone has any further info on any of these releases, please post or otherwise let me know and I'll update the details.

Films with a confirmed theatrical release date: (title, director, distributor, classification if known and expected release date).

• The Bank Job (Roger Donaldson, Paramount, 31/7/08)
  
• The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy, Rialto, 14/8/08)
• Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? (Morgan Spurlock, Icon, 14/8/08)
• Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud, Roadshow, 21/8/08)
• Son of a Lion (Benjamin Gilmour, Gil Saine, PG, 21/8/08)
• Not Quite Hollywood (Mark Hartley, Madman, 28/8/08)
• In Bruges (Martin McDonagh, Icon, 4/9/08)
• Son of Rambow (Garth Jennings, Paramount, 4/9/08)
• Welcome to the Sticks (Dany Boon, Hopscotch, 4/9/08)
• Sukiyaki Western Django (Takashi Miike, Hopscotch, 4/9/08 at Kino, DVD on 16/10/08)
• Empties (Jan Sverák, Icon, M, 6/9/08)
• Funny Games (Michael Haneke, Madman, 11/9/08)
• Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman, Sharmill, MA, 11/9/08)
• Caramel (Nadine Labaki, Hopscotch, M, 18/9/08)
• Hunger (Steve McQueen, Icon, 18/9/08)
• Men's Group (Michael Joy, Titan View, 18/9/08)
  
• Fighter (Natasha Arthy, Hopscotch, 9/10/08)
• Lemon Tree (Eran Riklis, Potential, 9/10/08)
• Man on Wire (James Marsh, Madman, 16/10/08)
• Young@Heart (Stephen Walker, Rialto, 16/10/08)
• Strangers (Guy Nattiv, Madman, 13/11/08)
• Evangelion - 1.0 You Are Not Alone (Masayuki Kazuya Tsurumaki, Rialto, 11/12/08)
• Celebrity: Dominick Dunne (Kirsty de Garis, Kojo, 30/6/05)
• Donkey Punch (Olly Blackburn, Madman, early 2009)
• O' Horten (Bent Hamer, Aztec, early 2009)
• A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (Chris Waitt, Madman, Feb/Mar 2009)
  

Films with a confirmed DVD-only release date:

• The Wackness (Jonathan Levine, Madman, Undated 2008)
• Salt of This Sea (Eran Riklis, Potential, DVD (if at all))
• Sukiyaki Western Django (Takashi Miike, Hopscotch, DVD, 16/10/08)
• Global Metal (Sam Dunn, Hopscotch, DVD, 4/9/08)

Films attached to a distributor. They may get a theatrical or DVD release or neither.

• Bob Marley: Freedom Road (Sonia Anderson, Rialto)
• Boy A (John Crowley, Roadshow)
• Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (Hana Makhmalbaf, Hopscotch)
• CSNY Déjà Vu (Bernard Shakey, Madman)
• DaiNipponjin (Hitoshi Matsumoto, ?)
• Derek (Isaac Julien, Madman)
• Diary of the Dead (George A. Romero, Madman)
• The Drummer (Kenneth Bi, Rialto)
• The English Surgeon (Geoffrey Smith, Madman)
• Frozen River (Courtney Hunt, Sony)
• Gardens of the Night (Damian Harris, Kojo)
• Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Alex Gibney, Madman)
• The Guitar (Amy Redford, Kojo)
• Inside (Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo, Roadshow)
• It's a Free World (Ken Loach, Roadshow)
• Jar City (Baltasa Kormákur, Madman)
• Kate Bush: Under Review (?, Umbrella)
• Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, Rialto)
• Lionel (Edward Martin, Siren)
• Lorna's Silence (Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Madman)
• Lou Reed's Berlin (Julian Schnabel, Madman)
• My Winnipeg (Guy Maddin, Madman)
• Otto; Or, Up with Dead People (Bruce La Bruce, Kojo)
• Pete Seeger: The Power of Song (Jim Brown, Roadshow)
• Planet B-Boy (Benson Lee, Madman)
• Rain of the Children (Vincent Ward, Rialto)
• Redacted (Brian De Palma, Madman)
• Rock n Roll Nerd (Rhian Skirving, Madman)
• Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (Marina Zenovich, Roadshow)
• Salvation (Paul Cox, Hopscotch)
• Silent Light (Carlos Reygadas, Kojo)
• Somers Town (Shane Meadows, Madman)
• The Story of Richard O (Damien Odoul, Kojo)
• Terror's Advocate (Barbet Schroeder, Hopscotch)
• Three Monkeys (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Accent)
• Trumbo (Peter Askin, ?)
• The Wave (Dennis Gansel, Madman)
• Wendy and Lucy (Kelly Reichardt, Potential)
• Wonderful Town (Aditya Assarat, Aztec)
• [REC.] (Jaume Balaguero, Rialto)

How this list was compiled: first, several titles have already been slated for release by local distributors and the dates have been published. Next, a scan of each film's info provided by MIFF reveals the respective distributor. I have contacted each distributor for confirmation of release details. So far I have received responses from Potential, Accent, Sony, Paramount, Hopscotch, Icon, Kojo and Rialto. I am still awaiting responses from Gil Saine, Madman, Palace, Roadshow and Sharmill.