Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Festival of German Films

I had a quick look at the films screening at this year's Festival of German Films, and two titles stood out straight away: Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon and Fatih Akin's Soul Kitchen. I saw The White Ribbon at MIFF last year and have been wondering when this magnificent film will get a release. I'm a big fan of Haneke and The White Ribbon is perhaps his most mature and complex film to date. It looks like cinephiles will have another opportunity to see it before a still unconfirmed theatrical release.

Fatih Akin is one of my favourite German directors. I only discovered him with The Edge of Heaven, which had me in tears multiple times. In fact my 9 year old son also loved it and it had him in tears, too, to my surprise. Soul Kitchen has a confirmed release date of 6 May, just after the end of the festival.

[Edit: it now looks like The White Ribbon also has a 6 May theatrical release]

6 comments:

dmk said...

Paul, did you know that Greenberg screened at the Nova last weekend?

Did you know beforehand, I mean?

Paul Martin said...

Dmk (can I use your given name here?), I briefly read the Nova newsletter which only said:

A Serious Double Feature: Ben Stiller in Noah Baumbach's new comedy Greenberg & the Coen Bros. Oscar-nominated A Serious Man screen next weekend.

It makes no mention that it's a one-of screening (I've just ascertained that it's not on any distribution schedules - even as unconfirmed) and it doesn't even mention the time of the double screening. Very odd indeed, methinks.

So, while I noticed the screening, I thought nothing of it. I think I presumed that it would be screening soon and while I liked The Squid and the Whale more than most people I know, I don't think that much of Baumbach* to have worried too much about it. Should I have?

* I was underwhelmed by Margot at the Wedding.

Paul Martin said...

Update: apparently Greenberg is being released by Universal on 27 May.

dmk said...

Yeah, no I missed the screening for I was just not aware of the event, yourmovies.com.au which is a fairly reliable source for local screenings just didn't include it, and I only found out a couple days ago about it, I guess I’m kinda bummed out, I was a big admirer of his last two films, which were quite audacious with their candid bleakness, not for everyone but definitely something we should be supporting, especially from a Hollywood studio. From what I hear, Greenberg is similarly constructed.

The reason I asked if you knew of the screening is that I usually I hear this kind of news from you, so I guess I’m just looking for someone to blame. ;) Still, this was quite an advance screening, it being released in two months, shame we missed it.

Have a nice Easter, and yeah, Derek's fine here.

Paul Martin said...

I give the Nova newsletter a really brief lookover to see if there's anything I should take note of, especially special events, which they have a lot of. As posted above, there was SFA about this film. I remember thinking at the time that a double screening (for the cost of one, from memory) AND including A Serious Man is pretty good value. But, you know, there's so much on for me right now. Festivals are much more a focus because of the one-of screenings and because of the opportunity to see films off the beaten track.

Nova simply didn't market that event sufficiently, evidenced by the fact that it didn't show up in YourMovies.

dmk said...

I've since seen Greenberg - Nova is screening the double again this week - and while I'm not sure if you'll like it - there's a lot of candor, Stiller's character is entirely unlikeable, it can be frustrating to sit through - it doesn't alienate viewers as much as Margot, you get time to breathe a little, and the Greta Gerwig creation is really something special.

Check it out and see, there's a lot to absorb out of it.