Interview with Amir Manor for ‘Epilogue’ (2012). Amir Manor is an Israeli director who has made four short films ('Pouring Sun', 2006; 'Reds', 2007; 'Ruin', 2008; 'Lands', 2008) and one feature film, ‘Epilogue’ (2012), which screened in the international competition at the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The film won four awards at TIFF: Special Jury Award for Originality and Innovation, Best Screenplay Award, Human Values...

Director Richard Gray and screenwriter Michele Gray of 'The Lookalike' (2013) on set in New Orleans.   Crime drama ‘The Lookalike’ (2013) wrapped its fourth week of filming this week in New Orleans, Louisiana. While the set breaks for Christmas and New Years, filming will recommence in early January. The film has an air of magic about it, capturing the essence of organic New Orleans. Filmic jambalaya, this is Nola noir with an Australian accent. While reminiscent of ...

Nine foreign films out of seventy-five have been shortlisted for the 85th Academy Awards "Best Foreign Film" category. The list will be shortened to five and then only one will win the coveted Oscar.   The nine shortlisted films are: Austria, “Amour,” Michael Haneke, director; Canada, “War Witch,” Kim Nguyen, director; Chile, “No,” Pablo Larraín, director; Denmark, “A Royal Affair,” Nikolaj Arcel, director; France, &ldquo...

Interview with director Cristian Mungiu   Romanian director Cristian Mungiu is a prolific filmmaker with each of his feature films having held premiers at the Cannes Film Festival. His first feature ‘Occident’ (2002) screened in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes. He later won the Palme d’Or for his film ‘Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days’ (2007). His most recent film ‘Beyond the Hills’ (2012) was nominated for the Palme d’Or and won aw...

Interview with director Cristian Mungiu   Romanian director Cristian Mungiu is a prolific filmmaker with each of his feature films having held premiers at the Cannes Film Festival. His first feature ‘Occident’ (2002) screened in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes. He later won the Palme d’Or for his film ‘Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days’ (2007). His most recent film ‘Beyond the Hills’ (2012) was nominated for the Palme d’Or and won aw...

'A Month in Thailand' (2012) by writer/director Paul Negoescu ‘A Month In Thailand’ (2012) by writer/director Paul Negoescu screened in competition recently at the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The film depicts a grey Bucharest, Romania in the course of one night in the life of 'Radu' (played by actor Andrei Mateiu), a lost twenty-something who leaves his current girlfriend to go in search of his past one. In a world full of too many choices and endless possibilit...

'A Month in Thailand' (2012) by writer/director Paul Negoescu ‘A Month In Thailand’ (2012) by writer/director Paul Negoescu screened in competition recently at the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The film depicts a grey Bucharest, Romania in the course of one night in the life of 'Radu' (played by actor Andrei Mateiu), a lost twenty-something who leaves his current girlfriend to go in search of his past one. In a world full of too many choices and endless possibilit...

Interview with Vahid Vakilifar at 53rd TIFF. Persian filmmaker Vahid Vakilifar’s latest feature ‘Taboor’ (2012) ran in competition at the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival. This is his second feature; his first was ‘Gesher’ in 2010. As producer, screenwriter and director of ‘Taboor’, Vahid won a First Special Mention Award at TIFF. I interviewed him at the Electra Palace, Thessaloniki. Here is what he had to say.   ME: What does ‘Taboor&rsq...

Interview with Vahid Vakilifar at 53rd TIFF. Persian filmmaker Vahid Vakilifar’s latest feature ‘Taboor’ (2012) ran in competition at the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival. This is his second feature; his first was ‘Gesher’ in 2010. As producer, screenwriter and director of ‘Taboor’, Vahid won a First Special Mention Award at TIFF. I interviewed him at the Electra Palace, Thessaloniki. Here is what he had to say.   ME: What does ‘Taboor&rsq...

HOLY MOTORS (2012) premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and most recently opened the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival   HOLY MOTORS: Is it gratuitous shock-value pomp or high surrealistic cinematic genius? You decide… A swarthy dwarfish (though not a dwarf) Parisian, ‘Monsieur Oscar’ (played by Denis Lavant), lives for the night like some kind of vampire or ancient fiend feeding off humanity’s basest Chthonic nature. By day he is a loving f...

Aki Kaurismäki is best known for his oeuvre of films including: ‘Leningrad Cowboys Go America’ (1989), ‘The Man Without A Past’ (2002), which ran in competition at Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar in 2002, and his most recent film ‘Le Havre' (2011), which ran in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Aki Kaurismäki was honored for his life achievement at the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival. On the 6th November, ...

HOLY MOTORS (2012) premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and most recently opened the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival   HOLY MOTORS: Is it gratuitous shock-value pomp or high surrealistic cinematic genius? You decide… A swarthy dwarfish (though not a dwarf) Parisian, ‘Monsieur Oscar’ (played by Denis Lavant), lives for the night like some kind of vampire or ancient fiend feeding off humanity’s basest Chthonic nature. By day he is a loving f...

Aki Kaurismäki is best known for his oeuvre of films including: ‘Leningrad Cowboys Go America’ (1989), ‘The Man Without A Past’ (2002), which ran in competition at Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar in 2002, and his most recent film ‘Le Havre' (2011), which ran in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Aki Kaurismäki was honored for his life achievement at the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival. On the 6th November, ...

During the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival, beloved Greek director Costa-Gavras attended the Greek premier of his latest film ‘Capital’ (2012). The film focuses on the world’s current economic situation where big business and capital are partaking in a form of economic terrorism with many conglomerate corporations controlling much of the world’s wealth resulting in the crippling of whole national economies. Greece itself has felt the repercussions of this crises and glo...

During the 53rd Thessaloniki Film Festival, beloved Greek director Costa-Gavras attended the Greek premier of his latest film ‘Capital’ (2012). The film focuses on the world’s current economic situation where big business and capital are partaking in a form of economic terrorism with many conglomerate corporations controlling much of the world’s wealth resulting in the crippling of whole national economies. Greece itself has felt the repercussions of this crises and glo...

                              photo by Vanessa McMahon   Interview with Bahman Ghobadi During the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi was honored for his great oeuvre of films. Five of his films- ‘A Time for Drunken Horses’, 2000; ‘Turtles Can Fly’, 2004; ‘Half Moon’, 2006; ‘No One Knows About Persian Cats’,...

                              photo by Vanessa McMahon   Interview with Bahman Ghobadi During the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi was honored for his great oeuvre of films. Five of his films- ‘A Time for Drunken Horses’, 2000; ‘Turtles Can Fly’, 2004; ‘Half Moon’, 2006; ‘No One Knows About Persian Cats’,...

                              -OFFICIAL 53rd TIFF PRESS RELEASE- BAHMAN GHOBADI PRESS CONFERENCE 53rd TIFF   Iranian filmmaker of Kurdish ethnicity Bahman Ghobadi gave a press conference Sunday, November 4, 2012, in the context of the 53rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Festival director Dimitri Eipides attended. This year’s edition of the festival is hosting a tribute to the work...

The film ‘John Dies At the End’ (2012) screened at the 45th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival (October 4-14). ‘John Dies At the End’ won 3rd place for The People’s Choice Award at the 2012 TIFF’s Midnight Madness. The film’s veteran ‘fantastic’ director Don Coscarelli (‘Phantasm' saga; Bubba Ho-Tep, 2002) attended the Sitges screening of his latest film where he was awarded the Time Machine Award for his prestigious and inf...

    Interview with English/Turkish Cypriot actor Akin Gazi, the hot new face of BIG cinema ('The Devil's Double', 2011; 'Black Gold' 2011; and now 'Zero Dark Thirty', 2012). Look out for this up and coming mega talent. He has already been on the side of buses in Qatar... Will UK be next? Read our up close and personal interview below.   ME: How did you get into acting and when did you know that you want to act? AKIN: When I was a child I loved spending time in my imaginat...