The Portuguese already had their earthquake and somehow managed to survive and rebuild most of Lisbon since 1755. Although there was a little tremor during the week (about two-and-a-half on the Svetoslav Richter scale, or however it is called when measuring how much the earth moved for you), the otherwise sunny city of Setubal, one of Portugal's most important port-resorts and home of the poet Bocage,manages to mount the 27th edition of the international film festival Festroia surmounting ma...
When a filmmaker draws on his own experience to the extent that Icelandic director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson has done in his wonderful memory film MAMMA GOGO, the intimacy of the revelations is almost disarmingly intimate. The prolific director, probably the best known from his native country and one of the most consistent in Scandinavia cinema, takes his audience on a personal journey as the film’s protagonist, a filmmaker himself, becomes immersed in the downward spiral of his mothe...
SUBMARINO (Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark)
Twelve of the best European films produced during the last year are competing for the main award of the 26th edition of FESTROIA. The prestigious Gold Dolphin will be determined by an international jury and announced on the final night of the Festival on June 12.
The film directors of the above films are a mix of newcomers to Portugal, as well as directors long admired here. Amongst the returnees are the Danish director Thomas Vinterbe...
by Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor
Each year, FESTROIA shines its spotlight on a different film producing country. This year, it is the turn of the Czech Republic, which has been at the forefront of international filmmaking since its celebrated heyday in the 1960s. One of its best known films of that era, CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS by Jiri Menzel was screened here on Sunday evening, with the 76-year-old director in attendance. A gentle satire on Czech life du...
MAMMOTH (Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal)
by Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor
The Golden Dolphin Competition at the 25th edition of FESTROIA, the oldest and most prestigious film event in Portugal, is reserved for films from countries whose yearly output does not exceed 30 films. That gives worthy films from somewhat smaller film industries a chance to shine and not be overshadowed by films from larger film-producing countries. Smaller is definitely mor...
Monday, June 16------EMPTIES, the ironic comedy by Czech director Jan Sverak, has won the Gold Dolphin, the top award at the 24th edition of Festroia in Portugal. The film, a comic love story about a man facing old age, is the third in a trilogy that includes the director’s previous films ELEMENTARY SCHOOL and the Oscar winning KOLYA. The film has previously won the Czech Lion (the local Oscar) for Best Director and Audience Prize, as well as the Audience Award at last year’s Karlovy Vary ...
Saturday, June 14------A very distinctive program here at Festroia is the presentation of Prix UIP, a European short film contest, sponsored by distributor United International Pictures and the European Film Academy.The short films are screeend at fourteen European film festivals, including events in Ghent, Valladolid, Ángers, Rotterdam, Berlin, Tampere, Krakow, Grimstad, Vila Do Conde, Sarajevo, Edinburgh, Venice, Drama and Cork. This year, Festroia was added to the European tour.The overall...
One of the strong contenders for the Festroia Golden Dolphin grand prize is the competition film WORLDS APART from Danish director Niels Arden Oplev. The film, which is based on a true story, is a compelling story of a young teenage girl, whose family are committed Jehova´s Witnesses, who falls in love with a "non-believer".Young actress Rosaline Mynster gives a passionate performance as Sara, a budding teenager who must fight the temptations of sex and partying that do not gel with her religio...
Thursday, June 12-------This year, Festroia has devoted a special screening section to films that explore the difficulties and opportunities of multiculturalism. Dubbed "Migrations And Multiculturality", the series highlights 3 feature films and a program of shorts.In Spanish director Gerardo Olivares´THE GREAT MATCH, the director focuses on a family of Mongolian nomads and a group of Indians in the Amazon, bought of which live far outside the technological saturation of the West. W...
Tuesday, June 10--------One of the charms of Festroia is that it always falls in the period when Portugal celebrates Portugal Day, the national day of independence. Today is the holiday, which is characterized by colorful parades and a day at the beach. It also is an opportunity for local audiences and visiting filmmakers and professionals to sample the finest Portugese films of the past year.Festroia has a commitment to showcasing this work in a special section of Portugese Cinema of the Year...
Tuesday, June 10------One of the more arresting posters on display during Festroia is of an impossibly handsome young man who plays the lead in the Spanish film THIEVES (LADRONES). The film, directed by Jaime Marques, had its world premiere at the Malaga Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award. It has been a hit on the Festival circuit, winning a C.I.C.A.Ê. Award at the Locarno International Film Festival.The follows the story of Alex, who has spent his childhood in an orphanage and ...
One of the most celebrated American Independent films of the past year has opened the American Independents Competition at Festroia: Troia International Film Festival last evening. STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING, a character drama set in the literary world of New York City, features an award-winning performance by veteran stage and screen actor Frank Langella, who won the Best Actor prize from the Boston Film Critics last year. Langella's performance was critically hailed by major critics groups an...
Saturday, June 7-------The Troia International Film Festival (Festroia), known as the "Cannes of Portugal" opened last evening with a Gala Screening of the Oscar nominated Polish film KATYN. The film, directed by European screen legend Andrezj Wajda, is a dramatic recreation of the one of the great human crimes of the Second World War.....the mass slaughter of Polish army officers by the Russians in the beginning days of the conflict. Wajda brings his customary sweep mixed with intimac...
Thursday, June 7-----The Official Section of FESTROIA: Festival Internacional de Cinema is dedicated to films from countries that produce fewer than 25 films per year. While these individual countries have more modest outputs, the films they produce are choice gems. Films from Scandanivia have always figured strongly in the Festroia lineup (and have won many top prizes here over the years). This year's representation from Scandinavia is equally impressive, with the Oscar-nominated Danish fil...
Monday, June 4-------British actor Charles Dance (GOSFORD PARK) is the President of the Official Jury of the 23rd edition of FESTROIA: Festival Internacional de Cinema. Dance and his fellow Official Section jurors will determine the Dolphin Award prizes, which will be given out at a gala awards ceremony on Saturday, June 9. Dance is joined by Hungarian director Karoly Makk, Polish producer Joanna Kos Krauze, Finnish actress Maria Jarvenhelmi, Valladolid Film Festival director Juan Carlos Fr...
Monday, June 4---------Festroia 2007 is the first CarbonoZero® international film festival. The environmental organization CarbonoZero will quantify the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions produced by the festival’s activities, and will offset these emissions by the creation of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) by a new indigenous forest area in Portugal, thus compensating its effect on the climate. Festivals are becoming more environmentally conscious of the energy consumption they...
Thursday, May 31------The 23rd edition of Festroia: Festival Internacional de Cinema, which opens tomorrow evening in the seaside resort of Setubal, Portugal, is dedicated to Festival founder Mario Ventura, who passed away last year. Ventura founded the Festival in 1985 after a celebrated career in both Portugal and Spain as a respected journalist and writer. He had published more than fifteen books, including short stories, novels and biographical works. The Public Library in Setubal, where t...
Sunday, June 11....At a gala Awards Ceremony at the Forum Luisa Todi last night, the 22nd edition of the Troia International Film Festival came to a conclusion with the announcement of Fetival Awards in a number of competitiom categproes.
An analysis of the films and the awards will follow, but here is the list of award winners.
FESTROIA – FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE CINEMA
SPECIAL AWARDS
AUDIENCE AWARD To the film THE WEDDING PARTY, by Dominique Deruddere (Belgium/Germany)
PRIZE MAN AND HIS...
Saturday, June 3----FESTROIA: The Troia International Film Festival, will present nearly 180 films, representing 48 countries, with a strong predominance of European cinema, during its 22nd annual showcase. The Festival, the oldest and most prestigious in Portugal, has several competition sections in its wide-ranging program.
The Official Section, in competition for the Golden Dolphin Award, is made up of 14 films, from nations that produce fewer than 30 films per year. This is a unique approa...
TROIA FILM FESTIVAL SETS AN AMBITIOUS SLATEThe 21st edition of the Troia International Film Festival (Festroia), Portugal’s oldest and most adventurous film event devoted to international and independent cinema, kicked off on May 28 with a wide-ranging program, with particular nods to European and American Independent films.The Festival is based in the picturesque coastal town of Setúbal, about 90 minutes south of Lisbon. Troia is actually the name of the expansive beaches in the vicinity, an...
Talented young actors to present their films in Portugal (28 – 30 May 2005)SHOOTING STARS from nine European countries at the 21th Festroia – International Film FestivalThey are already big names at home, and they are starting to attract more and more attention abroad. At the 21st Festroia International Film Festival audiences, guests and press representatives will have the opportunity from 28 to 30 May 2005 to meet a group of nine (from a total of 21) of this year’s SHOOTING STARS, select...
21 FESTROIA 28 May – 5 JunePROGRAMMEOfficial Section (Competition)First Works (Competition)American Independents (Competition)Man and His Environment (Competition)Homage to a country - FinlandEuropean Discoveries / Fassbinder Awards NomineesThe Modern Mozambique CinemaEurope in Shorts X – EU new countriesShorts from EuropePortuguese Cinema ShowcasePanorama and PremiersOther events and meetings:International Meeting of New Talents in co-operation with EFA, FIAPAF and OCICCinema Workshop for ...
