Sydney Levine

SydneysBuzz

Sydney Levine focuses on international film industry developments and analysis of the international film market related to buyers, sales agents, filmmakers, film festivals and distribution.

Monthly Archives

LatinoBuzz: More Generation Mex Filmmakers on the Rise

By Vanessa Erazo
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May 16, 2012 5:29 PM
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Features

Last week we featured some of Mexico’s young filmmakers who have emerged as part of a recent revival in Mexican cinema. These new directors have pushed out the old guard and persevere in difficult situations, using public funding and micro-budgets to create films which take aim at Mexico’s social ills, broach difficult subjects, and take stylistic risks.

By Vanessa Erazo
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May 2, 2012 1:07 PM
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Box Office

It’s rare for a film in Spanish or Portuguese to make it to a U.S. theater. Even within Latin America or Spain, it’s difficult for local films to compete against Hollywood blockbusters. Once in a while, against all odds, Latino films triumph at their local box office.

By Sydney Levine, Peter Belsito
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February 29, 2012 11:43 PM
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Filmmaker Toolkit

Russia’s Roskino / SEF – formerly known as Sovexportfilm – will set up business, and open a full time office, in the USA. Recently, while attending the Berlinale European Film Market, the company announced, via Roskino / SEF CEO Catherine Mtsitouridze and US based Commissioner (and longtime film biz Senior Executive) Eleonora Granata, that the new Russian Film Commission will be looking to build relationships with US distributors for Russian films and to promote Russia as a filming location and a strong partner for US international co- productions. Prominent LA based Russian journalist (and Board Member of ‘The Golden Globes’ Award Ceremony for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association) Sergei Rakhlin will be Director of the Russian Film Commission Office.

By Sydney Levine
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October 19, 2011 1:00 AM
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The complete list of submissions for the nomination for Best Foreign Language Academy Award, has been announced. 63 countries' selections have been accepted. Last year there were 65 selections. I have added the international sales agents and when there is one, the U.S. distributor. The Female Factor: 8 of 63 films or 13%. Last year, of the 65 films submitted, 9 were directed by women — that’s 14%. The films by women are Leticia Tonos' Love Child ♀ (the Dominican Republic), Valerie Donzelli's Declaration of War ♀ (France), Ann Hui's A Simple Life ♀ (Hong Kong), Juanita Wilson's As If I Am Not There ♀ (Ireland), Nadine Labaki's Where Do We Go Now? ♀ (Lebanon), Maria Peters' Sonny Boy ♀ (the Netherlands), Anne Sewitzky's Happy, Happy (Norway) ♀ and Pernilla August's Beyond ♀ (Sweden).

By Sydney Levine
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August 22, 2011 2:30 AM
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So many movies out and so much to see! Docuweeks is now showing such illuminating docs as Marc Smolowitz's The Power of Two and Directors/Producers: Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer, Amy Sultan, Exec Producers Jill and Jim Angelo and Sally Jo Fifer's To Be Heard. So many really good docs and all will be eligible for the Academy Award Oscar for Best Doc and Best Doc Short. A Marine Corps cover-up of one of the worst water contamination incidents in US history, the glaring reality of the media's objectification of women, as well as portraits of assassinated journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the man behind Elmo are all part of the lineup of outstanding films that will be presented in the International Documentary Association's 15th Annual DocuWeeks™ Theatrical Documentary Showcase. Playing in N.Y. and L.A. as starters. See the details here.

By Sydney Levine
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July 28, 2011 3:17 AM
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LA Shorts Fest is going on now!!! This is a great place to find great shorts for the web, the mobile, films to motivate in business, school, social groups, social networking. It is quite a prestigious festival; the winners are sent to the Academy Award selection committee.

By Sydney Levine
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June 28, 2011 2:30 AM
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Shorts are having an impact on new digital media and new types of distribution. Their importance and their filmmakers' importance has long been recognized by the top festivals (Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, TIFF) and among the trade, agents keep an eye on the top shorts filmmakers. So too, certain leading shorts film festivals and markets, the leaders of which are Clermont Ferrand in France and Oberhausen in Germany (for more cutting edge shorts), festivals like the Guanajuato International Film Festival, Expresión en Corto, held during the final week of July in the cities of San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato Capital, Mexico and the Palm Spring Shortfest, NeXt in Bucharest and the Cannes Film Festival's Shorts Corner are increasingly important as are their winners who are the talents to watch.

By Sydney Levine
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April 29, 2011 2:30 AM
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Bill Cunningham New York broke all house records at Film Forum and we’re still playing in 3 theatres in Manhattan. We’ve already opened in 30 cities and it’s doing well everywhere. Our rollout will be in over 200 cities. BCNY appeals to people who love fashion because it’s so much fun to watch and it’s crossing over because audiences are moved and inspired by Bill’s simplicity and humility and passion for his work. He’s a beacon in these cynical times!

By Sydney Levine
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February 2, 2011 8:07 AM
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Surprising in many ways, Biutiful is nominated for two Oscars. Not only is it one of the 5 nominees in the Best Foreign Language category (Mexico), Javier Bardem is also nominated in the Best Actor category. It played in Cannes last spring, where it won a Best Actor prize for Javier Bardem. Roadside Attractions distributing in the U.S. After its December 1 week qualifying run, it is the very first film to debut theatrically after screening at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Playing opposite Kaboom, the weekend’s other major specialty debut, it had a strong opening likely in large part to its somewhat surprising best actor nomination. On 57 screens in 27 markets - an aggressive opening for a foreign film - the film grossed $460,916 for a very respectable $8,084 average. Including the December qualifying run, Biutiful has now grossed $623,226.