Sffilm has announced the winners of the juried Golden Gate Awards competition and the Audience Awards at the 67th San Francisco International Film Festival (Sffilm Festival). The awards serve as a launching pad for internationally renowned filmmakers who are early in their careers, and they qualify films under 40 minutes for the Oscars. Past Golden Gate Award winners include Panah Panahi, Reid Davenport, Nadav Lapid, Marlon Riggs, Céline Sciamma, Jia Zhang-ke, Stanley Nelson, and Tasha Van Zandt.
This year, the 2024 Sffilm Festival ran five days from April 24 – 28 rather than its usual sprawling two weeks. The Sffilm board opted to pull back conservatively where others would have gone bigger to keep a more expansive footprint. Altogether they brought in 130 filmmakers this year, an excellent global selection of films despite the calendar disadvantage of being caught between Sundance and Cannes.
The big talk at this year’s Sffilm was the news that San...
This year, the 2024 Sffilm Festival ran five days from April 24 – 28 rather than its usual sprawling two weeks. The Sffilm board opted to pull back conservatively where others would have gone bigger to keep a more expansive footprint. Altogether they brought in 130 filmmakers this year, an excellent global selection of films despite the calendar disadvantage of being caught between Sundance and Cannes.
The big talk at this year’s Sffilm was the news that San...
- 4/30/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
There are a growing number of compelling, young Iranian filmmakers that are reinvigorating and rethinking Iranian cinema. It's exactly what Iranian cinema needs now, and I'm glad they're making such interesting films. They're also films that I'm happy to talk about and recommend, which is vital to their success outside of film festivals. One of the most well known is Panah Panahi, son of Jafar Panahi, who won over everyone with his feature debut Hit the Road (from Cannes 2021). One of the next new filmmakers to make his mark is Behrooz Karamizade, who was born in Iran but moved away with his parents, eventually growing up in Germany. His feature directorial debut is an Iranian love story film called Empty Nets, which premiered at the 2023 Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Crystal Globe Competition section this summer. It tells a tragic story, as usual for Iran, about how painfully harsh and unrelenting society is there.
- 7/9/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Savanah Leaf’s feature debut “Earth Mama” is starting to look like an early awards season prospect for distributor A24. After successful premieres at both Sundance and New Directors/New Films, the drama about a young Black mother’s fight to wrest her kids from the foster care system just won the Audience Award at Sffilm, also known as the San Francisco International Film Festival. “Earth Mama” is notably a Bay Area-grown production, with former Olympian athlete turned filmmaker Leaf casting non-professional actors for the feature.
IndieWire shares the full list of Golden Gate Award winners out of Sffilm, now in its 66th year and which ran from April 12 through 23, below.
The prize winners range from narrative features to documentaries and shorts. The awards are also notable as a qualifier for films under 40 minutes for the Oscars. Previous Golden Gate Award winners include Panah Panahi, Reid Davenport, Nadav Lapid, Marlon Riggs,...
IndieWire shares the full list of Golden Gate Award winners out of Sffilm, now in its 66th year and which ran from April 12 through 23, below.
The prize winners range from narrative features to documentaries and shorts. The awards are also notable as a qualifier for films under 40 minutes for the Oscars. Previous Golden Gate Award winners include Panah Panahi, Reid Davenport, Nadav Lapid, Marlon Riggs,...
- 4/24/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Jafar Panahi has gone on a hunger strike to protest being still held in Tehran’s Evin prison even though Iran’s supreme court has overturned the conviction that led to the dissident director’s detention.
Panani has issued a statement from prison saying that to protest against the “illegal and inhumane” treatment by the Islamic Republic’s judiciary and security forces and their “hostage-taking” he will stop eating, drinking, and taking his medications until “maybe my lifeless body would be released from this prison.”
The statement announcing Panahi’s decision to go on a hunger strike was posted by Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi on their Instagram accounts.
Panahi, 62, is known globally for prizewinning works such as “The Circle,” “Offside,” “This is Not a Film,” “Taxi,” and most recently “No Bears,” winner of last year’s Venice’s Special Jury Prize. He was arrested last...
Panani has issued a statement from prison saying that to protest against the “illegal and inhumane” treatment by the Islamic Republic’s judiciary and security forces and their “hostage-taking” he will stop eating, drinking, and taking his medications until “maybe my lifeless body would be released from this prison.”
The statement announcing Panahi’s decision to go on a hunger strike was posted by Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi on their Instagram accounts.
Panahi, 62, is known globally for prizewinning works such as “The Circle,” “Offside,” “This is Not a Film,” “Taxi,” and most recently “No Bears,” winner of last year’s Venice’s Special Jury Prize. He was arrested last...
- 2/2/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Los Angeles, Feb 2 (Ians) Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, known for ‘The White Balloon’, ‘The Circle’ and ‘Taxi’, is on a hunger strike to protest his ongoing detention at Iran’s harsh Evin prison, even though his sentence has been declared void by the country’s Supreme Court.
The move comes just days after hopes that the director was on the verge of being released on bail were dashed, even though his lawyer Saleh Nikbakht had successfully challenged his detention, reports ‘Deadline’.
Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi released a statement on behalf of the director announcing his intention to stop eating on their Instagram accounts Wednesday evening.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behaviour of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” wrote Panahi.
“I...
The move comes just days after hopes that the director was on the verge of being released on bail were dashed, even though his lawyer Saleh Nikbakht had successfully challenged his detention, reports ‘Deadline’.
Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi released a statement on behalf of the director announcing his intention to stop eating on their Instagram accounts Wednesday evening.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behaviour of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” wrote Panahi.
“I...
- 2/2/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Iranian director Jafar Panahi, whose film “No Bears,” opened in the U.S. in December, has begun a hunger strike to protest to protest his continued detention at the notoriously harsh Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, despite an Iranian Supreme Court ruling that overturned his conviction in January.
His wife, Tahereh Saeedi, and son, Panah Panahi, both shared his statement in Instagram posts on Wednesday.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behavior of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” the statement shared with media outlets read.
“I will refuse to eat and drink any food and medicine until the time of my release. I will remain in this state until perhaps my lifeless body is freed from prison.”
Also Read:
‘No Bears’ Review: Jafar Panahi Continues to Create Powerful Art,...
His wife, Tahereh Saeedi, and son, Panah Panahi, both shared his statement in Instagram posts on Wednesday.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behavior of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” the statement shared with media outlets read.
“I will refuse to eat and drink any food and medicine until the time of my release. I will remain in this state until perhaps my lifeless body is freed from prison.”
Also Read:
‘No Bears’ Review: Jafar Panahi Continues to Create Powerful Art,...
- 2/2/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has gone on a hunger strike to protest his ongoing detention at Iran’s notoriously harsh Evin prison, even though his sentence has been declared void by the country’s Supreme Court.
The move comes just days after hopes that the director was on the verge of being released on bail were dashed, even though his lawyer Saleh Nikbakht had successfully challenged his detention.
Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi published a statement from the director announcing his intention to stop eating on their Instagram accounts Wednesday evening.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behavior of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” wrote Panahi.
“I will refuse to eat and drink any food and medicine until the time of my release.
The move comes just days after hopes that the director was on the verge of being released on bail were dashed, even though his lawyer Saleh Nikbakht had successfully challenged his detention.
Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi and son Panah Panahi published a statement from the director announcing his intention to stop eating on their Instagram accounts Wednesday evening.
“I firmly declare that in protest against the illegal and inhumane behavior of the judicial and security apparatus and their hostage-taking, I have started a hunger strike since the morning of the 12th of Bahman (February 1),” wrote Panahi.
“I will refuse to eat and drink any food and medicine until the time of my release.
- 2/1/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Barack Obama continued his annual tradition of posting his favorite movies of the year by selecting 17 standout titles from 2022. “I saw some great movies this year,” the former president posted on social media. “Here are some of my favorites. What did I miss?”
Obama’s list includes top awards contenders such as “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but it’s also heavy on international movies such as Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave,” Celine Sciamma’s “Petite Maman” and “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” from “Drive My Car” Oscar winner Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
The full list includes: Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave,” Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King,” Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” John Patton Ford’s “Emily the Criminal,” Celine Sciamma’s “Petite Maman,” Margaret Brown’s “Descendant,” Audrey Diwane’s “Happening,” Chinonye Chukwu’s “Till,” Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once,...
Obama’s list includes top awards contenders such as “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but it’s also heavy on international movies such as Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave,” Celine Sciamma’s “Petite Maman” and “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” from “Drive My Car” Oscar winner Ryusuke Hamaguchi.
The full list includes: Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave,” Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King,” Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” John Patton Ford’s “Emily the Criminal,” Celine Sciamma’s “Petite Maman,” Margaret Brown’s “Descendant,” Audrey Diwane’s “Happening,” Chinonye Chukwu’s “Till,” Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once,...
- 12/23/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The ten best films of 2022, in five double features:
10. “Benediction” and 9. “Bros”
How does one become a fully integrated member of society — an artist, a lover, a participant in the marketplace of ideas — when that society constantly rejects your very presence and participation? Two of this year’s best took very different looks at gay creatives looking for love and fulfillment, about a century apart; “Benediction,” Terence Davies’ haunting biopic of WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden) takes a much different path than the raucous rom-com starring and co-written by Billy Eichner, but both films followed men seeking their heart’s desire in a world that judges that desire. (The exceptional LGBTQ films “Fire Island” and “The Inspection” fit this category as well.)
8. “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” and 7. “Women Talking”
Laura Poitras’ searing documentary about artist Nan Goldin and Sarah Polley’s screen adaptation of the novel by...
10. “Benediction” and 9. “Bros”
How does one become a fully integrated member of society — an artist, a lover, a participant in the marketplace of ideas — when that society constantly rejects your very presence and participation? Two of this year’s best took very different looks at gay creatives looking for love and fulfillment, about a century apart; “Benediction,” Terence Davies’ haunting biopic of WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden) takes a much different path than the raucous rom-com starring and co-written by Billy Eichner, but both films followed men seeking their heart’s desire in a world that judges that desire. (The exceptional LGBTQ films “Fire Island” and “The Inspection” fit this category as well.)
8. “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” and 7. “Women Talking”
Laura Poitras’ searing documentary about artist Nan Goldin and Sarah Polley’s screen adaptation of the novel by...
- 12/20/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Emotion bubbles beneath the surface of Panah Panahi’s outstanding road movie, as a family help one son leave Iran – while keeping the truth from his little brother
50 best films of 2022 in the UKMore on the best culture of 2022
Iran’s pro-democracy and women’s rights demonstrations have made the headlines this year, and Iranian cinema has been bringing us the news as well. This outstanding film is from 38-year-old Panah Panahi, son of the renowned director and activist Jafar Panahi, who this year was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for criticising the Iranian government.
It’s a road movie, of sorts, but also part of the modern Iranian cinema tradition of shooting a film in the privacy of a car, a quasi-guerrilla approach that gets the film-maker out on the streets while avoiding state snooping. A family is shown making a hot, uncomfortable road trip in a borrowed car up through remote north-western Iran,...
50 best films of 2022 in the UKMore on the best culture of 2022
Iran’s pro-democracy and women’s rights demonstrations have made the headlines this year, and Iranian cinema has been bringing us the news as well. This outstanding film is from 38-year-old Panah Panahi, son of the renowned director and activist Jafar Panahi, who this year was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for criticising the Iranian government.
It’s a road movie, of sorts, but also part of the modern Iranian cinema tradition of shooting a film in the privacy of a car, a quasi-guerrilla approach that gets the film-maker out on the streets while avoiding state snooping. A family is shown making a hot, uncomfortable road trip in a borrowed car up through remote north-western Iran,...
- 12/16/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Though we aim to discuss a wide breadth of films each year, few things give us more pleasure than the arrival of bold, new voices. It’s why we venture to festivals and pore over a variety of different features that might bring to light some emerging talent. This year was an especially notable time for new directors making their stamp, and we’re highlighting the handful of 2022 debuts that most impressed us.
Below one can check out a list spanning a variety of different genres, and many are available to stream here. In years to come, take note as these helmers (hopefully) ascend.
The African Desperate (Martine Syms)
One of the most exciting directorial debuts of the year, Martine Syms’ The African Desperate is an electrifying ride through a day in the life of Palace Bryant (Diamond Stingily). An Mfa grad on her final day of academia, she navigates...
Below one can check out a list spanning a variety of different genres, and many are available to stream here. In years to come, take note as these helmers (hopefully) ascend.
The African Desperate (Martine Syms)
One of the most exciting directorial debuts of the year, Martine Syms’ The African Desperate is an electrifying ride through a day in the life of Palace Bryant (Diamond Stingily). An Mfa grad on her final day of academia, she navigates...
- 12/8/2022
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
‘No Bears’, ‘A Bunch Of Amateurs’, ‘Retrograde’ as counter-programming.
UK-Ireland cinemas are looking for Disney blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to inject new life into the box office this weekend as the film opens in a hefty 700 cinemas.
The release is over 100 sites up on the 588-site opening of 2018’s Black Panther. That film started with a £10.5m weekend and £17.7m total opening at a colossal average of £30,105 per site.
Black Panther took more in its first six days than the entire runs of most other films introducing a new character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including The Incredible Hulk...
UK-Ireland cinemas are looking for Disney blockbuster sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to inject new life into the box office this weekend as the film opens in a hefty 700 cinemas.
The release is over 100 sites up on the 588-site opening of 2018’s Black Panther. That film started with a £10.5m weekend and £17.7m total opening at a colossal average of £30,105 per site.
Black Panther took more in its first six days than the entire runs of most other films introducing a new character to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including The Incredible Hulk...
- 11/11/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
’The Worst Person In The World’, ’Everything Everywhere All At Once’ among international selections.
Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person In The World and Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once are among the titles in the 17-strong longlist for best international independent film at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa).
Laura Poitras’ Venice Golden Lion winner All The Beauty And The Bloodshed also made the longlist. As did Park Chan-Wook’s Decision To Leave; Colm Bairead’s The Quiet Girl; Lukas Dhont’s Close; Carla Simon’s Alcarras; and Santiago Mitre’s Argentina, 1985.
Scroll down...
Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person In The World and Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once are among the titles in the 17-strong longlist for best international independent film at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa).
Laura Poitras’ Venice Golden Lion winner All The Beauty And The Bloodshed also made the longlist. As did Park Chan-Wook’s Decision To Leave; Colm Bairead’s The Quiet Girl; Lukas Dhont’s Close; Carla Simon’s Alcarras; and Santiago Mitre’s Argentina, 1985.
Scroll down...
- 10/21/2022
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) have revealed the nomination longlists for Best Feature Documentary and Best International Independent Film categories. In addition, BIFA’s Raindance Discovery Award longlist has also been unveiled.
Of the 15 films longlisted for Best Feature Documentary, eight are directed by women. The 17 films longlisted for Best International Independent Film have already won top prizes from this year’s premier international festivals.
The final five nominations in each category will be announced in early November and winners will be revealed at the 25th annual BIFA ceremony on Dec. 4.
Best International Independent Film Sponsored By Champagne Taittinger
“Alcarràs” – Carla Simón, María Zamora, Stefan Schmitz, Tono Folguera, Sergi Moreno
“All The Beauty And The Bloodshed” – Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, Nan Goldin, Yoni Golijov, John S. Lyons
“Argentina, 1985” – Santiago Mitre, Mariano Llinás, Axel Kuschevatzky, Federico Posternak, Agustina Llambi Campbell, Ricardo Darín, Santiago Carabante, Chino Darín, Victoria Alonso
“Broker” – Kore-eda Hirokazu,...
Of the 15 films longlisted for Best Feature Documentary, eight are directed by women. The 17 films longlisted for Best International Independent Film have already won top prizes from this year’s premier international festivals.
The final five nominations in each category will be announced in early November and winners will be revealed at the 25th annual BIFA ceremony on Dec. 4.
Best International Independent Film Sponsored By Champagne Taittinger
“Alcarràs” – Carla Simón, María Zamora, Stefan Schmitz, Tono Folguera, Sergi Moreno
“All The Beauty And The Bloodshed” – Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, Nan Goldin, Yoni Golijov, John S. Lyons
“Argentina, 1985” – Santiago Mitre, Mariano Llinás, Axel Kuschevatzky, Federico Posternak, Agustina Llambi Campbell, Ricardo Darín, Santiago Carabante, Chino Darín, Victoria Alonso
“Broker” – Kore-eda Hirokazu,...
- 10/21/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Iran continues to be gripped by nationwide protests against the Islamic regime, demonstrations sparked by the Sept. 13 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, while in police custody, after having been arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab.
The protests are the largest and most sustained bout of civil unrest to grip Iran since 2009 and are seen by many as a true threat to the future of the country’s Islamic rulers.
While Amini’s death was the spark that ignited this current wave of demonstrations, unrest had been simmering all summer in Iran, and the response by the police has been brutal. In July, authorities imprisoned two Iranian directors, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa al-Ahmad, for voicing opposition on social media to the government’s violent crackdown. In response, Jafar Panahi,...
Iran continues to be gripped by nationwide protests against the Islamic regime, demonstrations sparked by the Sept. 13 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, while in police custody, after having been arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab.
The protests are the largest and most sustained bout of civil unrest to grip Iran since 2009 and are seen by many as a true threat to the future of the country’s Islamic rulers.
While Amini’s death was the spark that ignited this current wave of demonstrations, unrest had been simmering all summer in Iran, and the response by the police has been brutal. In July, authorities imprisoned two Iranian directors, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa al-Ahmad, for voicing opposition on social media to the government’s violent crackdown. In response, Jafar Panahi,...
- 10/17/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Editor’s note: This list was originally published on June 30, 2022. It was updated on October 6, 2022 to reflect new inclusions.]
Googly eyes. High-flying fighter jets. Terrifying aliens. Genies in bottles (and beyond). Lovable robots and wild red pandas. Medieval tweens. Meat. Romance. Dancing. Incredibly bad vacations. Farts. Freedom. The first nine months (and change) of 2022 have already gifted film fans with a wide array of incredible cinematic offerings, and there’s still plenty of titles yet to arrive on a screen near you.
Some of our favorite filmmakers have returned to the cinema with fresh visions, including everyone from Kogonada to Andrea Arnold, David Cronenberg to Daniels, Terence Davies to Peter Strickland, Lena Dunham to George Miller. And there have been plenty of new names to admire, too, including Audrey Diwan, Panah Panahi, Mimi Cave, John Patton Ford, Owen Kline, Adamma Ebo, and Jerrod Carmichael, all of whom have bowed debuts that make us feel hopeful for the future of film.
A handful of the films that have already earned...
Googly eyes. High-flying fighter jets. Terrifying aliens. Genies in bottles (and beyond). Lovable robots and wild red pandas. Medieval tweens. Meat. Romance. Dancing. Incredibly bad vacations. Farts. Freedom. The first nine months (and change) of 2022 have already gifted film fans with a wide array of incredible cinematic offerings, and there’s still plenty of titles yet to arrive on a screen near you.
Some of our favorite filmmakers have returned to the cinema with fresh visions, including everyone from Kogonada to Andrea Arnold, David Cronenberg to Daniels, Terence Davies to Peter Strickland, Lena Dunham to George Miller. And there have been plenty of new names to admire, too, including Audrey Diwan, Panah Panahi, Mimi Cave, John Patton Ford, Owen Kline, Adamma Ebo, and Jerrod Carmichael, all of whom have bowed debuts that make us feel hopeful for the future of film.
A handful of the films that have already earned...
- 10/6/2022
- by Kate Erbland and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The BFI London Film Festival has revealed eight titles that will be in official competition.
The films include Santiago Mitre’s political drama “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); Clement Virgo’s brotherly love tale “Brother” (Canada); Marie Kreutzer’s irreverent period drama “Corsage” (Austria-Luxembourg-Germany-France); Fyzal Boulifa’s atmospheric domestic drama “The Damned Don’t Cry” (France-Belgium-Morocco); Mark Jenkin’s folk horror tale “Enys Men” (U.K.); Hlynur Palmason’s historical epic “Godland” (Denmark-Iceland-France-Sweden); Soudade Kaadan’s poignant family film “Nezouh” (U.K.-Syria-France); and Alice Diop’s courtroom drama “Saint Omer.”
The nominated films are all on the festival circuit this year. “Argentina, 1985” and “Saint Omer” are debuting at Venice and both are up for the Golden Lion. “The Damned Don’t Cry” and “Nezouh” are also set for Venice bows. “Brother” will bow at Toronto, while “Corsage” won best performance at Cannes and best actress at Sarajevo for Vicky Krieps. “Enys Men” and “Godland” were also in Cannes.
The films include Santiago Mitre’s political drama “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); Clement Virgo’s brotherly love tale “Brother” (Canada); Marie Kreutzer’s irreverent period drama “Corsage” (Austria-Luxembourg-Germany-France); Fyzal Boulifa’s atmospheric domestic drama “The Damned Don’t Cry” (France-Belgium-Morocco); Mark Jenkin’s folk horror tale “Enys Men” (U.K.); Hlynur Palmason’s historical epic “Godland” (Denmark-Iceland-France-Sweden); Soudade Kaadan’s poignant family film “Nezouh” (U.K.-Syria-France); and Alice Diop’s courtroom drama “Saint Omer.”
The nominated films are all on the festival circuit this year. “Argentina, 1985” and “Saint Omer” are debuting at Venice and both are up for the Golden Lion. “The Damned Don’t Cry” and “Nezouh” are also set for Venice bows. “Brother” will bow at Toronto, while “Corsage” won best performance at Cannes and best actress at Sarajevo for Vicky Krieps. “Enys Men” and “Godland” were also in Cannes.
- 8/25/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The winner will be revealed at a virtual awards ceremony on October 16.
Saint Omer, Corsage and Nezouh are among the eight titles screening as part of the official competition at the 66th BFI London Film Festival.
Thirteen countries are represented across this year’s selection. The winner is to be chosen by a jury and revealed at a virtual awards presentation on October 16.
The jury members will be announced in the coming weeks.
Scroll down for the Lff official competition line-up
Saint Omer is the fiction debut from French director Alice Diop, and is to world premiere at Venice. It is set in a courtroom,...
Saint Omer, Corsage and Nezouh are among the eight titles screening as part of the official competition at the 66th BFI London Film Festival.
Thirteen countries are represented across this year’s selection. The winner is to be chosen by a jury and revealed at a virtual awards presentation on October 16.
The jury members will be announced in the coming weeks.
Scroll down for the Lff official competition line-up
Saint Omer is the fiction debut from French director Alice Diop, and is to world premiere at Venice. It is set in a courtroom,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Panah Panahi juggles joy, heartbreak and surreal humour in a road movie his imprisoned father would be proud of
Earlier this month, the irrepressible Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi found himself detained in Tehran and facing six years in jail. It’s the latest move in a long and largely fruitless campaign by the Iranian authorities to silence an artist who continues to be an international beacon of inspiration – not least to his son, Panah Panahi, who worked on his father’s most recent films, and who here makes his own triumphant feature debut as writer and director.
We meet the stars of Hit the Road in the borrowed car in which they will spend much of the film. Hassan Madjooni is the outwardly grouchy Dad, wrestling toothache and a broken leg, the authenticity of which is slyly doubted by Pantea Panahiha’s quietly exasperated but endlessly loving Mum. In the...
Earlier this month, the irrepressible Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi found himself detained in Tehran and facing six years in jail. It’s the latest move in a long and largely fruitless campaign by the Iranian authorities to silence an artist who continues to be an international beacon of inspiration – not least to his son, Panah Panahi, who worked on his father’s most recent films, and who here makes his own triumphant feature debut as writer and director.
We meet the stars of Hit the Road in the borrowed car in which they will spend much of the film. Hassan Madjooni is the outwardly grouchy Dad, wrestling toothache and a broken leg, the authenticity of which is slyly doubted by Pantea Panahiha’s quietly exasperated but endlessly loving Mum. In the...
- 7/31/2022
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
A world of feelings is packed into a car along with a family and their dog Jessy in Panah Panahi's humanist hug of a debut feature, which runs the emotional gamut from the blast of joy of singing along to a favourite tune to the despair of a family unit that will never be quite the same again once they reach the end of the road.
The son of established director Jafar Panahi, on whose recent films he has worked, it seems plenty of talent has been passed down the line from father to son Panahi, whose film speaks with a unique voice and is crammed full of unexpected turns while still managing to maintain its believability and firm root in the familiar.
The reason why the family is on the road is not immediately evident, as we see dad (Hassan Madjooni) vaguely attempting to contain the chaotic ball of energy that.
The son of established director Jafar Panahi, on whose recent films he has worked, it seems plenty of talent has been passed down the line from father to son Panahi, whose film speaks with a unique voice and is crammed full of unexpected turns while still managing to maintain its believability and firm root in the familiar.
The reason why the family is on the road is not immediately evident, as we see dad (Hassan Madjooni) vaguely attempting to contain the chaotic ball of energy that.
- 7/29/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Festival favourites ‘Fire Of Love’, ‘Hit The Road’ also out.
Warner Bros’ DC League Of Super-Pets receives the widest release ever in the UK and Ireland for a fully-animated title this weekend, opening in 725 locations.
It is the joint-eighth widest release of all-time in the territory, alongside Disney’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi from 2017.
Among animated films, DC League Of Super-Pets tops the 719 locations of Disney’s 2019 The Lion King remake. It is slightly behind the 743 opening sites of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns from 2018 – a predominantly live-action film featuring animated sequences.
It is a second-widest opening ever for Warner Bros,...
Warner Bros’ DC League Of Super-Pets receives the widest release ever in the UK and Ireland for a fully-animated title this weekend, opening in 725 locations.
It is the joint-eighth widest release of all-time in the territory, alongside Disney’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi from 2017.
Among animated films, DC League Of Super-Pets tops the 719 locations of Disney’s 2019 The Lion King remake. It is slightly behind the 743 opening sites of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns from 2018 – a predominantly live-action film featuring animated sequences.
It is a second-widest opening ever for Warner Bros,...
- 7/29/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Directed by Panah Panahi, the son of jailed Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi, this tense family drama is drenched in a subtle but urgent political meaning
Great child acting is rare: so is great adult acting, and so is great directing of children and adults. But they all come together in this lovely, beautifully composed debut feature drenched in a subtle but urgent political meaning. It comes from 38-year-old film-maker Panah Panahi, son of the Iranian director and pro-democracy activist Jafar Panahi, who has this month been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for criticising the Iranian government.
It takes the form of a road movie, though that Hollywood term doesn’t really cover Hit the Road, which is part of Iranian cinema’s entirely distinct genre of films shot semi-covertly in a car, and has evolved to avoid Iranian state snooping. It is a mode of film-making using the interior possibilities of the car,...
Great child acting is rare: so is great adult acting, and so is great directing of children and adults. But they all come together in this lovely, beautifully composed debut feature drenched in a subtle but urgent political meaning. It comes from 38-year-old film-maker Panah Panahi, son of the Iranian director and pro-democracy activist Jafar Panahi, who has this month been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for criticising the Iranian government.
It takes the form of a road movie, though that Hollywood term doesn’t really cover Hit the Road, which is part of Iranian cinema’s entirely distinct genre of films shot semi-covertly in a car, and has evolved to avoid Iranian state snooping. It is a mode of film-making using the interior possibilities of the car,...
- 7/27/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Speaking before his director father’s latest arrest, Panah discusses the hypocrisy of the regime, the impact of his family’s resistance – and his own award-winning debut feature
If there were one thing that might deter you from taking up your old man’s profession, it would surely be him being arrested, imprisoned, harassed and alienated for more than a decade for practising it.
And then imprisoned again. Reiterating the madness into which Panah Panahi has chosen to enter, his father, the renowned Iranian film director Jafar Panahi, was this week sentenced to serve a stayed six-year prison sentence after inquiring about the detention of two fellow directors.
If there were one thing that might deter you from taking up your old man’s profession, it would surely be him being arrested, imprisoned, harassed and alienated for more than a decade for practising it.
And then imprisoned again. Reiterating the madness into which Panah Panahi has chosen to enter, his father, the renowned Iranian film director Jafar Panahi, was this week sentenced to serve a stayed six-year prison sentence after inquiring about the detention of two fellow directors.
- 7/21/2022
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
This review for “A Man of Integrity” was first published June 17, 2022, after its debut in New York City.
At a crucial point in Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s blistering drama “A Man of Integrity,” a suffering friend of the main character says, “In this country, you’re either oppressor or oppressed. There are no other options.”
In the attempt of his beleaguered protagonist to live a third way — with values, unwilling to give in to corruption’s claws — lies the cloud-covered, Kafka-esque suspense of this seething, tense work.
Rasoulof is himself, to the cinema world, that code-driven figure, having been targeted by his country’s totalitarian regime for arrest (alongside Jafar Panahi in 2010), imprisonment, and a ban on filmmaking, and yet defiantly rolling cameras anyway. “A Man of Integrity” is from 2017 — its success at Cannes that year spurring the confiscation of his passport, and the aforementioned ban — and it...
At a crucial point in Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s blistering drama “A Man of Integrity,” a suffering friend of the main character says, “In this country, you’re either oppressor or oppressed. There are no other options.”
In the attempt of his beleaguered protagonist to live a third way — with values, unwilling to give in to corruption’s claws — lies the cloud-covered, Kafka-esque suspense of this seething, tense work.
Rasoulof is himself, to the cinema world, that code-driven figure, having been targeted by his country’s totalitarian regime for arrest (alongside Jafar Panahi in 2010), imprisonment, and a ban on filmmaking, and yet defiantly rolling cameras anyway. “A Man of Integrity” is from 2017 — its success at Cannes that year spurring the confiscation of his passport, and the aforementioned ban — and it...
- 6/24/2022
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
A Chiara
Jonas Carpignano completes his Southern Italian trilogy about a Calabrian town where African refugees, the Romani community and Mafia exist side by side, for the first time focusing on a young female protagonist: a teen girl (Swamy Rotolo) absorbing shocking discoveries about her adored father. The result is a film of haunting intimacy. — David Rooney
After Yang
Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith play a couple whose family harmony suffers when the android sibling they purchased for their adopted Chinese daughter breaks down in writer-director Kogonada’s exquisite, meditative sci-fi drama. The film’s stealthy emotional power creeps up on you. — D.R.
ANAïS In Love
A restless young Parisian woman (Anaïs Demoustier, charming) falls in love with her ex’s partner, a famous writer played by a brilliant Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, in Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s seductive debut feature. It’s a...
A Chiara
Jonas Carpignano completes his Southern Italian trilogy about a Calabrian town where African refugees, the Romani community and Mafia exist side by side, for the first time focusing on a young female protagonist: a teen girl (Swamy Rotolo) absorbing shocking discoveries about her adored father. The result is a film of haunting intimacy. — David Rooney
After Yang
Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith play a couple whose family harmony suffers when the android sibling they purchased for their adopted Chinese daughter breaks down in writer-director Kogonada’s exquisite, meditative sci-fi drama. The film’s stealthy emotional power creeps up on you. — D.R.
ANAïS In Love
A restless young Parisian woman (Anaïs Demoustier, charming) falls in love with her ex’s partner, a famous writer played by a brilliant Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, in Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s seductive debut feature. It’s a...
- 6/22/2022
- by David Rooney, Sheri Linden, Lovia Gyarkye and Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New Release Wall
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate) could very easily have been a one-joke movie, but Nicolas Cage playing a less successful and more venal version of himself is just the launching point for a clever and engaging film about fame, the movies and male bonding. When “Cage” accepts a gig to appear at the birthday of a nefarious Spanish billionaire (a hilarious Pedro Pascal), it’s one surprise after another both for our hero and for the audience.
Also available:
“Ambulance” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Michael Bay puts the robots away for this heart-thumping caper starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
“The Bad Guys” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Animated anthropomorphic villains seek some redemption in this Dreamworks comedy.
“The Contractor” (Paramount Home Entertainment): Chris Pine stars as a desperate veteran who gets tied up with an underground paramilitary force.
“Eraser: Reborn” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment...
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate) could very easily have been a one-joke movie, but Nicolas Cage playing a less successful and more venal version of himself is just the launching point for a clever and engaging film about fame, the movies and male bonding. When “Cage” accepts a gig to appear at the birthday of a nefarious Spanish billionaire (a hilarious Pedro Pascal), it’s one surprise after another both for our hero and for the audience.
Also available:
“Ambulance” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Michael Bay puts the robots away for this heart-thumping caper starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
“The Bad Guys” (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Animated anthropomorphic villains seek some redemption in this Dreamworks comedy.
“The Contractor” (Paramount Home Entertainment): Chris Pine stars as a desperate veteran who gets tied up with an underground paramilitary force.
“Eraser: Reborn” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment...
- 6/17/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Picturehouse Entertainment has revealed the trailer for Panah Panahi’s directorial debut ‘Hit The Road.’
Driving across endless miles of rugged landscape, a family navigates a long road trip alongside a range of conflicting emotions. Dad’s got a broken leg and a mood to match whilst Mum fusses over her two children and their pet dog. And when he’s not drawing on the car windows, their energetic youngest son couldn’t be louder as he sings along to the car radio whilst his elder brother tries to concentrate on the road ahead. As the journey twists and turns and their destination draws ever closer, the chaotic claustrophobia in the car grows as does the love and affection they have for each other.
Panah Panahi’s debut feature is draws ever closer, the chaotic claustrophobia in the car grows as does the love and affection they have for each other.
Driving across endless miles of rugged landscape, a family navigates a long road trip alongside a range of conflicting emotions. Dad’s got a broken leg and a mood to match whilst Mum fusses over her two children and their pet dog. And when he’s not drawing on the car windows, their energetic youngest son couldn’t be louder as he sings along to the car radio whilst his elder brother tries to concentrate on the road ahead. As the journey twists and turns and their destination draws ever closer, the chaotic claustrophobia in the car grows as does the love and affection they have for each other.
Panah Panahi’s debut feature is draws ever closer, the chaotic claustrophobia in the car grows as does the love and affection they have for each other.
- 5/27/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThe Mother and the Whore (1972).The lineup for this year's Cannes Classics boasts a 4k digital restoration of Jean Eustache's The Mother and the Whore, a rare screening of Satyajit Ray’s newly restored Pratidwandi, films by Vittorio de Sica, Orson Welles, Mike De Leon, and much more. After recently making Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger's I Know Where I'm Going! available for free online, Martin Scorsese is set to narrate and executive produce a documentary about the filmmaking duo. Directed by David Hinton, the documentary follows Scorsese's personal journey with and relationship to Powell & Pressburger's films. David Cronenberg has announced his follow-up to Crimes of the Future: Starring Vincent Cassel and produced by Saïd Ben Saïd, Shrouds is about grieving widower whose technologically innovative (and controversial) cemetery is vandalized. Recommended VIEWINGThe trailer...
- 5/11/2022
- MUBI
It is the Iranian director’s first film since road movie 3 Faces which won best screenplay in competition at Cannes in 2018.
Paris-based Celluloid Dreams will kick off sales on Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s new feature No Bears at the upcoming edition of Cannes.
The drama follows two parallel love stories in which the partners are thwarted by hidden, inevitable obstacles, the force of superstition, and the mechanics of power.
It Is currently in post-production and will be ready for a launch at a festival this year.
It marks Panahi’s first fiction film since the road movie 3 Faces,...
Paris-based Celluloid Dreams will kick off sales on Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s new feature No Bears at the upcoming edition of Cannes.
The drama follows two parallel love stories in which the partners are thwarted by hidden, inevitable obstacles, the force of superstition, and the mechanics of power.
It Is currently in post-production and will be ready for a launch at a festival this year.
It marks Panahi’s first fiction film since the road movie 3 Faces,...
- 5/11/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Ah, with the slowly rising temps and with most schools getting ready to finish u[ their “grade years”, many families are hearing the call of the open highway. Maybe more so than other forms of mass transportation, driving may be the best option with new “variants’ popping up . But long hours in such “close quarters’ can certainly put a strain on the old “family dynamic”. And that’s probably true with families all around the world. In this new release, we’re in the ‘passenger seat’ for a winding journey through the battered dusty highways and byways of Iran. What really complicates this trek is what’s “packed away” with the bottled water and snacks, namely some big secrets. So, will these “hidden agendas” keep locked away when they Hit The Road?
This story begins with a “rest stop’ off the shoulder of a baking trail full of sand and rocks. Papa (Hasan Majuni) is trying to nap in the back seat, while his left leg, which has been in a plaster cast for a loooong while, stretches into the front armrests. Of course, his slumber is thwarted by his “spirited” six-year-old son who’s mainly known as “little bro” (Rayan Sarlak). Meanwhile, his older “big bro” (Amin Simiar) walks around the borrowed SUV, looking for dents and leaks. In the front passenger seat, Mama (Pantea Panahiha) is jolted awake by her little boy’s hidden cell phone he had promised not to bring it along, so she grabs it and dashes away to hide it under a nearby rock, insisting that they will pick it up...
This story begins with a “rest stop’ off the shoulder of a baking trail full of sand and rocks. Papa (Hasan Majuni) is trying to nap in the back seat, while his left leg, which has been in a plaster cast for a loooong while, stretches into the front armrests. Of course, his slumber is thwarted by his “spirited” six-year-old son who’s mainly known as “little bro” (Rayan Sarlak). Meanwhile, his older “big bro” (Amin Simiar) walks around the borrowed SUV, looking for dents and leaks. In the front passenger seat, Mama (Pantea Panahiha) is jolted awake by her little boy’s hidden cell phone he had promised not to bring it along, so she grabs it and dashes away to hide it under a nearby rock, insisting that they will pick it up...
- 4/29/2022
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Moviegoing Memories is a series of short interviews with filmmakers about going to the movies. Panah Panahi's Hit the Road is Mubi Go's Film of the Week in the US for April 29, 2022. Panah Panahi (right) on the set of Hit the Road (2021).Moviegoing Memorieshit The Road Notebook: How would you describe your movie in the least amount of words?Panah Panahi: An emotional roller coaster.Notebook: Where and what is your favorite movie theater? Why is it your favorite?Panahi: The movie theaters after the revolution are usually built in the shopping malls and I really don’t like going there as it’s everything but cultural. However, I have a heartwarming recollection of my parents taking me to an open air cinema in the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults. That was and still is my absolute favorite movie theater.Notebook: What is the...
- 4/25/2022
- MUBI
Before watching Hit the Road, I vaguely remember reading that it was Panah Panahi's debut. Upon finishing the film, I felt compelled to double check that it was indeed his debut. I could have blamed my bad memory; but I must confess. A part of me harbored some disbelief that a film directed with such mastery, shot so beautifully, and written so cleverly so as to convey both comic charm and dramatic depth, could be a debut. When I confirmed that indeed it was Panahi's debut, the shame was on me. To be fair, Panahi descends from quite the pedigree. He is the son of one of cinema's biggest names: Jafar Panahi. And he has worked on some of...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/25/2022
- Screen Anarchy
Sony Pictures Classics art heist caper The Duke, Neon’s tender Petite Maman, and Charlotte from Good Deed Films, an animated biopic with mature themes, open an eclectic specialty weekend ready to draw older crowds if they’re ready to return.
Younger demos are back when they like the pic, as per A24s Everything Everywhere All At Once. Families also, based on Sonic The Hedgehog 2. With CinemaCon opening Monday to set the theatrical table for the rest of 2022 and beyond, NATO chief John Fithian predicts the reluctance of the 35 to 40+ crowd is “definitely going to change.”
“I think the growth is going to come as much from smaller budget films as from blockbusters,” he tells Deadline ahead of the first full-blown confab of exhibitors, studios and indie distributors since Covid. Audiences that have stayed the most at home are “the most excited about coming back out,” he said.
Younger demos are back when they like the pic, as per A24s Everything Everywhere All At Once. Families also, based on Sonic The Hedgehog 2. With CinemaCon opening Monday to set the theatrical table for the rest of 2022 and beyond, NATO chief John Fithian predicts the reluctance of the 35 to 40+ crowd is “definitely going to change.”
“I think the growth is going to come as much from smaller budget films as from blockbusters,” he tells Deadline ahead of the first full-blown confab of exhibitors, studios and indie distributors since Covid. Audiences that have stayed the most at home are “the most excited about coming back out,” he said.
- 4/22/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The Road (Jaddeh Khaki) Kino Lorber Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net, linked from Rotten Tomatoes by Harvey Karten Director: Panah Panahi Screenwriter: Panah Panahi Cast: Hassan Madjooni, Pantea Panahiha, Rayan Sarlak, Amin Simiar Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 4/8/22 Opens: April 22, 2022 “Hit the Road” takes place in a car but is unlike most […]
The post Hit The Road Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Hit The Road Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/22/2022
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
No filmmaker in Iran is immune to the pressures of censorship. Movies made in the country must gain approval from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance not only for distribution purposes but for shooting permits as well. For directors and producers with stories that violate government standards — say, a scene where a woman removes her traditional headscarf, or another violation of Islamic law — the options for maintaining creative freedom are simple: Submit a script with the offending scenes removed, then shoot them anyway. Or hit the road.
Panah Panahi took the second option for his acclaimed debut, but “Hit the Road” is hardly an anomaly. “In a sense the car becomes a second house for us Iranians,” Panahi said in a phone interview with IndieWire ahead of his movie’s U.S. release. “There is a level of security inside the car. That’s why you see so many road films.
Panah Panahi took the second option for his acclaimed debut, but “Hit the Road” is hardly an anomaly. “In a sense the car becomes a second house for us Iranians,” Panahi said in a phone interview with IndieWire ahead of his movie’s U.S. release. “There is a level of security inside the car. That’s why you see so many road films.
- 4/22/2022
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
“For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road
Hit the Road, the debut feature from writer/director Panah Panahi, is a 93-minute long goodbye of aptly sweet sorrow. Panah, 38, is the son of Jafar Panahi, one of the undisputed titans of Iranian art-house cinema. Having served as an assistant on his father’s films and edited his most recent feature (3 Faces), Panah emerges with Hit the Road as a filmmaker with a slyly unclassifiable take on the family road movie. Panah has called Hit the Road in many ways “the opposite of Jafar’s cinema,” but the film shares at least one key quality with his father’s work: It’s […]
The post “For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/22/2022
- by Soheil Rezayazdi
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road
Hit the Road, the debut feature from writer/director Panah Panahi, is a 93-minute long goodbye of aptly sweet sorrow. Panah, 38, is the son of Jafar Panahi, one of the undisputed titans of Iranian art-house cinema. Having served as an assistant on his father’s films and edited his most recent feature (3 Faces), Panah emerges with Hit the Road as a filmmaker with a slyly unclassifiable take on the family road movie. Panah has called Hit the Road in many ways “the opposite of Jafar’s cinema,” but the film shares at least one key quality with his father’s work: It’s […]
The post “For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “For Us Iranians, the Car Has Become a Second Home”: Panah Panahi on His Debut Feature, Hit the Road first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/22/2022
- by Soheil Rezayazdi
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Early on in a family’s drive across northwest Iran, the father, Khosro (Hassan Madjooni), looks out the window at what used to be the largest lake in the Middle East, Lake Urmia. “Years ago, we would swim in it. Now, you can only have a dust bath.” Except for the unflaggingly effervescent younger son (Rayan Sarlak), the family all carry a similar blank experience that at first seems to come from the fatigue of a family road trip gone on too long. But then we deduce, detail by detail, that their worn expressions instead signal resignation, of worries that have no resolution. Hit The Road is an account of family separation from the older son, 20-year old Farid (Amin Simiar), who has to flee across the Turkish border for an offense for which he was arrested and released on a bail.We’re never told what Farid’s offense was,...
- 4/20/2022
- MUBI
After its world premiere at Cannes last July, Iranian Panah Panahi‘s “Hit The Road” quickly became one of the must-see films from the festival. No doubt part of that is due to Panahi’s father, Jafar Panahi, one of the touchstone filmmakers of the Iranian New Wave. Now, “Hit The Road” gets its US theatrical release next month.
Read More: ‘Hit The Road’: Panah Panahi’s Directorial Debut Is Thrilling Cinema & A Breath Of Fresh Air [Cannes Review]
Panahi’s debut offers a quirky look at a family as they cross Iran’s rugged landscape while on a road trip.
Continue reading ‘Hit The Road’ Trailer: Panah Panahi’s Cannes 2021 Hit Comes to Theaters This April at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Hit The Road’: Panah Panahi’s Directorial Debut Is Thrilling Cinema & A Breath Of Fresh Air [Cannes Review]
Panahi’s debut offers a quirky look at a family as they cross Iran’s rugged landscape while on a road trip.
Continue reading ‘Hit The Road’ Trailer: Panah Panahi’s Cannes 2021 Hit Comes to Theaters This April at The Playlist.
- 3/5/2022
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Despite a number of masterpieces in his own career, Iranian director Jafar Panahi is not the only family member with a strong vision behind the camera. His son, Panah Panahi, crafted a remarkable feature debut with the charming, emotional journey Hit the Road. Following a family of four as they traverse the Iranian countryside and reflect on life, the Cannes and NYFF selection will arrive next month in theaters, via Kino Lorber, and the new trailer has arrived.
Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his NYFF review, “There’s not much exposition in Hit the Road. In fact it takes most of Panah Panahi’s remarkable directorial debut, about a family traveling across northwestern Iran, to understand the full gravity of this noisy and comical road trip. Yet this movie’s power comes in the slow-burning revelations found through the straightaway desert roads and rolling lush hills, which amount to an emotionally wrenching crescendo.
Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his NYFF review, “There’s not much exposition in Hit the Road. In fact it takes most of Panah Panahi’s remarkable directorial debut, about a family traveling across northwestern Iran, to understand the full gravity of this noisy and comical road trip. Yet this movie’s power comes in the slow-burning revelations found through the straightaway desert roads and rolling lush hills, which amount to an emotionally wrenching crescendo.
- 3/1/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
"One day, we'll laugh at all this." Kino Lorber has revealed an official trailer for Hit the Road, an award-winning, outstanding little indie film from Iran. It's the feature debut of filmmaker Panah Panahi, who just so happens to be the son of acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. This premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival last year in the Director's Fortnight section and ended up with tons of rave reviews (one of my favorites of the fest). The film follows a chaotic, tender Iranian family that has embarked upon a a road trip across a rugged landscape and fussing over the sick dog and getting on each others' nerves along the way. Only the mysterious older brother is quiet, as he is headed somewhere else. Panah Panahi "makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama." The film stars Pantea Panahiha, Hasan Majuni, Rayan Sarlak,...
- 3/1/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Named one of the best films of 2022 by IndieWire, Panah Panahi’s feature debut “Hit the Road” finally premieres in theaters April 22 after much acclaim on the festival circuit. Below, and exclusive on IndieWire, watch the trailer for the upcoming release.
This isn’t your average family road trip. “Hit the Road” proves to be a quietly existential voyage, fueled by a husband and wife — played by Hassan Madjooni and Pantea Panahiha — as they smuggle their eldest child (Amin Simiar) out of Iran. Rayan Sarlak stars as their younger son.
Director Panahi himself is the son of the great filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who is still banned from making movies and from leaving the country.
“Hit the Road” premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and was later screened at the New York Film Festival. The film premieres April 22 at New York’s Film Forum as a Kino Lorber release.
Over the course of the road trip,...
This isn’t your average family road trip. “Hit the Road” proves to be a quietly existential voyage, fueled by a husband and wife — played by Hassan Madjooni and Pantea Panahiha — as they smuggle their eldest child (Amin Simiar) out of Iran. Rayan Sarlak stars as their younger son.
Director Panahi himself is the son of the great filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who is still banned from making movies and from leaving the country.
“Hit the Road” premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and was later screened at the New York Film Festival. The film premieres April 22 at New York’s Film Forum as a Kino Lorber release.
Over the course of the road trip,...
- 3/1/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Panah Panahi is the son of the acclaimed Iranian dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi, the winner of many prizes at top film festivals and the auteur who was sentenced to 6 years in prison and 20-year filmmaking ban for his socially critical work. Panah inherited his father’s filmmaking talent, got his filmmaking education and learned the tricks of the trade by assisting his father and even co-editing his film “3 Faces” (2018). “Hit the Road” is Panahi Junior’s feature directing debut that was selected for Directors Fortnight at Cannes. We had the chance to see it at Sarajevo’s Open Air section.
“Hit the Road“ is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
Hit the Road opens to the sounds of Chopin’s piano music over the black screen before the action starts in the car. A hyperactive, obviously bored boy (Rayan Sarlak), pretend-plays the keyboard drawn on the...
“Hit the Road“ is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
Hit the Road opens to the sounds of Chopin’s piano music over the black screen before the action starts in the car. A hyperactive, obviously bored boy (Rayan Sarlak), pretend-plays the keyboard drawn on the...
- 2/2/2022
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
Leila Hatami, Iranian actress, silver bear in Berlin for A Separation by Ashgar Faradhi, an Iranian film with one million admissions in France, will be the president of the international Jury. The other members are: Suha Arraf, director (Palestine), Zig Dulay, director (Philippines), Yerlan Nurmukhambetov, director (Kazakhstan), Tran Bich Quan, distributor-producer (France).
Koji Fukada, the rising star of Japanese directors, will present all of his films in world premiere.
Both will receive a Cyclo d’or d’honneur for their entire career or their work during the opening ceremony on February 1, 2022.
Moshen Makhmalbaf, multi-award-winning Iranian director, and Atiq Rahimi, Afghan director, Goncourt Prize 2008, signatories of the appeal of July 29, 2021 “let’s save Afghan artists! », will present several films during the Afghan Day.
A tribute will be paid to filmmaker Marc Haaz, technical director of Fica, who died tragically, at the age of 33, on July 30, 2021.
The complete films of Xei Fei,...
Koji Fukada, the rising star of Japanese directors, will present all of his films in world premiere.
Both will receive a Cyclo d’or d’honneur for their entire career or their work during the opening ceremony on February 1, 2022.
Moshen Makhmalbaf, multi-award-winning Iranian director, and Atiq Rahimi, Afghan director, Goncourt Prize 2008, signatories of the appeal of July 29, 2021 “let’s save Afghan artists! », will present several films during the Afghan Day.
A tribute will be paid to filmmaker Marc Haaz, technical director of Fica, who died tragically, at the age of 33, on July 30, 2021.
The complete films of Xei Fei,...
- 1/30/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has scooped up the Best Film prize at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival. The title is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards international feature category this year.
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
- 12/14/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Giuseppe Tornatore was jury president for the inaugural competition featuring 16 features.
Georgian director Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has won best film at the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, unfolding in Jeddah from December 6-15.
It follows a raft of prizes for the New York-set father-son drama that world premiered at Tribeca where it won best international feature, actor and screenplay.
There were 16 features from the Middle East and Africa in the inaugural competition.
Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore presided over the main competition jury with Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director Cherien Dabis, Morelia...
Georgian director Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has won best film at the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, unfolding in Jeddah from December 6-15.
It follows a raft of prizes for the New York-set father-son drama that world premiered at Tribeca where it won best international feature, actor and screenplay.
There were 16 features from the Middle East and Africa in the inaugural competition.
Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore presided over the main competition jury with Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director Cherien Dabis, Morelia...
- 12/13/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” has won best film at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival, while Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s “Rupture” won best Saudi film.
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
- 12/13/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
New label has released 40 titles in Saudi Arabia including The Father, Another Round and Pinocchio.
Pan-Arab distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment is out in the force at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival (Dec 6-15) with seven films in the selection, including recent acquisition Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road, which plays in competition.
Other titles playing at the Red Sea include Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s Earwig, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, Red Sea competition jury president Giuseppe Tornatore’s Ennio, Official Competition, Earwig, Ted K and The Good Boss.
The Dubai-based distributor works all over Mena...
Pan-Arab distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment is out in the force at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival (Dec 6-15) with seven films in the selection, including recent acquisition Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road, which plays in competition.
Other titles playing at the Red Sea include Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s Earwig, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, Red Sea competition jury president Giuseppe Tornatore’s Ennio, Official Competition, Earwig, Ted K and The Good Boss.
The Dubai-based distributor works all over Mena...
- 12/10/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Following last year’s hybrid edition, Sgiff returned fully to the cinemas this year, hosting 77 onsite screenings.
Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road was named best film at the 30th Silver Screen Awards in Singapore, while Ps Vinothraj took best director for Pebbles and Tolepbergen Baissakalov received the best performance award for Fire. The Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) announced the winners on Facebook on Sunday (December 5).
The jury - Peggy Chiao, Angeli Bayani, Kim Young-woo and Chalida Uabumrungjit - said the Iranian film “masterfully weaves raw poetic imagination with humour, melancholy and humanism”, and lauded Indian director Vinothraj for...
Panah Panahi’s Hit The Road was named best film at the 30th Silver Screen Awards in Singapore, while Ps Vinothraj took best director for Pebbles and Tolepbergen Baissakalov received the best performance award for Fire. The Singapore International Film Festival (Sgiff) announced the winners on Facebook on Sunday (December 5).
The jury - Peggy Chiao, Angeli Bayani, Kim Young-woo and Chalida Uabumrungjit - said the Iranian film “masterfully weaves raw poetic imagination with humour, melancholy and humanism”, and lauded Indian director Vinothraj for...
- 12/6/2021
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Iranian first film “Hit The Road,” directed by Panah Panahi, was named the winner of the Silver Screen Award for best film. The prizes were announced on the final Sunday of the Singapore International Film Festival.
“We continue to be inspired by filmmakers in the region and beyond as they continue to persevere and bring though-provoking stories to life under these tough circumstances. Sgiff is proud to celebrate their achievements,” said Sgiff executive director Emily J. Hoe.
Audience choice award winner “Some Women” by and about transsexual woman Quen Wong, will be re-screened on Sunday night to mark the finale of the 32nd edition of the festival.
Silver Screen Awards 2021: Winners
Best Film
“Hit The Road” dir. Panah Panahi (Iran)
Best Director
P.S. Vinothraj for “Pebbles” (India)
Best Performance
Tolepbergen Baissakalov in “Fire” (Kazakhstan).
Southeast Asian Short Film Competition
Best Southeast Asian Short Film
The Men Who Wait dir.
“We continue to be inspired by filmmakers in the region and beyond as they continue to persevere and bring though-provoking stories to life under these tough circumstances. Sgiff is proud to celebrate their achievements,” said Sgiff executive director Emily J. Hoe.
Audience choice award winner “Some Women” by and about transsexual woman Quen Wong, will be re-screened on Sunday night to mark the finale of the 32nd edition of the festival.
Silver Screen Awards 2021: Winners
Best Film
“Hit The Road” dir. Panah Panahi (Iran)
Best Director
P.S. Vinothraj for “Pebbles” (India)
Best Performance
Tolepbergen Baissakalov in “Fire” (Kazakhstan).
Southeast Asian Short Film Competition
Best Southeast Asian Short Film
The Men Who Wait dir.
- 12/5/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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